Taking care of a hip injury is not only imperative for optimal healing, but it could mean the difference between healing completely and requiring surgical intervention. While hip replacements restore hip function for adults with severe hip injuries, they have also been linked to major health complications.

In fact, problem implants — such as the DePuy ASR, Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II, and Zimmer Durom Cup — have caused so many problems that recall processes are underway. That means revision surgeries for thousands of patients already at risk for developing complication from existing implants. Due to this many patients have chosen to file a hip replacement lawsuit. Taking proper care of a hip injury can keep adults from having to worry about potential surgical intervention and avoid serious complications associated with faulty hip implants.

Taking Care of a Hip Injury

• Rest. It is difficult to rest a hip. The hip is a weight-bearing joint and is involved in some of the most common daily actions, like swinging one’s legs over the edge of the bed, sitting and standing. Not to mention that active adults have a hard time staying still indefinitely. However, without giving injured tissues time to thoroughly heal, injured adults can do more — and often irreversible — damage.

• Gentle Movements. That being said, resting too long can have the opposite problem. Anyone with a hip injury should have it evaluated by a medical professional to assess the damage. Then speak with him/her about the proper level of exercise that can be done. Therabands can often be used as a low-impact exercise tool to keep the joints moving and flexible until other exercises can be attempted. Physical therapists can teach others how to help injured patients with assisted-exercises to keep muscles from atrophying and increasing circulation while the hip heals.

• Hot/Cold Therapy. Alternating hot and cold therapy via ice, cold compresses, heating pads, and/or moist heat can help to relieve inflammation, reduce pain and increase circulation, which helps the immune system do its job to nourish and repair injured tissues.

• Over-the-Counter Medicine. OTC anti-inflammatory medications include brands that contain ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin. Sometimes the body’s anti-inflammatory response goes into overdrive, which can actually detract from the healing process. Anti-inflammatories will reduce swelling and relieve pain. Unless a doctor has advised differently, always follow the manufacturer’s directions and never take more than the recommended doses. When used in excess, many anti-inflammatories can have serious side effects.

• Physical Therapy and Exercise. Once doctors have given the go-ahead to move forward with physical therapy and exercise, it is important that patients use appropriate forms of movement on a regular basis to continue the healing process and increase bone and joint strength. Unless the injury prevents certain exercises, recovering patients should use a combination of exercises that move the joints to keep them flexible and lubricated, and weight-bearing exercises, which help to stimulate bone growth. This is especially important for patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Studies have shown that an average of 30 minutes of exercise per day can delay the onset of OA as well as reduce its symptoms.

Taking care of a hip injury will pay off in the long run and can prevent potentially risky surgical interventions down the road.

Elizabeth Carrollton writes about defective medical devices and dangerous drugs for Drugwatch.com.

As a long term care consultant with over 20 years experience,  you would think that by now,  I would be accustomed to observing residents seated for hours near the  nursing station, alone in the hallway or isolated within their rooms.  Perhaps this is a natural consequence of aging.  Perhaps this is an inescapable reality of the nursing home environment. NONSENSE!   I refuse to acknowledge that any human being, regardless of age,  regardless of physical, cognitive or psychosocial function, regardless  of living situation, would choose to live a life devoid of meaningful  engagement nor social interaction.  Call it the optimist in me, but I firmly believe that we, as human beings, thrive when we are engaged!

With that said,  the purpose of this newsletter is to help you identify those residents  who either are, or are at risk for becoming, invisible, isolated and  disengaged.  Moreover, I also hope to share strategies for reconnecting these residents with the world around them.

So, who are our invisible, isolated and disengaged  residents?

To answer this question, I would like to ask you to stop, for a moment, to think about your residents.  Allow your mind to wander the halls of your facility.  Do you see residents seated at the nursing station who may have been there for an hour, or two, or even longer?  Do you see residents seated along the hallways, those you may pass by, without actually seeing?  Do you see residents alone in their rooms -who rarely venture out, even for activities or meals?  These are our residents whose presence, or absence, or refusal to participate is so consistent and predicable that we no longer see them … unless  it is due to their absence.

