Balance Causes & Symptoms

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/balance-causes-and-symptoms/

Having good balance means being able to control and maintain your bodies’ position, while in motion or standing still. Lightheadedness, dizzy spells, or the sensation of spinning in circles can all be signs of a balance issues, if these symptoms occur regularly. Balance issues are common among older adults and one of the main reasons help from a physician is sought after.

Our inner ear (known as the labyrinth) is responsible for helping us balance. Intact or “normal” balance helps us walk without staggering, get up from a seated position without falling, climbing, and bending.  To maintain position, our labyrinth acts with other body parts like our bones, eyes, and joints to help us get around safely. When our balance is off we tend to experience falls, in the elderly this can be detrimental to their overall health.

BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal positional Vert

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Senior Fraud & Medicare

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/senior-fraud-medicare/

The growing incidents of senior fraud is alarming. “You’ve been scammed” isn’t something anyone wants to hear, especially when it involves a senior who’s a loved-one. Financial advising, prescriptions, funeral planning, or a telephone call telling you you’ve just won a sweepstakes and all you need to do is verify information to claim your prize, are some of the common ways seniors are taken advantage of these days.

It is crucial that the older folks in our life know never to give out personal information unless they are certain in who they are dealing with. US Senator, Dean Heller, also recognizes the importance in senior fraud and safety and announced that new Medicare cards will help protect individual’s identities and reduce fraud in the Medicare system. Beginning in 2018 social security number will no longer be listed on Medicare cards. Ide

End of Life Care Options

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/end-of-life-care-options/

Those facing end of life, whether that be for themselves or a family member, experience multiple challenges when attempting to decide among the numerous end-of-life care options available. End of life care can be provided in many different settings-taking into account the level of care that is needed, resources, and the individuals own wishes. When discussing with loved-ones about where you would want to be at the end of life, it is important to be honest and realistic in your expectations. It is also crucial to communicate this information to family and your physician.

When we aren’t feeling well our first reaction is to go to the hospital. In this type of setting, numerous doctors and nurses are available and ready to treat someone who may be dying, which can be reassuring for both a patient and their family. However, ending up in a intensive care unit (ICU) may not lead

Managing Parkinson’s Disease

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/managing-parkinsons-disease/

Parkinson’s disease impacts people in many different ways. Not everyone will experience all of the symptoms of Parkinson’s, and if they do, they won’t necessarily experience them in the same order or with the same level of severity. However, a person diagnosed with this disease who is in the end stages (stages 4-5) can qualify for hospice services. Currently there is no cure for Parkinson’s, but with the support of hospice a person can still live well.

At stage 3 of Parkinson’s, which is considered mid-way in the progression of the disease process, loss of balance, falls, and the slowing of movements are all key factors. Activities of daily living become more difficult as well-bathing, dressing, toileting, etc. When symptoms expand beyond and become sever and limiting (becoming wheelchair or bedbound, requiring 24 hour supervision, or even experiencing hal

Choose Hospice Today

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/choose-hospice-today/

Because of the long list of options there are for seniors, end-of-life care no longer primarily happens at home. Approximately 25 percent of all U.S. deaths occur in a long-term care setting and this number is expected to grow. Up to 20 percent of all deaths in the U.S. occur in the hospital ICU or shortly after an ICU stay according to an online article with Petoskey News.

That is why it is so important to make your end-of-life decisions known. If your wishes are to die at home – your family, loved-ones, and physician should be aware. As a society we are learning more about the importance of advanced healthcare planning and how it can ease the burdens on our family by stating what we want for ourselves should a crisis occur. We as individuals can have a say in the care we are willing to accept or not. Planning ahead allows us to have control of our own wants and wishes.

To

Signs Your Loved-One Needs Help

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/signs-loved-one-needs-help/

As we age changes we experience, both mentally and physically, make our day to day living a bit more difficult. When we start noticing these changes in ourselves or a loved-one, help may be needed in order to remain independent and sustain a better quality of life. Here is some helpful information that can aid you in recognizing when it’s time to ask for assistance.

