Winter 2014Courtesy of Humana

Care for you so you cancare for them.

Caring for HealthResources for Family Caregivers

Sleeping soundly with Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sufferers often have pain that makes it hard to sleep. Not sleeping well at night can contribute to greater pain sensitivity during the day. When people hurt, it’s much harder to live healthy and be active. People with RA need to get enough quality sleep so their bodies can recover from the day’s events.

If you care for someone with RA, you can help with some of the stress, anxiety, depression, and other emotional issues that lack of sleep can cause.

Hot baths and massagesBoth should be a part of your companion’s routine as many nights as possible. Relaxing with a hot bath and therapeutic massage often improves sleep.

Take a napAs long as they’re short, afternoon naps of 15-45 minutes have been found to enhance visual, motor, and spatial skills. Longer, late-day naps may cause grogginess and could disrupt nighttime sleep.

Don’t eat too much too lateSomeone with RA should avoid eating anything a few hours before bedtime. The process of digestion can interfere with sleep. Any foods and drinks containing caffeine should be avoided because they stimulate the body to stay awake. These foods include coffee, tea, and chocolate. Satisfy late-night hunger with crackers, cereal and milk, yogurt, or warm milk.

Create a comfortable bedroomMake sure the bed and furniture inside the bedroom is comfortable and convenient. The mattress and pillows should adequately support the head and back and provide comfortable sleep. Any lights, even those from clocks or a nightlight, can interfere with sleep. Keep close to the bed anything the person you care for might want, like books, reading glasses, a lamp or a phone. The bedroom should not be an entertainment center. It should be for sleep only; free of televisions, pets, or anything else that can interfere with quality sleep.

ExerciseIt’s often helpful for someone with RA to get some light exercise 4-6 hours before going to bed. Regular exercise can help with depression. Aerobic exercise such as walking, using a stationary bicycle, and swimming have been shown to improve RA sleep quality too.

There is much you can do to help the person you care for. Better quality sleep allows their body to recover more fully from each day and get ready to face the next one.

By Jacqueline Morrison, RN, CCM, CMC, MA, Director of Clinical and Quality Services, Humana Cares / SeniorBridge

Taking Care

In 1912, author Eleanor Porter wrote “It’s funny how dogs and cats can know the insides of folks better than other folks do, isn’t it.” More than a century later, this is still true. Dr. William Thomas, a geriatrician, developed the “Eden Alternative” in 1991, a long-term care approach that focused on allowing elderly patients to live out their illnesses within the comforts of their own homes. The Eden Alternative used living creatures such as pets, children, and plants to increase the quality of life.

Just by bringing living creatures into New York’s Chase Memorial Nursing Home, he found that the mortality rate went down by more than 15 percent, residents needed fewer medicines, nursing aides stayed on instead of taking new jobs, and residents felt a greater sense of purpose and companionship.

Thinking about introducing a pet into your loved one’s life? Here are four benefits: • Purpose: Pets can help improve feelings of

personal purpose

• Mood: Pets are associated with an increase of the feel-good hormone, serotonin

• Mental health: Pets can reduce or prevent depression

• Caregiver well-being: The unconditional love that pets can bring helps reduce caregiver stress

Before you get a pet, here are three things to consider:Is someone available to properly care for the pet?

Consider whether or not your loved one is mentally able to remember to feed the pet, clean up after the pet, and shop for the pet’s needs. A care manager can help you find someone to help your loved one remember these things, such as a home health aide. If they’re not able, then a care manager can point out some companies that bring pets to regular home visits instead.

Does anyone in the household have a pet allergy? Ask if they are allergic to any specific type of dander. If they are, then you might consider a hairless pet, instead. While there are no completely hypo-allergenic pets, some pets produce less allergens than others. Be sure to talk to a medical professional before getting a pet that may cause an allergy attack.

Choose the pet together. Talk several times about the type of pet your loved one wants. If possible, shop together. Your loved one is more likely to develop a bond with the animal if they choose it themselves, as opposed to you or a family member choosing it for them.

Help your loved one get used to the pet. Once the pet has moved in, help your loved one develop a plan to live with their new friend. A professional care manager can help identify problems and solutions.By Renee Hoskin, professional at SeniorBridge

Pets and caregivers

What is the name of the medicine? Know the brand and generic names of the medicines because you may hear people refer to them either way.

Is the medicine available as a generic? Often, using a generic version of medications can save money, so try the generic when it’s available.

Can the medicine be dispensed as a three month supply? If your loved one’s prescriptions are not changing and can be supplied three months at a time, you may want to try getting them in bulk. A great resource for three month supplies are mail-order pharmacies, like Humana-owned RightSource®. Other pharmacies are available in your loved one’s network.

What do you do if a dose is missed? Nobody is perfect. As a caregiver you may forget your loved one’s medicines, but what’s more important is that you know what to do if a dose is missed.

What are potential side effects of the medicine? Knowing what to monitor in your loved one is important. There are some typical side effects, and others that require immediate attention. Know what they are and what to do if you see any of the side effects.

Did you know the answers for every medicine? If not, your pharmacist is just a phone call away. If you do know all the answers, then congratulations! The next step is to keep a hard copy of your loved one’s medicine list with directions, why they are taking it, and their allergies; and keep a copy of it with you at all times.By Jennifer Harris

Sometimes just getting to the pharmacy is a chore and you’re happy to get in and out quickly. But there is also certain information you should know about all the medicines your loved one takes. If you’re looking through this list of questions and don’t know the answers, then your pharmacist is just the person to ask!

Pharmacy Corner: Time-saving tips

Humana is a Medicare Advantage organization and stand-alone prescription drug plan with a Medicare contract.  Enrollment in a Humana Medicare plan depends on contract renewal.This advice should not be considered specific medical advice as each individual circumstance is different. Should you feel the need for medical advice, consult your doctor.GNHH8VRHH 1113

Health and wellness or prevention information.

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Health AlertIt’s not too late!  Protect yourself and the people you love from the misery of flu or pneumonia. Make sure everyone gets vaccinated. For flu, your loved one can choose between the traditional shot or a high-dose type designed for seniors.  This is also a good time to ask about a pneumonia vaccine.

Humana Hero Cathy is a caregiver for her mother-in-law and her mother and has legal custody of her six-year-old granddaughter. She has been the one to make sure that everything is taken care of for all of them. Both moms have diabetes, so Cathy gives them their insulin shot.”If not for me, they both would never get out of the house, and I try to do everything I can for them to enjoy life. It does get hard at times, but I love them and would not change anything.” Unfortunately Cathy had to put one of them in a nursing home a few months ago after she fell and fractured her hip. “I cannot give her the care she truly needs now, so she is now in a nursing home. However, I still feel the need to be there for her for anything that has to be done. Finding a balance between caregiving and work needs is hard to do sometimes. I try to make sure that I take time for everyone at home which means I use my FMLA and paid time off, as well as breaks or lunches at work to take care of whatever other issues come up during the workday.”

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