When trying to figure out what my topic will be for this last blog numerous subjects came to mind. And since we are drawing to the conclusion of this course I believe it is fitting to talk about how I would possibly want to spend my last years as an elder. Through the duration of this course I have learned of the many alternatives that Long-Term Care provides such Adult Day Care, Assisted Living, Home Health Care, the traditional nursing homes among others.
As informal caregiver I am a fan of Home Health Care personally. My family is firm believers of “taking care of our own”. Therefore, I would like to think that my future children would respect me enough not to immediately put me in a nursing facility once complications occur with my health. With the information I have learned in this course, I realized there were services that my family could have utilized on behalf of my grandmother which could have been beneficial for her, and lessen some stress off of us. However, through what I have learned, and my personal experiences I would consider Home health care as my first choice of service. I believe being amongst family and friends in the midst of illness is great therapy.
When my health has deteriorated to the point where it is impossible for my family to care for my needs, then I would want to be place into a quality nursing facility. I plan to research neighboring organizations and narrowing my choices down to the Top 3 nursing facilities that I feel will provide efficient services, and have my best interest in mind. I know that financing a nursing facility will be expensive, so I plan to invest in a private insurance plan to supplement the majority of the cost so my love ones will not have such a financial burden. The key is to be a proactive and educated consumer, right!
As a college student just starting my adult life it is hard for me think about my future years because they seem so far off, but I totally want to be prepared for that time in my life. Quality of life to me is determined how well you take care of yourself, planning, and putting your knowledge into action.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Wildcard: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Caregivers
Everyone I believe at one point or another has had bouts of fatigue. Whether from cramping all night for an exam or working full-time, you are completely burned out at times. Now consider the effects of fatigue of an informal caregiver. Informal caregivers usually have the responsibility of working or going to school (sometimes both) and then coming home to the job and stressful situation of caring for a dependent family member. In their world there seems to be no time to recharge or for that matter no time for oneself.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a largely complex and misunderstood disorder for a number of reasons. According to the Center of Diseases Control (CDC) 80% of cases of CFS are undiagnosed or they are misdiagnosed due to many of the symptoms being common in other disorders (CDC, 2006). What separates CFS from other disorders is the severity of fatigue the individual experiences, this type of fatigue is not improved with prolonged periods of bed rest and progressively becomes worse after long periods of physical or mental exertion (CDC,2006). Without adequate treatment CFS can lead to serious cases of depression, and anxiety. Treatment for CFS consists of drug and nondrug therapies and lifestyle changes which includes reduction in stress (CDC, 2006).
The dangerous mix of a caregiver having CFS is not only detrimental for them, but also for the family member dependent upon their care. CFS is debilitating, if the caregiver’s health is in a fragile state then the care provided to a loved one will be of poor quality. One caregiver who suffered from CFS used respite care in their home to receive much needed sleep a few days out of the week, and another caregiver relied on other family members to stay overnight so she could get a full night of sleep (Dwyer, 2006).
In Long-Term care the primary focus is on the quality of care received by the resident, whether it is in a nursing facility or in the comforts of home. However, the question should arise from a primary physician or another party, “Is the health of caregiver being monitored as well?” Caregivers are a vital part of the LTC continuum of care, “They need care too!!”
Works Cited:
(2006, May 3). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Center of Disease Control (CDC). Retrieved July 11, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/cfsdefinition.htm Dwyer, Kristine. (2006, October 1). Fighting Caregiver Fatigue. Today’s Caregiver Magazine. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from http://www.caregiver.com/magazine/2006/sept_oct/fighting_caregiver_fatigue.htm
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a largely complex and misunderstood disorder for a number of reasons. According to the Center of Diseases Control (CDC) 80% of cases of CFS are undiagnosed or they are misdiagnosed due to many of the symptoms being common in other disorders (CDC, 2006). What separates CFS from other disorders is the severity of fatigue the individual experiences, this type of fatigue is not improved with prolonged periods of bed rest and progressively becomes worse after long periods of physical or mental exertion (CDC,2006). Without adequate treatment CFS can lead to serious cases of depression, and anxiety. Treatment for CFS consists of drug and nondrug therapies and lifestyle changes which includes reduction in stress (CDC, 2006).
