Repositioning Dementia Patients Who Have Lost Trunk Control: A Guide for Caregivers
If you are a caregiver for someone with dementia who has lost trunk control, you may wonder how you can help them. Repositioning is one way you can help. Repositioning means moving or turning the person to a different position. It can help improve the person’s comfort, skin health, and blood flow. It can also prevent or treat pressure ulcers, contractures, falls, and infections.
In this article, we will share some tips for repositioning dementia patients who have lost trunk control. These tips are based on the latest research and best practices. We hope these tips will help you provide better care for your loved one.
Understanding Changes in Palliative Performance Scale in the Last Six Months of Life
Explore the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) and its crucial role in end-of-life care. Learn how this tool helps hospice professionals assess patient decline, predict life expectancy, and provide tailored care. Understand the significance of PPS changes in the final six months and how they guide compassionate care decisions.
Why Saying Goodbye to Your Dying Loved One Matters
Losing a loved one to a terminal illness is an incredibly challenging experience. It’s a journey filled with emotions, uncertainties, and the need for profound empathy. One crucial aspect of this journey is saying goodbye to your dying loved one and permitting them to pass peacefully. In this article, we’ll explore the significance of these acts, which bring comfort to the terminally ill and aid in the grieving process for those left behind. We’ll also share three case studies to illustrate the importance of these actions.
Four Case Studies About External Oxygen on Hospice
It is common for family members and caregivers who are not trained in end-of-life topics to be concerned about their loved one’s oxygen concentration (SpO2 and sometimes also abbreviated SPaO2) reading from a pulse oximeter. Suppose their loved one refuses external oxygen or takes off the external oxygen. In that case, this often causes distress to the family and caregivers because they are focused on the numbers vs. the patients themselves. Hospice is about patient-centered care, and I would like to present four case studies to demonstrate how hospice manages this situation with compassion.
How to Respond to a Dementia Patient Asking About a Deceased Family Member
When a dementia patient inquiries about a family member who has passed away but still believes them to be alive, it’s essential to respond with empathy and understanding. Here are some tips on how to handle such situations with compassion and sensitivity:
The Benefits of Deprescribing Medications in Hospice: A Guide for Patients, Families, and Hospice Nurses
I know how important it is to provide comfort and support during this challenging journey. One aspect of hospice care that often raises concerns is deprescribing medications. In this article, we’ll explore what deprescribing is and why it can benefit patients nearing the end of life.
Managing Terminal Restlessness
Losing a loved one is an incredibly challenging experience, and witnessing changes in their behavior and well-being can be distressing. As a hospice nurse, I’ve supported many families and caregivers through this grim time. One common symptom that may arise towards the end of life is restlessness. In this article, I will explain the different types of restlessness and offer guidance on how to manage them. Understanding these distinctions can provide valuable insights into your loved one’s condition and help you navigate the final stages of their life with compassion and care.
Documenting Observational Signs of Discomfort: A Guide for Hospice Nurses and Families
As a hospice nurse, I understand the importance of documenting observational signs of discomfort in terminally ill patients. This guide covers recognizing physical and behavioral cues indicating discomfort, even if patients don’t express it. It also highlights the benefits of journaling for families and nurses, with tips for effective documentation to enhance patient comfort and care.
Restoring Taste After Radiation Therapy to the Face and Neck
Radiation therapy is a common treatment for head and neck cancers, but it can lead to the loss of taste, also known as dysgeusia, in some patients. This can be a distressing side effect, but there are steps that patients and caregivers can take to help restore the patient’s sense of taste as quickly as possible, with minimal risk. While there is no guaranteed way to restore taste, these tips and strategies may help patients regain some of their enjoyment of food and drink.
Minimizing Dementia Progression in Loved Ones: Beyond Medications
Dementia is a progressive disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. While there is no cure for dementia, there are ways to minimize its progression and improve the quality of life for those living with the disease. Here are some activities to do, activities to avoid, dietary changes to make, and activities to perform to minimize the progression of dementia.
Statins Increase the Risk of Dementia or Worsening Dementia
Pharmaceutical advertisements often highlight the benefits of a particular drug, including its ability to reduce the risk of various health conditions. However, the actual risk reduction these drugs provide may differ from what is portrayed in the advertisements. It is the opinion of the author that if cardiologists and other providers told their patients the absolute risk reduction of statins is 0.8% for all-cause mortality, 1.3% for myocardial infarction and 0.4% for stroke and the side effects of going on a statin include dementia, worsening dementia, confusion, muscle problems, such as aches, pains, weakness, muscle breakdown, falls, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, would you or anyone else ever agree to take a statin?
How to Use the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale (PAINAD) to Determine Discomfort in Your Loved One with Dementia
If you have a loved one with dementia, it can be difficult to know if they are in pain or discomfort. The Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale (PAINAD) is a tool that can help you determine if your loved one is uncomfortable. The Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale (PAINAD) is different from other pain assessment tools for people with dementia in several ways: