My dad took very good care of himself for his whole life, so we were unprepared when he had emergency back surgery at the age of 88 years.

This was tough for me, but even more so for him. After all, as a proud, strong minister, he took care of other people. He didn’t need people to care for him. After so many years of independence, we decided the best plan was to move him into an assisted living facility.

We approached the move directly by taking time to do a few things: 

1. Tour the local facilities.
2. Make a list of costs and services.
3. Talk to staff to find out how they interact with residents.
4. Eat at the facility to see how the food was and to get a sense of community at meal times.

We learned a lot during a journey. We made some good choices along the way and also some mistakes. Our most important lesson was that communication is the key.

When preparing to move a loved one to an assisted living facility, you and your loved one have to be prepared to communicate with your family and the facility about your priorities. There is no one right answer. You have to decide what will work best for your loved one.

To help guide your decision about assisted living, I have written Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility, available in book and ebook format. It tells you what conversations to have, what to consider as you research facilities and how to make the experience as smooth as possible for you and your loved one.

The post How I Helped My Dad Choose Assisted Living appeared first on MyHealthSpin.

Some people age very well. You would never know they are in their 50s let alone their 60s. A few celebrities come to mind when thinking about aging, I’m talking about you, Cindy Crawford. However, most of us probably won’t be as fortunate to age that gracefully, until now. Dr. Eric Topol and his team at the Scripps Translational Science Institute are delving deep into the study of healthy aging. Their study focuses on the people and populations who seem to be immune to age related disorders such as heart disease, cancer, and dementia. And they are making great strides in identifying genetic factors associated with aging.

• These are the genes behind healthy aging

Low carb, no carb, high fat, low fat. All of this diet advice can get so confusing! And it seems to change on a weekly basis. This can make it difficult to stick to a healthy eating plan. However, new research has shown one dietary change that seems to hold true. And that is, FIBER! How much fiber do you eat in a day? The recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of fiber is around 35 grams per day for adults. Find out how increasing your fiber intake can help you reach your weight loss goals.

• One basic diet change may be all you need to be healthier at any age

Heart disease is the number one leading cause of death among women. Yet many of us are uneducated as to the signs and symptoms, as well as the preventative measures they could we could be taking. Don’t be another statistic, start combating heart disease today. P.S. Remember how we just talked about fiber? Consuming adequate amounts of dietary fiber significantly reduce your risk for heart disease.

• 7 heart disease facts women need to know

Endless hours on the treadmill? No, thank you. We all know the heart healthy benefits of regular cardiovascular activity, but often times workouts can be grueling. And we only have a short window of time to squeeze in a workout each day. So why not do something quick and effective? High intensity interval training, more commonly known as HIIT, packs a big punch in a small amount of time. HIIT increases excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), known by some as the after burn. This will not only leave you glowing but allow your body to torch calories up to 36 hours post exercise! Stop making excuses, add a HITT routine to your workout regimen once or twice a week and you’ll starting seeing results before you know it.

• How can a HIIT help you get fit?

For more healthcare tips for you and your family, check out my latest offering in dealing with unexpected healthcare: When Life Happens: What to do about unexpected health concerns. This is a bit different than my other books. When Life Happens is a workbook filled with information, tips, and tricks for getting through accidents, difficult diagnoses, rehabilitation, and what to do with the kids through it all. But it also has activities to guide you through your situation. You can find it here.

For more healthcare news and tips daily follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.

The post Helpful Healthcare Links for May 5, 2016 appeared first on MyHealthSpin.

Being a mom often times means taking care of others before yourself

1. Maintaining a healthy diet
2. Engaging in physical activity
3. Getting enough sleep
4. Finding ways to reduce stress
5. And sharing your medical history with your friends and family

Making sure your personal and family health history is often times forgotten, but can be very important in the event of an emergency. What you need is a Medical Life List! In a nutshell, your Medical Life List is your own personal medical record created by you and updated by you.

