Silent Strokes and Dementia
Posted: May 24, 2012 Filed under: Senior Care, Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Non Medical In Home Care, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: Non Medical Senior Care, In Home Senior Care, Personal Care, suffering from dementia, home instead senior care, Alzheimers Care, In Home Care Leave a comment »
This year, I am serving as the Chair for the upcoming Ocala Walk to End Alzheimer’s. This event is designed to increase awareness regarding Alzheimer’s disease and also to raise funds in order to support the fight against this terrible disease. The web address for all the walks around the country is listed below.
We have also just completed our first training class for our CAREGiver Team utilizing a brand new Home Instead Senior Care program. This program covers:
- An Overview of Alzheimer’s Disease and other Dementias.
- Capturing Life’s Journey
- Techniques to Manage Behaviors
- Activities to Encourage Engagement
In the fall, we will be rolling out a version of this program for Family Caregivers. This series will address a number of senior challenges as well as ideas and expert advice. Our goal is to help family caregivers navigate the many issues that arise while caring for an older adult. Each workshop will include videos as well as additional resources.
Home Instead Senior Care has also introduced a great web resource for family caregivers. The address for this new web site is listed below. It includes a free online training course for family caregivers.
Some interesting news is that recent studies have also shown that in some cases, memory loss among seniors may be due to so-called “silent strokes”. Such strokes, which may not cause noticeable symptoms, result in small pockets of dead brain cells and are found in about 25 percent of older adults, according to a study.
The research, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, appeared in the journal Neurology. Participants underwent MRI brain scans, as well as testing to gauge capacities in memory, language skills, thinking speed and visual perception.
The brain scans revealed that 174 of the 658 participants had experienced silent strokes, and the investigators found that these seniors did not perform as well on the memory exams.
Researchers said that study results also support stroke prevention as a means for staving off memory problems.”
It is also important to remember that a Home Instead CAREGiver could help a senior who has memory loss in many ways, including companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders and transportation or errands.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
The Family Caregiver Web Site address www.HelpforAlzheimersFamilies.com
The site regarding the recent research results mention earlier is:
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_120240.html
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease web site is:
Important New News Regarding Alzheimer’s Disease
Posted: May 14, 2012 Filed under: Senior Care, Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: Non Medical Senior Care, suffering from dementia, home instead senior care, Alzheimers Care, In Home Care Leave a comment »
As the owner’s of our Home Instead Senior Care business in Ocala, Florida, we work with many of our clients who are impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. I learned firsthand about Alzheimer’s Disease working with one of our first clients. We had just started our business and did not have enough CAREGivers for 24 hour care. I jumped in and spent many hours with our client Jack who lived in a local memory care community.
There’s potentially good news in the fight against an incurable disease that affects as many as 5.4 million Americans. A new drug candidate may be the first capable of halting the devastating mental decline of Alzheimer’s disease, based on the findings by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif. See the link below.
When given to mice with Alzheimer’s, the drug – known as J147 – improved memory and prevented brain damage caused by the incurable disease. The new compound could be tested for treatment of the disease in humans in the near future, according to researchers.
Because of the broad ability of J147 to protect nerve cells, the researchers believe that it also may be effective for treating other neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease, as well as stroke.
Home Instead Senior Care® stands ready to help with several resources. We are currently training our team of CAREGivers with a personalized program for our clients. This is a new program which covers:
- Alzheimer’s Disease and other Dementias
- Capturing Life’s Journey
- Techniques to Manage Behaviors
- Activities to Encourage Engagement.
This is a new world-class training program exclusively for our Home Instead CAREGivers. Our first group of twelve trained CAREGivers will graduate next week from this program. We will be offering this new training program to our entire CAREGiver Team over the next few months.
In addition, we will be rolling out a similar version for Family Caregivers later this summer. Finally, Home Instead Senior Care has launched a new website which includes free Family Caregiver Training. The web address is listed below.
