No Picture
Health Gov

A Funny Thing Happened – Insider Insights of Skilled Nursing Care

First-time author, married father of four, and retired UPS truck driver becomes a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA). Then he begins working in a dementia care facility where he says, “I fit right in.”
How did Chuck Schoenfeld find himself working in a small northern Wisconsin health care facility?
In this humorous account Chuck shares remarkable insights of skilled nursing care as an insider.
It all began when he slipped and fell on the kitchen floor while visiting his mother. She had just washed the kitchen floor of her apartment with Crisco Oil. It was then that Chuck and his wife, Maggie, persuaded her to move in with them.
As his mother’s health declined further, they moved her into a dementia unit a block away from the Schoenfeld home.
He visited her often and also spent time with other residents. This military veteran and UPS driver was so moved by what he experienced with the residents, he changed careers at age 56 to become a CNA.
For the next six-plus years, Schoenfeld made the hard work fun. He described one day as a collage of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Mission Impossible, and Rocky. He learned to redirect Mabel when her piercing screams for the police made him hope they would arrive after she used her walker as a weapon.
Schoenfeld writes humbly, honestly, and vividly, admitting “one of the greatest obstacles [he] had to overcome [were his] own insecurities.” For one, he could never quite get through helping residents with their “personal cares,” such as toileting. However, he was called upon to do the other hard work like calming combative residents. He writes about nursing assistants who work hard and long hours, often working overtime to make ends meet. He adds that they duck, dodge, sometimes take direct hits, and still continue working–a testament to how much they care.
The residents “opened my heart and jumped in.”- Charles Schoenfeld
Some of the residents he writes about:
Little Lila in her late nineties had no visitors but was “lovingly feisty.”
Silly antics with former school teacher Frieda who knew better despite Chuck’s request for her to copy a sentence he had written, “I leave my entire estate to Chuck.”
Helping depressed Susan agree to take her pills only after he took time to gain her trust and become her friend.
He took the high road when dealing with the residents–even feeling defensive while in public, for example, when people stared while he waited with a resident to see the doctor. He notes, If you do “your best to keep people safe and offer them friendship, you’ve given them all you can, which is really all they are asking for.”
Author Charles Schoenfeld speaks of Alzheimer’s as taking away everything from residents “until there is nothing left to give.”
He adds, “My nature is to look for the light side of a worst-possible situation.”
During the author’s nearly seven years of service, you’ll read about the “Secret Club,” CNA drama, compassionate moments, and even deer hunting.
This book is a testament to the Schoenfeld’s nature and a tribute to the residents whose lives he made better with compassion and fun antics.
Inspiring reading for nursing home management and staff. A must read for families faced with moving a loved one into a nursing home.…

No Picture
Health Food

Tips to Reduce Your Annual Premiums For Health Coverage

Individual medical care insurance rates go up more and more all the time. This year a lot of insurance carriers raised their costs by as much as 20 percentage points. If this continues, in about 3 years health Coverage premiums can be 2 times as much as today’s premiums. This causes many people concern about our finances. Many people simply can’t pay these price increases. These premium hikes hurt even more when a lot of us are having their hours cut during this financial crisis, makes quality medical care unaffordable to way too many of Americans.
Medical Coverage and how to make it affordable is being discussed by legislators. Maybe they will find a better health insurance program. However in the meantime we are forced to make the best of the health care system we have. Knowing how to get the optimal health care plan for health care Insurance today can lower your bills by hundreds of dollars.
Assurance agents and Assurance carrier professionals shouldn’t be be part of an exclusive club of those who understand how health coverage plans work. You’re spending the money for your insurance. It’s important that you understand how your health care insurance policies work and what you can do to reduce your expenses. The strategies you will find in this article are just a few of the many ways you can lower your prices. Many good blog posts can help you lower your rates. A little study may get your premiums down.
If you are driven to the edge trying to figure out how to find the money for these ridiculously priced plans, these techniques in this article may help you shrink your premiums for medical care and medical care coverage.
Drop unneeded Extras
First, do you have unnecessary insurance riders that you no longer need or want? You may have more Coverage than you ought to. Your policy may need to be pruned like an overgrown tree.
Maternity Assurance may be the most pricey optional benefit. When you no longer want this coverage, be sure to let your broker and you may save a hundreds of dollars! many people purchase this optional coverage, have babies and then forget to remove the coverage when they even though they no longer want more children. This can be a very big mistake. Pregnancy Assurance is a big extra.
Drug Coverage may be a kind of Insurance that costs more than it is worth. Consider dropping any assurance you no longer need.
Look at High Deductible health insurance plans
Think about acquiring a Health Savings Account Assurance policy to lower your annual costs. These health assurance plans are often inexpensive enough that the amount money you save may pay your deductible.
Compare Policies from Other health insurance Companies
Compare prices and benefits offered by other carriers. Shopping around for Coverage is a proven method for saving money. Often the costs for similar plans will have very different costs. You might even find that your current company has newer policies that have similar benefits that are less expensive.
In many cases companies. with great reputations and offering good coverage will have lower rates than smaller companies. Although this isn’t always true, comparing prices and benefits has the potential of saving you hundreds of dollars each year.
Be sure to work with a stable insurance carrier that is approved by your state’s Insurance department. Saving money on a policy might not be in your best interest if the policy doesn’t cover the essentials. There are carriers out there that will take your money and give you little or no benefits.
With the high price of health Insurance plans having a plan can lower your premiums substantially.…

