http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care en-us 60 I have recently completed some "Adult" resolutions in 2012 (I am 52 years old); included revising my will, granting POA; and having a very specific and detailed Medical proxy Form w/ what I want and do not want for myself. I truly wish that my Father (who passed away 1/2010) who told us "no heroic measures", was MORE specific with his wishes. He did not "Die with Dignity", instead my Mother opted to have an external pacemaker installed and had him placed on a ventilator for several weeks. She was indignant that the supportive hospital staff and doctors told her that "this was the best your husband can be" and that he was not going to improve. I was horrified about the ventilator situation, and when I visited for the final time, my Father looked like a science experiment (I myself am a chemist and have spent many years working in labs; including hospital ones). I I guess the point that I am trying to make, is let friends and family know what your specific wishes are and choose a Medical Proxy that will see them thru . Thanks for letting me comment:) BiBi Upstate Ukie Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:59:27 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known http://www.caring.com/blogs/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known/comments/ Made me aware of possible hazards & a properly fitted bed rail. Thanks Feeling alone Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:06:01 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets http://www.caring.com/blogs/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets/comments/ thank you this is exactly the symptoms that my mother is experiencing very helpful casionman Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:16:35 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems/comments/ If, as I gathered from your question, your mother is still quite mentally capable of answering questions, then I would suggest what I do might work for you. I generally sit behind my mom at her visits. When I find the doctor making eye contact with me and "talking" to me, I will frown slightly, shake my head, and point to my mom. I have yet to meet a doctor that doesn't get the message. The eye contact switches to my mom, and the conversation returns to her. If I have something to contribute, I just jump in and insert my observation. I do have to do this, not so much for mental issues, but because my mom, now 89, is a registered nurse trained in the period where doctors were GOD and noone, especially nurses DID NOT QUESTION THEM. I am also a registered nurse and I have NO FEAR of questioning the doctor. We make a pretty good team. cbs Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:02:52 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients/comments/ My dad was only 73 when we stopped his driving. I think he has always had ADHD--risky behavior and impulsiveness as a child. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's about 6 years prior to that and had noticeably jerky motor function. His attention span and judgement were not adequate for safe driving. My sister disagreed until I reported to her having watched him drive, in his small car, directly into flood waters. When I asked him about it later, he said he was concentrating on something on the radio. That did it for us. Anonymous Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:31:13 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/driving-and-dementia http://www.caring.com/blogs/driving-and-dementia/comments/ After watching mom's decline for over 3 years, we finally asked her to see a doctor to diagnose her "problem". Wow, what a mistake! She became combative and accussed us of wanting to committ her. You see, for the past 3 years she and us have been altering her living conditions without speaking a word about her possible alzheimers. She lives in denial and likes it that way. She wants no part in knowing what's going on and we just confirmed it with our last conversation. She lives alone and we live 150 miles away. The time is coming very soon for her to move in with us. I now know how to handle it, [by tricking her it's only a long visit]. God help us... Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:45:52 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ It sounds like your blaming yourself for what your father endured. Its' not your fault and as for having him stay in the hospital they likely would have said "Hes' fine to go". However they should have taken steps into helping him walk around, watching him getting in/out of bed. Its' the Healthcare System to blame NOT YOU!! With him being elderly, their bones become brittle and break easily. You didn't mention whether he is home now or not however when he is make sure that he is on a Calcium Pill as well as dairy products. If I'm not mistaken he should have 1500mg. of Calcium per day. This usually amts. to 2 pills per day. There is nothing that you could have done differently because of so much shortage in Nursing, Healthcare Aides etc. They only keep you in for as long as they feel deemed necessary unfortunately. Even when it comes to giving birth and mom and baby being sent home the next day, which I myself as a Healthcare Aide think is terrible. It doesn't even give a first time mom time to learn what they need to know when they get home. I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from. Just make sure that when he comes' home after hip surgery that someone is there for him, as in a Personal Support Worker, Anti-Em Stocking to stop any blood clotting. Very hard to get on/off but very worth the time and effort. A walker perhaps or cane to help him get around and to keep his balance. If a cane and nobody tells you, to measure where the cane should be, have him put his arm down. Put the cane beside him and make sure the top of the cane is at his wrist. If not adjust it to that fit so he is not bent over trying to walk with it. or walking on a tilt backwards'. The hospital should, if not the Access Centre (Nursing) should take a look at his Aide to help assist in his walking. No stairs until he at least feels comfortable going up/down. This I would wait for at least a couple of weeks. Sending you Hugs and a Prayer. I hope this has given you some help in knowing what to do. Anonymous Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:05:43 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/how-to-avoid-unsafe-early-hospital-discharge http://www.caring.com/blogs/how-to-avoid-unsafe-early-hospital-discharge/comments/ Hello, You are welcome to visit and list my blog "Today's Project," www.krucke4jc.blogspot.com where I chronicle my experiences with caring for my husband in mid-to-late stage Alzheimer's. I am also preparing for my next book, which will be on that topic. Dana Kruckenberg Krucke Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:26:10 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/understanding-hospital-delirium-in-elderly-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/understanding-hospital-delirium-in-elderly-patients/comments/ I have the same thoughts about the medication my mom is taking. She is currently on namenda and she still have outbursts especially in the evenings. And she gets quite nasty. ElizabethT Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:08:50 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ although a tough decision, i agree with this one Anonymous Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:57:56 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/driving-and-dementia http://www.caring.com/blogs/driving-and-dementia/comments/ I cared for my now 88 year old MIL with Alzheimer for nearly 5 years. During those years of many different doctors and styles, I found one important way of helping all of us during a visit. Before her appointment I wrote up a report: 1. her name, contact info; 2. last visit date with weight, BP HR; 3. meds OTC and prescription, pharmacy name and number, dosage time of day taken, refill info etc.); 4. any injections such as flu; 5. changes since her last visit; 6. any other Dr. visits (name, contact info., and what prompted the visit); 7. questions and concerns; 8. our names and contact into. This helped her because she could not answer correctly (and was in denial throughout the disease) and would become anxious before, during and after the appointment. The Dr. had the opportunity to review this previous to the appointment since I had emailed it to the office. She became more relaxed at visits when I explained that the Dr. had all the info he needed and that we were just there for medication renewals and a visit. We no longer had to discuss what upset her (such as her alcohol consumption). The Dr. could then spend more of the office visit addressing her (and evaluating her responses) since he already had my input.. The nurse already had the info she needed so she only had to do the usual weight, BP, HR etc. This was an ongoing file on my computer that then became part of emails to any interested family members. My MIL (who is in moderate late stage) has moved into a nursing home recently and is doing well. We are all grateful for this site and all the info/support we get from it. Bless all of you and don't forget to take care of yourself or there will be no one to take care of your loved one. Keep reinventing the wheel everyone. CaterinaMaria Sun, 11 Sep 2011 12:54:31 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients/comments/ I am very interested in this AIM; haven't heard of it before. My husband is in stage 4 COPD and we probably have a long time to go before Hospice, as COPD is very slow, but so cruel. He is a VA patient, but we live 100 miles from the VA hospital where he gets his care. LindaSue, I can identify with you; we also live in the sticks, in Ozark mountains of Ark. Beautiful here, but far from cities. Recently, he has been experiencing an unexplained itching all over his neck and back. Makes him (and me) miserable! He's seen 3 VA Drs. and my private Dr. He's tried several creams , ointments, steroid pills and shot. Nothing gets rid of it! I read somewhere this can be a byproduct of advanced COPD; anyone heard of it? I plan to contact his social worker at our VA about AIM programs, as I need help. Thank you..... DorisJ Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:03:26 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ I don't care where in this world that you live, just lift up your eyes upon Jesus and he will take care of you. I have lived through so many deadly cirsis situations that the doctors don't want to make a guess about when I will be terminal. Under most cases, I would be terminal now, but most of these things that are going on now, I have lived through before. I have lived through heart attack, kidney failure, liver shutdown, strokes (2) multiple pumanory clots, clots in other various locations, DVT, PAD, amd have been put into a nursing home to expire. I have li8ved through all that and was even out of the nursing home and back home within 30 days. When the Lord is ready to call me home, I will be gone like a flash of light, gone! the kingbird Sun, 04 Sep 2011 14:39:08 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ Dr. visits Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:07:39 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients/comments/ This sounds promising - my husand is 66 recently diagnosed with end-stage copd - can't make from room to room and s.o. breath. In last 2 months 4 courses of antiiotics and 40mg of steroids. I have hope and appreciate another avenue to pursue - although he is old school (wont even take tylenol for headace) maybe he will give on to offset the s.o.b. Thanks for posting this article. suecat57 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 13:05:39 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/end-stage-copd-opiate http://www.caring.com/blogs/end-stage-copd-opiate/comments/ I am surprised (or maybe not) to hear you discount supplements as being of value while admitting that dementia drugs have limited benefit. A good healthy diet, with added high-quality supplements, can have dramatic effect on well being! MusherMaggie Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:55:13 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true http://www.caring.com/blogs/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true/comments/ My experence of as a caregiver is that when the family decided to take her off Namenda and Donepezil she went from doing fun things feeding herself and Toileting and dressing herself to bedridden for 2 weeks before she passed within 6 weeks BRanson Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:45:19 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ more explanation of symptons of the stages of Dementia BRanson Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:41:22 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ AndyC, you stated what I was going to suggest. Hospice (at least mine) will mail up to 3 copies to you at no cost to you. I know I am having a hard time filling it out for myself. My husband is terminally ill, and I feel that, though he won't admit it, he is beginning the slide downhill. He was told in 2000 when the terminal disease was found that he would live 10 to 15 more years, but that was just a guess. Since then, things have drastically changed and the stress on him is worse. He now states he won't live more than another 5 years (which would put him in the life sentence zone). I keep telling him he will outlive all of us. He is searching now to make sure he has done something with his life. He has told me most of what he wants but I wish he would write it down. I will have to decide do I stay away from my family (I'm the youngest) or do I move as hubby & I plan even if he is gone and just make sure a lawyer or new friend know about the booklet for me. cats22 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:44:56 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known http://www.caring.com/blogs/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known/comments/ Thanks for sharing this blog! buy online Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:51:55 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/osteoarthritis-pain-relief-fear-painkiller-addiction http://www.caring.com/blogs/osteoarthritis-pain-relief-fear-painkiller-addiction/comments/ well, after reading this blog, i've come to know about many things of this zahnersatz berlin Website. MubashirShafi Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:10:09 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull http://www.caring.com/blogs/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull/comments/ Five Wishes has a great online tools as well. You can find it at http://www.agingwithdignity.org AndyC Fri, 10 Jun 2011 22:43:26 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known http://www.caring.com/blogs/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known/comments/ Many, many people use our Five Wishes advance directive, of which there are 15 million copies in national circulation. Unlike the state forms, Five Wishes is easy to understand and use and also deals with personal, family and spiritual issues in addition to medical and legal ones. Every person age 18 and older should have an advance directive. --Paul Malley, President, Aging with Dignity, a national non-profit organization. Paul Malley Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:46:33 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known http://www.caring.com/blogs/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known/comments/ But for many hardworking families, affordable insurance can be hard to find. The new "Penny Health Insurance" is giving you more control over your family’s health care by expanding your options for health insurance and making them more affordable. annabrant Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:04:05 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known http://www.caring.com/blogs/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known/comments/ You do your best to keep your children healthy, but sickness and accidents are a part of life. Getting health insurance for your children gives you peace of mind knowing they have health coverage when they need it. Search one the web "Penny Health Insurance" for kids they are the best. annabrant Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:03:14 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known http://www.caring.com/blogs/better-ways-to-make-your-wishes-known/comments/ excellent and compassionate article. there should be more doctors like this one marinparent Sun, 22 May 2011 16:38:21 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/hospital-or-hospice-treating-terminal-illness http://www.caring.com/blogs/hospital-or-hospice-treating-terminal-illness/comments/ It is always difficult to decide the choices for your loved one who is ill. My family went through the same thing making these life decisions. My dad never wanted to be on life support but ended up in that situation after a failing kidney removal and cardiac arrest. We were never able to have a talk with the primary docotr. Many doctors were in and out of ICU. No doctor came in and sat down to discuss the options of doing a trial basis for about 3-7 days and let him go. He suffered 14 days before dying, which was so devastating and during that time we put a DNR on him. He had advanced directive when he went into the hospital and his records. What happen to advanced directive when your in the hospital? I see it as torture for the patient who had the prolong suffering. DottieRose Mon, 16 May 2011 10:06:32 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr http://www.caring.com/blogs/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr/comments/ Again each one is different. But when my mom says I think I am going crazy or when she wants to leave the facility and go home, feed her dog and etc. I then remind her she is just confused at the moment (Worse in evening, sundowners) and it is caused from her AD. And that things will be better tomorrow and I am taking care of everything. She then usually calms down and says yes I know I have AD.