Tag: regency jewish heritage

Osteoporosis and Osteopenia: A Risk for the Elderly

Posted on by Judah

According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), osteoporosis and osteopenia affect more than half of adults over the age of 50 in the United States. The IOF points out that low bone density is a major health threat for US adults — particularly for the elderly population, since age is the single greatest risk factor for low bone density.

The most accurate way to diagnose low bone density is by means of a DEXA scan. A DEXA scan uses two low-energy x-ray beams which enable a doctor to separate an image into two components: bone and soft tissue. The results of a DEXA scan allow doctors to determine the severity of an individual’s bone loss as well as the best course of treatment for them.

Generally speaking, a DEXA scan will provide a T score which represents a person’s bone density. According to the World Health Organization, T-scores are divided into three categories:

  • A T score of -1 or higher indicates that an individual has normal bone density.
  • A T score between -1.1 and -2.4 indicates that an individual has osteopenia, low bone density.
  • A T score of -2.5 or lower indicates that an individual has osteoporosis, severe low bone density.

Osteoporosis and, to a lesser degree, osteopenia, cause bones to become brittle and fragile, increasing the risk of a fracture or break. Fractured or broken bones are more serious in older people since the bones heal more slowly as people age. Further, in the event of a severe fracture or break, an individual might require surgery, which itself can be a danger to elderly people.

Osteoporosis and osteopenia are particularly dangerous in the elderly, since the most common way for an older person to lose their independence is through a fall.

While diminished bone density is a natural consequence of aging, eating a healthy diet, including foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, and getting proper exercise, can slow the effects of aging on bones.

It is extremely important for people over the age of 50 to have a DEXA scan in order to determine their bone density. As with most disorders, the earlier a diagnosis is provided, the more effectively the disorder can be treated. In the case of osteopenia, doctors can design a regimen that includes supplements, dietary changes, and perhaps an exercise program to help prevent or slow an individual’s progression from osteopenia to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis might require bone-building medication in addition to these lifestyle changes.

At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care for people with low bone density, as well as other medical conditions, 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.

New AHA Report Shows Cardiovascular Disease Continues To Rise In U.S.

Posted on by Judah

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, though cancer is a close second, and chronic respiratory diseases are third.

In order to combat the threat of cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association (AHA) recently published their 2019 Heart and Stroke statistics in the journal Circulation.

Cardiovascular disease is a general term for a variety of conditions which include:

  • Atherosclerosis
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart failure
  • Stroke
  • Arrhythmia
  • Heart valve problems
  • Heart attack

The AHA report shows that approximately 50% of all adults in the United States suffer from cardiovascular disease. Alarmingly, while rates of cardiovascular disease have declined worldwide, they have continued to rise in the United States.

The report noted that the increased incidence of cardiovascular disease may have been caused by the recent change in the definition of what constitutes high blood pressure. Until 2017, blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg was considered normal. In 2017, revised guidelines redefined high blood pressure as being above 130/80 mm Hg.

According to Dr. Ivor Benjamin, president of the AHA and director of the Cardiovascular Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee:

“As one of the most common and dangerous risk factors for heart disease and stroke, the overwhelming presence of high blood pressure can’t be dismissed from the equation in our fight against cardiovascular disease. […] Research has shown that eliminating high blood pressure could have a larger impact on cardiovascular deaths than the elimination of all other risk factors among women and all except smoking among men.”

The report mentioned the good news that rates of smoking have continued to decline, especially among teenagers. It also noted some bad news: that physical inactivity has increased among a large segment of the population. However, any possible improvements in cardiovascular health were offset by the increasing levels of obesity and sleep deprivation that have become the norm in the United States.

The takeaway message for us is clear: if we decide to exercise or stop smoking, but continue to eat potato chips and use our electronic devices after the time for sleep has already arrived, we can’t expect much success in diminishing our risk for cardiovascular disease.

We need to eliminate the negative behaviors of unhealthy diet and poor sleep, while increasing positive behaviors, such as avoiding smoking and getting appropriate exercise. If we can follow these seemingly simple steps, perhaps we can finally turn the tide on cardiovascular disease, the Nuber 1 killer in the United States.

