Care January 28, 2009
Posted by columbiaagedcare in Uncategorized.add a comment
Often in our community today, stories of care go unnoticed. The nightly news is filled with stories of horror and sadness. This infiltrates our communities to such an extent that we often forget, or do not see, the interactions of humans that are based deeply and primarily in care, concern and compassion for others.
People often talk of footballers and pop stars as being heroes but aren’t the true heroes in life those that sacrifice something of their own for the sake of another? Visiting a relative in need, forgoing something of material value for another or even allowing someone in the queue ahead of us at the supermarket when we sense they are struggling are ways of offering a sense of care in the world.
In our busy lives the opportunities to care for another are presented to us every day, however, we may often miss the moment in the rush to our next meeting or other priorities.
Older people have lived rich and complex lives and many have had their lives devoted to the caring of others. Now is their time for them to rightly receive the highest quality of care. Take the time to care for the elderly in your life and show them an act of kindness to let them know you care.
By David Goldman, Clinical Psychologist
Finding a holiday to suit you January 21, 2009
Posted by columbiaagedcare in Uncategorized.Tags: aged, care, columbia, elderly, holiday, services, vacation
add a comment
There are a wide range of holidays available now, from beach to city break, cruise, activity holiday, or visiting friends and relatives. What is important is that the destination and type of holiday you buy suits your needs. If you’re considering going on a long stay holiday and you are in receipt of any benefits, check with the office that pays you whether these benefits will be affected.
Read up about the destinations you’re interested in:
• Are there cultural, language or other considerations to bear in mind? You may find it useful to know about local laws, for example about alcohol or drugs, and dress codes. Also the cost of living may be higher or lower than Australia, so you may need to allow for this in spending money.
• Find out whether the destination matches your needs, for example a hilly location may not suit someone with mobility problems.
• If the holiday involves a different type of activity, prepare ahead. For example you may need to build up your physical fitness for a sporting holiday.
• Think about whether you want to arrange it all yourself or visit a travel agent – an independent holiday may be time consuming to plan so that travel fits in with accommodation, or it may be a way of providing exactly what you want.
Source: http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/how_we_help.asp
Successful Meetings January 14, 2009
Posted by columbiaagedcare in General.add a comment
Do you know what the most expensive communication activity is in an organisation? No its not the thousands of telephone calls, E-mails, letters or reports, it is internal committee and staff meetings. To help make the meeting successful and your time productive here are some things you can do:
• Understand the purpose of this meeting so that you can contribute to meeting success.
• Make sure you have an agenda to acquaint you with the issues to be discussed. Talk to your colleagues about their input on agenda items.
• Read all documents critical to the meeting. This includes making sure you have read the previous minutes that can be obtained from committee members and notice boards.
• Complete any assignments / actions which have been delegated to you or your colleagues from the previous meeting.
• Think about how you are going to contribute to the meeting. This may be to actively listening to other ideas and viewpoints, expressing your thoughts on the subject to be discussed, asking questions about anything you don’t understand, or combining the group’s skills to reach a solution.
• Practise proper meeting etiquette such as arriving on time, staying to the end, refraining from distractions, avoiding unnecessary interruptions, and staying focused on the issues being discussed. If you are unable to attend for any reason, as a matter of courtesy to other members on the committee, send your apologies before the meeting to the secretary.
Heat Stroke January 7, 2009
Posted by columbiaagedcare in Health.add a comment
Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to suffer from heat stroke because of their compromised temperature adjusting mechanism, especially for those who have chronic illness (e.g. diabetic mellitus, stroke) or who are taking diuretics, are alcoholic, malnourished or debilitated.
Symptoms of heat stroke
The symptoms of heat stroke are dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath, hot and dry skin; in severe cases, convulsion and coma.
Caring of heat stroke
1. Stop all activities immediately if the above symptoms occur.
2. Switch on the fan or air-conditioner.
3. If in outdoor area, get to a sheltered place. Use wet towel to wipe the body to cool down the temperature.
4. If the elderly is conscious, give some cold drinks to replace the fluid lost.
5. If the elderly does not recover or becomes drowsy, send to hospital immediately.
Prevention of heat stroke
1. Open the windows and make sure that there is sufficient ventilation of the indoor area. You can use fan or air-conditioner to maintain a cool environment.
2. In hot weather, it is better for the elderly to stay in cool indoor area and minimize outdoor activities.
3. If need to go outdoor, bring along umbrella and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun. Preferably go out in the morning or in the evening.
4. Listen to the weather report and wear appropriate clothes. Wear clothes that are loose, light-coloured, and made of cotton.
5. Replace fluid lost adequately. Avoid taking tea, coffee and alcohol as they induce diuresis.
Source: http://www.info.gov.hk/elderly/english/healthinfo/selfhelptips/heat-e.htm
