Tag: regency nursing centers

Being a Couch Potato is a Dementia Risk

Posted on by Judah

Being out of shape can cause changes in your brain that may increase your risk for dementia. A new study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, found that poor cardiovascular fitness caused memory loss and cognitive impairment in over 60 percent of the study participants.  The study results show the lower your cardiovascular fitness, the more the nerve fibers in the brain’s “white matter” — the area that affects learning and memory — deteriorates. This is the same kind of damage we see in dementia patients.

We tend to think that so-called “brain exercises,” such as logic and crossword puzzles, keep the brain healthy. There is no evidence that’s the case. Research actually supports that physical exercise is the key to brain health. It seems that the brain needs the same types of exercise as the heart to stay healthy.

Previous studies suggested that physically active adults had lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease. This new study shows more of the mechanics behind that. If higher levels of fitness correlate with lower levels of “white matter” deterioration, it follows that regularly working out can play a key part in reducing brain degeneration.

Here are the results of other studies connecting the affects of exercise and cognitive function:

  • When older, sedentary men and women started walking 40 minutes a day, three times a week, the hippocampus, the area of the brain connected to memory, increased in size. The hippocampus generally decreases as you age.
  • Men and women with an average age of 71 performed as well on memory tests as those a decade younger than them after five years of moderate or vigorous exercising.
  • Women who participated in strength training at least once a week had a 15% improvement in cognitive function.

The recommended amount of aerobic exercise for older adults is 75-150 minutes a week. Working out for just 30 minutes a day will give your mood a boost — and just might help you fight dementia too.

 

How to Find the Right Doctor for You

Posted on by Judah

Elderly woman and senior practitioner during medical check-up

There are many reasons you may be looking for a new doctor. Among them, your doctor is retiring or has already retired, or you recently moved to a new area.

When you are looking for a new doctor, here are some things to consider.

 

What kind of doctor should I choose

There are different kinds of doctors:

  • A family doctor sees patients of all ages, with no particular specialization
  • An internist works with adult patients
  • A geriatrician specializes in older people

There are benefits and drawbacks to choosing each type. At Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we have all three types of doctors on our staff. Their varied specialties provide depth to their care and treatment of our residents.

After deciding what kind of doctor you’re looking for, ask local friends or relatives for recommendations. Ask them specific questions such as, “What do you like about your doctor?” and “How organized is the office?”

What to look for when choosing a new doctor

Here are some things to ask when researching a new doctor:

  • Is the doctor board certified? Board certified means that the doctor has extra training, passed exams, and is certified to work in a specialty field such as geriatrics.
  • Does the practice accept your insurance?
  • Does the office submit the insurance claims or is it the patients’ responsibility?
  • What hospital does the doctor work with? Would you be comfortable being treated at that hospital?
  • Is your doctor affiliated with any nursing homes? If you plan to enter a long term care facility in the future, you may want to choose a doctor associated with the good nursing homes in your area.
  • Is the doctor’s office easy for you to get to? Is there enough parking and is the building wheelchair accessible?
  • Does the office have a lab onsite, or would you have to go to a separate facility for blood work or x-rays?
  • Who sees patients when the doctor is unavailable?
  • Is the staff friendly and courteous?

You chose a doctor. Now what?

When seeing your new doctor for the first time, bring your medical records and a list of medications you are currently taking. Don’t be afraid to bring up any concerns you may have. Talking to the doctor is a good way to gauge his manner and knowledge. You want to be able to talk to him comfortably and feel like you trust him.

Remember that you’re not locked in to your choice of doctor. If it’s not working out, you can always switch to a different practice.

Allergies Triggered By Specific Immune Cells Identified

Posted on by Judah

Allergies triggered by specific immune system cells have been identified by scientists. This will eventually lead to the development of a blood test that will improve treatment.

 

Allergies Reactions

 

Allergy reactions result from weak immune responses to benign substances such as mold and peanuts.  50 million Americans suffer from nasal allergies, and approximately 200 die from serious food allergies each year.

