Research shows that there are two major factors that impact aging - those caused by the genes we inherit and those changes caused by environmental factors, such as exposure to the sun's rays, illness or lack of personal hygiene. While little can be done to "fight" the natural aging process, there are numerous measures that can be taken to limit external factors that lead to the most prevalent skin conditions among the elderly.

Geriatricians like Barney Spivack, M.D., member of the American Geriatrics Society, advises older persons about ways to limit external factors that can lead to skin cancer, infection or debilitating skin irritation. "Older adults are at the greatest risk for developing skin cancer. It might be surprising but just minutes of sun exposure each day over the years can cause noticeable changes to the skin," states Dr. Spivack. Freckles, age spots, spider veins on the face, rough and leathery skin, fine wrinkles, loose skin and skin cancer can all be traced to sun exposure. But Dr. Spivack warns that skin cancer, while fairly common, isn't the only skin condition that seriously impacts seniors.

Dr. Spivack notes that seniors and their caregivers should consider the following:

Shingles: The "Chicken Pox" of the Elderly

While shingles can affect anyone at any age, they are more prominent in seniors and more painful. These painful lesions resemble those of chicken pox and are in fact caused by the same virus (herpes zoster). The healing process of this condition typically lasts several weeks; however, medical attention should be sought immediately, as the anti-viral medications used to treat shingles are most effective in the early phase.

Dry Skin: An Itch you Can't Scratch

It's common for skin to become dry as it ages. Typically flaky, itchy skin can be managed with moisturizers or by using mild soaps. However, if dry skin becomes so severe that the itch is no longer soothable, it's important to seek medical assistance. Some medications commonly used among seniors may cause itchiness as a side effect and severe flaky skin can also be a sign of a more serious problem, such as liver or kidney disease.

Skin Ulcers: A Silent Threat

Also known as bedsores or pressure ulcers, skin ulcers can be extremely painful, debilitating and can be a breeding ground for infection that can lead to serious medical problems and even death. But, there are ways to prevent these sores from occurring. Typically ulcers occur when the skin is deprived of an adequate blood supply and oxygen. By maintaining a proper general nutrition and skin care regimen, wearing cotton undergarments and socks, and limiting the amount of time spent in constricting positions or with limited mobility, the chance of developing a skin ulcer can be significantly decreased.

It’s important, also, to maintain awareness of the condition of the skin:

1. Examine your body front and back in the mirror, then look at the right and left sides with your arms raised.

2. Bend elbows and look carefully at forearms, upper underarms, and palms.

3. Look at the backs of your legs and feet, the spaces between your toes, and on the sole.

4. Examine the back of your neck and scalp with a hand mirror. Part hair for a closer look.

5. Finally, check your back and buttocks with a hand mirror.

6. If you find a spot look for things like:

- One half is unlike the other half.
- An irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border.
- It varies from one area to another; has shades of tan, brown, or black; is sometimes white, red, or blue.
- Melanomas usually are greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed,
but they can be smaller.
- A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape, or color.

If you see any changes or have questions, ask the primary care physician or dermatologist. Your Right At Home High Point care specialist can help you watch for changes in skin or skin issues.

Sources:

StressandWellness.blogspot.com
American Geriatrics

National Healthy Skin Month Tips from Right At Home High Point

Your skin is your body’s first defense against disease and infection, and protects internal organs from injuries. The largest organ in the body, skin helps regulate body temperature, prevents excess fluid loss, and it helps your body remove excess water and salt. There are a number of ways to keep your skin healthy, and many options available to treat skin problems. Consult a dermatologist if you feel skin treatment is necessary.

Some of the more common skin conditions and tips include:

1. Dry skin in the winter months. Lower air temperatures and humidity combined with forced hot-air heat can cause dryness. To help combat this drying, Dr. Memar recommends: (a) no hot showers or baths; (b) use of mild soaps, and (c)moisturizing your skin immediately after a shower or bath.

2. Acne. Small lesions, blackheads, and whiteheads can be controlled by (a) gently washing the affective area(s) with warm water and a mild soap twice a day to remove dead skin cells and excess oil, and (b) using a topical (applied to the skin) over-the-counter acne treatment containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

3. Premature aging. Some signs of aging that appear on the skin indicate more than advancing years; they warn of an underlying medical condition. Changes that occur as we age also make us more susceptible to skin conditions, such as shingles and skin cancer. If you spot any of these changes, make an appointment to see a dermatologist. With early detection, many of these conditions are easily treated. If allowed to progress, some conditions can be difficult to control. Melanoma, a type of skin cancer, can be deadly without early treatment. In the United States alone, one person dies from melanoma about every 68 minutes.

