Last Updated Nov 2012
Our bodies don’t come with gauges or idiot lights to warn us of our limits. Over the holidays, we may forget about our health needs and may unwittingly throw off our own delicate balance of homeostasis, wake up with a sore throat, a sudden sharp pain or worse. Parties, houseguests, travel and the general disruption of our routines causes stress and can wreak havoc on our health. While we are all vulnerable to illness during times of stress, people dealing with chronic disease and those who are elderly are even more vulnerable to illness and injury, so watch out for them.
In my own extended family, we have seen a wide variety of illnesses and injuries during travel or over a holiday: my mother fell in a relative's home and broke an arm and a rib, my father sprouted shingles on Thanksgiving Day, multiple family members have dealt with kidney stones over the holidays, my son had a life-threatening allergic reaction over a holiday weekend and, years later, while we were on vacation, fell into a camp fire that had been burning for four hours, resulting in rather extensive second degree burns.
It’s not just us. Friends recently took their elderly relative to the hospital after she fainted from travel induced dehydration since the airlines had cut back on passenger service without thinking their needs, especially for their health. They did not offer any beverages on a cross continent flight. Another set of friends dealt with an unexpected three day hospitalization for their “perfectly healthy” teenaged son while attending a family reunion in another state. Their son lost consciousness and was transported to the emergency room where they discovered a cardiac arrhythmia. Yes, this could happen to you, it could happen to anyone.
While we cannot rid ourselves of the added health risks of travel and holiday cheer, we can be attentive to those who are most vulnerable and pick up on issues early so we can deal with them before they get out of control. Health issues are always easier to treat when they are caught early. Be especially vigilant with your elderly relatives and friends as they are quite vulnerable. A simple schedule change which would be easy for many of us to adjust to can throw off our older relatives in significant and dangerous ways. In addition, they often negate their own needs because they don’t want to “bother” us or “ruin the party.”
Therapists, make sure your relatives are getting enough fluid and enough rest. Help them remember medications, treatments and dietary restrictions. They are worth watching out for; they are your loved ones! Your attention to their health needs is one of the best gifts you can give them any time of year.
About the Author: Amy Sluss, RN, speaker, author. Amy leads mother daughter workshops that connect and empower girls and women (see www.fab2bfem.com). She also teaches health care consumers how to advocate for those they love in the medical care system. Amy worked in a wide variety of health care settings before starting her own company, Chart Your Own Health.
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