- 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
Pain Medication at Home—Side Effects from Pain Medication
Constipation Pain medications containing narcotics usually affect the digestive system. But there are ways of dealing with the side effects, and they shouldn't prevent you from using a drug which successfully relieves pain. Constipation is a common problem. Stool softeners, laxatives, or enemas may be needed daily for as long as you receive the narcotic. Bulk laxatives (such as Metamucil®) are one type to avoid when taking narcotics; they may cause severe constipation rather than relieve it. Treating constipation should...Read the rest of this article »
Pain Medication at Home—Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Injections
Intramuscular Sites There are three common places for intramuscular injections. Here is how to locate them: 1. Upper outer portion of the buttocks. Divide one cheek of the buttocks with two imaginary lines into four sections, or quadrants. Choose the upper-outer quadrant for the shot, but avoid injecting near the major nerve and artery shown in the diagram. 2. The thigh. Choose a point on the outer surface, midway between the hip and knee. Check the diagram to see where...Read the rest of this article »
Pain Medication at Home—Controlling Pain
Telling your doctor that the pain medication "doesn't work" is the first step in taking control; but giving the doctor some specific details will help in finding a solution. The more information you can give your doctor, the better. Try asking yourself these questions: What does the pain feel like? Is it sharp, dull, intermittent, stabbing? Where is the pain? What makes the pain go away? Changing positions? A different activity? Medication? A back rub? A hot bath? How long...Read the rest of this article »
Bowel and Bladder Care
Becky Moore, R.N. This section talks about some of the problems you may have at home with your bowel movements and bladder control. This is a subject that few people discuss openly; it is one that many people don't even think about consciously. But now, after your hospital stay and your treatments, you may be experiencing some discomfort with these functions. The two main difficulties with the bowels are: Constipation—irregular and infrequent bowel movements;Diarrhea—unusually frequent bowel movements which are...Read the rest of this article »
Administering Pain Medication at Home
Lizabeth Light, B.S.N. Worried About How to Deal with Pain at Home? Patients about to go home from the hospital are often worried about how to deal with pain. (These fears are also felt by patients who are not in pain or whose pain is occasional.) If they are being given medication by their nurses and doctors to relieve pain, they often wonder: "Who will give me the medicine at home?" "What if I run out of medicine?" "Suppose I...Read the rest of this article »
