By Joanne Chaconis, RD
Chief Clinical Dietician
Food labels are a great idea, right? They’re like windows on the products we buy. Despite the fact that they are under the watch of either the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the U.S. Department of Agriculture, some of the wording can make food labels difficult to decipher. Here are some guidelines adapted from an article in the March edition of “Real Simple” magazine.
Heart Healthy: These foods are low in saturated fats, low in cholesterol, and low in sodium. They also have no trans fats. It also means they contain three or less grams of fat per serving and have at least 0.6 gram of soluble fiber.
0 grams trans fat: Contains less than 0.5 gram of fat per serving. Light means the food has up to 50 percent less fat than the counterpart.
Fat-free: This product contains less than 0.5 gram of fat per serving. Most adults should aim for 2,300 milligrams or less per day. Try to choose foods with fewer milligrams of sodium than calories.
Low-carb: There are no standards for this term. Remember that whole grains and fresh fruit and veggies are healthy carbs. The low-carb term does not distinguish between “good, healthy” carbs and “refined” carbs like sugar.
Sugar-free: The serving contains less than 0.5 gram of sugar. Sugar free doesn’t always mean low calorie as these products are sometimes laced with sugar alcohols or starch.
Gluten-free: This product contains no gluten, which is a wheat protein. A gluten-free product means no wheat, but a product labeled wheat-free doesn’t mean it’s gluten-free. Check also for rye, barley, malt, and malt extracts (oats can also be an offensive item to someone who is gluten intolerant.)
Organic: Foods are made without potentially harmful pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, synthetic hormones or genetic engineering. It also means the product contains at least 95 percent organic ingredients.
100 percent natural: These products do not contain artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. They can still be abundant with sugar, fat or calories, however.
Light: Most of the time this means the product contains a third less calories than the full calorie counterpart. If referring to sodium or fat, it means up to 50 percent less.
No antiobiotics: Found on the labels of red meat, poultry and milk. This means the animals were raised without being fed antibiotics.
No hormones: Found on the labels of beef and dairy. This means the animals were not given hormones. The hormones are usually added to make the animals gain weight or produce milk quicker.
Happy shopping!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Care for the Caregiver
By Dana Pavelock, Dir.,
Home Care Operations
Roughly 25 percent of families are relying on informal family caregivers to bridge the needs of caring for a loved one at home. Today, 30 million households are providing care for an adult over the age of 50 and this number is expected to double over the next 25 years. This informal and highly motivated workforce of caregivers often find themselves struggling to navigate a very complex system of health care and are under a great deal of stress.
Informal caregivers tend to be family members, mostly women between ages 45 and 65, attempting to balance the needs of parents and grandparents with children and grandchildren. Often these individuals find themselves suddenly immersed in the role of caregiver without warning, preparation and/or training and are at risk of compromising their own health care and social needs. Rarely is there a support system for them.
As the aging population continues to grow at a very fast rate there will be more and more demands placed upon family caregivers. Combined also with a higher life expectancy and with the trend for the aging population to want to remain at home, we will need ongoing support from local and county government and private agencies.
Some of you may not be in a care-giving role at this time. While you might not be thinking about it now, being proactive and establishing a plan in anticipation you will soon be launched into caring for a family member may help avoid some of the stress and other tensions that materialize at work and at home.
The first step is a conversation with the person you expect will require more care and support to live safely at home, identifying potential support and services that are readily available, anticipating care needs and establishing a plan. All too often, one person takes on the primary role as caregiver which often leads to physical and emotional exhaustion and can result in development of increased health risks to the caregiver.
Fortunately there is help available for individuals who find themselves suddenly in that care-giving role. The best resource is to start by contacting your count’s Office for the Aging, surfing the Internet and reaching out to home care agencies. There is a wealth of information that will provide you with the necessary tools and support you may need so that you can take good care of a loved one and, at the same time, help maintain your own quality of life.
As you might expect, it takes a very special person to fulfill the role of caregiver. In our particular agency, we have long recognized the value of both paid and unpaid family caregivers, recently obtaining a grant through the Dutchess County Office of the Aging to lead a Caregiver Support, Training and Counseling program that provides various workshops, trainings and even an employee to provide one-on-one visitation in the home, free of charge for caregivers.
When it comes to paid caregivers, please do not underestimate their genuine concern and passion for what it is they do every day.
