Back to School Basics!

It's time for school again?!!   

It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year again!  Back to school ads on television and in the newspaper are now common place and we will soon see school buses shuttling children back and forth to school once again. Getting prepared for the start of the school year often involves a to-do list that includes visits to the doctor, registering for school,and back to school shopping!  Making the adjustment to the school routine is a family affair, requiring cooperation from everyone.

Making a Smooth Transition to the School Routine

Bethany Hardy discusses the back to school transition in her article Back-to-School Time: Transition Your Family from Summer to School  offering some helpful hints about making a smooth transition from the summer to school routine that can lessen some of the stress that inevitably accompanies this time of year.  It is common that children may have feeling of nervousness mixed with excitement for the start of a new school year.  Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD discusses some of the common concerns children face at different ages and stages regarding the beginning of school and offers suggestions on how parents can help in her article discussing  Back-to-School Worries. Getting off to the right start is the key, and with some simple planning and preparation can make the transition to school easier for everyone involved!

Writing a Winning Resume and Cover Letter That Get’s You Noticed

Projected Growth in the Healthcare Industry

The healthcare is an industry that is continuing to expand.  According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, “Industries and occupations related to health care, personal care and social assistance, and construction are projected to have the fastest job growth between 2010 and 2020”. Looking for a job in the healthcare field often involves searching online for job openings, filling out online applications and submitting a cover letter electronically.  It is more important than ever to design a resume that stands out and gets noticed, along with a cover letter that introduces you along with the skills and experience you can bring to your prospective employer. 

Resources for Resumes and Cover Letters

There are numerous resources available to assist and guide in the development of an effective resume.  http://www.dailywritingtips.com/resume-writing-tips/   has a comprehensive list of resume writing tips that would be useful to review before beginning to draft a resume.  Online sample resumes and cover letters offer ideas and provides examples.  Another great resource highlighting information specific to individuals pursuing careers in the healthcare field is http://healthcare.careercast.com

Experience and Education:  Two Key Ingredients for Success

Experience combined with education is crucial to preparing for success in the healthcare industry.  WeCareOnline provides online classes equipping individuals with the skills and experience, along with assistance in job placement for a variety of career goals in the heath care field, including Certified Nurse Aide,   Home Health Aide,  Mental Health Aide  and   Restorative Aide .  Visit WeCareOnline  for our full listing of courses.

The Importance of a Good Night's Rest

Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds. ~JoJo Jensen, Dirt Farmer Wisdom, 2002

Practically no one would dispute the need for seven to eight hours of sleep a night; the reality however, is that the majority of us getting far less sleep than our bodies require.  What is happening is our biological needs are at odds with our schedules and all the added diversions such as watching television into the late hours of the night, surfing the internet and maintaining our social media contacts.   

The restorative and regenerative processes that occur during the time we sleep are numerous and range from the relaxation of muscles, increased blood flow to muscles and tissues, the release of growth hormones and  increased efficiency of the immune system.  Sleep in America polls conducted over the last several years by the National Sleep Foundation  reveal that 20% of Americans report that they get less than 6 hours of sleep on average, and the number of Americans that report that they get 8 hours of more has decreased.  The Center for Disease control has taken notice of this national trend and has declared that 30% of U.S. workers are not getting nearly enough sleep and in fact sleep 6 or fewer hours a day.  In addition, lack of sleep impacts the ability to learn and retain information. The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School has a website with information specific to sleep, learning and memory  http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory  The problem is clearly not of one of not understanding the need for adequate rest, but to prioritize it in our lives.

For more ideas on how to get to sleep, and to sleep well visit: http://tjhealth.com/how-to-sleep-well//

For more information on topics related to sleep, including its relation to aging, Alzheimer’s and Dementia visit the National Sleep Foundation http://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleep-topics 

How to Help Your Employees Take Online Classes

Are you an administrator or supervisor in a long term care setting? Do you want to help your employees grow and succeed in their careers? Online classes from We Care Online are a fantastic, low cost, and fast way for anyone to boost their skills in the healthcare field. But what can you do to help your employees succeed with online learning?

