Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Friday, May 27, 2011

It May Not Be a Wise to Take Polypills

As if we aren't taking enough medication, "combination" pills are now being made. Normal healthy people don't need to take "just in case" medication. After all anyone could be knocked down by a car and killed. Furthermore, many medications clash with each other producing dangerous chemicals when mixed.

The latest polypill is for heart attacks. It contains statins, aspirin, and two blood pressure drugs. Tests show that the incidence of heart attacks can be reduced by half if the multi-pill is taken regularly due to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It is also claimed that colon cancer will be less frequent in test subjects, which seems rather odd considering the slim relationship between cholesterol and cancer.

If a person is fit and healthy it would probably be wise to leave things as they are because all medications have side effects, and tests done so far are only looking at short term results. Tests were only for 12 weeks. How can one draw such conclusions for only a three month period? A test for frequency of heart attacks needs to be done for at least ten years.
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Health

Friday, April 15, 2011

Pharmcists Should Stay Out of Mental Health

Pharmacists should stay out of health treatment and do what they do best - glorified clerks. They have no training in curing disease. Their education is solely based on chemical analysis. They are scientists not physicians. Ask their advice and they tell you what is written on the packet.

Now the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is saying pharmacists are qualified to treat people with mental illness. They may "give" drugs to such patients but they do not prescribe them. Heaven help us if they get involved will-nilly in advising those with mental disorders. Having someone continually talking in your ear about how to take your prescription medicine it not going to help one recover.

Doctors need direct contact with a patient to give the greatest assistance. Having a pharmacist in the middle is only going to mess things up. A mental patient is already stressed. Saying pharmacists will reduce medication errors is implying that they have qualifications to oversee physicians. Obviously, they do not have such expertise.
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Health

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Shop Frequently and Live Longer

More silly research comes to useful conclusions. A survey has found that older people, men and women who go shopping "frequently" live longer. This is true for Taiwanese anyway. Subject women were 28 per cent less likely to die in the 10 years after the study. Men were 27 per cent less likely. Apparently, going shopping once a week is absolutely no good whatsoever. One has to shop, shop, shop to have a positive outcome.

Researchers reached the following conclusion: "Shopping captures several dimensions of personal wellbeing, health and security as well as contributing to the community's cohesiveness and economy, and may represent or actually confer increased longevity." This conclusion is not soundly based on the data, however. It is just drawn "out of the air". In other words it is just an opinion. Maybe shopping is an ideal way of getting regular exercise. Note, those who lived longer were healthier to begin with. And poor health meant less shopping, thus inadequate diet.

Another problem is the finding that companionship via shopping leads to better health. This has no foundation at all. Grumpy old men do have the adjective "old" clipped onto them.

It makes one wonder whether researchers have conclusions determined before they begin a study. It is worrying that longevity was tested for only 10 years after data was provided.
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Health

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Medicare to Adopt Online Payment

It's about time Medicare moved into the modern age! Thankfully it has given people an alternative to queueing for their medical treatment rebate. It is a silly system anyway. X-ray clinics and specialists should be given the subsidy directly in the first place. This would reduce the number of public servants providing an unnecessary service.

Now "customers" will be able to fill in forms online. Payment will then be made directly into their bank accounts.

We are led to believe that Medicare delayed adoption of a direct payment process due to the potential for fraud. This is nonsense. Fraud could occur under the old system. Limiting payments to $250 a day will not stop fraud.

Medicare holds that people will continue to use the queuing method of refunds. Internet banking is increasing in popularity. There is no doubt most will change to the new system in droves.
~~~~~Health~~~~~
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Monday, February 28, 2011

Herbalists Should Be Tightly Regulated

Everything in society is controlled to make it safe, right? Wrong! Herbal medicine can be consumed freely without restriction even if it kills you. Try to buy opiates which can be taken for a lifetime without harm and all sorts of restrictions apply. Drug addicts die of illnesses such as aids and hepatitis.

Recent tests were done on an Australian who took Ayervedic medicines. His body had eight times the maximum safe level of lead in it. The mistake he made on a visit to India has ruined his life. Ayervedid herbs are normally contaminated with heavy metals. Whether this part of their "healing" function is not known. Imagine taking lead, arsenic and mercury, daily.

In Australia, Indian and Chinese herbs are monitored for dangerous levels of heavy metals. That's where it ends: the efficacy of the "medication" is not tested. You can buy such herbs on the Internet from countries where product quality is not regulated.

It is surely time for the herbal medicine market in Australia to be tightly regulated. Herbs should be vetted by a qualified physician before the herbalist dispenses them. Only then will sham treatments be stamped out.
~~~~~Health~~~~~
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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Women Leave It Too Late to Have Children

Women are putting off having babies until they have established a career. This is not good for the child. A woman in her prime is more capable of providing the nourishment a baby needs. Bottle feeding from birth is a poor alternative. The baby does not get the antibodies the mother has and there is the danger of obesity - too much nourishment of the wrong kind. Human babies are not calves.