No Picture
General Article

You Don’t Have to Exercise Hard to Be Fit!

You Don’t Have to Exercise Hard to Be Fit!

Have you ever felt tired and stressed out from work and by the time you get home you see your children running towards you asking you to play a game with them? All you want to do is sit down for five minutes and relax, right? I have twin 12 year old boys and they used to keep me running! But now they want to do PHYSICAL stuff! Taking the time to play basketball for 20-30 min keeps us all if you have to hide behind your bedroom door afterwards and get your breath back. They appreciate it and it really wasn’t all that long…

Did you know that by exercising at a moderate pace for only 30 minutes, you would feel a lot better, mentally (and after you cool down, physically)? You will notice that the foods you crave are healthier and you will also sleep better at night.

For first timers, it can be done for 15 minutes for 2 to 3 days a week. You can increase the time you spend once your body gets used to it.

DON’T you ever force your body! If you get hurt, then stop. You can take a break from exercising for a few days or better yet, exercise for 30 minutes one day and the next 15. That way you won’t lose all the progress you’ve made. I know that it feels as if you can’t move even one muscle after the first day, believe me we have all been there, but if you work those tired muscles you will notice that the soreness and ache goes away that much faster. The next day it won’t hurt so bad and the the next!

Here are a few things you can do to burn calories and become fit before you know it:

1. Take a walk! This can be done alone or with your children, dog, or good one on one time for the child that just wants special time with maybe your honey can be talked into a 20-30 min stroll?

2. Play a round of basketball. Many doctors have recommended sports as an effective way to stay fit and healthy. Sports can also be done in moderation. Shooting basketball with a friend is one moderate exercise that is also considered a sport.

3. Exercise while doing household chores. Gardening, raking leaves, lawn mowing, doing the laundry, vacuuming and car washing are ways that you will burn calories and exercise at the same time. Make use of these chores to sweat and burn calories.

4. You can also buy yourself a 10-minute workout dvd. You can learn pilates (which many stars SWEAR by), yoga, and when your ready to challenge -Bo. Most dvd’s will show you how to stand, lay, raise your arms…I’m not kidding around they let you know EXACTLY how to do it the right way, to get the best results.

You will notice that by doing these things every day you will feel better and lose weight before you realize it! These exercises can burn between 150 calories all the way up to 1,0000 calories each day!

