Guest Blog: What are the main differences between Wheelchairs and Medical Scooters?
One wonders what life would be like if they lost the ability to move and walk around freely, especially if they have come of age already. But the real thing they do not ask themselves are the different options to choose from if such a situation like that comes upon them.
There is an option such as a wheelchair. It is basically a chair that is fitted for a person who has lost the ability to walk normally due to an injury, illness, or disability. Another option is the medical scooter which is designed to look like more of a scooter with the handles in the front of the user and is used by people who still have some ability to use their legs.
There are many differences between a wheelchair and a medical scooter. Here are some of those:
1. Type of Operation
One main difference would be how the two are operated by the handler. With a wheelchair, it can be done by another person behind the wheelchair holding onto the handles and pushing it forward. Another way to use it is by the person in the wheelchair putting their hands on the wheels and pushing them forward which moves them.
The medical scooter, on the other hand, is operated by the person using it putting their hands on the handlebars in front of them and using electricity to power to scooter to move where they want it to go.
2. Design
Another difference is the design of each of them. Wheelchairs usually have two big wheels in back and two small wheels in front to balance the user while the medical scooters can have four wheels with two in front and two in the back. It could also be three wheels with two in the back and one in the front center.
3. Cost
Another huge difference that can affect the users or family is the cost for each of the options. For a typical average wheelchair, the cost can be between $1,000 to $2,000 while the medical scooters the cost can be between $800 to $3,000 or even more depending on the size and model of the scooter.
Which one should you choose?
When it comes to deciding between a wheelchair or a medical scooter, it all depends on the needs of the user. Like the length of time the user will be sitting or the speed they desire or even the design. In the end, the final say should be based on the comfort-ability these mobile aids give to the disabled people or the elderly.
Dental Implants for Seniors – A to Z explained
When you get older, it’s common to wonder if dental implants are the best option for you. You might consider the success percentage of your implant procedure given your age. It’s possible to wonder if dental implants are equally effective for elderly individuals as they are for younger ones.
Fortunately, dental implants are just as durable and effective as ever as people age. Dental implants frequently improve the physical and psychological well-being of elderly persons, as well as their sense of self. There is no maximum age for dental implants.
Implants can also be used for Dentures and Bridges.
Implant Retained Dentures Ill-fitting and loose dentures can be a major issue. You don’t have to make sacrifices by modifying your diet, eating soft foods, or avoiding certain social events – an Implant Retained Denture is a cost-effective method for replacing a full set of teeth. Implant Retained Dentures are more reliable and functional than standard dentures, allowing you to consume the things you enjoy without worrying about your teeth falling out.
Implant Supported Bridge An implant-supported bridge is identical to a traditional dental bridge, except that it is supported by implants rather than natural teeth. When an implant-supported bridge is used, an implant is typically inserted in the jawbone for each lost tooth. The crowns are then joined together to make one piece.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants resemble false tooth roots that are screw-shaped. Dental implants will be inserted into your jawbone by a skilled dentist and will fuse with your natural bone over time. This serves as a foundation for crowns, which are prosthetic teeth.
To hold your crown, a connection, sometimes referred to as an abutment, is put on top of the dental implant. The crown is designed specifically for you to fit in your mouth and match your teeth.
The strongest, safest, and most reliable dental operations are dental implants.
What to Expect When Getting Dental Implants
Several steps are often involved in dental implant procedures:
Consultation – A qualified professional like an implant dentist in Docklands will inspect your mouth, take 3-D X-rays, and discuss implant choices with you before determining the best course of action for your dental implant procedure.
Placing Dental Implants – Your dentist will place the dental implant in your jaw at your subsequent appointment, exactly where your missing teeth should be. Most patients have less pain and discomfort than anticipated and typically go back to work the next day.
But remember that every person has a different experience. In order to make you more comfortable during surgery, IV sedation or local anaesthetic may be utilised.
Similar to other dental surgeries, post-implant surgery discomfort exists. It could cause pain, bruising, swelling, or mild bleeding. Most people typically use over-the-counter drugs to treat any pain.
Osseointegration – Osseointegration is the process that occurs when your dental implant and jawbone begin to grow together. A solid and durable foundation is created throughout this process for your new teeth.
