(ARA) – A diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) often results in a patient feeling helpless and depressed about not being able to maintain a normal, active lifestyle. However, with a chronic lung disease like COPD, it’s particularly important, and tremendously beneficial, for patients to exercise and stay active.

It is a misconception that people with COPD are unable to stay active post diagnosis. On the contrary, exercise can help patients feel less short of breath, strengthen muscles (including the heart) and can improve a patient’s mood, according to the National Jewish Medical and Research Center.

COPD patients should always consult with their doctor to collaborate on developing an appropriate exercise program prior to beginning one. Done properly under a doctor’s supervision, exercise can increase energy levels, muscle strength, cardiopulmonary endurance and help with shortness of breath. Not to mention the additional benefits of losing weight and lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

If you have COPD and are overweight, the extra weight can make it even more difficult for you to breathe. Losing the weight by participating in a doctor-supervised exercise program will help to reduce the strain on your heart and lungs. Common activities include stretching, strength exercises such as leg lifts and arm extensions and endurance activities like cycling, swimming and water aerobics.

Patients and their caregivers may be concerned about blood oxygen saturation (measured by oximetry) levels during periods of activity. In the past, patients would be required to visit a clinic to have their blood oxygen saturation levels monitored. Today, however, doctors often prescribe a fingertip pulse oximeter for patients with COPD.

By self-monitoring with a personal fingertip pulse oximeter such as Nonin Medical’s GO2, blood oxygen saturation can be measured safely and independently – anytime, anywhere. A doctor can prescribe the GO2 during a patient visit.

Managing a condition like COPD is a lifelong commitment. It is important to stay active, keep healthy and monitor your oxygen during exercise. Work with your doctor to create a program that best suits your needs and take back control of your life.

For more information on the GO2 fingertip pulse oximeter, as well as helpful patient education resources, visit www.Nonin.com/go2.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

For assistance with an aging loved one in your life visit our website at www.comfortkeepers.com/caregivers/662/.

Mapping strategy with parents, siblings vital

Staying on track to a comfortable retirement isn’t only about taking care of your finances and your health. It might involve taking care of your parents, too.

Baby boomers and others saving diligently for their later years are taking bigger risks than they realize if their plans don’t include contingencies for aging parents.

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For more assistance with an aging loved one in your life visit our website at www.comfortkeepers.com/caregivers/662/.

(ARA) – In just two short years, the first wave of baby boomers will turn 65. For some, this milestone birthday may signal retirement; for others it may not. For all boomers, it should mean an increased focus on health care. Baby boomers can take steps now to help ensure many more healthy years.

A focus on early prevention – including regular tests for certain cancers and heart disease, a healthy diet and exercise – is an important start to staying healthy well into the golden years.

Most baby boomers will count on Medicare to support them in their efforts to stay healthy. In fact, Medicare has long been a source of comfort for those 65 and older who otherwise wouldn’t have health coverage. But as more people older than 65 seek care, they may find it increasingly difficult to get in to see a doctor, or they may find that their choice of doctors is limited because of planned Medicare payment cuts to physicians.

Prevention
“As we age, we have an increasing role to play in our health care to ensure our golden years are healthy ones,” says Dr. J. James Rohack, president of the American Medical Association. “Have regular discussions with your physician about any health problems or concerns you may have and make sure you are up-to-date on preventive exams.”

At age 50, it’s important to start annual exams for colorectal cancer, and men should have a prostate exam. For those boomers who weigh less than 154 pounds, screenings for osteoporosis should start at age 60. It’s also important to start annual exams with a physician before you reach age 65 to:

* Monitor and discuss blood pressure, cholesterol, needed vaccines and tests to monitor or prevent disease.
* Identify activities and goals to address healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco use cessation, moderating alcohol use and attention to stress and mood.
* Discuss screenings needed to prevent and/or monitor degenerative or chronic disorders in vision, hearing, bone density, cancer and obesity.

