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Preventing bedsores

posted on 1:47 PM in Health Care, Prevention, Seniors' Health, Treatment with 0 comments

Bedsores (also known as pressures sores or pressure ulcers) are areas of damaged skin caused by staying in one position for too long. Constant pressure on certain areas of the body prevents sufficient blood flow to those areas. Since these areas are not supplied with essential nutrients, the tissue begins to die.

Bedsores most commonly occur where soft tissue is compressed between bone and an external surface. These bony areas include the tailbone, hips, heels, ankles, back, and elbows. Anyone who is immobilized due to illness, injury, or sedation, such as people who use wheelchairs or are paralyzed, is at risk for developing bedsores.

Bedsores can develop and get worse rapidly, and advanced sores take a long time to heal. If not treated right away, bedsores can lead to serious and life-threatening infections such as cellulitis (infection of connective tissue), bone and joint infections, and sepsis (bacterial infection of the bloodstream). Sepsis could then lead to organ failure and death.

Most bedsores can be prevented with the following strategies:

Change position. People who are bound to a chair or wheelchair should shift position every 15 minutes. Those who are confined to a bed should move (or be moved) to a new position every 2 hours, even during the night.
Keep skin clean and dry. Moisture increases the risk of skin breaking down. Bacteria from fecal matter can result in serious and life-threatening infections. For those confined to a bed, keep sheets clean and dry as well.
Protect bony areas. Use soft materials such as foam wedges to protect bony areas like the heels and elbows.
Use pressure-reducing beds, mattresses, or cushions. Examples include those filled with foam, air, gel, or water. Talk to a doctor or nurse about what is appropriate for you.
Perform daily skin inspections. Any sign of redness or discoloration indicates that your position should be changed. The area should also be washed and dried thoroughly, and, for open sores, covered with a protective dressing.
Get help at the first sign of infection. If you notice any skin damage or sign of infection (drainage, odour, redness, warmth), tell your doctor, nurse, or caregiver immediately.
Maintain proper nutrition. Good nutrition will promote wound healing and prevent skin from breaking down. If you are having difficulty eating, speak to your doctor or a dietician.

http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=5712&channel_id=10&relation_id=43676

Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon), Hamilton and surrounding areas.

Seniors in hospital beds costly for health system

posted on 7:38 AM in Awareness, Health Care, Home Care, Seniors' Health, Treatment with 2 comments

It is estimated that caring for a senior in the community costs about one-quarter of caring for the same person in hospital.

CBC News

Posted: Dec 1, 2011 3:00 PM ET

Last Updated: Dec 1, 2011 3:59 PM ET

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It is estimated that caring for a senior in the community costs about one-quarter of caring for the same person in hospital. Mark Baker/Associated Press

Canadian seniors account for 85 per cent of patients in hospital beds who could be receiving care elsewhere, a problem that will only grow as the first baby boomers turn 65 this year, according to a new report.

Thursday's report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information called Health Care in Canada, 2011: A Focus on Seniors and Aging, examines how seniors use the health system and where there’s room for improvement.

For example, 47 per cent of seniors have completed their hospital treatment but remain in an acute-care hospital because they're waiting to be moved to a long-term care facility such as a nursing home or to rehab or home with support (so-called "alternate level of care" patients.)

Those patients have a ripple effect on the rest of a hospital, said Dr. Jeff Turnbull, chief of staff of the Ottawa Hospital.

"The delays of getting into the hospital delays, of getting timely surgery diagnostics, all are affected by our that fact that we have so many people sitting in our acute-care beds," said Turnbull.

Last year, those ripples meant the hospital had to cancel 600 elective surgeries, he said.

Currently, seniors represent 14 per cent of the population, but they use 40 per cent of hospital services and account for about 45 per cent of health spending of provincial and territorial government, the report's authors found.

For hospitals, an acute-care bed costs about $1,100 a day. In comparison, Turnbull estimated it costs a quarter of that to care for the same senior in the community.

The goal for governments should be to spend money on the right services so more seniors can stay at home and out of hospital longer, said Kathleen Morris, CIHI's director of health system analysis.

Those services include traditional health-care services such as nursing and physiotherapy as well as transportation or help with household chores to help the 93 per cent of seniors who live at home, Morris said.

