12 Healthy Habits for 2012

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Posted on January 4, 2012 by DRM

Happy New Year!

1. Drink more water
Getting enough water into your body not only can help you lose weight, it allows your body to function the way it’s supposed to. How to start: Trade one of your daily caffeinated or sugary beverages for 8 oz. of water instead and work up at least 64 ounces every day.

2. Get more sleep
Eight hours a day keeps a whole lot of bad stuff away. Studies have shown people who get enough zzzz’s tend to weigh less, have more energy and are more productive. How to start: Try going lights-out 15 minutes earlier this week and increase that every week for a month until you’ve mastered the routine.

3. Save more money
Money and stress are so closely related they’re practically synonymous. And all that stress is causing nothing but trouble inside your body. Make 2012 the year you vow to start saving – even just a little – to start building an emergency fund. How to start: Start with $5 or $10 a week – the price of two cups of your daily designer coffee.

4. Plan your meals
Poor planning is one of the most-cited reasons for unhealthy eating and can sabotage any eat- right effort. How to start: Sit down with a calendar and map out one week’s worth of meals. Be realistic about what you can do each day.

5. Sit up straight
Still slouching in front your computer with your legs crossed? Poor desk posture can lead to neck pain, lower back problems and mid-day fatigue. How to start: Ask your employer’s human resources department for an ergonomic review of your worksite. Then set an alarm for every hour to adjust and review your posture.

6. Have a heart-to-heart
In 2012, stop biting your tongue and have the conversations you need to have with the people in your life. Learn to say what’s on your mind instead of bottling it up inside. How to start: Have a heart-to-heart with your spouse or significant other about one thing that has been bothering you.

7. Use a smaller plate
Want to make a huge difference in your weight this year? Get rid of your large, 12-inch dinner plates and instead use smaller, 9-inch plates. This one small change will save you tons of calories. How to start: Simple. Move the big plates to a shelf you can’t reach.

8. Kick your computer out of your bed
Our brains need time to unplug and unwind at night, and that’s hard to do when we fall asleep to the hum of a laptop. How to start: Kick your nightly computer habit by assigning a central location outside your bedroom to plug in your laptop (or other distracting electronic device).

9. Eat breakfast
They don’t call it the most important meal of the day for nothing. A healthy, balanced breakfast revs up your metabolism for the day and gives you a much-needed burst of energy. How to start: Not much of a morning person? Start with something easy, like an English muffin with almond butter. You can eat it on the run.

10. Take brain and body breaks
Our bodies can only last so long staring at a computer screen in one position. And the longer we sit the more fat we store. Get up once an hour to stretch, walk around and blink your eyes. How to start: Set the alarm on your smart phone or a computer for every hour. Take just two minutes to get out of your chair and move.

11. Redefine ‘exercise’
If you’ve tried and failed countless times to get into an exercise routine, change your definition of exercise. Who says you have to sweat for an hour in an aerobics class? Just walk for 10 minutes three times a day. Play catch with your dog. It all adds up to calories burned, energy gained. How to start: Get up 10 minutes early every day for one week and do some basic calisthenics. You’ll start to drown out that skeptical voice that tells you that you don’t have time for physical activity.

12. Use vacation time
It’s there for a reason. We need time off to recharge our mental and physical batteries. So sit down with your calendar and map out some time off for 2012. How to start: If you’ve always been the person who let her vacation accrue to the point of ridiculous, vow that this year you will at least take half of your annual vacation allowance. Next year, go crazy. Take all of it.

Source:www.lsj.com, Written byLouise Knott Ahern GLWoman

Although the holiday has passed, it’s not too late! You can still take advantage of providing a gift for your loved one(s)

Visit www.drmilc.com to purchase a certificate for our Certified Nurse Aide/CNAplus™ training courses. OR Visit www.drmgenesis.com to purchase a certificate for home healthcare assistance.

Make your loved one(s) happy this New Year!

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Memory Improvement Principles

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Posted on December 12, 2011 by DRM

“If you want to win friends, make it a point to remember them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance.”-Dale Carnegie.  (Carnegie, 1998)

Brain with memory circuitMemory skills are vital not only in business but in many aspects of life, including prevention of diseases of age like Alzheimer’s and dementia.  Our brain is capable of several types of memory, including, episodic memory (memory of an event that happened in our presence), semantic memory (memory containing generalized knowledge of the world), procedural memory (memory about how to do things), explicit memory (intentionally remembering something), and implicit memory (unintentional influence of prior experiences).  These memories are stored in either our sensory memory (having to do with sights, sounds, odors, tastes, and touch), short term memory (hold unrehearsed information for a limited time), or long term memory (stores new information indefinitely).

Memory can be affected by many factors in our lives, including understanding memory principles, diet and nutrition, physical as well as mental exercise, substance abuse, and traumatic brain injury.  With that being said there are many things we can do to improve our memory outside of flipping flashcards. We will cover all of these over a few blog posts. To start lets look at the 11 Principles  that are essential to memory improvement and must be understood to improve your memory.

