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Heart Disease and Women

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:21:13 GMT

Heart disease is often thought of as a man’s disease and indeed, it affects millions of men in the United States. But coronary heart disease (CHD) is actually the number-one killer of men AND women in this country—both men and women have heart attacks, but more women who have heart attacks die from them. In fact, one in four women die from heart disease.

Two other types of heart disease primarily affect women, coronary microvascular disease (MVD) and “broken heart syndrome.” These two disorders are not as well understood as CHD, although researchers are learning more with new studies.

In this blog, we’ll take a look at these three types of heart disease, as well as symptoms of a heart attack for women and outlook.

Coronary Heart Disease
Your coronary arteries are the major blood vessels that bring your heart blood, oxygen and nutrients. CHD is diagnosed when a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside these arteries and reduces the flow of blood to the heart.

This plaque often hardens and can cause chest pain or discomfort, called angina. Sometimes, the plaque ruptures and causes a clot that partially or completely blocks blood flow through the coronary artery, which is the most common cause of a heart attack in men and women. The plaque can also build up to cause a complete blockage, which can also cause a heart attack.

Coronary Microvascular Disease
Coronary MVD is more likely to affect men than women and standard tests for CHD do not detect MVD, so some women who have MVD may look like they are at low risk for heart disease.

Coronary MVD is diagnosed when the walls of the heart’s tiny arteries are damaged. It’s also called cardiac syndrome X or nonobstructive CHD. Some researchers think that the reason women are more likely to have MVD is because of the drop in estrogen levels during menopause in tandem with other heart disease risk factors, like high blood pressure or smoking.

Broken Heart Syndrome
Another condition that happens more often in women then men is called “broken heart syndrome.” This occurs when tremendous emotional stress leads to severe, but usually short-term, heart muscle failure. Most people have a full and quick recovery, although many are first incorrectly diagnosed with a heart attack because of similar symptoms. This is a fairly newly recognized disorder and researchers are just beginning to investigate causes and treatment.

What are the signs of a heart attack for women?
The most common sign of a heart attack for men and women is pain or discomfort in the chest that can be mild or intense, ongoing in duration or coming and going. The signs of a heart attack can come on suddenly, but they can also develop slowly, over hours, days, and even weeks before a heart attack. Other common symptoms for men and women include:

* Pain or discomfort in arm(s), back, neck, jaw or stomach

* Shortness of breath

* Breaking out in a cold sweat

* Nausea/vomiting

* Feeling faint or lightheaded

Women frequently exhibit the less common signs of a heart attack, including:

* Heartburn

* Loss of appetite

* Feeling tired/weak

* Coughing

* Heart flutters

Remember, the more of these symptoms that you have, the more likely it is that you are having a heart attack. And if you’ve had a heart attack before, the symptoms of another one may be different.

Time is critical with a heart attack—even if you’re not sure, you should see a medical professional immediately. If you or someone else may be experiencing a heart attack, call 911 within a few minutes (five at the most).

Outlook for women
As it turns out, women are affected by CHD on average ten years later than men. But this could turn out to be a good thing, because it gives women more time to control and change CHD risk factors, including:

* High blood cholesterol and triglyceride

* High blood pressure

* Diabetes

* Overweight and obesity

* Smoking

* Lack of physical activity

* Unhealthy diet

* Stress

Changes to lifestyle, medicines and medical/surgical procedures can help women lower their risk for heart disease and CHD. For this reason, prevention should start as early as possible in life and be ongoing.

Daily Life After Hip Replacement Surgery

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:59:23 GMT

Total hip replacement surgery can offer people a new lease on life. But there is a six to eight week recovery period and patients will need to make myriad changes in order to carry out daily activities. Total rehabilitation after surgery can take up to six months.

An occupational therapist (OT) can help these folks by teaching them new ways to move safely and effectively and by providing handy equipment and gear for activities such as bathing, grooming, cooking and dressing.

