Chronic Pain, Prescribed Opioids and Pain Management
Prescribing opioids for chronic pain remains controversial. What are the treatment alternatives and are there any resources for chronic pain management?
Cancer Care--Caregiving, Support and Resources
The suspect lump, mole or nagging cough may be a health nuisance, but for millions of people around the world, these changes in the body are warning signs of cancer. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide; the World Health Organization reports that cancer killed 8.8 million people globally in 2015.
Diagnosing Hearing Loss in Adults and Seniors
“People think hearing loss is an old-person thing,” says Maionchi, an audiologist. “But my average patient is in their mid- to late 50s."
How Healthy Is Your Heart?
World Heart Day was born at the turn of the 21st century, as a way for the World Heart Federation to spread awareness about heart health. Globally, heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death each year, resulting in the loss of over 17.5 million lives. As a global organization, the World Heart Federation is determined to see a 25 percent reduction in “premature deaths from cardiovascular disease around the world” by 2025.
Pain, Opioids and Fall Risk
Many elders have chronic pain from musculoskeletal disorders like arthritis, from nerves damaged by diabetes or shingles, or from cancer. Consequently, more than 30 percent of people enrolled in Medicare Part D use opioid prescriptions to control pain.
The Connection Between Magazines and Falling
It’s irritating when you open a magazine and a bunch of subscription postcards fall out and scatter on the floor. For frail elders with poor balance, this irritation becomes a health hazard, as they can fall if they bend over to pick up the cards that have fallen out of magazines.
Bell’s Palsy vs. a Stroke
Bell’s palsy is a temporary paralysis of the face caused by inflammation, compression or trauma to the facial nerve. Typically, the disorder only affects one side of the face, and the resulting physical distortion occurs suddenly and peaks within 48 hours. Because of the facial paralysis and possible affected speech, Bell’s palsy may be confused with a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), but Bell’s palsy is not connected with either of these conditions.
The Parkinson’s Foundation Moving Day® Event
Walk, stretch, dance and celebrate. Americans of all ages and fitness levels are invited to join in the Parkinson’s Foundation Moving Day® event to raise awareness and funds to fight Parkinson’s disease.
Why Test for Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by certain diseases, toxins, medications, infections or excessive alcoholic use.
How Epilepsy Affects Older Adults
Epilepsy is a neurological condition in which abnormal signals are sent between brain nerve cells, causing unusual body behaviors known as seizures. An estimated 65 million people worldwide and 3 million in the United States experience epilepsy.
Signs & Behaviors of Hoarding Disorder in Seniors
What an 87-year-old man counted as decades of treasures—jumbled mounds of well-aged newspapers, crumpled clothes, decayed food, a broken toilet and a long-dead refrigerator—most would consider throwaway junk. But he continued to crawl around the chaotic piles in an apartment with no heat and shattered window panes, huddling most days in one sparse spot in his living room.
National Mental Health Awareness Month - A Call To Help Those With Mental Illness
May is designated as National Mental Health Awareness Month, a call for helping those living with mental health conditions to get the resources and acceptance they need. Older Americans in particular are vulnerable to unrecognized and untreated forms of mental illness.
The Role Nutrition Plays During Cancer Treatment
Family caregivers play a major role in a cancer patient’s journey to recovery. They shoulder a myriad of responsibilities from helping the patient attend doctor appointments, to providing emotional support, to tending to the nutritional needs of the patient.
Better Digestion After the Thanksgiving Feast
You swirl another ladle of gravy on the mashed potatoes and gulp down another helping of turkey. But before the pumpkin pie is cut, you start to feel that internal restlessness. What happens to your body’s digestion when you overeat?
Socialization –– How It Benefits Caregivers and Care Receivers
Caregivers are frequently told how important it is for them to stay engaged socially, but I think we sometimes forget how beneficial it can also be for the care receiver.
5 Things We Learned From Reagan’s Alzheimer’s and Thatcher’s Dementia
In what is considered his farewell address to the American people, former President Ronald Reagan penned a November 5, 1994, letter announcing his recently diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease, the irreversible neurological condition that is the most frequent form of dementia.
4 “Sugar Strategies” for People With Diabetes to Enjoy Desserts
Every year, Americans celebrate National Dessert Day (October 14) by sampling a full menu of sweets. Do you know which American age group is most likely to pick up their dessert fork or to dip a spoon in some dessert decadence?
Managing Medications Challenges Seniors; Why You Should Report Memory Issues to Your Doctor
These and other stories are in the October edition of the Caring Right at Home e-newsletter, providing information, advice and support for adult caregiving.
Too Much Television Is Bad for You
A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association finds that Americans who watch at least three hours of television a day double their risk of dying prematurely compared to people who watch TV an hour or less a day.