Regency Jewish Heritage has partnered with the area’s leading cardiologists to combat cardiovascular disease by forming The NJ Heart and Lung Center.™

Our program:

  • Reduces hospital readmissions and patient length of stay
  • Maximizes ability for patient to regain ADL skills and independence
  • Offers 24/7/365 physician coverage through on-site staff and advanced telemedicine program
  • Has an on-site sleep study program to unlock Medicare benefit for Bipap utilization upon discharge
  • Offers STAT availability of Labs, X-Ray and other diagnostic tools

 

Our Outcomes & Capabilities include:

  • Cardiologist and pulmonologist on site daily for immediate intervention
  • Specialized rehab & nursing protocols developed in partnership with leading cardiologists & pulmonologists
  • A plan proven to prevent readmission to the hospital and improve patient independence and functionality
  • Regular Communication Between Patient, Family, Staff & Physicians
  • Collaborative care planning with other physician & therapy specialists
  • Advanced staff education & training
  • Transitional care nurse & enhanced discharge-to-home process
  • Follow-up home visit within 24-48 hours
  • Educational material provided to patients & families

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 see how we can help you or your loved one recover from cardiovascular disease.

A Healthy Diet Can Help In The Treatment Of Depression

Posted on by Judah

Although diet has been directly linked to a variety of physical illnesses, a recent study shows that it even impacts mental health.

Dr. Joseph Firth, a research fellow at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, led the meta-study, which used data collected from more than 45,000 people. The data was compiled from a set of carefully controlled, randomized studies on the effects of dietary intervention on depression and anxiety. The results were published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

The results of the study were somewhat surprising: analysis revealed that virtually all positive dietary improvements led to a significant reduction of depressive symptoms. However, these improvements did not lead to a reduction of anxiety symptoms.

The researchers noted that although all dietary improvements, such as nutrient-rich diets and weight-loss diets, led to a reduction of depressive symptoms, certain guidelines had the strongest positive effect. In Dr. Firth’s words, “Eating more nutrient-dense meals which are high in fiber and vegetables, while cutting back on fast foods and refined sugars, appears to be sufficient for avoiding the potentially negative psychological effects of a ‘junk food diet’.”

The researchers pointed out that when a healthy diet was combined with regular exercise, the improvement in depressive symptoms was even greater. In fact, according to the researchers, a healthy diet and regular exercise can, in many cases, be a viable treatment for depressive disorders.

An intriguing discovery of this study, which is not yet understood, is that the effects of eating a healthy diet were found to be more significant for female participants.

What makes a healthy diet such a strong factor in battling depression? The researchers concluded that the reduction of inflammation, obesity, and fatigue that are associated with a nutrient-rich, high-fiber diet, which are clearly known to have a positive impact on our physical health, have a similar impact on our mental health.

At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care in a patient-centered environment. And that includes varied, well-balanced meals that support our residents’ physical and mental health.

Our Food Service Director, Dietician and dietary staff tailor gourmet meals to the clinical needs and personal preferences of each resident. Residents may participate in our menu planning by meeting with the Food Service Director to plan their own “Resident Choice” menus.

Family and friends play an important role in mental health, and we encourage this healthy socialization by allowing our residents’ visitors to always join us free of charge. Is there a birthday or other event? Our kitchen staff is happy to cater free birthday parties, barbeques and other special events.

We are proud that our award-winning, state-of-the-art kitchen and elegantly decorated dining rooms exceed the latest Department of Health and Advisory Standards for food quality, preparation, variety and, of course, taste.

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.

Top 10 Facts About Diabetes

Top 10 Facts About Diabetes

Posted on by Judah

Diabetes Mellitus refers to a group of diseases in which the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high. In Type 1 diabetes, previously known as juvenile diabetes, the pancreas does not produce insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. In Type 2 diabetes, previously known as adult-onset diabetes, the pancreas produces insulin, but the body does not use it properly.

Each year 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes. To date over 30 million Americans, approximately 10% of the population, have diabetes, primarily Type 2 diabetes. In the senior population that percentage jumps to 25%.

How serious is diabetes? It is the seventh leading cause of death in the US, with nearly 80,000 death certificates listing it as a primary cause of death in 2015. More than 250,000 death certificates listed it as a contributing cause of death.

The good news is that while genetic factors do play a role, an unhealthy lifestyle — which is in one’s own power to change — is the primary risk factor in preventing Type 2 diabetes.

In addition to causing death, diabetes brings with it a wide variety of issues that strongly impact the health and well-being of diabetics.