Relationships that are formed between patients and our caregivers is priceless and can be captured by quoting a few words taken from something written by Home Health Aide Sharon Greene: “I am a health care worker, I enjoy my job and this is what I do best. Put a smile on someone’s face, making their day and just being there for them.”
Home Care Operations
Roughly 25 percent of families are relying on informal family caregivers to bridge the needs of caring for a loved one at home. Today, 30 million households are providing care for an adult over the age of 50 and this number is expected to double over the next 25 years. This informal and highly motivated workforce of caregivers often find themselves struggling to navigate a very complex system of health care and are under a great deal of stress.
Informal caregivers tend to be family members, mostly women between ages 45 and 65, attempting to balance the needs of parents and grandparents with children and grandchildren. Often these individuals find themselves suddenly immersed in the role of caregiver without warning, preparation and/or training and are at risk of compromising their own health care and social needs. Rarely is there a support system for them.
As the aging population continues to grow at a very fast rate there will be more and more demands placed upon family caregivers. Combined also with a higher life expectancy and with the trend for the aging population to want to remain at home, we will need ongoing support from local and county government and private agencies.
Some of you may not be in a care-giving role at this time. While you might not be thinking about it now, being proactive and establishing a plan in anticipation you will soon be launched into caring for a family member may help avoid some of the stress and other tensions that materialize at work and at home.
The first step is a conversation with the person you expect will require more care and support to live safely at home, identifying potential support and services that are readily available, anticipating care needs and establishing a plan. All too often, one person takes on the primary role as caregiver which often leads to physical and emotional exhaustion and can result in development of increased health risks to the caregiver.
Fortunately there is help available for individuals who find themselves suddenly in that care-giving role. The best resource is to start by contacting your count’s Office for the Aging, surfing the Internet and reaching out to home care agencies. There is a wealth of information that will provide you with the necessary tools and support you may need so that you can take good care of a loved one and, at the same time, help maintain your own quality of life.
As you might expect, it takes a very special person to fulfill the role of caregiver. In our particular agency, we have long recognized the value of both paid and unpaid family caregivers, recently obtaining a grant through the Dutchess County Office of the Aging to lead a Caregiver Support, Training and Counseling program that provides various workshops, trainings and even an employee to provide one-on-one visitation in the home, free of charge for caregivers.
When it comes to paid caregivers, please do not underestimate their genuine concern and passion for what it is they do every day.
Relationships that are formed between patients and our caregivers is priceless and can be captured by quoting a few words taken from something written by Home Health Aide Sharon Greene: “I am a health care worker, I enjoy my job and this is what I do best. Put a smile on someone’s face, making their day and just being there for them.”
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wii System More Than A Game
By Susan Hecht, R.N.
Video games, for many years that I can remember, have been geared to the younger generation with parents complaining, “Those video games are no good,” and “My kids sit in front of the television all day on those games.” The older generation often describes video systems as, “Too complicated!” “They’re for kids” or “They’re no good for you.”
But the new Nintendo Wii system is playing a big part in rehabilitation for stroke, brain injury and other patients with decrease in balance, coordination or functional mobility.
Wii requires the player to perform the movements of the game as opposed to pushing buttons on a controller. Saint Francis Hospital’s Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program has implemented the Wii system.
I personally have played the game. It is unbelievable, great for exercise, coordination, balance, eye-hand coordination and motor skills. Here’s how it helps a patient:
It is much more fun than the traditional therapies and exercise programs. It assists in getting patients to communicate and participate in group activities. It helps gain coordination and balance. The games simulate activities such as; tennis, golf, bowling, racing, Ninja games and many more. Keep in mind different games may be helpful to different patients depending on their diagnosis. The games resemble movements of activities of daily living, such as sweeping, washing windows or sometimes even the sport itself. The Ninja games help patients with eye-hand coordination and to even improve scanning visual fields.
Keep in mind that the Wii system is just a tool used by the patients with staff monitoring and does not replace the individual therapy designed upon admission. Here’s some feedback from patients who have used the system: “It was great, the golf is very realistic, and I am a big golfer. It was very helpful” and “The bowling was good for me; it showed me my weaknesses and what I need to work on.”
Saint Francis Hospital Inpatient Rehab continues to research innovative ways to improve the quality of life and increase independence to all our patients throughout their rehabilitation stay.
