Perfect Gifts for Hospital Visits

These ideas will help you choose gifts for a friend or family member who's in the hospital or recovering that will brighten their spirits and help ease their recovery. CarePages.com

UK Prosecutor Office Set to Loosen Restrictions on Assisted Suicide

The UK’s Director of Public Prosecutions is expected to issue new guidelines on Thursday that pro-life advocates say will effectively legalize assisted suicide in England and Wales. The DPP held a public consultation after issuing draft guidelines in September year that proposed to change the rules in order to allow individuals who help others kill themselves escape prosecution, as long as prosecutors can discern no motive of personal gain in assisting in the suicide. British and international anti-euthanasia and disability rights groups have expressed their alarm at the draft guidelines, saying they put vulnerable people at risk and significantly undermine the law. LifeSiteNews

'My mom was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer'

"She is keeping me in the loop but sometimes I feel like she is keeping something back from me. I try to ask her in a gentle way what is going on, but every time I do she gets aggravated with me and feels like I am attacking her. I’m 39 years old and she is treating me like a child. I want to be there for her every step of the way but it seems like she wants me to just back off. I could really use some advice. Thanks!" Read advice from CarePages.com

Caring Right at Home newsletter

Here are some intriguing articles from this month's edition of Caring Right at Home:

• From Zero Gravity to Zero Falls
• Family Caregiver Discrimination Laws: What's Happening Today?
• Talk to Senior Loved Ones About Safe Social Networking

March is National Nutrition Month!

Better nutrition can mean better health for seniors. Researchers have developed a modified food pyramid for seniors. If your older loved one's nutrition habits aren't supporting good health, it might be time to sit down over a good meal and bring up the topic. And when seniors need help getting back on the nutritional track, a trained home health aide can help. Right at Home

Belgian coma 'writer' Rom Houben can't communicate

A Belgian man who stunned the world last year by apparently communicating after 23 years in a coma cannot in fact do so, researchers say. The doctor who believed that Rom Houben was communicating through a facilitator now says the method does not work. "The story of Rom is about the diagnosis of consciousness, not communication."

By holding Mr Houben's forearm and finger, the therapist was said to feel sufficient pressure to direct her to the correct keys on the keyboard. In a test of this procedure, objects and words were shown to Mr Houben and other patients in the absence of the facilitator who was then called back into the room. The patient was then asked to say what they had seen or heard. BBC News

Mother of severely disabled man: protect the vulnerable

Elisabeth Shepherd has warned that the vunerable members of society need protection from assisted suicide. "My son will appear 'expendable' if the law on assisted suicide is changed," the mother of a severely disabled man has said. In an emotional interview with the Daily Mail, she also warned that people like her son, James, could feel pressured into ending their lives if the existing law is relaxed. Christian Institute

Promoting life rather than death

It is natural for a person to feel helpless and hopeless when a terminal or incurable condition is first diagnosed but, given the right support by family, friends and the medical community, it is quite possible to come through this phase and to enjoy some quality of life and even its enrichment. As Dame Cicely Saunders, the founder of the hospice movement, has said, "Our last days are not necessarily lost days." . . . Again and again, people have told me how much they have learned about themselves and others at this time in their lives. Telegraph

Caregiver stories

Read caregiver stories on Caregiver.com. Share your story by emailing the editor.

Tips and Techniques for Dealing with Stress

Change is an expected part of our daily lives today. Dealing with it so that YOU control IT rather than vice versa is an important and positive force in controlling your life. Try a few of these good reminders. Caregiver.com

Does Antibacterial Soap Work Better Than Regular Soap?

Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water is one of the simplest ways to prevent colds from spreading. But does antibacterial soap work any better than plain soap in fighting infections? Not according to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn more about the important differences between hand santizers and antibacterial soaps: Everyday Health

Obama healthcare proposal means rationing

Even as more and more doctors and other health care providers are leaving the Medicare program because of low government reimbursement rates – rates that under the Obama bill will decline still more in comparison to medical inflation – senior citizens will have nowhere to turn. Their only option will be tightly managed plans that provide less and less treatment. NRLC

Eliminating Stress Brings Pain Relief

Stress and pain are often closely linked. Each one can have an impact on the other, creating a vicious cycle that sets the stage for chronic pain and chronic stress. So, part of getting pain relief is learning how to better manage stress. Everyday Health

Murder arrest over Ray Gosling's BBC confession

TV presenter Ray Gosling has been arrested on suspicion of murder after he admitted killing his lover. The 70-year-old's confession that he had smothered the unnamed man who was dying of Aids was broadcast on the BBC's Inside Out programme on Monday. BBC News

Don't create gaps in the Dutch euthanasia system

Last week, a Dutch citizens' initiative dubbed 'Out of Free Will' (Uit Vrije Wil) proposed an alternative route for elderly people "who feel tired of life" and want assistance in committing suicide. The group said this option should be open to everyone over 70. However there is no reason to limit this path to death to a certain age group. Why should a woman of 50 who loses her only child in a car crash not be eligible? What about a poorly educated woman of 45 who, after suffering ten miscarriages and two failed IVF treatments, has to face she will never have a child and that life has nothing more in store for her than a job behind a checkout counter? What about the carpenter who wants to die because he is physically no longer able to work with his hands, and the people over 80 who suffer from various ailments, who are just tired and have had enough? NRC.nl

Quebec Doctors Want "Euthanasia" Practices Acknowledged, Legalized

Doctors are already euthanizing patients in Quebec hospitals, the Quebec government's legislative committee on the “right to die with dignity” heard yesterday. The Federation of Quebec Medical Specialists and the Quebec College of Physicians asked for the province to develop clear policies on how doctors can bring about a patient's death, stating that currently doctors believe they could be charged with murder for giving a “palliative sedative” to a patient before they have reached the point of death.

Palliative sedation is the practice of relieving the pain of a patient on his or her death bed by administering pain medication. In the effort to relieve a patient's pain, it can sometimes happen that the dose of pain medication is increased to lethal levels, resulting in the patient's death. Ethicists have typically clearly delineated between palliative sedation, in which death is an unintended effect of legitimate care, and euthanasia, which is the intentional ending of a patient’s life.

Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, insists that the proper use of palliative sedation does not constitute euthanasia, and that the medical practice has been upheld by the courts. Doctors, he says, are not risking criminal charges for the practice. LifeSiteNews

Home Safe Home

As your family members or loved ones age, so do their homes. It is good practice to step back occasionally and examine the homes to see how well the living arrangement supports your loved ones’ daily needs and activities. There are many steps you can take to ensure that your family members stay safe and comfortable in their homes. Often these changes can be made with little or no cost, while they also make homes more user-friendly and welcoming. AARP

Taking care of people, not problems

Thanks to a new study, we now know that our idea of what it means to be in a persistent vegetative state may be radically inaccurate. It’s entirely possible that the “professionals” that passed judgment upon Terri were wrong in their assessment of her level of awareness. But even if they weren't -- even if Terri lacked conscious awareness -- her handicap should not have resulted in the revocation of her membership in the human family.

As creatures created in God’s image our “humanity” is unalterable, even though we are subject to change. Our humanity is not contingent upon our mental or physical fitnes -- at least, it shouldn't be. We have worth, value and dignity -- not because of our capacities or achievements -- but because the Creator made us and gave Himself for us. LifeNews

Caregiving Journey asks . . .

How have you helped restore dignity in your caregiving? Share your story.

Staying Employed with Multiple Sclerosis

In these economic times, finding and/or keeping a job is difficult for “typical” people. For we of the compromised myelin, the idea of finding new employment is daunting, while the thought of losing our jobs (and oft, thus our health insurance) is downright frightening! There are so many questions we have about MS and employment: Who do we tell and when? How much do we disclose? What are reasonable accommodations to request? What does discrimination look like? When do we say when? MS blog

Get to Know: Elder Care Connect

Elder Care Connect is dedicated to providing commendable, quality home care in a respectful, affectionate and compassionate manner whenever and wherever it is needed, to allow individuals to live a healthy and peaceful life with dignity, privacy and comfort. Subscribe to receive a free elder-care tips ebook.

