Seniors | RememberItNow! Blog

New - Our Larger Font Size Option

Alex Bettencourt - July 3, 2009

One of the newest features incorporated on our blog, and for our “Help” section, is the new font enlarger. I have pretty bad vision myself, so I knew there had to be many others who would like this feature.

According to the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), 6.5 million Americans over the age of 65 are visually impaired, and many of our readers fit into this category. There are also a lot of younger readers effected by vision impairment. In a Gordon Research Institute study, an estimated 7.9 million or more people of 6 and older had difficulty reading the print in newspapers, websites, or books; even when wearing glasses or contact lenses. This problem is among the young and old alike; it is universal.

As you are browsing around our blog, look in the upper right hand corner of your page (you must view the entire article by clicking on the title first to see this option.) Look below at the example below and you can see the highlighted “A”.

font enlarger1 New Our Larger Font Size Option

When you click on the little “a” the font decreases, and when you click on the capitalized “A”, the font increases. The font enlarger can increase the size up to three times!

We certainly hope you appreciate this feature, because we know we do.

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4 Quick Tips for Buying Medications Online

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Alex Bettencourt - July 3, 2009

Have you ever thought about buying your prescription online, and then became quickly overwhelmed? You may not be surprised to know there are over 25,600,000 sites online pharmacies. Many of these sites are legitimate pharmacies, but it only takes one fraudulent or disreputable site to make a mistake that will produce serious consequences. How do you tell the difference?

The Food and Drug Administration recommends the following safety tips for consumers making online purchases of medication:

1. Make sure the site requires a prescription.

Have you ever walked into your local pharmacy to purchase a medication without a prescription? Legitimate pharmacies would laugh you right out of the store. Buying online is no different. If the site you are buying from says you don’t need a prescription, run in the other direction and find one that does.

2. Make sure a pharmacist is available.

Every time I go into the pharmacy, I have to sign a waiver stating that I wish to decline the medication consultation with the pharmacist. A legitimate, online pharmacy should have a licensed pharmacist on staff to assist you with any questions you may have.

3. Only purchase from licensed, U.S. pharmacies.

Because regulations vary from country to country, buy only from licensed pharmacies within the United States. Contact the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy for more information about licensing and its unique certification program for online pharmacies.

4. Be mindful of personal information.

Use extreme caution when giving out personal information like credit card numbers over the Internet. Check with the pharmacy first, to make sure your information will be protected.

With medication-related deaths on the rise, every consumer should use great caution when purchasing their prescriptions over the Internet. Following a few, simple steps can make all the difference in the world when it comes to your health.

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Symptoms of a Urinary Tract Infection

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Deborah Leader, RN, BSN, PH - July 1, 2009

istock 000009105003xsmall 1 Symptoms of a Urinary Tract Infection

Recently, I sent my 81 year-old mother to the doctor when she complained about having back pain and a low grade fever. As I suspected, she was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection (UTI) and sent on her way, two prescriptions in hand. Because of my mother’s age, I was more concerned that she see a doctor as soon as possible. Why? She is 81 years old; I was concerned about her age. (more…)

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Senior Driving Safety

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Deborah Leader, RN, BSN, PH - June 29, 2009

Many years ago, when my grandmother was driving my brother and sister home from school, she ran smack-dab into (and through) our local 7-Eleven. In attempt to back out of her parking space, she pushed down on the gas pedal. The only problem was that the car was not in reverse! Luckily, the only thing that sustained eternal damage was my grandmother’s pride. As the years rolled by, my grandpa died and my grandma maintained her independence through her driver’s license. At 89 years old, they took it away from her and she was never quite the same. (more…)

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Daily Activities are Critical to Personal Health Records

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Pamela Swingley - June 27, 2009

A recent report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reveals the importance of recording data on the daily lives of patients — such as sleep, diet, excercise, mood and medication compliance. This data, which the report calls Observations of Daily Living (ODL), gives both clinicians and patients a fuller picture of their health and help them to make everyday health decisions.

The value of recording a patient’s daily activities is not new. When my 97-year-old grandmother became ill her caregivers recorded her daily activities in a journal that was kept on the kitchen table. We could see how much Grandma slept, what she ate, if she had any exercise, when she had her medications, and if she was having a 1 or 5-star day.

