H1N1 - prevention

There is much debate in this area.

• Do you get a vaccination or not?
• Do you have your young children vaccinated?
• How about seniors?

As with many issues, it is cloudy. Thank goodness, however, that my adult

children's generation are asking the questions. I think of my parenting years, when we would have chicken pox parties to ensure our kids contracted the

pox in their early years and developed the antibodies.
Parents disagree on whether to vaccinate or not.

Of course, prevention is so very important. Being in crowds, breathe through your nose. Your nose filters our bacteria and viruses, to prevent them from entering your system.

Flu Facts: This PDF is a primer on the flu virus, explaining how it ...

through communities creating an epidemic. ... the virus to others. What Can I Do to Prevent the Flu? ... Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. • Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is infected...

We were at a horse show last weekend. I noticed how many people pet their necks in the same spot. After such an event it is doubly important, not only for H1N1, but for other influenzas, C. Diff., and well as MRSAs, to wash your hands immediately afterwards, and before eating. A recent study demonstrated that Pet Therapy dogs spread germs amongst patients in a hospital.

When it comes to transmission of MRSA and C. difficile, dogs are ...

7 May 2009 ... The findings suggested that MRSA and C. difficile may have been transferred to ... More information: “Contamination of pet therapy dogs with MRSA and ... the spread of the MRSA superbug than isolating infected patients

On CBC's The National: Health/Education, their video was intriguing...

Vaccine Roundtable, on September 27, 2009

some interesting statements were made. For those caregiving for young or old, there are different issues. But the facts are clear:

• a virus can live on a hard surface for 1 to 2 days
• a virus can live on a dish towel for 8 to 10 hours
• hand washing is the key
• sneezing and containing the virus is important

There are five steps to keeping hands bacteria-free :

1. Wet your hands with warm running water.
2. Add soap, and then rub your hands together, making a soapy lather. Do this away from the running water for at least 15 seconds, being careful not to wash the lather away. Wash the front and back of your hands, as well as between your fingers and under your nails.
3. Rinse your hands well under warm running water.
4. Pat hands dry with a paper towel.
5. Turn off water using same paper towel and dispose in a proper receptacle.


If you are ill
Stay home. Prevent transmission. Stay away from high-risk folks, do not touch them or their personal effects.

If you are ill, sneeze into the crook of your elbow, or your sleeve, not your hand, to keep viruses out of the air. This is how Swine Flu (H1N1) spreads. Do not touch your face, mouth, or eyes. The virus enters your body through these orifices.

Use antibacterial pumped soap and water, not antibacterial sprays or gels, they do not kill Superbugs. The water rinses the bacteria and viruses away. After 5 uses of gels you must wash your hands with soap and water.

When do you wash?

• Before, during, and after food preparation
• Before and after touching a patient or client
• In the bathroom
• Before eating
• After gardening
  
• After handling any waste - animal or vegetable, e.g., litter boxes, diapers!
• Often, if someone at home is sick
• After sneezing or coughing (watch this video, - The Sneeze: How Germs are Spread! It shows how germs fly about.)

American Health Care

It really is amazing. I had great hopes for American Universal Health Care.

Now, in the country whose philosophy is based on the 'Right to bear arms', they are escaping a true state-run health care system but creating a new system whereby every American must pay for health care coverage. This violates my ethics. The working poor, for example, who can barely afford to dress, and pay for transportation, others who choose not to do so, means that children are going without adequate care.

It is a shame that the health care insurance companies are going to benefit even more.
Too bad that the right to free medical care is superceded by the American policy makers who are against putting tax money into Universal Health Care.

By forcing American to buy into a health plan, insurers can continue to cut off Americans. One person interviewed said that an 8-year old had hospital stays cut off, since he had reached the maximum cap. Some face co-payments or monthly payments they cannot meet with the state of the economy.

I am appalled with such findings.
The rules are incredibly difficult. Pre-existing conditions preclude some from claims. Other get cut off.

In Canada you need health care, you go to your physician, or the emergency. Yes, we have wait times for specialists, but if you are bleeding, ill, in pain, you have the right to quality care. Some, in the US, have to pay huge fees. Many stories read like a Dickensian novel, whereby they do not go to the doctor, as they cannot afford it.

Bill Moyers Journal - Friday, August 28, 2009
The film MONEY-DRIVEN MEDICINE reveals how a profit-hungry medical-industrial complex has turned health care into a system that squanders millions of dollars on unnecessary tests, unproven and sometimes unwanted procedures and overpriced prescription drugs.
Watch this film based on Maggie Mahar's powerful book MONEY-DRIVEN MEDICINE.

Health Care Reform, Universal Health Care, National Health This site advocates single payer, universal health insurance. Healthcare reform health care for all, national health insurance.
One post says: The concept of Obama's health insurance reform is to get everyone covered with affordable health insurance- either through private insurance OR a public insurance plan - coverage that does not discriminate if you have a pre-existing condition; coverage you cannot lose if you lose your job; coverage that does not have caps just in case you are hit with a very expensive catastrophic illness. Who, but the insurance bullies could not love this plan?!?!???

Senior drivers in the news

Ontario has some great driving courses. Drive Wise helps correct skills that may be weak. It is, of course, up to adult children to monitor parents who may be risking all of our lives. We have all seen the driver who is invisible but for their hand on the wheel. Some senior drivers may need a booster seat, but it is important and family members may need to speak to the police or family physicians who can order that a driver's licence be withdrawn.

We all get sloppy when performing tasks we have done for many years. I do not measure much when cooking. But driving in not one of those things.
Close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades!

With aging and frailty, our bodies do not respond as they once did! I have a bit of a pinched nerve and cannot check my blind spot. It is important to know your limitations. I have had my hubby drive.

With increased limitations to mobility and access to sensory information, senior drivers must be vigilant, and solutions, such as getting physiotherapy, which can help increase their mobility and ability to drive safely.

As I wrote previously in, Senior Drivers in Ontario,
"Transport Canada warns of those in intersections being the most at risk. Current stats, in the recent Ontario move to more severely curtail teen drivers, reveals statistics that demonstrate seniors are more risky than newbie teen drivers."


And an excellent article by a physician:

PHYSICIAN FOCUS: Assessing the older driver
Posted Jul 28, 2009 @ 05:47 PM, By Dr. Janet L. Jankowiak

"In 2004, I wrote about issues surrounding older drivers, as accidents caused by elderly motorists resulting in multiple deaths focused nationwide attention on the subject.

The facts are clear about elderly drivers.

Federal Highway Administration data

• drivers 75 years and older have higher rates of fatal motor vehicle crashes than any other age group except teenagers.
  

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

• drivers 85 and older have nearly twice the number of fatal accidents as those 16 to 19.

Collisions and traffic violations in the elderly population reflect:

• errors of inattention
• failure to yield
• difficulty maneuvering
• driving too slowly
• Left-hand turns are dangerous.

The news reports are clear...in reverse order of publication.

The Accident Lawyer: Elderly Crashes into a Pole; in Critical ...
Dec 15, 2009 ... Elderly drivers need to undergo tests that will prove whether or not they are still fit to drive ... Dangerous Presence of Senior Drivers on the Roads ... An 80-year old drove into a pole.
 
Drive Wise provides our seniors with excellent insight
Chatham Daily News - Chatham,Ontario,Canada
In recent months, we've witnessed two near misses and one tragedy involving elderly drivers. The first miss occurred Aug. 6 near Morpeth at Greenview

Will 'dead' be the 'new 75'?
Newburyport Current - Beverly,MA,USA
When not on their case, our outrage is directed at teenage drivers. Fatal teen accidents seem to involve the driver and friends, while the elderly often ...

Tests for over-75 drivers backed
The Republican - MassLive.com - Springfield,MA,USA
The action comes after a spate of fatal accidents recently involving elderly drivers in Massachusetts.

Driving Debate: Elderly hit-and-run case raises question 'How old ...
WHO-TV - Des Moines,IA,USA
Last year, 42 people were killed in a crash involving a senior citizen. Now many people asking what steps are being taken to ensure elderly drivers are fit

Senior drivers get bad rap.
19 Jul 2007 ... Senior drivers are nearly seven times more likely than younger drivers to be killed in a two-car accident.

Man, 76, killed following fiery crash near White City, SK
SASKATCHEWAN - Emergency crews were called to the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 48 east of Regina at 5:14 p.m. after learning about a two-vehicle collision that had just occurred there between a truck and a car. [24 MAY 09]

Old Drivers[PDF]
Senior Drivers and Highway Design. HUMAN FACTORS NORTH INC. Older drivers were 1.65 times more likely to be in an accident turning left with no ...

Accidents involving senior drivers climb in Ottawa
Ottawa police say accidents involving senior drivers continue to rise each year and it's time for family and relatives to be more aware of problems ...

Mother and baby injured as car crashes into Danvers Wal-Mart
Boston Globe - United States
Senior citizens should undergo drivers' tests. That is not discriminatory as organizations such as AARP falsely claim. It is common sense, as too many of ...

