Learn to Stay Physically and Mentally Healthy this Holiday Season
By: Ryan Sparks MS, MBA
VP of Content Development and General Manager
Although the flu is not getting the same level of media attention this year, flu complications still account for more than 200,000 hospitalizations and an average of 23,600 deaths per year. According to the CDC, ninety percent of those flu-related deaths and more than half of flu-related hospitalizations occur in people age 65 and older.
As the holidays approach and facilities cope with an influx of outside visitors, it is important to take proactive steps to prevent flu infections for your team and those in your care. Prepare yourself this season by taking Care2Learn's latest course "Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Healthcare Settings (P1198)." This course covers the latest CDC guidance on prevention strategies for seasonal influenza in healthcare settings effective with the 2010-11 influenza season. The updated guidance supersedes previous CDC guidance for seasonal influenza and the Interim Guidance on Infection Control Measures for 2009 H1N1 Influenza in Healthcare Settings.
While monitoring the physical health conditions in your organization, don't forget about the toll that depression can take during the holidays. During this time, many elderly residents feel lonely because they are missing loved ones that are deceased or have moved away. You can prepare yourself now by taking the Care2Learn course "Grief and the Holidays (1281)." This course provides recommendations for celebrating both the holidays and the lives of those that have passed on and provides caregivers with tools for helping others in this situation.