Senior Healthcare: Medical Aspects
By David G. Petten

The problems associated with caring for an elderly loved one can be overwhelming. Often times, families aren’t sure where to turn, and even more importantly how to pay for the available help. While there are several insurance plans with varying degrees of coverage, some very good and others certainly acceptable, they are often quite expensive to manage. That, coupled with the poor deductibles, can make it almost impossible for seniors to get the care they need and deserve.

The key to finding a good insurance plan is to explore all the possibilities, and figure out how they match up to the needs of the loved one in your care. Other families, however, are fortunate enough to be able to afford god healthcare, as they often utilize the savings of their patient. Still, there is often o no way to anticipate the potential cost that will inevitably continue to rise on a daily basis.

Another medical concern is the quality of care the patient receives. Since the idea of home care is to provide seniors with necessary medical care while helping to improve the overall quality of life, it is important this is done at home or at the very least in the home of a family member who can assist. Home care can involve many services, the most common of which are home nurses, dispensing of medication, and consultation with the client’s physicians and other medical professionals.

There are several factors that play a part in the ever increasing home care situations. Two of these factors are a new shift in healthcare toward the reduction of hospital stays and an aging population. Since hospital costs have become inflated and good and affordable insurance coverage harder to come by, many people are choosing to care for their loved ones right at home. This often means dong much of the work themselves, which can be difficult if the elder is ill or if various family members are unable to take time away from their jobs in order to properly care for the individual. This means calling someone in to assist, especially during the day.

The first step in receiving home care should be consulting with a physician to learn the loved one’s medical needs, and to determine just how independent he or she should be. It is also a good idea to check with the insurance company to make sure the individual qualifies for home care, since there are often specific circumstances that must be met depending on the company and level of coverage.

Once this is established, and it has been determined that home care is appropriate, consult with various home care facilities to choose the one that is best for your loved one. You will then meet with trained professionals to discuss the next steps to take and the services that will be provided. Remember, better care can mean a longer life.
About the Author: http://www.homewelltoronto.ca/
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Physical And Psychological Changes During Senior Years
By Joe Goertz

There are many stages of life and living, but one series of changes has a more significant impact on people than any other, especially on women.

It can be difficult to describe the specific symptoms of the change as they vary between individuals; however the types of effects that the change brings about are common. As you would expect the effects of change are also quite different for males and females.

Unfortunately for women there are a number of symptoms to deal with. In most instances they occur at the same time multiplying the impacts of the symptoms. Typically women first notice the change with the onset of hot flushes. In addition there can be night sweats. In tandem these symptoms make it difficult for a woman to go about her daily life without adjusting her normal activities to compensate.

Imagine feeling cold then inextricably feeling hot when everyone else seems to be just comfortable. Some of the other symptoms that can be physically experienced include chills and cold sweats, feeling dizzy (also called vertigo), feeling faint and/or feeling weak. As well, some women experience differences in urinary tract habits. It is not unusual, for example, to feel a little discharge of urine when a woman sneezes, coughs, exercises, or even when she is having intercourse.

If these symptoms are not enough for a woman to realize that the change is upon her, there are more obvious signs that she is about to move into the next stage of life. It is the irregularity and ultimately vanished menstrual cycle. For many women this is the most emotionally challenging symptom because it forces them to face the reality that reproduction is out of the question.

While women undoubtedly suffer during this phase, they are by no means the only ones to experience change. Men are also subject to physical and psychological symptoms. With men the changes relate to reductions in testosterone levels. Some of the symptoms that may be experienced include blood rushes to the face and hot flushes. The most daunting symptom facing men is the diminished libido because it can seem to challenge their feelings of masculinity. In addition they may also experience erectile dysfunction (commonly referred as ED).

While experiencing the change of life may not be what people, both male and female, look forward to in their senior years, it is an inevitable process that everyone must go through. In actual fact putting a name to the symptoms that can be experienced can be in a way liberating. Sharing changes, both emotional such as mood swings and irritability along with the physical such as weakness helps make going the changes somewhat easier.

