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The Differences Between Nursing Homes and Group Homes

Each state has a version of a nursing home and group home, here I am showing some of the differences between them. Many of us think that nursing homes are for seniors that can’t afford to be left alone (no family, mental health issues, lack of income counts against the senior) in their own homes, which sometimes may be the case. Nursing homes also offer other services such as skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and long-term care.

Services included in the nursing home facilities physical mental and psychosocial well-being of each resident. There is no exhaustive list of services a nursing facility must provide, in those unique resident needs, the facility must provide the required services so to resident can reach the highest level of well-being, to services are stabled in the individual’s plan of care.

Nursing homes also has a slightly variation in names because the meanings most of skilled-nursing facility, care homes, long term care homes also indicate their status as private or public and whether they mostly provide assisted living, or nursing care and emergency medical care.

Nursing facilities in New York since January/2022 need to have daily staffing equals to 3.5 hours of care per resident per day by a certified nurse’s aide (CNA) or a licensed nurse or a registered nurse with at least 2.2 hours of care per day.

A group home, congregate living facility, care home adult family home, etc. It is a structured and supervised residence model that provides assisted living and medical care for those with complex health issues.

In the group homes it’s generally one staff member per every eight residents, some states are one staff member for every five residents. Most group homes have a strong pipeline from families who have a loved one with developmental disabilities where they can live without living in assistance.

The group home in New York state is also seem as independent living from your family when you have a child that has development disability and or special needs.

All what its boiled down is where you can have the best services for your needs? Is there In New York state a group home that will tailor their services to your needs? Or will the nursing home change?

Often people complain about how isolated they are and forget they fell in a nursing facility because they need either occupational or physical therapies If your insurance allowed you to have a professional to your home would be even better however you have to mind that your have to rearrange your schedule, and no complaints regarding that though.

Some physical therapists make house calls and if they don’t belong to the insurance network you may still have a chance to be reimbursed by the service provider.

Whatever your choices, make them wisely, gather as much information as possible nursing home, group home or house calls. Value your time.

Ageism is…

If you take the dictionary version, you will find something along the lines: prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person’s age.

But it is much more than just that. Ageism is when an older women or men thinks its cool to “hang” with people that actually much younger them they are.

Ageism is when a fifty or eighty something person thinks that they can befriend someone else in their twenties.

I have written about ageism before, my blog was not what really was about work place discrimination, I like many thought that would not happened to me, quite frankly it hasn’t been, but I know its there, specially in my case, I worked in New York city, so yet it’s out there.

I have for the second time decided to let my gray hair grow, so I am expecting few unflared comments about how my gray hair ages me.

Ageism is when an older adult does not want to know that it is time to change doctors from a primary physician to a geriatric doctor.

Ageism is when you think you are one of the twenty something and you all are just BFF.

Ageism is you will not accept your own age.

Ageism is thinking that because you are younger you have all.

Ageism is when you won’t accept your getting olde.

Ageism is within us, like racial discrimination.

Ageism is when you are in good health and others think you are a showoff, good body, good health and on and on.

Ageism is when others think you should not use certain types of clothing, make-up, shoes and on and on.

Ageism is when whatever you do, wear, buy, drive make another feel uncomfortable with.

Ageism and worked force were a blog published in December/21

Ageism and Work-Forced

Money Saving Tips

Every year A. A.R.P. publishes 99 ways to help you save money; every year, I write about the ones that interest me, I first try and test the sites myself so I can give you the step-by-step on how to use them.

www.Amtrak.com/nightowl the amtrack offers discounts for passengers who travel later in the evening.

www.Zipcar.com car rental basically works like any car rental.

www.Turo.com works as a car rental like any other.

www.roadfood.com when you are driving the family on vacation search this site for restaurants along the way.

AAA.com offers a free car battery check for A.A.R.P. members (this service is available to house calls. Go to triple a’s site and watch the YouTube video)

www.habit.org/restore

Exxonmobile.com

Exxon offers better gas prices. All you have to do is link your A.A.R.P member.

www.kaiyo.com it’s a site for buying and selling furniture.

floorfoundstore.com also is furniture and some.

www.offerup.com is household items, cars, and some.