For those who still remain in their own homes, yard work can be quiet the chore and requires physical stamina-especially as we get older. You may notice an overgrown yard that needs mowing, trees that are untrimmed or dead, pests, or a once beloved garden that is overgrown with weeds. All of these can be signs that help is needed. Same goes for the inside of a persons’ home. Inside maintenance can be just as difficult for someone older as the outside of the home. Piled up dirty dishes, furniture covered in

Benefits of Social Media For Seniors

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/benefits-of-social-media-for-seniors/

When the word social media is brought up in conversation most people think about a younger generation, not seniors. Three years ago the number of people who used social media over the age of 65 was under 10%. Times are changing! Surprisingly there are health benefits to seniors who use social media regularly.

Our minds stay engaged when we use social media and this helps for better memory. Older adults are challenged by today’s new technology and this forces the mind to keep up with what’s going on. Research has shown that less depression occurs and seniors experience a higher satisfaction in life when engaged on social media. Public networks also allow seniors the opportunity to keep in touch with family and friends who may be far from them. The ability to be in close contact with them, say, by looking at pictures on Facebook, has shown to have positive effec

Palliative Care Not Being Received As Many Believe

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/palliative-care-not-being-received-as-many-believe/

Palliative care, which includes treatments meant to provide relief from symptoms and the stress of serious chronic illnesses, is being offered to patients more these days. Despite dramatic growth in the number of hospitals providing such care over the last decade, full palliative care services remain unavailable to most individuals. Several factors may explain why Palliative care is not more widely available.  It is a fairly new area in the field of medicine, only becoming a board certified specialty in 2006. Several studies suggest the number of specialists doesn’t meet the need, and there is confusion as to what exactly palliative care is.

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Congestive Heart Failure

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/congestive-heart-failure/

According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 5.8 million people are living with Congestive Heart Failure – also known as CHF. Close to 700,000 people are diagnosed with this disease each year and the most common causes are coronary artery disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease. Hospice may be appropriate for those with this progressive, life-limiting condition, if it’s in advanced stages.

Our heart which acts as a pump that receives blood into our bodies can fail at times affecting other major parts. When this happens a person is diagnosed with CHF. The lungs, legs, and arms can fill with fluid causing dizziness, fatigue, and irregular heartbeat. Under the care of hospice, a team of professionals develops a treatment plan based on each individual’s needs to address these issues. Those eligible and who use hospice

Congestive Heart Failure

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/congestive-heart-failure/

According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 5.8 million people are living with Congestive Heart Failure – also known as CHF. Close to 700,000 people are diagnosed with this disease each year and the most common causes are coronary artery disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease. Hospice may be appropriate for those with this progressive, life-limiting condition, if it’s in advanced stages.

Our heart which acts as a pump that receives blood into our bodies can fail at times affecting other major parts. When this happens a person is diagnosed with CHF. The lungs, legs, and arms can fill with fluid causing dizziness, fatigue, and irregular heartbeat. Under the care of hospice, a team of professionals develops a treatment plan based on each individual’s needs to address these issues. Those eligible and who use hospice

Hospice Is Helping Others

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/hospice-is-helping-others/

Hospice is a different type of care, provided by a team of dedicated health professionals in your home or wherever you and your love-ones need their help. Those who are eligible for hospice services must be diagnosed with a life-limiting illness or disease and choose to forgo aggressive treatments. Centered on palliative care, hospice closely monitors pain and symptom management of each patient so that they can make the most of every day and enjoy the time they have with family and loved-ones.

With hospice, you’re in control. Hospice celebrates life and treats the whole person-physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Hospice doesn’t just manage pain, it shows each patient how to best cope with an illness. Click on the link below to read about 5 ways that hospice can help you or a loved-one today.

https://moments.nhpco.org/5-ways-hospice-can-help

Finding Hope in Hospice

CompassionCare Hospice

Original Post URL: http://cchlv.com/finding-hope-in-hospice/

Surrounded by myths and misconceptions, hospice remains a misunderstood service that people still can’t grasp. The word itself has a negative connotation because many feel it means “giving up” when actually it means much more than this. There is hope in hospice. Hospice is aggressive in pain and symptom management-just not aggressive treatments. Everything is done to keep a patient as comfortable as possible while providing them with the best quality of life possible.

Care goes beyond just the patient to include family, loved-ones and caregivers. The hospice team helps to develop a collaborative plan of care that includes emotional support, spiritual support, and well-being. The patient and family are guided every step of the way through the hospice process. Even though there may be no hope for a cure to a life-limiting illness or disease, that doesn’t mean a s