Friday, October 30, 2009

Eight Reasons to Choose Home Care

As tough as it may be to enlist the help of a "stranger" when it comes to caring for your parents, sometimes it's for the best. For one thing, it will take the strain off of you, but your parent will also benefit from professional care in the comforts of home. Whether it's being attentive to special medical needs of assisting with personal care or homemaking, having a home health care professional will provide a variety of benefits to both the patient and the family.

1 - Home Care promotes healing.
"I know that our clients enjoy a much better quality of life which many families have said helped to extend the lives of their lived ones.," says Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder of Senior Helpers. "We focused on healing the mind, not just the body." Maxine Hochhauser, CEO of Visiting Nurse Regional Health Care System adds that in many circumstances the person rehabilitates better in the home. "They are in a familiar environment and are more comfortable. This is particularly true with individuals suffering from dementias."

2 - Home Care is safe.
"Many risks such as infection are eliminated or minimized when care is given at home," says Ross. Quality home care by professional caregivers can help prevent issues that may become very serious within the home. One example includes preventing falls in the home since seniors may be too weak or dizzy from medication since they fall when they're cleaning or bathing.

3 - Home care allows for maximum amount of freedom for the individual.
Patients at home may be engaged with their typical daily activities as their health permits plus it allows patients to receive care in the least restrictive environment. "This is the most conducive to patient-centered care which allows individuals the most control over the care they'll receive and the manner in which they receive it," notes Hochhauser. "Plus, it allows individuals to remain in the community."

4 - Home care gives them some control.
As baby boomers age the home care option gives them more control over the type of care they'll get to choose. Hochhauser explains, "They want more choices and want to be a more active participant in their own care. Home care allows them the most say in their care as they are in the least passive situation."

5 - Home care is personalized.
According to Milca Pabon, RN, a home health care nurse with Adventist Home Health, "the best reason to choose home care is because the care that will be received in the home will be individualized to each patient according to their specific needs." Essentially home care is tailored to the needs of each patient as they receive one-on-one attention.

6 - It eases burdens on the family.
Pabon explains, "With the length of stay in the hospital decreasing patients are going home earlier and many of them do not choose to go to a rehabilitation center to recover," explains Pabon. Rather, they want to go home to their own environment with their loved ones and have someone provide them with care they'll need to reach their maximum level of function. She continues, "Families are willing to have their loved ones with them, but may feel inadequate or unable to provide their loved ones with the help that they might need."

7 - Home care is comfortable.
"Every study done has shown that people would prefer to stay in their home," says Constance Row, executive director of the American Academy of Home Care Physicians. There is familiarity and comfort of being in one's own environment surrounded by their loved ones. She notes, "It's a type of quality care that people would want for their senior relatives."

Glaucoma: Some facts and ways to treat

Glaucoma – the “Sneak Thief of Sight” – Can Lead to Vision Loss

Although not preventable, glaucoma can be treated if detected early
St. Louis, MO (January 7, 2009) – Glaucoma – often called “the sneak thief of sight” because it can strike without pain or other symptoms – is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans – 91 percent – incorrectly believe glaucoma is preventable, according to the newest survey by the American Optometric Association (AOA). Although glaucoma is not preventable, if diagnosed and treated early, doctors of optometry can help a patient control the disease. Medication or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss.

Approximately 2.2 million Americans age 40 and older have glaucoma, according to National Glaucoma Research; of these, as many as 120,000 are blind because of the disease. The number of Americans with glaucoma is estimated to increase to 3.3 million by the year 2020, as baby boomers age.
According to the AOA, glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that occur when internal pressure in the eye increases enough to cause damage to the optic nerve, leading to loss of nerve tissue, resulting in vision loss.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Preventing financial elder abuse by family

The guilty verdicts on Brooke Astor's son, handed down yesterday by a Manhattan jury, highlight a sad fact about financial elder abuse: All too often, it's the children who are at fault.

“We see a lot of cases where the kids help themselves with the intention of paying the money back," says Bernard Krooks, an elder law and estate attorney in New York City. "It becomes a bad habit.” In other situations a nearby child, who is the caregiving relative by default, feels justified taking money from a parent’s accounts. But “you don’t have an entitlement to dip into Mom’s bank account just because you’re taking care of her,” Krooks says.

