Summertime is a season full of fun and full of flying insects. In many countries around the world vector control keeps us healthy and safe, but in others it's a leading cause of death. All it takes is one flea, tick, or mosquito to create havoc for individuals and especially children. Join BBPA, the World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control in promoting the need of vector control in our neighborhoods.

The term vector which is used in science and mathematics is also a biological term to describe the causative organism for disease, typically carried by and transmitted by, an arthropod. Diseases include, but not limited to dengue, Japanese encephalitis, leishmaniasis, lyme disease, malaria, and yellow fever.

Arthropods are characterized by bilateral symmetry, a hard jointed exoskeleton system, segmented bodies, and jointed paired appendages. Arthropods belong to the asylum arthropoda group in the animal kingdom which has over one million species. Most of us call an arthropod an insect. Mosquitoes are the best known insect and can be carrying a disease causing pathogen (vector-borne disease). Other insects (or arthropods) include ticks, flies sandflies, and fleas.

Caregivers need to be their patient's advocate when it comes to air-borne diseases and the importance of keeping then safe, both inside an outside of living spaces. The caregiver and patient need to be current on all recommended vaccinations as set forth by their local board of health. Caregivers need access to established vector control best-practices, and those procedures need to be a part of the patients health care plan. The following suggestions are for the caregiver and the patient.

A nurse assistant, almost always is a certified nurse assistant or CNA, is a paramedical professional dedicated to nursing, housekeeping, and other chores as needed for the comfort of patients. The duties assigned a CNA are also outlined in the patients' healthcare plans.

Nursing assistants work in specific environments as indicate by the following list of titles. We take the month of June to recognize the contributions of our nurse assistants and celebrate with them their compassion of nursing and their dedication to patient healthcare.

Elder abuse and patient abuse is a global problem which continues to grow. Elder and patient abuse have many common indicators which is why they are often described and discussed together. Therefore, we have prepared a sampling of what may constitute abuse on the following chart to help the caregiver recognize when a patient may be the victim of elder abuse. Additional resources can be found at the bottom of this page where we have provided three links to sites that are organized to offer assistant when elder/patient abuse is suspected.

Helen Adams Keller was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. Ms. Keller lost her sight and her hearing after a serious illness at the age 1 1/2.

Age-related sight and hearing conditions are rising as our global population ages. With global assistance from the World Health Organizations and the United Nations countries, have now, more than ever, the necessary tools to make a real difference to people with sight and hearing loss by helping to remove barriers and providing health education, and better healthcare.

National Lightning Safety Awareness week brings attention to the dangers of lightening and provides an opportunity to learn strategies to protect ourselves.

Over the past several years the number of U.S. lightning fatalities have dropped by fifty percent. The reduction in fatalities is largely due to greater awareness of the lightning danger and people seeking safety when thunderstorms threaten.

During National Lightning Safety Awareness Week, everyone is encouraged to learn more about lightning and lightning safety.

Remember the slogan “ lightning kills, play it save”

Additional information can be found at the lightning and safety council's Web site.

Many people need to take special precautions during summer months to stay safe while at work or at play. Some topics to think about this coming summer include:

• Hydration — keeping hydrated and having water available at all times
• Slow down — You don't have to keep a fast paced life, slow down to help prevent getting overheated
• Clothing — think about what you are going to wear and dress appropriately keeping in mind day and evening attire
• Medication — keep allergy and medical pharmaceuticals with you at all time, take extra
• Common Sense — many summer accidents can be avoided with good judgment and common sense
• Sun Protection—use sun protection that is right for you

Certain places you visit or activities you participate in may need a little pre-planning as well. For example:

• home safety — garden and gardening equipment, playtime safety (athletic equipment)
• BBQ's — and the food and drink you plan on consuming
• Lodging — holiday hotels can be a burden for older adults and children due to learning new hazards; i.e. balconies, unattended swimming pools, elevators and escalators, etc.
• Camping — Study proper use and disaster planning while camping: tents, caravanning, trailer, motor homes, campers
• Boating — safety starts with knowing how to swim and float, much like hotels older adults and children need special guidance and supervision while on a boat.

Summertime, and everyone is out and about doing things they may have never done before. Children and adults of all ages, people with guiding companions, those with physical or mental challenges, and carers with patients need to take precautions against the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Being out in the sun is enjoyable and healthy but too much of a good thing can be dangerous so limit your time in the sun especially between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. No matter what time of day, come rain or come shine, sun safety is a year-long, 24/7, responsibility.

We thought heavily about placing dos and don'ts in this article but decided on providing a link to the United States Food and Drug Administration's Web site which provides information about ultraviolet rays and sun screen, here is the URL https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun, of the site you will connect to after selecting the image below.

Each brick below leads to Web sites which have resources for seniors and those who are victims of elder abuse. The first brick, eldercare locator, provides, among other things, a search engine to locate services in your area. The second brick, OVC, is a governmental (US) resource for those who are victims of financial fraud. And the third brick leads to an abundance of resources for caregivers and victims. Everyone should visit all three sites to gain an awareness of services that are available to seniors, seniors of abuse, caregivers, and families.