Nursing Homes|Nursing Home Abuse|Assisted Living Facilities

Assisted Living and its Benefits

Of the many ways we take care of our elderly, the concept of assisted living is one of the most popular. Assisted living offers the best of two worlds for the person served by the system. Independence is at a high while caregivers are available if they should need them. In essence, they are never really alone.

Assisted living facilities are not to be confused with nursing homes. This is a common misnomer. The term assisted living is exactly as it sounds. Facilities provide assistance with what are called ADL's or activities of daily living. This encompasses things such as bathing, eating, dressing and more.

While some assisted living facilities do offer medication assistance as allowed by the state it is located in. Medication assistance can mean anything from preparing the medication to simply reminding the individual that it is time to take it. These facilities do not provide any major medical services, which makes them a whole different type of facility from a nursing home.

The main attraction for assisted living facilities is the individual's independence. The elderly begin to feel that they have lost their independence if they cannot function on their own from day to day. This is where AL facilities play a major role in longevity and quality of life for residents.

The facilities themselves tend to be more attractive to the individual as well as the family. The types of units range from a standalone home to an apartment in a continued care community. However, it is not just the type of residence that appeals to the clients; it is the environment as well.

An environment that allows the individual to live a full life and receive the assistance of staff members only if needed. The staff is always there to watch and step in if they have to. Safety is the major function here. The individual is free to do whatever is available to do at will. Activities are on the schedule and always going on.

All of this freedom mixed with assistance gives the client a feeling of worth, value and security. That goes a long way towards the quality of life for these people. Additionally, the family can rest assured that their loved one is well cared for and happy. Therefore, the benefits are not ONLY for the client.

In the end, all of this needs to be paid for somehow. The usual way is private funding, but there are some exceptions to that rule. Many long-term care insurance policies will cover assisted living expenses if it is licensed. Check your loved one's policy to make sure.

In some states, Medicaid waivers and funds are available to help defer the costs. Check your local statutes and laws governing assisted living. Since AL facilities are regulated at the state level, you will need to check with the state for actual details pertaining to your situation.

The bottom line is that you can place your loved one in a nice assisted living facility. The cost can be deferred by several means and insurance may even cover it. Do a little research and see what your state has to offer. You may be surprised at what you discover.

As people age, they become more susceptible to a range of health and well-being risks. From the possibility of a heart attack or stroke to the risk of a serious fall or other injury, there are numerous concerns that may arise among seniors and their loved ones. Unfortunately, these concerns sometimes lead to undesirable choices such as moving seniors to assisted living facilities or requiring expensive and possibly intrusive round-the-clock caregiving. One of the most exciting and effective responses to these problems is the medical alert system for seniors. Providing the elderly with a way to get help in the event of an accident or injury even when they're home alone, this type of system may be a wise choice for some families. Medical alert systems aren't perfect, however, and considering some of the most prominent facts about the systems before purchase can make any decision more confident and ultimately successful.

An especially useful feature of modern medical alert systems for seniors is the ease of use they typically afford. Most systems consist simply of a base unit similar to an answering machine; this is plugged into an electrical outlet and a phone line. The only other piece of necessary equipment is the wearable remote that the user can employ to make contact with the base unit, thereby alerting the monitoring service to an emergency. These remotes are usually encased in a small plastic object that can be worn around the neck or wrist, and a button typically functions as the alert mechanism. While this basic system is highly effective if properly used, it's important to note that keeping the remote on at all times is essential; if the button is out of reach, the system won't work, effectively nullifying the system's purpose.

Keeping the remote button on at all times is central to the effective use of a senior medical alert system, but when a user is away from their residence, other safety measures will need to be considered and put into place. The range of a given base unit will vary from one system to the next. While some are limited to a fairly small area, others are intended to reach through every room in a house, as well as some or all of the surrounding grounds. Knowing how far a remote button wearer can venture from the base unit and still be covered is important for making a wise purchasing decision, as is keeping in mind that no system can protect a senior once they've left the service area.

