If you're a parent, your children are your life. And if you're like most parents, you become an expert on anything relating to
childcare, your children's health and wellbeing, whether it's a tiny scrape or
special needs requiring skilled care. Sometimes this can be fairly simple, black and white almost. But what about gray area? When I talk about "gray area,"
autism stands out. Lately, it seems that there is so much published on this condition lately (still mostly speculative), it could make every parent's head spin.
One recent study published in the journal Autism Research suggests that an intricate equation may exist between the age of both the mother and father, as reported by Roni Caryn Rabin in the Times. Older mothers are more likely than younger ones to have a child with autism, and older fathers significantly contribute to the risk when their partners are under 30. Researchers analyzed almost five million births in California during the 1990s, and 12,159 autism cases were diagnosed in those children. This sample was large enough to examine how the risk of autism was affected when one parent was a specific age and the other was the same age or considerably older or younger.
Previous research found that the risk of autism grew with the age of the father. But the new study suggests that when the father was over 40 and the mother under 30, the increased risk was especially pronounced - 59 percent greater than for younger men. And every five-year increase in a mother's age raised her risk of having a child with autism by 18 percent.
For everyone, from children to seniors, the thought of leaving the familiarity of home can be a scary and intimidating experience. Relocating to new surroundings can prove to be a huge lifestyle shift for anyone at any age. Whether it's after treatment, post-op, or even elder care as we age, homecare can mean more than just comfort, but also health and safety.
Researchers from the UK have reported that symptom management for patients with breast and colorectal cancer treated with oral Xeloda® (capecitabine) was better for patients who received home care nursing than for patients receiving standard care. Another study has indicated that half of infection deaths are linked to hospital care. According to a Wall Street Journal article, sepsis and pneumonia, two infections that can often be prevented with tight infection control practices in hospitals, killed 48,000 patients and added $8.1 billion to heath care costs in 2006 alone. And yet another study has indicated that, given they are seeking the appropriate treatment for their condition, patients with chronic heart disease fare better at home versus the hospital.
So the question remains - what can be done to keep a family member or loved one in their home? Is there something you can do to ensure a loved one can remain home both healthily and safely? The answer can vary depending on each unique situation, but generally, yes. Mobilize your family and friends to set up a plan of care for your loved one, assigning each person a role; enlist supplemental caregivers where needed. Or, enlist the help of a home health provider. You can also make these easy modifications to the home to make it safer:
Often times, a visit to the hospital is unavoidable, but if you or your loved one has the option to receive care and/or recuperate at home, there are resources available to help you to make this happen.
We've covered the challenges facing the
sandwich generation before. This is a rapidly growing phenomenon. In fact, according to the
National Family Caregivers Association, more than 50 million
Americans provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year. A
year!
Adult children are often first in line to provide elder care for their aging parents. And their own children - at the same time. When added to the many responsibilities of their own daily lives, including work and raising their own family, caring for a loved one with declining health can be quite an undertaking.
We've developed an ebook geared toward this growing phenomenon, offering tips on identifying caregiver burnout and seeking respite care. To download "Spread Thin: LifeCare and the Sandwich Generation," visit our Resources page now.
We care about the health of our community. That’s why we joined the Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance (AEDA), a group of corporations, nonprofits and government entities determined to make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. We’ve launched an Alzheimer’s Association partnership page featuring an “Ask An Expert” function that allows families to submit their question or call a hotline.
Under the leadership of the Alzheimer’s Association, this alliance will work to educate people nationwide about the warning signs of Alzheimer's disease and the importance of early detection. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease and no method to prevent its onset. Early detection is our only management tool, allowing those living with the disease – and their families – time to plan for the future. This may include building the correct medical team, enrolling in clinical studies or investing in safety measures.
Many people struggle to determine if a behavior is a typical age-related change or the first sign of Alzheimer's disease. To help, the Alzheimer’s Association has created this list of warning signs for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Every individual may experience one or more of these in different degrees. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.
- Memory changes that disrupt daily life
- Challenges in planning or solving problems
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Confusion with time or place
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- New problems with words in speaking or writing
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
- Decreased or poor judgment
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
- Changes in mood and personality
To learn more about the 10 signs, visit our Alzheimer's Association partnership page to submit your questions or 877-IS IT ALZ (877.474.8259). As a member of the AEDA, BrightStar will continue to deliver quality care to families facing Alzheimer's in addition to working to provide reliable information about Alzheimer’s disease and early detection during the upcoming months in addition to continuing to publish helpful tools, ebooks, checklists and more (like this brain stimulating game).
If you or a loved one is affected by Alzheimer’s disease, turn to the Alzheimer’s Association for support and services. Information is available online at www.alz.org or by calling the Association’s 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900.
