Whether you’re 20 or 80, healthy or sick, you need to have this conversation at your next annual exam.
It’s not about your current health concerns, it’s about your future ones.
Advance Care Planning involves thinking about the types of medical decisions you will want made for you if you are in a situation where you cannot state them yourself.
Sound morbid? It doesn’t have to be. This is a time for you to think about and communicate your personal values and desires about end-of-life care.
If you are receiving Medicare benefits, Medicare will pay for Advance Care Planning at your Welcome to Medicare Exam — and again at each Annual Wellness Visit.
The specific decisions you make are written into a legal document called an advance directive.
An advance directive might include whether you want to be put on a ventilator if you cannot breathe on your own, and whether you want CPR if your heart stops.
It is important to remember that these decisions are not set in stone. You can change them at any time — and likely will — as your situation, your health, or your feelings change.
If you are currently young and in good health, it may be difficult to imagine what you would want at some unknown future point. For these reasons, it is best to designate a healthcare proxy, someone you trust to make medical decisions for you.
Your healthcare proxy might be a relative, but it doesn’t have to be. You might feel that a close friend or a person in your spiritual community might have a better sense of your values — and a clearer head in a medical emergency.
Both the advance directive and healthcare proxy form are legal documents, and how they are witnessed varies from state to state. Sometimes they even need to be notarized.
If you have Medicare coverage, the best time to have these discussions with your doctor is at the Welcome to Medicare visit or at your Annual Wellness Visit, when Medicare will cover the entire cost. But if you have missed that opportunity this year, don’t let that stop you. These are important decisions! Medicare’s Plan B also covers Advance Care Planning.
According to research published by the Cleveland Clinic, moderate drinking of alcohol can increase an individual's risk of developing atrial fibrillation. And although many studies have suggested that an occasional glass of wine might be good for a person's health, other studies maintain that having even one alcoholic drink every day can increase a person's risk of developing atrial fibrillation.
An interesting study which helped explain the relationship between alcohol consumption and heart disease was carried out by Dr. Moritz Sinner, of the University Hospital Munich, in Germany, along with a team of colleagues. The team studied more than 3000 people who attended the Munich Oktoberfest, an annual folk festival held in Germany, which includes drinking large quantities of beer.
Using electrocardiography to determine a participant's heart rate, and a specialized device to measure their breath alcohol concentration, the team was able to definitively determine the effect of alcohol on an individual's heart rate. Their findings showed that an individual's heart rate increased in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol they consumed.
Dr. Sinnner and his colleagues pointed out that people who have an underlying heart condition are obviously at greater risk of being adversely affected by alcohol consumption. Furthemore, the effect that alcohol consumption had on an individual's heart rate was apparent even in healthy, young adults. For elderly people the effect was stronger and consequently posed a greater health risk.
At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care in a patient-centered environment. This means following our residents’ health carefully, listening to them, and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence — and always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.
Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.
High blood pressure, known medically as hypertension, is known as “the silent killer” for good reason. Silent, because it has no symptoms as it ravages the arteries, the heart, the brain, the kidneys, and even the eyes. A killer, because approximately half of adults with untreated hypertension will die of heart disease, and approximately one-third will die of stroke.
Older adults are at most risk: hypertension is the most common chronic medical condition in seniors, with a whopping 60% currently in treatment.
Why is hypertension dangerous?
Hypertension refers to an increase in the force with which blood flows through the blood vessels. This extra force not only damages the arteries, but also increases the amount of work the heart is forced to do, thus damaging the heart as well.
What are the causes of hypertension?
There are many risk factors for hypertension. Some are uncontrollable, such as a family history of the condition and older age. Other risk factors, however, can be controlled. These include:
Certain diseases also increase the risk of hypertension. These include:
What are the symptoms of hypertension?
Because you cannot feel the movement of blood through your veins, hypertension has no symptoms. The only way to find out if you have this “silent killer” is to have your blood pressure checked regularly.
Can hypertension be treated?
The answer to this is an emphatic Yes! One of the best ways to treat — and, even better, to avoid — hypertension is to address the risk factors mentioned above. In addition, salt increases blood pressure; reducing sodium intake is a helpful step in controlling hypertension.