If you are interested in going to college, call or contact your community and four-year colleges to see if they offer special programs or free and or reduced tuition for older students. Also, ask about auditing classes for free

www.loc.gov

Is the Congress library and allows you to use and search 20.000 titles for free site is user friendly

Things that Can Go Wrong

For the last two years or so, you have become aware that replacement is an option that unfortunately, you may have to face: Few things hold you back in deciding when and what is the best time to go under.

Let me tell you what you can expect, generally speaking:

After surgery, in the hospital recovery room, you are being tried to test to make sure that you can perform some tasks, nothing major, however, some of us are anxiously wanted to come back home, understandably so.

At this point, you are only trying to buy your ticket to discharge, nothing else or more, when you can perform their assessment, I can guarantee you will be discharged.

When home, you should have an aid to assist you with your everyday tasks and bathroom breaks, commode is a device that you will become remarkably familiar with, it will be your beloved bathroom for day and nights breaks.

An elevated toilette sit also will be part of your daily needs, for when you are able to bend your knee more comfortably. (By comfortably I mean less painfully, with less medication),

Dressing and undressing will be sitting down in your bed, no hopping around to dress the pants legs, sucks (if or when you can bend)

In the bathroom if there is a bath tube you will not be climbing over the wall any time soon, showers stalls will also have to have grab-bars and shower benches.

Do not ever expect that after the surgery you will not be needing any assistance, post-surgery at home means an aid, commode, transportation chair, elevated bathroom seat, can, walker, shower bench, grab-bars. Do not tell others about being disabled, you are not, replacements are quite common, no fun at all, often time necessary to improve your quality of life. If you have a clear picture in your mind. Many others had infections, others not so much pain, however complications are bound to happen when you keep crunching the numbers and think you are missing life. The only thing you are missing is discomfort and pain from the unattended injury.

Two or three days after surgery a register nurse should evaluate your scar, healing and pain management, physical therapy should also start within the same time frame.

What you should not do is expedited hospital discharge. Your aide, home exercises, and register nurse should all be kept for you to have a successful recovery.

Improving Wellness: The Power of Good Posture

Woman Sitting in Wood

Good posture is essential for maintaining a healthy spine and overall physical well-being. However, many people struggle with poor posture due to lifestyle habits and long hours spent sitting at desks or on electronic devices. In this article, we’ll explore several actionable steps you can take to start improving your posture and enjoying the benefits of good posture. 

 

Make an Appointment With a Chiropractor 

Visit a chiropractor to improve your posture and relieve chronic back pain. They diagnose and treat musculoskeletal issues, including those related to poor posture. They’ll create a treatment plan to address problem areas and offer exercise and stretch recommendations to prevent future injuries. 

 

Organize Medical Records with PDFs 

Keeping your medical records organized is an essential aspect of maintaining good health and ensuring that you get the best possible care from your chiropractor. One way to keep your records organized is by using PDFs. By scanning your paper records or downloading electronic versions of your medical records, you can easily store and access all of your health information in one place. Additionally, a useful tip for organizing your records is to use a tool to split a PDF file into smaller sections. By doing this, you can break down larger files into individual documents that can be easily accessed when needed.

 

Purchase a Firm Mattresses for Better Spinal Alignment

Improve your posture and reduce back pain by upgrading to a firmer mattress. Soft mattresses can cause your spine to sink, leading to discomfort and poor posture, while a firmer mattress provides the necessary support for spinal alignment. Invest in a high-quality mattress and wake up with renewed energy and better posture for the day ahead. 

 

Strengthen Your Back Muscles 

Enhance your posture and prevent injuries by ramping up your back muscle strength through exercise. Resistance training, Pilates, and swimming are all solid workout options. Customize your regimen with the guidance of a physical therapist to ensure maximum effectiveness.

