Archive for Seniors Should Know
Prescription Drug Interaction: Things YOU Can Do
One in 25 older Americans (about 2.2 million) take drugs in potentially harmful combinations. Don’t be one of them!
Know the Ingredients
The National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) recommends knowing the active ingredients in the medicines you take. For instance, over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers commonly contain one or more of four different pain relief ingredients—aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen and acetaminophen. A number of prescription and OTC multi-symptom cold and flu medicines contain these same active ingredients.
You should avoid combining medicines with the same active ingredients, as this could lead to an overdose of the ingredient.
Take Steps to Prevent Interactions
On its website, BeMedWise.com, the NCPIE provides advice on preventing drug interactions, such as:
- Give each of your doctors a complete list of all the prescription and OTC drugs, herbal products and supplements you are taking.
- Read and follow label directions exactly, taking no more than the recommended amount.
- Ask a doctor or pharmacist any questions you may have about a medication before taking it, such as whether the medication interacts with food.
- Choose an OTC medication that will treat only the symptoms you have.
- Be cautious when taking more than one OTC drug concurrently as they may contain the same active ingredients, giving you more than the recommended dose.
- Do not combine nonprescription drugs, herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements with prescription medications without consulting your doctor.
- Do not use medicines after their expiration date.
- Use the same pharmacy for all prescriptions to avoid being given medications that have adverse interactions.
Resources
Drug Interactions Checker at Drugs.com
RxList: The Internet Drug Index
Let Us Hear From You!
Have you experienced complications from prescription or OTC drug interaction? Do you research your medications online? If you are an in-home caregiver, how do you ensure your clients avoid harmful drug interactions?
photo credit: Instant Vantage
Part 1: Things to Know About Prescription Drug Interaction
Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.
Prescription Drug Interactions: Things to Know
Prescription Medications Are Not the Only Cause of Drug Interactions
As seniors, you are at a greater risk of drug interactions than the general population because you typically take more medications. Taken in certain combinations, drugs can interfere or interact with one another, altering their effectiveness in controlling symptoms and improving health. In some cases the results can be life-threatening.
A University of Chicago Medical Center study published in the Dec. 24-31, 2008, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that more than half of American seniors take five or more medications or supplements. The study further found that at least one in 25 older Americans—about 2.2 million—take drugs in potentially harmful combinations.
The problem of medication interactions does not involve only prescription medications. The study found that about half of the interactions involved over-the-counter (OTC), or nonprescription medications. Herbal medications, supplements and vitamins—and even some foods and beverages—also interact with drugs to alter their performance.
Prescription Drugs and Nonprescription Products
The following are just a few examples of how nonprescription products can interact with prescription drugs for unhealthy results:
- Taken separately, aspirin and warfarin help prevent blood clots from forming. Taken together, they may cause excessive bleeding.
- Decongestants, found in many OTC cold remedies, may increase blood pressure of people taking anti-hypertension medications or MAO inhibitors, a type of antidepressant.
- Certain antacids can diminish the effectiveness of many medicines, such as antibiotics and heart medications, by preventing them from being absorbed into the blood stream.
Prescription Drugs and Food
Food can also alter the effectiveness of medication. The National Council on Patient Information and Education cites examples:
- Dairy products, antacids and vitamins containing iron can slow the body’s absorption of antibiotics into the bloodstream and thus diminish their effectiveness.
- Grapefruit and grapefruit juice block enzymes that metabolize certain drugs, thus making them less effective. Drugs affected by grapefruit include some blood pressure-lowering medications, some cholesterol drugs, the antihistamine terfenadine, and cyclosporine, a drug taken to prevent organ transplant rejection. Pomelo and Seville oranges can cause similar effects.
If you do not know whether any of your medications interacts with foods, ask your doctor or pharmacist
Let Us Hear From You!
Have you experienced complications from prescription or OTC drug interaction? Do you research your medications online? If you are an in-home caregiver, how do you ensure your clients avoid harmful drug interactions?
photo credit: RambergMediaImages
Part 2: Things You Can Do to Prevent Interaction
Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.
Prostate Cancer: Awareness & Risk Factors
September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and we will be looking at how this disease affects seniors — from detection to treatment to the search for a cure.
With over 200,000 estimated new cases in the U.S. in 2010, chances are you know someone affected by prostate cancer. Below you will find information and resources to help you better understand this disease, both its causes and effects.
What is Prostate Cancer?
The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. It’s about the size of a walnut and is surrounded by other glands, nerves, and organs involved in sexual function. It’s possible to live without a prostate, but its location makes the cancer difficult to treat.
Prostate cancer forms in the tissues of the prostate, and usually develops in men over the age of fifty. Most prostate cancer is typically slow-growing (when compared to other types of cancer) and often symptom-free, so it’s important to be aware of the risk factors and methods for early detection.
Who is at Risk?
All men are at risk, simply because they are men, and one in six men will get prostate cancer in his lifetime. In general, men should start being tested at age 45. If one or more of the following risk factors applies, aside from age, you should start being tested at age 40.
- Age: Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 50 years of age. The chance of developing it increases as men get older.
- Family History: A man whose father, brother, or son has had prostate cancer has a higher-than-average risk.
- Race: African-American men are more likely than white men to develop prostate cancer.
- Diet and Obesity: A diet high in dairy foods and calcium may cause a small increase in the risk of prostate cancer. Obese men (with a body mass index of over 32.5) are 33 percent more likely to die from prostate cancer if diagnosed.
- Chemical Exposure: People exposed to certain chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides may have higher than average rates of prostate cancer. Veterans exposed to herbicides like Agent Orange may be at higher risk as well.
Talk to your doctor or other health care professional about how you might lower your risk of cancer!
For More Information:
ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer
Presidential Proclamation of National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Let Us Hear From You!
Have you or a loved one been affected by prostate cancer? What are some of the challenges in treatment and recovery? Have you been a caregiver for a senior with prostate cancer? If you are a man over 50, have you been tested?
Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.
Osteoporosis Prevention:
Strategies for Maintaining Strong, Healthy Bones
A variety of preventive health strategies helps slow and lessen the effects of osteoporosis, the natural weakening of bones that occurs as we age and can result in debilitating injuries when coupled with accidental falls.
The Extent of the Disease
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans. That is 55 percent of the 50 and over population. With the average age of Americans continuing to increase, the impact of osteoporosis is rising. Already it accounts for an estimated 1.5 million fractures a year—primarily involving the hip, vertebral and wrist bones.
About 10 million Americans already have the disease and an estimated 34 million have low bone mass, increasing their risk for osteoporosis. The NOF reports that the monetary cost of this disease was estimated between $12 and $18 billion in 2002—not counting decreased productivity.
After the age of 50, women have a 50 percent chance of suffering an osteoporosis fracture. The risk increases dramatically after the first occurrence. While less likely to suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture, men have a higher incidence of mortality within one year after a fracture than women.
Prevention and Treatment Options
The cost of osteoporosis can be high, so the benefit of preventing and treating the disease can be great. Here are some leading options:
Medications: Current osteoporosis drugs block the effect of bone-destroying cells that increase in number as we get older. The FDA is reviewing a new experimental compound—Denosumab—that, in contrast, helps prevent the formation of the harmful cells in the first place.
Time magazine in a December 8, 2009 article, “Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs,” states that two studies have shown Denosumab to be effective in preventing fractures in the two largest at-risk populations for osteoporosis, postmenopausal women and men in treatment for prostate cancer. Research, though, has yet to show how effective it is compared to osteoporosis drugs already on the market, such as Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel and Reclast.
These products belong to a group of drugs called bisphosphonates. According to the Mayo Clinic(link to: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/osteoporosis/DS00128/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs), these drugs, much like the female hormone estrogen, can inhibit bone breakdown, preserve bone mass, and even increase bone density in the spine and hip, reducing the risk of fractures.
Other drugs include Raloxifene (Evista), which also mimics estrogen’s positive effects on bone density; Calcitonin, a hormone produced by the thyroid gland that may slow bone loss; Teriparatide (Forteo), a powerful drug that stimulates new bone growth.
Talk with your physicians about these drugs, their benefits and their side effects to help determine if any may be effective and safe for you.
Hormone therapy: Estrogen therapy is generally not the first choice for maintaining bone density due to the availability of other options and the increased risk of blood clots, breast and endometrial cancer, and heart disease.
Diet: The amount of calcium our bones require from food and supplements changes as we age, according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM). It rises from 210 to 270 milligrams a day during the first year of life and peaks at 1,300 mg. from ages 9 to 18 before declining to 1,000 mg. from 19 to 50 and rising to 1,200 at age 51 and up.
