How to Keep a Senior’s Home Sweet-Smelling

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 5, 2014 under BladderMatters, Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Everyone wants to make sure that their home smells lovely, and is inviting to their guests. But as seniors age, their sense of smell can become diminished. Additionally, they may not be able to perform the upkeep and cleaning tasks that can be necessary to keep a home or apartment or room smelling nice. Sometimes they need some help. Check out the below tips to keep the scents pleasant.

Make sure their incontinence products are a perfect fit
Small urine leaks can dry quickly and leave nary a sign that they ever existed … except for odor. If your loved one has a favorite chair, and a slight leak, their clothes may be washed within a few days, but perhaps not the chair. Incontinence products must fit correctly if they’re going to prevent leaks. Do not buy a larger size of diaper or pull-up because you think they may be more absorbent – that isn’t how they work. You can read more about how to prevent leaks in our blog post here.

Get the carpets cleaned at least once a year
Regular vacuuming can help, but a proper steam cleaning can deal with stains, odor and more. You can rent a steam cleaner from the store, or get a professional cleaning.

Dispose of incontinence products correctly
Don’t just throw away disposable briefs any old place. Try to keep their disposal inside one room. Ideally, a garbage can that can individually package each diaper is best, such as ones from Akord.

Don’t just cover up smells – eliminate them
While diffusers, wall-plugs and other good smelling items can make a room smell nice, they’re not getting rid of the bacteria that is causing the odor. Try spraying Fabreeze or another product that specifically states that it eliminates odor-causing bacteria.

Check for UTIs
Urinary tract infections can cause pungent odors in urine, sometimes more than the average disposable brief can deal with. If you feel that your senior’s scent has changed dramatically for the worse in a small amount of time, or if there are any other side effects, like an unwillingness to use the restroom or a change in behavior, have a doctor test them. Checking for UTIs only involves a urine test, so can be diagnosed quickly.

What other tips do our blog readers have? We’d love to hear them!

Baby Diaper Basics

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on November 4, 2014 under Everything Baby | Read the First Comment

Maybe you’re going to be a new parent! Congrats! Or maybe you’re off to visit your new little niece this weekend. This post, and the links in it, will have you changing diapers like a pro in no time.

How to Change a Baby Diaper
First, never leave a baby unattended on a changing table, even if you’re using the provided strap. Some parents like to put the new diaper underneath the child before they start, so it’s all set to go when the old one is off. Once you’re ready, take the old diaper off, taking care to “cover up” if you’re changing a boy. If it’s just a pee diaper, you may not need to wipe (for more about when and whether to wipe, see our post Baby Diaper Issues: Wiping). If it’s poop, carefully clean up the area, making sure to wipe front to back for girls. Apply diaper rash cream if necessary. Remove the old diaper if you haven’t already, and fasten the new one on, taking care to spread out the bottom of the diaper and make sure the fit is tight but not pinching. Afterward, take care to dispose of the diaper properly, especially if in public (see our post Baby Diaper Changing Etiquette for tips on that) and wash your hands.

Do you have more questions? We have more answers! Below you can find links to article that you may find quite helpful as a new parent:

How to Choose the Right Size Diaper

Solutions for Diaper Rash

Common Questions about Changing a Baby’s Diaper

Gifts for Caregivers

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 31, 2014 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Do you have a friend or family member who is a full-time caregiver? Or part-time? The holidays are just around the bend, and it’s time to start making those lists. But what to get that person who may not have time to enjoy the latest gadget or tickets to the movies? Here are just a few suggestions.

Gift of Time
Are you able to take over for the caregiver for a few hours? If you know their caree well enough and are okay with taking over for your friend (or family member), give them a few hours off. They can do with it what they choose – errand running, visiting a friend, taking a nap. Just try to emphasize that the time should be spent doing something for them. Or, if the caregiver has a backup person they often use, and you can pay for that person to come in for one extra session, that’s a great gift, too.

Meals
Have them over for dinner, specifically on a night when you know they’re free. Or take them out to lunch, again when you know they’re able to take off for a bit. Or if they can’t find the time to get away, bring them some coffee and a croissant, and sit and chat with them and their caree. You can offer any of these treats by creating a coupon, or even a homemade coupon book.

Books
On TotalHomeCareSupplies.com’s Pinterest page, we have a whole board devoted to books that are about and for caregivers. It’s a way of saying “I may not understand what you’re going through, but here’s someone who does.” Bonus – get two copies of the book and offer to read it with them, so they have someone with whom to discuss the content.

Cyber Monday Savings

Posted by Jeanne Lowry on October 29, 2014 under Promotions | Be the First to Comment

Not only will shopping with TotalHomeCareSupplies.com on Cyber Monday save you money, it will make sure that you have all the supplies you need for the busy month of December. You’ll have enough on your hands between family, weather and gift-giving. Check back the week before Thanksgiving to find big savings on our site. We’ll have a coupon code for you to save on incontinence supplies, ostomy products, urological supplies and wound care supplies. And, as always, enjoy free shipping on all orders over $40! We hope to see you back here to take advantage of our Cyber Monday Savings!

UPDATE: Find our Cyber Monday Savings here!

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.