Blogs

Choosing a Long-Term Care Facility

Submitted by administrator on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 2:25pm

Dementia Care Garden Ridge Texas

The process of transitioning from living at home to living in a long term care facility is not a simple one.  Just reaching the decision that the time has come to make the move is a challenge. Once that decision has been made, how does one go about figuring out what to do next? What if you (or your loved one) needs a place that offers Alzheimer's Care or specialized memory care?

The key to choosing a long-term care facility is to approach the process with organization and clear thinking. Here are key questions to ask:

Finances. How much does the facility cost? Does the facility accept Medicaid or private insurance? How much can your family afford in regard to long-term care?

Location. Is the facility close to a variety of family and friends so that visits will be more feasible and frequent?

 

Choosing the best long-term care facility for your loved one may be difficult, but it is possible to approach the task with confidence if you know the right questions to ask as you make your decision.

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Alzheimer's Videos: A Quick Look

Submitted by administrator on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 1:59pm

Dementia Care Cuero Texas

I'm always grateful when quality sources are gracious to share their information.  Sharing information about Alzheimer's and educating the public is vitally important to improve patient care, funding and research.  Three cheers to David Shenk, Jossie Malis, and David Hyde Pierce for their series of five "pocket" films that provide basic information in an understandable and highly visual format.

Topics covered are:

  1. What is Alzheimer's Disease?
  2. An Urgent Epidemic
  3. The Race to the Cure
  4. A Message for Patients and their Families
  5. The Genetics of Alzheimer's

The videos are in animated format and can be viewed in 14 different languages.

View the videos here

 

Don't Overlook Bone Tests

Submitted by administrator on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 2:42pm

Graceland Assisted Living San Antonio Texas

 

Osteoperosis affects so many. It is one of the most common ailments of aging women. It is very important to get bone density exams, but they are not as often provided as other routine examinations for againg populations. Unfortunatley, many people don't know they suffer osteoperosis until it has greatly depleted bone density. These could be prevented with adequate preventative care and more widespread bone mass measurement.

How few? A 2008 study using a 5 percent sample of all Medicare beneficiaries revealed that from 1999 to 2005 only 30 percent of women turning 65 (and 4 percent of men) had bone density tests. About two-thirds, by contrast, had gotten recent mammograms, even though an older woman’s risk of osteoporosis is higher than her risk of breast cancer. One reason that only a minority of older women get bone density testing is that osteoporosis is asymptomatic: People often don’t know they’re at risk until they break a bone, said Jeffrey Curtis, a rheumatologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who was lead author of that study.

The dangers of falling are almost exclusivley due to bone loss. It creates brittle bones, and a small stumble can quickly become very serious. Osteoperosis should, ideally, not be seen as a normal part of the aging process. It doesn't have to be. Preventative care is available, and hopefully will become more widely utilized.

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