Archive for September, 2009

Today’s column is quite important. The pharmacist at WICKAPECKO PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES, LLC will answer any concerns you have about using an epinephrine auto-injector. We’re conveniently located and we carry a full selection of generic and name brand medications and over-the-counter drugs. We are “Your Neighborhood Drug Store” for all your medicine compounding and prescription needs. Our goal is to provide our customers with the best possible products, services and value. We now carry a new line of wigs. We even do the billing to your insurance company. We wish all a happy and safe Halloween!

At WICKAPECKO PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES, LLC, we are your local source of the latest in home medical supplies and equipment including heart rate monitors, safety devices, mobility aids, and durable medical equipment. Our professional staff looks forward to assisting you whether looking for an over-the-counter medication, filling a doctor’s prescription, or selecting supplements. We accept MC, Visa, Amex, Discover, and most insurance plans. We are “Your Neighborhood Drug Store.” If you’re confined at home, ask about our free delivery service.

If you would like further information on today’s topic on type-1 diabetes, speak with our pharmacist. WICKAPECKO PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES, LLC looks forward to meeting the complete pharmaceutical needs of your family. See why your neighbors and friends come to “Your Neighborhood Drug Store” for their sports medicine and sports medical supply needs. In addition, we carry a full line of home medical supplies and equipment, including all you need for wound care. Let us show you our new line of wigs. We’ll do the billing to your insurance company.

If you would like further information on acetaminophen, don’t hesitate to ask us. WICKAPECKO PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES, LLC maintains complete patient profiles so that we can check for side effects, drug interactions, and for possible allergic reactions. We accept MC, Visa, Amex, Discover, and most insurance plans. Make us “Your Neighborhood Drug Store” for your home safety needs, hot & cold therapy and incontinence products, and urological and diabetic products. We also carry a full line of mobility aids and safety and home health aids. We always offer free delivery.

Massage therapy as part of home healthcare services allows a client to receive treatment while seated or lying down. Since the client is already at home, he or she may simply relax after the treatment. Prior to an appointment, health concerns and goals are discussed so that the massage therapist has a clear understanding of individual needs and restrictions. Therapeutic massage addresses the muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues to achieve positive emotional and physical results. Myofascial release stretches and releases restrictions in the connective tissue throughout the body. This helps eliminate pain, advances the balancing of the body, and increases range of motion. Ask your home healthcare provider if any of the above-mentioned massage therapy techniques can benefit you.

P.S. Massage therapy reduces blood pressure, spasm, tension headaches, and stress.

Many people who are facing cancer receive much of their care in an outpatient setting, including the home. On many levels, this home care is similar to that provided for those with other types of illnesses. Personal care, assistance with medication, and diet and nutrition are some of those services. Additionally, skilled nursing involving an oncology nurse may be part of the recommended at-home program. Specific challenges faced by cancer sufferers may also include therapy services such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, antibiotic treatment, and IV treatment for hydration. Home care agencies that offer medical assistance can provide professional, caring, experienced, and compassionate personnel to support the needs of those at home with cancer.

P.S. Pain management is a service that may be helpful to someone who is dealing with cancer at home.

Selecting the proper reading material for the elderly can provide them with a pleasurable and rewarding pastime. A home healthcare companion may be asked to read books and magazines to his or her senior clients. Learning about the seniors’ interests will assure that the reading material will be of interest to them. That information will be valuable when determining subject matter, be it fact or fiction. The local library can be an invaluable source of reading material, offering book lists on a wide variety of subjects. They can offer selections that have been chosen specifically with seniors in mind. Consider supplying the home healthcare companion with literature that provides both current event information as well as nostalgic themes for the senior.

P.S. Many seniors are interested in the news of the day.

Many seniors experience a situation where they are alone and need immediate help with a medical emergency. For those who are disabled or simply living alone, owning or leasing a device that provides that help can be a lifesaver. A Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) is an electronic device that calls for help by use of a small radio transmitter. A help button is worn or carried by the user. When the button is pressed, it sends out a signal that dials one or more pre-determined emergency phone numbers. Emergency service providers are alerted to go to the residence. Although this device is an excellent supplement to home health care services, it is certainly not a substitute for it.

P.S. When selecting a personal emergency response system, make sure that it is easy to use.

Epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPens) can be lifesavers for people who develop severe allergic reactions to certain foods and bee stings. If one is prescribed, patients should learn the proper technique for administering the medication and practice on an orange or similar object. With the device held firmly in the user’s fist, the tip should be pointing down, with the cap removed. The user should then raise his or her hand (with the tip positioned near the outer thigh) and jab the needle into the thigh at a 90-degree angle. The needle’s tip should be held in place for several seconds before it is removed, followed by finger-rubbing the injection site immediately. A trip to the emergency room is then recommended.

HINT: Anyone who has ever developed cramps, shortness of breath, dizziness, hives, or itchy rashes as part of an allergic reaction should consult with the doctor about getting a prescription for an epinephrine auto-injector.

There is growing evidence that suggests that a person’s resting heart rate may help when assessing his or her heart attack risk. While a low resting heart rate is usually indicative of healthy heart muscle that needs fewer contractions to supply blood to the body, a high rate may stimulate the growth of artery-damaging plaque deposits by damaging the arterial walls. A higher heart rate may also dislodge the plaque deposits. A normal resting heart rate for adults is considered to be below 80 beats per minute. To check your resting rate, rest for five minutes, then place your index and middle fingers on the thumb side of your wrist. Count the pulse for thirty seconds, and multiply by two.

HINT: If you are concerned about your heart rate, or exercise regularly and want to monitor your heart rate, a heart rate monitor may be a good investment.