The equipment used in a medical alert system is crucial in determining the system's overall ability to perform as desired. Quality equipment should always be used, and while it may not always be easy to discern which units are more or less proficient, checking whether the equipment meets general standards, including those from the Underwriters Laboratories (UL), can help identify worthwhile models. Just as critical to the success of an alert system, however, is the quality of service that's activated whenever the equipment is actually used.

Medical alert companies may perform the necessary services of an alert system in-house, or they might outsource the service to another company, often in an effort to save money. Buyers should always be aware of whether an offered service is conducted by the same company that sends out equipment and collects payments, as in-house service usually indicates a company is fully committed to providing a quality product. Great services should also offer a range of options to medical alert system users. Sometimes, these services merely route calls to local emergency personnel, which can result in legal problems or may even cause emergency departments to block known alert numbers. When seniors are able to first connect with an alert system operator, they can convey whether they're truly in need of emergency assistance, or would simply like their family member, neighbor, or other pre-arranged contact to be notified.

An especially important fact about medical alert systems is that they're as useful for peace of mind and emotional well-being as they are helpful when accidents actually happen. The stress and worry that seniors and their families may experience when little to no security measures are in place can be exhausting, and may even lead to actual physical symptoms. Choosing a medical alert system wisely and allowing it to take the mind off of possible injuries or other dangerous situations can help family's support independent living and its many benefits without feeling vulnerable or afraid.

Medical alert systems for seniors can be highly effective in providing safety and a sense of comfort to the elderly and their loved ones, but there are many things to know before making a purchase and signing a contract. With the right choices, this method of preserving independence can benefit entire families.

Zen can be a difficult concept to understand. Translated by many as meaning "meditation" or "a state of mind", Zen can be perceived as a new understanding on how to live one's life. Demanding persistence, patience and discipline, living a life of Zen everyday is not an easy process but can ultimately prove to be extremely meaningful and worthwhile.

Zen is not a religion. Zen does not tell you what to do. Zen is an approach that has been refined through many years that can be practiced everyday by anyone. The main aim of Zen is to develop self-awareness and an understanding of everything around you. Through the course of one's life, people are conditioned into believing things without thinking about them too deeply. Zen encourages you to release lifelong conditioning and preconceptions and enables you to find a deeper understanding of yourself and reality. Zen frees your mind to live a life of heightened awareness which in turn enriches and improves your daily life experiences.

Achieving complete Zen is known as the process of enlightenment. As mentioned above, it is the process of discovering a new viewpoint on life and discovering ones inner truth. Discovering this complete inner truth comes from persistent practice and getting to know the true you. This can be achieved through daily meditation as well as through trying to live a life of deep respect and compassion for all things around you.

Zen meditation is one of the techniques that have assisted many in the Zen path. Setting time aside daily to meditate aids in allowing one to focus and receive clarity on the world and oneself. This clarity comes with practice and patience and there are numerous meditation techniques that can be used to assist you in this process. It has been mentioned countless times by many how the way one sees the world is often very similar to how one sees oneself.

Consequently, Zen living is to live a life with respect for all living things and can be utilized in every aspect of one's life. Zen deals with the present and things that have practical relevance in one's life and ignores concepts of things that do not have an effect on ones daily experiences. Zen encourages one to live for the moment and to look at things in different ways in order to make them take on more meaning and in turn provide greater enjoyment.

Practiced for thousands of years and an approach that is available to everyone. Zen can either be practiced daily or its ideas can be incorporated into one's lifestyle, to assist in encouraging a more fulfilled and pleasure filled life.

The emotional state of a person is an important part of their overall health. If a person does not feel supported or emotionally cared for, their physical health can suffer as well. A large part of that emotional support or abuse can come through verbal affirmation or abuse. Verbal abuse is a very real part of emotional abuse no matter the age of a person.

When a family makes a decision that a nursing home is the best environment for their family member, they do so expecting their loved one to get the physical care and emotional care that they need. If there is negligence in providing either of these forms of care, a person may suffer in this environment. Caretakers should be diligent in providing the necessary care for their patients without threatening or belittling them in any way.

