Driving relies on a person’s vision, hearing, and coordination, as well as their ability to pay attention and focus. Changes in a person’s health can affect their ability to drive safely over time.
If you notice changes in a parent’s or an elderly family member’s driving abilities, there may be some ways that your loved one can adjust the way they drive to stay safe.
Schedule Regular Hearing and Vision Tests
Eyesight changes with age. Certain eye diseases, like glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration, are more likely to affect people over the age of 50. These conditions can make it difficult for someone to read street signs or drive at night.
Hearing can also change with age. Hearing loss can be dangerous for driving, because it can make it difficult for someone to hear horns, sirens, or even a noise from their own car that warns them that they need to pull over or move to another lane.
Older adults should schedule regular hearing and vision tests to check their eye health and their hearing ability. They may be able to correct any issues with glasses or with a hearing aid.
Get Their Driving Skills Checked Regularly
Getting regularly retested for driving can help older adults understand their current driving ability, refine their driving habits, and can also give their families peace of mind. Adults can get their driving skills checked by a driving rehabilitation specialist, occupational therapist, or other trained professional.
Stay Physically Active
It’s common for a person’s muscles to weaken and for their joints to get stiff with age. For example, arthritis, which is common among older adults, can make it difficult for someone to grip a steering wheel, press on the brake pedal, or even look over their shoulder to check a blind spot.
Staying active can help people with flexibility problems strengthen their muscles and improve flexibility. Low-impact activities, like walking, swimming, stretching are generally recommended for people with joint stiffness.
Avoid Rush Hour
As someone gets older, they may have a difficult time reacting as quickly as they used to. To help avoid situations where a person may need to stop suddenly, older adults should plan trips during quieter times of the day, when there is less traffic, or drive in the right lane where traffic moves slower.
Avoid Driving When the Weather is bad
Rain, ice, or snow can make driving conditions dangerous very quickly and anyone can have difficulty driving when the weather is bad. If visibility is poor on the roads, or if the roads are icy, the safest decision to make is to wait to run any errands until the weather is better or to use public transportation.
Know When to Stop Driving Altogether
Having the conversation of when your loved one should stop driving is difficult. But it’s one that could save their life or someone else’s. If your loved one is unable to drive safely, hiring a home health aide can help reduce the need for your loved one to use a car. JSP Home Care Services provides specialized home care for aging adults. Our home health aides help aging adults with errands such as food shopping and picking up prescriptions. To learn more about how we accompany aging adults in New York City, contact us online or call 866.860.2528.
Tube feeding is an alternative method of feeding that helps children get the nutrients and calories they need to grow and develop properly. If you’ve been told that your child needs a feeding tube, you might be feeling a mix of emotions. But feeding tubes can be lifesaving for children with a medical condition that makes it difficult for them to eat.
How Does Tube Feeding Work?
Tube feeding is a method of feeding to ensure that an individual gets the nutrients they need to grow, recover from an illness, and/or stay healthy. During a tube feeding, liquid food mixture is passed through a soft, flexible tube that is directly connected to the patient’s stomach or intestines. Tube feeding bypasses the need for the patient to have to chew and swallow solid foods. A variety of nutrients can be delivered via a feeding tube, including breast milk, formula, and even blended foods.
Why Has My Child’s Doctor Suggested That They Use a Feeding Tube?
There are many different reasons why a child may need a feeding tube. Your child’s doctor may recommend a feeding tube if your child:
Does not have the muscular ability to chew and swallow
Cannot safely swallow liquids, food, or medication
Needs extra nutrition in addition to regular (oral) feeding to grow and gain weight properly
Has an infection or is recovering from surgery and can’t eat food for a short period of time
Suffers from excessive gas and bloating as well as nausea and vomiting
How Long Will My Child Need to Use a Feeding Tube?
The amount of time your child will need a feeding tube depends on their condition (they may need it for as little as a few weeks or for life). When your child can eat and drink (orally) enough to meet their nutritional needs, your doctor will assess whether they can stop tube feeding. Your child will also need to be medically stable and be able to show that they can chew and swallow safely.
Will My Child Need a Feeding Plan?
Your child’s dietician and medical team will create a feeding plan for your child. A tube feeding plan includes the type of formula or nutrients that your child needs, how many times a day they should be fed, and how to administer any necessary medicines through the feeding tube.
Specialized liquid formulas for tube feeding are only available with a prescription from the child’s specialist, pediatrician, or dietician. You may also be able to blend foods into a liquid mixture that can be administered through the tube. Always consult your child’s dietician and pediatrician before blending foods at home.
There are two options for feeding schedules:
Using a pump to continuously deliver nutrients through the feeding pump
Scheduling bolus feeds to deliver larger amounts of nutrients and calories at set times, similar to meal times
Find Support With Home Nursing Services
At JSP Home Care Services, we understand that caring for a child with special medical needs can be stressful and overwhelming. Our pediatric home nurses provide compassionate medical support and education to parents and caregivers of children who require a feeding tube. To learn more about our pediatric home health services, click here. To schedule a consultation contact us online or call us at 866.860.2528.
While most people can enjoy summer without having to take too much precaution, warmer weather can present an increased risk of health complications or injury for kids with special needs. To help keep your child safe this summer, it’s important to plan for appropriate summer safety. Here’s how you can plan to have a safe and fun summer.
Make Sure Your Child Is Kept Cool and Is Always Hydrated
Hydration is important for everyone, especially in the summer. Children with special needs may be taking medications that can cause side effects, like:
Dehydration
Dry mouth
Increased sensitivity to the sun (which can make them more likely to get a sunburn)
Difficulty regulating body temperature (heat intolerance)
These side effects can significantly increase the risk of dehydration and heat stroke. To avoid complications from dehydration or heat stroke:
Make sure your child drinks hydrating fluids every 30 minutes
Dress your child in light colored clothing that covers as much skin as possible, and a hat, to protect them from too much sun exposure and from overheating
Apply sunscreen on your child at least 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours (even on cloudy days)
Stay in a shaded area or, if possible, an area with air conditioning
Avoid going outside during the hottest hours of the day (from 11am to 3pm)
Stay Inside if Necessary
Children who have a chronic lung disorder, like asthma or cystic fibrosis, may need to forego outdoor activities if the weather is too hot. Heat waves can lead to poor air quality, which can make it difficult for children with a chronic lung disorder to breathe. Poor air quality can also increase the risk of lung infection for children with lung disorders. When planning an outdoor activity, consider checking the air quality where you live by using the website Airnow.gov.
Be Aware of Surfaces and/or Materials That Can Burn the Skin
Children with certain conditions may have decreased sensitivity to heat and therefore not be able to feel if a surface is too hot or burns their skin. Children who depend on wheelchairs may be at risk for overheating quickly because plastic components, including the cushion, can easily heat up in the sun and hotter temperatures. If your child is sitting in their wheelchair in the sun, armrests, footrests, and the metal frame can absorb enough heat to possibly burn your child’s skin. Consider keeping an umbrella with you that can be attached to the wheelchair to keep it out of the sun, or staying in a shaded area.
Practice Water Safety
Water can pose an extra risk for children with special needs. For example, children with autism are attracted to water, but don’t necessarily understand the danger it presents. Drowning is a leading cause of death among children with autism. To keep your child safe around and/or in water, practice these water safety guidelines:
Always put a life vest on your child
Never leave your child alone or near the water
If your child is in a wheelchair, do not leave them unattended near the water
If you’re swimming with your child, always stay within an arm’s length of them
Keep Medications Out of the Sun
When you fill your child’s medications, you probably notice that there are instructions for how to store them. When medications are exposed to light or heat, they can lose their effectiveness. If your child will need to take medication while out, always keep the medication with you in a cool location. Do not leave medications in the car or out in the sun. The best place to keep medication with you while outdoors is in a cooler packed with ice packs or frozen gel packs.
Be Prepared
The best way to have a fun and safe outing in the summer is to be prepared. Make sure to pack plenty of cold hydrating liquids and any medications or equipment your child may need. Have a plan before leaving the house and make a checklist of items you need to pack to ensure you’ll have everything you need.