These are our invisible, isolated and disengaged  residents.

But they need not be!  There is much we can do to reengage our residents. There is much we can do to enhance the quality of their lives. Here’s how …..

First and foremost, come to know your residents as individuals.

• Learn who      your residents were when they were younger.
• What was      important to them?
• What did      they do?
• Were they      involved in the community?
• What were      they most proud of?

Get to know your resident’s interests, their personal preferences and their customary routines.  Once you come to know them as individuals, with an amazing history of life  experiences, you’ll see how easily it will be to reengage  them!

The invisible resident:

Invisible residents are all around us, but, as the name implies, we may no longer  notice them.  These residents may be seated near the nursing station, along the walls of the hallway, on the periphery of the activity room.  What has caused them to be overlooked and forgotten is a multifaceted  question, but it all comes down to an unanticipated consequence of how  they have adapted to their new living environment. To reengage these  residents requires staff to utilize all that they know about the  resident in their effort to identify activities meaningful to the  individual resident – activities which will capture  their interest and motivate them to become engaged … meaningfully engaged!

This is entirely  consistent with the best of Culture Change – reminding us to embrace a  concept of care which has, at it’s core, the premise that we are working with individuals with a history of life experiences that we must  understand if we are to provide quality care – and support quality of  life.  Equally important, we must also recognize that all  activity, be it a bath, a meal, a song, a structured activity, even a  smile may be meaningful  to a resident – and it is the responsibility of all staff to take the time to interact with residents, as individuals.

The Isolated Resident

The isolated resident is the resident who is either unable to leave his/her room or chooses not to do so.  Either way, the resident is at risk for social isolation, depression and cognitive decline.  To support this resident requires regularly scheduled interaction with  Activity or Social Service staff in order to provide social interaction  and cognitive stimulation.  Remember to ask for the  resident’s involvement when scheduling these visits (to promote control  and decision making) and each visit should last at least 10-15 minutes,  or to resident tolerance.  Finally, the content and process of the visit should be focused upon the needs and interests of the resident.  For example, play a game of cards with the resident.  Spend time with the resident simply looking out of the window at birds in a bird feeder, or enjoying the garden outside.  Bring in a portable computer and use VitalLink to engage the resident in a  “face to face” video call with a distant friend or family member.  When possible, encourage the resident to join you outside of his/her room,  planning ahead to ensure that the outcome is a positive one.  Above all, engage the resident in meaningful social interaction.

The Disengaged  resident:

When discussing  the disengaged resident, it is important to recognize that we really  have two very different types of disengaged residents.

• The first      type of disengaged resident is actually quite content and is not      necessarily at risk.  You’ll      recognize this resident as the individual who politely refuses to      participate in activity programs and services, and even the life of the      facility, possibly explaining that s/he has never been active  in leisure,      recreation or social programs.  This  resident has always been content with his/her own company and      is  more than happy meeting his/her own needs by watching television,       reading, socializing with family and a small network of close       friends.  This resident is      truly self-determining, and we must respect the right to be “who they      are”.

• On the      other hand, the second type of disengaged resident  may be one who has made      a conscious decision to remain distant from other residents and the      overall life of the facility – not wanting to associate with the general      population of frail older adults so  as to avoid any association with      “them” and to even avoid “becoming like them”.  To support this resident, it is      vital to continue to encourage their involvement – consistently and      persistently.  Involvement in      Activity programs, in shared meals in the dining room, in  facility      outings. Empower these residents to pursue independent,  self directed      activities by providing resources, equipment and  supplies.  Encourage these residents to      embrace their  strength and their abilities and to use these to enhance the      lives  of other residents. For example, to establish their “difference”,       consider the value of taking leadership roles in the facility. Invite      residents to lead the Resident Council,  to assist Activity staff as program “Co-Leaders”, to      become involved in the “Welcome Committee” or the “Mentor Program”.  Encourage these residents to      embrace their functional abilities – and to use these abilities to support      others within the community.

