New Jersey - Bergen and Passaic Counties

How to Select a Subacute Rehabilitation FacilityA Subacute Rehabilitation Facility (SAR) provides short term nursing and rehabilitation care to assist you or your loved one, to recuperating from a hospitalization and returning to their previous lifestyle. The SAR provides a high level of supervision and patient interaction, which will assist in attaining or maintaining the highest level of physical, social and emotional well-being. After a hospitalization, your doctor may recommend or you may request a transfer to a Subacute Rehabilitation Facility. Planning Rehabilitation for RecoveryChoosing a Subacute Rehabilitation Facility can be planned ahead of time when you or a loved one are facing an elective operation such as a Joint Replacement, Heart Surgery, or Abdominal Surgery or while your loved one is unexpectedly hospitalized and a discharge is anticipated.. Subacute Rehab after an unexpected hospitalization assists someone in a weakened state to be provided with a plan of care to assist an individual to recuperate prior to returning to their previous lifestyle. Planning a visit to Subacute Facilities is important to allow you to evaluate all discharge options and to make a fully informed decision. Checklist of Concerns prior to Choosing a Subacute Rehabilitation: Tour and observe the facility to for cleanliness and a pleasant environment Is the facility Accreditated by The Joint Commission Can my primary care physician remain in charge of my care? Is physical, occupational and speech therapy provided by in house staff seven days a week? Is a physician specializing in Rehabilitation Medicine involved in the care and treatment planning? Do residents and families participate in developing the plan of care? Is there a dining area available that is attractive and inviting with dietary choices to meet my needs? Are consulting physicians on staff such as podiatrists, dentists, surgeons, psychiatrist and orthopedists? Does the facility provide outpatient rehabilitation therapy so I can continue with the same therapist? Are the rooms spacious, attractive and comfortable? Is there private space for visiting? Is the staff attentive, courteous and positive to residents and visitors? Is there an Activities Program?Making Your Decision Once you are comfortable with the Subacute Rehabilitation Facilities which you have simply asked your physician and or social worker at the hospital about your decision to transfer to that facility. The choice is yours and it is important you are part of the decision whether it is for yourself or a loved one.Editors Note: This article was provided by Paul Jendrek, M.D., Fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Jendrek is currently an attending at the Regent Care Center, Polify Road, Hackensack, New Jersey.He has been in practice 20 years. Dr. Jendrick trained at Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation NYU Medical Center and now sub-specializing in Subacute Rehabilitation since 2003. He can be reached at 201-646-1166.

A discount dental plan is a program that allows anyone to go to a board-certified dentist in their own neighborhood and pay a reduced rate (usually half) for any work they need done. Discount dental services are fortunately available to everyone. You don't have to be part of a company or a group.There are literally thousands of dentists in the tri-state area that are willing to offer significant discounts on all services, including braces.These discounts can go as high as 60%. Coverage in these programs begin immediately without any kind of pre-existing condition clause and they have no annual maximum.Editor's Note: This exact program is also available in Health Discounts. To find out more about either plan call Mark Heller toll free at 888-866-8451.Author: Mark Heller 

I sneak around the corner in my red shoes. If he sees me, he will scold me. I shouldnt be wearing them, he says. They are dangerous. Maybe he is right, but I love my red shoes. They make me feel alive. They make me want to dance. They remind me of when I was young and could wear any shoes I wanted. Now, at age 91, my step is slower. I no longer dance. The physical therapist at the assisted living facility where I live tells me I should be wearing sensible shoes, flat with Velcro closures. I do most of the time, but today I want to feel young. I slip on my red shoes. Everyone notices. They all like my red shoes, expect for Elizabeth, who thinks red shoes are risqu, no matter your age. That adds to the fun. My step is lighter in my red shoes and so is my spirit. Perhaps that will help me move quickly enough not to get caught by the physical therapist. It is easy to tell our aging loved ones what they should and should not be doing. Often the motivation is genuine concern for their safety. But it is important to remember that each thing they are asked to give up represents part of their identity. Something as simple as the shoes one wears can impact the way they view themselves. So, approach the topics which need to be addressed to keep your loved one safe, but do so gently, respecting the person and recognizing what youre asking them to do may not be as simple as it seems. Patty Masterson-Kane, LCSW and Patty Hemphill, LCSW are partners in Elder Care Options, a Geriatric Care Management Agency. They help families coping with issues related to aging and changing care needs and can be reached at 201-848-8539.

At some point in our life each of us will experience the loss of someone we love dearly. With loss comes grief. Although grief is a universal emotion it may be one of the most intimate and personal feelings we ever experience. Losing a loved one evokes anxiety and feelings of loneliness that we may have never known before. Even though we may be lucky to have family and friends to support us, we feel alone in our grief.There may be times when grief seems everlasting and the pain and discomfort feels like it will never dissipate. It is true that grief has its own life span, but there are identifiable stages of grief that can help individuals navigate through their journey. Immediately following a loss you may feel numb. The responsibility of focusing on medical care for your loved one, making final arrangements and managing the paper work that comes after a death may sometimes shadow the reality of your loss. When all of the housekeeping is complete you may even experience a feeling of disconnection wondering if your loved one is really gone. When the realness of the situation begins to seep through, an extreme sadness may overcome you. This stage is often the most difficult and most frightening. It may also be the longest lasting stage. Over time this sadness will decrease and you may feel a reluctant acceptance of your loved ones death. As this acceptance takes hold you will realize that life does move forward and you can return to living even without him/her present each day. Life will be different, but you will experience joy again.Our society has made great strides in understanding end-of-life issues as they relate to the patient we still have a long way to travel to understand the impact of loss on those who are left behind. Friends and family members may suggest you move on or get over it. Grief is not something you have control over. Sometimes the loneliness of grief causes us to forget that help is available. Supports groups and individual counseling are available. It is when you are experiencing your lowest moment, that reaching out is most important. With time and support you will be able to look forward to the future once again. Editors Note: Judith Pilchik Zucker, LCSW, is a Bereavement Coordinator and Counselor with the Saint Barnabas Hospice and Palliative Care Center (SBHPCC). For information about bereavement programs and services offered by the SBHPCC, please call 973-322-4817 or visit www.sbhcshospice.com.