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Surgery coming? How to plan your recovery

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If you have the luxury of knowing that a surgery is coming — maybe you’re having a planned hip replacement, for example — it is important that you help ensure a successful recovery by planning ahead.

Many people choose to recover at home after surgery. That can be a wonderful option for recovery, provided that your house is ready and that you have adequate post-op care.

Here are some areas to consider:

Remove or plan around obstacles. Take some time to look around your house at potential hazards. Stairs — up to a bedroom or even onto a porch — can be difficult to manage. Bathrooms and kitchens, especially when surfaces are slippery, can present trip hazards. It also may be difficult to get into and out of bed. 

What to do: Spend some time cleaning potential hazards, such as stacks of magazines or loose-lying electrical cords. Consider renting a hospital bed that can be placed on the first floor, if necessary.

Plan your meals and other food. After your surgery, you probably won’t have time (or be able) to shop. And will you be mobile enough to cook your own meals?

What to do: Before your surgery, ensure you have your needed supplies on hand. Stock your refrigerator and pantry and make a plan for who will cook your meals. Consider calling on friends and family or hiring outside help.

Prepare for safety and security. Depending on the nature of your surgery, you might need help around the house to ensure you have the care you need and that someone is able to help if you need it. Falls can be common after certain surgeries, for example — what would you do if you fell and needed help?

What to do: Make sure you have phone numbers (and a phone) handy for calling people can help. Let some friends and family know what’s going on, and ask them to check in on you. Consider hiring an at-home caregiver who can be with you during the days or nights while you recover.

Get the scoop on rehab and medication. Depending on the type of surgery you have, your doctor likely will give you instructions for medications, rest and activities to help you recover.

What to do: Before the surgery, ask your doctor what might be involved and determine whether you will need help at home or some other accommodations.

Read more: Before and after surgery: Why you might need help at home.

How to prepare a home for aging in place

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On July 26, the United States celebrates National Disability Independence Day in commemoration of the signing of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.

Celebrating this day each year helps us recognize the importance of the ADA and the many protections and improvements it provided. The act also placed a spotlight on important accommodations for people with disabilities, such as wider doors and ramps for those who use wheelchairs, and assistance technology to help people read.

As you look around your home, there probably are many accommodations you could make to help those who need assistance. In honor of National Disability Independence Day, here are a few changes to consider making to your home to make it more accessible for those with disabilities:

  • Simplify the furniture arrangements. Improving accessibility throughout the home can be as easy as removing unnecessary furniture and other trip hazards. Do couches partially obstruct walkways? Are there stacks of magazines or trinkets that could be stored safely away?
  • Install lever door handles and faucets. Knob-style faucets and door handles can be difficult to operate for many people, especially those with arthritis or muscular difficulties.
  • Remove steps at entryways. Stairs are barriers for many people, especially older people and those who use wheelchairs. Exterior ramps can help, and it’s even better if your home layout will allow a step-free threshold. It’s also important to ensure that your house has a first-floor bathroom so there’s no need to try to navigate a flight of stairs.
  • Widen doorways and hallways. Anyone who uses a wheelchair, walker or cane needs additional room to maneuver. Ideally, all doorways and hallways will be at least 3 feet wide.
  • Add grab bars and other enhancements to the bathroom. Because of the often-slippery surfaces, bathrooms represent particular trip hazards. Easily accessible grab bars can make it easier to use the toilet, bathtub and shower. A stool or bench in the shower can help prevent falls. You could even consider a shower that allows wheelchair users to roll right in.
  • Increase the lighting in dark areas. Extra light can make it easier to spot and avoid obstacles, especially for those whose eyesight is diminished. While you’re at it, make sure that the switches are easy to operate.

In addition to these changes, another way to help improve life for those with disabilities is to ensure that there is extra help around the home. Engaging the services of a part-time, at-home caregiver can be an enormous boost in helping people with the activities of daily living. Take My Hand employs certified nursing assistants throughout Whatcom County who can help with daily tasks and activities and provide respite for family caregivers. Reach out today for your free in-home assessment.

Don’t miss your yearly checkup

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Don’t overlook the value of a yearly health screening.

There’s a reason we’re told so see the doc at least once a year as we age: the older our bodies get, the more they can start to break down. A regular checkup can help identify unknown issues before they become serious.

Even if you feel healthy, you still should visit your health care provider at least once a year. During a regular checkup, your doctor likely will take care of such important issues as screening for medical issues, assessing potential future health care needs, updating vaccinations and encouraging any health-focused changes that might be necessary.

If your health is great, you’ll feel relieved. And if there’s something you need to take care of, you’ll be thankful you caught it early.

For example, did you know that other than getting it checked, there’s no reliable way to tell whether you have high blood pressure? That’s one reason high blood pressure is known as the “silent killer,” causing damage to your circulatory system and leading to potential heart attacks and strokes without you even knowing it. At a checkup, your doctor will identify whether you have high blood pressure — and, if so, what to do about it.

Plus, regular checkups can help you get to know your doctor better, which can be comforting if you ever have an illness or emergency.

In addition to a regular health checkup, older men also should consider regular screenings for cholesterol, colorectal cancer and diabetes, among others. Women also should consider regular breast cancer screenings. Your health provider will let you know what screenings are important for you specifically, based on your health and history.

Related: Five simple ways seniors can lower cholesterol

With Father’s Day coming up, how about a checkup as an outside-of-the-box gift idea?