Pill Organizers Could Lead to Overdoses
According to a new report, pill organizers may actually be responsible for causing dangerous overdoses. Individuals who started to use a pill organizer suffered impaired mobility, episodes of dangerously low blood sugar, and falls.
Home Remedies for Aches and Pains of Aging
A 2012 National Health Interview Study found that 11.2 percent of adults report having daily pain.
Are Men’s Brains Smaller Than Women’s?
A Mayo Clinic study of 1,246 men and women between ages 30 and 95—with normal cognitive function—shows that the brain’s memory region, the hippocampus, shrinks more for men than women, especially past age 60.
The Opioid Crisis and Fall Risk
Seniors using opioids are at a seven-fold greater risk for falls (and increased hip fractures) than those who use other pain relievers, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Is the Rate of Alzheimer’s Declining? How to Relieve Back Pain
These and other stories are in the June edition of the Caring Right at Home e-newsletter, providing information, advice and support for adult caregiving.
National Nurses Day Celebrates the Contribution of Nurses
National Nurses Week (May 6-12) each year celebrates the contributions nurses make to our lives and communities.
What would you do to honor nurses in America?
Coconut Fat May Slow Aging
Nutrition experts praise coconut fat as a super food that improves brain function, boosts energy and burns the body’s excess fat. Plus, research is finding that a diet high in coconut fat also may delay brain cells from aging.
Getting Around When You No Longer Drive
It’s time for your elderly loved one to give up the car keys, but how will he or she get around to doctor appointments, errands and social activities?
Decreasing Fall Risk Through Dancing
A new study showed that elders who participated in a half hour of ballroom dancing (three days a week for three months) had a 50% improvement in balance and fewer falls.
National Nutrition Month®
The 2016 theme of the March healthy eating campaign is “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right.” One of the main goals of the March healthy diet focus is to help children through older adults make informed food choices and develop sound eating and regular physical activity habits.
Medical Skepticism Over Brain Games
The influx of computer-based brain games has promised people even more command of their mental acuity—improved memory skills, faster recall of childhood stories and even prevention of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive decline. But are these brain games really working?
Tax Credit Tips for Seniors and Family Caregivers
If you are a senior receiving care or are caring for an older relative, you may be eligible for additional tax deductions and credits. Examples of elder care tax benefits include claiming a parent, stepparent, father-in-law or mother-in-law as a dependent on your tax return or deducting contributions you made toward your aging relative’s medical expenses.
Seniors Unprepared for Hospital Discharge; Consider Dental Costs When Planning Retirement
These and other stories are in the March edition of the Caring Right at Home e-newsletter, providing information, advice and support for adult caregiving.
RightCare … The Right Choice for You.
Securing at-home care for your loved one is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. Right at Home is committed to helping you choose senior care wisely. Rest assured that with Right at Home, your loved one will be getting the Right Care.
High Blood Pressure and Alzheimer’s Disease
If you have high blood pressure, known as hypertension, and are taking certain medications for the condition, you also may be lowering your risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Vitamin D and Fall Risk
Many health providers recommend vitamin D supplements as a way to build muscle strength and prevent falls in elders. Does high doses of vitamin D improve mobility for seniors?
Heart Disease and Women
Two types of heart disease, coronary microvascular disease (MVD) and broken heart syndrome, are lesser known but pose a specific risk for women. The American Heart Association reports that 64 percent of women who die suddenly from coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease, showed no previous signs of heart trouble.
Dementia Caregivers Worry About Own Risk; Home Care Supports Seniors With Heart Failure
These and other stories are in the February edition of the Caring Right at Home e-newsletter, providing information, advice and support for adult caregiving.
What are the Stages of Dementia?
Most forms of dementia have no cure, but are reversible if caused by treatable factors including nutritional deficiency, an infection or brain bleed. Right at Home senior care providers can help patients who have dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
The Secrets to Identifying Drug Misuse in Seniors
Drug misuse is often overlooked. One reason for this is that signs of drug misuse may be attributed to other age-related health problems, such as depression or dementia.
Resolutions for Healthier Aging; Health Benefits Can Be Gained Even From Light Exercise
These and other stories are in the January edition of the Caring Right at Home e-newsletter, providing information, advice and support for adult caregiving.
When You Can’t Be Home for the Holidays; National Influenza Vaccination Week is December 6-12, 2015
These and other stories are in the December edition of the Caring Right at Home e-newsletter, providing information, advice and support for adult caregiving.
Thanksgiving Safety Tips
The house is full of bustling conversations and the rich aroma of your favorite Thanksgiving entrees. The grandkids are scurrying from room to room, while the adults mingle and munch in the kitchen, grandkids
I’ve Fallen! Is it Alzheimer’s?
If an elder with memory problems suffers a fall, there’s a tendency to just dismiss the cause by saying that the person has Alzheimer’s. But Alzheimer’s is not the only health issue that can lead to memory loss, confusion and forgetfulness.