Here are 10 facts that demonstrate the severity of diabetes:

  1. One in every three people with diabetes is unaware that they have it.
  2. 37% of US adults have prediabetes, a condition in which the body still utilizes insulin, but not optimally.
  3. Up to 30% of prediabetics will develop diabetes within five years.
  4. People who smoke are 30 to 40% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people who do not smoke.
  5. Diabetes is the leading cause of foot and leg amputations, accounting for 60% of all cases.
  6. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44% of all cases.
  7. Diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness.
  8. Diabetics spend $2.31 on medical care for every $1 spent by nondiabetics.
  9. One in every ten healthcare dollars is spent caring for complications of diabetes.
  10. If present trends continue, as many as one in every three American adults will have diabetes by 2050.

At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care in a patient-centered environment. This means doing everything we can to manage – or even better, to prevent — diabetes.

It also means 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.

Osteoporosis Breakthrough Increases Bone Mass by as Much as 800%

Posted on by Judah

Osteoporosis is commonly associated with women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 25% of women over the age of 65 have this disease of thinning, brittle bones. Although a high percentage of adult men are also afflicted with this condition, it is not only more common, but also more debilitating in women.

For both men and women, however, the most significant risk factor for osteoporosis is aging. As we age, our bone density continually decreases, causing our bones to become more fragile. This is because bone is living tissue: old or damaged bone cells continually die and are replaced by new, healthy cells. As we age, our ability to replace old bone cells diminishes, and we become increasingly unable to keep up with the demand for new cells. This loss of bone mass can cause our bones to become so brittle that even a minor bump — or even a strong bout of coughing — can result in a fracture.

Despite decades of research, there is currently no cure for osteoporosis. This is of serious concern for older people because the most common way for a senior to lose their independence is through a fall. And since people with osteoporosis are likely to suffer a fracture if they fall, osteoporosis presents a strong risk of severely diminished quality of life.

Recently a team of scientists from the University of California San Francisco and the University of California, Los Angeles, accidentally discovered a breakthrough in the search for a cure for osteoporosis. The researchers, led by Dr. Holly Ingraham, were studying how estrogen activity in the brain affects metabolism at different stages of life.

The team focused their research on the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that connects the nervous system to the endocrine system. This particular section of the brain plays a fundamental role in regulating a variety of metabolic processes, including hunger, fatigue, sleep, and the control of body temperature.

Dr. Ingraham and her team began their study by blocking the effects of estrogen in the hypothalamus of half of their research animals. It very quickly became apparent that the genetically modified animals began gaining weight and became less active.

Originally the researchers assumed that the weight gain was due to extra fat. However, when they looked more deeply into the situation, they discovered that the weight gain was due to an increase in bone mass. Indeed, many of the animals had increased their bone mass by as much as 800%. According to researcher Dr. Stephanie Correa:

“I was immediately struck by the size of the effect. The two groups didn’t overlap at all, which I had never seen. We knew right away it was a game changer and a new, exciting direction with potential applications for improving women’s health.”

The research team found that the animals’ bones were unusually strong. Indeed, Dr. Ingraham stated: “Our collaborators who study bone for a living said they’d never seen bone this strong. Our current understanding of how the body controls bone growth can’t explain this. We may have uncovered a completely new pathway that could be used to improve bone strength in older women and others with fragile bones.”” The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.

A fascinating aspect of this breakthrough was that the genetic modification only caused bone mass to increase in female mice. It is noteworthy that most neuroscientists use male mice for their research, which may explain why this effect had never been seen before.

The researchers expect that they will soon be able to demonstrate that the brain releases a specific circulating factor that triggers enhanced bone growth, and expect this insight to lead to development of new drugs that will reverse or even cure osteoporosis.

Although this breakthrough only applies to females, it is expected that a complete understanding of this new pathway will result in medications that will be able to help reverse osteoporosis in males as well.

At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care —for both men and women — 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.

Regency care centers also offer a full continuum of care, including exceptional short-term rehabilitation, sub-acute care, long-term nursing, a range of specialty programs and complex clinical services, hospice care and temporary respite care. Our compassionate, personalized approach has established our long-standing and unparalleled reputation for excellence.

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.

ADLs and IADLs: What is the Difference?

Posted on by Judah

Caregivers for the elderly often find themselves drowning in acronyms. There are acronyms for diseases and conditions, like COPD; for classes of medications, like NSAIDs, and for types of care, like LTC. And the list goes on and on. Two acronyms that affect the type of care your loved one can get — and who will pay for it — are ADL and IADL.

