What services are available for elderly people who have had a stroke?
Q: What at-home services are provided for elderly people who have had a slight stroke and what is the cost?
Dr. Amy: There are a range of services for people who have survived a stroke. The services that are needed should be discussed while the stroke survivor is still in the hospital. These will vary depending on the nature and severity of the stroke. There is an excellent booklet published by the US Agency for Health Care Research and Quality that was written to help people who have had a stroke achieve the best possible recovery.
This booklet outlines the services that are available to stroke survivors, and where you can go for more information. It addresses topics like stroke rehabilitation and its goal is to help the person who has had a stroke achieve the best possible recovery. Its purpose is to help people who have had strokes and their families get the most out of rehabilitation.
Seniors who make use of internet blogging can get many benefits from spending some time on the internet. There are some interesting and humorous blogs out there that have been written by seniors. These blogs will usually contain information on a topic that is of interest to many other seniors, so those who read and respond to the blog can interact with others and learn from other senior experiences.
1. Blogging can be a great thing for seniors. It allows them to express their thoughts and feelings and it is a great way to reach out to other seniors. Many seniors even develop friends through blogs by getting responses to a topic they have posted and discussed.
2. Some of the most common blogs by seniors include information on health issues and conditions. These can be a wealth of information, especially for seniors who are dealing with the same health problems.
3. Some of the blogs are geared towards seniors who have recently retired. Here, seniors can meet others who are at the same point in their lives and discuss different things that happen when one retires.
4. More seniors are becoming involved with blogs on the internet. The Ageless Project is a web page that contains a collection of blogs by seniors. This is a great way to express views and share some experiences that could make a difference in the lives of other seniors.
Source: http://jenett.org/ageless/
Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.
Boston Aging Care enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.
Cancer prevention is an important concern for all seniors. Most seniors already have various health issues they are dealing with, so cancer is always a fear. There are some things that seniors can do to prevent the risk of developing certain cancers. The list of tips provided below can help seniors take preventative steps to avoid cancer.
1. Make sure to have cancer screenings every year, no matter what age you are. These screenings are usually for cervical, colorectal and breast cancer.
2. Detecting the disease early is the best way to control cancer. The sooner it is detected, the sooner a treatment can begin, limiting the spread of cancer and allowing senior patients to control the disease.
3. Obtain routine medical care. This is one way to avoid cancer. Seniors should try to avoid smoking, drinking and excessive exposure to the sun.
4. Having a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight are also ways to prevent the development of cancer. Seniors should have a diet that is rich in vegetables and fruits.
5. The risks of some cancers can be reduced by receiving a vaccine. A hepatitis B vaccine can reduce the chances of liver cancer. The HPV, or human papilloma virus, vaccine can reduce risks of cervical and vaginal cancers.
We’ve all been there, rolling our eyes when our dentist tells us we’re not brushing or flossing well enough despite our best efforts. It may seem like no matter how impeccable we think our oral hygiene is, we can never do our dentist proud; but research shows there might be a good reason that our dentists harp at us. Oral hygiene can affect more than just our teeth, it can actually help us to live longer. It seems that inflamed gums from improper cleaning can release bacteria in the bloodstream that can increase our risk of heart attack and stroke. Don’t let poor oral hygiene cut your life short, follow these steps and do your dentist proud!
Brushing
1. Brush at least 2 times daily to prevent tooth decay and decrease periodontal disease through the removal of plaque from the teeth and gums
2. Use a soft bristled toothbrush
3. Make sure you brush the top (biting) teeth and the tongue
4. Use a soft massaging motion, paying special attention to the teeth that touch the tongue
Flossing
1. Floss at least once daily to remove plaque and food from between the teeth
2. Use waxed floss, and take a stand of at least 18 inches long when ready to start
3. Use your thumbs and forefingers to control the floss
4. Move the floss back and forth between the teeth
5. Rub the floss up and down along the outside surface of the teeth; from the gums downward
It’s hard to maintain a positive outlook when it feels like the walls are caving in around you, and it can feel like that is happening as you enter into older adulthood and begin to lose your health and even some of the people that you love. It may seem like an impossible time for Boston seniors to remain positive, but according to a recent study, simply thinking positive can improve overall happiness, since what we do with our brains can have an impact on happiness by up to 40%. Despite how hard it may be, seniors can make an effort to be positive in older adulthood with these 5 steps:
1. Make the time – even spending only a half an hour a day thinking about kindness and compassion can improve your overall level of happiness
2. Use verbal affirmations everyday – a verbal affirmation is simply voicing a positive thought or statement out loud. Seniors who are feeling lonely can say “I have a family who loves me and that I love more than everyone”, or that “better health will come my way”. Thinking about these things positively rather than negatively can help make them come true or change your feelings about them in any case!
