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September 26th is World Heart Day!

Right at Home, an international leader providing in-home companionship, personal care assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently, is continually monitoring issues that impact our clients and their families from an emotional, physical and financial perspective.

Each year, more than 17 million people die from cardiovascular disease, mainly heart disease and stroke, making it the world’s leading cause of death. Many of these deaths are preventable.

September 26th marks the 10 year anniversary of World Heart Day. The World Heart Federation (WHF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and other leading agencies have partnered for the past decade to raise global awareness on the dangers of heart disease, strokes and heart attacks.

The theme for this year’s World Heart Day is “Workplace Wellness: Take Responsibility for Your Own Heart Health.”

Heart disease has long been a leading killer in the United States, but is become an increasingly large health problem around the world. There are simple steps that people can take to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke; healthier diet, regular exercise and avoiding tobacco consumption. World Heart Day is about educating people around the world on the dangers of heart disease, and what they can do to have healthier hearts.

The World Health Organization offers some simple tips on avoiding heart attacks and strokes here.

The World Heart Foundation, organizer of World Heart Day, each year publishes a comprehensive “State of the Heart Cardiovascular Disease Report.” This report outlines key challenges and achievements in cardiovascular health and research, and serves as a guiding resource in the global effort to promote better heart health.

Since this year’s World Heart Day theme is centered on workplace wellness, the Centers for Disease Control offers a number of tips and resources designed to help employers make their workplaces more heart healthy.

Right at Home encourages you to participate in World Heart Day 2010. Think about your diet. Do get enough regular exercise? Are there bad habits you can cut out that might help improve your heart health? Don’t wait until it’s too late! Take positive corrective action now and you might greatly reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companion and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Right at Home directly employs all care-giving staff, each of whom are thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client's home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by more than 185 local independent franchises. Right at Home's global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 40 states nationwide, as well as in the U.K. For more information on Right at Home High Point, contact Greg Brewer or visit www.rightathome.net. To sign up for Right at Home's free adult caregiving eNewsletter, Caring Right at Home, please go to www.caringnews.com.

September is National Cholesterol Awareness Month

Right at Home, an international leader providing in-home companionship, personal care assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently, is continually monitoring issues that impact our clients and their families from an emotional, physical and financial perspective.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, over 65 million Americans are affected by high blood cholesterol. It should come as no surprise that heart disease is a leading killer in this country when fully 1/5 of its population is affected by high levels of “bad” cholesterol. There are many factors that affect cholesterol levels; diet, exercise and genetics all play a key role in a person’s overall heart health.

This National Cholesterol Awareness Month, Right at Home encourages you to have your blood cholesterol levels checked. If your cholesterol is high, make a plan with your doctor to take corrective action.

Since this is a problem that affects so many Americans, there are a number of resources available to people looking to learn more about cholesterol, understand the risks at hand and take steps to improve their cholesterol levels.

The American Heart Association has a great compilation of preventions and treatments for high Cholesterol.
WebMd offers a comprehensive overview of the problem
The Mayo Clinic offers an interesting look at nutritional supplements that can help lower cholesterol levels without the use of prescription medication.

How healthy do you think YOUR cholesterol levels are? Are you at increased risk of heart attack? Have your doctor issue a blood cholesterol test during your next visit.

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companion and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Right at Home directly employs all care-giving staff, each of whom are thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client's home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by more than 185 local independent franchises. Right at Home's global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 40 states nationwide, as well as in the U.K.. For more information on Right at Home High Point, contact Greg Brewer or visit www.rightathome.net. To sign up for Right at Home's free adult caregiving eNewsletter, Caring Right at Home, please go to www.caringnews.com.

September is National Preparedness Month

Right at Home, an international leader providing in-home companionship, personal care assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently, is continually monitoring issues that impact our clients and their families from an emotional, physical and financial perspective.

September 2010 is National Preparedness Month, and events across the globe over the past few months reinforce the importance of adequate emergency preparation. Devastating flooding in Pakistan and China, massive wildfires in Russia, crushing earthquakes in Haiti and Peru and an increasingly active Atlantic hurricane season serve as powerful reminders to us all that disaster can strike at any time.

