General Condition Help

My yoga students often walk into class with a candy in their mouth, and I always make them spit it out when we begin class so they don’t accidentally choke on it when we’re moving. (See //www.parentgiving.com/elder-care/avoiding-everyday-choking-hazards/ to avoid choking hazards.) However, they like the candies because it helps with dry mouth. If you’ve ever experienced this, you know just how unpleasant dry mouth can be. Over 400 commonly-prescribed medications can lead to dry mouth, including anti-depressants, sedatives and tranquilizers; antihistamines; alpha and beta blockers; diuretics; and anti-Parkinsonism and anti-seizure drugs. Radiation for the treatment of head and neck cancer cause this dryness as well.

Prostate cancer has a blood test that can be done to find the disease in its early stages. So why do the American Cancer Society, American Urological Association, American College of Physicians, National Cancer Institute and the American College of Preventive Medicine all recommend against routine screening for prostate cancer?

According to a recent article in The New England Journal of Medicine, most men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer in their 50s and 60s would not die earlier or suffer in their quality of life, if their cancers are left untreated. On the other hand, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men after skin cancer, and does cause over 27,000 deaths every year in Americans. So what is the truth about prostate cancer and the best advice on prostate cancer screening?

Most people have heard of MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) infections, but there’s a new deadly bacterium lurking. C.diff (Clostridium difficile) is a multi-drug resistant bacterium most commonly found in hospitals and long-term care facilities.

Most of us limit the concept of prejudice to topics of race. Unfortunately, another type of prejudice is rampant in America, and pervades all aspects of society. It's called ageism. Ageism is generally defined as applying false stereotypes to individuals over a certain age, or a change in the way older people are treated in regard to their competence and value in society.

For most of us, a large part of our sense of self-worth is invested in our vocation—the work we do. A stroke or any other disorder, injury or disease can do so much damage psychologically, on top of the physical devastation. For this reason, vocational rehabilitation, or vocational therapy, is a vital component in any stroke recovery program for stroke survivors or those who suffer any serious injury to the spine and head and a similar condition.

Often people think of trouble sleeping as simply a part of growing older. It is not. The body does require less sleep as we age, but severe sleeping problems or insomnia in the elderly are the cause of poor sleep habits, side effects of medications, untreated sleep disorders or other medical conditions – and not a part of the normal aging process.

Did you know that according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), "many signs and symptoms of infection that are common in younger adults, particularly fever and high white blood cell count, present less frequently or not at all in older adults." In addition, "changes caused by infection in the elderly are subtle, and nonspecific complaints may be the only indications. Elderly patients with infections commonly present with cognitive impairment or a change in mental status. In fact, frank delirium occurs in 50 percent of older adults with infections."

Most of the psychosocial problems affecting the elderly are due to depression, and depression can be traced to any of a numbers causes, like the death of a loved one or close friend, a senior transition such as retirement or transfer to a new home, pain from chronic health conditions, insomnia, or even a violent event such as burglary or assault.

Whooping cough (Pertussis) is not just a childhood disease. Pertussis mainly affects infants, un-immunized children and elderly adults. Complications include pneumonia, ear infection, vomiting and dehydration if left untreated.

Extreme heat is a leading cause of preventable death among seniors and with recent record-breaking temperatures, it is important seniors and caregivers know how to stay safe in hot weather.

Have you ever felt headachy, nauseous or experienced muscle cramps in hot humid weather? You may be experiencing dehydration, not harboring some flu bug. And the cure is drinking a glass of water or, better yet, several glasses over the course of each day for better senior health.

We all need more sleep in winter, but sleep problems can mean we end up getting even less. Learn about certain habits that may be keeping you up at night.