Improving circulation in older adults. Circulation problems are common amongst older adults. Here's how to improve circulation.
Improving circulation in older adults. Circulation problems are common amongst older adults. Here's how to improve circulation.
Living with cirrhosis: risk factors, life expectancy and tips for caregivers.
Cirrhosis is a serious chronic progressive disease that affects the liver.
The on-going disease destroys the liver cells called hepatocytes.
As the disease progresses, the liver becomes scarred. And this scarring ultimately leads to liver dysfunction.
Although cirrhosis can be managed and slowed down, it is a serious illness that can lead to death.
Most people associate cirrhosis with alcoholism.
And while this is a major risk factor for the disease, it’s not the only reason a person might have cirrhosis.
Other causes of cirrhosis include:
Thus if you have a loved one who has heart disease or has had hepatitis in the past, these could serve as risk factors for cirrhosis too.
Surviving cirrhosis depends on multiple factors including age, the overall health of the person and the cause of cirrhosis.
Thus how long a person can live with cirrhosis will differ from one person to the next.
There are four stages of cirrhosis.
At stages 1 and 2 of cirrhosis, we can still do a lot to slow down the disease.
You can help your loved one make lifestyle changes like:
During stages 3 and 4, cirrhosis is not reversible.
At this point, you can mainly provide supportive care to your loved one as they wait to get a liver transplant.
During these stages, it might be time to consider working with professional caregivers so that your loved living with cirrhosis can get the proper care they need.
What is a durable power of attorney and why do you need one?
We’re living through a pandemic.
It is more important than ever for seniors to think about what kinds of medical decisions you want to be made for you in case you cannot make them yourself.
A medical durable power of attorney is document that gives someone else the power to make decisions on your behalf. Of course, this would be in a scenario where you cannot make those decisions yourself.
Although COVID-19 can affect people of all ages and different demographics have recovered from the illness, it is important for older adults to clearly state in writing, who can make decisions for them in case they’re unable to do so.
Even in the absence of COVID-19, accidents, illness and age-related dementia call for older adults to prepare a durable power of attorney.
Nobody can dictate who you choose as your durable power of attorney.
However, we recommend that you choose someone you trust and who is reliable.
It is best if you can work with a lawyer to draft the legal document when you’re appointing the power of attorney.
If you live in the United States, you can name more than one person as your durable power of attorney.
However, it is important to specify exactly what each of their roles in decision-making will be.
And whether or not one decision supersedes another should they have conflicting ideas on a medical decision.
We highly recommend that you have a conversation with your lawyer so you can understand the pros and cons of choosing one or multiple powers of attorney.
You will work with your lawyer to draft the legal document.
Once it is finished and all the needed signatures are on your document, you can save the document in different places.
Having a durable power of attorney long before you need it, can prevent family misunderstandings.
And it will prevent a court of law (instead of your loved ones) from making crucial medical decisions for you.
Also note that, a POA may be called a “healthcare proxy”, “agent” or “healthcare surrogate” depending on where you live.
Read this post where we talk more extensively about estate planning for older adults.
Your elderly loved one is bleeding from the nose and you are worried.
What could be the issue? Why are they experiencing nosebleeds so much?
Nosebleeds in the elderly can happen for the following reasons.
Most of these are not a cause for alarm. And usually, you can resolve a nosebleed by getting rid of the precipitating event.
For most older adults, an occasional nosebleed may be nothing to worry about.
But regular nosebleeds for an older loved one could point to more serious issues like a severely injured nose (due to a fall or another type of accident), coagulation disorders, heart problems, arterial hypertension and some types of cancers.
To stop a nosebleed:
If a nosebleed lasts for longer than 20 minutes, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Like I mentioned before, you can treat occasional nosebleeds by treating what caused it. Here are steps caregivers can take to treat nosebleeds.
Beyond these, it is always to watch out for other changes that have accompanied the nosebleeds.
This will give you clues as to the actions you should take and when it is time to see a medical professional.
What does a second wave of COVID-19 restrictions mean for you as a caregiver?
News reports over the last week have focused on a second wave of COVID-19 cases.
States like Florida, Texas and Arizona have stopped reopening their states so that they can slow the virus spread.
Los Angeles county which had opened up beaches announced a few days ago, that they would close down the beaches to keep more people from getting infected.
At this point, if you’re exhausted at the thought of this second wave, you’re not the only one.
So what can you do as a caregiver during this time?
In today’s post, I will provide some pointers on how to cope as a caregiver during this second wave of COVID-19 restrictions.
A second wave means it is important for us to continue to shelter in place and practice safety measures.
This means that if you care for an elderly loved one who has underlying health risks, it is important to be diligent about:
Other actions include making sure you and your loved one are consuming enough vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin C for instance is well-known to boost our immune systems.
So while we do our best to stay at home and practice safety measures, make sure you and your loved ones’ immune systems are supported by healthy foods.
For many caregivers – especially those who are taking care of children as well as elderly loved ones – this has been a challenging time.
Children are home from school and as a caregiver, you have to attend to them.
And with this second wave, it is likely schools will not reopen until 2021.
For a lot of caregivers, this means triple the amount of work as they juggle caring for children, caring for their elderly loved one and staying on top of their work-life.
If this is you, remember to:
Summer vacation travel plans cancelled? No worries.
There is still a lot you can do to bust through boredom from home. Here are some ideas for you and your household.
While these second wave of COVID-19-related restrictions due to rising cases, is NOT fun, we can beat it together.
Lymphedema in older people.
What is lymphedema?
And why should you care about it as a caregiver?
In today’s post, we will talk about what lyphedema is, how to identify it and how you can care for your loved one who has it.
Lyphedema refers to swelling that occurs in the arms or feet due to a blockage in the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system is part of your immune system. It is a network of tissues and organs that drain your system of toxins, dead bacterial cells, and other unwanted materials from infectious agents.
Your tonsils and spleen are part of your lymphatic system.
Since your lymphatic system is involved in drainage, you can think of them as pipes taking the waste away.
If for any reason they become blocked, the affected person will retain fluid in their body which then causes the swelling you see in the legs and arms.
In lymphedema, usually only one arm or leg will become swollen. In some instances, both could be swollen as well.
The symptoms of lymphedema include:
Lymphedema can happen on its’ own (also called primary lymphedema) or it can happen because of another disease (called secondary lymphedema).
People who are older, overweight or who have undergone treatment for cancer are all at high risk for developing lymphedema.
If it is not properly cared for, lymphedema can lead to life-threatening infections. Another complication of lymphedema is lymphangiosarcoma – a type of cancer that affects soft tissues.
10 activity ideas for your loved one who is bedridden.
Here’s a reality – nobody likes to be in bed for a prolonged amount of time with nothing to do.
Thus, your loved one who is bedridden is itching for activities to keep their mind off the fact that they’re bedridden.
But one common challenge caregivers face is finding activities for loved ones to engage in while they are bedridden.
Whether your loved one is bedridden at home or is in the hospital, you’ll learn engaging activity ideas for them from the list below.
Let’s delve right into it.
Reading books has long been the way to while away time. If you know what types of books your loved one enjoys, either buy or borrow them from the library for your loved one.
Audio books are an excellent way to consume books especially if you’re not up for looking at pages of texts for long periods of time. It is common for elders to struggle with their eyesight. Audio books can therefore be a great alternative for them.
Services like Audible, Scribd and Audiobooks.com are excellent sources for audio books.
An oldie, but a goodie! And you don’t have to limit your loved one’s watching preferences to network television.
There are even YouTube channels that have a lot of great content that could appeal to your loved one.
If they are up to it, a good board game is another great way to engage your bedridden loved one.
Crafts are great for any age and they are great at eliminating boredom. So try some crafts with your loved one. You never know what they will fall in love with.
Podcasts cover a wide variety of topics these days – from entertainment to business to commentary on popular TV shows. One can stay engaged for hours listening to podcasts.
If your loved one can still use their upper body strength, playing musical instruments with them or even learning to play a new one can keep them engaged and entertained.
This is also an activity the whole family can participate in.
Are loved ones scattered all over the country or globe? Show your loved one how to use communication tools like Skype or Zoom so they can talk with family that live elsewhere.
Check this post out for 4 user-friendly video calling apps for the elderly.
Everyone loves a good puzzle! And for your loved one who is bedridden, this is an excellent way to help them engage.
Several of the activities listed here could be done with an electronic tablet and then there is so much more that is not mentioned here.
Either way, an electronic tablet presents a great opportunity to your loved one engaged while bedridden.
Is your home walker-ready?
Mom or Dad is moving in with you shortly and they have a walker.
Or perhaps, they are aging in place and you want to help them make their home walker-ready.
