Study: Real-Time Video Can Aid in Physical Therapy Progress

Researchers in South Korea have found that stroke survivors can achieve greater progress in physical therapy by incorporating real-time video into their sessions.

The real-time video is part of a computer program that records video footage and provides real-time feedback on how well the resident is performing the physical therapy activities.

During the experiment, two groups of residents (an experimental group and a control group) took part in therapy three times a week for 30 minutes. The experimental group utilized the real-time video component. At the end of the experiment, the experimental group outperformed the control group in gait velocity, stride length and "timed up and go" tests, despite being outperformed in these areas by the members of the control group before the study.

To learn more, click here.

How to Shut Out Rain-Out

What springs to mind when you think of wintertime annoyances? Snow, surely. Cold temperatures. A lack of sunlight. For those who work in long-term care, oxygen concentrator rain-out is likely on the list as well.

Rain-out refers to the condensation that develops and collects in oxygen tubing when a humidifier is being used. As warm, humid, oxygenated air travels down the tubing, moisture condenses and collects when it hits cooler areas of the tubing, typically in the section of tubing that sits on the floor. This moisture, which is a breeding ground for bacteria and can lead to respiratory infections, eventually makes its way out of the tubing and into the resident’s nose.

Rain-out worsens in the winter because floors tend to be colder during this time of year. It is also more likely to occur when long oxygen tubing is used. For example, 50 feet of tubing allows the oxygen to come in contact with the cold surface for a longer period of time than 25 feet of tubing.

The following tips can help you curb rain-out in your facility:

• Eliminate the humidifier, if feasible.
• If a humidifier is used, fill the bottle with room temperature or cool water.
• Shorten the tubing length or use hooks or straps to elevate the tubing off the floor.
• Use tubing that features an in-line water trap, which collects water and prevents it from being passed on to the resident. It should be located in the tubing near the cannula end to achieve the best results.
• Place the concentrator in a shaded, larger and well-ventilated room. This will prevent a buildup of heat from the sun or other heating sources.
• Keep the machine at least eight inches from the wall to provide adequate ventilation. You should also make sure that the air intake filter is kept clean.
• Make sure there are no leaks, kinks or weak connections in the tubing.

Professional Medical offers all of the tools you need to develop an effective respiratory care program at your facility. To learn more, contract your ProMed territory manager or give us a call at (800) 648-5190.

Researchers Propose Redefining Fever

Researchers funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) are recommending that each resident in a long-term care facility have a documented "mean normal temperature" in their records. Any temperature one degree or more above that documented temperature would qualify as a fever.

According to the researchers, "In agreement with past studies, the current study found that the normal non-illness temperature in the study population was lower than the often-quoted 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting that the definition of fever should be lower as well."

To learn more, click here.

Are You Fully Stocked for Flu Season?

The CDC predicts that the current flu season will continue on for some time and worsen in many locations before coming to an end. If an outbreak occurred in your building today, would you have everything you need to fight back?

We encourage you to examine the chart below, which was created based on CDC recommendations, to ensure you’re not caught empty-handed when illness strikes. 

CDC Recommendation	ProMed Product Solutions
“Wear a facemask (e.g., surgical or procedure mask) upon entering the resident’s room. Remove the facemask when leaving the resident’s room and dispose of the facemask in a waste container. If resident movement or transport is necessary, have the resident wear a facemask if possible.”	Our N95 particulate respirators meet CDC guidelines for fluid resistance and TB exposure control and provide respiratory protection for your entire staff.            We also offer basic procedure masks to protect your residents, staff and visitors.
“Perform hand hygiene before and after touching the resident, after touching the resident’s environment or after touching the resident’s respiratory secretions, whether or not gloves are worn. Gloves do not replace the need for performing hand hygiene.”	GelRite Instant Hand Sanitizer contains 65 percent ethyl alcohol and kills 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria, making it the perfect choice for healthcare use.           DermaKleen is a soft antimicrobial hand cleanser. It kills bacteria on contact while softening, conditioning and moisturizing skin.
“Wear gloves if hand contact with respiratory secretions or potentially contaminated surfaces is anticipated. … [Change] gloves and gowns after each resident encounter and performing hand hygiene.”	We offer gloves in nitrile, stretch synthetic, synthetic, latex and powder-free poly formulations.                        Super Sani-Cloth Germicidal Disposable Wipes meet CDC, OSHA and CMS Tag F441 guidelines for disinfection of contaminated surfaces. They are effective against Influenza A, the most prominent strain this year, among numerous other microorganisms. The wipes are also available in bleach and alcohol-free formulas.
“Wear a gown if soiling of clothes with a resident’s respiratory secretions is anticipated.”	Our isolation gowns feature elastic cuffs for a more secure fit under gloves. They’re made from high-quality spunbonded polypropylene.
“Administer the current season’s influenza vaccine to unvaccinated residents and healthcare personnel as per current vaccination recommendations.”	ProMed’s safety syringes are ideal for flu vaccines and medication delivery.

To read the CDC’s complete guidance, click here.

ProMed also stocks products to help ill residents manage their flu symptoms, including facial tissue, electrolyte drinks and disposable bedside bags.

Professional Medical has everything you need to develop a comprehensive flu prevention and management strategy. To learn more, contact your territory manager, give us a call at (800) 648-5190 or visit us online at promedsupply.com.

Reference

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim Guidance for Influenza Outbreak Management in Long-Term Care Facilities. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/ltc-facility-guidance.htm. Accessed January 22, 2013. 

Study: Families Interfere with End-of-Life Care

According to a survey conducted in Canada and France, a majority of LTC professionals believe that relatives of dying residents interfere with end-of-life care.

When asked whether they agreed with the statement "family members tend to interfere in the care of residents at the end of life," 50 percent of respondents said "somewhat agree" and 22 percent said "strongly agree."

According to follow-up interviews, the LTC professionals believe that residents' families something exhibit "problematic behaviors" and create "dysfunctional situations" when their loved ones are dying.

The researchers hypothesized that cultural differences between caregivers' approach to end-of-life care and families' expectations could help explain the responses.

To learn more, click here.

CDC Launches New LTC Infection Control Website

The CDC has launched a new website to help long-term care facilities meet their infection control goals. The site offers information for clinicians, infection control coordinators and residents.

Topics on the site include, among others:

• Antibiotic stewardship
• Dialysis safety
• Hand hygiene 

Users will also find links to to the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network and other resources that the CDC developed in partnership with the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes Campaign. 

Click here to access the site.

Shingles Tied To Higher Likelihood of Stroke, Heart Attack

A new study has found that having shingles while young increases a person's risk of heart attack or stroke later in life.

Shingles, which presents as a painful rash, lies dormant in the nerve roots of anyone who has had the chicken pox.

During the study, researchers found that people aged 18 to 40 who had had shingles were more likely to have a stroke, warning stroke or heart attack later in life.

Other findings included:

• People under 40 were 74 percent more likely to have a stroke if they had shingles 
• The sane group 2.4 times more likely to have a warning stroke if they had shingles
• People under 40 were 50 percent more likely to have a stroke if they had shingles

The researchers urged anyone who has had shingles, especially younger people, to be screened for stroke risk factors. 

To learn more, click here.