Access to care, choice of physician
Weighing in with legislators is another way boomers can take charge of their health care, because what happens in Washington in the next couple months, with regards to the health-reform debate, could have a significant impact on their ability to see their doctor of choice.

A recent AMA/AARP poll shows that nearly 90 percent of people 50 and older are concerned that the current Medicare physician payment formula threatens their access to care. Without permanent repeal of the broken Medicare payment system as part of health reform, physicians face steep payment cuts which might force them to limit the number of new Medicare patients they can treat.

“Without health-reform action by Congress, the 21 percent payment cut planned for this January puts many physicians in the difficult position of not being able to treat new Medicare patients and still keep their practice doors open,” says Rohack. “For years, Congress has taken short-term action to stop the cuts and preserve seniors’ access to care, but they can no longer put a Band-Aid on the problem. It’s time for permanent action to preserve the stability and security of Medicare and ensure seniors can keep their choice of physician.”

As the health system reform debate continues, and final legislation approaches, a permanent fix for the broken Medicare physician payment formula must be included to preserve access to care for the millions of baby boomers headed toward Medicare enrollment age. Replacing the physician payment formula with a system that better reflects the costs and practice of 21st century medical care will help improve quality and reduce costs by allowing physicians to increase care coordination, reduce costly hospital admissions and adopt health information technology.

“I encourage all baby boomers to take preventive action now to prepare for a long, healthy life, and to ensure that their physician will still be there for them when they begin relying on Medicare,” says Rohack.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

For more great information and assistance with an aging loved one in your life visit us at www.comfortkeepers.com/caregivers/662/.

What a heart failure diagnosis really means for you

(ARA) – Hearing the words “heart failure” from your doctor is a frightening thing. If that is your diagnosis, you’re not alone – more than 5 million Americans are affected by heart failure. But while it is certainly serious, it is not quite as ominous as it sounds. The good news is that there have been tremendous strides in heart care treatment in recent years, which enables patients with the disease to live full, active, normal lives.

One key thing to remember about heart failure is what it actually means. It’s not a death sentence; it means that your heart muscle has changed. It’s either weakened or it has become stiff, which means that it has to work harder to pump blood throughout your body.

“Many people with heart failure can lead relatively normal, active lives. The key is early diagnosis and treatment,” says Dr. Stephen Gottlieb, chair, Heart Failure Society of America Education Committee. “New treatments can be very effective in slowing and stopping the progression of the disease, and in some cases can even reverse the process.”

It’s when heart failure goes undiagnosed and untreated that things go wrong, which is why it is the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65. Many people have questions about this common disease, and the more you know, the better you’ll be able deal with a heart failure diagnosis.

Question: What causes heart failure?

Answer: Heart failure develops following an injury to the heart. Heart attacks, long-term untreated high blood pressure, alcohol abuse, or an abnormality of one of the heart valves can all cause the damage that leads to heart failure. You are also at increased risk if you have a history of a heart murmur, suffer from enlargement of the heart or have a family history of enlarged hearts, or if you are diabetic. In some cases, the exact cause of heart failure is not known.

Question: What symptoms should I watch for?

Answer: Symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath even when the activity you are engaging in is not strenuous; difficulty breathing in a laying down position; weight gain and fluid retention that lead to swelling in the legs and ankles; and general fatigue and weakness. Of course, many other health problems may share some of these symptoms, so it’s important to talk to your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment are vital.

Question: I’ve been diagnosed with heart failure. What do I do now?

Answer: Take charge. Working with your doctor, you can find a treatment plan that will help you live the healthiest life possible for you. Your treatment will include diet modifications, an exercise plan and certain medications. Limit your salt and alcohol intake. If you smoke, quit. Lose weight if your doctor advises it and exercise regularly. And be sure to weigh yourself daily and report any sudden weight gain or swelling to your doctor.

