http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/health/expressive-arts-therapy-for-elderly-patients.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/expressive-arts-therapy-for-elderly-patients.html Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:05:50 -0500
The program facilitates long-term care for residents who suffer from Alzheimer’s and other severe dementia-causing disorders. Like Smith, many of these residents, who daily battle against decreasing levels of cognitive functioning, perk up immediately as soon as Dr. Hale starts to strum his guitar. Suddenly animated, many of them begin to laugh and smile, clapping and nodding their heads in time to the rhythm. While many residents typically have trouble maintaining focus and remaining alert, as soon as Dr. Hale begins a music therapy session they make eye contact with him easily. When the music starts, their former listlessness and agitation quickly disappears.

"Music therapy in a long-term care setting has a particular value for residents who become isolated, withdrawn and depressed," says Vicki Ritz, the program’s director of nursing.

Alzheimer’s patients are not the only ones whose lives have been significantly improved by music, art, and dance therapy. The treatment has been shown to benefit people suffering from a wide range of disorders, including schizophrenia, aphasia, autism, Tourette Syndrome, and Parkinson’s disease.

Elaine Hall, who adopted her autistic son, Neal, from a Russian orphanage when he was 2-years-old, has made it her mission to bring art therapy to children who have difficulty expressing themselves.

“I wanted to teach theater and dance to kids with autism, cerebral palsy,” attention-deficit disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome, she said, “anything that gets somebody kicked out of everywhere else.”

Hall, who has been dubbed “the child whisperer” because of her knack for engaging children in performance, founded the Miracle Project as a way to carry out her mission. Formerly an acting coach for Hollywood film and television stars, Hall now prefers to focus her attention on the very young. The Mircale Project, “a musical theater and video arts program for children of all abilities celebrating music, dance, story and culture,” produced a documentary called “Autism: The Musical” that HBO released in 2008. The film chronicles the struggles of a group of autistic children and their families as they get ready to put on a show.

“The first 11 weeks were so chaotic, kids were literally hiding under tables and spinning around in circles,” Hall recalls, then whispers: “Then all of a sudden they start coming together as a group. We wrote a play. We learned songs. We wore costumes. We no longer talked about Steven hiding under tables. We we’re saying, ‘O.K., what role do you think Steven should play?’ ”

Today, as many as seventy universities across the country offer arts therapy programs. Once considered a dubious science at best, expressive arts therapy is now understood to be an important tool in the therapeutic process. Many researchers believe that this is due in large part to the neurological effects of music and dance. Rhythm stimulates activity in parts of the brain that control cognitive function. By promoting communication and facilitating the development of motor skills and synaptic reorganization, music and dance therapy can foster rehabilitation after a stroke or severe brain injury.

Music therapy is also proven to produce calming effects on the body and mind, slowing blood pressure and decreasing heart rate, blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. Because emotional wellbeing plays an important part in overall healing, expressive arts therapy is likewise an important part of the healing process. Dancing and making art and music also have a social impact that helps individuals to feel confident to express themselves and connect with others around them. Music therapists call this the “ripple effect,” a term coined by Mercedes Pavlicevic and Gary Ansdell to describe music’s ability to naturally attract people and create larger social contexts.

Dr. Mike Crawford, professor of Psychological Medicine at Imperial College, who studies the medical effects of creative therapies, says that at times when patients are struggling with illness they “may find it difficult to express themselves using words, but through the skill of the therapist it may be possible to help people interact…in a way that is constructive, creative and enjoyable.”

Whether battling illness or not, just about anyone can benefit from the transformative power of art.



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Check out In Home Caregivers & Health Care Providers for all your home caregiver needs.

