Medical Archives - Alzheimers Support

Are Nursing Homes a Safe Place for Seniors?

Age in Place: Are nursing homes really a safe place for seniors?

There comes a time when your parents, grandparents or other relatives, and close ones who reach their senior age need special care and professionals that can provide it, due to various medical conditions or just for the specific needs a senior citizen has. Placing your relative in a nursing home can be a difficult decision to make, as many of us are concerned with the quality of life our loved ones will receive and find it hard to put them in the hands of strangers. This decision must be analyzed objectively and ultimately be in the best interest of our senior relatives and the whole family.

Choose a nursing home with a reputation

Safety is most often the primary concern of the family, as there are very unfortunate cases where nursing homes failed to deliver that and were not professional. These cases were addressed and sanctioned, but it’s best to make sure the nursing home you choose is recommended by other people, that the staff communicates openly and the residents are happy. Do your best to visit the relatives you have in a nursing home as often as you can, check on their emotional and physical health and living conditions.

Nursing homes should provide safe living conditions for aging parents

For patients with chronic illnesses, being in a nursing home is much safer than being at home by themselves. Even if you do take the time to visit them regularly and provide basic care…

=> the relative with no medical training and the need to take care of their own lives will find themselves in a very difficult situation. <=

Not having enough time, dealing with overwhelming situations or not identifying underlying problems in time can be very stressful on both the patient and the caregiver. Unless you can provide around-the-clock medical home assistance, a nursing home is your best option.

In a nursing home, your loved one has around-the-clock professional assistance. Providing that it’s not understaffed, a home will make sure the shifts are reasonable for the employees, so that they are rested and able to provide all the care needed. Someone will always be there in the case of a fall or emergency and will know what to do in that situation. More so, in case of an unexpected situation, more members of the staff can intervene, it’s not just one person who takes care of everything.

Professional staff personnel

Another advantage of nursing homes in terms of safety is that all good nursing homes are very careful when hiring their staff and perform background checks on them: any disciplinary issue in their past will be taken into consideration when they are evaluated. Also, a lot of nursing homes require their employees to report any misconduct of their colleagues and keep the environment safe and professional.

Think about the well being of your parent, and if they can’t live happily on their own anymore, you should consider safer living environments. It’s not a decision you will make in a day or two, so before making a final decision assess the pros and cons.

Ultimately, choose a nursing home that is entirely dedicated to taking care of the elders and there are many ways in which it provides more things than you could provide at home. The enclosure is designed to monitor all the people that go in or out and know at all times when a resident is visited. For residents with Alzheimer’s, making sure you know at all times where they are is crucial, as often they might wander off and get into dangerous situations. Good nursing homes have discreet security technology that does not make the environment feel restrictive, but keeps residents safe without alarming or bothering them.

One should also think about the less obvious benefits a senior citizen has when being a resident of a care home. Trained members of staff not only have the medical knowledge to intervene physically, but can also manage agitated or scared residents and calm them down. Experienced nurses know everything there is to know about patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. They will make sure your parents are in good hands, and that their needs and wants are carefully attended.

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Comfortable Shower Chair, Bench and Lounger

10/22Leave a Comment

Comfortable Shower Chair

MJM International has created some Comfortable Shower Chairs. These are folding shower chairs for those who are bedridden or disabled. These large reclining Chairs are more comfortable than the standard rigid shower chair. Large Headrests with Bolsters protect and support their head.

Mom managed showers fairly well sitting on a hard plastic shower bench. When she entered the “Group Home,” showers were stalls with metal benches which were more than uncomfortable. Showering became overwhelming for her with long crying spells even though I tried to be there for showers to comfort her.

A large part of the issue is trying to get your loved one comfortable on a solid, hard plastic bench. Even with layered towels on Mom’s bench, it was never comfortable.

When I saw these soft and comfortable rolling shower seats or chairs, I had to share. They are also available in youth sizes for the small child who is bedridden. They come in many sizes for as many purposes; roll shower seat, roll potty seat, shower chair bench or lounger for the bedridden.

If you need this type of equipment for your loved one, you should take a look at these. Compare the Comfort Zones with a regular hard plastic chair or bench. I think you’ll want this comfort for your loved one.

From one glance, you can see how much more comfortable these seats are.