The joke about belts, ties and wallets is that dads often need them but would rarely buy them for themselves. Setting your dad up with a health checkup could be something like that, too. If your dad has been dragging his feet about seeing his doc for a look-over, helping him set that up could be a needed gift.

Another good idea could be signing up for long-term care help at home. At-home care visits from a certified nursing assistant can give you piece of mind that medication is being monitored, groceries are stocked, and daily needs are being met.

You both will be thankful for that.

How to identify strokes — and help prevent them — in an elderly loved one

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As we age, our risk of stroke increases. According to the Mayo Clinic, those older than 55 have a greater likelihood of stroke than do younger people.

Are you concerned about the risk of stroke in a loved one? Here’s how to spot them:

An older man in a hat looks off into the distance outdoors.

You’ve probably heard the acronym FAST, from the American Stroke Association. The acronym is a great way to help identify the symptoms of a stroke in a loved one.

F: Face drooping. If you spot face drooping and suspect a stroke is occurring, ask your loved one to smile. If the person is having a stroke, his or her smile might be uneven or lopsided.

A: Arm weakness. Ask your loved one to raise both arms and check whether one arm drifts downward.

S: Speech difficulty. Ask your loved one to repeat a simple sentence. Stroke victims often will have slurred speech that is difficult to understand.

T: Time to call 911. If you see any of these symptoms — even if they go away — call 911 and take your loved one to a hospital immediately.

To help prevent strokes, there are a few things you can encourage your loved one to do:

An older woman in a hat looks off into the distance in a diner.

Get good sleep. According to Senior Living, elderly people who sleep poorly — those who wake often and have erratic sleep patterns — are more susceptible to developing hardened blood vessels, which can restrict blood flow to the brain and lead to strokes. The avoidance of strokes is one way in which good sleep can promote good health. If an elderly loved one has Alzheimer’s or dementia, working to manage sundown syndrome also can help promote better sleep.

Pay attention food and drink. Cholesterol, which sticks to the insides of our blood vessels and restricts blood flow, can increase stroke risk. Sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which is a major stroke risk. Diet soda, too, can be harmful. And then there’s fatty food. Trans fat, in particular, can contribute to strokes (not to mention obesity, cancer and heart disease). Spend some time researching the value of good nutrition and make changes in your loved one’s diet to maximize the benefits of great food.

Exercise. Research published in the journal Neurology found that higher levels of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of silent stroke.

If you’re concerned that a loved one might experience a stroke or other medical issue with nobody around to help, consider setting up a schedule with family members or seeking a nurse for hire to be with your loved one when you are unable. A home attendant caregiver can help offer peace of mind that someone will be there for your loved one — while also helping out with many other personal care tasks, including shopping for healthy foods. Take My Hand At-Home Care provides licensed caregivers throughout Whatcom County to help the elderly live safely at home.

Five simple ways seniors can lower cholesterol

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Many of us, during our regular checkups with our doctors, are told we need to lower our cholesterol. LDL cholesterol (often referred to as “bad” cholesterol, as opposed to HDL, or “good” cholesterol) can increase our risk of heart disease or stroke because it sticks to the insides of our blood vessels and restricts blood flow.

As we get older, our bodies tend to produce more cholesterol, so our cholesterol levels are especially important to keep an eye on.

There is no magic way to maintain healthy cholesterol levels without putting in hard work, so if you have high cholesterol, you’ll need to make a few lifestyle changes. Here are four simple things you can start doing today to achieve healthy cholesterol levels:

Lose weight. Extra weight contributes to high cholesterol. Each day, find small changes you can make to take steps toward weight loss. For example:

  • Instead of snacking on potato chips, grab a couple carrot sticks.
  • Every 30 minutes, get up from your chair and walk around the room (even standing up periodically has benefit).
  • Drink more water.

Small changes can lead to the formation of good habits that can pay large dividends over time in lowering cholesterol levels.

Exercise. Moving your body regularly can help increase the LDL cholesterol in your body while also helping you lose weight. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day for a healthier heart. Whatcom County offers many wonderful walking opportunities.

Adjust your diet. Specific changes to what you eat can do wonders for heart health. Saturated fats — appearing in such natural products as dairy and meat — can be eaten in moderation, but reducing their levels in your diet is a great step forward. Another step is to eliminate trans fats; when shopping, check labels and avoid buying anything containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. On the positive side, increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids can help lower blood pressure, and eating more soluble fiber can help keep cholesterol from entering your bloodstream. Eat more fruits and vegetables, eat less sugar and fat.

Don’t smoke. Nicotine reduces LDL cholesterol levels. According to the Mayo Clinic, your risk of heart disease one year after quitting smoking is half that of a smoker. What’s more, it takes just three months after quitting for your blood circulation to improve and lungs to work better.

Seek assistance. Helping you along your path to achieving the above goals is one way an at-home caregiver can be of service. Caregivers can accompany you on walks, cook heart-healthy meals and help you remember to increase your water intake. They also can accompany you to doctor visits as you attempt to learn more about treatment options. To learn more about how caregivers can help, give Take My Hand At-Home Care a call.

Surgery coming? How to plan your recovery

If you have the luxury of knowing that a surgery is coming — maybe you’re having a planned hip replacement, for example — it is important that you help ensure a successful recovery by planning ahead. Many people choose to recover at home after surgery. That can be a wonderful option for recovery, provided that your house is ready and that you have adequate post-op care. Here are some areas … [Read More...]

ABOUT US

Sue Sorensen became involved with Whatcom County eldercare and aging-in-place services in 2009. She launched Take My Hand At-Home Care in January 2012 … Read More...

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