Older mothers rely on IVF and freezing of eggs. There has been a rush for egg freezing in recent years. Doctors don't even need to advertise the service, though many do. Women in their early twenties see it as "insurance" for putting off having a family.

There are problems, however, in relying on frozen eggs. The success rate is low. Just under half do not give birth from eggs frozen for 10 years. It is unfortunate that some are making a business out of providing a service that will disappoint many women who have left it too late to have children.
~~~~~Health~~~~~
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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Global Warming Has Benefits

There are some good points about global warming. If you live off leaf vegetables you won't go hungry. Weeds and vegetables such as cabbage and lettuce grow much better with more carbon in the environment. Grass will also be thicker and grow faster, so cattle will fatten-up quicker.

The problem is herbicides will no longer be effective in controlling weeds. With the price of fuel going up this means they will have to be removed by hand in the future - a very arduous and expensive process.

It is conceivable that more herbicide will be used. This will pollute the environment. Diclofenac a chemical to reduce inflammation in humans and animals was widely used in India for cattle. The native vulture was nearly wiped out by consuming dead cattle carcases. More chemicals use is quite frightening. Similar disasters will probably occur.
~~~~~Science~~~~~
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Friday, February 4, 2011

Patients Do Not Take Medications Correctly

With probably one of the best prescription medicine schemes in the world which is heavily subsidized it is surprising that many people do not take their medications when they should. A third of patients just forget to take them.

An odd finding is that 67 per cent do not usually miss a dose but 71 per cent take less than the prescribed amount.

New schemes where pharmacists give advice will probably not help because listening now does not affect behavior later. Hospital admissions due to taking more and less than the prescribed medication amount will continue. With the pressures of daily life people seem to have more important concerns than their health.
~~~~~Health~~~~~
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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Reduced Lung Fuction Due to Vitamin D Deficency in Dark Skinned People

No wonder West Indians had a rough time when they moved to the UK in the mid-twentieth century: with the polluted atmosphere common at that time many suffered from a vitamin D deficiency. Their children born in the UK had more problems than their parents because growing up in a sun depleted climatic environment with a dark skin led to long term lung problems.

Australian research shows the lack of vitamin D leads to altered lung structure, with the lungs partially shutting down. In adult life people of West Indian heritage have decreased lung function.

Mice were tested with some being made deficient in vitamin D while others had an adequate level. Tests with a plethysmograph showed lung obstruction was markedly greater in mice lacking vitamin D. Overall, lung volume was reduced. Lungs were also smaller than average.

It was unclear as to whether the problem was basically due to heritage, or mothers being deficient during pregnancy, because test mice had to be bred to have low sun-to-vitamin D conversion.
~~~~~Health~~~~~
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Thursday, January 13, 2011

Don't Blaim Falling Birth Rate on Government's Lack of Childcare

As developing countries become more developed with rising incomes and better health care so the birthrate is falling. Taiwan is a case in point. They are worrying now about how the large proportion of elderly people in the country will be cared for.

Taiwanese couples only have one child, currently. In China with the one-child policy the birthrate is higher than Taiwan's 0.91 per cent. This country has the Western "disease" of very expensive housing and wives finding it necessary to work to pay for a home. The date for having children is put off virtually indefinitely.

Like in other "advanced" countries the blame is being laid on the government's failure to provide healthcare. The propensity to allocate responsibility on government is a mistake. Unless healthcare is treated as unskilled labor it will remain expensive, Surely any responsible parent would not leave their children in the care of second-class workers?

Taking care of young children, particularly babies is a highly skilled endeavour. Income of carers must reflect this. For too long it has been one of the lowest paid occupations. Mothers cannot expect an income sufficient to pay for a one-on-one carer with a bit to spare. This is not economically feasible.

