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September is World Alzheimers Month

There is no cure for dementia but keeping active, eating well and engaging in social activities all promote good brain health, and may reduce your risk of developing the disease. Keeping your heart healthy, including by avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, can also lower your risk of dementia.

It seems that people who keep their brains active may be at less risk of developing dementia. Reading, engaging in a hobby such as playing bridge or chess, or doing crosswords and word puzzles may help to reduce risk. You do not need to be highly educated to lower your risk: research suggests that those who speak multiple languages, or who play musical instruments may also be at a lower risk of dementia.

PATIENT PERSPECTIVE: LARRY’S STORY

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, Brisbane, QLD

Management of Diabetes at School

Finding the Best Written Care Plan for Your Child
School-age children spend about half their waking hours at school, and children with diabetes are no different. Since children can’t leave their diabetes at home when they go to school, having a plan — preferably a written plan — is necessary for managing their diabetes while they’re at school.
Such a plan should be individualized and should cover a child’s daily diabetes care as well as provide instructions for handling problems, emergencies, and any unusual situations that may arise during the school day. Copies of the plan should be kept at school where teachers and other school personnel, such as the nurse, can access it easily.

One way to lay out your child’s diabetes management needs in school is the use of a Diabetes Management Plan. This gives instructions for managing your child’s diabetes and provides guidance for handling emergencies. In many cases, putting together a plan and discussing it with teachers and other school staff are sufficient to make sure your child’s diabetes-related needs are met during school hours.

Fast fact about constipation?

The slower the food moves through the digestive tract, the more water the colon will absorb from it. Consequently, the faeces become dry and hard.
When this happens, emptying the bowels can become very painful.

Here are some key points about constipation.
• Constipation generally occurs because too much water is absorbed from food
• Causes of constipation include physical inactivity, certain medications, and ageing
• Some cases of constipation can be relieved by lifestyle changes
• Laxatives should only be used as a last resort

Did you know that constipation is a leading cause of most urinary problems, fix the constipation and most urinary problems can be resolved!

Continence and the NDIS

Where a participant needs AT, it is important that there is sufficient evidence to enable the NDIA to decide which AT supports are reasonable and necessary to include in the plan. Sheehan Health is proud to be an AT continence NDIS service provider in the Sydney metropolitan region.
We aim to:
• enhance the independence and quality of life of individuals with a disability where there are continence needs
• assist participants to manage their incontinence through a comprehensive continence assessment into their needs, suggested interventions and as appropriate the provision of continence aids deemed necessary & appropriate.

What to ask for in your NDIS planning:
Ask your NDIS planner or LAC advisor to allow for a continence assessment and follow up review/s (approx. 4 – 7 hours therapy per annum) to be approved for you in your NDIS plan under the category Individual assessment/therapy and/or therapy (including assistive technology).
A Continence Related Assistive Technology Assessment will document requirements in line with achieving your goals when conducted by an experienced Continence Advisor – discuss with your NDIS planner or LAC advisor whether this would be a benefit.
You need to know how your incontinence affects your goals. Your NDIS plan is focussed around you achieving your goals. This means that every part of your funding is related to your goals. For example, if your goal is to gain employment or partake in a new social activity, what incontinence requirements do you have in order to meet this goal?
Continence assessment and training comes under:
Activities of daily living (Individual assessment, therapy and /or training)
Core Supports (Products)

**We are available throughout the upcoming school holidays with very flexible hours to suit everyone.
Contact us: sheehanhealth.com.au or 0452 53 NDIS

FIVE WAYS TO CALM YOURSELF DOWN

BE MORE MINDFUL.
Yes, mindfulness is all the rage these days, but for good reason. Mindfulness has a host of health benefits, but among other things, it can help you control stress. When you practice mindfulness, you’re removing yourself from thinking about a stressful situation, reminding yourself to be grateful for the good things happening in your life, and shifts your perspective so that you can see things more clearly. All this works to calm your body and mind down and reduce stress.