Editor: Just got the free ebook. It's related to resources specifically in the Philadelphia area.

Get to Know: In-Law Suite

In-LawSuite.com can help you find the answers to your questions about elder care at home, help guide you to solutions that are right for you and your loved one, and help you take the first steps toward piece of mind for you and independence for your loved one.

How to Identify Pain in Dementia Patients

It isn’t always easy to identify pain in an elderly person who has Dementia. A person with dementia (or Alzheimers) can’t always tell you they have a toothache or remember how they got hurt in the first place. However, anyone can become a better pain detective when they know what to watch for. In-Law Suite

First Steps for Elder Home Care, Part 1

What are the warning signs that may indicate that your loved one may need some extra care? What are the benefits that elder home care can provide? What steps do you need to take once a decision has been made regarding senior care? In-Law Suite; Part 2

Guide to Dementia Care and Alzheimr’s Care at Home, Part 1

Caring for a parent, grandparent or other aging loved one who is mentally and physically healthy can be challenging at times. Add Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia to the equation and the task of providing elder care becomes particularly daunting. There are many things that can be done, however, to make home care less difficult. In-Law Suite; part 2

Get to Know: Family Caregiver Alliance

First, Care for Yourself. On an airplane, an oxygen mask descends in front of you. What do you do? As we all know, the first rule is to put on your own oxygen mask before you assist anyone else. Only when we first help ourselves can we effectively help others. Caring for yourself is one of the most important—and one of the most often forgotten—things you can do as a caregiver. When your needs are taken care of, the person you care for will benefit, too. Family Caregiver Alliance

Get to Know: Family Caregiver Alliance

First, Care for Yourself On an airplane, an oxygen mask descends in front of you. What do you do? As we all know, the first rule is to put on your own oxygen mask before you assist anyone else. Only when we first help ourselves can we effectively help others. Caring for yourself is one of the most important—and one of the most often forgotten—things you can do as a caregiver. When your needs are taken care of, the person you care for will benefit, too. Family Caregiver Alliance

Osteoporosis Prevention Choices You Can Start Making Today

You can reduce your risk of osteoporosis by making several changes in your lifestyle. Osteoporosis prevention relies primarily on a healthy, calcium-rich diet, adequate vitamin D intake, weight-bearing exercise, and other healthy habits. Making the right choices now can significantly impact your level of osteoporosis risk later in life. Everyday Health

Canada tip-toeing to the barrier of assisted suicide?

Starving to death in a hospital bed is a horrible way to die, says an expert on the ethics of death, and it may be time to allow more overt ways of ending the lives of the terminally ill. Wayne Sumner says there is no practical difference between letting someone starve to death, as is now done when feeding tubes are removed, and the more overt act of instructing a doctor to inject a lethal dose of medication to hasten death.

Not everyone agrees. Moira McQueen, director of the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute, says every patient has the right to refuse treatment or food, and let nature take its course. "With euthanasia, you're not letting anything take its course," she says. It is too big a leap to say that because people can refuse treatment or nourishment, they should actively take their own lives, she says. "We all want to be compassionate, but we want to make sure we're doing the right thing, too." Healthzone

Get to Know: Music for the Soul

Shelly Beach recommended Music for the Soul on her Facebook page, Caring Journey. The site describes its purpose this way: "Music is the language of the heart, a universal language that speaks to all people, going places where words alone will not penetrate. It is also the language of the mind. Studies have shown that people remember 10% of what they’re told, 40% of what they read, and 90% of what they hear in music. By using the power of music and the innate responsiveness to it that God has built into our beings we can meet people at their point of need with messages that have the power to heal."

