Wellness Tag

As we flock to the homes of loved ones this holiday season, many of us will see our families for the first time in weeks or even months. A part of you must wonder how your elderly parent or family member looks compared to the last time you were together. Have they aged much? Do they act any differently? Perhaps one of your biggest fears is coming home and noticing a loved one has trouble remembering things, like turning off the stove.

By: Chandelle C. Carter, Bereavement Coordinator For most, the holiday season is a time of delight, gratitude and hope. As messages of family, joy and togetherness abound, we become warmly nostalgic; we find ourselves fondly reminiscing over holidays past, and eagerly anticipating the new memories we will create. We are grounded by long-held traditions, comforted by the closeness of loved ones, and encouraged by the promise of the new year ahead. As the renowned song proclaims, the holidays have been coined “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” For those who’ve experienced the death of a loved one, however, it can be the most difficult time of the year. For many who are grieving, holidays hurt.

By: Gina Epifano, PT, COS-C, Director of Rehabilitation Carl Reiner is well known as an actor, director and comedian. He’s also 95 years old. His recent HBO documentary “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast” is an inquisitive and insightful look into what life is like for people in their 90s. He talks with other famed nonagenarians including Dick Van Dyke, Betty White and Norman Lear, discussing their thoughts and ideas about their own longevity. Dick Van Dyke’s best tip? Keep Moving. He believes so strongly in the importance of maintaining mobility that he has written a book about it.

By Dorothy Davis, LPC, Vice President of Community Health and Strategy By bringing healthcare home with connectivity and innovative aging, together with the community, we work to facilitate independent aging at home. One of the benefits of bringing healthcare home is nurses are able to see the patient’s home environment. As our CEO, Norene Mostkoff, has often stated, healthcare happens at home: healthcare happens in the bathroom, it happens in the living room, it happens in the kitchen—and our nurses are able to assess whether the home environment is conducive for recovery and healthy aging. Doctors are unable to see the environment in which patients live. A diabetic could repeatedly visit the ER and the doctor would never know it because the patient doesn’t have proper refrigeration for her diabetes medicine. Deploying home health clinicians is the way to fill this gap in care. The environment in which the patient lives contributes to their health. Health is all encompassing; health is our way of life, where we live, what we do, what we eat, and who we live with.

By Andrea Stevenson, RN, BSN, MPH, Executive Director of Home Health Services As we celebrate Independence Day this July, let’s also celebrate the value of aging independently at home. With today’s technological advances, it has never been easier to bring healthcare to a patient’s home. This is particularly of value to aging patients who wish to remain independent for as long as possible. Aging independently means patients feel dignified, empowered and prepared to handle the many health-related aspects of aging. An independent patient is one who understands his or her disease or condition, and is an active participant in developing and meeting their healthcare goals.