Finding a caring, professional in home caregiver or health professional can be a challenging task. You want to be sure that that the person you are bringing into assist with everyday needs will provide quality care. Quality doesn't mean just showing up, it means being there emotionally to help keep spirits high and improve quality of life.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/a-condescending-vernacular-the-problem-of-elderspeak.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/a-condescending-vernacular-the-problem-of-elderspeak.html Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:56:20 -0500
Susan Kemper, a distinguished professor of gerontology at the University of Kansas, was given a grant by the National Institute on Aging to study the ways in which young people change their speech patterns when communicating with elders. For her study, Kemper paired older and younger people together as conversation partners. What she discovered was that younger speakers consistently reverted to elderspeak even when older listeners made no indication that they had difficulty comprehending the conversation. Kemper also concluded that elderspeak did not in any way help older listeners to understand what was being communicated, but instead caused older listeners to perceive themselves as cognitively impaired.

In fact, based on another study, Yale professor Becca Levy concluded that perceiving oneself as cognitively impaired actually leads to lower cognitive functioning. Levy says that condescending and patronizing phrases like “good girl” and “How are we feeling today?” can be extremely detrimental. “Those little insults,” she tells us, “can lead to more negative images of aging” and “those who have more negative images of aging have worse functional health over time, including lower rates of survival.”

Yet the use of elderspeak is ubiquitous in the eldercare industry, particularly in nursing home and assisted living environments. A research team also at the University of Kansas, headed up by professor Kristine Williams, videotaped interactions between twenty staff members and residents in a nursing home. The tapes revealed that when staff members used elderspeak to talk with residents, the residents were invariably less cooperative and receptive to care and more aggressive. Many expressed their frustration at being addressed like infants by making faces, screaming or refusing to reply with staff members’ requests.

So why do health care professionals use elderspeak? Williams suggests that many workers see it as a warm and caring way to connect with their patients, adding that “they don’t realize the implications” because “it’s also giving messages to older adults that they’re incompetent.” While a small number of caregivers are mindful of these dangers, much still needs to be done to raise awareness about the issue.

Not unlike the similar issue of childcare professionals “talking down” to children, which also impedes cognitive development, the problem of elderspeak is endemic in part because the industry is not set up to support long-term relationships with caregivers. Turnover rates at nursing homes and assisted living centers can often be very high. Staff are typically assigned to care for many residents without being primary caregivers for any of them, making it difficult to form lasting bonds. In-home caregivers, on the other hand, usually attend to only one patient at a time and often for much longer periods of time, creating relationships in which the individual needs of each patient can be understood and supported.

Elderspeak also reflects larger cultural discomforts around the subject of aging. As New York Times journalist John Leland points out, “as long as our culture is uncomfortable with the aging process, I suspect we will be uncomfortable about the language used to describe it.”



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Check out In Home Caregivers & Health Care Providers for all your home caregiver needs.

Finding a caring, professional in home caregiver or health professional can be a challenging task. You want to be sure that that the person you are bringing into assist with everyday needs will provide quality care. Quality doesn't mean just showing up, it means being there emotionally to help keep spirits high and improve quality of life.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/lifestyle/youa%80%99re-never-too-old-to-rock.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/lifestyle/youa%80%99re-never-too-old-to-rock.html Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:47:40 -0500 senior citizens and the Bee Gees don’t seem like related subjects. Not the case, however, for Massachusetts-based chorus Young@Heart. In fact, this musical group, whose youngest member was born in 1939, does a pretty mean version of “Stayin’ Alive.”

Founded in 1982 by director Bob Cilman, Young@Heart began as a way to engage senior citizens at the Walter Salvo house, an elderly housing project in Northampton, Massachusetts. Nearly thirty years later, the chorus has toured extensively in both Europe and the United States, performing for everyone from royalty to prison inmates. With a repertoire that includes everything from Radiohead to the Rolling Stones, Young@Heart has a knack for taking standard rock-n-roll hits and re-contextualizing them to create a surprisingly compelling theatre experience. Songs like the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated,” the Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” David Bowie’s “Golden Years,” Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” take on new meaning when performed by a group of rockers with an average age of 78.

While most of the chorus members prefer classical music or show tunes to these songs, they have come to trust Cilman’s eclectic tastes. When the group toured Ireland, journalist Belinda McKeon of Irish Times interviewed members Jéan Florio, 85, and Jack Schnepp, 77:

"My kids say, Mom, you're not doing that song!" said Jéan. "They say, get out of here, you can't be doing the Clash. And we say, oh yes we are."

