• New Book Information • Guide to Home Nursing

Asia Publication
Guide to Home Nursing
Yakob Abdul Rahman Wilhelm Scholer
DESCRIPTION
The fundamental objective of this book is to provide crucial information on how to care for the sick and elderly in the home environment. It features a comprehensive guideline in providing for the physical needs of the sick or disabled whilst attending to their psychological and emotional well-being. These include encouraging their independency and boosting their self-esteem through excellent communications. The content of this guideline is based on general life experiences that one may encounter in his or her daily activities, thus enabling readers to relate better to the information presented. Nevertheless, it is important to note that this guide will not replace the need for professional medical treatment and advice. However, it can serve as a supplementary tool that will greatly enhance one’s knowledge on professional medical care and advice.

KEY FEATURES
• Emphasises on Activities of Daily Life (A.D.L’s.)
• Assists caregivers in providing the ultimate and optimal care to any person regardless of age and unique needs
• Covers the fundamental needs of nursing a person at home, be it by family members or through the assistance of mobile nursing agencies
• Simple language, with clear, concise and easy-to-follow instructions regardless of the patient’s background and home environment
• Acts as a supplementary guide to professional medical nursing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yakob Abdul Rahman Wilhelm Scholer, an expert in the field, currently works with Home Nursing Providers Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia’s first "comprehensive and integrated" Mobile Nursing Agency. His experiences include working with welfare services, providing medical training, as well as helping drug users and alcoholics overcome their addiction and substance dependency. His dedication saw the establishment of Malaysia’s first Addiction Therapist Training Program and Female Drug Users Rehabilitation Centre. He was instrumental in the creation of Malaysia’s first AIDS Awareness Committee which is now known as the Malaysian Aids Council. In 2005, he started lecturing in "Health Psychology" at University Technology Mara (UiTM) Malaysia. The author also visits countries all over the world, attends seminars and international congresses, presents working papers and shares his experience in the field of Addiction, Psychology and Mobile Nursing.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Health, Illness & Nursing. 2. Observation of Developing Illness, Signs and Early Interventions.
3. The Room for the Sick and Hygienic Provisions. 4. Body Positioning and Back-saving Work System.
5. General Nursing Functions. 6. General Toilet. 7. Prophylaxes. 8. Positioning and Supportive Aids.
9. Nourishment. 10. Executing Physician’s Instructions and Special Nursing Measures. 11. Medication. 12. The sick child. 13. The Aged Person and His/Her Illness. 14. Caring and nursing of pre-final patients.

REVIEWER QUOTES
"This book has a very detailed and systematic layout. It is a very useful guide on the know-how of caring for the sick, particularly for bedridden persons. This book will be an ideal reference for every family that find themselves in such a predicament. I strongly recommend it."
Dr. Zamri B. Abdul Rahim, MBBS (Malaya), M.MED (O&G) UKM, FICS (USA)
Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Darul Ehsan Medical Centre.

"This book is very informative for anyone who wants to do homecare for their sick, elderly and disabled family members. The content and method is written in a manner that is simple and easy to understand. It also serves as an eye opener and motivation for healthcare personnel and anyone who wish to pursue a career or passion in home and mobile nursing.
Raja Rajeswary Veeramani, R.N., R.M., Dip. Ophthamology,
Assistant Manager, Masterskill University College of Health Sciences
©2009
ISBN : 9789814253987
Price : US$29.95
Pub Date : March 2009
Size : 229 x 153 mm
Subject Major : Health Science
Subject Minor : Nursing
Rights : World
Edition : First
Binding : Paperback
Pages : 100 pp
For orders/enquiries, please contact
Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd
5 Shenton Way #01-01 UIC Building
Singapore 068808
Tel : (65) 6410 1200
Fax : (65) 6410 1208
Email : asia.info@cengage.com
Website: www.cengageasia.com

If you are looking for MOBILE NURSING OR A MOBILE DOCTOR please contact:

www.hnp-mobilenursing.com or nursing@hnp-mobilenursing.com

or +6 03 78777202

ENSURING ALZHEIMER PATIENTS GET THE NUTRIENTS that THEY NEED

left picture: Normal brain right picture: Alzheimer brain

INVITATION TO EAT :

By : Yakob Scholer, Nursing Consultant, Home Nursing Providers

Alzheimer Dementia Patient are often overtaxed with eating and drinking. This is how we can help them.
Family members and nursing personnel of persons suffering from Alzheimer Dementia (dementia) know the problems related to food and drinks consumption by these patients. Often, the person may sit in front of a plate of food yet does not make any move or effort to start eating. At times, the person may even have forgotten what he was doing at the table in the first place.
For a normal and healthy person, eating and drinking are not only acts of sustenance but also pleasure. For a person with dementia on the other hand, these two basic acts are at times deemed a major problem with serious consequences. As a result, statistics have shown that more than 90% of dementia patients suffer continued weight loss. Drastic and continued weight loss can also lead to other severe health problems for dementia patients. Therefore, relatives and caregivers are often faced with multiple dilemmas, from coping with the dementia, ensuring proper diet and nutrition for the patients to managing other physical health problems associated with dementia.
Nevertheless, coping with dementia patients need not be a chore or a difficult ordeal. By learning to understand their needs at a deeper level, caregivers and family members can create a stress-free environment that can contribute to better dietary health and supervision of dementia patients.