You can find the template of the Medical Life List in MyHealthSpin’s free eBook, Easy Healthcare Guide: What You Need First.

So the question is…how will you celebrate Mom this Mother’s Day?

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Spin Your Healthcare Your Way!

The post Celebrate Mother’s Day The HealthSpin Way appeared first on MyHealthSpin.

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‘Uber for Nurses’: Chicago Startup Sends Healthcare to Your Home

The popularity of Uber is striking a rise in startup companies looking to provide on-demand services to a variety of fields. One such startup is Chicago-based Go2Nurse, an app that provides people in need with a healthcare professional on-demand.

The Extra Cost Of Extra Weight For Older Adults

Obese people are far more likely to become disabled as they age, and researchers say this burgeoning demographic will strain hospitals and nursing homes.

We hope we have helped you SPIN YOUR HEALTHCARE YOUR WAY!

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How do you make the right decision about moving yourself or a loved one into an Assisted Living Facility without being overwhelmed? How do you even begin talking about it? HealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility” ebook guide gives you all of the practical advice you need to make the right choice.

Available for download, NOW!

The post Helpful Health Care Links: March 6, 2015 appeared first on MyHealthSpin.

We hope we have helped you SPIN YOUR HEALTHCARE YOUR WAY!

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How do you make the right decision about moving yourself or a loved one into an Assisted Living Facility without being overwhelmed? How do you even begin talking about it? HealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility” ebook guide gives you all of the practical advice you need to make the right choice.

Available for download, NOW!

The post Want To Make Your Loved One’s Room Feel Like Home? appeared first on MyHealthSpin.

This decision varies depending on the circumstances.

1. Is the maintenance of the independent living home becoming too much to handle?
2. Are there transportation problems getting to the doctor, the grocery store, and friends?
3. Are there safety concerns about stairs or potential falls?

For my Dad, he was very healthy and independent.  He had no expectation that he would ever need to live in an assisted living home.  Then he began to have unexplainable falls.  We took him to the doctor and surgery was required immediately.  After the surgery, he needed a place to live with very good care and assistance.  He simply couldn’t live in his former home with the bedrooms upstairs and no help.

We talked about the options openly.  Should we have someone live with him?  Should we move him to apartment which could be shared with another senior that would provide company and sharing expenses for extra help with cooking, cleaning, medications and transportation?

It was a difficult decision as he was a very strong independent man who had spent his life as a Methodist minister caring for everyone around him.  He did not like the idea of admitting that he was the one who now needed care.  However, we looked at the options and decided an assisted living home near my house and office would be the best choice for now.  We did not decide it would be the choice forever.  We kept our other options open.

We quickly learned that there was no perfect option, however, we knew we needed some help.

In order to make the transition smoother, we brought some of his precious items from home.  A quilt for the wall from the church, many family photos and his precious desk which made it seem more like home.  He had always been athletic and loved the outdoors and the birds.  We made sure he went outside as often as possible.

The other most important help with the transition was keeping his car at the assisted living home.  My dad LOVED cars!  Even though he could not drive, he knew his car was there.  We had a fabulous “helper” who would come during the week and take him to doctor’s appointments, breakfast, church in his car.  It made him feel like he still had those things he loved and control of his daily life.

For more information about what my Dad and I learned, see HealthSpin’s Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility.

Helping you “Spin Your Healthcare Your Way!

The post How to Move to Assisted Living with Ease appeared first on MyHealthSpin.

