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10 Tips To Dodge Medication Problems In The Elderly Phoenix AZ

Avoiding Prescription Errors

A lot of senior citizens take multiple medications, which may increases the likelihood of prescription mistakes.  Here’s a number of terrific recommendations for elders to lessen the chance  of making an error with their prescriptions:
1.    Check the label when you pick up a medication to confirm that you have the right medicine. Read back the prescription to your doctor and pharmacist.
2.    Keep all prescription in original containers.
3.    Contact your medical professional or pharmacist if you have any questions about dosage.
4.    Be sure to fill your medications at the same pharmacy.
5.    Read the patient information sheet that comes with your medication.
6.    Call the pharmacist immediately if there is a change in the color, size, shape or smell of your medication.
7.    You should not take or share another person’s prescriptions.
8.    If you are in doubt about a medication you are taking, consult your doctor and pharmacist.  Always ask about side effects that you experience or expect.
9.    Construct a list of the medications you are taking and share with your CareGiver and family members. The list ought to include the following information:
- Your full name, social security number and date of birth.  The Pharmacy needs this information if the caregiver is going to refill the medication without the client there.  Social security number and date of birth should be kept on a different sheet of paper to defend against identity theft.
- Medication name (the drugs being taken, both generic and brand)
- The strength (dosage)
- The directions for taking the medication, including frequency and what time of day medication should be taken
- What liquids or foods are being used to take or should be used to take with meds, for example, water, juice, apple sauce etc.
- Allergies to certain medicines and foods
- Pharmacy and health care providers names, addresses, phone number
- Family contact information

10.    When in skilled nursing or a hospital:
- State your name before taking any meds and always show your wrist bracelet for identification. Ask the nurse or doctor to identify each medication by name before you take it.
- Ask your nurse why your medicine has not been given at its customary time during your hospital stay.
If your medication was started in the hospital, watch for new side effects.  If you experience new side effects or your condition is not improving as it should, tell your doctor or nurse.  From time to time prescriptions need to be changed when they are not performing properly.
Be sure to ask the doctor how long a particular prescriptions will be required.  Oft times prescriptions are added in the hospital for a short term problem, but when you leave the hospital for skilled nursing or your home, the prescription remains.  Another doctor may be reluctant to change or stop a prescription from another doctor.
- Remind your physician if you have any allergies to certain prescriptions and food, or if you also have a condition that may possibly affect the use of certain meds.
1.    Tell your doctor if you are taking any dietary supplements or over-the-counter meds.
2.    Make sure your CareGiver has a current medication log listing all prescriptions, Doctor’s name, and Pharmacy.
Make sure to only take prescriptions that you really need and confirm with your doctor why you are taking it, how long you could need it, what side effects to watch for, and that it is not going to conflict with any other meds you are taking.

In the Phoenix area Care-To-Go, an in-home care agency can assist

you with your prescription organization.  Care-To-Go also provides

complete in-home care elder services.  Contact Care-To-Go at 

www.Care-To-Go.com and for an Elder Travel Companion CareToGoTravel.com

7 Signs It Is About Time To Fire A Doctor Reported By A Phoenix CareGiver

What should you if the medical doctor doesn’t listen to you, or not honoring your needs relating to treatment and drug choices, or suggesting medicines or treatments that appear inappropriate for much older patients. Listed here are several examples.
The connection with the medical professional is a vital one and has to be taken seriously.  All to often seniors aren’t receiving adequate care and attention from their medical doctor.  Is the physician too busy and scheduled to tightly, or there just may be a personality mismatch.  In this case don’t be afraid to shop for a different one if you believe you are not receiving the attention and care you deserve.

