Connecticut - Southern

Home Health Care and Home Care ServicesHome health care is provided by skilled medical professionals, such as nurses, therapists and medical social workers, and includes a wide range of services that are provided in your home to treat an illness or injury. The focus of home health care is to help you get better, regain your independence and become as self-sufficient as possible. Many times, home health care is less expensive, more convenient than and as effective as the care you would receive in a hospital or a skilled nursing facility. It often follows a doctors visit or a stay at a hospital or rehabilitation facility. For Medicare beneficiaries, doctors orders are needed to initiate home health care, and you must be considered temporarily homebound. If your doctor or referring health care provider determines that you are a candidate for home health care, they should give you a list of agencies that offer these services and allow you to choose the one you would like to use. A home health care agency will make an appointment to visit you at home, ask pertinent questions about your health and do an assessment of your medical situation. The home health care professional will talk to your doctor about your care and coordinate services. Examples of home health services include monitoring of serious illness or unstable health, wound care, intravenous therapy, injections, pain management, medication management and physical, occupational or speech therapy. Your home health care provider will regularly check what you're eating and drinking, monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and temperature, make sure you are taking your medications correctly, ask if youre having any pain, check your home for safety precautions and teach you about self-care to encourage you toward greater independence.Home care services are the non-medical services that can help maintain your quality of life while living at home in a comfortable environment. Assistance can range from companionship to hands on care, depending on the need. This can be accomplished by regular weekly visits or by a 24/7 live-in caregiver. Help which can be provided includes assistance with dressing, bathing, mobility, feeding or meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, shopping and errands. Often this kind of assistance allows a person to remain in their own home, with appropriate help, as an alternative to relocating to a residential facility. Some home health care agencies can provide both medical care and non-medical home care services for their clients. Other agencies offer non-medical home care services exclusively. Both home health care and home care agencies have the goal of keeping you safe, comfortable and healthy at home.Submitted by Theresa Santoro, MSN, RN, CHCA, President & CEO, Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association.

People often say, If you dont use it, you lose it This phrase certainly pertains to brain function. As with any part of the body, the brain can atrophy if it isnt exercised. The best cognitive workout is hearing, which may seem simple enough but actually involves various portions of the brain that influence our memories, perception, and communication.At Better Hearing at Home, Dr. Anne Reap is trained to treat all types of hearing issues including the connection between hearing loss and dementia. Her intensive training coupled with her in depth study of how the brain processes sound has helped serve her patients well for more than 28 years.When hearing loss becomes a reality, the connection between our brains and our ears is often forgotten. Unfortunately, those patients with undiagnosed or untreated hearing loss increase their risk of physical complications or mental and emotional struggles. According to the Better Hearing Institute, numerous studies link unmanaged hearing loss to a wide range of physical and emotional conditions, including depression, impaired memory, compromised ability to learn new tasks, and the increased risk of personal safety.Hearing loss can impact the lifestyles and relationships of those individuals with dementia, negatively impacting their well-being and leaving loved ones and care-givers to wonder, whether communication and memory issues are due to dementia OR hearing loss??? Confusion surrounding dementia can worsen over time, but it is possible to break the cycle with the appropriate hearing care by a trained doctor of Audiology.Dr. Reap understands that individual needs are unique and treatment plans must be personalized in order to be effective. At Better Hearing at Home, we will work with you to insure that you and your loved ones can reach hearing and lifestyle goals. Remember, early intervention and treatment provides the best possible outcome. Dont wait, better hearing can make all the difference.Editors Note: This article was submitted byBetter Hearing at Home - Dr. Anne Reap500 West Putnam Avenue, Suite 300Greenwich, CT 06830www.betterhearingathome.com203 542-7323

When older adults receive a diagnosis for a chronic illness like diabetes, heart disease, or emphysema, their lives change at least a little. Chronic illnesses can affect seniors mobility, fall risk, energy, and ability to live independent lives. Maintaining relationships with friends and family may become challenging. Financial concerns can complicate life and bring added stress. Coping with these changes can affect how well we feel in general, and can impact our quality of life.An acute illness is one that lasts for a short time and may go away without any intervention, or with medications or surgery. Chronic illness recurs or persists for a long period of time and may last for a persons entire life. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), chronic diseases are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems.How can older people maintain their wellbeing and quality of life while facing chronic illness? Exercise is one of the simplest ways to maintain mobility, balance and strength, reducing fall risk. Exercise can also help lessen or even reverse the symptoms of chronic illness such as fatigue. Senior exercise classes can help strength and flexibility and also maintain social contacts.Staying connected with family and friends is important especially if activity is limited or a family member becomes a caregiver. These changes can affect relationships, and need to be acknowledged and worked through. Caregiving assistance from outside of the family may become necessary.Financial worries can add to the stress of chronic illness. Its important to discuss your concerns with your health care provider, who can direct you toward community resources to help navigate insurance and financial issues.Chronic illness is a part of life for more than three-quarters of older adults. Staying active, exercising, asking for assistance when needed, and staying socially connected can all help reduce stress and enhance quality of life.WRITTEN BY:Theresa Santoro, MSN, RN, CHCAPresident & CEORidgefield Visiting Nurse Association - Ridgefield CT203-438-4555

The feisty generation of the 50s and 60s is now carrying AARP Creds. They have raised children and taken care of their moms and dads. Many of these new seniors have one thing in common with the greatest generation before them; they want to remain independent and living safely in their own homes. More open minded than earlier generations, they are exploring todays technologies to help them age comfortably in the homes they have enjoyed for so many years. This group has the internet at their fingertips to search for the latest products and ideas. No longer do they adapt to their homes, this group is adapting their home to them. It is no surprise that marketing has caught up to these seniors, with the size of the boomer generation, it was only a matter of time. Modifications can range from color coordinated grab bars to European style walk in showers. Ramps no longer have to have the bare wood look, they can be incorporated into the landscape. Not every modification needs to be large or expensive. A level door handle can work for anyone, but it is also a valuable aid to the arthritic hand. The choices are becoming endless to assist specific needs.Help and advice for current or future needs are also available now more than ever in the past. Many businesses and agencies offer help to seniors trying to remain at home. Solving a current situation or planning for the future can be done with the help of Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists, also known as CAPS. This certification is a cooperative effort by the AARP and National Association of Home Builders to certify specialists in the area of home modifications to help seniors make informed decisions. These people have the expertise to help seniors adapt their homes to meet their specific needs with design and build ideas. Creating a first floor living environment in your existing home or building an addition to include a bedroom and bathroom before you retire is forward thinking. Perhaps you already have a first floor bathroom but want a larger, barrier free one to make life easier as you age. Moving a laundry room from the basement to the first floor is always a great idea. Whatever you needs will be, it is not a bad time to become a senior.This article was submitted by Bruce Lawler, Lawler & Sons Design & Construction for Independent Living; a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. 203-985-8121