Holiday Realization

The holiday season is in full swing. The radio is playing all of the classic holiday songs, toy drives and seasonal sales are constantly beaconing, we have even seen snow here in North Texas. It is during this time of year that we often get to spend extended time with family and friends.
For those of us with aging family members this time with them can be very telling. What we might have missed during a quick visit can suddenly become apparent. I recently experience this with a family member. After spending a weekend together I realized the extent of her disabilty was broader than I had known. She was struggling to accomplish simple tasks and to make mundane decisions.
So the question is when you realize a parent or family member is struggling what can you do. The silver lining is that we are not alone. Numerous families are asking themselves this same question, so the resources are out there.
We previously posted a checklist titled Signs Your Loved One Might Need Help. It is not all encompassing, but it is a good place to start.
If you feel that your loved one is in need of assistance please check out some of the resources we have listed on the right side of the page or feel free to contact our office. We will be glad to help you find the help your family needs. Happy Holidays from all of us here at Alert Response.

Veterans Day

After last week's celebration of Veteran's Day and the recent tragedy at Fort Knox we have been mindful of the great work and sacrifice that our armed forces contribute to our nation. We are thankful for the past and current service members who work tirelessly for our freedoms. Personally, I am very proud to call many of them family and dear friends.

Veteran's Day has passed, but let us be thankful all year! Here are a few ways you can reach out to say thank you. If you ask a service member they will tell you it means more than you know.

Welcome Home at Hero at DFW
http://www.dfwairport.com/heroes/index.php

Join the Red Cross in in sending cards through their Holiday Cards for Heroes Campaign or donate blood for Fort Knox
www.redcross.org

Get crafty and knit or crochet a hat with the Warmth for Warriors program
http://warmthforwarriors.com

Looking an employee Hire a Hero
http://www.hireahero.org/

Teach your kids or grandkids to be thankful for our troops with Kids Thank a Vet
http://www.kidsthankavet.com/?path=thankourvets

Or just hug the veteran or service member in your life!

Increased Security

No, we haven't started offering body guard detail, but we are increasing security here at Alert Response. We are excited to now offer vital signs monitoring in addition to emergency response and medication management.
Vital signs monitoring increases security and independence for individuals with a wide range of illnesses by allowing them to communicate daily with their doctors and health care providers while remaining in the comfort of their own home.
Vital signs are monitored through an easy to use modem that connects to the client’s phone jack. Each day the client takes their vitals and with the push of a button that information is communicated to the Care Center. If the client’s vital signs are out of line with set expectations or if vital signs are not received the client or necessary health professionals are contacted.

Blood pressure, pulse, blood oxygen levels, weight, blood sugar, glucose and exhalation can all be monitored. This is imperative for patients with a wide range of illnesses including, but not limited to diabetes, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma, and COPD.
Contact us today to see if Vital Sign Monitoring can provide security for you, your loved ones, or clients.

What is Medicare?

Medicare is the federal government program that gives you health care coverage if you are 65 or older, or under 65 and have a disability, no matter what your income.

Part A – Hospital insurance
Covers hospital, skilled nursing, home health and hospice care
Free if you have worked and paid SS taxes for 40 quarters/10 years

Part B – Medical insurance
Covers Doctors services, preventative care, Durable medical equipment, outpatient, lab tests, x-rays, mental health care, some home health and ambulance services
You pay a monthly premium for this.

Part C – Not a separate benefit
Policy that allows private health insurance companies to provide Medicare benefits.

Part D – Prescription drug insurance.
Provides outpatient prescription drug coverage.
Provided on through private insurance companies that have contract through the government.

Medication Management

They say that the memory is the second thing to go. What's the first? Well the truth is I can't remember. Let's face it, the older we get the harder it is to remember the simple things. Whether it's where you left your car keys or the name of that actor from a movie you saw last weekend last, it happens to all of us. Usually my mother calls me by my brothers name first then quickly corrects herself and calls me by my dads name and then again corrects herself and finally calls me by my name. Every once in a while she might even throw the dog's name in there if it is a really rough day(The dog's been gone for 17 years). It's easy to forget simple things, especially when it comes to medication.

Medication mismanagement is one of the leading causes of hospitalization for the elderly population in our country. Experts say that more than half of the elderly population mismanages their medication. Although people over the age of 65 represent about 13% of our population, they consume about 1/3 of all medication perscribed in the United States.

So what can we do to make med management easier? The good news is that there are few choices depending on the severity of a clients noncompliance issues.

For someone who might just be a little forgetful a simple pillbox might be the solution. They are inexpensive or even free if you know where to look and are simple enough to use that they should stop a lot of the confusion.