When the elderly go to their medical professional it truly is a great plan to take along an advocate, a family member or a professional CareGiver.  It will serve you well to have someone else there to make sure you understand everything the medical professional is saying and if you need to get more complete information from the doctor, the advocate can facilitate.  Now and then it is a lot easier for the someone else to ask in depth questions.
By way of example a medical doctor may try to make you feel guilty when you ask to take away a medicine or a procedure from your regimen.  You may have prescriptions from a number of doctors and they may conflict with each other.  Doctors may be hesitant to change or stop a prescription prescribed by another physician.
Sometimes the problem doesn’t lie within your power; what is wrong is that the health professional isn’t listening to you or not taking your loved one’s age or situation into account when making medication and treatment decisions. In many cases, it’s like a bad relationship; communication has broken down and you, your family member or CareGiver aren’t getting what you need.

Here are the 7 indicators it may be time to "break up" with your health professional:
1.    You feel the medical professional blames, ignores, or criticizes you or the person in your care
2.    The health professional doesn’t act in response to your feedback, or becomes unpleasant or defensive
3.    It seems the health professional isn’t taking your pain or other symptoms seriously enough
4.    You discover treatments that can help that the medical doctor hasn’t told you about
5.    The medical doctor doesn’t explain treatment options clearly, resulting in mistakes
6.    The medical professional prescribes medications without comparing to medications prescribed by another doctor.
7.    The physician is reluctant to organize your prescription inventory when it comes from many different other medical doctors.

When you are dissatisfied, your best bet is to change your doctor, and change to one you can work with to provide the best care. Physicians regularly say that if a patient is going to change doctors, they’d appreciate hearing it directly rather than suddenly receiving a sneak request for medical records to be sent to another health professional. However, it’s your prerogative to find a new doctor and ask the staff to fax over the request for records. You’re not obligated to engage in another confrontation.

Either way, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief once you’re dealing with a health professional who listens respectfully, answers your questions, accommodates your requests, takes your symptoms seriously, and works with you to develop a treatment plan you can all feel good about.

In the Phoenix, AZ area Care-To-Go offers Elder Home Care services and can assist you with doctor appointments and prescription organization.  Contact Care-To-Go at 1-800-818-0407 or  Care-To.Go.com    For Elder Travel Companion services see CareToGoTravel.com.

Travel Companion Makes Family Reunion Possible

It was a beautiful spring day in April when Evelyn and her paid Travel Companion CareGiver boarded the airport shuttle going from Burbank CA to John Day OR. This would be a trip to remember. Evelyn 95 was on her way to reunite with her brother Howard 93 in Oregon.

Evelyn and Howard are the only two remaining of five brothers and sisters who grew up on a small farm in Missouri and then migrated to California and Oregon in the 1940s. It had been several years since the two had spent any time together.

The flight to Boise ID went smoothly as the Travel Companion had booked an easy connection and had arranged for a wheel chair and priority boarding for each flight segment. Her Travel Companion Pam easily handled the checked baggage and arranged for transportation from Boise airport to John Day OR, about a 3 hour ride. Once checked into a hotel in John Day, Pam and Evelyn went to the ranch to reunite with Howard.

Gary, Brian, Ron, and Donna had also come to join in the reunion. Howard and Evelyn were so excited to see each other they lost no time in catching up. Ron and Donna prepared dinner “Missouri” style setting the stage for hours of conversation about the old days.

For the next three days, Evelyn and Howard talked for hours, never seeming to run out of stories. They talked, fished in the pond (Evelyn caught the most fish for dinner), looked through scrap books, enjoyed Howard’s birthday party and just relished the time together.

Pam, Evelyn’s Travel Companion not only assisted all along the way making the trip possible, but continually made the extra effort insuring that Evelyn was well attended and cared for. Aside from the travel, Pam helped with meals, baited hooks for fishing, helped organize scrapbooks and took pictures. Pam also stayed with Evelyn in the hotel to be sure she was well taken care of and safe.

When it was time for the flight home, Evelyn and her travel companion boarded Southwest flight 405 to Oakland CA to connect to Burbank CA. The usual wheel chair and priority boarding were arranged and the boarding went well.