Researchers report that they identified a Type-2 helper T-cell (TH2) that shows if  a person has an allergy. These cells display a “signature” that reacts to common allergens such as peanut,  grass pollen, and mold. TH2 cells were present in every person that displayed allergic symptoms. However, they were absent  in persons who displaying no symptoms.

Right now, doctors use skin pricks to test reactions to allergy-causing substances. These tests are inaccurate and consequently treatment is ineffective.

Allergies Testing

Researchers believe these results will eventually lead to identify the exact substance triggering the allergic reaction. Consequently, accurate diagnosis and treatments can be administered.

Current Allergies Medications

Allergy medications are currently a  hodgepodge of general options. They are available as pills, liquids, inhalers, nasal sprays, eye drops, skin creams and injections.  Here is a brief summary of allergy medications and their application.

Antihistamines

 Antihistamines block histamine, a symptom-causing chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

Pills and liquids

Oral antihistamines ease a runny nose, and itchy-watery eyes, hives, and swelling.

 Antihistamines that cause drowsiness include:
  • Diphenhydramine
  • Chlorpheniramine

These antihistamines are less likely to cause drowsiness:

  • Cetirizine (Zyrtec Allergy)
  • Desloratadine (Clarinex)
  • Fexofenadine (Allegra Allergy)
  • Levocetirizine (Xyzal)
  • Loratadine (Alavert, Claritin)

Nasal sprays

Antihistamine nasal sprays help relieve sneezing, itchy or runny nose, sinus congestion, and postnasal drip. Side effects of antihistamine nasal sprays include a bitter taste, drowsiness or fatigue. Prescription antihistamine nasal sprays include:

  • Azelastine (Astelin, Astepro)
  • Olopatadine (Patanase)

Eyedrops

Antihistamine eye drops, treat  itchy, red, swollen eyes. These drops have a combination of antihistamines and other medicines.Side effects include headache and dry eyes.  Examples include:

  • Azelastine (Optivar)
  • Emedastine (Emadine)
  • Ketotifen (Alaway)
  • Olopatadine (Pataday, Patanol, Pazeo)
  • Pheniramine (Visine-A, Opcon-A, others)

Decongestants

Decongestants are used for quick, temporary relief of nasal and sinus congestion. They often cause insomnia, headache, increased blood pressure and irritability. They’re not recommended for pregnant women and people with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, glaucoma or hyperthyroidism.

Pills and liquids

Oral decongestants relieve nasal and sinus congestion caused by hay fever. Many decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine (Afrinol, Sudafed, others), are available over-the-counter.

A number of oral allergy medications contain a decongestant and an antihistamine. Examples include:

  • Cetirizine and pseudoephedrine (Zyrtec-D)
  • Desloratadine and pseudoephedrine (Clarinex-D)
  • Fexofenadine and pseudoephedrine (Allegra-D)
  • Loratadine and pseudoephedrine (Claritin-D)

Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids relieve symptoms by suppressing allergy-related inflammation.

Inhalers

Inhaled corticosteroids treat asthma caused by airborne allergy triggers (allergens). Side effects are minor and can include mouth and throat irritation and oral yeast infections.

Some inhalers combine corticosteroids with other asthma medications. Prescription inhalers include:

  • Beclomethasone (Qvar)
  • Budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler)
  • Ciclesonide (Alvesco, Zetonna)
  • Fluticasone (Advair Diskus, Flovent Diskus, others)
  • Mometasone (Asmanex Twisthaler)

Skin creams

Corticosteroid creams relieve itching, redness, and scaling.

Side effects include skin discoloration and irritation. Long-term use is dangerous as it results in thinning of the skin and disruption of normal hormone levels. Examples include:

  • Betamethasone (Dermabet, Diprolene, others)
  • Desonide (Desonate, DesOwen)
  • Hydrocortisone (Cortaid, Micort-HC, others)
  • Mometasone (Elocon)
Mezuzah Placed at Regency Park

Mezuzah Placed at Regency Park

Posted on by Judah

At Regency Nursing Centers, we cater to all religions and all denominations with singular compassion and commitment.

After a recent paint touch up for the doorway of one of our Jewish residents, I made sure to replace the Mezzuza on her doorpost this morning (much to her delight and appreciation). There is a special blessing which I recited before affixing the Mezzuza to the doorpost.