It is important to remember that a Home Instead CAREGiverSM can provide assistance at home for seniors with Alzhiemer’s . Our CAREGivers can help a senior improve their overall health and quality of life.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
The free online training course can be found at: www.HelpforAlzheimersFamilies.com
The details regarding the Salk Institutes Study can be found at:
http://www.salk.edu/news/pressrelease_details.php?press_id=532
Virtual Colonoscopy – An Option for Seniors
Posted: May 1, 2012 Filed under: Senior Care, Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Non Medical In Home Care, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: Senior CARE, Non Medical Senior Care, In Home Senior Care, Personal Care, home instead senior care, Senior Health Leave a comment »
Having just had a colonoscopy this information caught my attention. A new study, led by a physician from Mayo Clinic in Arizona, shows that virtual colonoscopy – less invasive than the traditional kind – is an option for seniors in the detection of colon cancer. The American College of Radiology Imaging Network published in Radiology now indicates that virtual colonoscopy is comparable to standard colonoscopy for people older than 65. The link below will provide the details of this study.
Virtual colonoscopy, known formally as computerized tomographic CT colonography, uses advanced imaging software to produce a three-dimensional view of the colon and rectum. No sedation is required, but the procedure requires the same cleansing preparation as standard colonoscopy. C. Daniel Johnson, M.D., chairman of the Department of Radiology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and co-author of the study, said virtual colonoscopies may be considered for a patient who:
- has had a difficult time with previous colonoscopy procedures;
- is on anti-coagulant drugs;
- has a colon obstruction;
- is unwilling to have a standard colonoscopy.
Colorectal cancer is the third-most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.
It is important to remember that a Home Instead CAREGiverSM can provide transportation to doctors’ appointments and assistance at home for senior undergoing tests and procedures. Our CAREGivers can help a senior improve their overall health and quality of life.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
Here is the link to the study by The American College of Radiology:
www.mayoclinic.org/news2012-sct/6720.html
Smoking and Dementia
Posted: April 24, 2012 Filed under: Senior Care, Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Non Medical In Home Care, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: Non Medical Senior Care, suffering from dementia, Alzheimers Care, In Home Care 2 Comments »
As the owners of our Marion County Senior Care business, we work with many clients who are suffering from the various forms of dementia. Here is an interesting study that revels some interesting information regarding the effect of smoking on dementia. Cigarette smoking in men – especially older men – appears to be the cause of a more rapid cognitive decline, according to a report published in Online First by Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Smoking is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for dementia in the elderly and the number of dementia cases worldwide. In an earlier report the authors found that when smokers are compared with nonsmokers, the smokers have poorer memory and greater decline in reasoning over five years. Long-term ex-smokers – 10 years or more – did not show faster cognitive decline. They were more comparable to nonsmokers.
Séverine Sabia, Ph.D., of University College London, and colleagues used the Whitehall II cohort study, which is based on employees of the British Civil Service. “Our results show that the association between smoking and cognition, particularly at older ages, is likely to be underestimated, owing to higher risk of death and dropout among smokers,’’ the authors said.
Our office is commented to supporting the fight against alzheimer’s and dementia. I have recently decided to Chair the Committee for the upcoming Ocala Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The walk will be held on September 8, 2012 at Tuscawila Park.
Loneliness, your readers should know, can contribute to many undesirable habits, including smoking. It is important to note that a Home Instead CAREGiverSM can provide the kind of companionship that brings meaning to an older adult’s life.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
For more information on the above mentioned study go to:
http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/archgenpsychiatry.2011.2016
Information about the Alzheimer’s Association as well as the Ocala Walk to end Alzheimer’s can be found at:
Interesting Outcomes for Seniors with Osteoarthritis Knee Replacements
Posted: March 23, 2012 Filed under: Senior Care, Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Non Medical In Home Care, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: Non Medical Senior Care, In Home Senior Care, home instead senior care, knee replacements, senior mobility 3 Comments »
Here is some interesting information regarding seniors who may have mobility issues related to osteoarthritis of the knee. Mary and I work with and have met many of our clients that have difficulty with mobility and this study caught my attention.
Seniors needing a total knee replacement because of osteoarthritis have new reasons to undergo the surgery, some doctors have said. Research presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons showed that the operation not only repairs the knee, it also lowers the patient’s probability of heart failure and death.
The purpose of the study however, was to compare differences in cost and health outcomes between osteoarthritic patients who undergo joint replacement therapy and those who do not. Researchers found that it did cost Medicare a little more for the patients who received the total knee replacement than for those who did not. See below for the link to the study for more details. There were significant positives in the osteoarthritis total knee replacement group:
- The risk of mortality was half that of the non-total knee replacement group and
- The congestive heart failure rate also was lower, at three, five and seven years after surgery.
“These patients had improved survivorship and reduced risk for cardiovascular conditions,” said Scott Lovald, Ph.D., MBA, lead investigator and senior associate at Exponent, Inc.
