By Richard Ueberfluss There is a new study out that suggests that 12 percent of drugs doctors prescribe are for uses other than those approved by regulators. These are known as “off-label” since they are not prescribed for certain conditions for which they are being prescribed. While this doesn’t always mean a negative outcome, patients should be encouraged to ask…
Visit any family caregiver website and you will find an abundance of statistics proving that family caregivers are not alone, that care giving is difficult, and that if caregivers follow their general suggestions, “Make time for yourself,” you will be OK. Family caregivers average 21 hours per week providing care to needful loved ones and as time passes, additional hours…
Physical therapy is just one of the many pain control options offered by specialists today. Although older adults are more likely to experience pain, it is not a “symptom” of aging, and it should not be accepted as inevitable. Unfortunately, pain has often been undertreated in older adults, but pain relief is an essential part of good healthcare. Untreated pain…
According to Nurses.com, the CDC issued a new report on ER visits by people 65 and older, stating that 511 people per 1,000 in that age group visited an ER during the two-year period spanning 2009-10. Among people 85 and older, 832 per 1,000 visited an ER during the study period. The numbers of ER visits by nursing home residents…
One of our primary responsibilities as home aides is to prevent loved ones from requiring hospitalization. Hospitalizations add great stress and discomfort to seniors, and now there is new evidence that the risk of infection rises when a senior requires hospitalization. In fact, roughly 45 percent of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are in patients older than 65, according to Thomas File,…