If high blood pressure cannot be managed by lifestyle changes, a healthcare provider may recommend one or more blood pressure medications. Someone diagnosed with hypertension should see their healthcare provider monthly until their blood pressure is under good control.
At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care in the most appropriate and patient-centered environment. This means always listening to our residents and patients and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence. And always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.
Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.
When you or your loved one first sees a doctor, you will typically be asked for a family medical history. This is no stroll down Memory Lane: a family medical history contains a wealth of information that can help guide clinicians in caring for their patient.
Many diseases, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, blood clots, arthritis, and certain types of cancer, “run in families.” Diseases and chronic conditions can also be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and families share both.
By informing medical practitioners of health conditions that affected any of your relatives, you enable them to recommend ways to reduce your own risk of the condition. It also alerts them to keep an eye out for symptoms of specific problems, should they begin to appear.
In order to give the fullest, most helpful medical history, it is important to know:
Most people don’t have all the pertinent health information about their families at their fingertips, so it’s important to do research, particularly if you suspect there is a family history of medical problems. This research might be a simple as asking family members —especially older family members, who are usually treasure troves of family history — or it might require researching family medical records and death certificates.
The Surgeon General has released a web-based tool, My Family Health Portrait, that helps you collect and store family history. One of the benefits of this tool is that it allows you to send your partially completed medical history to other family members, who can fill in some of the blanks. The information is not shared with anyone other than the people you choose.
You can access this tool here.
Whether a condition that runs in your family is caused by nature or nurture, you share much in common with your family, and it’s in everyone’s interest to have as complete a family medical history as possible. Taking the time to gather accurate information is an important part of keeping yourself, and your loved ones, healthy.
At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care in the most appropriate and patient-centered environment. This means always listening to our residents and patients and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence. And always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.
Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.
Our skin is the largest organ in our body. And as anyone who has seen their first wrinkle knows, our skin ages as we do. While some may fret over smile lines, there are far more serious issues with ageing skin. Thinning skin, decreased circulation, and diminished immune function leave seniors vulnerable to nonhealing wounds and skin infections.
For tips on everyday skin care, see our blog post on elderly skin.
In addition to the usual issues that affect older skin, such as thinning and loss of elasticity, seniors are also more likely to have medical conditions that affect their skin. Diabetes, which affects a staggering 25% of seniors, is associated with nonhealing foot sores, an issue so serious it is the leading cause of lower leg amputation in the US. Hypothyroidism, another common condition in older people, also leads to impairment of the skin. If a senior is bedridden, skin issues are exacerbated.
All these factors make wound care an essential part of caring for the elderly.
The following 6 issues prevent wounds from healing, and can decrease a senior’s quality of life:
If a senior is bedridden, or even if they just lead a sedentary lifestyle, friction and constant pressure can cause bedsores.
A diet that lacks essential nutrients, particularly protein, vitamin C, and zinc, will cause wounds to heal more slowly, or even to worsen.
Dead skin surrounding a wound, known as necrosis, can interfere with the body’s ability to heal the wound.
An open wound is vulnerable to bacterial infection, at which point the immune system turns to fighting the infection rather than healing the wound.
In order to heal, a wound needs a certain level of moisture. Too little or too much moisture impair healing. Proper wound care requires frequent changing and monitoring of dressings and bandages.
At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care in a patient-centered environment, understand the importance of wound care for our residents This means following our residents’ health carefully, listening to them, and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence — and always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.
Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately half of all adults in the United States suffer from gum disease. Without consistent care and attention, a person's gums will become swollen and infected. Swelling and infection will in turn lead to a buildup of plaque and bacteria, a condition known as gingivitis. Left untreated, gingivitis will cause the structures supporting the teeth to weaken, leading to the condition known as gum disease or periodontitis.
The effect of proper oral hygiene on our overall health is only now being fully understood. Numerous research efforts have shown that there is a clear statistical link between gum disease and cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanism underlying this connection is not fully understood.
Two basic mechanisms are currently being studied which scientists hypothesize are the basis for the connection between gum disease and cardiovascular disease.
Once in the bloodstream, bacteria can reach multiple destinations, where it will cause inflammation, infection and destruction in susceptible areas. The heart, in particular, and the cardiovascular system, in general, are highly susceptible to damage caused by infection.