After about 30 minutes in the air, the pilot announced that there was a warning light in the cockpit and we were going to return to Boise to have it fixed. When it was discovered that the delay would be lengthly, the airline had everyone get off and wait for another plane. Evelyn was assisted off the plane and the situation explained to her. The Travel Companion again handled everything; explaining the situation to Evelyn, rebooking the connecting flight for Oakland, assuring priority boarding again, and handling snacks and drinks. Thankfully the flights home were uneventful and went smoothly.

We are reminded constantly how precious friends and family are to our well being. Seniors frequently let life close in on them because maintaining contact with loved ones who live far away becomes too difficult. Unfortunately, travel is one of the first things that can drop out of the life of our seniors. Travel Companions are a way for seniors to keep the lifestyle they love and maintain contact with friends and family.

Evelyn and Howard had a few wonderful days together and now have more memories to last a life time. At the last dinner in Oregon, plans were already started to have the next family reunion.

One company specializing in Travel Companions is Care-To-Go. For information on scheduling your Travel Companion visit CareToGoTravel.com

Phoenix Home Care Caregiver Explains 19 Home Safety Tips For Seniors

Most accidents occur in the home and especially for our seniors.  Even though our seniors are in their own home and in familiar surroundings, they have a much higher accident rate than the rest of us. When you couple failing eyesight, poor hearing and decreased judgment and balance, the senior has a more difficult time moving around and staying safe. If you make the changes yourself or use a personal CareGiver, you may be able to avoid a major fall and injury to your parent.

What can you do to protect an elderly loved one from getting hurt?  Here are some steps to follow:

1. Keep outdoor steps and walkways in good condition and clear of debris. Be sure the hand rails are clean and in good condition.
   
2. Illuminate all stairways and hallways and provide light switches at both ends. Brighter lights are better.
   
3. Use nightlights or bedside remote controlled switches. Yeah the clapper works too.
   
4. Provide handrails in hallways and stairways.
   
5. Keep a sturdy nightstand next to the bed so glasses and other personal items are within reach.
   
6. Put felt or soft material over sharp edges and corners of furniture such as nightstands, tables and shelves.
   
7. Tack down the edges of carpets and rugs; remove throw rugs that slide or can be tripped on.
   
8. Keep pathways clear of furniture and other objects.
   
9. Provide handrails in the bathroom (especially near the toilet, at the entrance to the shower and in the shower) and use non-skid strips in the shower and bathtubs.
   
10. Use a shower seat and shower hose for those unable to stand in the shower.
    
11. Avoid using bath oils or lotions in the bathtub or shower.
    
12. Use kitchen appliances with thermostats and timers. The elderly find appliances with signal lights and buzzers easier to use.
    
13. Clearly mark the “off” position on stoves and ranges so a person with diminished eyesight can immediately tell if the element is off. Try some nail polish.
    
14. Set water heater thermostats or faucets so water does not scald the skin.
    
15. Install smoke detectors in the kitchen and throughout the rest of the house.
    
16. Keep a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it.
    
17. Arrange frequently used kitchen items in an easy-to-reach cabinet.
    
18. Install one good lock that can be opened easily from the inside.
19. Keep loose magazines and mail off the floor, seniors tend to accumulate mail clutter.

For a complete home assessment contact Care-To-Go at 480-284-8611 and on the web at http://Care-To-Go.com Are you getting to the point where you need someone to help you shoulder the load taking care of Mom? A Home Care CareGiver will be able to assist your senior with household tasks to be sure they are safe and happy.

Book Cheap Cruises For Seniors Now Reports A Phoenix Travel Companion

Cruises have always been a favorite trip for Seniors. Balmy air, tropical swaying trees, soft steel drum music,; what’s not to like. Aside from the great ambiance in the Caribbean, Bahamas or Mexico, there are several reasons to choose a cruise over other types of vacation for Seniors. First, it is a place totally geared for all the seniors needs including food, activities, housekeeping, medical services and more. It is so nice to unpack once and then watch the world pass by. Other favorite destinations for Cruises are Alaska and the Mediterranean for Greece and Italy etc.

