ED and STD resources

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a very treatable condition.  A man who experiences ED should not think that his sex life is over, but rather seek out options for help.  Urology Health Solutions, based out of Celebration, FL, has great resources for men experiencing ED.  On their website they note a number of treatment options, including: penile implant, low intensive shockwave therapy, oral medications, penile injection therapy, vacuum erection device, and natural remedies.  Urology Health Solutions is accepting new patients and appointments can be made by calling at the phone number listed below.  More information on ED can be found on their website.

Urology Health Solutions

407-566-1105

410 Celebration Place, Suite 203, Celebration, FL 34747

https://www.orlandourologistmd.com/services/erectile-dysfunction

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may be an issue when it comes to elder sexuality and intimacy.  This may be from a lack of education and knowledge when it comes to safe sexual practices.  Condoms are not JUST to prevent pregnancy.  If you are concerned that you may have contracted an STD there are ways to get help.  The Florida Health Department has an Orange County clinic that provides STD testing.  Clinic hours are Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.  The process takes about 2-3 hours and results are given in person that same visit.  No appointment is necessary and clients are seen on a first come, first serve basis.  Contact information and address are listed below as well as the website for further information. 

Florida Health Department

407-858-1445

832 W Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32805

http://orange.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/infectious-disease-services/std/index.html

Aging and Technology

A common myth in today’s culture is that the elderly do not know how to use technology and have no interest in using technology.  There may be aspects of technology that are of little interest to certain populations, but to take an entire topic like technology and make an stereotype about it regarding the elderly is ridiculous.  When I was CNA and home caregiver to a 93 year old woman, she knew the in’s and out’s of her iPad, swiping along between Facetime with her grandkids and a host of games such as solitaire.  There is no age limit to learning, including when it comes to technology.

One of the topics about technology that nurses should be teaching our elderly patients (and all patients for that matter), is the credibility and validity of health information on the internet.  Websites that end in .gov, .edu, or have a hospital’s name in the URL tend to be more reliable in their information.  Examples of these websites include:

https://www.cdc.gov/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/

Going back to the story of my client who used her iPad – providing tablets for elderly to communicate with their loved ones is a great tool, especially during these times of social distancing and isolation.  Whether the elderly person is a patient in the hospital or is living at a nursing home, having a tablet for use with the elderly can promote social interaction and help fight depression.  By encouraging the use of technology, we can bridge the physical distance an elderly person may be experiencing with their family. 

Here is a news report on youtube about a couple women who donated iPads to nursing homes in order for the residents to maintain contact with their family during the corona virus.

Memory and Aging

As we get older we tend to become a little more forgetful.  But what is the difference between the normal aging process vs. when we should be concerned about dementia?  Here are some guidelines to help us out:

Normal aging may look like occasionally forgetting where you left your keys or wallet.  You may feel like you have information on the tip of your tongue that you just can’t quite recall immediately.  Walking into a room and forgetting why you went in is a common one.  However, dementia is recognized as a persistent, disabling decline in two areas of cognition, such as judgment, abstract thinking, or memory.  Warning signs that of dementia may include memory loss so severe that it disrupts work, hobbies, family relationships, etc.  If you or your family notice these memory lapses frequently enough to become a concern, it’s time to check in with your doctor. 

However, just because an elderly person is showing signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia does not automatically mean they have it.  As nurses we should be advocates for our patients and educate them on possible causes of reversible memory loss not related to dementia.  Depression is known to imitate signs of memory loss, causing difficulty accomplishing tasks and poor judgment.  A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause memory loss because vitamin B12 protects neurons and promotes brain health. Thyroid issues that affect metabolism can cause confusion (fast metabolism) or feelings of sluggishness and depression (slow metabolism).  Even dehydration, a common problem in the elderly population, can be the cause of drowsiness, confusion, and memory loss.  By identifying the root cause of the memory loss, there is hope that it can be treated and be reversed.  I think as nurses it is important that we not take the sign/symptom of memory loss and automatically think dementia. There are other causes of memory loss that should be explored in the treatment of this process. 

