Cetti ’ s Warbler, Cettia cetti
I hear (but don’t often see) Cetti’s Warblers all year round out here in the Cambridgeshire Fens. They have a loud and distinctive call, which varies from region to region (they have dialects) and sometimes vary between individuals even on the same patch. To my ear, it sounds like “whi-choo, whi-chooey-choo, whi-chee-choo” or something like that. Quite harsh but a not unpleasant song, can’t be confused with anything else I hear in the fens. Have a listen to some across the UK here.
But, they’re rather shy birds and lurk deep within trees and brambles. Usually, they prefer not to have th...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - May 2, 2022 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Birds Source Type: blogs
Bladder Cancer: Incontinence Can Be a Side Effect
Bladder cancer isn’t a common condition, but the American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 83,730 new cases of bladder cancer (about 64,280 in men and 19,450 in women) and about 17,200 deaths from bladder cancer (about 12,260 in men and 4,940 in women) in 2021. That isn’t something to ignore, either.
Bladder cancer tends to occur in older people with about nine out of 10 people who develop this cancer being over the age of 55. The average age of people when they are diagnosed is 73. Though each person's risk of developing the cancer is individual, it will affect approximately one in 27 men and one in 8...
Source: Minding Our Elders - May 2, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Conspiracy Theories
I don ' t use the term " conspiracy theory " in the way most people do nowadays. After all, there are conspiracies, and in appropriate circumstances it ' s perfectly reasonable to have theories about them. In fact that ' s what law enforcement investigators do for a living. For example, Donald Trump and several of his associates conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 election. That ' s a real conspiracy and you are free to form theories about the details, although we know a lot of the broad outlines already. On the other hand, the " theory " that the 2020 election was somehow stolen from Mr. Trump is ridiculous. In ...
Source: Stayin' Alive - May 1, 2022 Category: American Health Source Type: blogs
A Dementia Spouse Grieves Husband ’s Loss of Memory on Their Anniversary
Photo credit Kampus
Dear Carol: Last week marked the anniversary of the day that my husband and I married. Not only didn’t he remember our anniversary, but he doesn’t always understand that I’m his wife. It’s not his fault, of course, it’s his dementia, but that day nearly undid me. I tried to celebrate for the two of us by making a nice dinner, but he has no interest in food now. I even sent us flowers and bought two cards, one for him and one from him, but after I got him to bed, I sat up crying. Although friends tried to help, this can’t be fixed. I’m recovering, of course, that’s what caregivers do, yet...
Source: Minding Our Elders - May 1, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Detaching With Love: Setting Boundaries with Difficult Elderly Parents
Photo credit David Hinkle
When the family member we are trying to care for is critical, impossible to please or emotionally abusive, long-standing family dynamics are often to blame. I’m not talking about an elder who is suffering from chronic pain or has little control over their moods and behaviors because of Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. In those cases, it is clear that we need the help of professionals to find a solution, like palliative care for symptom relief or a memory care unit that specializes in dementia behaviors. What I'm referring to are children who after a historically tox...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 30, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Top 3 Excuses from Siblings Who Don't Help with Caregiving
Photo creditn Matheus Ferrero
Unfair as it may seem, even in families with many adult children, one sibling usually becomes the primary caregiver for their aging parents. In many families, such as mine, this person is the one who lives the closest to the parents and/or is most suited for the task of caregiving. In my case, I fit both criteria. But this didn’t keep my sister, who lived about 50 miles away, from coming to town nearly every weekend to visit with our parents and lend a hand. However, in some families, this relatively short distance would be enough of an excuse for some siblings to justify helping minimally a...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 29, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
A Common Caregiver Confession: “I Secretly Wish My Ill Loved One Would Die”
Photo credit Sander Weeteling
New Caregivers Are Driven By Love and Hope: Most of these caregivers are decent folks who care deeply about their elderly parents, spouses, and other loved ones who require their assistance. As so many of us do, they have taken on the responsibility of caregiving out of love. Our help is needed, so we jump in without a thought. We have no idea that this role could last for years or even decades. It doesn’t occur to us that this decision could jeopardize our relationships, our careers, our health, or our finances, but that is the reality for most.