Your dentist might recommend a soft food diet for a few weeks to ensure that your implants recover properly. You’ll return to your regular life in a few months.
Placing an Abutment – Your dentist will attach a small connector to the dental implant (an abutment) after the implant has established a relationship with your jawbone. In some circumstances, the connector can be implanted at the same time as the implant.
Add Fresh Teeth – Your dentist will custom-make your new artificial tooth once your gums have recovered from the initial procedure by taking impressions of your mouth using your natural teeth.
A single crown, a bridge supported by implants, or dentures with several replacement teeth can all be created by the dentist. Though they won’t decay, your artificial tooth or teeth will still require the same regular maintenance, checkups, and cleanings as with genuine teeth.
Check-ups – The number of artificial teeth placed and the type of implant you receive will determine how frequently you will need to have your dental implants evaluated. Typically, the entire procedure takes three to nine months.
Regular follow-up visits with your dentist are expected to ensure that everything is recovering properly.
Taking Care of Dental Implants Following the Procedure
Following dental implant surgery, you should anticipate:
- Your gums and face swelling
- Minor bleeding
- your skin and gums becoming bruised
- the implant location hurts
Usually, the dental surgeon will employ self-dissolving stitches. Your doctor removes your stitches if they do not dissolve on their own. Your doctor might advise you to take antibiotics or painkillers.
Guidelines for Maintaining Your Dental Implants
Seniors who receive dental implants typically have success. The bone may not always fuse to the dental implant. The dental implant is taken out in these situations, and you can try again in around three months.
Your implants will last longer if you:
- maintaining a regular oral hygiene routine that includes brushing and flossing
- Regularly seeing your dentist and receiving specialized cleanings
- Avoiding bad habits like smoking, chewing ice or hard candy, and
Remember that there is a slight chance of bleeding issues, infections, and allergic responses with all oral operations. For example, if an implant is positioned too close to a nerve, it may result in tingling or numbness in the face, lips, tongue, or gums. The dental implant site may experience discomfort, edoema, fever, and chills if your body rejects it.
After receiving your implant, you should visit the dentist again right away if you notice any symptoms or think there might be a problem.
Luke is the owner and clinical director at Royal Wharf Dental. His vision for the clinic was to create an environment and an experience unlike any other, with an attention to detail and delivery of service surpassing all expectations.
Guest Blog: Elderly Temper Tantrums: What’s Behind the Outburst?
It can be somewhat scary when your parent has a tantrum for the first time as an adult. Although we often associate tantrums with young children or teenagers, emotional outbursts can happen at any stage of life. Acting out is losing control when confronted with intense emotions like anger, grief, fear, or any combination of the three.
Watching an elderly parent lose their cool is problematic because it seems wrong on many levels. Many family caregivers are horrified and unsure of how to react when their parent exhibits a level of irrationality that they have never seen before. The best way to handle an outburst without losing your cool also depends on understanding the causes of it. For treatments, you can also find a therapist from counselling Chigwell.
Why Elderly Family Members Act Out
There are numerous reasons why seniors have tantrums. It frequently happens due to the personality changes brought on by dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Certain pharmaceutical drugs may interact or have adverse side effects that lead to irritation and mood changes. A person’s health-related worry or depression may lead to emotional outbursts. The senior in question is misbehaving, but the most complicated explanation to swallow is that they are simply being stubborn and trying to get their way.
It isn’t much you can do if you are dealing with the emotional ups and downs of an elderly loved one with dementia. Outbursts characterise many types of dementia and stages in the condition’s course. Even though it would be tempting to try to reason with a person with cognitive impairment, the truth is that doing so will only worsen the situation. You can talk to the doctor about your loved one’s options for treating anxiety and recent dementia symptoms like violent emotional outbursts. Otherwise, the best you can do to prevent dementia-related outburflares maintain a peaceful, familiar, structured, engaging, and optimistic environment around them. Any abrupt changes in a senior’s conduct should be taken seriously. It can indicate an adverse drug reaction or an underlying health problem, including a urinary tract infection (UTI), untreated discomfort, or restless sleep. Seniors may experience peculiar behavioural signs from diseases like UTIs that are uncommon in younger people. It’s crucial to get a loved one checked out by a doctor immediately if they start acting irrationally angry or disturbed.
