Blog
Call 911 Appropriately and Effectively
911 was introduced in 1968 as a universal number for reaching emergency assistance. The current 911 system was designed to provide a universal, easy-to-remember number for people to reach police, fire or emergency medical assistance from any phone in any location, without having to look up specific phone numbers.
A call to 911 should involve a true emergency, a situation that requires urgent care by medical professionals. You should call 911 if someone is unconscious, gasping for air or not breathing, experiencing an allergic reaction, having chest pain, having uncontrollable bleeding, or any other symptoms that require immediate medical attention. Be proactive by knowing the warning signs of strokes and heart attacks.
Calling 911 is almost always the fastest route to get lifesaving treatment. Contact 911 immediately if there is anything that you don’t think you can handle or if a delay in care could result in adverse outcome. When you dial 911, remain as calm as possible and relay the following information clearly: your name, the phone number you are calling from, the nature of the emergency, location of the emergency, what has happened, the victim’s name and age, obvious injuries and the victim’s apparent condition, and any known medical history. Let the call-taker guide the conversation; he or she is trained to help you determine the extent of the emergency and the best actions for proper care of the victim.
Prevention is key to eliminating emergencies. If you are a care provider, advise your client to accident-proof his or her home. Hand rails, nonskid surfaces, and adequate lighting can help prevent falls. Throw rugs and other objects that can cause your client to trip. Electrical cords should be in good repair with no frayed cords. Keep a list of your client’s medications, allergies, and special needs with their list of emergency numbers. This can save time and provide valuable information for emergency medical personnel.
Posted in Uncategorized
KristinRose Dacanay: Employee of the Month
At 20, KristinRose is the youngest member of Care Indeed family. She joined the company last year as an Administrative Assistant.
It didn’t take long for KristinRose to adapt to her new environment. She is highly organized and able to multitask. She has excellent computer and communication skills. A coworker described her as a quick learner; s
he admires KristinRose’s enthusiasm to have things done as they should be–not by assuming but by asking the right questions.
According to Dee Bustos, Care Indeed’s CEO, KristinRose’s outgoing and cheerful personality helps lighten the atmosphere in the office. Her laughter is infectious and her smile can brighten up the room. At a young age, she easily establishes and maintains cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
Kristin performs general reception and secretarial duties. She answers the phone, takes messages, and ensures that calls are forwarded to the appropriate staff in a timely manner. She enters information on the company database and scans important documents. She files paperwork, organizes mail and couriers, and assists with day-to-day requests from staff. She coordinates office and equipment maintenance, and helps organize company events. She also supports the staffing coordinators by scheduling caregiver interviews and assisting with finding suitable caregivers for cases that need to be staffed immediately. She updates the calendar for scheduled events, and reviews invoices and forwards them to Accounts Payable. She willingly performs other duties as assigned.
KristinRose has her heart set on a career in the healthcare industry. She is a Hemodialysis Technician with CPR Certification. She plans on going back to school to further her medical career. During her free time, she bonds with her family and friends. She also likes to shop, watch movies, and ride her bike.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/kristinrose-dacanay-employee-month/#ixzz2sIALZONJ
Posted in Uncategorized
Care of the Hearing Aid
Proper maintenance and care will extend the life of your hearing aid. It is also important to ensure that your hearing aid is used and works properly. The parts of a hearing aid include the following: earmold or plug, microphone, volume control, battery compartment, case, and tubing.
Wash the earmold or plug daily in mild soap and water, using a pipe cleaner to clean the cannula. Dry the earmold or plug thoroughly before reconnecting it to the receiver. Always keep an extra battery and cord available. When hearing aid is not in use, turn aid off and open battery compartment. If hearing aid whistles, reinsert earmold.
If hearing aid fails to work: check the on-off switch; inspect earmold for cleanliness; examine battery for tightness of fit; examine cord for breaks; replace battery and/or cord.
Check for cracks in tubing or earmold. Check to see that earmold and hearing aid are inserted in the correct ear. Check that earmold or hearing aid is properly inserted. Check that the hearing aid is turned on. Check that volume control wheel is turned up to approriate settings as the magnification of sound may cause discomfort or irritability. If whistling occurs, check earmold hearing and fit.
