I recently came across an article at myoptumhealth.com and thought it would be very beneficial for all to read. I don't know about you, but I always presumed that using a walker or cane would provide appropriate support and assistance for those needing a little help. Guess I was wrong. Keep reading to find out more.
Using Canes and Walkers Safely
Walking aids enable many older adults to remain active and independent. But use them right to be safe.
By Eve Glicksman, Staff Writer, myOptumHealth
If you have trouble walking, your ability to live on your own takes a big hit. Some people find that using a cane or walker can make all the difference.
But a six-year government study now warns that using walking aids the wrong way can cause falls in older adults. In fact, more than 47,000 seniors ended up in emergency rooms in 2006 due to falls that involved walkers or canes. One in three required hospital stays, mostly for fractures. With an average of 129 cane- or walker-related injuries a day, authors of the study call it an underrecognized health problem.
But how can assistive devices designed to help people sometimes cause injuries? Doctors often recommend walking aids to help elderly patients avoid falls. But more direction may be needed.
A walking aid needs to be tailored to the body and needs of the person using it. Yet, some people simply borrow a cane or walker from a relative or friend. Accidents can occur if the cane or walker is not the right length or type, or if the person is never shown how to use the aid safely.
Who should use a walking aid?
Canes and walkers can be invaluable. Shopping, for instance, may require long periods of standing and walking. If you have certain conditions, this can be impossible without an aid to lean on.
Walking aids enable many older adults to keep active and independent. They can reduce pain while walking or compensate for balance problems. Canes or walkers may be helpful for people with:
•Arthritis, especially in the knees or hips
•Instability from neuropathy or Parkinson's disease
•Balance and gait disorders
•Foot or leg injuries
•Generalized weakness of hips or legs
•Limited endurance from heart or lung problems
In many cases, canes and walkers are reimbursable through Medicare and other insurers.
Considerations
Talk with your doctor or a physical therapist about what type of walking aid would be best for you. Keep these pointers in mind:
For a cane, you'll need to decide whether you want a single rubber tip on the bottom or four prongs. This will depend on how much weight you will be applying to it.
For a proper fit, bend your elbow at a 20-degree to 30-degree angle. Have someone measure the length between your wrist and the floor. With your arm at your side, the cane's top should be parallel to your wrist.
Walkers are best for people who need more stability than a cane provides. Walkers also let you shift more weight to your arms. You'll need a heavy-duty one if you're overweight.
Wheels are an option if a walker is too heavy for you to lift. You can get one with two or four wheels depending on your needs.
Make sure the grip is comfortable when you pick out a cane or walker.
Get instructions
If you don't use your walking aid correctly, you may trip when you try to bend, reach or carry an object. Or the cane or walker may interfere with your balance.
Ask your doctor or physical therapist for a lesson on how to use your walking aid safely. Some general tips:
•Hold your cane on the opposite side of your injury or weakness. Put your weight on your good leg.
•When using a walker, lean slightly forward and hold the walker for support. Your arms should be slightly bent.
•Place your cane or walker firmly on the ground before each step. Don't put it too far ahead of you.
•Check the nonskid rubber tips on your cane or walker often. Buy a replacement at a drugstore or medical supply store if the tip looks worn or uneven.
I hope this has been informative. I will keep searching and then bringing you newsworthy articles as well as keep you informed about personal events. Next up.....our recent meeting with attorneys who help veterans receive their earned, but often left untouched benefits. Until then,
Jan
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Fourteen Hours of People Watching.
Have you ever thought about treating your allergies with a trip to the chiropractor? That was just one of the many sound bites I heard this past weekend. But let me start back at the beginning. A friend of ours, who is the community educator and volunteer liasion for a hospice company, invited us to share a table with her at the Wellness Expo in Addison this past weekend. Chris and I are always up for a new adventure and experience, so we said sure.
It was a cloudy, rainy, cool weekend so we wouldn't be able to work in the yard. And wouldn't you rather attend a lecture entitled "Attached Entities: The Bad Kids of the Ghost World" than to be stuck inside cleaning your house all weekend? Of course you would.
