Fatigue is a common physical complaint and accounts for roughly 55 percent of all visits to primary care physicians according to Dr. Roger Hirchak. “Almost everyone feels fatigue at some time during their life. Some of the more common causes of fatigue are stress, over activity, poor physical conditioning, or inadequate sleep.” When fatigue lasts [...]
Welcome to the Alliance Retirement for Community Living's Senior healthcare blog. We will be bringing you relevant health-related information that we have collected over our many years of experience in senior care. If you have any questions or comments please contact us by phone at (800) 334-4133 or by Email.
Feeling Fatigued?
Feb 9
When you hear the phrase, “hospice care,” you generally think of end-of-life services; however, hospice care also includes palliative care, which is centered on pain management and symptom relief. Palliative care versus curative care is important to understand: the hospice philosophy focuses more on the palliative or comfort care, while traditional curative care focuses on [...]
Caring for the terminally ill requires accepting and planning for the eventuality of death, while creating an atmosphere that provides comfort and compassion to both the patient and their family. Hospice care recognizes the patient’s right to self-determination and decision-making. Hospice program goals are: (1) Self-determined life closure — anticipating death, mentally competent residents will [...]
Depression
Jan 24
StartSelection:0000000199 EndSelection:0000002986 According to Dr. Chris Votolato, Director of Behavioral Health at Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, Florida, depression is generally believed to be the most common emotional challenge of the elderly and is often referred to as the “common cold” of mental health. Self-rating scales suggest that 15-20 percent of those over [...]
The Creative Age
Jan 19
If you ask a group of first graders, how many of them are artists, the entire group of children will raise their hands. If you ask the same question to a group of say, fifth graders, only a select few will have the nerve to raise their hands. Somehow, most of us begin to feel [...]
Aching Joints
Dec 18
by Dr. Roger E. Hirchak, Vice President, Health & Resident Services Degenerative joint disease, medically known as osteoarthritis, is the most common form of joint disease, and spares no age, race or geographic area. By the age of 40, ninety percent of all adults have radiographic findings of osteoarthritis in their weight-bearing joints – which [...]
It’s easy to overlook signs of decline in mom and dad, so ask yourself the following questions to help you determine if your parent is ready for assisted living: 1) Is your parent experiencing memory loss in a situation that has moderate to severe consequences such as forgetting doctor appointments or forgetting to take medications, [...]
As we age, it is easy to notice how those around us are aging, but it is often difficult to realize we too are changing. Our minds may be bright and our hearts youthful, but at some point we begin to slow down and everyday tasks become more burdensome. Perhaps it is becoming harder for [...]
Many people are not aware of the expenses involved in long-term care, and most have assumed they will not need such care. They are unprepared for these expenses, and often the harsh reality comes at a time when they are most vulnerable. Planning for the unknown is vital, yet many adults choose to take the [...]
Fall & Safety Prevention
Oct 31
Every year over 1.6 million older adults go to the emergency department for fall related injuries. The risk of falling increases with age. Falls are the main cause of fractures, loss of independence, hospital admissions and death. Hip fractures are the most common and serious type fall related injuries. Only half of older adults hospitalized [...]