Daily activities like taking a shower, running errands, and doing everything we need to do to live well are often abilities we take for granted. Think about how quickly running errands can be when feeling our very best and the weather is nice. Getting cleaned up, hopping in the car, and driving around to cross things off the to-do list can go fast.
However, if we’re recovering from an illness or injury or experiencing diminished strength because of leading a sedentary life, consider how daunting those basic tasks can be. Proactive, preventative measures like home health physical or occupational therapy services can help prevent injuries—especially during the height of the slip-and-fall season!
Home Health Therapy Helps You Stay Strong
You don’t have to be injured to receive home health therapy. Speak with your doctor if you’re feeling weak, having balance issues, or relying on walls or furniture to help you get out of your chair. Therapists do much more than stretch and strengthen weak muscles or joints after an injury or surgery.
Home health therapists are skilled at evaluating and diagnosing potential problems before they lead to more severe injuries or conditions. They proactively offer solutions to help reduce future life-changing events like falls. CaringEdge aims to significantly improve our patients’ lives by providing exceptional therapeutic services and care while promoting optimal health, wellness, safety, and function.
Physical therapy helps patients maintain mobility and improve their overall quality of life. Physical therapists can get you moving again using scientifically based treatment techniques focusing on restoring function, reducing pain, and correcting or preventing injury. Staying active can help manage your overall long-term health.
Occupational therapy practitioners use research and scientific evidence to ensure effective interventions. With a strong knowledge of a person’s psychological, physical, emotional, and social makeup, occupational therapists can evaluate how a condition affects the body and mind. An occupational therapist will assess your abilities and, with input from you, family, friends, and care providers, develop individualized goals that will allow you to resume or improve valued daily activities.
Common Conditions Treated by Physical and Occupational Therapy:
• Spine Conditions: Low Back Pain, Stenosis, Sciatica, Etc
• Transfer/Gait Deficits
CaringEdge home health therapy services can be done wherever you call home to help you avoid walking on icy, risky walks during the winter. Your Medicare policy may even cover part of the cost!
Medicare Can Help Cover Home Health Therapy:
• Medicare Part A helps pay for medically necessary home health physical and occupational therapy services.
• Medicare regulations no longer limit how much Medicare pays for medically necessary outpatient therapy services in one calendar year.
• All people with Medicare Part A are covered if services are medically reasonable and necessary.
• We can check your eligibility!
Remember, you don’t have to be injured already to receive home health therapies to qualify. Begin your journey to a strong, healthy new year with a trip to your primary care provider’s office. Discuss whether or not you’d be a candidate for home health therapy services, or write to us at info@caringedge.com to learn more.
The winter landscape is beautiful and challenging. In addition to shoveling, de-icing, and warming vehicles, winter can also create extra work for our bodies.
The colder air can cause dry, chapped skin, and the frigid winter temperatures may also keep us more inactive. Sitting or lying down too long without repositioning could cause skin breakdown or pressure sores.
The color and texture of our skin and fingernails can sometimes indicate underlying health issues. See your doctor for answers if you’re experiencing changes or have concerns.
Here are Four Tips for Healthy Skin & Nails
1. Water to the Rescue
Staying hydrated can benefit your body both internally and externally. Drink eight glasses of water daily, and opt for water-rich foods, too. Cucumbers, lettuce, strawberries, celery, tomatoes, spinach, and cantaloupe are all great foods to eat to stay hydrated and healthy.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a diet full of proper nutrients and foods rich in vitamins A, E, and D is important. They also suggest that eating healthy fats, carbohydrates, protein, and iron is helpful for healthy hair, skin, and nails. If you are deficient in these vitamins, speak with your healthcare provider to discuss whether or not you could benefit from supplements.
The air can dry out your home and your skin during the winter. If you enjoy cooking or making tea, boiling liquids in your kitchen can help add humidity to the air. If your home is large, consider adding portable humidifiers to help.
2. Lather, Rinse, Repeat
Staying clean is important, but finding the right balance for your needs is also best practice. You may not need to shower as often if you’re not sweating or moving around.
It’s also important not to wait too long between showers, as this can cause skin to break down. Exfoliating and using skin-friendly products to clean and moisturize your skin are also important. Exercise extreme caution in the tub if you’re using products that have oils in them, as they can make the tub very slippery.
Be sure to keep plenty of high-quality moisturizing products around in the winter. Keeping an extra lip balm and lotion handy will help you keep your skin healthy.
