The Health Care System - A Caveat

My mom was 95 when she died. Thanks to a long-term family interest in alternative health care she was never on any serious medication, and I think that's part of the reason she lived so long.

Pharmaceutical drugs are fine for epidemics and emergency situations. We have much to be grateful for there. But we have lost sight of the fact that the human body was created to operate perfectly efficiently without intervention from the pharmaceutical industry.

Unfortunately, the Health Establishment has become the front man and trialling-ground for companies dedicated to pursuing the mighty $ by furthering the use of artificial chemicals in the bodies and everyday lives of as many human beings as possible.

If you doubt me, just think how many drugs, touted as "tested" and "safe" have been withdrawn and are now the subject of class-action lawsuits.

Be aware of this as you watch over the daily health of your patient. Be aware also, that the administration of one drug inevitably leads to the administration of further drugs to alleviate the side-effects of the first - and the second - and the third.

As a case in point, I strongly recommend you read my post called "Blood Pressure". This is something that concerns many people, especially as they get older. It is also the thin end of the wedge, as you will see if you read about it. I put this post also on my Health News Blog and have had some great feedback from it.

It's very much in your interest, if you don't have the knowledge already, to learn a bit about natural health and why we get sick, and I recommend you start your journey on my Health News Splash Page. Go ahead and read it - it won't ask you to put in your name and email address, still less try to sell you anything, and there's even more interesting stuff inside the site itself: some 'back to basics' information that's been all but forgotten lately.

The reason I'm pointing all this out is that you have a difficult enough road dealing with the vagaries of your patient's mental state and disposition, without being beleaguered by physical health issues as well. These health issues of old age are not unavoidable, they are not necessarily incurable, and you can do a lot to lighten your load if you follow some of the principles of naturally healthy living in caring for your patient.

It's not that hard, or expensive - as you'll see ...

Framed Art Prints and Posters @ Artflakes

Kunstdrucke, Leinwanddrucke, Gallery Prints und Poster von Patricia Howitt

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alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease, death, blood pressure, die, natural health, gangrene

Carer Help

Because blogs are not that easy to navigate, I've decided to get together my thoughts on advice to help carers - not with issues like available help, legal issues and finances, all of which can be researched on the net. These aspects are state or country specific anyway, so everyone needs to do their own homework.

Having said that, I would recommend getting an enduring power of attorney in place as soon as possible - but that's something you need to talk to your lawyer about. Bear in mind that in my case by the time I felt I could do with it, my mom was past being able to make the legal decision.

In a way, it wasn't all that necessary for me because we already lived togther in the same home, so there was no need to sell real estate. Similarly, there were no investment issues to deal with. But it could be a very different story for you.

I have to say that it's not easy to raise with a loved parent the need for them to hand over to you the managment of their lives and possessions. Some people might find that simple to do - well, bully for them. I'm not ashamed to say that I didn't - one of the main reasons being the cold calculation required to tell someone you love that they are approaching death - because that's what it amounts to.

I shirked doing this, not because I couldn't face the truth myself, but because of the effect it would have on my mother's mindset. And that's not something that everyone may have thoughts of or even care about.

Think yourself lucky if the patient, while still compos mentis, initiates this step themselves. That's something to be grateful for. Otherwise, things can slip considerably before you realize what's going on. The guts of the matter is being aware well in advance of what's about to happen, and that's a rare gift, unless you've seen it all before, or read about it. Thank goodness Alzheimers is much more discussed these days than it was 10 years ago.

What I'm going to be looking at is some of the advice that most helped me in dealing with my mom's journey - some things I wish I'd known earlier, and things that gradually became clearer to me as time passed. 

Because I've always had a strong interest in alternative health care, most of the things I'm going to be talking about are ways to help your patient's health. I'm not a healthcare professional and I don't want to be seen to be advising people on health matters, but I WILL be offering some common-sense thoughts and suggestions to make a difference to YOUR day.

Stay tuned!

Framed Art Prints and Posters @ Artflakes

Kunstdrucke, Leinwanddrucke, Gallery Prints und Poster von Patricia Howitt

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James

NOW - I haven't told the stories in the last series of posts to say, "Look at me!" Far from it.

I am simply offering my experiences in the hope that they might be of help or strike a chord with someone else. I know very well what it's like to be in that lonely place called the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and I'm more than ever convinced that we are not alone there, even though it may feel that way most of the time.

We are all individuals, and in some ways our experiences are going to be individual. But basically, I am no different from anyone else. God is faithful, His orchestration of events is masterly, and He does not give up on us. He is there for every single one of us, IF our motives are right and IF we will only seek Him.

And those are two big IFs. Nearly 2000 years ago words were written that sum up very clearly how big those two IFs are.

One of my favorite reads is the Epistle of James the brother of Jesus, written to the expatriate Hebrews living throughout the Mediterranean world. I admire this book tremendously.

James has the same forthright, no-messing style that his brother had. Jesus called a spade a spade and He didn't hesitate to rebuke and condemn where necessary. It's significant that His words of condemnation were saved not for sinners or the down-and-outs but for the rich and the powerful of His time - the pillars of the Church, no less. Jesus came to state the truth and to prove that power does not reside in earthly wealth or position. No wonder he was executed.

James is well worth a read in a day and age when we are struggling to undertand why some of our greatest edifices are crumbling beneath our feet. Especially in a good modern translation he comes across clear and strong:

"You want things but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill. You desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight.

"You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it. And when you ask you do not receive because your motives are bad."

James 4:2-3

This applies to individuals, it applies to families, it applies to corporations and it applies to governments. It is at the root of all our troubles.

Framed Art Prints and Posters @ Artflakes

Kunstdrucke, Leinwanddrucke, Gallery Prints und Poster von Patricia Howitt

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