#Elderly care in Australia

[roshanacg]

Advantages of working in elderly care in Australia

Each day, several hundreds of aged care workers across Australia tirelessly try to care for elderly individuals either in their homes or in residential aged care facilities.  There are even specialized Employment agencies present today who work towards employing workers desiring to make their career in the domain of elderly care or even disability services.

Make a difference

By pursuing a career in elderly care, you are able to experience what it is like to chance someone’s day for the better, and that’s just the beginning. No matter whether you ultimately empower senior citizens to continue living at home independently or uplift the people living at an aged care, you would ultimately be making a difference that changes and improves the lives of the others. This career would provide you to support people in improving their quality of life, and promote their overall well-being. It can be quite a fulfilling experience to witness the progress, growth, and happiness of the individuals you have cared for.

 Every day is different

As you build a career in Elderly care in Australia,, you can be assured that monotony would never be a part of your job. Your duties every day might be varied, starting from helping a senior to get changed or showered, helping with medications, doing domestic work, to taking them to appointments or social gatherings, planning activities, helping with meals and so on. As you care for new people, you would also get the chance to meet and talk to individuals who have led impressive and interesting lives.

Genuine appreciation and good remuneration

In the domain of elderly care, the people you help in your work are likely to love you for it. They are more often than not genuinely happy to see you. There is hardly anything more rewarding than being met by a big smile from someone whose life you have helped make better. Moreover, elderly care professionals in Australia receive competitive remuneration for their work. There are opportunities for career advancement in this field, which can lead to higher salaries and better benefits.

Working in elderly care or Disability services Australia can provide you with a range of advantages, both professionally and personally. This country has a well-established and supportive system for disability and elderly care, and hence is able to offer a conducive environment for individuals planning to pursue a career in these fields.

#Employment agencies #Elderly care in Australia

[coastwidecommunitycare]

Coast Wide Community Care in NSW, Sydney, Australia, is a trusted 24/7 home care agency specializing in personalized support services. Our dedicated team provides expert care tailored to individual needs, including personal care, nursing assistance, and disability care. With a focus on promoting independence and dignity, we offer flexible solutions for elderly and disabled individuals, ensuring they receive compassionate care in the comfort of their own homes. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive home care services and how we can support you or your loved ones.

#Coast Wide Community Care #NSW #Sydney #Australia #24 7 home care agency #home care center #home care agency #personal care agency #home care nursing agency #nursing home care agency #elderly care agency #aged care #aged care at home #Disability Care

[nurseatmyhome]

#nursinghome #nursing #nurse #seniorcare #caregiver #care #healthcare #assistedliving #elderly #eldercare Australia

[marketingkingchristopher]

Enriching The Lives Of Seniors: Disability Support Services And Companionship

Seniors often face challenges such as social isolation, limited mobility, and health issues, which can impact their overall well-being.

However, disability support services play a crucial role in enriching the lives of seniors by providing them with the much-needed companionship and care they require.

This article explores the various ways in which disability support services enhance the lives of seniors, fostering meaningful connections and promoting their overall quality of life.

Promoting Social Interaction

One of the key benefits of disability support services for seniors is the promotion of social interaction.

Many seniors experience loneliness and isolation, leading to adverse effects on their mental and emotional well-being.

Disability support services provide companionship by connecting seniors with trained professionals or volunteers who can engage in conversations, outings, and activities tailored to their interests.

This social interaction helps combat feelings of loneliness, boosting seniors' mood and overall happiness.

Addressing Care Needs

Seniors often require assistance with daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, and medication management.

Disability support services offer a range of care options, including personal care attendants, home health aides, and nurses, who can provide the necessary assistance tailored to individual needs.

By having access to trained professionals, seniors can maintain their independence while receiving the care they require, allowing them to age in place comfortably.

Creating Meaningful Relationships

Disability support services go beyond just providing practical care; they also foster the creation of meaningful relationships.

Seniors develop bonds with their caregivers or companions, establishing a sense of trust and emotional connection. These relationships can provide a support system for seniors, ensuring they have someone to rely on during challenging times.

The presence of a compassionate companion can significantly improve the overall well-being of seniors and provide a sense of security.

Offering Recreational Activities

Participation in recreational activities is essential for seniors' mental and physical well-being.

Disability support services often organize group outings, social events, and hobby clubs, where seniors can engage in various activities with others who share similar interests.

These activities not only provide opportunities for seniors to stay active but also offer a chance to socialize and build new friendships.

The sense of belonging and engagement derived from these activities helps combat isolation and enhances seniors' overall quality of life.

Providing Emotional Support

Seniors may experience emotional challenges related to aging, such as grief, anxiety, or depression.

Disability support services recognize the importance of emotional well-being and often offer counselling or therapy services to seniors. Trained professionals can provide a safe space for seniors to express their feelings, offering guidance and support.

This emotional support helps seniors navigate through life's difficulties, promoting a positive outlook and a greater sense of contentment.

