Year: 2020

PATIENT PERSPECTIVE: IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE – INCONTINENCE IS NOT NORMAL!

At 70 years old, you’d think that I’d have come to terms with having incontinence. But time has a way of making you see that some things you thought were normal actually weren’t at all.

The leaks started in my 50’s and at the time, I chalked it up to just growing older. I started wearing absorbent pads for protection and just went on living my life. My leaks started to get worse as I got older, and in my late 60’s I finally talked to my doctor about it. He asked me during a routine check up about my bladder habits and I told him I’d been having leaks for years. I tried to brush it off like it was no big deal (it was a bit embarrassing to talk about), but he kept pressing me, asking me more details and taking notes.

Finally, he told me that he wished I had told him about the leaks sooner, since there is so much that can be done to treat bladder leaks. He said no one should have to live with bladder control issues and that it absolutely is NOT a normal part of aging.

I felt so foolish for having believed all those years that it was just my body breaking down, getting older. Turns out that I was able to start a medication that really helped eliminate (mostly) my accidents. And there are even more treatments besides medications that I can try if I decide to.

Now that I’ve treated my incontinence, I feel freer at 70 years old than I did when I was in my late 50’s. I only wish I had opened up about it sooner to my doctor.

Don’t wait to talk about it. Don’t let the years pass you by living with incontinence. It’s just not worth it when so much can be done.
Abby M.,
Boston, MA

What Is A Nursing Diagnosis and Care Plan?

The Purpose of the Written Care Plan
• Care plans provide direction for individualized care of the client. A care plan flows from each patient’s unique list of diagnoses and should be organized by the individual’s specific needs.
• Continuity of care. The care plan is a means of communicating and organizing the actions of a constantly changing nursing staff. As the patient’s needs are attended to, the updated plan is passed on to the nursing staff at shift change and during nursing rounds.
• Care plans help teach documentation. The care plan should specifically outline which observations to make, what nursing actions to carry out, and what instructions the client or family members require.
• They serve as a guide for assigning staff to care for the client. There may be aspects of the patient’s care that need to be assigned to team members with specific skills.
• Care plans serve as a guide for reimbursement. Medicare and Medicaid originally set the plan in action, and other third-party insurers followed suit. The medical record is used by the insurance companies to determine what they will pay in relation to the hospital care received by the client. If nursing care is not documented precisely in the care plan, there is no proof the care was provided. Insurers will not pay for what is not documented.

The goal as established in a nursing care plan — in terms of observable client responses — is what the nurse hopes to achieve by implementing nursing orders. It is a desired outcome or change in the client’s condition. The terms goal and outcome are often used interchangeably, but in some nursing literature, a goal is thought of as a more general statement while the outcome is more specific. For example, a goal might be that a patient’s nutritional status will improve overall, while the outcome would be that the patient will gain five pounds by a certain date.
Nursing orders are instructions for the specific activities that will perform to help the patient achieve the health care goal. How detailed the order is depends on the health personnel who will carry out the order. Nursing orders will all contain:
• The date
• An action verb like “monitor,” “instruct,” “palpate,” or something equally descriptive
• A content area that is the where and the what of the order, for example, placing a “spiral bandage on the left leg from ankle to just below the knee”
• A time element will define how long or how often the nursing action will occur
• The signature of the prescribing nurse, since orders are legal documents.
Finally, in the evaluation, the client’s health care professionals will determine the progress towards the goal achievement and the effectiveness of the nursing care plan. The evaluation is extremely important because it determines if the nursing interventions should be terminated, continued or changed.

PATIENT PERSPECTIVE: HOW DO I TELL MY WIFE I HAVE INCONTINENCE?

I’ve been incontinent for 1 year now, and my wife has no idea. (At least I don’t think she does). You see I’ve gone to great lengths to hide it from her. It’s not like I leak all the time, but a few times a week I find myself unable to make it to the bathroom in time and I have an accident. It horrifies me, since this has never happened before.
My doctor tells me I have an enlarged prostate. This, my wife knows. I’m sure she also knows some of the symptoms, since she’s the type to do research on this stuff. But I haven’t told her I suffer from bladder leaks.
I keep spare underwear hidden in the car. I limit my fluids when I know we’re going to be out. I always scout out the nearest restroom in case I need to make a beeline to it. I even decline certain events if I think there’s a risk I may have an accident. I feel like I’m living as a secret agent with this condition – always trying to stay 1 step ahead.
You’re probably wondering why I haven’t told her. Talking with your spouse about something that embarrasses you is never easy. But for me, this is devastating. I’ve always been her “tough guy”. The one who fixes up old cars, goes bowling with the guys on Tuesdays, can handle pretty much anything anyone throws my way. But this is different. It’s made me feel like less of a man. And I feel embarrassed that I can’t control something as simple as my bladder.
I know it’s more complicated than that, but I just can’t help thinking “What will she think of me?” “Will she still find me attractive?” “Will she think less of me?”
We’ve always been so spontaneous. Running out at a moments notice to meet up with friends at a pub. Jumping on those last minute flights to somewhere tropical. Going to shows and concerts and ball games. I still want to be that person. That guy who does all the fun stuff. But these bladder leaks are getting in the way of that.
I know we’re getting older, but I still just want her to look at me like she always has, and I’m so scared this will change that.
I’m planning to tell her soon. I know that it’s probably better to just get it out there, Knowing my wife, she’ll probably jump right in and try to help. She’s awesome like that.
And, I’m sure her knowing will probably be good for me. We’ll find ways to deal with it together. We’ll find solutions for this condition that I know are out there but I’ve been too stubborn or embarrassed to seek out. It will be better. She will help me make it better.
But the thought of having that conversation with her is still scary as hell. The telling is really the hardest part of all of this. Wish me luck.
Anonymous

