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Elder CareTips:
Mastering The Eldercare Maze™
November 1,
2004
The Little Old Lady In Tennis
Shoes...
...Is One Smart Cookie
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When I ran to the store
this morning I saw her again...the elderly lady who is
there at least twice a week. She is beautifully dressed
and coiffed, and she holds the shopping basket with a
death grip as she wobbles along in her high heels. Her
cane is discreetly hooked over the handle of the cart.
We've all seen her, or her sister or neighbor. She's the
proud elderly lady who won't use a walker because it
"makes her look old," and who wears her leather-soled
high heels because that's how well-brought-up ladies
dress to leave the house.
And she's at such high risk for a bad fall and a broken
hip that I have to resist the urge to call 911 every
time I see her.
Falls are the most frequent cause of fatal injury to
older adults. If they aren't fatal, they often result in
an injury that permanently destroys the elder's
remaining quality of life.
Convincing an older person to wear safe footwear may be
one of the most important things you will ever do to
help prevent one of these falls.
A recent study compared the number of falls within a
group either going shoeless or wearing various styles of
shoes They determined that athletic shoes
(sneakers) were associated with the lowest risk of
falling, while older adults going without shoes had the
highest risk. Compared to athletic shoes, other footwear
was associated with a 30 percent greater risk of a fall.
| Note this again: A 30% greater risk of a fall for an
older person wearing leather-soled shoes. |
If you possibly can, encourage your mother, father,
aunt, uncle, older friend to wear athletic shoes. The
kind with the Velcro closures are easy to get on and off
for those who have trouble managing ties - an added
benefit. It might be an uphill battle, but the added
safety is worth it.
You might have to buy your mother a new outfit or two to
go with her new shoes...but it's a lot cheaper and more
fun than paying for a nursing home if she falls and
breaks a hip.
| Old age is like everything else.
To make a success of it, you've got to start young.
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Senior
Medication Watch List
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As we age our bodies
don't always use or react to medications in the same way
as when we were younger. Some medications tend to build
up in the older body instead of being efficiently
flushed out by our kidneys. One chronic health condition
can be adversely affected by something we take for
another condition.
Sadly, not every physician is able or willing to keep up
with prescribing criteria that may differ for their
young, middle- aged and senior patients.
So, as an advocate for a senior, The Beers Criteria for
Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults
is something you should be aware of.
The Beers Criteria is a list of 48 medications, or
classes of medications, that should be scrutinized
closely because they have the potential to be harmful to
older adults. First issued in 1991, these criteria are
often revised and updated
According to the team who put together the list, there
are instances where these medications may be
appropriate, but most of the time these drugs are being
used inappropriately with the elderly. Often there is an
alternative that would be better suited for an older
patient.
I carry a copy of the list with me whenever I go with a
client to the doctor. If I have not had the opportunity
to be there, I review any new medications that have been
prescribed. If necessary, I try to give the doctor a
call before we fill anything questionable.
Not every doctor is thrilled to have his or her
prescribing practices questioned...sometimes you have to
bend waaaay over backwards to avoid offending the
doctor. Sometimes, if the doctor is especially rigid,
there's no way to avoid it. If you're worried about
going to the doctor, have a conference with your
pharmacist. They usually appreciate the chance to be
part of your care team, and they'll often go back to the
doctor on your behalf.
Print out a copy of the
Beers Criteria
Keep it with your
medical information so it's handy for reference. It
might save someone's life.
| Be careful about reading health
books.
You may die of a misprint.
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If you haven't made your
travel reservations for Thanksgiving yet, it's probably
getting close to being too late. It's time to
start thinking about December (can you believe it?). If
your elder needs special travel arrangements remember
that you have to set some things up in advance. If
you'll be flying with someone who needs special
equipment or assistance, call your airline now. You'll
need extra time (and a doctor's prescription) to set up
oxygen, travel companions and other special services.
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