Animals are Good for Your Health

Animal lovers have always known it. Now health researchers are confirming it: animals are good for your health.

Just 10 minutes of physical interaction with a beloved pet can lower blood pressure and increase finger temperature—both clear signs of relaxation—according to a number of research studies.
Benefits to people with high blood pressure have been documented as well. A recent study showed that pets can do what medicine cannot. It involved two groups of stockbrokers who were already being treated with ACE-inhibitor therapy.

The study found significant differences in their physiological reactions to stress tests. Those with pets were about half as reactive to stressors. This study demonstrates the health effects of pets in conjunction with medication. That's significant because it's well known that this type of medication plays an important role in controlling resting blood pressure, but does not control blood pressure related to stress.

Another study of people with borderline hypertension shows equally encouraging results.

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Common Causes of Family Tensions and Disagreements

It shouldn't surprise anyone that sensitive family dynamics can be one of the most challenging aspects of care giving for an elder, given the tremendous financial, physical, and emotional demands involved.

This doesn't mean that family squabbles are inevitable. In fact, if managed well, the experience of caring for an older family member has the potential to bring relatives closer as you help this person through this final stage of life. Here's how to avoid conflicts with family members and work through them when they occur.

Typically, disagreements arise because of:

• Roles and rivalries dating back to childhood. Mature adults often find that they're back in the sandbox when their family gets together. This tendency can grow even more pronounced under the strain of caregiving.If your sister was the favored child, for example, you may find that -- no matter how successful and capable you are now -- in your parents' or relatives' home you become a jealous, powerless little girl again.
• Disagreements over an elder's condition and capabilities. It's common for family members to have very different ideas about what's wrong with a loved one and what should be done about it. You may be convinced that your family member is no longer capable of driving, while your brothers argue that he needs to maintain his independence.

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Cool Summer Food Ideas with Easy Summer Foods

Summer is the time when most of us bring out our swimwear and hit the beach to beat the rising temperatures and searing heat of summer. Well it's also the right time to shed few pounds as well! However instead of going for a strict diet regime that will dampen your sunshine, try to avail of a variety of wonderful summer foods which the summer brings along. 

The secret is that these summer foods will help you to stay fit and healthy. Heavy, high calorie foods as it is seem less appealing in summer so you can easily eat light, healthy food. Listed below are 31 cool summer food suggestions, which are healthy, refreshing and most importantly will help you to stay energized and avoid the ill effects of summer. 

Watermelon - Watermelon has more than 80 percent water, so this summer fruit is an excellent way to satisfy your thirst and keep you hydrated during summers.

Grilled vegetables - Keep your refrigerator stocked with a plate of prepared grilled peppers, grilled onions, carrots, zucchini, garlic, eggplant, celery and asparagus.

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Nursing Refresher Program or Not?

Nurses who have left nursing for one or more years may be faced with the decision to complete a refresher program. Refresher programs are time consuming and can be costly, so thoughtful consideration is appropriate. I know of two nurses who attended programs recently, and they each have a different story.

Sandra, a lifelong friend nearing 60, had been a nurse for 35-plus years, working part time in psych, home healthcare and hospice while raising her three children. As an empty nester, she worked per diem in homecare and the wellness and insurance industry. Mix in a couple of moves and an economy that headed south, and her sweet situation slowly dried up and left her waiting for infrequent calls from the agencies. Not ready to retire, she explored other nursing career opportunities more clinically oriented. Big surprise — No one was hiring a candidate with outdated experience.

Technology seemed to be a significant roadblock for re-entering the acute-care arena. And older boomers are not natives to technology.


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Assisted Living: Fun and Stimulating Men's Activities

Men's activities can seem difficult to come up with to keep them occupied, stimulated and interested. Men don’t usually care to do some activities that women love to do, or not for that long. Tea parties, cooking and baking, even bingo and crafts can begin to bore some of the men who would like more masculine things to do and talk about.

But just as women love to talk about the ingredients in a fruit cake, men still love to talk about whatever has interested them. Usually politics, sports and various hobbies they may have had from years ago such as hunting or fishing.

An honorable quality built into most people is the desire to share knowledge and experience. Although the seniors may have less memory recall and less agility they have had many life experiences and knowledge that they would like to share. Sharing with younger people can be very stimulating to the elderly, particularly if the youth are responsive and respectful.

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Difference Between Nurse Leadership and Management

The terms “leader” and “manager” are sometimes used interchangeably. Those of us who have worked for, or with, someone who is one and not the other will see the error in viewing those terms as synonymous. An individual can be a great leader but not a manager. Conversely, a typical nurse can be a manager but not possess many nursing leadership skills. 