 

Try Yoga and Stretching  

Practicing yoga and stretching is another effective way to improve your posture. Yoga and stretching exercises can help you loosen tight muscles, improve flexibility, and increase mobility in your joints. Additionally, practicing yoga and stretching can help relieve stress and tension, leading to better posture and reduced pain.

 

Stop Slouching and Stand Taller 

If you like looking tall, it’s important to remember that slouching and poor posture can actually make you look shorter. When you’re standing up straight with proper posture, you’ll naturally appear taller and more confident. On the other hand, slouching can compress your spine and cause you to appear hunched over and shorter than you actually are. Click here to gain inspiration by learning the heights of some popular celebrities.

 

Be Mindful When Sitting

While sitting, it’s essential to maintain good posture to prevent back pain and promote overall well-being. One simple tip for improving your posture while sitting is to push your head and upper back into the chair. This can help align your spine properly and prevent slouching, which can lead to poor posture and back pain. Additionally, investing in an ergonomic chair or cushion can help you sit more comfortably and maintain good posture throughout the day. 

Improving your posture can have significant benefits for your health and well-being. By following these tips and taking proactive steps to address posture problems, you can enjoy better physical health, reduced pain, and increased confidence. Whether you’re seeking relief from chronic back pain or simply looking to improve your overall well-being, focusing on good posture is a great place to start. 

 

If you’re looking for work in the health care and dental fields, visit Health Care New York to thrive in your medical career. 

What To Do After You Relapse

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Addiction recovery is an arduous process. Relapse is common and, some will say, a necessary part of eventual success. On one level, you cannot truly know if you can manage your addiction until you experience a relapse. As upsetting as a break in sobriety may be, it is essential for you to treat it like a routine bump in the road and have a plan in place for when it happens again.

Many of the supportive elements of recovery can help minimize relapse, but more importantly, they can help when you temporarily lose your struggle to manage substance abuse. Measures such as exercise, yoga, healthy eating, and self-care not only help support the body and mind through the rigors of recovery, but they can also help prop you back up after relapse. Here, Healthcare Consulting New York presents some helpful strategies to help you to stay sober.

What to Do if You Fear a Relapse

You know yourself best, and if you fear that you will be tempted to use drugs, alcohol, or otherwise relapse, take action before you break your sobriety. Contact your sponsor, physician, or addictions counselor. Speak with family members about whatever stresses may be triggering the potential relapse. The support of family and friends is crucial for recovery; not so they can pat you on the back for remaining sober, but so that they can help you during shaky times.

One tip to self-regulate during times of stress is to engage in self-care techniques. Mindfulness-centric methods such as meditation or yoga provide numerous relapse beating benefits. The first of these is helping to know oneself. Mindfulness accomplished this by slowing life down a bit. When you meditate or practice yoga, you can listen to yourself in stillness. If something seems off, you can make sure to speak to your sponsor or engage in activities that keep you occupied and out of harm’s way.

When You Fall Off the Horse

If you relapse, it’s important to not dwell on the experience as a failure. Doing so can drain vital energy that is necessary for a sustained recovery plan. The important thing is to contain your relapse to a minimal event and get back on the path to sobriety. You can use your faltering as a way to influence how you conduct yourself in the future.

Identify what led you to use again. Whether it was work stress, relationship problems, or maybe being in the wrong place and around less-than-supportive people, your relapse likely did not spring out of nothingness.

Identifying triggers and stressors is part of successful recovery. When relapse occurs, treat the experience as educational and immediately seek professional help. Just like yoga and meditation can help you identify when you might relapse, these techniques can also help you self-regulate to avoid future threats to your sobriety.

How to Manage a Relapse

Relapse during addiction recovery can be a discouraging setback, but it’s important to remember that it doesn’t define your journey to sobriety. The first step after a relapse is to reach out for support. Drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers offer various resources such as individual and group therapy, peer support groups, and relapse prevention plans to help you get back on track. Remember that recovery is a process, and setbacks can happen, but seeking help and staying committed to your goals are crucial to overcoming addiction.