Unscented and chemical-free products are best, especially in your laundry. Some detergents can cause skin rashes or irritation. If you develop a rash, try to get it under control by switching products or speaking to your doctor about your condition. Scratching skin rashes can lead to open sores and complications like wounds.
If you spend a lot of time sitting or lying down, use a mirror to do routine checks to ensure you’re not developing skin breakdown or small sores. If you cannot complete your own skin checks, ask a trusted loved one or caregiver who can help you.
Prevention of skin breakdown is key. Wound care can be painful, costly, and time-consuming, and complications like infections could lead to hospitalizations or frequent clinic visits.
3. Watch Out for Nails
Fingernails and toenails can also give us signs about our health. If your nails are turning colors or there’s a noticeable change in their texture, follow up with your healthcare provider to determine the cause.
Keeping your nails trimmed is also important so you don’t scratch your skin and develop open areas. Consider seeing a professional for your nails if you have certain health conditions or if using a clipper is too difficult. It’s important to use care and avoid over-trimming.
If you have diabetes, exercise extreme caution with your toenails. It is important to see a podiatrist or someone your doctor recommends for nail care. Foot and other wounds can take a significant amount of time to heal if you have diabetes.
4. Take the Pressure Off
According to the Mayo Clinic, constant pressure on the skin can reduce blood flow and create pressure or bed sores. The most common sites of these painful wounds are the tailbone, heels, shoulder blades, spine, buttocks, and the back of arms and legs.
Patients should move around at least once every two hours to avoid the risk of developing sores. Those with circulation problems, fragile skin, or limited mobility may need to move around more frequently or be repositioned by caregivers.
While activity and movement can help prevent sores, sometimes they are caused by moving while wearing tight or ill-fitting shoes or socks. It’s best to complete regular head-to-toe skin checks and proper hygiene care, which can help stop sores from occurring.
If you have an open area or sore that hurts, is red, or is warm to the touch, be sure to see your doctor as soon as possible (especially if you are diagnosed with diabetes or cannot reposition independently). Depending on the severity of your condition, your doctor may prescribe wound dressing supplies, specialty equipment such as gel cushions or alternating air-pressure mattresses, and home health services to help you.
Home health nurses can be a godsend for those suffering from or at risk of developing open sores. In addition to wound care, they can educate patients and their caregivers on appropriate repositioning schedules, proper nutrition to aid wound healing, and the best practices to help avoid future issues.
Are you living at home with a chronic condition or recovering from a serious illness or injury that’s compromising your quality of life? CaringEdge can help!
Our home health services include skilled nursing care, physical and occupational therapies, dietary education, and social work services. Best of all, you don’t have to wait for major complications to arise before you qualify for home health. Contact us at info@caringedge.com today if you’re interested in home health services to feel your best.
The season of giving and delicious goodies is upon us! Seeing the smiling faces of loved ones gathered around the festively decorated dinner tables is something most of us envision all year.
To get the most out of every holiday occasion, it’s best to balance health and fun. Time away from our typical routines can sometimes cause our healthy habits to fall by the wayside. When that happens, we risk developing illnesses that can lead us to miss the events we’ve anticipated for so long.
With a little prep in advance, you can make it all work and feel your best, too. Here are some tips to stay healthy while you celebrate:
Make Your Meals Merry but Mindful
There’s no need to skip your favorites. Enjoy your holiday meals by being thoughtful about what’s on your plate. Try smaller portions of higher-calorie foods or sugary goodies to savor the season without sacrificing health.
Add some green veggies when you can and keep water handy to stay hydrated, choosing it over sugary or alcoholic drinks when possible. If you have a drink, make sure it’s safe with any medications you take. If you’re unsure whether or not it’s safe to drink alcohol with your medications, it’s best to verify with your doctor or pharmacist.
Stick to Your Medication Routine
Amidst the holiday hustle, it’s easy to forget medications. Keep them handy (yet out of the reach of kiddos), set reminders on your phone, or use a kitchen timer to stay on track. If you have diabetes, make sure to stick to your schedule for blood sugar checks. Staying consistent helps avoid unexpected ER trips and keeps you feeling your best.
Prioritize Rest & Relaxation
The holidays can be energetic, but quality rest is essential. Whether hosting family or visiting loved ones, getting enough downtime is important.
If the little ones wake you up early, offer to read them a bedtime story a little earlier at night so everyone can get a few more winks. Even sneaking in a nap now and again can help you recharge.
