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RespiteMatch.com Health BlogNews, Opinions and Advice regarding the U.S. Home Health Care Industry
Archive for August, 2005Friends: Here’s How You Can Help with Alzheimer’sAugust 29th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comThe ways in which friends and family are able to help the person with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregiver have no limit. Use your unique abilities and gifts to really make a difference in someone’s life! The following suggestions are written from a spouse’s point of view, but could well apply to the Read the rest of this entry » Dementia Education and Training Program from the University of AlabamaAugust 29th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comDefinition of Dementia Permanent, progressive loss of multiple intellectual functions In 1906 Alois Alzheimer first described this disease by studying a brain specimen from an autopsy Read the rest of this entry » Caring Tips for Alzheimer’sAugust 29th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comThere are specialized techniques that can be utilized in caring for a person with Alzheimer’s. Some of these are contrary to the way we have learned to treat others. The participant is an individual, who in spite of memory loss and confusion often retains some social graces and who is sometimes aware of their condition. The lack of confidence and loss of a sense of personal dignity can be devastating. When everyone and everything is unfamiliar and you can’t Read the rest of this entry » Thoughts of the dayAugust 29th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comTHE DAILY MOTIVATOR Discover for yourself The things you know without a doubt are the things you discover and experience for yourself. Though others can guide you, lecture you, persuade you, scold you or encourage you, what becomes a part of you is what you experience for yourself. Read the rest of this entry » Big Savings Seen in Medicare Rx Drug PlanAugust 27th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comBy Steven Reinberg THURSDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDayNews) — Low-income seniors will see dramatic savings on out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs under the incoming Medicare prescription drug plan, and most other seniors will benefit as well. Ways to Cope When the Caregiving Burden Becomes Too HeavyAugust 27th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.com Unload a little—even if it’s on someone else’s shoulders. Do that one thing you love, even if it’s not timely. Remind yourself it’s okay to cry—crying releases more than tears. Walk! Read the rest of this entry » Principles of Caregiver Self-AdvocacyAugust 27th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comReprinted from the National Family Caregivers Association What does it mean to be a happy person when you are a family caregiver? How do you stand up for yourself, take care of yourself, and find a balance between your own needs and those of your loved ones? These are heady questions, and ones that we have discussed often at the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) because they are at the core of our search for meaning and our need to have a code to live by as caregivers. We’ve now given form to the many ideas we have discussed, and want to share them with you. We call them NFCA’s Read the rest of this entry » Thoughts of the dayAugust 27th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comTHE DAILY MOTIVATOR The best of life There is no real, lasting joy in proving that you’re better than someone else. Yet there is endless joy and fulfillment in being the best that you can be. Read the rest of this entry » The Thought of the DayAugust 26th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comTHE DAILY MOTIVATOR Assumptions There are some assumptions that you have no choice but to make, and they can at times be helpful. Many assumptions, though, just get in the way. Read the rest of this entry » Aspirin wards off colon cancer, but at high dosesAugust 26th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comAug 23, 2005 4:01 PM ET CHICAGO (Reuters) - Long-term use of aspirin does help ward off colon cancer, but only at high doses that could cause gastrointestinal bleeding, researchers said on Tuesday. Read the rest of this entry » Homeopathy no better than placebo-analysisAugust 26th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comFri Aug 26, 2005 10:48 AM ET NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The clinical benefits attributed to homeopathic treatment are merely placebo effects, according to the authors of a report in The Lancet medical journal. 10 Warning Signs of Caregiver StressAugust 26th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.com1. Denial about the disease and its effect on the person who’s been diagnosed. I know Mom is going to get better. 2. Anger at the person with Alzheimer’s disease or at others; that no effective treatments or cures currently exist; and that people don’t understand what’s going on. If he asks me that one more time I’ll scream! Read the rest of this entry » Caregiver Fatigue TimelineAugust 26th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.com1-18 Months Anxious to provide best possible care for loved one Manages the person with dementia Maintains house, garden, car Attends to family relations “Keeps up appearances” Helps person with dementia through social situations Remains optimistic, caring, supportive Read the rest of this entry » Caregiver’s Bill of RightsAugust 26th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comFamily Caregiver Support Project Caregiver’s Bill of Rights As a caregiver, I have the right… To take care of myself—to rest when I’m tired, to eat well, to take breaks from caregiving when I need them. Read the rest of this entry » Walking, Rising and Seating of PatientsAugust 26th, 2005 by RespiteMatch.comWalking Although the client may show no signs of physical impairment, perceptual dysfunction can seriously impede her mobility. Walking through a crowded area is threatening for the client who is spatially insecure. If often helps if you offer her your arm and lead, rather than push, her through the area. A client may be able to move more securely if she is given a concrete visual target to head for, such as “the blue chair,” and if the route to the destination is clear of obstacles. It may be necessary to break down a long trip into Read the rest of this entry » |
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