Barb's Daily Dose

Pain Evaluation Checklist: 10 Ways to Help Your Parent Describe Pain

Our Featured Guest Writer Today is:  Melanie Haiken, Senior Editor at Caring.com

When your parent is in pain, it can be difficult to talk about and describe. "It really hurts" usually isn't enough for the doctor to to figure out what's happening. It doesn't help that pain is subjective and some people feel it more intensely or in different ways than others. To help you communicate more clearly with your parent's doctor -- and be a more effective advocate -- use this checklist to keep a record of your parent's pain:

1. Where is the pain located? (Have him point to the exact spot if possible).

2. Can you describe the pain? Is it a sharp stab? A dull ache? Does it feel more like the cramp of a stomachache or more like the throb of a headache?

Flu-Free Flying

12 Ways to Avoid Getting Sick When You Fly

 

Our Featured Guest Writer Today Is:  Melanie Haiken,  Senior Editor of Caring.com

 

Does every single airline trip you take seem to end with a case of the sniffles, or worse, with a full-on case of the flu? If you're starting to feel just a tad paranoid about picking up a nasty virus when you fly, you're not alone. It's a common perception that airline cabins are happy incubators for cold and flu germs.

 

Is it true, though? Researchers are still debating the issue. But a Canadian study published in the Journal of Environmental Health Research in 2004 reviewed passenger health histories after a five-hour flight between San Francisco and Denver and found passengers were 113 times more likely to have caught a cold during the flight than during normal daily life.

Research Sheds Light on Causes of Parkinson's

Gene Mutations Linked to Both Common and Rarer Hereditary Forms of Disease

 

Our Featured Article Today was posted on caring.com

Last updated: 17-Nov-2009  --  Randy Dotinga

SUNDAY, Nov. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Gene mutations linked to inherited Parkinson's disease also appear to be connected to the more common form of the disease that strikes people whose relatives don't have it, researchers now say.

The findings come from the largest Parkinson's disease genetic study of its kind, published online Nov. 15 in Nature Genetics.

In the study, an international team of researchers confirmed that mutations in the alpha-synuclein gene and microtubule associated protein tau boost the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

10 Signs a Senior Needs Assistance

Our Featured Guest Writer Today Is:  Sarah Henry, Senior Editor at Caring.com

In dating lingo, it's known as "reading the memo." There's the bore who rambles on about himself the entire evening (narcissist), the annoying guy who orders for you (control freak), the dude who has never, ever been in a long-term relationship (commitmentphobe).

In each case, a "memo" is delivered -- key information or insight into a person is imparted -- but it's not always "read" by the other party. Sometimes it's ignored, sometimes denial plays a role, other times it's just glossed over -- usually at the other party's peril. When the light bulb moment does occur down the track, it's often too late to avoid pain, grief, or suffering.

SelfCare: 7 Things To Do When You're Stressed to Wit's End

Today's Featured Writer Is:  Paula Spencer, Senior Editor, of caring.com

Caregiver stress has no shortage of causes. But sometimes you hit a tipping point: On top of everything else, you get swine flu.  You get into an argument with a sibling or an insurance company rep. Or there's a new diagnosis (on top of the two or three other chronic conditions you're helping a loved one manage).  And there you are, seriously wondering if it's possible for a human head to explode.

Rest assured, it can't! Try these seven ways to buy yourself time to regain a little sanity:

1. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat

"Keep breathing," a yoga therapist friend always urges me when I get to that mush-on-the-floor point. The slower and deeper the breaths, the better.

Health Risks from Drinking Soda, Especially for Women

Our Featured Guest Writer Today is: Melanie Haiken, Senior Editor of Caring.com

At a picnic this weekend, I listened as an extended family member nagged at kids to stay away from the cola and other types of soda pop being served. "They rot your teeth," one grandmother admonished her grand kids. But she herself was drinking a big glass of Diet Pepsi, and didn't seem aware of the irony of her pronouncement: It's actually older women who are most at risk of health problems from drinking cola and other fizzy soft drinks.

My Experience With Death Panels

Yes, you read that correctly, I have experience working with the elderly helping them decide how they want to live in their remaining time, however long that is.  Let me share with you a recent experience.  One of my favorite patients was a lady who I'd been seeing every 3 months for the last 12 years. She had 8 children, all grown and very close to their mom.  She was a grandmother to dozens, and great grandmother to several.  She led an active life, traveling on a budget, creating hand made quilts and singing in her church. She had a number of health problems and was receiving regular treatments for cancer.

The Importance of Exercise to Physical and Emotional Well Being

Guest Writers Today are:  Maria M. Meyer and Paula Derr, Contributing Writers, for caring.com

Physical activity and good nutrition are perfect partners in good health. This winning combination finds a balance between what one eats and one's daily activities. Together they help in managing weight and providing energy. Physical activity not only burns calories, but it can also help the person in your care by doing the following:

• Make the most of muscle strength, or even build strength, depending on the program.
• Slowly increase the ability to do more for longer periods of time.
• Increase range of motion and joint flexibility (the ability to move easily).
• Strengthen the heart.
• Decrease feelings of fatigue.
• Decrease symptoms of depression.
• Maintain regular bowel and bladder functions.
• Cut down on the risk of skin breakdown and irritation.
• Protect weight-bearing bone mass (spine, hips, legs).

Which Painkillers Are Safe for Seniors?

Today's Guest Writer Is:  Melanie Haiken, Senior Editor of Caring.com

Ibuprofen and other painkillers known as NSAIDs should only be used by older adults with "extreme caution," the American Geriatric Society (AGS) announced this week. The warning was part of new guidelines issued in May but published this month in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Revising chronic pain recommendations for the first time in seven years, the AGS warned that NSAIDs and another class of painkillers, COX-2 selective inhibitors, shouldn't be used by seniors except under rare circumstances. In addition to Motrin and generic ibuprofen, drugs to watch out for include newer over-the-counter painkillers such as naproxen (Aleve), and stronger prescription-strength drugs, such as celecoxib (Celebrex) and indomethacin (Indocin).

3 Key Steps to Protect Against Falls -- and Prevent a "Cascade" of Health Problems

Today's Guest Writer Is:  Melanie Haiken, Senior Editor of Caring.com

As many of us in the role of caring for older family members have found out the hard way, a fall that leads to a broken hip or other fracture can set of a chain reaction of health problems that can leave a formerly strong and independent person weakened and frail. Thanks to the "cascade" effect, a fall can trigger a series of serious health problems, and often leads to death. The Centers for Disease Control reports that falls are the leading cause of injury deaths among older adults, as well as the most common cause of hospital admissions for trauma. So it's important to take steps to prevent falls, including these: