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A stroke occurs when a blood vessel carrying blood and oxygen to the brain gets blocked or ruptured. With the brain cells getting deprived of blood and oxygen, the nerve cells stop working and die within minutes. The part of the brain they control also stops functioning. This effect can be permanent depending on how many cells are lost. Going by statistics, roughly 800,000 persons in the US become victims of stroke each year, making this an average of one person suffering from a stroke every 4 minutes. Not surprisingly, this has become the leading cause of disability and is among the top five leading causes of death in the US. And for most of those who survive, a host of life-time debilitating conditions persist – from changes in mobility, speech, bowel functions and more. Suffering a stroke though, does not mean an end to living, in general. With the…

A former stray lovingly referred to as Oreo, has found a new home at St. Augustine Health Ministries, a nonprofit organization in Cleveland, Ohio that provides assisted living, home health care, and nursing among other services. They already have a dog named Coco who lives at the facility, and now he has a friend. According to Dana Carns, Director of Advancement for St. Augustine Health Ministries, “They both give residents something to look for, to care about, to love on.” Several years ago, Oreo, a black and white feline, wandered into the nursing home and found her way into the hearts of staff and residents alike. “Oreo found us,” Carns stated. Now Oreo and Coco have an important role in improving the lives of residents. Valued Members of the Team Although Coco is a valued member of the team, Oreo outshines her furry counterpart in many ways. Oreo often greets…

If you’re caring for a senior parent(s), they may need additional care. It’s also natural to be overwhelmed by the amount of information on how to properly take care of them. You want them to have the best care, but how do you know what’s best? We’ve put together five senior care tips to improve the care you provide and make your lives easier. There will always be more to learn. There are entire sections of bookstores filled with literature on senior care. There is also a myriad of options available for senior care, including, but not limited to: independent living, nursing, Alzheimer’s care, assisted living, retirement communities, and in-home care. Senior care doesn’t refer exclusively to assisted-living facilities, although for some it may be the only option.You should also acknowledge that every person has a unique situation, which means there won’t be one concrete solution. Educate yourself. If you…

It’s interesting that the birth of life is filled with advanced planning and preparation while, unfortunately, the end of life is consumed with reminding people that you have lived. But while it is natural to be afraid, we do not have to be alone. Increasingly, nurses are training in Palliative Care so that proper preparation for our loved one’s survival can be well assisted. It’s Recommended by the AACN The American Association of Colleges of Nursing released the revised Recommendations, Competencies and Curricular Guidelines for End-of-Life Nursing Care of 2015, which identifies nurses as critical partners of quality End of Life care for patients with serious illnesses and their families from the time of diagnosis, across the illness trajectory. High-quality training equips nurses to aid in the mental and emotional stress for the patient and their family. This training is a combination of spiritual-psychosocial health and physical health to assist…

As people age, one of the most difficult processes to face is that of the decline in cognitive functions. The early loss of this function is classified as dementia, which can be a frightening factor of aging for the individual experiencing it, and for their families. The effects of dementia happen over time and can be overwhelming to a senior loved one. Both them and their family often become frustrated because of the gradual and progressive lack of communication. Your senior loved one will show signs of confusion, and the inability to understand what is going on around them, and often worst of all, who is around them. The time will eventually come when information on living in a care facility for dementia patients is needed. When it is time to consider dementia care The onset of dementia will usually allow time for the family to discuss a care and…