Elder Care Notebook

If you are looking for home care for your loved one, whether through an agency, personal referrals, or especially through advertisements ...

One client had an interesting idea for a chair rail.  Rather than putting up decorative trim, the client had a more functional rail made, wh...

Sometimes the right furniture makes all the difference.      Caregivers may have clients who gradually have come to need a hospital bed or...

The US News and World Report has issued its listing of top rehabilitation hospitals.  The following rehab hospitals are in the top tier in t...

US News & World Report has issued an updated list of 'best nursing homes ' based on government rankings. A few were designated a...

Here in Florida we are concerned about hurricanes, but most parts of the country have their own natural disaster threats.  The county where ...

Imagine this.  A well credentialed caregiver shows up at a new client and is briefed at length by the previous caregiver, who is leaving. ...

When taking on any new home care case, don't forget to check expiration dates on all food as well as, of course, medicine.  This point w...

There are certainly plenty of guides and checklists published on the internet and elsewhere for selecting a nursing home. Medicare has an ...

As we know, CNA's have continuing education (CE) requirements similar to those of other licensed professionals. Self-employed CNA'...

A famous writer supposedly said, "to a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail." That saying may be appropriate in the e...

So often, impressions of caregiver performance are subjective. As with any medical provider, a home caregiver's bedside manner is impo...

I sometimes work for clients who have Long Term Care insurance policies. Often, these policies have dollar limits to payouts, rather than ...

The Wisconsin technical colleges have a series of 80 training videos online (Lessons 1 - 80) that can be useful for caregivers. The series...

By engaging a private caregiver, you can often get a highly qualified professional at affordable rates. With the latest developments in lic...

A recent post by an elder care adviser: "Important point:With an agency- you have someone with money to sue if need be!" Seconde...

Florida has three kinds of licensed or registered home care companies. - Nurse Registries (recruiters) - Home companions (sitters an...

DNR, "do not resuscitate ". As some politicians have put it, this subject is above my pay grade. Or is it? As aides or family...

Certified Nursing Assistant or Home Health Aide ? Which is more appropriate? It depends. When I worked in home care in a different stat...

US News & World Report's honor roll of nursing homes . Arkansas: St. Mary's Regional Califo...

If it doesn't smell right, it probably isn't. Faci lities When visiting care facilities, including acute care hospitals, nursing...

Please excuse me if I seem upset about this. We've all see the headlines like "Inadequate hospital hand hygiene is spreading MRSA...

There are a number of things that can be done for prevention of sores: Help the person shift frequently, at least every couple of hours. ...

I recommend using the best cleansers and lotions you can get. These are often only available at medical supply stores or from online medica...

This chart from the NIH's website is just a reminder that the treatment of bedsores is not "do it yourself." Wound care is co...

First, I should say that my experience is with prevention, and you should discuss any treatment with a doctor. Second, wound care is compl...

In my earlier post Bedsore Prevention Part 1 , I mentioned the importance of a good bed, and I used Hill-Rom as an example. The main reaso...

This is a delicate subject. How often have heard that the staff in a particular rehab or long-term care facility is caring and loving, an...

The best cure for bedsores is prevention. Preventing sores takes a great deal of effort, but it is always worth it. There is one piece of...

US News & World Report's Top 10 Geriatric Care Hospitals: Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles Johns Hopkins Hospital, B...

Here is a link to the government ratings of individual nursing homes : HHS.gov ( http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Include/DataSection/Que...

These pillows make good bolsters for the feet. Not under the ankle, but between the client's foot and the bed's footboard. The foo...

We don't want to wait until a natural disaster is at our doorstep to think about getting ourselves prepared. Here in Florida hurrican...

Air conditioning and heating ducts are easy to overlook.  When you are establishing a clean, safe environment for your clients, these should...

We all know that honey has many health benefits. I always use honey in tea instead of sugar. A physician speaking at a recent conference...

If your client is confined to a wheel chair, or even just uses a walker, see your local Fire Department and EMS, and let them know. The emer...

I have traveled twice on trips by air ambulance. One was a lengthy trip that required a short refueling stop along the way. Small Lear je...

Here we are talking about the concierge medical service companies that have been featured in magazines and newspapers. These are not the c...

HBO's series of shows about Alzheimer's is available for on-line viewing. The five-part series is on the Alzheimer's Associati...

My apologies for the graphic picture. "Most MRSA infections occur in hospitals or other health care settings, such as nursing homes a...

The following is a presentation prepared by the CDC: WHY IS HAND HYGIENE IMPORTANT? Infections are a serious problem in healthcare facili...

If you happen to go to Northwestern Memorial in Chicago as a visitor or with your client, I recommend asking for a tour. Many of the featu...

Don't forget to ask the doctor or physical therapist for the "range of motion" exercises that they prescribe for your client. ...

When is the last time your client had a really good foot massage? They will appreciate regular massage. I learned from the Art Riggs instru...

If you are working for a hospital, the dress code is fairly simple. It's whatever you're told. With private care, there is certai...

A useful guideline for addressing elderly clients is to assume that: 1. they were professionals or business owners before retirement, and ...