Police: Elderly Driver Loses Control, Injures 8 - Boston News ...

3 Jun 2009 ... Eight people are injured when a car goes out of control in Plymouth. ... Crowd Had Gathered To See Vietnam Memorial ... The driver of the car was a 73-year-old woman who was dropping her ... A 93-year-old man drove his car into a Wal-Mart in Danvers, Mass., Tuesday, seriously injuring a young girl.

More safety tips for senior drivers
Boston Globe - Boston,MA,USA
When choosing a car, elderly drivers should pick smaller vehicles that ... AARP's entire eight-hour senior driving course is available online for review. ...

Elderly motorists may be put to test
Boston Herald - Boston,MA,USA
By Hillary Chabot and Edward Mason Elderly drivers over age 75 could face ... the safety of our senior drivers as well as other motorists and pedestrians. ...


See also: Senior Drivers - Safety Tips

Prepare for dementia?

Dementia burden 'underestimated'
The future global burden of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia has been underestimated, say UK experts.

Well, like H1N1, we simply must be prepared, but this kind of headline mystifies me.

For many they are preventing chronic disease. Seniors are taking better care of their health.
Many are regularly working out, eating better, and many live long, productive lives.

That said, we still need safeguards in place. What I find interesting, are agencies, lobby groups, and societies, believe as unelected ambassadors for disease victims, that they have the right to advocate for clients. I fought bitterly with health care professionals as my parents grew increasingly weak and unable to fend for themselves. Everyone else seemed to know what was best for them and for us as a family.

What people underestimate is the financial, physical, social and emotional stress caring for those with dementia entails. What is best for the client/patient, is not always best for the family. For example, the Altzeimer Society helps victims of this disease fight to regain their driver's licences. Now, if I were a family member I might protest. I have seen senior drivers show much in the way of difficulty in this, retirement country.

Senior drivers do have issues. Erratic driving can be one of them!
Giving up the car keys
Toledo Blade - Toledo,OH,USA
Dangerous drivers can be young, old, or in between, but the problem is commonly ... had been forced to take the car keys away from his own elderly father.



A 70-something pilot crashed into the trees killing himself and his passenger this summer. Now I do not know the age of the pilot in my video, but either way, s/he is taking a chance with my health and well-being, as well as my property. This kind of thing is dangerous, taking to tight a turn. Something about people getting into a vehicle and assuming they are immortal.

And two dead after a float plane crash in Torrance, just north of Gravenhurst. The Globe has reported:
Plane crash victim was Bay Street titan

Jack Lawrence, 75, and his girlfriend died Monday when their Cessna crashed near Torrance, Ont.

"The Cessna 206 float plane crashed in a heavily wooded area at around 3:30 p.m. near Neals Rd., in the village of Torrance near Lake Muskoka, said OPP Sgt. Matt Hanes."

False positive cancer tests

I have been telling people to take charge of their health. Ask questions.
My young friend, Andrew, has been writing of his journey through life after a cancer diagnosis. Originally diagnosed as age 21, he is now age 24 and blogging about his journey. He has outlived his prognosis by oncologists.

I love this post , Andrew. You are a thoughtful man.

I have left it a bit to get my mind around a response, because you are intriguing! Your family must be awfully proud of you and grateful that you didn't listen to the doctors...for there are many studies in education that say that what a teacher believes about their students comes true.

Both my parents having had cancer I have read and written ( a whole book!) a lot about health.

On the cellular level, a cancer cell is a cell gone wrong. And we do not know why the body goes wrong any more than why we suffer mental health issues. We have clues about the triggers (for me it was dealing with my bereavement issues that led to my depression). We can see that environmental poisons lead to some cancers, as well as other biopsychosocial impacts on behaviour.

The medical profession does not like this point of view. They are scientists. Their work is based on research, the average, and not the individual. Your diagnosis and prognosis is based on statistics. This is why it is crucial to ask questions. Questions to ask your physician

A cancer diagnosis is a frightening one. I remember the ripples throughout our family when mom was diagnosed in 2002, and her first surgery.

As we age we naturally generate lumps and bumps. I noticed it when I turned 30! Calcium deposits, lumps and bumps. Many stories in the news speak of false positive cancer tests, (A Google search that found 2 million+ hits), and a technician's reading a is prone to interpretation.

