MAY ~ National Stroke Awareness Month

National Stroke Association's Faces of Stroke public awareness campaign aims to change the public perceptions of stroke through education and personal stories of those impacted by the fourth leading cause of death.In May, during National Stroke Awareness Month, four campaign ambassadors will begin educating the communities they live in about important life-saving stroke information through activities, events and media outreach. Join this campaign by submitting a story, browsing the gallery, sharing stories via social media, taking theFive Faces Pledge and more.

Introducing the New Faces of Stroke Blog
*Stay up to date on all of the latestFaces of Stroke happenings through a new campaign blog. Visit regularly for updates on campaign happenings and how the new Ambassadors are progressing in their efforts to raise community awareness.*
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Warm Weather Triggers Early Allergy Season

While unseasonably warm weather delights many people, those with allergies may not be as thrilled with the early arrival of spring.

Arriving along with those beautiful blooms is plenty of pollen that has hay-fever sufferers sneezing at least a few weeks sooner than normal.

And, in some areas, not only is the season starting early, but the pollen counts are breaking records. Several days ago, Atlanta's pollen count reading was 9,369 particles of pollen per cubic meter, which is 55 percent higher than the old record high set in 1999. Normally, anything above 1,500 is considered high in the Atlanta area, according to the American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI).

"Tree pollen in some parts of eastern U.S. started in early February, which is about three to four weeks early, and some areas have had record high counts for days and weeks. For the one in four people who has allergies, this is having a cumulative effect. The longer you get exposure, the worse the problem becomes," explained Dr. James Sublett, an allergist and spokesman for the ACAAI.

He said mold counts haven't been high yet, but normally in the winter, mold is gone once the ground freezes. "We've had some mold counts in the moderate range here in Louisville, Ky., and because of the nice weather people are outside more. Again, it's that continuous exposure that makes allergies even worse."

Safeguard Your Loved Ones

Finding a good home health-care aide is both challenging and essential. "You want someone who is organized, gentle, who has a sense of importance and demeanor, as well as a sympathetic attitude," says Mary St. Pierre, vice president of regulatory affairs for the National Association of Home Care & Hospice. But you also need someone who has a clean background check and solid references. Searching for questions to ask your prospective home health-care provider? Look no further:

Is the agency licensed and accredited? Your home health-care aide should be part of an agency licensed by the state, says St. Pierre. Do not hire a caregiver through a nonlicensed agency. Contact your state department of health for a list of agencies they have licensed. Look for accreditation from organizations like Joint Commission, an independent nonprofit that accredits and certifies nearly 15,000 health-care organizations and programs in the United States.

Safety Tips for Home Healthcare Workers

 By Megan Malugani, Monster Contributing Writer

Home health workers face an array of safety risks -- including overexertion, falls, car accidents and hostile pets -- that make their jobs more treacherous than those of their hospital counterparts. In fact, the injury rate in home care settings is about 50 percent higher than that in hospitals, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.

Three home health veterans offer these tips for staying safe and injury-free when you're making house calls.

Keep Your Guard Up

Unlike the controlled environment of a hospital, working in patients' homes is unpredictable, so you must stay aware of your surroundings. "The risks [of providing home care] are the same reasons I love it," says Roger Herr, PT, MPA, a physical therapist for Swedish Home Care Services and president of the American Physical Therapy Association's Home Health Section. "It's a constant variable environment. You never know what you're going to see."

Don't Overexert Yourself

Back injuries from lifting or moving patients are one of the biggest risks to home health aides, nurses and other home health workers. To help prevent such injuries, some home health agencies use a buddy system that allows two workers to team up to provide care for heavy or hard-to-transfer patients.

If you're working alone, practice good body mechanics, says Mark Lueken, MSN, RN, clinical director of Verdugo Hills Hospital HomeCare. Take full advantage of transfer systems and other assistive devices, he says. Also, keep a reasonable pace and some flexibility in your daily schedule so you aren't tempted to take injury-inducing shortcuts.

Watch Your Step

Kathy Girling, MSW, director of social services for Girling Health Care, once had a porch collapse under her when visiting a client's home. While she wasn't injured, she has since become vigilant about watching where she steps.

Don't remove your shoes in a client's home, because you may slip, stub your toe or step on a nail, tack or piece of glass, Lueken says. To be culturally sensitive to clients who prefer their guests go shoeless, wear disposable surgical shoe covers, or leave a clean pair of shoes at the house to wear only there, Lueken suggests. Also be mindful of household hazards like slippery bathroom floors or open cupboards, which can also cause injury when you're engrossed in assisting patients, he says.

Protect Yourself

• Follow basic personal-safety protocols, such as: 
• Confirm with clients by phone before you visit. 
• Make sure you have detailed directions to a new client's home. 
• Keep your car in good working order and the gas tank full. 
• Pull onto the shoulder or into a parking lot rather than trying to simultaneously drive, talk on the phone and read directions. 
• Keep your car windows closed and your doors locked. 
• Lock your bag in the trunk. 
• Have an extra set of keys in case you lock yours in the car. 
• Most importantly, make sure someone knows where you are at all times. 

Trust Your Instincts

If you are driving into a high-crime area and see activity near a client's home that scares you, drive a few blocks away, and then call your client and/or supervisor to find out how to proceed. "Don't stop in front of the door," Herr says. "You look vulnerable." 

Girling's advice: Go with your gut. "Most of the time it's not imperative that you make the visit at that moment. If you have a bad feeling about a situation, call your supervisor or the police. Never go into a situation where you feel you'll be unsafe." If you feel threatened in a home, leave immediately, Girling says.

Don't Touch the Animals

Even the friendliest pets can turn on you. The policy at Girling Health Care is to never touch an animal. Besides the potential threat, animals can distract you and interfere with your work.

When you call to confirm your appointment with a client, ask that animals be kept away during your visit. That's a request all caregivers should consistently make, says Herr. "You don't want a patient to say, ‘The nurse liked my dog. Why don't you?'"

Coping And Quality Of Life For The Caregivers Of Alzheimer's Patients Enhanced By A Simple, Low-Cost Yoga Program

Also Included In: Alzheimer's / Dementia; Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Article Date: 15 Mar 2012 - 0:00 PDT

For every individual who's a victim of Alzheimer's - some 5.4 million persons in the United States alone - there's a related victim: the caregiver. Spouse, son, daughter, other relative or friend, the loneliness, exhaustion, fear and most of allstress and depression takes a toll

While care for the caregivers is difficult to find, a new study out of UCLA suggests that using yoga to engage in very brief, simple daily meditation can lead to improved cognitive functioning and lower levels of depression for caregivers.

Dr. Helen Lavretsky, professor of psychiatry at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and colleagues report a further benefit as well: a reduction in stress-induced cellular aging.