What is the difference between nurse leadership versus management?  

A leader often doesn’t have delegated authority. The “power” that the leader has acquired has come informally from others in the group. Leaders focus on empowering others, as well as motivating, inspiring, and influencing others. A leader typically has good nursing communication and interpersonal skills.  True leaders must be sincere and energetic.  A leader may be a risk-taker, but not to the extent that others feel that they are reckless.  

A manager is provided with this status as a formal role which is given to him/her by someone else.  He/she has an assigned position within the formal organization. A manager is expected to carry out specific duties and has definite responsibilities.

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The terms “leader” and “manager” are sometimes used interchangeably. Those of us who have worked for, or with, someone who is one and not the other will see the error in viewing those terms as synonymous. An individual can be a great leader but not a manager. Conversely, a typical nurse can be a manager but not possess many nursing leadership skills. 

What is the difference between nurse leadership versus management? 

A leader often doesn’t have delegated authority. The “power” that the leader has acquired has come informally from others in the group. Leaders focus on empowering others, as well as motivating, inspiring, and influencing others. A leader typically has good nursing communication and interpersonal skills.  True leaders must be sincere and energetic.  A leader may be a risk-taker, but not to the extent that others feel that they are reckless. 

A manager is provided with this status as a formal role which is given to him/her by someone else.  He/she has an assigned position within the formal organization. A manager is expected to carry out specific duties and has definite responsibilities.

- See more at: http://www.nursetogether.com/difference-between-nurse-leadership-#sthash.XaVQUKg0.dpuf

The terms “leader” and “manager” are sometimes used interchangeably. Those of us who have worked for, or with, someone who is one and not the other will see the error in viewing those terms as synonymous. An individual can be a great leader but not a manager. Conversely, a typical nurse can be a manager but not possess many nursing leadership skills. 

What is the difference between nurse leadership versus management? 

A leader often doesn’t have delegated authority. The “power” that the leader has acquired has come informally from others in the group. Leaders focus on empowering others, as well as motivating, inspiring, and influencing others. A leader typically has good nursing communication and interpersonal skills.  True leaders must be sincere and energetic.  A leader may be a risk-taker, but not to the extent that others feel that they are reckless. 

A manager is provided with this status as a formal role which is given to him/her by someone else.  He/she has an assigned position within the formal organization. A manager is expected to carry out specific duties and has definite responsibilities.

- See more at: http://www.nursetogether.com/difference-between-nurse-leadership-#sthash.XaVQUKg0.dpuf

Healthy Aging Initiative Helps Low-Income Seniors

For low-income seniors, the lack of access and choice are unfortunate aspects of the general senior housing industry. To promote innovative change in that sector, an exciting new healthy-aging initiative in older adult housing communities will be offered to those with limited incomes.


American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW), an industry leader in senior housing and healthcare, has partnered with researchers at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research to test a new concept that promotes successful aging in two senior housing communities in Redlands, California.


The “Masterpiece Living: Successful Aging in Action” initiative grew out of a MacArthur Foundation 1998 study on aging that found 70 percent of physical aging and 50 percent of mental aging are determined by a senior’s lifestyle. The initiative is a multidisciplinary, holistic programming model that partners with senior housing communities, healthcare, mature-market service providers, and other forward-thinking organizations.

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We Care Online June Staff Highlight - Cindy Gashler

This month we get to meet Cindy Gashler.  

Cindy has worked in the healthcare field for 13 years. She began her career as a CNA, then completed her LPN, and continued with an ADN degree.  She functioned as a Long Term Care charge nurse, Inpatient Rehabilitation nurse, MDS Coordinator, and Director of Nursing.  

Following this she re-enrolled in college to obtain a BSN while performing duties of Human Resources, Staff Development Coordinator, Risk Management, Health Information Management, and Senior Living Manager. She is a certified clinical instructor for the state of Kansas for CNA and CMA classes.

She is married with 3 children and lives in a rural area 10 miles from the nearest town. Cindy enjoys the outdoors, has 3 horses, 2 dogs, too many cats, and an enormous garden that always wants attention.

With her years of experience in the heath care field, Cindy believes that it is best to focus on the person. Before you help the person, take the time to enjoy him or her without distraction.

Cindy feels blessed to have the ability to work with students face to face during their clinical experience in Kansas while enjoying networking with more northern states online and by phone.  She assists with enrollments, invoicing, and basic technical issues.  She also works with marketing and directs new users in the services available through WeCareOnline.

The biggest change she has seen in the health care industry has been the shift from direct care to documentation. This also correlates with the shift to electronic documentation over paper charting.