Many families are suddenly thrust into caregi...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 27, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
How to Get Over Feelings That Prevent You from Visiting Someone in Assisted Living or a Nursing Home
Photo credit Armin Lofti
People cite numerous reasons for why they hate visiting nursing homes. Some can’t stand funky smells, others find the sight of disengaged, listless seniors depressing, and most feel guilty over the fact that they’d rather spend time anywhere else. The truth is that most of us experience some level of discomfort over the thought of visiting a skilled nursing facility. This aversion is very similar to the widespread dislike of hospitals. These are places where people go when they are very ill and require a high level of care. For families who have loved ones living in nursing homes, this di...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 26, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Lewy Body Dementia: Caregivers' Personal Experiences
According to the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA), Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is a progressive brain disease. They say that it also is the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer’s. LBD is a spectrum disorder, meaning it can occur alone or in combination with Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson’s disease with Lewy bodies), or even co-exist with Alzheimer’s disease. The LBDA states that LBD accounts for up to 20 percent of dementia cases in the U.S. That means that up to 1.3 million cases of LBD are diagnosed in the U.S. alone...
Continue reading on HealthCentral for more about Lewy body...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 25, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Caregiver ’s Family Inadvertently Triggers Feelings of Guilt and Failure
Photo credit Liza Summer
Dear Carol: I’ve been caring for my mom with dementia at home for five years. Social media is a blessing because online caregiving groups allow me to feel supported and even socialize without leaving Mom. The problem is that my family also uses social media, and they think they are helping by tagging me with all of these “every day is a good day” memes. I appreciate their good intentions, but dementia care is hard. Many days are a struggle so well-intentioned as they are, instead of helping me they just end up making me feel guilty for failing as a caregiver. How do I them know t...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 24, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
A woman in her 60s with palpitations
Conclusion:The final tracing in Today ' s Case was obtained the day after the run of ATach that was caught on Telemetry. I found it interesting to compare this last ECG #4 — with the post-cardioversion ECG #2 — and then with QRS morphology in selected leads during full preexcitation that was seen in ECG #1 (these 3 tracings put together in Figure-4):Sinus rhythm is again present in ECG #4 (RED arrows in lead II). However, the PR interval is short — and delta waves are seen.Compared to ECG #2 — there is more preexcitation in...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - April 24, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs
How Hiring a Handy Person Can Help Your Older Parents Stay Well
Photo credit Louis Hansel
Years ago I saw a van whose driver was letting teenagers off in front of the local high school, where I was doing the same. I noted the modestly painted letters on the side of the van with the name of a company that provided "neighborhood services." I'm not sure why I noted that, as I didn't need such services at the time. But I was curious. I was caring for many elders, and I was well aware of the stress homeownership can have on people as they age.
Many elders want to keep their homes. Many are not in undue danger of falling unless they climb a ladder they shouldn't climb. They can shovel...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 23, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Egosan: Discover the Difference with These Video Tips for Getting the Most Out of Incontinence Wear
Did you know that purchasing a product for incontinence protection is only the first step toward the best performance? Don’t let that bother you, most people don’t.
Part of how Egosan helps you Discover the Difference between products is to provide you with the information that you need to make the most of the products you choose.
Watch the videos on the Egosancares Youtube channel and learn to:
* Become more efficient while putting them on yourself or another person.
*Take them off properly.
*Prep the brief/diaper or pull-up to give you the best performance.
*Understand how important it is to measure for the bes...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 22, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Egosan: Discover the Difference with These Video Tips
Did you know that purchasing a product for incontinence protection is only the first step toward the best performance? Don’t let that bother you, most people don’t.
Part of how Egosan helps you Discover the Difference between products is to provide you with the information that you need to make the most of the products you choose.
Watch the videos on the Egosancares Youtube channel and learn to:
* Become more efficient while putting them on yourself or another person.
*Take them off properly.
*Prep the brief/diaper or pull-up to give you the best performance.
*Understand how important it is to measure for the bes...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 22, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Geriatric Care Managers Can Help Busy Caregivers
Photo credits Jes Shoots
Geriatric care management is a rapidly growing field in the eldercare industry. As most caregivers know, researching and coordinating all the care options and resources available for aging loved ones is a never-ending process. Many would rather use their precious time visiting with family members or seeing to their own health instead of filling out paperwork, juggling appointments, and searching for sources of financial assistance. This is where geriatric care managers (GCMs) come in.
What Is a Geriatric Care Manager? Geriatric care managers (also known as Aging Life Care Professional...
Source: Minding Our Elders - April 21, 2022 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