As your body becomes used to these exercises you can step it up a notch and do them longer or THE WEIGHT SLIP AWAY! AND YOUR CONFIDENCE SLIP RIGHT IN!!…

No Picture
Department Of Health

How Economy and Health is Closely Related to Each Other

The dream of universal health might come alive
Singapore is one of those countries that is caught in the middle of the economic boom. It is not yet rich enough to join the most industrialized nations in the world yet it is not poor enough to be classified within the same group as under developed economies. On the face of it this might seem like a good deal for avoiding the pressures that face countries that lie on either way of the spectrum. However I think that it is important to recognize that the countries in the middle face certain challenges. Being in the middle is not always safe. One of them is health care and specifically the provision of free health care to ordinary people.
The models for free health care
The first model is one of fully public options. This means that all health care is a public service and it is fully owned by the government on behalf of the people. This would place an enormous financial burden on the Singapore government but it would also ensure that cost was no longer an issue that ordinary people would have to worry about in terms of health care. Therefore free health care would become a reality. The problems with this option are that it does not account for the fact that the government may not have the revenues to support such an initiative. It will almost certainly encounter some hostility from the public if it attempts to raise tax revenues in order to fund its project. No one wants to pay up the tax revenues that are requisite for the success of the project.
The second option is to look at a public partnership with private firms so that instead of having free health care in Singapore, you have affordable care. This seems like a pragmatic solution that will get rid of some of the excesses that we have seen when health care is managed by the public sector. There are some who say that it could even reduce the inefficiencies that riddle this sector with failure. I would put forward a word of warning to the effect that the private sector will not easily accept the position of proxy government body.
For the case of Singapore, they are not rich enough to the extent that tax revenues alone can support this worthy but expensive cause. At the same time they are not poor enough that they can ignore the health of their people or rely on foreign aid to provide health care. In this rather brief article I try to look at some of the models they might want to use in order to implement a successful health care policy. This might mean that they copy from the models of both the poor and rich nations in order to accomplish this objective.…

No Picture
Health Gov

Medical Malpractice: Discuss It With Your Attorney

Today, medical malpractice is a major discussion. With the rise of the best medical institutions, future medical practitioners are trained to become competent. They are given the most attention. They learn inside the classroom and outside. They are being exposed to the real medical world. However, we can’t still eliminate the fact that other practitioners work unprofessionally. They simply think of their own benefit. They forget about their duties and responsibilities. In case you are mistreated or ignored in a certain hospital, you can file a case. You have the right to discuss it with your attorney. By keeping your mouth shut, you might offer yourself more harm than good. So, discuss this matter to somebody who knows almost everything. By that, proper action can be done.
When determining if you are really a victim of medical malpractice, be aware not only of your own right but also with the state laws. Include the statues of limitations and amount of rewards. These things might vary depending on the situation. Anyway, what really is medical malpractice or medical negligence? It is when a health care provider or facility goes against the required standards for patient care. Most common examples are prescribing wrong drugs, wrong diagnosis, late patient response, not monitoring the patient’s condition, and more. If health care professionals promise to give exceptional care to their patients, they really have to do that. They shall not bring any personal concern at work. They need to treat the sick and save lives.
Can nurses, doctors and other health care providers be sued due to medical malpractice? The answer is obviously yes. They can be sued. If you have substantial evidences, they might be taken out from work. The lawsuit is fit to those who go against the standard norms. There is no exception as long as you say the truth. They will be given chance to defend themselves. But, if proven guilty, they might suffer the hardest consequence. They can’t anymore practice their profession. Simply discuss it with your attorney. He’ll be giving you tips on what you need to do. Now, if you are unhappy with the result of your surgery, that alone might not be valid. You really have to show proofs that the surgeon shows negligence while performing the operation. That already is valid. But, it’s better if you can have somebody to testify that you are saying the truth.
Why is that you need to discuss matters pertaining to medical malpractice with your lawyer? Generally, you really need to understand the act of negligence. As an ordinary citizen, you might have a wrong understanding of the lawsuit. This is why it is critical that you sit down with a lawyer just to talk. Go to one who specializes in such issue. Bring all your documents. They will be subject for evaluations.
Healthcare providers need to issue copies of medical records to their patients. You need to keep all records so in case of problems, you can show documents. Besides, it won’t be easier for your lawyer to come up with the best decisions without the basis. For the statute of limitations, it varies. Generally, it would fall between one to three years.…

No Picture
General Article

Healthy Feet Help Make For a Healthy Heart

Healthy Feet Help Make For a Healthy Heart

As February and heart health month ends, patients here in Columbus have probably been hearing a lot about keeping their heart healthy from all of their healthcare providers. As a podiatrist I want my patients to know that their feet are a key indicator of their overall health, and can often play an integral role in their heart’s health!

