Guest Post: How to Prevent Medical Emergencies [Infographic]

ReviewsBee Staff

Health or medical emergencies can be frightening. An emergency can occur anywhere... at home, in the grocery shop, or while travelling. A number of steps can be taken to prevent medical emergencies, however.

Getting a medical alert system is one of the simplest, yet most effective approaches to preventing common emergencies. Here are a few others to consider...

ReviewsBee is a leading website that brings unbiased research from various expert and consumer review sources.

Guest Post: Tips for Last Stage Caregiving

By Daniel Lewis

In the final phase of a terminal disease, caregiving priorities begin to change. Rather than focus on curative measures, the caregiver has to start emphasizing palliative care in order to relieve symptoms, pain and emotional distress. Making sure that the final months of an aging parent or relative’s life are as comfortable as possible can be especially challenging. Here are a few tips to help make last stage caregiving less painful for you and your loved one.

Understanding What Last Stage Care is All About
One of the hardest parts of “being there” for a caregiver is acknowledging that there’s no coming back. No magic cure will save your elder from cancer or dementia, for example. The best thing that you, as a caregiver, can do is to make peace with the thought that, at some point, your loved one will pass away. Yet, even if they only have a few months or days to live, it’s vital to provide them with the best possible care.

It’s simply not possible for a family caregiver to be a “lone wolf” during this time. Trying to care for someone on your own at this point can actually do more harm than good. Thankfully, medication and complex treatments facilitated by hospice providers and palliative care specialists are available to ease physical pain and other discomforts, such as nausea, constipation or shortness of breath.

Identifying the Type of Care Needed
There’s no starting point for beginning end-of-life care, as this typically varies from individual to individual. For example, patients struggling with Alzheimer’s disease go through multiple stages over many years. They usually come in the doctor’s office perfectly cogent; they’re being explained what the illness will do to them and then they’re offered advice on care options. It could be years before the full impact of the illness is felt or it becomes a life-limiting condition.

While there’s no magical recipe to ease the journey, it is still important to have a conversation with your loved one and make sure they understand what steps you are taking to make them feel better. Believe it or not, this is the right approach. You wouldn’t want to give them false hope.

Caregiver and Patient Needs
Practical assistance and care are extremely important in patients with terminal diseases. The caregiver must make sure that the patient’s needs are being addressed. If they can’t walk, sit, eat or talk anymore, the caregiver must be prepared to deal with these issues and reach out for assistance, if need be. It is equally important to make sure that your parent or relative feels comfortable, regardless of their situation. Helping them maintain a sense of dignity is critical. Their memory and cognitive functions may be impacted, or their communication skills may be limited, but this doesn’t mean that they’re no longer able to feel.

Planning for End-of-Life
Nobody is truly prepared to lose a loved one to a terminal disease or old age. However, this is part of the circle of life. Take the time to talk to family members about saying your goodbyes. Work on making peace with the inevitable. And, begin making final arrangements for your loved one, as difficult as it may be. 

Knowing that you made your loved one feel loved during the last stages of life can make letting go just a little easier for everyone.

Daniel Lewis writes about health and fitness-related issues. He has a deep knowledge of the field and is a regular contributor to http://www.foresthc.com/, which focuses on elder care homes and retirement villages in the UK.

Guest Post: Is Homecare the World's Fastest Growing Industry? [Infographic]

By Alice Lucey
Be Independent Home Care

The homecare industry in the United States is booming, to put it mildly. The elderly population is due to reach almost 84 million by the end of this year, bringing with it an increase in healthcare professionals at a growth rate six times higher than the national average.

Despite this surge in the supply of fully qualified healthcare workers, there is still a considerable struggle to meet the escalating demands for homecare across the country.

Another contributor to the upsurge in demand for such services is the increase in life expectancy of the general population. People in the present day are living longer than ever before, meaning that elderly people will require care for a longer period of time.

Also, the longer a person lives, the greater the care they need, which is why there are far fewer family caregivers now than there had been 25 years ago. This infographic specifically examines the state of the U.S. homecare industry, and where it is likely to go in the near future.