Jack chimed in: "In the old days we would have just turned these songs off the radio. We would have just turned down the noise. Now we know the words. We know there's always a good beat in them. Now we enjoy them; they're all good songs."

"Well, the only thing I won't listen to is hip-hop," added Jéan. "I don't care for that."

"Or hard rock," said Jack.

“No, no, some hard rock is pretty good."

Long-time member Eileen Hall has performed stripteases with the group and both Warren Clark and Ralph Intorcio have donned drag for Young@Heart shows. The ensemble has collaborated with punk rockers, Latino breakdancers, Cambodian folk artists, and the Pioneer Valley Gay Men’s Chorus, producing several productions over the years, including “Oh No A Condo” in 1988 and “Louis Lou I – A Revolting Musical” in 1991, which used Sinatra tunes to recount the story of the French Revolution.

In 2007, the group reached a new level of fame when they caught the attention of filmmaker Stephen Walker. Walker’s acclaimed film, also called Young@Heart, follows chorus members as they prepare to perform new material for sold-out audiences. Documenting their difficulties at remembering the lyrics to complex songs such as Allen Toussaint’s “Yes We Can Can” as well as simple songs like James Brown’s “I Feel Good,” the film displays the joie de vivre of these hip seniors. Several beloved members of the group passed away during the making of the film, making the documentary a meditation on mortality as much as a celebration of the sheer power of music. The film’s finale is, of course, their much-anticipated performance, which includes a hilarious version of the Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” as well as 81-year-old Fred Knittle’s heart wrenching version of Coldplay’s “Fix You,” dedicated to a recently-deceased chorus member.

Film reviewer Greg Saulmon muses: “Someone once told me that growing up isn't about getting things; it's about losing them. But while that sense of loss hangs heavy in "Fix You" and "Fake Plastic Trees," what's even more unmistakable is how much the singers of Young@Heart have left to give.” What these singers give us is more than just rousing renditions of overplayed rock anthems. They show us how to approach aging with humor, grace, honesty, and, above all, joy.



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Check out In Home Caregivers & Health Care Providers for all your home caregiver needs.

Finding a caring, professional in home caregiver or health professional can be a challenging task. You want to be sure that that the person you are bringing into assist with everyday needs will provide quality care. Quality doesn't mean just showing up, it means being there emotionally to help keep spirits high and improve quality of life.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/the-benefits-of-elderly-home-care.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/the-benefits-of-elderly-home-care.html Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:01:05 -0500 home-care providers for assistance. Many elders enjoy the independence of living in their homes, while receiving the required medical care that cannot be furnished from their relatives or friends.

Home care services can be provided by a few agencies, including: home health agencies, hospices, homemaker and home care aide agencies, staffing and private-duty agencies, pharmaceutical and infusion therapy companies, durable medical equipment and supply dealers registries, and independent providers.

Home care providers can provide a variety of professionals, including:

• Physicians
• Registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs)
• Physical therapists (PTs)
• Social workers
• Speech language pathologists
• Occupational therapists (OTs)
• Dietitians
• HCAs/home health aides
• Homemaker and chore workers
• Companions
• Volunteers

There are many benefits to home care for elders that, when contrasted with the costs associated with nursing homes, make home care a more desirable option for the senior citizen and his/her provider, if applicable.

For instance, home care programs allow senior citizens to remain in their homes and keep their sense of independence intact. Freedom, comfort, and privacy are given to the individual, and receiving personalized, one-on-one treatment from the caregiver or medical professional is a major plus.

If you are considering using your own home as a care facility, allowing your parents or other beloved elders to move-in, there are many benefits as well. However, much thought must be put into the decision. Consider the previous relationship you had with your parent(s). If your relationship was built on a rocky, tumultuous foundation, it may not be best for sanity’s sake to have your parent move in. Be sure your house can accommodate an additional person moving in, and won’t be a cramped situation for everyone involved.

Whether care is provided in your home or the elder’s, an at-home care giving situation is an ideal way to maintain independence while cutting costs associated with nursing home care.



