Preventing Social Isolation in a Time of Social Distancing
By Brandee Cowley, BSN RN Here we are in the closing month of 2020, and we are all facing the reality that we are still in the middle of a pandemic. SARS-CoV-19, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been a topic of discussion, research, and discontent, and has caused illness and claimed many lives since […]
Tips & Tails—Ask The Vet
Q. Do dogs get seasonal allergies like people do? A. Yes! Many dogs do have seasonal allergies, but the symptoms are different. Unlike people, when the pollen count is high, dogs do not typically get a stuffy or runny nose, scratchy throat, etc. Instead, dogs tend to get itchy and inflamed skin. They will almost […]
Remembering Celebrations Gone By
By Sandra Dempsey Post Four letter words often get a bad rap which really isn’t fair. Sure there are some very strong meanings in a mere four letters, but there are also some lovely sentiments in words such as love, kind, help, good, and many more. And then sometimes the words are practically void of […]
How Do You Do? CBD
Evidence continues to build through clinical trials supporting CBD and its effectiveness in addressing medical conditions associated to pain, inflammation, anxiety, and insomnia (sleeplessness) and more. These studies have compared against current standard of care regimens. Excitement among medical practitioners continues to build around CBD as a viable natural option for treatment of such conditions, […]
Support for Life After a Stroke
Submitted by Right at Home Peoria More than seven million Americans are survivors of a stroke—the “brain attack” that occurs when an area of the brain is cut off from normal blood flow. Nearly 70 percent of stroke survivors undergo rehabilitation to help recover from post-stroke disabilities such as limb weakness, paralysis, cognitive deficits, or […]
Connect Without Contact — The Ease and Fun of Connecting
Part 2 of 2 (Find Part 1 here) By Alexander Germanis Technology is meant to help us and to make our lives easier. In fact, when any technological innovation works well, we often forget what it was like to ever live without it. The convenience of gathering information online has never been greater. Using the […]
Lifelong Friends Say “I Do” at a Hospice Wedding
By Tana Villanueva, General Manager for VITAS® Healthcare For 35 years, Donn and Charla have been lifelong friends—steadfast companions through life in a non-romantic-but-always-close relationship. In early 2020, Donn was diagnosed with brain cancer, and in May, he was admitted to a hospital unit under the compassionate care of VITAS® Healthcare. One day in June, […]
10 Tips to Help Seniors Lower Their Fall Risk
Submitted by Right at Home Peoria Each year three million older adults seek treatment at the hospital after a fall. Falls are a major public health problem, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And while the effects of a fall can be life-changing and life-threatening for seniors, the fear of falling also […]
Finding Joy in Retirement
By Angela Kauffman, Snyder Village Finally deciding to retire from the work force can be one of the biggest and most impactful decisions a person can make during their lifetime. This major life change can uncover a host of emotions and can cause moments of reflection on what is really important in life. Retirement can […]
More Than a Melody: Music Therapy Brings Out the Best in Patients, Caregivers
By Tana Villanueva, general manager for VITAS® Healthcare Peggy, a music therapist for VITAS Healthcare, strums a G major and lets the chord ring out. “I’m in love–I’m all shook up,” she sings, and she’s not the only one. VITAS patient Patricia, in her 80s and living with dementia, sings every word she remembers and mouths the […]