We Need Health Care Reform

Check out this article I wrote, just to let off some steam over the battle to prevent health care reform. I feel that information about hospice and advanced directives is extremely important and here is why:
Death Panel Madness

Take Charge of Your Heatlh

According to AARP writer Mary A Fisher until the mid 20th century more people died of infectious diseases such as diphtheria, polio, meningitis and polio. Now chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardio-vascular disease are killing people and most insurance companies and doctors don't know how to shift the model of care to address needs for improved diet, smoking cessation and exercise to address these conditions. Exceptions are the Chronic Disease Managment Programs first nationally adopted by Kaiser permante in 1998 and spreading throughout the country.Check out this article at: Take Charge of Your Health and nurse Kate Lorig's story and book.

Glasses to help watch television

Seniors and others with low vision may be interested in this video that described two types of special glasses to improve distance vision to watch TV. The Max TV glasses can be adjusted for varied focal distances and provide a larger visual field, the mounted spectacles are stronger, but the visual field will be smaller. Which to use can be determined by severity of acuity loss and doctor recommendation.

Budget-Friendly Exercise Tools for Seniors

Check out these Budget-Friendly Exercise Tools for Seniors written about by Jane Sorensen, PhD, OTR, ND in Advance for Occupational Therapists. I especially like the Chinese hand balls to strengthen hands. Her point, well taken is that with cuts to Medicare, seniors need to look for low cost activities that help keep them fit and active.
BarbaraSmithOccupationalTherapist.com