How informed are you about informed consent? It’s important for all of us to know the criteria used to determine a person’s ability to make important health care choices, and how that ability can impact their quality of life. This is especially true for individuals receiving hospice care. Learn more here from THE MEDICAL TEAM. Having the freedom to make our own choices is a vital component of our overall wellbeing. We may take for granted smaller decisions, such as when and what we want to eat, how we want to spend our time, what time to fall asleep and when to wake up; yet they become significant expressions of independence as we grow older. One decision that impacts us throughout our lifetime is the ability to rationally choose and make known our healthcare preferences. Known … [Read more...] about Better Hospice Care: Understanding Informed Consent
Expert Tips for Managing Multiple Chronic Health Conditions
Many older adults today face a variety of chronic conditions, including arthritis, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, COPD, Alzheimer’s disease – the list goes on and on. And for the majority of seniors, three or more concurrent health problems exist, making it challenging to effectively manage when factoring in multiple care providers, medications, and side effects. Health in Aging has put together a helpful resource for seniors and their caregivers to ensure optimum health. The professional senior care team at THE MEDICAL TEAM has summarized several important points: Communication and education are key. When diagnosed with a chronic health disease, both the senior diagnosed and his or her family caregivers should learn as much as possible about the condition, and put together a list … [Read more...] about Expert Tips for Managing Multiple Chronic Health Conditions
Adapting to Life with Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration can come on all of a sudden, with little warning signs or symptoms noted until the disease has progressed. While there is not yet a cure for the nearly 11 million people it impacts in the U.S., it’s encouraging to know there are steps that can be taken to slow the progression of the disease. For instance, the home care professionals at THE MEDICAL TEAM suggest the following: Know the signs. Understanding the most common and often innocuous symptoms of age-related macular degeneration can allow you to seek treatment sooner. Be on the lookout for: Blurring of words when reading printed material Vision problems when driving Requiring brighter light when reading or performing activities such as puzzles or knitting Distortions in vision such as … [Read more...] about Adapting to Life with Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Caring from a Distance: Home Care Tips for Long-Distance Caregivers
The world has become increasingly mobile, and it’s no longer the norm for extended families to remain together in the same communities. Career choices, preferred climates, and other factors often lead adult children to start new lives hundreds or even thousands of miles away from their childhood homes. Unfortunately, difficulties can arise as parents age and caregiving from a distance becomes a challenge. If you live at a distance from an older loved one there are a number of strategies you can implement to ease the burden of long-distance caregiving. THE MEDICAL TEAM, a provider of home health care solutions, offers the following suggestions: Plan ahead. Proactively planning for future needs is the best way to reduce stress and effectively manage those needs when the time comes. … [Read more...] about Caring from a Distance: Home Care Tips for Long-Distance Caregivers
Managing the Top 5 Chronic Diseases that Affect Seniors
Once 80% of seniors age 65 and older are diagnosed with at least one chronic condition, and nearly 70% living with two or more, it’s important to learn the best ways to manage the chronic diseases that are impacting the older adults in your life. THE MEDICAL TEAM’s in-home care experts are skilled and experienced in helping seniors live life to the fullest, even when chronic conditions are a factor, and offer the following helpful information for the most common ailments. Hypertension: Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is prevalent among seniors. Hypertension can lead to a heart attack or stroke, so it’s important to closely follow doctors’ orders to stabilize blood pressure levels, including taking medications exactly as prescribed, reducing intake of salt and alcohol, maintaining … [Read more...] about Managing the Top 5 Chronic Diseases that Affect Seniors
THE BEST WAYS TO ADVOCATE FOR HOSPITALIZED SENIORS
The stress of facing a hospitalization, whether planned, such as for a surgical procedure, or unexpected from sickness, a fall, or other injury, can be greatly reduced when a caring advocate is by a senior’s side. The senior care specialists at THE MEDICAL TEAM share the following tips to help hospitalized seniors, and those who care for them, experience a more comfortable hospitalization experience. Provide Comfort. Equipping the senior with some of the comforts of home can help transform the sterile hospital environment into one that’s soothing and more familiar. Consider bringing along the person’s blanket, robe, and slippers, a portable CD player and some favorite music, books, personal toiletry items, and a framed picture. Be Informed. Helping to keep track of medications the … [Read more...] about THE BEST WAYS TO ADVOCATE FOR HOSPITALIZED SENIORS