6 Tips and Tricks for Seniors Combatting the Common Cold this Season

Finding yourself going into cold and flu season a little unprepared this year? With the hot days of summer lingering well into September fall has been the last thing on our minds. Yet, October is right around the corner and the days are finally cooling and with that – sneezing, sniffling, coughing, and sore throats are bound to find you sooner or later. So, we’ve put together 6 Tips and Tricks to help combat those nasty colds if they do happen to find themselves in your home.

1. Rule out any other type of virus that can have more of a dangerous impact on you than the common cold. We recommend starting with a virtual or in person visit with your medical care provider. Discuss your symptoms and know that your medical care provider will be the most knowledgeable recourse.
2. Rest. One of the best things you can do when you’re sick is to rest. Give yourself the break your body needs to heal and repair. Get that list of shows you’ve been meaning to catch up on and give yourself permission to lay and watch whatever – fall asleep too. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you can lower your body’s ability to fight off illness and can even open yourself up to catch more things.   
3. Try honey. A cough can easily be soothed by a little bit of honey in a warm cup of water or tea. Sipping on this can relive the nasty sore feeling in the back of your throat. Hot liquids can even help move some of the congestion you may be feeling. Local honey has also been believed to help with allergies and building your immunes system.
4. Powering up your humidifier. Adding moister into the air can help “clear you out” meaning that it moves congestion and helps you to breath more easily. You want to make sure you’re changing the water in your humidifier regularly. Some humidifiers even let you add medication such as Vicks’ VapoPads that add menthol to the air increasing the affectless of the humidity. Whenever using an over-the-counter medication consult your doctor to make sure it is right for you.
5. Drink Water. Make sure you are staying hydrated. Water is the best choice while you’re sick but warm broth can also be very beneficial. These will help loosen congestion and helps your body heal. Most people don’t get enough water in general but when we are sick, we need it even more. We recommend a large refillable water bottle to carry with you. This will help you see exactly how much you’re drinking and allow you to get up less frequently for refills.  
6. Check Back with you Doctor. If you’re not starting to see improvements after a few days check back in with your doctor. Some viruses can be sneaky and don’t seem as bad at first. You always want to make sure you’re working with your medical provider to rule out anything worse than a cold or any new symptoms that may have immerged. Colds and viruses affect seniors significantly more and thus seniors need to take extra percussions to prevent complications.

Here at Snapfon we also suggest looking into sosPlus Mobile Monitoring Service to help in case of an emergency.  With the push of a single button sosPlus® connects you to a 24/7 response agent. Agents have access to your provided medical information and emergency contacts through your Snapfōn® User Account. Our sosPlus® Agents can conference in emergency services, alert family and friends, and will stay on the line with you until your situation is fully resolved. Learn all about sosPlus Mobile here: www.snapfon.com/sosplus/