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If you will be mailing out Christmas cards or other types of greeting cards, mail them earlier this year. As part of a 10-year plan launched on October 1 in order to overhaul the struggling U.S. Postal Service, first class mail is now allowed up to five days for delivery versus the prior 2-3 day delivery time. Mail travelling 930 miles or further will take even longer. For the second year in a row, the USPS is increasing the price to mail a package from between 25 cents to as much as $5.
There was much excitement when the FDA approved a new drug called Aduhelm to treat patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Although there was some debate over its efficacy, the fact that there have been no new drugs brought to market to treat this horrible disease in decades had some filled with hope. However, Biogen Inc., the pharmaceutical company who makes the drug, admitted this week that there was one death linked to Aduhelm. The company announced that a 75-year old who took the drug was hospitalized and diagnosed with swelling in the brain before dying. It’s unclear that the brain swelling was linked to the drug, however, there is sure to be an investigation due to the fact that brain swelling, also known as ARIA-E, was cited as one of the most common side effects during testing of the drug.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/biogen-investigates-death-of-aduhelm-patient-11636479862
CVS Health Corp. announced it is going to fulfill its ambition of becoming a major provider of healthcare services by hiring physicians who will work at in-store clinics. CVS acquired insurance giant Aetna in 2018 and said that now it will focus its M&A activity on growing its in-store doctor’s offices. “We really believe that we need to kind of push into primary care, so we can influence the overall cost of care,†Karen Lynch, the CEO of CVS Health Corp., told The Wall Street Journal.
Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away. There are wonderful people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch. It is always a struggle figuring out how to deal with a loved one, as the symptoms can seem to change from day to day. And unlike most other chronic diseases, there is little that can be done in the way of treatment. One relatively new method has been used for more than a century on special needs children and is being tried out on those with dementia. It’s called the Montessori method for memory care, and it involves teaching a “new†skillset to someone. Just as children need to know how to dress themselves, go to the bathroom, and communicate their needs, so do those with dementia who eventually may completely forget these skills which you and I take for granted. Using the Montessori Method you will find that it:
Source: HomeCare Magazine, 03/21 P.40
And when all else fails, don’t forget that the Alzheimer’s Association has a 24-hour hotline. If you need some additional support you can reach them at 800-272-3900.
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https://www.alzheimers.net/montessori-method-dementia
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had expected deaths to decline because the number of miles driven by Americans was down 13.2% in 2020, but that turned out not to be the case. There were 38,680 traffic fatalities last year, up 7.2% last year, the biggest rate of increase since 2007. However, those 65 and older saw a 9% decline in traffic fatalities, due in large part to seniors staying at home more due to COVID-19.
With the opioid crisis, it has becoming increasingly difficult to get doctors to embrace any kind of pain medication therapy for those struggling with debilitating and painful diseases which impact the muscle and bone. Amplitude Vibration Therapy is now getting a lot of buzz in the medical community, providing relief for a number of ailments without having to turn to prescription drugs. It works by stimulating muscles and ligaments, which increases blood circulation and can reduce pain and inflammation, promote immune response and improve joint strength as well as more flexibility. A recent study by the National Institutes of Health and researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa found that those living with rheumatoid arthritis showed improvements in functionality and decreased pain after using vibration therapy over three months, and an even better response after six months.
https://www.homecaremag.com/june-2021/buzz-vibration-therapy
Best of all, vibration therapy doesn’t bring the feeling of electric shock that is commonly associated with some other therapies. Clinical studies suggest vibration therapy may offer benefits for patients with arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and other ailments. It is also a trendy workout recovery option due to ease of use. A study completed earlier this year indicates that five minutes of low-level vibration therapy was as effective as a 15-minute massage at reducing muscle soreness and improving recovery time after strenuous exercise.
Potential Benefits of Vibration Therapy:
Source : www.brownmed.com
Locally, Sol Santa Cruz provides a number of different therapy programs for those in pain, including exercises like Pilates, Active Relief and Light Therapy.
https://solsantacruz.net/about-us/featured-services/a-perfect-light/
Source : Sol Santa Cruz
Experiment with these traditional and non-traditional treatments and see what is best for you. You may be surprised at how your body reacts. My chiropractor has evolved over the years to combining massage therapy, ultrasound, laser therapy and other services which are sued to relieve chronic pain along with traditional chiropractic treatments. I’ve been very pleased with the results.
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Retired baby boomers are at a high risk of COVID-19, and marketers are using this as an opportunity to market more to older people who want to stay at home. Companies like Nestle SA, Colgate-Palmolive Co. and Danone SA are launching new products aimed at consumers who are increasingly saying they are interested in aging well, but staying at home. “We clearly see healthy aging, even more now with the COVID world, as a huge trend,†Danone CEO Emmanuel Faber said. The Activia yogurt maker recently launched a whey-protein product that they say aids muscles, joints and bones. Nestle launched a powdered milk aimed at older adults that it claims enhances mobility. Increasingly, the company has shifted its focus from making food and drink to aid the recovery of people in hospitals to helping people from being admitted in the first place. What a great mission.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/older-shoppers-are-the-hot-new-thing-for-consumer-brands-11612002644
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, CHOMP, has a great Diabetes Self-Management Series and the cost of the sessions may be covered by Medicare if you have a referral from a physician. Learn more about your diabetes and the day-to-day skills needed to live a healthy life and prevent complications. Registered dieticians and nurses will hold one-on-one sessions with you and talk about monitoring your blood sugar levels, the best diet, medication and non-medication options to keep you healthy. Call 649-7220 for more information.
If your job requires you to do a lot of sitting, make sure you take frequent breaks especially if you are diabetic. The ADA’s 2020 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes recommends doing a light activity for every 30 minutes of uninterrupted sitting. Sitting increases insulin resistance, and it also increases blood pressure and impedes blood flow. I know that this is tough to do now after the state has been on lockdown for so long. But give it a try go down to Point Lobos or the beach, and even try taking a walk around the block!