Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition where your body does not produce or produce enough insulin to help break down sugars in your blood. This results in too much sugar in your blood (hyperglycemia). Elevated blood sugar can cause heart disease, vision loss, kidney disease and more. People with diabetes can also struggle with their blood sugar dropping too low (hypoglycemia)
While there is no cure for diabetes it can be managed by maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy foods, being active, medications such as insulin, oral medications, or others like Ozempic.
There are 3 types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes is thought to be an autoimmune reaction resulting in your body making no insulin. It is usually diagnosed in childhood but can occur at any age. Those with Type 1 diabetes need daily insulin injections to survive.
Type 2 diabetes occurs with your body doesn’t use insulin well or can’t keep blood sugars at a normal level. This develops over many years and is usually diagnosed with adults.
Gestational Diabetes occurs with pregnant women who have never had diabetes. Treatment varies by person, but left untreated it can increase the risk for health problems in the baby and mother. Gestational diabetes increases the risk of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes later in life for both baby and mother.
Emergency Prep:
Loss of Heat:
- Call office immediately
- Office staff to instruct the caregiver to:
- keep doors and windows closed
- dress client in warm clothes or a jacket.
- place blankets over client
- stay near the phone until the client’s family member arrives.
- Once a client’s family member is there, caregiver to call office for client update
- Then the caregiver can leave if the heat will not be back on soon.
Infection Control:
The best way to stop the spread of infection is through good hand hygiene!
Wash your hands before and after cares, meal prep, touching the environment, after using the bathroom, or even touching your hair or face. We should wash our hands frequently during shifts to ensure we aren’t spreading illness, and we aren’t picking up illness.
Soap and water:
- Wet hands
- Apply soap
- Scrub all areas of hands including wrist and fingernails
- Rinse without touching faucet or sink
- Dry
- Turn off the faucet with clean, dry paper towel
Alcohol Based Hand Sanitizer:
- Apply hand sanitizer
- Rub around all areas of hands including wrist and fingernails
- Rub in until completely dry
Caregiver 360:
Dressing with an affected side
- Always promote independence.
- Encourage participation in clothing selection
- Always dress the affected (weak) side first, then continue with the other side.
- When undressing, start with the unaffected side and then remove the affected side's clothing.
Recipe:
Cooking Pasta
- Fill pot halfway with water
- Place pot on burner and set to high heat
- Bring water to boil
- Carefully add pasta to boiling water
- Cook pasta for recommended time on the pasta container (usually 8-10 minutes)
- At allotted time, carefully check pasta to verify it is cooked. If pasta is the same color throughout and easily cut through it is done.
- If pasta has a ring in the center, cook for another minute or so and check again.
- Place colander/strainer in sink.
- Using a potholder carefully pour water and pasta into the strainer to drain the water. Be careful of steam.
- Serve pasta with preferred sauce or toppings such as vegetables, protein/meat, sauce, olive oil, butter, cheese, or seasonings.
BrightStar Care Standards:
Do the Right Thing!
This means that we respect our clients and coworkers. We act with integrity, even when it’s hard.
Back to the Basics:
Before providing care follow SKWIPE:
- Supplies- gather all supplies needed for the task
- Knock- always knock prior to entering home/room
- Wash- perform hand hygiene before and after providing care
- Introduce and Identify- introduce yourself if needed and identify patient using two identifiers (name and date of birth).
- Privacy- ensure privacy during care
- Explain- Provide an explanation of the care being provided and answer any questions as needed prior to care.
Dementia Highlight:
Bathing Tips
- Chose a time that the client is less confused (morning/early afternoon)
- Make sure everything is prepared ahead of time
- Explain the bathing process using simple instructions
- Remain calm and keep body language relaxed and unhurried
- Avoid loud noises (a bath may be the best option if the shower is too loud)
- If using the bath in place of shower, try filling the tub with only a few inches of water to know how hot the client will react. Fill the tub halfway once the client is seated and will be comfortable with adding more water.
- Covering the mirror may help lessen confusion
- NEVER FORCE OR TRICK THE CLIENT INTO BATHING
- Let the office know if bathing attempts are unsuccessful.
Staff Birthday’s/Anniversary’s- January/February
Happy Anniversary:
- 1 year!
- Morgan W.
- Jonathon I.
- Katie V.
- Natasha K.
- 2 years!
- Kali N.
Happy Birthday:
- Bayyinah M.
- April B.
- Sarah M.
- Phelgona W.
- Beverly J.
- Heather A.
- Fuab H.
- Isabella A.
- Jessica M.
- Morgan W.
- Nina N.
- Irisa W.