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0 Recognising pain in those living with Dementia
Pain is a natural human sensation. We experience different kinds of pain that produce different kinds of actions and reactions. Mental pain over loss is often known as grief, which can often make people experience heightened emotions, especially those that are negative, whereas a physical pain from say a broken bone, would cause a different reaction. But in people living with dementia, pain can be a more complex issue. Someone with dementia can sometimes be unable to identify that they are in pain and can find it even more difficult to tell anyone they are in pain, hurting, tired or even unwell. For example, they could have taken a nasty fall or trip earlier in the day but not recognized the sensation as pain, or completely forgotten about it and are unknowingly making the situation worse. As mentioned above, another major barrier when it comes to dementia can be communication, especially in the later stages, so it could just be really difficult to communicate what pain this person is feeling and where – making it more difficult to treat. Whether the pain is physical or emotional, someone with dementia may not be able to tell you what it is they are experiencing, which can be one of the reasons why aggression and irritability is a symptom often associated with this condition. But how can you recognise pain or potential emotional issues in someone with dementia if you work in an environment where you have a duty of care over people living with dementia, such as a care home? – Signs of anger/ frustration: underlying emotional issue– Very small appetite or stopped eating: dental problems or appetite.– Very protective over being touched in specific places: There could be a problem in that area.– Tearful when moving: Joint pain or finger/toenail over-growth.– Temperature: Migraines or a potential flu/virus Above are just a few quick observations that you could probably make from careful observation, so if you notice any of these we would recommend investigating further and keeping an eye out for any more emerging symptoms. If you are all about making bathrooms accessible for everyone and reducing the risk of injury, then a dementia-friendly bathroom needs to be a consideration. With cool touch showers and heating options, colour contrasting key areas and level access showering, the risk of injury can be greatly reduced.
According to national statistics the first Monday in February is the day when people are most likely to pull a sickie. One of the factors attributed to this is the first payday since Christmas, meaning people have been out celebrating all weekend with a particularly heavy one. Another theory is that people have a tendency to re-evaluate their career path in January, meaning that a lot of these sickies are actually to attend interviews. These factors combined have been linked to the estimated 350,000 absences from work on the first Monday of February last year. We’ve been scanning the web for the top ten funniest reasons that people have called in sick. So at least if you are one of the people that weren’t aware of National Sickie Day, or just too pure of conscience to jump on the bandwagon and you’re sat dutifully in a near empty office, you can sit back and have a giggle at the daft things people will come up with to have a day off! I can’t come in today because my flatmates took my door handle off and I can’t get out. All of my work clothes are wet so I can’t make it in today. I’ve managed to secure a parking space outside my house and I can’t risk losing it. Goats got into my garden. I’m stuck in the bathroom. (These pesky doors!) My mum was hoovering the stairs and I couldn’t get past. My hamster’s poorly. Death of a distant relative (often found out later to be very much alive). My trousers split on the way in. I swallowed a hot sausage last night and it burnt my throat so badly I can’t breathe today.
