Saddle Mountain Home Care

04/26/2021

SADDLE MOUNTAIN HOME CARE HAS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO LOAN OUT SHORT/LONG TERM.
IF INTERESTED PLEASE CALL TARA FULLER AT 224-0081.

02/16/2017

Tara’s Information Page
As we age, one of the many things that change is our eyesight. There are several reasons for vision changes.
Presbyopia, a condition that makes it hard to see things close up or to read small print, is a normal condition that affects us as we age. It can cause headaches and tired eyes. Usually, this is taken care of with reading glasses.
Floaters, the spots we sometimes see are also normal. If you have a lot of new floaters or flashing lights, it could be a sign of a more serious condition and you should contact your eye care professional immediately.
Watering eyes can be cause by sensitivity to light or wind or can be caused be dry eyes and red swollen eye lids, blepharitis, can be treated with warm, wet compresses and gentle scrubbing.
Cataracts can cause blurry vision and can be treated with inpatient surgery.
Dry eye is caused from tear ducts not producing tears. Your eye doctor will recommend eye drops or ointment to treat this condition.
Glaucoma is caused when there is too much fluid pressure inside the eye. There is usually no pain or other early symptoms. Glaucoma can lead to blindness. You should have yearly exams so our doctor can watch for signs of glaucoma.
Age-related Macular Degeneration affects a person’s ability to see things clearly. It can affect your ability to read and drive.
Diabetic Retinopathy can lead to blindness if not treated. If you’re diabetic, you should always have yearly eye exams since diabetic retinopathy grows slowly and doesn’t usually have any symptoms.
Our vision is so important to us. According to National Institute on Aging, to protect our eyes, we need to eat healthy, wear UV blocking sunglasses, avoid smoking, stay at a healthy weight and have our eyes checked regularly.
For more information on taking care of your vision, talk to your eye care professional or visit www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/aging-and-your-eyes
Thanks for checking in. We’ll see you next week!

02/12/2017

Tara’s Information Page
Historians believe the first Hospice was created around 1065. Since then several people from all over the world have worked to make Hospice what it is today.
Hospice is for people who have a life expectancy of less than 6 months. There are many health care professionals available to assist in helping the family and the patient through this period. Your doctor or the Hospice doctor, registered nurses, social workers, Hospice aides, occupational and physical therapists, counselors, volunteers and homemakers are all on the Hospice team. Along with the family and patient, they develop a care plan to keep the patient comfortable and make the process as easy as possible for everyone.
Hospice has someone on call 24/7 to answer questions and check on the patient when necessary. They will make sure prescriptions are filled, any necessary supplies are stocked and will answer questions.
Hospice is covered by Medicaid but it must be a Medicaid approved provider. You must be willing to accept palliative care {for comfort} instead of treatment for your illness and you must sign a statement choosing Hospice and denying Medicare covered treatment.
Hospice will come to your home or a long-term care facility. If the doctor feels that you need a long-term care facility, Hospice will set that up for you.
To find out more about how Hospice can help go tohttps://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/02154.pdf

02/04/2017

Tara’s Information Page
I think the most difficult, yet amazing and heartwarming experience I’ve had has been end of life. I am truly grateful to the families who have trusted me enough to be a part of this experience. If this sounds strange to you, maybe by the time you’ve finished reading this post it will make more sense.
None of us wants to lose a loved one. When we think of the death of someone close to us, it’s not an experience we look forward to but to be able to help a dying person to be more comfortable and maintain their dignity is an honor that not everyone has the opportunity to share.
Not everyone goes through the same process when dying. For some, death is relatively quick, taking a person shortly after a diagnosis. For others, the diagnosis can come months before death. In either case, we all want it to be as painless as possible for the person dying as well as the people who love him/her.
The first thing that comes to mind with death is pain. Pain management is just one part of giving comfort to the people involved. It’s very important to keep up on pain medication. It is difficult to get pain under control is much more difficult than keeping it under control.
Sometimes, we have to listen to know what a person’s dying wishes are. It can be very difficult to do since it makes the impending death so much more real. For the dying person to bring it up usually means it’s very important to him/her.
If your loved one is spiritual, be willing to pray, call his/her minister, listen to what is needed for your loved one to be at peace spiritually.
Sometimes people wait till the end of life to apologize. It might be the person dying who feels the need to apologize to a loved one or someone might need to apologize to the dying person. Either way, remember this is the last chance to fix things. Accept the apology or if you’re the one saying “I’m sorry” be ok with the apology being accepted.
The thing I appreciate so much about being there to help through this difficult time is seeing the love shared, the stories told and finally the peace that settles on the dying person’s face as the pain goes away and the things that he/she needed to say or hear have been spoken.

01/19/2017

Tara's Information Page
I knew depression in older adults was a problem but until I started to research this, I wasn't aware how big the problem is. According to Mental Health America, more than 2 million of the 34 million people over 65 suffer from some kind of depression. Sometimes, this is due to another illness, the loss of a spouse, or medication.
Almost 25% of the 600,000 who have a stroke will suffer form clinical depression in the first year.
Su***de rates increase significantly in elderly people with depression. While people 65 and older account for 13% of the population, that same group accounts for 20% of su***des, with white males being particularly vulnerable. The su***de rate among white men 85 and older is almost 6 times higher than the national average.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the symptoms can be physical as well as mental. If you have experienced several of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks you could be suffering from depression and should talk to your Doctor.
Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
Decreased energy, fatigue, being “slowed down”
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
Appetite and/or unintended weight changes
Thoughts of death or su***de, su***de attempts
Restlessness, irritability
Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment
For more information on depression, check out the National Institute of Mental Health at https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications or
Mental Health America at www.mentalhealthamerica.net
Thanks for checking in! Hope to you'll read next week's page when I'll be covering Macular Degeneration and Glacoma.