It is also important to remember that a Home Instead CAREGiver can assist with a senior’s recovery from procedures such as knee replacement, and help them as they strive for continued good health. A Home Instead CAREGiver can also help with meal preparation and medication reminders as a senior loved one recovers from a health problem.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
Here is the link to the study that I mentioned:
http://www6.aaos.org/news/pemr/releases/release.cfm?releasenum=1044>>
Early Detection is Key for Parkinson’s Disease
Posted: March 22, 2012 Filed under: Senior Care, Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Non Medical In Home Care, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: Non Medical Senior Care, home instead senior care, Alzheimers Care, In Home Care, Parkingson's Disease 2 Comments »
Next week I will be speaking to a Parkinson’s disease support group. In Ocala, Mary and I work and interact with seniors who are impacted with this disease.
Early detection of Parkinson’s disease is important because treatments can actually slow the disease progression. Continuing research, including a recent Penn State study offers hope for additional early detection techniques. See the link below for more details.
People with Parkinson’s disease swing their arms asymmetrically – one arm swings less than the other – when walking. This unusual movement is easily detected early.
No cure for Parkinson’s disease exists. But, if taken early, certain drugs can improve some of the disease’s symptoms and even reduce the likelihood of death, making early diagnosis important. Some people also believe that changes in nutrition and other lifestyle factors can modify the progression of the disease.
To diagnose patients with Parkinson’s disease early, some doctors and scientists have proposed the use of a smell test because people with the disease lose their ability to distinguish odors.
The Penn State team’s method of evaluating arm swing can be applied quickly and inexpensively by primary care physicians in their own offices when the smell test is inconclusive and before the application of an expensive brain scan.
A Home Instead Senior Care CAREGiver can help alert family members to possible problems with a senior loved one. Our CAREGivers can assist seniors with the goal of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A Home Instead CAREGiver can help with meal preparation and medication reminders.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
The Link to the Penn State Study: http://live.psu.edu/story/56809
Senior Medication Emergencies
Posted: March 20, 2012 Filed under: Senior Care, Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Non Medical In Home Care, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: Non Medical Senior Care, medication reminders, home instead senior care, In Home Care Leave a comment »
Several years ago, our Home Instead Senior Care office in Ocala, FL coordinated a program called Mission Medicine. We worked with the Marion County Sheriff’s Department in order to collect unused and expired medications. Every day we collected hundreds of pounds of medications from seniors in Marion County.
We also know from our work with seniors that many are confused regarding the large number of medications that they receive from the doctors they visit. Many seniors do not communicate to their doctors all of their prescriptions resulting in over medication as well as adverse reactions to multiple medications.
There are nearly 100,000 emergency hospitalizations each year for adverse drug events that involve U.S. senior citizens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. See the link below for the details.
Of the thousands of medications available to patients, a small group of blood thinners and diabetes medications caused two-thirds of the emergency hospitalizations, the report said. It is important to note that four medications that have been used alone or together, accounted for two-thirds of the emergency hospitalizations:
- 33 percent, or 33,171 emergency hospitalizations, involved warfarin, a medication used to prevent blood clots.
- 14 percent involved insulins. Insulin injections are used to control blood sugar in people who have diabetes.
- 13 percent involved antiplatelet drugs, such as aspirin or clopidogrel, which prevent platelets, or pieces of blood cells from clumping together to start a clot.
- 11 percent involved diabetes medications that are taken by mouth, called oral hypoglycemic agents.
A Home Instead Senior Care CAREGiver can serve as a second set of eyes and ears for a senior while providing our non-medical services. Our CAREGivers can provide medication reminders and escort seniors to doctor appointments.
We can also offer a wonderful tool called the Senior Emergency Kit. The Kit provides organization that will assist families to coordinate the care for a senior loved one. The tool provides a place to list all of the doctors and medications for seniors. The kit provides information that help families be prepared for senior emergencies. More information about the Senior Emergency Kit can be found at:
Always remember that a Home Instead CAREGiver can help with meal preparation and medication reminders as a senior loved one recovers from a health problem.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p1123_elderly_risk.html
Vitimin C and Senior Health
Posted: March 15, 2012 Filed under: Senior Care, Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Non Medical In Home Care, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: Senior CARE, In Home Senior Care, heart healthy diet, non-medical Leave a comment »
A recent study has shown that heart failure patients who don’t consume enough vitamin C-rich foods have more inflammation and a higher risk of cardiac complications and death. The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2011. See the link below for me details.
