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The Top 3 Things You Don’t Know About Nursing Homes

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Say the words ?nursing home?, and you may receive an immediate judgment about the people living in nursing homes, the people who work there, and the services offered. In fact, there are many different things we don?t know about nursing homes as a society, and many things we believe that are in fact outright myths or even lies. Nursing homes are about more than palliative care end of life, though that service is certainly desperately needed. They?re also about physical therapy, post-hospitalization care, and many other specific situations. Let?s dive into the truth about nursing homes, and why they?re so important to society at large.

1. Nursing Homes Aren?t Just For The Elderly

It?s true that nursing homes provide excellent care for the elderly ? but those are not the only people who can benefit from long-term care services. Anyone who requires 24-hour care following any sort of illness or injury can benefit from the services offered by nursing homes, which can include in-home rehabilitative therapy. Physical therapy is often used to assist in recovery following serious accident or injury. You would be surprised by how disruptive some conditions can be ? even asthma can affect people on a major level, especially if that asthma is severe. Physical therapy is ultimately about helping people have a better quality of life through things like increased range of motion and physical fitness, in or out of a nursing home.

2. Nursing Homes Do Not Eliminate Social Lives

A hesitation that people have about entering a nursing home ? whether for end of life care or rehabilitative care ? is that they?ll lose their social lives and contact with their families. In fact, the whole point of residential nursing homes is to combine the aid of a hospital with the comforts of home. Most are equipped with communal and kitchen areas for residents to take part in, forming more of a community than an institution. Furthermore, many allow nursing couples ? in cases when both halves of the couple need nursing home services ? to live together. Nursing home activities and environments are structured to make people feel as if they?re in their home away from home, with all the pleasantness that comes with it.

3. Nursing Homes Aren?t Safe

Some worry that their sick or fragile loved ones won?t be medically safe in nursing homes. This can?t be further from the truth. Nursing homes are meant for people who don?t fit into a hospital setting ? because they aren?t sick enough or need palliative care ? but can?t be cared for at home full-time. As such, nursing aides and qualified nurses are usually on hand 24 hours a day, and some nursing homes even have special units for patients with specific needs, from asthma to Alzheimer?s.

There?s no need to hesitate about entering or helping a loved one enter a nursing home. The care provided is excellent, and the atmosphere presented is loving and comfortable.

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Little-Known Facts About Urgent Care

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While many know of urgent care due to their recent growth rate, there are numerous things that the average person doesn’t know about the centers. They are able to provide more care than most people know, with longer hours available and less wait time than many other medical care options. Read on for a few things you may not know about these great facilities.

  • About 60% of urgent care facilities have wait times of 15 minutes or less, and 65% have a physician on-site at all-times.
  • A survey done by The Urgent Care Association of America proved the small wait times, and also showed that 80% of all visits last 60 minutes or less.
  • About 66% of urgent care facilities open before 9:00 am on weekdays, with 45.7% opening at the same time on Saturdays and 31.1% at the same time on Sundays.
  • About 90.6% of urgent care centers stay open until 7:00 pm on weeknights, while two out of five are open until 9:00 pm or later.
  • One in every five urgent cares see over 450 patients per week.
  • About 70% of centers are able to provide intravenous fluids if needed.
  • Around half of ER patients only seek medical care at an ER because their primary physicians’ office was closed, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
  • Four out of five, or 80%, of centers are able to provide fracture care to their patients.
  • Physicians, or groups of physicians, own about half of all urgent care centers.
  • About 40% of urgent cares now use electronic prescription ordering systems, in addition to many using computerized systems for viewing lab and imaging results, collecting patient demographics, billing, condition and procedure coding, and notes.

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The Danger of Untreated Sleep Apnea

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Many people are at least aware of a condition called sleep apnea, but not many people are familiar with sleep apnea causes, treatments, or even what exactly the condition entails. With about 18 million Americans suffering from the condition, it is important to be educated on the subject, so that there are more people able to get diagnosed and treated. With a condition such as sleep apnea, treatment is of the utmost importance.

The condition is characterized by numerous instances during a person’s sleep where their throat or mouth relaxes too much, effectively blocking their airways. When the person stops breathing, it often wakes them up with a start. On average, someone suffering from this will have up to 60 apneas an hour, leading to sleep being difficult or nearly impossible. It also causes many scary health issues.

About one in 50, or 2 to 4%, of all Americans are dealing with an undiagnosed case of sleep apnea. Leaving this condition untreated however, leaves people four times more likely to suffer a stroke and three times more likely to develop heart disease than those who are unaffected. They are also open to all of the issues that come with a lack of sleep. These consequences range from weight gain, depression, and aging, to loss of concentration and/or focus, to diabetes, and even death.