Included in the evidence for this hypothesis is the fact that researchers have shown that the most common bacteria found in the coronary arteries is P. gingivalis. Combined with the fact that more than half of all adults in the United States suffer from some form of gum disease, it is not surprising that this particular bacteria is the type most commonly found in the coronary arteries.
As mentioned above, researchers have shown that the most common bacteria found in the coronary arteries is P. gingivalis. This bacteria is a known cause of inflammation.
So, in other worlds, don’t be surprised if your cardiologist reminds you to be consistent and careful about taking care of our teeth and gums. Proper oral hygiene may allow us to prevent or slow the devastating effects of the nation's number one killer, heart disease.
Regency Jewish Heritage has partnered with the area's leading cardiologists and pulmonologists to form The NJ Heart and Lung Center™
Our Outcomes & Capabilities include:
We offer the very best of care in a patient-centered environment. This means always listening to our residents and patients and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence. And always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.
Contact us by clicking here to contact us.
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart cannot beat strongly enough to supply the body with blood.
Any condition that overworks the heart can cause congestive heart failure. It can happen in an instant, as after a heart attack, or very slowly, after years of untreated high blood pressure.
While genes play a role in heart health, many of the risk factors for CHF are related to unhealthy lifestyle choices, including obesity and smoking.
Certain medical conditions also increase one’s risk. These include:
A variety of tests can determine whether a person has congestive heart failure. These include:
While the damage to the heart caused by CHF cannot be reversed, treatment is available to relieve symptoms, and keep the condition under control. The choice of treatment will be guided by the conditions that cause the heart failure.
Common medications for congestive heart failure include:
CHF does not always respond to medication, however. In some cases, surgery is required.
Common procedures for CHF include:
At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care in the most appropriate and patient-centered environment. This means always listening to our residents and patients and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence. And always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.
Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.
The humble fruit fly, drosophila melanogaster, is not merely a kitchen pest. Its short lifecycle and large number of offspring have made it a favorite for genetic research, including the massive Human Genome Project (HGP).
The fly’s genes were studied and mapped in the early 1900s, but it was not until the 1990s that international collaboration allowed the mapping all human genes, collectively known as the human “genome.” The project was completed in 2003, with over 20,000 human genes identified.
Since 2003, this new data has allowed the blossoming of genetic research and genetic counseling. It has also produced a new industry: “over-the-counter” genetic testing. With just a small sample of genetic material, usually obtained through a swab of saliva, a variety of companies are ready to sell you a “genetically-based prediction” of your response to a variety of medications. There’s just one problem: the tests are not necessarily accurate.
While genetically tailor-made treatments for various conditions are currently in the research phase, and perhaps one day we truly will be able to find out useful information about our health at low cost, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that today is not that day.
The FDA published an alert to consumers and clinicians that the agency has not reviewed many of the claims made by genetic laboratories, and that those claims may not be backed by scientific evidence. The FDA warns of the “inappropriate treatment decisions and potentially serious health consequences” for people who rely on these tests, and recommends that no one change their medication based on an over-the-counter genetic test.
The FDA also announced that they are investigating developers who use misleading advertising to sell genetic tests. The agency requests that anyone who has a problem with any laboratory test files a report via Medwatch, the FDA’s Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.
At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we embrace innovation, but do not fall prey to trendy promises. We care for our residents with clinically-proven programming, nutritious and delicious meals, and, of course, compassionate care from specially trained caregivers and therapists.
We pride ourselves on offering the very best of care in a patient-centered environment. This means always listening to our residents and patients and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence. And always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.
Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.
The humble fruit fly, drosophila melanogaster, is not merely a kitchen pest. Its short lifecycle and large number of offspring have made it a favorite for genetic research, including the massive Human Genome Project (HGP).
The fly’s genes were studied and mapped in the early 1900s, but it was not until the 1990s that international collaboration allowed the mapping all human genes, collectively known as the human “genome.” The project was completed in 2003, with over 20,000 human genes identified.
Since 2003, this new data has allowed the blossoming of genetic research and genetic counseling. It has also produced a new industry: “over-the-counter” genetic testing. With just a small sample of genetic material, usually obtained through a swab of saliva, a variety of companies are ready to sell you a “genetically-based prediction” of your response to a variety of medications. There’s just one problem: the tests are not necessarily accurate.