Supporting Family Caregivers

In many cases, family members are the primary caregivers for seniors. Disability support services can play a crucial role in supporting these caregivers by providing respite care.

Respite care offers temporary relief to family caregivers, allowing them to take breaks, attend to personal needs, or simply recharge.

By alleviating the caregiving responsibilities, disability support services ensure that family caregivers can provide better care and maintain their own well-being, ultimately benefiting the seniors they care for.

Conclusion

Disability support services play a vital role in enriching the lives of seniors by offering companionship, care, and support.

By addressing seniors' social, emotional, and care needs, these services improve their overall quality of life and well-being.

The provision of meaningful relationships, recreational activities, and emotional support fosters a sense of belonging and purpose among seniors, combating loneliness and isolation.

Additionally, disability support services assist family caregivers, ensuring they can provide optimal care while maintaining their own well-being.

By recognizing the importance of companionship and care, disability support services truly enhance the lives of seniors, allowing them to age with dignity, happiness, and a sense of belonging.

To obtain further information on this subject, we recommend reaching out to one of Australia's premier providers of NDIS support services.

#ndis australia #elderly care #disability support

[keysboroughsuperclinic]

Care management is an integral part of home care packages meant for supporting elderly people at their homes. The basic idea behind care management is to make sure that the elderly being cared for are properly understood and their overall well-being is the topmost priority. 

What is Care Management all about-what Services can you Expect from these Packages?

Care management services cover strategies to ensure that these health and wellness goals are met and that there is no compromise in the quality of support and care. To this end, there are designated care coordinators or care managers whose duty it is to develop a care plan for the client. The healthcare plan is made together with the patient and the care manager will monitor its progress to make sure the correct strategies are being implemented and the support provided is of the highest level.

Most often, elderly care isn’t up to the mark because caregivers don’t know what the patient actually needs. However, with careful management, there is a sincere and concerted effort to find out about patient needs, interests, and goals. When you know what your client needs, you can develop customized plans that will satisfy these needs. There can be no one-size-fits-all plan suited for all elderly care patients. 

What Care Managers will do for you:

Care management services seek to understand what is important to the patient. Accordingly, it arranges for helping him at home, if needed, with domestic chores or advocating health services for them. Because of this individualized approach, care managers can get a chance to know their clients properly and figure out what matters to them.

When you think of home care, you know there will be different types of clients, and their goals will be different from one another. Some will be practical goals like helping out with house chores like cooking, cleaning, or washing every week. For some clients, the goals can be slightly different, like staying in touch with the community and getting help to move around the neighborhood if required. 

Most elderly people continue to live in their homes and have always been involved in household activities like gardening or cleaning. If they had to forgo these because of mobility issues, it can be most frustrating and depressing for them. This is where care management can help; care managers will be able to identify these issues before its too late and take action accordingly. They will do whatever is necessary to make sure that the normal lives of these elderly care patients don’t get disrupted in any way. That keeps them happy and active, both of which are important for an overall good quality of life at that age.

The care manager has the all-important job of understanding the healthcare needs of the patients and finding ways to make sure that they can stay comfortably in their homes as long as they can. He must work proactively to achieve this; that means stepping in when there are occasional health issues, assisting with rehabilitation, or providing extra emotional support during holidays like Christmas.

To do this the right way, care management will engage in the initial and continuous assessment of patient needs. Care managers will monitor a client’s progress and educate him, his caregiver, and family members about their duties. He can collaborate with other community care providers to make sure his client can access all necessary services whenever he needs to.

Syndication URL on Know About Services Under Care Management in Home Care for the Elderly

#Care Management Services #Care Management #Elderly Care Patients #australia #keysborough #melbourne

[slyandthefamilybook]

since we now know that all those "my blog is safe for Jewish people" posts are bullshit, here are some Jewish organizations you can donate to if you actually want to prove you support Jews. put up or shut up

FIGHTING HUNGER

Masbia - Kosher soup kitchens in New York

MAZON - Practices and promotes a multifaceted approach to hunger relief, recognizing the importance of responding to hungry peoples' immediate need for nutrition and sustenance while also working to advance long-term solutions

Tomchei Shabbos - Provides food and other supplies so that poor Jews can celebrate the Sabbath and the Jewish holidays

FINANCIAL AID

Ahavas Yisrael - Providing aid for low-income Jews in Baltimore

Hebrew Free Loan Society - Provides interest-free loans to low-income Jews in New York and more

GLOBAL AID

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee - Offers aid to Jewish populations in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in the Middle East through a network of social and community assistance programs. In addition, the JDC contributes millions of dollars in disaster relief and development assistance to non-Jewish communities

American Jewish World Service - Fighting poverty and advancing human rights around the world

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society - Providing aid to immigrants and refugees around the world

Jewish World Watch - Dedicated to fighting genocides around the world

MEDICAL AID

Sharsheret - Support for cancer patients, especially breast cancer

SOCIAL SERVICES

The Aleph Institute - Provides support and supplies for Jews in prison and their families, and helps Jewish convicts reintegrate into society