(Maybe forgets it 10 min later) In the evenings it also seems to help if I put her nightgown on early in the evening, she then seems to know she is staying there and is more content as she knows whats next now. Kind of her safe zone, she doesnt have to try to figure out anything more for the day it is Bed time. You just have to figure out what works and what doesn't for your loved one. Each is different. It is trial and error. I find that meds made it worse for her, I feel as long as they are not hurting themselves or others, I think less meds the better. I took my mom off most AD meds and she is now on vit. D and fish oil. She is doing better then when she was on all the AD drugs or phyc drugs. They are hard on the elderly. We have to be their voice. Anonymous Wed, 11 May 2011 23:09:40 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ depression is NOT necessarily part of dementia. i've looked after many people with dementia, the majority of whom do not have depression. what depresses people is often the way they're treated by others, the way they aren't respected, the anger and depression of their own family members which is deflected back on the person with dementia. there is nothing intrinsic to dementia which also includes depression. the sooner we accept that, the sooner we can look at the whole arc of caring about our people and ask ourselves how we can make things better, in ourselves, our own behaviors and the ways in which we treat our family members with dementia. care from family members is not always the best thing for people. it depends upon the quality of the care we can bring to them. and that often depends on the quality of care we bring to ourselves. oxygen mask must first go on the caregiver, then and only then do we take care of the next person's needs. frena Sat, 07 May 2011 16:21:09 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ I think puzzles is so right. My mother certainly forgets she's been told she has Alzheimer's. Every time she asks will she ever be able to drive again (after now not driving for over a year), I certainly do remind her about her visits to the neurologist who's told her gently but firmly that she won't be driving again because of the horrible memory and confusion problems. I finally had to take her lawnmower. I tell her none of it's her fault, she can't help it, etc. What's remarkable to me is how disinterested she is in at least trying to educate herself about her diagnosis. (She's always been very passive and disinterested, however, which makes me wonder about the Alzheimer's diagnosis, but that's another subject). She certainly knows she has problems and has admitted this to me. She's 77 and still lives by herself (her insistence) and I see her daily to see that she's taking her medications correctly, that she's eating, etc., and we go out daily. She's on Aricept and Namenda, and I see no improvement on either of these medications and would frankly like to know how necessary it is for her to take either one but don't expect the neurologist to say it's okay to take her off them. I see no reason why you can't remind your loved one kindly and like puzzles says, just move on to the next activity. cindyoh Sat, 07 May 2011 13:34:35 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ i would consider that type of treatment to be elder abuse. when someone is at an age where the prognosis of "long-life" is longer than the life expectancy, there is no reason to do the procedure. same goes for testing for those conditions. rule of thumb: if the test/procedure does not contribute IMMEDIATELY to the quality and longevity of life, then forego it. Anonymous Sun, 24 Apr 2011 18:35:32 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/elderly-skip-cancer-screening http://www.caring.com/blogs/elderly-skip-cancer-screening/comments/ I think this is good advice. Too often, we just blindly follow the doctor's advice without looking at the bigger picture. It's also great to know there are guidelines for situations such as these. Along the same lines, I think we should question prescriptions. I don't think doctors always take into consideration, how a person's age or weight can impact how a particular dose of a medicine might impact a 5 foot tall, 90 year old woman versus a 6 foot tall, 70 year old man. Anonymous Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:36:40 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/elderly-skip-cancer-screening http://www.caring.com/blogs/elderly-skip-cancer-screening/comments/ It appears that from all the comments there is no right or wrong answer . Each of us(caregivers) must make the decision to continue meds or to discontinue them based on our own circumstances. Whatever you decide,do so with no feeling of guilt. No one walks in the shoes of the loved one or the caregiver,except you, me and our loved one. I am fortunate in not having to makea decision based on financial reasons, but whether I am prolonging the inevitable even now as my wife asks that she be relieved of a living out her life as she feels it at this time. Labe Sun, 03 Apr 2011 04:42:04 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ I would like to know that to, my husband has bean on Aricept and Namenda for 7 years and has no long or short term memmory, but otherway fuctions preety good, Still walks every day helps vacuming and little yard work dersses him self ( I get the clothing ready for him) I also have bean thinking of taking him off. we could use that mony to do some fun things that he still likes But if all that chanses I would not do it? cool Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:55:53 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ This is helpful,I have been thinking about taking my mom off of her "memory meds." It makes me sad to think that she may get worse , and never regain where we are now. She is tired of taking her meds. She sits, and sleeps about 70% of the day. She loves puzzles but it is becoming harder for her to work them. I'm going to seek wisdom and direction from God before talking to my siblings and her doctor . Be in prayer with me regarding God's will. Thanks for your prayers. arnick Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:28:38 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ I have no comparisons, so I follow the meds prescribed by my wife's neurologist., namely memantine and galantamine. Labe Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:21:32 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ I pray for everyone who is a care giver to the elderly, for their patience and skills, and love they give. I also pray for the elderly person(s) that they have the peace and patience with their conditions and their caregiver. This isnot an easy time for both. I pray for myself being 78 and numerous medical conditions that I can make my way through the end of my life with dignity and pleae no pain. I pray in Jesus name. besteone Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:01:35 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true http://www.caring.com/blogs/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true/comments/ check with the physician before crushing meds. You can not crush time-release meds. Anonymous Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:10:46 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication/comments/ Thank you SO MUCH for this article. I have metastatic cancer, but feel quite healthy at 83, although I know not how long that will continue. My daily problem at this time is chronic moderate to severe sciatica and pelvic joint pain from various forms of degenerative disc disease. I have restisted submitting to daily pain reliever i.e. acetamenephin fearing addiction and/or building up tolerance. THIS ARTICLE finally has convinced me that IT'S PERFECTLY O.K.....I really appreciate this article and all the comments. Anonymous Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:43:07 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ Seeing is believing. I did in the local mall. It does work for your balance. Try it before you buy it. You will see. I could not believe it. I tried over and over to see if maybe it was mind over matter. momma123 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:02:36 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true http://www.caring.com/blogs/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true/comments/ I agree it is very difficult to find information on copd; my husband is in last stage. He has been for at least 2 years now. One Dr. told us he probably wouldn't live 5 years,,, that was over 3 years ago. He suffers daily and I am his caregiver. He has been hospitalized several times, but never in ICU...yet. He did have pneumonia once. Now he has a "lesion" in one lung and they think it may be a cancer. He has become quite depressed lately, with good reason. I can't get him to go anywhere except to his Dr. appts. now. He won't even come to the table to eat; I take his meals to his recliner. I spoil him, but we've been married almost 57 years; what else can I do? He is down to only 119 lbs. now and can't seem to gain. I feel he will need hospice soon. The Dr. doesn't think he's ready; how will he know? This site is very comforting to me. We have 2 daughters who help some, but they live 250 miles away. All I can do is pray for him and take care of him...and love him. Thank you, all, for your information and caring. May God bless all copd caregivers! DorisJ Tue, 15 Mar 2011 03:51:19 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ This enables me to find perspective in an otherwise suspicious conundrum. I can use this for objective information for my ailing partner. Thank you romamire Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:09:45 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true http://www.caring.com/blogs/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true/comments/ In addition to your information : there is an amazing book our that can be gotten on Amazon.com. It is called: The Brain Training Revolution by Dr. Paul Bendheim, a noted neurologist. He has studied the brain for 30 years. The book is written for seniors. The Brainsavers program for exercise and cognitive workouts works. It worked for my husband and can work for you, I urge you to read it. If anyone is interested in the Brainsavers program let Dr. Bendheim know. Thank you! Mrs Knutson Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:22:27 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true http://www.caring.com/blogs/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true/comments/ My husband, who is very inactive due to advanced COPD, has a recurring constipation problem. It is encouraging to me to read that we have been doing the right thing lately! He eats prunes daily, eats a flaxseed cookie as well. Also he takes Mirolax if he needs to. He has been on 6 sennalax tablets a day for years by prescription from his Dr., but they don't do the job. He is much better now and feels much better as a result. Thank you for the info. I feel better myself! DorisJ Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:30:38 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/constipation-treatments-for-elderly http://www.caring.com/blogs/constipation-treatments-for-elderly/comments/ I agree. But mention Findrxonline in your web that vicodin is a prescription medicine that is used to control chronic pain and should not be used without medical prescription. Not recommended online shopping because it may be adulterated medicine. Clay Matthew Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:57:46 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/constipation-treatments-for-elderly http://www.caring.com/blogs/constipation-treatments-for-elderly/comments/ Thanks for the list. We all get so busy with things that don't really matter. The reminders on this list are more valuable. To be corny about it, people really do need people. light heart Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:23:46 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/ways-we-all-can-counter-the-disadvantages-of-old-age http://www.caring.com/blogs/ways-we-all-can-counter-the-disadvantages-of-old-age/comments/ There has just been a big thing about this on the UK TV and the manufacturers have been ordered to pay compensation to their customers as there are not any medical claims nor medical trials to say it does what it does. You know the saying if it sounds too good to be true then it is!! Personally I find yoga and meditation a good solution, but again it isn't a cure. If you have health problems the best thing to do is to seek medical advice from a qualified doctor or physiotherapist. Incostress Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:11:28 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true http://www.caring.com/blogs/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true/comments/ I would like to hear from someone wearing this bracelet that has had any type of problem especially a problem with their heart or blood pressure. Thank you. rufus41 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:03:29 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true http://www.caring.com/blogs/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true/comments/ i felt dizzy and since i didnt eat i think thats why im only ten and dizzyness i suffer from..... maria2222 Wed, 29 Dec 2010 20:57:41 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried http://www.caring.com/blogs/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried/comments/ Everything about the article was helpful. Thank you carolbz Tue, 28 Dec 2010 05:41:14 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems/comments/ The nutritional needs of seniors is greatly overlooked by caregivers and professionals. While the answer does give some information, it far from enough to help the questioner. Check out the e-book of The Nutritonal Needs of Seniors by Tonia Boterf, which is much more thorough in what could be the cause of mal-nutirition, what vitamins are most seniors deficit in, what to look for in possible nutritional issues, what family can do and what medical professionals can do. The Practical Expert Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:03:39 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/senior-weight-loss-and-poor-nutrition http://www.caring.com/blogs/senior-weight-loss-and-poor-nutrition/comments/ I heard about this miraculous bracelet on TV also. Being a sceptic by nature and life, I've learned that there is "always' a gimic involved in statements such as the one I was hearing about on TV. People were immediately cured of balance problems, energy, falls, etc. I said to my husband, "do you think that if these bracelets would do away with these problems, wouldn't our doctors know something about this "miraculous" wrist band"? After all,if this item could do all it says, a lot of peple would stand to profit from it and our doctors would be shouting it from the rooftops. Iam now 65 and I suffer these problems, especially balance and falling and I would be so happy to hear of a "cure" but, I'm not buying a magic bracelet that's going to fix these "major" problems for us seniors. Please don't believe everything you see or hear. Before you send your money to these people, call your doctor and ask him/her what they think. want2b29 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 04:55:59 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true http://www.caring.com/blogs/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true/comments/ I was a dope and tried iRenew and the product is garbage. Several weeks ago someone gave me an EFX band and I noticed some change overall. I think there may be something to these, but as with anything, there will be knock offs that sully the name of reputable vendors. I'd recommend trying an EFX band. Anonymous Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:20:28 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true http://www.caring.com/blogs/is-a-bracelet-to-restore-balance-and-energy-too-good-to-be-true/comments/ hi doctor im lakshmi im 24yrs old i feel dizzyness once in 3 to 4 days from past one month may i know the reason why i get dizziness n my eyes gets watered sometimes why this happens frequently?even i feel like i cant breathe when dizziness occur like im going to faint.. but i dont fall instead often dizziness occurs n eyes get watered sometimes i cant listen to others when i feel fainting pls help me lakshm Sun, 05 Dec 2010 10:35:35 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried http://www.caring.com/blogs/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried/comments/ im lakshmi i get dizziness once in 3 or four days n my eyes gets watered when i feel like im going to faint may i know why this happens once in atleast 4days from a month im facing this my age is 24 Anonymous Sun, 05 Dec 2010 10:29:23 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried http://www.caring.com/blogs/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried/comments/ This blog/article was very helpful because the medical community seems to throw both words around like a ball! I now understand that Alzheimer's is a type of dementia and the out come is the same with either one. lindadee59 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:10:31 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained/comments/ ONLINE STORE: Purchase Christmas gift, present Christmas gift! http://www.charm999.com -----If you think our website is good , you can put this website to your bookmarks or other places ,easy to find ... ┴┬┴┬／￣＼＿／￣＼ ┬┴┬┴▏　　▏▔▔▔▔＼ ddfvsd Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:51:18 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot http://www.caring.com/blogs/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot/comments/ ONLINE STORE: Purchase Christmas gift, present Christmas gift! http://www.charm999.com -----If you think our website is good , you can put this website to your bookmarks or other places ,easy to find ... ┴┬┴┬／￣＼＿／￣＼ ┬┴┬┴▏　　▏▔▔▔▔＼ ddfvsd Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:51:00 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients/comments/ ===http://www.charm999.com=== Handbags(Coach lv fendi d&g) $35 Tshirts (Polo ,ed hardy,lacoste) $16 Jean(True Religion,ed hardy,coogi) $30 Sunglasses(Oakey,coach,gucci,Armaini) $16 New era cap $15 Bikini (Ed hardy,polo) $25 ===http://www.charm999.com==== ddfvsd Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:50:43 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/senior-weight-loss-and-poor-nutrition http://www.caring.com/blogs/senior-weight-loss-and-poor-nutrition/comments/ My husband has a sister who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's as well. They both repeat after each other infinitum but when socializing they both do well. She is only taking one medication to my husband's schedule of both Namenda and 23mg Aricept. I really think she is better off. Up to last month we were paying $30 per a month's worth of each medication but now it has changed to $287 for Namenda and the same will happen with Aricept. That just changes things radically. I have decided to stop both medications until my husband's next appointment with the neurologist. I just don't see any improvement. I would rather concentrate on quality of life by having more experiences and more enjoyable life. This rise will destroy the quality of life for both of us and will make me even more depressed. It's going to wipe us out and then what? We need to be able to pay for long term care when the time comes. I need a break. I am a lone caretaker and I have a right to survive. I don't feel that I have to head for poverty or have to lose everything for a medication I am unable to justify its nebulous positive effects, if any. ODETTE2 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 02:24:53 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ New fashion and hot!!!!!! welcome to the web ======http://www.voguecatch. com/index.asp======= dgsdg Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:37:46 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ New fashion and hot!!!!!! welcome to the web ======http://www.voguecatch. com/index.asp======= dgsdg Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:37:35 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems/comments/ New fashion and hot!!!!!! welcome to the web ======http://www.voguecatch. com/index.asp======= dgsdg Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:37:28 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets http://www.caring.com/blogs/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets/comments/ New fashion and hot!!!!!! welcome to the web ======http://www.voguecatch. com/index.asp======= dgsdg Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:37:19 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/heart-attacks-at-65-and-older-signs-symptoms http://www.caring.com/blogs/heart-attacks-at-65-and-older-signs-symptoms/comments/ New fashion and hot!!!!!! welcome to the web ======http://www.voguecatch. com/index.asp======= dgsdg Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:37:10 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull http://www.caring.com/blogs/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull/comments/ New fashion and hot!!!!!! welcome to the web ======http://www.voguecatch. com/index.asp======= dgsdg Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:37:05 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-high-blood-pressure-is-sometimes-okay http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-high-blood-pressure-is-sometimes-okay/comments/ New fashion and hot!!!!!! welcome to the web ======http://www.voguecatch. com/index.asp======= dgsdg Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:37:01 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot http://www.caring.com/blogs/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot/comments/ New fashion and hot!!!!!! welcome to the web ======http://www.voguecatch. com/index.asp======= dgsdg Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:36:57 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/senior-weight-loss-and-poor-nutrition http://www.caring.com/blogs/senior-weight-loss-and-poor-nutrition/comments/ Yes most of the brands do give out samples of their products. Look for "123 Get Samples" online and get the samples. They are the best. You wont need CC. herminegoss Tue, 23 Nov 2010 08:45:41 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/senior-weight-loss-and-poor-nutrition http://www.caring.com/blogs/senior-weight-loss-and-poor-nutrition/comments/ Click on our website (= = = = = http://www.kohlscn.com = = = = = ) Will bring you different surprise. Dear friends, do you want to have some different things? Whether you want to give your relatives and friends, take a few different exotic gifts? Whether you want to buy some cheap benefits of thing? So please, let us begin now! gfhdfhgfdh Mon, 22 Nov 2010 01:55:41 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients/comments/ I need facts. To what extent do flu vaccines prevent the flu or the severity of the flu. How does that compare to getting nothing. Don't bug me till you show me the studies. jme3850 Sun, 21 Nov 2010 05:21:42 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot http://www.caring.com/blogs/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot/comments/ ------ http://www.findsoso.com ---------- Our company specializes in manufacturing from located in CHINA and Canada,With more than 6 Years of experience,we are mainly . dealing with are:Nike shox，Christan Audigier t-sh irt，Ed Hardy，COACH Bag， New Era cap .Tiffany_Ring. More products. Safe Payment.Paypal Fast Shipment.5-7 days you can receive your order product. 