Our health is, really, all we have. If you think about it, if you don't have your health, you have inconvenient complications, a reduced quality of life and/or something worse. Whether it's a teenager, a middle-aged adult or the elderly, it is important to "take the reigns" and ensure you are the driver when it comes to your health.
We've written before about the importance of being your own health advocate. One of the best ways of doing this is to educate yourself (they don't say 'Knowledge is power' for nothing, after all). How can you do this? One way is to be prepared. In just five easy steps, you can achieve this in a cinch:
- Do research ahead of time - learn about symptoms you think you may be experiencing, read up about (a) condition(s) you may have.
- Write down a list of things you'd like to address, such as concerns you may have, any major life changes that you've experienced, questions you may have.
- Prior to going to the doctor, be sure to sit down and think about these things so you are able to make the most out of the short time you are there.
- Bring a list of medications (including vitamins and supplements!) you are currently taking and anything else you'd like to address.
- Be sure to bring something to take notes on and/or even a voice recorder (with the permission of your doctor, of course).
We love the idea of making a list. Making a list will not only help you to remember the things you'd like to address, but it will also help you stick to the point and communicate clearly. From young children to seniors, many people are afraid of going to the doctor because it can make them feel vulnerable, but having a list of questions and being educated can help anybody regain some control and feel more confident.
That's why we've come up with a series of checklists to jump-start your journey to health advocacy. From "Questions to Ask About Drug Treatment" to "Questions to Ask About Cholesterol" and more, our Resources serve to empower you to "take the wheel" and never look back. See for yourself.
Whether you are a caregiver by trade or you are providing care for a family member in need, caregiving is a challenging job. We're only human and we can't always be expected to know everything, which is the premise for Ask An Expert. When you have a questions about how to engage an elderly person who is bedridden or educational indoor activities to do with special needs children on a rainy day, we have answers.
Recently, we received the following question from an adult child caring for their elderly mother with Alzheimer's:
My biggest challenge in taking care on my mother who has Alzheimer's is keeping her from moving her hands all over the place when I'm changing her diaper. Do you have any suggestions on how to restrain her without causing her any stress?
We took to asking our resident expert Bonnie Hellickson, Gurnee, IL. branch manager. "My best suggestion, when dealing with busy hands, give them something to hold," Bonnie said. "Often the patient is trying to help the caregiver and does not realize they are making things more difficult." Bonnie suggests giving her a diaper to hold and manipulate, as they present a small puzzle for the patient to study. Small stuffed animals with gentle sound, music and colors are great too.
Do you have a question for our experts? Submit it now!
Was this helpful for you? Do you have something to add? Share your experiences with us!
Maybe you remember the movie "White Christmas" or maybe you don't. There's a song in that movie, the message of which has always rung true for me: "When you're worried and you can't sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep." Chelsea O'Neil, an insightful blogger, recently touched on this very topic, encouraging people to, especially for elder care providers, pose the question, "What's not wrong," during stressful times.
What a concept indeed! For each of us in our daily lives, and especially for exhausted caregivers and adult children providing elder care. She goes on to say that simply "listing the things that are not wrong can lift the heavy burdens and fill up our depleted souls with the love and kindness that we deserve. It's a simple reminder of what is right within us and around us." When everything around you seems to be crumbling, it's probably because that's what you're focusing on.
And while it may be difficult to see the good through the bad, imagine what good (however little) taking even just a moment to pay homage to what is not wrong could do. It could make a better, more relaxed caregiver, promoting quality elder care, safety and wellbeing for patient and care provider. Just as she asks at the end of her entry, take some time out of your day to heed the following questions: Who fills you up? Who offers you hope and guidance and inspiration? Perhaps now is the time to tell them?
Is this helpful advice? What helps you get through difficult or stressful situations?
Diagnosing even mild-to-moderate
dementia cases can be difficult. In fact, more than half of such cases are not recognized by physicians, according to a review of the literature at the
Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Family members and caregivers, in addition to many physicians, often overlook a decline in cognitive function as well.
As Baby Boomers age, the number of Alzheimer's cases is expected to surge from the already five million cases. Increased awareness and diagnosis will provide optimal care for the aging population. To improve prompt diagnosis, Diana Kerwin, MD, assistant professor of medicine and geriatrics, offers the following recommendations published in an issue of The Journal of Family Practice:
- Avoid age bias when determining the need for cognitive screening
- Screen the vulnerable elderly, or individuals 65 years of age and older who are at high risk of
death or functional decline, at the initial visit and annually after
- Test all patients undergoing cognitive screening for depression as well
For more information, visit our Resources page to download our "Is It Alzheimer's?" eBook.