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Check out In Home Caregivers & Health Care Providers for all your home caregiver needs.

Finding a caring, professional in home caregiver or health professional can be a challenging task. You want to be sure that that the person you are bringing into assist with everyday needs will provide quality care. Quality doesn't mean just showing up, it means being there emotionally to help keep spirits high and improve quality of life.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/what-science-tells-us-about-in-home-health-care.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/what-science-tells-us-about-in-home-health-care.html Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:25:10 -0500
Today, in Western industrial societies, most young children pass their time in childcare outside the home. Many people living with chronic illnesses or cognitive disabilities pass their days far away from their loved ones and family members. Likewise, the vast majority of seniors reside in an institutionalized assisted living situation rather than with their extended family. In Central Europe, one in every two people ends their life outside the home. These trends are perplexing, considering that in-home care is more cost effective than institutionalized care and science tells us that those who receive care in their homes are more likely to have better health care outcomes.

Anthropologists who specialize in the study of aging adults, for example, tell us that seniors who remain in their own homes with the assistance of in-home health care have the best of both worlds. Their research shows that people who remain in their own homes during their elder years are happier, healthier and more active than their counterparts who enter assisted care facilities or nursing homes, while at the same time enjoying the benefits of in-home help with tasks that have become difficult, such as housecleaning, meal preparation, transportation and keeping track of medications. On average, their cognitive abilities also remain intact longer, as they go about their usual daily activities and make decisions about what they will do each day, from what they eat to what they wear. Elders who remain in their own homes with the assistance of in-home health caregivers stay more engaged with their families and with their long-time friends and neighbors, which stimulates the parts of the brain involved with memory, communication and a sense of identity. Depression is far less likely among this group.


Moving to an assisted living facility or nursing home is a traumatic event for most elders, who must part with many of their cherished possessions and become oriented to a whole new way of life in a new place. The unfamiliar setting and the challenges of adapting to scheduled meals and activities can overwhelm seniors, who often react by slipping into a passive state of depression and dependency.


An older person or couple who can stay in their own home, with the assistance of an in-home caregiver, continue to feel independent and in control of their lives, which boosts their self-esteem. Studies show that a sense of control of one’s life is an important factor in preventing depression. Elders in their own homes are more likely to keep up with world events through newspapers and television, use the telephone to stay in contact with friends and family, enjoy their long-time hobbies and even take up new activities.


So why is care so often taken outside the home? The way industrial societies are structured plays a huge part. As German sociologist Reimer Gronemeyer explains: “Those societies that see themselves as productive societies tend to ‘marginalize,’ or even to suppress…elderly citizens and their interests because their needs could be perceived as an unacceptable pressure on the budget.“ While medical developments have dramatically increased the life expectancy in industrialized societies, with people over 65 constituting the fasted growing segment of the U.S. population, these societies have not yet adapted to embrace family models that account for this increase.

The problem may lie in how these societies conceive of personhood. This question is one of the most telling tools by which anthropologists can make cross-cultural comparisons. Is the value of a human life based on how much a person produces or on how that person treats others? Likewise, for Gronemeyer, the manner in which a society “responds to the weak, needy and fragile members within its own structures measure[s] the sense of humanity of any society.”



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Check out In Home Caregivers & Health Care Providers for all your home caregiver needs.

Finding a caring, professional in home caregiver or health professional can be a challenging task. You want to be sure that that the person you are bringing into assist with everyday needs will provide quality care. Quality doesn't mean just showing up, it means being there emotionally to help keep spirits high and improve quality of life.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/caregivers-abuse-and-elders.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/caregivers-abuse-and-elders.html Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:29:39 -0500
One of the considered main causes of caregiver abuse is caregiver depression and stress. Physical abuse constitutes as a non-accidental force against the elder resulting in pain or injury. Emotional abuse causes the elderly person emotional distress, using intimidation, humiliation, or ignoring the individual to bring pain.

Other forms of abuse can include sexual abuse, abandonment by caregivers, using the elder’s assets for exploitation, and healthcare fraud.

