Can Skype Help Seniors Beat the Blues?
GROWING OLDER ISN’T easy, and one of the biggest concerns for senior health is social isolation. As family members move away and friends pass on, seniors can feel alone and disconnected. Isolation is a key predictor of depression and may be a reason why so many seniors have the disorder. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to about 5 percent of older adults have major depression, and the numbers rise to 13.5 percent for patients who require home he
Listen Up! Hearing Loss Tied to Late-Life Depression
FRIDAY, Jan. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Hearing loss among seniors is not always recognized and treated, but if it were it might help head off late-life depression, a new report suggests. Older people who suffer from hearing loss have a high risk for depression, and the greater the hearing loss, the greater the risk, researchers have found. "Most people over age 70 have at least mild hearing loss, yet relatively few are diagnosed, much less treated, for this condition," said
Home Care Agencies Crucial for Hospitals to Reduce Readmissions
More rural hospitals are experiencing increased challenges reducing readmission rates. While they struggle at times to have enough patients to keep their doors open (as part of the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010) the provisions put increasing pressure on hospitals to reduce their readmission. Several factors contribute to increased readmission rates, not the least of which is inadequate care and support once a patient is discharged and sent home. Home care agencies are pl
The Increasing Awareness of Home Care’s Value in Healthcare
There have been many factors directly impacting home health care throughout the country. Some of these impacts are negative, but for the most part they are positive. In fact, home care is the number one job creator in the country and will remain that way (most likely), for at least the next 5 to 10 years, if not more. Home health care support is also becoming an integral part of the healthcare system. Part of the reason for this is the federal government’s increased pressure
