Tag: patient

When you hear about medical cannabis in a long-term care facility, do you imagine seniors with bongs? That could not be more inaccurate. First of all, in public health buildings, all smoking is banned. And that includes cannabis. But smokable cannabis is only one of many intake options, including capsules and tinctures (drops). A nursing home can seem like a strange place for medical cannabis until you think about seniors’ health conditions. Did you know that opioid medications are often overused on patients who have dementia? Even if the patient does not need pain relief all the time? Many studies suggest that opioids make the pain worse over time instead of making pain symptoms easier to manage. Seniors that have been using opioids for an extended period need a better alternative. And some health care institutions believe medical marijuana is a better choice. Not only can therapeutic cannabis provide adequate pain relief, but it may help with other conditions. Some studies suggested that cannabinoids may provide powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Controlling inflammation may help reduce the progression of certain diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. And for patients with diabetes, it may also help minimize vision loss (retinopathy) and nerve damage. New […]