A hearing aid requires special care to ensure that it functions properly. Make it a habit to: keep hearing aid away from heat and moisture; clean hearing aid as instructed (earwax and ear drainage can damage a hearing aid); avoid using hairspray or other hair care products while wearing hearing aid; turn off hearing aid when it is not in use; replace dead batteries immediately; and keep replacement batteries and small aids away from children and pets. Don’t drop hearing aid and don’t wear hearing aid overnight.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/care-hearing-aid/#ixzz2uHegs9Qc
Posted in Uncategorized
Shaking the Salt Habit
A low-sodium diet may work as well as medicine to lower blood pressure and improve heart function in people with heart failure. People with high blood pressure and heart failure who went on a 21-day diet containing no more than 1,150 milligrams of sodium per day saw the same level of improvements that medication provides. Participants followed the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which is high in potassium, magnesium, calcium and antioxidants. Americans typically take in 3,000 to 4,000 milligrams of sodium each day.
Source: Heart Failure Society of America
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/shaking-salt-habit/#ixzz2ttca9dxT
Posted in Uncategorized
Recommendations for a Healthy Lifestyle
02.11.14
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Maintaining good health means being able to recognize the importance of nutrition, exercise, and a healthy environment. Ebersole & Hess listed the traits of a healthy person as follows: self-responsibility; nutritional awareness; physical fitness; stress management, and environmental sensitivity.
You need to take charge of your health by being attuned to body messages and knowledgeable about your health status. It’s important to learn about foods that promote health and make appropriate food choices; a well-balanced diet without excess sugar, fat, or alcohol is recommended. Identify and practice a program of activity that works, including aerobics, balance, muscle flexibility, and muscle strength. Exercise in older adults improves cardiovascular fitness, prevents falls and fractures, reduces intensity of chronic diseases, enhances self-care abilities and promotes independent activities, and encourages social contact. Identify sources of stress and find ways of coping, adaptation, and relaxation. You may consider using alternative health strategies such as meditation, visualization, massage, magnets, aromas, acupressure or acupuncture. Design your own personal space to include a healthy physical and social environment with an opportunity for time with friends, supportive network, giving and receiving affection, and reinforcing wellness behaviors.
Other considerations include: drinking adequate fluids, avoiding smoke and drugs, consuming little or no alcohol, maintaining optimal weight, and receiving adequate restorative sleep.
The perception of being healthy has changed from the absence of disease to a broader definition of wellness. A holistic definition of health views it as a state of being, an attitude. It includes being able to make decisions, and being valued by others with dignity and respect.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/recommendations-healthy-lifestyle/#ixzz2t2d2mcxC
Posted in Uncategorized
Sleep Disturbance in Seniors
Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as younger people. However, they are more likely to achieve it in separate episodes; they take naps and get less sleep at night. The sleep of an older adult is less deep. This may cause early awakening and complaints of sleep disturbance.
The causes of sleep disturbance in older adults include chronic health problems such as arthritis, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Some adults take medications such as diuretics and theophylline that can cause sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbance, related to illness and psychological stress, is manifested by change in behavior performance, increased irritability, listlessness, and verbal complaints of not feeling well rested.
To promote rest and sleep, direct the patient to assume a comfortable position and provide adequate pain control to facilitate breathing. If possible, seek assistance from the patient’s licensed health care provider to carefully assess the time of medication administration and the effect on sleep. Develop a plan with the patient and family to allow for more rest: limit interruptions during the night, provide a quiet environment with a comfortable room temperature, and limit the number of visitors and the durations of visits. Encourage the patient to ambulate early in the evening. You may provide a glass of milk 30 minutes before bedtime unless contraindicated. Massage the patient’s back, freshen linens, reduce noise, and dim lights. Administer hypnotic as ordered. Have the patient void.
Sleep restores a patient’s energy and feeling of well-being. The reduced consciousness during sleep provides time for repair and recovery of body systems for the period of wakefulness.
Posted in Uncategorized
Measuring a Patient’s Temperature
Vital signs include temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure. Many facilities have introduced a fifth vital sign–pain level. The skills to measure vital signs are simple but should never become routine. You must me able to measure vital signs accurately, understand and interpret the values, and communicate findings appropriately.
