Patient Education Resource Center
As a national leading provider of senior healthcare services, Consulate Health Care is pleased to provide patient education resources for the health conditions that are most prevalent among our elderly population. Below, you will find the topics for each of the nine educational resources. By clicking on any of these topics, you will be able to access information about the medical condition, symptoms, treatment and much more. We hope you find these resources helpful and will consider the compassionate and caring services of Consulate Health Care for all of your senior healthcare needs.
Infections & Sepsis
Infections are caused by certain germs that enter the body. Germs can enter the body through the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, genitals, and rectum as well as open cuts or sores. Germs can be a bacteria, virus, fungus, or other organism.
Germs are in the air, on our skin, on food and on various surfaces. They can enter the body through the air, surfaces or contact with infectious substances such as urine, feces, saliva, blood and semen.
Some organisms will cause illness, infection or disease, but most of them are harmless. However even the “harmless” ones can make you sick if they are in the wrong place in your body, or your body is weak and cannot control them.
They are so small that they can only be seen using a microscope.
Infection
There are many varied infections that can occur; your specific illness will be discussed with you by your clinical team. There are a few things you should know to help you understand these discussions and ask the right questions.
- Some infections are COMMUNICABLE, or will spread to others. Your healthcare team will discuss the potential of spreading or even re-infecting yourself with the organism, and will discuss ways to prevent the spread. There are different prevention techniques, depending on where and what the organism is. You may find that you are put on or off isolation precautions. Being put on or off precautions does not necessarily mean you are sicker or better. It is to protect yourself and others from infection from the germ. Later you will read more general guidance on how to prevent the spread of communicable infections. There are also infections that can not be spread to others.
- Although there are medications to cure many infections, they do not always completely eradicate the organism. They may kill enough off to keep it from making you sick, but it may be possible to still spread the germ.
- Some people are “colonized” with a germ, this means that the germ is in or on their body, but not in enough number for them to show symptoms or be contagious.
- Your own body’s immune system fights the germ in addition to the medications. In some infections, such as most viruses, it is your own immune system that cures it! It is important to try to maintain nutrition and hydration if possible, to support and strengthen your body during the fight against the germ. This may be difficult to do, as you may not feel well. There may be times when your primary care provider will order intravenous fluid or nutritional supplements to help.
- Some germs are “resistant” to medications used to treat infection. You may have heard of the term “super-bug”. These infections take much longer to resolve and many times require the use of powerful medications.
General Treatment of Infections
When a disease causing germ attacks the body, anti-infective drugs may be used to suppress the infection. Four types of anti-infective drugs exist:
Antibacterial / Antibiotic
Antiviral
Antitubercular
Antifungal
Antibiotics may be given by mouth, injection, intravenously or may be applied to the skin, they are prescribed according to the site and severity. Sometimes, multiple antibiotics are used to decrease the risk of resistance and to improve the outcome. Antibiotics only work against the germs from bacteria and do not cure viruses. Antibiotics work by slowing the multiplication of bacteria or killing bacteria itself. The most common types of antibiotics used are Penicillin, Cephalosporins, Aminoglycosides, Macrolides, Quinolones and Tetracyclines.
Antivirals, Antifungals and Antitubercular medications are less commonly used. Your healthcare team can answer any questions you may have on these medications.
There are many side effects associated with these anti-infective drugs. Nausea and vomiting are a common side effect. Your healthcare team should discuss any side effects with you and your primary caregiver, and may order additional medications or treatments to help control these side-effects.
You may or may not have laboratory tests ordered to monitor the progress of clearing the infection or to isolate the type of germ that is causing it. Sometimes your primary care provider may change the medications you are on based on your illnesses response to the medication or test results.
Sepsis
Sepsis is a very serious complication of an infection. When you are “septic” or suffering “septicemia” certain chemicals are released into your bloodstream when it is fighting an infection, sparking your own immune system to start an inflammatory process throughout the body. The inflammation can lead to damage to the blood vessels and multiple essential body organs.
This is a complex medical condition and many vital organs may fail. The heart may beat fast and the blood pressure can drop during sepsis. There may be breathing problems as the damaged lungs try to maintain an adequate oxygen level. The kidneys may not produce enough urine, therefore not removing toxic or poisonous body waste. These elevated toxic levels in brain tissue can lead to confusion or coma.
A person can get very sick very quickly from Sepsis:
- The lining of blood vessels leak
- The blood pressure lowers significantly from the leaky blood vessels and fail to deliver blood to vital organs
- Small clots form from the poorly flowing blood and block oxygen, nutrients and water from getting to the cells of the body.
