Because of this, more than one-third of all depressed patients go untreated.  Add to this that wile the elderly account for 12 percent os the U.S. population, people age 65 and older account for 16 percent of all suicide deaths, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Studies show that many older adults who die by suicide – up to 75 percent – visited a physician within a month before death.

Many of the changes we face as we grow older—such as retirement, the death of friends and loved ones, increased isolation, or medical problems—can lead to depression. Left untreated, depression affects much more than just mood. It can impact your physical health, impair your memory and concentration, and prevent you from enjoying life.
The risk of depression in the elderly increases with other illnesses when the ability to function becomes limited, according to the NIMH study. Estimates of major depression in older people living in the community range from less than one percent to about five percent, but rises to 13.5 percent in those who require home healthcare and 11.5 percent in elderly hospital patients.

The misconception that depression is part of aging is untrue. What is correct remains that depressive disorder is not part of aging.

NIMH explains that emotional experiences of sadness, grief, response to loss, and temporary blue moods are normal.

The most common treatment of depression is antidepressant medications or psychotherapy, or a combination of the two.

According to the NIMH study depression can and should be treated when it occurs at the same time as other medical illnesses. Untreated depression can delay recovery or worsen the outcome of other illnesses.

Tips for helping a depressed elderly friend or relative:

• Invite your loved one out. Depression is less likely when people’s bodies and minds remain active. Suggest activities to do together that your loved one used to enjoy: walks, an art class, a trip to the museum or the movies—anything that provides mental or physical stimulation.
• Schedule regular social activities. Group outings, visits from friends and family members, or trips to the local senior or community center can help combat isolation and loneliness. Be gently insistent if your plans are refused: depressed people often feel better when they’re around others.
• Plan and prepare healthy meals. A poor diet can make depression worse, so make sure your loved one is eating right, with plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and some protein at every meal.
• Encourage the person to follow through with treatment. Depression usually recurs when treatment is stopped too soon, so help your loved one keep up with his or her treatment plan. If it isn’t helping, look into other medications and therapies.
• Make sure all medications are taken as instructed. Remind the person to obey doctor’s orders about the use of alcohol while on medication. Help them remember when to take their dose.
• Watch for suicide warning signs. Seek immediate professional help if you suspect that your loved one is thinking about suicide.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notes that despite the progress made over the past 50 years, racial and ethnic minorities still lag behind the general population on many health fronts.

• Minorities are less likely to get the preventive care they need to stay healthy.
• Minorities are more likely to suffer from serious illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease and colon cancer.
• And, minorities are less likely to have access to quality health care.

The Affordable Care Act, according to HHS, addresses the needs of minority populations and other underserved groups, by bringing down health care costs, investing in prevention, and supporting improvements in primary care and Medicare.

With the help of the health care law strides are being made as every American regardless of race or ethnicity has a fair shot at quality, affordable health coverage.

The U.S. Government’s Department f Health and Human Services reports that more than 1.2 million Latinos, Blacks, Asian Americans and American Indian/Alaska Natives have gained coverage because the Affordable Care Act.

It allows young adults without employer-provided insurance to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26. Many Americans can now get such key preventive services as mammograms, cancer screenings and flu vaccinations with no co-pay or deductible, a significant barrier in the past to many in minority communities. Insurance companies cannot discriminate against children under 19 for pre-existing conditions, and in 2014, that protection will cover adults, as well.

Small businesses, the economic driver in many minority communities, can now get tax credits to help pay for insurance coverage for their employees as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

The theme for National Minority Health Month this year is “Health Equity Can’t Wait. Act Now in Your CommUnity.”

HHS says by recommitting ourselves to eliminating the serious and substantial health disparities faced by racial and ethnic minority Americans, we are investing in our entire nation’s physical and economic wellbeing.