The goal of National Preparedness Month is to educate Americans on ways they can prepare their families to best deal with emergency situations should the worst of circumstances arise. Two critical steps in getting prepared to deal with disaster include creating a Family Emergency Plan and creating an Emergency Supply Kit.

Emergency situations rarely occur at convenient times, so you should consider it a strong possibility that your entire family will not be together when a potential crisis occurs. Taking the time to lay out a sensible Family Emergency Plan can go a long way towards keeping your loved ones safe during times of duress. Ready.gov offers a useful online Emergency Plan tool that will help you evaluate your family's needs. When making a family emergency plan, don't forget to account for elderly relatives, neighbors and friends who might need extra assistance dealing with emergency situations; put some thought into who you know that might not have anyone else to assist them in a time of crisis.

Given the resources the United States has at its disposal, it's easy to assume that should a disaster strike, assistance will not be far behind. As Ready.Gov notes, however:

• "You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water, and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it might take days. In addition, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer"

Creating an Emergency Supply Kit is an easy and affordable way to help your family be prepared! If you are on a tight budget, consider adding items to the kit over time, to ease the financial impact of stockpiling essential goods. Click here for a starter list of items to consider including in your supply kit.

Last week, President Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation regarding National Preparedness Month 2010. Take a moment to read his statement, and familiarize yourself with the glaring need for better individual emergency planning in the U.S.

If you are interested in learning more about Emergency Preparation and National Preparedness Month 2010, check out this calendar of NPM 2010 events, which is sortable by state. In addition to potentially life-saving information, you might find a new way to help your community be prepared should danger arise.

Right at Home is a national company that exists due to its commitment to establishing and maintaining strong roots in the hundreds of communities it serves. We hope that you will review some of this information, and discuss emergency preparation with your family this month. Make a Family Emergency Plan, begin assembling an Emergency Supply Kit and learn more about the emergency response resources in your area; it could wind up being time well spent!

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companion and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Right at Home directly employs all care-giving staff, each of whom are thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client's home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by more than 185 local independent franchises. Right at Home's global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 40 states nationwide, as well as in the U.K.. For more information on Right at Home High Point, contact Greg Brewer or visit www.rightathome.net. To sign up for Right at Home's free adult caregiving eNewsletter, Caring Right at Home, please go to www.caringnews.com.

August is Cataract Awareness Month

Right at Home, an international leader providing in-home companionship, personal care assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently, is continually monitoring issues that impact our clients and their families from an emotional, physical and financial perspective.

August is Cataract Awareness Month. EyeCareAmerica defines cataracts thusly: "A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye, the part of the eye that focuses light and produces clear images. Inside of the eye, the lens is contained in a sealed bag or capsule. As old cells die they become trapped within the capsule. Over time, more cells die and accumulate, causing the lens to cloud and making images look blurred or fuzzy. For most people, cataracts are a natural result of aging. But eye injures, certain medications and diseases such as a diabetes and alcoholism have also been known to cause cataracts."

Prevent Blindness America observes that "cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world. There are close to 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older with cataract. By age 80, more than half of all Americans will have cataract."

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs points out some of the leading causes of cataract in Americans:

• Injuries or inflammatory disorders involving the eye
• Systemic diseases such as diabetes
• Long term exposure to sunlight
• Poor nutrition
• Personal habits such as smoking
• Certain prescription medications such as corticosteroids
• Some hereditary disorders

The Department of Veterans Affairs further points out: "If you are age 60 or older, you should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once every 2 years. Your eye doctor may recommend more frequent exams if you are at increased risk for ocular disorders such as glaucoma or macular degeneration, have systemic conditions such as diabetes or are taking certain medications. Early treatment for many eye diseases may save your vision."

The AARP offers some insight here into the value of protecting your eyes when in the sun; overexposure to UV light is a leading cause of cataract.

Right at Home wants you to protect your vision over the long term! Get your eyes examined regularly, protect your eyes in the sun and see a doctor immediately if you experience any problems with your vision.

