Aftercare Tips for Patients Checking Out of the Hospital

According to a study published last year in The New England Journal of Medicine, one in five Medicare patients returns to the hospital within 30 days of being discharged. The problem is an expensive one: in 2004, these re-admissions cost Medicare $17.4 billion dollars, the researchers also found.

In mid-March my 85-year-old father checked into a prominent New York City hospital for a scheduled operation. The procedure, to remove a cancerous tumor from his thigh, went well, and soon he was sent home.

But three days later, unable to cope with a complicated wound care regimen, he landed back in the hospital.

My father had become part of a notorious trend. Discharge from the hospital is a critical point in a patient’s recovery, particularly for older people with chronic conditions. The process is supposed to be carefully planned, but instead it often is rushed and poorly coordinated, resulting in complications that send patients back to the emergency room.

According to a study published last year in The New England Journal of Medicine, one in five Medicare patients returns to the hospital within 30 days of being discharged. The problem is an expensive one: in 2004, these re-admissions cost Medicare $17.4 billion dollars, the researchers also found.

Hospital stays certainly are shorter now: the average stay was 4.6 days in 2007, down from about 5.7 days in 1993. But the re-admissions problem is not simply the result of compressed care, experts say.

Read more from the New York Times…

Visit www.floridahomecare.net for information on how we can help with care and assistance for you senior loved one.

Words for Seniors Facing Loss
By PAULA SPAN

My father is a relentlessly upbeat guy. “Up and around!” he reports when I call. “Keeping busy!” He tells me about his volunteer work, his card game winnings, the (seated) yoga class he enrolled in at the library. His favorite refrain is, “I can’t complain.” (And yes, yes, yes, my sister and I do know how lucky we are.)

He does tell me about the funerals, though. At 87, watching his peers struggle with the physical and psychological trials of old age, he goes to a lot of them. He keeps losing people he’s known for years — onetime co-workers, senior members of his synagogue, neighbors in his tightly knit apartment building.

His friend Molly, too frail in her 90s to remain alone in her house, recently moved to the Midwest to live with her son; they’ll probably never see each other again. The weekly card game now involves an entirely different group of guys than when he started years ago, and it sometimes stalls for several weeks as the players have health crises or move or die. Replacement players are growing harder to find.

“These things keep happening when you’re over 80,” he told me.  He goes to funerals because, he said: “It’s just the right thing to do. It shows that you feel bad, that you’ve lost a friend.”

What do you say to this litany? You want to offer something reassuring, something to lighten the sense of loss, but you can’t evade the reality: He’s outliving his friends and family members. His cohort is thinning.

Luckily, I can turn for counsel to Barbara Moscowitz, senior social worker at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Senior Health program. (One benefit of writing this blog is that you can call up experts and pose questions, supposedly on behalf of readers, that you really want answered yourself.) Ms. Moscowitz hears such litanies from clients and their adult children all the time.

And her personal guideline is to remove age from the equation and ask yourself how you would respond if the one suffering losses was a peer, not an older person.

“We impose our expectations,” she said.When old people lose their friends, she added: “We think, ‘You should be able to manage this. This is what happens. You should be used to it.’ Because if we ask what it’s like, we may hear what it’s like. We fear opening the floodgates of sadness.”

But we wouldn’t tell a 55-year-old friend who had attended three funerals in two months to just buck up, would we?

“When there’s been loss, to expect happiness is just denying the truth,” Ms. Moscowitz continued. “It opens up a divide between older people who then deal with the sorrow privately, knowing nobody wants to hear about it, and younger people who want them to be cheerful all the time.”

Of course, some older people don’t want to talk about the illnesses or deaths of their friends or neighbors, either — but in her experience, Ms. Moscowitz said, most do.

“Those people are part of their history, their legacy,” she said. “If we send a message that we don’t want to hear about it, it says: That person is not worth remembering.”

Grief — feeling sad, weepy, temporarily at sea — is different from clinical depression, it’s important to recognize. Grief is a normal response to loss; depression is an illness that’s usually treatable, both in young people and old ones. Symptoms that persist — like appetite loss, sleep problems, loss of interest in normal activities, thoughts of suicide and, in older people, confusion or agitation — are red flags that signal the need for a medical evaluation.