The need for healthcare professionals has never been greater, but tighter regulations surrounding the qualifications for such a role could shut out a number of capable caregivers, who may not hold the necessary paperwork to hold down a full-time occupation in the role. This could have devastating results for families that require significantly more assistance for their elderly loved ones.

Be Independent Home Care, based in Ireland, provides one-on-one assistance and support to elderly clients in their own homes, helping them maintain their independence and individuality. Click here to learn more about opportunities within the field.

Guest Post: Infographic on Respite Care

By Helen O'Keefe

Home Care Plus

Home Care Plus is a private home care company based in Ireland, providing both long-term and short-term care to people of all ages. Its services include home help (running errands, companionship, light household chores), personal care (hygiene, getting into and out of bed, moving around), 24-hour live-in care, respite care to allow volunteer carers some much-needed rest, and palliative care to focus on relieving the suffering of patients.

For more information about how Home Care Plus could help with respite care, please visit http://www.homecareplus.ie./palliative-care.

Guest Post: 5 Tips to Make Living with Arthritis Easier

By Patient Handling

Living with arthritis isn't easy, particularly for a busy caregiver. Whether you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or another form of the condition, even the simplest of everyday tasks can be difficult and extremely painful to complete.

Thankfully, there are ways you can make your life more manageable if you suffer from arthritis, aside from any prescribed medications. To cope best, you may want to aim for a holistic approach to your health and avoid stress, as this causes arthritis to worsen due to increased tension (and inflammation) in the body.

Here are five ways people with arthritis can make their lives easier.

1. Daily Living Aids
The range of arthritic aids now available is vast. These daily living aids are designed specifically to assist people with arthritis to continue to do the tasks they are used to doing, without putting added pressure on joints. Arthritic living aids can be incorporated into all aspects of your daily routine. For instance, kitchen aids include adapted knives, eating utensils and a special tool to help you open jars. Other aids for the office, bathroom, car and garden can also be found.

2. Exercise
Mild to moderate exercise is now considered the best non-drug treatment for both pain reduction and improved movement in people with arthritis. Types of exercise you could include in your routine are:

• Range of motion/flexibility exercises, such as gentle stretching, to take joints through their full span;
• Aerobic/endurance exercise, such as walking, jogging, cycling or swimming, to increase stamina and strengthen the heart and lungs;
• Strengthening exercises, to help maintain and improve muscle strength, ultimately better supporting joints affected by arthritis; and
• Aquatic exercise, to help relieve the pressure of your weight on affected joints and assist with pain.

3. Relaxation Methods
Many people with arthritis report finding some relief via a variety of methods designed to promoted relaxation. These include having massages, putting aside regular time slots in which to rest and practice relaxation and/or breathing techniques, taking a course of acupuncture, trying Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) therapy or hypnosis.

4. Nutrition and Diet
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important for everyone, but if you have arthritis, you may want to take extra care and eat appropriately from each of the five main food groups. This will ensure you have all the nutrients your body needs, as well as help you to maintain a healthy weight. Foods containing Omega-3 may help relieve inflammation, particularly in rheumatoid arthritis. If you are overweight, you will definitely benefit from losing a few pounds, as being too heavy increases the strain and stress on your joints.

5. Joint Care
With arthritis, it's especially important to be self-aware. Conserve energy by completing everyday tasks in ways that reduce stress. Listen for signals indicating your body needs rest and pace yourself. If you complete an activity and find yourself in pain for two hours, do a little less of that activity next time. Be aware of how you position your body. Avoid positions that increase stiffness or involve using a tight grip. Utilize your largest and strongest joints wherever possible (i.e., carry a bag with a strap across the shoulder and back, rather than carrying a bag).

Patient Handling, based in Australia, specializes in rehabilitation and daily care aids for both individuals and medical facilities.

Infographic: Understanding Chronic Conditions...Diabetes

By Danika Kimball

Recent reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 29 million people in the United States are living with diabetes. If current trends continue, an estimated 1 in 3 people will develop Type 2 diabetes by 2050. An additional 86 million adults are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, and without weight loss efforts 15 to 30 percent of these individuals will develop the condition within 5 years.