The dangerous mix of a caregiver having CFS is not only detrimental for them, but also for the family member dependent upon their care. CFS is debilitating, if the caregiver’s health is in a fragile state then the care provided to a loved one will be of poor quality. One caregiver who suffered from CFS used respite care in their home to receive much needed sleep a few days out of the week, and another caregiver relied on other family members to stay overnight so she could get a full night of sleep (Dwyer, 2006).
In Long-Term care the primary focus is on the quality of care received by the resident, whether it is in a nursing facility or in the comforts of home. However, the question should arise from a primary physician or another party, “Is the health of caregiver being monitored as well?” Caregivers are a vital part of the LTC continuum of care, “They need care too!!”
Works Cited:
(2006, May 3). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Center of Disease Control (CDC). Retrieved July 11, 2009 from, http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/cfsdefinition.htm Dwyer, Kristine. (2006, October 1). Fighting Caregiver Fatigue. Today’s Caregiver Magazine. Retrieved July 10, 2009, from http://www.caregiver.com/magazine/2006/sept_oct/fighting_caregiver_fatigue.htm
Monday, June 8, 2009
Wildcard: Security in LTC facilities.
While down in South Florida this past week I watched an investigative story aired on a local news station that immediately grabbed my attention, and as a future Health Administrator got me to thinking about different scenarios and solutions. The story focuses on the security of residents of a LTC facility; not necessary from the employees of the facility but from fellow residents.
A seventy-seven year woman was raped in a nursing home facility by a male resident several years ago. The male resident turned out to placed in the nursing facility by the State of Florida because the state deemed him “vulnerable” and “in need of protection” (Gillen, 2009). According to the investigation team, the male resident was a career criminal having been arrested 58 times prior to being placed within the nursing facility with his future victim (Gillen, 2009). The man was arrested for the rape of the female resident but later found incompetent to stand trial, and was placed in a state hospital in Chattahoochee (Gillen, 2009). In 2005 he was released from the hospital, and his whereabouts are now unknown.
So, I am sure you are thinking, “What makes this story relevant now if it happened several years ago? It is still relevant because the State of Florida just acknowledged that they dropped the ball on this case. And according to the story, "There are 80 registered sex offenders in Florida Nursing homes," said Wes Bledsoe, founder of A Perfect Cause (Gillen, 2009). That statement alone is what got me thinking. Should sex offenders be denied long-term care due to the fact that they could become a risk to other residents? I believe that extreme special precautions should be set into place such as informing all residents that sex offenders are being housed in the same facility, and the offenders should be placed under 24 hour watch or placed in a special ward away from other residents. However, I believe that these types of individuals should not be denied Long-term care. The nursing facility involved in story security procedures was obviously inefficient especially if they were aware of the man’s record. Protection of residents is a critical part of quality assurance not just housing clients and performing services.
Gillen, Michele. (2009, May 21). I-Team: DCF Reviewing Nursing Home Rape. CBS4 Broadcasting Inc. Retrieved June 2, 2009, from http://cbs4.com/iteam/iteam.dcf.rape.2.1016008.html
A seventy-seven year woman was raped in a nursing home facility by a male resident several years ago. The male resident turned out to placed in the nursing facility by the State of Florida because the state deemed him “vulnerable” and “in need of protection” (Gillen, 2009). According to the investigation team, the male resident was a career criminal having been arrested 58 times prior to being placed within the nursing facility with his future victim (Gillen, 2009). The man was arrested for the rape of the female resident but later found incompetent to stand trial, and was placed in a state hospital in Chattahoochee (Gillen, 2009). In 2005 he was released from the hospital, and his whereabouts are now unknown.
So, I am sure you are thinking, “What makes this story relevant now if it happened several years ago? It is still relevant because the State of Florida just acknowledged that they dropped the ball on this case. And according to the story, "There are 80 registered sex offenders in Florida Nursing homes," said Wes Bledsoe, founder of A Perfect Cause (Gillen, 2009). That statement alone is what got me thinking. Should sex offenders be denied long-term care due to the fact that they could become a risk to other residents? I believe that extreme special precautions should be set into place such as informing all residents that sex offenders are being housed in the same facility, and the offenders should be placed under 24 hour watch or placed in a special ward away from other residents. However, I believe that these types of individuals should not be denied Long-term care. The nursing facility involved in story security procedures was obviously inefficient especially if they were aware of the man’s record. Protection of residents is a critical part of quality assurance not just housing clients and performing services.
