Personal « The Professional Geriatric Care Manager’s Blog

Realistic Resolutions 2012

January 23, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Pat Linard, PR | Leave a comment
Tags: Education, Health, Life, Personal, Seminar, Tips

After many months of preparing for Realistic Resolutions 2012, previously billed as the Ridgewood Health Fair, I can sit back and relax. The event was a hit! There were lots of vendors offering many services: blood pressure screening, chiropractic screenings, body mass index analysis, Reiki, chair massage, and lots of up-to-date information on all kinds of timely topics, such as wealth planning and elder law, sugar consumption and organic cosmetics. Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management had their nurse care managers on hand to offer advice on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and demonstrated a light box. There were healthy snacks, such as green vegetable smoothies, and not so healthy snacks, like fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies. We can all indulge in moderation sometimes! Representatives from assisted living facilities and nursing homes were on hand, as well as home health agencies and hospitals, fitness and exercise centers.

Our guest speaker, Amanda Arlauskas, Runner-up from NBC’s Season 8 The Biggest Loser gave a very motivating presentation on the her diet and fitness regime. You would hardly believe that she once weighed 270 pounds! She was an inspiration to us all. Hopefully she will enable a few attendees to keep their New Year’s Resolution, too.

We’re already planning for next year. It’s nice to have a speaker from Bergen County – Amanda hailed from Butler, NJ. We’re open for ideas if anyone has them.

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation.

Too Much Sugar in Our Diet!

January 19, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Amy Shein, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Diet, Education, Health, Life, Personal, Tips

At first I was not sure what I wanted to blog about for this week, but then I went to a great event last night and it hit me there. I went with my fellow co-workers from Distinctive Care to a wonderful health fair over at the Ridgewood YMCA/YWCA. The keynote speaker was Amanda Arlauskas from NBC’S Biggest Loser Season 8. She did an amazing job speaking about her weight loss venture as a participant on the trendiest show on TV today. She said that she had to make huge changes in her diet and behavior in order to lose her weight and regain her health. She said the hardest part was in the very beginning when she needed to give up some of her favorite foods. She said it was a shock to her body to give up the junk food, which mainly consisted of high amounts of sugar. I thought that would be a great topic of interest for some of my elder clients.

Since many of my clients tend to have high sugar or high simple carbohydrates in their diets, I have been working with clients in the home, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. I observe what they eat and what they crave most. It is the high sugar foods that many of them really want. We have one gentleman that goes through at least one bag of candy per day. Another client would refuse to eat any of her protein or vegetables from her tray and would just rather eat her dessert first and then would not touch anything else afterwards.

I can only think that the reason so many older adults prefer and like sweets is that much of their taste is altered from the medications that they take. But, maybe they just like the comfort of the refined sugar or sweets they just know and love over the many years? Most older adults need to be careful of developing Type 2 Diabetes, elevated triglyceride levels which leads to coronary artery disease and risk of stroke.

It is recommended that on a 1,600-2,000 a day calorie diet, that one should only be consuming 5-8 teaspoons of sugar per day, or no more than 50 grams of carbohydrate in the form of sugar (one teaspoon of sugar provides 4 grams of carbohydrates). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends limiting sugar to 6 to 10% of calories from sugar. This is based on weight maintenance and not for weight loss. To give you an example of how much sugar we consume, I will provide you with a list of high sugar foods/beverages and their sugar content;

12oz can of Coca Cola= 39 grams (10 teaspoons of sugar) 140 calories

2 Fig Newton’s = 12 grams (3 teaspoons of sugar) 90 calories

½ c. of Vanilla Ice Cream=21 grams of sugar (5 ½ teaspoons of sugar) 270 calories

8oz. Cranberry Juice Cocktail=30 grams (7 teaspoons of sugar) 120 calorie

1 Piece of Hard Candy=3.8 grams(1 teaspoon) 24 calories

If you want to learn more about sugar content of some of your favorite foods, take a look at this site, but after you review this website you they might not be your favorites anymore!

After completing some of this research and learning about sugar content on some of these foods, it really gave me a wakeup call. No matter if we are young or old, we need to be aware of what we are putting into our body at all times.

145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446

45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Come to the Ridgewood Health Fair

January 9, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Pat Linard, PR | Leave a comment
Tags: Health, Help, Life, News, Personal

It’s hard to believe that the health fair that I have been so busily involved in is almost here. I’ve been very involved as co-chair of the committee and I think it will be a real success! I am hoping lots of people will take advantage of all that is being offered by so many in the community. Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management has always had a policy of giving back to the community and volunteer activities like this are all part of our Distinctive Touch program.

