Healthcare News Archives - Page 4 of 9 - Hearthstone Assisted Living

Healthcare News The Many Benefits of Playing Bingo

August 18, 2019 Herb

“Bingo.” On any given day of the week you can hear this word yelled by seniors at assisted Living facilities throughout the country, who have all the required numbers, or “pattern” to win. It’s considered a game of change and its full play. It’s easy to play Bingo. A player must match numbers (one of 75) printed on a cardboard card which contains 25 squares arranged in five vertical columns and five side by side rows. The caller randomly draws a small wooden ball from a small cage and the players mark the picked number with a tile. When the…

Healthcare News Lown Institute Report Calls for National Policy to Attack Overprescribing

August 15, 2019 Herb

Every day you read or watch television commentators report on the sweeping opioid overdose sweeping this nation. But there is another drug issue impacting older Americans, that is adverse reactions to prescriptions. In 2018, 5 million older Americans—one in ten—sought medical attention as a result of a serious reaction to medication. Over the past decade, the rate of emergency room visits for adverse drug events (ADEs) among older Americans nearly doubled. Taking a Look at Overprescribing Photo Credit: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention In response, the Brookline, Massachusetts-based Lown Institute, releases a report, Medication…

Healthcare News Experts Say, Expecting to Always Feel Happy and Relaxed Is a Recipe for Disappointment

August 10, 2019 Herb

While many people generally think that stress and anxiety can reach unhealthy levels, psychologists will tell you that while both are unavoidable, they oftentimes lay a helpful role in our daily life. This observation was explored at a presentation at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. “Many Americans now feel stressed about being stressed and anxious about being anxious. Unfortunately, by the time someone reaches out to a professional for help, stress and anxiety have already built to unhealthy levels,” said Lisa Damour, PhD, a private-practice psychologist who presented at…

Healthcare News Research Provides the Benefits of Eating Blueberries

July 29, 2019 Herb

You can enjoy fresh blueberries year-round! The North American blueberry season and harvest runs from April up to late September. Then, South America imports fill the grocery store shelves from October to March. A new study finds that if you love recipes with blueberries, then you can’t go wrong with putting blueberries in pies, cobblers, smoothies, cottage cheese, cookies, jams and even in your main dishes. Blue Berries Are Good for Your Health Photo Credit: SNAP-ED Connection, United States Department of Agriculture New research findings published in the The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and…

Healthcare News New Law Expands IRS’s Identity Protection Pin Pilot Program

July 27, 2019 Herb

Over two weeks ago, legislation authored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Doug Jones (D-AL) to stop identity theft tax refund fraud and prevent taxpayers from falling victim was signed into law by President Donald Trump. Senators Collins and Jones’ legislation was included as a provision in the Taxpayer First Act. The IRS has made significant progress in combating identity theft refund fraud, but it continues to be one of its biggest challenges, costing victims a total of $1.7 billion in 2016 alone. Photo Credit: U.S. General Accounting Office The Taxpayer Identity Protection Act will require the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over…

Healthcare News AARP Grants Assist New Jersey Communities to Become More Liveable

July 17, 2019 Herb

The Washington, D.C.-based AARP announces that three New Jersey communities have made the cut, the nation’s largest aging group will distribute nearly $1.6 million among 159 grant winners developing “quick-action” projects across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Photo Credit: AARP Virgin Islanders. Three grantees are in the Garden State. AARP had received more than 1,6660 applications for the third annual AARP Community Challenge from nonprofits and government entities, resulting in a highly competitive process. The Community Challenge grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable initiative, which helps communities become great places to…

Healthcare News Hearthstone Estates Congratulates State’s New Dental Director

July 10, 2019 Herb

Hearthstone Estates Assisted Living congratulates Dr. Darwin K. Hayes, DDS, MHA, FAGD, for his appointment to serve as the Garden State’s Dental Director, at the New Jersey Department of Health. His appointment marks the first time in over 30 years that the state has filled this position. Dr. Darwin K. Hayes, DDS, MHA, FAGD, New Jersey’s Newly Appointed Dental Director Photo Credit: New Jersey Department of Health “We are pleased to welcome Dr. Hayes as part of our leadership team,” Deputy Commissioner Deborah Hartel said, in a July 8 statement announcing the appointment. “With his knowledge…

Healthcare News Biggest Retirement Study Shows Residents, Healthier, Happier

July 3, 2019 Herb

Residents of retirement communities are healthier, more active and secure, even happier than those who have not yet moved to this housing option, say researchers conducting one of the largest in-depth polls ever conducted of United Kingdom (UK) retirement community residents. Retirement communities or retirement villages combine high quality housing options for older people with tailored support services. They allow residents to rent or own a property and to maintain their privacy and independence, with the reassurance of 24-hour on-site staff, communal facilities, and optional care and support as needed. Pet Therapy at Hearthstone Estates Assisted…

Healthcare News New AARP Report Says Specialty Drug Prices Continue 12-Year Increase

June 27, 2019 Herb

The cost of widely used specialty prescription drugs, requiring special administration and handling and used to treat conditions including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, grew more than three times faster than general inflation in 2017, according to a new AARP Public Policy Institute report released this month. The AARP report found that the average annual price for a single specialty drug used on a chronic basis is now nearly $79,000, compared to $27,824 in 2006. Specialty Drug Costs Photo Credit: Congressional Budget Office According to the AARP report, the average annual cost for a single…

Healthcare News Reaching Across the Aisle to Fight Elder Abuse

June 18, 2019 Herb

In celebrating World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, just three days ago, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators call on Congress to fight elder abuse. According to the Washington, DC-based National Council on Aging, approximately one in 10 Americans age 60 years old or older have experienced some form of elder abuse. Additionally, according to the Government Accountability Office, financial fraud targeting older Americans is a growing epidemic that costs seniors an estimated $2.9 billion annually; however, this number is likely higher as many of these cases are never reported because the victim is too often ashamed to report abuse, particularly…