Maplewood Strive to Keep Loved Ones Illness Free

Maplewood Strives to Keep Loved Ones Illness Free

Influenza has been widespread throughout the state and has been known to be in the community as well.  At Maplewood Sauk Prairie, we strive to keep loved ones free from illness by utilizing infection control practices and encouraging vaccinations for both residents and staff, including the influenza vaccination.   We realize your loved one is looking forward to your visit.  By applying these basic principles of infection prevention, it will make you a “good visitor”.

Tips provided by APIC:

Stay home.  Do not visit your loved one if you are sick or had any symptoms of illness within the last three days including: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, uncontrolled cough or rash.

Wash or sanitize hands frequently both before and after visiting your loved one.  Clean your hands after touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, after using the restroom and both before and after eating or drinking.  Use your sleeve to cover your cough or sneeze, do not sit on the resident’s bed or handle the equipment.  Help residents with hand hygiene before eating and after using the restroom.

Every one to two hours, disinfect high-touch surfaces such as door knobs, toilet handles, bedside trays, etc.

Wear surgical masks if requested by staff.  Remove the masks when leaving resident care areas. If you touch the mask, replace it.

Recognize if you’re coming down with an illness.  Be honest about how you feel and realize if you are coming down with a respiratory illness, you are MORE contagious during the first 24-48 hours than you are at the end of the illness – after your immune system has had a chance to fight the illness.

Gastrointestinal illness (stomach bugs) caused by viruses can spread like wildfire through long-term care communities.  Norovirus causes severe and prolonged nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Influenza (or “the flu”) can cause severe illness and sometimes death in long-term care residents.  The onset of symptoms is normally quick, including fever, chills, body aches, headaches, tiredness and runny/stuffy nose.  Everyone over the age of 6 months should receive the flu shot every year – recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Human Metapneumovirus and Adenovirus are the cause for everything from a cold to pneumonia.  They are spread when a person coughs or sneezes and has contact with others.  The Adenovirus can cause death in older adults and very young children.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus causes severe influenza-like illness in older adults and young children.  It is spread when someone coughs or sneezes and has contact with others.

Use common sense before visiting a loved one.

Source:  APIC, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

Kidney Care

The month of March boasts National Kidney Month.  At Maplewood Sauk Prairie, we’d like to share tips about kidneys and how to keep them healthy.

Many functions are performed by the kidneys including removing body waste, balancing the body’s chemicals and fluids, regulating blood pressure, producing red blood cells and helping bones to remain healthy.

Chronic Kidney Disease, CKD, is something that affects millions of Americans.  CKD is manageable, yet if undetected can worsen over time.

Anyone can be struck by CKD, yet factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes.  Symptoms are not always noticeable, but may include nausea, swelling in the feet, hands or face, back pain and unusual looking urine.  A simple test done on blood and urine can let you know if you have kidney disease.

Common kidney problems include kidney stones and kidney infections.  Though they are less serious, if left untreated, they can develop into a real problem.  An inherited disorder that can lead to kidney damage is polycystic kidney disease.

Key factors in preventing kidney problems include managing diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.  There are also benefits to keeping kidneys healthy through reducing sodium in your diet, exercising regularly and controlling cholesterol.

Go to www.kidney.org for more information about kidney health.