Columbia Aged Care

Osteoporosis is a condition where human bones become fragile and brittle, which leads to a higher risk of breaks. This condition occurs when your bones can no longer replace their normal calcium levels, which results in a calcium deficiency. Bones become thinner and are susceptible to even minor accidents causing them to break.

The bones that commonly develop osteoporosis are the hips, spine, wrist, ribs, pelvis and upper arm. Osteoporosis is a serious disease that affects many elderly people and can lead to chronic pain, disability and loss of independence.

Osteoporosis Australia has provided some tips on how to minimise your risk of developing osteoporosis.

• Ensure you receive enough calcium in your diet: Calcium is important for maintaining strong, healthy bones. Adults over the age of 50 should eat three serves of calcium a day. Foods that are high in calcium include milk, yoghurt and cheese.
  Other foods with lower levels of calcium include nuts, breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Your Doctor can also recommend calcium supplements to help increase your daily intake of calcium.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is important to maintain strong bones, increase the adsorption of calcium and to regulate the amount of calcium in the blood. You can receive your daily dose of vitamin D from exposure to sunlight.
  It is important to receive six to eight minutes of sunlight everyday for five days a week. However remember to wear sunscreen and be aware of the damaging effects of the sun. You can also take vitamin D supplements as recommended by your doctor.
• Exercise: Regular exercise can help to maintain and increase the strength of your bones and muscles. You should discuss with your Doctor or physiotherapist what exercises are suitable for you to do without injuring yourself. If you already suffer from osteoporosis then avoid exercises that include heavy lifting or sudden abrupt movements.

You can implement these three simple tips into your daily routine to help prevent the onset of osteoporosis. It’s never too early or too late to start taking care of your bones.

Read the full article here.

As a carer it is extremely important to manage your loved ones medication to ensure they remain healthy. If medications are taken incorrectly they can cause dangerous side effects such as high blood pressure, incontinence, constipation, skin rashes or falls.

Medications must be administered at the right time with the right dosage, which can be difficult when your loved one has a variety of different medications.

Aged Carer has provided some useful tips for managing your loved ones medication.

• Visit only one pharmacist: It’s important to establish a regular pharmacist because they will know the history of your loved one’s medication. They can also consult with your local doctor if there is an issue.
• Use Webster or blister packs: Your loved one’s pharmacist can pack their medication into blister or Webster packs, which arranges their medications into separate days. This allows your loved one to access their medications safely and prevent over medicating.
• Understand all medications: Read the consumer medication leaflet inside the medication package and keep them in a file for future reference. When you know the ingredients in your loved one’s medication you can help to prevent possible allergic reactions.
• Know the side effects of medications: Ask your loved one’s doctor about the possible side effects they can experience from their medication. This will help you to assess the severity of any side effects that occur.
• Keep an up-to-date medication list: This list should detail all of your loved ones medication, allergies and side effects to possible medications. It can be used in emergencies or by respite carers.

If you notice that your loved one is experiencing side effects from their medication consult with their doctor as soon as possible. However with these helpful tips on managing your loved ones medication you can help to prevent medication errors and keep your loved one healthy.

Read the full articlehere.

Are you worried about losing your memory? Do you feel that your brain isn’t as sharp as it used to be? Then maybe it’s time that you improved your mental fitness.

Your brain is like any other muscle, which means it needs a regular workout to stay fit.

Better Health Channel has provided some great tips on how to give your brain a mental workout and improve your mental fitness.

• Exercise for 30 minutes a day: Physical exercise increases the flow of oxygen to your brain to enhance your mental functioning and improve your memory
• Reading regularly: Reading helps to stimulate your brain and allows you to learn new things. You brain then receives a workout by expanding your knowledge base.
• Increase your vitamin B intake: Vitamin B is important for maintaining a healthy brain. This means you should eat wholegrain cereals and dairy foods.
• Exercise your intelligence: Take part in mentally challenging activities such as learning a new language, completing a cryptic crossword or a jigsaw puzzle.
• Maintain your health: The health of your body can have an effect on the health of your brain. You should visit your doctor for regular check-ups to identify potential health issues early.
• Socialise: Other people can help you exercise your mental fitness with thought-provoking conversations or by playing a board game or watching TV game shows together.

Your brain is a very important muscle that co-ordinates all of your body’s functions. It is essential to exercise your mental fitness regularly to ensure that your body can function effectively and that your memory, speech, perception and comprehension remain sharp.

Read the full article here.

Choosing the right nursing home can be difficult and overwhelming for many carers. You want to ensure that the nursing home you choose will provide the best care for your loved one. However, with so many nursing homes available, how do you compare them to ensure you make the right choice?

The first step to finding the right nursing home is to start searching for homes in your area. Once you have a list of potential nursing homes you should then visit each home to assess them.

The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing has put together a Nursing Home checklist that will help you to compare each nursing home by asking the right questions.

Some of the questions on the Nursing home checklist are:

Staff

• What was the attitude of the staff assisting you?
• What training do the care staff have?
• How many staff members provide overnight care?
• What type of care or services cannot be provided?

Rooms

• Are single rooms available or will your loved one have to share?
• What arrangements are there to ensure privacy for residents?
• What furnishings and personal items can your loved one bring and what is supplied?

Food

• What are the meal arrangements?
• Is there easy access to well-maintained outdoor areas?

Other

• How can family and friends be involved in your loved one’s care?
• What transport is accessible for visiting shops and family?
• Can the nursing home meet your loved one’s medical and special needs?
• Do you or your loved one understand the costs associated with care?

You can also prepare your own specific questions to add to the checklist and remember to take a new checklist to every nursing home you visit.

Feel free to conduct second or third visits to each nursing home to ensure you make the right choice.

Hopefully with a little bit of preparation and by asking the right questions you can find the best nursing home for your loved one.

Read the full checklist here.

Home and personal security is an important part of creating a comfortable living situation and having peace of mind at any age. Many elderly people live alone or have limited mobility and can therefore be an easy target for burglaries.

However, most burglaries can be prevented by using a number of simple home and personal security measures.

The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing has some great tips on how to secure your home and reduce your risk of burglary:

• Use security deadlocks and grilles on doors and windows.
• Always lock all outside doors and windows when you go out, even if it’s for 5 minutes.
• Lock up parts of the house you can’t keep an eye on.
• Prune bushes and trees that hide your home’s windows and doors.
• Don’t hide extra keys in flowerpots or under mats.

Here are some basic safety tips for your personal security:

• Always be aware of other people and your immediate surroundings.
• Be aware of situations that could make you vulnerable to crime, such as laneways, back streets, and poorly lit parking lots.
• Don’t carry large sums of money. Pay your bills by cheque, credit card or over the phone.
• When you are banking always vary your routine.
• If you carry a handbag, hold it under your arm or in front of you and never leave it unattended.

You should always stay up to date on any security issues in your neighbourhood and if a crime does occur contact your local police station.

For more information on how to improve your home and personal safety contact your local Neighbourhood Watch or police station.

Read the full article here.