There are warning signs to notice that could indicate emotional abuse from a care provider. For instance, if a noticeable change in personality from the elder occurs, the root of the change should be investigated. Likewise, if arguments are frequent between the caregiver and the elder, abuse could occur.

Warning signs to look for when suspecting physical abuse include changes in physical appearance, such as weight loss or malnutrition, signs of injury like bruises or welts, signs of being restrained (like marks on the wrists), medication overdose/under-dose, or the caregiver refusing for you to be alone with the elder.

Preventative measure is the best precaution to take to eliminate elder abuse. The best way to find a caregiver who fits your needs is to analyze what exactly your needs are. Write a job description addressing your professional needs for the caregiver candidate, times/hours need per week, years of experience, and personality expectations. Be thorough and concise in your job description.

Write a list of questions you want to be sure to ask of your candidates. Ask for references and be sure to check with each one to see if the caregiver is, in fact, a good candidate for the position. As well, be sure to get a background check on those you are seriously considering hiring. When choosing the best candidate for hire, be sure to choose wisely. Look for caregivers who have experience with the ailments that may affect the elder needing care. Lastly, be sure to consistently monitor the elder’s progress and care. Any signs of abuse or neglect should be investigated immediately.



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Check out In Home Caregivers & Health Care Providers for all your home caregiver needs.

Finding a caring, professional in home caregiver or health professional can be a challenging task. You want to be sure that that the person you are bringing into assist with everyday needs will provide quality care. Quality doesn't mean just showing up, it means being there emotionally to help keep spirits high and improve quality of life.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/depression/depression-in-elder-care.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/depression/depression-in-elder-care.html Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:40:10 -0500 elders is a serious and unfortunately common problem among the aging populations. Some studies even estimate up to 25% of the elderly population suffers from depression.

Among the elderly, depression is difficult to diagnose as the symptoms blur with traits stereotypically associated with age. The roots of depression in an elder can range from a number of scenarios, including: grief, chronic illness or pain, loneliness, memory loss, or feeling that life no longer has purpose.

According to the Center for Disease Control, common symptoms of depression include:

• Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism

• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and/or helplessness

• Irritability, restlessness

• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable

• Fatigue and decreased energy

• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions

• Insomnia, early–morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping

• Overeating, or appetite loss

• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts

• Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not get better, even with treatment.


People of all ages experience periods of uncertainty, grief, or mourning. However, extended periods of mental is not normal, whether the individual is a young adult or an elder. Therefore, any of the above symptoms exhibited by the aged should be seriously evaluated, and medical help should be sought.

There are many different ways to treat depression. Consider the following options, which can usually be covered by insurance plans:

Psychotherapy, or “Therapy” – Therapy is the process of discussing problems associated with depression with a trained and licensed mental-help professional. Many forms of therapy are available, including individual, family, couples, or group. Often therapy is the first step in treating depression.

Antidepressant Medications – These drugs increase brain chemicals that improve emotions, or neurotransmitters.

Community Involvement – A great way to fight loneliness and give a sense of purpose, community involvement allows the elder to engage him/herself in an activity he/she enjoys. Options include: elder support groups (often offered at hospitals), joining a social group, engaging in a hobby or volunteer work, getting a pet, or regularly receiving visitors, be it family, friends, or other loved ones.

Depression is hard for people of all ages, but it is particularly important to watch-out for in elders. Ignore the notion that all elders are “withdrawn” and focus on getting care for your loved one.



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Check out In Home Caregivers & Health Care Providers for all your home caregiver needs.

Finding a caring, professional in home caregiver or health professional can be a challenging task. You want to be sure that that the person you are bringing into assist with everyday needs will provide quality care. Quality doesn't mean just showing up, it means being there emotionally to help keep spirits high and improve quality of life.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/daring-to-care-male-caregivers-fight-gender-discrimination.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/daring-to-care-male-caregivers-fight-gender-discrimination.html Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:59:24 -0500 Caregiving should be considered one of the most admirable professions out there. After all, caregivers are entrusted to care for loved ones who often in extreme pain from chronic illness. They are typically called upon to support families during incredibly difficult times. Caregivers frequently work long hours throughout both days and nights to ensure that their patients are as comfortable as possible. Few careers require such compassion, patience, energy, and poise in the face of tremendous responsibility. So how is it that caregiving is such an unrecognized and underappreciated profession – especially for male caregivers?

