Monterey, CA CHOMP Holding Online Lecture About Mental Health On May 19

A black and white logo of the community hospital of the monterey peninsula.


Montage Health’s Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) is holding an online lecture called “Breaking the silence, A stigma-free approach to mental health for those suffering and those providing support.â€Â  Hosted by Karen Egu, PsyD, Psychologist and Danielle Genora Dollinger, PsyD, Psychologist (both from Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Behavioral Health Services) you will learn:

How to bring mental health awareness to everyday life;

Ways to reduce stigma;

How sleep, diet, and physical activity contribute to mental health resilience; and

What resources are available.

Registration at www.montagehealth.org/lecture Is required for the lecture which will be held on Thursday, May 19, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.  A link to the meeting will be emailed the day before the lecture.

Monterey, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA OR HHA Designation A Plus

A man and woman looking at a laptop


Monterey, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA OR HHA Designation A Plus (Service Areas Are Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-Tierra, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

FDA Rejects Two Cancer Drugs Developed In China

A doctor and patient looking at a book


The Food & Drug Administration has denied approval of two proposed new cancer drugs which were developed in China.  The FDA issued a letter to Hong Kong-based Hutchmed Ltd. denying permission to market the drug ufatinib, which is approved in the Chinese market to treat pancreatic and neuroendocrine tumors.  It also notified China-based Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co. and its U.S.-based partner Coherus BioSciences Inc. that it denied its application to sell the drug toripalimab, which treats nasopharyngeal cancer.  The FDA asked the companies to change their quality-related processes at which time the FDA will reexamine the applications.  However, the FDA did note that two clinical trials Hutchmed conducted in China for ufatinib didn’t support approval so that company may have to go back to the drawing board on clinical trials as well.  FDA officials have commented publicly recently that they were not happy with the quality of drug studies conducted in China and that it was unclear whether the results would be applicable to U.S. patients.

 

Medicare Advantage Plans Routinely Deny Claims And Deny Services

A building with the capitol in the background.


Sadly, a recent report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services inspector general found that 18% of claims that they examined were denied which actually should have been covered.  The denials were often a result of errors in processing claims.  The review also found that the plans turned down 13% of authorizations for medical services that government-run Medicare would have allowed.  The results of the study covered 15 of the largest Medicare Advantage plans in the nation.  The investigators said the Medicare Advantage plans use the same tactics that private insurance companies use to get out of paying legitimate claims in order to reduce costs.  The report recommends more government oversight of the plans.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/04/28/medicare-advantage-plans-claims-care-federal-report/9569198002/

Carmel, CA Seniors Should Exercise More To Ward Off Heart Disease

A group of people doing different exercises together.


At Family inHome Caregiving, we stress that seniors should get the proper amount of exercise, plenty of social interaction, and eat a healthy diet.  Many of our clients are in their 90’s and some even over 100 and most have led very healthy lives which resulted in their longevity.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week.  Just over 20 minutes of brisk walking each day can get you there.  “But changing it up could have more benefits,†Jordan Metzl, M.D., a sports medicine specialist at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery, told AARP The Magazine (April/May 2022 Issue, page 35).  “Doing a variety of activities, particularly as you get older, will challenge your body, lead to greater fitness and help you avoid injuries.  He advises swapping in alternatives, such as weight training, swimming or biking, and yoga.

Monterey, CA Food Banks Getting Squeezed As More Seniors And Low Income Households Cope With Inflation

A table filled with lots of food and candles.


Food banks are struggling to meet growing demand as inflation hits a 40-year high and seniors on a fixed income and other low-income households turn to Food Banks and other charities to help cope with their strained budgets.  The price of food at the grocery store rose 10% in March compared to March of 2020, while food prices in restaurants were 6.9% higher than in March of 2021, according to the Labor Department’s most recent consumer-price index.  “You will continue to see folks come into food banks who are seniors, who are undocumented individuals, and persons who suffer from disabilities,†Allison Korn, the director of the Food Law & Policy Clinic at UCLA, told the Wall Street Journal.  Please support Dorothy’s Place, Meals on Wheels, Monterey Food Bank, United Way and other local charities that help feed the poor and homeless.

Carmel, CA TikTok Videos on Dementia And Alzheimer’s Caregivers Violate Privacy

A group of people sitting around a table.


The Wall Street Journal today ran an article on family caregivers who post videos with a loved one who is suffering from dementia. It profiled Dan Salinger, who posted a video of his dad, who has dementia, trying to start his car. The video went viral with the two men arguing while 875K people watched. Dementia-related hashtags have amassed 2.8 billion views on TikTok, and are part of a growing category of posts related to medical conditions and disorders. I personally value my privacy and have warned friends and family members not to post about me on Social Media without my permission. Unfortunately, those with Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia can’t give informed consent. Think twice about posting about someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia on Social Media, particularly photos and videos. Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away. There are some great folks at the Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch that can help you deal with this devastating disease. They also have a 24-hour hotline at 800-272-3900. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Monterey, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA OR HHA Designation A Plus

A woman helping an older person with papers


Monterey, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA OR HHA Designation A Plus (Service Areas Are Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-Tierra, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

Health Tip : Floss Your Teeth At Least Once Per Day!

A dentist is examining the teeth of a patient.


Staying healthy and having a good diet is one area to focus on, but another is oral health.  Not taking good care of your teeth can result in infection, gum disease, and other issues which can have a negative impact on your health.  According to the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study, untreated oral diseases caused people ages 50-74 worldwide to suffer a collective 8 million years of life “with disability†in 2019.

Monterey, CA Seniors Without A Regular Exercise Routine Should Walk More

A man and woman are doing exercises together.


At Family inHome Caregiving, we stress that seniors should get the proper amount of exercise, plenty of social interaction, and eat a healthy diet.  Many of our clients are in their 90’s and some even over 100 and most have led very healthy lives which lead to their longevity.  It’s difficult at that age to develop an exercise routine, but if you don’t have the energy, try going for long walks.  You can go to the beach, many of our public parks, or just walk around the neighborhood.  You might even make some new friends.  Being sedentary, with low overall fitness, raises your mortality risk as much as or more than smoking, high blood pressure and heart disease.  An analysis of studies on people ages 54 to 65 found that binge-watching TV for four plus hours per day may make you 35% more likely to develop blood clots in the thigh and lower leg.