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• Quick Fixes for Everyday Problems
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DID YOU KNOW...? ^top “Symptoms of a Stroke” Tammy, I though this would be a good tip from the American Stroke Association... Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions: If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage. This information is taken from a study done by the American Stroke Association. Check the article: “Just a minute: Bystanders may identify stroke symptoms in 60 seconds,” at: HYGIENE HINTS ^top “Mouth Rinse for Mouth Sores” Hi Tammy, A quick note to thank you for taking time out of your day on Sunday, July 24 to visit with us at Northridge United Methodist Church. I appreciated your presentation very much and found your personal experience helpful. I should like to offer recent discovery in coping with mouth sores. http://www.cancer.org does have easy-to-eat recipes; in addition, available by prescription is Gel-Clair, a fairly expensive mouth rinse, much more easily tolerated than over-the-counter topical treatments that hurt and sting on application. My mother’s condition ultimately resolved in 2 ½ weeks, but what a 2 ½ weeks it was! MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND GADGETS ^top “EZ-Shampoo Basin” Tammy, I just read HomeBoundResources, Tip #20: Hair Washing Tips and that sounds like a great idea! We use an EZ-Shampoo Basin, available the Healthy Living catalog. Shop Online at http://www.amerimark.com or 1-800-800-0100 to request a catalog. They have a LOT of helpful products. Bless you for what you are doing to make things easier for the rest of us. Merry Christmas! “New Sensor for Surgery” I just learned about a new sensor that’s worth exploring if you or someone you love is heading in for surgery. It’s called the BIS monitor and it aids the anesthesiologist in minimizing the risks of under- and over-dosing with anesthetics and sedatives. It’s worth checking out. The website address is: “Medical Alert Systems” I just read your HomeBoundResources Tip #17: Medical Alert Systems Offer Instant Response. My 88 year-old father has a home protection alarm system and was able to purchase a pendant that notified the alarm monitoring office if he pushed the button. The alarm monitor would call and if no answer, would notify the fire department. There was a modest cost for the pendant, but no additional charge added to his home security monitoring monthly fee. His company alarm service is Protection One. I forget the range of the pendant, but like the fact that he could be outside and still be able to use the system. QUICK FIXES FOR EVERYDAY PROBLEMS ^top “Misc. from Meg” I do not know if any of these tips can help, but there are a few that I can offer. Cut the back of store-bought gowns if your loved-one is bedridden or in a wheelchair. It makes it easier to change them, and allows them the dignity of being completely covered in the front. Make sure to use a slide sheet (I found a simple twin flat sheet at Wal-Mart for about $3). It helps to adjust the person in bed and allows them to roll from side-to-side when changing linens or clothing. Talc can help maintain a freshness if a loved one is bedridden or wheelchair bound. You may already have these few suggestions. I know that if I had some tips when my mom first came to stay with me, some of our struggles would have been less difficult. WHAT AN IDEA! ^top “A Blump of Strawberry Shampoo” Hi Tammy, My Mom uses a portable potty. I also found it easier for cleanup to put water in the 'bucket' before use, but, I add a 'blump' of cheap strawberry-scented shampoo (any scent would work). I put it in the bucket before adding about an inch of water. Not only does it make for easier cleanup, but it really helps cut the odor, not to mention my husband's queasy stomach when he lifts Mom off the 'pot'. “Recording an Oral History” We are making slow progress, but progress just the same with mother’s oral history. I bought a tripod, borrowed my brother’s video camera, and simultaneously recorded her on microcassette as she reviewed aloud her father’s photo album. It is our beginning. I was able to play it back and she felt rewarded when she could see the fruit of our labor. Our second attempt got us further than the first and I do believe she is now connecting not only to the value, but the joy in preserving family history in such a way. “Cheers from Ireland” I just read a great story at about a nursing home in Ireland. It’s entitled, “How to cheer up a nursing home? Install a bar ‘Patients aren’t bored to death,’ official says at St. Mary's in Ireland.” The link to the story is:
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