During rehabilitation and as the patient prepares to return home, the OT will:

• Show the person proper seating positions. For example, leg-crossing is a major no-no.
• Establish safe and effective techniques for entering and exiting a car
• Demonstrate methods for transferring from the walker to a chair, a bed or a bath chair in the tub or shower
• Educate family and caregivers about the patient’s surgical hip precautions and the best way to help
• Provide the patient with adaptive equipment to assist with dressing, like a dressing stick to pull on underwear or pants without bending too much at the hip
• Instruct on safe techniques for getting in and out of bed and positioning the hip correctly during sleep
• Make suggestions for completing household tasks easily

With education and instruction from an OT, those recovering from a total hip replacement can recuperate more comfortably and safely.

Pain management through physical, occupational therapy

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:42:48 GMT

Living with pain can limit a patient’s mobility and enjoyment of life. While there are many treatments for pain — chronic or temporary — physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) are two of the less invasive options. They have few side effects and great flexibility in care options.

PT can be used to treat all kinds of chronic musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain. This therapy involves treating and healing, bringing back function and movement, and preventing further hurt.

A professional physical therapist may choose to focus on a patient’s pain through two kinds of therapy: passive or active. Examples of passive therapy include heat or ice packs, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units and ultrasound.

Examples of active therapy include low-impact aerobics, different types of stretches for the affected area(s) and strengthening/pain relief exercises.

OT is based on medicine, psychiatry and behavioral psychology with the objective of helping patients become more functional in their lives. An occupational therapist can help the patient determine what activities increase pain and can teach methods for lessening it.

The occupational therapist uses several techniques. They focus on moving the body in ways that do not increase pain and providing joint protection, while focusing on assets rather than liabilities. OT also helps the patient learn how to adapt daily activities to conserve energy and, like PT, can include exercises that increase strength and flexibility. OT may include the use of adaptive equipment and assistive devices, like a "reacher" - a tool that helps you grab an object you can't reach.

It’s essential that pain patients have the expertise of a professional before attempting any sort of rehab. The physical and occupational therapists are trained to spot and correct improper movement patterns and can show the patients how to properly apply healing and adaptive techniques.

Finally, a critical component for healing is performing the exercises and therapies at home in-between sessions. A patient’s time with the therapist is limited and the real healing occurs with consistency and repetition from day to day.

Aphasia Treatment After Stroke

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:17:45 GMT

Aphasia is a loss of ability to understand or produce language, caused by brain damage. It is a common condition after a stroke and a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is an integral part of regaining function. The SLP works collaboratively with the patient’s family and other medical professionals to address all of the person's recovery needs.

The SLP evaluates the individual and determines the type and severity of aphasia. The evaluation is done by assessing the person’s speech, understanding, expression, social communication, reading and writing.

The SLP conducts different types of therapy, such as cognitive linguistic, programmed simulation, PACE, stimulation-facilitation therapy and group therapy. The type of treatment depends on the needs and goals of the person with aphasia.

Another way to increase the effectiveness of aphasia therapy is for the SLP to use multiple forms of sensory stimuli. This could encompass auditory stimuli in the form of speech, visual stimuli in the form of photographs and olfactory stimuli in the form of a scent.

It has also been noted that gradual increases in the difficulty of language exercises practiced in therapy sessions improves the outcome.

Recovery is absolutely possible for people with aphasia and an SLP is part of the solution.

Honoring Caregivers During National Family Caregivers Month

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:00:41 GMT

During November’s National Family Caregivers Month, we honor those in the U.S. who provide a vitally important role. The dedication and compassion these people show make them indispensible—they are the bedrock for continuity of care. No one else is in such a position as to be intimately familiar with their care recipients’ medical, treatment, dietary and exercise regimens. This month, we stop to say thank you and to support, educate and empower all caregivers.

According to National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA), family caregivers provide 80% of our country’s long-term-care services. Currently, family caregivers provide over $306 billion annually of free caregiving services to their loved ones.