Finally,  regardless of how attentive you are to your residents psychosocial  needs, it is important to review the scope of Activity programs and  services you offer.  A comprehensive review will ensure  that you truly ARE offering programs and services which reflect their  needs, interests and preferences.  To accomplish this:

• Evaluate the level of functioning targeted by each of your scheduled       programs.  Are  you scheduling       programs which support your higher, lower and   middle functioning       residents, or are the majority of your programs  targeting one or two       levels of functioning at the expense of the  third (i.e. offering news and       current events discussion on a  daily  basis for your higher and middle       functioning residents, yet  offering no sensory stimulation programs for       your lower   functioning residents).  Understandably, the ideal is to   create a balance whereby all       residents have an equal number of   programs matched to their ability to       participate.

• Evaluate the extent to which activity programs provide residents the opportunity        to engage in differing types of activity  programs which support
  • Physical functioning
  • Cognitive functioning
  • Social interaction
  • Emotional / Expressive engagement
  • Spirituality

Each of these  program “domains” should be scheduled at least  every second day to  adequately meet the physical, cognitive and  psychosocial needs of your  residents.

In conclusion,  while it may seem that we will always have invisible, isolated and  disengaged residents, the reality is quite the contrary.  The solution, simple as it may seem, is to embrace the best of what we know to be true …. That is, if we are attentive to the needs, interests,  personal preferences and customary routines of our residents, AND if we  constantly evaluate  the “fit” between the needs and  interests of our residents and the programs we offer, then we should be  able to meaningfully engage – or reengage our residents!

But too much time spent working out can have psychological downside, experts warn

FRIDAY, Oct. 26 (HealthDay News) — People who exercise 2.5 to 7.5 hours a week have better mental health, but more than that is associated with poorer mental health, a new study suggests.

Researchers compared mental health to exercise by analyzing self-reported data from more than 7,600 adults who took part in a U.S. national survey.

“The largest mental health differences occurred with two to four hours of exercise per week. Beyond four hours, the trend begins to reverse: about 65 percent of those with poorer mental health exercised more than four hours per week, compared to 55 percent of adults in better mental health,” wrote Dr. Yeon Soo Kim and colleagues at Teachers College, Columbia University.

They were surprised to find that after 7.5 hours of exercise per week, symptoms of depression and anxiety increased sharply. This was true in both men and women, and in people of all ages and different levels of health.

The study, published online and in the September issue of the journal Preventive Medicine, is the first to show an association between too much exercise and poor mental health, according to a Columbia news release.

However, further research is needed to determine whether people who tend to be depressed and anxious are more likely to be more physically active as a way to keep their mental symptoms under control, or whether greater amounts of exercise actually cause symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The researchers also emphasize that their findings support “the notion that regular activity may lead to prevention of mental health disorders.”

“If physical activity can prevent mental health disorders or improve overall mental health, the public health impact of promoting physical activity could be enormous,” they wrote in the study.

While the study found an association between high amounts of exercise and worse mental health, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

SOURCE: Teachers College, Columbia University, news release, Oct. 19, 2012

If you know of a senior citizen in the Dallas, Texas area that is in need or just wants to work, please pass this information along. The job fair will be held from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm.

Does your company need to add additional staff that are reliable with experience? Contact the Senior Source by September 20th, to request a Job Fair Confirmation to participate. This is a free service.

A Free Job Fair for Individuals 50+ is sponsored by Skillman Church of Christ, AARP, City of Dallas Senior Services, The Senior Source, Dallas Senior Employment Council and Senior Employment Program. This event helps celebrate National Older Worker Week.

The following link is Part 1 of a CNN documentary featuring Dr. Kenneth S. Kosik’s research on Alzheimer’s. Dr. Kosik is exploring life changing methods on how to delay, and hopefully one day stop, the onset of Alzheimer’s.

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2011/02/24/wus.alzheimers.filing.blanks.bk.a.cnn

Cognitive Stimulation for Seniors

CFIT stands for Cognitive Fitness and Innovative Therapies. This program is located in Santa Barbara, California, originally constructed by Dr. Ken Kosik, MD, head of the Neuroscience Research Institute, and is currently becoming a program held by Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The goal is to increase cognitive challenges in order to keep the brain fit.