Video games, for many years that I can remember, have been geared to the younger generation with parents complaining, “Those video games are no good,” and “My kids sit in front of the television all day on those games.” The older generation often describes video systems as, “Too complicated!” “They’re for kids” or “They’re no good for you.”
But the new Nintendo Wii system is playing a big part in rehabilitation for stroke, brain injury and other patients with decrease in balance, coordination or functional mobility.
Wii requires the player to perform the movements of the game as opposed to pushing buttons on a controller. Saint Francis Hospital’s Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program has implemented the Wii system.
I personally have played the game. It is unbelievable, great for exercise, coordination, balance, eye-hand coordination and motor skills. Here’s how it helps a patient:
It is much more fun than the traditional therapies and exercise programs. It assists in getting patients to communicate and participate in group activities. It helps gain coordination and balance. The games simulate activities such as; tennis, golf, bowling, racing, Ninja games and many more. Keep in mind different games may be helpful to different patients depending on their diagnosis. The games resemble movements of activities of daily living, such as sweeping, washing windows or sometimes even the sport itself. The Ninja games help patients with eye-hand coordination and to even improve scanning visual fields.
Keep in mind that the Wii system is just a tool used by the patients with staff monitoring and does not replace the individual therapy designed upon admission. Here’s some feedback from patients who have used the system: “It was great, the golf is very realistic, and I am a big golfer. It was very helpful” and “The bowling was good for me; it showed me my weaknesses and what I need to work on.”
Saint Francis Hospital Inpatient Rehab continues to research innovative ways to improve the quality of life and increase independence to all our patients throughout their rehabilitation stay.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Muscle Loss Part of Aging Process
By Joanne Chaconis, RD
Chief Clinical Dietician
I recently read an article that caught my eye because it applies to an age group that I find myself a member 44 -55 years. It addressed a condition called sarcopenia. This means a degree of muscle loss (suddenly gray hairs don’t seem so bad!). But even though skeletal muscle starts to decline in this age group, there are ways to lessen the impact.
1.) Less muscle, less bone. It seems that osteoporosis and sarcopenia are interrelated. If you lose muscle, you lose bone because muscle helps prevent bone loss. Therefore, weight-bearing exercises are recommended.
2.) Muscle helps to control blood sugar. As muscle mass decreases, it alters the body’s ability to keep blood sugars stable. That means your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases.
3.) Ensure adequate protein intake. Research is finding that a low protein intake contributes to muscle loss. About 50 grams of protein is recommended daily. High quality protein sources are lean meats, fish, low fat dairy, and eggs. Non-animal sources to consider are dried beans, legumes, lentils, and tofu.
4.) Stay active. Activity helps to increase and maintain muscle strength. Studies show that people in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s benefit from safe strength training.
So, adopting these principles to make some changes, or continuing with an already health lifestyle, can help as the aging process marches on.
Chief Clinical Dietician
I recently read an article that caught my eye because it applies to an age group that I find myself a member 44 -55 years. It addressed a condition called sarcopenia. This means a degree of muscle loss (suddenly gray hairs don’t seem so bad!). But even though skeletal muscle starts to decline in this age group, there are ways to lessen the impact.
1.) Less muscle, less bone. It seems that osteoporosis and sarcopenia are interrelated. If you lose muscle, you lose bone because muscle helps prevent bone loss. Therefore, weight-bearing exercises are recommended.
2.) Muscle helps to control blood sugar. As muscle mass decreases, it alters the body’s ability to keep blood sugars stable. That means your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases.
3.) Ensure adequate protein intake. Research is finding that a low protein intake contributes to muscle loss. About 50 grams of protein is recommended daily. High quality protein sources are lean meats, fish, low fat dairy, and eggs. Non-animal sources to consider are dried beans, legumes, lentils, and tofu.
4.) Stay active. Activity helps to increase and maintain muscle strength. Studies show that people in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s benefit from safe strength training.