Leave some time each day to unwind. Watching your favorite movie or reading a book can refresh your spirit and reduce stress.
Make Time to Move
While taking a breather is great, try to avoid prolonged inactivity. If the weather’s nice, go for a walk or enjoy the fresh air with the family. Movement can also ease digestion, especially when holiday treats are on the menu!
If the weather is poor and you need to move around, consider doing range-of-motion exercises or light workouts indoors. YouTube has many great free options if you need ideas or take a group approach and bring your family to a local yoga class.
Live Well All Year
If you’re struggling to remain healthy at home, CaringEdge may be able to help. Home health services can support those who wish to maintain their health, safety, and independence at home.
Our nursing services can offer IV fluids, medication checks, and even education to you and your family about successfully managing chronic and temporary conditions. If you or a loved one could benefit from home health services, contact us at info@caringedge.com to learn more. A visit to your doctor’s office can be a great first step in getting a home health referral so you can feel your best all year!
Are you one of 38.4 million Americans who have diabetes? That number (from the NIH) includes people who may not even have a diabetes diagnosis!
Typical signs of diabetes are frequent urination, excessive thirst, unintended weight loss, fatigue, slow-healing sores, numbness or tingling, changes to skin, and blurred vision. These symptoms can suddenly occur or possibly be slowly happening for years.
If you’re concerned that you or a loved one has diabetes, it’s important to get checked out right away to avoid complications. A visit to your primary care provider is the best first step to learning about your risks, how to prevent them, or how to manage your condition best if you have it.
While most people think of type one and type two diabetes, four types can be diagnosed. One type of diabetes may even be reversible.
Types of Diabetes
There are four main types of diabetes. Type one, type two, gestational diabetes, and prediabetes. Type 2 diabetes, According to the WHO, is the most prevalent, and it accounts for 90-95% of all cases. Thankfully, more and more information is available on how to manage type two diabetes and possibly eliminate the need to use medications to treat it. Through diet and lifestyle changes, there is much hope for those facing type 2 diabetes.
Living with Diabetes
Successfully managing diabetes takes up a lot of time and energy. For anyone facing multiple chronic conditions, it may feel like a full-time job to stay ahead of possible complications. Improperly managed diabetes can create all kinds of additional symptoms, making the quality of life for those fighting it quite grim.
Long-term effects of unregulated diabetes can cause eye, heart, and kidney damage. Those with diabetes are also at a higher risk of amputations because of nerve damage and circulation problems.
Tips to Manage Your Diabetes
Stay active
Don’t smoke
Eat healthy foods
Follow a diabetic diet
Get regular skin checks
Take care of your feet
Take your medications as prescribed
See your doctor regularly
With age-related conditions or juggling multiple health issues, proper diabetes care can become very difficult. If you’re struggling to manage your care or spending more time in the ER and at the hospital due to complications, home health services could be the missing piece to help you feel like YOU again!
Home Healthcare Offers:
RN visits to review/educate on medications, check vitals, & blood sugars
Dietary consultations & education by a registered dietitian
Coordination of appointments/services at home
Smoking cessation resources
Establishing daily activity/exercise goals
Patient Outcomes Include:
Decrease your risks for additional health complications
Improve your quality of life
Maintain or regain your independence
Reduce hospitalizations/visits to the ER
Get back to feeling like YOU again
Paying for Home Health:
Medicare
Medicaid
Private insurance & private pay
Home health nurses can help you maintain your independence at home in the best way that works for you. With CaringEdge Home Health, YOU are at the center of your care plan, and our goal is to help you achieve your outcomes.
If you’re tired of frequent complications with your diabetes and visits to the emergency room, clinic, and hospital, the convenience of home health might be for you. Take control of your diabetes and health with CaringEdge today!
Remember to stock up on all things sweet this month for the trick-or-treaters, but even better, let’s celebrate the devoted professionals who help us move better, feel stronger, and live healthier—it’s Physical Therapy Month, too! Physical therapists play a critical role in improving the overall quality of life for people of all ages—especially seniors.
If exercise hasn’t been your thing for several years, it might be a good time to consider some. As we age, we lose muscle mass, and the less we move, the more we could lose—not just in strength but abilities, too! Without doing activities of some sort, we could end up more sedentary than we wish.