Bet Tzedek - Free legal services in LA

Bikur Cholim - Providing support including kosher food for Jews who have been hospitalized in the US, Australia, Canada, Brazil, and Israel

Blue Card Fund - Critical aid for holocaust survivors

Chai Lifeline - An org that's very close to my heart. They help families with members with disabilities in Baltimore

Chana - Support network for Jews in Baltimore facing domestic violence, sexual abuse, and elder abuse

Community Alliance for Jewish-Affiliated Cemetaries - Care of abandoned and at-risk Jewish cemetaries

Crown Heights Central Jewish Community Council - Provides services to community residents including assistance to the elderly, housing, employment and job training, youth services, and a food bank

Hands On Tzedakah - Supports essential safety-net programs addressing hunger, poverty, health care and disaster relief, as well as scholarship support to students in need

Hebrew Free Burial Association

Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services - Programs include early childhood and learning, children and adolescent services, mental health outpatient clinics for teenagers, people living with developmental disabilities, adults living with mental illness, domestic violence and preventive services, housing, Jewish community services, counseling, volunteering, and professional and leadership development

Jewish Caring Network - Providing aid for families facing serious illnesses

Jewish Family Service - Food security, housing stability, mental health counseling, aging care, employment support, refugee resettlement, chaplaincy, and disability services

Jewish Relief Agency - Serving low-income families in Philadelphia

Jewish Social Services Agency - Supporting people’s mental health, helping people with disabilities find meaningful jobs, caring for older adults so they can safely age at home, and offering dignity and comfort to hospice patients

Jewish Women's Foundation Metropolitan Chicago - Aiding Jewish women in Chicago

Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty - Crisis intervention and family violence services, housing development funds, food programs, career services, and home services

Misaskim - Jewish death and burial services

Our Place - Mentoring troubled Jewish adolescents and to bring awareness of substance abuse to teens and children

Tiferes Golda - Special education for Jewish girls in Baltimore

Yachad - Support for Jews with disabilities

#atlas entry #please add any more you know of an especially add fundraisers for you or people you know #if there are any fundraisers for synagogues please add those as well #jew #jewish #judaism #jumblr #punch nazis

[ameliyalanne]

Installing an electric adjustable bed for aged care is essential to counter medical complications. The features of the adjustable beds make recovery more accessible and quicker.

#electric adjustable beds Australia #adjustable beds for the elderly Australia #electric adjustable beds for aged care #electric adjustable beds for home care

[poetrylesbian]

not to be a bummer but i need to rant about this to someone and what better someone than this blog

i am very sad lately and it is mostly because my grandpa is not well and i don't know how long he has left. a year ago i was living with him and he was pretty good, occasionally forgetful sometimes but ultimately himself. but i haven't seen him in a month or two and now ive found out he's had a lot of problems and was actually keeping it from everyone.

backstory is that this is my paternal grandfather and even though my parents got divorced 20 years ago he's always stayed close with my mum, and ever since dad moved overseas my mum has insisted on being very present in his life even more because she's lowkey pissed that dad went and moved overseas when he had sick elderly parents. which was driven home 5 years ago when my granny died. so basically my parents do not get on and barely interact now that their kids are adults but my dad's entire family still gets on with and cares about my mum and vice versa.

so yeah. a month ago my mum visited my grandpa to pick up something of mine from him place bc i was in melbourne and she was worried because he seemed to be thinner and less himself. usually he always invites her in for coffee but he didn't. it was weird.

she texted my dad (even though she hates to lol) and dad asked my grandpa and basically we found out he'd spent some time in hospital and told NOBODY, not even his son who still lives in brisbane, and gotten a pacemaker put in.

basically fast forward to now and he has been in hospital since sunday. my mum was having trouble finding out what happened bc she's obvs not the next of kin and my uncle, who is, is not a great communicator (just like most of the men in this fucking family lol) and was not super clear.

basically, he's had a few falls. the most recent one I think he fell over and hit his head. and it must have been very bad, because he is not well at all. mum and my brother and i went and visited him two days ago and it was like he had dementia. he kept thinking he was back in england. at this point we didn't know why he'd gone to hospital in the first place so we asked him and he said he got a taxi to the airport and took a plane. he asked us about our flight because he thought we had flown to england to visit him. he was worried about losing his permanent residency in australia. he also kept forgetting my granny, his wife, had died five years ago. it was horrible. he said he'd called my dad and he hadn't picked up, then he said he'd called her and she hadn't picked up. at one point when i went to find my brother who had just arrived, apparently my mum asked him if he remembered what had happened to granny and he got upset and said he didn't, and cried. i dont think any of us have ever seen him cry. my mum explained what happened and he thanked her for telling him, because his oldest son (my dad, mum's ex, we don't think he remembered his name) wouldn't have told him that. then ten minutes later he'd forgotten and mentioned granny visiting again.

he also had to ask my brother all about his apprenticeship (poor tom came straight from his job at the quarry and was covered head to toe in dust from fixing a rock crusher) even though of course he should know all about it

he's also very very weak and not eating. when he left he kept trying to stand up to see is off but he couldn't get out of his chair and we had to ask him to stop trying in case he fell again.

but he did have his sense of humour. he was making jokes. there were moments of lucidity. but mostly he was confused and it just made me feel so helpless.

i know things like this are normal when people get older. he's 82. i get it. but it's not something that happened gradually - last time i saw him was only couple of months ago and this is so bad, so suddenly. it's not dementia.

and i feel awful. he's been living alone for the last five years, after spending 7 years caring for my granny 24/7. i am certain he was depressed but he'd never tell anyone. i can't stop thinking about all the times i told him id visit on the weekend and i fucking forgot because im so fucking forgetful. i cant stop thinking about how in 2019 he and my uncle and aunt were planning to rent a house with a granny flat or whatever for him and then covid happened and they basically used that as an excuse not to. and they left him alone, even when he'd had falls, even when he had to wear one of those emergency things around his neck that could detect when he fell and he had to fucking email my uncle every day after he showered to tell him he was alright.

anyway that's my rant.

i stayed in his house for 2 months last year and it was nice but i wanted to be closer to uni and my friends so i moved out when i should have just stayed and payed him rent and helped him and kept him company. and i should have visited way more often after i moved out in december and not fucking let my stupid stress get in the way of making him a priority.

oh also now my mum is telling me i need to beg my dad to visit earlier (he's supposed to be here dec 27) but i don't know! i tried to tell him how bad it was. but i don't know if he really got it.

#this can be summed up by my grandpa is not well and i am sad and guilty about it

[roshanacg]

Thus, the professionals are trained and skilled enough to assist people who are clinically facing challenges in life. Disability services Australia are basically designed to enable handicapped people to participate in daily activities to an extent possible. It is not advisable to seclude people from daily lives on account of their physical disabilities and thus certain agencies are diligently at work so as to get them back to normal lives with utmost care and support in every way possible. Besides, Elderly care in Australia too is taken very seriously.

#Disability services Australia #Employment agencies #Elderly care in Australia

[dragcnlxrd]

So in like 6 hours here it will be the blessed end of 2023. And while I doubt my new year will be anything thrilling I have learned a lot during this year. I've learned that it's super easy to detach myself from giving a shit about the person that incubated me, I've learned that when push comes to shove I'm the only person in my house that will step up and take care of my elderly father, provide food on the table at the cost of my own needs, and tolerate the abuse hurled at me both physical and verbally daily by the woman that incubated me.

I've learned that you can be negative in your bank account for a bit before your bills get rejected. I've learned that while you're recovering from a broken ankle and a stroke your job and coworkers don't give a shit that you've been gone for more than 6 months because you truly don't matter to the world. I've also learned that state temporary disability will NOT pay you enough to live off of at all thus constantly in the negative funds, nor is it reliant.

But aside from all of that I also learned I can find solace in a video game, that interacting with these fictional cgi characters would fill me with some semblance of joy and what it's like to feel loved. So my first appreciation will be to Baldur's Gate 3 and to my Tav Ashtara because I've learned to be happy through her.

THAT'S not only what I want to say, I want to also say how much I've learned about myself here writing with my tiny handful of partners! You guys that continue to give me the time of day and spare a few moments to reply to my stuff have made me happy but there are a few of you that earn special places.

@ravusnightblossom is first and foremost forever going to be my number one. Fox has quickly become my bestest friend and I'm so very thankful that she flew me across the country to hang out with her for a week. It was the best week of my life and I miss being a potato on her couch. But not only that Fox has been a lifesaver for me for everything and I don't think I could ever imagine my life with out her. Ravus has become a major part of Lysander's life and I honestly think this blog basically revolves around their ship half the time! Love you!

@xx--ofmanythoughts--xx Raevon!!! Okay so I can not express how much I love you! How much I love your blog and your writing! You truly have a gift. I love that we can both scream about an unpopular opinion and agree with it! I love our HC and when we get to world build! I'm so happy we write together and I hope we bust out more in the next year.

@thescaledqueen YOU ARE SO PRECIOUS TO ME! I hope you know that! You were the only person in the GoT RPC that gave me a true chance and I am forever grateful for that! I love your Shireen to bits! And I am sorry I've not been as active with these two lately but I am hoping that this new year gives me more motivation to continue dumping love upon you and your blog!

@mystiic listen I already sent you love and answered love but I LOVE YOU OKAY! I love your muse and I'm so looking forward to the new year and building more world with you and Amari and UGH!!! yeah...

@brideofcdragons YOU! I love you! Okay?! I love your blog and I love your writing and I love your Dany and I'm always so excited when you pop on my dash and we get to write something together and I'm always just so happy to see you back to writing! You have a true gift and I cherish you so much!

@call-2-arms LISTEN! I love you okay! And no one is going to tell me you're not Jamie Fookin Lannista! Haha I also cherish the fact that you're always there to answer my silly questions or translate something from Australia! I mean BIN CHICKENS! Who would even know what that was!! You're also super fuckin talented with your writing and I am always in awe of your replies!

