Signs and Symptoms of Flu

 
     
People who have the flu often feel some or all of these signs and symptoms:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (very tired)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

How Flu Spreads

Most experts believe that flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person might also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, eyes or possibly their nose.
 Period of Contagiousness

You may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Some people, especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others for an even longer time.

How Serious is the Flu?

Flu is unpredictable and how severe it is can vary widely from one season to the next depending on many things, including:
• which flu viruses are spreading
• how much flu vaccine is available
• when vaccine is available
• how many people get vaccinated, and
• how well the flu vaccine is matched to flu viruses that are causing illness

Certain people are at greater risk for serious complications, if they get the flu. This includes older people, young children, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), and persons who live in facilities like nursing homes.

Rehab & Homecare – The Perfect Holistic Match

Recently I’ve been speaking with a number of Rehab specialists as well as Case Managers and we’ve all come away with that ‘light bulb going on’ feeling.

A key component of Rehab is to restore and maintain the maximum level of independence that the individual can realistically and safely attain.  That mirrors the desires of Homecare perfectly.  Homecare wants to help ensure independence and allow the individual to live their life with the respect and dignity that they deserve, and to help them along the way.

A fully integrated Rehab and Homecare approach becomes holistic as it addresses the body, the mind and the environment where the person chooses to live.  When working in tandem, a proper rehab program and an appropriate homecare program will optimize not only the well-being of the individual physically, but they will also ease the stress and strains of daily living.

Helping people to be healthy, happy and independent is an honourable goal.  Rehab and Homecare can help achieve that goal.

Fun in the Sun

Now that the weather has turned, and the Tulips are in full bloom we have to remember that the sun and warmth present their own unique issues.  Certain precautions must be taken into consideration to make sure that we can enjoy the benefits of our lawn, garden, deck and Bar-B-Ques.

The trick is really to be aware of the risks and to take precautions against the hazards while enjoying the benefits.

Moisturizing sun screen with SPF of more than 30 is a good start but a higher SPF might be warranted.  Most people tend to forget that they have to reapply every so often, so make sure to make it a routine to reapply.

Proper clothing is also important.  Clothes that are not going to add to the overheating while still providing protection from too much sun exposure are the best.

On bright sunny days, there are better times than others for doing things outside that involve exerting oneself.  Sitting under an umbrella with lunch is perfect anytime between 11am and 2pm.  If you are going to be working or walking, maybe before 11am or later in the afternoon might be more comfortable and easier on your system.

Seniors need to be mindful that on real hot days, breathing can be more difficult especially if they have any sort of respiratory issues.

A shovel isn’t the only tool for the garden.  Knee pads, seats and carts make the work far less difficult.  There are plenty of ergonomic gardening tools that can help make the work easier.

Sunglasses are one of the best summer tools of all.  They ease the strain and discomfort that the sun causes most seniors and they protect your vision.

Having a quick chat with your Pharmacist or Doctor about your medications can also help address any issues that could arise from the increased exposure to the sun and heat during the summer months.  You never know what side-effects there could be.

Finally, know when enough is enough.  Don’t push yourself just because its a nice day, tomorrow will be nice too if you don’t over-do-it today.

Nickel For Your Thoughts…

Yes I know – the saying is “A Penny for your thoughts” but since the Canadian Government did away with the Penny, I thought I’d update the saying too.  My other favourite expression is “hope for the best but expect the worst.”

Speaking of keeping things up to date and expecting the worst things to happen, are your affairs up to date? It sounds like a simple matter but really it is a lot more complex than you might think.

Wills and Power of Attorney:  As life goes by, situations change, people come and go and our wishes change too.  If you wrote your will when you were in your 30’s you might have had a parent as an executor or guardian to your children.  Fast forward 20 years and Dad might have passed away and the kids grown.  Maybe it’s time to review things…..

Bank Accounts: If a person is unable to access their bank account, either due to illness (mental or physical) or death, who is going to pay any outstanding bills?  Hopefully there is enough money there, it’s just that nobody can access it till things get resolved.  Joint accounts avoid this issue.

Living with Illness:  Every year older means that there is a greater chance that something will go wrong.  Have you thought about what would happen if something catastrophic happened to you?  A massive heart attack or stroke that leave you incapable of looking after yourself or your family?  Plan ahead to make sure that if everything falls apart in your life that your family has the help they need.

