Symptoms that caregivers of elderly should never ignore

The older a person gets, the aches and pains of aging tend to occur more frequently. But how do you know if certain symptoms are more serious than others? As a caregiver, it can be difficult to tell whether your elderly loved one has a headache brought on by muscle tension or something much more severe, such as a TIA.

The AARP put together a list of symptoms you should never ignore, adapted below. The article notes that symptoms which develop unexpectedly or gives a person a bad gut feeling are cause for alarm.

    • A sudden, intense headache could signal a ruptured aneurysm, cardiac cephalgia, meningitis or temporal arteritis.

 

 

    • Unexplained weight loss is common in 36 percent of cancers in older people, according to the article. Other conditions associated with weight loss include diabetes, IBS, celiac disease and endoctrine disorders.

 

    • Unusual bleeding are often associated with ulcers, colon cancer, hemorrhoids and bladder infections.

 

    • High or persistent fever may indicate a urinary tract infection, pneumonia, endocarditis or a viral infection.

 

    • Shortness of breath is the primary symptom of pulmonary embolisms. It’s also often associated with asthma, bronchitis or pneumonia.

 

    • Sudden confusion is often tied to interactions between medicine and drugs/alcohol. More severely, it can indicate a brain tumor or onset of a stroke.

 

    • Swelling in the legs is tied to many conditions, but heart failure is the one that concerns doctors the most.

 

    • Sudden or severe abdominal pain can signal an aortic aneurysm, perforated viscus, intestinal ischemia and many other conditions.

 

Physicians Choice Private Duty  currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa ” provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Encompass services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit us today..”

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Why is hospice care underused in the U.S.?

home care omahaWhile the number of people turning to hospice care may be growing in the United States, people suffering from terminal illness still face many barriers when trying to access end-of-life palliative care. And it’s not just because patients and/or their families are afraid of coming to terms with death. Medical journal Health Affairs conducted a nation-wide survey of nearly 600 hospices, which revealed there are other factors at play as well. The results showed that 78 percent of hospices had “at least one enrollment policy that may restrict access to care for patients with potentially high-cost medical care needs” like chemotherapy and tube feeding, according to Health Affairs.

Dr. Melissa Aldridge Carlson, lead author of the study and a geriatrics and palliative care researcher at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, told The New York Times that the results show there’s a barrier for people who may want hospice care but can’t receive it due to current Medicare requirements. And while this made sense a couple decades ago when Medicare first developed regulations that require patients to stop curative treatments upon entering hospice, advances in medicine have outpaced such regulations and currently blur the line between palliative and curative treatments, according to Aldridge Carlson.

The survey also showed hospices that are small, for-profit and in certain regions of the country consistently reported more limited enrollment policies than non-profit hospices. This is likely due to Medicare regulations, making it too expensive for many operations to care for a terminally ill patient’s high-cost care needs.

In the end, the study suggests Medicare’s hospice requirements be revised to better meet the needs of patients receiving modern medical treatments.

2011 U.S. hospice stats (via nhpco.org)

    • Nearly 1.7 million patients received hospice services.

 

    • The median length of hospice service was 19.1 days.

 

    • 66.4% of patients received hospice care at home.

 

    • Only 21.9% of patients received care in a hospice inpatient facility.

 

    • Currently there are more than 5,300 hospices in operation in the United States, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 

Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Encompass services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

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Photo credit: squishband via photopin cc

“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit http://www.encompass-home-health-care.com.”

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Guest blog: Blood Thinners and Stroke Prevention for Seniors

Image provided by Drugwatch.com via ShutterStock

Today’s blog comes from Drugwatch.com, a group dedicated to informing seniors and other age groups about dangerous prescription drugs and medical devices. 

Seniors make up a large portion of the more than 2 million Americans who take blood thinners as a defense against strokes. Around 800,000 strokes occur every year, with the potential of causing brain damage and debilitating side effects.  Blood thinners reduce the risk of stroke by preventing clots from forming in the veins or arteries. While taking blood thinners, it is important to follow medical guidelines and know possible complications.