3. Use positive language – just using positive words can make us happier, whether or not we actually believe them
4. Create positive images – surround yourself with positive images, of pictures of family and friends, post inspirational messages around your home or other images that keep you thinking positively
5. Be thankful – focus on being thankful for the things that you have; saying it out loud 50 times a day can make you feel grateful and it will help you start everyday out on the right foot
What exactly is Swine Influenza? Learn the facts about the virus that’s catching the
attention of the news media and concerned citizens all over the US from The Center of
Disease Control and Prevention website and share your thoughts.
1.) How should this outbreak be handled?
2.) What can adults and seniors do to prevent exposure?
Senior depression is an unfortunate reality of getting older for many seniors. After witnessing many drastic changes and tragedies throughout the later years of their lives, it’s no surprise that seniors may struggle with their morale. However, that doesn’t mean that we as friends, family members, and caregivers of seniors have to stand by idly and let a senior suffer with depression in silence; we can step in and help boost their morale by making a positive impact on their lifestyle.
4 Ways to Boost Senior Morale:
1) Encourage physical activity – exercise releases hormones which can help stave off depression. Instead of sitting around at home during a visit with a senior, go out for a walk or pick another activity that’s well suited to the senior’s physical capabilities.
2) Create social situations – the best way to boost senior morale and prevent loneliness is to get them involved in social situations. Invite your senior to a party or encourage them to join a social activity.
3) Help maintain a healthy diet – studies have proven that a well-balanced diet can prevent depression, so keep your senior’s fridge well stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables.
4) Offer support – if your efforts just don’t seem to boost your senior’s morale or they continue to struggle with elderly depression, make sure they know you are willing to listen to anything on their mind. If they aren’t comfortable talking with a friend or family member, encourage them to speak with a counselor or join a support group for seniors.
As a family caregiver, one of the best ways to prepare for the safety and comfort of your aging family member is to think about caregiving proactively. Many in-home accidents occur when families and seniors exercise reactive versus proactive thinking. Instead of reacting to potential hazards after accidents have already happened, caregivers need to think proactively and anticipate potential dangers to seniors that are present in their home, by installing safety equipment, removing tripping hazards, and evaluating the day-to-day tasks that are difficult for a senior independently.
However, proactive thinking by a caregiver doesn’t have to stop at home safety; even before your elderly family member reaches a stage where home care, family caregiving or residence in a long-term care home is needed, family members can be proactive and begin to discuss the senior’s wishes with regards to care assistance. When involved with the care decisions of an elderly parent, you can learn what role they would like you to play in a crisis and you can assist them in preparing the necessary legal paperwork required for making senior medical decisions. As family caregivers and concerned family members, it is our job to help plan for our seniors’ futures; by arming ourselves with knowledge and thinking proactively, we can ensure that they receive quality caring throughout their elder years.
For many Boston seniors, their necessary prescription drug costs can be as great as half of their annual incomes, but by investing in prescription drug cards some of the financial burden of their medications can be alleviated without ever having to sacrifice healthcare. However, for many of these programs, offered primarily by major pharmaceutical companies, the discount available varies for each prescription medication and ranges anywhere from a 1% to 20% savings; which forces seniors to pay into multiple discount card programs and shop around for the best price every time they are ready to fill a prescription.
According to an examination completed by Susan Dentzer for NewsHour, by making use of multiple prescription drug programs, an elderly couple with senior drug costs of $16,000 per year could save anywhere from $500 to $1,600 per year. The discount may seem insignificant when compared to the total annual drug cost, however, the annual savings can add up to a substantial nest egg for seniors who feel the efforts are worth the prescription savings. Recently, a $4 discount prescription program was released by Walmart; to offer even more substantial drug savings for seniors, with hundreds of prescription drugs available at $4 for a 30-day supply.
Seniors can benefit from using discount prescription drug programs, including Medicaid’s prescription subsidies for the elderly who have reached their $4,000 quota. However, the US still has a long way to go to catch up to other countries, like Canada, which have provincial drug subsidy programs automatically available to all senior residents who face the financial reality of retirement.
Prescription costs for seniors without healthcare and prescription coverage may find that their medication costs make up a substantial part of their daily living expenses, and during the recession an increased number of seniors may be choosing to go without their required medication to keep money in the bank.
According to a study completed by The Society of General Internal Medicine in 2001, pre-recession 8% of seniors were not taking some or all of their prescribed medication, as a result of the costs, when paying out of pocket without prescription coverage. With the Commonwealth Fund projecting that healthcare costs for seniors will be as great as $5,000 by 2011; funding medical and senior prescription costs is becoming increasingly more unaffordable for seniors without benefits living on a fixed income. During these tough recessionary times, many elderly people may be more fearful that their retirement income will not last; so they might be hesitant about taking on even necessary medical costs like prescriptions. According to Kenneth Schafermeyer, Director of Graduate Studies at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy “for some [seniors], it’s either eating, or paying the mortgage, or paying for healthcare” and that is an unfortunate reality of the economic situation today. Seniors are forced to make tough decisions that impact both their health and their livelihood.
What services are available for elderly people who have had a stroke? 