As we have never attended such an event, we knew it would be interesting and eye opening. Our friend, Johnnie, had warned us it would be a little different from the usual health fair, trade show, community event we attend. Chris and I love to be involved; to go out there and attend local events, get to meet people and tell them a little about us and why we started this company.
We arrived about an hour early on Saturday morning to set up. How long does it really take to set out some brochures, cards, pens, pads and to hang a sign? But we wanted to be prepared and ready to hit the ground running. Now some others really came prepared.....elaborate computer set ups, special colored lights dangling from the ceiling, massage tables, etc.
The crowds started pouring in just as the doors opened and we began welcoming people to our table. We had a front row table, a great location to meet and greet. On the other hand, most people who go to a wellness expo are not that interested in talking to a representative from a hospice company. And since we were sharing a table with Johnnie, we were associated with her. But it's all part of the life cycle and was a wonderful opportunity to educate people about its fabulous benefits.
We tried "healthy coffee", listened to "Celestial Vibrations through Music", met the executive director of the DFW Metaphysical Chamber of Commerce, a cosmic counselor, a psychic medium, a purveyor of energetically enhanced jewelry, and a specialist in kinetic chromotherapy. We also met people who were interested in finding out more about home care and how it would help their parents live more comfortably, while staying in their own homes as long as possible.
All in all it was a very enjoyable, but long weekend. We were there for about 8 hours on Saturday probably seeing about 500 people. While Sunday was a rainy, ugly day that didn't stop the crowds. Attendance swelled to over 600 people. I hope to go back again in October to the fall expo. In the meantime, if you are seeking home care for a loved one in the Dallas area please call us today at 214-389-9401. Also please take a look at our website at www.hereforyouhomecare.com to see the specialized care we offer. I am confident we can make a difference in the life of someone you love.
See you next time,
Jan
It was a cloudy, rainy, cool weekend so we wouldn't be able to work in the yard. And wouldn't you rather attend a lecture entitled "Attached Entities: The Bad Kids of the Ghost World" than to be stuck inside cleaning your house all weekend? Of course you would.
As we have never attended such an event, we knew it would be interesting and eye opening. Our friend, Johnnie, had warned us it would be a little different from the usual health fair, trade show, community event we attend. Chris and I love to be involved; to go out there and attend local events, get to meet people and tell them a little about us and why we started this company.
We arrived about an hour early on Saturday morning to set up. How long does it really take to set out some brochures, cards, pens, pads and to hang a sign? But we wanted to be prepared and ready to hit the ground running. Now some others really came prepared.....elaborate computer set ups, special colored lights dangling from the ceiling, massage tables, etc.
The crowds started pouring in just as the doors opened and we began welcoming people to our table. We had a front row table, a great location to meet and greet. On the other hand, most people who go to a wellness expo are not that interested in talking to a representative from a hospice company. And since we were sharing a table with Johnnie, we were associated with her. But it's all part of the life cycle and was a wonderful opportunity to educate people about its fabulous benefits.
We tried "healthy coffee", listened to "Celestial Vibrations through Music", met the executive director of the DFW Metaphysical Chamber of Commerce, a cosmic counselor, a psychic medium, a purveyor of energetically enhanced jewelry, and a specialist in kinetic chromotherapy. We also met people who were interested in finding out more about home care and how it would help their parents live more comfortably, while staying in their own homes as long as possible.
All in all it was a very enjoyable, but long weekend. We were there for about 8 hours on Saturday probably seeing about 500 people. While Sunday was a rainy, ugly day that didn't stop the crowds. Attendance swelled to over 600 people. I hope to go back again in October to the fall expo. In the meantime, if you are seeking home care for a loved one in the Dallas area please call us today at 214-389-9401. Also please take a look at our website at www.hereforyouhomecare.com to see the specialized care we offer. I am confident we can make a difference in the life of someone you love.