DEEP BREATHING.
Sometimes, the simple act of taking some time to breathe deeply can make a huge difference? Why? It cues your body to slow down and relax. Taking deep belly breaths can help ease stress and anxiety, slow your heartbeat and stabilize your blood pressure. Its also that mindfulness trick again. Focusing on your breath helps to ground you and bring your attention to one thing, giving your mind a break and your body a chance to recoup. It’s easy to do, and you don’t have to do it for very long to reap the benefits. Just find a quiet spot, and slowly breathe in deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to expand. Then slowly let the air pass back through your nose as you exhale. Even a few minutes can be helpful in a pinch, but regular practice of this (daily for 10-20 minutes) can do wonders.

PERIODIC BREAKS.
Taking breaks not only help calm you down when you’re stressed, they can help make you more productive. When we work non-stop without taking a break, we’re pushing our brain to the limit, naturally tiring it out after a while, just like any other muscle in the body. But evidence suggests that taking periodic breaks helps to recharge our brain and become more focused. Taking a break may seem counter-productive to getting things done, but you’ll help yourself out in the long run by grabbing a glass of water or a healthy snack each hour, and you’ll feel much more relaxed and productive. It’s a win-win!

CALL A FRIEND.
Studies show that those with a strong social network tend to live longer than those without one. That’s because our friends help build us up, give us a sense of belonging, and help us deal with difficult situations. We don’t always have to go it alone, so when you’re feeling like you’re about to snap, pick up the phone and chat it up with someone who you know has your back. It’s a great stress reliever.

GET MOVING.
Regular exercise can do wonder for keeping your stress levels low, but even if you haven’t seen the inside of a gym in a while, taking a 5-10 minute brisk walk when you’re extra stressed can make a big difference. You’ll remove yourself from your stressful situation of the moment, get some fresh air, and release powerful stress-fighting endorphins.

BE MORE MINDFUL

When you practice mindfulness, you’re removing yourself from thinking about a stressful situation, reminding yourself to be grateful for the good things happening in your life, and shifts your perspective so that you can see things more clearly. All this works to calm your body and mind down and reduce stress.

Aged Care and Continence….the good news

Incontinence is not necessarily normal in the ageing process, though age is regarded as a risk factor. Residents in aged care settings who are reported to have severe incontinence usually have one or more co-morbidities with the largest diagnosis groups being dementia, stroke and muscular skeletal disorders. Such diagnoses make these residents more prone to incontinence due to physical or functional deficits. However, the good news is a general consensus is emerging that incontinence in the elderly is a ‘dynamic’, treatable condition.
#sheehan_health #agedcare #dementia #continence

Improved Cardiovascular Health

Melbourne’s Baker Medical Research Institute conducted a 3-year study that explored the connection between owning a pet and how it affected the pet owner’s cardiovascular health. The study included 5,742 participants, 784 of whom owned least one pet. Participating researchers made note of:
• Blood pressure level
• Cholesterol levels
• Triglyceride
When they announced their findings, the researchers revealed that the pet owners consistently showed healthier levels of cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and triglyceride. One of the interesting things the research revealed was that although the pet owners were generally more active than the non-pet owners, they also indulged in take-out food and alcohol more frequently, indicating that their dogs and cats did an even better job of keeping them healthy than previously anticipated.

Dogs and Alzheimer’s

It’s becoming increasingly common to walk into an aged care facility that deals with people that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia and find one or more dogs on the facility. The reason is because science indicates that the dogs are an important part of the treatment process.

At this point, no one fully understand why people suffering from Alzheimer’s have such a positive reaction to dogs and other animals. What is known is that when the animal enters the person’s life, even if it’s just for a few moments, the individual exhibits an increase in interactive behaviour. Some centres report that after spending time with a dog or cat, people have an increased appetite.
Some programs have trained Alzheimer’s support dogs that help people navigate the facility and perform basic functions they weren’t able to manage on their own prior to being paired with a canine companion.