Once you’ve been diagnosed with heart failure, it’s important to take good care of yourself and to enlist the support of family and friends. To learn more about how to live well with heart failure, visit www.abouthf.org to download information or request to have complimentary materials mailed to you. All the information on this site is designed for patients and is easy to read and understand.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

CHD Awareness week is an annual awareness effort to help educate the public about Congenital Heart Defects.  Participants include individuals, local support groups, national and local organizations and congenital cardiology centers throughout the world.

Why is it Important?

Congenital Heart Disease is considered to be the most common birth defect, and is a leading cause of birth-defect related deaths worldwide.

Despite the fact that CHD affects approximately 1.8 millions families in the U.S.,  a relatively small amount of funding is currently available for parent/patient educational services, research, and support.

By sharing our experiences and providing information, we hope to raise public awareness about conditions that affect approximately 40,000 babies each year in the United States alone.

It is our sincere hope that efforts to educate the public will result in improved early diagnosis, additional funding for support and educational services, scientific research, and access to quality of care for our children and adults.

For more information visit http://tchin.org/aware/.

You can also visit us at www.comfortkeepers.com/caregivers/662/ for more great informationa nd assistance with an aging loved one in your life.

Carol Bradley Bursack

Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home. Our home is our castle – a shelter from the storm. These old sayings and many more indicate how most of us emotionally view our home.

For most of us, the feeling is less about how large or how fancy a home is than about it being a place where we belong. Many of us, after getting out of the house we were so anxious to leave as young adults, still find ourselves lovingly attached to the humble dwelling of our childhood.

Now, place yourself in the shoes of your aging mother who has lived in that home since you were a child.

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By Saima Sultana

Most often when an individual is growing older reference is made to them going into the golden years. Unfortunately that may have been true years ago but in most cases it is no longer so. With the high cost of living and the modern day technology the golden years are no more.

It may seem strange to blame modern technology on the demise of the senior years. It is only mentioned in the sense that in some ways the technology has robbed the seniors of their independence. In years past senior were used to much more labor and as a result their bodies were in much better shape and they seemed to manage on their own for a much longer period of time.

This doesn’t mean though that the seniors of today are doomed to a life of misery in their latter years. They can still be turned into the golden years if planned for. Even for those who are already in this moment of time planning is critical. A good example would be a social life. This is often something that seniors seem to lose first and miss the most. Whether it be physical restrictions or financial ones that are the cause they can be both addressed.

For the seniors that are limited in their physical abilities its a matter of finding social events that are not as strenuous and more assessable. Perhaps instead of lawn bowling which may have been the favorite activity its time to learn how to play cards. There are many senior programs that offer a wide range of activities. It is very important that the senior participate in some type of activity. Even if it comes down to only being able to watch the others play the interaction is very important. It gives the senior a sense of purpose.

Its perfect if senior can participate in the lives of youngsters. The knowledge that any senior possesses can have no money value set to it, as it is worth far beyond money. By being able to share this knowledge with the young ones its a win-win situation.. The senior still feels worthy and is contributing something to life, and the youngster is gaining a wealth of information.

The seniors that keep their minds active and remain young at heart have a much more wonderful lifestyle. It would seem that individuals that are able to do this never really show their age in the same way physically. This alone is proof of how important the approach to the senior years really is.

How to have a good life in the senior years is all in the approach and acceptance of the latter years. It simply comes down to them being as good as one makes them. If a senior is struggling with this then the family would do well to channel those negative thoughts of the senior into something more positive.

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By Joseph Champagne

* An assisted-living community provides communal living, often with planned activities, housekeeping and laundry, transportation, meals, exercise and wellness programs, opportunities to socialize with other residents, assistance with activities of daily living, and some medical care.

* An assisted-living community could be an apartment building, a campus-like setting, or even a large converted house. According to the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), most have between 24 and 120 units that vary in size from a single room to a full apartment. Residents generally have a lot of freedom in terms of what they do and when they do it, but they should also get plenty of support from trained caregivers.

* Assisted living is regulated (and defined) by each state rather than by the federal government, so you can expect a wide variation in what each community offers. Make sure you know exactly what the one you’ve selected provides before the person in your care moves in.

