A week after his double knee replacement surgery, John Cain was walking on a high-tech treadmill that made him feel lighter than air. With bandaged knees and thick, warm socks, the 65-year-old strode slowly but steadily on the machine known as the AlterG, an anti-gravity treadmill.
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Helen, a resident in a senior care community, is 60 years old and living with dementia. She has a boyfriend whose room is down the hall. He’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. A family member is appalled when she sees Helen kissing her boyfriend – and suspects there has been some sexual activity.
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“I have always been very close to my mum. Watching the center of our family shrivel into a shadow of her former self has been torturous. Hallucinations, incontinence, seizures, and loss of language are all part of Mum’s life now. As a family member, Alzheimer’s Disease makes you feel so out of control.”
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If you’re a caregiver taking care of a family member at home, what you do for your loved one every day is no doubt all consuming. From showering, toileting, dressing, and feeding your loved one, to making frequent trips to the doctor and pharmacy
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It’s a fact. Almost everywhere in the world, women live longer than men. It’s also a fact that older women are more likely than men to be coping with ongoing health challenges. Statistics tell the story: 49% of women have three or more chronic health conditions compared with 38% of men
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Despite high spending in the Medicare program – $702 billion in 2017 – ensuring consistent, high-quality senior care is often an elusive goal. To tackle the challenge, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) continues to evolve its Medicare payment structure. The newest system is the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), a Medicare reimbursement plan…
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In senior living communities, staying mentally active is crucial for overall health and well-being. A key study found that mental activity can also delay the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
Three female residents at Colonial Nursing & Rehabilitation in Lindale, Texas, a StoneGate senior care community, exemplify the benefits of actively pursuing mind-engaging activities.
For people living with dementia, dining can serve up a host of challenges. Many memory care residents in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and other senior living communities are finicky eaters, and food preferences often turn on a dime. Some have difficulty discerning colors, temperatures, and plate boundaries.
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If you or your loved one has been discharged from the hospital, ensuring a continued high level of care is key to regaining health, strength, and mobility. Short-term rehabilitation, or “rehab,” centers provide medical follow-up for patients in their first days after a hospital stay – and can mean the difference between a stressful rebound to the hospital and a seamless return to home.
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In my 19 years in the healthcare industry I have talked with hundreds of residents and family members and it helped me have a greater appreciation for what families go through when making the big, life-changing decisions for their older family members. But nothing could prepare me for what it was like – up close and personal.
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