The 11 Memory Improvement Principles 

  1. Interest - It is much easier to understand things that are interesting to you.
  2. Selection - Select only the information you think is important to you.
  3. Attention - Attending to one thing at a time and to what you want to remember.
  4. Understanding – Learning something means you understand it enough to share with others. It is easier to remember something you understand.
  5. Intention to Remember – We are more likely to recall something we intendto remember.
  6. Confidence - Positive mental Set-When we feel we can’t remember something, it is likely that we will not. On the contrary if we expect to remember we will.
  7. Ego Involvement - We seem to learn best when material reinforces our strengths.
  8. Association - Connect things in your mind with something it is in common with to you associate and remember.
  9. Background of Experience - background or knowledge in a subject will help you form associations.
  10. Organization/Classification - When you visualize what you want to remember by classifying and organizing them, you are preparing information for long term memory.
  11. Practice Newly Learned Memory Devices - The more you practice memory techniques, the better your memory will become.

William James said many years ago, and most scientists still agree that we use less than 10% of our brain power! (James, 1911) When we understand these principles, we can then begin the process of intentionally improving our memory and brain power.

The staff at DRM Genesis specializes in assisting patients with memory challenges. We hope this entry was helpful to you. Please check in regularly or subscribe to the RSS feed as we will be covering Nutrition, Physical Exercise, Mental Exercise, Substance Abuse, and Traumatic Brain Injury and how they relate to memory. Please contact us direct if we can answer any questions you have.

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Memory Lapses – First Symptom of Alzheimer’s Dementia

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Posted on December 5, 2011 by DRM

We all experience memory lapses on occasion – no matter what age. How many times do you have to remind kids to pick up their toys? How many times have you been late because you forgot what time an event started? These are all very basic examples of forgetfulness we all experience at sometime in our lives. Because memory lapses are the first signs for Alzheimer’s disease, as people age it becomes increasing important to pay close attention to them.

 If you have concerns about whether a person is experiencing the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease ask yourself the following questions.

  1. When you are engaged in conversation does the person repeat questions or stories within minutes of the first telling?
  2. Does the person historically have a good memory, seldom needed to write a to-do list, etc. but now has to?
  3. Is the person forgetting names of people they recently met or names of grandchildren, etc.?
  4. Does the person’s memory appear to be getting worse?
  5. Is the forgetfulness happening more often?

If all of the above are true it is important to get a clear diagnosis but these symptoms are typically the first signs of Alzheimer’s. Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease sufferers usually have better memories of the distant past rather than events that take place recently. They can often recall names of childhood friends and then forget their grandchildren’s names. As Alzheimer’s progresses even the long-term memories fade.

DRM Genesis staff are especially trained in treating patients who are living with Alzheimer’s / Dementia. Our staff can help you with respite care as needed or we can suggest local Lansing, Michigan Adult Foster Care Homes for placement of your loved one. Please contact us today if we can answer any questions in regard to an aging friend or family member. We can also assist with questions regarding the care of a loved one living with traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries. DRM Genesis home health providers care for life.

You can also learn more about Alzheimer’s and Dementia treatment and studies on the Alzheimer’s Association website.


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Care for Your Community this Holiday

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Posted on November 18, 2011 by DRM

Saturday November 26, 2011 has been declared Small Business Saturday. In response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday local businesses finally get their day. Another email has been making the rounds this year to “Birth a New Tradition” for the 2011 Holiday season and think outside of the box for gift giving and support of American labor. Instead of glutinous purchases of cheaply produced goods from big box stores Lansing area residents are encouraged to give gift certificates for local service suppliers. Suggestions for holiday gift cards at hair salons or barber shops were good examples of items everyone needs throughout the year. Making these purchases keeps money in our communities and supports a local small business and is a service everyone uses. While considering our holiday gifts DRM Genesis recognized what a gift a couple of hours of care could be to the caregivers on all our lists.

DRM Genesis Healthcare Providers created Holiday Care Cards a special gift for your loved ones, neighbors, friends and customers. The trained healthcare staff at DRM Genesis can come in for a few hours, full days, or full vacation breaks. With a Holiday Caring Card, caregivers can have peace of mind and while they attend holiday parties, step out for holiday shopping or even prepare their home for the holidays while DRM Genesis staff watches over and cares for the loved one. Whatever the personal need, giving the gift of care can do wonders for those people who give throughout the year. The Holiday Care Cards can be used all year long for any caregiving purpose, they are not restricted for just holiday use, expiration is December 31, 2012.

Whether a licensed nurse or certified nurse assistant is needed, DRM Genesis will provide the necessary staff people or persons to meet the specific needs of each customer. View our list of healthcare services list.  DRM Genesis also had Lansing area Licensed Adult, Foster Care and Day Care available at our Lansing area AFC homes.

Show you care with a DRM Genesis Holiday Care Card that will always be welcomed and remembered. Purchase your choice of caregiver hours online, or call 517-882-3544 for assistance.

Remember to nominate your favorite caregiver for the DRM Genesis caregiver award! http://www.drmgenesis.com/caregiveraward.html

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Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

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Posted on October 27, 2011 by DRM

The attached PDF links readers to the causes of Traumatic Brain Injury and its range of severity.