As President Barack Obama said in a recent proclamation, “As we observe National Family Caregivers Month, we honor the tireless compassion of Americans who heal, comfort, and support our injured, our elders, and people with disabilities. This month and throughout the year, let the quiet perseverance of our family caregivers remind us of the decency and kindness to which we can all aspire.”

Homecare can be provided for those with acute illness, long-term health conditions, permanent disability, or terminal illness. It’s a booming field—job growth in the field is expected to increase a whopping 48 percent by 2018 and more family members will become caregivers. One reason is because for the next 20 years, 10,000 baby boomers a day will turn 65 and, according to a recent study, more than 90% of those surveyed want to stay in their homes as long as possible.

Here are a few simple ways to show your support for a caregiver.

Five Ways to Celebrate National Family Caregivers Month

1. Offer a few hours of your time to a family caregiver so he or she can relax or spend time with friends.

2. Send a card of gratitude or a vase of flowers to brighten a caregiver's day.

3. Offer to help a family caregiver decorate his or her home for the holidays—you’ll bring cheer and provide great help.

4. Encourage family caregivers to become a part of the National Family Caregiver Story Project found at thefamilycaregiver.org. It's a great place to not only share, but read about others in similar situations.

5. Direct a family caregiver to new educational materials and support through family caregiving websites, like the National Family Caregivers Association or the National Association for Home Care and Hospice.

Wash Hands, Get Vaccinated to Prevent Infections

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:08:16 GMT

This week represents the 25th anniversary of International Infection Prevention Week—the commemoration of the importance of infection prevention around the globe. It’s hot on the heels of a new study in which the authors indicate one in five patients who stay a week in a hospital will get an infection from their stay, events that would be preventable with optimal care. While substantial progress that has been made in preventing some health care-associated infections, there is much room for improvement in achieving the goal of eliminating infections.

For example, in this recent study, "How Dangerous Is a Day in Hospital?," researchers report that on average, every additional night a patient stays in the hospital increases his or her chance of infection by 1.6 percent. The usual causes of the infections are non-sterile equipment, catheter mistakes, or urinary tract infections, according to lead author Dr. Katharina Hauck of Imperial College London. She said one way to reduce these would be early discharge from the hospital and home-based programs. Another recent report found that healthcare-acquired infections are the fourth leading cause of death in this country, affecting 1.7 million inpatients each year.

Proper hand hygiene is the entrance door for reducing healthcare-associated infection and increasing patient safety. Hand washing/antisepsis is a simple action, however according to the World Health Organization, there is problematic compliance among healthcare providers worldwide. The primary ways to increase hand hygiene are healthcare workers’ education; audits of hand hygiene practices and performance feedback; reminders; increased availability of water and soap; automated sinks; and introduction of an alcohol-based hand rub. Hand sanitation should be performed before and after touching the patient; after contact with body fluids, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, or wound dressings; after contact with inanimate surfaces and objects near the patient; and after removing gloves.

Another major area to consider for infection prevention is influenza vaccination for healthcare personnel . The flu has high rates of morbidity and mortality. According to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), in the U.S., an estimated 5-15 percent of the population is affected by the virus each year, which comes out to about 226,000 hospital admissions and 36,000 deaths annually. Healthcare workers are considered high risk for catching the flu because they are exposed to ill patients and large numbers of people in the community. Because those people who are at greatest risk of developing complications of influenza are exposed to healthcare workers in a variety of in-patient and outpatient settings, one surefire way to protect them is to immunize healthcare professionals.

Read more about International Infection Prevention Week at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

Dangers of Heat Exposure

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:03:57 GMT

Summers in the U.S. are hot, with many regions experiencing extreme heat waves each year. According to the National Weather Service, heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States.

Two common and dangerous heat conditions are heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion occurs when the body loses large amounts of water and salt through excessive sweating. Such loss can disturb circulation and interfere with brain function. Individuals with heart problems or on a low-sodium diet are particularly at risk for heat exhaustion.