The best way for seniors (and really, anyone) to get the most out of their doctors’ visits is to go prepared. Below, we outline a few ways that seniors can prepare for their doctors’ appointments so that they can leave feeling informed and with a clear understanding of what steps they need to take to maintain or improve their health.
Keep a Diary of Your Symptoms
During a doctor’s visit, your physician will assess your risk of developing an age-related condition or, if you’re currently being treated for a condition, if your treatment plan is effective or needs to be adjusted. The best way for your doctor to assess your health and/or your treatment plan is to have a clear picture of your symptoms. A symptom diary is an excellent way for you to communicate your symptoms to your doctor. You can also keep track of things like when you exercised or what you ate to help your doctor see if there is any connection between these lifestyle behaviors and your symptoms.
For example, if you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and you experience fatigue, frequent urination, and cuts that heal slowly, keeping a journal of how your symptoms worsen, improve, or stay the same helps your doctor understand what’s working and what may not be working in your treatment plan. Keeping a journal of your symptoms can also help you understand your body better–what helps improve your symptoms and what makes your symptoms worse.
Bring Your List of Current Medications
Whenever you visit your doctor, they’ll ask you what medications you’re currently taking. This includes over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements. Your doctor wants to know that they have updated information for your medications. If your doctor needs to make any adjustments to your treatment plan, having an updated medication list helps them make these decisions. Your doctor may also want to see if any medications or supplements that you’re taking could be contributing to any symptoms you may be experiencing.
Prepare a List of Questions
Doctor’s visits can happen quickly and it can be easy to forget whatever questions you wanted to ask your physician. To avoid getting overwhelmed during your appointment, consider preparing a list of questions that you want to ask your doctor. Tell your doctor at the beginning of your appointment that you’ve prepared a few questions that you’d like to cover during the appointment. It can also be helpful to write down the answers to your questions while with your doctor. This way, you’ll have a reference you can look back on if needed.
Bring Someone With You
Doctors’ visits can be overwhelming. Your doctor may give you a lot of information in a short amount of time. Consider bringing an advocate with you to your appointments, especially if you have a condition that makes it difficult for you to properly retain the information your doctor gives you, such as a hearing condition or problems with memory. An advocate can be your child, spouse, or a home care aide or nurse.
At JSP Home Care Services, our home health aides and nurses assist aging adults in New York City to their doctors’ appointments and help them follow their treatment plan. To learn more about how we accompany aging adults in New York City, contact us online or call 866.860.2528.
While many signs of aging are normal, your parent or loved one may also show signs of aging that can be concerning. No one wants to admit when their parents may need help taking care of themselves. But identifying potential age-related health concerns early-on can help your parents get the help they need as soon as they need it. What should you be paying attention to?
Changes in the Cleanliness and Organization of Their Home
Cleaning can be a challenge for some older adults if they’re mobility has changed. For older adults with moderate to severe mobility, cleaning can present a situation where your loved one is at risk of injury.
Common signs that your loved one may need help cleaning their home include:
Garbage that’s piling up
Dirty dishes all around the house
Unfolded clean laundry or piles of dirty clothes
A lawn is overgrown and full of weeds
Withdrawal From Activities That Used to Interest Them
If your parent or loved one has lost interest in activities that they used to enjoy, or they no longer attend these activities, try to understand why. By isolating themselves, they could be increasing their risk of depression. Common reasons that older adults stop doing the things they enjoy include:
Changes in mobility
Ability to drive
Lack of motivation, referred to as anhedonia
Unintentional Weight Loss
If your loved one has lost weight without trying, this could be a cause for concern. Weight loss in aging adults can be contributed to:
Cooking less
Loss of taste or smell
Loss of mobility which keeps them from going to the grocery store
An underlying condition, like dementia
Forgetfulness
Everyone is forgetful from time to time, and memory problems are normal as we get older. Also, certain medications can contribute to memory loss. However, the signs of normal memory loss due to aging are different from the signs of disabling memory loss caused by conditions like dementia. Common signs of disabling memory loss include:
Being confused about time
Being confused about people or places
Getting lost in familiar places
Asking the same questions over and over again
Poor Personal Hygiene
Personal hygiene tends to decline with age. There are many reasons that older adults may develop poor hygiene. They may be:
Afraid of falling in the tub and injuring themselves
Physically unable to perform their hygiene routine
Depressed
JSP Home Health Care Services Help Older Adults Age in Place
If your parent or senior loved one is showing signs of age-related changes and they need help at home or caring for themselves, JSP Home Health Care Services can help. Learn more about geriatric home health care with JSP Home Health Care Services here. To schedule an initial consultation, contact us online or call 866.860.2528.
