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Reasons to Consider In-Home Health Care

May 17, 2013 By

Bill is 82 years old and has been active his entire life. Until 10 years ago, when decreasing circulation in his legs ended a tennis career that began in the 3rd grade, he loved to show visitors to his 17 acre retreat on Skunk Mountain the red clay court he built in the woods for a total cost of $512. Then he would challenge them to a “friendly” game, which he often won against decidedly younger opponents.

Late last year, Bill went in for stent replacement surgery, and had a few complications. He spent two weeks in intensive care and another two weeks in the hospital before being transferred to a rehab facility. During the weeks in ICU and at the hospital, he was animated, joking with visitors and flirting with nurses. But a change became apparent when he went into rehab. He stopped taking initiative and started letting everyone else do things for him. A close friend, a physical therapist by trade, went to his family and recommended that Bill go home and continue to work on his rehab from familiar surroundings, expressing concerns that he was becoming “institutionalized” and would take less and less initiative. Bill went home within a week and has made rapid progress, returning to the independent life he loves in about a month.

More and more, medical professionals are coming to understand the tangible and intangible benefits of allowing patients to do most of their recovery in the comfort of their own homes. Here are some of the principal reasons they support home health care:

  • Home is where we typically go when we are not feeling well—There’s a psychological component to home. It’s where you feel safe, and where you know how to find anything you need.
  • You can get well with your family—Home health care keeps families together. Your loved ones are always there. You don’t have to sit alone in a room waiting for a visit.
  • Home health care can prevent or postpone institutionalization.
  • Evidence suggests that patients heal more quickly at home.
  • Home health care tends to be highly personalized. You won’t have a nurse or doctor simply “making the rounds.” The care is specifically targeted to your needs.
  • Home health care affords patients and their loved ones a greater sense of freedom. Visitation is not limited to specific hours. You can eat when you want, and can choose (within dietary restrictions) what you want to eat.

Contact Star MultiCare

At Star Multicare, we provide in-home health care, and also work with people in assisted living or other residential care facilities. To find out how we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online  or call our office at (877) 920-0600

Home Health Care—Protecting Your Legal Interests

When you require health care services in your home, you want to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has provided sound counsel to seniors and their families for more than 15 years. She can work with clients and providers in New York and out of state.

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Study Suggests Costs of Alzheimer’s Care To Surpass Other Medical Costs

April 30, 2013 By

A recent federal government study, performed by economists at the RAND corporation, suggests that the costs for Alzheimer’s care in the United States will soon outstrip expenditures for cancer and heart disease, the two leading causes of death in this country. According to the Alzheimer’s Association (“AA”), more than five million Americans are currently living with the disease. Projections in the RAND Corporation study indicate that by 2040, there will be more than 9 million suffering from the disease. Alzheimer’s is currently the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, but will exceed all others within 30 years.

The proposed costs of Alzheimer’s care vary, based on the study, but all indications are that costs will skyrocket within the next quarter of a century. In 2012, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, the approximate cost of care for Alzheimer’s patients was $216 billion. AA estimates a six-fold growth in the cost of Alzheimer’s care by 2050, putting it at approximately $1.2 trillion. The RAND Corporation study is somewhat more conservative, projecting that costs will hit $500 billion by 2040.

Researchers stress that the projections involve a lot of guesswork, as reliable statistics regarding length of care for Alzheimer’s patients are unavailable. Additionally, the cost of care can vary significantly, based on a number of factors. For instance, if your loved one only needs adult day services, the cost can be as little as $70 per day. However, a private from in a nursing home can cost three times as much. If you only need periodic care, you can retain the services of a home health aide on an hourly basis, at a national average of about $21 per hour.

Contact Star MultiCare

At Star Multicare, we provide in-home health care, and also work with people in assisted living or other residential care facilities. We offer a wide ranges of services to individuals and families dealing with Alzheimer’s. To learn more about the ways we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online  or call our office at (877) 920-0600

Home Health Care—Protecting Your Legal Interests

When you require health care services in your home, you want to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has provided sound counsel to seniors and their families for more than 15 years. She can work with clients and providers in New York and out of state.

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Eye Exams May Aid in Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

March 21, 2013 By

In research designed to improve early detection techniques for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, scientists in Australia have discovered that certain eye tests may provide a less invasive, though effective, tool. The study, conducted by AIBL (Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle), looked for abnormalities in retinal blood vessels to determine whether there was a correlation with increased amyloid plaque in the brain, one of the commonly accepted symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

To examine the relationship between what scientists call “retinal vascular parameters (RVPs)” and a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, AIBL’s researchers tested approximately 150 individuals, 25 of whom had a probable diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. They took digital color photographs of the retinas of all participants, and then used software to evaluate 19 different factors, including the width of retinal blood vessels. Scientists found significant variations between those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and the health participants in 13 of the 19 different measurements.

The Australian study produced results similar to those found in research led by Dr. Gilbert Feke, at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, in Boston. Feke’s research team only tested 34 people, but looked at three different groups: those with a probable diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, those with some cognitive impairment, and those considered healthy. His researchers concluded that individuals with a probable diagnosis of Alzheimer’s had significantly narrower veins in their retinas than the other groups, and that the narrower veins led to restricted blood flow in the retina. The health group had the least restriction in retinal blood flow.

Researchers note that it makes great sense to examine the retina when looking for signs of Alzheimer’s. After all, says Feke, “the retina is part of the brain.”

Learn More about Your Options from Star Multi Care

At Star Multi Care, we offer a wide range of services to Alzheimer’s patients, including in-home health care. We also work with people in assisted living or other residential care facilities. To learn more about the ways we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online  or call our office at (877)920-0600.

Home Health Care—Protecting Your Legal Interests

When you require health care services in your home, you want to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has provided sound counsel to seniors and their families for more than 15 years. She can work with clients and providers in New York and out of state.

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Paying for Home Health Care

March 7, 2013 By

According to government estimates, within 20 years nearly one in five Americans will be over the age of 65. As baby boomers continue to age, demands for medical care will increase significantly. For most Americans, that has long meant an eventual move into a nursing home or assisted living facility, or unpaid in-home care by a family member. More and more, though, home health care is becoming an option for more people.

Home health care providers have been around for over a century, but the services available exploded after then enactment of Medicare in 1965. According to the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), between 1967 and 1985, the number of Medicare-certified home health care agencies more than tripled, with almost 6,000 providers. Currently, some 12 million patients receive in-home care from more than 33,000 home health care agencies.

Covering the Costs of Home Health Care

Before Medicare, home health care was primarily available only to those who could pay for it out of their own pocket. Under Medicare, anyone over the age of 65 may qualify for in-home services, if they are homebound, under a physician’s care, and need certain skilled nursing or therapy services. There is also limited coverage available to low-income Americans under Medicaid. Public funds are also available under the Older Americans Act (OAA), through the Veterans Administration, and through community organizations or social services programs.

Commercial health insurance providers have also entered the market, providing policies that include coverage for both short-term in-home care and long-term in-home care needs. Major insurers, such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, typically offer cost-sharing programs for home health care services. Some group health plans also offer coverage for certain types of in-home health care treatment.

Learn More about Your Options from Star Multi Care

At Star Multi Care, we provide in-home health care, and also work with people in assisted living or other residential care facilities. To learn more about the ways we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online or call our office at 877-920-0600.

Home Health Care—Protecting Your Legal Interests

When you require health care services in your home, you want to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has provided sound counsel to seniors and their families for more than 15 years. She can work with clients and providers in New York and out of state.

Filed Under: Home Health Care Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Study Finds New Gene That Increases Risk of Alzheimer’s

February 26, 2013 By

In separate studies, two teams of researchers have found a mutation in a gene linked with inflammation that is tied to the most common form of Alzheimer’s. According to one scientist, those individuals who had the mutation had a four-fold increase in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, a form of dementia that leads to memory loss and diminished cognitive skills.

First New Genetic Discovery in a Decade

Scientists have been aggressively looking for the genetic keys to Alzheimer’s for years. The new mutation, known as TREM2, is rarer than the best-known genetic link to date, ApoE4, which is found in about 40% of late-onset Alzheimer’s patients. The TREM2 appears in less than 4% of those patients.

The Significance of TREM2

The TREM2 gene regulates the protein in tissue cells that “clean up garbage,” according to Dr. Kari Stefansson, a researcher with decode Genetics, a private company out of Reykjavik. When these genes mutate, it changes the ways in which excess toxic proteins from beta amyloid are processed. Beta amyloid is an amino acid in the brain that scientist have long associated with the onset of Alzheimer’s. Scientists believe that beta amyloids collect a “plaque,” which interferes with normal brain function.

The initial study of TREM2 was conducted using test subjects exclusively from Iceland. To confirm that the findings were not unique to Icelanders, similar studies were conducted in the United State, Germany, Norway and the Netherlands. All the studies came to essentially the same conclusion.

Researchers caution, however, that they are still in the very early stages of identifying the causes of Alzheimer’s. Dr. Stefansson acknowledges that Alzheimer’s is “ a complex disease.” Scientists expect to find other genes related to Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s Care from Star Multi Care

Star Multicare offers a wide range of in-home health care services to Alzheimer’s sufferers in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. We also work with individuals in assisted living or other residential care facilities. For more information about the ways we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online  or call our office at (877) 920-0600.

Home Health Care—Legal Concerns

When you need home health care, it’s important to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has worked with seniors and their families for more than 15 years, addressing all matters related to home health care services. She advises clients and providers in New York and out of state.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Home Health Care Not Directly Affected by Fiscal Cliff Agreement

February 6, 2013 By

Author: Star Multicare: Stephen Sternbach, CEO
Bonnie Lawston: Law Offices of Bonnie Lawston

Fears that the resolution of the federal budget crisis might lead to significant cuts affecting home health care providers proven unfounded, as President Obama and legislators came to an agreement that, at least for now, will have no direct impact on home health care. Prior legislation had already called for $77 billion in cuts in the Medicare home health care benefit over the next ten years, and home health care industry advocates worried that additional cuts might be forthcoming.  Such cuts, according to Val J. Halamandaris, president of NAHC (the National Association of Home Care and Hospice), would have made it much more difficult for home health care providers to cost-effectively offer their services, which continue to have high demand.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which resolved the “fiscal cliff” crisis, did repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act, or CLASS. In its place, Congress and President Obama established a 15 member Long Term Care Commission, which is charged with both defining the problems associated with providing long term care, and offering solutions. Those solutions would then be taken up by Congress.

Industry watchdogs caution that the fight is not over yet. The deal negotiated between the President and Congress did not address federal borrowing limits, which are expected to be reached in approximately two months. It is anticipated that there will be new legislative efforts at that time, which may include further health care cuts, particularly in light of President Obama’s call for Medicare reform as a component of future deficit reductions.

Learn More about Your Options from Star Multi Care

Star Multi Care offers a wide range of in-home health care services, from Alzheimers’ and diabetic care to post-hospitalization treatment. We also work with individuals in assisted living or other residential care facilities. For more information about the ways we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online or call our office at (877) 920-0600

Home Health Care—Legal Concerns

When you need home health care, it’s important to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has worked with seniors and their families for more than 20 years, addressing all matters related to home health care services. She advises clients and providers in New York and out of state.

Our office can provide you and your family with a wealth of information on how to best handle the home care issues facing you today and how they affect your finances now an in the future.  We can give you advice on how to protect your assets based upon your current situation and what to expect for the future.   Many of our parents worked very hard for what they have and they want to protect it for themselves but also for their children.  We will work with you to prepare the legal documents that you need to carry out your desires and maximize your family’s inheritance. We prepare all the necessary documents such as living wills, health care proxies and other directives including funeral arrangements, power of attorney documents, Wills and Trusts.   We will explain the advantages and disadvantages to you.   Allow the “Law” in Lawston to work for you.

Filed Under: Home Health Care, Home Health Care Services Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Scientists Test “Brain Pacemakers” as Way to Impede Alzheimers’

January 28, 2013 By

Author: Stephen Sternbach, CEO: Star Multi Care

Law office of Bonnie Lawston: Bonnie Lawston

In the scientific assault on Alzheimers’ disease, scientists have started looking for non-pharmaceutical approaches. Concerns about the potential side effects of drug therapy have compelled researchers to consider other alternatives. One of the most promising strategies, according to many, draws from technology already available for heart patients—the implantation of an electronic device, a so-called “pacemaker”, in the brain.

The idea of implanting electronic devices in the brain isn’t really all that new. A process called “deep brain stimulation” or DBS, has been used to treat individuals with Parkinson’s disease and other motor disorders for years. DBS, which involves the implantation of an electrode in the brain, provides continuous small jolts of electricity, w1ll have the effect of quieting overactive nerve cells.

Research has also been done that suggests that DBS may be an effective treatment for depression or addiction. In an experiment in Canada in 2003, where researchers were attempting to use DBS to stave hunger addiction in a morbidly obese man, the electrical activity released many long-forgotten memories and led to an increase in the patient’s ability to learn. Researchers quickly saw the application for Alzheimers’ patients.

A team of scientists in Canada initiated testing by implanting electrodes into the brains of six Alzheimers’ patients in the Toronto area. After a year of continuous DBS, the test patients all showed signs of more brain activity in areas targeted by Alzheimers’. One of the test patients has had no appreciable deterioration in his condition for four years, though researchers are quick to caution that they do not know for certain that it is a result of the implantation of the electode.

Learn More about Your Options from Star MultiCare

Star Multicare offers a wide range of in-home health care services, from Alzheimers’ and diabetic care to post-hospitalization treatment. We also work with individuals in assisted living or other residential care facilities. For more information about the ways we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online  or call our office at (877) 920-0600

Home Health Care—Legal Concerns

When you need home health care, it’s important to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has worked with seniors and their families for more than 20 years, addressing all matters related to home health care services.

Our office can provide you and your family with a wealth of information on how to best handle the home care issues facing you today and how they affect your finances now an in the future.  We can give you advice on how to protect your assets based upon your current situation and what to expect for the future.   Many of our parents worked very hard for what they have and they want to protect it for themselves but also for their children.  We will work with you to prepare the legal documents that you need to carry out your desires and maximize your family’s inheritance. We prepare all the necessary documents such as living wills, health care proxies and other directives including funeral arrangements, power of attorney documents, Wills and Trusts.   We will explain the advantages and disadvantages to you.   Allow the “Law” in Lawston to work for you.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Why You Want to Consider Home Health Care

January 10, 2013 By

If you have been injured and have a lengthy road to recovery, or if you or a loved one suffers from a medical condition that requires regular attention, there are many reasons you should look seriously at obtaining in-home health care services:

Hospitals are generally understaffed and overworked—Surprisingly, there is not a shortage of nurses, but a shortage of nursing care, according to Linda Aiken, PhD, a registered nurse and professor at the Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia. This has been attributed in part to financial challenges faced by hospitals, but sources also indicate that people coming to hospitals are often sicker today that in years past. Because many hospital patients demand more nursing care, the current supply of nurses is inadequate to fully meet the needs of all patients.

Home health care is far more cost-effective than hospital care—In the hospital or a nursing facility, because the care is provided 24 hours, the meter is always running. In your home, you need only pay for specific services as provided. In the hospital or nursing facility, you must pay for the room, meals and other services. At home, you only pay for the medical care. Your hospital stay may be extremely short, as dictated by your insurance provider, but in-home health care need not be limited by insurance concerns.

Home health care does not affect your entire life—With treatment at home, you only have to stop your normal routine to receive treatment. In a nursing home or hospital, you have no normal routine.

Contact the Professionals at Star Multi Care

Star MultiCare offers a full range of in-home health care services, including care to people in assisted living or other residential care facilities. To learn more about the ways we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online or call our office at (631) 424-7827

Home Health Care—Protecting Your Legal Interests

When you require health care services in your home, you want to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has provided sound counsel to seniors and their families for more than 15 years. She can work with clients and providers in New York and out of state.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Home Health Care in Demand

January 10, 2013 By

According to a study conducted at the Ohio State University, there are more than 33,000 home health care providers in the United States, offering assistance to approximately 12 million people. Nearly 70% of the home health care patients are over the age of 65, and a large percentage (about 64%) are women. Home health care providers offer a wide range of services, including care related to diabetes, Alzheimers’, osteoarthritis, cancer, hypertension and heart conditions.

Home health care employees are typically registered or licensed practical nurses, but may also include physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and dietitians. Many home health care providers combine medical services with life assistance services, such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, transportation to medical or other appointments, medication management and companionship.

The benefits of home health care have long been known. Treatment in the home means that many people do not have to go into hospital, convalescent or other institutional long-term nursing care facilities, places where they will be unfamiliar with surroundings, or feel isolated. With in-home health care treatment, a patient can go about his or her life in a normal fashion, stopping only to receive necessary treatment. Because of familiarity with surroundings, there is less likelihood of injury due to tripping, slipping or falling. In addition, there are substantial psychological benefits to being in one’s own home.

Contact the Professionals at Star MultiCare

At Star Multicare, we provide a full range of in-home health care services, and also work with people in assisted living or other residential care facilities. To learn more about the ways we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online or call our office at 123-456-7890.

Home Health Care—Protecting Your Legal Interests

When you require health care services in your home, you want to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has provided sound counsel to seniors and their families for more than 15 years. She can work with clients and providers in New York and out of state.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Research Points to Need for Earlier Diagnosis

January 10, 2013 By

A recent study by the New England Journal of Medicine estimates that the annual cost of care for Alzheimers’ sufferers exceeds $170 billion. Projections are that costs will surpass a trillion dollars annually by 2050 unless scientists and medical professionals find ways to effectively treat the disease. More and more, though, researchers are concluding that the keys to treatment or even cure are tied to early diagnosis of symptoms. After much-heralded drugs failed to have a meaningful effect in two large drug trials, scientists have come to believe that they need to be testing with patients at an earlier stage in the disease.

Researchers acknowledge the value of the trials already conducted. Said one scientist, “you need to [conduct] these trials to study the data and learn how to move forward.” Two large clinical trials are being developed for implementation in 2013, with significant funding coming from the federal government, as part of the initiative announced in May, 2012, seeking a cure for Alzheimers’ by 2025. The drugs that will be tested target beta amyloids, proteins scientists believe cause Alzheimers’ disease.

Researchers have developed a variety of strategies for early diagnosis of Alzheimers, including:

  • Genetic risk profiling
  • Identification of mild cognitive impairment
  • Brain imaging, including the use of MRI or CT technology
  • Detection of protein in a patient’s blood
  • Other biomarkers, including proteins, genetic variations of brain changes

Learn More about Your Options from Star MultiCare

At Star Multicare, we provide in-home health care, and also work with people in assisted living or other residential care facilities. To learn more about the ways we can help you and your loved ones, contact us online or call our office at 877-920-0600.

Home Health Care—Protecting Your Legal Interests

When you require health care services in your home, you want to make certain your legal rights and interests are protected. Attorney Bonnie Lawston, in Huntington Station, has provided sound counsel to seniors and their families for more than 15 years. She can work with clients and providers in New York and out of state.

Filed Under: Uncategorized
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