When you consider that our longevity has increased over the years it seems normal to me. Our bodies are having to last longer and longer with new treatments for diseases, better nutrition, awareness of exercise and chronic disease prevention, we are living better, longer lives. From about 47 years in 1900 (depending upon your gender, and geographic location) to about 78 years in 2000. See: Screening vs. diagnosis of cancer
Get a second test. Question. Be aware.
~~~~~~~

1. American Association For Cancer Research. "False Positive Screening For Cancer Found To Be Frequent And Costly." ScienceDaily 30 December 2004. 17 September 2009.
2. Value of clinical breast screening uncertain 1 Sep 2009 ... Women with a false-positive exam may experience anxiety, radiation exposure, social, emotional and economic impacts.
3. Understanding the pros and cons of prostate cancer testing 18 Mar 2009 ... The PSA and DRE tests have a high rate of false-positive results. A false positive means that the test result suggests cancer, even though no cancer is actually present (a false alarm).

American health care

I am so amazed at the controversy. I posted a message with my FB friends, as one was protesting the health care controversy in the US. She felt that the system, as they propose it, is terrible.

I heartily disagree. Health care in Canada the the UK is not perfect, but for every dollar you spend on health care, and prevention of chronic disease, you save many at the other end of life. Please read my blog about it.

"Jennifer, you don't understand. I supported the HCR as it stood originally. But now that our Senate budget committee has gotten a hold of it, it no longer has any teeth. They have removed the public option and are now requiring that all Americans purchase health insurance from PRIVATE health insurance companies, with no other options! The health insurance and drug industries actually LIKE this bill. Unless this bill goes through some MAJOR overhaul before it is passed, I CANNOT support it as it stands."

Another person responded:
"It's definitely not what we wanted, but there are political realities about what kind of bill can get through Congress. Maybe if we get a little bit now, we can get more later when people realize that, no, there really aren't "death panels" as part of heath insurance reform."


"There is not a public option, true. There is the non-profit co-op included, plus government subsidies for those who need help paying for it."

I disagree. Either health care for all, or not. If you have the extra money for insurance, then pay it.

It would appear that big business, the pharmaceuticals and the insurance companies win again. The whole purpose of health care is to ensure that no one is turned away from a hospital. That those who cannot afford an insurance plan have basic medical needs met. It means that insurance companies cannot force someone to go bankrupt. How many times have we made a house insurance claim, or any other insurance, and had our claim denied. They are in the business of making money, not spending it. Drug companies are in the business of selling drugs.

Take charge of your health care

Along with the fearmongering around the proposed American Universal Health Care system, these scare tactics are so bizarre.
This article seems to suggest the opposite of what is true. Especially in Canada. Things are different here.

Times Online Families 'kept in the dark' as doctors make life-or-death decisions Times Online More facts from their study: 88% prescribed drugs in anticipation of pain 83% did not need IV or fluids because they were hurting the patient 40% knew they were dying (but data was unavailable for another 39%) relatives/caregivers were informed of care plans in 72% of cases

The article says, in part,
"Under the scheme, doctors and nurses collectively agree that there is no possibility of recovery. They then remove beneficial medicines and invasive medication, such as intravenous drips. They may also sedate the patients and withhold food and drink. "

Can you imagine this happening in Canada? I had to fight with the health care people to recognize that my parents were both dying. There is data to show that gving a dying person IV, and loading them up with fluids while they are dying, can contribute to discomfort, since their body is not process liquids.

I think the reverse is true. My parents were both facing polypharmacy, too many medications, that were doing nothing to extend their lives, nor making them comfortable. I believe, from my reading and speaking to others in Canada, that most physicians fears making a diagnosis of 'palliative', and fear removing particular interventions. My hospice volunteer training, and my experiences demonstrate this.

"Less than half of terminally ill patients and their relatives are offered religious or spiritual support in their final days and hours, while a quarter of doctors are not being trained within hospitals to deal with dying patients."

Now this sounds like the truth. This is a North American issue. Many will not admit it. Most will not embrace end-of-life care protocols, such as LCP. It makes sense. We know more about the body as it breaks down. We know that it cannot process nutritional supplements, which, indeed, can be difficult for family members to understand. Again, and again, we must look at research-based information.

You are entitled to knowing the care or treatment plan. Ask the physicians. Demand that you be informed. See: Questions to ask your physician!

Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP): End of Life ...

The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP) provides an evidence based framework for the delivery of appropriate care for dying patients.