The world needs a lower birthrate. A solution to millions of elderly people will be found. It is worrying though that the answer could be dictatorial and draconian.
~~~~~Society~~~~~
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Thursday, November 18, 2010

China's Mental Health Problem

It is no wonder China is experiencing a rise in mental illness: production line work is the most demoralizing you can do. Oddly, it is the executives in China's industry who are committing suicide. This could be due to party officials being "given" jobs running large modern businesses, Party work is much different than running a company.

Mental illness is shockingly high in China with 17.5 per cent of the population suffering from the malady. The issue is - Why has the rate risen so quickly in China? Of course, a little thought will inform: the largest nation in the world has adopted the Western economic system rapidly. The system was just "dumped" on the people who were told the old ways were bad. The old ways provided guaranteed employment and generous pensions, even housing was a given. My, how things have changed.

The Western "disease", the industrial strike, has occurred in recent times. In the past this state of affairs would have been "stomped on" quick smart. With the country pushing for higher productivity and wages pegged at a low level it is no wonder something had to give.

New mental health treatment programs have been set up offering the latest medications. With no real cure on the horizon and only symptomatic relief available, the source of industrial labor for the world must surely have to look at the real cause - modern industrial society with all its uncertainties.
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Sunday, October 31, 2010

I will survive!



Korang tengok ni... Nasi Goreng Cili Padi. Nampak macam sedap dan menyelerakan tak? Cup! Ni macam terlebih berganda la plak cili padi tu. Hmm...yang aku makan pada ritu kaler light sikit, oily and takde la gedabak gini ha cili die. Tapi pedas nak mampus sampai aku tak boleh nak abiskan.

Al-kisahnya lepas balik dinner, aku pon sambung la study C-Prog. Sehari suntuk buat coding tapi tak siap2. Tetibe di kedinginan malam itu, rumate aku pon ajak la minum milo. Buat asing2 la... Die ajak je. Nak tolong buat tak dapat la der. Haha.. Bermula lah episod sakit perut ku yang tercetus dek milo 3 in 1 itu.

Malam tu aku dah sakit perut cirit-birit sikit2. Sampai la aku terlelap tepi laptop dan meninggalkan coding itu terkontang-kanting. Esok pagi nye bersambung lagi. Die mcm tau2 je hari dh siang. Aku terjaga dek sakit perut cirit-birit. Sampai la pukul 11 pagi camtu, paling latest aku tersedar dari tido, aku dah sakit perut yg amat. Rasa ngilu2 dari bawah perut smpai ke ulu hati.

Aku pon ajak la housemate Jiha dan cik Ecah untuk bawak aku ke klinik. Nak dijadikan kisah penglipur lara, dua2 bodyguard ni tak tau jalan. Adoiyai.... Boleh bayang tak? Aku dah la mengerang sakit kat belakang, dengar diorang sembang pasal konpius2 simpang, lagi la nk terburai perut aku. Sabau je la...

Klinik Uniten ade lunch break plak...Pegi la klinik Family kat depan PKNS. Doktor tanya2, tekan2, cucuk sejarum kat punggung pastu suh bayar n suh blah. Kalau tak silap, kena la Ringgit Malaysia 48. Saje aku nk tulis pepanjang. Haha.. Kami pon pulang ke Uniten. Sakit perut kurang. Aku ingat dah yeay!

Sampai je aku kat bilik, terus tergolek atas katil dan pengsan. Bangun pukul 3 kot, rumate nak suapkan bubur. Makan 3 suap, telan 4 jenis ubat, pengsan balik. Kepala berat giler. Bila cuba nk jalan tu, terhoyong-hayang. Melelong bila jalan. Rasa mcm takda tulang nk support badan. Aku cuba jalan ke ruang tamu, pastu aku tergolek kat ruang tamu. Dah la kusyen bau nasi goreng. Ayoyo (@@)

Malam lepas maghrib tu, keadaan still tak berubah. Aku ajak b pegi klinik tu balik. Jumpe doktor lain plak. Aku cakap la kepala berat giler. Bila cuba nk jalan tu, terhoyong-hayang. Melelong bila jalan. Rasa mcm takda tulang nk support badan. Aku cuba jalan ke ruang tamu, pastu aku tergolek kat ruang tamu. Doktor tu cakap tak de ape dh die boleh buat. Die suh aku rujuk kat hospital Serdang. Nanti die bg surat. Die suh aku duk luar.

