Marlo Sollitto, Editor

Pneumonia is a major cause of mortality among seniors aged 65 and older. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more people die each year from pneumonia than from automobile accidents. Despite this fact, many elderly people and their caregivers don’t know all the facts about pneumonia, and as a result could be at serious risk.

Continue reading HERE

Visit us at www.gentog.com if you have questions, or are in need of help for an aging senior in the area.

‘Tough Love’ – Caregiving For Alzheimer’s Patients

It is an understatement to say that taking care of a loved one who is stricken with Alzheimer’s Disease, also known as ‘AD’, is a tough job.

(AD is an illness which results in the progressive loss of brain nerve cells, leading to a gradual decline of mental functions and is the most common cause of dementia).

AD is considered to be among the most stressful illness a family caregiver can face and one of the most physically and mentally exhausting situations in a person’s life.

Continue reading HERE.

(ARA) – Americans are taking a closer look at their own personal health and assessing changes they can make, as the topic of health care remains front and center. More and more, people are paying attention to the cost of prevention and care for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, as they have a high risk for health complications.

Diabetes now affects nearly 24 million people in the United States, an increase of more than 3 million in approximately two years, according to 2007 prevalence data estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If not controlled, diabetes in particular can lead to serious health complications including heart disease, blindness and kidney failure. That’s why it is extremely important to manage the disease on a daily basis.

To stay healthy and avoid potential consequences, people with diabetes can take steps every day to manage the disease. In addition to eating a balanced diet and exercising, this also involves monitoring blood glucose levels each day and seeing their physician regularly to check in and monitor their A1C levels – a test that provides a two to three month indication of average of blood glucose.

Fortunately, medical advances have made it easier for people with chronic illnesses, like diabetes, to closely monitor their health and better manage the disease, along with their healthcare providers. For example, years ago, people with diabetes relied on laboratory obtained tests to get a clinical measure of their A1C levels – a process that required a wait time.

Now patients can, for the first time, test their A1C at-home and get results within five minutes with Bayer’s A1CNow(R) SELFCHECK in between regularly scheduled doctor visits. This allows them to take a more active role in their diabetes over the long term, like modifying their diet and exercise, and have an informed discussion with their healthcare provider based on the results.

By working with their doctors on appropriate disease management, patients may see a reduction of their A1C level and subsequently reduce their risk for complications associated with diabetes. A 1 percent point reduction in A1C can reduce the risk of serious complications by 40 percent.

The A1CNow SELFCHECK allows patients to further participate in their diabetes care by monitoring their A1C levels in between physician visits. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends performing an A1C test at least two times a year in patients who are meeting treatment goals and have stable glycemic control. The ADA recommends quarterly testing (four times a year) for patients whose therapy has changed or are not meeting glycemic goals.

Clinical research and advancements in technology are helping people with diabetes manage the chronic condition to achieve long-term success until a cure for the disease is found. People with diabetes are encouraged to visit www.SimpleWins.com for more information on the tools and resources that can help them properly manage the disease and invest in their health.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

If you need help for an aging senior, visit us at www.gentog.com.

Who are America’s Family Caregivers?

Rosalyn Carter said it best: “There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers”. Caregivers are needed for family members of all ages. With appropriate information and support, family caregivers can help their loved ones across the lifespan.

So, who are family caregivers … It’s a complicated question and answers may vary depending upon whom you ask. Physicians may give an answer different from social workers and researchers may undoubtedly quote statistics. However, if you really want to know who America’s family caregivers are, you need to ask them directly.

Continue reading HERE.

Merry Sue will complete the Comprehensive Foot Exam form which you can provide to your healthcare provider for reimbursement. If you have specific concerns, please provide a note detailing them for Merry Sue.  She will respond accordingly.

We are very pleased to include Merry Sue on our Gentog team, and hope that you will find the service helpful.  If there are other services you’d like to see added at Gentog, please let us know.  We’re here for you!

Date: Friday, November 13th

Appointments: 45 minutes, scheduled between 8am and 2pm

Cost: $35, payable by check to Merry Sue Boggs

Schedule: Call Marcie at 503-639-2600 or email marcie@gentog.com

1st 4 hour visit free!

If your have not yet used our services, now is the time!  You may use this coupon on the day of the footcare clinic if you’d like…or use it any day during September 2009.  Please call 503-639-2600 to schedule your free visit.  We look forward to meeting you and your loved one!  Expires September 30, 2009.

As always, pay us a visit at www.gentog.com.