Funerals and funeral costs:  $10,000 doesn’t go all that far these days when it comes to a funeral.  Making the funeral arrangements isn’t a whole lot of fun either.  Funeral Directors are wonderful people when it comes to helping with making the arrangements as easy as possible, but there is a limit to the amount of comfort that they can provide you.  Plus they want to be paid, see the paragraph on Bank Accounts above.

Homecare: Almost every senior I’ve ever met would like to stay at home if at all possible. Regardless of where home is, if we can manage to help people stay there, then that’s great.  Housekeeping, Personal Care, companionship, meals and medication reminders to name just a few of the things we do (a shameless plug for my business!!)

Aging should be a time of leisurely choices, not stressful decisions.  Planning ahead can help make sure that we have leisurely choices to make and help avoid having to make the stressful decisions.  Ask for help if you need to just don’t ignore the future.  Lets all hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.

Home Sweet Home

Home is where the heart is, and if you look for statistics about where is the most common place for a Senior to get hurt, you’ll find home as the number one location.  Is it a coincidence ?    does   it   seem obvious?    I have no idea, and frankly if you’re looking for the magic answers to prevent Seniors from getting hurt, I’m afraid you are going to be sorely disappointed.  I don’t know what the magic answer is.

I do however have a few ideas about improving the safety of Seniors at home.

• Make sure that all the maintenance is done and done right.
• Loose railings make balance difficult. Poor balance leads to falls.
• Carpet that has developed that bump in it has also created a tripping hazard.
• Throw rugs / mats that are not rubber backed will slide leading to slips and falls.
• Improper lighting makes it difficult to navigate safely around obstacles
• Too much ‘stuff’ or too much clutter make it more difficult to move about safely
• Proper footwear improves balance and reduces falls
• The Fire department will replace smoke alarm batteries – stay off that chair !
• Spring rain tends to make lobby floors wet and therefore slippery.
• Wet, slippery conditions also exist in the bathroom.
• Proper handrails in the shower and at the toilet make both safer and easier.
• Consider using a Handheld shower-head and a shower bench.
• A small basket/tray can be used with a walker to carry things from the kitchen.
• Those Canes with 3-4 feet on them can help too.

There are lots of ideas, this is just the start of the list.  Try thinking outside the box, ask friends and neighbours how they deal with certain things and you’ll find that the list of

ways to avoid getting hurt is a wonderful exercise in Hospital avoidance.

Drop me a note and let me know what you think….

Homecare is not just at the House

According to legend (or history) over 1900 years ago a Roman by the name of Pliny the Elder is credited with the saying “Home is where the Heart is.”  Of course, we all know the saying and most people believe it to be true.  What I doubt Pliny the Elder ever thought about was that Homecare is also where the heart is. 

Just like a Housewife never married a house, Homecare is not about maintenance on the house, nor does it mean services are provided just in at the house.  Rather, the saying tells us that where-ever we are living is where our hearts reside.

Homecare is provided where-ever it is needed, and can certainly follow us anywhere that it is needed.  Regardless if whether a loved one is in a hospital temporarily or for a longer stay, Homecare can be there with them.  Homecare is regularly provided in Long-term care residences, Nursing Homes, hospices, retirement communities, condos and apartments.

Nobody wakes up in the morning and decides that they want Homecare for no reason at all, usually something prompts the decision. Where-ever we are living, and for however long we’ll be there we need to remember that Homecare is available where we call home.  Homecare is there to provide that extra level of service to help ease our burdens and to help make life a little nicer.

As the type of Home you live in changes, so too do your needs.  So too do the Homecare services.  If we are going to be moving into a Seniors Residence we may not need the same type of assistance that we needed before.  For instance the Residence may look after the laundry and the medications, but getting your home organized and dealing with the changes that are happening might be something can be helped with instead.  At the Hospital it might just be to fluff a pillow and to provide a friendly visitor through the day to help deal with anxiety, loneliness, depression or dementia.   Just knowing that someone is there can be such a tremendous benefit.

Home is where the Heart is, and so too is Homecare.