Luckily, treatments have become more available, with a range of treatments offered. Sleep apnea machines such as BiPAP masks and CPAP masks are the most popular of the treatments. These machines pump air through the mask, maintaining “positive airway pressure” throughout the night. It makes it impossible for the airway to close, allowing you to sleep soundly. It also reduces your risk for the consequences that can come from having this condition.

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Its Time To Put An End To Chronic Neck Pain

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Are you one of the 1.5 billion people worldwide who suffer from chronic pain? If so, don’t feel like you have to suffer through it – find treatment options in your area. There are dozens of spinal rehabilitation specialists that can offer advice, and if you end up needing surgery they are usually minimally invasive. Here are a few things to know and remember about back, neck, and headache pain:

1. Back Pain – You may be wondering “who is affected by low back pain?” Believe it or not, over 26 million Americans ages 20-64 say that they experience frequent back pain. That is more than the entire population of Texas! If you have ever endured back pain then you know how much it can affect your life. It seems as though we use our backs, in some way, for everything we do throughout the day. Back pain is so common in the United States that there is an estimated $50 billion spent on it each year.

2. Neck Pain – Current statistics show that around 15% of the population experiences neck pain. Are you one of those people? Neck pain affects nearly half (45%) of today’s workers, and is the second most common chronic pain reported in the United States. Neck pain shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you are experiencing neck pain or even general neck discomfort that seems constant consult with a doctor as soon as you can. Don’t be worried that your neck pain will absolutely call for neck surgery – in many cases your doctor will look at other treatment options first.

3. Headache/Migraine Pain – If you or someone you know has ever experienced a severe headache or migraine you probably understand the toll that it can take. Migraines can affect people’s vision, hearing, and balance and they should be taken seriously. If you find that you have several migraines each week or month, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor for help. No one should have to suffer through daily or weekly migraines. In many cases, if you suffer from migraine you may also fall into the group who is affected by low back pain.

In a National Institute of Health Statistics survey, respondents indicated that low back pain was the most common type of chronic pain (27%), followed by severe headache pain (15%), and neck pain (15%). So the answer to your question of “who is affected by low back pain” is: a lot of people. In fact, you probably know someone who is currently dealing with chronic back, neck, or migraine pain. Find a specialist in your area today who can provide you with treatment options to end your chronic pain for good.

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How Do People Get Off Heroin and Opiates? 5 Treatment Options

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The American media loves to use the word epidemic, but when it comes to heroin addiction in the United States, “epidemic” is the only way to describe it. In every major city, in the suburbs, in rural counties, countless Americans are struggling with the life-ruining effects of opiate addiction. To make matters worse, heroin is now cheaper, more potent, and easier to find in 2015 than when it was sold legally in stores in the 19th century.

Millions of parents, siblings, spouses, friends, and medical professionals are doing everything they can to help their loved ones get off heroin. Unfortunately, heroin has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most addictive substances on Planet Earth. Not only does it create an intense physical dependency, but it has unbearable withdrawal symptoms.

So if you or someone you love is struggling to detox from heroin and opiate addiction, what kind of treatment programs are available in 2015? Here are some options:

Cold Turkey

Doctors no longer advise patients to go off opiates cold turkey, as the effects are not only excruciatingly painful, but potentially deadly. Sadly, this “man up” mentality keeps many addicts in pain, as they try and fail to detox on their own.

Inpatient Treatment Programs

Many addicts turn to inpatient rehab facilities to get sober. These programs have had mixed results in the United States, and many have been criticized for providing little more than 12-step meetings and unproven therapies. However, many addicts and alcoholics have gotten sober with the help of inpatient treatment programs.

Ibogaine Treatment Programs

Although Ibogaine is not legal in the United States, it is legal in most countries. It’s also helped many addicts experience a withdrawal free detox from opiate addiction. You can find ibogaine treatment for opiate addiction at clinics in Mexico and overseas. Although ibogaine treatment centers often cater to a high-income clientele, they’re becoming a popular choice for opiate addicts seeking detox programs.

12-Step Groups; Group Therapy

No one can dispute the fact that Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous have helped millions of people all around the globe get and stay sober. Critics say the group is “faith healing” and relies on religious beliefs about addiction. In either case, these groups provide help to millions of people seeking to avoid relapse. For those in need of medical detox or suffering form acute opiate withdrawal, 12-step groups cannot provide medical support.