Verbal abuse can consist of a caretaker raising their voice or yelling at any of their residents. This may be done in an attempt to frighten or coerce a person to do something they do not feel comfortable doing. Verbal abuse can also consist of taunting or calling names. Taunting can occur in a number of different forms and can include sexual humiliation as well as public humiliation. These forms of abuse are detrimental to the health of a patient and can be a contributing factor in depression or other emotional conditions. Also, using degrading or derogatory language towards a resident can be considered emotional abuse. Such inexcusable treatment should never be tolerated, and nursing home workers who are responsible for committing these atrocious acts should be held accountable.

If your loved one has suffered emotional abuse linked to verbal abuse, please visit the website of the San Antonio nursing home abuse lawyers at Mayo Injury Lawyers.

What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do?

I have been writing articles on why and how to become a pharmacy technician, but some recent feedback has made me realize I left out the obvious. What is it that pharmacy technicians do in a pharmacy? Most people figure they help the pharmacist enter prescriptions and count pills. This is true for an outpatient pharmacy, also called a retail pharmacy, but there are many roles for pharmacy technicians in healthcare. The rest of this article will list different types of pharmacy settings and the roles that pharmacy technicians have in these settings.

Community/Retail Pharmacy:

I have worked retail, and I prefer other settings; however, it is where a large percentage of pharmacy technician jobs are found. What a pharmacy technician can do is determined by the state they work via state laws and rules. In general, technicians cannot provide clinical information to patients or be the final check for prescriptions. In some states, technicians are allowed to provide information on over-the-counter (OTC) medication (ie, medications that do not require a prescription, such as, acetaminophen and ibuprofen). Pharmacy technician tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Collecting patient information (insurance and personal information as needed)
• Entering and processing prescriptions in the computer system
• Filling and selling prescriptions
• Requesting refills from doctor offices for patients
• Compounding medications that are not commercially available
• Ordering medications
• Restocking shelves
• Answering the phone
• Working with insurance companies on approving payment for certain medications
• Maintaining the cash register and conducting accounting functions

Hospital Pharmacy:

There are many different roles for pharmacy technicians in a hospital pharmacy. I know this type of pharmacy best since this is where most of my work has been. The most common are technicians who work in the central pharmacy. In addition we have decentralized techs, sterile compounding techs, billing techs, OR techs, narcotic techs, database techs, automation techs, team lead techs, and buyer techs. These technicians as a whole perform the following tasks, but not limited to:

• Filling new orders, this includes a variety of medications from oral medications to specially prepared sterile compound medications (including chemotherapy meds)
• Answering the phone
• Tubing medications (if the pharmacy has a pneumatic tube station)
• Preparing medications for delivery
• Delivering medications
• Assisting floor pharmacists with medication histories
• Assisting floor pharmacists with IV drip checks
• Handling missing dose calls
• Billing medications where nurse charting does not bill
• Maintaining the pharmacy database
• Restocking operating rooms and anesthesia trays with appropriate medication
• Dispensing and tracking all controlled substances throughout the hospital
• Maintaining automation equipment [automated dispensing cabinets that store medication on nursing units, automatic fill systems (typically called Robot-Rx)]
• Purchasing of all medication and supplies needed in the pharmacy
• Leading and managing the technician workforce, including upkeep of schedules

Long-Term Care Pharmacy:

I have worked at a couple of long-term care pharmacies, and I think it is a great place to be a technician. They typically employee a lot of techs because the work load lends itself to a lot of technician tasks. These pharmacies provide the medication needs for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and psychiatric facilities. The typical pharmacy is located in a warehouse. It does not have an open pharmacy for people to come to; they receive orders by fax and deliver all medications via couriers or drivers to facilities. The oral medication is filled in blister packs (cards of 30 tabs that are used to provide a 1 month supply of medication), or some other mechanism that provide the facility with an extended amount of medication doses that can be safely and cleanly kept until doses are due. Pharmacy technician tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Filling new and refill orders (different from hospital because of the number of doses provided)
• Processing new order and refills coming through the fax machine
• Order entry of prescriptions and printing of labels for fill techs
• Sterile compounding of medications (although there aren't as many sterile compounded medications as a hospital, there are still enough that most long-term care pharmacies have a few techs specialize in sterile compounding
• Billing medications to homes
• Controlled substance dispensing and documentation
• Ordering medications and supplies
• Restocking medications that are returned that are still suitable for reuse.