Independence and exercise

We know how to extend our lengevity
Elderly Info 101: How to help the elderly keep their independence

The best way to keep one's independence is to keep active. My cousins, who spend winters in Arizona, but live in Saskatchewan, brought this game to Muskoka.

Pickleball!

OUTDOORS MUSKOKA — Pickleball craze hits Muskoka

It’s like tennis, badminton, ping-pong and volleyball, all rolled into one.

I am in my 50s, but my cousins are in their 70s. Avid tennis players, they keep active and are very healthy. I am not surprised that they are so active. I used to see them power walking all the time, or jogging into the post office when up here at their cottage.

Pickleball - Wikipedia is a sport similar to badminton and tennis. It involves playing on a court with the same dimensions as a badminton court with a hard paddle.
The game is played on the pickleball court that is the same size as a badminton court (20 feet wide by 44 feet (13 m) long). The net is set at 36 inches high at the outer edges and 34 inches (860 mm) in the center.

According to the USA Pickleball Association, the name came from a family dog named Pickles who would chase after the balls and then hide them in the bushes — Pickle’s ball was later shortened to pickleball.

Senior Living - Pickleball 30 Mar 2009 ...
Pickleball, played with a hard paddle and perforated plastic ball, a game similar to badminton and tennis, began as a backyard family game in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

What a hoot! I have blogged previously about how many Visitors to Long-Term Care homes have the opportunity to play Wii with the residents (the previous post was about things to do when visiting). I have yet to see anyone use it in the home where my friend resides, but it is there!

The important thing is to keep moving, whatever you choose to do.
The Heart & Stroke Foundation suggests:
One of the complications of chronic disease, and dementia is diabetes. We need to keep the blood flowing.
There are Diabetes risk factor for dementia- they go hand-in-hand. We spend $5.6 million to treat diabetics now, they forecast that we will spend $8 billion by 2013. The thing to do is to exercise, reduce our fat intake.

Canada is 3^rd in world for death due to diabetes and at a Palliative Care Conference, one speaker explained that if we can keep healthy, that 50% of these deaths could be delayed or prevented. It costs

• $1 – 2000 a day keep keep a person in hospital
• $3000 a day for intensive care
• $43,000 a year to keep a person in LTC
• $3000 a year to keep them at home

Canada's Physical Activity Guide for Older Adults (PDF)[ View as HTML] suggests:

• Endurance activities 4 - 7 days per week
• Flexibility & stretching daily
• Strength & balance activities 2 - 4 days per week.

Keep Canadians informed

I read an interesting article the other day. US Health Reform - Blame Canada? Published by CARP, I found it supports what I have been writing. I wrote about what I saw was a conspiracy in the US against health care reform, and Shona Holmes (who abused the health care system), and noticed that the lobbying was starting in the US.

Canadian health care has been the subject for the New York Times, "How does Canada's Healthcare System Actually Work? BTW I really wonder why a New York Times article is reprinted on the CARP web site, but that is another issue.

We live longer, have lower infant mortality rates and we have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. We do not have to go to an ER and pay $145 to have a cockroach removed from an ear. This is a story from a woman living in a roach-infested building. I heard it on This American Life, and it was on their Fear of Sleep* show.

The 1984 Canada Health Act makes promises for Canadian public health insurance system: universality, accessibility, portability, comprehensiveness and public administration.

Dr. Michael Rachlis, a respected health care critic, “Canadians don’t need thousands of actuaries to set premiums or thousands of lawyers to deny care.”

Dr. Rachlis writes, "On the U.S. side, 46 million people have no insurance, millions are underinsured and healthcare bills bankrupt more than 1 million Americans every year." This is not so in Canada. All have free access. ( Click here to read Dr. Rachlis' article on the CARP site.)

American health care is predicated on the DSM-IV, the bible for the insurance companies that either accept or deny claims. It is often quoted in Canadian Health publications, but it really should not be! It has had a series of revisions and iterations, and is currently being revised for DSM-V, but I know there are claims that the DSM is shaped to help pharmeceutical companies define particular disorders to aim at as targets.

I think it high time we examine what information is being presented in the media. As I wrote on my reflections blog, Accuracy in the Media has been difficult to find. We must examine what lies and libellous claims are made by those who lobby and spread information that does not pertain to Canadians. We must protect those easily influenced from carp. We need reliable information, and must sift on-line and print for such crap that people produce for the almighty dollar.

~~~~~~~
*This American Life
... Mike's story and other reasons to fear sleep, including roaches, bedbugs, "The Shining," and mild-mannered husbands who turn into maniacs while asleep. ...

Canada's Health Care System (Medicare)Provides links to various topics related to the Canada Health Act: overview, administration, federal contributions, annual reports, provincial and ...