Guidelines for Taking Blood Thinners

To prevent health complications, follow these safety tips when taking blood thinners:

    • Keep an updated list of medications, including the name of the blood thinner your doctor prescribes.

 

    • Make sure doctors other than your primary care physician are aware of your blood thinner prescription to avoid bleeding situations that may occur from dental work or surgeries.

 

    • Many doctors recommend limiting alcohol consumption while taking blood thinners.

 

    • Get blood tests, as directed.

 

    • Take extra care not to cut or injure yourself from scissor accidents or falls, as blood thinners cause increased bleeding.

 

Bleeding Risks

Because these medications prevent the body from its natural ability to heal from cuts by clotting, injuries that cause bleeding are especially dangerous and may require the assistance of medical professionals. Some blood thinners, unfortunately, do not yet have antidotes to treat bleeding accidents.

The effects of warfarin (Coumadin), a blood thinner that has been popular for many years, can be reversed by treatment with vitamin K. Because of warfarin’s unique chemical makeup, users of the medication must also monitor their diet to manage foods that have vitamin K and may inhibit the medication from working initially.

Pradaxa (dabigitran) was approved in 2010, but at this point no antidote exists. Since Pradaxa’s release, there have been records of more than 500 disabling or deadly bleeding incidents that occurred while people were using the drug. These events combined with other adverse events from the drug led to 542 deaths in 2011, according to QuarterWatch, a nonprofit group focused on medical safety.

Pradaxa Bleeding and Heart Attacks

QuarterWatch gathered information from physicians, the FDA’s adverse event reporting database, manufacturers and other sources, finding documentation of 3,791 serious adverse events from Pradaxa in 2011. In addition to uncontrollable bleeding cases, other risks from Pradaxa include heart problems.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology published a study in March 2012 that found that patients taking Pradaxa were five times more like to have heart attacks that those taking warfarin. A study done by the Cleveland Clinic also found a link between Pradaxa and heart problems. According to this study, published in the Archives of National Medicine, in comparison to Warfarin, Pradaxa caused a 33 percent increased risk of heart attack or severe symptoms of heart disease.

A new blood thinner called Eliquis (apixaban) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2012. There are plans to complete trials on a drug that may work as a bleeding antidote for Eliquis.

Knowledge of the risk involved with certain blood thinner medications may help you to properly manage your health and prevent both strokes and bleeding accidents.

Alanna Ritchie writes about dangerous prescription drugs and medical devices for Drugwatch.com.

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Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Encompass services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit http://www.encompass-home-health-care.com.”

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Video: Alzheimer's patients giving thanks

Video: Alzheimer’s patients giving thanks

Video: Alzheimer’s patients giving thanks

Video: Alzheimer's patients giving thanksOftentimes, family caregivers get overwhelmed with their duties. Those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s may have an especially difficult time watching their beloved spouse, parent or friend deal with the effect of onset dementia and early Alzheimer’s. What starts as initial frustration and lack of patience eventually gives way to understanding and, most importantly, love for your typical caregiver. Even so, it’s worth knowing that those receiving care do indeed appreciate all the help, as upset as they may be in dealing with a chronic condition that deteriorates their cognitive faculties over time.

A heartfelt video from the Alzheimer’s Association features many real life sufferers of Alzheimer’s and dementia giving thanks to those who make their lives more manageable by helping with daily tasks, such as taking meds on time, making sure they don’t wander off and get lost, offering rides, preparing meals and simply providing companionship.

Watch the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzWte4rf174

Alzheimer’s stats (via alz.org)

  • In 2012, it’s estimated that 5.4 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s.
  • Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.
  • It’s the only cause of death in the U.S. that cannot be cured or slowed.
  • An estimated 1 in 7 people with Alzheimer’s live alone.
  • There are more than 15 million caregivers in the U.S. who provided more than 17 billion hours of care in 2011.
  • Since 2000, deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased by 66% while deaths from most other major diseases have dropped.
  • Alzheimer’s costs the nation $200 billion annually.
  • These numbers are only projected to rise.

Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Physicians Choice Private Duty services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit https://private-duty.firstcareco.wpengine.com/services/“

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How to stay healthy as a caregiver

How to stay healthy as a caregiver

How to stay healthy as a caregiver

How to stay healthy as a caregiverBeing the the primary caregiver for someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is, without a doubt, a demanding job. There’re the time constraints brought on by balancing work, family and caregiving — not to mention the physical and emotional strains that come in tow. That’s why it’s important to take care of yourself. If you do, you and the loved one you’re caring for will both be happier.

The Alzheimer’s Association offers some tips on staying healthy as a caregiver:

See a doctor

Check in regularly with your doctor. A physician can help you with any problems you might be having related to exhaustion, stress, sleeping problems and other changes in behaviors. Ignoring these symptoms can lead to declines in physical and mental health.

Alz.org recommends getting a seasonal flu shot if you’re caring for someone in late-stage Alzheimer’s, as the vaccination protects both you and your loved one.

Stay physically active

Make sure you find the time to exercise regularly. It will help relieve stress, prevent disease and, in general, make you feel good.

  • Find friends and family to offer caregiving help so you can get out and move. Even short amounts of time — 30 minutes of physical activity a day, five days a week — helps immensely.
  • Don’t be afraid to exercise at home. Get a stationary bike or yoga mat and do your exercises while your loved one is napping.

Develop healthy eating habits

Change your diet so you eat regular, heart-healthy meals rich in healthy fats, whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables. Alz.org recommends trying a Mediterranean diet.

Manage your stress

Stress affects your body and emotions negatively in several ways. Make sure to actively manage your stress and find ways to relax when necessary. Many caregivers tend to feel guilty for their loved one’s condition, but Alz.org notes that you should give yourself credit where it’s due, grieve the losses and focus on the positives.

Don’t ever hesitate to ask for help. Whether it’s a friend or family member, support group and professional care provider focused on elderly care, there’s always someone to talk to.

Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Physicians Choice Private Duty services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit https://private-duty.firstcareco.wpengine.com/services/.”

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Physicians Choice Private Duty hosts first #srcarechat today at 3 p.m. EST!

Physicians Choice Private Duty hosts first #srcarechat today at 3 p.m. EST!

Physicians Choice Private Duty is proud to announce we’ll be hosting our very first Twitter chat today at 3 p.m. EST. We’ve named it Senior Care Chat using the hashtag #srcarechat. Whether you’re a caregiving family member or professional, we invite you to join in on today’s conversation, which will focus on the best ways to offer care for those suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Here are today’s questions:

1. As a caregiver, what are the most important steps to take when dealing with a progressive disease like Alzheimer’s?

2. What sort of living environment best suits someone with Alzheimer’s?

3. When should family consider moving a loved one with Alzheimer’s into a nursing facility?

4. What setbacks should be anticipated when moving a loved one to a hospital or nursing home?

5. What are some ways to make sure someone with Alzheimer’s takes their medication as prescribed?

6. How do you explain to a young person that a loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s?

7. What are some ways to prevent caregiver burnout?

8. What resources are available for families with loved ones with dementia or Alzheimer’s?

Feedback is always welcome, please let us know what you think in the comments or on Twitter.

On a side note, we’ve found that Twitter chats are a great place for caregivers and healthcare professionals from across the world to gather and discuss the issues currently facing the world of elderly care. With so many people sharing their insights and personal experiences, Twitter chats can be a great resource to draw from, helping us all to make the services we provide better and better.

Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system.All Physicians Choice Private Duty services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit https://private-duty.firstcareco.wpengine.com/services/.“

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Is napping important for the elderly?

Is napping important for the elderly?

Is napping important for the elderly?

