Prevention of Chest Infections - Top tips

Environment  
         
Indoors 

• keep indoor temperature minimum of 18°
• put lids on pots when cooking to reduce moisture 
• vent dryers to the outside
• open windows on a fine day
• air the bed covers over end of bed

 

Hygiene about the house - look at your use of chemical cleaners. 
 
The Asthma Foundation recommends: 

• using Green Works Natural Spray Cleaner Multi Purpose which can be found in most supermarkets.
• limiting the use of strong smelling cleaners, air fresheners, and fly sprays.

 
Outdoors

• Wear an extra layer of clothing on cold days, including a hat.
• Wheelchair bound people get colder than people who can move themselves
• Pollen – high levels of pollen may irritate asthma

 
The following websites have extensive information about environmental factors and respiratory health

• The Lung Foundation Australia - https://lungfoundation.com.au 
• Asthma Foundation – https://www.asthmafoundation.org.nz

Positioning and Activity:
 
Positioning

• regular changes in position are important for people who cannot more themselves.

          Ideas include:  tilting the wheelchair, resting on the bed, time on the floor, sitting in a lounge
          chair, changing position at night.
 

Activity

• regular physical activity is important for good chest health, especially during the winter.

          Ideas include:  walking and running games, catching a ball, singing, dancing, laughing,
​         swimming, blowing games (bubbles, whistles, straws).

Feeding  

• Eating and Drinking Plans are prescribed by the Speech Language Therapist (SLT), and help prevent aspiration for people with Eating and Drinking Difficulties.  Always contact the SLT if changes are necessary, even if they are short term.

 

• The recommended position for eating and drinking is seated upright (90º).  Contact the SLT if this cannot be achieved. 

 

• Feed one person at a time, especially if they are unwell.  This prevents cross contamination from saliva and coughing and allows you to watch carefully that they are eating and drinking safely.

General Health 

• Known respiratory conditions – people with asthma, COPD or Bronchiectasis should have a team management plan with regular monitoring.

•  Correct inhaler techniques – seek advice for correct use and care of inhalers from your Health Advisor.  

• General personal hygiene – regular hand washing, coughing and sneezing into a tissue or your elbow, and regular cleaning all help to prevent spread of illness.

 
When unwell  

• Coughing  - A strong cough will clear mucus and food particles from airways.  Coughing during meal times should be reviewed by SLT.  Coughing will spread infection.  Manage the risk of illness spreading by positioning the person away from others and regular cleaning of surfaces.

 

• Give the ill person small, light meals and extra fluids 8 plus cups a day.  Contact the SLT if the person is having difficulty eating and drinking as a result of other illness.  

 

•  Record fluid intake.

​Oral hygiene and saliva

Oral bacterial can cause chest infections, especially for people who have swallowing difficulties.

• Teeth cleaning twice daily is an important part of preventing chest infection.

 

• Aspiration of saliva into the lungs increases the risk of chest infections. This can be reduced by maintaining good oral hygiene and good positioning.

 
Therapy Professionals Ltd’s therapists can help many ways during illness.  Please feel free to contact us for information and advice. 
 
 
                 Phone:           03 377 5280
                 Email:            admin@tpl.nz
                 Website:       www.therapyprofessionals.co.nz

​Ageing and Unplanned Weight Loss

Unplanned weight loss or malnutrition is more common in older people than any other age group.  Regardless of age, unplanned weight loss can indicate a change health and wellbeing and should be checked out by your Doctor.
 
As we age we may lose weight for a number of reasons, which will include some of the following:

• our appetite decreases 
• we lose muscle and bone mass
• we may struggle to chew foods and swallow food and fluids (dysphagia)
• because of Illness, medication and disability
• the loss of our sight and hearing
• our loss of taste and smell
• stress, lack of sleep and fatigue
• we are lonely, depressed or bored
• we are on a tighter budget
• we have difficulty getting to the shops
• we have few cooking skills or motivation to eat and cook alone is low
• our alcohol intake
• we are inactive and don’t feel as hungry

 
Regardless of our age if we are losing weight and it’s unintentional see your Doctor to rule out any underling health problem. Other things you can do to maintain or increase your weight are:

