Managing Congestive Heart Failure with Therapy

Over 5 million Americans are living with congestive heart failure (CHF) today.   Heart failure is a progressive condition; fortunately it can be treated & managed with good medical care and making the appropriate lifestyle changes.   A structured rehabilitation program is the best way to get a good start on your heart failure treatment plan. Read more

Posture: Stand Up Straight, Don’t Slouch

Adapting proper posture is an essential part to maintaining a healthy skeletal structure as you age.  According to the Mayo Clinic, good posture promotes a strong and stable spinal column and can help prevent the deterioration of the vital muscles and ligaments that keep you balanced and flexible.  Poor posture has been associated with a number of health conditions such as dowager’s hump, double chin, varicose veins, pinched nerves, neck pain, back pain, and many others.  Read more

Therapy’s Role in Bone Health

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, one in two women and one in four men age 50 and older will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture.  Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to weak and brittle bones.  Breaking a bone is serious, especially when you’re older and broken bones can cause severe pain. Read more

Balance and Fall Prevention

Each year, one in three adults age 65 and older falls.

Falls can lead to moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can even increase the risk of early death.  According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), older adults can remain independent and reduce their risk of falling by taking these precautions: Read more

Managing COPD in the Summer Heat

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects over 20 million adults in the US.  COPD is a disease in which your lungs become inflamed or damaged, making it very difficult for air to flow in and out normally.  COPD can be worse in hot weather.  The hot temperatures cause your body to work extra hard trying to cool off and demands more oxygen to be taken in.  Read more

Age Proof Your Brain

 Alzheimer’s affects more than 5.4 million Americans and is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, however many experts now believe you can prevent or a least delay dementia – even if you have a genetic predisposition.  “The goal is to stave it off long enough so that you can live life without ever suffering symptoms.” says Gary Small, M.D. coauthor of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program: Keep Your Brain Healthy for the Rest of Your Life. Read more

Prevent Aspiration Pneumonia

Speech Therapy’s Role to Practicing Good Oral Care to Prevent Aspiration Pneumonia

Aspiration pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs and airways to the lungs (bronchial tubes) from breathing in foreign material.  Aspiration pneumonia occurs when foreign materials (usually food, liquids, vomit, or fluids from the mouth) are breathed into the lungs or airways leading to the lungs.

This may lead to:

  • A collection of pus in the lungs (lung abscess)
  • Swelling and inflammation in the lung
  • A lung infection (pneumonia)

Read more

Occupational Therapy is Proven Effective!

Discovered in Europe in the 1700’s and widely used in all American wars, Occupational therapy addresses many areas of the body and mind. We like to say Occupational Therapy helps restore the things we take for granted, such as brushing our hair, putting on socks or using both sides of our body effectively after a stroke. Read more

Exercise and the Aging Brain

Exercise and the Aging Brain

Aging and brain health is a topic of great interest as the older-adult population continues to grow.  Neuroscientists are gaining valuable information about the brain & body connection.  With dramatic new imaging techniques – MRI, NMRI, PET, and SPECT has allowed researchers to study the working of the human brain in action.  This has opened a vast frontier of knowledge on cognition, memory and learning throughout life. Read more

Heart Health & Heart Disease

The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body.  Every day, beating over 100,000 times, your heart creates enough energy to drive a truck 20 miles.  In a lifetime, that is equivalent to driving to the moon and back. Read more