PATIENT PERSPECTIVE: INCONTINENCE LED TO MY DEPRESSION

PATIENT PERSPECTIVE: INCONTINENCE LED TO MY DEPRESSION
Many people know the symptoms of incontinence – leaky bladders, the need to wear protection or take medications, etc. But few people know about how incontinence can make a person feel.
I’ve suffered with incontinence for the past 10 years, and over that time, I have become severely depressed. Incontinence is not just a condition that causes you to wet your pants. It fundamentally changes who you are. It’s like this dark cloud that constantly hangs over your head, following you all the time, and threatening to break open at any given moment.

When I first started experiencing the leaks, it was not that often and I was able to dismiss them, thinking they were just flukes. But as they became more common, I found that I was always terrified of having an accident in public. I was ashamed, and kept my secret from my family and friends, which led to a divide in our relationships that I could never bridge.
I started not doing many of the things I had done before – bowling with the guys, taking trips with my family. I felt embarrassed and ashamed of my condition. To be honest, I still do.
I wish I could say that I’ve found the courage to talk to someone, but I haven’t. My wife does know now (it was hard to hide it), and she is supportive, but it’s a humiliating thing to have to talk about to the one you love. She’s urging me to go to the doctor, which I guess I will. Hopefully there I will finally find relief.
Anyone who thinks that incontinence is only about wetting yourself is dead wrong. It’s so much more than that. It’s limited my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined and caused me so much anxiety and anguish that sometimes it’s alI I can think about. I’m hopeful that one day I’ll be able to say differently.

Providence, RI Henry M., 62

How to Keep Your Bowels Healthy in 2020

How to Keep Your Bowels Healthy in 2020

To maintain or achieve a healthy bowel, it is important to eat meals regularly to boost metabolism, ideally three times a day. Food choices are important in the maintenance of a healthy bowel.
A healthy metabolism will promote a healthy weight, overall health and wellbeing. Eating breakfast everyday will boost your metabolism and aid overall health of your digestive system.
The bowel needs fibre to assist with production of a healthy stool and to stimulate a bowel movement.
Fibre rich foods include:
• Wholegrains including breakfast cereals, whole wheat pasta and rice, wholegrain bread and oats
• Fruit such as berries, pears, melon and oranges
• Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and corn
• Peas, beans and pulses such as lentils, kidney beans and butter beans
• Nuts and seeds – including almonds, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds
• Potatoes with skin on – boiled or baked

To increase your fibre intake you could:
• Choose a high fibre breakfast cereal e.g. wholegrain cereal like whole wheat biscuit cereal, bran flakes or porridge. Try adding some fresh fruit, dried fruit, seeds and/or nuts
• Go for wholemeal or seeded wholegrain breads
• Choose wholegrains like whole wheat pasta, bulgur wheat or brown rice
• Eat potatoes with skins on baked potato, wedges or boiled new potatoes
• For snacks try vegetable sticks, rye crackers, oatcakes, unsalted nuts or seeds
• Include plenty of vegetables with meals especially green leafy vegetables such as Kale and Spinach
• Add pulses like beans, lentils or chickpeas to stews, curries and salads

PATIENT PERSPECTIVE: LARRY’S STORY

I’m 68 years old and I have incontinence. I’ve suffered a lot of setbacks over the years. I lost a finger in the army. I suffer from high blood pressure. And I have an old football injury that flares up regularly. But I have never suffered as much shame and humiliation as I have since I started experiencing incontinence.
It started innocently enough – a leak here and there. My doctor said it was due to prostate problems and gave me some medication to help. It did for a while, but then the leaks flared up again and I was forced to admit that this problem was not going away.
My first trip to the grocery store to purchase incontinence pads was a doozy. Standing there, looking at the wall of options was so intimidating. What do I choose? What size? How do I know it will fit? What if it doesn’t – can I return the bag? I had so many questions and no one to ask – after all, it’s not like men just talk about peeing their pants with each other all the time. Not to mention I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure that no one I knew saw me standing there. It would be so embarrassing to be “caught” in this situation.
When I finally got home, I started trying out the various absorbent products that I had purchased. I had bought 3 different types and gave each one a fair shot for a full day before making the call. Unfortunately, none of them worked so I was back to the drawing board.
Fortunately, my wife found a company online that sold different products so I gave it a shot. I don’t know why I didn’t start with this option in the first place. They offered a free consultation so I gave them a call. The rep was so helpful and it was great having a guide to walk me through the different options, and also learn more about me, my condition and my lifestyle to help find something that would work best for me.
These days, I only use online services to order absorbent products. And, I’ve found great products that help me keep my leaks controlled, and my condition under wraps so no one is the wiser.
I still don’t love having incontinence, but it’s become such a normal part of life now that it doesn’t have the same hold on me as it once did. I didn’t envision this happening to me, but am happy to know that there are resources out there to help and products available that can make it more manageable. I feel free to live my life without fear of leaks and that is something to be really proud of.
Larry B., Seattle, WA