What are ADLs?

The term ADL stands for Activities of Daily Living. They refer to the person’s ability to take basic care of themselves.

The six basic ADLs include:

  1. Personal grooming. This includes brushing teeth, combing hair, and shaving. This is usually the first ADL a senior will lose.
  2. This includes bathing and showering independently, as well as washing one’s face.
  3. This ADL not only includes the ability to dress and undress oneself, but also the ability to choose appropriate clothing to wear.
  4. This includes being able to get to the toilet on time, to clean oneself, and to get up from the toilet.
  5. This broad ADL category includes the ability to walk, as well as the ability to get into and out of a chair or a bed. A person who is wheelchair-bound is not necessarily immobile. In such a case, mobility refers to the ability to transfer oneself in and out of the wheelchair.
  6. This involves the ability to feed oneself. This is usually the last ADL to be lost in an elderly person.

What are IALDs?

IADL stands for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. IADLs are the more sophisticated tasks required for independent living. While ADLs are basic self-care, IADLs require higher-level thinking skills, such as organization.

Occasionally, one will see ADLs and IADLs assessed together. Even if this is the case, the implications are different for those who are unable to perform ADLs than for those who are incapable of IADLs.

Note that not all IADLs need to be accomplished independently. Some, including housecleaning, can be delegated to others. The essential point of an IADL is that the person is able to assure that the task is done properly.

IADLs include:

  1. Money management. This includes paying bills and making responsible decisions regarding money. For example, someone who has difficulty with the IADL of money management is more likely to be taken advantage of financially, for example, by falling for a scam.
  2. Meal preparation. This includes shopping for and preparing appropriate meals.
  3. Home maintenance. This includes keeping up the home, as well as keeping living areas clean, and doing laundry.
  4. While mobility is an ADL, and refers to the person’s ability to move themselves around the house, the IADL of transportation refers to the ability to drive or use other means of transportation, such as buses, outside the home.
  5. This refers to the ability to use the telephone, as well as other modes of communication such as the US mail.
  6. Medication management. This extremely important IADL involves the ability to assure that all required medications are on hand, and to be able to take them as directed.

Click here for a checklist of ADLs and IADLs.

If your loved one has difficulty with ADLs or IADLs, they may be eligible for assistance through Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance. However, the guidelines are complex. They include the age of the patient, whether they are recovering from surgery, and whether they are expected to make any progress.

If you need help negotiating the complex eldercare maze, contact Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers. We can help you get the best care for your loved one.

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 see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.

Why Do Women Live Longer Than Men?

Posted on by Judah

It is a well-known statistical fact that women have a longer lifespan than men — not just in the United States, but across the world. What is less well-known is that this difference applies across most the animal kingdom as well.

Although no satisfactory explanation has been offered to explain this phenomenon, a new study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (USCF), has started to shed light on the issue.  The results of their research appear in the journal Aging Cell.

Genetically, women have two X chromosomes, while men have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. X chromosomes are rich in genetic material, containing hundreds of protein-encoding genes. Y chromosomes, for the most part, simply carry the gene that determines male traits.

According to Dr. Dena Dubal, a professor of neurology at UCSF and co-author of the study: “One can imagine nature has driven females to evolve this way. When you’re living longer, you can really ensure the well-being of your offspring and maybe even their offspring.”

In order to understand the mechanisms that cause female longevity to be greater than male longevity, Dr. Dubal and her research team genetically engineered mice into one of four categories.

Two control groups:

  1. Mice with an XX chromosome combination and female hormones.
  2. Mice with an XY chromosome combination and male hormones.

And two experimental groups:

  1. Mice with an XX chromosome combination and male hormones.
  2. Mice with an XY chromosome combination and female hormones.

The researchers showed that all the mice with an XX chromosome profile survived longer, on average, than mice with an XY chromosome profile — regardless of whether they had male or female hormones. Yet, when it came to statistically analyzing which mice survived the longest, the mice with an XX chromosome profile and female hormones were the clear winners.

The researchers concluded that both genetic and hormonal factors play a fundamental role in aging and longevity. In the words of Dr. Dubal: “This suggests that the hormones produced by female gonads increase lifespan in mice with two X chromosomes, either by influencing how the mouse develops or by activating certain biological pathways during their lives.”

