Category Diseases & Conditions

A Cultural Affair: Preventing Elderly Abuse in Minority Populations 0

Jan16

There are a variety of ways that culture and ethnicity affect the care of elders within minority families and communities. Traditions, belief systems, and values can differ significantly among diverse groups of cultures. Understanding, or at least considering, these differences is vital in the awareness and prevention of elder abuse.

Elder abuse can take many forms including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Neglect and abandonment are additional types of elder abuse. Misusing or stealing a senior’s property or money is a type of abuse that many individuals aren’t aware of. It isn’t acceptable even for family members or caregivers to take advantage of elders who are vulnerable due to social isolation or cognitive impairments such as dementia.

Elders play different roles in minority families and communities. There are also differences among cultures in who is responsible for providing care and making decisions regarding the care of elders within the family. Some minority groups may have fears or distrust related to law enforcement or social service organizations. This can make interventions difficult and tense. It’s vital to determine the organizations and people within the community who have been deemed trustworthy by minority groups. These clergy members or medical doctors may be needed to act as intermediaries or as teams of personal emergency response system in situations related to elder abuse.

Communication and language barriers can be a factor related to assisting and assessing those involved or at risk for elder abuse. It’s critical that education about the abuse of the elderly is available to all groups within our communities. Those advocating for the prevention of elder abuse need to find out what magazines, newspapers, and other press alternative cultures turn to for reliable information and news. Public awareness messages concerning elder abuse should be aimed at these media outlets for educational purposes.

Some cultures have a tradition of keeping elderly family members at home rather than placing them in long-term care facilities. Minority groups facing socioeconomic challenges and additional stresses may find that caring for elders at home is a situation that breeds potential for abuse or neglect. Most cultures feel that “family business” should be kept private to some degree. This makes the likelihood of reaching out to the community for support doubtful. Other family members may be hesitant to report suspected abuse situations due to strong family ties and loyalties. All of these traditions sadly affect the prevention of elder abuse.

It’s critical that therapists, physicians, home health care employers, and other professionals who provide care for the elderly understand the implications of how culture affects the care of seniors. The Senate Special Committee on Aging has estimated that as many as 5 million elders may be victims of some form of abuse annually. This is an issue that’s deserving of attention and work toward prevention. Everyone has a right to live without the fear of abuse. Our elders are no exception.

Know More About Sweat Rash And Treating It 0

Dec30



Sweat Rash is a common skin ailment prevalent in hot and humid conditions, such as in the tropics characterized by skin and itchy rashes. It is more predominantly in children and infants because of under developed sweat glands. There are lots of other terms associated with skin rash like Milaria, prickly heat. Sweat rash usually develops under the arms, between the legs and the groin area where there is excessive sweat. Due to high moisture, fungal infection develops and leads to fungal skin infections.If neglected secondary bacterial infection may set in.

Sweat rash is common skin infection caused by Candida yeast infection. Symptoms of sweat rash include small red rashes called papules which may itch or more often cause prickling like sensation. These rashes may occur simultaneously at various parts of the body like face, neck, chest, under the arm, groin area and the scrotum.

Skin rashes may be associated with itching, tangling, burning, swelling and slight discomfort. Skin rash may be contagious or not contagious. Some skin rashes may be localized and some generalized. Some skin rashes are short-lived, some recurrent and some chronic.

Sweat rash treatment are generally quite basic which includes cooling the skin, keeping the affected part dry. Normally cool showers and loose fitting clothing usually does the trick. Also avoiding overcrowded, staying in the sun can be beneficial. Air conditioned or proper ventilation is necessary to avoid sweat reash. Calamine lotion is good treatment option for normal heat rashes.

If the skin is inflamed, treatment must be done both to relieve the inflammation and also treat the infection. Anti fungal agents are good to treat sweat rashes as they contain secondary anti bacterial properties that help to eliminate bacteria and fungi also. Most of these anti fungal creams contain hydrocortisone which helps down to soothen down the redness, itchiness and inflammation. There are lots of commercial anti fungal agents available in the market.

Even simple or treatable rashes can cause lot of frustration, especially if you do not know what to do, imagine rashes appearing on one fine day causing itchiness, burning sensation and you not knowing what to do. Self diagnosis is good if you had similar type of rashness before and most probably it would be the same one. It is always good to talk to your doctor or visit your health care professional if you are not sure about the type of skin rash.

Candida And Yeast Infection 0

Dec27



Yeast infections are very common and they are reported by as many as 75% of women at some point in their lives. Vaginitis can be caused by a number of infections, including bacteria (such as Gardnerella and gonorrhea), protozoans (such as trichomonas), and yeast (Candida). Vaginal bacterial infections can be sexually transmitted, but can also be caused by douches and IUDS. It can sometimes be hard to diagnose, because 50% of sufferers will exhibit no symptoms of bacterial vaginosis.

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Vaginal yeast infections are often caused by a fungus called Candida albicans. Yeast are tiny organisms that normally live in small numbers on the skin and inside the vagina. Vaginal medication is used to treat a vaginal yeast infection during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, do not use antifungal medication pills that you take by mouth. Candida albicans is part of the normal environment of the skin, mouth, intestinal and vaginal tract.

Candida, also known as yeast infection, is caused by many reasons but one of the biggest reasons is that your immune system is low so your body’s pH balance becomes out of whack. Our bodies are filled with positive and negative flora and when the negative bacteria get overgrown, we become ill. Candida albicans is a yeast that normally lives in the intestines.

Its function is to break down undigested food particles before harmful bacteria can start growing on them. Candida is accorded responsibility for symptoms as specific as hay fever, as vague as “foggy brain” and as common as weight gain or flatulence. These symptoms are attributed by alternative medicine practitioners to the “overgrowth” of intestinal Candida albicans, which they claim leads to the spread of the yeast to other parts of the body via the bloodstream.

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