Author Archives: Jeanne Lowry

Ways to Help Your Pet Adjust to the New Baby

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 27, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

A few years ago, I read a book called Wesley the Owl by Stacey O’Brien. It was an amazing tale of a woman who raised a rescue barn owl for nearly twenty years. One of the most memorable parts of the book is where she realizes she needs to file down Wesley’s beak (in the wild, an owl’s beak would grow dull over time). The first time she tried it, Wesley freaked out – which she understood, as owl’s beaks are part of their skulls. So she racked her brain about what to do. She came up with talking to Wesley about what needed to happen. She’d tell him about it, she gave him a countdown, she showed him the tools and while in the same room with Wesley, visualized her filing down the beak. Finally, after counting down every day for a couple of months, she told Wesley that this was it. And Wesley, instead of flying away to a corner, held himself very still with a determined look on his face and let her file his beak down.

This is also one of the recommended ways to introduce your pet to your new baby. Tell them about it beforehand. Talk about what will happen. Mention it every day to them (starting a few months before the birth), and use the baby’s name if you’ve picked one out. Your pet may not be able to understand you in the way that people understand one another, but telling them of the intention, of the plan, of how things will change may just help them cope.

Other suggestions include getting your pet used to the new sights, sounds and smells that will be happening (leave diaper packages lying around, play sounds of infants crying or put baby oil on your skin). And try to introduce your pet to other infants (while supervised). Temple Grandin has written about how dogs especially don’t always recognize babies and children as small humans if they’ve never met one before.

If you’re still feeling nervous, YouTube is full of wonderful videos of dogs and cats meeting new babies for the first time. We here at TotalHomeCareSupplies.com wish you the best for your new addition and their furry friends!

Tips on Converting Your Home to a Senior Friendly Home

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 24, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Falls are the leading cause of injury death among seniors. So if you are retrofitting your home before your parents come to live with you, that statistic needs to be the first thought in your mind. But it shouldn’t be the only change you consider.

Bathroom
While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention does compile statistics about where people fall in general (the home leading the pack), it does not collect stats about where people fall within their homes. But it seems likely that the bathroom is the main culprit, between its slippery floors and lack of handholds. Determining where and how to install grip bars can be one of the most important updates to a bathroom. If necessary, follow that up with a toilet riser and make sure any mats on the ground are slip-proof. Falls on the way to the bathroom can also occur, so make sure the pathway to the restroom is clear, or invest in some adult pull-ups so there doesn’t need to be such a rush.

Kitchen
The most alarming part of the kitchen is the risk of fire if the stove is left on. This can be prevented with knob cover locks that go over the stove controls. While that may take care of the fire risk, there are other risks to be assessed. Fatigue from standing can cause falling in the elderly. If your floor needs to be replaced anyway, consider installing a cork floor – they’re much more comfortable and supportive of the feet. If you’re not looking to go that far, you can always apply floor mats, provided they themselves don’t become a trip or slip hazard.

Indoors and Out
Some seniors with dementia have a tendency to wander. This can be very dangerous, but the solution can be simple. Sometimes just putting a bell on a front or back doorknob is all you need. But if that’s not loud enough or your elder decides to remove it, high locks can be installed.

Good luck with making the necessary changes to your home, and we’re sure your elderly parent or parents will appreciate your efforts.

Respiratory Care Week

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 22, 2014 under Resources | Be the First to Comment

We are in the middle of Respiratory Care Week, a week to honor respiratory therapists and the amazing work they do. Here are some tips on how to celebrate:

Learn more about RTs and COPD
A respiratory therapist (RT) is a board certified doctor who specializes in the field of cardiology (the heart) and pulmonology (the lungs). They can be found in emergency rooms and intensive care units, keeping patients breathing and alive. They can also be found in clinics, helping patients manager their COPD, asthma or other symptoms related to breathing. COPD stands for Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which creates chronically poor air flow to the lungs.

If you’re an RT, take out you
Hopefully, your company or colleagues are celebrating you. But whether or not they are, you should take a moment to congratulate yourself. Another year has gone by where you have saved lives, helped people breathe easier, taught them how to take care of themselves. You worked hard to get where you are. Why not pat yourself on the back in the form of a dinner on the town?

If you’ve benefitted from an RT, tell your story, even anonymously
You may not be ready or comfortable with calling out your RT on your Facebook page and telling your story of how they helped you. But in some way, it’s nice to put those positive thoughts out into the universe. So feel free to comment here (you don’t need to use your full name) or send a thank you postcard to your clinic. It’s a great feeling to recognize someone for the work they’ve done!

Image from https://www.aarc.org/rcweek

Talking with Others about Your Special Needs Child

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 20, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Whom you talk to about your special needs child is completely up to you. You may have coworkers who know you have a child, but little about them. Or someone you chat with at the coffee shop, but it just hasn’t come up yet. When and if you do tell these people about your child, what are the pieces of information to share?

Don’t feel the need to tell them the whole diagnosis
You can keep things simple when talking about your child’s diagnosis. You can say “they’re autistic” instead of telling them the details, or even just say “they’re on the spectrum.” You may remember all the things the doctor has said over the years, but your kid may have already grown out of some of those diagnoses. Only share information you’re comfortable with telling them.

Tell them the positive things, but only as much as you’d like
Maybe your child rode their bike for the first time last week, and you’d like to share that with a friend. Go right ahead! But you also don’t need to get too personal. Having a feeding tube removed may be incredible news to your family, but if you feel like it’s too much to get into with someone you don’t know very well, don’t worry about it. You can just say you had a really great weekend and leave it at that.

Don’t hide the realities: talk about the stress
ALL parents are stressed. Raising children is a stressful process. You don’t need to only talk about your child’s achievements and make every day sound like a miraculous one. Your friends, even those without kids, can relate to someone being stubborn. Denying the reality of the situation just means you take more of those stresses on to your shoulders, instead of sharing them and being able to laugh about them later.

Above all, stay in your comfort zone. Just because someone is sharing about their kid, doesn’t mean you have to share about yours. Or just because they’re not sharing, doesn’t mean you can’t tell them that you’re really proud/happy/frustrated with/enamored of your child. We here at TotalHomeCareSupplies.com would love to hear about your experiences talking with friends, family or acquaintances about your special needs child.

How to Dispose of Incontinence Products

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 17, 2014 under BladderMatters | Be the First to Comment

Knowing how dispose of incontinence products is useful in your own home and when you’re out and about. Odor is a concern for both situations. And being discreet can be a thought when leaving the house for a few hours. So how can you solve these two issues and have good diaper etiquette?

Let’s start with inside the privacy of your own home. Many incontinence products, including those from Prevail, have odor control, but after a few days, the odor reducing components may start to break down. And taking out the trash everyday can be a pain. The best path is to get a diaper pail, like the ones made for children’s diapers, but larger. Having each incontinence product wrapped in its own plastic bubble helps immensely with odor. There are several companies that offer such products, including Akord.

On the go, it’s recommended that, along with extra incontinence items, you take a couple of disposable plastic bags. The type you receive your groceries in at the supermarket are not recommended. They can be easily ripped on the trip home from the store and even a small hole can release odor. Try the smallest garbage bags at the store and tie them shut with twisty-ties. These are often opaque and can be thrown away while out and about. Or if you’d rather not throw them in a foreign garbage can, you can always use regular plastic baggies that zip closed. These are generally see-through, but if you’re keeping your items in your purse, that won’t matter. If you’d prefer a scented bag, Heaven Scent makes perfumed bags specifically for incontinence product disposal.

With these tips, you should be able to eliminate odor issues and discreetly dispose of your diapers and pads. If you know of more tips to help solve these problems, please let us know in the comments!

Shout Out to Ostomy Nurses

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 16, 2014 under Ostomy Care | Read the First Comment

Ostomy nurses are generally associated with a larger group called WOC Nurses (Wound, Ostomy and Continence). Originally, ostomy nurses started out as something called Enterostomal Therapists in the 1960s. The first association of these types of nurses went through some turbulent times before eventually becoming the WOCN Society.

Because ostomy nurses spent so much time learning about how to care for ostomies, they learned a lot about wound care. And incontinence and ostomy nurses have a great amount of knowledge about how the bladder and intestines work. But each of these nurses has their own specialty.

Ostomy nurses often meet their patients before the surgery takes place. They are the ones with the answers and make the time to discuss the life changes with the patient and their family. Oftentimes, they’re the ones that make recommendations on where the stoma should be placed, after discussing the placement with the patient and watching how that person sits. They also walk the patient through their feelings about the stoma, and may recommend discussing the upcoming surgery with someone who has already experienced it.

After the surgery, ostomy nurses are there to show patients how to use their ostomy pouches and answer more questions. They still may be helping the patient to emotionally deal with the impact of their new stoma.

Many nurses, of all types, may connect deeply with their patients. And many patients also connect with and remember their nurses. But ostomy nurses are there during such a huge and often positive life-changing event, they deserve a special shout out. So thank you, WOC Nurses! You are appreciated.

Plane Travel with Your Baby

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 13, 2014 under Everything Baby | Read the First Comment

Plane travel is already something that few people look forward to these days now, but taking the trip with an infant can be more than daunting: it can be overwhelming. But! If you make sure you’re mentally prepared and have all the right items within easy reach, your control over the situation will improve considerably.

Pack outfit changes – for both of you
You never know when turbulence will hit. It might be in the bathroom, while you’re changing a poopy diaper. You’ll probably both be fine, but your clothes will be a disaster. Luckily, you’ve brought a change of clothes for the baby and you, all within easy reach. Easy reach means be sure the clothes and anything else you may need are in the bag you stow under your seat – the bag in the overhead compartment may be inaccessible at times.

Have a mini first aid/comfort kit
You may not know before you fly that your baby gets nauseous with plane travel. Or what if they experience an earache that means they can’t stop screaming. Be sure to pack a few travel samples of whatever medication you might suspect you need. Flight attendants can hand out Band-Aids, but not any type of medications, even if they are over-the-counter. Also, if your child is teething, make sure you have a well-frozen teething ring.