Doktor klinik tu bagi surat untuk bg kat hospital. Kena lagi Ringgit Malaysia 10. Mak aiii!!!! Dah la surat hand writting je. Ugly plak tu tulisan die. Patut la org cakap tulisan doktor hodoh. Dah la aku yang asik bercakap tadi.. Patutnye aku charge air liur 50sen per gram. Halal je lah...Sian anak2 die nak makan.

Pegi hospital Serdang malam Isnin tu jugak. Tunggu turn dari pukul 9 smpai pukul 12 malam. Bapaaaaaaaaaaaak lamaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! Aku dah la pesakit dowh..... Kesian b sebab kejang2 kaki die aku buat bantal. Masuk jumpe Dr. Sapit. Aku pon crita la lagi sekali yang aku kepala berat giler. Bila cuba nk jalan tu, terhoyong-hayang. Melelong bila jalan. Rasa mcm takda tulang nk support badan. Aku cuba jalan ke ruang tamu, pastu aku tergolek kat ruang tamu.

Die check2 suh aku g kencing lagi skali. Aku cakap la tadi dah bagi 2 botol. Ceh, ada ura2 tak puas hati. Die cakap pegi je la! Melawan plak! Tade2...aku rase die cakap gitu dalam hati die. Yang kuar kat mulut, "saya nk buat test celup2 kat air kencing awak tu." Iye kan aje...tak kencing kang merajuk plak.

Pastu Dr. Sapit kol doktor lain bahagian surgical, aku dengar la die bg tau symptom2 termasuklah nausea. Demmit!!! Penat aku explain (copy paste) ayat berjela2. Aku nausea tak sudah2 dari balik klinik siang tadi!! Trus aku kena tahan masuk ward. Tingkat 6B katil 8. Hmm...aku rasa gitu la aku dengar dari perbualan die. Aku pon ditolak la ke katil. B g luar jap sebab sejuk katanya. Perlukan pembakaran peparu kejap. Lepas tu die naik ward bawak sebotol milo tin. Sedap.....sejuk yg penting.

Pukul 2 pagi, tengah aku sedap2 tido, ade sorang doktor chinese pompuan datang soal siasat. Aku pon cerita la dari mula smpai habis dalam mamai2 tu. Lepas tu die panggil doktor lain, boss die kot untuk tgk aku gelap2 tu. Untuk pengetahuan korang, doktor2 kat hospital ni slalu jeles tgk patient tido nyenyak. Beribu kali aku bangun mengejut sebab tetibe doktor kat depan muka. Dah la aku ada sindrom tido mata terbukak. Slumber je doktor tu datang2 trus sembang. Padahal aku tgh tido. Efeknye otak aku pon cepat2 la antar signal,"Hoi ade org datang sembur2 depan kau ni. Bangun2!" Bila aku tersedar, imej objek di depan blur2 je. Lama2 baru ok. Tapi doktor tu rileks je tak benti cakap. Haishh...

Pukul 2 pagi tu doktor suh aku puasa. Appointment surgery pukul 2 ptg nnti. Kena puasa at least 12 jam. Mama cakap kalo tak puasa, sedut gas nanti muntah. Asooooo...... Aku dahaga gila pukul 4 pg tu. Bangun mintak air, nurse tak bagi dowh. Haishh... Sok pagi nya, aku bangun pagi, nurse suh aku makan panadol sebab demam tinggi sangat. 39.5 degree... Time tu la aku ambik kesempatan minum puas2. Nurse ade je kat sebelah. Tapi aku saje je telan panadol tu satu2. Haha.. Padahal boleh je 2 bijik sekali gus. Sekali telan 2 teguk air. Hilang dahaga.

Kat hospital pukul 7 nurse dah kacau tido. Die nk kemas bedsheet. Pukul 8 lebih tu, segerombolan doktor surgical datang untuk morning walk. Sampai turn aku, ade houseman babe tolong bacakan kes aku kat boss2 surgical tu. Rasa cam cool sekejap. Dah la bapak laju die cakap. Doktor2 tu tekan2 perut aku, pastu sambung cakap2. Aku dah la mamai. Yang pastinya, pastu die Dr. Alan cakap,"Kita akan potong di sini dan cuci appendix awak. Awak paham? Kalau paham sign sini. Awak puasa kan? Jangan makan ye."

Then aku pon mesej la papa mama untuk inform pasal surgery tu. Tak lama pastu mama pon kol. Die cakap, die kol hospital. Doktor chinese pompuan cakap tak jadi bedah. Just rahim luka. Dah boleh kuar jap g Aku pon pelik apa kes tetiba rahim2 ni. Tak pe lah, hepi sebab boleh minum. Yeay! B dtg suap roti dan bawak air milo lagi (^^,)

Sekali nurse marah sebab makan. Rupanya aku ni katil no 7. Bukan katil 8. Budak katil 8 mmg nk kuar dh rini. Adoiyai....Pastu Dr. Alan datang dengan muka bengisnya marah2 sebab aku makan. Kenapa tak tanya die dulu. Aku cakap la tanya kaunter depan cakap tak jadi bedah. Die cakap lain kali apa2 tanya die. Ada paham??? Sekarang bila dh makan, terpaksa la aku berpuasa balik untuk 12 jam seterusnya. Appointment surgery pukul 9 mlm, 26hb 11.