While genetically tailor-made treatments for various conditions are currently in the research phase, and perhaps one day we truly will be able to find out useful information about our health at low cost, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that today is not that day.
The FDA published an alert to consumers and clinicians that the agency has not reviewed many of the claims made by genetic laboratories, and that those claims may not be backed by scientific evidence. The FDA warns of the “inappropriate treatment decisions and potentially serious health consequences” for people who rely on these tests, and recommends that no one change their medication based on an over-the-counter genetic test.
The FDA also announced that they are investigating developers who use misleading advertising to sell genetic tests. The agency requests that anyone who has a problem with any laboratory test files a report via Medwatch, the FDA’s Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.
At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we embrace innovation, but do not fall prey to trendy promises. We care for our residents with clinically-proven programming, nutritious and delicious meals, and, of course, compassionate care from specially trained caregivers and therapists.
We pride ourselves on offering the very best of care in a patient-centered environment. This means always listening to our residents and patients and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence. And always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.
Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.
According to recent estimates, approximately 35% of adults in the United States suffer from sleep deprivation. For some individuals this difficulty is caused by physical or emotional problems.
It is well-known that sleep deprivation causes numerous health problems, ranging from cognitive impairment, an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and even an increased risk for cancer. The reason for this increased risk is simple: sleep is the time when the body repairs damaged cells and processes the brain's activities. Consequently, chronic sleep deprivation results in both physical and emotional damage.
However, a new study led by Dr. Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California at Berkeley, added another item to the list of negative consequences caused by insufficient sleep: increased sensitivity to pain. Dr. Walker and his colleagues published their findings in the Journal of Neuroscience.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 20% of adults in the United States are living with chronic pain. Dr. Walker and his research team began their study by testing the pain thresholds of a group of individuals without sleep difficulties. The participants' brains were scanned using a functional MRI machine while increasing levels of heat were applied to their legs in order to determine each participant’s pain threshold.
After pain thresholds were determined, the same study was repeated after the participants were kept awake for an entire night. The research revealed that the participants sensitivity to heat, as well as their pain thresholds, occurred at lower temperatures, demonstrating. that sensitivity to pain increases when there is inadequate sleep.
More specifically, the research team determined via functional MRI scanning that the brain's somatosensory cortex (a region of the brain associated with pain), was hyperactive when the participants had an inadequate night's sleep. This confirmed the hypothesis that sleep deprivation interferes with the neural circuitry involved in pain processing.
The team also showed that the specific part of the brain responsible for releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine, was less active after an inadequate night's sleep. Since dopamine increases pleasure and relieves pain, Dr. Walker explained that, "Sleep loss not only amplifies the pain-sensing regions in the brain but blocks the natural analgesia centers, too."
The scientists replicated their findings in a second study involving approximately 250 adults with a wide variety of sleep patterns. Initially, each participant’s sleep pattern and pain sensitivity level was determined. The participants were monitored for several days in order to collect a sufficient amount of data to make statistically valid inferences. An analysis of the data collected showed that even small changes in the participants sleep patterns affected their sensitivity to pain.
Dr. Walker pointed out, "The optimistic take away here is that sleep is a natural analgesic that can help manage and lower pain. [...] Yet ironically, one environment where people are in the most pain is the worst place for sleep — the noisy hospital ward. Our findings suggest that patient care would be markedly improved, and hospital beds cleared sooner, if uninterrupted sleep were embraced as an integral component of healthcare management."
The take away message for us is clear: ensuring a good nights sleep is one of the simplest steps we can take to improve our overall health and to experience less pain in our day-to-day lives. In order to achieve this goal, it is important to turn off all electronic devices 1 to 2 hours before going to bed, and make sure to allow ourselves a sufficient amount of time to sleep, approximately eight hours. Pleasant dreams!
Regency’s Heart & Lung Center has an on-site sleep study program. In addition to unlocking Medicare benefits for Bipap utilization when discharged home, it allows us to ensure our residents can optimize their crucial sleeping hours to achieve optimal health.
It’s one of the ways that Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, offers the very best of care in a patient-centered environment. It also includes listening to our residents and patients and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence. And always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.
Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.