Home Infusion Pharmacy:

These pharmacies primarily care for patients that require some form of IV or other non oral medication, and want to receive the therapy at home (hence the name home-infusion). I have also worked in a home-infusion pharmacy. As a tech I had a lot of experience in sterile compounding, and found my self in any position that needed a IV room tech. Pharmacy technician tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Compounding sterile preparations in the clean room
• Preparing supplies associated with sterile medication administration for delivery
• Billing medications delivered to patients home
• Coordinating deliveries of medications with patients
• Entering orders in the pharmacy order entry system

Nuclear Pharmacy:

No, I have not worked in a nuclear pharmacy (I am sure you were staring to think I got around quite a bit, but I have been in pharmacy for about 17 years). I have some friends who work in a nuclear pharmacy. The hours are interesting; they usually come in at about 3 AM and work until about noon. These types of pharmacies make radioactive compounds and they need to be made in a way that when they are delivered to the hospital or clinic administering them, that the dose has degraded to a specific amount. Without going into too much detail, these medications have short half-lives. So they have to time the compounding of the product with the time it takes to deliver the medication and the time the patient is to receive the dose. The job pays well, but as you can imagine, there are not a ton of these positions available. Pharmacy technician tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Preparing radioactive products
• Cleaning and preparing sterile compounding areas
• Entering orders into the pharmacy system
• Coordinating dose due times with deliveries and preparation
• Billing products to hospital or clinic

Health Plans/HMO Pharmacy Group:

I saved this one for last because it is a lot different. Most healthcare plans have a pharmacy department. They manage the pharmacy benefit of the health plan. I have worked with my companies health plan and have spent some time with the pharmacy department. Pharmacy technician tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Answering phone calls and providing support for patients on the pharmacy benefit
• Reviewing prior authorization requests
• Providing support to physicians and drug companies for information requests
• Supporting the pharmacists in the department with database and projects as needed

As you can see, pharmacy technician roles can be very diverse. The best advice I can give you is to figure out what setting you would most like to work in and obtain some experiential hours in that setting. I have found that the type of pharmacy you train in is typically the type of pharmacy you end up working in.

Law is a complicated field. It has numerous branches and each branch itself has many branches further. One lawyer cannot specialize in dealing with all these branches and hence, they choose only one or two in which they specialize in their careers. Similarly, one branch of law is related to car accidents and a lawyer who deals with this particular field of law can be termed as a car accident attorney. As the name suggests, a car accident attorney deal with cases that involve a car accident in which persons may or may not be injured, but some damage definitely does occur to the automobile. If you are involved in a car accident, you should probably hire a car accident attorney to represent your case to make sure that no harm is brought to you. A competent lawyer will make sure that the damage to your car is paid by the insurance company as well as any other emotional or physical damage that you experienced during the car crash.

Car accidents are frequent; hence at any time the need can arise for you to hire an attorney. For this purpose, let us give you a few tips in this article regarding how you can find yourself a suitable as well as competent lawyer. First of all, when the need arises for you to hire a lawyer, the best place to begin your search is to start from your own social circle. Ask your friends, relatives and other acquaintances for any referrals. It is possible that some of them might have had an experience of hiring and working with an attorney. They can refer you to a few good ones and alongside give you information regarding, how a particular attorney work? What are his work ethics? How cooperative or hard-working he is? Such information can be vital for you to screen your search.