When analyzing and comparing the four groups of mice, the researchers noticed that the XX chromosome profile — even with male hormones — was sufficient to protect these mice from an early death.

The researchers noted that although they don’t yet understand why the second X chromosome decreases mortality, there are other studies that offer some clues.

In normal females, one X chromosome in every cell is deactivated. This ensures that if the currently active X chromosome becomes damaged or destroyed, the deactivated X chromosome can be reactivated and take the place of the damaged cell. As explained above, X chromosomes are rich in protein-encoding genes. Thus, the ability to replace a damaged X chromosome may play a fundamental role in longevity.

As Dr. Dubal explains it, “When things go wrong in aging, having more of the X chromosome, along with its diversity of expression could be extremely beneficial.”

More research is required to confirm this hypothesis, as well as to explain the extra longevity boost provided by female hormones.

The takeaway for us is somewhat mixed: it appears to be fortunate, in terms of longevity, to be female. If you are a man, there is not too much you can do about it, except be happy for your wife.

Whether you’re a man or a woman, however, you can be assured of the best chances for enjoying healthy, happy years as a senior citizen if you live at a Regency care center. 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.

We offer a comprehensive and stimulating array of programs is designed to appeal to a variety of tastes, interests and levels of ability, seven days a week. With an emphasis on empowering the residents, our recreational programs encourage patients and residents to fulfill their potential and remain engaged and involved. Individually tailored activities and programs include live entertainment, lectures, trips and events that encourage socialization and participation.

Regency care centers also offer a full continuum of care, including exceptional short-term rehabilitation, sub-acute care, long-term nursing, a range of specialty programs and complex clinical services, hospice care and temporary respite care. Our compassionate, personalized approach has established our long-standing and unparalleled reputation for excellence.

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.

Alzheimer’s and Normal Aging: What’s the Difference

Alzheimer’s and Normal Aging: What’s the Difference

Posted on by Judah

You walk into a room, but forget why you entered it. You struggle to find a common word. Moments like these can make you worry that you have Alzheimer’s.

How can you tell? Here’s a short guide to knowing the difference.

While we can become concerned when we or a loved one has a lapse in memory or thinking skills, it’s important to know that nearly half of all people over 65 experience some memory loss; it’s not a disease, it’s just a normal feature of aging.

If you leave the room and go back to where you were, and then remember why you had entered the room, it’s probably what doctors call normal “age-associated memory impairment.” If, however, you start to wander around regularly, or get lost in familiar places, it might be a sign of Alzheimer’s.

Being unable to come up with a word or forgetting a name is a classic “senior moment.” If you remember the word later, it’s normal aging. However, if you are increasingly unable to remember words, names, dates, or events, or if you find you continually ask to be reminded of the same information, it could be Alzheimer’s.

The distinction between a feature of normal aging and the onset of Alzheimer’s can be confusing. But that shouldn’t prevent you from getting your questions answered. The Alzheimer’s Association has a helpful list of ten ways to distinguish between Alzheimer’s and normal aging.

If you have any doubt, see a doctor right away. There are many treatments for Alzheimer’s, and early detection yields the best outcomes.

Currently, 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s. Every 65 seconds, someone in America is diagnosed with it. It is estimated that 1 in every 3 seniors will die with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. For that reason, it’s important to know which healthcare facilities have special training in handling Alzheimer’s and similar diseases.

If you or your loved one do start to show signs of something more than normal, age-associated memory impairment, give us a call and see how we can help.

boy and girl hugging their grandparents

The Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers offer special units designed to safely and compassionately provide for all of our residents, including those who suffer from various stages of dementia and other cognitive disabilities. Our Alzheimer’s patients thrive in comfort and security at all of our Regency facilities.

We at Regency 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.

Long-Established “Magic Pill” Discredited

Posted on by Judah

Everyone wants a short-cut to good health. But we at the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers have always taken the old-fashioned approach: offering delicious, healthful meals, attentive medical care, and appropriate social and physical activities as the way to help our residents regain and retain their health.

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.

A recent study, published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, bears out our approach.

For decades, it has been believed that taking a baby aspirin every day would help prevent cardiovascular disease. This belief led internists and cardiologists to routinely recommend baby aspirin to their older patients. However, a large clinical trial has caused the American College of Cardiology, as well as the American Heart Association, to reverse their guidelines.