Is napping important for the elderly?For decades now, researchers have been studying how napping affects overall health. While some studies link napping to certain health problems, new findings bring positive news, suggesting regular napping is associated with a sharper mind. This is especially encouraging to the elderly population, as surveys show that more than half of people over 75 nap at least twice a week, according to the AARP.

Some of the benefits associated with napping include:

  • Enhanced visual learning
  • Improved memory
  • Better problem solving

Still, to take advantage of the benefits, it’s important to know how long, how often and during what time of day someone should nap. A person’s age is also a factor since seniors naturally require less sleep than, say, someone in their 30s.

“I think most of us agree it’s wise to avoid taking a nap too close to bedtime, which may make it harder to fall asleep at night,” Timothy A. Roehrs, a sleep researcher at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, told the AARP. He goes on to say that, in general, the best time to take a nap is between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., a period when it’s easier to sleep as the body’s 24-hour circadian rhythm is normally in a lull.

Napping red flags

Even though many studies show health benefits associated with napping, there are other studies that link napping with health problems. For one, older people who nap tend to have more health problems than non-nappers, according to Michael V. Vitiello, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington. Many of these people who nap regularly have other sleep-related problems, such as depression, sleep apnea and nocturia. If this is the case, a common treatment for someone with chronic insomnia is to restrict sleep, i.e. less time spent in bed will lead to an improved quality of sleep.

Still, Vitiello tells the AARP that napping is perfectly OK for most people. “Experiment with different length naps. If you feel more refreshed, great. If not, maybe napping isn’t for you.”

Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Physicians Choice Private Duty services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit https://private-duty.firstcareco.wpengine.com/services/“

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Keeping an elderly parent independent

Keeping an elderly parent independent

Keeping an elderly parent independent

Keeping an elderly parent independentWith the number of Americans 65 and older expected to double over the next 30 years, more and more seniors and their families will go through a tough decision-making process to ensure the best possible elderly care. According to a recent New York Times article, this challenge becomes more difficult if no one takes the time to think through various care options before severe illness or injury occurs, making it impossible for elders to continue to live independently.

There are plenty of options for help, however, many of which adjust to the schedules and budgets of each particular family. Whether it’s a nonprofit volunteer service or a professional care firm, there are many areas where help can be provided. The following list is adapted from The New York Times article:

  • Assistance with dealing with paperwork and technology
  • Trustworthy referrals to service workers, home health care agencies and personnel
  • Information about and transport to local classes and social activities at a discounted rate
  • Regular visiting
  • Prepared meals delivered to the home
  • Shopping services
  • Adult day care

The future of senior living?

Former secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros writes in the book Independent for Life: Homes and Neighborhoods for an Aging America that another way to prolong elderly independence is to change American neighborhoods and communities so that elderly persons can longer remain in them, as reported by the Times.Americans are aging in traditional homes, neighborhoods and communities that were designed for yesterdays demographic realities, Cisneros writes.Homes can be retrofitted, new age-appropriate homes built, existing neighborhoods reconnected, and new communities planned.

Cisneros notes that community changes can come in the form of affordable small-scale housing as well as cluster housing situated in walkable communities with easy access to health facilities, public transportation, etc. Elderly living of the future can even borrow from the design of current assisted living facilities and, perhaps, be built near or attached to family homes.

We’d love to hear what you think of Cisneros’ ideas as they relate to the current state of assisted living. Let us know on Twitter or in the comments.

Physicians Choice Private Duty — currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa — provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Top Physicians Choice Private Duty blog posts of 2012 services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit us today..”

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Physicians Choice Private Duty

Top Physicians Choice Private Duty blog posts of 2012

Top Physicians Choice Private Duty blog posts

From Twitter chat recaps to caregiving advice columns to real stories and testimonials from several of our clients, we’ve covered an array of topics on the Physicians Choice Private Duty blog since its launch in July. We wanted to thank all of our readers from the last five months. We look forward to continued success in 2013!

