Welcome to Senior Tips

Senior health care: testing for colon cancer

Your senior health care physician will want to check you for polyps in your colon. The procedure to remove polyps during a colonoscopy is simple: a thin snare wire passes through the colonoscope, encircling the polyp. The snare is then tightened and an electric current is passed through the wire that cuts off the polyp. The poly is removed from the colon and sent to a pathologist for further examination. Most all polyps are benign. The removal of polyps does not cause pain.

Senior health care: Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an important senior health care issue. Glaucoma usually occurs when fluid pressure inside the eye rises above normal and damages the optic nerve. Though glaucoma affects only 3% of the population, it's more prevalent in over-40 and black people. There is rarely any early warning signs, so it is very important to have thorough annual eye exams that test for glaucoma; untreated, glaucoma can cause complete blindness.

Senior health care and eye care

An important factor we should know: certain drugs or combinations of drugs can impair visual abilities and affect results of diagnostic tests. It's very important to tell our optometrist or elder care physician the names of ALL prescription or non-prescription medications we take.

Senior home care and medications

ALWAYS read the label of your medications when getting them. Is that YOUR name on the label or package? Is it the medicine your senior health care physician told you to take? Errors can be made, especially during 'flu-season' and other rush times for the pharmacist, so check your medications carefully. AND look closely for any special instructions.

Senior home care and medications

If at any time our stomach is upset after taking a medication, eat a few plain crackers or rice cakes. Never stop taking your medications until you have first called your senior health care physician or pharmacist for advice. (did you by chance take your meds with wrong liquids?)

Senior care and hearing loss

Before buying a hearing aid, find out from the audiologist if: 1.Could my hearing loss be treated by a senior health care physician? 2.Which design of the aid is best for me? 3.What is the total cost of a hearing aid? 4.How long is the warranty and can it be extended? 5.If repairs are needed, will a 'loaner' be available to me? 6.Who makes adjustments and minor repairs? 7.Are there special instructions and training I will need and be provided to me?

Senior health and dealing with pain

Senior care experts tell us that the sciatic nerve can cause neuralgic pain to the lower back, hip and thigh area. By strengthening our stomach muscles (exercise!), we will also be relieving the pressure of the sciatic nerve, and lessening our lower back pain.

Senior care and cataracts

Thanks to my senior care physician, my cateract surgery went just fine. But within 7-8 months I was having blurred eyesight. I mean, I couldn't read a 12 font size e-mail, or a book...nuttin'! And it kept getting worse. I finally made an appointment with my optometrist...thinking I would need stronger lenses. Surprise! She found I had a 'membrane' growth over my implanted lense, and sent me back to my eye surgeon. What a simple procedure - laser 'zapping' to burn off the membrane (one eye at a time). I immediately could see so much better! Not one bit of pain or strain...just gain! This doesn't happen to everyone after cataract surgery....but if you begin seeing everything blurred, get to your surgeon ASAP!

Preventative senior health care

Guarding against diseases such as West Nile Virus is part of good senior health care. Once the mosquito bites us (SWAT!)...the damage is done. What we should concentrate on is the prevention of biting mosquitoes. ..biting us and our families, that is. Read more 'prevention' tips for this.

Senior health care: osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a major health problem; a disease of progressive bone loss associated with an increased risk of fractures. It can be caused by aging, heredity, nutrition and lifestyle, and medications and other illness. But there is 'help' available talk to your senior health care physician or senior home care specialist to learn more.

Senior health care at home

Home treatments are an important part of senior health care. Here's how to make your own therapeutic heat pack for just pennies: 1.) Cut a piece of old T-shirt about 16 by 10 inches. (Use double thickness for a thin tee.) 2.) Fold together. Sew up three and a-half sides using small machine stitches; turn right side out. 3.) Using a funnel, fill bag with rice or dried field corn. DO NOT USE POPPING CORN! 4.) Stitch remaining opening together by hand. 5.) Heat the pack in a microwave about a minute...adjust time to suit. The hotter the pack, the longer the heat lasts. (If you get it too hot, cover with a layer of sheet or other cloth, then remove as the pack cools.) 6.) Last, put it where it hurts...and in a few minutes you can say, "Aah! Now, that's much better!"

Senior health care at home

Most importantly, we should discuss our pains, in depth, with our senior health care physicians. Talk about what has worked well for us in the past; discuss medications that may be new on the market, BUT remember to ask about side effects from these. Oft-times, some good exercises, therapies (massages, heat/cold packs) can be recommended. Remember to discuss allergies you may have to some types of pain medications...they come by so many new names, now! Senior home care does not mean we should 'treat' ourselves with over-the-counter medications without discussing with our doctors - too many times I've heard of problems worsening because of 'o-t-c' meds causing bad interaction with other meds being taken. We know our bodies; doctors and pharmacists know medications!

Senior home care

Leg cramps can be caused by many factors. The obvious is over-exercising of the leg muscles, causing soreness and spasms of those muscles. These types of cramps can be lessened by easing up on exercises. Night cramps are different and can be very painful; they can awaken you from sleep for no apparent reason. These latter type are often symptomatic cramps; a lack of vitamins, or worse, a possible warning of peripheral arterial desease. If ANY cramping of the leg occurs, day or night, for no apparent reason, you should consult your senior health care physician soon. These warnings could save your life, or your leg.

Senior health care: testing for colon cancer

A colonoscopy is an examination by your senior health care physician of the colon (large intestine) by means of a long, flexible, lighted tube inserted into the rectum and beyond. Don't fret, as most colonoscopies are performed with medical sedation to relieve any discomfort. If polyps are found, they can readily be removed during the examination procedure. Be sure to give permission to remove polyps, if discovered, before the exam.

Senior home care: Arthritis

Arthritis comprises a variety of diseases and related conditions that affect the movable joints of the body: knees, wrists, elbows, fingers, toes, hips, and shoulders. Affected joints no longer glide smoothly past one another; the result: a bone-to-bone joint with excruciating pain! Today your senior health care physician has lots of options for dealing with arthritis.

Senior home care and medications

Unless specifically told otherwise by your senior health care physician, it is important to take medications with an 8-ounce glass of water. This amount of water eases dilution of the medications in our system, and speeds the medication process for us. Read the labels carefully - they often state 'never with milk', 'never with caffeine', 'only with.....'. Some liquids can actually counteract the effect of medication, so caution is necessary.

Preventative senior health care

Mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus are most active at dawn, dusk, and early evening. Senior care specialists recommend that seniors avoid being outside at these times. Make sure that all of the windows and doors in your home have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace those with tears or holes to keep mosquitoes from entering your home/apartment.

Medicare coverage and elder care

Under present Medicare law, covered eye-care services include the eye health part of your elder care examination and necessary resulting treat