Heat stroke occurs when the body fails to regulate its own temperature and body temperature continues to rise. Symptoms include fast heart rate, unconsciousness, seizures, difficulty breathing, sweating that may be heavy or has stopped, severe vomiting and diarrhea, or skin that may be red, hot and dry.

The National Weather Service issues heat advisories to keep us informed of extreme high temperatures. It’s important to pay attention to your local weather so you’ll be aware of issued heat advisories, which include:

Excessive Heat Outlook: Issued when the potential exists for an excessive heat event in the next 3-7 days
Excessive Heat Watch: Issued when conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event in the next 12-48 hours
Excessive Heat Warning: Issued when an excessive heat event is expected in the next 36 hours. This warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property.

As we age, our bodies don't regulate temperature as well as they did when we were younger. So the older we get, the more we have to be aware of temperature-related symptoms. To stay safe and comfortable this summer, make sure your living space is cool and that you limit physical activity as temperatures approach or go above
90 F.

Stay Hydrated This Summer

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:30:45 GMT

Summer is here and people are looking forward to the great outdoors. Whether swimming, gardening or taking the dog for a long walk, the long days of summer beckon us to take in fresh air and plenty of sunshine.

To help make sure your summer is healthy and safe, you should be aware of the effects that sun and high temperatures can have on your body.

Avoiding Dehydration

We need water to function normally. When we become dehydrated, it means our loss of water far exceeds our water intake. Dehydration can be difficult to diagnose because it shares common symptoms with other conditions, including dizziness, headaches, dry mouth and loss of blood pressure upon standing.

Hydration is Key

Follow these tips to stay hydrated:

Drink before activity: Staying hydrated before you exercise is just as important as staying hydrated while you're exercising.
Reduce the caffeine: Caffeine acts as a diuretic and causes the body to lose water.
Drink frequently: It's recommended that adults drink between 6-8 glasses of water every day.

During the heat of summer, remember to monitor your water intake and increase it when necessary. By staying properly hydrated, you’ll not only beat the heat – you’ll keep your body healthy and happy!

5 Tips for Treating Osteoporosis Through Exercise

Thu, 26 May 2011 14:50:45 GMT

As a physical therapist, I’ve worked with many patients living with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, the most common type of bone disease, is the thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time. The thinning causes bones to become weak and easily broken or fractured.

Half of Caucasian women and 1 in 4 men over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her/his lifetime. The disease is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually. If you have or are at risk for osteoporosis, you should receive an exercise prescription from a physical therapist.

Here are five tips I give my patients with osteoporosis:

1. When exercising, avoid spine flexion such as curl-ups and toe touches. These movements can increase risk of spine fractures.
2. Perform exercises in your best posture.
3. Breathe through the exercise; don’t hold your breath.
4. Avoid jerking or thrusting weights into position. The exercise should be done with smooth, steady movements.
5. Exercises should be done in a pain-free range of motion.

Protect yourself--get screened for osteoporosis, learn more about preventing falls, and stay active!

Speech Therapy: An Important Element of Recovery

Mon, 16 May 2011 10:52:52 GMT

Many of us take for granted the ability to have a simple conversation. But for people with speech impediments, communication is often not an easy task. Speech-language pathology services are important for helping people overcome or reduce these difficulties.

As a speech-language pathologist (SLP), I’ve always thought that speech-language pathology is one of the most misunderstood types of therapy. Many people think SLPs focus only on childhood language issues or stuttering, but SLP services are a part of recovery programs for many illnesses. SLPs often collaborate with physical therapists, occupational therapists and nurses to develop a holistic recovery plan for the patient.

In general, speech/language portions of SLP services focus on the ability to understand and use words and expressive language. It deals with the mechanics such as articulation, pitch, fluency and volume. It also deals with the formulation and use of language and cognition (thinking skills) that are such an important part of communication. For many adults, speech difficulties are caused by medical issues such as stroke, hearing loss, cerebral palsy, mental disability, brain injury, Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis.