Dealing With Dizziness

Q: I have an older friend who has been passing out at times, and he often feels weak. When this happens, he seems a little disoriented, his legs give out from underneath him, and he falls or almost falls. How should he deal with this? Answer

Physical Therapies for Arthritis Pain

If you're tired of relying on medication to manage your arthritis pain, or the drugs simply aren't doing the job as effectively as they used to, it may be time to consider other arthritis remedies. Physical therapy can help manipulate damaged joints to make them more mobile — and therefore help you to become more active. Everyday Health

Death Becomes Him

Over the past decade, Ludwig Minelli has helped more than 1,000 people kill themselves and has turned Zurich into the undisputed world capital of assisted suicide. Minelli sees himself as a crusader for what he calls “the last human right”—and he believes that helping more and more people to die advances his cause. Even if you believe in an absolute right to die on your own terms, how far is too far in the quest to secure that right? The Atlantic; read commentary here

Have You Challenged Your Brain Today?

Games for Fit Brains can help you do just that! Scroll down the page to find games that are as fun as they are stimulating; they'll give your mind a workout. Everyday Health

See also: How Seniors Can Stay Mentally Sharp

Baby Isaiah Case - Euthanasia or not?

The case of Baby Isaiah May has been discussed in Canada and internationally. Baby Isaiah was born with the umbilical cord around his neck after a 40 [hour?] labour in Alberta. He was not breathing when he was born but was revived and sent to the Stollery Children's hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. After approximately 90 days of receiving care, the parents of Baby Isaiah - Rebecca and Isaac May, were told the hospital would withdraw his ventilator.

The parents went to court to request another 90 days of care to give Baby Isaiah a chance to further improve. When speaking with Rebecca May, she made it very clear that they hoped to be able to bring Isaiah home and care for him. She understood that Isaiah may not survive very long and if he survived, that he may be profoundly disabled, but she was willing to care for him and love him, no matter what happened.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition has supported the wish of the May family to give Baby Isaiah a chance to improve to the point where they could bring him home. The very first email we sent out to support the family stated that if Baby Isaiah were removed from the ventilator, that if he died, it would not be euthanasia but rather a natural death. This comment remains correct. The reason the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is supporting the May family is that the precedent that would be set if the court did withdraw the ventilator against the wishes of the family would have very wide ramifications.

Dutch Euthanasia Society promoting euthanasia for people who are “tired of life”

Eugéne Sutorius, a leader of NVVE, a euthanasia lobby group in the Netherlands, is leading a new group of academics who are demanding the legalization of euthanasia for people who are not suffering or terminally ill but “tired of life.” The group has launched a petition campaign whereby the hope to gather 40,000 signatures which is enough to have the issue debated in the Dutch parliament based on their citizens initiative legislation. Euthanasia in the Netherlands is legal when the person is suffering physical or mental pain, is supposed freely consenting and two physicians have agreed. The petition is asking the Dutch legislature to approve euthanasia for people who are over the age of 70 and “tired of life.” Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Editor: Get to know this group.

Archbishop: assisted suicide would ‘cross a moral’ line

The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned that legalising assisted suicide would “cross a moral boundary”, and lead us into “very dangerous territory” during his address to the Church of England’s General Synod. Dr Rowan Williams declared that the church “will argue fiercely, so long as legal argument continues, that granting a ‘right to die’ is not only a moral mistake, as I believe myself, but the upsetting of a balance of freedoms.” Christian Institute

Get to Know: Shepherds College

Shepherds College is the country’s leading three-year post secondary educational program for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Assisted-Suicide Pioneer Stirs a Legal Backlash

Daniel Gall, a French actor, was skeptical when his sister and her husband told him two years ago that they wanted to commit suicide. Genevieve Gall-Peninou was 81 and said she could no longer bear the Alzheimer's Disease she had suffered for several years. Yves Peninou, 86, didn't want to live without her. A Dignitas doctor in Zurich reviewed the Peninous' case and agreed to write a prescription for sodium pentobarbital, the lethal drug typically used for assisted suicides in Switzerland. They paid Dignitas its fee of 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,500). When Mr. Gall accompanied the couple to Switzerland in January 2008 for the final act, his doubts intensified about their decision–and about Switzerland's legalized assisted-suicide movement. WSJ