For information on what a Mezzuza is exactly and its symbolism, see this informative Wikipedia article.

Take a look:

Judah affixes a Mezuzah to the doorpost
Judah affixes a Mezuzah to the doorpost
Appreciate Life!

Appreciate Life!

Posted on by Judah

Yesterday was a sad day for America.

The twin bombings at the iconic Boston Marathon, was a further illustration of the frailty of our lives and the cruelty of those who seek to destroy it.

For me personally, it was especially sobering since several of my close friends were running in the marathon and a few were within minutes of the explosions when they occurred.

I am actually an avid and accomplished runner. I had been training with many of my friends for this marathon, considered by many to be the penultimate running event of the year. Although I don’t personally participate in this event, I was excited to see my buddies meet the rigorous requirements for qualification and entry and was cheering them on from afar.

And then the bombs went off.130415160322-boston-marathon-explosion-07-c1-main

In the chaos of the ensuing hours, our network of friends scrambled to reach those runners and their families to ascertain that they were safe and out of harms way.
One by one, we confirmed their safety, until there was one friend who could not be reached. We later learned that he was mere minutes from the scene and actually had to be quarantined for his own safety.

When things calmed down and I had some time to reflect, I thought about the blessing that is our lives and the small pleasures we sometimes take for granted. It is a privilege to live on this earth and so long as we are here, we have an opportunity to leave an indelibly positive impact.

At Regency Nursing centers, we strive to cultivate the highest possible quality of life for those who come under our care.

To simply “survive” and “get by” is unacceptable. We ensure that our residents absolutely thrive in our environment. Indeed, they take great pleasure in their quality of life at our nursing centers.

Yes, it is a privilege to live.

For those who are here, it is a privilege to live at Regency Nursing Centers!

Information Regarding Dementia and "Sundowning".

Information Regarding Dementia and “Sundowning”.

Posted on by Judah

As we age, most people will experience the frustration of forgetting a name, losing our keys, or wondering whether we locked the front door. While such moments of forgetfulness may cause embarrassment or brief inconvenience, in fact, they are perfectly normal and should not be assumed to be signs of early Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. These medical conditions are marked by serious memory problems that affect a person’s ability to carry out activities of every day living.
Within the realm of Dementia, there are various stages and symptoms. One of the byproducts for people suffering from Demetia is a phenomenon called the “Sundowning Syndrome”.brain-hyman-300x300

“Sundowners”, tend to show high levels of anxiety, agitation, general activity and delirium.
Sundowning typically occurs in the late afternoon and evening hours, before their normal bed time.
At Regency Nursing & Rehab Centers, we are very sensitive to the issue of sundowning and we treat our residents suffering from dementia, with utmost compassion and respect.

I came across a great article published just a few days ago on the website, Alzheimer’s Weekly.

The article tackles the topic of Sundowning and seeks to determine whether it is caused by “chemistry or frustration”.
I think it’s an excellent and informative read.

Click here for a direct link to this article.

Regency Nursing TLC Program Officially Launched!

Regency Nursing TLC Program Officially Launched!

Posted on by Judah

Exciting times are upon us here at Regency Nursing Centers with the official launch of our much-anticipated TLC program!

TLC stands for:

Think: We think about the way that every resident feels and communicates at all times.

Look: We are always on the lookout for any signs of behavioral and/or physical changes in the resident.

Communicate: We are quick to communicate any visible changes to the appropriate staff and supervisors who are in a position to effectively deal with it.

Our premise is to catch issues as they arise and to thereby effectively prevent small issues from turning into major ones.

Regency has long been at the forefront of the Re-hospitalization issue and this new initiative is yet another step in the direction of avoiding and altogether eliminating instances of re-hospitalization at Regency nursing centers across the state!

With fewer instances of residents going back and forth to (and from) the hospital, we have seen tremendous success as indicated by the bright smiles on the faces of our residents (and their families)!

It is no small wonder that we are celebrating the birthdays of our multitudes of Centenarians living in health and happiness at our facilities!