Avoid Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

Home Care Help For Frequent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

Visiting Nurse Association of Northern New Jersey (VNA) partnered with the Rutgers University School of Nursing to complete a clinical study of UTIs in those most likely to experience UTIs with dire complications. UTIs occur in people of all ages and account for more than seven million physician visits, 2.3 million emergency room visits, and 100,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. annually. However, one segment of the population — women over age 65, especially elderly homebound women — is at the greatest risk of experiencing persistent UTIs that result in hospitalizations and dire complications.

UTIs can have serious consequences for patients. Study participants reported generally feeling unwell, having a frequent and urgent need to urinate, altered thinking, and confusion.

“We believe this study helped to inform UTI home care strategies for elderly women and make a case for increased home care assistance for this population,” says Faith Scott, MPH, MBA, President & CEO of VNA.

VNA has partnered with Pathnostics, a clinical diagnostics company, to implement Guidance UTI rapid testing and VNA patients have experienced significant decreases in UTI emergency visits and related hospitalizations. This innovative diagnostic tool has been shown to reduce the need for urgent care by 13% and inpatient admissions by 67%.
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Tips For Avoiding UTIs
• Stay hydrated – drink adequate amounts of water or other fluids 
• Limit intake of beverages and foods that contain caffeine 
• Take non-prescription, OTC probiotic supplements
• Practice good personal hygiene when toileting and bathing 
• Urinate often – avoid “holding it in” when you have the urge
• Seek help early – when you first experience UTI symptoms, get tested

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Get to know Visiting Nurse Association of Northern New Jersey (VNA) now, and all the home health services available to you and your loved ones, before you have a health emergency. We are proud to be the longest-serving VNA in the state of New Jersey, so we know a thing or two about helping seniors.

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The Visiting Nurse Association of Northern New Jersey (VNA) is a leading provider of comprehensive home health care services in Morris, Hunterdon, Sussex, Warren, Somerset, and Passaic Counties in Northern New Jersey. Established in 1898, generations have known that just one call to VNA opens the door to quality, patient-centered home health care solutions that allow patients to remain in the comfort of their homes with dignity, health, and independence.

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