Ensuring continuity of care for seniors across the health care system could potentially lead to better care and better quality of life, health policy researcher Marcus Hollander in Victoria said, commenting on the report.

The report's authors pointed to efficient use of new technologies such as:

A medication monitoring system equipped with a sensor to allow family members to use online video clips to monitor which medications were taken for seniors receiving home-care services.
Magnetic door sensors that send an email, text message or cell phone message to caregivers if a person with dementia goes outside unattended.
Flexible bed mats with pressure sensors that let caregivers know when their family member has woken up and is moving.

The report also included chapters on seniors' use of prescription drugs and caring for seniors in the community or in residential care.

With files from CBC's Susan Lunn http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/12/01/seniors-hospital-beds-health-care.html?cmp=rss

New Study: Seniors Need Better Dental Health Care

posted on 7:39 AM in Aging, Health Care, Heart Disease, Heart Health, Oakville senior, oral care, Seniors' Health, Treatment with 0 comments

By Charmaine Gooden

Seniors in Ontario, especially women, are not visiting the dentist regularly, increasing their risk of developing serious oral health and chronic illnesses, says a study released by Women’s College Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). The study shows that 45% of Ontarians 65 years and older did not see a dentist in the last year. This seems to be a greater challenge for who make up the major portion of Ontario’s senior population. Tooth decay and gum disease have been linked to an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, bone loss, and even some types of cancer. Regular dental checkups may reveal early warning signs of many diseases. Even though Canada has universal healthcare, dental visits are not covered by the government.

“Poor oral health can contribute to many serious medical conditions and affect a person’s ability to chew and digest food properly, leading to inadequate nutrition,” explains Dr. Arlene Bierman, principal investigator of the study. “With dental services not covered under our universal health-insurance program and many older adults not visiting dentists regularly, the findings suggest we need to rethink the services we provide to help keep seniors healthy as they age.” Researchers suggested that more preventative methods be made to ensure that the older population is getting the dental attention they need.

http://www.zoomermag.com/health/new-study-seniors-need-better-dental-health-care/29655

Caregiver interventions crucial in treating Alzheimer's and dementia

posted on 11:28 PM in Alzheimer's, Dementia, Home Care, Mental Health, Treatment with 1 comments

With a new year, comes new innovations in the healthcare industry. The New York Times reports that recent research is stressing the importance of caregiving to those with Alzheimer’s. With no effective treatment for Alzheimer’s, dementia therapy comes from caregiving performed by families, or at nursing homes.

“There’s actually better evidence and more significant results in caregiver interventions than there is in anything to treat this disease so far” -- Lisa P. Gwyther, education director for the Bryan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Duke University.

Research suggests that creating positive emotional experiences for Alzheimer’s patients reduces distress and behavior problems. Emotions exist even after cognition deteriorates, so changing things like food, art, exercise, or the aesthetics of a room can generate positive emotions. The Journal of the American Medical Association found that brightening lights in dementia facilities decreased depression and cognitive deterioration.

Additionally, the research is stressing the importance of a caregiver’s emotional state, so much that agencies are developing programs to provide caregivers with education and emotional support. This type of support is not only beneficial to the caregivers themselves, but to their patients as well.

Home Care Assistance similarly stresses the importance of emotional support to both the patient and the caregiver. This type of innovative research is an exciting start to 2011. Hopefully we will continue to see even greater breakthroughs in the treatment of those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

By Dr. Kathy Johnson

Source: Home Care Blog

Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon) and Hamilton.

The relationship between mental health and body health

posted on 3:53 PM in Alzheimer's, Dementia, Mental Health, Prevention, Treatment with 0 comments

If you suffer from depression or an anxiety disorder and you have a chronic illness such as diabetes or heart disease, you have a considerably higher risk for disability and premature death. People who are in the early or middle stages of dementia or Alzheimer's are likely to be depressed or anxious which futher impairs their mental cognition. Someone who suffers long-term severe mental illness is expected to live at least 10 years and perhaps even 30 years less than the average person.

The Surgeon General of the United States described the relationship between mind and body as such: "There is no health without mental health. There is no mental health without health. Sound mind, sound body."

