All posts in Health

Diversify Home Health, Home Care And Hospice Services To Secure Your Agencys Financial Future

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Have you ever heard the advice to not put all your eggs in one basket? Well the advice is good, especially if you are a Home Health, Home Care or Hospice agency. Putting all your eggs in one basket in the Home Health, Home Care or Hospice industry means having only one line of business. In todays environment, one line of business is a dangerous path to walk. Already we have seen repeated cuts to the Home Health reimbursement formula, and Hospice is under scrutiny and will probably see some rather dramatic cuts in the future. Some Home Care (Private Pay) agencies are seeing a decline in both clients and hours, as well. Just as the chant location, location, location is cited for a business success, diversification is the same for agencies in the Home Health, Home Care and Hospice industry.

As a Home Health or Hospice agency, you may be asking how you can diversify. You already take private insurance, much of which doesnt even cover your expenses. Where can you diversify?

Years ago, many Home Health agencies invested in private duty services. Unfortunately, many of them tried to run these agencies the same way they ran the Medicare-Certified agencies. This turned out to be a less than a financial success for them and, as a result, most of the agencies closed their Private Pay agencies or sold them. I was one of those administrators running both types of agencies. Fortunately, the corporation that owned the agency I managed understood the differences required to successfully operate these two very distinct businesses. As a result, the internal structures and systems for Private Pay were run with entirely different staff and procedures. Fortunately, the Private Pay agency was a financial success and a great partner for the Medicare business.

In todays environment, it may be wise for Medicare agencies to look again at the Private Pay industry and invest in another line of business that will not be subject to the changes of CMS. This holds true for both Medicare Home Health and the Hospice agencies. The opportunities in a Private Pay agency are endless. The services offered are as open and vast as the community served will support. By using the lessons learned from the previous attempts to diversify into Private Pay, the new line of business makes the difference between surviving and thriving.

For Private Pay (Home Care) agencies, diversification is just as important. By having only one or two lines of business, you will very likely have some down times with loss of revenues. Diversification of services helps to diminish the effects of the decline on your personal care or live-in services. There are so many opportunities in the Private Pay arena, it really is a matter of finding out what your marketplace will support and then developing it in such a manner that your customers will see value and buy.

Over the years I have seen some very creative and innovative Private Pay agency owners create truly unique services that were well received by their communities. One agency had a very viable service line in cruise companions. They had a high end senior population that were used to cruises, but because of declines in health and abilities, many of the seniors could no longer travel. The agency developed a contract with a major cruise line where they provided the personal care workers or aides that accompanied the senior on the cruise. The client paid for all the related cruise expenses as well as the daily live-in rate for the aide. Reportedly a great time was had by all.

Another agency developed a Mom and Babe program that catered to the large number of young, educated families in their geographic area. The program retained the services of an OB-GYN RN, who made the first visit to the home the day after the mother was discharged from the hospital. The aide, who was a trained doula, also accompanied the RN on the first visit. The services were bundled into either 5- or 7-day, 12 hour/day packages that included the RN visit and the 5 or 7 days of the specialty aide. The aide not only cared for the mother and baby, but tended to the home and other children, allowing the new mother and baby to have bonding time. The aide planned and cooked the meals and did the laundry and light housekeeping so that the mother could rest. The program, as mentioned, was sold as a package and made great shower gifts. The aide was available on an hourly rate to continue services beyond the package if the family wished, or her services could be bought by the family directly for however long they were needed.

As you can see, there is no limit to what your agency can provide. With appropriate due diligence and an ability to listen to what your community is seeking and willing to pay for, you can do anything. If youre ready to plan a more secure financial future for your agency, contact us today to discuss the many diverse opportunities that are awaiting you.

Penis Health Major Breakthrough Using Vitamin A

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While most people understand that they need to eat healthy foods, they often dont understand why they should have foods rich in certain vitamins and minerals, and just what happens to their bodies when their bodies do not receive these beneficial ingredients.

One such vitamin is vitamin A. This vitamin is vital to the function of the human body. It plays a crucial role in the operation of the immune and reproductive system, vision, and the development of bone and blood structure, as well as aiding in antioxidant activity and skin and cellular health.

What is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is an organic compound that supplies the human body with nutrients that sustain growth and allow it to function correctly. Vitamin A comes in several forms, retinol, retinal and four carotenoids alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, crypto-carotene, and gamma-carotene. In fact, if the human body has enough beta-carotene in its system then it can produce its own vitamin A.

Vitamin A can be found in animal and vegetable sources. Retinol typical derives from the animal, and the carotene from the vegetable. Foods that are rich in vitamin A are as follows: butter, cheese, egg-yolks, liver, milk, and dark green and yellow vegetables and fruits such as, apricots, broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, pumpkin, spinach, and sweet potatoes.

People who are deficient in vitamin A often have problems with their eye sight and are prone to skin disorders such as bumps, break-outs, and infections. Other symptoms can include severe weight loss, insomnia, fatigue, and reproductive difficulties, as well as hair loss and an itchy scalp.

Vitamin A How it Can Benefit Penis Feeling

Vitamin A gives a man an overall feeling of wellness, as this compound improves penis feeling, sexual pleasure, and penis health, as well as improves the function of major organs.

Largely, vitamin A has the following benefits:
1.It promotes healthy cellular growth and activity and improves skin rejuvenation so that the skin of the penis retains its softness and elasticity, and is more receptive to touch;
2.It increases overall physical endurance, with recipients feeling more lively and active, especially in the bedroom. This, in turn, increases sexual pleasure as men are able to sustain longer sexual activity;
3.It assists in maintaining a healthy male reproductive system and decreases the likelihood of impotency and erectile dysfunction;
4.It promotes a healthier immune system and prevents colds and other sicknesses which can reduce stamina and erode endurance; and
5.It enables the male body to function as a whole and creates a feeling of overall wellness.

Due to the fact that vitamin A is essential to the growth of healthy skin cells and tissue, and that it aids in promoting overall wellbeing, it is believed that the regular use of vitamin A will increase penis feeling as the skin becomes more receptive, which, in turn, will enhance sexual pleasure.

For Best Results Use Vitamin A in Crme Form

Using a crme form of vitamin A increases the amount that the body absorbs and it directly aids the area that it is applied to. In this capacity, a crme form of vitamin A works significantly faster than, say, a vitamin capsule, and it ensures that the skin cells of the penis receive a higher dose of vitamin A than the entire body.

Daily use of penis specific crme(health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) is recommended, as this contains vitamin A and other essential vitamins, amino acids, and minerals, which are said to increase sexual pleasure and improve penis feeling. This product is known to promote the overall wellbeing and function of the penis so that it aids in optimal penis health.

A healthy lifestyle means eating a balanced diet, exercising for at least 20 minutes a day, drinking sufficient fluids — preferably water — and learning to do anything that is not considered good for a healthy body in moderation. This allows the human body to function at its best and it also means that it is getting the right dose of essential vitamins and minerals, so that it operates at an optimum level.

The Health Benefits Of Buckwheat Honey

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A number of years ago we ran an apple farm in Northfield, Massachusetts. To prepare and enrich the soil for future plantings we would grow a cover crop of buckwheat, a tall plant with a beautiful white flower. As apple growers we had several hives of bees for effective fruit pollination and the bees loved the buckwheat flower transforming its nectar into a beautifully dark and rich honey. Our children loved the buckwheat flower season because they came to love delicious taste of the buckwheat honey. What we as parents discovered was that a teaspoon of buckwheat honey seemed to greatly help whenever the children had sore throats or coughs. This proved to be especially true if they took the honey at bedtime for they always seemed to sleep a little better. Throughout their childhood we always made sure to put away enough buckwheat honey from the hives to get through a winter of respiratory ailments.

This was a long time ago and I had forgotten about this aspect of buckwheat honey until I recently read about a study that had been done in 2007 and published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. This study found that children who received a small dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime slept better and coughed less than those who received either a common over-the-counter suppressant or nothing at all. Dr. Ian Paul, a researcher at Penn State College of Medicine indicated This is the first time honey has been actually proven as a treatment.

The research study involved 105 children between ages 2 and 18 in their randomized, partially double-blind study. Parents would answer questions about their childs sleep and symptoms after the first night during which there was no treatment. On the second night the children were given honey flavored cough syrup, honey, or nothing at all. It was clear that the children who received the honey slept better with fewer symptoms. Dr. Paul also noted that honey is generally less expensive than over-the-counter medications with none of the side effects like dizziness or sleepiness. Dr. Paul indicated that the type of honey plays a role in the treatment. Darker honeys have more antioxidants that lighter honeys and we wanted the best chance to see improvements.

Intrigued by this information I searched further and found that The Journal of Pediatrics in May of 2008 gave their assessment of this study. In this well-designed and valid study, Paul et al were able to show that honey was significantly superior to no treatment for improvement in cough severity (47.3% reduction vs 24.7%) and an overall symptom score (53.7% reduction vs 33.4%). The findings of this study suggest that honey is better than no treatment for reducing cough frequency and improving combined symptom scores. Paul Doering, co-director of the Drug Information and Pharmacy Resource Center at the University of Florida has weighed in on the subject. I believe recommending honey as a cough medicine has merits. It provides a safe option to using chemical based options, he said, adding that honey is part of a trend of recommending more commonplace traditional remedies for ailments.

It should be noted that the Dr. Paul study gave no honey to children under 2 yrs. of age and the newest research seems to support that practice.

Improve Penis Power With Superfoods

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Introduction:

The foods men eat may have a pronounced effect on the health of their penis. Foods containing vitamins and minerals specific to penis health support sexual function, nerve transmission and testosterone levels when consumed regularly. While it is possible to support penis health through eating specific superfoods, it can be hard to achieve every single day. Men should eat a balanced diet, use recommended nutritional supplements, and explore penis health crmes as ways of increasing vitamins and minerals for reproductive health.

Ginger: Ginger is a warming and invigorating plant that increases circulation to the extremities and the pelvic region, supporting healthy penile erections by improving blood flow. The root of the ginger plant is a rich source of essential oils, flavonoids and other plant chemicals, which open up blood vessels once ingested and also reduce platelet aggregation. In a study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology in 2010, researchers fed mice ginger root for 65 days. By the end of the study, the mice had increased testosterone levels, increased sperm count and motility, and increased sexual organ weight. Take ginger root as a superfood tea, purchase it as a herbal extract, or consume fresh root each day with your meals. If you are on heart or blood thinning medications, check with your doctor or pharmacist before using ginger products.

Nuts: Eat nuts for your nuts, and for your penis health. Nuts such as almonds, cashews, peanuts, brazil nuts and pecans contain dense amounts of nutrients essential for male sexual health. Magnesium for nervous system health, selenium for prostate health, protein for energy, chromium for lasting blood sugar levels, and essential fatty acids for nerve transmission. While nuts contain a variety of essential fatty acids, the most common fatty acid found in nuts is oleic acid. Nerves throughout the body, including in nerves in the penis, require oleic acid to form a protective coating around the nerve fiber. Without this protective sheath, known as myelin, nerve messages become confused and fail to transmit appropriately. Consume a small handful of mixed nuts each day to promote nerve health in your penis and boost energy levels.

Mushrooms: Mushrooms have been used for vitality, longevity and sexual health for thousands of years. While white button mushrooms are the most commonly consumed edible mushroom, the world is filled with hundreds of species of edible and medicinal mushrooms, some of which may be useful for penis health. A superfood and medicinal mushroom from the Himalayas, Cordyceps sinensis, has been extensively researched for its many health promoting properties, including sexual enhancement. Cordyceps has a positive effect on nitric oxide (NO) in the penis, acting in a similar way to the drug Viagra. It also increases testosterone levels and according to a study in 2009, Cordyceps has a beneficial effect on both sexual performance and fertility of animals. Find dried cordyceps from an Asian grocer or take Cordyceps in the form of a dried extract.

Fruits: Eating fruit may not sound very masculine, but most fruits are packed full of vitamins that will support robust sexual health. Oranges, nectarines, apples, red peppers, berries, rosehips, mangoes and kiwifruit are excellent sources of vitamin C and bioflavonoids for healthy circulation to the penis, effective connective tissue repair for the penis and foreskin, increased testosterone production, and antioxidant protection for the prostate. Tomatoes are also a source of vitamin A and lycopene for male reproductive health, and raisins contain magnesium which is essential for nervous system health. Watermelons, oranges and avocados contain the amino acid arginine, which supports erectile health and sexual performance. Eat a wide variety of fruits each day to benefit from their nutritional support.

Enhancing Penis Health with Nutrition

Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are important for penis health and male virility. While there are many superfoods and herbal remedies out there which support the health of the male reproductive system, the best method to support penis health is always to eat a balanced and diverse diet. If you are on any medications or have health concerns, check with your pharmacist or other health professional for advice.

For increased nutritional support many men consider taking multivitamins and minerals. These Supplements are broken down and absorbed in the digestive tract to varying degrees in different individuals, but you can use a penis health formula (most health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) containing vitamin C, vitamin A, arginine and natural oils. Penis health formulas carry nutrients directly into the local blood stream, enhancing sexual function, connective tissue health and testosterone production quickly.

Heart Health Hawthorn Berries Natures Tonic for the Heart

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In the first century, the Greek herbalist Dioscorides wrote about the health-giving properties of the berries of the white-thorn, or hawthorn tree. Thereafter, Romans, Greeks and even Renaissance herbalists utilized the rose-like petals and red berries of the hawthorn tree as a powerful tonic for heart health.

In modern Europe, doctors regularly prescribe hawthorn extract to alleviate a variety of mild to moderate heart related symptoms. Hawthorn is listed as an official drug in the Pharmacopoeias (official drug compendium) throughout China, Europe and South America, as an effective treatment for heart ailments and cardiovascular disease. It is used in cases of angina pectoris (chest pains), arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat), aged related cardiac insufficiency, arteriosclerosis and to regulate both high and low blood pressure.

European studies indicate that hawthorn can reduce strains on the heart by dilating peripheral blood vessels (lowering blood pressure), while it simultaneously increases cardiac output as it strengthens the contractility of the heat muscle (allowing it to pump stronger). Angina cases are often relieved because it is believed to dilate coronary blood vessels, increasing the oxygen supply to the heart muscle. This may reduce the risk of having a heart attack and increase your chances of survival if one does occur. Studies have also shown hawthorn to speed the recovery of those who have suffered a heart attack.

Hawthorn berries contain cardiotonic amines, polyphenols and vitamin C with significant amounts of bioflavonoids. Universally considered to be safe even in long term use, hawthorn is non-toxic, not habit-forming and does not appear to interfere with any conventional medications. It is sometimes given concurrently with much more toxic allopathic medicines to reduce the dosage and necessity of the drugs. Over a dozen clinical trials have concluded that hawthorn berry extract can be a safe and effective option in cases of chronic congestive heart disease.

Hawthorns valuable clinical effects include:

A powerful antioxidant free-radical scavenger to reduce the plaques of atherosclerosis

An arterial dilator to infuse more oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle, alleviating angina (chest pains) while lowering peripheral blood pressure

An anti-arrythmic (steadies the heart beat by stabilizing the hearts rhythmic contractions) to prevent deadly, vessel-plugging clots

A cardiovascular tonic which increases cardiac output and endurance

Is mildly sedative, reducing some of the nervousness associated with angina or palpitations

Hawthorn taken in conjunction with other heart healthy supplements like vitamin E, Co Q10 and omega-3 fats (from fish oils), is a ideal way to support longevity, endurance and preventive heart health at any age.