As the TSA  airports try to get a handle on quick and efficient scanning at security checkpoints, new machines may not be the answer.

Our Elder Travel Companions from Phoenix and Scottsdale report longer security delays and frazzled nerves at full body scan airports.  Our seniors in wheel chairs are not subject to this screening and will continue to be checked as usual.  The Travel Companion CareGiver can be a great asset in transiting airport security.

By Gary Stoller, USA TODAY

Opposition to new full-body imaging machines to screen passengers and the government’s deployment of them at most major airports is growing.

Many frequent fliers complain they’re time-consuming or invade their privacy. The world’s airlines say they shouldn’t be used for primary security screening. And questions are being raised about possible effects on passengers’ health.

"The system takes three to five times as long as walking through a metal detector," says Phil Bush of Atlanta, one of many fliers on USA TODAY’s Road Warriors panel who oppose the machines. "This looks to be yet another disaster waiting to happen."

BODY SCANNERS: Concerns about privacy and health set off debate

The machines — dubbed by some fliers as virtual strip searches — were installed at many airports in March after a Christmas Day airline bombing attempt. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has spent more than $80 million for about 500 machines, including 133 now at airports. It plans to install about 1,000 by the end of next year.

The machines are running into complaints and questions here and overseas:

•The International Air Transport Association, which represents 250 of the world’s airlines, including major U.S. carriers, says the TSA lacks "a strategy and a vision" of how the machines fit into a comprehensive checkpoint security plan. "The TSA is putting the cart before the horse," association spokesman Steve Lott says.

•Security officials in Dubai said this month they wouldn’t use the machines because they violate "personal privacy," and information about their "side effects" on health isn’t known.

•Last month, the European Commission said in a report that "a rigorous scientific assessment" of potential health risks is needed before machines are deployed there. It also said screening methods besides the new machines should be used on pregnant women, babies, children and people with disabilities.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office said in October that the TSA was deploying the machines without fully testing them and assessing whether they could detect "threat items" concealed on various parts of the body. And in March, the office said it "remains unclear" whether they would have detected the explosives that police allege Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab tried to detonate on a jet bound for Detroit on Christmas.

TSA spokeswoman Kristin Lee says the agency completed testing at the end of last year and is "highly confident" in the machines’ detection capability. She also says their use hasn’t slowed screening at airports and that the agency has taken steps to ensure privacy and safety.

The TSA is deploying two types of machines that can see underneath clothing. One uses a high-speed X-ray beam, and the other bounces electromagnetic waves off a passenger’s body.

Passengers can refuse screening by the machines and receive a pat-down search by a security officer, screening by a metal detector, or both, the TSA says.

For more information on an Elder Travel Companion go to CareToGoTravel.com and for Phoenix in home care caregiver see Care-To-Go.com

Avoiding Medication Problems

Numerous elders are taking numerous medicines, which increases the

likelihood of prescription problems.  Allow me to share some

excellent tips for seniors to reduce the probability of making a

mistake with their medications:
1.    Check the label when you pick up a prescription to be sure

that you have the right prescription. Read back the prescription to

your doctor and pharmacist.
2.    Keep all prescription in original containers.
3.    Be sure to contact your health care provider or pharmacist

if you have any concerns about missing a dosage.
4.    Always fill all medications at the same pharmacy.
5.    Read the patient information that accompanies the

prescriptions.
6.    Notify the pharmacist right away if there is a change in the

shape, color, size or smell of your medication.
7.    You should not share or take another person’s medication.
8.    If you are in doubt about a prescription you are taking, be

sure to consult your doctor.  Always ask about side effects that you

might experience or expect.
9.    Construct a list of the medications you are taking and share

with your Care Giver and family members. The list ought to include

the following information:
- Your name, social security number and your date of birth.  The

Pharmacy needs this information when someone else is going to refill

the prescriptions without the client present.  Your social security

number and your date of birth should be kept on a separate sheet to

protect against identity theft.
- Prescription name (the drugs being taken, both generic or brand)
- The strength (dosage)
- Instructions for using the prescriptions, including how many times

a day and what time of day medication should be taken
- What liquids or foods are being used to take or should be used to

take with meds, for example, water, juice, apple sauce etc.
- Your allergies to certain medicines as well as foods
- Pharmacy and health care providers names, addresses, contact

numbers
- Family emergency contact information

10.    When you are in skilled nursing or a hospital:
- State your name before taking any medications and always show your

wrist bracelet for identification. Ask the doctor or nurse to

identify each medicine by name before you take it.
- Ask your doctor or nurse why your prescription has not been given

at its normal time during your hospital stay.
If your medication was started in the hospital, watch for new side

effects.  If you experience new side effects or your condition is

not improving as it should, tell your nurse.  From time to time

medications need to be changed when they are not performing

properly.
Be sure to ask your doctor how long a particular prescriptions will

be needed.  Oft times prescriptions are added in the hospital or

skilled nursing facility for a temporary problem, but when you leave

the hospital for skilled nursing or your home, the prescription

remains.  A different doctor may be reluctant to terminate a

prescription from another medical doctor.
- Remind your medical doctor if you have any allergies to certain

meds and food, or if you have a condition that may possibly affect

the use of some medications.
1.    Tell your pharmacist if you are taking any dietary

supplements or over-the-counter meds.
2.    Make sure your CareGiver has an up to date prescription log

listing all prescriptions, Doctor’s name, and Pharmacy.
Make sure to only take medications that you really need and check

with your medical doctor why you are taking it, how long you will

require it, what side effects to watch for, and that it won’t

conflict with any other meds you are taking.

