Big Tipping: A New Holiday Tradition?

One of my family’s greatest traditions started at a Waffle House. While I wasn’t there on the Christmas morning that my mother and stepfather decided to start what we now refer to affectionately as ‘Operation Big Tip,’ I have reaped the benefits of my parents’ decision.

As a result of having divorced parents, I usually split my time between families on Christmas morning. I woke up at my mother’s house and opened presents while my step siblings at my dad’s house patiently waited for me to arrive to tear into their own parcels. One Christmas morning after my mom and Jim, my stepfather, dropped me off at my dad’s house, they decided to go to Waffle House.

In our small town on Christmas morning, Waffle House was the only place open. The service my parents received wasn’t particularly groundbreaking. But, figuring that their waitress picked up a Christmas morning shift for a reason, they gave her what could be described as an unusually large tip.

A few years later, they struck again when they gave an older gentleman sweeping the floors at Waffle House on Christmas day a 50 dollar tip. The man appeared to be a veteran. My mom described him as having what appeared to be army tattoos. He seemed genuinely surprised to receive a tip for sweeping the floors, not just for serving food.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/operation-big-tip-a-holiday-tradition-that-may-make-you-rethink-tipping.html#ixzz3uo0EVXcQ

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How To Avoid Drug Interactions with the Elderly

Polypharmacy refers to the taking of multiple drugs by a single patient. Doctors and clinicians usually use this term to refer to a problem which develops as a result of taking multiple drugs. As more and more drugs are being developed to treat diseases and conditions associated with aging and to potentially even extend life, clinicians are observing an increasing number of drug interactions as well as an increase in potentially adverse health-related problems due to these interactions.

Not surprisingly, it is the elderly who are most affected by polypharmacy, as older adults account for the bulk of prescriptions sales. However, prescription medications are only part of the problem. To prevent side effects caused by these interactions, patients, pharmacists and physicians must work collaboratively to regularly review the patient’s entire medication list.

There are many factors which contribute to this polypharmacy problems. Following are five of the most common contributing factors:

Multiple doctors and pharmacists. Many seniors have more than one doctor involved in their care.

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Protecting Patient's Private and Confidential Information

As a healthcare worker, it is very important to remember to keep a patient's information private and confidential. Talking with a co-worker at break time or in passing about a patient can be a potentially inappropriate time. We must always remember to be vigilant in protecting our patients rights.

Guidelines for protecting private and confidential information include the following:

• Discuss resident and client information ONLY in a place that is away from other residents, families and visitors. Report should not be given at the nurses station, as this is not a private area, with much opportunity for information to be overheard. 
• Never discuss patients in an elevator, in a hallway, cafeteria, or any other public place within or outside of the facility. Discuss resident information only with appropriate staff. 
• Do not ever release information to media or newspapers. 
• Don’t release information to the police without first alerting a supervisor. Instead refer them to an appropriate manager. 
• Do not keep a copy or make copies of resident information. 
• Destroy all end of shift report sheets after use. 
• Any item with a residents name or identifying medical information should NEVER be placed in general trash receptacles. They should be shredded for appropriate disposal of confidential information. 

Responsibilities regarding private and confidential information include:

• Know your expected limits: Check your job description. Ask your supervisor to clarify anything you do not understand. Never discuss information that you are unsure of, and be sure of who you are sharing this information with. Not all friends and family are authorized to know information regarding your resident or client’s condition. 
• Be on the alert for breaks or leaks. Be particularly mindful of when private information becomes casual chatting. Practice care that is private and behavior that guards confidence. 
• Report to your supervisor. The best working relationships are those in which you keep your supervisor well informed and on top of things that are going on. Keep open lines of communication between your superior and yourself. 

Patient privacy and confidentiality generally refers to a patient's right to:

• Decide what personal health information can be shared with others
• Decide how that information can be shared, and with whom it may be shared 
• Not have information about resident or client discussed in areas where others could overhear 
• Privacy also refers to the right to have physical privacy (curtains pulled) 
• Patient confidentiality generally refers to a patient's trust that health information will only be shared with those who need to know, and in order to provide appropriate care. 

For care to be appropriate, authorized health care staff need full access to a patient’s medical record. But, patients may withhold important information if they fear it will not be kept private and confidential. By ensuring patient privacy and confidentiality, your facility will help patients feel a sense of trust and help assure them they will receive appropriate care.