Sepsis can happen to anyone however, some people are statistically more at risk for sepsis than others. The highest population seems to be men over 65 years of age from non-Caucasian races. Forty percent of people diagnosed with severe sepsis do not survive. Risks tend to increase for individuals with cancer, liver disease, kidney disease, chronic illnesses, diabetes, post-operative patients, severe burns, physical trauma or diseases and treatments that lower the immune system responses like AIDS, chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
The diagnosis of sepsis is not based on the location, type or cause of the initial infection in the body. People are given this diagnosis when the symptoms are not localized, but body wide abnormalities are noted.
Sudden acute sepsis is not cared for in the long term care setting. Aggressive acute treatment often is provided in the critical care setting of an acute medical center or hospital. When an acutely ill but recovering patient feels stronger, then they may come to rehabilitation.
Recovery from Sepsis and Your Journey Home
If you have experienced sepsis and returned to our center to recover, we are here to help you and those loved ones that care about you. We strive to assist you to gain strength and endurance, stay hydrated, obtain enough rest, nutrition, and support those parts of your body that may still be adversely affected by the sepsis. You may require oxygen, supplements, or have returned with tubes or appliances. You may feel weak and need help with activities of daily living such as bathing, eating and toileting. Our center is available to offer support, counseling, medications, treatments and services that are appropriate for you.
Infection Control
There may be specific requirements to prevent the spread of your type of infection. However, we encourage the use of universal precautions to help prevent spreading infections from those who may not even know they carry one!
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS are used by the staff to prevent general spread of infection. We encourage you and your loved ones to take control of your own health and safety. If an individual is planning to provide care, serve or touch food or any other task that could spread an infection, please REMIND THEM TO WASH THEIR HANDS.
- Hand-washing is the most effective way of preventing the spread of infection! If you are not sure if you or someone else should be washing their hands before doing something, go ahead and wash them.
- You will also notice our staff using gloves when doing certain tasks. This too is to protect our patients from the spread of infection.
- Hand gels containing alcohol are used to provide a fast way of sanitizing hands prior to engaging a task. These gels are proven effective, but hand-washing is still very important.
Tips on preventing the spread of germs
Hand washing after use of bathroom and prior to handling food
Covering nose & mouth or blowing nose followed by hand washing
People should wear gloves and wash their hands before and after touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions and contaminated surfaces.
Good personal hygiene and wear clean clothing
Proper disposal of garbage and waste materials
Discarding tissues after use and avoiding the use of handkerchiefs
Other protections you may see our staff use or we may ask your visitors to use:
- Eye protection should be used for procedures that may contain or generate splashes/sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions & excretions.
- Gowns may be used for protection of the uniform/body during procedures that may generate splashes/sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions & excretions.
- Masks may be used for infections that might be floating in the air. Also Staff may use them while doing procedures that might create a splash or spray of body fluid.
- Clean environment: The resident’s room should be kept clean and free from debris and reusable equipment should remain dirt free. While you are visiting, you should avoid shaking out linen, properly dispose of items and assure that contaminated liquids are disposed of properly. Ask a staff member if you are unsure.
- Take control of your health! If you have doubts that an individual is following universal precautions, DO NOT HESITATE to stop them and remind them.
Common Contagious Infections in the Skilled Care Center
Flu
Healthcare professionals recommend yearly vaccination against the viruses that can cause the flu. This virus can spread easily and precautions should be instituted regarding visitors and staff that come in contact with those experiencing the flu. PLEASE ask your loved one NOT to visit the facility if they experience any cold or flu-like symptoms.
If you experience the following symptoms, we urge you to contact one of the clinical staff members:
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Congested
sinuses causing
a runny nose - Body aches
- Headache
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
MRSA and VRE
These are abbreviations for two different types of bacteria that are highly difficult to treat once a person is infected. It is a special type of strain that is resistant to several common antibiotics. They can, but do not always make healthy people sick, but they are very dangerous to those with chronic illness or weakened systems.
HIV
Advances in the treatment of HIV has lead to a life expectancy of about 32 years from onset. Staff members receive on-going training at this facility regarding the prevention of the spread of HIV. Following universal precautions can prevent the spread of this virus.
C DIFF
This is a serious infection within the colon/gastro-intestinal tract causing diarrhea with risking dehydration complications. Residents with this infection may be isolated until well, and staff as well as visitors should wear protective gear to prevent the spread of this bacteria.
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