In the Phoenix area Care-To-Go, an in-home care agency can assist

you with your prescription organization.  Care-To-Go also provides

complete in-home care elder services.  Contact Care-To-Go at 

www.Care-To-Go.com and for an Elder Travel Companion CareToGoTravel.com

What should you do if your doctor isn’t listening to you or the person you’re caring for, or not honoring your desires with regards to treatment and medication choices, or recommending prescriptions or treatment options that seem to be inappropriate for older patients. Listed here are several illustrations.

The relationship with your medical doctor is a special one and has to be taken seriously. Many times senior citizens aren’t receiving enough care from their doctor. Is the medical doctor too busy and overscheduled, or there just may be a personality mismatch. Don’t be afraid to search for a new one if you feel you are not getting the attention you require.

Whenever seniors go to their doctor it’s a great idea to bring along with you, a professional CareGiver or a trusted family member. It will serve you well to have someone else there to be sure you understand what the medical professional is saying and if you need to get more in depth information from the doctor, the advocate can facilitate. Occasionally it is simpler for the other person to ask more inquiring questions.

By way of example a doctor may try to make you feel guilty when you ask to do away with a prescription or a procedure from your regimen. You may have prescriptions from a number of doctors and they may conflict with each other. Your physician may be unwilling to stop or change a prescription prescribed by a different health professional. But sometimes the dilemma doesn’t lie in your control; what is wrong is that the physician isn’t listening to you or not taking your loved one’s age or situation into account when making medication and treatment decisions. In many cases, it’s like a bad relationship; communication has broken down and you, your family member or CareGiver aren’t getting what you need.

7 signs it may be time to fire your doctor:

1. You feel the health professional blames, ignores, or criticizes you, your caregiver or the person in your care

2. The medical doctor does not reply to your feedback, or becomes defensive or unpleasant

3. It seems the physician is not taking your family member’s pain or other symptoms seriously enough

4. You discover treatments that can help that the doctor hasn’t told you about

5. The physician doesn’t explain treatment options clearly, resulting in mistakes

6. The medical doctor prescribes medications without comparing to medications prescribed by another doctor.

7. The doctor is reluctant to organize your medication inventory when it comes from various other physicians.

When you aren’t satisfied, the best thing to do is to change doctors, and change to one you can work with to provide the best care. Doctors often say that if a patient is going to change doctors, they’d appreciate hearing it directly rather than suddenly receiving a sneak request for medical records to be sent to another medical professional. However, it’s your prerogative to find a new doctor and ask the staff to fax over the request for records. You’re not obligated to engage in another confrontation.

Either way, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief once you’re dealing with a medical professional who listens respectfully, answers your questions, accommodates your requests, takes your symptoms seriously, and works with you to develop a treatment plan you can all feel good about.

In the Phoenix, AZ area Care-To-Go offers Elder Home Care services and can assist you with doctor appointments and prescription organization. Contact Care-To-Go at 1-800-818-0407 or Care-To-Go.com  For Elder Travel Companion services see CareToGoTravel.com.

Phoenix Home Care Caregiver Explains 19 Home Safety Tips For Seniors

Most accidents occur in the home and especially for our seniors.  Even though our seniors are in their own home and in familiar surroundings, they have a much higher accident rate than the rest of us. When you couple failing eyesight, poor hearing and decreased judgment and balance, the senior has a more difficult time moving around and staying safe. If you make the changes yourself or use a personal CareGiver, you may be able to avoid a major fall and injury to your parent.

What can you do to protect an elderly loved one from getting hurt?  Here are some steps to follow:

1. Keep outdoor steps and walkways in good condition and clear of debris. Be sure the hand rails are clean and in good condition.
   
2. Illuminate all stairways and hallways and provide light switches at both ends. Brighter lights are better.
   
3. Use nightlights or bedside remote controlled switches. Yeah the clapper works too.
   
4. Provide handrails in hallways and stairways.
   
5. Keep a sturdy nightstand next to the bed so glasses and other personal items are within reach.
   
6. Put felt or soft material over sharp edges and corners of furniture such as nightstands, tables and shelves.
   
7. Tack down the edges of carpets and rugs; remove throw rugs that slide or can be tripped on.
   
8. Keep pathways clear of furniture and other objects.
   
9. Provide handrails in the bathroom (especially near the toilet, at the entrance to the shower and in the shower) and use non-skid strips in the shower and bathtubs.
   
10. Use a shower seat and shower hose for those unable to stand in the shower.
    
11. Avoid using bath oils or lotions in the bathtub or shower.
    
12. Use kitchen appliances with thermostats and timers. The elderly find appliances with signal lights and buzzers easier to use.
    
13. Clearly mark the “off” position on stoves and ranges so a person with diminished eyesight can immediately tell if the element is off. Try some nail polish.
    
14. Set water heater thermostats or faucets so water does not scald the skin.
    
15. Install smoke detectors in the kitchen and throughout the rest of the house.
    
16. Keep a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it.
    
17. Arrange frequently used kitchen items in an easy-to-reach cabinet.
    
18. Install one good lock that can be opened easily from the inside.
19. Keep loose magazines and mail off the floor, seniors tend to accumulate mail clutter.

For a complete home assessment contact Care-To-Go at 480-284-8611 and on the web at http://Care-To-Go.com Are you getting to the point where you need someone to help you shoulder the load taking care of Mom? A Home Care CareGiver will be able to assist your senior with household tasks to be sure they are safe and happy.