Protecting patient privacy and confidentiality is vital to your organizations mission. It helps increase patient's satisfaction and sense of dignity. It helps ensure that patients get the most effective care.


This excerpt is taken from our Social Service Designee course. To see which courses are available in your state click here.

Storytelling Therapy: Between the Lines

From a young age, I was drawn to the power of stories. Between my obsession with the original Nancy Drew mysteries and my love for competing in storytelling contests, stories played a major role in my development.

Of course, stories aren’t just for kids. Storytelling can be engaging and even therapeutic for anyone, with significant benefits for seniors – particularly when the tales are personal.

The Power of Storytelling

“We know from research that narrating life stories can help older people resolve internal conflicts, overcome self-criticism, and improve their sense of self-worth,” says Dr. Karl Pillemer, Cornell University gerontologist and author of 30 Lessons for Loving: Advice from the Wisest Americans on Love, Relationships, and Marriage. “Particularly valuable are storytelling opportunities that allow for ‘integrative reminiscence,’ in which people tell stories about their lives that involve examining and coming to terms with issues in their past.”

Pillemer is referring to his work on The Legacy Project, in which seniors are invited to share their stories as well as their advice for younger people.

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Alzheimer's and Dementia Part 1 of 4

For this Alzheimer's and Dementia four part series we'll be looking at what our Nurse Aide course has to say about these illnesses that are associated with many of our aging residents.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive fatal illness that causes areas of the brain to shrink. The resulting symptoms start with memory loss and other cognitive deficits, advancing to major personality changes and eventual loss of control over bodily functions.

While some of us experience mild memory losses with aging, people with Alzheimer's have a more noticeable and rapid decline in memory and other cognitive skills. Learn the signs and symptoms to help you decide if its time to seek help for yourself or a loved one showing symptoms of Alzheimer's.

Signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's

When Alzheimer's disease begins to destroy brain cells, no outward symptoms are evident. After a while, small memory lapses appear and grow more serious. The afflicted individual may forget the names of familiar people or places, the words to express what they want to say, or the location of everyday objects.

As the memory lapses of early Alzheimer's become more serious, other cognitive deficits and behavior problems develop:

Typical signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease 

• General confusion, disorientation to date, time or place
• Apathy, irritability, depression, anxiety 
• Problems with language, math, abstract thinking, and judgment 
• Personality changes with strange quirks or inappropriate behaviors 
• Wandering, hiding objects, problems with eating and sleeping 
• Late in the disease, paranoia and delusions may occur 
• Toward the end, total loss of self, and inability to control bodily functions 

While these are the major symptoms of Alzheimer's, not all patients have all these symptoms. However, it is good to be aware of the most typical warning signs, as it is important to recognize problems early, and get help for them. Are people with Alzheimer's aware of their signs and symptoms?

People with Alzheimer's show a range of responses to their own behavior and condition:

• Denial (in the early stages)
• Blame others for making them look ridiculous 
• Complete self-awareness (I'm sorry, I have Alzheimer's) 
• Frustration, agitation, rage 
• Vacant despair, with no apparent recognition that they were once a different person 

By the middle stage of Alzheimer's, most victims no longer are aware that they don't remember things or aren't communicating coherently. This is fortunate for them. In a safe environment with good care and social contact, most Alzheimer's patients seem relatively free of suffering. For their friends and relatives it's a different story: the long steady decline of their loved one is painful to watch. The demands of Alzheimer's care also take a toll, over the many years before inevitable death. Depression is more common among the caregivers of Alzheimer's patients than it is among the patients themselves.

The Main Stages of Alzheimer's Disease
Early-stage Alzheimer's (Mild)	Mid-stage Alzheimer's (Moderate)	Late-stage Alzheimer's (Severe)
Memory loss or other cognitive deficits are noticeable, yet the person can compensate for them and continue to function independently.	Mental abilities decline, the personality changes, and physical problems develop so that the person becomes more and more dependent on caregivers.	Complete deterioration of the personality and loss of control over bodily functions requires total dependence on others for even the most basic activities of daily living.

Memory loss or other cognitive deficits are noticeable, yet the person can compensate for them and continue to function independently.

Mental abilities decline, the personality changes, and physical problems develop so that the person becomes more and more dependent on caregivers.

Complete deterioration of the personality and loss of control over bodily functions requires total dependence on others for even the most basic activities of daily living.