Signs of Caregiver Stress – Anxiety May Be the Worst

By Harriet Hodgeson

Taking care of my mother for nine years taught me about caregiver stress. My mother had progressive dementia and, as the years passed, she turned into a stranger. I didn’t know her any more. Though my husband often helped with caregiving tasks, most of the responsibilities were mine. Caregiving became a lonely experience.

“Many caregivers do most or all of the caregiving for a loved one alone,” according to the Elder Independence of Maine Website. The organization lists the warning signs of stress in its article, “The Stresses of Caregiving.” The signs of stress include denial, anger, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, sleeplessness, irritability, lack of concentration, and personal health problems.

The Alzheimer’s Association lists the same signs in a Website article, “Caregiver Stress.” According to the article, “Too much stress can be damaging to both a caregiver and the person with Alzheimer’s.” This comment also applies to those who are caring for someone with sudden or chronic illness. I had all of the signs of caregiving, but anxiety was the worst. My anxiety could be divided into four parts.

1. Financial anxiety. I moved my mother to Minnesota and found a senior housing apartment for her. After she moved in I discovered she had been defrauded of $50,000 and her remaining money was almost gone. But she continued to spend money at an alarming rate. In fact, she became an addictive spender. Needless to say, I worried about her spending constantly.

2. Behavior anxiety. My mother became an angry, unpredictable person. She had a fist fight with one of the senior housing residents and stole a teddy bear from another. She put a can of soda in the microwave and it caught fire and melted. She went for a walk, fell down and injured her shoulder so badly that surgeons had to install a new socket. “What will happen next?” became the question of the day.

3. Anticipatory grief anxiety. On a snowy, sub-zero night she called to tell me she was running away. Her plan was to return to Long Island and stay with friends. Unfortunately, all of her friends had died. So I called her doctor and he transferred her to nursing care. She lived there for several years and the day I dreaded finally came. My mother didn’t recognize family members or me. Each morning I wondered if this would be the day she died.

4. Personal anxiety. I was so immersed in caregivng that I didn’t take good care of myself. Physically run down, I was susceptible to colds, flu, and strep throat. During nine years of caregiving I gained 25 pounds. The weight gain was embarrassing and I wondered if I would be able to shed the extra pounds.

If you have several signs of stress, act on your behalf now. Don’t risk burn out. According to a WebMD article, “Heart Disease: Recognizing Caregiver Burnout,” caregivers who have burn out “may experience fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression.” Other signs of burnout include a lack of interest in activities, weight gain/loss, getting sick often, physical and emotional exhaustion.

To care for others you must care for yourself. Whether it is reading, listening to music, or going for a walk, try to do something for yourself each day. Difficult as it can be, caregiving is an expression of love, and you can give yourself credit for that.

Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson

Study Suggests Hairstylists Can Help Identify Senior Citizens in Need of Health Services

‘Hair stylists are in a great position to notice when their older clients are starting to suffer from depression, dementia, or self-neglect’

By Jeff Grabmeier

Hairstylists may have a unique opportunity to help steer their elderly clients to needed health services, according to a small, exploratory study.

Continue reading HERE.

Here is a great article I found from Senior Daily Living.  If you need help for an aging loved one in the area, visit www.gentog.com.

“We are fortunate for the advances in western medicine. It seems like there is a medication for every possible ailment threatening senior citizens. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs can treat diseases, minimize symptoms, and contribute to a longer, healthier life.”

“However, medication cannot be “taken lightly”, and is a more complicated issue than just swallowing pills.”

Continue reading HERE.

Here is a great article from Senior Daily Living.  Visit us at www.gentog.com if you need help with an aging loved one in the area.

Pets are healers.  The blind love and affection that animals can bring to their owners is like therapy.  They are friends, companions, and a three-ring circus-act all wrapped up in one.   Needing to take responsibility for another life brings meaning to one’s own life, and keeps one active and useful.

Continue reading HERE.

Here is a very helpful article for seniors with diabetes from Senior Daily Living.  Visit us at www.gentog.com if you need help in the area.

“Diabetes impairs the health and well-being of 16 million people in the United States, and senior citizens run a particular risk. Due to already existent challenges to their health and lifestyle, it is more difficult to diagnose seniors with diabetes. Often other illnesses can mask diabetic symptoms.”

“Seniors with diabetes run a greater risk of complications like heart disease, stroke, loss of limbs from poor circulation, kidney disease and even blindness.”

Continue reading HERE.