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I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
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VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Dad’s bowel movements are difficult to manage. He goes 2-3 days without a bowel movement, then I have to give him a laxative. I feed him fruits/fiber and plenty of water. Any natural way/food/products to make him regular?
For my parents and aunt two things always worked and timely, warmed prune juice and if not that one teaspoon of olive oil daily. The prune juice only when constipated. Works great!
Is your dad on any medication, perhaps for pain? Constipation is often one of the side effects. Have you talked with your dad's doctor about how to manage his condition?
As a retired geriatric nutrition counselor I provide my mom with 3 dried prunes daily and a piece of fresh fruit. Apple or orange. She lives in Assisted living. We keep a fresh bowl of fruit in her room. She also chooses a small bowl of bran cereal. She chooses fruit and salad when on her menus also. This works for her and she does not require meds for her bowels. I also encourage her to drink 50 oz fluid daily which she does. Dates {natural laxative} and figs add extra fiber also. It takes a while to straighten sluggish bowel function out. Senna is a stool softener and can be helpful also along with real fruit. P.S. not everyone has a daily BM… elderly do need to go at least everyone other day to avoid obstructions.
Senna tea or capsules seem to work quite well. Avoid laxatives. Senna will help you do that. If his diet needs fiber, add psyllium to make him regular. And of course have a balanced diet with lots of fruits & veggies and water/liquids. Dehydration can cause constipation. My Mom had constipation problems. We tried fruit but really Senna was the great equalizer. And not too much. Test it out first to see how much it tskes to regulate him. You want to try and avoid over compensating because then you have diarrhea, dehydration, need for electrolytes, that whole snowball. Prebiotics and probiotics should be incorporated as well.
How often do you have your mom take Senna? Is it bad to rely on it? Myself: I eat fruit, vegetables, drink water and exercise but still get constipated or do not evacuate completely.
I would have his magnesium checked. Low M can cause constipation, milk of magnesia is not going to be anything but a laxative. A true supplement is what you would want.
There is a tea called Smooth Move. It is Senna based. I pureed Papaya and Pineapple and portioned it in 1/2 cup servings for my Husband. These 2 ingredients were listed in every "cleanse" that I saw when I was looking for something that would help. And getting him to eat a puree of fruit was easier than getting him to take a pill. Prunes or prune juice. Miralax works well and I used it daily. The caution about that is if your dad has to have liquids thickened you can not use Miralax with a thickened liquid as the Miralax will thin out the liquid again. So Miralax has to be put in a food. It go to the point that the Dr. ordered Lactulose that my Husband was given daily. I also resorted once to Magnesium Citrate.
I would not stress if he did not have a BM daily. He was on Hospice and the Nurse would check for any sounds, rigidity and I would watch for discomfort. I did find that often he would have a BM while he was in the Hoyer Sling after a shower. And looking at the position it was almost like the "squatty potty" position where the knees are higher. (thankfully the sling I used was a split leg one or the shower sling with the commode hole)
If you do a site search for constipation (using the magnifying glass beside your avatar at the top of the page) you will see this is a very popular topic, everyone has their favourite remedies but none of them are effective for every person. Beyond the more common prunes and prune juice one simple natural product that you might try is a probiotic, as well including prebiotics in his diet. First though you need to be aware that having a BM every other day or even every third day can be absolutely normal for some people, as long as his stool is not hard, dry and difficult to pass it's not a crisis.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
Prunes and figs...or prune juice.
The prune juice only when constipated.
Works great!
Is it bad to rely on it?
Myself: I eat fruit, vegetables, drink water and exercise but still get constipated or do not evacuate completely.
I pureed Papaya and Pineapple and portioned it in 1/2 cup servings for my Husband. These 2 ingredients were listed in every "cleanse" that I saw when I was looking for something that would help. And getting him to eat a puree of fruit was easier than getting him to take a pill.
Prunes or prune juice.
Miralax works well and I used it daily. The caution about that is if your dad has to have liquids thickened you can not use Miralax with a thickened liquid as the Miralax will thin out the liquid again. So Miralax has to be put in a food.
It go to the point that the Dr. ordered Lactulose that my Husband was given daily.
I also resorted once to Magnesium Citrate.
I would not stress if he did not have a BM daily. He was on Hospice and the Nurse would check for any sounds, rigidity and I would watch for discomfort.
I did find that often he would have a BM while he was in the Hoyer Sling after a shower. And looking at the position it was almost like the "squatty potty" position where the knees are higher. (thankfully the sling I used was a split leg one or the shower sling with the commode hole)
First though you need to be aware that having a BM every other day or even every third day can be absolutely normal for some people, as long as his stool is not hard, dry and difficult to pass it's not a crisis.