Buprenorphine, aka Suboxone

Suboxone maintenance treatment is now the standard of care for addicts trying to detox from heroin. This opiate analgesic blocks the effects of other opiates while also reducing cravings. Since being approved by the FDA in 2002, it has quickly become the long-term treatment of choice for opiate addicts seeking long-term treatment programs.

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How Human Resources Software Solutions Can Optimize Your Company

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Companies are constantly on the search for new ways that they can optimize their business. Now in the computer age, more and more companies are looking towards automated processes. By removing the need for employees in some operations, businesses are able to produce goods quicker, more consistently, more efficiently, and of better quality.

Even processes involving administration are beginning to become automated. Many people are turning to human resources software solutions to keep multiple facets of their company running with little involvement necessary. HR management software can take over scheduling duties, managing employee benefits, and even contacting consumers or parties to open lines of communication.

Human resources software solutions have proven to be so effective that businesses are implementing multiple types software into their systems. New research has shown that only 13% of organizations have a single human resource software system. Most companies have on average three or four different HR applications, each meant to carry on specific tasks, for example one for accessing payroll and benefits, another for training new employees, and even one for recruiting purposes. In just the next 18 months, 57% of companies plan to make some sort of major human resource software purchase.

It’s great and extremely important to still hire to people to operate tasks in a company, but it’s hard to argue that computer programs aren’t more efficient. Between 60 and 80% of current employees spend part of their workday “cyberloafing” on the job by surfing social media or finding the latest trending funny video, even if it is forbidden by the company’s policy. Software obviously doesn’t have the ability to cyberloaf and can in turn guarantee efficiency; not to mention being cheaper than paying wages for employees who don’t do their work.

Implementing human resources software solutions can greatly improve the efficiency of your company. When mixed with hard workers, software can help your business create better products while simultaneously reducing costs.

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3 Ways Urgent Care Can Help You

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Urgent care centers have been springing up everywhere in America in recent years. They’re made popular by low cost, low wait time, and expert care. Their versatility in care options is astounding, and they have been incredibly helpful to innumerable people. Providing emergency room care provides relief to ERs who are usually overcrowded, and help to patients who can’t make it to appointments during normal times. Read on for just a few reasons you should consider trying urgent care if you haven’t already.

Sports-Related Injuries

Did you know that up to 20 million school days are lost by the 12 million kids who suffer a sports-related injury? In addition, sports injuries as a whole cost over $33 billion per year in health care costs! Urgent care will not only treat you faster so that you can get back into your life, but they will also help you save money in your care. It’s a win-win!

Strains, Sprains, Fractures

Over 80% of ankle sprains are due to an inward rolling of the ankle. Urgent care clinics can now treat not just sprains, but also strains and fractures. This gives the centers even more versatility, making them an even better option for emergency care. With some of the best doctors in each area served, urgent care with give you emergency care for these issues without the wait or cost.

Testing

Urgent care can also test for hazmat, STDs, and they can conduct physicals. This means that if you’re in need of care after your doctor’s office is closed, you don’t have to fret. Not to mention, if you’d like to just be able to walk in for care, these facilities are a much better option than say, going to the emergency room.

Have you been to any urgent care centers lately? What did you think about their care options? Would you recommend them? We would love to heard you thoughts, comments, and questions!

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3 Ways to Feel Better

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No one likes dealing with illness, but sometimes, you just have to. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make yourself feel better, and get over your sickness faster. Here are just a few of the best things family practice doctors recommend doing.

Quench a Sore Throat With Salt Water. If your throat is bugging you, try adding half a teaspoon of salt to warm glass of water. The salt willd raw out the excess water in your throat’s tissues, which will help reduce the inflammation, while also clearing mucous and irritants from the back of the throat.

Get Rid of Pain the Way You Normally Would. – Feeling sore and achey? Get rid of the pain the same way you normally might — with an over the counter pain reliever. Children six months and younger should only get acetaminophen, while kids older than that can also have ibuprofen. However, be sure to ask your child’s doctor what the correct doage size is for their age and their weight. In addition to those two pain relievers, adults can also take aspirin.

Ease Sinus Pain by Flushing Your Nose Out. – If your sinuses are killing you, then you should consider using a saline spray or rinse to clear out the mucus and bacteria in your sinuses, which will help reduce pressure. Additionally, it’s also a good idea to take a decongestant that has pseudoephedrine, like Sudafed, which will shrink painful inflammation in no time. As for the headache that often accompanies sinus pain, you should use ibuprofen. Do not, however, rely on antibiotics or steroid nasal sprays, because those work just as well as anything else, if not less.

If you know of any other ways to get over an illness faster, feel free to share in the comments.