Make a Study Space


Employees might have a computer at home, but with kids, pets, and other family members around, a home computer isn't always the best way to take an online class! Facilities, on the other hand, often have office space or other low-traffic areas that are better suited to learning. You can provide your employee with a desktop or laptop computer with internet an internet connection, and they'll be all set to learn.

Study Buddies

Online classes can be a little lonely sometimes, especially for really social people. The best way to address this is to arrange for your employees to take classes together. They can do the reading and online portions on their own, but have each other for study support and more in-depth learning beyond the computer lessons. Another perk of this is that the employees can work together to apply their newly learned skills. It's not only fun, but a great boost to employee morale.

All of We Care Online's classes have a discussion board in which students can discuss lessons and share their on-the-job experiences, but being able to apply their learning with co-workers is very rewarding, too.

Flexible Schedules

While most of our classes take less than a month to complete, they do require several hours of reading and study work. If you can give your employee some extra schedule flexibility for the length of the class, it can really help their learning experience. Being able to come in to work a little early to use a spare computer, or having an extra 15 minutes of lunch hour to study can make a huge difference. The short-term time lost in employee productivity will be more than made up for once your employee comes to work with a whole new set of skills and knowledge. Investing in continued education is great for your facility and for employee retention and morale.

See the full list of classes at We Care Online and help your employees accelerate their careers today!

What is Your Work or Living Space Saying?

We've all heard the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words," but sometimes the places we work and live and say just as much. In long term care settings, you're trained to be courteous and attentive to your residents' needs, but how much thought do you give to what the building itself might be communicating? We all know how important body language can be to communication, but it's not often that we think about what the living and work areas of a building might say. Long Term Living magazine addressed this issue in a recent article, and it gives you a lot to think about.

Wall colors, the arrangement of furniture, an things like whether or not people are behind a counter really do matter. You can't influence the layout of a building once it's built, but there any many things you can do to the inside spaces to make them as welcoming and home-like as possible.

For example, "In traditional nursing homes, the design of the nurses’ station, break room, dining room, lobby, conference room and residents’ rooms all have influence on communication and language because their designs signal who will speak there, what types of language to use in each, when it is appropriate to talk in each space and who is invited to do so. Therefore, one significant way to change language in nursing homes is to redesign spaces so that elders have more opportunities to converse in private in more places with people of their choosing—friends, family and staff, or to be alone if they wish."

Read more here: http://www.ltlmagazine.com/article/spaces-and-interpersonal-communication

Safety in a Home Health Care Setting

A few years ago, an extensive study was done to evaluate safety risks to home health care workers. Over two years, workers were surveyed to determine the safety issues they faced on the job. According to the report, the most common risks were, "cockroaches, cigarette smoke, vermin, irritating chemicals, and peeling paint. The following conditions were also described: clutter, temperature extremes, unsanitary and unsafe conditions in the home, neighborhood violence/crime, and aggressive pets. Two percent of respondents reported the presence of guns in the home. Additionally, 12 percent of HHCWs reported signs of abuse of their clients."  You can read the full report here: http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/advances2/vol1/Advances-Gershon_88.pdf


What can you do?  



Be smart. Evaluate the home or your worksite for risks and see if there are any simple steps you can take to reduce risks. For example, if you see newspapers or magazines stacked close to a heat source like a hot water heater, there's a fire risk. You can work with your client to relocate or throw out the clutter.

When it comes to sanitation, remember your training and do whatever you can, within the scope of your job, to maintain a clean work environment and to follow hygenic practices. As a home care worker, you are usually working with individuals with restricted mobility. Assisting with a load of laundry, or cleaning out a sink of dishes not only helps your client, but it makes the work environment that much more sanitary. When it comes to needles and waste materials, remember what you were taught about sanitary practices and avoid things like accidental needlesticks.

