Vancouver Home Health Care Agency

  • 8885 SW Canyon Rd. Suite 220 Portland, OR 97225-3455
Request care

March 2016

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

1 Comment / ALS /

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Explained Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Neurodegenerative is a big word which means the nerves are slowly dying. Amyotrophic, when broken down, literally means no muscle nourishment. If a muscle does not get the nourishment it needs from the nerves and other places, it slowly wastes away, or atrophies. Lateral refers to the spinal cord, where nerves used to control muscles degenerate, causing hardening, or sclerosis. All these words are big and can be unnerving for the person who doesn’t understand medical terminology, so it’s important to insist on a breakdown of any misunderstood terms. In a person without ALS, motor neurons, or the nerves which help people move, reach between the spinal cord and the brain, then extend to all the muscles in the body. In ALS, these nerves degenerate progressively, eventually dying. When these nerves die, the brain loses the ability to tell the muscles how to move. Voluntary muscle movement is most directly affected, which means individuals lose the ability to eat, speak, move and breathe. Voluntary movement examples are stepping off a curb or reaching for a fork. ALS typically strikes a sufferer between 40 and 70 years of age.  There are nearly 20,000 Americans with this condition, and veterans are twice as likely to have the condition, though the reason is unknown. ALS is categorized into two different types: Sporadic and familial. Sporadic – this is more common than any other form of ALS. It begins as Progressive Bulbar Palsy, which affects nerves controlling swallowing and breathing. However, this type of palsy can develop into ALS. Familial – This is also referred to as FALS, and it only accounts for 10% of United States cases. It is the inherited version of ALS. Most ALS sufferers carry a 50% chance of passing the mutated gene onto the children, who will then develop the condition. Treatment Research is ongoing for this condition, and there is no current cure, however, the FDA has approved Riluzole to help slow down the progression of the condition. It only slows the condition moderately, however, and only for some people. This treatment helps the patient experience a higher quality of life, if the drug interacts correctly with the condition. The drug does not help every person with ALS. However, scientists are continuing to try to find answers, and individuals with ALS are encouraged to join support groups to help the medical community better understand the disease. Additionally, sufferers can find an ALS Association Certified Treatment Center. These centers run under national standards of best practices and multidisciplinary care and help manage the condition, assisting sufferers with independence maintenance for as long as possible. Studies have shown that participation in these centers helps increase lifespan and quality of living. Vancouver Home Health care Agency is happy to answer any further questions regarding ALS. At Vancouver Home Health care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Read More »

Alzheimer and dementia Overview

Leave a Comment / Alzheimer's & Dementia /

Alzheimer and dementia Overview Dementia is a generalized term for the decline in a patient’s mental ability, which is severe enough to interrupt daily life. Dementia is progressive, which means it begins slowly and gets worse over time. Many people do not realize a patient has dementia until it is too late; some people don’t want to admit the loved one has brain issues, others don’t recognize early symptoms. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia, and it is the most common type. Dementia is non-specific. This means that it’s a term used to cover a very wide range of the symptoms associated with the decline of memory and other thinking skills. This decline is severe and will reduce the patient’s ability to carry out daily activities. Alzheimer’s disease covers nearly 80 percent of dementia cases. It’s important to remember that dementia is not a normal part of aging. Symptoms vary, but some consistent symptoms are: Memory Ability to focus Communication failure Visual perception Reasoning failure Cause Dementia is primarily caused by damage to brain cells. This will interfere with the brain’s ability to communicate with itself. This is why changes happen – reasoning is reduced, feelings and behavior change, and memories are lost. This is due to regions in the brain losing cells and becoming damaged. Different types of dementia are caused by damage to different types of cells; the types of cells damaged characterizes the diagnosis. Diagnosis Unfortunately, more research is necessary in this field, so there is no specific test to create a diagnosis. Doctors deliver a diagnosis based on history, examinations, tests, and characteristic changes in behavior or daily function. While doctors can determine dementia, it’s harder to determine the exact type. Often, symptoms between different dementias overlap. Often, a physician’s dementia diagnosis will be followed by a visit to a neurologist or gero-psychologist. Treatment and Care Sadly, there is no cure for the progression of the disease. However, there are medications to help alleviate some of the symptoms. As mentioned above, further research is necessary to help professionals determine if a cure is possible. The Basics Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of the aging process, though a known risk factor is age. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time. It is progressive, while other types of dementia take years to develop, categorizing them as less progressive. Dementia and Alzheimer’s has no current cure. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of known dementia. The Vancouver Home Health care Agency can help families deal with the symptoms of dementia. At Vancouver Home Health care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.

Alzheimer and dementia Overview Read More »

Advance Directives

Leave a Comment / Advance Directives, Services /

Should I Bother with Advance Directives? They Seem Like So Much Work! Should you bother with advance directives? The answer is overwhelmingly, YES! While it’s true they are a lot of work, the overall work involved benefits everyone in the big picture. The good news is that there are a number of options available for advance directives, and research has proven that these documents ensure individuals with the documents have their wishes carried out better than those without. An advance directive is a legal obligation, and professionals will not stray from these documents, as they could be sued if they do anything not on the documents. Filling out advance directives before urgent care is needed is a good idea. Advance directives are meant to be completed while the person is of sound mind, so the decisions documented are as close to the person’s real wishes as possible. The documents, when signed, are bound by the law and are believed to be the full expression of what the person wants when he or she is unconscious or near the end of life. Luckily, there are a number of different documents from which to choose; use one or use a combination. Living Will The living will records a patient’s desires if a crisis arises which prevents the patient from voicing his or her personal decisions. It is the most common of these documents, and it is very specific in the patient’s wishes. It will only be used if the patient can no longer make decisions alone. Physician Orders This is similar to the living will, and expresses a patient’s end-of-life wishes. However, the living will only needs to be notarized; this document must be written by a physician and signed by the same physician. The physician must discuss all points in this document with the patient. Durable Power of Attorney This document states who will be able to speak for a patient who cannot speak for him or herself. This person can be a family member, a friend, a lawyer, or a county appointed professional. Physicians may even agree to be the power of attorney for a patient. The document records the patient’s wishes, but unlike the other documents, the patient does not need to be diagnosed as terminal for the document to be enacted. The power of attorney often saves families from arguing and feeling resentment for the decision of one person who may not understand the person’s full wishes. It also stops lawsuits such as the battle endured by the family of Terri Schiavo. Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) This advance directive specifically tells medical personnel that the patient does not resuscitation methods, such as CPR, breathing tubes, or other life saving methods. It is only used if the individual becomes unconscious. For example, a person having a heart attack with a DNR will not receive life-saving chest compressions. The Vancouver Home Health Care Agency is happy to help you sort through the paperwork available. At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.

Advance Directives Read More »

Scroll to Top