On Cindy's desk, the one item that would be noticed without fail is her pencil sharpener. Her children felt an office is not complete without an electric pencil sharpener with the widest variety of color, foil, and decorated pencils ever noted from any party store!  (She never gets to use it because they do not allow her the opportunity to experience a dull pencil.  They are dutifully sharpened by one or all of them daily whether needed or not.)

Celebrate National Nursing Assistants Week!

Nursing Assistant is one of the most popular careers in the health care industry. People are living longer and healthier lives than before, which means more opportunities for nursing assistants.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, health care providers are currently adding on average of 20,000 new jobs per month. Not only in the U.S, nursing assistant has also become one of the most sought-after careers in the Philippines, Australia, Ireland, UK, South Africa, and Canada.
Here you can find anything related to nursing assistant; the Jobs, Salary, Training, and Education required to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in the U.S.

Besides in hospitals, a nursing assistant can work in nursing and residential care facilities. Although in general the job only requires a high school diploma, some U.S. State laws and work situation might need other specific qualifications.

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Can Artisans Remain Inspired in Senior Living Communities?

Dedicated quilter? Woodworker? Jewelry maker? While the majority of senior living communities offer a varied roster of activities so that residents can enjoy pastimes that suit their preferences, many aging adults have concerns that they won’t be able to find a community that truly supports their avocation or artistic interests.

What if you’re a theatre actor, but nowhere close to retiring from the stage? What if you’re a writer with no intention of putting down the pen just because you’ve reached retirement age? Seniors who want to downsize or who find themselves suddenly alone after years of marriage can find it daunting to think about trying to identify and nestle into a new community that sustains their longtime vocation.

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Healthy Eating Tips for Busy People

How often has this happened to you?

• You're at work and have an unexpected meeting to attend right before your break?
  
  
• You're in a meeting and its gone into overtime and you only have time to grab whatever is near by (donuts or bagels)?
  
  
• You're running errands and lose track of time, and there's nowhere to get a good healthy meal?
  
  
• You're too stressed, too tired, too overworked or just too (fill in the blank), to eat a good nutritious meal and end up eating junk food?

If you answered "yes" to any of the above, take heart in knowing that you're not alone. Oftentimes, despite our best intentions to eat 4-6 small meals of good quality food every day, it doesn't always work out since life happens!

By now you've heard of the importance of eating small frequent meals: 4 to 6 small meals a day, every 2.5 to 3 hours apart. The reason behind this is because when you eat 4 to 6 small meals a day it can assist your metabolism by consistently burning calories, which can result in a quicker more constant level of weight loss. It also helps your hunger levels by being able to snack on different foods every few hours throughout the day.

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Alzheimer's Hurts: Help For Difficult Behaviors

The first time she can’t remember your name.
The first time he doesn’t seem to recognize you.
The first time she responds to your touch in anger, something she never did before.
 
Alzheimer’s hurts.

As if these deeply painful moments aren’t hard enough, there’s the repeated questions. The anxiety and agitation. The wandering. Hallucinations.

There are so many difficult behaviors that go along with an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis, which makes caregiving tremendously challenging. You’re dealing with the loss of the person you knew, he’s fading away right before your eyes, and this alone takes its toll. You’re caring around the clock (one of the most famous Alzheimer’s caregiving books is called The 36-Hour Day for good reason). You’re physically exhausted, emotionally spent. No matter how much you love the person you’re caring for, a person can only handle so much. (And if you’re caring for someone you don’t have a relationship with or someone you had once been estranged from, the task is equally trying.)

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Working Out in the Summer Heat

Warmer, sunny days are finally here, but after exercising in cooler Spring temps, hot and humid 80-degree days can feel overwhelming. Running, biking, hiking, even walking feels harder in the heat, so here are some tips to help you get through your Summer workouts.

Be flexible about when you work out: Become obsessed with checking the weather, and find out when temps are going to be the lowest that day. Sometimes it's early in the morning, and sometimes late in the evening, so you'lll need to rearrange your schedule to fit in exercise during the coolest time of day. A plus about morning workouts is many of your neighbors might be watering their lawns, so you can run through their sprinklers to stay even cooler.

• Invest in some wicking clothes: Lightweight, breathable, wicking clothes are a must. They'll pull moisture away from your skin, so you really do feel cooler. Wearing a hat to keep the hot sun off your head and face also helps.
• Take a cold shower: I know it seems a little odd to shower before a workout, but the cold water will cool you down. 

For More Tips and the Original Article. 