For example, patients with dementia cannot recognise the feeling of hunger and thirst. Therefore, they will hardly ask for food and drinks on their own accord. This is because, at the on-set of dementia, the patient’s sense of smell and taste will start to diminish, resulting in their inability to recognise the smell and taste of food that is a prerequisite to desire food in an ordinary person. It is therefore important to stimulate the patient’s other senses such as sound, sight and touch through the preparation and serving of food in order to invoke their interest to eat and drink. This could be done from bringing to their attention the mere sounds of cooking and the utensils used, to encouraging the patient to observe as his meal is being prepared. Watching his meal prepared will help to remind the patient that the time for food intake is imminent. In addition, the way in which a table is set for a meal will also influence dementia patients to eat. For example, it is helpful to have transparent glasses and coloured plates to emphasise the colour of the food and beverages, thereby not only enticing the patient but also triggering his memory to eat and drink.
For a patient with dementia, his favourite dishes will remain a favourite even when he may no longer be able to express his wishes for them. Repetitive serving of the patient’s favourite dishes will not only ensure that his dietary needs are met through food consumption but also provide the patient with a sense of security.
Many dementia patients have also lost their motor skills to use fork and spoons. Therefore food for dementia patients should be prepared to ensure easy handling by hand or cutlery and utensils. The caretaker should also eat with the patient so that the patient can observe the caretaker and be stimulated to follow his movements in handling food and cutlery. In doing this, it is important for caretakers and family members to remember that pressure on the patient to eat and drink should be avoided, as it will reinforce his incompetence and make him lose interest in trying.
Families are at times embarrassed when the patient does not adhere to proper "table manners" and may use his hands to eat in a way deemed inappropriate. It should be remembered however
that it is OK to allow the patient to eat the way he feels most comfortable. In fact, patients should be encouraged to do so as this will improve his appetite and self-esteem.
Another great way to remind and entice patients to eat is to place titbits and drinks at various strategic places around the house, particularly in areas frequented by the patient. This will remind the patient to eat although proper supervision and control is needed to ensure that the patient is eating healthy and not just consuming junk food that could cause further damage to his health.
For other patients, regular weight control or management is usually taken to mean that patients should be prevented from becoming overweight. It is the complete opposite however, with dementia patients. Regular weight control is needed to ensure that the patient’s weight does not dip to dangerous levels. This is because, in addition to losing his appetite and not remembering how to ask for food when he is hungry, dementia patients will burn a lot of calories and use up a lot of energy from his restlessness and constantly moving around. Should the patient lose more than 10% of his original weight in one year, the feeding of energy rich nutrients and supplement is strongly recommended. This can be in the form of energy drinks or integration of health supplements into regular food. Caregivers and family members may seek the counsel of the patient’s physician or nurse. Alternatively we at Home Nursing Providers Sdn Bhd (HNP) can also provide such advice and guidance.

Special attention must also be given by family members to the problem of as dementia patients have the tendency to suffer from aspiration, a condition in which the food goes through the oesophagus into the bronchial system and lung instead of the stomach. In this case a visit to a neurologist is strongly recommended as he will be able to determine the correct diagnosis and proper management of such a condition.
Nevertheless, should this happen, the family and caregiver should be prepared to adjust the patient’s diet plan accordingly. For example, patients should avoid food where solids and liquid are served or prepared together. Instead, it is recommended to mix rice or potatoes with minced meat and vegetables so as to ensure proper swallowing and provide variety in taste and nutritional value. Sometimes it is also helpful to use gelatine (or its equivalent) to bind the liquid and yet keep the food soft. This may be used with fruits juices, thereby creating a fruit jelly that is not only healthy and appetising but also easy and safe for the patient to swallow.
Dementia patients are often very restless and may have the constant urge to move and use their hands. If they wish to assist in clearing the table after a meal, they should be allowed and encouraged to do so. However family members and caregivers can ensure their safety and avoid further mess and stress in the house by only allowing them to handle plastic plates
and none breakable utensils. This will help the patient feel useful and improve his otherwise depleted self-esteem.
It is important to understand that Alzheimer Dementia is a unique condition that requires not only physical support, but also the patience, emotional support and psychological encouragement by family members. Unlike most other medical conditions, there is no ultimate cure for Alzheimer Dementia although it is a highly manageable disease. To do so, it is important for family members to first accept the condition and proceed to gaining more knowledge and understanding of the problem. The constant support and assistance by family members will enable patients with dementia to live healthy and fulfilling lives.
For further Information and guidance in mobile nursing/MOBILE DOCTOR you may consult:

HOME NURSING PROVIDERS SDN. BHD (HNP) at : 06 03 7877 7202

or visit http://www.hnp-mobilenursing.com/ nursing@hnp-mobilenursing.com