Throughout my career as an SLP, I’ve also helped adult patients with swallowing through dysphagia therapy. Oftentimes, patients are unable to chew effectively or may cough when they swallow. SLPs can help them learn to manage these issues with exercises for coordinating the swallowing muscles or stimulating the nerves that trigger the swallow reflex. The SLP also shows patients ways to place food in the mouth or position the body and head to help with swallowing.

No matter the condition, an SLP helps people gain greater control over speaking and language skills by setting up an individualized treatment program. The exercises might involve blowing on whistles to strengthen the tongue and lips, or the therapist may have the patient practice difficult sounds.

At Aegis Therapies, we follow a “restore, compensate, adapt” model of care. That is, we help patients “restore” certain abilities they have lost, learn strategies to “compensate” for abilities they cannot regain, and train caregivers to “adapt” their approach to help patients perform other unique but necessary tasks.

To learn more information about speech-language pathology, visit the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's website.

Why I Chose a Career in Occupational Therapy

Mon, 02 May 2011 14:10:42 GMT

I’ve been in occupational therapy (OT) for over 25 years and it’s probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I discovered it as a teenager, and I’m glad I did.

I played piano in high school, and in 9th grade, I was selected to be a music counselor at a camp for kids with conditions like cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Although I was there to teach music, I really wanted to do more to help the children with their physical problems. I was told that occupational therapists were trained to do just that.

I knew nothing about occupational therapy, so I visited the library to find more information. There was one book in my school library on the subject. I read the book, and decided I wanted to be an occupational therapist. As I was finishing high school, I started looking at occupational outlooks and things like that, thinking the job market would be good for OT.

Occupational therapy school was pretty competitive to get into. As high school students, we were encouraged to do a lot of volunteer work in the field to improve our chances of being accepted into OT school. The more volunteer work I did, the more I loved OT. My father was understandably concerned about me doing all of this volunteering in addition to working full time as an aid at a nursing home. “Gosh, you’re working so hard to become this OT, I don’t even see any ads in the paper for OT,” he’d say. I reassured him that it was okay, it’s what I wanted to do.

I was kind of fortunate; I applied to three schools and got into all of them. I chose the Medical College of Virginia, which kicked off my formal training and career as an occupational therapist.

There have been many patient success stories over the years that continue to make me proud of what we do at Aegis Therapies. I’m reminded of a family whose loved one had severe dementia. They didn’t know how to communicate with their loved one, so they would just come and sit with her. One of our occupational therapists did a cognitive assessment to determine the optimal way to get the patient to interact. The therapist showed the family how to use sensory simulation and a memory book.

The patient died about 6 or 7 months later, but the family was so appreciative that they were finally able to bond and communicate with their loved one in those last few months. Stories like that let me know we’re making a difference in patients’ lives.

So 25 years later, I’m still really happy with choosing OT. Occupational therapists look at the whole person, focusing on function. And that’s what I love.

Keys to Physical Wellness

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:38:41 GMT

Oftentimes, we become so preoccupied with our careers and taking care of our families that we push matters of health to the back burner. Yet, we forget that it’s difficult to enjoy life and loved ones if we’re not physically well.

At Aegis Therapies, we believe that wellness involves the mind, body and soul. Our EnerG by AegisTM programs focus on the following six dimensions of wellness: emotional, spiritual, social, intellectual, physical and occupational.

Here are three keys to physical wellness:

1. You are what you eat – A nutritious diet is the foundation for physical wellness. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange vegetables and beans and peas. Focus on nutrient-dense foods—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats and poultry, beans and peas, and nuts and seeds.
2. Get moving - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 60 percent of Americans do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity and 16 percent are not active at all. Adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
3. Snooze, you win! Sleep is just as important as diet and exercise. According to the National Sleep Foundation, not only will getting enough sleep help you learn a new skill, stay on task or be productive, it may also be a critical factor in your health, weight and energy level. When it comes to weight, sleep deprivation may slow your metabolism. Adults typically need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.