The Path to Sobriety

Exercise can also help you power your way back to the right road to recovery. Researchers have identified brain chemical rewards that come from training, and they are identical to those triggered by drug and alcohol use. Incorporating outdoor exposure can also help stabilize mood, reducing feelings of depression and anxiety that might lead to relapse. Hobbies can also distract from relapse triggers and provide personal joy that improves mental states.

Be Patient with Yourself on Your Journey

Most importantly, realize that relapse is often part of the process of addiction recovery. That’s why managing substance abuse is so difficult. It is not an affliction that can be switched off like a light, but instead, think of recovery as a dimmer switch. You can dial down the threat of relapse, but a slight move in the wrong direction can turn the light back to full brightness.

 

If you are looking for other healthcare options, visit Healthcare Consulting New York for a simpler search process.

 

Your Guide to Finding the Right Primary Care Physician (PCP) After Your Current Doctor Retires

Finding a new primary care physician (PCP) can be a daunting task, especially when your current doctor retires. However, taking the time to find the right physician is essential to maintaining good health and receiving quality medical care. Here are some useful tips for finding a new PCP, courtesy of Health Care New York. 

Get an Endorsement 

One of the most effective ways to find a new PCP is to ask your retiring physician for referrals. Your current doctor will likely have colleagues or medical professionals they highly recommend to take over their practice. They may also be able to provide you with a list of physicians who are accepting new patients. 

Look Through Online Reviews 

Another way to find a new PCP is to read online reviews. Many healthcare providers have an online presence where their patients can leave feedback about their experience with them. Websites such as Healthgrades, Vitals, and Zocdoc also provide reviews and ratings on medical professionals. Reading these reviews can give you an idea of what to expect from a particular physician and help you make an informed decision. 

Consider an “In-Network” Doctor 

Selecting a new primary care physician is a crucial decision that demands thorough scrutiny of your insurance coverage to prevent any unanticipated costs. Therefore, it is imperative to locate a doctor who is under your insurance plan’s network to avoid paying out-of-pocket expenses. Fortunately, your insurance company can offer assistance in providing you with an extensive list of in-network physicians available in your vicinity. Also, take a look at Health Care New York’s licensed medical staff. 

Find a Doctor Who Understands Your Needs 

Everyone has unique health needs, and it’s essential to connect with a physician who understands your specific health concerns. If you have a chronic illness, for example, you’ll want to find a doctor who specializes in that condition. You may also want to consider a physician who takes a holistic approach to healthcare and focuses on preventative measures to keep you healthy. 

Choose a Doctor You Can Access 

The location of a new primary care physician’s office and their operational hours should be weighed in when making a selection. You need a doctor whose office is easily accessible from your residence or workplace, with flexible hours that align with your schedule. Furthermore, choosing a physician who provides telemedicine appointments can be a valuable convenience when you are unable to visit the physical office. 

Enroll in an Affordable Care Act Plan 

As a freelancer or self-employed individual, securing affordable healthcare coverage can pose difficulties. Nevertheless, enrolling in an Affordable Care Act healthcare plan can grant you access to top-notch medical care. These plans come with numerous benefits, such as preventive care services, emergency services, and prescription drug coverage, among others. 

Organize Your Medical Records for an Easy Switchover 

To ensure a smooth transition to a new PCP, it is crucial to keep your medical records well-organized. Converting your records into digital formats and storing them in secure cloud storage will provide you with quick access to your health history and test results. If you need to share your records with your new physician, try going for a PDF file converter to easily convert your files into the necessary format. 

Don’t let the initial overwhelm of finding a new primary care physician deter you from securing quality medical care. With ample research and evaluation, you can confidently identify the physician who best suits your unique needs. Remember, taking the extra time to make an informed decision will ultimately lead to a smooth and successful transition to your new PCP.

People on Video Call

 

Image via Pexels 

When is Neglection When Isn’t

I am at a crossroads; I have a family who hired my services. The aide tells me that when there is the woman’s daughter, she tells the aide that when her mother wakes up, they allow her to have breakfast with her adult diaper soil. Another issue is they (son and daughter) don’t know how to cook, so what they do is order takes out. I did not know how to cook but learned.

