Allergies: Is your parent feeling like he finally made it through the cold, long months of winter, avoiding the flu, colds, and Covid-19, only to be completely wiped out by seasonal allergies?
While avoidance is the best way to eliminate the miserable symptoms that allergies can trigger, when it comes to seasonal allergies such as pollens and other natural air-borne irritants, it may seem there is nothing your parent can do to find relief unless he wants to keep himself indoors 24/7. Your parent should always visit his doctor first to get recommended treatments and diagnosis for his allergies, but if once he receives those he is still suffering, here are some ways you can make him a bit more comfortable at home when allergy season is at its worst.
Replacing filters in the home
Now would be a great time to ask your home care provider or another family helper to replace the filters in your parent’s home with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. These filters can greatly reduce the amount of allergens in the air in your parent’s home by trapping pollen, dust, and pet dander. Most hardware and general stores carry HEPA filters so if you can pick up the correct size for your parent’s home, it should be fairly easy to swap out the old filters for new, fresh ones. You might also want to consider changing them more often when pollen counts are especially high.
Staying Inside on bad days
In many areas, dry, windy days are the worst days for pollen counts and while the sunshine might look inviting, it can cause your parent misery to be outside if he has strong seasonal allergies. Most weather channels and apps list pollen counts for the day, so have your parent check what the pollen counts are before he plans any big outside activities. Sometimes even waiting just a day to do yard work can make all the difference. On those high allergy days, your home care provider can help by either doing outside chores or spending time with your parent indoors to keep him company when he shouldn’t go out.
Wearing a mask
Most of us have gotten used to wearing a face mask due to the pandemic, but did you know that wearing a face mask while outside during high pollen counts can help your parent breathe better outside? So, don’t toss those masks yet. Keep them around for any days that your parent needs to be outside when pollen counts are high.
Using a nasal irrigation device
Saline nasal irrigation can have beneficial effects for those suffering from allergies. Following the instructions on the package, have your parent try this method to clear his nasal passages and bring some relief.
Allergies: Eating locally sourced honey
Studies have shown that when you consume honey from local bees who have pollinated the very plants you’re allergic to, that you begin to develop an immunity to the effects of being allergic to those plants. And if your parent suffers from a dry, itchy throat during allergy season, the honey is a natural way to relieve that irritation as well by mixing it in tea or warm water.
Allergies
Work with your parent’s doctor to see if he needs any over-the-counter or prescription medication to help him manage his spring allergies. Combining what the doctor prescribes with some of these home remedies might just provide the relief your parent is seeking.