Ghosts and goblins aside, nothing is spookier than falling, getting injured, and losing the ability to care for our own needs! As we prepare for what Mother Nature might hand out this winter, here are some excellent thinking points about why it could be good to add more movement to your life:
Benefits of Staying Active:
Cut your risk of infections
Decrease your risk of falls
Drop your risk of anxiety & depression & reduce the severity of your symptoms
Eliminate unwanted medications from your list
Improve your quality of life
Increase your strength and endurance
Maintain your ability to be independent
Reduce your pain & risk of reinjuries
When you can move freely, your systems work better (heart, lungs, & digestion)
Physical Therapy Can Help
Contrary to a popular myth, you don’t have to be injured or have a history of falls BEFORE you speak with your doctor about physical therapy (PT). Life is much simpler if you can do PT before you get hurt or require surgery or healing time. Preventative treatment from PT could help you keep moving, and it could avoid injuries.
Physical therapy can help people by reducing pain when they move, making it easier to stay active. Walking with confidence is also easier when you don’t have to worry about falling. Additionally, life can feel more fulfilling when you can maintain your independence and do as much as possible independently without needing assistance.
Keep Your Independence
While some days it might sound nice to have a maid around to do all the housework and run our errands, that idea usually feels best if it’s our choice. If we can’t do something and rely on others to get by, it can affect us very differently—on an emotional level.
Everyone has their special process for housework, cooking, driving, etc. When we begin relying on that support because we feel like we don’t have choices due to injuries or pain, it can be hard to accept. No one does things like we do; we often take our abilities and freedom to make choices for granted. Being able to move freely when and how we want is truly priceless.
If you’re experiencing decreased strength, pain, or limitations in your abilities, add reaching out to CaringEdge to your list of to-dos. We offer physical, occupational, and speech therapies, and we may be able to help you right where you call home, making it convenient for you to get back to moving again or stay that way!
Contact us at info@caringedge.com. Let us help you explore your insurance and determine how to qualify for the strengthening treatment you need to stay healthy—our patients are our purpose!
Many of us take for granted the simple things in life. Our body’s basic abilities, like being able to see, hear, and breathe, are gifts we don’t often celebrate until they’re compromised.
COPD, “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,” impacts nearly 16 million adults. Managing the setbacks from COPD can feel like a full-time job, not to mention trips to the ER or hospital can take patients away from home frequently.
Once you develop a condition like COPD, it’s not going away, but with the right resources and self-care, it can be manageable at home.
Here are ten tips for living better with COPD:
Don’t Smoke
Stay Hydrated
Eat a Proper Diet
Don’t Skip Your Medication
Avoid Poor Air Quality (pet dander, secondhand smoke, areas of inadequate ventilation)
Exercise
Try Pulmonary Rehab
Get Plenty of Rest
Use Your Oxygen
Ask for Help
Home Care Services
COPD can cause gradual shortness of breath, which may worsen as the condition progresses. Being unable to breathe can make caring for your home or yourself difficult.
Vacuuming, laundry, sweeping, mopping, outside chores, and even showering can be taxing and sometimes even feel impossible. If you stop doing the basic things you need to do each day, hygiene risks due to poor air quality, unsanitary conditions, or even skin breakdown can add to your existing health struggles. One way to avoid these issues is by finding support.
While home health and home care are often confused, a home care service helps patients with non-medical needs at home. They also provide personal care assistance to ensure their clients have proper hygiene.
Home care services may be able to do light housekeeping and assist with bathing tasks to ensure your safety. Each provider offers different services, but some providers can help with transportation, scheduling appointments, picking up groceries, preparing meals, or running errands.
Even a small amount of help, such as a day or two a week, can help improve life and help to reduce risks. They may be the missing piece you need to continue living independently!
Home Health Services
Home health services vary but may include a registered nurse (RN) who visits your home. Services can also include physical, occupational, and speech therapies, as well as a registered dietician to help support the nutritional needs of patients experiencing various health conditions.
When an RN visits your home, they can offer education, monitor your vitals and health changes, and help you learn to manage your condition independently. Care, health monitoring, and education at home may help prevent your condition from worsening and reduce the need for ER visits or hospital stays.
Each patient’s goals and needs are unique. Home health clinicians can help create a care plan centered around your outcomes to help you be successful, healthy, and safe.
If you or someone you love is managing a life-limiting chronic condition such as COPD, call CaringEdge today at 877-907-8684 or email us at info@caringedge.com. We can conduct a free consultation to determine your eligibility. If you’re on a limited or fixed income, Medicare or Medicaid may even be able to cover the costs!
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