Archive for August, 2011
Posted on August 31, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
WHEN WATCHING TV IS GOOD OR HARMFUL FOR THE CONFUSED ELDER
TV THAT IS HARMFUL
Natural disasters, tornados, hurricanes, flooding, drought, extreme heat, wildfires, blizzard and more tornadoes, 2011 has really been something and it’s not over yet. Roads and highways that have all but disappeared, being broken up by flood waters. People stranded, and now whole communities stranded with roads and towns that have become lakes.
That isn’t even counting all the news footage of terrorist strikes, marches, angry crowds, war, revolutions – and we get to see it all on TV, on some stations all day long.
Even a little of this is too much for the confused elder. The confused person cannot tell that what is being televised could be hundreds if not thousands of miles away, or right outside the door. When people are hurt the confused elder could think it is a family member being hurt or that the danger is to them.
Negative TV, negative news and dramas of killing, danger and mayhem need to be avoided by the elder who is having a problem telling the difference between the TV and their present situation.
TV THAT IS ENTERTAINING AND NOT HARMFUL FOR THE CONFUSED ELDER
Good TV for the confused elder? The current trend towards competitions- the best singer, the best dancer, how much do you think this costs – are shows the confused person can enjoy with the rest of the family. The elder can give their opinion if the singer/juggler/dancer is good or bad. The confused person can laugh along with the family even if they don’t always know what the joke is.
These shows are in the moment right with the elder. No need to remember a plot, or characters or follow a story line. Just sit back have a little snack and enjoy the show.
Virginia Garberding, R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
Posted on August 25, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
NANCY REAGAN FALLS AT POLITICAL EVENT – FALLS IN THE ELDERLY ARE PREDICTABLE EVENTS RELATED TO RISK FACTORS – PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
(PART I)
This blog was first posted in April of 2010 – in the light of Nancy Reagan(now 90) tripping on the evening news last night- I thought to re-post it. Was that trip predictable? Maybe if she can no longer see tripping hazards in her path and the person assisting her is not looking as well.
Environmental Factors
“Mom fractured her ankle in three places.”
“I didn’t know your mother was still living,” I replied to my friend. “You never mention her.”
“Well, we don’t go to see her very often,” she replied. “Why is that?” I asked.
“Because there is no place for us to sit” she said.
Now I understood, Mom was a hoarder and fell over her clutter and fractured her ankle. Yes, that’s what it was. Mom was in her early 70’s and this could have been a predicted fall because of the cluttered environment she lived in.
Personal Factors
Marge is 80 years young, lives alone and still drives. She has decreased ability to focus her eyes due to aging. It is a bright sunny day and Marge drives herself to the grocery where she walks into the store and immediately falls. With age it takes eyes longer to re-focus to different levels of light. Most falls in stores are at the entrance due in part to wet surfaces from wet feet and a , change in surfaces. (Environmental factors) But many times due to personal factors and the reduced ability for elderly eyes to adjust to different levels of light. (The elderly shopper can easily fix this by grabbing a shopping cart when they park and pushing it into the store with them. This way they have something to hold onto.)
History of Falls
In 1900 the average life expectancy was 49 years. At that time people were dying from infectious diseases; TB, pneumonia, influenza etc. Advances in public health, with improved sanitation, antibiotics, and vaccines increased the age expectancy to 68 yrs by the 1940’s.
Now that there was an older population, there also was an increase in falls. Over the years since then, the thinking regarding the cause of falls in the elderly has changed.
Previous thinking on the cause of falls in the elderly:
- The first thinking was “this is an act of God” a chance event with no explanation
- That turned into “Falls are purely accidental” it happened to you, so you had some bad luck.
- Then, its “normal” to fall,” look at your age, what can you expect?”
- Falls are a matter of personal negligence – “You should have been more careful.”
Falls Today
Now falls are no longer considered normal or just part of aging. They are considered to be predictable events related to environmental and personal factors.
Virginia Garberding, R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
Posted on August 24, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
BEING RUDE IN THE WORKPLACE – ESPECIALLY IN HEALTHCARE WE NEED TO BE CIVIL
What makes healthcare workers cross, rude, and sometimes insensitive to each other? Possibly the same things that make everyone else short, impatient, uncivilized and impolite. Lack of civility to one another has become common. Nurses have always had this saying “We eat our young.” And that is true. So often the nurse to be bullied is the lowest ranking nurse, the new graduate. This has nothing to do with your age, just how long you have been in nursing, what you have done and what you have seen.
Rude, disruptive, and intimidating behavior to others can happen in any setting. I have attended several Women’s Groups in Churches and been greeted with that same stare and “we’re together, your alone’” looks from the “group.” It doesn’t always have to be something spoken or a sarcastic remark. It can be eye-rolling or intimidation by dominating the conversation, and leaving you out.
This type of behavior can be due to over work, over stress, or just rushed and unhappy people. Sometimes it can just be due to the fact that many people don’t like anything or anyone new. In the past when we had a problem keeping new staff because the current staff was so unfriendly to new comers. I would tell the employees, the next person who starts here may become your best friend, think about that.