The patient’s condition and reason for recording the temperature will give an indication of how frequently it should be recorded. A temperature reading of 98.6ºF or 37ºC is considered normal. However, variations from 97ºF to 99.6ºF (36.1ºC to 37.5ºC) are considered to be within normal range. Factors that affect body temperature include: age, exercise, hormonal influences, stress, environment, drinking hot or cold liquids, and smoking. In older adults the normal range commonly decreases. Any form of exercise can increase a body temperature. In women, hormone changes during ovulation and menopause can cause temperature fluctuations. Stress, such as anxiety, may elevate body temperature. Environmental temperature extremes can raise or lower the body temperature. Ingestion of hot or cold liquids, as well as smoking, can cause slight variations in temperature readings.
There are two kinds of body temperature. Core temperature is the temperature of the deep tissue of the body; surface temperature is the temperature of the skin. Temperature measurements are obtained by using the following: heat patches or disposable, single-use thermometer strips, electronic thermometers, and tympanic thermometers (inserted into the ear canal). Mercury thermometers are being phased out. The choice of thermometer depends on the condition of the patient. You need to be aware of normal body temperatures according to sites (oral, rectal, axillary, and tympanic). The thermometer must be in proper working condition to ensure accurate results.
Wash hands before and after taking the temperature to avoid cross-infection. If temperature obtained is abnormal, repeat measurement. Temperature elevations my be the first sign of an illness. Signs and symptoms of an elevated temperature include: thirst; flushed, warm skin; glassy eyes; headache; elevated pulse and respiratory rates; restlessness or sleepiness; increased perspiration; and disorientation.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/measuring-patients-temperature/#ixzz2rpQKFY8J
Posted in Uncategorized
Common Ear and Hearing Problems in Seniors
The most common ear and hearing problems in older people include presbycusis, tinnitus, and dizziness. Presbycusis is a gradual loss of the ability to hear as a person ages. It is the most common form of loss in older adults. It results in difficulty hearing high-pitched tones and conversational speech. Factors that can influence the onset and severity of presbycusis include noise exposure, infections, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, vascular disease, immunologic disorders, and hormonal factors. Treatment may include surgical placement with a cochlear implant, hearing devices, and auditory rehabilitation to ease communication.
Tinnitus is a condition that causes a ringing or buzzing in a person’s ears. It can be caused by aging, exposure to loud noise or other factors.
Dizziness can result from problems of the inner ear. With the early detection of presbycusis and dizziness, you can initiate measures to increase function and mobility while reducing the risk of falls and their potentially damaging complications.
Earwax also builds up more quickly as people age. Too much wax can affect hearing. To soften earwax, take a warm shower and let the water fall on the affected ear. Place a warm cloth over the affected ear. If you choose to use a heating pad, check with your doctor first, and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You may also use an over-the-counter wax-softening product.
Hearing loss, if left untreated, can affect a senior’s mood and ability to function. It may lead to depression or isolation; older people who can’t hear well may withdraw from others to avoid frustration or embarrassment. Call your healthcare provider if: you notice that words are hard to understand or people seem to mumble; you hear a constant buzzing or ringing noise; you have repeated spells of dizziness; and hearing loss or ringing in the ears is accompanied by pain, fever, a sense of fullness in the ear, dizziness, or blood or pus coming from the ear.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/common-ear-hearing-problems-seniors/#ixzz2rcfvLVPJ
Posted in Uncategorized
What is AB 241?
Governor Brown signed a new law, AB 241, which requires anyone employing a home care aide to pay overtime for all hours worked in excess of 9 hours per day or 45 hours per week. Prior to the new law, home care aides who spent at least 80% of their time performing personal attendant duties were not entitled to overtime pay. The new law is considered as a legislative victory that will improve working conditions for these workers and will in turn improve the quality of care that Californians receive. California is the third state in the nation, after New York and Hawaii, to win new protections for domestic workers.
AB 241 went into effect January 1st this year and will expire in 3 years, at which time it can be renewed into law. Below is a comparison of the live-in compensation prior to and after AB 241:
16 hours: regular rate 9 hours: regular rate
8 hours: 0 7 hours: overtime pay
24 hours total 8 hours: 0 (uninterrupted sleep)
24 hours total
Under the new new law, live-in non-medical aides must be provided with 8 continuous, uninterrupted duty-free hours each day to rest/sleep. If the rest time is interrupted because the client needs the aide’s services, the aide’s work time is considered hours worked, and the regular rate applies. If the live-in aide is unable to take at least 5 continuous duty-free hours for rest/sleep each day, the client must pay for all hours the aide is on-site that day, even if some of the aide’s work hours were duty-free.