Of our more than 100 posts, a few received more traction than the rest. Below is a rundown of the five most popular Physicians Choice Private Duty blog posts from 2012.

5. Study finds brain damage makes elderly susceptible to scams — Researchers at the University of Iowa found scientific backing as to why the tactics of con artists often work on the elderly, and it may be the result of deteriorating or damaged parts of the brain. To draw this conclusion they pinpointed the exact location in the human brain that controls belief and doubt. It’s called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and its condition may explain why some are more easily duped than others.

4. Real Stories: Caregiving through the night — In this real-life story, our client was the primary caregiver for her husband in her home, but she needed overnight help to best take care of him. After a recommendation from her husbands doctor, she contacted Physicians Choice Private Duty to assess the situation. Physicians Choice Private Duty helped them both through a tough decision-making process, ensuring everyone’s individual care needs were met.

3. Grapefruit’s dangerous drug interactions put seniors at risk –‚ More than 85 drugs are known to interact with furanocoumarins, a naturally occurring organic chemical compound found in grapefruit. While most of these drug interactions are harmless, 26 new drugs have been found in the last four years that can cause serious harm when combined with grapefruit.

2. Signs of senior stress — No matter your age, stress is a part of life. For seniors, stress can be especially taxing and harder to overcome, as many new contributing factors are in play such as the loss of a spouse and suddenly living alone or the frustration that surrounds dealing with new physical and/or medical limitations. As a caregiver, knowing the signs of senior stress will allow you to better help your elderly loved one.

1. Great foods for elderly diabetics — The risk of diabetes increases significantly for those over 60 years old. Half of all diabetes cases occur in people older than 55, and nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population over 60 has diabetes. That’s why it’s important to know the super foods that can help alleviate the symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Physicians Choice Private Duty services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit https://private-duty.firstcareco.wpengine.com/services/“

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Study: Age stereotypes can affect seniors’ health

Study: Age stereotypes can affect seniors’ health

Study: Age stereotypes can affect seniors’ health

Study: Age stereotypes can affect seniors’ healthA new study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association suggests older persons who have positive stereotypes about aging — e.g., old age brings satisfaction, wisdom, etc. — are 44 percent more likely to fully recover from an injury or disability. However, those who have negative age stereotypes — feelings that becoming old is tied to being decrepit, helpless, etc. — are less likely to consider preventative medical treatment and more likely to suffer memory loss, have poor physical health and ultimately die earlier than those who have a positive outlook, the research shows.

Becca Levy, an associate professor of epidemiology and psychology at Yale University, is the researcher who has advanced this body of knowledge further than anyone, reported The New York Times.

In one set of research, Levy exposed 660 participants to external stimuli, flashing positive or negative words that the participants could only process subconsciously. Those exposed to negative words shared common traits such as poor handwriting and higher levels of cardiovascular stress. Those prompted with positive words did much better, and on average lived 7.5 years longer, according to the Times. Using this data, Levy went on to establish that eating a balanced diet, regular exercise, limited alcohol consumption and other healthy activities were associated with those with positive age stereotypes.

The Times asked the National Institute of Aging’s Dr. Marie Bernard about the research, which “confirmed her clinical observations in more than 30 years of medical practice.” Even so, Bernard pointed out that the study is small, and it should be replicated in order to be more conclusive.

What we really need to understand is the mechanism, Bernard told the newspaper. Is it something that is malleable and, if so, could we help people live longer, healthier lives?

The article notes that those answers will have to wait. Still, it touches on the subject of ageism and the idea that the way people treat one another does indeed influence behavior as well as perception of self. Perhaps by being more thoughtful in the way we act and the words we choose, we can be a positive influence in the lives of our aging loved ones. And, if there’s even a shred of truth to Bevy’s research, we can help those we care about live longer, more fulfilling lives.

Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa ” provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Physicians Choice Private Duty services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.

“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit us today..”

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