Natural sources are dairy products, almonds, broccoli, spinach, cooked kale, canned salmon with the bones, sardines and soy products. Those who have trouble getting adequate calcium from their diet may consider supplements, but the IOM recommends limiting total calcium intake to 2,500 mg. a day.
Vitamin D is also essential to bone health. Many people get adequate amounts from sunlight. But that is not always possible in high latitudes or if you are housebound, regularly use sunscreen or stay out of the sun to reduce risk of skin cancer. Vitamin D is available in oily fish and egg yolks. If this does not provide enough, a good alternative is Vitamin D supplements or calcium supplements that include vitamin D.
Related to what you put in your body: do not smoke and limit alcohol consumption. Smoking increases bone loss as it may inhibit production of estrogen and reduce absorption of calcium in the intestine. Consumption of more than two alcoholic drinks a day may decrease bone formation and reduce calcium absorption.
Physical therapy and exercise: Often used in combination with medications and other therapies, physical therapy can help improve bone strength, posture, muscle strength and balance–and make falls less likely. Exercise also reduces risk of falling. A lifetime of exercise is the ideal, but you can realize benefits no matter when you start (however, see your doctor before you do begin). For the best overall benefit, combine weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, and strength training with weights.
Preventing falls: In addition to exercise, you can reduce the risk of falls and broken bones by taking steps toward making your or your loved one’s home safer (see related article, “Turn Home Sweet Home into Home Safe Home,” for greater detail on fall prevention). This can start by checking for and removing hazards such as electrical cords, area rugs and slippery surfaces that might cause trips or falls. Also, improve lighting around your home and outside areas such as pathways or sidewalks.
photo credit: DoubleM2
Safety First: What do you know about Carbon Monoxide?
What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that is produced by the incomplete burning of various fuels, including coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, and natural gas.
Products and equipment powered by internal combustion such as portable generators, cars, lawn mowers, and power washers also produce CO. Too much CO is harmful and can result in death if too much CO is breathed.
Since you cannot smell or see carbon monoxide, you may not know you have been exposed. Symptoms can range from mild to moderate poisoning and are similar to flu symptoms. They may include:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Weakness
With high levels of carbon monoxide, the symptoms can be more severe and can result in death in minutes.
The symptoms may include:
- Mental confusion
- Vomiting
- Loss of muscular coordination
- Loss of consciousness
- Chest Pain
- Ultimately death
If you experience any of the above symptoms and think you have been exposed to carbon monoxide, you should:
Get fresh air immediately—open doors and windows, turn off appliances and leave the house. Call 911 from outside the exposure area, and seek emergency care – a blood test may be done to diagnosis exposure. Be prepared to answer questions for the physician.
These may include:
- Do your symptoms occur only in the house?
- Do they disappear or decrease when you leave the home?
- Is anyone else in your house complaining of the same symptoms?
- Do you use a fuel-burning appliance in the home?
- When was the last time your appliances were inspected?
- Are your appliances working properly?
If appliances that burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of carbon monoxide that is produced is usually not hazardous. Hundreds of people die accidentally every year because of malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning appliances. Carbon monoxide can be produced from idling cars and can cause accidental deaths as well.
Review the following DOs and Don’ts to preventing carbon monoxide poisoning:
- DO have your fuel-burning appliance inspected by a professional. Fuel-burning appliances include oil and gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, gas or kerosene space heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves.
- DO have appliances that vent fumes to the outside and are properly installed.
- DO read and follow the instructions for any fuel-burning appliance.
- DON’T idle your car in an enclosed area, such as inside an attached garage.
- DON’T use a gas oven to heat your home.
- DON’T use a charcoal grill indoors.
- DON’T sleep in a room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.
- DON’T use gasoline-powered engines in enclosed spaces. Gasoline powered engines include mowers, weed trimmers, snow blowers, chain saws, small engines and generators.
- DON’T ignore symptoms. You may lose consciousness and die if you do nothing.
It is sometimes hard to tell if someone has carbon monoxide poisoning, because the symptoms may resemble flu like symptoms. People who are sleeping or who are intoxicated can die before they have symptoms. A CO detector can warn you if you
have high levels of carbon monoxide in your home.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors are available through Safety Choice® by Comfort Keepers® and in stores and should be used when you have fuel-burning appliances in your home. You should not use the detector to give you a false security for not having your fuel-burning appliance properly inspected. Preventing CO in your home is better than relying on an alarm system to keep you safe.