Stopping this type of unkind behavior may mean becoming more kind and thoughtful yourself. If you are always conscious or aware of others and your approach to them, you may see a difference. You could spend more time focusing on what the other person wants instead of what you want
This doesn’t mean you have to lie down and let everyone walk all over you. Keep in mind that bullying behavior can only work as long as people let the bully get away with it. Speak up – say something. Don’t go into clichés like “Who died and made you boss?” But talk about how you feel, how the thoughtless words affected you.
If you can help the person know how hurtful the words or tone they use are, there just might be something in it for them, to cause change.
Virginia Garberding, R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
Posted on August 23, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
WANT TO KNOW HOW SOMEONE ELSE FEELS? – WALK IN THEIR SHOES
George had mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease. He had lost most of his words but was able to walk pretty well yet, that was until recently. Recently his daughter noticed that George would stand up and look like he was intending to walk somewhere but would quickly sit down again. George also seemed to be hesitant about putting his full weight on his right foot.
After trying several ways to motivate George to walk Barb decided to literally walk in George’s shoes to get his perspective. What she soon found out was that George had a sock rolled up in a ball in the toe of his right shoe. George was unable to communicate this problem to Barb or to think this through and reason the problem out himself.
Putting George’s shoes on was an act of empathy on the part of Barb. Empathy is the ability to share another’s feelings. Stepping into George’s shoes gave Barb an opportunity to share his feelings. And ultimately to help him get back on his feet and moving again.
One day my mother was very restless in her wheelchair when I came to visit. Everything looked normal, but I decided to stay a little longer and wait until Mom took her afternoon nap and then sit in her wheelchair. Sure enough the air had gone out of her chair cushion and the wheelchair seat was very hard. It looked fine while she was sitting in it, but you had to sit down yourself to tell that she needed a new cushion.
Empathy doesn’t cost anything – just a little more of your time – time to stop, think and put yourself in the other person’s place – it could be time well spent.
Virginia Garberding, R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
Posted on August 18, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
HOW TO GET MOTIVATED AND CHASE AWAY THE BLUES
I just got a new car, and no I am not going to suggest a new car will chase away the blues. But what is there about a new car? Is it because it is so clean and shiny that it lifts the spirits? I think some of it might just be kicking you out of your comfort zone. When you change things up abit it makes a person more aware, you need to be on your toes. Where did that book say the trunk release was? That doesn’t look like a trunk release to me, are you sure?
Instead of literally being on automatic when you drive, you have to be more aware because things are in different places. So at the same time you are on high alert to operate the car, you become more aware of the car and in so doing enjoy it all the more.
That same awakening experience can be achieved by just mixing things up a little in your office or home. Move a few things around- this picture in the same place for 10 years would look great and new again on another wall or maybe on a stand. That lamp you inherited from your mother could be better enjoyed on the other end of the living room. (If you have so much stuff on top of the lamp, you can’t even see the lamp, you a have another problem –please search “hoarding” on this blog site)
When you have the blahs, shaking things up abit might be the answer. The definition of “doldrums” is a state of low or no activity. Getting yourself out of the doldrums might just mean waking yourself up by changing things around. Go through your house and try to move about 25 things – small moves – and see if it doesn’t take away the blahs.
A little Feng Shui could chase the blues away.
Virginia Garberding, R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
Posted on August 15, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
WHEN THERE IS JUST NO REST FOR THE ELDERLY
The family was anxious to get her back home, but the 94 year old woman was just so tired. Her head kept dropping forward to the table she was sitting at, in the nursing home. Grace was much too tired to even stay awake long enough to eat. The staff could clearly see the old woman was exhausted, but the family wanted her home.
It seems this 94 years old woman had been the babysitter for four young children. The family not only needed her back to watch those children, but they also needed her social security check to get by. If she ended up staying at the nursing home they would lose not only the babysitter but her monthly check as well.
The social worker had become aware of this situation on a visit to the home and had arranged for the Grace to be hospitalized. The hospital found she was dehydrated, undernourished, and mainly tired. After a few days she was transferred to the nursing home, and now the family wanted to take her home.
How many of the very old are now pressed into service helping with child care because the family just has no other choice? How many of the elderly are take in by relatives for that regular check that comes from social security every month.
When times are hard, bills need to be paid and children need to eat, people look for income wherever they can.
The day the family came to pick up the old woman, they all seemed really glad to see her, and she to see them. A difficult position, for everyone, but they were a family.
Virginia Garberding R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
Posted on August 11, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
IS THIS WHAT OUR AGE OF DISCONTENT LOOKS LIKE?
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Dickens wrote this in 1859 and the words ring true for any age. Before the recession of 2008 people were complaining about being “bored.” They had all the toys they were told they should like and want. But they were constantly on the look out for the next new thing, to keep themselves from becoming bored.
Everyone was encouraged to think that owning these things were somehow a “right.” This was a long way from “a chicken in every pot, and a car in every backyard” that Herbert Hoover talked about in 1928. Simpler times evidently led to simpler expectations, chicken.
