Warning Signs

Trust Your Nose

GertrudeCNA — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:56:19 GMT

If it doesn't smell right, it probably isn't.

Facilities

When visiting care facilities, including acute care hospitals, nursing homes, rehab units, assisted living homes - or of course, your loved one's home - trust your sense of smell as you check out conditions. A sanitary place will smell sanitary. Odors won't be covered up with cleaning sprays.

You will find that even within one facility, the odors in wings can vary. At one highly respected rehab center in the Midwest, one wing didn't pass the the smell test, while the rest of the building was ok. If you come across anything like that, have your client moved to an area that is acceptable. Aside from the sanitation aspects, if the odors bother you, why subject your client to them?

Bathing

After your loved one has been bathed, he or she should smell fresh. If you detect any sour smell or anything less than fresh, see that the job is done over again, properly.

Infections

Infections will often cause odors, and you should be familiar with those and attuned to them. I once detected a foot sore on a patient in an acute care hospital by its odor. The patient's foot had been wedged at the bottom of the bed. He had no feeling at all in his legs and was unaware of the developing sore. Meanwhile, the staff assigned to him had missed the warning signs.

If you discover a sore, what do you do? If a doctor isn't available right away, arrange for a Wound Care Nurse to treat the wound immediately.

Article: Sudden Weight Loss: One of the Key Elder Care Warning Signs You Can’t Ignore

Admin — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:24:18 GMT

Sudden Weight Loss: One of the Key Elder Care Warning Signs You Can’t Ignore

Three years ago when Nicole Wilhelm, a public relations executive in Jacksonville, Florida, was in the throes of wedding planning, she visited her 68-year-old father in Lucerne Valley, California. But something was wrong, says Wilhelm. Her father, a lifelong skier who was normally muscular and fit, now looked frail and weak. “I noticed that he was definitely thinner, but not so much as to cause great concern,” she says. Still something didn’t seem right to Wilhelm, so she asked her father about his weight loss. “He said he had been to his doctor, so I didn’t worry,” she explains. “He was his usual upbeat self.” What Wilhelm didn’t know was that in six months, her father would be fighting for his life. Wilhelm had discovered one of the most important elder care warning signs a caregiver should look out for.

This article continues at Elder Care Warning Signs and Sudden Weight Loss.

Red Flag Warning Signs

Michelle Aweshah — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:39:56 GMT

As an eldercare advisor, I speak with concerned family members everyday. From my experiences with these families, there are warning signs that I listen for that I ask the families to address immediately:

Med Mismanagement: If you have suspicion of medication mismanagement, please take it seriously. Medication mismanagement can result in confusion, depression, dehydration, and falls that can lead to hospitalization. It is easy to become confused with the amount and frequency of the medication which leads to forgetting dosages or doubling up on them.

Isolation/Withdrawing: If your loved one is starting to isolate themselves or withdraw from doing things that they love, it is important to notice and address this. There could be a variety of reasons for this from beginning dementia to depression to fear. One family couldn't understand why mom no longer wanted to go to her monthly luncheon with her friends and realized eventually that mom could no longer bathe safely and was concerned that her hygiene would be noticed. Her pride did not allow her to address this with family.

Eating/Meal Concerns: Does your loved one only eat high sugar content foods? Do you visit and find the same food in the refridgerator as the week before? Lack of proper nutrition can lead to confusion, diabetes concerns, lower immunity and dehydration.

Forgetfulness: There can be many causes of forgetfulness or short term memory loss. Seeing a doctor should be done to rule out any issues related to dementia or medication related concerns.

As a child or spouse of someone with these issues, it can be very difficult to address these concerns with your loved one. But I deal with so many people who are in the hospital or are in crisis that saw many warning signs and didn't want to address them at the time.

Ask your family doctor if you are concerned. Hire home care or explore assisted living. Educate yourself about what is available to assist your family in your area. No one can tell you what is best for your family....you will collectively decide that. But arming yourself with the information needed to make that decision is critical. You will feel much better about any decision that you make if you feel that you have explored the options available.

Diabetes & Senior Health

RosanneN — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:04:51 GMT

Diabetes is a very serious condition that had not gotten much press until recent years. Sudden shifts in blood sugars can cause life-threatening attacks of either low or high blood sugars, both of which require immediate administration of either sugars (e.g. orange juice) or medications (e.g. insulin) to bring their levels back to normal. This condition is also known to cause problems later in life in the major bodily systems, including increased chances of heart disease, severe vision problems, neurological disorders (such as neuropathy), difficulty in healing wounds (which can result in gangrene infections & amputations), and much more.

Regular monitoring of blood sugars, strict adherance to medication/insulin schedules, a regulated diet and ongoing monitoring for the health problems associated with diabetes by the family doctor, endocrinologist, and other specialist are the best ways to maintain your health as a diabetic, particularly as you get older.

For more information on Diabetes, I encourage you to visit the American Diabetes Association at : http://www.diabetes.org

Take Care of Your Heart! Signs & Symptoms of a Heart Attack

Susan Ruff — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:45:22 GMT

If you experience the following symptoms, you should be rushed to the nearest emergency room. 1) Chest Pain – an intense, prolonged pain, often described as heavy pressure, squeezing, or fullness2) Other Pain – pain that extends beyond the chest to the left arm, back and possibly even the teeth and jaw.3) Shortness of breath4) Nausea/vomiting5) Intense Sweating6) Light headedness Surviving a Heart AttackFast action is the best way to survive a heart attack. Why? Because clot-busting drugs and other artery-opening treatments can stop a heart attack in its tracks. They can prevent or limit damage to the heart – but they need to be given immediately after symptoms begin. The sooner they are started, the greater the chances for survival and a full recovery. To be most effective, they need to be given within one hour of the onset of the heart attack symptoms.