Now for someone who might be suffering from dimentia or alzheimer's, a more advanced approach is probably needed. There are a lot of options for pill dispensers. What's important is to figure out which options are right for the user. Some people might need to have the dispenser under lock and key due to medication overdose. Some people might want to be notified if a pill is missed. The iMD Alert Response medication dispenser is the cadillac of the industry. It provides medication to a client up to 6 times a day and is monitored by a live person 24 hours a day. If the client misses a dose then immediately the monitoring center will call them and and/or the family and notify someone there might be an issue. The iMD cuts noncompliance issues by 98%. But remember that research is key in a situation like this. A quality medication dispenser can keep a client independent and in there home for a longer period of time but you need to make sure you choose the right one for your loved one.

A third and the most costly option is a live in or visiting nurse, or an assisted living facility where the client can be monitored more closely. For clients with severe dimentia this may be the only option. If you do have to go this route make sure that you interview multiple nurses or facilities to find the one that will best take care of your loved one.

If you do have any questions feel free to view our website and contact us. We might not have the service you need but more than likely we can point you in the right direction. http://www.alertresponse.com/

Staying on your feet

As we grow older falling becomes a part of a lot of peoples lives and the aftermath of a fall can be very traumatic and costly. People who have fallen often spend weeks and sometimes months in the hospital trying to recover physically and mentally. Rehab centers are full of people spending hours upon hours in physical therapy to regain strength and confidence. I have heard horror stories of healthy older people falling and spending 12 or 15 hours laying on a bathroom floor or out on the back patio with no way to get help.

So what can we do? Well the best way to combat a fall is to try and prevent a fall. There a minor things we can do order to make our home safer and easier to ambulate around. Some of them might seem like common sense but they are still things people might not think about. Below is a list that might help you or a loved one prevent a fall sometime in the future.

1. In the mornings make sure you take your time getting up. All too often people wake up and immediately stand and begin to walk to the kitchen or bathroom. This can cause dizziness and sometimes blackouts. Give yourself time to sit up in bed and move your feet to the floor. Spend a couple minutes sitting in the upright position and then stand. If you are not feeling normal then sit down and wait a few more minutes and try again. Have a cane, walker, or some sort of aid to help in case you do not feel 100%.

2. Eliminate potential hazards. Below is a list of items that you may not have thought about but could potentially cause a fall.
-Wet floors
-Loose mats on slippery floors
-Dusty floors
-Sloped floors and uneven surfaces
-Loose or worn carpet and flooring
-Cables or wiring crossing a walking path
-Clutter in hallways and walkways

3. Medication management. Medication mismanagement is a big problem in the aging community and is the cause of a countless number of falls. Check with doctors and make sure the prescribed medications you are taking are not going to affect balance. Make sure the correct dosages are being taken and at the right times.

4. Understand limitations and don't be afraid to ask for help. If a light bulb needs to be changed or something heavy needs to be moved then ask for help. I can't tell you the amount of light bulbs I changed in the 5 years of installing emergency response units for the elderly.

5. Embrace technology. Because of the speed at which technology advances people become intimidated by new products. A lot of the products in the gerontological industry are meant to assist clients in being safe. Consult a caregiver or nurse and find out what products might be helpful. An emergency response button might not prevent a fall but it can build peace of mind and confidence knowing that if there is a fall then help is just a touch of a button away.

If you have any questions please visit us at http://www.alertresponse.com/ or call our office.

"Young men think old men are fools; but old men know young men are fools."
-George Chapman

Thanks for reading,
Matt

A Little Wobbly

I have recently started a new hobby in my life...worrying about my parents. It seems that I get more and more obsessed with the well being of my father especially. I describe him as "a little wobbly" but let's face it, he is prone to falls. The irony is that he started an emergency response company 17 years ago. For those of you who are not familar with what emergency response is then just think back to the 80's when you saw a commercial of an elderly lady on the floor yelling "help I've fallen and I can't get up."
Growing up and working for this business I have installed and serviced thousands of clients but not until recently have I realized what peace of mind this type of equipment provides not necessarily to the client but the clients family. It's not only equipment like emergency response, but it's the thousands upon thousands of people in this industry that make the aging process for our loved ones more comfortable. This industry amazes me with the selflessness of the many volunteers and educators that put forth there time and effort in order to make the final stages of life a little easier.
My goal as a first time blogger is to use the knowledge and experience that I have received during my time at Alert Response to maybe help out someone who may be experiencing something similar to what I am beginning to go through. I plan on sharing information about home health care, hospice, medicare, medicaid, and anything else I can think of that might impact someones decision for their loved ones. I might even share a few funny and interesting stories that come my way.

"Sure I'm helping the elderly. I am going to be old myself someday."
-Lillian Carter


Thanks for reading,
Matt

Learn more at www.alertresponse.com