There are always things you can't control, like the neighborhood your client lives in, but if aggressive pets or confrontational family members are involved, you can try to make adjustments. Maybe you can change your hours to a time when the problematic family members aren't around, or you can request that the client put the aggressive pet outside or in another room when you're working. These are things you can discuss and coordinate between your supervisor and the client, too. You are an employee, but you don't have to put up with unsafe working conditions if there are things that can be changed.

Coffee Cuts Depression Risk?

Photo by @Doug88888

According to the Huffington Post, a Harvard Nurse's Health Study that looked at caffeine's effect on depression in over 50,000 women who worked in healthcare showed that women who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day were 15 percent less likely to develop depression compared to those who drank one cup. Women who drank at least four cups per day had a 20 percent lower risk of depression.


See the full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27/coffee-cuts-depression-women_n_982122.html


If coffee's not your cup of tea, you can always get a caffeine fix from, well, tea! Some black teas have almost as much caffeine as coffee, and green teas, while lower in caffeine, are known to have antioxidants and other health benefits. As with all things, moderation is key. Reducing stress, eating healthy, and getting in some regular upbeat exercise are your best bets for keeping yourself mentally and physically healthy!

Psychosocial Needs of Baby Boomers

The Baby Boomers are now reaching the age at which they need supplemental or residental medical care, and they're bringing a whole new set of expectations and concerns to the field of long term care. Things like social connectedness, emotional support, and continuing education are important values to boomers, and the current culture in long term care needs to adjust to encompass these values. Care positions most affected by this change are Social Service Designees and Activity Directors, the people responsible for addressing the psychosocial needs of residents.

Due to the surge in numbers of people needing care, Activity Directors and Social Service Designees are in demand, especially those with recent training to address the current market needs. If you have ever considered working in this field, or want to make sure your skills are current to meet demand, check out We Care Online's affordable monthly online classes!

To read more on this issue, see the article at Long Term Living Magazine.

Successful Trial for New Alzheimer's Vaccine

In the continuing quest to find treatments and cures for Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related issues, discoveries and breathroughs are being made every day. Earlier this month, a vaccine trial in Sweden showed great promise.
The vaccine, called CAD106, was studied over the course of three years, and showed very positive results. While a previous vaccine led to the development of white blood cells that attacked healthy brain tissue along with the harmful areas, this new vaccine seems to only target the harmful areas. "The researchers found that 80 percent of the patients involved in the trials developed their own protective antibodies against beta-amyloid without suffering any side-effects over the three years of the study."

You can read more about the vaccine and the trial's results here: Alzheimer's vaccine trial a success

How Much Does Assisted Living Cost?

Photo courtesy of 401K 2012

While this doesn't directly affect working conditions of assisted living employees, or the level of care you can provide, it is helpful to be aware of the costs that residents face in managed care facilities. As with most things, costs are going up in all aspects of healthcare - from medicines to housing - and the price of most assisted care far exceeds the average Social Security income that most seniors depend upon.

According to a recent article in Assisted Living Today, "The average cost of senior living can range from $500 to $1500 a month, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Seniors residing in assisted living facilities have a monthly average cost ranging from $1,500 to $3,500 a month. The average cost of senior living varies by state and region, but expenses are going up across the board for the basics seniors need every month."

Read more at Assisted Living Today.

The Benefits of Antioxidants for Memory Function

photo courtesy of VancityAllie

Following up on our last post regarding dementia medications, there's more interesting news in the field of memory in seniors. In particular, a recent study addressed the memory function of seniors living in care facilities. They ranged in age from 50-75 and were screened for dementia before they were allowed into the study. Participants were given an antioxidant blend (the same antioxidants found in strawberries and blueberries). Over the course of four months, the participants' memory function was tested. The abstract of the study notes that, "A complex antioxidant blend taken over four months improves performance on two difficult memory tests in community dwelling elderly subjects. Furthermore, the antioxidant significantly reduced the serum homocysteine level in treatment group."