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Top Notch Care Around the Corner

Erica L. Schwartz, DNP, MSN, CNM, wishes she could be a patient at her own clinic, Sheridan (Colo.) Health Services, a nurse-managed health center serving a low-income suburb of Denver. She believes the primary care there, provided by advanced practice nurses, is every bit as good as what she gets through her insurance, which does not cover care at Sheridan. What the nurse-run clinic offers that more traditional primary care does not, she said, is a strong wellness component.

With traditional care, “I go in if I have a problem, they address the problem and that’s it,” said Schwartz, executive director of Sheridan Health Services and assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing. “I’m just processed through.”

Since she doesn’t have any chronic health problems, she said, the system works OK for her. But she says her clinic — with its health education programs, prevention services and integrated providers — offers ideal care for any population. “I think it would be nice to have nurse-managed health centers be the norm as gatekeepers of primary care,” Schwartz said.

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How to Eat Healthy When Eating Out

The new year brings a lot of resolutions and for most, getting healthy is typically at the top of the list. Even though the beginning of a year has quickly slipped out of your fingers you still have plenty of year left to meet any of you healthy living new years resolutions. We know you’re a busy individual and you enjoy dinner out. The problem is finding healthy alternatives or making healthy choices when you’re faced with so many delicious meal options. Here are some great suggestions for learning to eat healthy when dining out.

Choose Simply Prepared Meals

One thing that is often difficult to determine is the amount of calories that go into secret sauces, especially when the sauce involves butter, oil and/or sugar. You can eliminate these unwanted, uncountable calories by choosing plain versions. Stick to a protein that is either grilled, steamed, broiled or poached. Choose poultry that is skinless and preferably white meat. A grilled chicken breast makes a perfect choice. If you would like, you can ask for a side of sauce, such as BBQ, for dipping. Dipping actually uses less calories, as you are only putting a little bit on each bite, as opposed to coating the entire serving.

Swap Out Starchy Vegetables

Choosing different vegetables, as the ones most often offered, can help reduce the amount of calories you consume. Skip the French fries and/or baked potato smothered in bacon, cheese and sour cream. Instead, choose a steamed vegetable, such as broccoli and eat your baked potato plain.

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The Need for Total Alzheimer's Care Communities

In the future, will we see more senior communities devoted entirely to dementia care?

A reader’s comment on a recent post about a Wisconsin senior housing project raised the question: “It is especially interesting that one whole facility will be just a memory care center.”

The numbers certainly affirm the need: “By 2025, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to reach 7.1 million—a 40 percent increase from the 5 million age 65 and older currently affected. By 2050, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease may nearly triple, from 5 million to a projected 13.8 million, barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent, slow or stop the disease.” (Source: Alzheimer’s Association’s 2013 Facts & Figures Report).

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We Care Online Staff May Highlight - Debbie Kohlrus

This month we get to meet Debbie Kohlrus.

Debbie has worked in the healthcare field for the past 12 years.  In 2000, she received her CNA license and started working at an LTC facility.  She then went on to get her CMA in 2001, then her LPN license in 2002.   She  became quite passionate about the healthcare field very quickly and knew it was what she wanted to pursue as a career.

She has worked in a variety of areas that have given her much experience over the past 12  including an LTC facility for 4 years. She moved onto working at a VA clinic and got to enjoy a totally different aspect of nursing.  Later, she worked PRN in 12 different clinics at a local hospital.  This was a wonderful hands-on experience for many different areas in the nursing field.  She continued that for 5 years until she started working for WeCareOnline.

Debbie has been married for 8 years and has two wonderful girls, ages 3 & 7.  Her husband is an insurance agent.  Her # 1 thing to do outside of work is spending time with family. She grew up on a farm and loves being outdoors and going camping, fishing, and hunting.  She likes to cook and also enjoys making birthday/special occasion cakes for family and friends.  Debbie recently made 300 cupcakes for her sister’s wedding, which was quite the experience!  She also likes reading and gardening in her spare time.

Debbie's best advice to anyone pursuing a career in the healthcare field is not to give up!  Whether you choose to become a CNA or nurse, everyone plays a vital role in healthcare.  Don’t underestimate yourself and what you can do or become.  Set reasonable goals for yourself and don’t give up on achieving them.  

Debbie works as the sponsor coordinator for WeCareOnline and also assists with the CNA and CMA courses.  She corresponds with state to make sure each course we offer is approved and ready to go by the start of class.  She receives students’ enrollments and corresponds with them as needed.  She also schedules and manages state testing for CMA and CNA students.

Debbie loves every piece of artwork her children make, so her desk and surrounding walls are covered in her children’s masterpieces!  Her girls also got her a notepad that sings crazy songs when the pen is removed, so that keeps her quite entertained throughout the day.

Senator Supports Home Health Care

Recently, U.S. Senator Susan Collins [R-ME] wrote an article for the St. John Valley Times touting the importance of home care.