Safety at Home for Seniors

‘Pride goes before a fall’ or perhaps more accurately, ‘Pride goes before a fall, and is followed by a broken hip’

Take a walk around your home, and take a look at it from a slightly different perspective.  Consider if you will if things are safe enough for a someone who is either frail, weak, unsteady on their feet or who needs to grab on to things occasionally for support.

I am always amazed at the little things that we all overlook in our homes.  I often hear ‘yes, I know but it has always been like that‘ or ‘ yes I know, but what can I do about it?‘  While these redirects are honest, they don’t address the safety issues.

As we age from infancy and childhood into adults our situation changes in terms of what we need.  Everyone has heard of childproofing your home when there is a baby on the way.  What about addressing the situation as we go from middle age to ‘the golden years’ ?  Our situation changes as do our needs, yet often times we do not address whether or not the home is still as safe as it was.

We’re not talking about the wiring or the furnace here.  We are talking about that mat that sits on the floor in front of the sink.  We are talking about having railings and grab bars were they are most needed.  We are talking about having enough space to get through the hall safely with the cane or walker.  We are talking about clutter and the corners of furniture or that cord beside the table.  Any (all) of them can be hazards.

Any and all issues have solutions, replace the mat with one that is rubber backed or get a carpet liner to go underneath the mat (or just get rid of the mat!).   Want a fun way to look at having enough space to get around halls, corners and furniture ? have one of the grandchildren push a box the width of a walker (banana box from the grocery store) or the tube from wrapping paper around the house and take note of  places or things that get in the way.  Those are the issues to look at.

Because Seniors can be vulnerable to injury from a fall, precautions should be taken to try to eliminate or at least limit the hazards.  Just because you may not be a Senior, the same rules apply – safe is safe, not just for you but for your guests too !

KNOW WHO IS KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR

We have all told our children to watch out for strangers, don’t trust strangers, and don’t open the door to strangers because you never know who is lurking out there ………. No one would ever leave their son or daughter at some strangers’ house while they go off to work.  Yet when we talk to our parents, friends and neighbours about the Nurse, Personal Support Worker or Homecare worker that comes to see them, do they know who is knocking on their door ?

We here in Ontario are very fortunate to have available to us publicly funded Homecare and Healthcare services.  What we have is very good, and it is run very well.  They match up needs to services all the while balancing that off against budget dollars allocated to them by the Government.  I am proud of our publicly funded programs.   Privately funded Homecare and privately funded healthcare however need to be looked at in a different light and with a slightly different set of priorities.  Quality must always be issue number one of course, but the restrictions placed on the publicly funded system must be removed when it comes to privately funded care.

If you are going to pay for private homecare assistance then you should expect, and be able to demand to be in control of the entire process.  You should control who comes to your home (it is your home after all), when they come, how often they come, how long they stay for and what they do while they are there.  You should also be aware of the contingency plans, the cost and what the risks are to you.

The Caregiver:

• If you are allowing someone to come into your home to provide assistance to you or a loved one, shouldn’t the expectation be that you get to meet the Caregiver ahead of time (without being charged for it) to make sure that YOU think he/she is appropriate ?
• Shouldn’t the expectation be that the same Caregiver that knocks on your door every week?

The Job:

• The only person who really knows what needs to be done in your home is you.  The homecare providers can point out other options in addition to what you’ve said, but ultimately you are the one getting some assistance so you should be the one making the final decision.
• It should be the Agencies job to ensure that the Caregiver understands what you want done and that the Caregiver does it.  The Caregiver should not only be doing what has been asked of her/him but should also be looking for ways to help you to make your day to day living better.

The Schedule:

• It should be the company providing the Caregiver who makes sure that the Caregiver is at your home when you want the Caregiver to be there.  Caregivers and agencies should not be dictating schedules.
• Schedules should be consistent yet flexible enough to allow for last minute changes, and changes to schedules should be initiated by the clients.  If the Eye surgeon calls with a last minute appointment – please let us know right away, but please GO!!!!

The Company:

• Ask if the workers are covered for insurance, WSIB, EI and Canada Revenue (income tax)?  If not you may be on the hook if something happens or if the government starts asking questions.
• Ask if there is the back-up plan if the Caregiver is sick or unavailable to work.
• Ask how good is the agency and its’ workers? Have they received any awards or recognition from outside the organization?

Homecare is not that difficult.  It’s about having the right person do the right thing at the right time.

Perhaps something more, but never anything less.