Mosser

Christine Stone, RN

Do you feel overwhelmed when you visit your doctor?  Do you forget what you wanted to ask about, or forget the names of your medications?   A lot of people feel rushed and get flustered at the appointments.  They forget what the doctor said or are confused by the instructions they were given.   Don’t despair!   There are things you can do to make every doctor visit count.

Prepare for the visit.  

1. Write down a list of your questions. Things to consider are:  What is the reason for your visit?  Do you have a new medical problem, or is this a follow-up appointment?   Refer to your list during your time with the doctor to make sure all your questions are answered and nothing is overlooked.

2. Don’t be shy or embarrassed to share all your symptoms or health concerns. The more the doctor knows, the better he/she can help.

3. Write down the complete list of the medications you are taking – even medications prescribed by specialists. Be sure to include vitamins, herbal supplements, and over-the-counter (non-prescription) medications.  

 
When you are at the appointment

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if there’s something you don’t understand. If you want to know why a medication is being prescribed, just ask.  You have the right to understand all decisions that affect your health.  

5. Bring an adult family member or friend to the appointment. An extra set of ears can pick up on information that you might have missed.  It’s okay for that person to take notes while you talk with the doctor.

6. Before leaving, get a recap of the appointment. Ask the doctor or nurse to repeat the instructions.  Write down what you need to remember.  Some offices now give a written summary of the appointment – make sure you understand the information on that summary. 

7. Were you given prescriptions? Make sure you have the paper copy of the prescription before you leave your appointment.   Some offices now send prescriptions directly to your pharmacy.   If you still have questions about your prescriptions, the pharmacist is always a source of information. 

 
And while we’re talking about prescriptions –  ALWAYS use the same pharmacy – this will eliminate any chance of medication errors.

August 31st, 2017

Submitted by Christine Stone, RN     Clinical Liaison

To me, ticks seem more plentiful this year (20170 compared to past years.  Just thinking of them makes me feel itchy.  All I have to do is walk outside, and I find a tick on me.   Fortunately, the ticks had not yet attached to my skin.   I’ve done some reading on the subject of ticks, the diseases they can transmit to humans and animals, and some ways to prevent and treat tick bites.  Here’s a summary of my readings:

Ticks love to hide in grassy, wooded and leaf covered areas.  They crawl, rather than fly, or fall from trees.  By just walking across your lawn, ticks can land on you.  Not all ticks carry the dreaded Lyme disease, but there are a number of different diseases they can carry.   If ticks feed on infected mice, they can transmit the diseases to humans and animals.   When the tick attaches itself, it “salivates” into the human body – this makes me itchy

Always check yourself and for ticks when you come in from the outside – hair, under arms, groin, under your waistband.  Check your pets too.  If you find a tick on yourself or your pet, there are very specific ways to remove the insect.   Pay no attention to all those “folklore remedies” which recommend using peppermint oil, nail polish, petroleum jelly, apple cider vinegar, or heat.  They don’t work, and you’d be wasting precious time.   Instead, grab the tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, pull straight up with steady pressure.  Then thoroughly clean the area (and your hands) with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.   To get rid of the tick, flush it down the toilet, or place in a sealed plastic bag.

Other measures you can take to minimize ticks include:

• Keep grass mowed, remove tall grass/brush and leaves so ticks don’t have dark, wet places to hide.
• Use wood chips or mulch as a barrier around trees and bushes.
• Spraying insecticides is probably the least environmentally-friendly option. Some communities offer neighborhood spraying.   Stay indoors when spraying is being done.
• Rather than spraying, treat clothing with chemicals that kill or repel ticks such as DEET or permthrin. This can keep ticks from landing on you and biting.
• Throw clothing in the dryer on high heat after coming inside.
• When walking or hiking, wear light-colored clothing so the ticks can be easily seen. Stay in the middle of the trail
• Check with your veterinarian for appropriate tick and flea treatment for your pet.

If you develop a rash or a fever, seek medical attention right away.   Early recognition and treatment can decrease the risk of serious complications later on.

Christine Stone, RN May 3, 2017
Clinical Liaison for Lifequest Nursing Home

Carbon Monoxide – also known as CO2 is a colorless and odorless gas that is impossible to detect without specialized equipment. For that reason, it’s been called “The Invisible Killer.”   About 400 people die each year from CO2 poisoning. Another 200,000 people are sickened and require hospital treatment.

CO2 can be produced by fuel-powered devices in the home – like stoves, furnaces, water heaters, dryers, broilers, and lanterns, wood-burning stoves, charcoal grills, and generators.   Ask yourself: do you have any of these in your home or apartment? If your answer is “Yes”, then please read on.

The reason CO2 is so dangerous is that it replaces oxygen in your blood.   When you breathe in CO2 in an enclosed or poorly ventilated space, your body becomes “starved” for oxygen in less than three minutes.   Cells will begin to die, and permanent damage begins.

This all sounds very dire, but there is an easy, relatively inexpensive solution.   Much like a smoke detector, the CO2 detector sounds an alarm when unsafe levels of the gas are detected. CO2 detectors can be battery operated or can connect directly into electric outlets.   In many states and counties, CO2 detectors are required by law, and should be placed on each level of the home (including basement, attic, garage and other work rooms). At minimum, there should be a CO2 detector placed outside each bedroom.

Other steps to keep your family safe include:

• Check the CO2 detectors monthly to make sure they’re working and have functional batteries. Keep an extra supply of fresh batteries on hand.
• When using the fireplace, keep the damper wide open and keep it open until the ashes have completely cooled.
• Never use your gas stove or oven to heat a room.
• Never use a portable generator inside the house. Generators should be kept outside at least 20 feet from the house.
• Never use a charcoal or propane grill inside the house.

Know the signs and symptoms of carbon dioxide poisoning:

• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Confusion

If you suspect that you or a family member has CO2 poisoning – immediately go outside for fresh air and then call 911.

Whether the music is orchestral, rock, country, or jazz, most seniors like to listen to some kind of music. Music can soothe or energize, make us happy or sad, but the kind we like to hear does something that can be positively reinforcing or otherwise we would not listen to it. As my 80-year-old jazz trumpeter friend, Richard Phelps, recently said at his birthday party, “Where there is life there is music. Where there is music, there is life.”

Relatively little research has been done on the effects of music on brain function in older people. But one study recently reported the effects in older adults of background music on brain processing speed and two kinds of memory (episodic and semantic). The subjects were not musicians and had an average age of 69 years.

Music’s Effects on Cognitive Function of the Elderly