You should never ignore an alarming CO detector. It is a warning that there is a potentially deadly hazard.
If the CO detector alarm goes off, you should:
- DO NOT TRY TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE CARBON MONOXIDE.
- Move immediately outside for fresh air.
- Call 911 and make sure everyone from the house is accounted for.
- Do not go back into your house until emergency services has determined it is safe for you to return.
- If the alarm was due to a malfunctioning appliance, make sure it is properly serviced before you attempt to operate.
Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.
photo credit: Victory of the People
There’s Personal Power in Powers of Attorney
By making a well-documented decision now—when you still can—you can avoid having a court name a decision-maker for you in the event an illness or accident were to keep you from speaking for yourself.
We all have the opportunity to complete any of a variety of powers of attorney, legal documents that put in writing our wishes as to how we would like our affairs managed, and by whom.
There are two primary types:
Power of Attorney
Through this, an individual, the “principal,” appoint one or more persons to act in his behalf as “agents” or “attorneys-in-fact.” A power of attorney can be “limited,” giving an attorney-in-fact very specific powers, such as closing the sale of a house or transferring the principal’s assets to a trust. Or it can be “general” in scope, authorizing an agent or agents to act in a variety of situations.
A power of attorney can be written to give the attorney-in-fact power as soon as the document is signed. Or you could choose a “springing” power of attorney, written to make the powers effective upon a specific future event, such as when the principal loses competency.
In some cases parents designate a child or other relative as attorney-in-fact to help manage finances or take care of property while they’re away on a trip or recuperating from an extended illness.
Health Care Power of Attorney
Also called a “durable power of attorney for health care,” this legal document authorizes a person of your choosing to make health care decisions for you when you are unable. The document takes effect only when you cannot make your own decisions regarding treatment. The document requires the person you appoint to make decisions that are consistent with your wishes. Open communication is important so all parties understand your wishes.
Many people choose to have both documents, as a living will applies only to end-of-life circumstances, while a health care power of attorney is intended to cover all other health care situations when you are unable to make decisions for yourself. Forms for both of these documents are generally available at health care facilities.
Although a lawyer generally is not required in the preparation of a power of attorney, legal counsel is recommended—to make certain the document complies with your state’s laws and will achieve the purposes you intend. For more information, visit the American Bar Association Web site, www.abanet.org, or that of your state bar association.
Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.
Being A Patient Advocate Can Make A Big Difference For Seniors
photo credit: MilitaryHealth
For any patient, a hospital stay can be overwhelming, filled with tests and procedures and doctors and nurses coming and going.
This whirlwind of medical activity can be especially distressing for elderly patients. However, a family member or caregiver who sits vigil bedside can calm a senior patient’s anxiety, both as a reassuring presence and as an advocate who makes certain that hospital staff respond effectively to the patient’s questions, needs and concerns.
An advocate can serve as a spokesperson and provide a second set of ears when a doctor or other medical professional explains procedures, tests, diagnoses or treatments. When the explanations aren’t clear, the advocate can follow up with questions. That is not easy for a patient to do when confined to bed.
And if there is not time at the moment, the advocate can set another time to meet with the doctor or nurse.
An elderly patient’s advocate also can help by providing at registration:
• A complete list of the patient’s prescription and over-the-counter medications, with dosages, frequency and start dates. (And the advocate can keep tabs on additional medications that are prescribed during the hospital stay, making sure the doctors are aware of the other drugs the patient is already taking.)
• Any known allergic reactions to medications
•The patient’s written medical history with a list of current medical providers’ phone numbers
The advocate’s role can be especially important when he or she holds medical power of attorney for the patient. Medical power of attorney allows the advocate, or another legally specified individual, to make decisions about the patient’s care if the patient is ever unable to. Families should always be encouraged to discuss ahead of time end-of-life decisions with one another, and set up living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care, to make certain their wishes are followed in the event of a medical crisis.
Also, an advocate can be there to observe any changes in the patient that may not be apparent to staff. After all, a family member or caregiver is very familiar with the individual, and better able to detect subtle changes than overworked hospital staff.
By being a good advocate, you can help relieve a person’s anxiety, confusion and feelings of helplessness in the hospital—and make sure he or she gets the best care possible.
Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.
Seniors Reap the Benefits of Volunteering
In-home care providers help senior citizens continue living independently in their own homes, assisting them with the routine tasks of homemaking and personal care. And that frees up more time for seniors to do the things they enjoy. More seniors are directing their interests and talents to volunteer opportunities. They are discovering great fulfillment and purpose in helping others.