• Have three small tasty meals a day, with small snacks between.
• Add extra calories to meals by adding butter, margarine, syrups, grated cheese, cream etc. 
• Have tasty good looking meals and snacks – use garnishes and flavour enhancers such as salt, spices, stocks or sugar.
• Moisten food with gravy and sauces and condiments if needed for swallowing.
• Serve so the meal looks good on a smaller plate to prevent overwhelm.
• Eat your main meal of the day when you are most hungry and awake ie midday or evening.
• Reducedistractions& conversation while eating.
• Eat while comfortableand relaxed.
• Chop or grate harder textured foods if swallowing is a problem.
• Ensure dentures fit well.
• Monitor by weighing monthly, no more.
• Fortify your milk (see recipe below):

If, after trying these suggestions, you continue to lose weight ask a Dietitian or your GP
about oral nutritional supplements such as Fortisip and Ensure. 

Remember, supplements don’t replace a good balanced diet they complement it.
​
If you want some help with changing your diet our friendly Dietitian can help.
Just contact us at Therapy Professionals.   
 
           Phone:      03 377 5280
           Email:        admin@tpl.nz
           Website:   www.therapyprofessionals.co.nz

Stay on your feet - Be aware of your feet!

Falling can be a big issue as we age.  Once we’ve fallen a couple of times we start to fear falling and begin to do less and less exercise. Reducing our exercise means we loss muscle strength and our sense of balance making us more likely to trip and fall. If we want to stay on our feet there are a number of things we can do.  We can:

• Exercise to improve our muscle strength
• Check our eyesight and glasses regularly 
• Review our medication with our doctors to ensure the drugs we’re on don’t contribute to falls
• Remove trip hazards like loose mats
• Install night lights and grab rails in your bathroom and by stairs
• Ensure shoes and slippers fit well
• Place frequently used objects within easy reach.
• Know how to get up from the floor 

These are just a few things, there are many more.  For instance being aware of how you walk and step.
 
Like all things, as we age, we can forget to lift our toes while walking, which may cause us to trip more easily.  Follow the instructions below and improve your step and reduce the likelihood of tripping.

The ankle/foot movements we do help to strengthen the toe–lifting muscles. 
 
You can work these muscles all day.
​
It’s simple! Just exaggerate your normal walking pattern - Heel/Toe
 
Say ‘heel toe’ to yourself

• if the footpath is rough
• when you feel rushed/unsure
• when you go from room to room

and  

• from street to street
• everywhere you go!

 
Get the rhythm! Don’t trip!

MAKE IT A HABIT  

Compiled for you by the Physiotherapists at Therapy Professionals Ltd. 

If you need some help to stay on your feet Therapy Professionals friendly Physiotherapists can help, just contact us on:

Phone:            (03) 377 5280 Fax: (03) 377 5281
Email:             admin@tpl.nz
Website:         www.therapyprofessionals.co.nz
​ 

​

• Do leg strengthening exercises.

• Walk on tip toes around the house.
• Bend your knees (with feet well apart) while doing the dishes.
• To encourage you to get up, have your phone and TV remote out of reach, but not so far that you have to rush to get them (we don’t want you falling!).
  
  

These are just some ideas to help keep you and your joints moving over the winter.  If you want to do more try:

• going for a daily walk
• the gym
• an exercise class

 
If this seems too much, how about putting your phone and TV remote a few steps away from your chair and getting up and walking around the house every hour.
 
Remember the Rule of thumb – move whenever you can
 
If you need any further assistance to keep your stiff joints moving just contact Therapy Professionals our friendly Physiotherapist can help.
 
Just contact us at Therapy Professionals Ltd 
 
       Phone:                      03 3775280                          Fax:    03 377 5281
       Email:                        admin@tpl.nz
       Website:                   therapyprofessionals.co.nz

Keep Fit with Gardening

Gardening helps keep us fit.  It works and stretches our muscles. However, it can be hard on other parts of the body, especially our back and knees.
 
Don’t overdo it!!
 

Here is some advice from our friendly physiotherapists on how to keep fit with gardening and avoid the physical drawbacks from the activity.  
 
Their general advice is to:

• start with short bursts of 30 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week.If you feel okay after this, increase the time (don’t double it!).
• change activities after 10 minutes.
• keep a bottle of water with you and sip regularly (dehydration causes headaches and tiredness).
• avoid gardening at the hottest time of the day in full sun.
• remember your hat and sunscreen.