Well were not so bored now, are we? Our age of discontent has changed from being bored to being uncertain about the future. Advertising has made us feel not only entitled to these toys, but somehow complete having these toys. Now that people have come to terms with not being able to afford the latest gadget, it makes us feel unsure.
Having the latest whatever, made us feel successful, timely, current. Everything must be alright, look at all the “stuff” I have. Poor people don’t have all this stuff. People in trouble certainly don’t have all this stuff.
To the point of television commercials showing the family getting a new TV, and the new model that is coming out advertised on a passing truck, causes a young daughter to comment on how lame her Dad is. Or the self-important little boy in the back seat of evidently, the cool SUV, is looking down on a child in a substandard car – oh, yes being driven by happy singing parents, apparently oblivious to how lame they are.
Will we be passing through our “winter of despair” into a “spring of hope?” I certainly hope it doesn’t take that long.
Virginia Garberding R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
Posted on August 10, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
THE KITCHEN CAN BE A DANGEROUS PLACE FOR THE CONFUSED ELDER
Edith’s daughter-in-law knew Edith was more than a little forgetful. But it wasn’t until Edith gave the family a nasty case of food poisoning, that they realized how confused Edith was. Edith was in the habit of making all the meals for the family. In fact she strongly felt it was her kitchen.
When the family became sick, Joyce thought she should take a closer look at what Edith was doing in the kitchen. She soon observed Edith handling raw meat and then without washing her hands she filled the fruit bowl on the kitchen table.
When the elder becomes confused they may also lose their safety awareness. Sharp knives may need to be replaced by items that are not as prone to injury. The elder may no longer be able to understand how to use a microwave oven safely. They may put a pot on the stove – turn on the burner, walk into another room and totally forget they put that burner on.
Signs that the elder is becoming unsafe in the kitchen – are finding unusual things in the refrigerator, stove or cabinets. Finding signs that there has been something burnt – a pot, pot holders, cutting boards anything with a scorch mark. Or the whole family getting sick, like Edith’s family.
Telling your mother-in-law she doesn’t practice good hygiene in the kitchen is more than a tricky conversation. So Joyce did the only thing she could, she asked her husband Bob to break the bad news to Edith, that she was the one in fact making the family sick by not washing her hands. While that didn’t go to well even coming from Bob, it saved the relationship between Edith and Joyce. Because now Edith and Joyce share the kitchen while Edith “teaches” Joyce how to cook.
Virginia Garberding R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
Posted on August 9, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
NEW TECHNOLOGY PROVING TO BE GREAT WAY FOR CONFUSED ELDERLY TO EXERCISE AT HOME
Are you looking for an affordable, fun and effective way for your elder to exercise at home? Look no further than your local video game store. These reality virtual systems help the elder by helping the brain create new cells. The brain does this through repetitive movements that are provided by the games while providing a challenging experience and fun as well.
When the elder is bowling and throws the ball (virtually of course) with his right arm to his left side while standing on his left foot, the elder is crossing his midline and improving his balance. Anytime you stand on alternate feet and move your arm crossing the midline you improve the right to left side connections in the brain as well.
Elders really love playing these interactive games. The elder enjoys immediate positive feedback during the game by tracking performance. This enables the elder to try to improve their score and in so doing, challenge themselves to do better.
The games are not only fun but are made to be very visually appealing. In fact they help the elder visually as well as with hearing and the sensory stimulation of playing a game. And yet even with all of this technology the games are very simple to understand and follow.
Whether you elder is bowling, playing tennis or golf the movement can energize the elder, while moving different muscle groups. The convenience of having this level of activity available right in your home is hard to measure in value.
Systems that are just as exciting to the grandchildren as to grandpa are available everywhere. And all the memories that are being created of “Grandpa” are priceless as well.
Virginia Garberding, R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
Posted on August 8, 2011 - by Nurse Virginia
TURNING 65 – MAKE YOUR CHOICE, A BURDEN OR PART OF THE SOLUTION
Carol just turned 65, right ahead of that huge amount of baby-boomers coming up behind her. She is torn between relief because she has made it to Medicare and next year Social Security, to the worry of who will pay for it. She certainly doesn’t want to be a burden to her children, but at the same time she doesn’t want to be a burden to other people’s children either.
Carol isn’t very comforted by the pictures in the senior magazines of happy, happy retirees shopping and doing fun things in pleasant places under the headings of “the best places to retire.” All Carol thinks is what are these people doing all day? Are they just walking around all day with their nice clothes and bright smiles saying “I’m retired.”
Carol’s husband has been retired for 10 years already and is fond of saying “I earned it” when the subject of Social Security comes up. Sorry Bob, you didn’t contribute anything near what you have already taken out. And so far from Carol’s reports you have clocked an amazing amount of hours in front of the idiot box.
Is this what everyone has been waiting for? The opportunity for a self-indulgent generation to show the world what being really self-centered looks like?
This isn’t what Carol has in mind – there won’t be two sitting front of that black box when she retires. Carol wants to be of service, be needed, make a difference for someone. There are so many opportunities to volunteer, that Carol will have her pick of things that she really enjoys doing that will make a difference.
How about showing the world what a generation of motivated volunteers can do.
Virginia Garberding, R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance
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