written by: Stephanie Erickson, MSW, PSW, LCSW

If you have aging parents, you are most likely concerned about their physical, emotional and cognitive health.  As your parents get older, they will have medical appointment after medical appointment with a variety of medical professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, etc.  Your parents may have difficulty remembering the details of each of these appointments, as one specialist blends into another.

It is important for you to keep track of the dates and times of the appointments in order to remind and follow up with your parents.  However, this is not the only information you need to monitor.  The following list contains suggestions on how to record the essential details of your parents’ health so in case of an emergency or hospitalization, you have their full medical history available.

1. Buy a journal or make an excel spreadsheet that records all of the names, addresses, phone numbers and areas of specialty of each of your parents’ physicians and other health care professionals with whom they have contact.
2. Include the diagnosis or problem treated by each of these health professionals, as well as the medication(s) prescribed (dose, times of day, etc.)
3. Document the emergency procedure to contact each of these physicians in a time of crisis as well as their normal office/clinic hours.
4. Encourage your parents to sign a Consent to Release Information with each professional so you have the legal authority to exchange information.  (See our website for a free form).
5. Ask your parents to bring a list of questions and concerns to each appointment and to document the answers.  Include your questions on this list. 
6. Document the pharmacy name and location for each medication prescribed so you can discuss any medication concerns or interactions with the pharmacist.  Make sure your parents sign a Consent to Release Information at each pharmacy.
7. If possible, use only one pharmacy for all of your parents’ prescriptions for better monitoring by a pharmacist of possible drug interations.
8. Make a list of all medical diagnosis, medications, surgical history, current treatment regimes, and treating physicians and ask your parents to keep this list in his or her wallet or purse in the case of an emergency.  Place a copy of this form on the refrigerator and near each phone in their home.
9. Encourage your parents to draft a Mandate, Power of Attorney and/or Living Will so they will be ensured you can act on their behalf  if necessary.

The above information is the basic information needed to assist your parents with their overall health.  It is equally important to organize all of their personal and financial affairs to ensure that you can provide comprehensive support in all aspects of their life when the time approaches. 

For more information or for organizing tools, documents and tips for medical, financial and personal affairs, see our website e-store.

Written by: Stephanie Erickson, MSW, PSW, LCSW

It is very scary to know that our parents are living alone in their home as they begin to lose physical and cognitive functioning.  We want to respect their decision to remain autonomous at home for as long as possible so we search for ways to make this happen.  The following is a complete list of all of the areas in your home that present a danger to your parent or loved one, outlines the factors that increase risk and offers concrete suggestions to reduce the identified risks.

Emergency Preparation:

1. Get the name of neighbor/friend/relative and phone number to contact in the case of an emergency and you are not able to get to your loved one’s home.
2. Post your name and phone number next to every phone AND give this information to AT LEAST one neighbor/friend.
3. Obtain the name of a community member, social worker, other professional to contact in the case of an emergency and/or regular updates.
4. Give an extra key to a neighbor or friend, have an extra key for yourself, and hide one outside the home (if you feel comfortable) so someone can gain access to the home in an emergency.
5. Register with Medic-Alert or LifeLine and get a bracelet for your parent so he/she can access help if there is a fall.  See our website under Resources for a link.
6. Make sure all legal documents (power of attorney, mandates in the case of incapacity, etc. are updated and complete).

Risk Factors for a Fall:

1. Over 75 years old
2. Living alone
3. Housebound
4. Use of cane/walker
5. Previous falls
6. Acute illness, chronic conditions, tremors (neurological disorders)
7. Multiple medications
8. Cognitive impairment
9. Vision and hearing problems
10. Difficulty sitting/standing from a chair/bed
11. Foot problems
12. Alcohol/drug use
13. Poor nutrition
14. Balance/equilibrium problems

Bathroom Safety:

1. Install grab bars in the bathtub or shower and by the toilet
2. Use rubber mats in the bathtub or shower
3. Use a shower chair or bench
4. Take up floor mats when the bathtub or shower is not in use
5. Install a raised toilet seat
6. Remove tub and install a shower with a minimal step-up
7. Place a chair in shower stall
8. Use a telephone shower head

Kitchen Safety:

1. Use automatic tea pot
2. Remove rugs without a non-stick service
3. Place frequently used pots and pans at waist level to minimize bending and stretching
4. Use a microwave to reduce use of oven/stove
5. Disconnect stove/oven fuses if there are memory impairments and it has been left turned on in the past

