What is Polypharmacy
What is polypharmacy? Polypharmacy is the use of multiple prescription and non-prescription medications due to the presence of multiple illnesses. It is especially common among older individuals. Scientists disagree about the exact definition of polypharmacy. How many medications are too many medications? When elderly patients have been diagnosed with multiple illnesses (multi-morbidity), it is common […]
Inspirational Quotes for Caregivers
One of the most important skills that you’ll learn as a caregiver is the ability to care for yourself even while offering so much to another person. This isn’t always the simplest, most straightforward task, and any experienced caregiver will tell you that self care is an ongoing assignment that you must make into a top priority. […]
Home Health Aide Dos and Don’ts
Home Health Aide List of Dos Here is a list of things you should do when you’re caring for your home health aide clients. 1. Report all changes in your patient’s health status to the nurse and your agency When working with a client, you’ll have information about their underlying health conditions and what sort of […]
Cultural Awareness for Caregivers
How do you show cultural awareness? As a caregiver, there are many different ways to show cultural awareness, and though some ways may seem small or subtle, even the slightest demonstration of awareness can make a significant difference toward having positive intercultural interactions and relationships with patients. While cultural awareness seems like a simple adjustment on […]
Caregiver Skills
What skills do you need to be a caregiver? There are certain skills that are particularly important for caretakers to have in order to get good results from patients. Some of these skills come naturally to certain caregivers while others can be learned Most professional caregivers are strong at certain skills and a little weaker in regard […]
Taking Care of Your Parent With Alzheimer’s
What is Alzheimer’s Disease? Alzheimer’s is the name of one of several diseases whereby there is progressive decline of one’s mental faculties. According to www.alz.org there are 5.7 million Americans who have Alzheimer’s, and 5.5 million of them are over the age of 65. This translates into one out of ten, or 10% of people over 65 […]
Caregiver Self-Care 101 – The Importance of Taking Care of YOU
Benefits of Caregiving Although caregiving comes with its own set of challenges, there are plenty of genuine benefits that caregivers can receive from helping another person. In fact, a caregiver health effects study published by the Society of Behavioral Medicine found that even when demands and distress intensified, about one-third of caregivers still reported positive effects. These […]
Caring For Someone With Alzheimer’s
Caring For Someone With Alzheimer’s Practicing Individualized Care Because Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that affects different people in different ways, it is extremely important to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach for quality Alzheimer’s care. Each person will have a unique set of needs, preferences, and impairments to take into account. It is also vital to periodically […]
Duties of a Home Care Aide
What does a home health aide do? Traditional home health aides assist with the “activities of daily living,” which are defined as mobility, hygiene, and nutrition. The exact tasks vary and will depend on the patient’s particular needs and preferences. CDPAP aides especially focus on individualized care, paying close attention to the patient’s requests. For example, a visually impaired person may ask an aide to […]