See you next time,
Jan
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Benefits for Seniors
I recently found this article in The New York Times and wanted to pass it on as quickly as possible. I hope it provides some assistance in navigating through the often muddy waters when it comes to health care and seniors. This is an AP article published April 2.
A clear goal of the new health care reform law: increased access to home-based care.
Last month's health care law contained some benefits for the nation's older population. It provided long-term care options to allow more seniors to stay in their current homes rather than seek institutionalized care, and called for more publicly available information about nursing homes.
Most seniors prefer to stay where they are than move into assisted living or a nursing home. AARP surveys show that roughly nine out of 10 senior adults prefer to ''age in place.'' But, in many cases, health issues force a senior to seek out a facility where they receive individualized, round-the-clock care.
Parts of the new law help seniors and their families navigate such difficult situations.
The most high-profile provision related to long-term care in the new law is the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports act, or CLASS. It will allow adults with mobility problems to receive home care through a voluntary insurance plan. A handful of other programs will improve access to home and community-based services to complement CLASS, including one that provides matching federal dollars to states that expand their home care services.
And, the legislation requires that nursing homes report important information like staffing data, so families can make informed decisions about where to place their loved ones.
''The key thing to realize is the health care reform bill actually has probably a couple of dozen opportunities, all told, to think differently about aging successfully,'' said Dr. Bruce Chernof, president of The SCAN Foundation, a nonprofit proponent of long-term care for seniors funded by SCAN Health Plan, a Medicare Advantage plan.
The number of Americans over 65 will mushroom in the coming decade, as roughly 75 million Baby Boomers reach retirement age. Their long-term health care needs will strain the nation's collective wallet, stretching thin programs like Medicaid and Medicare.
AARP reports that it costs as much in Medicaid dollars to care for one person in a nursing home than it costs to care for three older adults and people with disabilities in home and community-based settings.
Meanwhile, more than 10 million Americans are currently in need of long-term services that help them function in their daily life, and that number is expected to rise to nearly 15 million by 2020, according to the National Council on Aging.
Enter the CLASS voluntary insurance program.
Under CLASS, working adults who need daily assistance would have at least $50 per day to pay for home care -- more if the adult has a higher level of impairment. After five years of paying into the program, recipients could use the money to pay for a home health-care aide.
CLASS funds also can be used to pay for adult day care, transportation, and safety features like grab bars and handrails. They also can be used to help pay for assisted-living facilities and nursing homes.
Seniors who enroll in CLASS will have a better chance to remain independent and active in their communities. That provision also helps their caregivers, who in many cases are adult children who may feel they are spending too much time and money looking after their parents.
CLASS includes protections ensuring the program will be solvent for 75 years, and could result in Medicaid savings in the long haul.
Another benefit to seniors is a collection of programs that improve access to Medicaid's home- and community-based services but which aren't a voluntary insurance plan like CLASS.
For example, the Community First Choice program creates a state-based plan to keep people with disabilities who require an institutional level of care out of nursing homes by providing them with home-based attendant services. States will receive federal matching funds if they adopt this program.
Another program increases funding for Aging and Disability Resource Centers, which offer information and counseling about the various long-term health-care options available to seniors. And, another provision protects spouses from being forced to spend all the couple's assets to get access to home- and community-based care, similar to benefits already in place for nursing home residents covered under Medicaid.
These programs are meant to keep the senior at home. For those who have no alternative but to move into a nursing home, there's something for them, too.
Nursing homes will be required to submit ownership information, staffing data and other items to increase transparency and accountability. People will be able to search the Nursing Home Compare Web site (found at www.medicare.gov) and find information on quality of care, consumer rights, staffing and other issues to help them choose a nursing home.
The Obama administration's reform effort is not the definitive answer to seniors' health care needs. Just call it an important first step in providing long-term, home-based health care for America's older adults.
Should you or a loved one need a helping hand right now, please call us to help provide care with a family touch, giving you peace of mind. Our number is 214-389-9401 or visit our website @ www.hereforyouhomecare.com.