About the Author: You will find more from this author at: http://www.society-magazine.com
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Adopt Right Posture To Avoid Back Pains Of Senior Years
By Peter Conati

Can you remember your parents telling you to stand straight, and not to slouch? All parents have told this to their kids some time – but most kids hardly listen. Many even feel harassed by their parents because they want them to stand in a certain way,
and not the way they feel comfortable themselves.

But the truth is that what parents tell us has been learnt from their own experiences. Right posture is not about appearance but it is to minimize the sufferings of back pain. Right posture helps back muscle to get stronger and neck to be held up better.

If you hold yourself wrong then these muscles must work harder to keep every thing in the right place. And this causes strain in the muscles, which causes back pain.

Do an experiment. Go find a full-length mirror. Stand sideways in front of it in the posture you would naturally stand as if there as no mirror. Imagine a line at the back of your body touching your ear lobe, shoulders, hip, knees and your ankle. Is
it straight? If not then you are not standing straight. Your natural posture is causing your muscles to hold themselves at the wrong angle. This is one of the most frequent reasons why people suffer from chronic back pain.

More than 80 per cent of our time is spent in either sitting or sleeping. Imagine if were to be using the posture which strain our muscles during all this time. We want to make sure that we do that right, not just how we stand. Most people sleep 7-8
hours on average – some more, and some less. Make sure that you sleep on a mattress that keeps your back as straight as possible. A soft mattress is unlikely to give firm support to your back. If you already have a soft mattress then the best
option is a half an inch thick plywood board under your mattress. If you can afford one than go buy a new firm mattress.

If your job requires sitting for most part of the day, or you drive long distances either going to work or as part of your job than you should pay particular attention to how you sit. Your sitting posture should be straight. Many people use a pillow or
a towel to help them sit straight or for extra support. Every hour take a 30 second stretch break. This will make sure that any tension in muscles is straightened. You may already be using specially designed chairs at work but you should still take
stretch break.

So from now on, make sure that your posture is straight. When you grow old and see others suffering from back pain, you will thank you self for taking the corrective action while young. – because you will not suffer from aches and pains that are often
associated with bad posture. And it is so easy to correct, especially when you know how easy it is, and how high the stakes are.

About the Author: The article you just read and other excellent information can be found in Peter Conati’s book "Understanding Back Pain". The entire book is temporarily available for FREE & for immediate download at his site. Download your FREE copy while it is still available here: http://www.backpain-revealed.com
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Senior Care For Alzheimer’s

Senior Care For Alzheimer’s
By Alex Jensen

As a person ages, a certain amount of memory loss and confusion is quite normal. Personally, I’ve been known to invoke the cliché, “The older I get, the better I was!” Unfortunately,
Alzheimer’s disease represents a more serious loss of mental sharpness and calls for special care for seniors.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive form of pre-senile dementia. Symptoms are typically first noted in a person’s late forties or early fifties. As the disease takes effect, it will first impact memory. Impaired thought and speech will follow with the patient eventually becoming helpless.
Alzheimer’s is a truly horrible disease because it robs a person of their ability to function. The disease is also damaging to family and friends as it is very difficult to watch a parent, brother, sister or friend progress to the point where they don’t recognize anyone. The burden of caring for a person suffering from Alzheimer’s is significant. At some point in time, a family will have to look for assistance with the care.

Most “board and care” and “assisted living facilities” are willing and capable of providing for a person suffering from Alzheimer’s. These facilities are similar to nursing homes, but with less of an institutional atmosphere. If, however, a senior becomes increasingly disoriented, perhaps even occasionally wandering away, they may require a facility with a dementia waiver.

Despite the name, a “dementia waiver” is an indication that a facility and staff have additional training and licensing for the care of patients with dementia. On top of the additional training, the actual facility may be secured with a perimeter to keep patients on the grounds.

Alzheimer’s disease leaves a mark on family and friends as well as the victim. There are, however, facility options that can at least take the care burden off of you.

About the Author: Alex Jensen is with http://www.careplacement.com/ - a free placement service for Southern California. Care Placement's staff can review your care requirements to determine whether skilled nursing care, assisted living facilities or board and care homes are a viable option for seniors.

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