So, adopting these principles to make some changes, or continuing with an already health lifestyle, can help as the aging process marches on.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Physical Therapy Services At Home
By Dana Pavelock, Dir., Home Care Operations
In today’s ever changing world, combined with significant aging trends, shorter hospital and skilled nursing facility stays, the demand for physical therapy is ever increasing. In fact, state and national averages along with Saint Francis Hospital Certified Home Health Services statistics reflect that 68 percent to 73 percent of all patients receive in-home care physical therapy services. In-home physical therapy is ideal for many patients and has been an option available in the health care field for many years. I’ll attempt to provide some education as to what types of services at home Physical Therapists perform, determining what patients may qualify for In-Home Therapy and how to access services and choose the right provider.
The starting point with most home care services, including Physical Therapy, generally begins with obtaining an order from your treating physician or contacting a home care agency and presenting your circumstances to an intake worker that will help you navigate the system. Those recovering from any type of musculoskeletal problems, suffering from neurological conditions like Cerebral Vascular disease (stroke), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease or recovering from orthopedic surgery like knee or hip replacement, are very commonly served by arranging physical therapy at home.
Most agencies will consult with the physician and obtain a script for an assessment to be completed. One of the primary criteria to receive in-home rehabilitative therapy is the patient must be considered “homebound,” requiring assistance to get in or out of the house due to some muscle weakness, decreased balance or endurance, and difficulty walking due to some musculoskeletal or neurological deficits. Patient evaluation may include measurement of range of motion, strength, balance, safety awareness, and level of assistance required in determining intervention outcomes.
A home safety evaluation will review various safety hazards such as loose rugs/carpeting, evaluate the home environment for needed modifications to make living space more accessible with assistive devices and durable medical equipment such as raised toilet seats, tub/shower chairs, transfer and lift devices, walkers or wheelchairs, grab bars and personal emergency response systems. The evaluation will incorporate procedures and techniques in determining one’s ability to perform at his or her optimal level: Based on one’s prior, versus current, level of functioning, physical therapy intervention is valuable in achieving improvement in future quality of life.
Once an assessment is completed a physical therapist will create a comprehensive plan of care in collaboration with your treating physician and other caregivers with the end goal helping achieve your highest functional mobility if not to bring you back to your prior level of functioning before your illness. Physical therapy services focus on therapeutic exercise programs, activity training like transfers and bed mobility, neuromuscular re-education to work on balance and muscle strengthening, gait training and pain management. Safety training is of primary concern to make sure that during your recovery period secondary complications from falling will be avoided. Generally, Medicare long term or private insurance will also authorize a Home Health Aide, oriented by the treating therapist, to assist the patient with their therapeutic exercise program.
Special thanks to Phil Ricafort, Physical Therapy Supervisor with Saint Francis Hospital Certified Home Health Services, (845-483-5550), an expert in the field, who contributed to this information. According to Ricafort, one of the most important actions one should take in choosing an agency is to review credentialing, insuring the agency is certified by the state Department of Health and Joint Commission accredited. Another important factor is to review quality outcome measures of the agency you are considering to obtain services from that can be accessed by visiting http://www.medicare.gov/.
In today’s ever changing world, combined with significant aging trends, shorter hospital and skilled nursing facility stays, the demand for physical therapy is ever increasing. In fact, state and national averages along with Saint Francis Hospital Certified Home Health Services statistics reflect that 68 percent to 73 percent of all patients receive in-home care physical therapy services. In-home physical therapy is ideal for many patients and has been an option available in the health care field for many years. I’ll attempt to provide some education as to what types of services at home Physical Therapists perform, determining what patients may qualify for In-Home Therapy and how to access services and choose the right provider.
The starting point with most home care services, including Physical Therapy, generally begins with obtaining an order from your treating physician or contacting a home care agency and presenting your circumstances to an intake worker that will help you navigate the system. Those recovering from any type of musculoskeletal problems, suffering from neurological conditions like Cerebral Vascular disease (stroke), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease or recovering from orthopedic surgery like knee or hip replacement, are very commonly served by arranging physical therapy at home.
Most agencies will consult with the physician and obtain a script for an assessment to be completed. One of the primary criteria to receive in-home rehabilitative therapy is the patient must be considered “homebound,” requiring assistance to get in or out of the house due to some muscle weakness, decreased balance or endurance, and difficulty walking due to some musculoskeletal or neurological deficits. Patient evaluation may include measurement of range of motion, strength, balance, safety awareness, and level of assistance required in determining intervention outcomes.
A home safety evaluation will review various safety hazards such as loose rugs/carpeting, evaluate the home environment for needed modifications to make living space more accessible with assistive devices and durable medical equipment such as raised toilet seats, tub/shower chairs, transfer and lift devices, walkers or wheelchairs, grab bars and personal emergency response systems. The evaluation will incorporate procedures and techniques in determining one’s ability to perform at his or her optimal level: Based on one’s prior, versus current, level of functioning, physical therapy intervention is valuable in achieving improvement in future quality of life.
Once an assessment is completed a physical therapist will create a comprehensive plan of care in collaboration with your treating physician and other caregivers with the end goal helping achieve your highest functional mobility if not to bring you back to your prior level of functioning before your illness. Physical therapy services focus on therapeutic exercise programs, activity training like transfers and bed mobility, neuromuscular re-education to work on balance and muscle strengthening, gait training and pain management. Safety training is of primary concern to make sure that during your recovery period secondary complications from falling will be avoided. Generally, Medicare long term or private insurance will also authorize a Home Health Aide, oriented by the treating therapist, to assist the patient with their therapeutic exercise program.
Special thanks to Phil Ricafort, Physical Therapy Supervisor with Saint Francis Hospital Certified Home Health Services, (845-483-5550), an expert in the field, who contributed to this information. According to Ricafort, one of the most important actions one should take in choosing an agency is to review credentialing, insuring the agency is certified by the state Department of Health and Joint Commission accredited. Another important factor is to review quality outcome measures of the agency you are considering to obtain services from that can be accessed by visiting http://www.medicare.gov/.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Spreading the Word About Rehab Unit
By Susan Hecht, R.N.
I am employed by Saint Francis Hospital and Health Centers as the Rehabilitation Nursing Liaison for the Comprehensive Integrated Rehabilitation Program and recently I’ve been out in the community speaking with patients and their families about the services we offer on our Rehab Unit.
Some were surprised to hear the variety of services we offer, but others know all about us, as you can see through such comments as:
“I want to send special thanks to everyone who took such special care of me at Saint Francis Hospital”… “Saint Francis Rehab was great – showing me the things I needed to be able to care for myself at home”…“Everyone is wonderful. They were always there when you needed them.”
“The staff on the Rehabilitation Unit is wonderful. The caring, expert staff provided excellent care and taught me how to get back on my feet and begin my recovery”… “I wish to express a heartfelt appreciation for the kindness and excellent care I received. The sensitivity and support of your fine staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week helped us through what was a difficult time following my surgery.”
And, “Express our appreciation to the staff for going ABOVE and BEYOND the call of duty everyday.”
The Rehabilitation Center at Saint Francis Hospital started in 1978. It was the first hospital rehab facility serving patients 18 and older between Albany and New York City. Our patients come from all over the mid-Hudson Region to our 26 bed facility, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
Patients served include, but are not limited to, stroke, major multiple trauma, neurological disorders, polyarthritis, fracture of femur, spinal cord injuries, bilateral joint replacement, and brain injury.
Among the services offered are: 24-hour nursing care, staff physiatrist, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, pet therapy, rehab neuropsychology, and social work.
Saint Francis Hospital’s success in providing an exceptional rehabilitation program is critical to improving quality of life and returning patients to the home setting. In fact, last year 85 percent of our patients returned home after treatment. We’re proud of the work we do and are pleased to share this information with you.
For more information feel free to call me at 845-483-5164.
I am employed by Saint Francis Hospital and Health Centers as the Rehabilitation Nursing Liaison for the Comprehensive Integrated Rehabilitation Program and recently I’ve been out in the community speaking with patients and their families about the services we offer on our Rehab Unit.
Some were surprised to hear the variety of services we offer, but others know all about us, as you can see through such comments as:
“I want to send special thanks to everyone who took such special care of me at Saint Francis Hospital”… “Saint Francis Rehab was great – showing me the things I needed to be able to care for myself at home”…“Everyone is wonderful. They were always there when you needed them.”
“The staff on the Rehabilitation Unit is wonderful. The caring, expert staff provided excellent care and taught me how to get back on my feet and begin my recovery”… “I wish to express a heartfelt appreciation for the kindness and excellent care I received. The sensitivity and support of your fine staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week helped us through what was a difficult time following my surgery.”
And, “Express our appreciation to the staff for going ABOVE and BEYOND the call of duty everyday.”
