Learn how snake venom could possible provide treatment for cancer patients.

Besides helping to manage our mouse and rodent population, it may be hard to think of anything beneficial about snakes – especially poisonous ones. Yet there may be a surprising silver lining to slithery serpents: innovative new treatments for cancer.

Just ask Steve MacKessy of the University of Northern Colorado. He’s been collecting and studying snake venom for decades, freeze-drying the venom to retain its properties. He still works with samples gathered as many as 40 years ago, sharing, “A lot of other protein drugs are inherently unstable, but venoms in particular are designed to be stable under bad conditions.”

Because the toxins in the venom bind very specifically to the receptors of its prey, they have the potential to target only the cancer cells themselves, unlike … Read More »

Anosognosia for dementia patients, or the unawareness of dementia behaviors, can be challenging.

“How could you think that I have dementia? There’s not a single thing wrong with me!”

If a loved one with dementia expresses feelings like this, you might be thinking that he or she is simply in denial and unwilling to accept such a difficult diagnosis. Yet, there might be another reason: anosognosia, when a person is truly unaware that he or she is impaired by dementia.

Finding the most effective way to respond to a senior who is unfamiliar with his or her own dementia behaviors is a challenge. As the professional providers of the best elderly care Pleasanton and the surrounding area have to offer, we’ve compiled some tips to help family caregivers better manage care for someone with anosognosia:

Understand that the older … Read More »

Our Santa Rosa, CA in-home care specialists share information on Alzheimer’s disease.

Facing the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease in a senior loved one raises a multitude of questions: Is it truly Alzheimer’s, or could it be another type of dementia? What’s the cause of Alzheimer’s? What treatment possibilities are there? And how is it diagnosed, anyway? With our comprehensive experience in caring for those who have Alzheimer’s, Hired Hands Homecare’s Santa Rosa, CA in-home care team has collected responses to some of the most frequent questions we receive:

What causes Alzheimer’s disease?
Researchers don’t yet fully realize what causes Alzheimer’s disease. However, chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, diet, exercise, and social engagement may possibly have an effect on whether or not an individual develops Alzheimer’s.
What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia?
Dementia is the symptom and … Read More »

Hired Hands Homecare shares details on how to keep seniors safe from falls.

You may have at one time been by a senior loved one’s side at the hospital or doctor’s office and noticed the medical worker attaching a colorful “FALL RISK” band to his or her wrist. Notifying those providing care to this possibility allows additional measures to keep seniors safe during medical treatments. However, did you realize that ongoing, everyday life can pose a fall risk danger to those diagnosed with the following conditions?

Arthritis

Osteoporosis, a bone density disorder that can also increase a person’s chances of fracturing a hip

Vertigo

Cerebrovascular insufficiency

Neurologic disability (stroke)

Postural hypotension (sudden decrease in blood pressure)

Diabetes

Read More »

It’s a fact…diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure. Startlingly, upwards of 40 percent of individuals with diabetes will also ultimately develop chronic kidney disease.

How are diabetes and kidney disease related?

The purpose of our kidneys is to balance chemicals in the body, control blood pressure and keep our bones healthy, as well as remove waste and extra fluid from the blood. The kidneys’ filters are comprised of tiny blood vessels (called glomeruli), which can be damaged by high blood sugar levels, which in turn can lead to diabetic kidney disease. After the kidneys are damaged in this way, they can’t be repaired, and if not treated early, can progress further to kidney failure.

Is it possible to tell if the kidneys are being damaged?

Unfortunately, signs of kidney damage are not noticeable until after kidney … Read More »

In the Bay Area, they’re forecasting TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT for the upcoming Holiday Weekend!

We all suffer in hot weather. However, for elderly and disabled people and those with chronic health conditions such as vascular disease or diabetes, the weather does not have to hit 100 degrees to cause heat stress or even deadly heat stroke.

As we age, we gradually lose the ability to perspire and regulate our body temperature. This is why older people tend to overdress — they don’t feel heat the same way anymore. Heart rates do not speed up-or return to normal-as fast during exercise. Older skin also thins and offers less protection from the sun. Poor circulation, heart, lung and kidney diseases, and high blood pressure increase the risk for heat-related illness. Being overweight or underweight also increases risk.

Medications taken for a variety of diseases … Read More »

Impacting as many as one out of every ten older adults, and even more prevalent in those who smoke, suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes, or whose skin is more fragile, bed sores (also known as pressure sores or pressure injuries) are not just extremely painful – they can quickly progress to infections that can spread to the bloodstream and even become life-threatening.

For those with limited mobility or who are bed- or wheelchair-bound, and those who care for them, the battle against bed sores can seem endless. Resulting from a lack of blood flow when remaining in one position for too long, it’s imperative for those caring for a senior loved one to educate themselves about pressure sore prevention. Try some of these tips to help protect your loved one’s vulnerable skin from these dangerous sores:

Frequent Position Changes

Hourly if … Read More »

The excuses are too numerous to count, but they all boil down to this: “What’s the point of getting immunizations now that I’m in the later years of life?” For every reason seniors can conjure up NOT to receive their vaccines, there’s a countering response encouraging them to adhere to immunization recommendations. Here are just a few of the top reasons why those over age 60 need to make it a priority to ensure they’re up to date on vaccinations:

For protection of loved ones. In particular, babies under 6 months of age, who are too young to be immunized against illnesses such as whooping cough and the flu, are susceptible to contracting the diseases from family members who aren’t up to date on vaccines.
For travel safety. If one of a senior’s bucket list items includes visiting a foreign country, a … Read More »

Pneumonia: it’s one word we never want to hear in relation to our senior loved ones, but unfortunately, seniors are more susceptible to this extremely serious lung infection, for a variety of reasons: a weakened immune system, chronic conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and diabetes that put them at a higher risk, surgeries, and frailty.

Symptoms of pneumonia can include:

Fever and chills
Coughing that produces yellow or green discharge
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Lethargy
Recovering from a recent cold/flu

With a fatality rate in seniors of between 30% and 40%, pneumonia kills more people worldwide than any other infectious disease. These alarming statistics on their own should prompt all of those over the age of 65 to seek out the pneumonia vaccine, but additionally, the pneumococcus bacterium that causes pneumonia can also cause further problems: ear infections, deadly blood infections, and meningitis.

Not surprisingly, the CDC unequivocally … Read More »