Each year almost 25% of the population will get a diagnosable mental or substance use disorder. However, only 40% of people with these disorders get the appropriate treatment. The primary cause of this problem is that many people just don't know when they need help and when they do, there are not enough qualified mental health professionals available. While we may chalk it up to the ups and downs of everyday life, deteriorating mental health is very serious and can take hostage of our lives.

Here are five tips to maintaining your mental health:
1) Stay active and involved with other people such as colleagues, friends and family
2) Maintain a balance in your life to reduce stress
3) Get regular screenings for mental health problems
4) Seek treatment for the earliest and smallest symptoms of mental health problems
5) Call a mental health centre near you.

Source: The Huffington Post

"Taste receptors" found in lung; potential breakthrough in asthma treatment

posted on 4:44 PM in Asthma, Food and Nutrition, Medicine, Treatment, United Kingdom with 0 comments

A University of Maryland study, published in Nature Magazine, has shown that bombarding taste receptors in the lungs of mice with bitter-tasting compounds opened their airways and eased breathing. These taste receptors can be found on the smooth muscle of the lungs and have a different composition from the well-known taste buds in your mouth. The most notable difference is the fact that the taste receptors in the lung do not send signals to the brain however still respond to exposure to bitter compounds. Being on the smooth muscle lining, this discovery could be a breakthrough in asthma medication and treatment which is focused on opening the contracted muscle lining. Lead researcher, Dr. Stephen Liggett believes that an inhaler based on bitter substances such as quinine or saccharine could "replace or enhance" current treatment "more profoundly than any known drug that we have." However, simply eating bitter foods does not yield the same results not prevent people from asthma attacks.

Dr. Yassine Amrani from the University of Leicester was pleased by the study and believes the next step is to reproduce the effect in humans and prevent any unwanted side effects such as inflammation.

The concept of having bitter taste receptors in the smooth muscle of the airways is a new one, and activating this receptor could offer a new way to relax them. -- Dr. Yassine Amrani, University of Leicester

Asthma UK was quick to announce that new drugs based on this research would not hit the market for many years however is very excited by the prospects of the asthma treatments. Leanne Metcalf, the director of research at Asthma UK felt that research into new treatments was "vital" as the millions of current asthmatics still have trouble controlling their symptoms using existing drugs.

The effectiveness of bitter substances at overcoming the airway narrowing that causes asthma symptoms has so far only been tested in mice, however this somewhat surprising approach does make sense in terms of what we already know about the cell signalling processes involved in asthma... with further in-depth research, this approach could potentially pave the way for a new range of asthma treatments based on bitter substances which could either supplement or replace existing asthma treatments but if this were possible, it would be a long way into the future. -- Leanne Metcalf, director of research at Asthma UK

Source: BBC Health

Get Tested For Colon Cancer

posted on 10:04 PM in Cancer, Prevention, Treatment with 1 comments

By Dr.Kathy Johnson, PhD, CMC

Colorectal cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer related deaths in the United States besides lung cancer. Tests used to screen for the cancer have been estimated to have saved at least 70,000 people in the past 20 years.

There have been recent debates regarding which type of screening method is best. The sigmoidoscopy is one test used for the detection of colorectal cancer, but it has not been used as much over the past ten years because it only goes two feet inside the colon whereas a colonoscopy is more thorough and goes through the entire colon. Recent findings suggest that there is no conclusive evidence as to whether or not one test is more effective than the other.

Research is still being conducted to determine which test is the most through and effective, but all doctors agree that either one is better than no test at all. So if you are over 50 and due for a colonoscopy, it is important to get one scheduled.

Courtesy of Home Care Blog

Home Care After Hip Surgery May Aid Survival

posted on 11:55 AM in Heart Disease, Home Care, Treatment, Women's Health with 0 comments

Providing home care to elderly people after they've had hip surgery improves their chances of survival.

Canadian researchers looked at 11,326 men and women age 65 and older in Quebec who had partial hip surgery between 1997 and 2004. Those who received home care after leaving the hospital were 43 percent less likely to die within three months after their surgery than those who did not receive home care at all.

The study, published Aug. 16 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that home care was given to less than 16 percent of the elderly patients who were discharged home after partial hip surgery.

