Living With Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis affects approximately 70 million people in the United States. If you or a loved one have osteoarthritis, here are some life style recommendations and tips to help you manage symptoms and lead a full, active life.

Diet and Exercise
With diet and appropriate exercise it is possible to decrease stress on the arthritic joints. Exercise is an important part of any therapy prescribed for those with osteoarthritis. Strengthening exercises and range of motion exercises can help to maintain and improve joint mobility.

When patients work to strengthen the muscles around joints, they experience less stress on those joints and less pain. Walking or riding a stationary bike are great options for improving range of motion and muscle strength. They also help to improve cardiovascular health, decrease fatigue and increate your overall sense of well being. Water programs, such as aqua aerobics or swimming, can be especially helpful for osteoarthritis pain in the hips, knees and feet. Millcreek’s experienced team of Physical Therapists will develop an exercise plan to improve your comfort and well being.

Rest
Resting is very important in managing osteoarthritis. Understand that when you rest, your body heals, so get adequate amounts of sleep every night and supplement with daytime naps. During periods of increased osteoarthritis symptoms, realize that you will require more rest than during periods when pain is under control.

Find Easier Ways to Do Day-to-Day Tasks
There are more adaptive equipment options than ever for those with osteoarthritis. Jar openers, modified writing and kitchen utensils, and special shoehorns are examples of devices that can be helpful to patients with osteoarthritis. There are special shoes, braces and walking aids such as canes, crutches or walkers that can help increase your comfort as you do daily activities.

Simplifying your daily routine can also help manage your osteoarthritis symptoms. When doing your day-to-day tasks, pace yourself and understand your limits. People living with osteoarthritis often find it helpful to strategically store the items needed for activities. While you may store a tool you use every day in your basement, it may provide a lot of relief to store it in a living room closet. When cleaning your house or living area, try to clean just one room a day and consider keeping a set of cleaning solutions and tools on each floor – including separate lightweight vacuum cleaners.

If you have questions about other aspects of osteoarthritis home health care in the Salt Lake City area, please feel free to contact a Millcreek Home Health and Hospice staff member at 801-463-2478 for answers.

What Does a Medical Social Worker Do and How Can They Help Your Family?

As you, your loved one and your family begin hospice care, we know that you’ll have questions. At Millcreek Home Health and Hospice, we know that the transition to hospice care requires a professional hand and a gentle heart. Working with a Medical Social Worker as you prepare for and begin hospice care can make this a more natural transition for your family.

A Medical Social Worker has professional knowledge of social services, principles and practices that relate to hospice care. Medical Social Workers help patients cope with social and emotional needs throughout their medical treatment. Medical Social Workers interact with family members, patients and hospice team members during hospice care and help coordinate communications between all groups so that the goals for patient are met.

When you begin to work with Millcreek Home Health and Hospice, your Medical Social Worker can assist you, your loved one and your family by:

- Providing services as relate to patient/family education, counseling, crisis intervention, financial resource identification, patient/family advocacy and bereavement.

- Help with end of life planning, like creating advance directives.

- Answering questions, offering emotional support, and following through on identified problems for patient and family members.

- Explaining hospice care resources and policies to patients, family and staff.

Understanding the social, cultural and religious variables that contribute to patients' responses to illness and their use of health-care resources. Medical Social Workers are flexible, organized and are trained to help relieve stressful situations. Your Millcreek Home Health and Hospice Medical Social Worker is trained to treat you and your loved one with respect and dignity. If you have any questions about arranging to meet with a Medical Social Worker in the Salt Lake City, Utah area, please contact Millcreek Home Health and Hospice at 801-463-2478.

How to Provide Daily Care for Someone with Dementia

Daily Care Tips for Helping Those With Dementia

Dementia is a health condition that affects mainly people in their latter years. It involves the gradual loss of mental ability, which results in the loss of memory, changes in personality and ultimately a loss of social ability.

There are many conditions that predispose people to dementia especially conditions that bring about a level of damage to thinking, memory, reasoning and language, these include diseases like Alzheimer's or meningitis; things like brain tumors which cause pressure to the brain, or a lack of blood and oxygen supply to the brain caused by conditions like stroke, sustained head injuries, and heavy consumption of alcohol could also lead to dementia latter in life.

When detected early dementia can be slowed down, allowing the patient to slowly adjust and with the help of family and friends the stress and frustration that accompany it would be lighter. Dementia in the elderly can produce difficulty tending to basic self-care needs such as hygiene, bathing, dressing, etc. Dementia also changes in personality and thinking.

Here are some tips that may be helpful for individuals, families and caregivers:

-   Organize medications in a daily pill organizer.

-   Daily phone calls from a familiar person.

-   Millcreek can refer patients to a private caregiver agency can provide a caregiver to stay with the person each day and help out with daily chores.

-   If the person is becoming incontinent, develop a toileting schedule every two to three hours during the day.

-   Provide plenty of physical activities, such as daily walks.

-   Have the person participate in mentally stimulating activities daily, such as board games, card games, and other tasks that require interaction and a bit of problem solving.

-   Allow the person to do as much of their own self-care as possible.

-   Consider joining the local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.They are a great resource for the client and family/caregiver.

For more information about providing daily care for someone with dementia in the Salt Lake City area, please contact Millcreek Home Health and Hospice at 801-463-2478.

Salt Lake City Area Residents Can Get Help In Controlling the Effects of Lymphedema

Lymphedema is an abnormal buildup of fluid that causes swelling, most often in the arms or legs. The condition develops when lymph nodes are missing, impaired, damaged, or removed. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Lymphedema, there are many ways to help control the effects of
Lymphedema such as:

Maintaining Good Nutrition
Include at least two to four servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables in your daily meal plan.

Reducing Foods High in Salt and Fat
Use food package labels to help you to make the best selections for a healthy lifestyle.

Exercising Regularly
Always check with your physician first before starting a new exercise program.

Avoiding Infections
Immediately report any signs of infection to your home health nurse or physician.

Planning a treatment program depends on the cause of the lymphedema as well as the stage and the cause of the illness. Your physician may recommend treatments such as bandaging, compression garments, manual lymphatic drainage and a gentle form of stretching or massage.

Your physician may also refer you to a therapist who specializes in managing lymphedema. Lymphedema therapists come to this field from a variety of backgrounds, including nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and massage therapy, among others.

A Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT) has a deep understanding of the lymphatic system, plus knowledge and experience in the hands-on skills required to perform the treatments. “The Standards for the Required Training of a Lymphedema Therapist” are published on the National Lymphedema Network website. The lymphedema therapist will assess your condition and develop an individual treatment plan to manage your lymphedema.

If you or a loved one would like to find a qualified lymphedema therapist, you might wish to use the following resources:

-           Millcreek Home Health and Hospice offers three lymphedema therapists to provide therapy.

-           The physician who diagnosed your lymphedema should be able to recommend to you a qualified lymphedema therapist.

-           Insurance companies know where lymphedema is treated. Ask your insurance company for suggestions as to where you can find “in network” treatment.

Lymphedema cannot be cured. However, with proper care and treatment, the affected limb can be restored to a normal size and shape. In addition, lymphedema can be treated and controlled so that it does not progress further. 

If you would like to talk to one of our experts about Lymphedema, contact Millcreek Home Health and Hospice, please feel free to call us at 801-463-2478.