HOW MUCH EXERCISE SHOULD YOU GET?

According to the Mayo Clinic, you should get at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week (or some combination of the two). It’s suggested that you spread this out over the course of a week so that might look like about 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week.
It’s also recommended that you do strength training for all your major muscle groups at least two times a week. You should be able to do one set of a single exercise with about 12-15 reps using your body weight or some other type of weight to create resistance so that your muscles tire out during that time.
Of course, the more exercise you do, the greater the benefit, but even a little exercise is better than none and can be helpful. And, small amounts can add up. If you think you don’t have time for 30 minutes a day, check out these tips below to learn ways to sneak in those 30 minutes without even really noticing!

HOW TO SNEAK MORE EXERCISE INTO EVERY DAY
Working in more exercise throughout your day doesn’t have to be time consuming. Breaking up your workout sessions into chunks is just as effective as doing one 30-minute routine. Here are a few ways to sneak workout in at home, at work, or anywhere!

AT HOME:
1. Wake up 10 minutes earlier and you’ll find that you can do a lot. A quick walk around the block, a morning yoga session, or even walking up and down the stairs several times can help you get moving. Plus, you’ll start your day knowing you’ve already clocked in 10 minutes of exercise – Win!
2. Workout while watching TV. Turn your down time into workout time by adding in some easy moves. Doing squats, push-ups, running on a treadmill, or riding a stationary bike all seem easier when you’re watching your favourite show. Or, if you’re watching live TV, resolve to workout during the commercials!
3. Take advantage of idle time. You likely have a lot of time when you’re just standing around. Whether it’s doing lunges or sit-ups while the microwave is going, or doing calf raises while brushing your teeth, you’ll find that it’s pretty easy to sneak in about 10 extra minutes a day of workout moves just by utilizing the time you normally spend waiting on something else to happen.

AWAY FROM HOME
1. Park further away, or take a longer route. We know – it’s so tempting to grab that parking spot that’s closest to the door. But parking a bit further away, or taking the scenic route to walk to your destination can add up over time if you’re consistent. It’s a great way to get in those extra steps!
2. Replace a bad habit with exercise. Do you tend to reach for a glass of wine or a beer when you get home from work? Or do you have the after-dinner munchies on the regular? Try working in some exercise to get the added health benefit and break that bad habit. Go for a walk each evening before or after dinner to fight the cravings you might have if you’re just hanging around at home.
3. Meet up with friends for a social workout. It’s hard to fit everything into our busy lives these days, but you can kill two birds with one stone by working exercise into your social life. Do you normally meet a friend for coffee? Try grabbing your coffee to go and walking around while you catch up instead of sitting at the coffee shop. Or enlist a buddy to try a new workout class with you. You don’t even have to call it a “workout” – just catching up on the go to encourage other people to join you! You’re more likely to stick with an exercise routine if you have someone else holding you accountable. Plus, working out with someone else makes it more fun!

3 NEW YEAR RESOLUTION IDEAS TO INSPIRE YOU!

The start of a new year is the perfect time to make a refreshing change in your life. Not sure where to start, we suggest 3 goal ideas.

1. Connect with people in my community
Loneliness can really bring people down and if you think you need to connect with more people, making a goal to meet new people is a good idea. You can do this by checking out what groups your local council has, or join community groups. You could find a games group because you love playing games. Or maybe you want to find a reading group because you love reading books. It can be scary to get out and meet people for the first time, but chances are that if you’re going to a group on something you’re interested in, you’ll always have something to connect on. Also have a look on which positive Facebook groups are out there, that’s a fun and easy way to connect with people online.

2. I would like to increase my fitness
Maybe your goal can be to get fit and no matter what type of body you have everyone can learn to get fitter, stronger and healthier. You can go to the gym with some friends who will motivate you, you could do wheelchair yoga or ask your occupational therapist (if you have one) for some new exercise ideas. Or maybe you want to walk more around your community by either taking your dog or take a friend or even take part in a walking group. Also, always be mindful with what food you’re putting into your belly as good healthy food will make you feel good too!

3. I would like to feel happier
We all want to feel happy right? Well, one of the easiest ways to do this is simply by changing the way you think. There is always a positive in everything, you just have to dig deeper to find it.