4. Eczema. When it comes to treating atopic dermatitis, dermatologists consider moisturizing and gentle cleansing to be indispensable. Yet, a recent survey revealed that 23% of adults living with atopic dermatitis say they do not do not apply moisturizer and 29% do not use a cleanser. The researchers also found that most of the people who participated in the survey wanted more information about moisturizers and cleansers.

5. Skin Cancer. The facts say it all: (a) More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, (b) both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma have a better than 95 percent five-year cure rate if detected and treated early, (c) 1 in 5 Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime, and (d) five or more sunburns double your risk of developing skin cancer.

6. Rosacea. An estimated 14 million people in the United States have this common skin condition. However, many are unaware that they have rosacea. Most people develop only a few of the signs and symptoms of rosacea, which include: (a) a tendency to blush or flush easily, redness may eventually last longer than 10 minutes; (b) persistent redness in the center of the face that may gradually affect the cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose; (c) Dryness on the face. If you have any of these signs or symptoms, be sure to see a dermatologist. Repeatedly applying a topical steroid — the medication that many people use to calm red, swollen, or itchy skin — often aggravates rosacea.

Right At Home High Point is here to help you and your family all month long. Our care givers can help you look for skin changes to help prevent small issues from becoming big problems.

Source: CareFair.com

Tips for Caregivers of those with Alzhiemer's from Right At Home High Point

Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at home is a difficult task and can become overwhelming at times. Basic activities of daily living – eating, talking, sleeping, finding things to do – are often hard to manage for both the person with Alzheimer’s and the caregiver. Here are some tips that may help you cope.

Daily Activities: What to do all day?

What to do all day? Finding activities that the person with AD can do and is interested in can be a challenge. Building on current skills generally works better than trying to teach something new.

• Don’t expect too much. Simple activities often are best, especially when they use current abilities.

• Help the person get started on an activity. Break the activity down into small steps and praise the person for each step he or she completes.

• Watch for signs of agitation or frustration with an activity. Gently help or distract the person to something else.

• Incorporate activities the person seems to enjoy into your daily routine and try to do them at a similar time each day.

• Try to include the person with AD in the entire activity process. For instance, at mealtimes, encourage the person to help prepare the food, set the table, pull out the chairs, or put away the dishes. This can help maintain functional skills, enhance feelings of personal control, and make good use of time.

• Take advantage of adult day services, which provide various activities for the person with AD, as well as an opportunity for caregivers to gain temporary relief from tasks associated with caregiving. Transportation and meals often are provided

Communication: Special Considerations

Trying to communicate with a person who has AD can be a challenge. Both understanding and being understood may be difficult.

• Choose simple words and short sentences and use a gentle, calm tone of voice.

• Avoid talking to the person with AD like a baby or talking about the person as if he or she weren’t there.

• Minimize distractions and noise—such as the television or radio—to help the person focus on what you are saying.

• Call the person by name, making sure you have his or her attention before speaking.

• Allow enough time for a response. Be careful not to interrupt.

• If the person with AD is struggling to find a word or communicate a thought, gently try to provide the word he or she is looking for.

• Try to frame questions and instructions in a positive way.

Mealtimes and Nutrition

Eating can be a challenge. Some people with AD want to eat all the time, while others have to be encouraged to maintain a good diet.

• View mealtimes as opportunities for social interaction and success for the person with AD. Try to be patient and avoid rushing, and be sensitive to confusion and anxiety.

• Aim for a quiet, calm, reassuring mealtime atmosphere by limiting noise and other distractions.

• Maintain familiar mealtime routines, but adapt to the person’s changing needs.

• Give the person food choices, but limit the number of choices. Try to offer appealing foods that have familiar flavors, varied textures, and different colors.

• Serve small portions or several small meals throughout the day. Make healthy snacks, finger foods, and shakes available. In the earlier stages of dementia, be aware of the possibility of overeating.

• Choose dishes and eating tools that promote independence. If the person has trouble using utensils, use a bowl instead of a plate, or offer utensils with large or built-up handles. Use straws or cups with lids to make drinking easier.

• Encourage the person to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration.

• As the disease progresses, be aware of the increased risk of choking because of chewing and swallowing problems.

• Maintain routine dental checkups and daily oral health care to keep the mouth and teeth healthy.

Sleep Time Ideas

For the exhausted caregiver, sleep can’t come too soon. For many people with AD, however, the approach of nighttime may be a difficult time. Many people with AD become restless, agitated, and irritable around dinnertime, often referred to as “sundowning” syndrome. Getting the person to go to bed and stay there may require some advance planning.

• Encourage exercise during the day and limit daytime napping, but make sure that the person gets adequate rest during the day because fatigue can increase the likelihood of late afternoon restlessness.

• Try to schedule more physically demanding activities earlier in the day. For example, bathing could be earlier in the morning, or large family meals could be at midday.