5 Ways to Help Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:32:58 GMT

March is Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month. Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a blood clot that usually forms in the lower leg or thigh. In some cases, a deep vein thrombosis can break loose and cause a serious problem in the lung, called a pulmonary embolism, or a heart attack or stroke.

DVT symptoms include warmth and tenderness over the vein, pain or swelling in the part of the body affected and skin redness.

The Centers for Disease Control recommend the following activities for prevention of DVT:

Get up and walk around after sitting for more than 2 to 3 hours.
Exercise your legs while sitting by alternating raising and lowering your heels and toes.
Move around as soon as possible after being confined to bed for an extended period of time, such as after surgery or illness.
If you are at increased risk for DVT, ask your doctor about wearing medical compression stockings.
Exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight and don’t smoke.

Understanding Balance and Fall Prevention

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:28:37 GMT

When we maintain our center of gravity over a base of support, we maintain upright posture and spatial orientation in our environment. But maintaining balance is quite complex. We rely on our musculoskeletal system for the strength and coordination to move through space, and we depend on our visual and vestibular system to process information from the environment.

Read the rest of Donna Diedrich's featured article, "Understanding Balance and Fall Prevention" on the Advance for NPs and PAs website.

February is American Heart Month

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:54:47 GMT

February is American Heart Month, and for Americans, matters of the heart are dire. According to the National Institute for Health, heart disease is the number one killer of Americans, with 500,000 people in the United States dying of heart disease each year. Many others with heart problems become permanently disabled.

The good news is that heart disease can often be prevented. One of the major ways to combat heart disease is to get regular exercise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 60 percent of Americans do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity and 16 percent are not active at all. Overall, women tend to be less active than men, and older people are less likely to get regular physical activity than younger individuals.

To reduce the risk of heart disease, just adding small amounts of physical activity to each day is greatly beneficial. The American Heart Association suggests at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise. That’s just 11 to 21 minutes a day to lowering your risk of stroke, colon cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and other medical problems.

Walking, swimming or bike riding are a few things you can do today to get moving towards a healthier you.

It’s Healthy Weight Week! Time to Get Back in Shape

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:37:30 GMT

It’s interesting and fitting that Healthy Weight Week falls right after the dinners and desserts of the holidays. But with New Year’s resolutions still fresh in our minds, now’s the time to get back on track.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the prevalence of obesity in the United States has doubled in the past two decades. Excess body fat leads to a higher risk for premature death, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, respiratory dysfunction, gout, osteoarthritis and certain kinds of cancers.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, there are no magic tricks. Exercising and eating properly are the keys to keeping your weight under control.

Luckily, you don’t have to have a gym membership to get a good workout. Here are five things you can do to help maintain a healthy body weight. Remember, every little bit helps. Movement is movement, regardless of whether or not you feel like you’re working out.

Moderate Physical Activity	Approx. Calories/Hr for a 154 lb Person
Light gardening/yard work	330
Golf (walking and carrying clubs)	330
Bicycling (<10 mph)	290
Walking (3.5 mph)	280
Stretching	180

Avoid Slips and Falls This Winter

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:57:03 GMT

There’s no such thing as a leisurely stroll during the winter months in northern American cities. Walkways are often icy, creating conditions ripe for slips and falls. Take these special precautions to help reduce the risk of injury when encountering snow and slippery surfaces.

Wear proper footwear. Waterproof, non-skid boots keep feet warm and dry and help prevent sniffles.
Dress warmly. Wear layers that cover as much as possible including head, face and hands. Gloves are also important not just for warmth, but to keep hands out of pockets to help with balance.
Take it slow. When planning daily tasks during the winter, add buffer time to outdoor activities--even short treks to the mailbox. That way, you can avoid rushing and focus on walking slow and steady. Using a cane with a rubber bottom can also be of great assistance.
Reduce ice buildup. Keeping stoops, steps, walks and driveways free of snow by frequently applying ice-melting granules will help reduce ice buildup. Since shoveling snow may be required to reduce buildup, you may want to hire someone to take care of this task.
Avoid carrying packages. Even carrying a small package with both hands can be hazardous to walking on slick ground since the arms are needed to maintain balance.

