Steve Jobs RIP Helped Seniors Too

Jennifer

Co-founder and chairman of Apple. Inc., Steve Jobs, passed away last Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at the tender age of 56, following a difficult battle with pancreatic cancer.  Although Jobs is best known for the iPod, iPad and iPhone, he also made substantial contributions to healthcare and wellness that are not so widely publicized.

For example, the company’s iPhone boasts a variety of apps that are great for seniors and their care workers.  The CaregiversTouch lets people store all their important information on their phone, giving them easy access to it when in hospital or at an appointment.  If the seniors themselves aren’t tech savvy and are unable to use the phone, it is available for their loved ones to access more easily.  In addition, Elder 911 boasts more than 500 pieces of expert advice from experienced geriatric care managers, categorized into 11 eldercare topics that also have solutions to standard caregiving problems.

Then there are the many apps that encourage the development of fitness levels; diets; exercise diaries and more.  Steve Jobs RIP was more than just a technical wiz; he cared about people and their health too.

Lynchburg: New Psychiatric Program for Seniors

Jennifer

Last Friday, a new psychiatric program was opened at the Virginia Baptist Hospital, Lynchburg, for seniors, offering inpatient care for 12 patients over 60-years-old undergoing a crisis.  This is part of a general urge from healthcare workers to improve the care seniors with mental illnesses receive.  It will enable those with issues like dementia and Alzheimer’s to receive specialist care, in a separate unit from the hospital’s other patients.

According to one of the geriatric psychiatrists working on the new project, Dr. Peter Betz, this unit will be providing a way more “homogenous approach,” which is extremely necessary today, given the increase in the geriatric population of Central Virginia by 23 percent over the last decade with an even faster increase with the rate of Alzheimer’s.

<h2>Need for More Psychiatrists</h2>

As well as the fact that the elderly population – and those requiring psychiatric care – is increasing at such great speed, there are only 50 new geriatric psychiatrists trained each year.  Throughout America, there are only 12 to 15 programs that regularly produce Board Certified Geriatric Psychiatrists.  But given how draining mental illness can be on the entire family (both mentally and financially), more help is needed for these patients (which will ultimately indirectly assist the family too).

According to Indiana University School of Medicine’s clinical associate professor of psychiatry and spokesman for the American Psychiatric Association, Dr. John Wernert, what is unique about this new program is the high level of psychiatric care along with safety and family involvement it has.  He added that it is way better for patients experiencing any level of confusion to be kept in a secure environment, not with those patients with different needs.

<h2>Public Education</h2>

What is ultimately also very good about the program – for society at large – is that it will provide mental health integration into society in a way in which both the patient and the healthy individual are not uncomfortable.

Seniors Caregivers Get a Break

Jennifer

Light at the End of the Tunnel for Arizona Caregivers

Caring for seniors around the clock, no matter how close we are to them, can be a huge drain and incredible burden on the caregiver.  Irrespective of the fact that one does not want to admit that it is too tough, the 24/7 of the caring inevitably, after some time, becomes just that.  So what are these people meant to do if they are determined their loved ones – whose health and well-being is failing – will not be put into care?  There may now be a solution in the Tucson, Arizona area.  Through the new care management services, these caregivers will be given the much-needed break they crave, without being forced to say goodbye to their loved ones. 

The truth of the matter is, everyone needs a break.  And most people are able to take it, so long as they have the financial means.  But it’s not all that easy for caregivers as what is foremost on their mind is, how can they possibly leave their loved ones who rely on them, 24/7, for everything?  So they haven’t been doing it and the burden has been becoming increasingly tough to bear.  Now, however, t hanks to the Professional Geriatric Care Managers program, this is about to change.  This will reassure caregivers that their loved ones will be taken care of while they are away.

Taking a Break

And these are not just any caregivers.  These individuals are specifically trained to be able to assist the elderly.  Indeed, the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers “has experts and resources available for guiding the public about addressing the needs of family caregivers and older adults.”  Anyone in the US can go to the website, click on “find a care manager” and locate someone to care for their loved one in their region, while they take that much-needed break.

Once you return, you will be way better-equipped and able to look after your loved one again.

North East LHIN Gets Capital Injection

Jennifer

In a bid to improve the services it offers, the North East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) just received a staggering $2.6m from the Behavioral Supports Ontario (BSO) project – a partnership among the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, Health Quality Ontario and LHINs.  If any organization needs extra resources and support, it is this one, given that this is the organization dealing with behavior and mental problems, including neurological issues and dementia.  The money will be used to bring in additional nursing staff, support workers and other health-care providers who can assist these elderly patients.

According to the CEO of North East LHIN, Louise Paquette, it is behavioral support which has been the “missing link in the health-care system.”  To ensure the money is spent as efficiently as possible, already discussions have begun amongst hospital officials, the North East LHIN, long-term care residences and other services currently available for the elderly community.  However, it will take until around February 2012 before initiatives will be implemented in the area (which comprises North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and Timmins).  In addition, North East LHIN will be having talks with the head of North East Specialized Geriatric Services, Dr. Jo-Anne Clark, again to ensure the money is spent in the best possible way to benefit the elderly and make life easier for the staff.