If a caregiver works a 12-hour shift, the regular rate will apply for the first 9 hours, and overtime rate (1.5 times the regular rate) for the remaining 3 hours. The higher rate does not apply if another aide provides the additional hours of service above the first 9 hours per day and/or 45 hours per week.
The overtime obligation applies regardless of whether the worker is employed by the family or a third-party employment agency. Here in California employers have to follow state law if it affords better compensation and working conditions, and more benefits to employees. Wage and hour laws in California can be tricky and difficult to follow. Mistakes can lead to huge problems (lawsuits, big money payouts to employees). By hiring a legitimate staffing agency, you can eliminate having to deal with that problem.
Posted in Uncategorized
Standard Precautions to Prevent Infection
Hand hygiene is the most important and basic preventive technique to interrupt the infectious process. Washing your hands for 2 minutes will provide the necessary protection before you care for a patient. Before you help another patient, wash your hands for 30 seconds to ensure minimal transmission of microorganisms between patients. Hand hygiene is essential when your hands are visibly soiled, and after contact with blood, feces, wound drainage, mucus, and contaminated items, regardless of whether gloves are worn.
Wear clean, unsterile gloves when touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, and contaminated items. Use clean gloves before touching mucous membranes and nonintact skin. Remove gloves promptly after use, before touching noncontaminated items and environmental surfaces, and before attending to another patient. Wash hands right away after removing gloves to avoid transfer of microorganisms to other patients or environments.
Wear a mask and eye protection or a face shield to protect mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth during procedures and patient care activities that are likely to generate splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions.
Wear a clean, unsterile gown to protect skin and prevent soiling of clothing during procedures and patient care activities that may cause splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions or cause soiling of clothing. Remove the soiled gown as promptly as possible and wash hands to avoid transfer of microorganisms to other patients or environments.
Handle laboratory specimens from all patients as if they were infectious. Empty with care reusable items, such as suction bottles and oxygen setups, to avoid splashing. Clean up spills of blood or body fluids with 1:10 solution (prepared daily) of bleach and water. Place disposable wastes and articles contaminated with blood or large amounts of body fluids in impervious (no holes) containers for a trash pickup. Place all soiled linen in a laundry bag; do not overfill the bag.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/standard-precautions-prevent-infection/#ixzz2qgHqle8R
Posted in Uncategorized
Call 911 Appropriately and Effectively
911 was introduced in 1968 as a universal number for reaching emergency assistance. The current 911 system was designed to provide a universal, easy-to-remember number for people to reach police, fire or emergency medical assistance from any phone in any location, without having to look up specific phone numbers.
A call to 911 should involve a true emergency, a situation that requires urgent care by medical professionals. You should call 911 if someone is unconscious, gasping for air or not breathing, experiencing an allergic reaction, having chest pain, having uncontrollable bleeding, or any other symptoms that require immediate medical attention. Be proactive by knowing the warning signs of strokes and heart attacks.
Calling 911 is almost always the fastest route to get lifesaving treatment. Contact 911 immediately if there is anything that you don’t think you can handle or if a delay in care could result in adverse outcome. When you dial 911, remain as calm as possible and relay the following information clearly: your name, the phone number you are calling from, the nature of the emergency, location of the emergency, what has happened, the victim’s name and age, obvious injuries and the victim’s apparent condition, and any known medical history. Let the call-taker guide the conversation; he or she is trained to help you determine the extent of the emergency and the best actions for proper care of the victim.
Prevention is key to eliminating emergencies. If you are a care provider, advise your client to accident-proof his or her home. Hand rails, nonskid surfaces, and adequate lighting can help prevent falls. Throw rugs and other objects that can cause your client to trip. Electrical cords should be in good repair with no frayed cords. Keep a list of your client’s medications, allergies, and special needs with their list of emergency numbers. This can save time and provide valuable information for emergency medical personnel.
KristinRose Dacanay: Employee of the Month
At 20, KristinRose is the youngest member of Care Indeed family. She joined the company last year as an Administrative Assistant.
It didn’t take long for KristinRose to adapt to her new environment. She is highly organized and able to multitask. She has excellent computer and communication skills. A coworker described her as a quick learner; s
he admires KristinRose’s enthusiasm to have things done as they should be–not by assuming but by asking the right questions.