Outdoor Safety:

1. Repair cracked sidewalks
2. Install handrails on stairs and steps or install a ramp
3. Trim shrubbery along the pathway to the home
4. Install adequate lighting by doorways and along walkways leading to doors

Living Space Safety:

1. Remove throw rugs, or tape down to secure
2. Secure carpet edges
3. Avoid visually distracting patterns on flooring/carpets
4. Mark transitions from carpet to flooring with a different color paint/stripe
5. Remove low furniture and chairs that are too low to get up/down
6. Remove objects on the floor
7. Reduce clutter
8. Remove cords and wires on the floor
9. Avoid floor wax or use nonskid wax
10. Ensure the telephone can be reach while laying on the floor

Stair Safety:

1. Install hand rails on both sides of staircases at elbow height
2. Make sure an adult can wrap their hand completely around the handrail
3. Attach them securely to walls or posts
4. Secure carpet on treads of stairs
5. Install light switches at the top/bottom of stairways
6. Do not reduce lighting in stairways; in fact, increase the lighting
7. Do not place rugs at the top/bottom of stairs
8. Leave one hand free to hold the handrail when carrying objects
9. Check lighting for adequate illumination at night, especially in the pathway to the bathroom and on stairs

General safety:

1. Wear shoes or slippers that fit properly and have a non-slip sole
2. Remove reading glasses when walking up/down stairs
3. Install a telephone on every level of the home, especially in the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom
4. Install a bathroom on each floor
5. Understand side-effects of medications, such as dizziness
6. Avoid alcohol
7. Avoid carrying large or heavy objects, such as laundry baskets
8. Get up slowly from a sitting or laying position; sit on the side of the bed before rising
9. Wear clothing with an elastic waistband for easy removal

For further information, please contact Erickson Resource Group at www.ericksonresource.com

Written by Valerie Houghton, RD LD

In the United States, the senior age group accounts for approximately 25% of all prescription drugs being dispensed and according to RX. Magazine, there are more than 140,000 hospital admissions each year in America due to adverse drug reactions.  Taking medication to help control diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis is quite common but unfortunately, what is not so common is making sure the foods you eat are not negatively affecting how the drug(s) work to control your illness or ease pain and suffering. 

One way to ensure your medications are doing the absolute most for you is to be aware of any food or beverage that may hinder the effectiveness, or in some cases, be a danger, to your health. Being aware of any possible food and medication interaction is essential for effective medication therapy and peace of mind that harm will not result due to improper food consumption.

So who can help you determine if you have any food and medication issues?

Several health professionals should be involved in this process but the best place to start is with your doctor.  Review the list of medications with your physician and ask about any potential food or beverage that might impact the effectiveness of the drug.

Another health professional to consult regarding medications is a registered dietitian. These food and nutrition professionals work alongside medical staff in hospitals and clinics providing nutrition guidance and therapy to  improve health, speed healing and educate patients on how to optimize food and medication for the best possible health outcome.  Many of the patients the registered dietitian interacts with are on multiple medications and the dietitian can advise the doctor and the patient on potential foods that may interfere with the effectiveness of the medication.

The dietitian will often take a diet history from the patient asking specific questions about foods consumed to highlight any potential risk of food and medication interaction. The dietitian can then provide a list of foods to include or exclude from your diet that decrease the risk of food and drug interactions.  For example; foods high in fiber like, bran cereals, can slow the rate of digestion in the stomach. If you take certain medications with high fiber meals it could lower the amount of a medication being absorbed into the system or slow the rate of absorption.

Another source of food and medication information is the local pharmacist who dispenses your medications; they can provide advice on what foods to avoid or incorporate into your diet that allow your medications to work properly. If you are taking more than one medication and seeing more than one doctor, make sure they all know what medications you are taking and inquire about any possible interactions between medicines.

As a reminder; don’t skip mentioning vitamins, supplements or herbal medicines that you may be taking.

The more informed your healthcare providers are about your medications and the foods you normally eat, the less likely you are to incur any negative health consequences from food and drug interactions.

Here is a list of common medications taking by seniors and the foods to avoid and include for each category.

Valerie Houghton is practicing registered dietitian and free lance writer for magazines and websites.

For more information, contact Valerie Houghton at valerieonperdido@yahoo.com