Columbia Aged Care

Parkinson’s disease is an illness that usually affects people between 50 and 75 years old. However, there have been many cases were people have developed the disease earlier in life.

Parkinson’s disease is caused when certain nerve cells in the brain become impaired or die.

These cells normally produce a vital chemical called dopamine, which helps coordinated the body’s muscles and movement. When these cells are damaged they stop producing the vital chemical and your muscles lose their ability to function effectively.

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease develop gradually over many years and the rate of this deterioration can vary between each person.

Parkinson’s Australia has listed the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease that you should look out for.

• Shaking and trembling: The first sign of Parkinson’s disease usually occurs when your hand begins to shake continuously. This shaking can then spread to one of your legs and then to the other side of your body. You can notice the shaking when you are sitting still or resting and it can be harder to detect while you’re moving.
• Stiffness of your muscles: Your muscles may start to feel tight and you will find it difficult to relax your muscles, even when you’re resting. Your muscles may no longer move the way you want them to.
• Your movement slows down: You may begin to lose the ability to make spontaneous movements. Your muscles may even freeze up at times and stop you from moving. Your coordination between your hands and your eyes may also become impaired.
• Speech is impaired: In the later stages of Parkinson’s disease, your speech will be affected. Sometimes your speech will slow down or you will lose the ability to move your mouth correctly.

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can be treated with medication to help stimulate the movement of your muscles. However, sadly there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease at this stage.

Treatment for Parkinson’s disease will be different for every individual and you should consult with your doctor for the best approach.

Read the full article here.

Admitting your loved one requires more help than you can provide them with is difficult to do. eHow's Jennifer S. Wright's article 'Reasons for putting elderly parents in nursing home' explores five reasons that lead to putting your loved one in a nursing home.

There are a number of things you can do to make your loved one feel more at home at the nursing home. An article on eHow talks about one thing you can do and offers tips on 'How to Decorate the Nursing Home Room of a Loved One'. 

Just because your loved one has to live in a nursing home doesn't mean they cannot have some of the comforts of home. Adding personal touches around the room will remind your loved one of home.

Step one: Bring in family photos. Collage frames, which hold multiple photos are a perfect way to display family photos. Grandchildren, children, photos from when your loved one was young and raising a family are all great reminders of the love that surrounds them.

Step two: Display favorite collectibles. Shelves and curios work great to display family treasures. Shelves can also house wedding photos still in the original photo frame.

To read full article CLICK HERE 

 

It is important to take care of our feet. There are many pressure points in the foot that some say can affect our whole well being. 

Does your loved one have dry and painful cracked heels? There are a number of remedies about at the moment to help soothe dry heels. Treating your loved ones heels could improve their comfort and quality of life.

 The Aged Carer website's 'How to treat dry cracked heels' offers a number of tips to assist in preventing and treating dry, cracked heels.

Treating dry cracked heels

Fortunately there's lots you can to prevent dry cracked heels. People who suffer from diabetes, peripheal vascular disease or the frail aged should have their feet checked regularly by a podiatrist.
 

Foot care tips for dry cracked heels:

• Wash and dry the feet thoroughly every day, paying close attention to between the toes.
   
• Keep skin soft and supple by using a specialised heel balm. Normal moisturisers generally do not penetrate thick dry skin.
   
• See a podiatrist for treatment of calluses, corns and deep cracks.

• Wear protective shoes that cover the feet and prevent skin damage.

• Keep an eye out for small ulcers and cuts that could lead to infection.
   
• See your doctor if the skin on the feet or heels appear red, is hot to touch, swollen or painful. 

 To read full article CLICK HERE

 

The Australian Brain Foundation says that 40 000 Australians have strokes annually. Of this number 28 000 survive, of these 14 000 make a complete recovery, and 14 000 are left with some form of disability. A stroke is terrifying for both victims and their families.

The Australian Brain Foundation has written an article about what a stroke is, what the symptoms are, what the effects are and what can be done in some instances to prevent it.

A stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel or artery, or when a blood vessel breaks and interrupts blood flow and bleeding occurs into an area of the brain.

Every stroke is different. The symptoms and effects vary according to the type of stroke, the part of the brain affected and the size of the damaged area. For some people the effects are severe, for some mild.  Usually the symptoms come on suddenly but they may come on during sleep. 

Risk Factors:

- Smoking
- Lack of exercise
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Old age
- High alcohol consumption
- Overweight
- High cholesterol
- Family history of strokes

Symptoms of a stroke include:

- Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, often one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness loss of balance or co-ordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
- Nausea and vomiting
- Epileptic seizures
- Drowsiness or unconsciousness

Effects of a stroke:

- Weakness or lack of movement (paralysis) in legs and/or arms
- Shoulder pain
- Trouble swallowing
- Changes to way things are seen or felt (perceptual problems)
- Changes to the way things are felt when touched (sensory problems)
- Problems thinking or remembering (cognitive problems)
- Trouble speaking, reading or writing
- Incontinence
- Feeling depressed
- Problems controlling feelings
- Tiredness

Treatment of a stroke:

- Regular medical supervision
- Medication
- Changes to lifestyle

How to avoid a second stroke:

- Regular checks by your doctor
- Don't smoke
- Reduce stress levels
- Limit your alcohol intake
- Manage your weight
- Exercise regulalry
- Eat a balanced diet, avoid food high in salt and fat
- Enjoy work play
- Follow medical advice faithfully

To read the full indepth article (which includes a stroke risk assessment chart) CLICK HERE