Patients who received home care were younger; more likely to have been treated in teaching hospitals or lower volume hospitals; and more likely to have stayed more than seven days in the hospital. They were also more likely to have acute kidney failure and a heart rhythm condition called atrial fibrillation.

The study also found that men were more likely than women to die, and patients hospitalized longer had higher survival rates.

With the exception of atrial fibrillation and acute kidney failure, co-existing health conditions didn't seem to influence the chances of receiving home care, the researchers said in a news release from the publisher.

"This indicates perhaps that receiving this care may depend on availability, rather than need of the service," wrote Dr. Elham Rahme, a researcher in epidemiology at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center in Montreal, and colleagues in the release.

This finding has generated significant public health implications and will require further investigation.

Courtesy of MSN Health

4 Treatments for Lower Back Pain

posted on 10:44 AM in Fitness, Mental Health, Muscle Pain, Prevention, Stress, Treatment with 0 comments

By Dr. Mehmet Oz, The Dr. Oz Show

Defining Lower Back Pain

About 80 percent of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their life. The physical connection isn't always clear since some people show no spinal abnormalities on an X-ray yet suffer excruciating pain. Here are the treatment options:

Chiropractic Treatment

Even when the pain is in the lower back, the problem tends to be with the entire spine, says Victor Meir Nazarian, a Los Angeles–based chiropractor. Chiropractors employ manipulation—adjustment of the vertebrae— to help align a patient's spine, and often prescribe regular visits. "People come in only when they're in pain," Nazarian says. "But we need to think of our spine the way we do our teeth, using preventive care to stay healthy."

Physical Therapy

The lower back must flex, extend, and rotate, says physical therapist Peggy Brill, author of two books on managing pain through exercise. Yet most of us sit immobile for hours at a time. That's why physical therapists prescribe walking and other gentle exercise, such as stretching and core strengthening, following a flare-up of back pain. Usually, patients will begin to feel better after 72 hours.

Stress Relief

Stress is the source of most low back pain, according to John Sarno, MD, professor of clinical rehabilitation medicine at New York University. Though Sarno doesn't dispute that the pain is real, he believes it stems from buried emotional issues that trigger tension in the body and ultimately deprive nerves and muscles of oxygen; relief comes through understanding this link and by learning to deal with negative emotions constructively.

Surgery

"Think of this as the last resort," says Paul McCormick, MD, a professor of neurological surgery at Columbia University. Surgery may be necessary in some cases such as changing the curvature of the spine, narrowing the cavity that surrounds spinal nerves, and nerve inflammation or disk degeneration —- but these conditions are rare, McCormick says: "Ninety-nine out of one hundred patients will recover without surgery."

Recommendation

The research is positive on chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, and stress relief —- they all help ease back pain. (As Paul McCormick says, with rare exceptions, surgery is unnecessary.) The key is to get moving again as soon as possible after the pain hits, and then make sure you take steps to prevent a return. I see lower back pain as a warning about overall fitness: If you're active, your hips and back are flexible, your core strength is good, and you're coping well with the emotional challenges in your life, your back probably won't bother you. Overlook one of those areas, however, and your back will let you know. And while the emotional link to back pain is controversial, there's no question that stress can play a part in muscle tension, especially in the lower back and hips, leading to trouble.

Source: The Best of Dr. Oz

The Life-Saving Effects of Music Making

posted on 10:29 AM in Alternative Health, Blood Pressure, Cancer, Fitness, Heart Disease, Immune System, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Stress, Treatment with 1 comments

A pastor playing a Yamaha Clavinova.

Barry Bitman, MD, the president and CEO of the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute is currently leading some of the most extensive research to date on the health benefits of playing music. His research team has found that music can lead to reduced stress and a stronger immune system. Recreational music-making modulates natural killer cell activity in the body, a marker of immune response and has been shown to reverse stress at the DNA level according to the Medical Science Monitor. Recreational music-making is defined, by Yamaha, by music-based activities that unite people of all ages and music experience. According to Dr. Bittman, only 7.6% of adults in the U.S. play a musical instrument, and it is his wish that playing instruments be encouraged among adults and in health care settings. Recreational music-making provides exercise, social support, spirituality, intellectual stimulation, and unites the body, mind and spirit. This could especially be beneficial for seniors, as playing an instrument has also been found to “improve mood, lower blood pressure, and affect the course of many diseases including cancer and heart disease.”