People vary in the length of time spent in each stage, and in which stage the signs and symptoms appear. Because the stages overlap, it is difficult to definitively place a person in a particular stage. However, the progression is always toward a worsening of symptoms. The stages identify groups of symptoms that reflect more and more brain decay and increasing dependence on caregivers. The end result of Alzheimer's is death, whether caused by the inability of the brain to keep the body going, or by another disease or injury along the way.

No matter what stage the individual is in at the time of diagnosis, apathy is a major problem from the beginning to the very end. More than forty per cent of people in early-stage Alzheimer's show a lack of interest, initiative, and emotional involvement. In the last stage of Alzheimer's, more than ninety per cent of people are apathetic.

-Next week we'll look at the Early-stage Alzheimer's Signs and Symptoms.

Is Organic really better than Regular Food?

Organic or conventional? It’s a choice many grocery shoppers are faced with, over and over. The price difference is easy to see; it’s right there on the product. The quality difference is much harder. Is the organic milk better for your kids? Is the conventional lettuce more likely to carry pathogens? Do organics do us more good (in the form of better nutrition), and do they do us less harm (in the form of fewer contaminants and pathogens)?


When I first heard the term “organic” several years ago, I dismissed it. It implies a “status” that conjured up two different images: lifestyles of the rich and famous or perhaps some alternative, hippie thing. The term “organic” refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution.

For More and the Original Blog.

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The Effects of Nursing Fatigue on Patient Safety

Nurses and nurse aides are responsible for providing their patients the highest quality of care. And to ensure that we offer this level of patient care, we should also take care of ourselves by getting enough rest. But with long work hours, mandatory overtime, and rotating or night shifts, fatigue in nursing is a given. We end up overwhelmed and patient safety is compromised. After all, this tiredness is directly related to an increase in medical errors.

How Does Nursing Fatigue Affect You?
Consider the fact that when we are tired, our ability to solve problems and reach out are hindered. In the arena of clinical practice, we are more likely to commit the error of omission when we forget to do important tasks. Our attention spans may become shorter or we may fail to catch important details.
- See more at: http://www.nursetogether.com/the-effects-of-nursing-fatigue-on-patient-c#sthash.wPAWqODP.dpuf

How Does Nursing Fatigue Affect You?

Consider the fact that when we are tired, our ability to solve problems and reach out are hindered. In the arena of clinical practice, we are more likely to commit the error of omission when we forget to do important tasks. Our attention spans may become shorter or we may fail to catch important details.

For More and Original Article.

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Are you at Risk: Deaths from Alcohol on the Rise

Approximately 3.3 million deaths worldwide in 2012 were the result of alcohol consumption, according to a new report from the World Health Organization. Additionally, 16 percent of people in the world who use alcohol could be categorized as binge drinkers.

The new report, which examined the trends in alcohol use among 194 WHO member states, found Europe topped the list for the region with the highest rate of alcohol consumption per capita, though the rate has remained stable over the past five years. In the last half decade, alcohol use also remained unchanged in Africa and throughout the Americas. However, drinking increased in the South-East Asia and the Western Pacific regions of the world.

The report found alcohol-related mortality was more common for men than women: 7.6 percent of deaths among men versus 4 percent of deaths among women worldwide were linked to excessive drinking. However, the authors of the report say alcohol abuse among women is on the rise. A similar report released in 2011 found 6.2 percent of all male deaths were related to alcohol, compared to 1.1 percent of female deaths at that time.

The overall number of alcohol-related deaths rose from 2.5 million in the 2011 report.

For the original article.

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April 6 - 13 is National Volunteer Week

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University recently discovered that seniors who regularly volunteer decrease their blood pressure by 40 percent! 

The study's lead author Rodlescia S. Sneed said, "As people get older, social transitions like retirement, bereavement and the departure of children from the home often leave older adults with fewer natural opportunities for social interaction. Participating in volunteer activities may provide older adults with social connections that they might not have otherwise. There is strong evidence that having good social connections promotes healthy aging and reduces risk for a number of negative health outcomes."

Volunteering is also great for the brain. Dr. Patricia Boyle of Rush University in Chicago explains that as we grow older, we may lose our sense of purpose in life—and this actually puts us at greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Volunteering provides the kind of meaningful activity that promotes cognitive health.