@untilthcyrot CHRISTINA!!! Thought I forgot about you?! I think NOT! You've been with me since my Norse Loki blog... You've continued to follow me and talk to me and write with me for so long! You're a talented and beautiful person and I love whenever we get to chat with each other! I love your blogs and I love you muchos!

This is getting to be super long and word vomity but I honestly do love and appreciate all of my mutuals! You guys just writing with me make my day. I hope the new year brings everyone happiness and joy and that we continue to write together! Please remember even if I didn't mention you here you still mean a lot to me! I cherish you!

#midori sweet & sour [ o o c ]

[coastwidecommunitycare]

Find Personal Care Agency from  Coast Wide Community Care ~ t.ly/o0Rbg 

#Coast Wide Community Care #NSW #Sydney #Australia #24 7 home care agency #home care center #home care agency #personal care agency #home care nursing agency #nursing home care agency #elderly care agency #aged care #aged care at home #Disability Care

[commandtower-solring-go]

So in Australia we just held a National referendum to change the Australian Constitution. This change would cement in our constitution the presence of an advisory board of First Nation's Australians which could advise law makers on how best to help First Nations peoples.

It failed spectacularly.

In Australia, for an amendment in the constitution to be made, the winning side must succeed with a double majority. This means that it must have the most actual votes, and also the most states voting in favour of the change.

1, of 7 states and territories voted against, and 67% of the population denied the change. Despite this, an overwhelming majority of First Nations People voted in favour. The clear indicator being that the vast majority of non-First Nations People did not care for a change to our Constitution which would allow First Nations People to advise as to their own well being.

The irony of this all being no one will listen to Indigenous voices.

I believe, as many others do, that the failure of this proposed amendment resolved around the 'yes' campaign.

A pattern has been identified within the voting date which show that regional areas, older folk and poorly educated people votes overwhelming 'no'. This, however, should not be the surprise people are saying it is. This has been the pattern of Right Wing voting for a very very long time. The Right appeal massively to the elderly, regional areas and the poorly educated. These people too, making up the majority of a population.

It is a failing of the 'Yes' campaign, and to all leftist movements, that they continue to deny the existence of stupid people.

The baseline of intelegence is so much lower than you think it is.

Normal people you know are illiterate. Normal people you know can't do basic math. Normal people you know are too scared of being seen as stupid to even try being smart. Normal people you know dont want to be any different.

And it is a mistake to belittle or infantilise those people. If you believe people have the right to be whoever they want, they have a right to be stupid.

It doesn't matter what moral failing you attribute to stupidity in power. "They're dangerous to the public." "They're going to wreck shit." "They'll point us in the wrong direction." Yeah. They might. But that doesn't change the fact that these people exist and have every right to exist as such. And the belief that being stupid is some kind of moral failing is what drives them away from leftist movements. It's what makes them ashamed when they don't understand what we're saying.

Why did Trump win? Why did bush win? Why do empty promises and false appeals to wealth win? Because these are stupid and simple sounding people and ideas who stupid people can see themselves in.

[skippyv20]

Our Prayer List🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend and her family.  Her father has passed away from Parkinson’s.  He had been on our prayer list for quite sometime.

Prayers and good thought for our friend’s friend’s daughter after an aneurysm. Two surgeries and a stent placed in 5 days. Dwindling hope. Please pray for her.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is settling into her new home.  Also prayers for her daughter.

Prayers and good thoughts for our dear friend PG who is making great progress in the hospital.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is seeking employment as a staff writer, and a new home as she has to move out of apt she shares with her mother and sister.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who wants to conceive.

Prayers and good thought for our friend’s husband.  A deck collapsed on him.  He is in much pain, and has a long road ahead of recovery.  

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s son Chris. He has a number of health conditions and is very ill with Covid.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is facing many trials, and has now for quite some time.  Also, for her daughter that struggles.  Our friend is mourning the loss of her precious baby from years ago, as she was recently triggered once again.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s brother Rob a hard worker who was hurt while working and had to have surgery on his knee.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is only 35 years old! In April, two of her arteries in her neck dissected. Basically, they tore open causing blood to leak out and a blood clot to form. The clot leak caused her to have several small strokes?  She has 2 things she is facing.  One is called fibromuscular dysplasia. Basically, her arteries are twisting instead of being nice and smooth like normal ones. Number two is vasculitis.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s brother Stoppa (Chris). He’s just joined a clinical trial but his cancer is spreading. Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is having family issues, and it is affecting her marriage.  

Prayers and good thoughts for Suzie, our friend’s SIL.   She works 50 hours a week, is taking care of her husband who is recovering from surgery.  She also cares for her elderly mother.  She is feeling very overwhelmed and stressed.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s 23 yo granddaughter who has legal guardianship of her 2 younger siblings, along with her own little family, 5 fur babies, full time university studies &  part time job.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s daughter who was a whistleblower at school.  Praying for Justice.