At the same time, they are helping themselves. According to a study presented May 2, 2009, at the American Geriatrics Society annual meeting in Chicago, retirees over 65 who volunteer are living to an older age compared to their peers who do not volunteer.
The study, conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, and the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center, included 6,360 retirees who were enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study in 2002. The average age of the study subjects was 78.
Although that study did not examine the reasons for the health benefits of volunteering, other studies have. The Corporation for National and Community Service compiled findings of 30 such studies in a report, The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research. Among the findings:
• Volunteers have better social networks as they get out and interact with others
• Social engagement results in reduced stress
• Volunteering leads to a more active lifestyle—both physically and mentally—which reduces risk of chronic conditions, such as heart disease and depression
• An active lifestyle also helps boost the body’s immune system, protecting against infection and illness
• Volunteering builds self-confidence, self-worth and self-identity and proves to seniors and others that they still have much to offer.
More than 26 million senior citizens in the U.S. have already discovered the rewards of volunteering, from tutoring students to serving food in a soup kitchen, running a church rummage sale, recruiting donors for a blood drive or helping with a fund-raising campaign.
In addition to providing seniors the time to volunteer, in-home caregivers can transport seniors to volunteer sites. And for those who have difficulty getting out, volunteer organizations offer opportunities that seniors can do at home. These include knitting blankets for a fund-raising sale or to give to nursing home residents, cooking meals for church members who have just returned home from the hospital, or stuffing envelopes for a mailing.
The opportunities are practically endless. Schools, nonprofit organizations, churches, hospitals, nursing homes, animal shelters and even businesses all welcome volunteer help and value seniors’ experience. With so many ways to give to others and receive health benefits in return, it is time for seniors to find out how an in-home caregiver can help them find the time to volunteer.
At Comfort Keepers we seek to be a resource to you because we are Comfort Keepers caregivers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.
Advance directives: Planning for end of life
photo credit: LadyDragonflyCC
For some, end-of-life planning, or Advance Directives, is not a topic easily discussed, but like anything, education and candid discussion can help ensure that an individual’s wishes and treatment preferences are carried out the way he or she would want them to be. Take the steps to learn how you or someone you care for can prepare for death on personal terms. You can start by visiting www.caringinfo.org,a wonderful website that allows you to begin educating yourself on how to prepare for end-of-life-planning.
As you are reviewing the website and other documentation, make note of several general guidelines:
• State laws can vary considerably. If you have moved to a new state or are creating documentation for the first time, remember that the documentation is state-specific. Paperwork that may have been valid in one state may be invalid in another.
• Instructions should be in writing. Start with a living will that provides specific instruction to healthcare providers on the type of treatment you do or do not want.
• Assign a durable health power of attorney (DPOA). The person who represents you under the DPOA must be willing to follow your wishes and stand strong if disagreements arise.
• In addition to written instructions, have dialogue with your family, spouse, and physician so you have provided them first hand information on your wishes.
At Comfort Keepers we seek to be a resource to you because we are Comfort Keepers caregivers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.
Central Florida Seniors! Can you spot a con artist?
photo credit: DieselDemon
It’s not easy to spot a con artist, because they can be very smart, persuasive and aggressive. They can appear to be friendly and helpful to confuse the senior.
Most people think they are too smart to fall for a scam, but there are many people who have lost large sums of money to someone they thought they could trust.
Watch out for:
- Someone claiming that you owe them money for an item ordered by a deceased spouse.
- Ads on television, or in newspapers or magazines that offer quick cures for all kinds of diseases.
- Don’t fall for anything that sound too good to be true, such as free vacation, low-risk investments, and get rich quick schemes.
Protect yourself by:
- Keeping up to date on scams in your area. If you suspect any scams, call your local police department.
- Saying no and hanging up if someone on the telephone becomes assertive. You can end the conversation.
- Never giving a caller your credit card number, or social security number.
- Asking a friend or a family member their opinion on the offer.
- Join a Neighborhood Watch group.
If someone takes advantage:
- Don’t be embarrassed. Report them to the police, consumer protection office, district attorney’s office, or a consumer advocacy group.
- Your information will help catch the con artist and prevent others from being a victim
At Comfort Keepers we seek to be a resource to you because we are Comfort Keepers caregivers and we are here to help! Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 866-333-4737.