Volunteer service also is a powerful tool for fighting depression. University of California, Riverside neurologists used sophisticated brain imaging to demonstrate that practicing acts of kindness boosts connections in the brain that reverse depression and apathy.

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Like to Learn More about becoming a Medication Aide?

A medication aide, also referred to as a medical technician, distributes patient medications in nursing homes, schools, correctional facilities or non-hospital assisted-living facilities. Medication aides usually are directly supervised by doctors or other licensed caretakers. Aides typically assist patients in properly taking oral, topical or intravenous medications in correct dosages and must to strict medical protocol.

These professionals also supervise patients to ensure that they do not have any adverse reactions after taking their medications and must keep comprehensive records of all medications that have administered to each patient. In many places, a person must pass a certification exam and be licensed by the government to work as a medication aide.

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Clever Christmas Party Ideas for Senior Living

12 Days of Christmas

Find clever ways to incorporate everything from a partridge in a pear tree to twelve drummers drumming. This may include displaying topiary trees with candy pears, serving three (roast) french hens, hanging five golden wreaths to represent the rings and dressing up your tables to look like giant drums.

Have an Aussie Christmas

Break away from the white Christmas and celebrate the season the way they do downunder - on a scorching summer's day.

Use an inflatable children's pool filled with ice to hold your drinks, and decorate a gum tree rather than the traditional evergreen. Put on a barbecue, meatpies or some freshly grilled fish, crack a few ginger ales and break out the ausse slang, mate. Decorations could include Australian flora and fauna, shells and white sand and sandals.


For more ideas and original article.

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Is an iPad Good for Your Eyes?

In a presentation at the most recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Dr. Daniel Roth, an eye specialist and clinical associate professor at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ, offered new findings on why tablet computers are helping seniors read with increased clarity and speed.

Yes, you read right – technology can make life better for seniors, not worse! Dr. Roth’s test results revealed that participants age 50 and above read about 128 words per minute on an iPad, compared to 114 words per minute with a newspaper. The font size was the same – 10-point.

Dr. Roth suggested that the tablet’s illuminated screen enhances the contrast between the words and the background, easing eyestrain and enhancing readability. Since contrast sensitivity (the visual ability to differentiate between foreground and background information) declines with age, a backlit screen can help seniors see better and read more efficiently.

For More on This Original Article

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How Reading and Writing Preserve Memory in Older Age

A recent study has found that engaging in mental activities as simple as reading and writing can significantly reduce the rate of cognitive decline in seniors. Older adults who were mentally active throughout their lifetime experienced the lowest rate of memory loss.

Researchers from the Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center gathered 294 older adults to participate in the study. The participants were given a survey to determine how frequently they read books, wrote, or did any other similar activities when they were a child, through adolescence, in middle age, and at their current age.

The seniors were then tested for their memory and other mental abilities every year until they died. Older adults on average, participated in the study for 6 years. The participants also agreed to allow their brain tissue to be examined after they passed.

The researchers found that the rate of cognitive decline among older adults who frequently engaged in mental activity was 32 percent lower than individuals with average mental activity.

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10 Early warning Signs of Pancreatic Cancer

The average general health article on pancreatic cancer states flatly that there are no early symptoms of pancreatic cancer. People diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are typically already in the advanced stage of the disease by the time it's caught, and the typical prognosis is death within five years.
With pancreatic cancer much on everyone's mind due to the untimely death of Steve Jobs, it seems like a good time to ask the question that's on all of our minds: Are there any early warning signs of pancreatic cancer?

The answer is yes, there are. But to understand these signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer, it's important to understand where the pancreas is, and what it does.

Located deep inside the abdomen, the pancreas is only 4 to 6 inches long and shaped like a tadpole. In the "tail" of the pancreas are cells that produce insulin, and tumors at this end are usually endocrine tumors. They're easier to diagnose, but are much rarer. At the other end, the "head" of the pancreas, are cells that produce digestive enzymes, and tumors at this end are called exocrine tumors. These are by far the most common, and are much more difficult to detect.

For the Rest of this Original Article.

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How to Plan Your Grandparents Day Event

Whether you're celebrating National Grandparents Day (September 8, 2013) or running a Grandparents Day event at another time of the year, getting started by encouraging participation is the first step.

It's a first step that can lead to many other, bigger steps: increasing overall family and community involvement, building a volunteer base, encouraging greater understanding across generations, building closer bonds between generations, affirming the value of children and older adults, making use of the strengths of both young and old, and mobilizing all generations to deal with some very real societal challenges.

