RetirementHomes.com - skilled nursing care

What Hospice Care Does

aadmin — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 09:47:33 +0000

Hospice is a special type of health care for terminally ill patients and their families. Hospice care workers are trained to provide a significant level of support and comfort to patients and their families. Hospice care is only resorted to when a life-limiting sickness fails to respond to treatments.

While hospice care doesn't elongate the patient's life or hasten death, it is designed to improve the overall quality of the patient's last days. The healthcare workers of hospice are trained to offer a specialized understanding of the necessary medical care.

How is Hospice Administered?

Hospice care is administered through a team-oriented approach of medicine. The workers are specially trained volunteers or caregivers, health care professionals, and even family members. These highly trained individuals work to address every symptom of the patient's disease with a keen eye for moderating the patients discomfort and pain.

Administering this type of health care involves a holistic approach, which includes social, emotional, and spiritual care of the patient, family, and friends. In addition to all of these services, hospice also offers a wide range of counseling and bereavement services to the family and friends both before and after the patient dies.

The Hospice Caregiver

Hospice programs administer palliative care, which is health care focusing on the holistic well-being of everyone involved, including the caregiver. Being a hospice caregiver can be an insanely demanding around-the-clock job. At the same time, being a hospice caregiver can be very rewarding.

However, as a caregiver it is important that you know how to ask for and accept assistance from others. In addition to being able to give the best possible hospice healthcare, accepting assistance allows others to have the opportunity of being of service.

Undoubtedly, care giving takes a significant time commitment. While actually knowing the amount of time required can be nearly impossible, caregivers frequently design rotation schedules with other trusted loved ones. In either case, caregivers will usually have to take a significant amount of time off of work at some period.

Where is Hospice Administered?

Generally, hospice care is provided in the patient's home, nursing home, or a friend's home where the patient is most comfortable. However, there are in-patient hospice care facilities available to assist if necessary. The entire hospice focus is on the comforting the patient, not on administering a cure for the illness.

Hospice staff is available for questions from caregivers 24 hours a day. The hospice staff is also readily available to conduct in-home visits at any time to manage any issue that may arise.

Tags:

Hospice Care

skilled nursing care

Categories:

Hospice Care

Senior Living

Know the signs of depression

aadmin — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:15:09 +0000

Most people have experienced some form of depression in their lives at some point, but there is a myth that depression in senior adults is normal. As people age, many different things occur that will sadden us but when does it cross the line from being normal sadness into depression?

Depression is a medical illness in which a person has feelings of sadness, discouragement, and lack of self-worth. Grief over a loss is normal and may last for weeks or months, but losing all hope and joy is not normal.

Possible symptoms/signs of depression in an elderly adult can include:

-   Pervasive and long-lasting sadness
-   Chronic fatigue
-   Abandoning or losing interest in hobbies or other fun activities
-   Social withdrawal and isolation
-   Sleep disturbance (sleeping too much or too little)
-   Increased anxiety or irritability
-   Hopelessness
-   Helplessness
-   Obsessive worrying
-   Memory problems
-   Increased use of alcohol or other drugs
-   Suicidal thoughts or attempts
-   Giving things away
-   Preoccupation with death
-   Suddenly happier, calmer
-   Stockpiling pills or obtaining a weapon
-   Comments such as ‘nothing to live for’, ‘won’t be a burden on my family’ and other statements of hopelessness, helplessness and worthlessness

Depression is common but most people do not get the help they need and this is especially true with the elderly. Doctors usually focus on the physical issues and often miss the mental issues.

Only a medical or mental health professional can diagnose depression but it is usually friends, family and especially residential staff who can notice the symptoms first and who can then make sure the behaviors are addressed. Sometimes, behaviors that look like depression may actually be caused by something else (such as an allergic reaction to a medication, poor nutrition, not taking medications properly or an interaction between medications, etc.) but again, only a professional can make the diagnosis.

Senior adults are less likely than the general population to mention that they are depressed or are feeling down to their doctor or family and thus many never receive the help they need and continue to live a less than quality life style.

Untreated depression can lead to illness, alcohol and drug addiction, increased death rate and even suicide.