Secondly, you can also look through newspapers to start your search. Phone directories are also a good place to start your search. These sources will help you to make a list of all those attorneys that you think might be worth contacting for further information. Make sure that the attorney you choose to represent must have a strong past record, is highly experienced and has the ability to negotiate powerfully. The successful attorney will be the one who can settle the case without taking it to court. Your lawyer should also be able to avoid the court and must be able to arrive at a settlement without the mess of the court. However, if circumstances do not allow your attorney to keep the case away from court, then he should at least be able to arrive at a settlement at the least possible cost.

Make sure that he is honest in his dealings and openly discusses your case with you. He should keep you updated. If you can find a lawyer who is willing to take payment after winning the lawsuit, that will be a good agreement for you. If he agrees to such terms, make sure that no monetary matters are left unsettled. Whatever terms are agreed upon, make sure that there is written contract that you sign after reviewing it.

With more people than ever surviving well past the ubiquitous three score years and ten (70), it has become apparent that not all of these people will be able to care for themselves full-time. Centers which cater only for older people are many, so this is possibly a good choice for a career. Nursing home jobs are nearly always being advertised and once someone has tried this out, they often go on to get more qualifications to enhance their career. A nursing home job could be just about anything, although the one thing that they have in common is that they will have close contact with the elderly.

Although the doctors and nurses employed by these places will take care of the medical needs of the inhabitants, there are many other positions which have to be filled to make sure that their lives are comfortable. Cleaners and housekeepers will keep the environment in good order while receptionists and social workers will ensure that the guests get all the information that they need. Visitors too will need some guidance and all of these jobs are available for those who just want to work around the older folk.

Nutritionists have a very important role to play of course, since the elderly often have a bad appetite or an inability to take certain foods, it is important that anything they eat is packed with nutrients enough to suffice their daily needs. Making it attractive and tempting too is also an art which should see them wanting to eat whatever is put in front of them. The nutritionist will certainly have a bachelors' degree in dietetics before they get a license to practice so this could take some time to achieve. Clever people start working in a home and study in their spare time so that they can achieve this important goal. Of course, this should make it much easier for them because they will get an insight into what an older person is like.

Social workers, on the other hand, ensure that the person is getting the care and treatment that they should have. Abuse is known to rear its ugly head in some places so the social worker is really an advocate for the elderly. They must have a masters' degree to fill this kind of position but once they have it, the salary is not so bad.

The one thing about working in a place like this is that the older person usually has a lot to impart to the younger generation. Stories of the past are like a living history of where we all came from and can be very interesting if they are given the opportunity to let everyone know.

As long as they are treated like human beings, and not some nuisance that is being kept just until they pass on, these people should be able to live out their lives peacefully and comfortably. With the help of all the ancillary workers, they should now be treated with respect for the last days of their lives.

As we age into our golden years, we face a bit of a quandary. As much as we hate to admit it, we could use some help with some basic daily tasks. At the same time, we want to maintain our independence as much as possible. More and more people are finding that assisted living is a great option because it allows both of these goals to be met.

What Is Assisted Living?

Assisted living is a compromise between completely independent living and a nursing home. It is designed to provide seniors with help with daily tasks like meals and cleaning, while allowing them their total independence when it comes to daily tasks and such. Although different facilities offer different services, most assisted living facilities do not offer medical care.

Assisted living is by far the most popular senior housing option. Why is this? Well, think the issue through. Most people prefer to live independent and do so. As we age, we might need help with a few things, but it is fairly rare that we suddenly need help with everything! This is where assisted living comes in. We don't have to worry about making meals. We don't have to worry about keeping our living area clean and so on. The staff of the assisted living facility takes care of those annoying issues.

Another reason assisted living is popular has to do with the people occupying the communities. Simply put, they are all seniors who are active. It is not a gathering of really sick people one finds in a nursing home. This collection of active individuals of the same general age gives us chances to meet others with similar attitudes and the same interests. For many seniors, moving into an assisted living facility is one of the best things that can happen to them.