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No min order request.You can order only one product Free Shipping.The price on our website are including everything. --------- http://www.findsoso.com ---------- HUNNJJ Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:42:02 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ ------ http://www.findsoso.com ---------- Our company specializes in manufacturing from located in CHINA and Canada,With more than 6 Years of experience,we are mainly . dealing with are:Nike shox，Christan Audigier t-sh irt，Ed Hardy，COACH Bag， New Era cap .Tiffany_Ring. More products. Safe Payment.Paypal Fast Shipment.5-7 days you can receive your order product. 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No min order request.You can order only one product Free Shipping.The price on our website are including everything. --------- http://www.findsoso.com ---------- HUNNJJ Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:41:40 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets http://www.caring.com/blogs/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets/comments/ ------ http://www.findsoso.com ---------- Our company specializes in manufacturing from located in CHINA and Canada,With more than 6 Years of experience,we are mainly . dealing with are:Nike shox，Christan Audigier t-sh irt，Ed Hardy，COACH Bag， New Era cap .Tiffany_Ring. More products. Safe Payment.Paypal Fast Shipment.5-7 days you can receive your order product. No min order request.You can order only one product Free Shipping.The price on our website are including everything. --------- http://www.findsoso.com ---------- HUNNJJ Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:41:36 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/heart-attacks-at-65-and-older-signs-symptoms http://www.caring.com/blogs/heart-attacks-at-65-and-older-signs-symptoms/comments/ ------ http://www.findsoso.com ---------- Our company specializes in manufacturing from located in CHINA and Canada,With more than 6 Years of experience,we are mainly . dealing with are:Nike shox，Christan Audigier t-sh irt，Ed Hardy，COACH Bag， New Era cap .Tiffany_Ring. More products. Safe Payment.Paypal Fast Shipment.5-7 days you can receive your order product. No min order request.You can order only one product Free Shipping.The price on our website are including everything. --------- http://www.findsoso.com ---------- HUNNJJ Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:41:33 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull http://www.caring.com/blogs/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull/comments/ ------ http://www.findsoso.com ---------- Our company specializes in manufacturing from located in CHINA and Canada,With more than 6 Years of experience,we are mainly . dealing with are:Nike shox，Christan Audigier t-sh irt，Ed Hardy，COACH Bag， New Era cap .Tiffany_Ring. More products. Safe Payment.Paypal Fast Shipment.5-7 days you can receive your order product. No min order request.You can order only one product Free Shipping.The price on our website are including everything. --------- http://www.findsoso.com ---------- HUNNJJ Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:41:30 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-high-blood-pressure-is-sometimes-okay http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-high-blood-pressure-is-sometimes-okay/comments/ ------ http://www.findsoso.com ---------- Our company specializes in manufacturing from located in CHINA and Canada,With more than 6 Years of experience,we are mainly . dealing with are:Nike shox，Christan Audigier t-sh irt，Ed Hardy，COACH Bag， New Era cap .Tiffany_Ring. More products. Safe Payment.Paypal Fast Shipment.5-7 days you can receive your order product. No min order request.You can order only one product Free Shipping.The price on our website are including everything. --------- http://www.findsoso.com ---------- HUNNJJ Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:41:28 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot http://www.caring.com/blogs/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot/comments/ ------ http://www.findsoso.com ---------- Our company specializes in manufacturing from located in CHINA and Canada,With more than 6 Years of experience,we are mainly . dealing with are:Nike shox，Christan Audigier t-sh irt，Ed Hardy，COACH Bag， New Era cap .Tiffany_Ring. More products. Safe Payment.Paypal Fast Shipment.5-7 days you can receive your order product. No min order request.You can order only one product Free Shipping.The price on our website are including everything. --------- http://www.findsoso.com ---------- HUNNJJ Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:41:26 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients/comments/ Give them support for making the correct decision. Watched too many suffer from flu vaccine, daughters reaction nearly killed her. Capt Tue, 16 Nov 2010 22:37:31 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot http://www.caring.com/blogs/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot/comments/ This article is interesting. My body has pretty interesting reactions to vaccinations. Over the past 35 years, I have gotten influenza vaccinations on 3 different years (not in a row). The ONLY years I have had the 'flu is the years that I have gotten the 'flu shot - and no,not right after getting the shot. During that years' 'flu season, I would get it. and for 18 of those 35 years, I was with my previous husband. He got a 'flu shot every year, and ended up with the 'flu every year (again, not just a reaction to the shot - during 'flu season he would get it). I never left our bedroom, and never caught the 'flu from him. Figure that one out - I and my MD's can't. CA-Claire Tue, 16 Nov 2010 16:37:23 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot http://www.caring.com/blogs/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot/comments/ I am personally acquainted with a health professional who says she won't take the flu shot because of risks. Also many flu vacines are processed thru China which has a dismal record with safety. (200 % more import rejections than the next highest country) The FDA only inspects their facilites every 12 - 15 years and I recently read that they are not even allowed into the plants. I'm also concerned because there doesn't seem to be enough warnings that vacines temporarly lower your immune system for about 10 days . 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DOOR Free Shipping VOVOPO Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:00:13 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot http://www.caring.com/blogs/how-to-convince-someone-to-get-a-flu-shot/comments/ Hey there, I find an amazing web,please click the web ,you can find big pleasantly surprised ╭⌒╮WELCOME http://www.findsoso.com ----- ~ ¤ ╭⌒╮ ╭⌒╮ ╭⌒╭⌒╮╭⌒╮～╭⌒╮ HANDBAG 35$ ,））））,''）~~ ,''~） ╱◥█◣ ╱◥█◣ SHOES 35$ ｜田｜田｜｜田｜田｜ CLOTH 15$ ╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬ 2010 NEW input this URL: (http://www.findsoso.com) you can find many cheap and fashion stuff jordan air max oakland raiders $30--39; Ed Hardy AF JUICY POLO Bikini $20; Handbags (Coach lv fendi d&g) $30 T shirts (Polo ,edhardy,lacoste) $15 Jean(True Religion,edhardy,coogi) $30 Sunglasses (Oakey,coach,gucci,Armaini) $15 New era cap $15 Bikini (Ed hardy,polo) $20 (http://www.findsoso.com) WE ACCEPT PYAPAL PAYMENT and credit card payment DELIVERY TO YOU DOOR TO DOOR Free Shipping VOVOPO Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:00:10 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-doctors-talk-to-caregivers-instead-of-patients/comments/ Awesome Post. I add this Post to my bookmarks. Anonymous Sat, 06 Nov 2010 20:43:18 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ Very Interesting Information! Thank You For Thi Information! Anonymous Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:59:34 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ am having same problem with hubby, to many drugs, major heart meds, pace maker etc. cant delete any drugs/ we tried that, ty jacky33 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:08:08 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried http://www.caring.com/blogs/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried/comments/ A lot of people think you will have terrible chest pain, pain in the left arm, down the neck and many other symptoms. Some of us have none. I was having my heart attack and didn't know it, I just felt tired and was getting a headache and an upset stomach, big deal, I was at the fair and eating a polish sausage, and had went on the tilt-a-whirl. I just thought it was the effects of the the fun evening. I got home took some asprin which saved my life and the next day I went to the Dr. they checked me my B/P was still high 180/100, I didn't hurt I just didn't feel right. They done an EKG, that's when my Dr. said Pat you had a mild heart attack. My reply, HUH, when? So my Dr. I have now in Greensboro, NC, said more women than men have and die from what is called the silent heart attack. There are many times no symptoms at all, just a feeling of tiredness. Patricia G. Thu, 21 Oct 2010 05:07:53 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/heart-attacks-at-65-and-older-signs-symptoms http://www.caring.com/blogs/heart-attacks-at-65-and-older-signs-symptoms/comments/ is too healthy now and is has been taken off their enrollment. We ar happy that he is doing so well, but it is hard to lose hospice. I WAS VERY glad to hear of this AIM program and sent this article to him immediately. Now, I can just wait to hear and continue to hope that there is such a program in his area...Thanks so much for printing this. Charlotte an American Living in Germany nick air jordan jump Tue, 12 Oct 2010 03:13:31 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ when he sat on the side of the bed and made the effort to get out. Of course he fell then but he was not entrapped. They also put the bed very close to the floor and put foam bads next to the bed (like exercise mats) so if they did fall out there was not much distance to fall. They had to watch the wanderers more and sometimes put pad alarms under them, but it at least kept them from hurting themselves. nick air jordan jump Tue, 12 Oct 2010 03:13:03 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets http://www.caring.com/blogs/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets/comments/ Thanks for taking the time to comment, and to share your own expertise. My colleague Dr. Hyde and I couldn't agree with you more! Preventive (and maintenance) dental care is often terribly neglected in older people, especially once they are in nursing homes. This can have significant impacts on a person's health. So thank you for bringing up these important points. Leslie Kernisan, M.D. Fri, 08 Oct 2010 22:20:52 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull http://www.caring.com/blogs/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull/comments/ I'm a dentist and have done considerable work with senior citizens, and disagree with several points. One HUGE consideration about extracting versus not extracting teeth is the condition of the existing teeth AND the degree of expected care your loved one may receive. I have encountered many elderly patients whose mouths have severe decay, plaque, periodontal disease, etc. in elderly people, which leads to great pain and a nasty feeling in the mouth (imagine what your own mouth would feel like it you did not brush for several months). By this time, it's often too late to extract the teeth, and it's often difficult to find a dentist skilled in treating bedridden patients (or to pay for these services -- the dentist should not be expected to do it for free), so patients may just have to live with it. This condition often happens in nursing homes or in extended care facilities -- I have encountered many staff members who are comfortable changing a colostomy bag who will not touch the mouth because "it's too dirty." In fact, much as I hate to say it, my experience suggests you should assume your loved one's mouth will never be cleaned in a facility, unless it is with a largely ineffective sponge swab. Your loved one should have an exam around 85 years old, or while they are relatively healthy at an advanced age, and certainly before going into a nursing home (the ideal time is "a few months before they need to enter a nursing home." Good luck predicting that one.). At that time, ask the dentist about whether any questionable teeth should be extracted. Your loved one's quality of life may be improved with removal of these teeth -- I would much, much, much rather have 2 - 6 months of manageable discomfort than many years of neglect and discomfort with dental pain and discomfort after entering a facility. You should also ensure a planned extended care facility has arrangements with a dentist to provide care -- and you should contact the dentist to establish their credentials, and to ensure they actually provide care (our state has a requirement to provide dental care for institutionalized patients but this is often a paper requirement only since they do not pay for it). You may also want to lobby your representatives to ensure realistic dental care is mandated and enforced. Each state has many programs to ensure dental care for young people, and they should, but elderly citizens are often left on their own during the last few years of their lives. This should not happen at this part of their lives. Good luck and thanks for the article. Anonymous Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:01:20 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull http://www.caring.com/blogs/late-life-dentures-to-pull-or-not-to-pull/comments/ my doc prescribed me 9 10/325 norcos per day 270 per month is that to many along with 5 excedrins per day ? corvette Thu, 23 Sep 2010 23:28:07 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ Many people are also not aware that womens heart attack symptoms are very different than for men. That is why so many Hospitals now have Women's Heart center's. it was not until I took my 78 yr old Mother to the Women's heart center that we found solutions and answer's. Her Heart problem was caused by sleep apnea, which the Dr. asked first off and no one had ever asked my Mother this. we had a sleep test and got a c pac machine and her energy levels (due to increased oxygen flow), all came back. Try to find out where the nearest Women's heart center is to you if you need more information. sjaweha Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:03:56 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/heart-attacks-at-65-and-older-signs-symptoms http://www.caring.com/blogs/heart-attacks-at-65-and-older-signs-symptoms/comments/ Kind of frustrated as I just wrote a lengthy comment that got lost as I attempted to log in too late. Basically my Mom, just turned 86, experienced essentially what this gentleman did. Fell while visiting me and my brother in another state. Very nice ER folks certainly attended to an obviously bent finger (very bad break/crush of a finger joint) but missed the fracture to her upper leg. Thinking that was ok, my brother drove her 13 hours back to her home (her wish). Normally very positive etc. I knew something was terribly wrong when 5 days after her fall she said the pain was getting worse by the hour. Luckily I'd arranged for her GP (also bd certified gerontologist) to see her ASAP and he sent her for x-rays, MRI etc. and by the end of the day had an ortho surgeon admit her to the hospital. Now she's short-term in a nursing home for PT/rehab though of course that means dealing with THOSE issues. But mainly I appreciate the sensitivity and decency and intelligence you bring to your work with our greatest generation--thank you, for Mom and for me. drcassie Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:58:20 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/x-ray-trust http://www.caring.com/blogs/x-ray-trust/comments/ I just sent this post to a bunch of my friends as I agree with most of what you’re saying here and the way you’ve presented it is awesome. Anonymous Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:36:23 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ I’ve been visiting your blog for a while now and I always find a gem in your new posts. Thanks for sharing. Anonymous Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:03:59 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ The idea that not all side rails are dangerous and that there are statistics to show how small the number of fatalities really are. Anonymous Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:34:02 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets http://www.caring.com/blogs/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets/comments/ I agree with the decision needing to be based on the situation and our situation calls for some sort of containment for my 90 yr old Dad when he's in bed. He suffers from anosognosia following a serious fall 2 yrs ago that resulted in a brain injury and spinal cord injury. Thankfully he is mobile with assistance but as his full time caregiver, sometimes think I lay awake at night just listening for him to fall out of bed. It has happened - he can swing his legs over the edge, but his balance is too limited for him to be able to execute an exit from the bed. I now pull his wheelchair up to the side he most frequently goes towards, and so far this seems to keep him safe. :-) Jeneration Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:42:38 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets http://www.caring.com/blogs/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets/comments/ There are quite a few older and home care quality beds still in use that are not fitted with up to date siderails. The new designs on DC electric motor "low beds" should have side rails designed to the current entrapment guidelines. Problems occur due to lack of attention to the patient or equipment. The bed mattress MUST be the proper size and attached correctly and the side rails from the same manufacturer and designed for the bed. The new version "low beds" are used by faciities where the residents may fall out of be and injure themselves, so the bed is only about 12" off the floor and often they put foam pads on the floor to cushior potential falls. The bed of choice for us is from NOA Medical, www.noamedical.com which is used by professional Nursing Homes, Rehabilition and Hospice facilities. Most of the rentals for home care use do not meet these guidelines as Medicare does not cover the rental cost for an electric bed. You can rent or purchase a quality electric low bed from many dealers, to buy you are around $2000 with a healthcare mattress, bed, side rails, shipping etc. BedDr Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:27:41 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets http://www.caring.com/blogs/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets/comments/ My mother spent her last days in the only facility that could handle her issues, or WOULD handle her issues. It was a typical, short-staffed, out-of-date, skilled nursing facility, so my