Prayers and good thoughts for little Cooper Roberts.  Cooper is 8 yrs old. He was a victim of shooting in Illinois.  He is now in a wheelchair, and he is in pain.  He doesn’t understand how he will ever be happy again. He is really struggling, not just physically but mentally. Many more surgeries await him as well.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is feeling very overwhelmed.  She is in pain because of her father has passed away, and his wife filled our friend’s mind with hateful and hurtful words.  She is seeking peace and comfort.  Also, her dear fur baby has bladder cancer and has had a bad reaction to treatment.  Our friend is very sad, very anxious, and having  difficult time holding her life together.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s family.  Her 3yr old grandson has passed from a horrible accident.  Prayers for her son and daughter in law who have lost their son, as well as my three other grandchildren who have lost their brother.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s (in the UK) dear sister in Australia who is very poorly and due a heart operation.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s friend Barbara.  Barbara’s partner has passed.  Barbara needs prayers for strength during this time.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend whose husband has left her.  She is starting over and is losing hope.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s husband who is going for chemo.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is mourning the loss of her father.  Prayers and good thoughts for her family.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is having dealing with challenging pain in both hips and walking is difficult.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is very worried about her senior aged parents.  The relationship between her and her parents is somewhat distant.  She has been praying for them to all be closer.

Prayers and good thoughts for our dear friend whose father has just passed away.  Prayers for the family.

Prayers and good thoughts for our Novenas Baby James,  James is still going and he’s started some physical therapy to catch up on some milestones. He’s a bit behind because of his time in hospital, but otherwise he’s a persistent little one with four teeth already!

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend and her family.  We pray for her daughter who is an alcoholic.  We pray for her children.  We pray for her oldest son who is trying to get his life back on track.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend and her two cats.  She is very overwhelmed.  Her mother is entering last stage of life’s she is now facing   bankruptcy (daycare and hospital invoices have caused her, since Sept 2021 enormous financial problems) and she is totally alone. Physically and mentally exhausted.

Prayers and good thoughts for our dear friend who is in horrible pain caused by a pinched nerve in her shoulder, and extreme pain in her hip.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s daughter and grandchildren age 3 yrs and 18 months.  Her daughter makes too much money for government assistance.  She can’t afford therapy for both.  Our friend helps her as much as she can, but they need help.  They need a miracle.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is suffering from heart failure, and feeling so poorly.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who suffers from bouts of depression, and is feeling alone.

Prayers and good thoughts for our little 9 yr old Novenas boy who has had a bone marrow transplant and is having some complications.  He is a fighter, but he and his family could really use prayers to help them through the tougher days.

Prayers and good thoughts for Richard, who is recovering well, but still struggles with speech.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who had Covid a few weeks ago & haven’t felt right since. Her doctors say she has Long Covid Symptoms! She suffers from anxiety, depression, insomnia and panic attacks. Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s 18 month old granddaughter Allie, who is very, very sick fighting a skin disease in the hospital. Dr’s have put her on some type of cancer medicine to see if that will give her some relief

Prayers and good thoughts for our 8 month old Novenas boy who has had a bone marrow transplant.  Praying for his complete healing and quick recovery.  Praying for him to have a long, healthy, happy life.  Prayers for his family.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend who is estranged from her daughter.  Our friend is overwhelmed with worry.  Praying they will reconcile.

Prayers and good thoughts for Baby James’ “heart” brother William.  He has had surgery and is now recovering, we pray for him to stay strong. He is doing well. We pray for his family.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend whose mother has pancreatic cancer once again.  It is terminal.  Praying for peace, comfort and for all the family to feel God’s loving presence.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s husband from our Novenas, who is battling pancreatic cancer.  He is just out of the hospital.  He is not worse, so that is a blessing.    His 7yr old son is having a hard time.  

Prayers and good thoughts for our dear friend little m who is mourning the loss of her beloved husband, and she is feeling weak & quite tired.  He was her caregiver as well.  We pray for God to place earth angels on her path, to ease her burdens as she moves forward.  

Prayer and good thoughts for our friend’s friend.  Surgeries for cancer have been successful and she is still undergoing radiotherapy.   She has underlying health conditions and her husband has Alzheimers.

Prayers and good thoughts for our friend’s 5 yr old son who has speech delay/echolalia.  Our friend is quite sure he has ADHD , but am now worried that the echolalia means she needs to consider ASD as well.  Also, please pray for our friend as she is so stressed.

If I left anyone out, please let me know…if there are updates or corrections required…please let me know….

God Bless you and thank you for joining us in prayers and good thoughts…🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️

[flyonthewallmedstudent]

Listeria

For whatever reason it reminds me of Desperate Housewives and Wisteria lane. Or just Wisteria in general.

It's unfortunately it's anything but wistful or romantic.

This is inspired by the netflix series Poisoned. I hate that title but it's a great watch. I learned a lot from it. I highly recommend it particularly for medical students and residents etc.

So, listeria are gram positive rods (most bacilli are negative) making this relatively easier to remember (purple rods). Also catalase positive. IT's also a facultative anaerobe - so both cultures may be positive (aerobic and anaerobic bottles).

the species that is the culprit for major human pathogens is Listeria monocytogenes.