To learn more about National Minority Health Month and what the Department of Health and Human Services is doing to reduce minority health disparities and achieve health equity, see http://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/Actnow/

When our food is digested the glucose makes its way into our bloodstream. Our cells use the glucose for energy and growth. However, glucose cannot enter our cells without insulin being present – insulin makes it possible for our cells to take in the glucose.
Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas. After eating, the pancreas automatically releases an adequate quantity of insulin to move the glucose present in our blood into the cells, and lowers the blood sugar level.

A person with diabetes has a condition in which the quantity of glucose in the blood is too elevated (hyperglycemia). This is because the body either does not produce enough insulin, produces no insulin, or has cells that do not respond properly to the insulin the pancreas produces.

In people with diabetes, sugar (glucose) accumulates in the blood to very high levels. The excess glucose can attach to proteins in the blood vessels and alter their normal structure and function. One effect of this is that the vessels become thicker and less elastic, making it hard for blood to squeeze through.

People with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are at a much higher risk than the general population for damage to the eyes, kidney, nerves, and blood vessels. Because of these serious risk factors, the American Diabetes Association recommends regular screening for early signs of damage. Many of these side effects can be delayed or avoided altogether through careful blood sugar control. In addition, a recent study has found that lowering blood sugar levels also lowers treatment costs for people with Type 2 diabetes.
Doctors can measure how much sugar has bound to proteins over a three to four month period using a glycated hemoglobin test. This test measures the amount of sugar that is attached to hemoglobin — a protein in red blood cells.

Below is a comprehensive list of the effects from diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Since March is Vision Awareness Month we want to first and foremost, share the effect diabetes can have on your vision.

Eye Damage

Diabetic eye disease starts when blood vessels in the back of the eye (the retina) balloon out into pouches. Although this stage — called nonproliferative retinopathy — generally does not affect vision, it can progress to a more serious form called proliferative retinopathy. This occurs when damaged blood vessels close off and new, weaker vessels take their place. These new vessels can leak blood, which blocks vision. They can also cause scar tissue to grow and distort the retina.

Because the retina can be irreversibly damaged before you notice any change in vision, and because retinopathy can be effectively treated with lasers to minimize vision loss, the American Diabetes Association recommends screening for retinopathy yearly.

Kidney Disease

Kidney disease starts when the blood vessels in the kidney become leaky. These leaky vessels allow protein from the blood to be excreted with urine. (It’s this protein that doctors detect when they test for kidney function.) Eventually, some vessels collapse and place more pressure on those that remain. Under this increased load, the remaining blood vessels are also damaged and the kidney may fail. If the disease progresses to this point, a person may have to go on dialysis — where a machine performs the role of the kidney — or receive a kidney transplant.

Because of the serious consequences of kidney disease, the American Diabetes Association recommends screening for protein in the urine every year starting at the time of diagnosis, or five years after the diagnosis in Type 1 diabetics.

Heart and Blood Vessel Disease

High blood sugar damages blood vessels and can lead to blockage. In the heart, this blockage can cause heart attacks. In fact, people with diabetes have two to four times the risk of developing heart disease or stroke than the general population. Blocked vessels in the legs can cause pain and can also impair circulation. With poor circulation, small cuts or infections are less likely to heal. Eventually, 0.6 percent of all diabetics have lower limb amputations because of damage to the feet or lower legs.

Nerve Disease

In diabetes, the nerves that become damaged are the ones that allow you to sense temperature, pressure, texture, or pain on your skin. In most people with diabetes, nerve disease (neuropathy) effects the feet and lower legs, causing numbness or tingling. The real problem arises when numbness allows injuries to the foot to go unnoticed. For this reason, the American Diabetes Association recommends that all people with diabetes have a thorough foot exam every year.

Caregivers can assist patients living with diabetes, by administrating medication, nutrition planning, awareness and paying attention to known symptoms to offset any negative reactions. Call today for a consultation and to learn more about DRM Genesis home care services.

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!

Memory 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.

 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.

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

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

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.

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.