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companion and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Right at Home directly employs all care-giving staff, each of whom are thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client's home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by more than 185 local independent franchises. Right at Home's global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 40 states nationwide, as well as in the U.K.. For more information on Right at Home High Point, contact Greg Brewer or visit www.rightathome.net. To sign up for Right at Home's free adult caregiving eNewsletter, Caring Right at Home, please go to www.caringnews.com.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month

Right at Home, an international leader providing in-home companionship, personal care assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently, is continually monitoring issues that impact our clients and their families from an emotional, physical and financial perspective.

Immunization is widely regarded as one of the most significant medical advances of the past 100 years. The development of vaccines to combat illness has led to the near-eradication of devastating diseases such as Polio, helped millions of people fight off the Flu and provided our society with a bulwark against a number of other potentially dangerous conditions.

The Center for Disease Control notes:

"August is recognized as National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). The goal of NIAM is to increase awareness about immunizations across the life span, from infants to the elderly.

August is the perfect time to remind family, friends, co-workers, and those in the community to catch up on their vaccinations. Parents are enrolling their children in school, students are entering college, and healthcare workers are preparing for the upcoming flu season."

While immunization is an innovation that is nearly a century old, it can be argued that proper immunization is more important than ever. Globalization has shrunk the planet drastically; as international travel and trade increase, so do the number of disease vectors and pandemic risks. Staying current with immunizations is a vital component of staying healthy year-round, especially for children and the elderly. The CDC offers a helpful index of immunization schedules for people of all ages here.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently wrote a letter to the editor that was featured in the July 26th issue of USA Today. Click to read their take on the importance of immunization.

Right at Home strongly encourages you to check these schedules to make sure you and your loved ones are up to date on their immunizations!

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companion and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Right at Home directly employs all care-giving staff, each of whom are thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client's home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by more than 185 local independent franchises. Right at Home's global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 40 states nationwide, as well as in the U.K.. For more information on Right at Home High Point, contact Greg Brewer or visit www.rightathome.net. To sign up for Right at Home's free adult caregiving eNewsletter, Caring Right at Home, please go to www.caringnews.com.

August 1 is National Minority Organ Donor Day!

Right at Home, an international leader providing in-home companionship, personal care assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently, is continually monitoring issues that impact our clients and their families from an emotional, physical and financial perspective.

Did you know that August 1 is National Minority Organ Donor Day? It's an important day to commemorate, as there is a severe shortage of organ donors in our country. According to Organ Donor.gov, "Each day, about 77 people receive organ transplants. However, 19 people die each day waiting for transplants that can't take place because of the shortage of donated organs."

Minority populations are particularly affected by long waiting lists and lack of available donated organs. The Office of Minority Health notes that "minorities make up more than half of organ donation waiting lists (54.2%), yet they comprise less than half of organ transplants performed (33.6%)."

There are a number of troubling statistics that illustrate the glaring need for far more minority organ donation. Consider the following, courtesy of MinorityNurse.com:

• More than 83,000 persons are currently on the national transplant waiting list.

• 16 people die each day waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.

• A disproportionate number of these people who are on waiting lists and dying--approximately 50%--are racial/ethnic minorities, including 23,558 African Americans, 13,059 Hispanics/Latinos and 5,158 Asians/Pacific Islanders.

• Patients in need of a transplant are more likely to find a genetically compatible match within their own racial/ethnic group.

• Minority donors account for only about 25% of the available donor pool.

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services sums up the situation well:

"Minorities overall have a particularly high need for organ transplants because some diseases of the kidney, hear, lung, pancreas and liver are found more frequently in racial and ethnic minority populations than in the general population...Some of these conditions that can result in organ failure are best treated through transplantation and others can ONLY be treated by this life-saving procedure. In addition, similar blood type is essential in matching donors to recipients. Because certain blood types are more common in ethnic minority populations, increasing the number of minority donors can increase the frequency of minority transplants."

Right at Home encourages you to learn more about minority organ donation. Please visit www.mottep.org, the website of the National Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program for more information about this critical issue and how you can help make a life-saving impact.

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companion and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Right at Home directly employs all care-giving staff, each of whom are thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client's home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by more than 185 local independent franchises. Right at Home's global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 40 states nationwide, as well as in the U.K.. For more information on Right at Home High Point, contact Greg Brewer or visit www.rightathome.net. To sign up for Right at Home's free adult caregiving eNewsletter, Caring Right at Home, please go to www.caringnews.com.