Caregiving & Eldercare in the News

With the abundance of eldercare and caregiving news online, it’s easy to miss some of the most helpful articles. Are you up to date on your caregiving news? Have you heard all of the new health information regarding elder and senior care? Here are some of the articles we’ve been reading here at LTS. 

Eldercare and Senior Health

Care2: What Does & Doesn’t Help Prevent Falls in the Elderly

NPR: High-Tech Gadgets Monitor Seniors Safety at Home

BBC News: Alzheimer’s blood test edges closer

Caregiving

MarketWatch: How to cut your family’s elder-care bills

ChicagoNow: Legal Issues in Eldercare - Tips for Planning Ahead

US News & World Report: How to Prepare to Financially Support Aging Parents

Post in the comment section if you know of any articles we missed!

Elderly Activities: Swimming

Swimming is a wonderful exercise for individuals, and it is especially beneficial for the elderly. According to the CDC, for optimal health, individuals over 65 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and strength training a week. For some elderly individuals this can be made difficult by disease, joint pain and muscle stiffness. Furthermore, many elderly try to avoid strenuous exercise because it can be difficult on their joints and muscles, and many of them fear injury. However, swimming is the perfect exercise for elderly because it addresses many of these issues.

Swimming is the only exercise that actually relieves some of the strain put on the skeletal system. When individuals are under water, the water supports part of the weight of the body. As a result, the body has to bear less body weight than it would if an individual was doing another exercise. Additionally, it allows individuals to work their muscles in a low impact environment. Furthermore, it improves flexibility and encourages muscle tone and strength.

Some other benefits include increased cardiovascular health, improved cholesterol levels, increased mood and an increase in longevity. This article from Discovery Fit & Health details all of the benefits of swimming for seniors. You can find the article by clicking here.

Reminder: Check on your elderly neighbors!

For New Englanders and many others around the nation, it has been an incredibly hot week. Temperatures have been soaring, and today it is expected to reach 100 degrees. This heat poses a serious safety risk for all individuals, and it is especially dangerous for the elderly.

The elderly are more susceptible to heat related illness for several reasons. According to the CDC, their bodies do not adjust as well as younger individuals to heat, and they aren’t able to regulate abrupt changes in temperature. Secondly, the elderly are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses and are more likely to be on prescription medications. Both of these will affect their level of hydration and their ability to cope with soaring temperatures.

Fortunately, there are ways to help your elderly loved ones and neighbors cope with the heat. Here are some suggestions:

Check on them. This is perhaps the most important piece of advice that we can give you. Take some time to visit your elderly loved ones and neighbors. It’s important to go and visit them in person because signs of heat related illness are not always recognizable over the phone.

Check to see if they have air conditioning.

If they don’t, you can bring them to a public area. Schools and libraries are a few places that offer air conditioning. Talk to your elderly loved one or neighbor and establish a designated “cool down” spot.

Talk to them about what medications they are on. Some medications will increase the risk for dehydration. If they are on a lot of medications or have a chronic illness, encourage them to talk to their physician about how heat could affect them. Provide them with your phone number. Make sure they know that they can contact you, especially if they live alone.

Know how to recognize heat related illness and seek help immediately. You can refer to our previous blog post on recognizing heat related illness by clicking here.

 Stay cool this summer!

Choosing Hospice

Carol R. Anderson, RN, BSN is the Director of Quality Improvement & Staff Development at Long Term Solutions. She frequently writes information for our Provider Knowledge Center, a resource for our field clinicians. Here is a post she wrote about hospice care.

"In our careers, most of us have cared for someone who is terminally ill and facing his/her end of life. With the exception of accidents and homicides, dying is a process. It is a journey. Many things affect how the dying and their loved ones work through this process: culture, age, religion, family position, the illness itself, and formal and informal support systems are just some of them. There are many considerations, all of which need to be addressed.

Presenting hospice as an alternative can be difficult, depending on the disposition of the client and their loved ones. One way to think of hospice is as an alternative to traditional care. Hospice is appropriate for the clients who wants to spend his or her final time at home, with the goal of the hospice care being improving the quality of this time with comfort and dignity. It can be provided to a client in a wide variety of settings. It could be in their private home and in a facility, and many hospitals have hospice beds.

Hospice care is provided by specially trained teams. Hospice teams are multidisciplinary with a variety of trained professionals able to provide a unique type of care. They plan the care to address the bio-psychosocial needs of the client and family. Not only will the team address the symptoms of the disease, with focused attention on pain, but they will help to guide the client and family through the social, emotional and spiritual impact of the end of life process.

Understanding Hospice -- Facts and Fiction

Fiction: People are typically referred to Hospice when life expectancy is six months or less. 

This is not to say that this is always the case, but a client can remain on hospice for longer than six months with physician certification.

Fact: A client can choose to decline or discontinue hospice at any time, or they can change hospice agencies if the hospice team doesn't feel like the right fit for the family.

Fact: Life is not prolonged with hospice care, and it is not hastened.

Fact: Bereavement and counseling services are available before and after the client passes.

Fact: Hospice has coverage 24/7, but does not provide 24/7 care. Additional resources may be needed to provide additional client care.

Fact: When Hospice is called in, they connect with the client’s physician and meet with the client and his/her family or loved ones.

Who constitutes the Hospice Team?

As we noted before, the hospice teams are multidisciplinary. A typical hospice team can include physicians, nurses, home health aides, chaplains, social workers, nutritionists, and trained volunteers. If necessary, specialty clinicians can be brought in, such as wound and ostomy nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists.

Who pays for Hospice?

Hospice is a covered benefit under Medicare, and most states offer hospice under Medicaid or Public Aid. Furthermore, many private insurance companies have hospice benefits"

What do you do if you recognize a heat emergency?

If you recognize any symptoms of a heat emergency in an elderly person, contact a physician immediately. Heat related illnesses are incredibly serious, especially in the high risk elderly population. How can you protect yourself and the elderly? Here are some recommendations from the CDC:

· Increase your fluid intake throughout the day with cool, non-alcoholic beverages. You can encourage any elderly you know to do the same, but check with their physician first. Some medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, can require a fluid restrictive diet.
· Avoid strenuous activity and rest.
· Take a cool shower or bath.
· If possible, stay in an air-conditioned environment – especially in the afternoon when the heat is strongest. (If you don't have air conditioning, consider visiting an air-conditioned shopping mall or public library to cool off.)
· Wear lightweight clothing made of breathable fabrics (preferably cotton).
 · Visit older adults at risk at least twice a day and monitor them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

 Remember, heat related illnesses are incredibly dangerous. Take heat seriously and keep heat safety a top priority!

Heat Safety: Recognizing an Emergency

According to the CDC, heat waves are the most dangerous and lethal weather phenomenon. For the elderly, summer heat can pose a serious risk. Elderly people are more prone to heat related stress because their bodies are less capable of adjusting to temperature changes. This is compounded by prescription medication and chronic illnesses, which can also impact the way their bodies react to heat.

So, what exactly is a heat wave? A heat wave is defined as a prolonged period of unusually hot weather that is outside the expected normal climate pattern. Since weather changes region to region, the definition of a heat wave also varies. For example, in Maine, three days of 90 degree weather with high humidity could be considered a heat wave because summers days are usually around 70 degrees. In Arizona, three days of 90 degree weather would be considered normal. The best way to stay informed of the weather is by checking weather websites, the local television channel, or listening to a radio daily. Knowing when a heat wave is going to hit will help you stay prepared!

In addition to being prepared, knowing the signs and symptoms of heat related stress can be a lifesaver, especially when dealing with the elderly. For a variety of reasons, the elderly can be unaware of the change in temperature, and they are at a high risk for developing a heat related illness. Take time to familiarize yourself with the symptoms and signs of heat related illnesses.

According to the CDC, heat exhaustion is a mild form of heat related stress, and it can develop following long periods of exposure to high temperature and low fluids. Here’s what to look for:

• Heavy sweating
• Muscle cramps
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Feeling of faintness or fainting
• Pale skin
• Skin may also be cool and moist
• A fast and weak pulse rate
• Fast and shallow breathing

Heat stroke, or hyperthermia, is a very serious medical condition. The body’s temperature increases drastically, the body loses the ability to cool off through sweating, and it can cause death or permanent injury.

Here are the symptoms as indicated by the CDC:

• An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)
• Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
• Rapid, strong pulse
• Throbbing headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea

If you recognize any of these symptoms in an elderly person, contact a physician immediately. Heat related illnesses are incredibly serious, especially in the high risk elderly population.

Helping the Elderly Prepare for Summer Storms

Unfortunately, there have been many devastating storms that have hit the United States recently. Our hearts go out to all of those affected. As a leader in elder care, one of our primary concerns is the elderly. Unfortunately, some of the elderly don’t have the strength or resources to prepare for many of these storms, and sometimes they can be unaware that a storm is even on the way. What can you do to help your elderly loved ones?

Here are some tips to help them prepare for summer storms: 

• Stock up on non-perishable goods, and have at least a few gallons of water in an easily accessibly place. Buy extra canned goods while shopping and put them in a box for your elderly loved one.

• Ensure that your elderly loved ones know which room to go into in case of a tornado or high winds. These rooms should be windowless and provide a lot of protection.

• Provide your elderly loved one with a battery powered radio. This way they can stay informed, even if they lose power.

• Make sure that all batteries in flashlights have been replaced, and make sure that candles and matches are easily accessible.

• Make sure your elderly loved one has an extra prescription of any necessary medications available in case they are unable to leave their home.

 • Contact your elderly loved one’s neighbors. If you can’t be there following a storm, have their phone numbers handy and ask them to check on your senior.

The most important thing to remember is to stay in constant communication with your ailing or aging loved one!