It also provides themes and strategies in dealing with traumatic brain injury patients with suicidal tendencies; factors that play into preventing suicide; warning signs as to what can precipitate suicidal thoughts; and strategies for preventing suicide in patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.
Download PDF

 

 

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DRM Genesis at Holt Business Expo

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Posted on October 13, 2011 by DRM

Come discover DRM Genesis Home Health Care at the 3rd Annual Delhi Business Expo on Oct. 26 from 6-9 p.m. at Holt High School.

The Expo has grown every year, and last year attracted 75 merchants and more than 500 visitors. There will be giveaways and coupons, with many vendors offering special Expo discounts to those who stop by. And it all leads up to the grand prize drawing for a $500 VISA® gift card, so be sure to register to win. But most of all, be sure to attend!

We will have special treats at out booth too, be sure to stop by and say hi.

Need more information on the Delhi Business Expo or Delhi Downtown Development Authority? Please visit the Delhi Charter Township Downtown Development Authority website.

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Visit DRM Genesis at the Oct. 18 Health Fair

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Posted on October 12, 2011 by DRM

DRM Genesis will be present at the Health Fair on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Pratt Whitney Autoair Inc., 5640 Enterprise Dr. The event will run from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

Visitors to our table will receive information on DRM Genesis services as well as receive information on blood pressure. Students will be on hand taking and recording health fair patrons’ blood pressure.

Those attending the fair will also have an opportunity to receive a free chair massage.
Genesis Home Healthcare Providers provide excellent, quality care to qualified individuals in the safety, comfort, and privacy of their own homes, demonstrating patience, passion, and perseverance to allow the maintenance of dignity and confidentiality.

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Join DRM Genesis at the Annual Brain Injury Conference at the Lansing Center

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Posted on September 14, 2011 by DRM

Brain Injury Conference, SEPT. 22 & 23

Lansing’s DRM Genesis will be one of multiple exhibits at the Annual Brain Injury Conference in the Lansing Center (333 E Michigan Ave.) on Sept. 22-23.

The purpose of this two-day conference is to provide state-of-the art information about brain injury treatment and therapies, which will foster maximal rehabilitation and a good quality of life. This conference is designed to benefit persons engaged in therapies with persons recovering from injury as well as caregivers and persons with brain injury.

The conference will start at 8 a.m. and finish at 4:30 p.m. on both days

A brain injury is a sudden event that can change a life. Whether it’s a mild injury that simply requires rest and monitoring or a serious traumatic injury that can result in serious permanent disabilities, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are physical injuries to the brain that require expert, specialized assessment and treatment to ensure the best long-term outcome.

DRM Genesis Home Healthcare Providers  ((DRMGenesis.com) specialize in care for Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury patients and patients in various stages of alzheimers and dementia. Our well trained, highly compassionate team of nurses, skilled professionals, certified nurse assistants, and home health aides function at their highest capacity to make us the most sought after home care agency in the region.

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Walk to end Alzheimers

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Posted on September 14, 2011 by DRM
Where: MSU’s Auditorium Field, East Lansing
Just south of Auditorium Road and Farm Lane – Map and Directions
When: Sunday, September 18
Registration: 11:00 AM ~ Walk: 1:00 PM
View our Day of Registration and Donations procedures
Length: 5K (3.1 mile) or 3K (1.8 mile)

DRM A PLATINUM SPONSOR TO THIS YEAR’S “WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S”

DRM International Learning Center’s platinum championship team will join millions of walkers participating in the 23rd annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sunday, Sept. 18 with hope it will be the last one.

Lansing’s 2011 Walk to End Alzheimer’s will take place from 1 until 2 p.m. with registration from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The event will start at the Michigan State University’s Auditorium Field, just south of Auditorium Road and Farm Lane.

Although there is no registration fee for this event, participants are encouraged to make a personal donation and raise money for the cause. Walkers who raise $100 or more will receive a 2011 Walk to End Alzheimer’s™ T-shirt!

Walkers will be able to choose to participate in either a 5K (3.1 miles) or a 3K (1.8 miles) course.

Unite in a movement to reclaim the future for millions. Join our Lansing team for the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s™, the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds to fight Alzheimer’s disease. Together, we can advance research to treat and prevent Alzheimer’s, and provide programs to improve the lives of millions of affected Americans.

Participants are walking to reclaim the future for millions. By supporting the 2011 Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s™, they will help to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer research, care and support.

Currently, more than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s and that number is expected to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050. Unless we can find a way to change the course of this disease our future is at risk.

Make a donation, today, to help the Alzheimer’s Association advance research into prevention, treatments and a cure for Alzheimer’s. For the millions already affected by the disease, the Association offers care, education, support and resources in communities nationwide.

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Home Healthcare

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Posted on June 15, 2011 by DRM

Our home health aides, certified nurse aides and licensed nurses are careful to ensure the safety, privacy, and dignity of our home care clients through home maker, personal care, therapy options and chore services. DRM Genesis Home Healthcare Providers care for your loved ones.

DRM Genesis Home Healthcare Providers specialize in care for Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury patients and patients in various stages of alzheimers and dementia.

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