Many of us have heard about a myriad of benefits to being consistently grateful. With the approach of Thanksgiving I was curious to explore if there are proven positives to fostering an attitude of gratitude. I was pleasantly surprised (and grateful) to find multiple articles and papers written about this subject supporting it. There are […]
Everyone hates that word, especially if it is being used to describe yourself or a loved one. But the reality in the US is that 5% of adults over age 65 have some form of dementia. That number doubles every 5 years after age 65 resulting in 50% of adults over age 80 having this […]
Parkinson’s Disease is a central nervous system disease that affects our ability to control movement and speech. It usually starts with a tremor but may progress to constant shaking, muscle stiffness, trouble walking, maintaining balance and coordination. As it worsens patients may experience difficulty in speech, memory, behavioral changes and even hallucinations. Nerve cells in […]
Violent crimes are on the rise in the senior population. In 2015 one study found that 51% of violent crimes against seniors were committed by people they did not know, 26% by someone they know well or a casual acquaintance, and sadly 18% by a relative or intimate partner. Injuries to older adults from violent […]
There have been some horror stories in the news about private caregivers recently and as an owner of a home care agency it baffles me why people continue to take this risk. So many different kinds of legitimate caregivers and agencies it is incredibly important to know what you are looking for and the pros/cons […]
The Patient’s Bill of Rights was originally adopted by the American Hospital Association in 1973 with the expectation that hospitals and healthcare institutions would support these rights while delivering patient care. The AHA actually encourages states to “simplify or translate” this to meet the needs of their specific patient populations and ensure it is understandable […]
The answer to this question may surprise many people. Hospice is no longer only for terminal cancer patients who have less than 3 months to live. Hospice and Palliative Services take care of many chronically ill individuals who need nursing support but do not meet criteria for other resources. Dame Cicely Saunders pioneered the concept […]
There are 5 vaccinations recommended by the CDC for adults over 65; Flu, Pneumonia, Shingles, Tetanus/Diptheria/Pertussis, and Covid. Over the last year we have been inundated with information about the Covid vaccines. Many people have forgotten about other important vaccines that we know are safe and effective. Let’s take a look at some criteria for […]
There are many reasons why a wound won’t heal, let’s take a look at the most common ones. A wound is considered “non healing” or “chronic” if it has not healed significantly in 4 weeks or completely in 8 weeks. Some wounds can stay around for months and will not heal without medical intervention. Chronic […]
Protect Senior Heart Health During American Heart Month Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, especially among seniors, it is important for caregivers to know the facts. 17.3 million deaths each year are caused by heart disease. Seniors are especially prone to cardiovascular complications. Learn about heart health to […]