Papa mama sampai pukul 8 gitu kot. Sempat la jumpe. Masa katil nak bawak ke bilik bedah tu smpai, aku mmg hepi sesangat. Cuak ntah ke mana sebab dh tak tahan dengan kesakitan. Rasa tolong la bedah cepat sikit. Kepala dah mcm nk meletup. Nurse bg tau mama white blood cell tinggi dalam kencing. Maknanya kuman tinggi la.

Sampai kat area dewan bedah, die parking kan aku kat tepi dulu untuk tunggu turn. Nampak la Dr. Alan tu datang. Dalam hati, tolong la die jangan berdendam ngn aku sebab aku menjawab cakap die tadi. Kat depan aku ade sorg akak tu baru pas bedah. Tak sedar lagi. Kaki die terkangkang ke atas. Dalam kesakitan tu sempat lagi aku nk cuba figure out die operate kat mne. Haha... Pas die sedar, nurse antar die balik.

Baru 10 minit aku tunggu. Tapi rse mcm setahun. Kepala ni dh mcm ade amoeba duk godek2. Lagi 10 minit nk pukul 9. Tetiba nurse ramai2 datang bawah sorang pakcik tu. Pakcik tu agaknye accident kereta sebab die meronta2 n cabut abis wayar. Pastu cakap die dlm kete. Penat la nurse2 tu nk tenangkan. Sampai tercabut urine pack die. Aku dengar sorang nurse cakap, "Ha pakcik...kan dah nampak...." Aku plak sempat bangunkan sikit kepala untuk tengok...gagagaga....tak nampak pon ok. Gelap je. Tapi katil die mmg bertentang ngn katil aku. So kalo aku pkai spec tu, mmg direct la....haha

Pukul 9 malam, aku ditolak masuk ke dalam dewan bedah. Akhirnya......aku rasa sedikit lega bila mengenangkan sakit2 aku ni bakal hilang. Untuk pengetahuan kawan2, lorong otw nk ke bilik bedah ni mcm ada semangat jin. Makin dekat makin sejuk. Dah smpai tak yah crite la...Bapak sejuk. Aku nampak la muka si Alan tu. Nurse suh aku pindah ke katil bedah. Dr. Alan tu sempat cakap, lepas operate ni tak boleh makan. Aku slumber tanye, kalo minum? Die cakap tak boleh! Selagi die cakap tak boleh, jgn makan minum. Ok noted! Tengah2 aku nk usyar interior design kat situ, ade org lekapkan benda kat mulut/hidung. Aku tetibe kejang sampai kaki untuk 3 saat, pastu cube tarik nafas dh tak boleh, lepas 2 saat aku dh pengsan la kot.

Sedar2 aku tgh baring atas katil n ade alat bantuan pernafasan. Sekali lagi aku rasa cam cool, lalu sambung tido. Ngantuk woo.... Sampai nurse tu gerak aku cakap nak balik dh. Aiseyman...selalu patient sedar2 trus nk bukak mata n tgk dunia. Even masa die antr aku balik pon aku sambung tido. Nurse cakap tak payah tukar baju lagi lah. Sok baru tukar sebab aku ngntuk sangat. Tapi aku sedar la papa mama kat sebelah cakap semuanya dah selamat. Lepas aku cakap kat diorang rse sakit, aku pon tido smpai ke pagi. Itu la tido aku yang paling nyenyak.

Esok pagi terjge sebab nak terkencing...Bermula lah episod recovery. Kepala pon dah tak pening langsung. Memang amoeba tadi dah hilang. Doktor datang cakap rupenye appendix normal. Tapi alang2 dh bukak tu, die buang je la. Then aku ada bleeding corpus luteum cyst. Sebab tu sakit. Aku rse mse operate tu diorang pgl doktor gynae untuk repair. Bila doktor gynae tu datang pagi tu, die cakap nasib baik cepat. Kalo tak boleh membahayakan nyawa.

Pastu mama la yang menjaga aku, turun naik beli bubur sebab makanan hospital ade yg kita stil tak leh mkn lagi, suap makanan, memakaikan pampers sebab cirit-birit aku tak hilang lagi rupenye, lap2 badan, lap2 punggung bekas cirit-birit tu. Walaupon aku tak makan pape, die nk kuar jgk. Bile dah hilang cirit-birit tu, doktor dh bagi balik. Masa kemas2 mama tanya, ni sape plak nak pkai pampers org tua ni. Aku slumber la jawab, mama la nanti. Pastu mama cakap, Hanim belum tentu boleh jaga mama mcm mama jaga Hanim ni.... Ouh, sangat menyentuh hati sanubari. We'll see mama. Maybe tak boleh buat mcm mama buat, tapi Hanim akan buat yang terbaik!

Hmm....itu lah sikit2 rentetan hidup aku beberapa hari ni. Sekarang dalam proses recovery. Lepas ni nk kena g amk exam sorang plak. Semalam anniversary ke 4 kitorang. Kita hanya merancang, Allah yang menentukan. Setiap benda ada hikmah. Cuma lambat atau cepat smpai kan? Thanks kepada semua yang mendoakan aku dan yang datang melawat ritu. Mesti muka hodoh giler. Tapi itu la muka org sakit babe. Nak hidang teh o panas tak dapat la der....haha. To all friends, I heart you =)

To my sweetheart, Happy 4th Anniversary. Love u. Muah!!


ouh, credit kat sumber gmbar di atas ye =)