family was there most of the time to keep watch. We were told that bed rails were against Fed. & State laws, so they'd tuck one of those kids' swimming noodles along the edge, and put an alarm on mom. When she slept we knew she'd "travel" and worried about the set up this place had. Sure enough she got over the noodle and fell on the pad they put on the floor. She was okay that time, but it happened again!! I lost my temper, and luckily they called an ambulance this time. I told them they'd best have something in place by the time she got out in order to avoid a 3rd fall. She was lucky again, but we begged the hospital to keep her for a couple of days so that Dad and I could try to find a better place. They agreed but we had no luck, so back we went. I got a set of what they'd probably call hand rails, which were maybe 10" across, and installed those on both sides of her bed. Those were legal and would keep her in. Then they asked if we'd like to move her to a different, much nicer room with a king sized bed!! Duh! They should have put her there after the first fall. My point is that some of the reasoning behind not allowing bed railings is ridiculous and dangerous. I was furious, and I'm sure mom was humiliated, but at least it didn't happen again in the few days she had left. Short of staying there day and night to watch, you're screwed. I feel so sorry for the many people who don't have someone to watch over them. Kathy S Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:20:07 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets http://www.caring.com/blogs/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets/comments/ When my dad was in the hospital they told me they dont put the rails up because that is entrapment or illegal restraint. My dad had alzheimers and that is what the told me. Also my dad slept on the very side of the bed so he was forever getting bruised by the bed rail. In one nursing home he went to for respite care the mattress was sort of recessed in the middle and there was foam on all sides of him. That kept him from rolling out of bet but didnt stop him when he sat on the side of the bed and made the effort to get out. Of course he fell then but he was not entrapped. They also put the bed very close to the floor and put foam bads next to the bed (like exercise mats) so if they did fall out there was not much distance to fall. They had to watch the wanderers more and sometimes put pad alarms under them, but it at least kept them from hurting themselves. punkersad Sharon Midlothian, Il Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:36:47 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets http://www.caring.com/blogs/are-bed-rails-killers-or-safety-nets/comments/ but, dear caringformum, life as they knew it IS over. people really reproach themselves for "being stupid" or "crazy" before they know it's an illness. many of those people, who are feeling inadequate and stupid, are actually relieved to find out it's an illness, not a personal failing. i've known and cared for many people with dementia, and by no means is depression an intrinsic part of the disease. we assume they know nothing that we don't tell them, but of course they pick up your feelings, your moods, your fearfulness and they're very sensitive to these things. that's another reason to be open and honest. it's not the name of the illness that matters, it's the acknowledgment of its existence. we can just say, "your memory problems are due to a health condition" and that can be enough information to set the mind at ease. in all the studies on serious disease conditions, it has been found that sharing the truth -- even an unwelcome truth -- helps clear the air and settle a person. even bad news is a relief compared with secrecy,worry and self-blame. those who really dont want to know will deny or immediately file it under forgotten. that's their choice and that's okay. i think puzzles is exactly right on that. not sharing a serious diagnosis with your parent like when they didn't talk about the family problem with you as a kid. but you knew there was something terrible going on. and you thought it was your fault. that's how people with dementia feel about their condition. they fell it's their fault. the more easily it's talked about, the cleaner the air. frena Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:44:25 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ I am 64 on insulin I am happy to learn that 150 fasting is not very abnormal for my age I am athalitic fit and exercise for 1 hour daily. Than you sushil Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:05:31 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/control-blood-sugar-in-elderly-patients-with-diabetes http://www.caring.com/blogs/control-blood-sugar-in-elderly-patients-with-diabetes/comments/ Sorry ... rather than dietetic ... i meant diuretic ... LaneysLama Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:49:09 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems/comments/ Oh, thank you so much! My Mother was just released from the hospital, today, after saying she was not able to breathe. This is the second time in a week. The doctor had seen her legs swollen and a spot on her lung but did not do anything. This time it turns out she had liquid in her lungs and, of course, the swollen legs were caused by this as well. Again, with a dietetic they were able to stop the swelling. She was diagnosed, first, 12 to 15 years ago with the stenosis .. the latest she was told the mean gradient was 100%. She was sent home with some oxygen. Her mind is extremely sharp so it was she who knew there was the problem and she explained it to them ... she'll be 98 years old this year. We are so concerned about her comfort ... she's dearly loved. These were interesting posts ... again, thank you! LaneysLama Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:47:38 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems/comments/ Very Informative. Thank You. dgupton4 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:15:13 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems http://www.caring.com/blogs/why-we-can-t-predict-the-final-stage-of-heart-valve-problems/comments/ totally disagree with this...they don't need to know. Depression is part of the illness & that would just exacerbate symptoms. The power of the mind is so strong that if the patient is lucid enough to even comprehend what is being told to them, they might resign themselves to the fact that life as they know it is "over... Caringformum Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:01:12 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ Many thanks for your article. My father fractured his hip over the weekend. Medically, I have confidence in the hospital he is in, however with each visit I find his thoughts, at times, were extremely scattered inclusive of odd, non sensical comments. I even checked with the nurse last night who said he hadn't had any pain meds that evening. I know anytime I have been in the hospital I can become disoriented so I am not surprised some of that is in play here. I am surprised as to the degree. Although I realize his rehabilitation will take some time your article has helped me understand that he may not be loosing his mind in addition to his injury. eastcoastali Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:43:20 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/understanding-hospital-delirium-in-elderly-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/understanding-hospital-delirium-in-elderly-patients/comments/ The AIM program sounds like the Palliative Care programs that many cancer centers &/or hospice organizations are developing & have in practice. Quite often the hospice organizations have Palliative care services. I would highly recommend contacting the local hospice agencies so see if a Pall Care program might not be available. The other link would be the "new kid on the block by name only - Medical Home" Is there a primary care physician who would assist with this? What about the insurance company if there is secondary medical insurance? Sometimes the insurance companies have Palliative Care services built into their case/care management programs. Miss D Fri, 09 Jul 2010 02:56:06 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ Hello Vijay from India...I live in Germany and had an Indian girl friend..here...Suman was her name. Yes, there are a lot of things better in the US. My son Ken and I just figured some of his expenses....10 chemo treatments are 12,thousand each, shots daily for thrombi in his legs....150$ each and he has had them now for several months.. No individual could pay that much unless they were very rich, and we are not... Germany is different too. My husband has Alzheimer's but the health ins will pay for basic care for him too. They will look at our assets first and then either pay all of what the cost is for his care in a home when the time comes, or ask for some from us too. I hope you have at least some financial help where you are. If not, think about asking someone who works for a newspaper or a television station to help you publicize the need for help.. The publicity can work miracles... Charlotte, ALIG Charlotte ALIG Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:16:28 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ Did I miss it, is AIM Medicare approved? Sounds great, if in fact Medicare will reimburse providers. As I live in a rural area I feel confident AIM is not going to be available. It is worth checking with our rural hospitals. Thanks for the info. Note, Hospice is available in a somewhat limited fashion ~ as we live out in the sticks. . . . LindaSue Thu, 08 Jul 2010 03:07:16 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ Can some one tell me what they know about a product call Heart and Body I have been taking it along with Raspberry Gold to help keep cancer from coming back JCMOORE Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:53:30 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ Prayer for my dear Mom and Dad VIJAY WALIA Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:10:49 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ I wonder to hear of such facilities . It is like heavcen in that part of the world. But it is the maturity of those governments and the citizens alike that makes all that possible. I just wish that our society and government and citizens could create such environment. Here the haves treat the have nots worse than insects even. And the citizens are very irresponsible, in general. I am from the land of saints- INDIA VIJAY WALIA Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:52:31 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ My son was given less than 6 months to live last Sept. He has stage IV lung cancer at age 50. He hoped to live through Christmas, Doc did not think he would make it, but he did!! He enrolled in hospice...those people are angels...I live in Germany with a husband who has Alzheimer's disease. Son, Ken, lives in Tampa, Fl. He is doing well however, made it through Christamas and New Year's...and in Feb the doc said 6 months again..BUT, hospice says he is too healthy now and is has been taken off their enrollment. We ar happy that he is doing so well, but it is hard to lose hospice. I WAS VERY glad to hear of this AIM program and sent this article to him immediately. Now, I can just wait to hear and continue to hope that there is such a program in his area...Thanks so much for printing this. Charlotte an American Living in Germany Charlotte ALIG Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:31:15 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advances-illness-management-programs-aim http://www.caring.com/blogs/advances-illness-management-programs-aim/comments/ i think there are a lot of mentally stimulating activities that have helped my dad. he loves listening to music, dancing, and doing simple word search. we use to use a brain game site called lumosity.com and more recently found a site called www.musictherapyformemory.com for music activities. i dont think the research that the government is talking about applies to all patients. Dad has been taking the same meds for a while but these activities help him anytime we do them clara beth Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:49:26 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis http://www.caring.com/blogs/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis/comments/ Thanks, frena. I want to correct my comment, Mom lived to be one month shy of 95. I also want to add that I really appreciate that you see the need to respect our elders (even those, maybe especially those with dementia) as adults. After I became Mom's primary CG and advocate I approached her in that manner. This woman was born in 1914, that was a great depression and 2 world wars ago. She was a college graduate and as a child had been led by the hand in suffragette marches by her aunt. I took her to the polls to vote in every election until she was 91 and then got absentee ballots for her. It would be impossible for me to think of her as a child. daughter ann Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:24:23 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ you are so absolutely right,,ann. alzheimer's can NEVER be diagnosed by eyewitness or family tales, nor by the the mini-mental test. and if you think about the fact that the diagnosis of alzheimer's is actually NEVER definite (yet) but only a default diagnosis left over when all the detetcables have been detected. i wish more families would realize that, then they could just forget the name and get on with the caregiving, because that's what counts. all power to you, Ann! frena Wed, 23 Jun 2010 02:13:14 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ My mother was told she had Alzheimer's when she was 81 and it was wrong. She did not. The diagnosis led to depression and social isolation. The diagnosis came from an idiot GP after my dad complained that she was forgetting things. She was put on Aricept and that's how it stayed for 6 years. Her TIAs went untreated during that time because of the "diagnosis". No one expected anything other than decline. A few weeks after my father died, Mom had a fainting spell and was taken to the ER. After a CTscan and a few simple questions, the matter was cleared up. She had been having TIAs and was in danger of a major stroke. The Aricept was an unnecessary expense and risk for six years. Mom lived 7 more years (one month shy of 94) I would tell the patient, but only after a full work up by a neurologist,,,NEVER because of a GP or PCPs opinion of a few superficial incidents. A diagnosis of Alz is very often an easy way out for lazy or incompitent low level doctors. daughter ann Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:13:39 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ Having worked with people with alzheimer's dementia for 20 years, i want to say there is no chance they haven't noticed for a very long time -- longer than most people ever suspect -- that there was something very wrong going on with themselves. as outsiders, we often confuse having the disease and talking about having the disease. having the disease is frightening, confusing, emotionally devastating. talking about it, not so much. some people are even relieved to have a name for what's been going on, because they were afraid they were crazy or stupid. if people don't want to know, they'll forget or deny it. these aren't big old babies -- these are adults. we need to treat them that way and then respect how they deal with it -- denial, acceptance,whatever. in the usa, it's illegal for doctors not to share this information with the patient. elders have lived long enough to know about life and how it can sometimes be unfair or difficult. if we respect that, we'll be better caregivers because we'll be respecting them --- and that always makes for healthier care relationships. that's how i've seen it play out in families. frena Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:00:58 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ Should You Tell Someone He or She Has Alzheimer’s? I always look at problems from different angles, so bear with me. If someone has Alzheimer's and you tell them, many will most likely not remember you telling them they have the disease. I don't think they would dwell on it but move on to the next activity. The diagnosis affects families much worse than the person who has this disease or any other disease. The family observes the behavior changes, the patient many times isn't aware of the changes. I think changes come on gradually and become who they are at that time. puzzles Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:21:24 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s http://www.caring.com/blogs/should-you-tell-someone-he-or-she-has-alzheimer-s/comments/ My mother drug cost was very high as well. I now purchase her meds from canadian blue sky. I use a eye drop xalatan by Pfizer,for myself this drop in Georgia is $83.00 for 2.5 ml. I now get 3 bottles for $93.00 of which includes shipping from blue sky drug 1-866-995-7387. My moms drugs cost with medcare is almost free. They have aricept and namenda Anonymous Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:05:31 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/a-way-to-lower-drug-costs http://www.caring.com/blogs/a-way-to-lower-drug-costs/comments/ This reinforces what I learned recently from my brother. He had been on 10 medications (most relating back to heart surgery he had 10 years ago). He was having breathing problems for another temporary problem and kept getting worse. He finally! read all the medication information and discovered that he had been taking meds for high blood fats and high blood pressure when he never had either. He went off 7 meds at once (kind of dangerous) and felt better by the next day. He is continuing to improve. He and his doctor should have reviewed these meds regularly to see if they were needed! jorie13 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:45:20 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/a-way-to-lower-drug-costs http://www.caring.com/blogs/a-way-to-lower-drug-costs/comments/ Regarding affordability, check if your mother is eligible for Extra Help, Prescription Advantage or Health Safety Net. Also, review her Prescription Drug Plan (PDP to ensure she is not overpaying. You may review her PDP at medicare.com, but must wait until Open Enrollment (Nov 15-Dec 31 I believe). There is a loophole... if your mother is eligible for Prescription Advantage, apply for her. Once she is enrolled she is allowed to change her PDP 1 additional time annually, so you maychange her PDP right away instead of waitign for Open Enrollment. klandsman Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:24:43 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/a-way-to-lower-drug-costs http://www.caring.com/blogs/a-way-to-lower-drug-costs/comments/ My husband has been taking 500mg tylenol (up to 6 tabs a day) for years, and he just a liver panel done, and he was A-Ok. He drinks beer ocassionally too. Talila Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:06:50 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ Amen! Thanks for approaching the topic from a practical, yet caring standpoint. As the elderly develop physical problems and dementia (different ages for each of us, but my parents are 90+), there is no one drug that will keep them alive indefinitely. Our doctor has been very open to the evaluation of medicines as physical and mental health decline, and "comfort care" and "slow medicine" seem the right thing at this point. SallyC Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:58:49 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/a-way-to-lower-drug-costs http://www.caring.com/blogs/a-way-to-lower-drug-costs/comments/ I forgot to mention my husband has alzheimer. scarred Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:30:47 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis http://www.caring.com/blogs/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis/comments/ Is anyone out there dealing with a violent spouse? Mine don't want to go anywhere and does not want me to go anywhere not even to the doctor. It would not be so bad but he don't want me to go most of the time and leave him either. He does not want any company and if he knows