In today’s post, we’ll cover the steps you can take to prepare your home or your loved one’s home to make it walker-ready.
The number one safety tip to consider when you’re getting your home ready for a walker is to ensure that you or your loved one is properly fitted for the walker.
While it may seem you can just grab any “ole” walker and make it work for you or your loved one, this is not advisable.
For a walker to be safe and supportive, it has to fit your height, weight and specific situation.
The wrong walker can lead to injuries that are caused by the walker not being rightly fitted for you.
The wrong walker can also lead to falls, which can in turn be fatal.
If your door is narrow, you might want to consider a renovation that includes widening your doorway to the allow the walker in. Of course, you will have to consider if this is absolutely necessary.
We do realize that this could mean a significant financial investment but ultimately, it will help you or your loved one come in and out of the house much easier.
Stairs can prove challenging for people with mobility issues.
Where possible, build a ramp that allows easier movement in and out of your home.
This ties into the point above.
A bedroom downstairs reduces the need for you or your loved one to use the stairs – a common cause of falls.
Loose rugs, wires that cross the floor and any other object that is in the way can become fall hazards.
If you have a loved one in your home who uses a walker, get rid of obstructions in those spaces where they travel frequently.
You or your loved one may need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
In addition to keeping pathways clear of obstructions, it is helpful to have night lights.
At the very least, you or your loved on should have the ability to control lights so that pathways are lighted when there’s no daylight outside.
Need reliable home care services for you or your loved one?
Call Green Tree Home Care at 800-518-9277 to talk to a representative and find out how we can help you.
We couldn’t have made up what is going on in the world right now – even in our best movies.
And we know you are feeling the pinch as a caregiver.
Perhaps, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant you have to cut your hours at work.
Maybe, the people who were helping you taking care of your loved one are now having to keep their distance.
And it certainly doesn’t help that the number of COVID-19 cases around the world keeps going up.
So how do you take care of yourself as a caregiver during this time?
In today’s post, I will offer some suggestions on what you can do to cope with the current crisis.
If the current crisis has led to losing your job, here are a few paths you can take.
These are unprecedented times.
It is alright to voice your feelings or even to cry. Care-giving is hard. Having to do it in the current environment is even harder.
Because of physical distancing, mental health professionals have had to move their services online.
This is a great opportunity to chat with one so they help you discover coping tools you can use.
These guidelines by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is helpful for finding the right mental health professional.
If you do indeed have one or two people helping with your loved one, make sure they are observing increased hygiene practices.
Any caregivers who come from an agency, need to be washing their hand before and after they touch your loved one.
If they are sick, they should be staying at home and a replacement should be provided.
If someone in your household gets sick during this time, call the hospital first.
There are triage nurses who will speak with you to determine if you (or your loved one) should come in to the hospital.
Let’s continue to stay safe.
Tips to protect your mental health during the current global pandemic.
To say the current news is stress-inducing is an understatement.
The numbers of people infected with the novel Coronavirus keeps going up.
The death toll – although it is at 4% of all cases – is still very disturbing.
It certainly doesn’t help that everyone is now encouraged to stay indoors.
For some people who have been through traumatic war-time experiences, perhaps this dredges up bad memories.
This is a difficult time for everyone around the world.
How do you protect your mental health during such a stressful time?
In today’s post, I am going to share four tips to protect your mental health in the midst of the stress.
The first step to protecting your mental health is to be truthful with yourself.
It is okay to admit that you are feeling overwhelmed. It is okay to voice out your frustrations and let those around you know how you’re feeling.
The truth? You’re not alone in those feelings.
The news is stressful right now. There is no doubt about that.
News networks want to be the first ones reporting the latest news and numbers.
While it’s important for us to be abreast with it all – it is alright to give yourself a break.
Don’t feel you need to sit down and soak it all up.
Take a walk around your house.
Read a new book.
Set up a video conference call with your family.
Do what you can to stay away from anything that increases your anxiety.
With expanded telehealth benefits for Medicare beneficiaries, you might be able to chat with a mental health provider over the phone or other virtual service.
Mental health providers can give you the tools you need to cope during this time.
Find out from your mental health provider if this is possible.
Now is a great time to start a brand new hobby!
This can help you keep your hands and mind busy so you’re not worrying so much about the news.
These tips to protect your mental health during the current pandemic can help you cope until we all finally come out of this.
We cannot always change the course of the storm; but we can choose to thrive in the midst of it.