According to Dee Bustos, Care Indeed’s CEO, KristinRose’s outgoing and cheerful personality helps lighten the atmosphere in the office. Her laughter is infectious and her smile can brighten up the room. At a young age, she easily establishes and maintains cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
Kristin performs general reception and secretarial duties. She answers the phone, takes messages, and ensures that calls are forwarded to the appropriate staff in a timely manner. She enters information on the company database and scans important documents. She files paperwork, organizes mail and couriers, and assists with day-to-day requests from staff. She coordinates office and equipment maintenance, and helps organize company events. She also supports the staffing coordinators by scheduling caregiver interviews and assisting with finding suitable caregivers for cases that need to be staffed immediately. She updates the calendar for scheduled events, and reviews invoices and forwards them to Accounts Payable. She willingly performs other duties as assigned.
KristinRose has her heart set on a career in the healthcare industry. She is a Hemodialysis Technician with CPR Certification. She plans on going back to school to further her medical career. During her free time, she bonds with her family and friends. She also likes to shop, watch movies, and ride her bike.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/kristinrose-dacanay-employee-month/#ixzz2sIALZONJ
Care of the Hearing Aid
Proper maintenance and care will extend the life of your hearing aid. It is also important to ensure that your hearing aid is used and works properly. The parts of a hearing aid include the following: earmold or plug, microphone, volume control, battery compartment, case, and tubing.
Wash the earmold or plug daily in mild soap and water, using a pipe cleaner to clean the cannula. Dry the earmold or plug thoroughly before reconnecting it to the receiver. Always keep an extra battery and cord available. When hearing aid is not in use, turn aid off and open battery compartment. If hearing aid whistles, reinsert earmold.
If hearing aid fails to work: check the on-off switch; inspect earmold for cleanliness; examine battery for tightness of fit; examine cord for breaks; replace battery and/or cord.
Check for cracks in tubing or earmold. Check to see that earmold and hearing aid are inserted in the correct ear. Check that earmold or hearing aid is properly inserted. Check that the hearing aid is turned on. Check that volume control wheel is turned up to approriate settings as the magnification of sound may cause discomfort or irritability. If whistling occurs, check earmold hearing and fit.
A hearing aid requires special care to ensure that it functions properly. Make it a habit to: keep hearing aid away from heat and moisture; clean hearing aid as instructed (earwax and ear drainage can damage a hearing aid); avoid using hairspray or other hair care products while wearing hearing aid; turn off hearing aid when it is not in use; replace dead batteries immediately; and keep replacement batteries and small aids away from children and pets. Don’t drop hearing aid and don’t wear hearing aid overnight.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/care-hearing-aid/#ixzz2uHegs9Qc
Shaking the Salt Habit
A low-sodium diet may work as well as medicine to lower blood pressure and improve heart function in people with heart failure. People with high blood pressure and heart failure who went on a 21-day diet containing no more than 1,150 milligrams of sodium per day saw the same level of improvements that medication provides. Participants followed the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which is high in potassium, magnesium, calcium and antioxidants. Americans typically take in 3,000 to 4,000 milligrams of sodium each day.
Source: Heart Failure Society of America
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/shaking-salt-habit/#ixzz2ttca9dxT
Recommendations for a Healthy Lifestyle
02.11.14
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Maintaining good health means being able to recognize the importance of nutrition, exercise, and a healthy environment. Ebersole & Hess listed the traits of a healthy person as follows: self-responsibility; nutritional awareness; physical fitness; stress management, and environmental sensitivity.
You need to take charge of your health by being attuned to body messages and knowledgeable about your health status. It’s important to learn about foods that promote health and make appropriate food choices; a well-balanced diet without excess sugar, fat, or alcohol is recommended. Identify and practice a program of activity that works, including aerobics, balance, muscle flexibility, and muscle strength. Exercise in older adults improves cardiovascular fitness, prevents falls and fractures, reduces intensity of chronic diseases, enhances self-care abilities and promotes independent activities, and encourages social contact. Identify sources of stress and find ways of coping, adaptation, and relaxation. You may consider using alternative health strategies such as meditation, visualization, massage, magnets, aromas, acupressure or acupuncture. Design your own personal space to include a healthy physical and social environment with an opportunity for time with friends, supportive network, giving and receiving affection, and reinforcing wellness behaviors.
Other considerations include: drinking adequate fluids, avoiding smoke and drugs, consuming little or no alcohol, maintaining optimal weight, and receiving adequate restorative sleep.
The perception of being healthy has changed from the absence of disease to a broader definition of wellness. A holistic definition of health views it as a state of being, an attitude. It includes being able to make decisions, and being valued by others with dignity and respect.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/recommendations-healthy-lifestyle/#ixzz2t2d2mcxC
Sleep Disturbance in Seniors
Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as younger people. However, they are more likely to achieve it in separate episodes; they take naps and get less sleep at night. The sleep of an older adult is less deep. This may cause early awakening and complaints of sleep disturbance.
The causes of sleep disturbance in older adults include chronic health problems such as arthritis, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Some adults take medications such as diuretics and theophylline that can cause sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbance, related to illness and psychological stress, is manifested by change in behavior performance, increased irritability, listlessness, and verbal complaints of not feeling well rested.
To promote rest and sleep, direct the patient to assume a comfortable position and provide adequate pain control to facilitate breathing. If possible, seek assistance from the patient’s licensed health care provider to carefully assess the time of medication administration and the effect on sleep. Develop a plan with the patient and family to allow for more rest: limit interruptions during the night, provide a quiet environment with a comfortable room temperature, and limit the number of visitors and the durations of visits. Encourage the patient to ambulate early in the evening. You may provide a glass of milk 30 minutes before bedtime unless contraindicated. Massage the patient’s back, freshen linens, reduce noise, and dim lights. Administer hypnotic as ordered. Have the patient void.
Sleep restores a patient’s energy and feeling of well-being. The reduced consciousness during sleep provides time for repair and recovery of body systems for the period of wakefulness.
Measuring a Patient’s Temperature
Vital signs include temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure. Many facilities have introduced a fifth vital sign–pain level. The skills to measure vital signs are simple but should never become routine. You must me able to measure vital signs accurately, understand and interpret the values, and communicate findings appropriately.
The patient’s condition and reason for recording the temperature will give an indication of how frequently it should be recorded. A temperature reading of 98.6ºF or 37ºC is considered normal. However, variations from 97ºF to 99.6ºF (36.1ºC to 37.5ºC) are considered to be within normal range. Factors that affect body temperature include: age, exercise, hormonal influences, stress, environment, drinking hot or cold liquids, and smoking. In older adults the normal range commonly decreases. Any form of exercise can increase a body temperature. In women, hormone changes during ovulation and menopause can cause temperature fluctuations. Stress, such as anxiety, may elevate body temperature. Environmental temperature extremes can raise or lower the body temperature. Ingestion of hot or cold liquids, as well as smoking, can cause slight variations in temperature readings.
There are two kinds of body temperature. Core temperature is the temperature of the deep tissue of the body; surface temperature is the temperature of the skin. Temperature measurements are obtained by using the following: heat patches or disposable, single-use thermometer strips, electronic thermometers, and tympanic thermometers (inserted into the ear canal). Mercury thermometers are being phased out. The choice of thermometer depends on the condition of the patient. You need to be aware of normal body temperatures according to sites (oral, rectal, axillary, and tympanic). The thermometer must be in proper working condition to ensure accurate results.
Wash hands before and after taking the temperature to avoid cross-infection. If temperature obtained is abnormal, repeat measurement. Temperature elevations my be the first sign of an illness. Signs and symptoms of an elevated temperature include: thirst; flushed, warm skin; glassy eyes; headache; elevated pulse and respiratory rates; restlessness or sleepiness; increased perspiration; and disorientation.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/measuring-patients-temperature/#ixzz2rpQKFY8J
Common Ear and Hearing Problems in Seniors
The most common ear and hearing problems in older people include presbycusis, tinnitus, and dizziness. Presbycusis is a gradual loss of the ability to hear as a person ages. It is the most common form of loss in older adults. It results in difficulty hearing high-pitched tones and conversational speech. Factors that can influence the onset and severity of presbycusis include noise exposure, infections, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, vascular disease, immunologic disorders, and hormonal factors. Treatment may include surgical placement with a cochlear implant, hearing devices, and auditory rehabilitation to ease communication.
Tinnitus is a condition that causes a ringing or buzzing in a person’s ears. It can be caused by aging, exposure to loud noise or other factors.
Dizziness can result from problems of the inner ear. With the early detection of presbycusis and dizziness, you can initiate measures to increase function and mobility while reducing the risk of falls and their potentially damaging complications.