The problem may lie in the way that the profession is perceived by society in general, and by the medical community in particular. Historically, caregiving roles have (and in most ways continue to be) perceived as feminine. Because women bear the brunt of the world’s unpaid labor, providing subsistence for their families and caring for children, aging parents, and sick relatives, the vast majority of human cultures see caregiving as a distinctly gendered practice. To fly in the face of traditional caregiving roles is to risk being ostracized for breaking social taboos, something that stay-at-home dads, concerned sons caring for aging parents, and especially male nurses can tell us plenty about.

Gordon Rogers, an ER nurse for the past thirty years at University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri, explains how it took a long time for even his own mother to stop asking him when he was planning to become a doctor.

“It took her a while to get over the idea that no, I wasn't going to 'graduate up' and become a doctor. That I was happy doing what I was doing."

Rogers says it isn’t uncommon for his patients to make the same mistake, explaining that he frequently hears comments from patients who assume that his position as a male nurse is only a stepping stone. Many people find it hard to believe that he wouldn’t be using his male privilege to move on to a higher paid and better respected position as an MD.
Jerry Lucas of Male Nurse Magazine concurs:

"Our problem is that that's the perception, this is a feminine thing, that you can't be a nurse unless you're feely-touchy.” Lucas feels, however, that popular perceptions about caregiving are slowly starting to change. “It's not feely-touchy anymore. It's taking care of patients the way you would take care of your family."

But, with male nurses comprising as little as 5% of the nursing work force, discrimination is still something many male nurses deal with on a daily basis. Lucas recounts:

"I had a lady come in one night who was probably having a heart attack. In that setting we have a lot to do in a short amount of time. And we get her undressed so that we could hook her up to her monitors and everything – and then she requested that we turn our backs. I said 'ma'am please get undressed so we can get you on this monitor' because there were only two nurses there and we were both males. But until we turned our backs, this lady would not undress – even though she was dying of a heart attack!”

Lucas believes that the problem lies in society’s basic ideas about gender, particularly when it comes to intimate procedures like inserting a catheter or assisting in the delivery a baby.

Nigerian-born Sylva Emodi, who taught as associate professor of nursing at a California university, said that the discrimination he experienced while teaching labor and delivery in a California hospital disturbed him so much that he eventually got out of maternity care and pediatrics altogether.

"I remember going to a rotation at a local hospital. The head nurse made it difficult for me to be able to supervise students in labor and delivery, pediatrics and postpartum, I think, because I’m a guy. She’d say, ‘You are not a medical doctor, you cannot go into labor and delivery.’ After a while, I had had enough, so I went to the doctor directly and said, ‘I need to be here with the students. The students need to see what is going on.’ The doctor said, ‘Sure, help yourself. Come on in.’ "

While the head nurse eventually apologized for her behavior, Emodi says that he still experienced hostility from other faculty members. Finally, he became so fed up that he left both the university and hospital where he was teaching. Today, Emodi is supervisor of the Palo Alto VA Health System’s psychiatric unit in California and says that he’s glad he pursued a career in nursing, despite the discrimination that he experienced.
Still, many men feel intimidated to even enter the nursing profession. And Lucas adds that it’s not only men that feel hesitant to pursue caregiving careers.

Like schoolteachers, nurses are in high demand. Nurses and caregivers are rarely given the respect that they deserve, especially within the medical community, in large part because these roles are perceived to be feminine. As a result, few people are choosing these professions.

While some people suggest that a minority of male nurses are being pitted against female nurses who dominate the industry, in reality, male nurses who experience gender discrimination are actually just getting a taste of the same patriarchal oppression that their female counterparts experience on a daily basis. Any woman working in a profession perceived as socially-acceptable for women, such as being a nurse, caregiver, childcare provider or receptionist, is likely to receive worse treatment and less pay than she would in a male-dominated job that requires the same skills. While this situation seems bleak, the fact that men are entering the nursing profession means that they have the opportunity to use their male privilege to speak out against gender discrimination.
Nursing professor Susan Boughn, who teaches at the College of New Jersey School of Nursing in Ewing, studies why men and women choose nursing careers.