01/12/2017

Tara's Information Page
As we age our appetites change. Less exercise, eating alone, dental issues and changes in your sense of smell or taste can all affect a person's appetite.
Trying to force yourself to eat something when you don't feel hungry, when the food doesn't taste or smell good or when it's hard to chew isn't easy for anyone but as we age, it seems less important to worry about eating healthy.The truth is, as we get older, spend more time sitting and less time working and playing, our body's need for nutrition is still there. We still need the basic nutrition we needed when we are more active, and some of the things are more important as we age.
Sometimes, at any age, we don't get enough fluids. This remains true with age. Try keeping a glass of water or low fat milk close by and drinking it throughout the day.
If you find it hard to eat alone, try eating with friends. Make it a planned event whether you go out to a restaurant or stay in, Having someone to share a meal with makes it a lot more enjoyable.
Try to cook softer foods if you have dental issues, use more seasonings if you have a diminished sense of taste or smell, or cook brightly colored foods to enhance the look of your plate.
Be sure to get plenty of fiber, low-fat dairy(lactose free if you're lactose intolerant), Eat lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs and beans to help with proteins. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables can help with digestion, and may help lower cholesterol. Keeping fruit around for a snack might make it easier to get enough fruit each day.
If you are interested in more information on healthy eating, check out the National Institute Of Health at https://nihseniorhealth.gov/eatingwellasyougetolder
Thanks for taking a minute to read this. Check in next Thursday for Depression in Older Adults.

01/05/2017

Tara's Information Page
HIPAA Regulations
Last week I promised to cover Aging and Appetites for this week's topic but I feel that HIPAA regulations are important to so many people and sometimes very confusing. I thought I'd try to make it a little easier to understand.
HIPAA is an acronym for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It was put into place in order to safeguard medical, mental and financial information and to guarantee access to health insurance when changing jobs.
HIPAA covers a lot of information but the part that I want to discuss today is your right to be certain that, if you or a loved one is in need of medical care, your medical, mental and financial information is protected.
As an in-home health care company, Saddle Mountain is covered by HIPAA regulations. No person who works for Saddle Mountain can share information about our clients with anyone not directly involved in that client's health care. Any financial or personal information cannot be given out.
According to the CDC, the privacy rule:
1.gives patients more control over their health information;
sets
2.boundaries on the use and release of health records;
3.establishes appropriate safeguards that the majority of health-care providers and others must achieve to protect the privacy of health information;
4. holds violators accountable with civil and criminal penalties that can be imposed if they violate patients' privacy rights;
5.strikes a balance when public health responsibilities support disclosure of certain forms of data;
6.enables patients to make informed choices based on how individual health information may be used;
7.enables patients to find out how their information may be used and what disclosures of their information have been made;
8.generally limits release of information to the minimum reasonably needed for the purpose of the disclosure;
9.generally gives patients the right to obtain a copy of their own health records and request corrections; and
10. empowers individuals to control certain uses and disclosures of their health information.
At Saddle Mountain, we take pride in enforcing this rule. We don't allow any disclosure involving our clients, their families, friends or coworkers. Keeping any type of gossip out of the workplace ensures our clients' privacy and peace of mind.

12/29/2016

Saddle Mountain Home Care's Information Page on Cold Weather and Aging.

Older people lose body heat faster than younger adults. As a result, hypothermia can be a more prominent concern as we age. According to The National Institute on Aging (NIH) hypothermia begins when the body temperature reaches 95 degrees. This can happen inside as well as outside. Many people turn down their thermostat in order to save on heating bills. The National Institute on Aging recommends keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees or higher, wearing warm clothes, socks and covering your legs with a blanket. They also recommend adding extra blankets to your bed. If you or someone you know is having problems paying their heating bill, you can contact LIEAP(Low Income Energy Assistance Program) at 1-800-332-2272 or online at http://dphhs.mt.gov/hcsd/energyassistance/eligibilityoffices to see if you qualify for assistance paying your heating bill or weatherizing your home.
When outside, wear warm layers. Wear gloves, hat, scarf, thermal underwear, a waterproof coat and waterproof shoes or boots with good slip resistant soles. Consider using Yaktrax. They slip on the bottom of your shoes and have metal coils or cleats. They help to prevent falls by adding traction to your winter shoes.
According to NIH, early signs of hypothermia include:
• Cold feet and hands
• Puffy or swollen face
• Pale skin
• Shivering in some cases
• Acting sleepy
• Being angry or annoyed
Later signs of hypothermia include:
• Moving slowly, trouble walking or being clumsy
• Stiff and jerky arm or leg movements
• Slow heartbeat
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Losing consciousness
If you notice these symptoms, call 911 immediately.
Thanks for reading Tara’s Information Page.

Official site of Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services