With the number of people diagnosed with diabetes expected to rise, it’s important that caregivers understand and know how to treat loved ones with the chronic condition. This infographic, courtesy of the College of Nursing at the University of Arizona, explores the different types of diabetes, their prevalence in the United States, as well as ways to prevent and treat the condition.

Guest Post: Elderly Depression: A Serious Public Health Concern

By Daniel Lewis

Depression is the state of a person feeling dejected, sad or anguished. It can cause a loss of self-esteem and leave someone feeling useless and unimportant. Many seniors are seriously affected by depression, according to surveys carried out by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Senior Depression and Illness

Out of the estimated 6 million elderly people living with depression in the United States, only about 10% have managed to get proper medical care. The impact of depression on the elderly can differ from that on younger generations. Studies have discovered a direct correlation between elderly depression and certain diseases. For example, heart attack has been linked with depression among the elderly in the U.S.

And, rates of depression are continuing to rise among those 65 and older, as people confront the loss of friends or a spouse, declining health, financial shortfalls and other challenges of growing older.

The way out of a depressive episode begins with the individual admitting that a problem exists. Unfortunately, overcoming the potential stigma of having a mental health issue can be too much for some. Statistics show that approximately one-fifth of suicides in the U.S. alone are among the elderly, with the majority of these deaths a result of untreated depression.

Complications Related to Depression

Insomnia is a common indicator of depression among the elderly. Many seniors don’t get enough physical activity in a day, and a sedentary lifestyle is known to contribute to a lack of sleep.

Withdrawing from friends and social interactions, as well as a loss of interest in activities that were once pleasurable, are other indicators of depression. Isolation further contributes to depression, and can lead to other health concerns. Over-consumption of alcohol, sometimes done to combat boredom or feelings of loss, can be especially dangerous for the elderly. Mixing alcohol and prescription medications can be fatal.

When depressed, seniors may have a lack of appetite. Over time, a decrease in body weight can allow the elder to become frail. This, in turn, leads to falls and fractures.

What Can You Do?

It is high time to start taking this disease seriously. If you’re noticing that your aging parent spends most their day inside, and they don’t interact with others like they once did, these are major red flags for depression.

First, urge your older loved one to consult with their physician; you may need to take them to the appointment and broach the subject. Medication may be necessary to get your loved one through this depressive episode.

Second, check on your loved one more frequently, if possible. Visiting with them, taking them out for walks or lending a hand with household chores could substantially lift their mood.

Third, make a point of helping them reach out to friends and other relatives. Having someone or something to look forward to can be life-changing for people of any age… especially seniors.

These small steps could make a big difference!

Daniel Lewis is interested in writing about health and fitness related issues. He has a deep knowledge at this field. He also writes for a site http://www.foresthc.com/ providing elder care homes and retirement villages.

Guest Post: Infographic to Better Understand Arthritis

By Helen O'Keefe
Home Care Plus

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints that causes intense pain and significantly inhibits a person’s mobility.

It is one of the most excruciating conditions that a person can suffer, and while there may be a perception that it is a disease exclusive to elderly people, the regrettable truth is that it affects people of all ages.

It is also frighteningly common – more than 1 out of every 5 American adults has been diagnosed with arthritis. That’s 52 million people, and it doesn’t count how many American children suffer from the condition.

Worse still, it is anticipated that this number will rise to 67 million in the next 15 years.

To the right, you will find both educational and practical information on some of the most common forms of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Each of these is explained in simple terms, with a series of likely causes and symptoms to help you identify which specific type is inflicting you.

The good news is that at least there are remedies for arthritis. These include losing weight, taking up non-strenuous exercises like yoga and swimming, and giving up smoking. 

If you, or sometime you love, is suffering from arthritis, we hope you find this infographic relevant and valuable. 