Who’s a good candidate for an assisted-living community?

Assisted living falls somewhere between an independent living community and a skilled nursing facility in terms of the level of care provided. If the person in your care is beginning to need help with the basic activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, grooming, walking, managing medications, toileting, and eating) — or expects to need that help down the line — she may find this support at a good assisted-living community.

If an older adult has a serious medical condition that requires specialized care, assisted living may not be the right choice, although some assisted-living communities do have specialized wings that provide skilled nursing or Alzheimer’s care.
How can we find a good assisted living community?

Caring.com has a searchable nationwide database of senior communities of all types, included assisted living.

Your local Area Agency on Aging can also help you find communities in your area, and your state or regional long-term care ombudsman may also be able to help. You can also consult with an expert in transitioning, such as a geriatric care manager or a senior move manager, who will be familiar with communities in your area.

Caring.com features original content focused exclusively on eldercare matters.Our 20+ editors and writers research and fact-check every article meticulously,and our advisory board reviews the site regularly to assure the accuracy and relevance of the material we publish. We have hundreds of articles and checklists on health, housing, finance, legal and family issues, and other caregiving concerns,and we’re adding new articles and other resources every day.

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Visit us at www.comfortkeepers.com/caregivers/662/ if you need help for an aging loved one in the area this winter season.

Many family members take loans, skip vacations and often ignore their own health. Government must start providing tax deductions and tax credits to family caregivers.

The expenditures incurred for elderly health care is increasing rapidly and reaching astronomical heights. Elders have many special needs when it comes to health care. One is often left frustrated when there are gaps in insurance coverage. Medicare programs offer only minimal assistance for serious health disorders.

There are some programs that cover senior citizens. It covers hospital expenses and doctor visits, even if you continue to work. All one needs to do is pay a premium every month. These programs are popular among a vast number of senior citizens.

One needs to apply for these programs before one reaches the age of 65. In case you don’t then one has to pay a high premium. One also has the option of enrolling for these programs after retirement.

The premium that one pays depends on your income and which company you will be purchasing coverage from. Senior citizens with low income are also eligible for the entire coverage under Medicare.

Prescription drugs which are used to treat a wide variety of diseases and illness are fully covered if one has a private insurance coverage. If you do not have private insurance, this could be matter of serious concern. Sometimes drug prices are simply not affordable, forcing the senior citizens to forgo other needs to pay for drugs.

Recent Medicare legislation has been a big disappointment for senior citizens, as drug coverage continues to be limited and fails to reduce the rising cost of drugs. Many seniors are forced to manage their medical plan on their own.

At times, the drug industry provides free drugs to the needy who are not covered under private insurance or any government program. Retail stores in the vicinity provide drugs at discounted rates. There are various medicine manufacturing companies that offer assistance to lower income senior citizens. One can seek out these discount programs if they have a financial need.

Katie Appleby is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about the cost of elderly health care, please visit Senior Health Today for current articles and discussions.

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Visit us at www.comfortkeepers.com/caregivers/662/ if you have any questions, or need help with an aging loved one in the area.

Caregivers and Multi-tasking: Holidays Can Push People Caring for Elderly Parents to the Max

Carol Bradley Bursack

If one can believe the old Westerns, frontier women multitasked by rocking a cradle with their foot to quiet a squalling baby, while pounding out bread dough with her fists, bossing a full crew young kids and maybe dodging a few bullets. Oh, yeah, since it was just days before Christmas, she would also be trying to knit a scarf for her husband during odd bits of time.

That scenario sounds like a walk in the park to some modern caregivers, especially those known as the sandwich generation because they are raising children while caring for their parents. At this time of the year, nearly every parent has one, if not several, school holiday programs to attend, plus church or other religious programs they want their children to participate in. Many have a full-time job, which often requires attendance at office functions outside of work hours, not to mention festivities during work time that pretty much require a big smile and a batch of home-made cookies. Is this your story?

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