Post Traumatic Stress Caused by Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes

General Posted by anthony Date July 22, 2013

The following is a guest post by Farid Yaghoubtil of Downtown LA Law Group

According to the most recent data more than one million of our elderly experience some form of elder abuse, ranging from acts of violence, neglect, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and fraud. However there has been little attention paid on the psychological and emotional trauma the elderly experience because such acts inflicted against them.

Over the past decade Post Traumatic Stress has gained more attention due to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the emotional trauma experience by our veterans. PTSD can effect anyone who has experience a traumatic event. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to developing PTSD from acts of verbal, emotional, and physical abuse and neglect.

What Are Some Sing of PTSD and Emotional Trauma Amongst Nursing Home Residents:

There can be numerous sings and symptoms of PTSD amongst resident of nursing homes and elderly care facilities. Some of the most common symptoms of post traumatic stress are as follows.

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Depressed mood

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Anxiety

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Emotional detachment and avoidance

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Increase irritability and anger

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Nightmares and Flashbacks

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Self destructive acts including attempted suicide

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Inability of unwillingness to consume food

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Failure to respond to questions asked by others

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Afraid of staff and other residents of nursing homes

Victims of PTSD can also experience physical manifestations including increased blood pressure, heart attacks, ulcers, gastrointestinal concerns, vomiting and general nausea.

Verbal and Emotional Abuse in Nursing Homes:

All too often our elderly loved one will experience severe instances of emotional abuse while under the care of nursing home staff. Emotional abuse is often unnoticeable to family members of loved ones who have been victimized. Such abuse can manifest itself in tow way, verbal abuse and non verbal abuse. Signs of verbal and non verbal abuse are presented below.

Signs of Verbal Abuse:

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Verbal abuse, threats, intimidation or humiliation

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Constant yelling or degradation or harassment

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Placing blame on the elderly

Signs of Nonverbal Abuse:

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Isolation or confinement

åáåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ Placing the elderly individual in a constant state of fear

Unlike other forms of elder abuse, emotional abuse rarely shows itself in a physical manifestation in the victim. åÊRather, it places the elderly in a constant state of emotional pain and distress. Therefore, emotional åÊabuse is far more difficult to detect than other types of elder abuse.

Female Nursing Home Patient At Greater Risk of PTSD:åÊ According to statistics females account for the vast majority of nursing homes and elderly care abuse victims. What’s more troubling is that women are at a greater risk of developing PTSD from acts of severe emotional trauma and abuse. A recent study concluded that women are 2.4 time to 2.8 time more likely than men to experience PTSD after a traumatic experience.

Call To Action: åÊWhatever the cause PTSD amongst nursing home patients who have suffered acts of abuse and neglect should gain greater attention amongst law makers, nursing home regulators, advocates against elderly abuse and policy makers.

Visually Impaired Individuals at Significant Greater Risk of Diminished Balance

General Posted by anthony Date July 19, 2013

Wear them if you need them!

UC Davis Health System Eye Center research has found that visually impaired individuals and those those who could benefit from glasses to achieve normal vision but donÛªt wear glasses ÛÓ have a significantly greater risk of diminished balance than individuals with normal vision.
The research suggests that vision may play an important role in calibrating the vestibular system, which includes the bones and soft tissue of the inner ear, to help optimize physical balance.

ÛÏWe know that vision and balance are highly integrated in the brain, but we donÛªt fully understand the relative contributions of the visual, proprioceptive, and vestibular systems in maintaining balance and preventing falls, especially among the visually impaired,Û said Jeffrey R. Willis, an ophthalmology resident at UC Davis Health System Eye Center and lead author of the study.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls among older adults alone cost the U.S. health care system over $30 billion in 2010. One in three adults age 65 and older falls each year, and of those who fall, 20 percent to 30 percent suffer moderate to severe injuries that make it hard for them to get around or live independently, and increase their risk of early death.

ÛÏStudies should also address how poor vision may lead to lower levels of physical and balance activities, as well as on how vision-related fall prevention strategies can be integrated with other fall prevention strategies to more effectively limit falls in our society.ÛåÊ

I am not sure they needed a study that shows how we can become disoriented if we cannot see properly and that can lead to falls. Lesson – have your eyes checked and wear your glasses if prescribed!

Vegetarian Diets Associated With Lower Risk of Death (VIDEO)

General Posted by anthony Date July 18, 2013

[embed_youtube”420″ height=”315″ src=”//www.youtube.com/embed/bwsDki_qp2A”]

Fish Oil May Help Boost Immunity

General Posted by anthony Date July 17, 2013

Fish oil may help boost immunity in some people with certain health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease and other autoimmune disorders in which the immune system attacks the bodyÛªs healthy cells, according to a new study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.åÊ

The findings suggest that instead of suppressing the bodyÛªs immune response, fish oil actually enhances the function of B cellsÛÓwhite blood cells that enforce nonspecific and specific immunity.

Inflammation is a sign of increased immune system activity so itÛªs widely thought that if fish oil fights inflammation, it also may influence overall immune function.åÊ

Researchers at Michigan State UniversityÛªs department of food science and human nutrition examined that influence by studying how the B cells of mice respond to fish oil. B cells are white blood cells that produce antibodies and call other immune cells to join the fight when infections occur.

For five weeks, one group of mice was fed a regular diet while the others had a diet supplemented with fish oil rich in the fatty acid docosahexaenoic acids (DHA). The researchers found that mice in the fish oil group had B cells that produced more antibodies and more of the chemicals that alert other cells to threats.

ÛÏOur data showed that the B cells not only werenÛªt suppressedÛÓwhich would be the dogmaÛÓbut that fish oil even enhanced their function,” said lead researcher Jenifer Fenton. While more research is needed before the mouse studyÛªs implications for humans become clear, she said boosting B-cell activity may be good for some people. ÛÏFor example, the complication and mortality rate from influenza is higher among obese individuals, so that could be a situation where enhancing B-cell function could be useful.”

I take two pills a day. Cholesterol has been naturally lowered.