You can find the study at the National Institute of Health's web site, and an overview of the results in the Natural Society blog. 

Dementia Medications

Many of our former students work in dementia care, or work as part of a team addressing cognitive issues. This will be of particular interest to Certified Medication Aide  and Pharmacy Assistant/Technician students and those pursuing the certification.

On a recent post in the Assisted Living Today blog, they took a look at five medications that are currently in use for the treatment of dementia. It's a nice overview of popular medications, their commercial names, and methods of delivery.

Top Five Dementia Medications for Seniors

Eating Healthy on the Job

Photo by adactio

It's common knowledge that "brown bagging", or bringing a lunch from home, is cheaper and more healthy than eating out (or at your facility's cafeteria), but healthy foods can be time consuming and hard to keep fresh. If you enjoy salads but are sick of wilted leaves and rusty lettuce, this tip from Generation X Finance is for you!

Make and Store a Salad That Will Last All Week

For just shy of $4, you can prepare a large bowl of healthy salad greens that you can enjoy all week. Just mix them with your favorite extra ingredients (pre-cooked chicken, dried cranberries, brain-boosting almonds, etc.) and you have a quick and easy, healthy meal!

Are Online Classes Right For You?

We Care Online offers a broad range of online medical classes and can prepare you for a career in everything from nursing to pharmacy, but how do you know if online learning is right for you?

Are you comfortable reading and writing? 

In a traditional classroom, a professor or instructor lectures and students listen and take notes. Sometimes there is classroom discussion. In online learning, the "lectures" are written down and it's up to you to read and understand the lessons. If you're a visual learner, this will be right up your alley. There are advantages to this style, too. For one, you can take your time and read at your own pace. You won't be scrambling to follow a spoken lecture while taking notes. Also, many of the learning units are presented as slideshows. There are many photos, illustrations, and even videos to help bring the subjects to life.

Beyond the reading, there are also discussion boards associated with each class. Here you can "meet" your fellow students and talk about the subjects you're learning. The discussion board is only as good as the people participating in it, so again, you have to be comfortable reaching out to others through words.

Do you need a flexible schedule?

We Care Online's classes are on the internet, so they're available at any time, day or night. You don't have to be in a classroom at a certain time, and you don't have to sit through an entire learning unit at a time. If you only have 5 or 10 minutes to spare, you can still work through the lessons.

Are you motivated?

Online learning is unique in that there is no one holding you accountable for your time or lessons. No one checks to see how long you spend doing each lesson, and no one will make a fuss if you need to skip a day or two if life gets too busy. You are responsible for getting your assignments done, and for taking assigned tests, but beyond that, it's all on your own honor. If you're truly motivated to learn and to improve yourself, you will get a fantastic education from online lessons. But if you need other people to keep you motivated or on-task, you might do better in a regular classroom setting. Online classes tend to move a little faster than traditional school classes, so you need to be prepared to dedicate the time and effort to learning.

Traditional school classes usually follow a sememester format, meaning that it can take 3-4 months for you to get through a class. With online learning, the pace is faster and you're able to apply your knowledge in the real world much more quickly. Also, most We Care Online classes are open enrollment which means you can start the class immediately. No need to wait weeks or months to get going!

Ready to get started? Check out our website for the current list of classes: http://wecareonlineclasses.com/

The U.S. Government's Alzheimer's Plan

"Of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States, Alzheimer's disease--which ranks sixth--is particularly devastating in that there is no cure, no way to prevent it and no proven way to slow its progression. And with at least 11 million Americans expected to have the disease by the middle of the century--boosting the annual costs of health care to more than $1 trillion--the U.S. government is anxiously looking to researchers to improve the prognosis."


To read more, see the full story at Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=us-government-sets-alzheimers-plan. 