The Rehabilitation Center at Saint Francis Hospital started in 1978. It was the first hospital rehab facility serving patients 18 and older between Albany and New York City. Our patients come from all over the mid-Hudson Region to our 26 bed facility, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
Patients served include, but are not limited to, stroke, major multiple trauma, neurological disorders, polyarthritis, fracture of femur, spinal cord injuries, bilateral joint replacement, and brain injury.
Among the services offered are: 24-hour nursing care, staff physiatrist, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, pet therapy, rehab neuropsychology, and social work.
Saint Francis Hospital’s success in providing an exceptional rehabilitation program is critical to improving quality of life and returning patients to the home setting. In fact, last year 85 percent of our patients returned home after treatment. We’re proud of the work we do and are pleased to share this information with you.
For more information feel free to call me at 845-483-5164.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Technological Advancements in Home Care
By Dana Pavelock,
Dir., Home Care Operations
One of the most challenging issues faced by the aging population and family caregivers is how to insure they are safe at home alone or when 24-hour home care or live-in services may not be a viable option. Thanks to technological advancements there are many excellent products available geared toward electronically managing one’s health, insuring medications are taken properly as ordered by the physician and emergency alert systems that provide the necessary measures to promote independence while at the same time providing peace of mind for family members or caregivers.
Imagine the peace of mind provided to a family caregiver when told that we have the technology allowing us to monitor patient care 7 days a week by use of a tele-monitoring service. Imagine the sense of security to the patient or family member when we can demonstrate that in many cases, use of tele-monitoring reduces re-hospitalizations and emergency room visits anywhere from 40 percent to75 percent. Imagine the sense of independence and privacy one can continue to enjoy by use of this easy-to-use technology.
Basic tele-monitoring programs involve placement of very sophisticated FDA-approved monitoring devices in the home (by doctor’s order) that patients are easily trained to use. Within 4 minutes, a basic monitoring device can check weight, blood pressure, heart rates and blood oxygen levels and automatically transmits that information to a tele-health nurse who reviews the reports and responds accordingly. In cases where the test results are beyond the parameters set by the doctor, the nurse will provide an intervention, sometimes as simple as contacting a doctor and facilitating a medication change or, perhaps scheduling a nursing visit for further assessment. More sophisticated devices are capable of adding peripherals to monitor glucose, peak flow, PT/INR, ECG and temperature. Some Medicare-certified home care agencies offer this service free of charges as part of their overall care plan. Licensed agencies may offer private pay models focusing more on a wellness model.
Having difficulty managing those medications? Tired of filling those pillboxes only to find that there are continuous issues of under or over medicating happening in the home? Nearly 30 percent of hospital admissions, 40 percent of skilled nursing home placements, and approximately 125,000 deaths occur each year because patients are unable to manage their medications at home. Fortunately, new technology has been revolutionizing ways to effectively manage and monitor medication compliance in the home setting.
Our preference, the MD-2 Personal Medication System is a viable solution for individuals who have trouble remembering, organizing or taking their medications. The system works well for individuals who experience forgetfulness or who may be likely to take too much, too little or perhaps even the wrong medication. This device simplifies medication organization and delivery so that oral medication dosages will be taken on-time and as prescribed. The unit can hold up to 60 doses of medication (each dose holding up to 25 pills), can be programmed to deliver up to 6 doses per day and uses voice, tone and flashing lights to remind the patient to take their medication. When medication schedules are twice daily, the system can store a 30 day supply of medications. It also can be programmed to give specific verbal and text reminders to take or apply non-oral medications, to take with food etc. In the event the individual doesn’t respond to the prompt, after an hour and a half of reminders every minute, the unit will automatically shift the missed dose to a storage chamber in the unit and alert up to four caregivers that the user has missed a dose. Lastly, the monitoring service notifies caregivers when medications are running low and needs to be refilled.
Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) have been around for years and probably the most popular systems used in the home, but in my opinion under-utilized. These units are also attached to the home phone line and by use of a panic button (often set up on a pendant or wrist bracelet) which when pressed dials an emergency response center that first calls the home to verify the emergency and then dispatches emergency responders. At minimum, I would suggest anyone living at home alone that is frail, has an unsteady gait or is at risk of falls seriously consider a PERS system. The cost is usually just a little more than $1 a day. Most devices now have a 2-way voice feature allowing a patient to communicate even when they are far from the unit.