7 Gifts to Encourage Total Wellness

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:29:15 GMT

Wellness isn’t just a one-dimensional thing. It’s a complete way of looking at our health and how we maintain it. These practical gifts can help support all six dimensions of wellness – physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, occupational and social – in innovative ways.

1. Reminiscing trivia board game. This game of nostalgia challenges memory of fads, music, TV, movies and clothing from the past 60 years and also presents an opportunity to share anecdotes from those eras.
2. 8 Minute Meditation: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life by Victor Davich. This simple guide, which is great for beginners, teaches basic principles of meditation in an eight-week program with just eight minutes a day.
3. A Time for Relaxation: Guided Relaxation Techniques for Wellness by Beth Freschi. For audible learners, this audio CD focuses on four relaxation techniques: breathing, awareness of body relaxation, guided imagery and loving kindness meditation.
4. Medi Planner II by Apex. This handy container helps track medications throughout the day, with a box for morning, noon, bedtime and evening.
5. Stylish medical ID bracelet. Medical ID bracelets have come a long way. MedicAlert now offers ID bracelets decked in Swarovski pearls and Macx ID bracelets come with a USB flash drive on which your loved one can upload critical medical information.
6. Wall-mounted organizer. For busy grandparents that have to juggle doctors’ appointments and volunteering responsibilities, a wall-mounted organizer with cork and dry erase boards can keep information—as well as receipts, mail, and keys—all in one spot.
7. Athletic Shoes. A good pair of sneakers can help your loved one stay fit and comfortable during regular exercise.

For more information on Aegis' wellness programs, visit our EnerG by Aegis™ page.

Honor physical therapists during National Physical Therapy Month

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:37:50 GMT

October is National Physical Therapy Month, which honors physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who provide rehabilitative care aimed at helping people regain physical function, reduce pain, and improve mobility.

National Physical Therapy Month started in 1981 as National Physical Therapy Week. It was celebrated each June. Over the years the event has grown more and more popular (and seen its fair share of name changes). But in 1992, it officially became National Physical Therapy Month and was set firmly to the month of October.

The event was created by The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), which represents more than 78,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy across the country.

Physical therapy often means more than just being able to sit, stand and walk on one’s own. While our therapists do help patients regain or improve their abilities to do these things, we also help them identify and maximize their movement and flexibility potential as it relates to wellness, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

Our physical therapy programs, provided in various settings, help patients develop their potential in regards to any or all of the following:

Muscle imbalance
Stair climbing
Negotiating environmental obstacles
Use of assistive devices
Joint mobility and protection
Home safety assessment
Wound care and pain management
Stamina and activity tolerance
Disease prevention and wellness

Please take a moment to recognize the PTs, PTAs, and all the therapists in your life, and join us in thanking them for everything they do for our patients.

For more information on National Physical Therapy Month, please visit The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) website at www.apta.org.

Helping Patients Manage Pain

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:08:50 GMT

Pain is a common complaint among older Americans. Usually, pain in this population is caused by more than one issue, such as from diseases like arthritis and cancer, or a physical injury from surgery or falls. Whether acute or chronic, pain can affect people’s ability to perform daily activities, as well as appetite, sleep, and mood.

From the moment our patients come into our care, rehabilitation therapists look for signs of pain. Along with other members of the patient’s interdisciplinary care team, Aegis therapists plan coordinated and complimentary ways to help treat that pain. Commonly, care plans may include prescription medications, heat applications, and strengthening exercises, as well as treatments such as electrical stimulation and ultrasound. Even if a patient cannot communicate his or her pain because of cognitive problems, our care teams are trained to look for its signs and symptoms.

An Aegis initiative that began this year is training therapists and other staff in the best practices for pain evaluation and treatment. As a result, many patients who receive care from Aegis therapists experience less pain, better mobility, and improved joint flexibility. And they have faster recoveries, earlier discharge from therapy, and an enhanced quality of life.