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Cool Summer Food Ideas with Easy Summer Foods

Summer is the time when most of us bring out our swimwear and hit the beach to beat the rising temperatures and searing heat of summer. Well it's also the right time to shed few pounds as well! However instead of going for a strict diet regime that will dampen your sunshine, try to avail of a variety of wonderful summer foods which the summer brings along. 

The secret is that these summer foods will help you to stay fit and healthy. Heavy, high calorie foods as it is seem less appealing in summer so you can easily eat light, healthy food. Listed below are 31 cool summer food suggestions, which are healthy, refreshing and most importantly will help you to stay energized and avoid the ill effects of summer. 

Watermelon - Watermelon has more than 80 percent water, so this summer fruit is an excellent way to satisfy your thirst and keep you hydrated during summers.

Grilled vegetables - Keep your refrigerator stocked with a plate of prepared grilled peppers, grilled onions, carrots, zucchini, garlic, eggplant, celery and asparagus.

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Can Artisans Remain Inspired in Senior Living Communities?

Dedicated quilter? Woodworker? Jewelry maker? While the majority of senior living communities offer a varied roster of activities so that residents can enjoy pastimes that suit their preferences, many aging adults have concerns that they won’t be able to find a community that truly supports their avocation or artistic interests.

What if you’re a theatre actor, but nowhere close to retiring from the stage? What if you’re a writer with no intention of putting down the pen just because you’ve reached retirement age? Seniors who want to downsize or who find themselves suddenly alone after years of marriage can find it daunting to think about trying to identify and nestle into a new community that sustains their longtime vocation.

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Alzheimer's Hurts: Help For Difficult Behaviors

The first time she can’t remember your name.
The first time he doesn’t seem to recognize you.
The first time she responds to your touch in anger, something she never did before.
 
Alzheimer’s hurts.

As if these deeply painful moments aren’t hard enough, there’s the repeated questions. The anxiety and agitation. The wandering. Hallucinations.

There are so many difficult behaviors that go along with an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis, which makes caregiving tremendously challenging. You’re dealing with the loss of the person you knew, he’s fading away right before your eyes, and this alone takes its toll. You’re caring around the clock (one of the most famous Alzheimer’s caregiving books is called The 36-Hour Day for good reason). You’re physically exhausted, emotionally spent. No matter how much you love the person you’re caring for, a person can only handle so much. (And if you’re caring for someone you don’t have a relationship with or someone you had once been estranged from, the task is equally trying.)

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No Time for Exercise? Try These Tips

You found your keys. You found the motivation to clean out your closet. Now you’ve got to find 30 minutes in your day to get physically active — and there are plenty of easy, no-cost ways to do it.
Think you don’t have time? You don’t have to do all 30 minutes at once.

You’ll get the same benefits if you divide your time into two or three 10- to 15-minute segments a day.

“Building physical activity back into our daily lives is one of the great public health challenges of this century,” said Russell Pate, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Exercise at the University of South Carolina. “Our bodies were designed to be physically active, and they don’t do well with long-term exposure to sedentary living.  Lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.”

Here are some of Dr. Pate’s tips for getting active:

1. Get out the leash and walk your dog. It’s a great activity for both man and man’s best friend. Your heart — and your pooch — will thank you!
2. Take your child for a brisk walk. It’s an excellent way to get some one-on-one time (or one-on-three, depending on the size of your brood.) Spice up your routine by exploring new neighborhoods or turning your walk into a scavenger hunt.
3. Mall walk. Are you sweating (or shivering) at the idea of walking outside? Take a brisk stroll around your local mall instead. Window shop, people watch and give your heart a workout in a climate-controlled environment.

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Red Wine & Red Grapes Help Protect Against Hearing Loss & More

Red wine and red grapes contain resveratrol, a substance which appears to protect against hearing loss and cognitive decline, researchers from the Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, reported in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

In an animal experiment, the scientists found that laboratory rats would suffer less from the long-term effects of noise-induced hearing loss if they consumed resveratrol before listening to extended periods of loud noise.

Study lead author Michael D. Seidman, director of the Division of Otologic/Neurotologic Surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital, said:

"Our latest study focuses on resveratrol and its effect on bioinflammation, the body's response to injury and something that is believed to be the cause of many health problems including Alzheimer's disease, cancer, aging and hearing loss."

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