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ElderCare Resource Center
Palm Beach, Broward, Martin, St. Lucie & Indian River Counties, Florida
&
Haywood & Buncombe Counties, North Carolina
May 2008
Resource CenterDear Elayne,
Keeping abreast of what is happening in the home care, home health care, aging and eldercare world will create a more informed and helpful network. ElderCare at Home brings you this newsletter in the spirit of cooperation and education.
In this month's newsletter we are highlighting Stroke Awareness month. We've also included other recent news clippings and resources which we thought might be of interest. We hope you find our May newsletter helpful and informative!
An Aspirin a Day to Reduce Stroke? Do Not
Mix with Ibuprofen!
New research at the University at Buffalo shows that stroke patients who use ibuprofen for arthritis pain or other conditions while taking aspirin to reduce the risk of a second stroke undermine aspirin's ability to act as an anti-platelet agent. Results of the study were published in the January 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
The researchers found that when 18 of the 28 patients returned for a second neurological visit after discontinuing use of ibuprofen (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID) and were tested again, all had regained their aspirin sensitivity and its ability to prevent blood platelets from aggregating and blocking arteries.
"This interaction between aspirin and ibuprofen or prescription NSAID's is one of the best-known, but well-kept secrets in stroke medicine," said Francis M. Gengo, Pharm.D., lead researcher on the study.
"It's unfortunate that clinicians and patients often are unaware of this interaction. Whatever number of patients who have had strokes because of the interaction between aspirin and NSAIDs, those strokes were preventable."
The study is the first to show the clinical consequences of the aspirin/NSAID interaction in patients being treated for prevention of a second stroke. The Food and Drug Administration currently warns that ibuprofen might make aspirin less effective, but states that the clinical implications of the interaction have not been evaluated.
View the full report - click here.
Dial 211 for Care Assistance?
A "211" initiative will greatly simplify the process of finding services to help older people. Just as you now dial 911 for emergency services, you will one day be able to dial 211 anywhere in the United States or Canada to get access to community health and human services information and referral, such as adult day care, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, respite care, home health care, transportation, and homemaker services.
Phone calls are answered by personnel trained to help assess needs, identify services which are available, and route callers to appropriate organizations. Many cities have hundreds of social service organizations, and often these services are not listed in the phone book by type of service. Setting aside 211 also gives people a single number to call when they are in crisis.
The "211" initiative was started in Atlanta and is now spreading across the country, led by the United Way of America and the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the designation of the "211" phone number for this purpose July 2007, and initiatives are underway in every state to develop plans to implement this program. The service is currently available in Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Georgia; Lafayette, Louisiana; Knox County, Tennessee; and the entire state of Connecticut.
For complete information go to:
http://www.elderweb.com/home/node/2397
A Positive for Women with Anxiety: Longer
Life Spans
Although higher levels of anxiety may help elderly women live longer, they appear to shorten the lives of older men, researchers now say. After following the progress of 1,000 seniors, scientists found that women with higher levels of anxiety at the start of the study lived longer than others. In contrast to women, men with higher anxiety levels at the start of the study were more likely to die earlier. It is possible, researchers say, that the higher anxiety levels may lead women to seek medical treatment more often than men.
Read more.
Bulk Up Seniors: Painkillers May Build
MusclesNew research suggests that two common painkillers, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, may give elderly men and women who do weight training an extra boost. Scientists at Ball State University have found that seniors who took the recommended daily dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen while doing strength training exercises experienced a 40 percent to 60 percent growth in muscle mass strength, compared to a seven percent gain in those taking a placebo. The theory by researchers is that the pain meds may block an enzyme necessary for muscle growth. This may cause the body to overcompensate and send out signals telling the body to produce more of the enzyme than would normally be needed.
Read more here.
Online Resources Allow for Community Care
and Coordination
To assist families who care from a distance, as well as to assist those who wish to self-coordinate care, online communities and resources are being created at an ever expanding rate.
Caregiver Helper (caregiverhelper.com) is a secure online community resource that houses information about medications being taken, emergency contacts, doctors' appointments, and even the patient's favorite activities. It is a free service which provides families with ways to communicate, organize and find resources to support parents or care recipients.
Lotsa Helping Hands (lotsahelpinghands.com) offers an online calendar for organizing meals, appointments, and transportation and includes community-building features like message boards, blogs, and a place to post photos. Lotsa Helping Hands has partnered with more than 50 of the largest national health organizations, including the National Stroke Association, the American Lung Association, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and ALS Foundation.
Video: What Can We Learn From Black Bears
About Osteoporosis?
Watch this short video to hear experts at WebMD talk to scientists about bone loss, osteoporosis and black bears. Scientists believe they may be able to find new treatments for osteoporosis in humans if they can uncover why the bears don't lose large amounts of bone mass while hibernating.
Watch Video
In This Issue An Aspirin a Day? Dial 211? Positive for Women with Anxiety Bulk Up Seniors! Community Care Resources Video
May - Stroke Awareness Month
Visit ElderCare Resource Center for more information or to download our free resources.
For more ideas on ways to research and make wise choices, we recommend the following resources:
National Stroke Association An educational site including information on Stroke Prevention, Stroke Risk Factors, and Stroke Symptoms.
The Stroke Awareness Foundation
An organization whose mission is to improve community awareness of stroke and its treatment through advocacy, education and public awareness programs in the community.Stroke Awareness for Everyone
Support designed for stroke survivors and their families, in addition to doctors, nurses and therapists involved with stroke.American Stroke Association
This site includes information about the causes and effects of stroke, support for stroke survivors, as well as resources for healthcare professionals.American Heart Association This site includes information on all cardiovascular diseases, their warning signs, and prevention.
The Stroke Network
Support designed for stroke survivors and their caregivers of adult stroke.
Heart of the Issue
Up-to-date medical headlines and the most important stories on heart health.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This site includes information on all medical conditions as well as useful resources for healthcare providers.
Triple Threat Challenge
This site includes information on the combined cardiovascular threats of High levels of LDL, Low levels of HDL, and High levels of Triglycerides.
The American Geriatrics Society
Information on Stroke Awareness and Prevention for geriatric patients.
Elayne Forgie, CMCPresident/CEOAbout ElderCare at Home
ElderCare at Homeis South Florida's premier provider of geriatric care management and at-home assisted living services for patients and families suffering from Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other memory impairments. We provide all levels of in-home nursing as well as homemaker and companion care. All services are fully integrated, coordinated, and monitored by one of our professional geriatric care managers ~ at no charge to our clients! ElderCare at Home
You can call us at 800-209-4342 or email us at ElderCareatHome@msn.com.