I hope you found this helpful. I'll be back soon,
Jan
A clear goal of the new health care reform law: increased access to home-based care.
Last month's health care law contained some benefits for the nation's older population. It provided long-term care options to allow more seniors to stay in their current homes rather than seek institutionalized care, and called for more publicly available information about nursing homes.
Most seniors prefer to stay where they are than move into assisted living or a nursing home. AARP surveys show that roughly nine out of 10 senior adults prefer to ''age in place.'' But, in many cases, health issues force a senior to seek out a facility where they receive individualized, round-the-clock care.
Parts of the new law help seniors and their families navigate such difficult situations.
The most high-profile provision related to long-term care in the new law is the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports act, or CLASS. It will allow adults with mobility problems to receive home care through a voluntary insurance plan. A handful of other programs will improve access to home and community-based services to complement CLASS, including one that provides matching federal dollars to states that expand their home care services.
And, the legislation requires that nursing homes report important information like staffing data, so families can make informed decisions about where to place their loved ones.
''The key thing to realize is the health care reform bill actually has probably a couple of dozen opportunities, all told, to think differently about aging successfully,'' said Dr. Bruce Chernof, president of The SCAN Foundation, a nonprofit proponent of long-term care for seniors funded by SCAN Health Plan, a Medicare Advantage plan.
The number of Americans over 65 will mushroom in the coming decade, as roughly 75 million Baby Boomers reach retirement age. Their long-term health care needs will strain the nation's collective wallet, stretching thin programs like Medicaid and Medicare.
AARP reports that it costs as much in Medicaid dollars to care for one person in a nursing home than it costs to care for three older adults and people with disabilities in home and community-based settings.
Meanwhile, more than 10 million Americans are currently in need of long-term services that help them function in their daily life, and that number is expected to rise to nearly 15 million by 2020, according to the National Council on Aging.
Enter the CLASS voluntary insurance program.
Under CLASS, working adults who need daily assistance would have at least $50 per day to pay for home care -- more if the adult has a higher level of impairment. After five years of paying into the program, recipients could use the money to pay for a home health-care aide.
CLASS funds also can be used to pay for adult day care, transportation, and safety features like grab bars and handrails. They also can be used to help pay for assisted-living facilities and nursing homes.
Seniors who enroll in CLASS will have a better chance to remain independent and active in their communities. That provision also helps their caregivers, who in many cases are adult children who may feel they are spending too much time and money looking after their parents.
CLASS includes protections ensuring the program will be solvent for 75 years, and could result in Medicaid savings in the long haul.
Another benefit to seniors is a collection of programs that improve access to Medicaid's home- and community-based services but which aren't a voluntary insurance plan like CLASS.
For example, the Community First Choice program creates a state-based plan to keep people with disabilities who require an institutional level of care out of nursing homes by providing them with home-based attendant services. States will receive federal matching funds if they adopt this program.
Another program increases funding for Aging and Disability Resource Centers, which offer information and counseling about the various long-term health-care options available to seniors. And, another provision protects spouses from being forced to spend all the couple's assets to get access to home- and community-based care, similar to benefits already in place for nursing home residents covered under Medicaid.
These programs are meant to keep the senior at home. For those who have no alternative but to move into a nursing home, there's something for them, too.
Nursing homes will be required to submit ownership information, staffing data and other items to increase transparency and accountability. People will be able to search the Nursing Home Compare Web site (found at www.medicare.gov) and find information on quality of care, consumer rights, staffing and other issues to help them choose a nursing home.
The Obama administration's reform effort is not the definitive answer to seniors' health care needs. Just call it an important first step in providing long-term, home-based health care for America's older adults.
Should you or a loved one need a helping hand right now, please call us to help provide care with a family touch, giving you peace of mind. Our number is 214-389-9401 or visit our website @ www.hereforyouhomecare.com.
I hope you found this helpful. I'll be back soon,
Jan
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