Home Care Plus is a private home care company based in Ireland, providing both long-term and short-term care to people of all ages. Its services include home help (running errands, companionship, light household chores), personal care (hygiene, getting into and out of bed, moving around), 24-hour live-in care, respite care to allow volunteer carers some much-needed rest, and palliative care to focus on relieving the suffering of patients.

For more information about Home Care Plus, please visit www.homecareplus.ie. You can also connect with the organization on Twitter (@Home_CarePlus).

Simple Ideas to Help Caregivers Get Active and Feel Better

Let’s explore some simple exercises for caregivers to get active.

In just 10-minute units, you can get out of that afternoon slump and start feeling better. Of course, check with your doctor to see what level and intensity of exercise is most appropriate for you. And don’t forget to cool down, and have a large glass of water after any physical exertion.

Here’s how it’s done. Health experts say we need to get 150 minutes or two-and-a-half hours of moderately intense exercise every week. That amounts to about 20 minutes a day. Why not try out some of the following, as recommended by the Harvard Women’s Health Watch? Or be creative, and line up your own favorite brief calorie burners. Keep in mind that some exercises require longer periods of time to gain the benefits.

1. Plant a garden (Calories burned in 10 minutes: 40 to 55). Digging, hoeing, weeding and carrying tools from house to garden really do burn calories. Also, consider this. It not only works the muscles and lifts the spirits, but a garden of fresh vegetables can provide the added benefit of promoting a healthy diet.

2. Walk the dog (Calories burned in 10 minutes: 40 to 50). Dogs make great exercise buddies, and dog owners are far more likely to meet the government’s physical activity recommendation than those who don’t have a dog. To gain maximum benefit, let your pet finish his “business,” before you start your exercise clock. And don’t forget: keep up a brisk pace to get the most out of dog walking.

3. Clean house (Calories burned in 10 minutes: 45 to 50). Housework may not be your idea of exercise, but you’d be surprised how using old-fashioned elbow grease can help you get fitter. Put aside the mechanical aids and go for the broom and mop. When washing the dishes, you can stand on one leg—then the other—to improve your balance. When you breathe deeply along with the exercise, you gain the additional benefit of relaxation.

4. Play with the children or grandchildren (Calories burned in 10 minutes: 40 to 60). Instead of passively reading a story or sitting on a park bench, try playing right along with the kids. Hide-and-seek, playing ball, pushing them on a swing and bustling around the park can be a bright spot in everyone’s day and get your heart rate going.

5. Walk the neighborhood (Calories burned in 10 minutes: 40 to 50). Nothing suits a busy caregiver better than moving outside for fresh air and sunshine. I guarantee it. You’ll feel rejuvenated and reinvigorated. You might want to plug in some music to give you an extra boost as you circle around your familiar territory.

6. Practice Yoga (Calories burned depend on the person and type of yoga; count on at least 100-plus per hour). When you talk with your friend about her yoga workout, she’ll rarely discuss weight loss or calorie burn. People flock to yoga for its mind/ body connection, the sense of oneness and ease you feel. It teaches us to listen to our bodies and naturally avoid unhealthy behaviors. That should be recommendation enough. Yoga need not be your sole means of exercise, though. If you have the time and motivation, try cycling, running or vigorous dancing. These burn a lot more calories per hour compared to yoga.

7. Swimming (Calories for one hour of laps: 476). If you can find a longer stretch of time during your day, you’ll discover swimming in your local pool to be an ideal exercise. It’s easy on the joints, strengthens your lungs and serves as a full-body, aerobic workout. What’s more, swimming is calming, counters daily stress and is especially refreshing during the warmer months of the year.

No matter your age, exercise helps keep your weight down and maintain good cardiovascular health.

Other reasons why you should get off the couch and try regular exercise include: (1) better overall health, (2) improved mood and (3) stronger bones. For older adults in particular, regular exercise reduces the risk of cognitive impairment and falling. If you can’t get out of the house or spend time away from your loved one, an exercise bike or mini stepper could be a lifesaver.

Start with those first steps: Get yourself in gear, and then stick with it!

Excerpt from The ABCs of Caregiving, Part 2: Essential Information for You and Your Family, available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com.