How to prevent it

Ideally, adult children should include their elderly parent in a family meeting to determine who will look after him or her physically and financially. Family members can write up an agreement outlining how much the caregiver should receive for that service from the parent’s accounts. While that set-up involves some complications--including FICA withholding and payment of income tax--it helps reduce stress among siblings, Krooks says. And because a salary is not a gift, the arrangement also reduces the likelihood that Medicaid would later deny the parent benefits for drawing down assets.


Paul Greenwood, a deputy district attorney in San Diego and head of the office’s elder abuse prosecution unit, advises caution in assigning power of attorney to a relative. “Even the person who you think is the nice relative can turn on you in desperation,” he says. Greenwood recommends appointing a bonded, licensed professional such as an estate attorney with expertise in elder law, a financial planner, or a bank officer. 

The National Association of Geriatric Care Managers (www.caremanager.org) says 30 to 40 percent of its members do that kind of work. For less than half of what an attorney would charge, they can pay bills, monitor repairs on a property, deal with insurance claims, and so on.

For no extra cost, the power-of-attorney document can be drawn up with limits, such as assigning a relative or friend to monitor the relative with power of attorney, mandating a periodic written report of finanicial transactions, or assigning joint powers of attorney, which requires two signatures on every check.
For more on this subject, click here, and check out our featured article on financial elder abuse in the November Consumer Reports Money Adviser.–Tobie Stanger

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Senior Helpers National In Home Care Talks About Overcoming Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation for Seniors

Did you know that research shows that loneliness is bad for your health? Studies demonstrate that a sense of isolation contributes to higher blood pressure, sleep disorders, and a weakened immune system.
 
Unfortunately, feelings of loneliness, isolation or boredom are common for many older adults. A large part of aging is dealing with change:
  • children growing up and moving away
  • retirement
  • adjusting to physical limitations
  • selling the family home
  • dealing with the illnesses or deaths of close family and friends.
Some of these changes may result in loneliness, especially the major transitions like illness and death. The common thread is that the relationships and interests you’ve grown to trust and enjoy are no longer available, at least not in the same way they once were.

Here are some ways to help an older adult reconnect with the parts of life that contribute to better physical and mental health.
  1. Get ready physically. There is an important link between how they are doing physically and how comfortable they are with taking on new challenges. Help them eat good food, get adequate rest, and (with the advice of a doctor) start a regular exercise program. No matter what their health condition, increasing activity is a plus.
  2. Get necessary information. If you they in a retirement community or assisted living facility, recommend that they read the newsletter or bulletin boards for news of upcoming events and ongoing programs. They can also talk to the social services and activities professionals on staff. If they live at home, reading the newspaper and subscribing to recreational, social service, and/or hobby organization newsletters can help. Also have them try listening to the radio or even checking local information on the Internet. You might come across opportunities you haven’t noticed before.
  3. Be willing to learn. Enourage the senior in your life to be curious and willing to try out something new. You can find amazing programs at the local library, senior center, or community college. They can take a computer class, learn new ways of keeping in touch with family and friends, and make new friends from around the world on the Internet.
  4. Establish a personal routine. Loneliness sometimes grows out of too much empty time. Talk to older adults about getting up and starting the day at a regular time; starting their morning by reading or tuning in to the day’s events through newspapers, radio or television; connecting with one or more friends by telephone each day, just to “check in;” going to exercise class or for a walk; arranging to eat a meal or snack with a friend.
  5. Include service to others. No matter who you are, where you live, or where you are in your life, there are ways for you to help others. Opportunities for seniors in your community may include reading to children at the local library, telephoning people who cannot get out, filling shopping bags at a food bank, or talking to a lonely neighbor. There are so many places and people who need help!
You won’t change their life overnight, and it is probably best to take things one step at a time. But feelings of loneliness and isolation can be overcome, and seniors can find satisfying new patterns and relationships in their lives!

At Senior Helpers, our Companion Caregivers are the perfect solution to keep your loved one company. Our Companion Caregivers will play games with your loved one, read to your loved one, accompany them on walks… and much, much more! To find out more about the types of services our caregivers can provide go to http://seniorhelpers.com/senior-care-service-list.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Top Safety Products for Seniors

Safety devices for your parents’ home can help you delay or avoid hiring personal caregivers. The best also help seniors steer clear of residential dangers deemed most common by the Home Safety Council: falls, poisoning, and fires and burns. Experts at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested a variety of home-safety products in its laboratories as well as with elderly consumers at the Carter Burden Center for the Aging in New York City. Here are their top choices.

Read the article in Good Housekeeping

Monday, October 19, 2009

Friday, October 16, 2009

Breakthrough Discovery Could Lead to New Treatment for Alzheimer's

From: Elements4Health.

The results of a mouse study could lead to a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease that actually removes amyloid plaques from Alzheimer's brains.

Amyloid plaques are clumps of protein fragments that accumulate between the brain’s nerve cells and are considered a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

This breakthrough discovery is based on the unexpected finding that when the brain's immune cells (microglia) are activated by the interleukin-6 protein (IL-6), they actually remove plaques instead of causing them or making them worse. The research was performed in a model of Alzheimer's disease established in mice.

The researchers made this unexpected discovery when they initially set out to prove that the activation of microgila trigger inflammation, making Alzheimer's disease worse. Their hypothesis was that microglia would attempt to remove the plaques, but would be unable to do so, and in the process cause excessive inflammation. To the surprise of the researchers, when microglia were activated by IL-6, they cleared the plaques from the brains.

To do this, the researchers over-expressed IL-6 in the brains of newborn mice that had yet to develop any amyloid plaques, as well in mice with pre-existing plaques. Using somatic brain transgenesis technology, scientists analyzed the effect of IL-6 on brain neuro-inflammation and plaque deposition. In both groups of mice, the presence of IL-6 lead to the clearance of amyloid plaques from the brain.

Researchers then set out to determine exactly how IL-6 worked to clear the plaques and discovered that the inflammation induced by IL-6 directed the microglia to express proteins that removed the plaques. This research suggests that manipulating the brain's own immune cells through inflammatory mediators could lead to new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease.

References:
1. Pritam Das, et al. Massive gliosis induced by interleukin-6 suppresses A deposition in vivo: evidence against inflammation as a driving force for amyloid deposition. FASEB J. doi:10.1096/fj.09-141754.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

How Senior Helpers Can Help You and Your Aging Loved One

Our New TV Advertisement:

Hearing Aid Awareness Week turns up the volume on hearing loss issue

Every day thousands of people turn up the volume on their television and ask their family members to speak up because of hearing loss.hearing loss
But most don’t really believe they have a problem.
“Hearing loss is an invisible injury,” said Margaret Dean, Ph.D., CC-A, section chief in Audiology. “There is no visible reminder that something is wrong and the condition is easily denied.”


Monday, October 12, 2009

CDC Podcast on Fighting the Flu

New CDC Podcast explains steps you can take to help you fight the flu. Take 3 Actions to Fight Flu: http://is.gd/48ybA

Friday, October 9, 2009

Home Health Care Industry Is Booming, According to New Report

From FRANdata:

October 10, 2009 - (ARLINGTON, Va) – The home health care industry is rapidly growing according to a new industry report released today by FRANdata. What’s more, demand for in-home care service is only expected to grow over the next decade as baby boomers continue to age and require assisted living services.

The industry grew by 13% each year between 2006-2008, adding hundreds of more units that provide non-medical assistance, home care, and other assistance such as shopping, cleaning and companionship services. Other services may include bathing and hygiene support or 24-nurse care. Significantly, the “Booming Growth: Franchises Serving the Growing Home Health Care Need” reports that the majority of brands have been in business for less than five years and no brand has emerged as the clear leader of the industry.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Should a person with Alzheimer's disease or dementia stay home alone?

From the Examiner

Caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias at some time will need to consider whether their loved one can stay home alone. This is an issue to discuss with your health care provider or with a professional who specializes in dementia care. Here are some points that might help guide your discussion.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Is Technology Keeping Up with The Needs of Today's Seniors?

 Watch the Interview

Laurie Orlov, the founder and senior analyst of Aging in Place Technology Watch, and the author of our Aging in Place Technology column recently sat down with Jill to discuss what she thought were the major components to the aging in place market—and where she thought our aging boomers would drive the industry as they begin to want and demand the technology and societal structures that mean they can safely stay in their homes.
In Orlov’s opinion there are four main components to the aging in place market:
  1. Communication & Engagement. Staying connected to each other, their families and the outside world.
  2. Home Safety & Security. As individuals become frail they will want products and services which allow them to stay in their home.
  3. Health & Wellness. These boomers will want the technologies that can be used in the home for safety and convenience. Orlov also mentions how the landscape of healthcare will change as telehealth becomes more common.
  4. Contribution & Learning. We will need to figure out ways to help elders stay sharp by ensuring their environment is changing and they can learn something new.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Scott and White Hospital Fundraiser

We attended the fundraising event benefiting the  Healing Garden at Scott & White Hospital last evening.