Professional home health services can make a big difference in the health of your child and your family. Home health care allows children with short-term or chronic medical needs to get the care they need in the safety and comfort of their own home, while also helping to relieve the burdens of care from the family.
If you have a child who has been diagnosed with a disability, you may be asking yourself, “Does my child qualify for home health care?” Children qualify for in-home nursing or aide services based on a wide variety of needs and conditions. Let’s take a look.
Private Insurance Plans Vary
If you or your family have private health insurance, call your provider to understand your plan’s coverage for pediatric home health care. Many insurance providers will cover home care if it’s less costly than receiving care at a hospital. However, insurance coverage varies among insurance plans and even among insurance providers. If your insurance plan does not cover the cost of home care services for your child, you may still be able to find coverage through government health insurance programs, like Medicaid.
What if I Have Insurance, but Still Need Help Paying for Home Care?
If you have insurance and are struggling to pay expensive medical bills, you may be able to get help. Many families with private insurance plans that don’t cover pediatric home care can still be eligible for low-cost or free pediatric home care with Medicaid and Medicaid waivers. In New York State, families can access coverage with Medicaid via home and community-based services, called HCBS 1915(c) waivers. To learn more, visit New York State’s website for Children’s Medicaid Waiver Programs.
What if I Don’t Have a Job?
If you are currently unemployed, you may still be able to receive help with home care services for your child. Government health insurance, like Medicaid or CHIP, will sometimes offer low-cost or free home health services for overnight hours, when other day time shifts aren’t covered. These shifts oftentimes qualify to help parents get much needed rest.
What if I Don’t Have Insurance?
Your child can still qualify for certain home health services, even if your family does not have health insurance. New York State offers health insurance for uninsured children, called New York Child Health Plus (CHIP). To learn more, visit New York State’s official CHIP website.
JSP Home Health Services Helps Families Find Coverage for Home Health Care for Their Child
At JSP Home Health Services, we understand that the nuances of insurance policies can be confusing. We’ll help you navigate your insurance policy, or help you find financial assistance, for home health services for your child. If you’d like to know whether your child qualifies for home care services, contact us online or call us at 866.860.2528. To learn more about our pediatric home health services, click here.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, JSP Home Care Services has implemented and followed strict protocols to ensure the safety of our patients and our staff. We’ve been taking the following precautions in order to keep our patients and their caregivers safe and healthy:
To Reduce Exposure, Each Nurse Is Assigned a Limited Number of Patients
To limit exposure and reduce the risk of transmitting Covid-19, we’ve limited the number of patients each nurse cares for. This helps limit exposure for both the nurse and their patients.
We’re Educating Our Staff on CDC Safety Protocols (and Requiring All Nurses to Follow Them)
We constantly monitor guidelines outlined by the CDC and the New York State Health Department. We communicate frequently with our employees to ensure that they understand all updated expectations and guidelines.
Not only do we require our staff to follow these guidelines while working in our offices and with patients, but we also encourage our staff to continue following these guidelines when they are with their families. Some of these guidelines include wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and skipping family gatherings.
Nurses Self-Screen Before Traveling to the Patient’s Home
Before every shift, all of our nurses take their own temperature and record whether they’re experiencing any Covid-19 symptoms, and report this information to us. Nurses who work 12-hour shifts or longer are also required to report on their temperature at the end of their shift. Any nurse who has an elevated temperature or exhibits any other Covid-19 symptoms is sent home until they no longer have symptoms and test negative.
Nurses Caring for a Patient With Covid-19 are Restricted to That Patient Only
Any nurse caring for a patient who tests positive for Covid-19 will not care for any other patients until the infected patient recovers. The attending nurse is regularly tested while caring for an infected patient. While caring for a patient who has tested positive for Covid-19, the nurse wears all necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), including goggles, a protective mask, a face shield, gloves, and a gown.
