Live Free Home Health Care, LLC. - Bristol, New Hampshire

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Tips for Diabetic Patients

Diabetes? Oh no! Nobody likes to hear that he or she has been diagnosed with diabetes, but the good news is that there are things you can do to prevent it from worsening too quickly and ways to stay on top of the disease. One of the most important things you can do is check your blood sugars. I know nobody likes to prick his or her finger, but it is the only way to know what your blood sugar is doing. And there are newer machines now that use just a small drop of blood and one that you can even get the sample from your forearm, which is less painful than your fingertips. Normal blood sugars range 70-125. So that would be the ideal level to have yours at. Blood sugar naturally elevates when we eat, so it is a good idea to check your blood sugar at different times of the day to see if it is going a lot higher after meals. Then after you check the blood sugar, write it down along with the time of day and if it is before or two hours after a meal. You can then take this logbook to your doctor so he can see if any adjustments need to be made to your medications.

Speaking of doctors, it is a good idea to visit yours every three months if you have diabetes. Then you can have your HgbA1c (hemoglobin A 1 c) checked. This level is taken from your blood and tells you what your blood sugars have been averaging over the previous three months. So there is no cheating with this one! People without diabetes typically have a HgbA1c of 5.0 or less. For diabetics, an average below 7.0 is ideal. A range from 7.0-8.0 demonstrates a need for improvement, and anything over 8.0, is considered poor control. If your HgbA1c is over 8.0, that is the time to take a closer look at your diet and see how much you are cheating, monitor your level of exercise, and possibly adjusting your medications. The doctor will also check the bottoms of your feet for neuropathy (loss of sensation) by using a monofilament, which is a very fine instrument that “tickles” your feet.

Because diabetics are more prone to neuropathies (or loss of sensations, typically starting in the feet), it is a good idea to check your feet everyday. Using a hand mirror, you can look at both feet from all angles to check for any sores or open areas. If you do notice one, call your doctor right away. An eye exam once per year is also important to check for any changes to your eyes, even if you haven’t noticed any changes to your vision.

Diabetes management is one of the services that our nurses have a lot of knowledge in. If you need help using your glucose monitor, understanding what your diabetic medications are all for, or some dietary counseling, we can help you with that. Or if you just have questions, we are a resource you can use. Good luck at staying in good control!

Jennifer L. Harvey RN, BSN
Live Free Home Health Care
New Hampton, NH
Jennifer Harvey is a registered nurse and owner of Live Free Home Health Care in Central New Hampshire. LFHHC specializes in eldercare and in home care for people seeking to remain in their own homes. For more information visithttp://www.livefreehomehealthcare.com/ or call 603-346-4214.

Tags:   diabetes, Jennifer Harvey

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Do Not Forget To Take Time For Yourself

Doctor appointments that have to be scheduled; the constant physical and emotional care that mom or dad or your loved one needs; the endless errands to the grocery store, drug store, physical therapy sessions and, most of all, the need to know you are doing the “right thing” for that loved one you are providing care for are all taxing issues. Here at Live Free Home Health Care we understand the daily challenges you face as a family caregiver and that you most likely have little time for yourself.

But you do need time. Time to reflect, relax and recharge your batteries for at least a few hours each week. This “you time” is important to give you the strength to carry on. It is important to take that time. You deserve it and you should not feel guilty about it.

If you have questions regarding if the care you are providing for your loved one is appropriate, perhaps you should consider hiring a Nurse Care Manager. Live Free Home Health Care has Registered Nurses on staff that are available to meet with you in your home and discuss a care plan. If it is time to yourself you need, Live Free Home Health Care can provide Licensed Home Health Aides, who work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, for as little as two hours a day to as much as round the clock care, all in the comfort of your or your loved ones home.

If you would like to discuss how we can possibly help give us a call at 603-346-4214.

In the meantime, here are three tips from CareGiver.Com:

1. Accept the help others offer. Suggest specific things they can do for you and your loved one. No one is a Super Hero. Do not feel like you’re the only one that can take dad to the doctor or your wife to her physical therapist. REACH OUT and ask another family member – or close family friend – to assist you occasionally so you have time yourself. Trust in their willingness to help. Many times, they do not know how to reach out and help unless you are able to communicate your needs. If you do not have anyone you can turn to for help, Live Free Home Health Care in Central New Hampshire in the heart of the Lakes Region can assist you with getting your loved one to appointments.
2. Ask for and accept favors such as, a friend staying with your loved one while you are able to get out of the house for a while, a dinner being cooked for you and your loved one once a week, an offer to go to the supermarket or drugstore in your place. Respite can be achieved on a daily basis with the smallest of kindnesses. Again, if you do not have anyone to provide you with Respite time Live Free Home Health Care has Licensed Nursing Assistants who can provide you with a much-deserved break.
3. Know your limits! If you wear yourself out caring for your loved one, who will step in to care for the both of you? Remember, caring for yourself is not selfish; it is the greatest gift you can give for your loved one.

Tags:   family caregivers, Live Free Home Health Care

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Monday, June 11, 2007

Excellent Home Care Service

Hi Jennifer and Jason,

When I started thinking about how to bring my mother home, a lot of the information I received cautioned me to be careful. The private pay Agencies leave you hanging when the staff becomes ill, also Staff is late, poor weather conditions they just don't show and for these situations they have no back-ups. Another big concern was having strangers in my home for twelve hours per day. I work 40 hours per week and my job cannot be done from home so how could I make this happen and not loose all my quality of life with my family. Mom was very unhappy about being in a nursing home so I needed to make this happen.

Your Agency was the only one that offered to go to the nursing home, to meet my mother, assess what her needs would be, then meet with me to explain the process. I must tell you once I met with you Jen I felt I could trust you and that your staff would meet my expectations. You are a very caring, organized and business minded person.

My first impression was correct; you were there when we needed you. When we had some issues you addressed them, and I always felt I could call you at any time and you would be there to help. That is a wonderful feeling to have when you are taking care of a loved one, and will be leaving them with strangers for most of the day. You were very patient and so was all of your staff. We had a personality issue and it was handled immediately, and not once did I have to loose work due to staffing.

As you can tell I cannot say enough about your care and the way you manage your Agency. I have recommended it to many; and have spoken to quite a few people who wondered how I could have worked and taken care of Mom and I gave you most of the credit. I know your agency will succeed just because of how you manage it and put people's needs first and also how you address the needs of the family caregivers.

I want to thank you again for all you and your husband provided and your promptness in the management of a concern. Without your Agency this would not have been as good of an experience as it turned out to be and I am very thankful to have found you. Mom was able to come home and have a very peaceful death and for this I am so grateful. Thanks again you guys are great!!!!!!

Sincerely,

Colombe and Jerome Lagace

Tags:   caregiver

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