Here is your opportunity to take that great vacation you have always wanted and be totally cared for and safe all the way. Cruise ships provide everything you need including; your room, all your food, lots of activities, a hospital and pharmacy, a concierge, lots of new people to meet or enjoy your solitude.

When you need a little extra assistance along the way, a Personal Travel Companion can escort you to be sure you are well taken care of. Now you can take that dream trip you have always wanted.

We all know that vacation tour prices including Cruises vary greatly. If you book through a travel agent, the Cruise Company, Orbits or a bulk Cruise buyer, the price varies greatly. When using a Travel Companion these prices can be easily compared and you can pick the best deal for you.

Speaking of a Travel Companion, you can now take a personal travel assistant with you to be sure that the trip goes smoothly. Your personal travel companion can travel with you all the way from your door and back again. How nice would it be to have professional assistance through the airport and flight, on the cruise and back again. One company providing Personal Travel Companions can be found at http://Care-To-Go.com

Low bookings for the cruise lines means a shipload of savings for you
Don’t let the storm-tossed economy discourage you from sailing on a cruise. With fewer people booking passage and more (and bigger) cruise ships being launched, cruising has become a buyer’s market. Here’s how to find the lowest fare at the best time.

Look for bulk buyers
Check out cruise consolidators, which buy large blocks of cabins from the cruise lines at a deep discount. Most of the deals don’t include airfare, but the savings are significant, and companies such as CruiseOne.com, CruiseBrothers.com, and Cruise.com feature dozens of discounted cruises around the world every week.

Don’t shrug off "shoulder season"
Rates are lower between peak and off-peak seasons, when fewer people are escaping winter. Try sailing to Alaska in mid-May or early September; to the Caribbean in late April or September and October; to Hawaii in late August, late November, February, or May; or to the Mediterranean in March or November. If you are interested in a long haul, check when the Cruise companies are moving ships for the season between the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, or even the south Pacific. You may get a long trip for a very low price.

Check the school calendar
Avoid any time kids are on vacation, such as spring or summer break. That’s when the supply of empty cabins is usually the lowest—and prices for them are highest. Cruises are wildly affordable right after Labor Day and during the week after Thanksgiving, for example.

Wait…Wait… Okay, now book it!
If you don’t have a specific cruise date in mind, try waiting until the last minute to book online. Almost all cruise lines quietly unload any remaining inventory as the departure date draws closer. Note: "Last minute" doesn’t mean what it used to. Post-9/11 security regulations require cruise lines to close the list of passengers as much as 96 hours before sailing.

Keep That Sail a Sale
Cruise lines don’t make a profit on your cabin, so they try to separate you from your money the second they pull up the gangplank. Here’s how to keep your budget afloat.

Factor in tipping
Some cruise lines automatically add gratuities, while others still rely on passengers to make that decision. One helpful resource is cruisetip.tpkeller.com, which calculates the suggested tip per day for each major cruise line.

Stick with the main dining room
More and more cruise ships have specialty—restaurants to give passengers options beyond the cost—included main dining room and midnight buffet. But eating at one of the ships’ designer restaurants will run you extra: on Royal Caribbean International, for example, dinner at Chops Grille is $25 per guest.

Budget for booze
Don’t expect to bring your own. Most cruise lines frown on this, and some actually employ a "liquor retention team" to seize alcohol not purchased on board (the bottles are returned at the end of the cruise). Carnival now keeps your bags on a dock for several hours where they can search them, Be careful.

Have a fantastic trip!
For assistance in planning your Cruise or any other kind of travel contact Care-To-Go at 800-818-0407 or check the web at www.CareToGoTravel.com.

