Tips for Brain Injured
We brain injured sometimes need reminded of certain social & health behaviors that come effortlessly to caregivers, those we work with or those we meet. Therefore, do not be discouraged by our forgetfulness to conduct ourselves appropriately not because we are rude, but because we simply do not remember.
The following are simply health tips to remind us of especially now that the flu & cold season is approaching. For those of us taking medication being sick can disrupt our med schedule! Yikes! That can be a disaster for us brain injured, caretakers, our doctors, & med caretakers! There is nothing worse for medical people than to desperately assist a brain injured person back to a healthy day & routine. If we get sick& cannot take our meds--doom, gloom & destruction can occur as well as serious health problems.
Reminder HEALTH TIPS FOR COLD & FLU SEASON:
1. Hand washing for men & women is vital after going to the bathroom. The length of time you wash your hands is important--coincidently if you sing the “happy birthday” song, medical persons agree is the proper time to properly clean your hands. So you will have clean hands & it is amazing how a little song we learned as youngsters can make you smile!
2. Bacteria can linger on bar soap; so wash hands frequently with a liquid anti-bacterial soap.
3. Don’t share drinking cups, glasses, cans, or bottles. Have disposable cups in bathrooms, kitchens, & bedside. Use it once then throw it away. Small disposable cups can inexpensively be purchased in large amounts at Sams Club, Cosco or Aldi‘s.
4. Get in the “Blow nose, Throw tissue & Wash hands” (B-T-W) habit. After using a paper tissue, be sure to throw it away & wash your hands immediately after using tissue.
5. Colds can be transferred through hand-to-hand contact.
6. Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth when exposed to cold germs.
7. Use disposable paper napkins & towels instead of cloth or sponges unless you wash them immediately in disinfectant (can be purchased through Amway) laundry wash.
8. Toys, books, & TV remotes are common germ carriers. Wash toys in warm, soapy water to kill bacteria & viruses. Put a small capful of Clorox in dish water to kill misc. germs then rinse.
9. If you sneeze & a tissue is not handy, sneeze into your shoulder, not your hands, to avoid spreading your cold.
10. Germs may remain in stagnant air; so open the windows when the weather permits. Germs love dark hot or damp places.
11. Clean surfaces like stair railings, telephones, counter tops, chair arm rests & door knobs frequently to avoid hand-to-hand spread of viruses.
12. Avoid smoking even the menthol cigarettes at home. Smoke is a respiratory irritant that increases susceptibility to colds & flu. ##