It was a great time. Plenty of food, live music and dancing. And my favorite  - a Texas Hold'em tournament! Made it to the final table with my eye on the prize - a very nice Resistol Beaver hat. Alas, my AQ with an Ace on the flop did not hold up! Nonetheless a great time was had by all - and for a great cause.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

4 Ways French Women Stay Thin (Without the Gym)

By Mireille Guiliano

Editor’s Note: Mireille Guiliano is the internationally bestselling author of French Women Don’t Get Fat. Her latest book, Women, Work and the Art of Savoir Faire: Business Sense & Sensibility will appear in October. She can be reached at mireilleguiliano.com and frenchwomendontgetfat.com.

From the 15th floor windows of my New York City apartment, I have a clear view of a big and many windowed "health center," (aka a four-story gym complex). September is one of the gym’s busiest months. Right after Labor Day, active women, who I hope are incorporating daily outdoor activities with a seasonal summer flavor into their daily routines, flock indoors to the gym and an artificial routine of treadmills, exercise bikes and medieval torture devices. I see them sweating early mornings and late at night from my windows. I see them going and coming from my daily walk as I pass the gym.
  
It is a sign of the times — but also our American culture — that many women seem to have only two modes: sitting or spinning. They’re either avoiding even the slightest heart rate increase (like those women in my apartment building who take the elevator to the second floor) or they’re sentencing themselves to hours at the gym as punishment for their indulgences throughout the day. So often I see the begrudging look on women’s faces and hear the phrase, "I don’t want to go to the gym, but I have to." Pourquoi? If you are eating mindfully, and eating the correct portion sizes, you don’t have to torture yourself on those metal contraptions or run a marathon to stay trim. French women reject the notion of "no pain, no gain," opting for a more pleasurable notion of mild, sustained exertion. We prefer all-day movement, what I like to call "the slow burn," and we practice it as second nature instead of attacking it like boot camp.

Sleeping Beauty? 10 Sleeping Tips from the French

Friday, October 2, 2009

Lifestyle can cut Alzheimer's risk

From The Hereld of Monterey County:

The bad news is that every 70 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer's disease. The good news is you can lower your odds of being one of them.

"There are no guarantees in this game, but by addressing lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise, you can decrease your risk of getting Alzheimer's," said Dr. Richard Restak, Clinical Professor of Neurology at George Washington Hospital in Washington, D.C.
In Restak's book, "Think Smart," he lays out the key points of his "optimal brain health" plan, aimed at keeping a "healthy functional brain" into old age. The same recommendations are given by the Alzheimer's Association for people diagnosed with the disease.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

H1N1 and Seasonal Influenza Guidance from The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has prepared a web page with links to important influenza information provided by DSHS and CDC.

You can access the page, which is frequently updated, at:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/txflu/default.shtm

Information essential to congregate facilities can be found at:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/txflu/Guidance-CongregateFacilities.shtm

The following link is to assist professionals in the decision-making process as it relates to the flu:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/txflu/DCHHS-H1N1.pdf

Under “Families and Individuals,” please read the following web page:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/txflu/flu-families.shtm

Under “Related Links,” at the bottom on the left-hand column, please refer to the following links for a listing of local health departments with their addresses and phone numbers:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/regions/lhds.shtm
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/regions/nonlhd.shtm

The CDC has several pages of information on seasonal flu, H1N1 and infection control:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol

Senior Helpers on the Local Austin TV News

For the work we are doing locally on Swine Flu prevention:

Watch the TV News Clip

Free flu prevention might help seniors

Kits were distributed in Round Rock

Updated: Wednesday, 30 Sep 2009, 5:39 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 30 Sep 2009, 4:38 PM CDT
ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) - Senior Helpers have been providing in-home assistance to seniors across 38 states since 2002. Now they have added a new service in senior care.
They are offering free flu prevention kits, that include a tip sheet with precautions, latex gloves, multivitamins, hand sanitizer and baby wipes. Anyone may procure a kit for the senior citizen in their life.
The kits were passed out Wednesday at the Alan Baca Senior Activities Center in Round Rock, where Flora Sule was grateful.
"For somebody to give this out for people freely, is quite appreciated," said Sule.
Folks at the center are taking the flu threat seriously, wiping down every public area every day and leaving sanitizer on every countertop. For more on the kits, go to the Senior Helpers Web site.