MJM International Reclining Bath Chair MJM International Reclining Shower Chair MJM International Reclining Bath Chair MJM International Standard Shower Commode MJM Reclining Rolling Shower Commode MJM International Reclining Bath MJM International Shower Chair MJM International Shower Chair MJM International All Purpose Children’s Pediatric Chairs

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Diagnosing and Treating Elderly Alzheimer’s

04/081 Comment

Dealing with Disability: Diagnosing and Treating Elderly Alzheimer’s

As one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States, Alzheimer’s disproportionately affects the elderly and over five million Americans are affected by the disease. “Alzheimer’s is the only top 10 American cause of death that cannot be slowed, cured or prevented, and one out of three elderly Americans dies from Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia,” states the Alzheimer’s Association. Given these dire statistics, providing seniors with proper Alzheimer’s care and treatment is essential.

When dealing with Alzheimer’s, it is imperative to diagnose Alzheimer’s early, and most importantly, accurately. This way, you can treat all of the Alzheimer’s symptoms such as memory loss and behavioral issues as effectively as possible. The following article provides essential tips on assessing, diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s in the elderly.

The Importance of an Early, and Accurate Diagnosis

Although Alzheimer’s is a dire disease, it can be diagnosed and treated. A diagnosis can now be performed with more than 90 percent accuracy, and if Alzheimer’s is diagnosed early, patients have the time to make informed decisions and plan for the future effectively.

While an early diagnosis is certainly essential, an accurate diagnosis is just as important. An estimated 600,000 Americans have been misdiagnosed as having dementia, but in actuality they have an Alzheimer’s sub-type. This sub-type manifests in such a way that patients still have a near normal memory, and this causes doctors to misdiagnose them as having a form of dementia since Alzheimer’s patients typically suffer from memory loss.

Based on this study, patients with irritable outbursts and behavioral issues are not precluded from having Alzheimer’s simply because they do not have memory loss. As such, it is essential to keep in mind that your loved ones may have an Alzheimer’s sub-type even if they do not demonstrate symptoms of memory loss.

Alleviating Memory Loss Symptoms with Medication

Although memory loss itself cannot be slowed or prevented with medication, you can alleviate the symptoms. The FDA has approved two types of drugs for these purposes: cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. Only cholinesterase inhibitors are used in the early to moderate stages of Alzheimer’s, whereas memantine is used for moderate to severe Alzheimer’s.

In some severe cases, doctors will prescribe both at once. Delaying the worsening of symptoms makes medication worth it for many patients, although some side effect may be observed. Headaches, constipation, confusion, dizziness and nausea may result after using inhibitors or memantine, but delaying the effects of this cruel disease is worth it for most seniors.

Treatment Options for Behavioral Issues

For many Alzheimer’s patients and families of patients, it is the behavioral changes that are the most trying part of coping with Alzheimer’s. When initially treating behavioral symptoms and issues, avoid medication if you can. Instead, begin by taking steps to reinforce emotional comfort, or hire professionals or assisted living centers that are more equipped to do so. To this end, you may wish to rearrange or changing the patient’s environment to aid in this transition. Giving the patients adequate rest, consistently monitoring their comfort and avoiding confrontation are all great ways to treat behavioral issues without medication.

If all else fails, you may need to treat the issues with medication. However, it is essential to note that no drugs are approved by the FDA to treat behavioral symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s, though some medications have been determined to help behavioral outbursts.

As you might expect, behavioral issues stemming from Alzheimer’s become taxing on families, so an assisted living center is often the best way to provide proper care for seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s-induced irritability, anxiety or depression.

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Guest post from:

Assisted Living Center is a Senior Living Directory dedicated to providing assistance to anyone with questions or concerns regarding living and care options for themselves or a loved one.

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Cold Weather Precautions for Elderly with Alzheimer’s

02/23Leave a Comment

Cold Weather Precautions for Elderly with Alzheimer’s

For many of us, winter is a time for cold-weather festivities and family togetherness. For senior citizens who have Alzheimer’s, however, winter can also be the most dangerous season of the year. To keep your older loved one safe until the snow melts, read on for a list of smart and simple caregiving tips.

Keep Close Watch

Keeping watch over elderly ones with Alzheimer’s is of utmost importance, especially in winter. They can become very unaware of their own discomfort and environment and may become disoriented. This can lead to a tendency to sneak out, which is immensely dangerous no matter what time of year.

In winter, however, the harsh environment puts their well-being on the line. They may suffer from exposure, injuries from slipping on ice, and even traffic accidents as roads become increasingly slippery. Never take your eye off a person with Alzheimer’s for an extended period of time in order to make sure they stay safe.

Avoid the Ice

Ice can be dangerous for everyone in the winter, no matter how young or old. Because people with Alzheimer’s are often disoriented, it is especially important to keep a watchful eye out for icy patches that they may slip on. Make sure all driveways and walkways are routinely shoveled and de-iced by using salt, clean cat litter, or eco-friendly solvents.