Our seniors Maintain Their Independent Life in Phoenix, with In-Home Care

No one likes staying dependent upon others. Seniors don’t embrace the idea of needing others to assist him or her. Freedom and independence can be amid the qualities that a lot of elders treasure the most-and this is why a lot of elders prefer to keep living in their very own homes. Elders don’t want to give up their independent way of life; therefore, the elders are electing to give up moving to elder care centers and assisted living facilities.

Because self-reliance is so critical to the senior, many elders often cringe at the thought of accepting home care help. Elders may believe that they have been handling everything satisfactorily on their own; consequently, elder care isn’t necessary. Rather often, though, the adult children or other family members or friends of the elder could realize that some kind of home care could be essential–possibly the elder doesn’t want to admit it or doesn’t comprehend it. Because the elder’s chief aim is to hold on to her independent life style, it’s important to mention the topic of senior care gently.

It may be better to speak about in home care with the senior on neutral ground with an friend there. Meeting with the elder person at their medical doctor’s appointment for a conversation about the subject may be a good idea for some; some could find it more comfortable to take the senior to lunch with a companion of hers who is in agreement with the plan. Regardless, the focus of the talk should be about keeping the senior at ease with the home care and helping her to make decisions.

Beside what some seniors may think, elder care could truly aid the senior to retain her independence. No, possibly she won’t be completely self-reliant as they were before; on the other hand, they will no longer have to rely on calling public transportation to take her to appointments and shopping trips because their home care aide can drive her. Also, they won’t need to call for take-out food when she does not feel like cooking, because her home care caregiver can prepare a meal for her. Yet she will still maintain her independent life style while she is still living in her own home–not in a elderly facility.

It is truly better for seniors to maintain their independence when they have a hired senior care assistant. Using a caregiver makes it simpler for seniors to complete tasks. This is because the caregiver does or helps with whatever the senior can’t do, while the senior takes care of other activities. Caregivers provide support and services that are tailored specifically to the senior for whom they are giving care; so the senior has the option of choosing what the caregiver does to help her.

Lots of caregivers become friends with the seniors they assist because they spend so much time together. The hired companions really start to become almost like part of the family. The elder will no longer think about any loss of freedom or independence at all,she will simply be content to still be living in her own home, with the assistance of her home care caregiver.

For more information on Home Care in the Phoenix area visit Care-To-Go.com For a

Personal Travel Companion anywhere, contact CareToGoTravel.com

Phoenix Home Care Caregiver Explains How To Talk With Someone With Cancer Or Other Serious Diseases

One of the most important ways to help your communication is not to ask "how are you" but also what are you feeling If you think about it, how are you is one of the most common questions we ask, but it can be a rather thoughtless one. The expected answer is OK or good. It does not lead to much discussion. When you ask, "What are you feeling?" you are digging deeper. Someone who is asked that may get the notion that you want to know how they are doing.

When you ask, what are you feeling be ready to hear anything. The person could say he thinks a great deal about death or he is worried about whatever the future has in store for the children. Or perhaps he is fearful that he won’t survive a year. Be ready to pay attention and hear the reaction he tells you. You do not have to have a response, but you have to be ready to hear the pain and anguish that the inquiry may provoke.
Communication with your loved ones must be direct and on an adult level.  The last thing an elder wants with a serious affliction is for you to be condescending or treat them like a kid. Your loved one needs straight talk constantly being empathetic and kind. Here’s a opportunity for caring support from their loved ones and their friends.
Elders with cancer every now and then need to get an opinions of those near to them on their illness, treatment, and treatment outlook. Stay open and honest, but don’t endeavor to respond to questions that you don’t know a good answer to. A senior with cancer will sense your honesty and appreciate it.