At increased risk groups (more likely to die of Listeriosis) - the immunocompromised and extremes of life, including the elderly, pregnant women and neonates. Immunocompromised: HIV, anyone on long term highish doses of steroids, leukaemia/oncology patients etc. Worryingly, incubation time is 3-90 days in these groups, so it's difficult to really trace or keep track of. Pregnant women are at 20x higher risk of acquiring the severe form.

Source: CDC

Hence why during pregnancy you're advised not to consume raw salads, fruits, cold cuts, soft cheeses, sprouts and smoked salmon or sushi, no mayo and no raw egg (definitely no raw milk) etc. Similarly, common recommendation is you serve none of these to children under the age of 1. It naturally lives in soil (hence avoidance of raw sprouts) and can live in animals. So it can frequently contaminate food.

Image Source: SA Health

As with COVID (I can't believe I'm using COVID as a measure of things), it can cause mild food borne illness (nausea, vomiting diarrhoea, myalgias, even fevers) to invasive disease causing sepsis and even meningitis or encephalitis. Incubation time is a few days in the mild form.

IMage source:

Death by Listeria when you have the severe form (Listeriosis) is 20%, astonishingly high given you have a 1% chance of dying from Salmonella.

It's a small risk but the issue is that complications and fatality if you do acquire is high. It's also highly preventable, but the challenge is food safety and avoiding certain foods as a consumer.

i.e. in pregnancy, most will have diarrhoeal illness that's mild. But in the subset that get invasive disease and really unwell, there's a 20% risk of miscarriage, risk of premature labour and risk of still birth at 3% in the US. In the states, pregnant women are also 10x more likely to get Listeria infection. That is, illness after exposure.

On the final note of prevention, also always properly refridgerate food to 4 degrees celsius and cook meat to 165 fahrenheit or 73 degrees celsius. As I've learned from the Poisoned documentary, you can ask restaurants to do this, ask them to use an internal thermometer to measure - as rare/medium rare etc have no meaning as it pertains to food safety. If they can't, order something else.

With meningoencephalitis, we just presume that Listeria is a possibility and treat empirically while awaiting investigations.

Investigations: - CSF (lumbar puncture) in event of signs of meningism or encephalitis (classic headache/fever/stiff neck/rash and/or acute confusion or seizure AND fevers) --> expect the classic features of bacterial meningiits and gram stain positive for purple rods - PCR - stool cultures have no value - blood cultures--> look for gram positive rods in the preliminary findings, expect a call from the lab Empirical therapy: - none in asymptomatic or mild disease. just monitoring until symptoms resolve and supportive care (fluids etc.) - Listeria is a notifiable disease to the health department in most Western countries that keep track of outbreaks. - in the US, standard treatment is ampicillin. - in Australia at least, standard therapy is IV benzylpenicillin, 2.4 g 4 hrly in meningitis or encephalitis and everyone is just started on this until bug identification/gram staining and sensitivities return. - in hypersensitivity, bactrim is used. - cephalosporins have no activity against them (or "inherently resistant), hence you can see IV ceftriaxone and benzylpen in the drug regimen for empirical therapy of meningitis - cef covers gram negatives, strep pneumo (most common cause of meningitis) and neisseria meningitidis - duration of therapy in severe disease: 3 weeks, 6 weeks if immunosuppressed

Really great summary here.

Random historical trivia

listeria is named for Dr. Joseph Lister, a British surgeon who introduced sterilisation of equipment and antiseptics to surgery, improve post op care and observed that microbes are the cause of cases of poor wound healing or post op infections. he also began to look at them under the microscope as an early pioneer of bacteriology.

Lister's father by the way, made compound microscopes for a living, so lister became proficient at using this and started publishing articles during medical school

this also led to a lot more research on inflammation and coagulation

weirder trivia: in his med school days, surgeons commonly did not wash hands between patients and some didn't even change gowns, glorifying how busy they where by how many stains were on it by the end of the day

so unsurprisingly his early battles to pioneer antiseptics and aseptic techqniues to prevent the transmission of infection in surgical patients were pretty uphill

Resources CDC guidelines WHO guidelines FDA Statpearls --> great at covering basic physiology and pathology etc. in a short form. Australian therapeutic guidelines - unfortunately not free.. so won't bother to link. If you work at any large-ish Australian hospital you'll have 'free' access. Wikipaedia US list of outbreaks CDC recommendations on foods to avoid vs okay to eat to avoid Listeria

#listeria #infectious diseases #traveller's diarrhoea #medblr #medblrs #microbiology #infectious disease

[mostlysignssomeportents]

A dark money group is lying about Medicare cuts

The “American Prosperity Alliance” does not exist, except as an anonymously controlled bank account that has paid for the production and dissemination of a slick ad that spreads the falsehood that the Democrats have cut $300b from Medicare:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xCep6NvbhE

Let me repeat: this is a lie. What “American Prosperity Alliance” is talking about here is a provision in the bill that allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices, rather than simply paying whatever Big Pharma wants to charge. This practice is why Americans pay more for their drugs than, say, Canadians:

https://personalimportation.org/dramatic-drug-price-differences-canada-vs-us/

To be clear: the new bill will curb the eye-water public price-gouging that Big Pharma enjoys, and halt the transfer of $300b in public money to pharma companies’ shareholders, by allowing Medicare to bargain to get prices similar to those paid by other governments in countries like Australia, Canada, and the UK.