ahead of time someone is coming evertime he is reminded or remembers he gets up set. He's back to trying to hit at me if I insist something just has to be. I can't get no help. We just changed his meds 2 months ago, but he's not doing any better on this one. Anyone with any ideals other than changing meds again because I know if he gets any worth we'll have too do that again too but I know alot of ya'll come up with alot of things that work as good or better sometimes.Thanks for taking the time to read this and prayers and hugs to all of ya'll. scarred Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:29:23 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis http://www.caring.com/blogs/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis/comments/ Excellent Anonymous Fri, 11 Jun 2010 22:06:42 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/understanding-hospital-delirium-in-elderly-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/understanding-hospital-delirium-in-elderly-patients/comments/ A great post, was nice reading it, cheers... Anonymous Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:44:23 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/caring-for-an-anemic-patient-worried-about-cancer http://www.caring.com/blogs/caring-for-an-anemic-patient-worried-about-cancer/comments/ My dad's health was declining and he wasn't physically able to drive for a while. It was up to my mom (who is in the advanced stages of AD) to drive them around. Dad was getting very concerned about her driving because she would pull out in front of others, change lanes without looking, drive off the road, so my brothers and I took the keys and told her that something was wrong with her car and it needed to be fixed. That worked for a while. Then we ended up having to take the car from her and told her that it was in the shop. After a while, she forgot about driving at all, she stopped asking about it and actually enjoyed having someone else drive her around. I agree that it's a very difficult decision to make for a loved one, but a necessary one. Do whatever you can to get them from behind the wheel. Natash Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:22:40 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/driving-and-dementia http://www.caring.com/blogs/driving-and-dementia/comments/ I discovered My wife had a problem when someone reported that They saw Her driving on the wrong side of a 4 lane highway.That is when We began Her testing and found out that She has early onset dementia at 55 years old.It was hard on Her when I took the keys away from Her but I didn't want to risk Her killing Herself or someone else.She still misses driving but I felt that I really had no other choice. charliehackit Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:51:06 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/driving-and-dementia http://www.caring.com/blogs/driving-and-dementia/comments/ Great article--it's a tough issue, but an important one to tackle. I have a tip sheet I provide on this topic (it's more broadly about all aging related driving concerns): http://www.agingwisely.com/wp-content/TakingAwayKeys.pdf and I'm a big believer in educating families about how to approach this subject and take it on head first, even though it may be a struggle. ShannonM Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:05:37 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/driving-and-dementia http://www.caring.com/blogs/driving-and-dementia/comments/ I agree completely! Dr Sylvia Thomas Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:16:58 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/driving-and-dementia http://www.caring.com/blogs/driving-and-dementia/comments/ Yes we both take subligual b12 a friend told me about that about a year ago Thanks to you all for your support cool Thu, 20 May 2010 20:43:40 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis http://www.caring.com/blogs/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis/comments/ My dad was diagnosed with alzeihmers about 11 years ago. But what we found and believe strongly, is that we immediately put my dad on a sublingual B12 vitamin that we get from Tri-vita. I honestly believe that is the reason we have had dad this long. Last year we did put him in a nursing home but he is doing really well. I believe that if we hadn't put him on that sublingual B 12 vitamin, he would of been worse off. mimaa Wed, 19 May 2010 05:07:22 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis http://www.caring.com/blogs/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis/comments/ Your dear husband is lucky, too, to have you! Keeping a pretty regular time for doing certain things each day can be very helpful, for it is easy for him to be confused. Also, not rushing helps. One thing that helped with my Mom was to keep on a shelf, later, something that was special to her from the past. For sometime the day will come when he may start wanting to "go home", usually late afternoon, and won't really know that he IS home. If you show him something that he has seen forever, and tell him, "See? This is your ________, and so you ARE home, you are o.k., you're just feeling uneasy," (in your words, of course.) It will help, and really helps with a nice hug along with it. Then turn on the TV or something to distract him. This also helps at night when they can get up and start wandering, for they feel lost. It is such a sad thing to have that disease, and so hard on you, too. I send you a prayer for all the help you need. Scilla Tue, 18 May 2010 23:10:15 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis http://www.caring.com/blogs/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis/comments/ My husband has bean diagnosed with AD five years ago and we are in a AH study groop and are starthing face two of the research. We also make it a habit to play board games for about two oures every day or as often as we can . He wolks 4 miles almost every day and goos 2 times per wek to a club for excersise.I believe all of this has helped him stay as well as he is I do not know of cours how long this will last. But I do know it will get worse but for now I can cope at home .I am lukky he has a sweet disposition and we seam to work this out pretty well to gether,I can speek with him about the problem and he understands that it will get wors,I think that is wy he is so cooperative I have also joint a support groop witch also helps Thank you Dr Kemisan Anonymous Tue, 18 May 2010 20:38:09 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis http://www.caring.com/blogs/responses-alzheimers-diagnosis/comments/ It is pitiful to look at an advance dementia or Parkinson's patient to to anew environment like the Hospital that they are not very familiar out of the routine place they go.They get more confuse often times easily gets agitated.If the hospital allows a family member to stay with the patient then one family could stay with the patient if not the bring in their favorite stuff animal that they could touch.Atleast there is some thing familiar close by if the medical staff allows it.I wonder how difficult for them too to be left to a place so foreign with all the strangers and they could be all multi racial too.It is a living hell for the patient and twice for the family for they could not do anything about it.And its Triple torture for the medical staff because they have to take care not only for the patient but also for for the family.It is not easy to be both kidme56 Sat, 01 May 2010 16:08:30 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr http://www.caring.com/blogs/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr/comments/ In my written instructions for family and caregivers I stated: "If I'm living, let me live. If I'm dying, let me die." I would appreciate some "informed advice" on this, with alternate suggestions. Anonymous Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:43:10 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr http://www.caring.com/blogs/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr/comments/ It is hard to deal some times to deal about what family's wishes after all our love one is not like our pet that we could just dispose when they are sick.Care taker in the nursing homes needs a lot of support and clear tight understanding of what the family want for their loveones.Care takers are humans too and I bet some of them cry when they go home.Some consider their patient as their extended family. kidme56 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:46:45 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr http://www.caring.com/blogs/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr/comments/ My father was sent to the emergency room by the nursing home. The hospital called us in and we discussed there was nothing that could be done. He had a DNR but we still wanted to discuss what was causing the emergency trips and what could be done. After a discussion with the nursing home, I understood. My dad was ill, they were required to call emergency to treat. The nursing home doctor said if we called in Hospice, they would then not have to send him to the hospital. We called in Hospice and a month later he died. Yes, it is not as easy as we think. There are many decisions to get to the dnr. Now taking care of my mother I have had to again constantly question what is treatable and what should be left to just keeping her where she's at. Unfortunately as my mom gets to 90 this year, I have to accept that there are many illnesses that should not be treated. I was not aware of this until faced with my fathers last years. You have to have good doctors and a willingness to discuss well before the person you are caring for cannot make those choices. Very good article! LindaSD Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:43:54 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr http://www.caring.com/blogs/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr/comments/ On the Family side I expect that even if my family is DNR that they are comfortable and not to suffer,give them oxygen if they can not breath,painkiller if they are in pain,and if they can not eat and food will make them just more sick or even prolong suffering then I expect that my doctor and nurses will make my family hold it.And do what is best especially if the quality of life is bleak kidme56 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:30:13 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr http://www.caring.com/blogs/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr/comments/ What would you say to the same situation with someone who is more demented and has advanced Parkinson's? I want to respect his DNR/DNI order, and wonder if even leaving the nursing home will be so much mental distress that it is unfair to try the "time limited trial of intensive treatment". It is hard for the nursing home staff to transition to comfort care without the option of calling the ambulance when things get really serious, though given specific instructions they understand family wishes. There are so many gray areas. The trip to a hospital is SO hard on them that I don't know if it is at all within the guidelines of comfort care. SallyC Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:58:12 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr http://www.caring.com/blogs/elderly-patients-in-icu-with-dnr/comments/ When you are caring for elderly parents & they have to be admitted to the hospital I never thought about delirium becoming an issue. Thank you for your article because we have always wanted to be able to give the best elder care at home we could. jfp3 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:02:59 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/understanding-hospital-delirium-in-elderly-patients http://www.caring.com/blogs/understanding-hospital-delirium-in-elderly-patients/comments/ My mother did the same thing, called me at work saying Dad couldn't talk, handed the phone to him and he mumbled nonsense. I told her to call 911. He was having a stroke. He then had open heart surgery and his Alzheimer's went crazy with that surgery. I struggled to figure out what needed to be treated, seen by a doctor and what was mental from the Alzheimer's. Getting the doctor to listen to me when something was wrong with my dad acting normal was also difficult. I now take care of my 89yr old mom after my father's death. She has later stage Alzheimer's and diabetes. Every day I have to evaluate what is "normal" mental behavior and what could be illness. She cannot tell me what is wrong. A lot of time I have to watch to see what her behavior is along with her complaints. It is very difficult especially with Alzheimer's. At one point her pace maker was acting up and that took a few days to recognize. I'm getting good at this after more than 13 years of caregiving. Thanks for a great article. LindaSD Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:07:19 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/delirium-elderly-nonsense-delirium http://www.caring.com/blogs/delirium-elderly-nonsense-delirium/comments/ Thanks for the great advice. I've recently been through a time with my Dad experiencing a lot of confusion. He has Type 2 diabetes and had become increasingly unable to prepare his own meals due to deteriorating vision which increased his sugar level fluctuations, leading to greater confusion. He also had a low white cell count due to MDS. As I've become more involved in his daily care, I've learned all these things and now he's getting both regular treatment for the MDS and has a caregiver during the day to make sure he eats well and takes all his medication and I take care of the evenings. Also, with his eyesight failing, he quit driving and was having less and less mental stimulation until he began interacting regularly with the caregiver, a neighborhood friend and me. He's also taking a low dose of Androgel, a testosterone drug, prescribed by his endocrinologist, which is helping with a number of problems and an Alzheimer's drug. He's much more himself these days! Carol Reiser Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:06:25 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/delirium-elderly-nonsense-delirium http://www.caring.com/blogs/delirium-elderly-nonsense-delirium/comments/ I learned so much reading the above comments. Thank you. My husband has COPD for the last four years and he has had good days and hard days. We base our social life around the good days!!!!!! Just getting out of the house for short periods of time is a good thing. He gets frustrated when he has SOB (shortness of breath). He worked hard all his life sometimes 12 hours a day and enjoyed doing yard work and handy jobs around the house so not being able to do these things makes him frustrated and angry sometimes. acendre Thu, 25 Mar 2010 02:26:07 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ I was also put on Fosamax after breast cancer surgery 12 years ago. No one told me to only be on it a max of 10 years. That after a long peroid the pill would actually cause bone damage, expecially in the jaw. I was told after I started complaining about jaw pain, pulled off, and now I am feeling much better. joyg Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:16:44 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/the-woman-had-been-taking-fosamax-for-osteoporosis-for-years-was-this-right http://www.caring.com/blogs/the-woman-had-been-taking-fosamax-for-osteoporosis-for-years-was-this-right/comments/ I'll have to agree as well! He's 90, he should enjoy dessert every now & then. Diabetes control is about all things in moderation, not denying a favorite treat or food. We also don't know when the higher number testing was done...how long after the guy had eaten etc. I think this gentleman was doing a fantastic job of managing his glucose, and give the doc kudos for recognizing this. The internet is great tool for information, but you have to apply the info individually. This a concept most folks don't understand, since they don't have the unique knowledge set that the phyician has. Anonymous Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:49:01 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/control-blood-sugar-in-elderly-patients-with-diabetes http://www.caring.com/blogs/control-blood-sugar-in-elderly-patients-with-diabetes/comments/ Dear Dr., I have written you before on your atrticle about not worrying about getting adicted to opiates. I have been taking Oxycontin 40 mg., and then he was just about to up it to 60mg., and the percocet at 10/5, and i had to switch doctors, and he took me off all of that. I tell you, he prescribed me methadone, and i don't like it. I just want to stay in bed all day :O( I cannot find a doctor that will treat me with the medicine that worked for me. I am soo sad. ... and depressed. I read all the side effects of the methadone, and it doesn't look good. Truthfully i need a referral so i can get my old medicine back. I have chronic neck pain, and nerve damage, that travels down both arms.... I don't feel like this new doctor takes me seriuosly. He thinks seems to think i just want opioates. :( Advice? It's Kelly. Please write back katsmeo@gmail.com Anyone can write me, with subject : I know how you feel. KaTsMeO Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:25:13 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/osteoarthritis-pain-relief-fear-painkiller-addiction http://www.caring.com/blogs/osteoarthritis-pain-relief-fear-painkiller-addiction/comments/ VictoryMoon, First let me extend warmest thoughts of care and concern to you as you deal with your Mother's condition. My dear, I am going through very difficult days with my Mother right now and I want you to know there are many others in the same situation who know what you are going through. I can't be there to hold your hand through this, but I can tell you that you are not alone in this. I know the feelings of helplessness, the fear, the frustrations you are dealing with. It is, sadly, common to experience the "brush off" from doctors when faced with COPD. The disease is still largely a mystery to the medical community. Yes, they can talk about the physical changes and offer drugs for symptoms. But, all too often, the patient and family do not feel their questions and concerns are being adequately answered. It is worth your effort to seek out a pulmonary specialist and don't be afraid to challenge anything you're told. If you don't feel satisfied with one doctor, go to another one. It happens all the time with COPD patients. Pulmonary rehabilitation is helpful if your Mother is willing to do the work. A pulmonary specialist can guide you there. I could go on and on, but I'll stop here and point you to this website that has a great deal of valuable information and is staffed and visited by COPD patients and their families. www.copd-international.com This is not the only source of information. An internet search will lead to many more informative sites. There are also sites specifically for caregivers of all illnesses, such as the one we're on now. My prayers and support are with you. Peace, Amy Amy Gdala Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:56:07 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ Amy..Question..in your post, you mention issues that may arise with COPD.Where can I find info on those? My Mum has COPD and it seems she is suffering with some things like you mention, and yet, I cannot be sure. Her attitudes about things are so odd at times, and the Doc and such do not seem to hear me when I ask if these things might be realitve. Doc just keeps giving more meds, such as anti-depressants, and anti-anxiety pills. Counseling was prescribed, and she attended, until she realized why she was going, then she quit. She just stays inside, in her chair, has quit church, friends, like giving up. Any pointers will be helpful...Thanks!