While having their illness, the elderly with cancer and serious diseases may express frustration and anger to friends and family. Remember that seniors with serious diseases pass through quite a few stages including denial, negotiation anger, and acceptance. Within the denial and anger stages, their conversation can offend families and their friends, but it can help to bear in mind that elders frequently shift their feelings onto friends and family close to him or her. Your loved ones do this since the people closest to them are safe. They know you will still be there for him or her, even if they act badly or create tension. Often, the senior is really frustrated and angry concerning the illness and the losses it brings, but that is hard to discuss. So they could take out their feelings on family, friends, or anyone else that happens to be near by at the time.

Commonly a high quality caregiver helping in the home can be a bridge for communication among family members.
More help for seniors posts can be found on Care-To-Go.com

Elder Care Retirement Choices

Retirement or elder housing alternatives can be baffling to seniors who has never approached the topic before.  The reason for the confusion is because most retirement care and elderly housing arrangements present duplicate services among the a range of categories.  A commonly accepted word for retirement living from one area may be used for different services from another.  The following terms explaining some kinds of care to assist you in determining your specific elder retirement requirements.

CareGiver and Home Care
Also is known as: Aging in Place, Home Care, In Home Personal Care, In Home Companion Care
Costs Range: $650 – $4,040

When a senior wants help and wishes to stay in their home (they all want to keep independence).  A Home Care CareGiver can be employed to assist on a part time or full time basis.  Normally a senior will need 3 days a week, then advancing to 5 or 7 days a week.  24/7 care can be arranged.  CareGivers can assist with daily activities:
?    Personal care
?    Shopping and errands
?    Meal preparation
?    Light housekeeping
?    Companionship
?    Medication reminders
?    Escort to Church, meetings and outings
?    Assist with therapies
?    Advocate for medical appointments

An extraordinary CareGiver can offer seniors the socially engaging productive lifestyle that experts say is so important to healthy aging.
Be sure to choose a high level CareGiver and Agency, don’t settle for an adult babysitter.

Click Here for the complete article listing care facilities and Home Care

Click Here for the complete article listing for a Home Care Carergiver

Phoenix Home Care Caregiver Reveals Twelve Things for Elderly Vision Loss Safety–How to Reduce the of Dangers at Home

Among the most overwhelming physical conditions linked to aging is the loosing of eyesight as a result of conditions like macular degeneration, glaucoma or cataracts.  As this happens it becomes obvious how important eyesight is to the elderly.  In later life seniors spend a lot of time just looking out the window, reading and watching TV.

Here are a few ideas to consider which could reduce the probability of this resulting in  problems at home:

Security In The Home
1.    Eliminate anything the elderly might trip over, such as small coffee tables, games on the floor, small rugs.
2.    Ensure there are clear pathways to and within all rooms.
3.    Paint doors and door trim colors that contrasts with the wall colors, so the doors will stand out more. Do the same thing with stair rails.
4.    Place yellow strips on the edge of steps and also at the beginning and ends of ramps.
5.    Install grab bars for the shower and tub areas.
6.    Ask your loved one and let him or her tell you what kinds of assistance, could be valued.

Patients and Physical Concerns
7.    Try to be as accepting as possible during the adjustment time, because frustration and anger could be forthcoming.
8.    Studies have found that eating big quantities of some carbohydrates that cause blood sugar levels to rise and fall rapidly may have a better probability of developing some vision reduction when they age. Some examples of these foods are: white bread, white rice, potatoes, pasta, sugars and corn syrup.
9.    Encourage your senior to get together with a support group, where other seniors in an identical situation share their feelings about and strategies to cope with the loss of vision.
10.    Encourage your loved one to take part in eyesight treatment services, then accompany her or him to several. This will teach you what your senior can do independently, enabling you to support his or her successes.
11.    Encourage your loved one to get help from someone trained in vision issues, either individually or in groups.
12.    A lot of people with eyesight reduction are told to discontinue smoking, because smoking will double their chance of having macular degeneration, one of the main causes of vision loss in the elderly. Support your loved one to get help to stop smoking.

More help for seniors tips and articles are available at Care-To-Go.com   Home Care CareGivers in the Phoenix area are available for Senior assistance