We’re Helping Our Whole Staff Get Vaccinated
In January, New York State classified home healthcare workers as frontline workers and therefore eligible for vaccination under the Phase 1A of the Covid-19 vaccination schedule. At JSP Home Care Services, we’re encouraging all of our staff to get vaccinated, and providing resources for them to do so.
Are You Looking for a Home Care Agency That Prioritizes Your Safety?
JSP Home Care Services is a family-run agency that prioritizes the health and safety of your loved ones. If you or a loved one requires home care services in New York City and you’re looking for compassionate caretakers who prioritize your safety, please contact us online or call us at 866.860.2528.
Many aging adults, or people with certain medical conditions, may need to eat a soft food diet. Soft foods can help people who have difficulty chewing, swallowing, or people with digestive issues eat a nutritious diet. Eating a well-balanced nutritious diet is important for staying healthy and promoting healing after an injury or operation. How can patients who need a soft food diet get a healthy balanced diet, while avoiding monotonous meals and unappealing foods?
Include Nutrient-Rich Foods That Provide Essential Nutrients and Calories and Promote Healing
One of the most important things you can do when planning a soft food diet is to base each meal on whole nutritious foods. Whole nutritious foods provide the body with the full range of essential nutrients and calories it needs. Include plenty of nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits to ensure proper daily intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Protein is especially important for recovery from an injury or a surgery, as it plays an important role in tissue growth and repair. Foods that are rich in protein include:
Eggs
Mashed meats or meats cooked in broth
Tofu
Nuts
Beans
Healthy fats give your body energy, promote cell growth, and help your body absorb essential vitamins and minerals. Examples of foods that have healthy fats include:
Avocado
Coconut oil
Olive oil
Nuts and seeds
Choose Foods That are Naturally Softer
Many tasty nutritious foods are naturally soft. Choosing whole foods that are naturally soft saves time preparing meals that are easy to chew and digest. Some examples of naturally soft whole foods include:
Banana
Avocado
Oatmeal
Applesauce
Cooked beans
Foods to Avoid
In general, it’s best to avoid foods that are dry, hard/crunchy, and tough to chew. Stay away from:
Raw vegetables
Fibrous, stringy foods like celery
Fatty meat
Snacks like popcorn, chips, and chewy candies like toffee
If you’ve had surgery on your intestines or if you have a gastrointestinal disorder, your doctor may recommend that you avoid foods like:
Whole grains and other gas-producing foods
Fried foods
Greasy foods
Foods with a lot of spice
Consider Working With a Health Aid
At JSP Home Health Services, our Home Health Aides provide meal planning and preparation services. We prepare each meal according to the specific needs of each patient, and if you have a special meal plan from your physician or dietician, we’re able to create meals for you that fit your plan. To learn more about JSP Home Care Services, contact us online or call us at 866.860.2528.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were the first Covid-19 vaccines to be approved by the FDA, and are given in 2 doses. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine recently received approval by the FDA, but only requires one dose.
Why is it that some Covid vaccines need to be given in 2 doses, but others only 1? Because they are different types of vaccines.
mRNA Vaccines Provide Maximum Protection Against Infection After Two Doses
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are a type of vaccine called a messenger RNA or mRNA vaccine. mRNA vaccines have only come on the market recently, but scientists have been developing and studying them for decades.
Messenger RNA is genetic material that acts as a set of instructions for your cells for how to make proteins. If you get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, it tells your body how to make a harmless type of protein (called a “spike protein”) that is found on the surface of the Covid virus.
The body’s immune cells recognize this spike protein as something that came from outside the body, and they begin producing antibodies in an attempt to destroy it. The result is that your body is now producing antibodies to the Covid-19 virus, even though you’re not infected with the virus. These antibodies protect you from getting infected in the future, even if you’re exposed to Covid.
Just like other vaccines, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do not contain the actual virus that causes Covid-19, which means that receiving these vaccines cannot possibly make you sick with Covid-19.