A recent study by the American Podiatric Medical Association has found that 72% of Americans say that foot pain is preventing them from exercising. These foot issues preventing exercise are a huge setback that needs to be resolved for anyone looking to lose weight and improve their overall health. Orthotics, sometimes known as “arch supports” can be very helpful in relieving pain commonly experienced while exercising. An example of a common cause of pain in runners and other athletes is plantar fasciitis. Orthotics can help to combat the pain of plantar fasciitis which is related to inflammation of the ligament that stretches from the heel across the bottom of the foot, the plantar aponeurosis. Being able to exercise comfortably and without foot pain should be a goal for all patients visiting a doctor of podiatric medicine.

The feet should be examined to check for signs of heart disease. Swelling in the foot and ankle, called edema, is abnormal and can be a sign of congestive heart failure. When the heart is weakened and cannot pump as strongly as it should, blood will pool in the lower parts of the body, especially the foot and ankle. While this swelling can be a sign of heart disease, it can also indicate many other ailments including trauma, insect bites, medications and other circulatory problems such as venous stasis. Patients should try to relieve swelling by elevating the legs above the heart when possible, applying mild pressure with support stockings and possible trying a low salt diet to reduce the amount of fluid being held in the body. A podiatrist should be consulted if swelling of the feet persists, is painful or worsens.

It is also important when dealing with patients who have already had heart problems to be aware of possible implications in the foot of their medications and treatments. For example, congestive heart failure can cause swelling, but blood pressure lowering drugs often taken by heart patients can also cause swelling. Some drugs, such as Lisinopril, which is used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure has an unexpected effect in the foot. It can not only cause swelling in the foot but can also rarely cause cases of gout. Gout is when the breakdown products of amino acids from proteins accumulate in a joint, typically the joint at the base of the big toe. A “gouty attack” is very painful and often occurs at night with the affected joint being tender, red and swollen.

It is important to always keep in mind that your foot health is a key component in having total health. Heart health and foot health are surprisingly intertwined and without healthy feet it can be difficult to achieve a healthy heart!…

No Picture
General Article

The Long and Short of It

The Long and Short of It

The gym is a place where we go to build our muscles and increase our stamina. The workout and the process of body building have been developed into a science. All the aspects of a workout are researched for maximum results. The kit used in a workout is also crucial if you desire the best results. Sports companies today provide comprehensive kits for beginners. This article will discuss the basic clothing for a novice jogger or aspiring body builder.

No matter what clothes you choose you need to be comfortable in them. Clothes that are too big or too small will hinder you from performing the exercise in the right way. So choose your exercise clothes properly. Choose clothes that fit your workout. For example, if you are doing arm exercises wear a short sleeve T-shirt. This will make it easy to do the exercise and will also motivate you as you watch the muscle pump. If you are just starting out shorts should be okay since you are doing light lifting. Trousers are important if you are going to be doing dead lifts or heavy weights.

Footwear and socks are also very important. Shoes support your ankles preventing injuries and feet and help transfer the loads to the ground. Socks absorb the sweat and cushion the feet preventing blisters during intensive workouts. If you are a jogger always wear sun screen. Excessive exposure to the sun will cause cancer. In winters wear clothes that will keep you warm. Do not be under the impression that once you start jogging your body will warm up. It will warm up, but the sweat will not evaporate and cause you to catch a cold bringing an end to your morning jogs.

Many people choose to run in the night time. The reasons could be varied. Maybe you are not a morning person or maybe you need to get to work early. Whatever the reason if you are going to be running in the night be sure to wear jogging clothes that have reflective patches on them. The patches on your shoes are not enough. Patches on your clothes will help you be noticed more easily and just might save your life. The human eye is attracted to light and motion. Invest in a headlamp. This will make you more visible and also illuminate your path.

An mp3 player will help keep your mind busy while you run or workout. The gym will most likely have music playing so you do not need it there. Music becomes repetitive and tedious to listen to after sometime no matter how good your playlist. You can download and listen to audio books while you are running. This serves a dual purpose because you are working out as well as reading a book at the same time. A lot of people retain more material if they hear it. This is probably why we need to study out loud and remember songs so well.

And remember clothing is not a substitute for a good workout but something to help you through it.…