- Advanced Directives
- Dying with Dignity
- Hospice & Palliative Care: The Difference
- Hospitalization
- Injection How-to’s
- Living Wills
- Medicare & Hospice
- Pain Management
- Powers of Attorney
- Terminal Illness
- Aging in Place
- Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care at Home
- Bathroom, Eating & Drinking Aids
- Emergencies
- Hiring Homecare
- Hiring Home Health Care
- Home Modification
- Home Safety & Fall Prevention
- Hospital Discharge
- Housework, Dressing & Eating Tips
- Positioning & Exercises for the Bedridden
- Senior Driving Issues
What’s the Difference Between Hospice & Palliative Care?
American hospice service started with the Connecticut Hospice in March 1974. Today, there are over 2,884 Medicare-certified hospices, and an additional 200 volunteer hospices in the U.S., with as many as 1.5 million Americans seeking hospice treatment in recent years. As a program designed to facilitate “palliative” care for terminally ill patients and their families—many people wonder, what then is the difference between hospice and palliative care, or are they one in the same? While palliative care addresses patients...Read the rest of this article »
Skin Care Treatments and Solutions
Bedsore Causes, Prevention and Treatments If you have to lie immobile for long periods of time, you should pay special attention to the health of your skin, to prevent skin breakdown. Proper skin care helps to prevent pressure sores (bedsores) and will help you feel generally refreshed. Weight loss and the side effects of radiation or chemotherapy can lower your resistance to infections; and since infections can be very difficult to treat, the best thing is to prevent them. Skin...Read the rest of this article »
Massage Therapy Techniques
One of the most soothing treatments for anyone convalescing is massage. In Europe and other parts of the world it has always been held in high esteem and is used frequently to decrease pain and aid the healing process and rehabilitation. Massage therapy is an easy and practical way to relax not only the muscles but the entire person. It is a form of nonverbal communication between two people that gives a feeling of well-being and reassurance. For a...Read the rest of this article »
Pain Medication at Home—Top Do’s and Don’ts
Here is a brief list of Do's and Don'ts, which apply to you no matter which medicines you are taking for pain. DO'S Know the name, dosage and side effects, if any, of your medications. Have a responsible member of your family learn the timing of your medications and the way you take them. Follow the instructions on the label carefully. Many medicines for pain are ordered "PRN"; this means you take them "as needed"; take these medications BEFORE your...Read the rest of this article »
Pain Medication at Home—The Steps of Giving an Injection
Many medications come prepackaged, like Tubexes®. All you need to do is insert the cartridge into the holder and you are ready to inject. Other medications will need to be drawn from a vial. Here's how: 1. Check the label and calculate the dosage. 2. Swab the top of the vial with an alcohol wipe. 3. Pull the cover off the needle. Fill the syringe with air in the exact amount of the fluid you will withdraw from the vial....Read the rest of this article »
