You’re the one helping your dad every day. You wake up and have this red rash on your torso and it’s coming with a burning, tingling pain. The pain is distracting, and your doctor confirms you have shingles. What is shingles and what does this mean for your usual routine? Can a companion care at home provider help your dad while you recover?
What Is Shingles?
At some point in your life, you likely had chickenpox. The varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox remains dormant in your body. In later adult years, it can return as shingles. Shingles isn’t often dangerous, but it is very uncomfortable and can cause pain that lasts for weeks.
Sometimes, the shingles rash occurs near the eye. If ophthalmic shingles happens, it’s important to talk to your doctor as infections in the eye can lead to permanent vision loss.
As soon as you believe you have shingles, call your doctor. If you do, there are antiviral medications that can help keep severe symptoms from appearing. It can also help your body fight the virus more effectively, which is especially important if you’re older or have a weakened immune system.
Has your dad had chickenpox? If not, you are contagious and can give him chickenpox if he comes into contact with your rash. It’s best to stay away until you’re feeling better and all of the sores on your torso or face have healed.
How Dangerous Is Shingles?
For many people, shingles comes and goes with the generous discomfort and pain in the rash site. If you’ve had both doses of the shingles vaccine, you should have less severe symptoms. If you haven’t, you could end up experiencing postherpetic neuralgia, which is a complication caused by damage to the nerves.
If you have postherpetic neuralgia, those damaged nerves continually send messages to the brain that you’re in pain. The pain can be debilitating. You may be told to use medications like lidocaine patches to help control the pain. You may find the pain keeps you from being able to help your dad. Arrange to have caregivers help him until you’re well again.
Let Caregivers Help Your Dad For Now
Companion care at home services are ideal when you need to step back and recuperate. Caregivers can help your dad with transportation, meals, housework, and other aspects of his daily routine. While he has the help he needs, you can focus on doing what your doctor tells you to do.
You can focus on your recovery knowing your dad has someone cooking his breakfast, helping him keep track of any appointments he has, and getting him to those appointments. If he has errands, his caregiver can bring him. He also has someone to clean his home, do the laundry, and keep him company during the day and while out taking walks.
Stay home until the shingles rash and discomfort have passed. After that, your dad’s companion care at home services can be scaled back as you start to help him out again.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Companion Care at Home in Bonita, CA please contact the caring staff at A Passion for Care today. Call (858) 798-5005
A Passion for Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving San Diego, La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Bernardo, Encinitas, Oceanside, Rancho Santa Fe, Point Loma, and surrounding areas.
Making the transition to a completely new industry brought the opportunity to learn and grow, which continues still today. Pat studied Gerontology in San Diego State University’s certificate program and became licensed as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), a Home Health Aide (HHA), and completed the California Certification Program for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCCFE) as a Certified Administrator. She presented workshops at Aging in America Conference four years in a row and served as Chair of the San Diego Regional Home Care Council 2019-2020 and was the education board member for several years. More recently, Pat became a Certified Senior Advisor and was a San Diego Business Journal “50 over 50 2022 Women of Influence Honoree”.
Pat and her husband Roland have lived outside San Diego in the San Pasqual Valley for over three decades. She has two children who are grown professionals and three grandchildren. Pat enjoys traveling to, and visits from, family and friends throughout the year. While at home in San Pasqual Valley, she and Roland enjoy peaceful views and exploring the surrounding valleys.
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