What is arthritis? The name arthritis stems from the Greek word ‘arthro’ meaning ‘joint’ and ‘itis’ meaning ‘inflammation’. The two most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are joint pain & stiffness, and problems moving the joint. Some people also have symptoms such as: - swelling - tenderness - grating or crackling sound when moving the affected joints. The severity of osteoarthritis symptoms can vary greatly from person to person, and between different affected joints. For some people, the symptoms can be mild and may come and go. Other people can experience more continuous and severe problems which make it difficult to carry out everyday activities. Almost any joint can be affected by osteoarthritis, but the condition most often causes problems in the knees, hips and small joints of the hands. Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. The condition usually affects the hands, feet and wrists. There may be periods where symptoms become worse, known as flare-ups or flares. A flare can be difficult to predict, but with treatment it's possible to decrease the number of flares and minimise or prevent long-term damage to the joints. Some people with rheumatoid arthritis also experience problems in other parts of the body, or more general symptoms such as tiredness and weight loss. Key symptoms of arthritis include: Pain, discomfort and stiffness Inflammation around the joints Weakness of the muscle Restricted movement of the joints Arthritis pain can predominantly affect your hands, spine, knees and hips, and there is currently no medical cure for the condition. How can a warm bath help with arthritis pain? A warm bath can offer 360-degree support to your aching joints, a decrease in inflammation and swelling and also help to increase your blood circulation. Warm baths can also temporarily relieve arthritic pain due to the reduced gravity on your limbs. They are a great place to do some gentle stretches to help to loosen up your joints. The Arthritis Foundation suggests that the optimum bath temperature for temporary arthritic pain relief is between 33.3°C and 37.7°C. How can a walk-in bath make life easier for those who suffer from arthritis? Arthritis can affect mobility and balance. If you suffer from this condition, then you will understand how difficult it can be getting into and out of the bath. This is where a walk-in bath can help you. Our specialist walk-in baths are designed with a multitude of safety features, to help you to be able to enjoy bathing again. From low level entry points and comfortable moulded seats to anti-slip bases, not only do these significantly reduce the risk of slips and falls, they also reduce the likelihood of you being in pain when entering and exiting the bath. Now is the time for you to rediscover safe and easy bathing!
I hope thistle cheer you up! Gardening is not only great for passing the time, but also great for your body and mind. It is a low-impact physical activity, helping you to exercise whilst also lowering anxiety and depression. Doing a spot of gardening can promote feelings of well-being and satisfaction. Absolutely radishing! But the benefits don’t stop there. Beautifying your own property not only pleases the eyes but also may help to add to your property’s value. It also will create you an opportunity to grow your own fresh fruit and vegetables. Enabling you to save money and encourage healthier eating. It’s time to celery-brate! Because if that’s not enough then you can also feel great about helping the environment. Growing your own food means you are helping to reduce the carbon footprint in your area. By home growing food, it means there are fewer miles that food needs to travel to you. Wish I could turn back thyme! Don’t worry if you’re not as green fingered as you’d like to be, there are plenty of expert advice and helpful guides available at your fingertips.
Older adults should try to do some type of physical activity every day if possible. Any type of activity is good for you and the more you can do, the better. Adults aged 65 and over should: aim to be physically active every day. Any activity is better than none. The more you do the better, even if it's just light activity do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity if you are already active, or a combination of both reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity If you have fallen or are worried about falling, then doing exercises to improve your strength, balance and flexibility will help to make you stronger and feel more confident on your feet. You should always speak to your GP if you have any concerns about exercising. What counts as light activity? Light activity is moving rather than sitting or lying down. Examples of light activity include: getting up to make a cup of tea moving around your home walking at a slow pace cleaning and dusting vacuuming making the bed standing up What counts as moderate aerobic activity? Moderate activity will raise your heart rate, and make you breathe faster and feel warmer. One way to tell if you're working at a moderate intensity level is if you can still talk, but not sing. Examples of moderate intensity activities: brisk walking water aerobics riding a bike dancing doubles tennis pushing a lawn mower hiking What counts as vigorous intensity activity? Vigorous intensity activity makes you breathe hard and fast. If you're working at this level, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for breath. In general, 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity can give similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity. Most moderate intensity activities can become vigorous if you increase your effort. Examples of vigorous activities: jogging or running aerobics swimming fast riding a bike fast or on hills singles tennis football hiking uphill energetic dancing martial arts What activities strengthen muscles? To get health benefits from strength exercises, you should do them to the point where you need a short rest before repeating the activity. There are many ways you can strengthen your muscles, whether you're at home or in a gym. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities: carrying heavy shopping bags yoga pilates tai chi lifting weights working with resistance bands doing exercises that use your own body weight, such as push-ups and sit-ups heavy gardening, such as digging and shovelling You can do activities that strengthen your muscles on the same or different days as your aerobic activity – whatever's best for you. Muscle-strengthening exercises are not always an aerobic activity, so you'll need to do them in addition to your 150 minutes of aerobic activity.