After a Joint Replacement – Therapy’s Role in Recovery

These days, damaged joints can be safely removed and replaced with new ones via a surgical procedure known as joint replacement surgery. Joint replacements are a fairly common procedure with more than 1 million patients in the U.S. undergoing joint replacement surgery every year.

The functionality of joints can be affected by a number of factors, including injuries, arthritis, and various other chronic diseases. In more than a few cases, joint damage may be the result of extreme wear and tear. Replacing damaged joints can improve mobility, alleviate pain and discomfort and enable patients to feel and move much better. Read more

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Antioxidant Rich Foods Promote Healthy Aging

Heart disease causes more deaths in the United States than cancer, AIDs and car accidents combined. It is the leading cause of death for both men and women, claiming the lives of almost two people per minute. Keeping our hearts healthy is important and can be done with regular doctor visits, regular exercise and having a well balanced diet, filled with antioxidant rich foods to help avoid free radical damage. Read more

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National Glaucoma Month

Did You Know?
Over 3 million Americans have glaucoma but only half know they have it.
Glaucoma can cause blindness if left untreated.

 

Glaucoma and How It Affects Vision

Glaucoma is caused by high intraocular pressure (high pressure of fluid inside the eye) and can decrease vision without warning. Glaucoma is one of the most common illnesses affecting the optic nerve. The optic nerve’s job is to transfer visual information to the brain, so when high intraocular pressure occurs, the optic nerve compresses, causing cells to die and vision to permanently decline. Read more

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Staying Active During Winter

Staying active during the winter months can be challenging. The days get shorter, the nights get longer and well… it’s COLD! Although it may be tempting to curl up on your couch, it’s important to keep your exercise routine alive. The advantages to regular exercise far outweigh hibernating all winter. Also, did you know exercise can also boost your mood? Exercise helps keep those ‘winter blues’ away and increases your energy level so you can get more restful sleep at night.

Tips For Staying Active During Winter

Even if you don’t have a workout planned for the day, try to think of some way to be active. Here are some
examples of planned and unplanned ways to stay active:

Inside:

  • Walk the mall. Since most malls open before their shops do, you can get your walking workout in while doing some window shopping.
  • Visit a health club. Choose a gym that’s convenient and ask staff how to use the equipment when unsure.
  • Join a class or sports league. Workingout with others is a helpful way to keep us motivated. With a little research, you can find classes/teams through community organizations, health clubs and other groups.

At Home:

  • Try a workout DVD. You could buy, rent or borrow. Scouring the internet for workouts suitable for you can help keep your routines fresh, too.
  • Create a home gym. This can be as simple as weights and bands, or if space and funds allow, you can invest in some practical, enjoyable and easy-to-use exercise equipment.
  • Keep cleaning. Sweeping, vacuuming and scrubbing can burn more calories than you may think.

Outside:

  • Play in the snow. Building a snowman is a fun, simple way to get moving.
  • Walking. You can continue your normal routine if you wear the proper attire. Pay attention to your
    extremities, too. Exercising pulls blood to your core and away from extremities, including those areas
    most susceptible to frostbite: fingers, toes and ears. Be sure to keep these areas covered, as well as your head, since that’s where most of our body heat escapes.

Safety Tips

Daytime: Remember your sunscreen. Snow reflects the sun’s rays, making sunburn possible even in the winter.
Nighttime: Wear a reflective outer layer. If the surface of the ground is uneven due to weather conditions, choose footwear with enough traction to prevent falls.

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November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

According to the Alzheimer Society, almost 40 percent of people over the age of 65 experience some form of memory loss. When there is no underlying medical condition causing this memory loss, it is known as “age-associated memory impairment,” which is considered a part of the normal aging process. Read more

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Exercise for Your Mind, Body and Soul!

Your body was designed to move and WANTS you to exercise! The good news is that beginning an exercise program at any age has many benefits. Read more

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Functional Performance and Care Plan Quality Measure: MDS Section GG

In October 2016, all skilled nursing facilities will be submitting a new admission and discharge MDS for all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. The purpose of the new admission and discharge assessments is to gather information for the quality reporting program (QRP). Specifically, there is a new MDS Section GG that required for only your Med A patients at admission and discharge. No other payers are included in this quality measure. Read more

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Live the Life You Love, Love the Life You Live

The goal of rehabilitation is to help an individual heal physically and mentally and achieve their highest level of independence possible. Physical Therapists (PT), Occupational Therapists (OT), and Speech Language Pathologists (SLP) all work together to help individuals overcome obstacles and accomplish normal tasks of daily living. These therapists work on an individual level, which is beneficial for a range of conditions/diseases, ages and abilities. Read more

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Better Balance

Maintaining good physical balance is important to all of us, especially those over 55. We know that when our balance is jeopardized, even slightly, we lose confidence in our abilities.  This fear of falling and general loss of balance are more likely to result in a fall that causes minor or major injuries. So, what exactly is balance and how does it work? Read more

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Understanding Stroke

Facts About Stroke

According to the numbers provided by the American Stroke Association, someone in the US has a stroke every 40 seconds. As the third leading cause of death in the United States, strokes most commonly occur in individuals over the age of 65.

Did you know almost 2 million brain cells die every single minute a stroke is left untreated? As a matter of fact, lack of proper treatment is the main reason why strokes are considered one of the leading causes of long-term disabilities in the United States. While strokes are alarming medical concerns that could cause disabilities and even put one’s life on the line, in reality, they are largely treatable and preventable. Read more

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