Depression in senior adults is different than in younger individuals. The elderly are less likely to complain, their doctors are less likely to assess them for depression, doctors are very willing to prescribe medications or increase narcotic types of medications if the patient complains of increased pain – without thoroughly checking to see if the increased pain is actually from a physical ailment that has gotten worse or if the increased pain is caused by a mental or emotional issue.

Elder adults have greater determination to die, give fewer warnings, and use more violent and deadly methods to commit suicide then younger populations. In fact, white men with depression are more likely to commit suicide. Suicide in people ages 80-84 is twice that of the general population. Seniors are apt to do more planning for suicide, have greater resolve and complete suicide at a higher rate.

The National Institute of Mental Health considers depression in people over 65 and older to be a major public health problem. Depression left undiagnosed or untreated decreases the person’s quality of life and could lead to fatal consequences.

The difficult changes that many elderly individuals face—such as the death of a spouse, leaving their home or medical problems—can lead to depression, especially in those without a strong support system. But depression is not a normal or necessary part of aging. In fact, most seniors are satisfied with their lives despite the challenges of growing old.

Tags:

Categories:

Reminiscence Rooms Breathe New Life into Memory Care

aadmin — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:20:49 +0000

New digital reminiscence units (DRUs) are the latest technology to assist elderly people with their memories, in Wiltshire, England.

According to This is Wiltshire.co.uk, use of reminiscence as a therapy reduces the use of memory treatment drugs.

Residential facilities in Wiltire are in the forefront of the use of memory rooms, decorated with furniture and furnishings straight out of the 1950s.

This throw-back technique uses as a gentle means to help residents employ new digital reminiscence units. Special computers possess 1,000's of hours of film clips from the BBC, film archives and popular music from the 1940s to the present day. Also popular game shows from the past are presented along with a touch screen.

Residents, who have never used a computer remark how easy it is to access, by creating personal profiles, playing quizzes, and watching old TV clips.

Such an approach is being considered in US Assisted Living and Continuing Care residents, employing American perspectives.

Tags:

skilled nursing care

Categories:

Computer News

Dowager's hump may be linked to health issues for elderly women

aadmin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:06:09 +0000

If family members visit a loved one who is receiving home care and they notice that it seems like the older person is leaning forward to pay attention, it may actually be a spinal curvature that could lead to potential health problems.

Commonly known as "dowager's hump," healthcare professional

s know the curvature near the neck as hyperkyphosis, and recent research from UCLA suggests that it may be a sign of future fractures or other conditions.

The more severe the curve, the researchers found in reviewing 610 patients in a study on osteoporotic fractures, the higher the death rate for women, even adjusting for outside factors like age.

"Just being bent forward may be an important clinical finding that should serve as a trigger to seek medical evaluation for possible spinal osteoporosis, as vertebral fractures more often than not are a silent disease," said primary investigator Dr Deborah Kado.

The research builds on previous findings linking those with dowager's hump and the spinal fractures that cause it to medical conditions leading to increased mortality, as well as a higher risk for falls.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories:

Retirement living may be the time to help save for relatives'college costs

aadmin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:06:09 +0000

While those who are looking forward to retirement living may not have college in mind for themselves, they may be able to make gifts for relatives that could make college more affordable.

In states like Illinois, 529 prepaid plans allow parents and grandparents to put away money that will be used to offset future costs of education, and according to the state student assistance commission, lock in the rates for tuition as they are now, rather than what they will be when the child reaches college age.

"To get the maximum benefit, you have to start early and lock in a child's college education at today's tuition prices," said Andrew Davis, ISAC executive director.

The plans allow those who have recently added new members to their extended family to start plans for newborns up to the age of one in the program, and there are benefits for the donor as well: up to $20,000 in funds may be tax-deductible, and whatever earnings are generated on the plan aren't taxed, says ISAC.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories:

Heston Blumenthal brings better food to seniors at NHS

aadmin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:04:08 +0000

One celebrity chef is hopeful that for older people who are hospitalized with medical conditions, better food may mean better nutrition before they can go back home to receive skilled nursing care or other services.

Heston Blumenthal, a three-star Michelin chef, says he has been working with the National Health Service to provide meals that are more palatable to older people during hospital stays.

"Meal times should be something to be celebrated in hospital," he said at the Cheltenham Science Festival.