This program believes that by starting to increase brain fitness while in you’re 50′s, people actually may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s. Studies on how the brain operates and the benefits that playing simple games, such as Scrabble, Crossword puzzles, and more, bring towards delaying the signs of mental aging. By teaching their clients that sedentary lifestyle and social isolation are key factors towards cognitive decline, they are able to make changes in their daily lives to help ward off possible mental decline.

CFIT is a “full service community-based cognitive shop”. Specific client intake procedures are used to determine the best course of action for continuing the fight against cognitive decline. Then steps are made to implement these changes, such as playing games specifically designed to challenge the mind. Lifestyle changes are recommended, depending on the client, and recommendations are made to the client past the time that is spent at their facility.

By utilizing services, such as Senior Activity Service, your loved ones will remain active both physically and mentally. Senior Activity Service believes that cognitive fitness must be preserved. Our aim is to help local senior citizens achieve this goal through on-going activity sessions specifically designed for each client’s own capability.

How To Score
Pick 1 answer to each of the 21 questions (yes or no). Then add up all the points to arrive at a final score.

1. Does your loved one have memory loss? Y = 1 N = 0

2. If so, is their memory worse than a few years ago? Y = 1 N = 0

3. Do they repeat statements or stories in the same day? Y = 2 N = 0

4. Have you had to take over tracking events or appointments, or does the patient forget appointments? Y = 1 N = 0

5. Do they misplace items more than once a month? Y = 1 N = 0

6. Do they suspect others of hiding, or stealing items when they cannot find them? Y = 1 N = 0

7. Does your loved one frequently have trouble knowing the day, date, month, year, and time; or check the date more than once a day? Y = 2 N = 0

8. Do they become disoriented in unfamiliar places? Y = 1 N = 0

9. Do they become more confused when not at home or when traveling? Y = 1 N = 0

10 . Excluding physical limitations, do they have trouble handling money, such as tips or calculating change? Y = 1 N = 0

11. Do they trouble paying bills or doing finances? Y = 2 N = 0

12. Does your loved one have trouble remembering to take medicines or keeping track of medications taken? Y = 1 N = 0

13. Do they difficulty driving; or are you concerned about their driving? Y = 1 N = 0

14. Are they having trouble using appliances, such as the stove, phone, remote control, microwave? Y = 1 N = 0

15. Excluding physical limitations, are they having difficulty completing home repair or housekeeping tasks? Y = 1 N = 0

16. Excluding physical limitations, have they given up or cut down on hobbies such as golf, dancing, exercise or crafts? Y = 1 N = 0

17. Are they getting lost in familiar surroundings, such as their own neighbourhood? Y = 2 N = 0

18. Is their sense of direction failing? Y = 1 N = 0

19. Do they have trouble finding words other than names? Y = 1 N = 0

20. Do they confuse names of family members or friends? Y = 2 N = 0

21. Do they have trouble recognizing familiar people? Y = 2 N = 0

What the score means

• 0 to 4: No cause for concern
• 5 to 14: Memory loss may be an early warning of Alzheimer’s
• 15 and above: Alzheimer’s may already have developed

Please take the information gathered from the test above to your loved one’s doctor to discuss whether or not additional testing by a licensed specialist should be sought.

The above test was taken from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com.

“It’s helped to keep my brain as active as possible, at my old age.” She admits to being forgetful, and not remembering things even on the next day. But she credits her Nintendo as giving her help and inspiration to keep her brain active.

“I don’t feel a day over 80!” How great to be a centenarian and feel 20 years younger!

As we age, one of our biggest fears is our mental decline. This too is a common fear among loving family members of the elderly. Video gaming systems help to stimulate the brain, and particular games are offered especially for this reason.

This article will bring a smile to your face, no matter what your age may be. Click on the following link to watch the “gaming granny” in action.

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Please take a moment of your time to access our survey. Our aim is to provide the senior citizens in your family with mental stimulation and physical motivation. Please tell us your thoughts. Thank you!