We have only begun to see the very beginning of a very exciting time with regard to all the new technology that will be continued to be developed allowing our ever-growing aging population to remain living safely at home, empower people to manage their own care, improve overall quality of life and give them the therapeutic advantages of better health and well-being while promoting more independence. There are different products available and various agencies that offer some or all of these new technology devices. Contacting your local Office for the Aging is a good first step.
Dir., Home Care Operations
One of the most challenging issues faced by the aging population and family caregivers is how to insure they are safe at home alone or when 24-hour home care or live-in services may not be a viable option. Thanks to technological advancements there are many excellent products available geared toward electronically managing one’s health, insuring medications are taken properly as ordered by the physician and emergency alert systems that provide the necessary measures to promote independence while at the same time providing peace of mind for family members or caregivers.
Imagine the peace of mind provided to a family caregiver when told that we have the technology allowing us to monitor patient care 7 days a week by use of a tele-monitoring service. Imagine the sense of security to the patient or family member when we can demonstrate that in many cases, use of tele-monitoring reduces re-hospitalizations and emergency room visits anywhere from 40 percent to75 percent. Imagine the sense of independence and privacy one can continue to enjoy by use of this easy-to-use technology.
Basic tele-monitoring programs involve placement of very sophisticated FDA-approved monitoring devices in the home (by doctor’s order) that patients are easily trained to use. Within 4 minutes, a basic monitoring device can check weight, blood pressure, heart rates and blood oxygen levels and automatically transmits that information to a tele-health nurse who reviews the reports and responds accordingly. In cases where the test results are beyond the parameters set by the doctor, the nurse will provide an intervention, sometimes as simple as contacting a doctor and facilitating a medication change or, perhaps scheduling a nursing visit for further assessment. More sophisticated devices are capable of adding peripherals to monitor glucose, peak flow, PT/INR, ECG and temperature. Some Medicare-certified home care agencies offer this service free of charges as part of their overall care plan. Licensed agencies may offer private pay models focusing more on a wellness model.
Having difficulty managing those medications? Tired of filling those pillboxes only to find that there are continuous issues of under or over medicating happening in the home? Nearly 30 percent of hospital admissions, 40 percent of skilled nursing home placements, and approximately 125,000 deaths occur each year because patients are unable to manage their medications at home. Fortunately, new technology has been revolutionizing ways to effectively manage and monitor medication compliance in the home setting.
Our preference, the MD-2 Personal Medication System is a viable solution for individuals who have trouble remembering, organizing or taking their medications. The system works well for individuals who experience forgetfulness or who may be likely to take too much, too little or perhaps even the wrong medication. This device simplifies medication organization and delivery so that oral medication dosages will be taken on-time and as prescribed. The unit can hold up to 60 doses of medication (each dose holding up to 25 pills), can be programmed to deliver up to 6 doses per day and uses voice, tone and flashing lights to remind the patient to take their medication. When medication schedules are twice daily, the system can store a 30 day supply of medications. It also can be programmed to give specific verbal and text reminders to take or apply non-oral medications, to take with food etc. In the event the individual doesn’t respond to the prompt, after an hour and a half of reminders every minute, the unit will automatically shift the missed dose to a storage chamber in the unit and alert up to four caregivers that the user has missed a dose. Lastly, the monitoring service notifies caregivers when medications are running low and needs to be refilled.
Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) have been around for years and probably the most popular systems used in the home, but in my opinion under-utilized. These units are also attached to the home phone line and by use of a panic button (often set up on a pendant or wrist bracelet) which when pressed dials an emergency response center that first calls the home to verify the emergency and then dispatches emergency responders. At minimum, I would suggest anyone living at home alone that is frail, has an unsteady gait or is at risk of falls seriously consider a PERS system. The cost is usually just a little more than $1 a day. Most devices now have a 2-way voice feature allowing a patient to communicate even when they are far from the unit.
We have only begun to see the very beginning of a very exciting time with regard to all the new technology that will be continued to be developed allowing our ever-growing aging population to remain living safely at home, empower people to manage their own care, improve overall quality of life and give them the therapeutic advantages of better health and well-being while promoting more independence. There are different products available and various agencies that offer some or all of these new technology devices. Contacting your local Office for the Aging is a good first step.
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