If you’re getting either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, you’ll need two doses. The first shot helps the body develop an initial immune response, but won’t provide full protection. The second shot, which is called a “booster,” is given a few weeks after the first and strengthens the body’s immune response.
The Johnson & Johnson Adenovirus Vaccine is Effective After Just One Dose
The type of vaccine Johnson & Johnson developed is called a viral vector vaccine. A vector is a vessel — in this case, a harmless version of a virus that is not the Covid-19 virus — used to carry DNA material.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a vector to carry DNA into human cells and tell the body how to make the harmless spike protein found on the surface of the Covid-19 virus. Just like with the mRNA vaccine, the immune system identifies the spike protein as an invader and begins to make antibodies
Some people may have concerns as to whether a Covid-19 vaccine that only requires 1 shot is effective. Viral vector vaccines don’t require a second shot because these types of vaccines help the body initiate a strong immune response with just one dose.
Just like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine does not contain the Covid virus and cannot make you sick with Covid-19.
After Vaccination, Continue to Follow Guidelines Outlined by the CDC
After being vaccinated, remember to continue to follow the safety guidelines outlined by the CDC. Recently, the CDC announced that people who have been vaccinated can meet with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask. However, the CDC still recommends that vaccinated individuals continue wearing a mask and social distancing in public spaces.
If your child has been in the hospital or diagnosed with a chronic illness, they may need additional care at home. Learning how to take care of your child at home can feel overwhelming. It not only involves taking care of their medical needs, but also learning how to help your child cope with their emotional needs, and balancing family dynamics that are likely to change.
Below, we address some of the most common questions parents come across when caring for a child at home.
What Kind of Equipment Do I Need?
Sometimes children who have received hospital care need to continue intensive care at home. Some of the equipment your child may need may be used to:
Monitor your child’s vital signs (heart rate, body temperature, breathing rate, etc.)
Help your child breath
Deliver medication to your child
Provide nutrition
Provide oxygen
When a child is transferred from hospital care to home care, a social worker may be able to help you with the transition and find a nurse for home care. Ask your hospital if there is a social worker on staff who can help you. If you’re not sure what equipment your child may need at home, ask a nurse — the nurse can either explain what you need, or direct you to someone who can.
How Do I Find Out Whether My Insurance Covers Medical Equipment for Home Care?
Many insurance plans offer coverage for medically necessary equipment, called durable medical equipment (DME). To understand if your insurance plan covers durable medical equipment for home care, call your insurance provider.
If your family does not have health insurance, New York State offers health insurance for uninsured children, called New York Child Health Plus (CHIP). To learn more, visit New York State’s official CHIP website.
What if I Need Time Off to Take Care of My Child?
Residents of New York who need to take time off work to care for a child or family member are entitled to paid leave. Some people may be eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid family leave. To learn more, visit the New York State’s Family Care website.
Many parents may feel pushback from their employers if they need to take time off for a chronically ill child. You should know that in addition to protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also protects parents and guardians of children with a chronic illness or disability from losing their jobs if they need to miss work in order to care for their child. The ADA also protects you from “retaliation” by your employer, which in legal terms means that it’s illegal for your employer to “punish” you for missing work by changing your shifts, reducing your hours, or demoting you.
Know When to Ask for Help
Parenting a child with a chronic illness requires a lot of time and dedication. New medical technologies now allow children with complex chronic illnesses to receive care from home, which means that parents may need to learn how to administer medications and, in some cases, how to operate medical equipment. Hiring a nurse for home health care can help your family manage the new challenges that come with a chronic illness diagnosis.
Insurance often covers home care services. If you’d like to know whether your child qualifies for home care services, contact us online or call us at 866.860.2528 – our administrative staff can communicate with your insurance company and other organizations to find coverage for your child.
JSP Home Care Services is a New York City-based agency dedicated to the personalized and compassionate care of children diagnosed with a chronic illness. We not only help children properly manage their diagnosis, but we also help families manage the stress and overwhelm that comes with caring for a child with a chronic illness. JSP Home Care Services’ English/Spanish bilingual administrative staff and nurses are here for you. To learn more about home care services for your child in New York City, contact us online or call us at 866.860.2528.