Alzheimer's Disease, by the Numbers

The 2012 Facts and Figures report by the Alzheimer's Association has been released and the numbers reveal the extent of Alzheimer's impact on American families. The report shows that more than 15 million Americans provide unpaid care for individuals with Alzheimer's and other dementias. In addition, paid care is estimated at $200 billion in 2012 alone. Also noted is the fact that one in eight older Americans has Alzheimer's disease. See all the report's information at http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_facts_and_figures.asp

The numbers are sobering, but they also show the tremendous potential for jobs and growth in the healthcare field. More people are turning to in-home care and partial assisted-living situations rather than caring for older relatives themselves. Nurse Assistants, Home Health Aides, and Mental Health Aides play a key role in providing care for individuals with dementia and Alzheimer's, and help ease the burden on family caregivers. If you're reading this blog, you're already interested in the healthcare field. Or maybe you're considering a career in healthcare? The need is there--will you be ready to fill it?

Whatever You Do, Don't Just Sit There

Photo by o5com

We all know that sitting for long periods of time is bad for our health, but did you know that simply standing up a few times an hour can help combat the physiological ills of sitting? Gretchen Reynolds, the New York Times Phys Ed columnist, has a new book called The First 20 Minutes which shows how simple changes--like taking a standing break at your desk--will help your overall health. General advice says that you need to get your heart rate up (like by jogging or lifting weights) to do your body any good, and many people are too busy to get to a gym or carve out time for prolonged exercise, so they simply give up. This book shows you how to get over that hump and take small steps to help your health.

Reynolds was recently on NPR's "Fresh Air" program to discuss her book and her findings. You can read more about it, or listen to the entire audio interview here: http://www.npr.org/2012/05/09/152336802/stand-up-walk-around-even-just-for-20-minutes. You can also find an excerpt from the book at that link.

As the article notes, "Studies have shown that frequent standing breaks significantly decrease your chances of getting diabetes, [Reynolds] says. "If you can also walk around your office, you get even more benefits. You will lose weight, you lessen your chance of heart disease, and you will improve your brain. But if you can do nothing else, stand up!"

Avoid Stupid Mistakes on Facebook

photo courtesy of Adriano Gasparri

Facebook. Whether you use it daily, or just enough to keep in touch with family, there's a good chance that you have a Facebook account. There's also a better than average chance that you're making a few "stupid" mistakes. From sharing too much personal information to being overwhelmed with friend requests, there are many ways to put yourself in a tight spot with Facebook. Here are six "stupid" mistakes you can avoid (and how to fix them), courtesy of the personal productivity blog, Lifehacker. Be sure to check out the additional tips at the end of the article to help make your Facebook experience even better!

The Stupid Things You Do on Facebook (and How to Fix Them)

Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger" at the Seattle Children's Hospital

Recently, a group of nurses, and their patients fighting cancer, got together and performed an inspiring version of Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger". The video went viral on the internet and BoingBoing compiled a great story on it including a message from Kelly to the stars of the video. Read the full story on BoingBoing, and check out the video below.

The True Cost of At-Home Caregiving

The demand for in-home care services is growing by leaps and bounds, and more people are making the decision to become caregivers for aging relatives rather than placing family members in managed care facilities. Each family has its own dynamic and reasons for choosing at-home care over a facility, and the media is finally beginning to cover this trend. A recent series on NPR took a closer look at "Discovering The True Cost Of At-Home Caregiving". It's a deeper look at the financial, lifestyle, and emotional costs that caregivers face.

While most of our students work as professional caregivers, many also care for family members outside of work hours. That's when our online learning options are best. They allow you to increase your skills and knowledge while keeping on top of duties in the home. It's also an example of how training--like the classes we offer at WeCareOnline--can help family members who suddenly find themselves being caregivers. From a basic introductory class like Medical Terminology to the comprehensive Certified Nurse Aide program, our online learning options can help new at-home caregivers make sense of the demands of at-home medical care.