One of Mums Carers warned me the other day that norovirus is prevalent in our area…
The thought of Mum, who cant walk, having diarrhoea and sickness is awful. Its bad enough when Mum makes a mess and I have to talk her through and reassure her constantly until the carers come…
Does anyone have views on Multivitamins, if i give Mum a multivitamin tablet a day will it help her immune system???
From what little I 've just googled. (http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/Home/will-i-be-immune-to-the-stomach-flu-in-the-future). it’s hard to gain immunity to norovirus, in part because there are many different types, and any immunity doesnt last long.
Hand washing with soap and water and drying hands completely is recommended because hand sanitizing gels don’t work for norovirus. Your carers ought to be doing that after caring for someone who has norovirus.
I don’t know if your mum needs a multivitamin supplement. I expect you’re keeping your mum as strong and healthy as you can, with as varied a diet as she will eat.
Hi Stephen,
I would encourage the care workers to wash their hands on arrival, if they don’t already. If the liquid soap smells nice, they’ll probably wash their hands a bit longer (more thoroughly.) Make sure they know, as Rosemary says, that alcohol gel doesn’t kill the norovirus.
To boost the immune system I personally recommend vitamin C with zinc tablets. I’m a teacher and children are constantly having colds - I rarely caught them or any other bug. I had very high attendance, whereas a lot of my colleagues were not so fortunate. S has also had less viruses since he started on them too. He was getting a lot (and mean a lot) of veruccas and the chiropodist recommended putting him on them as apparently you are more prone to them if your immune system is low. It worked and after all the treatments I tried - then went all by themselves - just as she said they would!
Also make sure you air the house.
Melly1
When Mum contracted norovirus whilst in her are home I was one of the few that didn’t catch it - I continually washed my hands and wore latex gloves and disposable aprons when cleaning Mum up after each “explosion”. Additionally as soon as I got back home after each visit I changed my clothes and put everything I was wearing into the washing machine.
My sister, who visited Mum just once during this time, took no precautions and went down with the virus after that one visit !
Thank you all for your good advice,
I wash my hands about 50 times a day with anti-bacterial soap. I did ask one of Mums carers if they washed Mums hands as part of her body wash, the reaction I got kind of gave me the impression they didn’t.
I think in general Mum and I are OK, but its the carers I worry about. They don’t wash there hands, just wear gloves throughout each call.
As an example Mums lunch callers, a few days ago, left her soiled knickers in a bucket of water to soak. By the time I found it, it was disgusting, I had a bit of a strop to be honest and told Mum I’d leave the tea time callers to sort it out.
One of the tea time callers wearing rubber gloves reached into the pooey water, threw the knickers away, then proceeded with the rest of the call wearing the same gloves covered in soiled water. What chance to do Mum and I stand!! She changed Mums clothes, closed the blinds, opened our washing machine, sat at our table writing in the comment book, all with gloves that had dripping pooey water on them.
Stephen,
Ugh! I would have had to say something. If this ever happens again - intervene. If you don’t feel able to confront the care worker, then keep some spare gloves at home and hold out a bag to receive the dirty gloves, take her to wash her hands and give her some more gloves. She was probably annoyed at having to finish the job that the previous care worker, left half done. No excuse though for being unhygienic.
This is a training issue. Contact the agency.
Melly1
Sounds really gross, Stephen. Never had that problem. Carers handed me the soiled underwear, left it in the washing machine, or by its door, bagged. I agree with Melly. It’s a training issue. If it’s not one thing, it’s another,…
Strange thing is, its always the Lunchtime callers who leave nice (sarc) surprises for me. Whether its because its the only call I’m not present for I don’t know. The other three calls are always very pleasant…
I walked into the living room a few days back to find three pieces of sweetcorn covered in poo right in the centre of our living room. Sorry to be gross, but it had obviously gone in one end and came out the other. Yet they just left it for me to clean up…
From now on I’ll be sure to take photos and build up evidence before complaining, Its always the same carers. I know who they are and it’s time I did something…
.
I loved your post.
At the end of the day they put the gloves on to protect themselves from germs, Not a second thought they are spreading germs all over our house.
My Mum is used to me having hissy fits at the mess her £2500 a month carers leave. Today so much toilet roll had been put down the toilet, it was dry and just a very massive water soaked lump of loo roll was left in the bottom of the toilet…
Thankfully after about 8 flushes it washed down, I did actually confront the carers, the carer responsible said nothing, while the other apologized and looked surprised…
I wish we could hand pick Mums carers…
I know what you mean Stephen. You’d think they would know not to shove all that loo roll down the toilet in one go!
I never saw paid carers wash their hands, I bought expensive antibacterial soap, I didn’t want to get ill, I also bought that gel stuff, put a big one on the table by the telephone, can’t miss it.
No one used the gel, same with the hospital, when I go to and leave the hospital I did the gel, didn’t see anyone else doing it.
I saw one nurse wash their hands before seeing my caree in the hospital but that was it.
Surely the carers should wash their hands first and last, otherwise will spread everything over a wide area.
They did have aprons and gloves but didn’t use them all the time just for a messy client.
Would have loved to have them people off the tv swab them, and their cars.
I always wash my hands after using the toilet, I go to the supermarket , I use the toilet wash my hands, the amount of people who don’t then they wonder around the supermarket touching everything , that’s disgusting.
Never ceases to amaze me, seeing ladies come out of the toilet cubicle and walk straight out! Not that I use public loos often. Avoid them if I can.
My youngest grandson, when about 7, using a handwash at my house, ( it had a smell of strawberry laces sweets!). He said this is how we have to wash our hands nanny, and was doing it properly. Between fingers and wrists etc. I let him ’ teach’ me lol. Why not, start as early as possible. He’s a typical lad by the way, thinks wind is funny etc.