Considering buying them a seat and bringing a car seat
Yes, buying a seat for a little person who still fits on your lap is expensive. But it is much safer to have them strapped in during takeoff, landing and turbulence. There have been past reports that during emergency landings, flight attendants have instructed parents to put their babies on the airplane floor, because holding on to the child could endanger surrounding passengers. However, if the cost of purchasing a seat for your baby on the plane would prohibit your travel to the point where you’d need to drive instead, consider how much safer plane travel is than car travel.

Have a great time on your trip with your little one, and please let us know what tips you have for new parents and their first-time-flyers!

Product Samples We Offer

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 10, 2014 under BladderMatters | Be the First to Comment

Starting to use a new product or switching to a different brand can be a daunting task. Not least because sizes can vary between brands, or you may not know where to start. While all our incontinent product sizes are based on waist size, a product may rise too high on the hips or be otherwise uncomfortable. For this reason, we offer samples of our products. Check out our most popular:

Prevail Extra Adult Pull-Up Sample
This protective underwear comes in five sizes, from small to 2XL, with a range of a waist sizes from 20 to 80 inches. These pull-ups are our top sellers, and we want to make sure that our customers are satisfied with them before they order a case.

Prevail Underpad Sample 30 x 30 Sample
No worries with a perfect fit for your body, but what if you wanted to check out how the underpad (also known as chux) fits on your favorite chair? If it was comfortable to sleep on? You can answer both these questions (and more) quickly, with the two samples that arrive in this pack.

Cuties Baby Diapers Sample
Just because your baby’s diaper is getting tighter, does that mean you’re ready to move up to the next size? Are you ready to buy and use that new case of the next size up, or will it have to spend some time in that already too full closet? Make life easier by having a few sizes of diapers handy. Cuties come in sizes from Newborn to size six (over 35 pounds) so you should be set through all those growth spurts.

The best part about our Prevail product samples? They cost three dollars for the sample and come with a nine dollars off coupon! So once you do pick what type and size you want, you’ll save right away!

Baby Diaper Changing Etiquette

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 8, 2014 under Everything Baby | Be the First to Comment

Most of these “rules” are just common sense. And many of them completely depend on the situation and the surrounding company. But these are definitely things to keep in mind when out and about with your little one.

Change quickly
Even if you’re in the middle of a pleasant conversation, or doing something pressing like moving a friend’s couch, you have to stop when you first get a whiff of that diaper. The longer your baby’s diaper contains solid waste, the worse the smell is going to be when you do change it.

Find a good spot
This can be tricky. Not all restaurants have changing tables in the bathroom. And when they do, you know they’re covered in germs. Never leave the house without a changing pad – although a layer of paper towels or seat covers can do in a pinch. If there is no changing table, you have to find an alternative outside of the restaurant. Anywhere not in the restroom, especially on a table, is off limits. Cars are a good alternative – although make sure you feel comfortable in your surroundings before you change your baby while the car doors are open.

Flush what you can
If you are able to change in or near a restroom, most diapers recommend that you flush the solid waste, if possible. This will mean the diaper will be less unpleasant once you dispose of it and it save methane from landfills.

Choose where you dispose
Ideally, an outdoor dumpster is best if there are no Diaper Genies or the like around. But if that’s not possible, at least wrap the diaper well in a plastic bag and dispose in a bathroom/outdoor garbage can if you’re in public. If visiting family or friends, ask them if you can throw the diaper away outside, even if it’s just a pee diaper.

Anything else? What’s your pet peeve, or something that you don’t think is a big deal. Let us know!

Helping Your Elderly Parents with Their Finances

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 6, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

There’s no denying that helping your parents sort out their finances can be a daunting task. How well they respond to your offer to help, how organized they are and how spread out their finances are – these can all be contributors to the difficulty of the job. But it is doable, and with a little help for yourself, you’ll find you can get all those figures under control.

First, there’s actually getting your parents to allow you to participate. If they’re particularly reluctant, you can always just ask them to speak to an elder-care attorney. This article shows that that might be a good idea no matter the case: the attorney quoted in the post says he spends most of his time fixing the mistakes people made when they tried to do everything themselves. Your parents should also, at the least, tell you where they keep their financial information in case of an emergency.

If you’re able to actually help them with a budget, be sure to schedule that time for when everyone is relaxed. Don’t lump it into when you’re already going to take them to a doctor’s appointment – many people, whether or not they tell you, can become anxious before appointments. Try to schedule a time to sit down with some kind of reward at the end: a nice dinner out or a visit with the grandkids.

Don’t necessarily use your own budget as a template for theirs. They may have expenses you wouldn’t think of at first, like extra money for medical equipment, incontinence supplies or higher insurance premiums.

With a lot of patience, you can work together with your parents to get them financially set. Good luck, and let us know if you have any advice you’d like to share in the comments.