In case you missed them, or maybe you're not even on Twitter yet, we wanted to re-cap all of @brightstarcare's Tweets for the month of February. We strive to share helpful articles, tools and Websites and hope the following will be of value to you. Enjoy!
Are hospitals safe? See what a recent study says: http://ow.ly/1bIql 4:00 PM Feb 26th
It's not too early (or too late!) to truly take advantage of life http://ow.ly/1bhlb What do you think? 1:31 PM Feb 26th
Thanks for the @shellyasun mention @BreakingBiz! 1:15 PM Feb 25th
Not Just for the Elderly: Contemplating Life's Opportunities http://ow.ly/1bhlb Great program @wpr this a.m.! 12:01 PM Feb 25th
When it comes to our health, is there REALLY no place like home? Weigh in now! http://ow.ly/1bgnu 11:24 AM Feb 25th
Usin' it so we're not losin' it. Is this true? http://ow.ly/1aSFi 12:46 PM Feb 24th
Study: Half of Infection Deaths Linked Directly to Hospital Care http://ow.ly/1aNMP 9:58 AM Feb 24th
RT @aarpbulletin Elder Abusers: What to look for, what to do http://ow.ly/19UMW 9:55 AM Feb 22nd
'Entrepreneur of the Year' Shelly Sun Pays Tribute to BrightStar Offices http://ow.ly/18GtI 9:28 AM Feb 18th
Touching! RT @aarpbulletin World's Oldest Barber: Customers say his fingers - and conversation - are still nimble at 99 http://ow.ly/180jX 3:17 PM Feb 16th
What kinds of Web health tools are most valuable to you? Medication charts? Nutrition logs? Weigh in! 2:10 PM Feb 16th
Do you or does somebody you know have a BrightStar story? Share it here: http://ow.ly/17XrW 12:58 PM Feb 16th
Very helpful! Knowledge is key. RT @InsideElderCare Guide to Dementia Care and Alzheimer's Care at Home (Part 1) http://ow.ly/17ydb 11:10 AM Feb 15th
Family caregivers need advocates too http://ow.ly/16UOy 9:10 AM Feb 15th via HootSuite
Who helps when hospice leaves? One answer here: http://ow.ly/16UKX 5:05 PM Feb 12th
Thank you for the RT @allseniorhomes! Did you find the @eCareDiarySusan tool helpful? 4:10 PM Feb 12th
A touching caregiver story. Now THIS is how our caregivers are making more possible! Watch now: http://ow.ly/16UzA 3:48 PM Feb 12th
Hoarding can be risky for the elderly. Here are some great resources: http://ow.ly/15DUx 9:35 AM Feb 11th
Do you or does somebody you know have a BrightStar story? Share it here: http://ow.ly/15Dts 12:25 PM Feb 10th
Caregiver-Client Compatibility Key http://ow.ly/15ZbJ 12:17 PM Feb 10th
@shellyasun "... award is a result of our franchisees relentless daily efforts in providing our clients quality of life" http://ow.ly/15CPk 10:00 AM Feb 10th
What do you think? Weigh in now! RT @VibrantNation Our fears change as we age, don't you agree? http://ow.ly/15DcS 9:00 AM Feb 10th
In case you missed it, we're re-capping the month of January... in Tweets: http://ow.ly/15CRw #seniorcare #caregiving #homecare #childcare 5:00 PM Feb 9th
RT @shellyasun 24/7 availability is not just something we say - it's what we do. See for yourself: http://ow.ly/15D4j 3:20 PM Feb 9th
@eCareDiarySusan your appointment/med management tool would be a great help to the growing number of family caregivers. Kudos! 3:14 PM Feb 9th
BrightStar CEO Shelly Sun named 'Entrepreneur of the Year' http://ow.ly/15Cnb 2:42 PM Feb 9th
@HCInteractive Absolutely! @caregiving published a great blog on it here: http://ow.ly/13Zic 3:31 PM Feb 4th
Download this helpful list to discuss prescriptions with your doctor http://ow.ly/13W2k Click here to see others: http://ow.ly/13W4u 3:10 PM Feb 4th
Caregivers make an amazing impact on those in their care. Do you have a story to share? http://ow.ly/13VLA 12:57 PM Feb 4th
Does caregiver-client compatibility matter? See for yourself: http://ow.ly/13PZC 9:30 AM Feb 4th
Wow! RT @caregiving New Study Says Caregiving Employees' Health Problems Can Cost U.S. Companies a Potential $13.4 Billion Yearly:... 9:56 AM Feb 2nd
Changing the traditional care model http://ow.ly/1304Y 9:28 AM Feb 2nd