Monday, October 25, 2010

Americans Do Not Walk So Far

Americans do not take large strides in the world. I know what you are going to say here - How can this be true? Surely this is the country that leads the world. But wait! It just means that Americans take fewer strides. How can I put this? They walk less.

This only confirms what we all knew: Westerners, generally, do less exercise. A pedometer test was carried out comparing people from different countries. Australia is about average with 9,000 steps taken in a day. Americans do only 5,000. Australia could be the odd Western country out because of the size of this country and it is culturally accepted that long travel is normal. Maybe we apply this to walking as well as driving.

A mile is equivalent to 2,000 steps. As would be expected the health "experts" say we should walk 5 miles a day. The tests did show that American men walk more than women. This is a surprise considering all those claims about women doing all the housework. Single people walk more as well. With no one to fetch and carry this would be expected. But widowed people walk least of all. Perhaps they have given up.

What does all this means? Not much really. Findings indicate that countries rating high in the pedometer tests suffered less with obesity. A test wasn't really needed to figure that one out.
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Monday, May 31, 2010

A Rethink Is Needed on the Elderly

Those involved in the aged care industry call for more money from government. Despite money being ploughed in and the rate of pension being increased it still isn't enough. But we need to take a close look at what is going on in the world. European countries are cutting back on pensions and health care, saying that governments cannot afford it. Perhaps residential aged care will always be unsustainable. Indexing of current payments will only keep up with inflation, and it appears the Government will not even do that.

In ages passed the family cared for the elderly. Aged parents spent their day sat in the armchair by an open fire. They got bread and cheese if they were lucky and they certainly didn't enjoy an income. Too infirm to work their daily tasks involved caring for the toddlers in the family. They were seen as assets not liabilities.

Society has changed. Many adult children today do not even visit their parents. Child care is sourced privately. But these same children do not take kindly to parents mortgaging the family home and living better in old age. This is unfortunate. Perhaps the Government is too paternal. It seems in Europe that reality has put a check on welfare. Maybe a return to old ways will be forced on us.
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Friday, February 26, 2010

Australia Is Facing a Crisis in Aged Residential Care

Australia is heading for a crisis in residential care for the aged. Young people do not understand what their future will be like if investment in homes for the elderly is not increased. With society going the way it is family will not be around to help feed, clothe and look after you when you get old. The nursing homes whether public or private won't be there.

The problem is money. The cost of aged care is getting more expensive by the year. Qualified, experienced staff expect high wages. In 2050 people over 65 years will double in number. Those living more than 85 years will quadruple. The strain will not only be felt in the aged care sector proper. Provision of health services for these people will be difficult.

In the future, care for the elderly will be basic at best. The ratio of "patients" to staff will rise from five per nurse in 2003 to more than twelve per nurse on average. Some nursing homes now have one nurse for over 30 residents. But those over 90 need continual care because of constant illness and memory problems. Today nurses are companions as well as carers. This will end.

Because nurses in nursing homes are paid less than their counterparts in mainstream health, nurses are leaving residential care. Only more money from government will stop this.
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