Compared with those with high vitamin C intake from food, heart failure patients in the study who had low vitamin C intake were 2.4 times more likely to have higher levels of a certain protein, which served as a marker for inflammation and a risk factor for heart disease. Adequate intake of vitamin C was associated with longer survival in patients with heart failure, said Eun Kyeung Song, Ph.D., R.N., lead study author and assistant professor at the department of nursing, University of Ulsan in Korea.
The use of diuretics also may play a role because vitamin C is water soluble, and diuretics increase the amount of water excreted from the kidneys, according to research. Diet is the best source of vitamin C, researchers say. Eating the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day provides an adequate amount.
Always remember that a Home Instead CAREGiver can help with meal preparation and medication reminders as a senior loved one recovers from a health problem.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
http://newsroom.heart.org/pr/aha/low-vitamin-c-levels-may-raise-217754.aspx.
Are You Fearful When Your Senior Is Driving
Posted: March 12, 2012 Filed under: Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Non Medical In Home Care, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: Incidental Transprotation, transportation 2 Comments »
Are you fearful about your senior loved ones being out on the road during inclement winter weather? In Ocala, I often see seniors who are out on the roads in stormy weather. In many cases older adults themselves are apprehensive about driving on hazardous roads. Seniors will appreciate these safety tips from the Caregiverstress.com website:
www.caregiverstress.com/senior-safety/senior-driving
Make sure brakes, windshield wipers, defroster, headlights and heater are in good working order. As a matter of fact, technicians usually check these things and others during routine service such as oil changes.
Be sure to encourage your senior to clean their vehicle’s headlights and turn-signal lens, and make sure the windshield, all windows, hood and roof are clean before they head out.
Seniors should use the headlights even during the day so pedestrians and other motorists have a better chance to notice the vehicle.
Encourage your senior to drive appropriately for the conditions by slowing down, easing off the brakes if skidding occurs and making sure there is plenty of distance between vehicles. In Florida, wet and oily roads can be a threat, especially with night driving.
Remind seniors to take a cell phone and pack a vehicle safety kit that includes blankets, nonperishable food, water, flashlight, ice scraper, flares and first-aid materials. Don’t forget some warn clothes as a precaution during cool weather.
Please note that a better alternative for your senior loved one might be enlisting a bonded and insured Home Instead CAREGiver who can provide transportation and run errands. In addition a Home Instead CAREGiver could help with many everyday chores such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, errands and medication reminders.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
Senior Eyesight Issues
Posted: March 1, 2012 Filed under: Senior Care, Home Care for Seniors, Non Medical Senior Care, Personal Care, In Home Care, Home Care Ocala, Florida, Ocala, Non Medical In Home Care, Personal In Home Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Repite Care, Dementia Care, Alzheimers Care | Tags: In Home Senior Care, home instead senior care, causes of blindness Leave a comment »
As a Home Instead Senior Franchise Owner I have worked with many clients who have limited eye sight for a variety of reasons. One of the main causes of blindness for seniors is age-related macular degeneration. The National Eye Institute, however, has pointed out that older people also need to be aware of glaucoma, the second-leading cause of blindness that most often attacks older people.
Glaucoma is often called the “sneak thief of sight,’’ since half of those who have it do not know it because central vision may not be affected until later stages of the disease. According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, there are no symptoms, but once vision is lost, it is permanent. In fact, as much as 40 percent of vision can be lost without a senior noticing.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Among African-American and Latino populations, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness, and it is more prevalent. Glaucoma is six to eight times more common in African-Americans than Caucasians.
When was the last time your senior loved one was checked for glaucoma? Perhaps it is time to consider scheduling a simple eye test. If your senior already has an eye disease such as glaucoma or macular degeneration, a Home Instead CAREGiver could help with many everyday chores such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, errands and medication reminders.
As the owners of our business, Mary and I meet and know every one of our clients and CAREGivers. We build and maintain our client relationships with regular visits and contact with each client and family. We still personally answer our phones 24/7 and are always available to help and assist our senior clients. Our Ocala office was proud to be named “2010 Business of the Year” by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce. More information about our company can be found at: www.homeinstead.com/612 . Our office can be reached at 352-622-6447 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.
For more information go to:
Prevent Blindness America at www.preventblindness.org
Glaucoma Research Foundation at www.glaucoma.org/glaucoma