But my father is not depressed. He’s coping with one of the more difficult aspects of a long life. So I listen to the funeral reports and try not to respond by pointing out all the reasons he has to feel fortunate.

I try to remember to say things like: “Ah, that’s so sad. How long had you known this person? What was he like? Do you need help arranging a ride to the funeral home? I’m sorry, Dad. It must be hard. I bet you’ll miss him.”

Paula Span is the author of “When the Time Comes: Families With Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions.”

Original Content

If you need care and assistance for an elderly loved one in the Charlotte County FL area, visit us at www.floridahomecare.net.

Recognizing Symptoms of Dementia

The Brown family reunion has always been an event everyone looks forward to. Family visits, games, stories and everyone’s favorite foods are always on the agenda. On the top of the menu is Grandmas Lemon Coconut Cake. Grandma always makes the traditional cake from her old family recipe. This year, however, the cake tasted a little on the salty side, perhaps a half cup full of salty.

Though the family was disappointed over the cake, of more concern was Grandma’s confusion with the recipe and her similar confusion about the loved ones around her. Could something be wrong with grandma’s mental state?

One might say that for an elder person a little forgetfulness or confusion is normal, but when do you know if there is a serious problem, such as dementia?

An online article from FamilyDoctor.org outlines some common symptoms in recognizing dementia.

“Dementia causes many problems for the person who has it and for the person’s family. Many of the problems are caused by memory loss. Some common symptoms of dementia are listed below. Not everyone who has dementia will experience all of these symptoms.

Recent memory loss. All of us forget things for a while and then remember them later. People who have dementia often forget things, but they never remember them. They might ask you the same question over and over, each time forgetting that you’ve already given them the answer. They won’t even remember that they already asked the question.

Difficulty performing familiar tasks. People who have dementia might cook a meal but forget to serve it. They might even forget that they cooked it.

Problems with language. People who have dementia may forget simple words or use the wrong words. This makes it hard to understand what they want.

Time and place disorientation. People who have dementia may get lost on their own street. They may forget how they got to a certain place and how to get back home.

Poor judgment. Even a person who doesn’t have dementia might get distracted. But people who have dementia can forget simple things, like forgetting to put on a coat before going out in cold weather.

Problems with abstract thinking. Anybody might have trouble balancing a checkbook, but people who have dementia may forget what the numbers are and what has to be done with them.

Misplacing things. People who have dementia may put things in the wrong places. They might put an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl. Then they can’t find these things later.

Changes in mood. Everyone is moody at times, but people who have dementia may have fast mood swings, going from calm to tears to anger in a few minutes.

Personality changes. People who have dementia may have drastic changes in personality. They might become irritable, suspicious or fearful.

Loss of initiative. People who have dementia may become passive. They might not want to go places or see other people.”

Dementia is caused by change or destruction of brain cells. Often this change is a result of small strokes or blockage of blood cells, severe hypothyroidism or Alzheimer’s disease. There is a continuous decline in ability to perform normal daily activities. Personal care including dressing, bathing, preparing meals and even eating a meal eventually becomes impossible.

What can family members do if they suspect dementia? An appointment with the doctor or geriatric clinic is the first step to take. Depending on the cause and severity of the problem there are some medications that may help slow the process. Your doctor may recommend a care facility that specializes in dementia and Alzheimer’s. These facilities offer a variety of care options from day care with stimulating activities to part or full-time live-in options. Sometimes if patients tend to wander off, a locked facility is needed.

In the beginning family members find part time caregivers for their loved one. At first, loved ones need only a little help with remembering to do daily activities or prepare meals. As dementia progresses, caregiving demands often progress to 24 hour care. Night and day become confused and normal routines of sleeping, eating and functioning become more difficult for the patient. The demented person feels frustrated and may lash out in anger or fear. It is not uncommon for a child or spouse giving the care to quickly become overwhelmed and discouraged.

Family gatherings provide an excellent opportunity to discuss caregiving plans and whole family support. It is most helpful if everyone in the family is united in supporting a family caregiver in some meaningful way.