"They should be something to look forward to - and they're not."

For the past year, he says he's been working on the government project to remedy the fact that while "older people in hospital often have to get a lot of nutrients and energy through drinks, the flavour ... is not at all nice."

In the UK, research has suggested that there may be some reason for concern over the eating habits of older people.

At Queen's University Belfast, scientists found that fruit and vegetable intake by those in Northern Ireland did not reach daily recommended levels for older people of five servings a day, and in England the numbers were lower.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories:

HHS and VA team up for seniors in home care and wounded warriors

aadmin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:04:08 +0000

Understanding that the concerns of mobility for disabled veterans are the same as those for some seniors who may require home care, the departments of health and human services and Veterans Affairs have joined together to create a program to help both.

Roughly $10 million will be used by the two agencies to expand home and community-based programs that offer assistance for caregivers while leaving the choices in treatments up to the patient.

"This HHS-VA initiative combines the hands-on experience and skills of HHS' national network of aging and community-based organizations with the commitment and resources of VA's Veterans Health Administration to provide more people, including our nation's veterans with additional opportunities to remain independent," said HHS Secretary Sebelius.

"This is another significant way America can recognize and care for the individuals who have cared for us."

The military part of the program will run through HHS centers in 20 states that are operated as Community Living Programs by the Administration on Aging, and which already have experience in aiding the populations of older Americans.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories:

House of Commons to receive retirement living advocates

aadmin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:04:10 +0000

Older people from around the country will descend upon Parliament next week to demonstrate and call for legislation designed to improve the quality of retirement living.

"The numbers of older people not meeting the criteria for social care is rising and far too many people are forced to soldier on without the care

they need, slowly stripping away their dignity and independence," said Hilary MacDonald, CEO of the Norfolk chapter of Age Concern, a charity that advocates for older people in the UK.

Hundreds of attendees are expected to come, the organization said, including 10 from the Norfolk area including older people and their families to discuss their concerns with MPs about the government systems in place to help provide for the care of retired Britons.

The individual stories, Age Concern says, may provide a more clear picture to Parliament about the effects of their policies, including funding concerns and the length of time required for some social service assessments.

Others may voice their opinions in the form of votes, as European Parliament elections continue through Sunday along with local council elections for roughly 2,300 seats, according to the Associated Press.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories:

Hurricane tips for those beginning retirement living

aadmin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:04:10 +0000

While seniors in active living communities may have the ability to evacuate with little problem, as hurricane season begins for much of the Gulf and Southeastern U.S., seniors with less mobility may require special attention during weather emergencies.

For example, when moving to other areas in a car, seniors should be monitored for heat exhaustion, a condition which could be limited by keeping provisions of ice, water and a fan, according to Dr Jeff Kalina, Methodist Hospital associate director of emergency medicine.

The Houston-area physician added that not doing so could lead to extreme consequences, as some seniors fleeing from Hurricane Rita found out in 2005.

Similar to long-distance trips in airplanes, clots caused by deep vein thrombosis could be dangerous for seniors who are immobile during rides, so evacuating early and planning for rest stops could also be of benefit in an emergency, he adds.

For those on home-based oxygen systems, having a backup for power may limit the effect of possible power outages, even for those living in inland communities that could have electricity knocked out from high winds and rain.

Tags:

Categories:

Communications issues for seniors may cause depression

aadmin — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:04:07 +0000

Age-related hearing problems could begin a chain of conditions that home care workers and others who work with seniors may wish to monitor according to new research.

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center took "a more global view of communication function" by following older Americans and noting the incidence of both hearing loss and hoarseness, or dysphoria.

While the conditions had separately been linked to social problems such as anxiety and isolation, the scientists found that about 10 percent of participants had both disorders and also reported higher scores for depression.

"It's important to realize these disabilities often occur concurrently," says lead author Dr Seth Cohen.

"And when they do, they can increase the likelihood of depression and social isolation."

He added that it was possible that the two conditions are linked because of people straining their voices to be heard by themselves or others who may have hearing difficulties.

One potential remedy may be cochlear implants, which are like hearing aids but surgically implanted.

German researchers published a study in Otolaryngology that found that the implants allowed patients to achieve more social interaction along with improved hearing function.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories: