Kendal at Home Blog

The good news is that plenty of online health-related information can be found nowadays. The problem? It can sometimes be hard to evaluate healthcare information — to tease out the good from the bad. So, what exactly should you look for? What red flags should you be aware of? When should you talk to your doctor? This post will provide guidance. 

First, as the National Institute on Aging (NIA) website points out, it’s important to take a close look at the source of the information and how current that article is. Information you find on sites of government agencies, such as the National Institute of Health (NIH), can be among the most trustworthy. Plus, they typically keep healthcare information online up to date. 

“Preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are among the most important and urgent challenges of the 21^st century . . . we must broaden our efforts to incorporate prevention, behavioral health, and risk-reduction strategies through an individual’s lifespan.” (Brain Health Partnership)

Approximately 10,000 Americans are having their 65^th birthdays each and every day. Although nearly half of people aged 85 may have this disease, about 3% of people aged 65-74 already have an early-onset form of Alzheimer’s. As the Brain Health Partnership notes, there’s plenty to do and time is short — especially in high-risk communities. 

Public health experts recommend social distancing to help protect people against catching COVID-19—causing one reader of an MIT Medical column to ask if our immune systems can be worn down by staying away from germs. 

The answer? First, there is something called a “hygiene hypothesis” that suggests being exposed to germs in childhood can help to build immune response. By the time you reach adulthood, though, your body has built up immunity to viral infections and bacteria—and can “remember” them and fight back. The problem with COVID-19, of course, is that the virus causing it (SARS-CoV-2) is new, so your body won’t build an immune response unless you get infected. 

But whether viral infections are new to you or not, being exposed to them doesn’t actually make your overall immune system stronger—so isolation can’t make it weaker. 

If you’ve spent any time researching long-term care options or senior living facilities, you’ve likely heard the term care coordination. But what exactly is care coordination? And is all care coordination the same? 

To learn more about care coordination and what sets Kendal at Home’s care coordination apart, we sat down with Marla Gordon, Kendal at Home’s director of clinical services.

As in previous years, getting a flu shot is important for older adults. But unlike previous years, it may be even more important this year thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Not only are older adults at higher risk from complications from the flu and COVID-19, but health experts warn that a surge of flu cases this year could tax an already strained healthcare system. 

Wearing a mask helps stop the spread of COVID-19, and public health authorities recommend wearing one when you’re in public and you’re unable to stay 6 feet away from others. There are a few things you should keep in mind when selecting, wearing and cleaning your masks. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe. 

When choosing a mask, the CDC recommends selecting a mask that:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture provide dietary guidelines for Americans that are updated every five years. Changes are made as our understanding of optimal nutrition science evolves and on July 15, the recommended 2020 dietary guidelines were published. 

The process of updating these guidelines is, according to USNews.com, “rather grueling.” First, the dietary guidelines advisory committee that’s comprised of health and nutrition experts review the most recent report. Next, these nationally recognized professionals recommend additions or changes to the dietary guidelines. 

Then, comments are requested, either written or publicly oral ones. On Aug. 11, a meeting was held about the 2020 dietary guidelines for this purpose, and a final version will probably be released by December.

Here is information about food and beverage recommendations that will likely be included. 

“Sounds distort and blend together, sound direction is lost, and every sound seems magnified. The tinnitus is sudden and loud, with whooshing, popping, and other sounds.” (experience of one patient, as described to the Hearing Loss Foundation) 

About 66,000 people are diagnosed with this sudden loss of hearing each year in the United States, according to a Harvard publication. Because this condition may be underdiagnosed, real numbers may be higher. Note that another name for it is sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). Others refer to it as sudden deafness. 

Although concerns about the sustainability of benefits from the Social Security Administration aren’t new, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has raised new questions about the income that people will receive during their retirement years. To provide context about what may happen next, Forbes.com provides an overview of how these benefits are funded. 

Payroll taxes provide 76% of funding for Social Security Administration benefits. So, when an economic downturn occurs — such as what’s happened since COVID hit — fewer dollars go into the pot for retirement benefits because unemployed people don’t contribute.  

A Closer Look at Funding

While many adult children would help care for their aging parent with no questions asked, many understandably, are hesitant to take on the role of caregiver, adviser and advocate. That’s part of what drove Heather to introduce Kendal at Home to her mother Sandi.