Cost-Effective Senior Health Care Under Threat?

Jennifer
Seniors and Healthcare

Home health care in West Virginia could be seriously under threat if government regulation currently under speculation, is accepted.  Over 50 percent of the region’s Medicare Home Health Agencies could very soon be put in the red which could result in a serious addition to patient health care expenditure for the elderly and frail.

But the good news is that there are some government officials who are fighting the proposal tooth and nail. According to an article in Market Watch, US Representative David McKinley has “publicly express[ed] his concern that changes to the home health prospective payment system (HHPPS) could seriously impact home healthcare in West Virginia, having ‘ruinous consequences for patients dependent on skilled home health services and the providers who serve them.’”

The proposal basically sets out further state aided financial reductions on the basis “that there has been only limited change in patient acuity in past years.”  This would be okay had the general situation not changed within the seniors community.  Apparently, health care providers are noticing that there are substantially more patients requiring care these days, and that they are sicker than in previous years.  Thus, increasing the prices for seniors is going to be very detrimental for that community, and, if they don’t receive the care they need, then the kind of situation that will likely arise will be one of them requiring further care at a higher cost.  Therefore, making these increases in price for seniors now, is probably not a financially-sound plan.  The seniors need to be taken care of properly and live out their years in dignity, but this proposal will probably achieve the opposite outcome.

Good News for Humboldt County Seniors

Jennifer

It has to be said that things haven’t been looking so good as of late for the frail, elderly of the United States of America who do not have much disposable income in recent years.    But there is one area where things just might be looking up for these seniors.  It seems that California’s Humboldt County might just be the place those looking for a new home, may seek to retire.

According to the executive director of Humboldt Senior Resource Center, Joyce Hayes, within the next year-and-a-half, there’s a very good chance that PACE will be brought to the area.  PACE is the Program of All-inclusive Care for Elderly and has so far not been available in the area.  In an article in the Times-Standard, hard-working Hayes factually pointed out, “we’ve done everything possible to make sure this is doable and we need to go forward.  We’ll have the first part of the application done by the end of September.”

If this really does happen, then the quality of life for seniors who cannot afford to pay extremely high prices for their health care in Humboldt County, really will substantially improve in the near future.

Top Treatment for Texas Geriatrics

Jennifer

Elderly Texans Get More than Just Physical Care

Under a fantastic program – the UNT Health Science Center’s Seniors Assisting in Geriatric Education (SAGE) – the elderly citizens of Texas get more than just a physical check-up.  The idea of the program is to actually listen to the elderly, while checking on their basic vitals.  Because – as this program has identified – the elderly need so much more than just a blood pressure check.  Invariably as one ages, they see fewer people so being cooped up alone for many days or even weeks can actually make someone ill.  As well as crucial monitoring, this program has led to better communication between patients and caretakers which leads to a general advancement in how to improve their health.

A second year medical student from the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine went to check up on 102-year-old Beauregard Hale and listened to his story of his recent trip to NYC and Washington DC.  Mr. Hale is one of 272 elderly participating in the SAGE program.  And the student is impressed.  He said, “Mr. Hale, he’s such a healthy person.  He’s an amazing man.”  So it’s good for the elderly individual and inspirational for the young student – a program that is a win-win for everyone.

The program started two years ago and has already served 412 seniors in the area.  It has a funding of $2m from a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation as well as the same amount from the UNTHSC.

New Geriatric Psychiatric Hospital to Open in Texas

Jennifer

Plans are well underway for the opening of a new hospital for elderly psychiatric care in the Lufkin, Texas area, later this year.  There was a meeting over the summer of the Regional Board of Directors for the Rural East Texas Health Network (RETHN) which took place at the Burke Center’s Mental Health Emergency Center (MHEC) in the area.  At the meeting, discussions ensued as to what impact forensic cases have on the amount of beds available at Rusk State Hospital.  A review of data on MHEC’s admissions took place as well as elections for new board officers.

The Burke Center runs the RETHN whose mission is to improve behavioral as well as mental health issues across the region.  Those working for the RETHN include: judges, law enforcement representatives, local government officials as well as mental health workers.

La Fe Clinic Puts on a Health Fair for Seniors

Jennifer

Those seniors living in the Borderland Texas area had a chance to learn more about senior health services focused on them put together specifically for them.

This is two years now that the La fe Clinic has put on a seniors fair in south El Paso. There were many people there that perused the booths filled with information about from social security to Hospice facilities., Perhaps the biggest draw was a free massage.  The La fe Clinic organizers said events like these are extremely important for seniors.

“First of all, if you don’t know what is out there in the community this is one way to find out.The other reason is it’s a good way to find out your status in terms of health,” says Ignacio Escandon, of La Fe Clinic.

The event in El Paso is free of charge.