Here is a youtube titled "Spotting the signs of dementia":

95th Birthday

Today would have been Kristin's 95th birthday, however she passed away just before her 90th birthday.  She lived a good life and enjoyed her last few years of life.  She had a number of friends at her ALF who will miss her.  Continue to rest in peace, Kristin. 

85th Birthday!

Another decade come and gone. Things have changed a decent amount in the last ten years since my last post.  My husband passed away a few years ago.  That was pretty hard on me and I still miss him a lot. 

I moved from Kenya back to my hometown of Orlando, FL last year.  I miss my community in Kenya, but my family here in Orlando is so supportive. They helped me with my transition to an assisted living facility.  It's nice to have a built in community of friends that I can do hobbies and activities with on a regular basis. 

I've always been a fan of crocheting various crafts, but the arthritis in my hands prevents me from doing it as much as I'd like.  I don't drive anymore.  I decided when I returned to the US that I would not renew my driver's license because I think that old people are dangerous drivers. And I can say that because I am an old person! Haha.

My goal is to continue walking laps in the ALF gardens every day in order to stay up and at 'em for as long as I can. My favorite food happens to be tapioca pudding. 

Here is to another ten years before my next post! Be blessed!

75th Birthday!

Wow, a whole decade has gone by since I've written a blog post.  Amazing. It's hard to believe I'm 75 already.  A little update on my life: I still live with my husband in Kenya.  We have semi-retired from our jobs. I work part time, just one day a week to keep busy and to stay connected with the hospital. 

We volunteer once a week in the children's wing doing music therapy. I'm still active with my neighbors in the community garden, though it has been getting harder on my knees. It's difficult to think about my body starting to give out and not being able to do everything I want to be doing.  It's also been a tough time having to go to more of my friends' funerals. I guess I'm at the life stage where it's normal to be going to more funerals than any other type of community event.

I figure I still have a good amount of years left me in though. I have some cardiac issues - CHF and hypertension - but thankfully I have escaped the diabetes demons thus far.  My goals for this year are to be an encouragement to someone.  I want to leave an impact on someone's life that changes them for the better.

Be blessed!

65th Birthday!

Dear blog,

Today is my 65th birthday. It's crazy to think that I am at the age where I can start medicare and supposedly retire.  That is, if I lived in the United States.  Ten years into my nursing career when I was 35 years old I left the US to work at a teaching hospital in Kenya. Tenwek Hospital has a nurse training program. I am part of the faculty that does the clinical and hands on teaching. It has been an amazing 30 years of working here and watching my nursing students go on to become accomplished nurses and teachers themselves.  I can't imagine leaving this place to retire just yet, so as long as they will have me, I am thrilled to keep working and doing this job. 

My home life is blessed.  My husband also works at the hospital but more on the administration side of things.  Despite being in Kenya for 30 years now, it can still be emotionally challenging some days and I yearn for the comforts of my old home and life in the US.  However, staying active in my Kenyan community has created a network of friends and family for me here. 

My neighbors and I share a community garden and are often to be found digging around in the dirt.  There are no gyms to workout in here as you would think of a typical American gym. Instead I find myself staying busy and active enough in my daily life and chores that I don't need a gym.  Handwashing laundry and hanging it to dry, walking a mile each way to the local market, and volunteering/playing with the children at my church are all ways that I use to stay in shape. I don't mind driving to an extent. If I know I need a lot from the village market I will take the car, but I won't drive in the city. There are too many crazy drivers.  

My goals for the upcoming year include learning a new hobby or skill.  I've always been fascinated with woodworking, so perhaps the local carpenter will show me some of his skills.  

As far as my favorite food, it is definitely avocados, but not necessarily for the reason you may think of when you ask what your favorite food is.  The community avocado trees drop their fruit when it is ripe. As soon as you hear that familiar thud on the ground of the fallen avocado, it is followed by the shrieks of laughter and running feet of the children who race to be the first one to get the treat. I sometimes hear the thuds in the middle of the night and have to get my avocados then because otherwise the children take them all! But it is such a delight to see them.

My current favorite song is "You've Got a Friend in Me" by Randy Newman.  I find that as I age, friendships are becoming more important than other things in this world. Here is a youtube video of the song!

Be blessed everyone!