"If we had all nursing students concerned up front about their basic human labor rights and empowering not only themselves and their patients but also the profession, that’s a good place for students to be,” says Boughn. “I think if we had a long history of that, we would not be where we are today with the nursing shortage."

However, many in the nursing and caregiving profession are beginning to empower themselves. Several male nurses throughout the U.S. and the U.K. have filed gender discrimination lawsuits in recent years – and won. In a landmark case, the U.K. Equal Opportunities Commission supported 29-year-old nurse Andrew Moyhing, who filed suit against a National Health Service hospital after the hospital required that Moyhing be accompanied by a female chaperone when performing intimate procedures on female patients. While the hospital claimed that the regulation was in place “as a safeguard against the generalised risk of assault upon a female patient and/or false accusations of assault against male nurses,” the Tribunal ruled that the regulation was based on an assumption that all men are sexual predators.

Jenny Watson, Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission, said:
"The women and men who work so hard in our hospitals are professionals and deserve to be treated as such. This type of discrimination against men based on misconceptions about their behaviour does nothing to help ensure patient safety.” Watson also concluded:

“This case has wider implications. EOC research shows that over a quarter of boys in school are interested in caring work, yet only one in ten nurses is a man and only 1 in 50 childcare workers. This disconnect between levels of interest and the tiny numbers of men entering the caring professions won't be closed until we challenge our assumptions about the type of jobs that modern men should do, and start enabling young men to make their own choices, free from outdated stereotypes."

While we have a long way to go before we can put these stereotypes behind us, cases such as these demonstrate that some progress has been made. Within his first ten days in office, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which guards against gender discrimination in the workplace. And in 2002, Johnson & Johnson launched a long-term campaign to promote the nursing profession, with male nurses factoring prominently in television ads that aired nationwide. Alluding to the courage required of many male nurses and caregivers dealing with gender discrimination, the campaign’s slogan was, “Dare to Care.”



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Check out In Home Caregivers & Health Care Providers for all your home caregiver needs.

Finding a caring, professional in home caregiver or health professional can be a challenging task. You want to be sure that that the person you are bringing into assist with everyday needs will provide quality care. Quality doesn't mean just showing up, it means being there emotionally to help keep spirits high and improve quality of life.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/alternative/what-is-chair-massage.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/alternative/what-is-chair-massage.html Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:19:05 -0600
The chair massage therapist performs the massage without oils, which eliminates the need for the client to disrobe. The massage is generally concentrated on the muscles of the neck, shoulders, back, arms and hands, with sessions lasting for five to fifteen minutes. Chair massage sessions can be accompanied by aromatherapy, which is the use of essential oils to help promote deeper relaxation as well as physical and psychological well-being. Reflexology can also be part of a chair massage session. Reflexology involves applying pressure to specific zones of the foot in order to have a positive effect on related organs and tissues throughout the body.

Chair massage has many important benefits, the most obvious being its convenience for the client. The portability of the massage chair allows the therapist to perform the chair massage in a variety of settings, which is why it is often termed on-site massage. The massage chair takes up a small amount of space and a chair massage station can be set up in a matter of minutes. Since there is no need for the client to undress, privacy is less of an issue than with traditional table massage. However, for those who wish to have a more private setting, a screen can be set up around the chair, or the station can be located in an empty room or office.

Other far-reaching benefits of chair massage are the enhanced sense of physical and emotional well-being that results from the deep relaxation that the massage provides. Chair massage effectively reduces feelings of anxiety and soothes away the tension that is primarily held in the muscles of the shoulders, neck and back. Such benefits are immediate and long lasting, enabling the client to carry on with their day feeling refreshed and pain-free.

Chair massage also helps to increase circulation, which is important in maintaining healthy and nourished muscles, joints and tissues. Those who work in office environments often do so in poorly designed workstations, which can contribute to the onset of repetitive stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Office massage can reduce the pain associated with repetitive stress injury by gently lengthening muscles and separating adhesions caused by scar tissue.