There is no universe in which this a $300b cut to Medicare. It’s like the Dems have pledged to halt $300b in fraud and the American Prosperity Alliance went to the country’s elderly and sick and screamed: “They’re cutting your benefits!” In fact, it’s not like that — it is that.

Who the fuck are the American Prosperity Alliance? No one knows. They’re a dark money group. Their website consists of a link to their deceptive ad, a form to sign up for their mailing list…and nothing else.

https://prosperityalliance.org/

As Lou Jacobson writes for Politifact/Kaiser Health News, this is just the latest version of a torrent of dark money disinformation that makes this claim.

https://khn.org/news/article/senate-reconciliation-bill-300-billion-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-fact-check/

For example, the West Virginia TV ad from the Center for Innovation and Free Enterprise (CIFE) in which an elderly woman was literally condemned to die by her doctor, who explained that it was all because the Democrats were going to negotiate drug prices:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/drug-companies-trying-to-scare-seniors-democratic-economic-plan_n_62ec6823e4b09fecea4c8dbb?9t

(CIFE claims to be for “free markets,” which, apparently, is a system whereby a cartel of multinationals who rely on government-issued monopolies — AKA ‘patents’ — get to demand literally any sum from the federal government and are assured of receiving it.)

As Kevin Robillard and Jonathan Cohn wrote for Huffpost, similar claims came from “America Next,” “American Commitment,” and “The 60-Plus Association” (which is like a far-right prepper version of the AARP). All of them have historically taken money from Phrma, the lobby group for Big Pharma.

The disinformation would be laughable if it wasn’t so depraved. Telling old people that giving Medicare an extra $300b to spend on patients is a $300b cut to care is straight-up lying — and thanks to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, the dark money cowards funding the American Prosperity Alliance get to lurk in the shadows. If they’re so committed to “American Prosperity,” why do they need to disguise their identities? Is it that they are planning a big reveal later that we’ll all be delighted by and they just don’t want to spoil the surprise?

The irony here is that the Medicare spending curbs in the Inflation Reduction Act are incredibly weaksauce, barely denting pharma’s profiteering. As Thomas Neuburger writes, this only kicks in as of 2026, and it only affects ten drugs.

https://neuburger.substack.com/p/the-ira-drug-price-victory

Neuburger is citing a summary from The Hill, which adds that this provision only applies to drugs that are have been around for at least nine years (13 years for biologics):

https://thehill.com/homenews/3592694-heres-whats-in-the-inflation-reduction-act-the-sweeping-health-and-climate-bill-passed-sunday/

The number of affected drugs climbs to 20 after another five years. That means that, starting in a decade, Medicare will be able to negotiate prices on 20 drugs — out of 20,000. This plan won’t bring down the prices of the most notoriously jacked-up medicine, including insulin, Eliquis, and Humira, a drug that was repeatedly re-patented through useless “formulation changes” that were designed by McKinsey, who designed a program that gave away Iphones to Abbvie scientists who came up with useless molecular changes as part of a perpetual patent scheme:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/11/25/strikesgiving/#cool-story-pharma-bro

In other words, Big Pharma has given up almost nothing in this bill, and they are still running around, lying their heads off like they had just been nationalized by Party Secretary Biden and had all their top scientists sent north to work on re-education farms.

Image: Grumpy Puddin (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpy-puddin/5161819684

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

[Image ID: A cigar-chomping plutocrat in a tuxedo and tophat is wielding a marionette; he is wearing a domino mask; the marionette's head is a television; the television is displaying a framegrab from the American Prosperity Alliance's deceptive ad, falsely claiming that $300b will be cut from Medicare, superimposed over the heads of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. There is a purple 'supernova' flare effect behind the television. The figure is posed against a background of white pills.]

#pluralistic

[asteria-argo]

Absolutely based group of 80 year old men in the library today playing dominos at the table across from me. After asking me to play a round with them and then deciding they should instead let me study, I put my headphones in and start my notetaking.

Music cuts out for a second and I hear one of these dudes absolutely cackling so obviously I’m nosy and turn my music off so I can hear what they’re talking about, they’re talking about Australia day, specifically the captain cook statue that got sawed down.

This man is losing his mind with laughter at the idea of the statue being cut down, and I am thrilled having expected to hear some racist old white Australian bullshit. Instead I get “Who cares? Not him, he’s dead.” Iconic.

Moral of the story is that sometimes people surprise you, but also go to your local library and talk to the older people there because they’re genuinely so full of joy and I have never had a group of elderly men hype me up so much to take lecture notes.