The former Ridgewood Health Fair, now called Realistic Resolutions 2012, is being held on Thursday, January 19 from 5 to 8PM at the YMCA/YWCA of Bergen County at 112 Oak St. in Ridgewood. Amanda Arlauskas, runner-up from Season 8 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser will be the Keynote Speaker. Amanda will also be on hand to sign books and planners. I have heard Amanda speak before and I know how inspiring she can be. Maybe I too will be inspired to lose those couple of pounds that are making my pants tight!

This is a free event and will feature other happenings such as food demos and samplings from Whole Foods, chair massages, health screenings such as blood pressure, body fat analysis, reflexology and more from more than 40 exhibitors. Door prizes and giveaways will be abundant.

Of the many screenings that are being offered, Distinctive Care wanted to offer something that would be of real service to the attendees. Being in the middle of winter and knowing how many people suffer from depression, we thought it would be a good idea to offer screenings and advice for Seasonal Affective Disorder. We have written many blogs about this and now we are able to work directly with individuals to help them through what is a difficult time for many older adults and people of all ages. Two of our nurse care managers will be on hand to do this timely screening.

It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Clutter

December 30, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Health, Help, Life, Personal, Support, Tips

It’s a new year and many of us make New Year’s resolutions. For many of us, maybe our New Year’s resolution should be to “declutter.” Some of us have drawers and closets stuffed with items. Every nook and cranny of our living space may be piled high with newspapers, magazines, paperwork, canned goods or that one item we are afraid to be without.

Lots of people lead a messy lifestyle and hoard certain objects. These individuals may acquire things that they don’t need, but they are still able to continue to function. Hoarding becomes a problem when an individual may no longer be able to cook meals, live safely in their home or when their hoarding becomes a threat to others. Hoarding can put one’s health and others at risk. Individuals hoard for many reasons. They may hoard because of an intense emotional attachment they have developed to certain objects. Throwing these objects away results in a sense of loss. Others hoard because they feel the item may be useful to them or someone else in the future. We accumulate too much if we are afraid we won’t be able to get more of it when we need it, or that it may be discontinued.

Most people who hoard will not seek help on their own. It is usually a friend or family member who pressures the individual to control their hoarding. Solutions are usually not simple, quick or long-lasting. Extreme hoarders will require professional therapy.

For others dealing with clutter, here are some helpful tips.

Take just one project at a time and stick with it until it is complete. Start with an easy project and gradually move onto more challenging ones.
Schedule time for decluttering.
Make three piles for items being decluttered. Keep, donate, discard. Do not make a fourth pile labeled undecided. Remove the discard and donate piles as soon as possible.
Bring nothing new into your home unless you have a proper place for it.
Sales and bargains may cause you to over buy. Remember that food, over the counter medications and beauty products all have expiration dates and buying too many could be wasteful.

Parting with the objects you have collected can trigger anxiety. If an individual becomes anxious during decluttering, having them sit down and do something fun or relaxing until the feeling passes may be helpful. Hoarders need to realize they may be causing others and their community harm and stress. The goal is to help an individual see their objects in a new light and to change their hoarding behaviors. Pairing a health professional with an organizer can be helpful. Together they can guide the individual toward understanding the benefits of changing their hoarding behavior and setting goals to clean up the mess!

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation in our Ramsey or Ridgewood offices.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

December 26, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Pat Linard, PR | Leave a comment
Tags: Health, Life, Personal

If you, like me, suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as SAD, there is good news. The shortest day of the year is behind us. It occurred on December 21 this year, 2011, as it ushered in the winter season. For those who do suffer from SAD, there is help as outlined in our blog (A Week in the Life of a Geriatric Care Manager) from Christine Clark.

I took a walk this morning and felt my lethargy lifting as I walked out the door into the morning light. The other good news is that the exercise is good for me, too. So far we have been lucky in the New Jersey/New York area in that our only snow came and went on October 29. Like so many of our elderly clients who are living at home or in assisted living facilities and nursing homes, I’m hoping for a mild winter.

I know that I also have to be cognizant of those things that help me beat the “winter blues” when the weather throws me curve balls. The same advice that is helpful for our older adults is also helpful for the younger people, too! The information in Christine’s blog is so helpful, I felt that I had to highlight it again.

Boost Your Health with a Dose of Gratitude

December 23, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Health, Life, Love, Personal, Stress, Tips

The holiday season is upon us. It typically starts with Thanksgiving and lasts through to New Year’s Day. Giving thanks or possessing the “attitude of gratitude” is linked to and celebrated during the holiday season. Studies have shown that a positive emotion such as gratitude can guarantee better health. Gratitude has been linked to better health, sounder sleep, less anxiety and depression, increased satisfaction with life, and kinder behavior towards others. Individuals who perceive gratitude as a permanent trait have been shown to take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet, and regular physical examinations.

Stress can make us sick, particularly when we can not deal with it. Stress is linked to several diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Gratitude can help us better manage stress. Research suggests that feelings of thankfulness have tremendous positive value in helping people cope with daily problems and stress. Grateful people are more optimistic, a trait which may boost the immune system. Optimism has also been shown to have a positive health impact on people with compromised health. Studies of patients preparing to undergo surgery had better health outcomes when they had attitudes of optimism.

Some people always manage to feel grateful, even when challenged by life circumstances. Others are not the grateful sort and sink into despair. If you are not the grateful kind, here are some ways to get into the grateful spirit.

Maintain a grateful journal. Write down things which you feel grateful for once a week. They may include a friend’s generosity, something new they have learned, or a beautiful sunny day. Research discovered that people who kept grateful journals were more optimistic and felt happier. They experienced fewer physical symptoms and felt better about their lives as a whole. They slept better and were more optimistic about the future. Counting blessings worked better than counting sheep.
Create a list of benefits in your life. Many of us take many things for granted. Making a visual list of some of the benefits we have, such as the freedoms we enjoy, will be a reminder.
Try a gratitude visit. Begin with writing a letter to someone who changed your life for the better. Deliver the letter in person and read it to that person.
Share the feeling. Do one small thoughtful or generous thing for a friend or a member of your family. As a result, that person will not only realize how much you matter to them, but are more likely to help someone else.

Trying these simple gratitude-enhancing strategies can improve your health and well-being. Gratitude is the best approach to life!

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation.

Slowing Cognitive Decline with B12

December 16, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Diet, Education, Health, Life, Personal, Tips, Vitamins

As we age, our ability to absorb B12 from the foods we eat declines. We also tend to consume less foods rich in B12 as we get older. As a result, an individual can develop a B12 deficiency without warning. A B12 deficiency can lead to an individual having increased symptoms of confusion and possibly being misdiagnosed. These symptoms may even be thought to just be a part of aging.

B12 is an essential vitamin. Having a vitamin B12 deficiency means your body does not have enough of this vitamin. You need B12 for the development and maintenance of a healthy nervous system, the production of DNA, and the formation of red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body and not having enough B12 can lead to anemia, where you feel weak and tired. Other symptoms of a B12 deficiency include muscle weakness, fatigue, shakiness, unsteady gait, incontinence, low blood pressure, depression, and cognitive problems like poor memory. An individual with a B12 deficiency may also have pale skin, bleeding gums, weight loss and numbness and tingling of fingers and toes.

The recommended daily amount of vitamin B12 depends on your age. The recommended daily amount of vitamin B12 for individuals 14 years and older is 2.4 mcq daily. This level is obtained by eating a well-balanced diet with foods containing vitamin B12. B12 is found in foods from animal protein, such as meat, seafood, milk products, poultry and eggs. Other foods, like cereals, are fortified with B12.

Plant sources of food are low in B12 and the vitamin is poorly absorbed from them. Vegetarians should consume supplements to get adequate amounts of vitamin B12.

Normally, B12 is absorbed by your digestive system. A deficiency will occur when the digestive system is unable to absorb the vitamin. This can occur with chronic users of acid suppressing drugs, like Prilosec and Nexium; individuals who have had stomach surgery for weight loss; heavy drinkers of alcohol; individuals with digestive diseases, like Crohn’s disease; and older adults, since stomach acid levels decline with age. Older adults may lack sufficient stomach acid to absorb adequate amounts of B12 from natural food sources. In this situation, regular consumption of fortified foods or a B12 supplement is recommended.

A simple blood test can check if your body has enough vitamin B12. If your B12 level is low, you will probably be prescribed a B12 supplement, given by either pills or shots. You can also improve your health and B12 levels by eating a varied diet that includes meat, milk, cheese and eggs, which are all good sources of vitamin B12. Eating plenty of foods that contain folic acid, another type of vitamin B, is also helpful. They include leafy, green vegetables, citrus fruits, and fortified breads and cereals.

