In every community, both good and bad care is being delivered, but there are things anyone can do to improve your health and health care. Here are nine tips to improve the care you receive: Care About Your Care
Talk with your doctor or nurse. Care About Your Care
Share your beliefs and preferences for care. Make a list of all the questions you want to ask. Bring the list to each appointment and write down the answers. If you don’t understand, ask again until you do. Care About Your Care
Don’t go alone. Care About Your Care
Take a friend or family member along to medical appointments. They can listen, take notes and help you remember what was said.
Learn about the best treatments for your condition.
For many conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease, clear standards for treatment exist. Become familiar with what works for your condition. Learning more will help you understand what your doctor might look for or recommend, help you follow those recommendations and assist you in identifying what questions to ask during your appointment.
Find and use information on the quality of care provided by local doctors and hospitals to make health care decisions.
Use information in publicly available reports to make decisions about doctors and hospitals. Look for a doctor who appears to provide the care you want for you and your family and is willing to work with you to make decisions. Look for a hospital that is highly rated by consumer groups or other organizations and has experience treating your condition.
Have one doctor or nurse coordinate your care.
With one doctor or nurse who knows about all of the care you’re getting, you’re more likely to get the care you need and not get care that might be duplicative or harmful.
Create a medication list. Care About Your Care
List all medications and supplements you currently take, including over the counter medicines, prescriptions, vitamins and herbal remedies. Bring this list with you to every doctor’s appointment.
Ask your doctor or nurse if they use health information technology – or Electronic Medical Records – to track and share information with your other health care providers.
Tracking information electronically means all the information about your health is available to all your doctors, every time, no matter where you are. This reduces errors and unnecessary tests.
Know the difference between more care and better care.
Sometimes, getting more care can actually do harm or expose you to unnecessary risks. If you think you may be getting more care than you need, protect yourself by asking: How will this help me? What will we find out from this test?
Take responsibility for your health care.
Learn about quality care. Talk with your doctor and follow their recommendations.
For more information and to get the tools you need to improve your health care visit www.CareAboutYourCare.org.
Identity theft is a serious crime that is unfortunately becoming more and more common in today’s world. Many people can become victims of this serious threat, but one group that is most targeted is seniors. Seniors are often at a higher risk of being an identity-theft victim because they often have more money saved than younger adults and they aren’t usually monitoring their credit as often. Seniors come from a time where people were more trusting and having to worry about identity theft wasn’t a norm. Because of this, sadly, they have become prime targets and need to better protect themselves. 5 Tips to Help Prevent Identity Theft
The Simple Dollar, a company that is dedicated to helping people make smarter choices when it comes to their finances, recently analyzed 22 identity theft protection services and consulted with leading experts on fraud and identity theft to find the best options available for seniors. To make seniors less vulnerable, they also created a resource with steps to self-monitor your identity, along with tips on how to avoid being a target.
Identity theft is a tricky crime to predict: Wealthy individuals with lots of accounts aren’t necessarily targeted more often than someone with, say, a low checking account balance or a dinged-up credit score. And, Weisman explains, “As technology improves, the problems with identity theft will, unfortunately, also increase.” Levin agrees, “The reality is that everywhere you go, everything you do is being tracked, gathered, stored, disseminated. With all the things out there collecting our data, we have to focus on what I call the 3 Ms: Minimize the risk of exposure; Monitor accounts; and Manage the damage.” 5 Tips to Help Prevent Identity Theft
The steps for prevention are all pretty obvious and you’ve likely heard some version of them before. But they’re worth a reminder — especially if you’re not already following the advice. 5 Tips to Help Prevent Identity Theft
Be careful with sensitive documentation 5 Tips to Prevent Identity Theft
“The least amount of information you can carry, you should,” says Minniti. That personal information includes your Social Security card, medical ID cards, credit card statements, bank account numbers, tax documents — even your driver’s license. Don’t carry them unless you have to and make them difficult to find in your home too.
Use strong passwords 5 Tips to Help Prevent Identity Theft
Don’t use personal information like names, birthdates, and addresses as passwords. $ecuR!tY!! is a much more complicated password than “security.” And remember: If you can Google your name and find out your high school mascot, your mom’s maiden name, or the street you grew up on, those don’t make great “Forgot your password?” prompts.
I also recommend taking this a step further by using a password manager. There are several great options out there (like 1Password and Dashlane) that generate incredibly strong passwords and keep them all accounted for in an encrypted vault. Some can even update weak passwords for you automatically.
Don’t click on mystery links
If it’s a brand-new email notification your bank has never sent before, proceed with caution.
Never authenticate yourself to unknown sources
“Theoretically, they know who you are. That’s why they’re contacting you,” says Levin. You shouldn’t need to, say, rattle off the last four digits of your SSN to anyone who’s calling you.
Master your smartphone’s security features
“Phones are data storage devices, not just communication devices,” Levin explains. “Have a complex PIN number. Have it shut off faster. Opt in to remote data wiping.” Apple iPhones equipped with Find My iPhone can remotely wipe all data off of a stolen phone, and Google Android phones with Android Lost perform a similar function. Back your phone up regularly so that you can wipe without remorse!
Here is their article below that was previously featured on The Simple Dollar:
Watering the grass is a critical part of maintaining a healthy lawn. Watering too little can cause the grass to turn brown and thin out, creating room for weeds. Watering too much can lead to turf disease and shallow root systems, which means your grass is weaker and less able to stand up to drought, lawn-feeding pests and other problems. How to Water Your Lawn TruGreen, the nation’s largest professional lawn care service and part of the ServiceMaster family of brands, regularly monitors U.S. weather data to enable the company’s trained lawn care specialists to effectively address local agronomic conditions while promoting responsible water conservation. The lawn experts at TruGreen have some tips to help you water your lawn the right way. HOW TO TELL WHEN YOUR LAWN NEEDS WATER
Turfgrass plants are 70 to 75 percent water, so giving them enough water is vital. Symptoms of inadequate water are easily seen:
Grass slowly loses its bright green color and starts to fade to yellow.
You may notice wilting, which causes grass blades to roll or fold.
If you walk across your lawn and your footprints remain in the grass, or lawn mower tracks remain visible, your lawn needs water.
If grass loses its green color altogether and turns yellow and then tan, that signals drought dormancy. That means grass has stopped growing. Once your lawn has turned brown and lost all color during drought dormancy, it could take several weeks of steady watering to spur regrowth.
The most accurate way to determine whether your lawn needs water is to use a knife to cut a wedge of soil (through the turf) about four inches deep and feel the soil. Ideally, it should be moist, not powder dry nor soggy and wet.
“Signs of typical wear and tear on yards this time of year are amplified when lawns are stressed,” said Ben Hamza, Ph.D., director of technical operations at TruGreen. “Brown spots on lawns may not always be from lack of water or nutrients, but instead from lawn-feeding insects that can mimic drought damage on select grass types. Homeowners need to have a clear understanding of the source of the yard problem to effectively resolve.” HOW TO WATER YOUR LAWN
Established lawns should be watered deeply, but infrequently. Deep watering once a week encourages deeper root growth, while frequent, shallow watering produces a limited root system.
When watering, make sure you moisten the top three to four inches of soil, which covers the root zone.
Although watering frequency depends on the type of grass, your soil, and the weather, most grasses require about one inch of water each week for healthy growth. Let Mother Nature do as much of the watering for you as possible.
The best time to water is in the morning and in non-windy conditions. This conserves water and allows grass to dry before evening. Grass that remains wet for long periods of time is more susceptible to disease development. Watering in the afternoon is the worst for water conservation. Up to half the water can evaporate in the air or on the ground during the hot part of the day.
If you’re using a movable sprinkler, let it run in one spot just until the water begins to run off the surface, then move to a different area of the lawn.
Monitor your underground irrigation or sprinkler system to be sure that you moisten the lawn’s entire root zone without over-watering any sections.
To help ensure uniformity, place a one-inch deep, empty food can in the middle of lawn area to measure depth of water collected after each watering cycle.
Make sure you are familiar with and follow any local watering restrictions.
Incontinence is the loss of bladder or bowel control. Regardless if this is a normal or difficult issue to discuss, it is often part of aging. Incontinence signs can be smooth, for instance, a discontinuous slight loss of pee. On the other hand symptoms can be a complete loss of control of both bladder and entrails. A large number individuals’ symptoms fall some spot in the center. If you are looking for Incontinence Supplies including Incontinence Pantsclick here. Understanding Incontinence
Types of Incontinence
Stress incontinence happens when weight or tension is put on the bladder from sneezing, chuckling, hacking or genuinely troublesome work. A little apportion of pee breaks in the midst of these activities.
Urge incontinence causes such a convincing motivation to urinate that the individual can’t hold it adequately long to get to the toilet. People with urge incontinence need to urinate a great part of the time and consistently wake up in the midst of the night with the slant to urinate.
Mixed incontinence is a blend of nervousness and urge incontinence. Various more prepared people, especially women, have this sort of incontinence.
Utilitarian incontinence is when individuals can hold their yearning to urinate yet can’t get to the can autonomous from any other individual.
Surge incontinence is a consistent spillage of a little measure of pee in light of the fact that the bladder never releases completely.
Transient incontinence is a short lived kind of incontinence that goes away once the reason is managed. Disorder is a run of the mill purpose behind transient incontinence.
Fecal incontinence is the loss of control of strong releases. It can reach out from an accidental spillage of a little measure of stool to complete loss of gut control. Blockage and the runs can achieve fecal incontinence.
NOTE: Be sure to look at an individualized control thought game plan with your specialist or other therapeutic administrations suppliers.
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What Causes Incontinence?
There are various explanations behind incontinence. Some of them include:
Urinary tract sullying
Disturbance or anatomical variety from the standard in the urinary system
Prostate sullying of disturbance
Stool impaction
Manifestations of arrangement
Pregnancy
Weight get
Momentary bed rest
Mental confusion
Certain helpful conditions:
Alzheimer’s Disease
Bladder illness
Cerebral Palsy
Down Syndrome
Different Sclerosis
Solid Dystrophy
Spina bifida
Stroke
Traumatic personality and spinal injuries
Ordinary Misconceptions about Incontinence Products
Thicker is NOT by and large better. A couple of people trust that thicker things offer better security against spillage. That is not by and large bona fide. New advancement has super retentive polymers (SAP). Each SAP is as meager as a salt valuable stone. They broaden and change into a gel when fluid strikes them. This allows us to make things more slim and more judicious. Old things were all pound with no SAPs so they were extra awkward and extra thick.
Bladder pads are NOT the same as female cleanliness pads. Bladder control pads have stand-out SAPs that allow them to ingest pee quickly.
Bladder pads are NOT for women just. A couple of men have light urinary incontinence. They can benefit by things that are thin, careful and springy. Today’s bladder control pads are sexually fair, have an anatomically pleasing fit for both men and women, and the paste strip can be set wherever in the customer’s apparel. Medline’s bladder control pads are even packaged to draw in both men and women.
Incontinence Myths
These declarations are FALSE:
Incontinence is an average bit of developing
There is no desire for incontinence
The primary control organization structure is a brief – a LARGE one.
Methods for Managing Incontinence
Timetable voiding is a framework used to help people who can’t get to the toilet in solitude. An individualized timetable is created for someone to take the person to the toilet at a specific time, by and large every a couple of hours. This technique can help decrease the amount of incontinent scenes.
Bladder retraining can be used with individuals who are aware of the slant to go to the latrine and have the limit and wanting to control the yearning. A timetable is created for some person to take the person to the can at specific times. Amidst the booked toileting, the individual manages controlling the slant to void.
Affected voiding can adequately help people with incontinence have less scenes and construct their nature with a full bladder. Again, an individualized logbook is made, and the individual is induced to go to the washroom at specific times.
Pelvic floor muscle exercises, known as Kegels, can sustain muscles to keep pee from spilling out of the bladder. These exercises are amazingly practical with tension and urge incontinence. Individuals who can grasp and take after headings
Keeping up a vital separation from bladder aggravations, for instance, caffeine, alcohol and carbonated refreshments may lessen the amount of incontinent scenes.
Some solution can moreover impact bladder limit. Chat with your specialist about how your answer may impact incontinence.
The longer days and sunny skies of summer provide plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventure, often just a few steps outside your front door. To help you get the most out of your summer, here are a few fun activities to help you discover the greater outdoors on any budget: The Greater Outdoors
Day hikes, camping trips and outdoor volunteer activities are great ways to get outside. These outings allow you to relax, re-energize and discover new hobbies, while giving back to the environment.
Many parks and campgrounds allow reservations, so phone ahead to book your activity. To find local campgrounds or incorporate volunteer opportunities into your trip, visit the National Park Service at www.nps.gov, the Conservation Alliance at www.conservationalliance.org or the American Hiking Society’s Volunteer Vacation program at www.americanhiking.org/volunteerVacation.aspx. A Swing at Family Fun
If you’re looking for a quick weekend activity, a relaxing round of golf or a family bike ride may be the perfect answer. Activities like these require little planning and allow you to spend time in a natural setting.
Many golf courses offer family or group rates as well as reduced rates for junior golfers, aged 17 and under. This July, participating courses are allowing children to play for free during Family Golf Month. To locate these courses, visit www.playgolfamerica.com.
For bicycle safety tips or to locate trails near you, visit www.pedaling.com. Life’s a Beach
On summer days, a trip to the beach or river will keep you cool for less than you’d spend on air conditioning. Pack a picnic, books and a Frisbee, and you’re off for a day of fun for a fraction of the price that you’d spend at an amusement park.
In addition to sunscreen, certain clothing lines allow you to enjoy the outdoors longer while staying protected from harmful UV rays. With UPF ratings between 15 and 50, Columbia Sportswear’s Omni-Shade line, which has The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Approval, includes everything from swim trunks to outerwear.
Summer provides endless opportunities for outdoor adventure.With a little planning, you can enjoy the season both safely and economically.