'Vegetative state' man responds to questions

The finding by British and Belgian researchers has huge implications for the care and treatment of patients in a coma-like state. It comes two months after a Belgian car crash victim whose condition was misdiagnosed as a vegetative state for 23 years was revealed to have been conscious the whole time. Using a scanning technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging, the patient's brain activity was mapped while he was asked to answer "yes" or "no" to questions such as "Is your father's name Thomas?" The patient communicated answers by wilfully changing his brain activity. CNN

Multiple Sclerosis Blog: How’s Your MS Today?

Multiple sclerosis changes seasonally, new treatments come and go from the press, symptoms arise, disease progresses, and every month, we (try to) stay a constant in this post. It gives you a chance to check-in with others in our community and with yourself. Update the MS Blog on how things are going with you this month. "We’ll celebrate your successes and commiserate with your losses." Everyday Health

Top 10 Tips for Managing Day-to-day Life With Multiple Sclerosis

Take control of your MS symptoms with practical strategies you can use every day. Everyday Health

BBC accused of 'promoting euthanasia by ignoring rights of disabled'

The BBC has been accused of promoting euthanasia by a cross-party group of MPs who called on ministers to threaten to cut off the supply of public money to the broadcaster. They claim there had been ''numerous complaints'' over the ''persistent bias of the BBC on matters relating to euthanasia and other life issues and on the manner in which the BBC have misused public funds to promote changes in the law.'' The MPs complain of ''thinly-disguised plays and soap operas being used to promote the use of euthanasia and misrepresentation of pro-life activists in the UK as people of violence.'' Telegraph

Frozen for 14 years

Imagine if one day your voice just disappeared and you could see, hear and understand everything happening around you but you had no way of communicating your needs or feelings to the outside world. That was the situation of Martin Pistorius after he contracted meningitis at the age of 12. For 14 years he was effectively without a ‘voice’, unable to communicate and had ‘no choice’ over his life. Scope, Daily Mail (caution: objectionable content on this page)

Listen to the silent majority

We must ignore the celebrity campaigns and instead listen to the voices of disabled people and the silent majority on assisted suicide, the Archbishop of York has said. Dr John Sentamu was responding to publicity surrounding two opinion polls on assisted suicide and a call by Sir Terry Pratchett to legalise the practice. “The silent majority never get asked. One thousand people out of about 61 million really is not very much guidance. Once you begin to open this particular door, it won’t be long before you start having mercy killings. I would rather listen to the voices of disabled people than to the voices of celebrities or the voices of 1,000 people in an opinion poll.” Christian Institute

Brain Scan May Foster Communication With Vegetative Patients: Experts Say Study May Reinvigorate Right-to-Life Debate

For the brother of Terri Schiavo, Wednesday's news that a team of researchers in England were able to use a novel scanning technology to establish limited communication with a man in a persistent vegetative state was bittersweet. A low percentage of vegetative patients are more conscious than once thought. Bobby Schindler said that while the test using functional magnetic resonance imaging likely holds promise for the families of minimally conscious and persistently vegetative patients, he wishes his sister had been afforded this technology before a court ruling allowed her husband Michael Schiavo to remove her feeding tube in 2005 leading to her death. ABC News

Good question!

From Shelly Beach's Facebook page: Caregiving is the most Christlike thing we're called to do, as there's no promise of return. How has caregiving made you more like Jesus? Caregiving Journey

Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin but a hormone, a hormone used by every cell in the body. All immune cells have Vitamin D receptors. Vitamin D deficiencies are now being associated with increased cancer risks, with autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus and even with depression and psychological disorders. Many of us living in the United States above Atlanta Georgia are vitamin D deficient, in part because we get so little sun exposure in the winter months. Also, sun block prevents our bodies from developing our own natural Vitamin D. Everyday Health