• Set a quiet, peaceful tone in the evening to encourage sleep. Keep the lights dim, eliminate loud noises, even play soothing music if the person seems to enjoy it.

• Try to keep bedtime at a similar time each evening. Developing a bedtime routine may help.

• Restrict access to caffeine late in the day.

• Use night-lights in the bedroom, hall, and bathroom if the darkness is frightening or disorienting.

Remember, each person with AD is unique and will respond differently, and each person changes over the course of the disease. Do the best you can, remind yourself to take breaks and look for help when you need it. Right At Home High Point is here to help you.

Contact Us at:
Phone 1: 336-760-7131
Phone 2: 877-760-7131
Fax: 336-760-3046
Email Us

For more information about Alzheimer’s caregiving skills, visit the National Institute on Aging’s Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center Website

Alzheimer Disease Awareness - Ten Signs from Right At Home High Point

November is National Alzheimer Disease Awareness Month. As you visit with your family members during this holiday season or provide in home care on a daily basis it is important to notice any changes in their personal behavior especially these top 10 warning signs, from the Alzheimer’s Association:

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life

One of the most common signs of Alzheimer's is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; relying on memory aides (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to handle on their own.

What's typical? Sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later.

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems

Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.

What's typical? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure

People with Alzheimer's often find it hard to complete daily tasks. Sometimes, people may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.

What's typical? Occasionally needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show.

4. Confusion with time or place

People with Alzheimer's can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.

What's typical? Getting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later.

5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships

For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer's. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. In terms of perception, they may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room. They may not realize they are the person in the mirror.

What's typical? Vision changes related to cataracts.

6. New problems with words in speaking or writing

People with Alzheimer's may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a "watch" a "hand-clock").

What's typical? Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time.

What's typical? Misplacing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses or the remote control.

8. Decreased or poor judgment

People with Alzheimer's may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.

What's typical? Making a bad decision once in a while

9. Withdrawal from work or social activities

A person with Alzheimer's may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced.

What's typical? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.

10. Changes in mood and personality

The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer's can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.

What's typical? Developing very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.

If your loved one is experiencing any or all of these symptoms, it is important to have them evaluated by their doctor as soon as possible.

Right At Home in High Point is here to help you manage your family member's care and provide peace of mind when you can't be there.

Phone 1: 336-760-7131
Phone 2: 877-760-7131
Fax: 336-760-3046
Email Us


Additional Alzheimer's Disease Resources (click on the titles to visit their sites):

Alzheimer’s Association - 877-IS IT ALZ

National Institute on Aging’s Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center –

ADEAR - Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center. U.S. National Institute on Aging.
ADEAR maintains information on Alzheimer’s disease research, diagnosis, treatments, clinical trials and federal government programs and resources. AD Lib, ADEAR 's literature database, has nearly 8,500 materials related to Alzheimer's disease that includes fact sheets, textbook chapters, journal articles, brochures, teaching manuals, directories, videos and other media, bibliographies, program descriptions, monographs, newsletters and reports.

Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI).
ADI is an international membership group of Alzheimer associations. The ADI site links to member association sites throughout the world. It also provides information in several languages, statistics on the number of people with dementia worldwide, and the implications for the distribution of research funding, especially in developing countries.

Alzheimer Research Forum
This Web site reports on the latest scientific findings, from basic research to clinical trials; creates and maintains public databases of essential research data and reagents; and produces discussion forums to promote debate, speed the dissemination of new ideas, and break down barriers across the numerous disciplines that can contribute to the global effort to cure Alzheimer's disease.

Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research
Fisher's site is a comprehensive portal for caregivers, family members, people living with Alzheimer's and the general public.

Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Center
The Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Center has easy to understand, practical in-depth information on Alzheimer’s and care-giving.

Web MD.com Alzheimer’s Health Center
This site has a broad range of information, with an emphasis on information for individuals who are concerned about memory problems or have Alzheimer’s disease.

About Right at Home

Right at Home is an in-home care and assistance agency, providing quality senior and disabled persons care since 1995.

We provide trained, insured and bonded caregivers for a variety of caregiving needs. Whether it's for extra assistance after a stay in the hospital, an aging parent who needs extra help or companionship to remain in their home, or as a respite for the family member who cares for an ailing loved one, Right at Home can help.

Our home care services are flexible for your needs. We can provide care for as little as a few hours a day up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Our caregivers are tested and professionally trained through our exclusive Right at Home CERT ProgramSM (Caregiver Education Recognition & Training Program).

We will develop a personalized plan of care for each client, delivered wherever our client calls home

* Private Residence
* An Independent Senior Living Community
* An Assisted Living or Group Home
* A Skilled Nursing Facility (Nursing Home)
* A hospital, acute care, rehabilitation, or hospice facility

We are proud to provide home care services to our clients. Please contact us today to speak with us about what we can do for you, your loved one or friend.