Florida Elder Care & Senior Health

Minding our Minds

According to a study by Yonas Geda of the Mayo Clinic, people from age 50 - 65 who have kept their brains active with things like reading, computer activities, crafts, and other brain stimulating activities are 30% - 50-% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment when they are between 70 and 89.

The study was presented at an American Academy of Neurology meeting and was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Yonas Geda is quoted to saying, "This means perhaps aging does not have to a simple passive process."

So what does this mean to those of us under 70 or older? It means to keep our minds active and stimulated with learning new things. Some people are in careers where their minds never stop working, while others are not. Regardless of our individual lifestyles, we need to regularly stimulate our brains with activities such as reading, writing, using the computer, playing games that require concentration and thinking, and learning how to do something new.

Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living
www.BlogforHealthyLiving.com
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.SeniorPro.com

Seniors: The forgotten victims of the real estate crisis

With the ongoing decline in home sales, many seniors are finding they cannot afford to move into assisted living or retirement communities while their homes are sitting on the market. Finance savvy seniors have found an economical solution to this quandary.

      As the elderly are holding tighter to their retirement savings, seniors have begun hiring private-duty home health agencies to help them remain independent in their own home until it has sold. Once the home is sold they can make the larger investment of moving into a retirement or assisted living community.

Many seniors have decided to pay out-of –pocket for private-duty home health services while they await the sale of their home. "Most of our senior community is very independent and is not in need of full time assistance. In many cases our caregivers assist for a few hours per week with house hold duties, errands and personal care. These services help keep seniors safe and feeling independent in their own home until it sells," said Jenee Mendillo, Assistant Administrator for Bayshore Health and Homemaker Services Inc. in Largo Florida. Visit www.BayshoreHomeCare.com for more information about private duty home care.

Jenee Mendillo, Assistant Administrator
Bayshore Health & Homemaker Services, Inc.

www.BayshoreHomeCare.com

Private -Duty Home Health: A Growing Trend in Senior Living Options

With the uncertainty of the economy many seniors are looking at new options to save a buck. They are waiting things out and holding tighter to their retirement savings. Seniors have begun hiring private-duty home health agencies to help them remain independent in their own homes until they are ready to make the financial investment of moving into an assisted living community.“Most of our clients hire us to assist them a few hours a day with daily activities like preparing meals, providing transportation, companionship, bathing and dressing,” said  Marci Sadorf, RN and director of nursing for Bayshore Health and Homemaker Services Inc. “Most of our senior community is very independent and is not in need of full time assistance. Just a few hours here and there can keep them safe and feeling independent in their own home.” Many seniors are opting to pay out-of –pocket for private-duty home health services until they feel the amount of care they are requiring for them to stay in their home equals the cost of an assisted living community.

 

Jenee Mendillo, Assistant Administrator
Bayshore Health & Homemaker Services, Inc.

www.BayshoreHomeCare.com

Find and Stay with a Medical Home

While reading on the National Institutes of Health's website, I came across the advice to "Find and stay with a medical home." I wasn't sure what they meant by that, a medical home? What they were talking about is the growing number of retail-based and walk in emergency clinics. Many families are at danger of seeing so many different health care providers who do not have a history of the patient or family members. I can see how this can be a particular problem for the elderly who may be taking several different types of medication.

It is important for elderly individuals, either themselves or someone else, to find a "medical home," a specific physician or healthcare practice that they can stay with over time. This helps to keep them from taking medications that may conflict with one another, and it also helps the healthcare professional monitor the elderly person and observe the progress or deterioration of a certain situation.

If a person goes to various types of medical professionals, it is important that a record is kept of each appointment and the medications that are being taken. This record should be taken with the elderly person each time he or she sees a healthcare professional. Having a "medical home" physician that all specialist report to can not only help organize a patients care but may also save his or her life.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living
www.BlogforHealthyLiving.com
www.SeniorPro.com
www.GrandparentingBlog.com

Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes in the Elderly

It is estimated that 24 million people in the U.S., 8% of the population, have diabetes, considered by many to be the epidemic of our time. It is also estimated that 57 million adults have "pre-diabetes." Pre-diabetes means that one's blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes but are at high risk of developing the disease. Diabetes is common in people age 60 and older with 12 million people of this age having the disease. So half of all people who have diabetes are seniors. It is also estimated that these numbers will double by the year 2050.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for people with diabetes. 68% of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have a stroke or die from heart disease than people without diabetes, and smoking doubles the risk of heart disease among people with diabetes.

Diabetes is a self-managed disease where individuals themselves or those caring for them must be responsible to be certain that the person suffering from diabetes eats properly, gets sufficient exercise, maintains a healthy body weight, and keeps blood pressure under control.

The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is a partnership of the National Institute of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than 200 public and private organizations. Click here for information on diabetes education.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
www.BlogforHealthyLiving.com
www.SeniorPro.com

Diagnosing and Managing Depression in the Elderly

Depression is a serious life threatening illness, which without question increases the risk of mortality in elderly patients and is linked with increased mortality of residents in nursing and assisted living homes, along with other long-term care facilities.

Studies reveal that the presence of major depression during admission to a nursing home facility more than doubles the likelihood of death one year later independently of other health conditions.

Additionally, a growing body of evidence shows that depression adversely affects the course of other illnessess common to the elderly such as: diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer's Disease. Read complete article here as written by Gary Figiel, MD of Southeastern Geriatric Healthcare Group.

Elayne Forgie, CMC
www.ElderCareatHome.org
800-209-4342

When Cold Weather Affects the Elderly

While Florida's weather is much milder than most states, there are times that it still gets down right cold. The elderly are at a higher risk of getting hypothermia, which can be deadly if not treated promptly. Hypothermia is when a person's body temperature goes too low and stays there for a prolonged period of time. If a person's temperature drops to 96 degrees or lower, 911 should be called. This can be a big problem for the elderly who live at home alone with no one to check on them.

Home thermostats should be set around 70 degrees. Even home temperatures between 60 and 65 degrees can trigger hypothermia is some elderly people, depending on their health and the types of medication they may be taking.

Signs of hypothermia are:

• confusion or sleepiness
• slowed or slurred speech
• shivering or stiffness in the arms or legs
• weak pulse
• and slow body movement

For more detailed information, visit the article "Hypothermia: A Cold Weather Risk for Older People" at the National Institute on Aging's website.

Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
SeniorPro Marketing
www.SeniorPro.com
www.BlogforHealthyLiving.com

What's in it for me?

Even after being in this business for 20 years, it never ceases to amaze me when I meet with a "professional" that is only interested in learning one thing from our discussion:  "What's in it for me?" 

I just met with a rehabilitation/nursing home administrator that flat out told me that he will only refer patients to us if we refer to him.  Although I understand the concept of referring to those that refer to you, I could not believe how brazen this man was.  He stated that it is "all I can do to make a Medicare Part A referral. I don't have time to worry about the patient's other needs". 

I explained to him that we are not a Medicare agency and do not compete with Medicare and I inquired as to what information he gives to his discharged patients knowing that Medicare will not cover more than a skilled visit? I asked him what other resources he provides to his memory impaired patients.  I might as well have been talking Greek.  He had a quizzical look on his face and it was clear that it has been a very long time since this man realized he is discharging humans from his facility, people that might need more than Medicare provides and don't really care what's  in it for him.

Understanding that he clearly expects referrals from our organization, I pointed out that although we'd like to refer, we rarely have the opportunity. We provide high quality home care services. Our patient's don't fall or break hips.  I got the quizzical look again and quietly admitted defeat. 

There isn't anything in it for him when he refers to ElderCare.  There shouldn't have to be.  He should coordinate the patients discharge based on what is in it for THEM.

Elayne Forgie, CMC, President
www.eldercareathome.org

www.eldercareresourcecenter.com

800-209-4342