♥ VictoryMoon Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:59:26 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ If we are going to assume the role of caregivers, we must be aware of the realities of COPD. Do not mistake this illness for an inconvenience as the drug commercials portray it. COPD is a terminal illness and the end of it is not a pretty sight. Be prepared for psychotic breaks, hallucinations, fear, agitation and a whole host of other horrifying symptoms including such extreme shortness of breath that even one step is impossible. I've learned as my Mother's caregiver that a person preparing for death puts up one hell of a struggle. Don't be deluded into thinking it will be easy or that some magic medicine will make it all better. Let's be honest about this illness. It is taking a huge toll on our population. Yes, help is there. Medicines can make the patient more comfortable. Hospice professionals provide immense help. But in the end it is a very grim struggle for everyone concerned. And it can take a long long time to die. Amy Gdala Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:30:07 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ Just reread my comment and please forgive all my errors. I am usually quite articulate! gma70 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:09:41 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ I have been a COPD patient for approximately 10 years myself. I had pneumonia about 5 years ago and then about a year and a half I got double pneumonia and went into sepsis shock. I "came too" in ICU with the room completely filled with family and frients. I thought "well this is it", told my son it was alright I was ready. When I came to again there were only two of my children in the room and I remember thinking "I must be going to live they've gone back to the rules"! :). I have gotten off of oxygen except for when i do strenious stuff such as clean house. The shortness of breath is a pain. I have notice that when the end is getting close one starts losing weight - I must not be close cause I haven't started doing that. I also have third stage kidney disease and PAD so there's no telling what's going to get me. I have made peace, and although I don't want to die I'm not afraid to do so. I have the DNR and my children support my decision. We all have to go sometime so we have to remember to make the time we do have as good as possible. All hail hospice!!!! gma70 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:08:01 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ Wonderful posts ! I went through a very, very similar experience with my Father following a severe stroke. At first it seemed like he was getting good care .. but that proved to be "only when we were there to observe". The first time we varied our visiting schedule .. we found him tied in his wheelchair and down by the nurse's station (along with many other patients).. the vacant look on his face made Mom cry and me angry .. I told Mom to go tell him he was going home while I went to the admin office. He was out of there within 3 hours .. with a big smile on his face. We had, thank heavens, invested in an insurance policy that paid a great daily rate whether he was in a nursing home or at home. I cannot stress enough the need for this type of policy if it is possible to insure your loved ones. It enabled my Father to remain a viable participant in his home for 8 additional years .. :) I will never regret the opportunity to be with my parents during this time of their life .. and I miss them. Halyn Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:27:05 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care http://www.caring.com/blogs/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care/comments/ Over a 25+ career as a dietitian who worked with many patients diagnosed with COPD, I learned much from each of them. One of the first patients I worked with said something I have never forgotten: "If it's a choice between breathing and eating..I will breathe. When you are chewing food you cannot breate". So many patients did not eat well and consequently their breathing was more difficult. Some recommendations: 1) Eat small, frequent meals 2) Stress protein...Your diaphragm is a muscle and requires protein. Choose tender meat, fish, milk(if you tolerate it), cheese,eggs and/or supplemental high protein beverages. 3) Fat is a very concentrated source of calories which you need because labored breating uses many calories...and it will spare protein for building and provide energy. Add margarine/butter, oil, cream to foods as much as possible. 4) Drink liquids as prescribed. 5) If you have problems with a dry mouth or a bad taste in your mouth try lemon italian ice to cleanse your mouth before meals or between bites of food. Hope these idea will help. My best wishes are with you. Beth Anne Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:29:52 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ Wow! Fantastic information. I work in long-term-care and also suffer COPD. The information I found for myself was so very generic it was almost laughable. I made the remark to my husband more than once "dying from COPD must be a deeply buried secret" as the information was so hard to come by. What I did find was written 25 years ago and seemed to have no inclusions of the drug therapy available today. I have watched many patients expire from COPD. It takes many twists and turns along the way but the last months of life usually end up being the same. And as most of the population, I wanted to be different and expire another way with maybe some wonder drug invented to save the day. No such luck! Your article gave me all the information I have ever wanted in one place. I thank you so much for this. Anonymous Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:57:20 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ My husband was diagnosed with COPD over 10 years ago. He has also been on oxygen for all of that 10 years. His doctor told him he probably would not live past the weekend. He also had a DNR and wished to die at home. They were shocked to see him come into his Monday morning appointment after having spent two days in the hospital. As of yet he has not had any major problems. I know death is looming out there some where. It is something neither he or I dwell on. We are too busy living life. I don't want to give anyone false hope, but I do believe it is very difficult for a doctor to predict quantity of life. This is why as caregivers we should help give quality of life to our loved ones no matter how long they have been told they will be here with us. MarilynH Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:24:13 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/copd-facts-copd http://www.caring.com/blogs/copd-facts-copd/comments/ You were a wonderful friend for Mr. P, I understand why he did not want to be on a ventilator. I was on a ventilator after quadruple by-pass heart surgery and it was the most horrible thing I have ever been forced to do. Even with all the pain meds, I could feel as if I were choking to death, and just waiting for death itself to relieve me from the horrible state of mind! You cannot speak or uter sounds to let anyone know. Thank God for my daughter going to get my doctor to get the staff to untube me. I watched my father who also had heart disease, on a ventilator after his surgery, a grown man crying with tears streaming down his cheeks, I gave him a pen and paper and helped hold the paper to write down ( OFF). I too,(as my daughter had done for me)went after his doctor to get the ventilator tube off. Maybe for some (I don't know) it may be physically easier, but for us it was not. Please, Please, if your loved one is put through this, try to access their physical pain and relate this to their doctor. If I have a choice the next time around, if their is a next time, I will be sure(with the help of my family), that I will die a natural death, and not prolong agony. So please understand that Mr. P. was old enough to be allowed to die respectfully without the agony of the ventilator. maxine62 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:30:06 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/intubation-and-do-not-resuscitate-dnr http://www.caring.com/blogs/intubation-and-do-not-resuscitate-dnr/comments/ My mother is 85, in pretty good health (except for the dizziness) and taking digoxin, diltiazan, warfarin. She is EXTREMELY dizzy when she is in her apartment so we've told her to leave a window open. However, when she gets out of the apartment she feels so much better. Could it be that she needs to change her medication dosages or that when she is out she is walking around more and getting more oxygen? We are at a loss. We've been to a cardiologist, audiologist and now want to have a CAT scan of her brain. She did have shingles in 2/2009. Could this be a hangover from shingles? She has PT tests of her blood done every month and they seem to be fine. atampana Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:06:20 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried http://www.caring.com/blogs/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried/comments/ What a wonderful and compassionate and honest piece. You did the best you could, and you let this lovely man have the last decision, or as much of one as he was able to deal with at that point. You let him keep his dignity, the tube will stay behind. drcassie Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:11:11 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/intubation-and-do-not-resuscitate-dnr http://www.caring.com/blogs/intubation-and-do-not-resuscitate-dnr/comments/ HandiAnn: I am 78, I am a lung and liver cancer patient.I have spinal problems covering me with pain,especially my whole right side. I am also a recovering alcoholic (35 years sober). My pain Dr prescribed Oxycodone ( 40 mg slow release morning and night, plus four 30 mg fast release) Before I took this medication I could not walk to the kitchen or leave the house without help. I found great relief and now am able to get around and sleep at night. However, I am greatly concerned with addiction because of my past history. Now I can attend my A.A. meetings and I use the program and feel comfortable with this. Why live with pain when modern medicine can relieve you of it. I have had both knees replaced,too. Give my love and best wishes for your mom,OK? bob berkshire Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:35:45 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/osteoarthritis-pain-relief-fear-painkiller-addiction http://www.caring.com/blogs/osteoarthritis-pain-relief-fear-painkiller-addiction/comments/ My mom has osteoarthritis in her knees and some hip and leg pain from a fall a few years ago. She has had the shot in the knees, she uses a lift chair and still has a fair amount of pain, mostly at night, which interferes with her sleep. She has been prescribed oxycodone but has yet to take a pill, probably two years later. She's afraid she'll become addicted. I've talked until I'm blue in the face and have basically given up. She is on coumadin so can't take many painkillers. I just hate that she's in pain and refuses to do anything about it, but I understand her fear of getting hooked. I just wish there was something else I could offer her. HandiAnn Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:31:43 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/osteoarthritis-pain-relief-fear-painkiller-addiction http://www.caring.com/blogs/osteoarthritis-pain-relief-fear-painkiller-addiction/comments/ If your blood issue worries you, consult a blood specialist. My late husband did that and it was found he had myelodisplasia. Frequent blood infusions were given but he did pass away. The doctors did all they could for him. If he didn't follow up he would have passed sooner. Anonymous Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:14:16 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/caring-for-an-anemic-patient-worried-about-cancer http://www.caring.com/blogs/caring-for-an-anemic-patient-worried-about-cancer/comments/ At age 70, I find that anything under 90 seems young to me, and I certainly fought like a tiger when I was hospitalized recently with little hope of leaving there alive. Miraculously, I experienced a total turn-around in just days. I credit the internist at the hospital, because he didn't stop working with me even after admitting that my body's systems were all failing because of complications of chemo. My family and I firmly believe every patient needs someone to oversee the professional care and to ask questions the patient might not be able to articulate. A very sick person uses every bit of energy to survive, with little left over for remembering or keeping track of symptoms, procedure, meds, basic functions. We kept notes, asked hard questions, insisted on full participation in every decision. The entire staff, from the lady who gently urged us to order "anything you want to eat" to the head of the oncology department, every nurse and support staff member, was on the same page. We, they, all thought I was dying, couldn't survive, but no one gave up. So I urge you to take this lesson of your dear mother's passing, maybe unnecessarily soon, to your heart, as her last gift, and never forget it. Never say die! Persist in trying to live, to keep your loved ones alive, no matter what seems to be inevitable, and ask enough questions of enough people that you at least know you opened the door for the pros to inform you. Be blunt, and ask for supporting data for every decision. Know the names and purposes of all treatments, research them online. Pay attention! If you know there was a history of high blood pressure and diabetes, insist that the possible connection be explored vigorously. I am sorry you lost your mother, but I hope you never again have to feel that you let a loved one down by not pushing harder. Her gift could save another life. agrace Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:01:44 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/caring-for-an-anemic-patient-worried-about-cancer http://www.caring.com/blogs/caring-for-an-anemic-patient-worried-about-cancer/comments/ Thank you for some good information. How I wish I had had this info when my mother was so anemic she passed out. After 10 days in the hospital and the doctors she saw there had tunnel vision and could only think her anemia HAD to be from a GI bled, nothing was done but an upper and lower GI tests. Nothing was abnormal so my mother was given two blood transfusions and we were told to find her a Nursing Home. It really upsets me that doctors working in a huge hospital couldn't diagnose kidney failure as my mother had high blood pressure plus diabetes. My mother passed away 2 1/2 months after entering a Nursing Home and the reason on the death certificate? Kidney failure! I feel we were never told this could be the problem. I feel that I let my mother down as I was relying on her doctor to take care of her but no one cared, after all, she was 79 why bother? mustangsally91 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:46:32 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/caring-for-an-anemic-patient-worried-about-cancer http://www.caring.com/blogs/caring-for-an-anemic-patient-worried-about-cancer/comments/ i lve in pain every day.if you did you would take what ever you could to have a good day if my liver is going to give out then maybe that is what is written for my life to be.i lost my wife of 33 years to cancer the last few months were bad.for her and myself.to watch someone you love live in pain is just wrong.life is short why let the person you love live like that.when you get that old or in poor health you will do what ever you can to stop the pain and to heck with what my or your kids think..... jimsiler57 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:12:43 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ The patient is 90? At what point does one say.. Enjoy life!! With the CDC reporting average life expectancy of under 78 years, shouldn't a 90 year old man be told to not to feel guilty about enjoying dessert? Anonymous Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:50:43 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/control-blood-sugar-in-elderly-patients-with-diabetes http://www.caring.com/blogs/control-blood-sugar-in-elderly-patients-with-diabetes/comments/ This is more than the VAMC ever told me. Thanks. RC Social Truths Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:34:27 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/control-blood-sugar-in-elderly-patients-with-diabetes http://www.caring.com/blogs/control-blood-sugar-in-elderly-patients-with-diabetes/comments/ Thank you Doctor for your very Helpful article on meds., causing dizziness, I had read on some of the bottles, we had prior to Assisted Living for my Mom at 89, and the Cardio Dr., last few months gave her a pill to counteract this and it has helped, it's pink and round, can't rem., the name right now. I'll share with my Mom, and my brother, just knowing more can really help? I appreciate as we just have a reg., M.D. but not a Specialist in Geriatrics, good Docs however. E-Atl. EBrucie Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:19:43 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried http://www.caring.com/blogs/dizziness-5-things-to-do-if-you-re-worried/comments/ My mother is 95 with dementia. I believe she needs to take tylenol for her arthritis. She complains about knee pain on a daily basic, but will not take them. I try to sneak them in with her daily meds by breaking them in half or crushing them. It drove both my brother and I nuts, so we stopped giving them to her. Maybe I should keep trying. Any suggestions are helpful. Thanks Franip Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:49:49 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ I found this site to be a lifesaver. Helpful, insightful and balanced articles. You can subscribe to your specific interests and issues. The blogs with other caregiver comments is priceless info in my opinion. mrasch Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:16:06 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/improve-health-seniors-2010 http://www.caring.com/blogs/improve-health-seniors-2010/comments/ IMHO, once someone gets to their mid 70s, have their wits about them, have treatable medical conditions but find themselves in pain - I say, give them the pain relief. And barring liver disease to begin with, give them what they need to function comfortably. The stress pain causes on major systems can be tremendous, not to mention result in many false alarms re: heart attacks. My dad's lower back pain is so bad (arthritis, stenosis, degen disks) he would get tremors and clutch his chest when his lumbar vertabrae made contact. It would be worse if his GERD kicked in too. Ended up in the ER twice, being sent their by day care staff unfamiliar with these episodes. I finally found staff members at the VA who understood pain management - and frankly agreed that at 87 with AD and acute cardio issues, lumbar injections every 3 months were in order. At his age, the risk/reward makes sense...and may contribute to prolonging his current steady state in early stage 6. These shots, combined with 6 Tylenol 3s spaced four times a day, seem to make him more mobile, improved his balance and stopped the slide into depression and anger. Lorazepam also reduced his obsessing about his back. And its at least making it tolerable to live with him for now. Point is, there are a lot of tools, mostly medication, some therapy that can help. And for heaven's sake, if your mom is still mentally sharp and in her 80s, why risk putting her over the edge mentally by being rigid on her physical comfort? But I'd stick with acetominophen...the others have too many interactions with many drugs, and Tramadol can also not play well with other drugs affecting the Central Nervous System (CNS). Anonymous Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:52:07 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ My 89-year old mom taks Tramadol 50 mg every four hours and takes Extra Strength Tylenol (Rapid Release) in addition to that several times a day. Is that safe, and if so how many Tylenol is safe. I don't want her to be in pain but also don't want her high powered narcotics with their side effects Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:10:52 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ Since my elderly aunt died of an accidental overdose of Tylenol (she DID have extensive liver damage and I don't know why she even had it prescribed], I would STRONGLY reccommend blood tests before using it. Any medication can be dangerous but to be fair, if she hadn't had the liver problems, she would have been OK. jorie13 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:16:15 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ Thanks for that comment and for sharing your experience. A little pain medicine can certainly make a big difference in the life of an older person. However, ibuprofen and naprosyn (brand names Advil and Alleve) are over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, which are risky for an older person to take regularly. More detail on this issue is here: www.caring.com/questions/over-the-counter-anti-inflammatory-safety Ibuprofen and naprosyn were used (and still are!) by doctors and nurses for a long time. But because of safety issues, in May 2009 the American Geriatrics Society announced that these drugs should only be used in the elderly as a last resort, and under careful supervision. Leslie Kernisan, M.D. Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:52:08 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ AS A NURSE FOR 28YRS. ONE OF THE THING I SAW THE MOST WAS UNDER TREATMENT OF PAIN;I WAS ALSO VERY INVOLVED CARING FOR BOTH MY PARENTS BEFORE THEY PASSED-IF SOMEONE IN THEIR 90'S ARE LUCID AND TELL YOU THEIR IN PAIN-THEY ARE,MANY WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS MAYBE GIVE ONE ALEIVE A DAY OR ADVIL 1 AT 8AM 1 AT 8PM-LOTS OF WAYS TO SOLVE THIS-GODSPEED craig1 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:16:38 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use http://www.caring.com/blogs/acetaminophen-tylenol-safe-for-daily-use/comments/ I'm curious - who is managing your patient's care in the hospital or rehab or nursing home? Who notifies you, the doctor, when your patient is admitted to the hospital? I always thought the doctor there calls you to discuss the patient. Bell star Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:20:31 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/the-patients-heart-medications-were-inadvertently-stopped-how-to-safely-restart-them http://www.caring.com/blogs/the-patients-heart-medications-were-inadvertently-stopped-how-to-safely-restart-them/comments/ I'm curious - who is managing your patient's care in the hospital or rehab or nursing home? Who notifies you, the doctor, when your patient is admitted to the hospital? I always thought the doctor there calls you to discuss the patient. Bell star Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:20:30 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/the-patients-heart-medications-were-inadvertently-stopped-how-to-safely-restart-them http://www.caring.com/blogs/the-patients-heart-medications-were-inadvertently-stopped-how-to-safely-restart-them/comments/ Just today I had my mom discharged from a rehab facility back to her assisted living place. i've had experience with two rehab places now - this one was better because they did give me list of meds she had been given and told me her blood sugar, weight, and when the paid meds were given. The first place was more organized with PT - but was not open to any input. They did not believe me when I told them she walked with walker - because she can bearly see or hear she doesn't speak often so they just wrote her off. This new place was going thru transistion with PT companies so the information was not passed along very well. I had her pulled out a few weeks earlier than planned when the staff and patients all of sudden were getting ill. I was fortunate that I visited almost daily and could over hear conversations and could notice the double shifts that people were having to work. I hope being back at her assisted living place will work out - so far today she ate two full meals there and they helped her sit in her usual easy chair. They said they would do two person transfers as long as it was needed... I would be best for her to be here, but that would not work out with my family so this is best I can do now. Pls think good thoughts for us! I have to say though that in both cases being in rehab did help my mom - it gave her time to heal broken bones. The first one though the time lasted longer than it should have because she got c-diff while she was there - that made the recovery last months and months longer. Now my mom will be able to return to her exercise classes as soon as the semester starts again so we are lucky... Anonymous Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:30:54 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care http://www.caring.com/blogs/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care/comments/ Thank you for this article. I am caregiver to my 89 yr old mother (live with her) who has Alzheimers. She has me. But we live in a retirement community where several of our neighbors have been put into a rehab by the state, against their will. They have no living relatives and did nothing ahead to set up a health care support system. When one neighbor got sick an ambulance showed up called by a neighbor. The sick person refused to leave home. The police and a social worker were called. Two hours later the social worker said she was a danger to herself and was removed from her home against her will and put into a nursing home. She now is so confused that she cannot return home. A disturbing set of circumstances. Please give thought to what you want to happen if you have no one. This article made me realize how important my family doctor is. I have Medic Alert Safe Return bracelets for my mom and myself as her caregiver. If something happens to either of us, the family doctor is listed as having to be notified right away. You need someone to oversee your health care when you can't. Now I need to have a conversation with my family doctor to make sure we avoid what happened in this article. Thanks again! LindaSD Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:42:30 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care http://www.caring.com/blogs/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care/comments/ Doing the marketing for one of the top elder abuse and nursing home neglect attorneys on the West Coast, i know Mr. Z's and Daisy's husband's experiences are not isolated incidents. Too many convalescent hospitals are snake pits. Often they are merely adjuncts for nursing homes to make a profit. I wish the expert above had notified the State's regulatory department, complained to the facility, and let her local medical community know of the poor care her patient received. Daisy, it's good you filed a complaint with the healthcare provider, and, in addition, there are other entities with whom a complaint should be filed. Some states have ombudsman programs for seniors and vulnerable adults. Notify them of your complaint. If your state or city doesn't have an ombudsman program, then file with the regulatory department of your state. It could be the Dept. of Health or the Dept. of Public Health. As Daisy learned, you must be an advocate for your loved one. Show up unannounced at various times of the day and night, make sure your loved one is getting the correct medication as often as he/she needs it, as well as the rehabilitation services he/she needs. Be a squeaky wheel. Don't hestitate to talk to the director of the facility if your loved one is not getting the services he/she needs. gerij9 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:44:51 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care http://www.caring.com/blogs/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care/comments/ First the hospital should know what "home" is for the patient. Does this mean the patient is going home alone? Does the patient live with a spouse who has limited ability to assist? In Mr Zs case he was living in an environment where he had capable people to assist, this can often eliminate the need for rehab. As with hospital stays patients are also exposed to other illnesses at a rehab (communicable pnemonia for example). When patients have assistance at home and physical therapy, occupational therapy and RN visits can be arranged at home this is often times the better alternative. Noreen NIckerson Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:40:14 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care http://www.caring.com/blogs/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care/comments/ THANK YOU so much for writing this--my Mom, 84, had a very similar experience last year. Generally quite healthy and independent but suffered serious health problems after an adverse reaction to a generic bp medication. Was shifted from intensive care to hospital long-term and finally into 'best' nursing home in our area for short-term rehab. Luckily brother and I alternated visits to be with her as much as possible in person. From the beginning I found staff weirdly intrusive in useless ways and totally absent when needed. They also treated Mom as a helpless befuddled old person though cognitively she was doing quite fine and since she used to be a banker, knew more than they did about the financial aspects. BTW, after some strange exchanges I finally figured out they were actually listening in on our phone calls?!?! (on the phone they charged us for? and 'installed' for $36 by sticking the cord in the wall?). At one point staff 'confronted' her for 'talking to outsiders' (me) about the horrific SLOP they were feeding these people--and a nurse called me at work to do the same?! Mom was supposed to be on a restricted diet. Though sick, Mom was clicking on all pistons and stressed her concern about the diet, set by her doctor. We'd been led to believe they worked in tandem with the doctor only to have one of the so-called nurses tell me 'if he has anything to say, he can call us'--which I immediately relayed to her doctor and his wonderful nurse. The "home" then insisted their diet was heart-healthy (slop, ice cream and oh yes, ice cream). When there in person, I ate with Mom on most occasions and almost gagged at some of the offerings. She generally ended up with canned soup and then the twice-daily ice cream. They actually gave some patients insulin shots at the table while shoving thickly iced cake in front of them--how's that for healthy? I'd love to know how many of their patients *develop* diabetes after eating there too long? Mom had agreed to this stay with the understanding she'd get intensive, twice daily physical therapy. For the period when Medicare supposedly helped pay, she got very half-hearted PT and the home insisted she could not walk on her own, had to have a helper--but try to find one. Lovely tiny garden outside -- but nowhere to sit for these older, often ill residents. When the Medicare money ran out, the home assured us Mom would still get 'rigorous' PT and it would be included in their regular charge. Guess what--she got NO PT whatsoever, even 'pretend' PT, except that by then she was able to leave with me and could walk around the mall a little. Oh yes, at that point she had to use an oxygen tank as well. One day while I was with her, she tripped over the base (easy to do) and ended up falling on top of it so that the handle really banged against her skull-- a horrible fall, though thank God, after a few seconds she appeared to be all right. Staff told me they'd check her every hour or so--I went to the charge nurse to confirm this?--but in fact they only did a couple of times and ignored her comments about her arm hurting badly. I blame myself I didn't call her doctor; Mom seemed ok and made it clear she did NOT want her stay extended due to this--but when we saw him soon after, he was incensed. Protocol was, she should have been taken to an ER and they should have called him immediately--as he had told them to do, even at home--but they didn't want that 'on their record.' After about a week, when it became clear there would be no real PT, spoke with my brother (who'd also spent time out there with Mom) and then Mom. We already knew she was eager to get out. Her doctor at that point agreed she was getting no value from the experience and 'could buy a lot of help for that money.' Had she stayed at the home for PT, I am sure she would only have deteriorated, though the staff insisted they were 'worried how she would get on' when she was OK'd by her doctor to leave. BTW they later charged her a humongous amt for 'their' PT (though not provided) and Medicare later 'retroactively' greatly reduced the PT benefits--so she'd have done as well staying at home with a phalanx of helpers (and much cheaper than what that stay in H--- ended up costing). BTW after being paid $9000 for her 5? weeks, the home attempted to put the same claim through her secondary insurance. The home had told us they routinely dealt with short-timers but clearly didn't want to lose customers. (They also didn't really seem to understand how to bill for this.) They told Mom a few times that they 'assumed' a 6-month stay?! -- which isn't exactly individualizing care. As it was, the only help she ended up getting, upon coming back home, was a twice-monthly maid service --which she really has come to like. Very motivated, she quickly got back into the swing of a morning breakfast at McDonalds--where they now look out for her, since it's hard to balance things on her walker--and then a whiz or 2 around the inside of the mall, sometimes stopping, sure, for a breather. When she was finally cleared to travel recently to visit out my way (and brother's), Mom was moving pretty darn quickly on the walker and only needs to use it due to dizziness caused by a medication she has to take. The other critical aspect was, like the fellow in this story, she is still lively, interested in current events etc. but at that nursing home, other than me or brother, had no one to talk too. Many of the folks there (probably without visitors?) appeared very sedated, propped up in wheelchairs...there was an activity director and room--but just one huge TV set, no books, no computer, no games. TVs in the rooms had not been updated for digital so had mostly infomercials. Magazines we brought were thrown out by staff! If you have someone go in, even temporarily, make sure they have a phone from Day 1 (I finally got Mom to accept a cell phone after all this)--and make sure you or someone who cares is there to show up, each and every day, several times a day--or at the least, let them know you will be calling. A lot. And make sure as you point out here, that the GP is aware immediately of your person's admissions to hospital, to long-term, and establishes contact with them. (This place seemed upset that we ensured Mom got out for doctor appointments--but in fact they had no doctor on call, one RN as charge nurse and a great many people called nurses who in fact had taken a weekend certificate course.) Sorry to go on so long--but this is so important and I am still haunted by the folks out there who didn't have someone to watch out for them--Cassie drcassie Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:37:59 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care http://www.caring.com/blogs/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care/comments/ My husband was also sent to a rehabilitation facility supposidly for three days to build his strength after a two week hospital stay. He was transferred on Friday. Supposed to come home on Tuesday. He was left in bed for all three days and the only contact he had was for meals. When he had to use the bathroom, instead of getting him up to go, as they had done when he was in the hospital, he was given a bed pan to use instead. Those three days did him more harm that good. When I questioned why this had happened, they said because it was Friday, the staff had not checked the orders and it was not done until Monday. I admit I did not go to the facility every day because I thought he was getting adequate care. What was supposed to be three days turned into two weeks. After he was released, I did file a complaint with his health care provider. When you have someone in one of these care facilities, be sure to check on how things are going from the first day. I will add that he was in this facility again for care and they were very good with him. Sometimes people just fall between the cracks unfortunatly. (My husband passed in April of last year.) Daisy3rc Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:32:28 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care http://www.caring.com/blogs/rehab-nursing-home-or-in-home-care/comments/ Testing of course can give some greater reassurance as to what's beset a loved one and perhaps help with choices of treatment. But I'm a bit more with Mr. D. and his wife here -- "What's dementia?" Having dealt with dementia in a number of care situations, I find the word itself can get in the way of sensing need moment to moment. Forget the label if you will while in this mode and address the needs of a person you know still has vitality not always on display -- a rich emotional inner life of experience and memory that can be accessed with your love and kind care. Connect and stay with it as long as needed to accomplish a task and gradually move forward through a day continuing to enlarge on a work begun long ago. And we know your work can be so trying, it goes better with love on your side. Mrs. D: What's dementia? Mr. D: I'm not really sure dear. The one thing I know for sure is that you're beautiful and I love you more each day. Rick Riley Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:49:52 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained/comments/ My grandmother is 96yrs old and am thinking of stoping her meds because of the fact I don't know if they do anything or not. In the late stages of dementia her short term memory is gone, and her functions are still there. Am willing to try, do not like her on meds if she does not need them katystoy Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:41:08 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-meds http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-meds/comments/ Thank you for this follow-up article. I agree with everyting in this article. My doctor told me my mom would go into a nursing home the day I stopped giving her Aricept. She is second stage AD. The drug is horribly expensive. I have to weigh her condition and the cost. Right now, her life would be better served by paying bills than taking the medication. She is 89 and I know I am not trying to "improve" her but maintain her as best I can. It is an individual decision. People shouldn't be made to feel guilty about these choices. LindaSD Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:06:39 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-meds http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-meds/comments/ My father has dementia and does not seem to have benefited much at all from pharmaceutical therapy. He is in a facility now as my mother could no longer handle him at home, even though he was in day care Monday through Friday and she had in-home help three days a week. In our case we cannot take him off the drugs however as he has a tendency to become agitated and violent and we have to consider the safety of his caregivers. While still at home one of the drugs -- I forget which one -- caused significant problems such as an inability to sleep and hallucinations. Also, one of the drugs caused severe problems with his motor functions; he was unable to walk properly or hold his head up. I suspect in part the severity of the his side effects might be reflective of fewer studies on the effect and effectiveness of drugs on minorities. I have spoken to someone whose grandmother is on Aricept with marked improvement so the only thing to do is monitor your loved one and try to determine what makes the most sense for that individual. CGScreenName Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:23:16 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ This article failed to point out that if someone has symptoms of dementia it is important to perform the necessary tests to make sure the cognitive dysfunction is not due to blockage in one or both of the carotid arteries. I had an elderly neighbor who began experiencing bouts of dizziness, falling, and forgetfulness and his doctor dismissed it as dementia. When he died the autopsy revealed that carotid blockage, a correctable problem, was the cause of his difficulties. His widow was inconsolable because he could have still been with her if the doctor had just taken a little more care and not assumed the problem was dementia without ruling out the possible physical causes. CGScreenName Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:04:58 