The effectiveness of chair massage in lessening muscle tension has a positive effect on a client’s range of motion and flexibility. Reduced muscle tension allows for greater flexibility, which is an important factor in injury prevention. Those who receive regular chair massage also benefit from improved posture and decreased back pain.

Additionally, corporate massage has been shown to have a significant effect on a recipient’s cognitive function. Studies have shown that chair massage enhanced problem solving skills and creativity, and that those positive benefits were long lasting. Chair massage’s ability to relieve stress and anxiety is also useful in curtailing the onset of chronic tension headaches and has been shown to be useful in the treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia.

Finally, it should be noted that chair massage is very affordable, making it an accessible form of treatment for people in a wide range of economic situations. Chair massage sessions are generally priced around one dollar per minute, and because the sessions are concentrated, the cost for a typical chair massage is analogous to a movie ticket or lunch at a restaurant, but with healthful benefits that last much longer. The immediate and far-reaching benefits of chair massage have made it an increasingly popular choice for those who need an affordable, effective and convenient way to reduce stress and improve their overall physical and emotional well-being.

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Brandon Thomas is a nationally certified massage therapist and founder 
of JoyLife Therapeutics. JoyLife Therapeutics provides chair massage, 
corporate massage, office massage, special event and trade show massage throughout the US.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/alternative/chair-massage-for-ptsd.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/alternative/chair-massage-for-ptsd.html Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:04:56 -0600
Unfortunately, many who experience severe trauma develop recurring symptoms that have a negative impact on their spiritual, emotional and physical well-being. Many victims of trauma cease to be comfortable in their own bodies. The repeated negative effects that occur as a result of a past trauma can be defined as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Although talking with a counselor or therapist can help to bring the traumatic experience into perspective, the physical manifestations of PTSD can remain. Therapeutic massage is now being used to help those with PTSD to feel more secure and comfortable in their bodies, and help to re-establish proper feelings of closeness and intimacy with others.

The discomfort and anxiety that those with PTSD associate with touch can serve as an obstacle to their acceptance of massage as a form of treatment. It is not uncommon for survivors of assault or abuse to feel vulnerable or ashamed when having to expose their bodies. Chair massage can be extremely useful in such situations, as it does not require the client to disrobe. A chair massage is performed without oils and the short duration of the chair massage session can be a less threatening introduction to therapeutic touch.

Massage conveys encouragement, affirmation, comfort and positivity through touch. Clinical research on the effectiveness of massage therapy for PTSD has increased in the past several years and the analysis of data from recent studies points to the effectiveness of massage on a patient’s delayed evaluation of pain.

Chair massage provides a safe way for clients to appreciate touch and to gradually let go of physical pain. The respectful nature of the client-therapist relationship creates a safe environment in which the recipient knows that they are in complete control. This means that they can change or cease any part of the therapy at will. The client is empowered to take control of the ways in which they prefer to be touched, which allows them to safely experience feelings of intimacy. This can help those with PTSD to put their traumatic experience in the past by helping them to recognize that they can control the present.

Chair massage and full body massage sessions that are methodical and routine can be very reassuring for those with PTSD. Establishing boundaries and goals for each session and splitting the session into distinct phases aids the recipient in their acceptance of healthy touch. The client has the opportunity to recognize feelings that may have surfaced during the session and to begin to process them in a positive manner. Massage can help those with PTSD to be aware of their bodies in the present and to develop a nurturing method of self-care in their daily lives.

PTSD is a complex problem with a host of symptoms that can cause difficulties in the daily lives of those who suffer from it. Massage, performed by a therapist who is educated and respectful of the special needs of trauma survivors can provide comfort and help to foster a sense of hope for those who have been severely impacted by traumatic events.


--
Brandon Thomas is a nationally certified massage therapist and founderof JoyLife Therapeutics. JoyLife Therapeutics provides chair massage,
corporate massage, office massage, special event and trade show massage throughout the US.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>