Gillen, Michele. (2009, May 21). I-Team: DCF Reviewing Nursing Home Rape. CBS4 Broadcasting Inc. Retrieved June 2, 2009, from http://cbs4.com/iteam/iteam.dcf.rape.2.1016008.html
Saturday, May 23, 2009
What does LTC means to me?
The first dusty thought that might crop up when you think of Long-Term Care are nursing homes filled with elderly individuals pushing walkers and sitting in wheelchairs waiting on the inevitable to happen. (Pause) Okay forgive me, I understand that this may seem a bit much, but the overall perception of long-term care has not been the most exalted of the years. Many individuals fail to realize that long-term care is comprised of many different branches of service that not only cater to the elderly populations, but to others in need of long-term assistance. For the longest time I had this thought sitting in the back of my mind not realizing that through a personal trial a cherished family member was benefiting from long-term care services.
In January 1998, my grandmother suffered a massive stroke, and at that time I had to be around ten years old. My first introduction to Long-term care services was that of a rehabilitation facility called HealthSouth. There she received services that taught her to feed herself, how to regain some elements her speech, and how to move her left side (she remained paralyzed on her right). After spending a month or two at HealthSouth my grandmother’s husband and my mother made the conscious decision against sending my grandmother to a nursing home, but rather to assume the full responsibility of her care at home and become Informal Caregivers. My mother continued to work a full-time job, and a family friend with nursing experience was brought in during the day to take care of my grandmother’s needs such as feedings, changing/bathing her, making sure she is receiving her medications, and other tasks that may have arisen.
For about six months after my grandmother’s stroke, I remember a nurse would come in once every two weeks to check up on her condition and make sure she was taken care of properly. I also remember physical therapists coming in to move her legs and arms back and forth to assess her sensitivity to pain, and keep her limbs loose. And when my grandmother had doctor’s appointment the Miami-based organization called CAC Medical Centers now under the name Care Plus provided a wheelchair accessible van to take her to and from these appointments. However, the main thing that I recall is the convenience of these services. These LTC services made a tough situation that much easier to handle, especially when you know that they are at your disposal.
LTC to me is an important segment of the Healthcare industry looking on it as an informal caregiver, as a student, and upon graduation as a professional. And with the care of the “baby boomer” population being the main concern for health professionals to prepare for, the LTC industry is going to become even more of a major player. Services such as Adult Day Care, Assisted Living Facilities, and Hospice care will be valued options to individuals looking for quality services for a family or themselves in the future. And let’s not forget the variety of employment opportunities the LTC industry will provide for current and future healthcare professionals.
In January 1998, my grandmother suffered a massive stroke, and at that time I had to be around ten years old. My first introduction to Long-term care services was that of a rehabilitation facility called HealthSouth. There she received services that taught her to feed herself, how to regain some elements her speech, and how to move her left side (she remained paralyzed on her right). After spending a month or two at HealthSouth my grandmother’s husband and my mother made the conscious decision against sending my grandmother to a nursing home, but rather to assume the full responsibility of her care at home and become Informal Caregivers. My mother continued to work a full-time job, and a family friend with nursing experience was brought in during the day to take care of my grandmother’s needs such as feedings, changing/bathing her, making sure she is receiving her medications, and other tasks that may have arisen.
For about six months after my grandmother’s stroke, I remember a nurse would come in once every two weeks to check up on her condition and make sure she was taken care of properly. I also remember physical therapists coming in to move her legs and arms back and forth to assess her sensitivity to pain, and keep her limbs loose. And when my grandmother had doctor’s appointment the Miami-based organization called CAC Medical Centers now under the name Care Plus provided a wheelchair accessible van to take her to and from these appointments. However, the main thing that I recall is the convenience of these services. These LTC services made a tough situation that much easier to handle, especially when you know that they are at your disposal.
LTC to me is an important segment of the Healthcare industry looking on it as an informal caregiver, as a student, and upon graduation as a professional. And with the care of the “baby boomer” population being the main concern for health professionals to prepare for, the LTC industry is going to become even more of a major player. Services such as Adult Day Care, Assisted Living Facilities, and Hospice care will be valued options to individuals looking for quality services for a family or themselves in the future. And let’s not forget the variety of employment opportunities the LTC industry will provide for current and future healthcare professionals.
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