Caregivers in San Marcos Warn About Valley Fever

You may have never heard of valley fever, especially if you have only recently moved to the southwestern United States. If you have elderly family members, though, it is important for you to be on the lookout for symptoms that could indicate valley fever and have a doctor investigate early. Ahead, caregivers in San Marcos tell you a little about this mysterious disease and how you can combat it.

Catching Valley Fever

The one piece of good news about valley fever is that it is not contagious. If a senior in your family does catch it, you and caregivers in San Diego County can provide care without worrying about catching it yourselves. The illness is carried by a fungus, which primarily grows in our region of the country. Seniors become more vulnerable if yard work, construction, or a natural event such as an earthquake stirs up dust near their home.

Addressing Possible Cases

A senior who has a case of valley fever usually shows flu-like symptoms, but they may be very mild. This makes the disease difficult to diagnose in its early stages, and doctors recommend having a senior checked out if valley fever instead of the flu is a possibility. In serious cases, valley fever can develop into pneumonia, an extremely dangerous condition for the elderly.

Caregivers in San Diego County Help Watch for Symptoms

Watching carefully for changes in a senior’s health is hard when you can’t be present with them for the bulk of each day. A professional caregiver keeps a sharp eye out for sniffles, a fever, changes in appetite, and the other telltale signs that something is wrong. In addition, a caregiver’s work keeping the house clean, the bathrooms and kitchen sanitized, and the laundry done helps protect seniors from other, more contagious diseases as well.

Originally posted 2014-03-06 10:30:27.