1. Size for your budget. Rooms in assisted living come in all shapes and sizes, from apartment-like layouts with a kitchenette and a living room to simple bedroom and bathroom combinations. Look closely at your budget before committing to a large, spacious room and evaluate how much “living” your loved one will do in that room. For example, if he or she is outgoing, much of that living will be done in the social areas of the facility, so they may not need a large private room. If however, he or she treasures their alone time, having more space may be worth the price.
2. Room for essential personal items. Your loved one can’t take everything from their previous home with them, but make sure there’s room enough for a few essential items. In my dad’s case, it was his desk. While it was a tight squeeze, having this beloved reminder of his life as a pastor made all the difference to him.
3. Bathroom that works for your loved one. Can he or she maneuver easily and safely around the space? Is everything reachable given his or her mobility and range of motion? Remember that you can add shower chairs and elevated toilet seats to make the bathroom more accessible.
4. Easy-to-reach temperature controls. Having control of your room’s temperature is essential. Can your loved one easily adjust the thermostat?
5. Near to (or far from) the nurse’s station. Consider how far away or how close your loved one wants to be to the nurse’s station. He or she may want the comfort of being within calling distance of the aides, but, on the other hand, the constant noise may be too disruptive, especially at night.

Looking at these factors, I know that every senior will have a different answer. But taking them into consideration will save you time, money, and grief later on.

We hope we’ve helped you SPIN YOUR HEALTHCARE YOUR WAY!

For more information, please check out HealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility”. It is a practical guide to making the right decisions for seniors when living independently is no longer an option.

The post Don’t Move In Without Them: 5 Things to Look for When Choosing a Room in Assisted Living appeared first on MyHealthSpin.

We hope we have helped you SPIN YOUR HEALTHCARE YOUR WAY!

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How do you make the right decision about moving yourself or a loved one into an Assisted Living Facility without being overwhelmed? How do you even begin talking about it? HealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility” ebook guide gives you all of the practical advice you need to make the right choice.

The post 3 Key Questions To Ask Your Assisted Living About Mealtime appeared first on MyHealthSpin.

When you’re considering moving into an assisted living facility, you might think the most important room is your bedroom.  This is not always true.  Often, the most important room is the dining room.  

Mealtime is the time when you meet other people and have a sense of community in the facility.  Since there are 3 meals a day, where you sit and what you eat significantly impacts your everyday life.  If you enjoy the meals, you will be more likely to easily settle into assisted living.

Before you move in, you want to:

1. Sample the food so you know what choices you will have
2. Have several meals at the assisted living home – try breakfast and then come back for dinner
3. Ask whether all the residents eat the same thing or you can order what you want
4. Ask whether you are assigned a table or you can sit at a different table anytime you want
5. Ask if you can have the meal brought to your room; and
6. If you need assistance getting to and from the dining room, ask how you get assistance – is there a long wait

These may seem like simple questions but they can be key factors as to whether you like the assisted living facility or not.  My Dad lived in several different assisted living homes.  Since he lived independently for 88 years, eating at a dining room table took time to get used to.  Since he was in a wheelchair, he often was brought to the table very early and had to wait for other residents before he could eat.  This was very frustrating for him.  If he had people at his table he liked, he looked forward to the meal.  However, if he had residents who had a lot of memory or behavior issues, he wanted to stay in his room.

Communication with the staff is the “key.”

For more information about what my Dad and I learned, see HealthSpin’s Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility.

I hope this post helps you Spin Your Healthcare Your Way!

Available for download NOW!

The post The Most Important Room in Assisted Living appeared first on MyHealthSpin.

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Government To Grade Nursing Homes On Tougher Scale

Starting immediately, the federal government is making it harder for nursing homes to get top grades on a public report card, in part by increasing scrutiny of their use of anti-psychotic drugs and raising the bar on an array of quality measures.

‘Superbug’ Outbreak at California Hospital, More Than 160 Exposed

A potentially deadly “superbug” resistant to antibiotics has infected seven patients, including two who died, and more than 160 others were exposed at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center through contaminated medical instruments.

We hope we have helped you SPIN YOUR HEALTHCARE YOUR WAY!

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How do you make the right decision about moving yourself or a loved one into an Assisted Living Facility without being overwhelmed? How do you even begin talking about it? HealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility” ebook guide gives you all of the practical advice you need to make the right choice.

Available for download, NOW!

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