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

December 9, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Education, Health, Life, Personal, Support

Some people experience a serious mood disorder when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy and crave sweet and starchy foods. They may also feel depressed. Though symptoms can be severe, they usually resolve. This condition is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. It occurs most often in the winter. It is believed that a lack of sunshine during the winter, when the days are shorter, may be the cause.

Light therapy, where individuals expose themselves to a special type of light for thirty minutes everyday, sometimes helps. Light therapy uses a special lamp with a bright fluorescent light that mimics light from the sun. Light therapy works well for most people with Seasonal Affective Disorder and it is easy to use. You will start to feel better within a week after you start therapy. You need to stick with it though, and use it every day until the season changes or your depression could come back.

Other treatments include medicines, such as antidepressants; counseling; changes in diet; taking long walks during the daylight hours and getting exercise; keeping active socially; or going to a sunny climate during the cold months. The disorder may begin during the teen years or in early adulthood. It occurs more often in women than men. Symptoms include increased weight gain; increased sleep and daytime sleepiness; less energy and the ability to concentrate; loss of interest in work or other activities; slow, sluggish lethargic movements; social withdrawal; and unhappiness and irritability.

There is no test for Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is often hard to tell the difference between Seasonal Affective Disorder and unseasonal depression, because many of the symptoms are the same. To diagnose Seasonal Affective Disorder the doctor will ask if you have been depressed during the same season and have gotten better when the season changed for at least two years in a row. Sometimes family and friends are not sure how to help someone who is experiencing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Some suggestions to help are to spend time with the individual even if they are withdrawn or quiet, remind them they will feel better with treatment and time, offer to help with daily tasks that are temporarily too difficult for them to do alone, take a walk or involve the individual in some type of exercise or activity, and help them to stick with the prescribed treatment plan.

If you have concerns about the individual, talk with a health professional. If you choose to try light therapy, first consult with a health care provider before starting treatment to rule out other medical conditions and to help with monitoring the therapy. Try to get out as much as possible during the brightest time of the day and if you can not get outside sit near a window during the day to try to get more natural light to help with seasonal mood changes.

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation.

Fish is the New Brain Food!

December 8, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Amy Shein, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Education, Health, Life, Memory, Personal, Research, Study

I just finished reading an interesting article that was sent to me a few days ago from Emaxhealth. The title of the article was “Baked Fish, Not Fried May Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk.” We have known for many years that fish contains omega-3 fatty acid which has been very helpful for lowering cholesterol levels. According to a new study presented by the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting, at least one serving of baked or broiled fish per week helps preserve gray matter of the brain, strengthening the area of the brain deemed critical to memory and cognition. This is particularly important for people with dementia or leading to Alzheimer’s disease.

A study took place at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Mercy Hospital. They found study participants that ate baked and broiled fish (not fried) had larger brains. They had larger brain cells in areas of the brain most responsible for memory and learning. This area is known as the gray matter. It was noted that these brain areas are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease. After five years of following the effects seen with eating fish one to four times a week, the study showed mild cognitive impairment went down significantly in these participants. It is easy as including broiled or baked fish at least once a week into your diet that may help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

I had my weekly dose of fish tonight. Baked Salmon, delicious!

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation.

What Hospice Can Do!

December 1, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Amy Shein, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Aging, Caregiver, Health, Help, Life, Personal

Last week was difficult one for me. I experienced my first loss of a client as a Geriatric Care Manager. I was with this client for over 16 months and she was actually one of my first clients with Distinctive Care. She was 92 years old and lived a full life. Working so closely with this woman, who had severe Dementia, and with her family, was so rewarding, both spiritually and educationally. It was a beautiful relationship that I had worked so hard to develop and embrace.

As a nurse for 16 years, I have experienced death of a patient in many different ways. When death happens in the hospital it seems to be so much worse. Patients come to the hospital to find answers and healing to prevent the worst possible outcome. This particular client was placed on hospice during the last 3 weeks of her life (she was on hospice once before for 2 months last year, then eventually graduated off) while she was living in a skilled nursing facility. Hospice is a special way of caring for people who are terminally ill, as well as care for their family members. She received excellent palliative care, love and compassion from the local hospice nursing team and so did her family.

Hospice was even amazing to the entire team that worked directly with my client. The team included her physician, skilled nursing staff, private caregiver and me. Hospice was able to educate her family and her team with frequent updates of her declining status on a daily basis. The family was so grateful to the entire team that assisted with their loved one during her last few days of life. This was my first “close” experience working with hospice. It was truly an amazing occurrence that my so sweet client rightly deserved. Hospice is covered under Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances. It is best to speak to your physician and health care team to learn more about the benefits of hospice services.

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation.