Its here again -- Influenza
How to prevent Influenza being transmitted?
Cover your mouth and nose to stop the spread of flu germs
Wash your hands
Keep your hands off your face (rubbing your eyes, nose or mouth).
When you are in good health, your immune system is stronger.
If coming to see us with influenza please let our receptionist know, she has masks, handwash and tissues available.
Summary:
The obvious advantages of Influenza vaccine are
Less time off work – loss of income
Less time off school
Less burden on your family and work colleagues
Less strain on medical resources
Reduced absenteeism at work and school
YOU DON’T FEEL MISERABLE
So Phone today for your vaccination appointment
Welcome to
Cheryl Evans (Practice Nurse) who has just recently joined our team
And
Theresa Strydom, who has joined our admin team.
Falls in older people
Approximately 1/3 of people aged over 65 years fall each year. Of these people
22-60% suffer injuries
10-15% suffer serious injuries
2-6% suffer fractures
0.2-5% suffer hip fractures
Older people fall because of
· Lower limb weakness
· History of falls
· Gait or balance disorders
· Functional and cognitive impairment
· Visual deficits
· Depression
· Polypharmacy
Interventions to prevent falls include strength or balance training, medication review, vitamin D supplements, vision assessment and correction and home hazard assessment and modification.
Please advise your doctor or nurse when seeing them, if you have had a fall recently, we may be able to help you reduce the risk of recurring incidences
Smoking Cessation
Our Practice Nurses have just completed a course on smoking cessation (Smoking ABC) which allows them to be able to prescribe Nicotine Replacement Therapies. (Gum, Patches, Lozenges). They offer support and guidance.
Please make a Nurse Clinic appointment if you want to take advantage of this.
Sleep Problems
How much sleep do we need? Many people are not aware that the amount of sleep we need for normal health varies with our age. Also adults are different in the amount of sleep they need, for some 4 hours a night is ample for others, 10 hours is not enough. The average sleep for a 50 year old is 7 hours per day.
What is insomnia? Insomnia is a lack of adequate sleep, which may be difficulty getting off to sleep, difficulty in staying asleep or waking early. It is a temporary problem in most instances and is usually due to a passing personal problem; however sometimes it just happens for no reason.
What can I do to settle to sleep?
· Establish a routine to follow before going to bed
· Go to bed to sleep (not to read, eat or watch television
· Try not to sleep immediately after a heavy meal, difficult work that required a lot of concentration, strenuous exercise
· Often having a warm milk drink as you retire to bed will help
· Many people find drinks containing caffeine make it difficult to sleep
· Alcohol can stop many people from settling to sleep and can cause others to have disturbed sleep
· Decide the hours during which you want to sleep and try to sleep only within that period. Repeated naps during the day will make sleep difficult.
Hope this helps you sleep well!