My grandmother’s simple health journal was the model for the journal and wellness charts within RememberItNow! Notes can quickly be recorded throughout the day by either the patient or the caregiver.

add an entry Daily Activities are Critical to Personal Health Records

We’ve used Grandma’s star system too. Patients or caregivers record how they are feeling using the five-star system. When charted, this data reveals wellness trends.

stars Daily Activities are Critical to Personal Health Records
Grandma’s kitchen was the central coordination point for her care. We’d come for a visit, and have a look at the journal to see how she was feeling. For many families today, the Internet has replaced the family kitchen as a means to stay in touch. Through the private care community on RememberItNow! family and friends anywhere in the world, can stop in and see how the patient is doing.

Recording daily activities has always been important to understanding a patient’s health. Today’s technology simply formalizes the process.

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Fighting Cancer

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Harleena Singh - June 22, 2009

I can associate my mother with just two words- ‘fighting cancer’. Never have I seen such a brave and courageous lady as her. Even though she knew she had cancer, she never revealed a single frown. She simply lay there bearing her pain with utmost strength, never complaining and simply giving us strength.

After we discovered she was diagnosed with lung cancer, we did all we could, just as all loving families do. My father picked up Reiki (a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing), so he could comfort my mother’s pain. We all managed to throw in our efforts- prayed, went to religious places, tried herbal medicines etc, but like they say- it was destiny. However, the question that we all asked the Almighty was - why her? Why do bad things happen to good people? After a few days we realized, that perhaps our God fell short of good people and needed them up above. That being the reason he called my mother there. (more…)

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Exercise Tips for Seniors

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Deborah Leader, RN, BSN, PH - June 22, 2009

As we grow older, we learn to take special precautions when exercising, because we realize that our bodies age right along with us. Here are a few exercise tips that every senior should live by:

-Wear comfortable clothing and footwear that is weather appropriate.

-Choose a safe place to exercise; one that provides a smooth, flat surface in a well-lighted, public area.

-Exercise with a companion. This makes exercising safer, more enjoyable and will keep you committed to your program.

-Take longer to warm up and cool down. Slowly stretch before and after every workout for at least for 10 to 15 minutes.

-Start at a slow pace and work your way up. Exercising for too long and at too high an intensity before your body is conditioned for it, may lead to injury.

-Drink plenty of water both before, during and after your workout. Heat-related illnesses are often related to decreased fluid intake.

Exercise has many benefits at any age. It helps increase your energy, keeps you firm and toned, alleviates depression and allows you to get a more restful sleep. It can also help prevent many types of illnesses, like diabetes and osteoporosis. If you want some help with staying on track, visit the Wellness section of BestSitePicks for some extra assistance.

Remember, check with your doctor to see if you are healthy enough before beginning any type of exercise program. Also use your journal on your RememberItNow! account so you can track your health and see improvements. You will notice and see the difference in how you feel over time.

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4 Types of Respite Care for Caregivers

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Deborah Leader, RN, BSN, PH - June 22, 2009

Respite is defined as a temporary delay or an interval of rest or relief by the Merriam Webster Dictionary. Respite care gives caregivers a temporary break from the arduous task of taking care of someone. Respite care is so significant, that it has been built in to the Medicare Hospice Benefit and many other senior programs within certain communities. If you need a well-deserved break, here are 4 types of respite care services that you may want to consider:

1. Adult Day Care
Well-suited for those individuals who are mobile and continue to enjoy social interaction, adult day care services provide caregivers an opportunity to get relief during the day either while they are at work, out running errands, attending doctor appointments or simply spending the day with a friend. (more…)

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How to Keep Accurate Medical Records

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Deborah Leader, RN, BSN, PH - June 15, 2009

istock 000001232084xsmall How to Keep Accurate Medical Records Remember back in high school when you used that gigantic notebook with all those dividers in it to keep your class assignments and homework in their proper order? It made school and life much more manageable, didn’t it? Well, get out your notebooks and paper folks, because you are going back to school!

Using a large, loose-leaf notebook with dividers will help you keep your medical records accurate, well-organized and easily accessible. Here’s how to do it: (more…)

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It’s Time for Change: Medicaid and Home-Based Long Term Care Services

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Deborah Leader, RN, BSN, PH - June 15, 2009

When my grandmother was alive, her greatest fear was entering a nursing home and never leaving. Sadly enough, like a self-fulfilling prophecy, that is exactly what happened. She was admitted to the hospital for Cellulitis, then discharged to assisted living. After being there for only a day, it was clear to the staff she had been placed inappropriately. She was soon carted off to a nursing home. My sweet, little grandma was so strong, she almost refused to die by hanging on for months. Finally, with one blink of her ocean blue eyes, on April 24, 2004, she drew her last breath. (more…)

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