When I was there, I saw that the siblings talked and kept reading articles about nutrition and how to break down the food chain, all because the mother has been recently diagnosed with Frontal Temporal Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Something quietly frank I never thought would be possible. The siblings keep going. She can eat this but not that. When I have seemed that she is starving, when they bring something like a salad, she either does not want to eat or eats pleasantly.

I feel that they are so wrong that the woman is being neglected. Should I say something? Should I just be a money-grabbing person and not say anything? They think that by avoiding some sort of food, they are combatting her diagnosis. I personally want to help and first respect their vision. However, I can’t shake the fact that, for me, it is neglect.

It is or isn’t my job to say something if not the sibling because, after all, we are all trying our best, and I sure do want to believe in that. However, when looks like fish, smells like fish, it’s fish.

Some may think that neglection is a very strong word. Are the siblings aware of what they are doing? It falls into a new and very dangerous path. Are the siblings ignorant of their demise, and therefore they are unwillingly committing neglect?

What is more important? Count to twenty when an adult diaper is a soil or to take care of personal hygiene. They are so clueless that I mention that she overstimulated the daughter by saying not to give her coffee. I was like. Overstimulation is a Dementia issue. The mother screaming’s when taking a shower, and the daughter jumps like a lunatic, saying that the water is too hot (it wasn’t). I texted her how individuals with mental health issues react towards personal hygiene, bath, changing adult diapers, and the Alz.org website. I told her to read the articles so she could educate herself. Hopefully, she did and will come back better understood of how difficult it is for some to undress and be bath by someone else, their loved ones.

I still dwell. Should I make clear to them that what they are doing is neglect? The fact that they don’t have anything else, only cereal, sometimes they buy sweet potatoes for her to eat.

Empower Yourself: How to Take Control of Your Health

As an individual, you are your own best health advocate. Nobody else knows your body and your overall health better than you do. You are the one who knows when something feels off,
and you are the one who knows what steps you can take to feel your best. With that being said, how can you become your own best health advocate? Here are a few tips to help you take control of your health, courtesy of Health Care New York.

Focus on What You Can Control

One of the most important things you can do to take control of your health is to lead a healthier lifestyle. This includes eating nutritious food, getting regular exercise, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep. These simple steps will help you to feel better both physically and mentally. They can also help to reduce your risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Find the Right Providers

Another key to being your own best health advocate is to find the right healthcare professionals. You should start by finding a primary care physician that you trust and feel comfortable with. This person should be your first line of defense when it comes to your health. They can help you to manage any chronic conditions that you may have, and they can also refer you to other specialists as needed.

Educate Yourself

It’s important to educate yourself on any conditions you may have. This can help you to better understand your symptoms and how to manage them. It can also help you to work more effectively with your healthcare team. You can learn about your condition by doing research on reliable medical websites or by talking to your healthcare provider.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

When you’re at the doctor’s office or meeting with any other healthcare professional, don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is your health, after all. You have every right to know what’s going on with your body and to understand the options available to you. Ask questions about any tests that are being performed, any treatments that are being recommended, and any potential side effects of medications.

It’s Okay to Take Notes

Taking notes is another important step in becoming your own best health advocate. After each appointment or phone call with a healthcare professional, take a few minutes to jot down what was discussed. Include any recommendations that were made, any medications that were prescribed, and any follow-up appointments that were scheduled. This will help you to keep track of what’s going on with your health, and it will also help to ensure that you don’t forget any important information.

Keep All Documentation Digitally Organized

Finally, it’s important to keep your medical files organized. You should start by keeping all of your medical documents and records in one place. This can be a digital folder on your computer or a physical folder in your home. To make things even easier, consider scanning all of your documents and converting them as PDFs using this tool. This will allow you to easily share them
with your healthcare team as needed.

Being your own best health advocate requires taking control of your health, finding the right healthcare professionals, educating yourself on any conditions you may have, and keeping your medical files organized. With these tips in mind, you can take control of your health and ensure that you receive the care you need to feel your best.