Earwax also builds up more quickly as people age. Too much wax can affect hearing. To soften earwax, take a warm shower and let the water fall on the affected ear. Place a warm cloth over the affected ear. If you choose to use a heating pad, check with your doctor first, and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You may also use an over-the-counter wax-softening product.
Hearing loss, if left untreated, can affect a senior’s mood and ability to function. It may lead to depression or isolation; older people who can’t hear well may withdraw from others to avoid frustration or embarrassment. Call your healthcare provider if: you notice that words are hard to understand or people seem to mumble; you hear a constant buzzing or ringing noise; you have repeated spells of dizziness; and hearing loss or ringing in the ears is accompanied by pain, fever, a sense of fullness in the ear, dizziness, or blood or pus coming from the ear.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/common-ear-hearing-problems-seniors/#ixzz2rcfvLVPJ
What is AB 241?
Governor Brown signed a new law, AB 241, which requires anyone employing a home care aide to pay overtime for all hours worked in excess of 9 hours per day or 45 hours per week. Prior to the new law, home care aides who spent at least 80% of their time performing personal attendant duties were not entitled to overtime pay. The new law is considered as a legislative victory that will improve working conditions for these workers and will in turn improve the quality of care that Californians receive. California is the third state in the nation, after New York and Hawaii, to win new protections for domestic workers.
AB 241 went into effect January 1st this year and will expire in 3 years, at which time it can be renewed into law. Below is a comparison of the live-in compensation prior to and after AB 241:
16 hours: regular rate 9 hours: regular rate
8 hours: 0 7 hours: overtime pay
24 hours total 8 hours: 0 (uninterrupted sleep)
24 hours total
Under the new new law, live-in non-medical aides must be provided with 8 continuous, uninterrupted duty-free hours each day to rest/sleep. If the rest time is interrupted because the client needs the aide’s services, the aide’s work time is considered hours worked, and the regular rate applies. If the live-in aide is unable to take at least 5 continuous duty-free hours for rest/sleep each day, the client must pay for all hours the aide is on-site that day, even if some of the aide’s work hours were duty-free.
If a caregiver works a 12-hour shift, the regular rate will apply for the first 9 hours, and overtime rate (1.5 times the regular rate) for the remaining 3 hours. The higher rate does not apply if another aide provides the additional hours of service above the first 9 hours per day and/or 45 hours per week.
The overtime obligation applies regardless of whether the worker is employed by the family or a third-party employment agency. Here in California employers have to follow state law if it affords better compensation and working conditions, and more benefits to employees. Wage and hour laws in California can be tricky and difficult to follow. Mistakes can lead to huge problems (lawsuits, big money payouts to employees). By hiring a legitimate staffing agency, you can eliminate having to deal with that problem.
Standard Precautions to Prevent Infection
Hand hygiene is the most important and basic preventive technique to interrupt the infectious process. Washing your hands for 2 minutes will provide the necessary protection before you care for a patient. Before you help another patient, wash your hands for 30 seconds to ensure minimal transmission of microorganisms between patients. Hand hygiene is essential when your hands are visibly soiled, and after contact with blood, feces, wound drainage, mucus, and contaminated items, regardless of whether gloves are worn.
Wear clean, unsterile gloves when touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, and contaminated items. Use clean gloves before touching mucous membranes and nonintact skin. Remove gloves promptly after use, before touching noncontaminated items and environmental surfaces, and before attending to another patient. Wash hands right away after removing gloves to avoid transfer of microorganisms to other patients or environments.
Wear a mask and eye protection or a face shield to protect mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth during procedures and patient care activities that are likely to generate splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions.
Wear a clean, unsterile gown to protect skin and prevent soiling of clothing during procedures and patient care activities that may cause splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions or cause soiling of clothing. Remove the soiled gown as promptly as possible and wash hands to avoid transfer of microorganisms to other patients or environments.
Handle laboratory specimens from all patients as if they were infectious. Empty with care reusable items, such as suction bottles and oxygen setups, to avoid splashing. Clean up spills of blood or body fluids with 1:10 solution (prepared daily) of bleach and water. Place disposable wastes and articles contaminated with blood or large amounts of body fluids in impervious (no holes) containers for a trash pickup. Place all soiled linen in a laundry bag; do not overfill the bag.
Read more: http://www.careindeed.com/standard-precautions-prevent-infection/#ixzz2qgHqle8R
Active Member
