"Most Drugs Don't Work on Most Patients" 

This provocative article from the Center for Medical Consumers states that "most drugs don't work on most patients". Based on an editorial by Dr. Richard Smith in a 2003 issue of the British Medical Journal, the author explains that common statistical terms for expressing the results of drug studies are misunderstood by both physicians and patients alike. In fact, a recent Cochran Review states that there was no difference in the understanding of statistical and methodological reporting between physicans and the lay public. 

 

Fortunately there is a website that can help laypersons decipher these statistics. The NNT (Numbers Needed to Treat) can tell you how many people will be helped by a particular drug for a particular treatment. The concept is statistical, but intuitive, for we know that not everyone is helped by a medicine or intervention - some benefit, some are harmed, and some are unaffected. The NNT tells us how many of each. 

 

I think you will be surprised at how few people benefit from most drugs. Of course this doesn't mean you shouldn't take drugs but this information will help you evaluate the likelihood of a medication's effectiveness.

Go to the Center for Medical Consumers Article 

Go to the NNT Drug Evaluation Tool 

Six Steps for a Successful Move to a Long Term Care Home / Transition Coaching

  This article from PATHS, a Monroe, Washington based Adult Care Home, lays out six steps for creating a smooth transition to a Long Term Care Facility for your loved one. These best practices can be a guide for your family during the first days and weeks after a move and it can help you evaluate the quality of care in LTC homes you may be considering.  

There is a growing recognition that the period of time just before and after a move to a Long Term Care Home is critical for a successful transition. The idea of having a "transition coach" is becoming more popular. Transition Coaches can help set up a new home, prepare "life books" to help your new caregivers get to know you better, act as an advocate and a communication facilitator between you and your new home, and be an ongoing contact and resource for you in your new home. 

Feel free to contact me form more information about Transition Coaching. 

Read About the 6 Steps 

The Danger of Falls and Prevention

I have written about this before but falls and their prevention are issues too important not to emphasize. Some studies suggest that one in three persons over 65 will fall each year. Falls and their complications cause death in seniors at rates higher than pneumonia or diabetes. One in five seniors who fracture a hip will die within a year. Half of all falls occur in and around ones own home. The first article below, from the Ottawa Globe and Mail, sites multiple statistics concerning falls gathered in Canada. 

The second article linked below describes a report from the Center for Medical Consumers that suggests Vitamin D3 supplements can reduce the chances of falling by 26%. The report refers to an article published in the British Medical Journal that states high levels of D3 significantly increase the uptake of calcium into the body. Another Medical Consumer's article emphasizes that muscle strength is just as important as bone density in preventing injury from falls. That article also describes the unimpressive results of the popular bone density drug Fosamax.

One piece of good news is that there are increasing numbers of balance and mobility specialists in health facilities and in private practice. Contact me if you would like to know more about local balance resources.   

Article one 

Article two 

 5 Million Seniors Need Services to Remain at Home

 According to the AARP there are a growing number of Americans who will need some support services (medical and otherwise) to remain at home. This is an important issue because seniors live longer when they remain in their own homes and they also report to be happier. In addition, care costs are significantly lower when they are delivered in a home setting as opposed to a Long Term Care Facility. These facts are of particular importance now as both state and federal governments are wrestling with a wide range of Medicare and Medicaid reforms which are the financial source for much of home care support. If you or your family members are affected by Medicare or Medicaid, now is the time to pay attention to what is going on in state and federal legislatures and to let your voices be heard. 

Read more 

                    Services Offered

                      -Housing Transitions / Coaching

                         -Medicare Counseling

                       -Daily Money Management

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