The study, involving nearly 20,000 elderly people, was conducted in Australia and the United States. The participants chosen for the study were all elderly, healthy individuals, without any signs of cardiovascular disease, dementia, or physical disabilities. The goal of the study was to determine the effectiveness of taking a baby aspirin every day in order to avoid cardiovascular disease, stroke, and to increase longevity in general.

The participants of the study were examined over a four-year period, starting in 2010. Researchers began the study by dividing its participants into two groups: approximately half of the participants were given 100 mg of low-dose aspirin, and the rest were given a placebo.

The shocking results of the study showed that aspirin had no effect whatsoever regarding an individual’s risk of suffering from a significant cardiac event, or from dementia or any other form of disability. On the other hand, the data showed unequivocally that people taking aspirin had a significantly higher risk of bleeding and hemorrhage.

While these results provide no information about the use of low-dose aspirin for people already suffering from cardiovascular disease, it is now clear that the accepted doctrine that baby aspirin is a safe and healthy way to forestall cardiovascular issues has been debunked.

The new recommendations state that low-dose aspirin should not be given to prevent arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease on a routine basis to older adults. As cardiologist Roger Blumenthal stated, “It’s much more important to optimize lifestyle habits and control blood pressure and cholesterol as opposed to recommending aspirin.”

There is an overwhelming amount of research that demonstrates clearly that diet and exercise are far more important in preventing cardiovascular disease than any medicine yet discovered. It has been shown time and time again that diets rich in fruits and vegetables, coupled with regular physical activity, decrease an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as many other diseases, including cancer.

It has become common for people to want an immediate, simple solution for their problems, a solution that demands no more of them than popping a pill. But history has shown us time and time again, that there is no replacement for real effort.

Regency offers the very best 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.

Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.

Cardiac Rehabilitation is Underutilized

Posted on by Judah

….Except if you are a patient at Regency Jewish Heritage, where we implemented a dedicated cardiac rehabilitation program long before people copied us and it became popular.

According to a recently published statement by the American Heart Association (AHA), numerous studies have shown that cardiac rehabilitation programs enhance the quality of life for older adults and increase their ability to remain independent. This is true whether hospitalization for heart disease has already occurred if the heart disease that has not yet become a crisis.

Unfortunately, the AHA writes, cardiac rehabilitation is not prescribed as often as it should be. Indeed, in many cases where hospitalization has not yet occurred, cardiac rehabilitation programs are not covered by insurance companies — even though this rehabilitation would be likely to reduce the chances of hospitalization in the future.

Cardiac rehabilitation programs provide exercise and strength training, as well as counseling for the stress that usually accompanies illness, and guidance for individuals with eating, smoking or drinking problems. These programs can help individuals improve their cardiac and general health, which in turn helps to lower their risk of a life-threatening coronary event.

It is common for doctors treating elderly patients, especially patients over age 70, and certainly those over age of 80, to stress the importance of taking medications and to overlook the possibility of cardiac rehabilitation. This is unfortunate, since cardiac rehabilitation is more likely to help people get back on their feet and return to their normal routine, than medication alone. Nevertheless, fewer than one third of the people eligible for cardiac rehabilitation are offered this care. This does not include the patients referred to above, who would benefit from cardiac rehabilitation but are not eligible according to current insurance guidelines.

The elderly population is growing rapidly, and is expected to double by the year 2050. Cardiac disease in its many different forms is among the leading causes of death and disability among the elderly population. And although there are many helpful — indeed life-saving —  medications for heart disease, these medications often come with serious risk factors. Dehydration, dizziness, fatigue, kidney damage, and liver damage, are just a few of the risk factors people face when using these medications. It is quite common for people who conscientiously pursue cardiac rehabilitation to require fewer medications. Further, the medications they continue to take can often be given in smaller dosages as their body becomes better conditioned.

Cardiac rehabilitation can benefit patients with almost any degree of fitness: both those who are relatively fit and those with complex and partially disabling issues, can benefit from cardiac rehabilitation.

Another issue is that it is extremely common for people to think that they don’t need cardiac rehabilitation, even if it is suggested by their doctor, since they already know that they need to exercise more and to eat healthier diet. But as we all know from personal experience, it is difficult to maintain the discipline required to exercise appropriately on a regular basis. Going to cardiac rehabilitation helps us ease into this discipline, providing us with wonderful benefits to our health, benefits that are likely to add years to our lives and smiles to our faces.

At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer cardiac rehab 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.