Five Ways for Handling Elderly Temper Tantrums
- Make an appointment with your loved one’s doctor to ensure that any new or escalating physical or mental health issues are not to blame for their bad behaviour.
- Do not interact with your elderly relative when they are acting off. Give it no energy at all. Let them know that you won’t be listening to their outburst. Say this as gently as you can, then turn around and go. Before you interact with them again, step out of the room and give them plenty of time to calm down.
- Once they have calmed down, softly grasp their hand and say, “I do love you,” if your loved one tells you to don’t. Since I love you so much, I must take breaks to give you the most excellent care possible. Keep it at that and avoid engaging in further conversation. You don’t need to provide an explained break from caring for a loved one or set limits on their unreasonable expectations. “No is a whole phrase” is a standard piece of advice given on the Caregiver Forum to members who have trouble establishing and upholding boundaries with challenging elders.
- Remind yourself that you deserve and need a break, then go ahead and take one. Doing something modest for yourself daily will set the bar, even if it isn’t an all-day affair. Schedule a respite period the same way you would any other appointment.
Your loved one will eventually start to respect your boundaries and self-care. They will understand that you are serious if you are constantly unyielding about your “me time” and limitations, and they will probably stop trying to manipulate your emotions. After some time, if they still don’t, you might have to stand your ground and impose even more stringent restrictions on what you will do for them and when. Being around constant negativity and criticism is harmful.
- Finally, be aware that you will feel guilty the first few times you carry out these measures. (This is precisely proper if you haven’t had much enjoy setting up barriers or advocating for yourself.) even though you have not carried out whatever is incorrect or malicious, you’ll sense as though you have got. Always prioritising the needs of others before your own is not a pleasant or healthy way to live. The secret to practical, long-term caregiving is learning to put self-care first and letting go of unjustified guilt.
Wrapping up:
It can be somewhat scary when your parent has a tantrum for the first time as an adult. Although we often associate tantrums with young children or teenagers, emotional outbursts can happen at any stage of life. Acting out is just losing control when confronted with intense emotions like anger, grief, fear or any combination of the three. I hope this article will help you with the information we discussed.
Guest Blog: 5 Ways Families Can Pay For Long-Term Care
Depending on what long-term care option your loved one chooses, prices can vary. Many families may be surprised to find out that Medicare and private health insurance policies don’t typically cover the cost of care. Learn how you can pay for long-term care by reading on!
1. Long-Term Care Insurance
In addition to your health insurance, families can purchase an additional long-term care insurance policy for their loved one. Policies generally cover most services offered by a home care agency, nursing home, or assisted living facility. It’s best to purchase a long-term care insurance policy when your loved one is in good health as they may not qualify if there are any pre-existing conditions.
2. Life Insurance
If your loved one already has life insurance, they may be able to add a long-term care rider to their policy. An accelerated death benefit allows your loved one to get a tax-free advance on their policy while they are still alive to pay for the cost of care. If your loved one doesn’t require long-term care, their beneficiaries receive a tax-free benefit as long as the policy is in effect.
3. Reverse Mortgage
A reverse mortgage allows the homeowner to draw on their home’s equity to pay for long-term care. Your loved one can receive a lump sum or monthly payment and even open up a new line of credit. In the event of their death, heirs are left with the remainder of the home equity after paying off the amount owed. There are both pros and cons of having a reverse mortgage.
4. Annuities
An immediate annuity and deferred long-term annuity can usually be purchased through your loved one’s insurance company. A single premium payment for an immediate annuity means they receive a specified amount of monthly income for a designated period of time. With a deferred long term annuity, they will have two sources of funding—one fund that is specifically for long-term care and another fund to use however they would like.
5. Out-of-Pocket
For seniors who don’t have an insurance policy or qualify for Medicaid, they must pay out-of-pocket. Planning for long-term care way before it’s needed can prevent stress and financial burden. This can benefit those who don’t want to pay high insurance premiums. However, only 1 in 4 adults over the age of 45 are actually prepared for the cost of care.
About the Author: Peter Kang is a writer for eCaregivers. He is inspired by his caregiver experience with his late grandfather and role model, a Korean War veteran, to help families find affordable care for their loved ones. Follow Peter on Facebook and Twitter.