In her article, she points out the importance of shifting our health care focus from institutional care to home-based care.  She also discusses that not only is home care preferred by most patients, it’s also the most affordable means of care delivery.

Senator Collins goes on to say, “It costs Medicare almost $2,000 per day for a typical hospital stay, and $559 per day for a typical nursing home stay.  How much does Medicare pay for home care?  Just $44 a day…slightly more than two percent of the cost of a typical hospital day.”

In the article, Senator Collins expresses her concern about the cuts that home health could see under the new health care law.  She says, “While home health represents just five percent of Medicare spending, it took a disproportionate 10 percent in Medicare payment cuts used to pay for the new health entitlement.  Moreover, these cuts are a ‘double whammy’ because they come on top of the more than $30 billion in cuts that have been imposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through regulation.”

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LPNs Beyond the Bedside

I (Tina Lanciault) spend time in nursing forums answering questions that other nurses may have about alternative careers and I came across a nurse who was asking about forensic nursing. She is an LPN and wanted to know if there were any forensic LPN nurses who were working in this field and how could she get a job in forensic nursing. It struck me when she said, “Forensic LPN.” That statement inspired me to write about LPN nursing careers.

Just for the record, LPN or LVN are also nurses; their role is slightly different but they are still valuable to the nursing profession and very much needed.

So when I’m talking about alternative nursing careers I am also talking to LPNs/LVNs.

You, as an LPN, can work in holistic nursing, forensic nursing or be an entrepreneur. There are even LPNs who do legal nurse consulting. Most nursing specialties include LPNs with the exception of those nurses in advance nursing practices such as nurse practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist and those nursing jobs that require a BSN, masters or doctorate.

Anything else is up for grabs for an LPN/LVN.



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Why not find out what it takes to become a Health Unit Coordinator.

I spend time in nursing forums answering questions that other nurses may have about alternative careers and I came across a nurse who was asking about forensic nursing. She is an LPN and wanted to know if there were any forensic LPN nurses who were working in this field and how could she get a job in forensic nursing. It struck me when she said, “Forensic LPN.” That statement inspired me to write about LPN nursing careers.
Just for the record, LPN or LVN are also nurses; their role is slightly different but they are still valuable to the nursing profession and very much needed.
So when I’m talking about alternative nursing careers I am also talking to LPNs/LVNs.
You, as an LPN, can work in holistic nursing, forensic nursing or be an entrepreneur. There are even LPNs who do legal nurse consulting. Most nursing specialties include LPNs with the exception of those nurses in advance nursing practices such as nurse practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist and those nursing jobs that require a BSN, masters or doctorate.
Anything else is up for grabs for an LPN/LVN.
- See more at: http://www.nursetogether.com/lpn-beyond-the-bedside#sthash.Uh1hjR5U.dpuf

Celebrate Nurses Week 2013

The American Nurses Association marks this year’s National Nurses Week, May 6-12, with the theme "Delivering Quality and Innovation in Patient Care."

Patients benefit from nurses’ leadership roles in improving quality, the ANA noted in a news release. For example, RNs serve as designated innovation advisors for national healthcare programs seeking to develop more effective treatment and prevention strategies and reduce costs.

"Using their knowledge, compassion and skills, nurses work to help individuals maintain and improve their health, educate them about their treatment and care for their bodies and minds throughout the lifespan," ANA President Karen A. Daley, RN, PhD, FAAN, said in the news release.

"This year we’re recognizing nurses’ impact on elevating the quality of care through innovation and using data to devise more effective care strategies. This work contributes to our ultimate goal: better-quality healthcare for all."

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Nutrition Tips for Those with Alzheimer's

Regular, nutritious meals may become a challenge for people with dementia.

As a person's cognitive function declines, he or she may become overwhelmed with too many food choices, forget to eat or have difficulty with eating utensils.

• Nutrition tips
• Make mealtimes easier
• Encourage independence
• Minimize eating and nutrition problems

Proper nutrition is important to keep the body strong and healthy. For a person with Alzheimer's or dementia, poor nutrition may increase behavioral symptoms and cause weight loss.
The basic nutrition tips below can help boost the person with dementia's health and your health as a caregiver, too.

• Provide a balanced diet with a variety of foods.
  Offer vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean protein foods.
• Limit foods with high saturated fat and cholesterol.
  Some fat is essential for health — but not all fats are equal. Go light on fats that are bad for heart health, such as butter, solid shortening, lard and fatty cuts of meats.
• Cut down on refined sugars.

Read more: http://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-food-eating.asp#ixzz2R952bxXT

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