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained/comments/ My wife and I have been togeather 66yrs she has had Altzheimers for 7yrs now. She is taking Aricept. and it has steadied regression. Although her short term memory is gone she is still with me for which I thank her medication. Anonymous Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:38:13 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-meds http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-meds/comments/ My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2001. Now they feel that it is Lewybody dementia. I have been told that the treatment is the same, so we did not lose any time. He is now in "end of life" stage and we will donate brain tissue to the Harvard Brain Bank so that future generations will have more information. joyg Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:56:59 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained/comments/ Neurophychological testing is done by a Neuropsychologist. Neuropsychology is the basic scientific discipline that studies the structure and function of the brain related to specific psychological processes and overt behaviors (thank you Wikipedia). The testing can be grueling - it usually takes about 4 hours, which is usually split up into at least 2 separate appointments. Then once the Neuropsychologist studies the results, the results are given to the patient in a third appointment. The testing is quite worth it - after my husband's stroke, the testing showed where he needed the most assistance, and due to the areas affected that he would not be able to function properly in the workplace. I am working to get both my parents referred, and then tested. CA-Claire Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:03:15 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained/comments/ What type of Dr. would do the "neuropsychological testing?" care4mom Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:46:23 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained/comments/ I was told that my wife suffered from early onset Alzheimer's. 5 years later, her doctors finally relented and admitted that her "migraines" were really a result of the constant tiny strokes that were destroying her brain. Her treatment in the early years would have been much different with a correct initial diagnosis of vascular dementia, and she may have had a few more good years before the inevitable. GeraldT Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:09:15 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained/comments/ After I was told that Mother had vascular dementia, I felt a little better. A name was finally given to her condition. It still is not easy and the help I find on here is very welcoming. Thank You ! Rendezvous 747 Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:50:08 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained http://www.caring.com/blogs/dementia-or-alzheimers-disease-explained/comments/ My Mom, age 84, has been on Aricept and Namenda for a couple of years. I wonder if she needs it at all. She is also in the donut hole and the expense is high. About one year ago she told her osteoperosis doctor that she is exhausted all the time (in addition to not being able to remember anything). She suggested a sleep study and it was discovered that she wakes up 50 time an hour, never reaching the level of sleep that provides rest, dreaming, etc. No wonder she can't remember and is exhausted all the time! We tried CPAP but while living alone she was not able to comply even though I went over and got her into it every night for a month. I am retiring at the end of the month so that I can bring her to live with me. I believe the problems are all due to sleep apnea and will improve under close supervision. I wonder how many other people have it and don't know it. Clementine Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:15:06 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ As a nurse I agree with doing a trial to see if the medication is really working. Some doctors feel Namenda helps the resident follow commands better. My Mom is on both Aricept and Namenda and she has shown improvement. In the end stage which I see every day there isn't much hope. I would not hesitate to take her off most or all of her medication. End stage Parkinson's especially if he has more "freezing episodes" is something you need to talk with his doctor about. None of his Meds may be working correctly. Some Doctors will get rid of the Aricept and keep the patient on the Namenda. In the late stage I honestly have not seen a difference. If there are behavioral issues they might be more concerned with those increasing if the meds are discontinued. You need to sit down with the doctor and really discuss your options. If he/she doesn't give you the time look for another doctor. That is what I did and it was like night and day. Ask the nurses who they would take their parent to. The best of luck. Anonymous Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:49:47 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ Mom is only 79 and has been on Aricept for 3 years. She hit the donut hole this year, so I've been paying almost $200 per month for the past 3 months, for just this one drug, and she's on 5 other things, and 3 vitamins! But when I suggested taking her off of the ARicept, the nurses who help care for her said that she's not "far enough gone" to not benefit from it, and that she's probably still getting a slower "slide" than she would if not on it. Are they right? Fiona Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:25:05 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ My mother was on exelon and namenda for 2 years at first she said and I thought it was working. I'm not sure if it was or if I just wanted to make myself think it was helping. After 18 months my mother was able to tell me that she was losing more and more of her memory and and it was noticeable to me the medicine wasn't working. I took my mother off the medicine with the approval of the PCP and 3 weeks later when I took Mom to her Geriatric Specialist his first reaction was why did you and the PCP take her off the meds and I responded that Mom is the same three weeks later as she was three weeks ago. So, finally he agreed it was the right choice. I truly do not believe these medicines work at all, they just give the patients and caregivers/families hope. unloved daughter Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:55:52 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ This is by far one of the best discussions and info on a pertinent issue I have seen on Caring.com in a while. It speaks to a number of issues, and gives valuable, clear, and pertinent info to help make choices. It brings clarity to this controversial topic. I recently had my mother taken off Aricept to see if there would be a difference. The nursing home physician was not happy I insisted on a trial off the medication. I don't yet know what effect there will be, but unless it's dramatic, she's not going back on it....for all the reasons mentioned in the article. Thanks for such a timely posting! Anonymous Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:31:52 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ My mom is on donepezil and memantine and has been for about 4 or 5 years. I would love to take her off but I am afraid that she will get worse. What worries me is that she will not be able to recover what she loses,and she will be worse. Anonymous Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:44:30 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ My jusband has been on both aricept and namenda from the start abouth 5 years ago, I do think that the madicine help's sins he has progrest slowly and is not much diferant than he was say 3 years ago, he dos have days that he is wors but most of the time he is oK We are in a AD study right now ,and of cours I do not know if he is getting a placebo or med. But so far I am greatfull for the slow dicline.He is also a easy pation he dos what i asked or sugjest and keeps himself busy as much as he can. He is in good health otherwys. But the Doctors tell me each time it will get wors so I hope I will be ready for that Thank you Dr. Leslie I wich I had someone like you near us Thanks Paula cool Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:00:28 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ I am also a Geriatric Care Manager in Vancouvre, BC. I have found that when clients have been taken off the various medications, there have at times been no difference. However, they have been on them for quite a while. What I have found is that sometimes it seems that at times these people seem to benefit from intensive social interaction and stimulation as they have, at that point, from the medication. Peter Silin, MSW, RSW; www.elderpost.com www.diamondgeriatrics.com Elderpost Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:16:40 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ I'm a professional geriatric care manager. I have a small practice but I've wondered if the drugs are truly effective, based on my observations. I suspect that they drugs are more valuable as a placebo effect on the family and caregivers. They want to see improvement, so they do. I very much doubt the value of early diagnostic tests. Yes, they give the physician a chance to identify a reversible dementia. And, they give the patient time to get end of life paperwork completed. But they also extent the length of time the family and the patient live with a terminal diagnosis. I have a first degree relative who had Alzheimer's; I don't want to know if I have the gene. I appreciate your honesty in this response. Thanks. kpaggi Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:33:17 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ I am a Public Health Nurse visiting elderly and dependent adults in their home environment for Adult Protective Services. Although I encounter many challenging situations, I am rewarded often as they share the stories of their lives with me. I am inspired by the courage and the strength the clients and their caregivers demonstrate on a daily basis. I stumbled upon this website after spending the day at a syposium in which the speakers discussed the shift from an acute care model to a "chronic care model". Our challenges continue to grow and I look forward to sharing and learning with you. I found this site for a reason. Bless you! jazzynurse Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:33:06 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor http://www.caring.com/blogs/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor/comments/ am 57 disable amputee still want to enjoy life more ever day more than when i was younger ever day is new to me thank you muchly buster busterco21 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:15:46 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor http://www.caring.com/blogs/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor/comments/ I'll be 83 soon and still serving as organist for an Episcopal church. A month ago I broke (don't even ask how!)my left wrist--nasty break requiring surgery, insertion of pins & rod to stabilize. After a couple of weeks "vacation", I decided I could play hymns $ service music with one hand & 2 feet. So I'm back on the bench & several parishioners have told me they can't even hear the difference! Is that a compliment? Have also composed a couple of organ pieces for 1 hand/2 feet to use until I can handle organ literature again. Wes E. Wes E. Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:35:18 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor http://www.caring.com/blogs/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor/comments/ I am 72, husband is 77. I've had a heart attack, he's had many mini strokes. We still manage to go places, do things, see the state and the world. Just to let people know that older people can still enjoy life. When we do get "old" we have no one to take care of us, so we do what we can for others and hope that sometime someone will do the same for us. Merry Christmas and Happy New Life! margaretgraf Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:22:49 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor http://www.caring.com/blogs/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor/comments/ This is very helpful. My mother was put on Aricept a few months before her stroke (at 89) because she recognized some increasing memory and cognitive problems. We didn't see any help, but it was only a few months and she was having other health issues. After her stroke and admission to nursing home she began to recover, back to about mid or mid-late stage dementia level, but was very tired, low appetite and not much social interest. I wanted to test taking her off Aricept to see if it improved her, but some of the nursing home staff was convinced that their experience has been sudden decline in patients, and it would not be recoverable as far as physical and mental function. I found out my aunt had reacted poorly to Aricept and did better off it, so took Mom off with her Dr's blessing but the staff still apprehensive. She improved greatly as far as alertness, mood and sociability - also is able to read a bit now and we see no real decline in any abilities. Now I face the same issue with my Dad - Parkinsons and falling more and confused, has been on Aricept along w/Sinemet for 5-10 years at age 92. Could the Aricept be making his confusion, sleep problems and balance/energy worse? Is taking a "break" from Aricept really risk-free as you say or is there a chance that they will loose abilities that can't be recovered by going back on the medicine? SallyC Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:59:37 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-dementia-drugs/comments/ I couldn't agree more. I'm a 65 yr old, memtally disabled vet/grandmother. Don't have memory, judgement, and not supposed to handle money but God helped me buy a house and my family helps me daily. One of my friends sends me humorous/touching e-mails and my current bedfellow (no husband anymore/I live with daughter in my home) is a 100 lb labrador who doesn't care what I look like as long as he gets love and treats. jorie13 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:21:29 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor http://www.caring.com/blogs/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor/comments/ Leslie, I am not a caregiver--though I wish very much my 84-year-old Mom would move in with me--she's currently about 800 miles away. But I just wanted to thank you for the life lessons, for sharing your own experiences through this blog, and also for your decision to work with folks who are sometimes forgotten or dismissed. You obviously find great joy in working with seniors--and I am sure they do, with you. All the best in a long and wonderful career--Cassie Anonymous Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:41:58 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor http://www.caring.com/blogs/advantages-being-old-old-age-humor/comments/ I am an emergency nurse practitioner and I commend Dr. Kernisan for offering an alternative. Because we have the ability to prolong life doesn't mean it is always the right option. Often, it is painful, costly and stressful for all involved. How sad that Hospice was not considered earlier. Hospice is wonderful for patients, but it is even better for families because it provides critically needed support - during the crisis AND after. Anonymous Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:43:30 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/hospital-or-hospice-treating-terminal-illness http://www.caring.com/blogs/hospital-or-hospice-treating-terminal-illness/comments/ This is the kind of honesty we need to hear from doctors about the kindest way to treat medical conditions near the end of life! SallyC Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:47:22 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/hospital-or-hospice-treating-terminal-illness http://www.caring.com/blogs/hospital-or-hospice-treating-terminal-illness/comments/ Yes, for medicines that are important, it's a great idea to think "outside the pill", and to consider patches and other medication forms. Thank you, readers, for bringing up these points. Leslie Kernisan, M.D. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:31:19 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication/comments/ My mother has been very resistant to taking her medications, she has 2 pills in the morning and 4 in the evening. I now get her water and her pills, after breakfast and after dinner and just calmly hand her the pills and say "here is your medicine, Mom." If she questions the medication, I simply tell her we have an appointment with the doctor to have him check her medications to see if she needs to continue taking them. Mother was diagnosed with dementia/alzheimer 20 months ago and has no short-term memory. She has regressed to the 60's and 70's at the present time. Some of her medication is time-released. Cannot crush that medicine. Thank heavens this method is working for me. My mother is 85 and the other care-giver is 90 (stepfather). Obviously, I am in charge of medications and doctor appointments. Good luck and God Bless you all. Nancy D. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:55:10 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication/comments/ I totally agree with the comment about needing something like the patch. My friend has a cat with high blood pressure and she rubs a pharmacist-compounded medication in its ears every day. Something like that would require a daily visit to the dad by someone and the agreement of the patient, but if it's not in pill form, the dad might be more open to trying it because he wouldn't be experienced in resisting that new method. HandiAnn Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:29:08 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication/comments/ Alzheimer's patients often have trouble swallowing, as my 88-year-old mother does. I wish pharmaceutical manufacturers would take this into account and create patches similar to the ones that are used to dispense birth control and nicotine addiction meds. liu_fengxi Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:27:57 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication/comments/ crush the med and add to drink and/or food. Ricardo Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:13:46 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication http://www.caring.com/blogs/alzheimers-and-wont-take-medication/comments/ Yes, yes, yes! My mother is almost 83, with Alzheimer's, fibromyalgia, widespread arthritis, high blood pressure, a degenerating and twisted spine, macular degeneration, hearing loss, and a couple of mashed disks, all of which causes her immense pain and requires many medications. All 5 of her children who live in the area help care for her in her home, and we are constantly keeping an eye out for more information on anything that can help her. This blog will be a godsend! Thank you so much!!! beatbreastcancer Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:41:48 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/medical-advice-caregivers-health-assessments http://www.caring.com/blogs/medical-advice-caregivers-health-assessments/comments/ Excellent points all around! The only thing I didn't see addressed was the possibility that his BP might have been elevated due to anxiety (from away from home & familiar surroundings). As a critical care RN, this is something I see frequently in the elderly who suffer from dementia. Thanks doc for giving clearly written rationale and advice that is right on the money! Anonymous Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:02:10 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/medical-advice-caregivers-health-assessments http://www.caring.com/blogs/medical-advice-caregivers-health-assessments/comments/ Thank you Caring.com and Dr. Kernisan. I look forward to reading more that will help me, my mother and her doctor. Yellowrose Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:42:12 -0000 http://www.caring.com/blogs/older-patients-wiser-care/medical-advice-caregivers-health-assessments http://www.caring.com/blogs/medical-advice-caregivers-health-assessments/comments/