Dress for Warmth

Elderly people often have a less regimented exercise routine and a reduced appetite. This is especially true of many Alzheimer’s patients. Thus, additional clothes made out of warm material is necessary to fortify them against the wind, the damp, and the cold. Remember, they may often overestimate their resistance or simply be forgetful, so while it may feel impolite to be so imposing, it is sometimes necessary.

Heat Factory Fleece-Lined Fox River Four Layer Sherpa Lined Gloves Women Ragwool Winter

Healthy Habits

A healthy, nutritional routine is especially important for older people during the colder months. Ensuring that people with Alzheimer’s not only eat enough, but also get a healthy and balanced diet, is extremely important. Along with this, ensuring they get enough fluids and the appropriate vitamins will help to strengthen them against winter illnesses such as the common cold, the flu, and pneumonia. These illnesses can often be deadly for seniors.

Home Heating Safety

The danger involved in home heating is often overlooked. Having carbon monoxide detection and smoke detection devices around the house are exceptionally important, as other warning signs may not be immediately noticed by older people with more advanced Alzheimer’s.

Space heaters should never (save emergencies) be used in a home where a person with Alzheimer’s lives — they account for the majority of insurance claims due to fire during winter months. While most space heaters are designed to shut off when overloaded or tipped over, such safety measures are not guaranteed.

Carbon Monoxide Alarm Carbon Monoxide Alarm Smoke Detector Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm

Banish Bad Moods

One danger that is often overlooked is winter depression. This can come in the form of classic depression, mental and emotional fatigue, and cabin fever. This is a high risk for many people with Alzheimer’s, who are deeply emotional, and can bore easily due to the confusion and memory loss their ailment can induce. Caregivers may also find themselves battling Seasonal Affective Depression (or SAD). Depression of this sort can reveal itself through increased uncooperative or hostile behavior, loss of appetite, or other types of similar unhealthy apathy.

These winter blues can be combated with hobbies, increased activity, and closer friendly involvement in their lives as well as establishing a solid routine. This not only prevents the depression and restlessness which winter can cause, but it’s also therapeutic for their clarity of mind and memory.

Have a Plan

In light of all these dangers, having protocols in place for any given disaster is necessary. Knowing the signs of hypothermia and frostbite are important for quick reaction during the cold season. Some signs of hypothermia may include fatigue, shivering, increased heart rate, and nausea while symptoms of frostbite include numbness, hard of waxy-looking skin, and discoloration of skin. Having a mobile phone always available to call 911 is a given, but also having secondary emergency contact numbers for friends, family and neighbors who can do first response help is also a necessity if available.
For elderly people with Alzheimer’s, winter can be a dangerous and tough time of the year. Fortunately, preventing these dangers is just a matter of attentiveness, planning and common sense.

Author: Beth Kelly is a technology and security blogger, who primarily covers topics pertaining to healthcare tech, energy efficiency, and home security. You can follow her on Twitter at @bkelly_88

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The ID Wrist Band Your Loved one with Dementia Needs Today

08/206 Comments

The ID Wrist Band Your loved one with Dementia may Need Today

Wandering is a major problem for those with dementia. We hear about it everyday. The older lady or gentleman who leaves their home for a stroll but never returns.

Sometimes they’re found a few streets away. Sometimes they are never found. And sometimes, unfortunately, they are found where they’ve wandered too far in the freezing cold or dark of night and lost their life.

When a loved one with dementia walks away from their home they only intend to go for a short walk. But for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia of any kind, the territory can become unfamiliar and confusing as soon as they leave their own front yard.

There are many tools to help with “wandering;” including Cell Phones and Tennis Shoes with GPS, necklaces and bracelets with ID’s built into USB cards. The biggest problem is that all of these devices can be removed from the person who needs them most.

Some of the newer devices may give us a false sense of security. But if it can be removed easily by the elderly person, there is nothing to stop them from doing so. A person with dementia can forget why he/she would need an identification tool.

A few things the ID for your loved one may need

Is it comfortable, so they have no need to remove it.
Does the bracelet or necklace contain enough information so that anyone can contact you.
Newer wrist bands will hold a small memory card. This can be a necessity if your loved one needs instructions for special medical care.

Age in Place: Are nursing homes really a safe place for seniors?

Comfortable Shower Chair

Dealing with Disability: Diagnosing and Treating Elderly Alzheimer’s

The ID Wrist Band Your loved one with Dementia may Need Today

Below are a few of the handy Medical ID Bracelets and Necklaces available today