Dr. Bittman began his career as a mainstream neurologist but has taken on a more collaborative and holistic approach to helping people. In the early 1990s, he studied laughter's effects on the immune system and since then has focused on ways people can take a more active role in their health and well-being. Dr. Bittman's first study into music and wellness was in 2001 when he identified drumming's positive effects on natural killer cell activity.

The goal is not to teach music but rather to enable non-music players to play music without much prior experience. Yamaha's Clavinova is a digital piano that samples sounds from actual instruments allowing users to recreate full orchestras complete with flutes, trumpets, and saxophones. In a study observing the usage of the Clavinova, researchers found a positive impact on attentiveness, active participation, socialization, positive mood, contentment, and meaningful self-expression in 550 seniors living in long-term care centres. Even with stressed students, the Clavinova demonstrated reduced burnout, improved mood states, and decreased attrition in 75 first-year nursing students. In this case, each acute care hospital saved a projected #322,000 for a combined $1.5 billion annually for the health-care industry.

Currently, the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute is evaluating the impact of recreational music on cardiovascular disease such as cancer and heart disease while analyzing the entire human genome. Dr. Bittman also hopes to learn more about the role of music as an effective stress reducer for people facing life-threatening illnesses. He believes that everyone is innately musical and that we should all realize our capacity for making music at some point in our lives.

Source: ThirdAge.com

Are Hospitals Deadlier in July?

posted on 2:10 PM in Home Care, Seniors' Health, Treatment with 0 comments

According to researchers at the University of California, San Diego, “deaths from medication errors increase by 10 percent in July.” This also happens to be the time that many medical graduate students end their time at school and begin their residencies. Furthermore, mortality rates seemed to especially spike in July in counties with teaching hospitals.

Many experts suggest that this may be due to the newfound pressure that many residents experience in their new jobs, making them unwilling to express their concerns when they do not know what to do. The National Patient Safety Foundation therefore issued recommendations to improve the hospital environment for residents in order to make residents feel more comfortable with asking questions.

Many doctors have spoken up on this research, and don’t want patients to feel unsafe in hospitals. Prescriptions go through at least one physician aside from residents, and according to pharmacist Michael Cohen, the study “looked at data before electronic prescriptions and reduced hours for medical residents.”

Regardless, experts suggest several tips, especially for the elderly, when visiting the hospital in order to avoid suffering from a medical error:

• Voice your concerns
• Choose your hospital wisely
• Don’t assume the medicine you receive is correct
• Ask questions!

Source: CNN Health

Art As an Alternative Treatment for Alzheimer's

posted on 9:35 AM in Alternative Health, Alzheimer's, Mental Health, Treatment with 0 comments

By Dr Kathy Johnson

With nearly 5.3 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s today, we all eagerly await a cure for the tragic disease. Many doctors and scientists have developed treatments and medicines that they feel may help slow the process, but the Museum of Modern Art, along with the Alzheimer’s Association, have come up with a slightly different idea: Art.

“One of the ways to get to people with Alzheimer’s is to engage them through art, because art is so creative,” says Tania Becker, one of the people involved in this project.

Becker and her volunteers believe that art can help those with Alzheimer’s, because art is an easy way to express one’s emotions, and inability to express emotions is often one of the most isolating factors of the Alzheimer’s. Therefore, Becker, along with some volunteers, has started an art class for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Participants in Becker’s class can come in and paint virtually whatever they like – sometimes they paint an image from their minds, other times they paint the highlighted centerpiece provided by Becker. Becker believes that art can help her students live in the “here and now,” which is something they don’t get to experience often. If anything, it is a great interactive activity to help patients clear their minds and participate in the creative process.

Check out Tania Becker's website: http://taniabecker.com/

Think F.A.S.T When You Are Near A Stroke Victim

posted on 1:53 PM in Stroke, Treatment with 0 comments

Face — Check for weakness on one side of the face. Ask the person to smile.

Arm — Check for weakness or numbness in one of the arms. Ask the person to try and raise both arms.

Speech — Does the person have slurred speech or trouble getting the words out? Ask the person to speak a simple sentence or ask them simple questions.

Time — Note the time signals first observed and CALL 9-1-1.