“The first step to holding a family meeting, and perhaps the most difficult one, is to get all interested persons together in one place at one time. If it’s a family gathering, perhaps a birthday, an anniversary or another special event could be used as a way to get all to meet. Or maybe even a special dinner might be an incentive.

The end of the meeting should consist of asking everyone present to make his or her commitment to support the plan. This might just simply be moral support and agreement to abide by the provisions or it is hoped that those attending will volunteer to do something constructive. This might mean commitments to providing care, transportation, financial support, making legal arrangements or some other tangible support.” The Four Steps of Long Term Care Planning

Professional home care services are an option to help families in the home. These providers are trained and skilled to help with dementia patients. Don’t forget care facilities as well. It may be the best loving care a family member can give is to place their loved one in a facility where that person is safely monitored and cared for.

The National Care Planning Council supports caregiving services throughout the country.

Source

For care and assistance for you and your loved one in the Venice FL area, visit www.floridahomecare.net.

Combating the Stress of Elderly Care In Englewood FL

The stresses of elderly care can be managed by getting support and help, taking care of your personal health, and keeping the patient’s care organized.  Visitingangels.com offers home care for your loved one, taking some of the burden off of the family responsibility.

It is stressful being a caregiver for an elderly parent or loved one, no matter how much you may love them.  There is a significant amount of disruption to your life and schedule, as well as the worry and sorrow of watching one you love become more helpless.  There are also feelings involved with elderly care including frustration, guilt, resentment, and hopelessness.  Feeling unappreciated for all of the work you do also contributes to anxiety.  There are some ways to combat the stress of elderly care including getting help and support, maintaining your health, and staying organized about the patient’s health and care.

Allowing yourself assistance and support is critical to managing stress when caring for someone.  Hold a family meeting and include the patient to identify problems and solutions.  Together you can plan the care of the patient and share responsibilities so that you do not try to do everything alone. Seek additional help from professionals, community resources, or support groups for any specific medical conditions like Alzheimer’s or cancer.      <<< we have links for support on va.com/resources

Maintaining your personal health is important in helping you deal with the stress of elderly care.  Getting proper nutrition, rest, and exercise allows for your stable physical and mental health.  Neglecting your health problems will allow stress to catch up with you easily.  You will not continue to be a strong caretaker if you put your needs last.  This can lead to emotional exhaustion, depression, and illness.  Understanding and communicating your feelings is also part of maintaining your health.  There are fewer negative effects of stress for people who admit their feelings and express them.

It is important to stay organized and have awareness about the details of the (May want to use “loved one” along with patient) patient’s care.  You should be educated about legal matters, finances, and support services, and have knowledge about the patient’s medical condition.  This helps the day to day process move along more smoothly, so that you do not become overwhelmed with logistics.  In case of an emergency, a list of the loved one/patient’s doctors, hospital, pharmacy, and medications should be on hand to make an urgent situation less stressful.

Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services is a home care agency offering compassionate and experienced caregivers to help your loved one remain in their home.  Visitingangels.com allows you to maintain your schedule and provides a respite for family members providing services such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, hygiene assistance, and companionship.

Bio:  Grace Enderlein is a freelance writer and editor.  “Combating the Stresses of Elderly Care” outlines the importance of avoiding stress when being responsible for another’s care.  Visitingangels.com offers compassionate caregivers in patient’s homes.

If you are in need of care and assistance for an elderly loved one, please visit www.floridahomecare.net for more information on how Visiting Angels can help you.

I found this article, and decided to pass it on to you.  It provides extremely helpful information that may help you with your decision to choose home care for an aging loved one in your family.  If you have questions or need help, please visit our website at www.floridahomecare.net or call 941-496-9600.

30 Reasons Your Loved One May Need a Caregiver
By Rebecca Colmer

There are approximately 37 million people over the age of 65 and 5.3 million people over the age of 85. Each year millions of older people start requiring some sort of assistance to carry out their routine daily activities. Family members (family caregivers) provide most of the help.

It is not always easy to know when to intervene. It may seem like your loved one is in a gray area somewhere between competency and incompetence.

Your loved one can have a behavior that is not life threatening but still very serious. Making an assessment is the very step.

Here are some clues that your loved one may need some extra help:

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