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Comments Off on How Is My Doctor Involved in My Home Care?

How Is My Doctor Involved in My Home Care?

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Transitioning from full independence in your life to requiring home health care is experienced differently for everyone depending on age, living arrangements, health status, and personal preference.  To make sure every patient receives services that best suit their needs, licensed home care service agencies like Edison Home Health Care involve primary care physicians and other types of health care professionals to develop care plans for their patients.

A Patient’s Relationship with Their Doctor

Physicians work with patients, home health care agencies, and families to appropriately determine which services are needed, how many hours a week a patient would benefit from, and how the care should be delivered.  If there is a change in health status, such as surgery, new medications and treatments, or a new diagnosis, doctors are instrumental in making sure the care plan is modified to accommodate any new medical need, including short-term support and rehabilitation services during recovery. Doctors works together with the patient’s home care agency to integrate clinical needs as they arise, including scheduled lab draws, injections, wound care, and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs).

Working Together with your Home Care Agency and  your Doctor

Home Care services are a vital part of the patient’s overall health picture. Because home care staff visits clients frequently between doctor appointments, their reports help doctors understand how well the patient’s treatments and medications are working, and alert them to make changes or adjustments before significant problems arise. Home health caregivers do more than just assist with bathing, medication, or fall prevention; they monitor and assess client function with every visit, and relay changes or concerns to doctors when necessary.

Close collaboration between doctors and home health care agencies like Edison Home Health Care allows clients to benefit the most from their home care while maintaining the highest possible level of independence.  Having doctors closely involved with a patient’s home health care plan allows the plan to reflect the client’s unique clinical needs, functional capacity, and maximum potential to maintain their health. The focus of home health care plans is the patient’s health and safety; the doctor’s role is to provide the critical clinical information and medical judgement that provide the foundation for a successful plan.

Start a conversation with your doctor today take the next step forward in your home health care needs. To learn more about the different types of home health care, contact Edison Home Health Care to find out what services will best suit you or a loved one.

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Comments Off on Talking About Home Care with Your Family

Talking About Home Care with Your Family

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Coming to Terms with Your Health

Most of us have a strong sense of privacy when it comes to our health care. Sometimes we may feel uncomfortable sharing our health conditions with family and close friends and certainly don’t like admitting to the fact that we may need some extra help when our health is poor. It’s hard for us to talk about the challenges we face when illness strikes because we fear losing our sense of independence.

Home health care, the in-home medical support service that help patients live independently, can be an uncomfortable topic to discuss for some. However, home health care is vital to help maintain one’s health and an important subject to talk about with your family members, as they will often be your support system when taking care of your health.

The Role of a Home Care Agency

The purpose of home care agencies, such as Edison Home Health Care, is to enhance each client’s overall health and well-being by offering quality care by providing patients with helpful services, allowing them to live independently.  By assisting patients with activities of daily living (ADLs) like dressing, bathing, light housekeeping, providing clinical supervision such as checking vital signs, giving injections, and drawing blood, and by offering other medical services like wound care, home care agencies create a client environment that fosters healing without requiring the constant attention of a doctor’s oversight.

Getting your family Involved in Your Health

For those of us used to being independent, powerful, and in control of their life, being open with family members and turning to them for help can feel embarrassing. It’s important to realize that taking steps to get the care you need demonstrates determination, responsibility, and strength. Nothing will reassure your spouse or children more than seeing you take responsibility for your own safety by sharing and entrusting your health in them. Talking honestly with the people who care about you about getting the help you need is a way to comfort the both of you. If you are on the same page about your health, neither you or your loved will be worried or concerned about whether you’re getting the care you need.

Having a few extra pair of eyes can see things that you may  personally overlook. Your family’s suggestions and input will be valuable as you put your plan together with your Doctor and home care agency.  Your family is an essential part of your support system in when it comes to your health, comfort, and overall well-being and they deserve to know that you are getting the care you need. Although it can be hard at first, being open with your family about your health will benefit you immensely. When your health needs are properly being managed, and taken care of, you can both focus your attention on the parts of your relationship that bring you the most joy.

If you have any home care questions and want to learn more Medicaid home care services, or are curious about what types of services will be best for you or a loved one, contact Edison Home Health Care. Start a conversation with your family and take control of your health care together.

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The first thing to do to suit the needs of Parkinson’s Patients

The first thing to do to suit the needs of Parkinson’s Patients

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The first thing to do to suit the needs of Parkinson’s PatientsFor people with Parkinson’s disease, many everyday activities become more of a challenge as abilities decline. The primary symptoms of Parkinson’s, such as tremor, stiffness, impaired balance, difficulty walking, and postural instability, all contribute to the difficulty of independently carrying out activities of daily living, such as meal preparation, household chores, getting dressed, and bathing. Fortunately, adapting the living environment to the changing abilities and needs of someone with Parkinson’s disease can increase their comfort, safety, and quality of life, as well as helping them to preserve independence for as long as possible.

If you’ve ever had an injury or illness (and everyone has!) you know how something like a sprained ankle or a bad cold can interfere with everyday tasks: going up and down stairs, working in the garden, or making yourself understood over the phone, for example. Now imagine living with Parkinson’s disease, the symptoms of which profoundly affect a person’s mobility, coordination, and mental and emotional state. The degeneration that occurs as a result of Parkinson’s can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening for those suffering from the disease, as well as for their loved ones and caregivers. Especially in the bathroom, as intimate of a space as there is, being unable to perform basic self-care can take a toll. However, with careful planning and attention to detail, the bathroom of a person living with Parkinson’s can be adapted to allow them maximum safety, privacy, and comfort.

The first steps in adjusting the living space to suit the needs of someone with Parkinson’s are also the most basic. Making sure that personal care items—toilet paper, soap, lotions, toothbrushes, denture cleaners, and combs—are in easy reach is essential. Make sure that everything is accessible, without the need to stoop, bend, or reach overhead. Installing easy-to-grasp pulls and handles on cabinets and drawers can be very helpful. Because soap is slippery and easily dropped, trying a bar of soap inside a length of nylon stocking and tying it to a grab bar in the shower is a good idea. As Parkinson’s progresses and people have more trouble walking and keeping their balance, grab bars placed in showers or tubs and near toilets and sinks are a safety necessity. Make sure that bath mats are non-slip to prevent falls, and install a shower seat or a non-slip mat in the shower. As a person’s cognitive abilities deteriorate, it can also be helpful to provide safety reminders, such as a piece of red tape on the “hot” tap, and a piece of blue tape to signal “cold.”

Edison Home Health Care is happy to advise and assist you or any loved one who seek appropriate care for Parkinson problems. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

General Home Care New York

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Sleep Apnea Heart Issues

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Sleep apnea is a common condition that affects many Americans from all walks of life. Although it is frequently associated with certain populations (it is more prevalent in men, smokers, and overweight individuals, as well as within certain ethnic groups) it can affect anyone. Sleep apnea involves temporary cessation of breathing during sleep, and can range from mild (fewer than five instances every hour) to severe (more than thirty instances within an hour). Although many people associate sleep apnea with insomnia and snoring, when left untreated, it can have even more serious consequences – including an increased risk of heart problems.

Although no causal link between sleep apnea and heart disease has been established, studies have shown a correlation between the disorder and sudden cardiac arrest, arrhythmias, and other heart problems. Researchers have speculated that the changes in oxygen saturation in the blood caused by periodic stoppages in breathing throughout the night interfere with normal electrical patterns in the heart, increasing the risk of dangerous irregularities in rhythm that can lead to heart attack. Similarly, sleep apnea is associated with high blood pressure; periodic waking or changes in the sleep cycle are often accompanied by a spike in blood pressure, due to activation of the sympathetic nervous system. This in turn can put more stress on the heart.

There are other ways in which sleep apnea may be correlated with heart disease. Obesity is a strong risk factor for both sleep apnea and heart disease; addressing obesity may help to combat both problems at once. Although treating sleep apnea may not completely eliminate the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, heart failure, and other heart problems, addressing the disorder is an important step toward better heart health. Detecting and treating sleep apnea as early as possible may help to prevent or ameliorate potentially serious conditions like heart disease.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to advise and assist you or any loved one who seek appropriate care for sleeping problems. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

General Home Care New York

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Sleep Apnea Stroke

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Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects many Americans from all walks of life. Although it is more prevalent among certain segments of the population (men, smokers, overweight individuals, and those of Hispanic or African American descent tend to be more susceptible to the disorder), anyone can suffer from sleep apnea. In contrast to many other sleep disorders, which may cause insomnia or difficulty staying asleep, sleep apnea causes repeated waking or changes in sleep due to episodes of breathing cessation. People with obstructive sleep apnea (the most common form) experience interruptions in breathing due to blockages of the airway, whereas people with central sleep apnea (a rarer form of the condition) stop breathing temporarily because of signaling errors in areas of the brain that control breathing.

Although many people think of snoring as sleep apnea’s characteristic symptom, it can actually have much more serious consequences. Snoring is an annoyance – especially for bed partners of sleep apnea sufferers – but it is by no means the only, or the most serious, outcome of the disorder. In fact, although they are often associated, not everyone with sleep apnea will experience snoring. A range of potentially serious health problems can result from untreated sleep apnea, however, including an increased risk of stroke.

People with sleep apnea are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, which in turn elevates the risk of stroke. Repeated interruptions in sleep during the night can trigger a nervous system response that causes blood pressure to soar. People of all ages who have sleep apnea are at an increased risk for stroke. However, in older adults, for whom the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke is already higher, the association between untreated sleep apnea and stroke is of particular concern. Taking steps to detect sleep apnea early, and to begin treatment as soon as possible, is essential in mediating the risk of stroke and other health problems associated with the condition.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to advise and assist you or any loved one who seek appropriate care for sleeping problems. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

General Home Care New York

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