For the longest period of time, the only real option for seniors was to transition from independent living to a nursing home. That constituted a major change in lifestyle and was one reason many seniors viewed nursing homes with such despair. Fortunately, assisted living has created a transition between the two and today provides seniors with a housing option that not only meets their needs, but represents an idyllic living situation in many cases.

There are plenty of reasons why an individual might want to consider senior home care. Senior home care is something that makes growing old a lot easier than it might be otherwise. The sad fact of the matter, however, is that many people will avoid implementing senior home care into their lives because they don't want to spend the money. This is simply not the way to go, and can make living a comfortable lifestyle very difficult. Fortunately, there are a variety of reasons why considering senior health care might be a good idea, with the following being just a few examples.

Senior home care provides individuals who are looking to grow old with all of the dignity that they deserve. Dignity is something that doesn't come easy, and is typically not part of living in a nursing home. When one gets to age in their own environment, however, they typically are provided with much more dignity than they might have otherwise.

Hospital care can be very expensive for seniors; especially those who are not in very good health. In order to prevent the need for hospitalization, seniors should make all the attempts possible in order to keep home health care as an option. This is a great way to live in an environment that is comfortable, which can keep hospitalization at bay.

People who are growing old need to live in an environment that is exceptionally comfortable. The sad fact of the matter, however, is that most nursing homes simply aren't very comfortable to live in. Living at home, however, is considered by most people to be exceptionally comfortable, and should not be avoided.

Aging is something that requires one to have their schedules tailored specifically to their own needs, and this never happens in nursing homes. In home care, however, this happens all the time, and can be very effective at keeping someone alive for a long time. As a result, home care is the answer when it comes to choosing the best individually tailored program.

Professionals can be very important when it comes to keeping someone in good health for a long time, and this doesn't often come from living in a situation where nursing homes exist. Avoid nursing homes; go with home health care.

Family stress is a huge deal that no one ever wants to deal with. This always occurs when people grow old, however. You can avoid this type of stress by simply going with home health care, which can save your whole family a lot of stress.

The information outlined above is all you should need to understand that senior health care is the best way to grow old. Avoid nursing homes; go with senior home care today.

Many people these days want more from their jobs than just an adequate pay check at the end of the month. Indeed, they are usually looking for a rewarding career which lets them look forward to going to work instead of dreading walking through the door. For these people, nursing home jobs may be the answer. A nursing home job allows people to interact with the older folk while catering for their needs. If they do not have older relatives, this may be a need that has gone unfulfilled until now.

Since these places are becoming more common, it will certainly give the worker a confidence that their position is long-term. With any long-term career, most people want to feel that they can progress up the ladder so that not only do they succeed in this chosen profession, they also get to earn better as they go along too.

These days, the general public is living far long than our forefathers did. Just one or two generations back adults would often pass away before they reached fifty. Now though, with better food, education and health care, people are far more likely to reach their seventies and well beyond in some cases.

It would seem then that we have a whole different approach to old age than we used to. No longer do we see old age as a time to sit with slippers in front of a fire. These days, people are far more likely to be fit and agile individuals who go on adventure holidays around the world. Unfortunately though, there are those who have illnesses or infirmities which precludes them from this kind of life.

These people often have to reside in a place where others can help them with their daily routines because they cannot do this for themselves. Medicines and health care also has to be sorted out for them and it is this growing number of people who have a new careers blossoming for those in the caring professions.

Since doctors and nurses take care of the medical aspect of their treatment, it is obvious that they need help in other departments. They may need a help in washing themselves or visiting the bathroom etc which some find a little difficult to cope with. However, those who want to help normally have that kind of demeanor which allows the older person to still keep some dignity while they are doing what is necessary to us all.

It is not only hands on care though, where careers are blossoming. There are many positions which have to be filled in these places. Everything from cooks to cleaners, caretakers to maintenance etc, all have to be done well so that the older person can relax and enjoy the last part of their lives in peace.

Indeed, if anyone has an elderly person at home, this should give a good indication of how these people need a helping hand themselves after helping us all to start our lives as successfully as we have.