Q-jumpers-The Health Myth Busters: B.C.’s New Twist in Delivering Health Care: FCPP - Frontier Centre for Public Policy
Performance funding - hospitals to get paid for reducing wait lines - no more block funding . --- seems like a solution whose time has come form the Globe and Mail .
Thursday, April 29, 2010
B.C.’s New Twist in Delivering Health Care: FCPP - Frontier Centre for Public Policy
B.C.’s New Twist in Delivering Health Care: FCPP - Frontier Centre for Public Policy
A useful read form the globe and mail
So much about health care doesn’t make sense when you think about it. Taxpayers get exercised when it’s revealed a politician has spent $40 on a bottle of champagne at some dinner yet they demand little accountability around the billions of dollars spent each year on health care. Politicians, meantime, are discovering the obdurate realities of providing a service for which demand is virtually unappeasable.
A novel idea -no more hospital block funding - hospital to get paid on performance delivery that reduce wait lines . What will they think of next ....... wow . QJ
A useful read form the globe and mail
So much about health care doesn’t make sense when you think about it. Taxpayers get exercised when it’s revealed a politician has spent $40 on a bottle of champagne at some dinner yet they demand little accountability around the billions of dollars spent each year on health care. Politicians, meantime, are discovering the obdurate realities of providing a service for which demand is virtually unappeasable.
A novel idea -no more hospital block funding - hospital to get paid on performance delivery that reduce wait lines . What will they think of next ....... wow . QJ
Interesting notes on clean
Antibacterial madness could be killing us
We're so clean we're filthy. In fact, we're washing our way towards
illness and death.
Triclosan, an antibacterial agent found in soaps, detergents and even
clothing, has been sucking the human endocrine system dry. And as it
goes to work on your body, it's also helping to kill off common
bacteria... while allowing powerful new ones to rise.
What's truly amazing... what's really shocking... what should tell you
everything you need to know about this chemical... is that it's
actually a pesticide, not a soap.
You've probably been washing with it for years, then eating with your
"clean" hands.
The feds now say they're concerned about this chemical... but don't
wait for them to save your skin. The FDA has been working on rules for
the use of triclosan for 38 years -- so if they haven't figured it out
by now, you're on your own.
Here's what you need to know -- what even the feds already admit to:
This stuff is so dangerous it kills fish when it gets into the water.
And it's in the water -- because it's literally everywhere. Triclosan
can be found in everything from clothing to cutting boards. Pretty
much anything with the word "antibacterial" screaming from the label
has triclosan in it.
It's so common it's in the urine of 75 percent of the population.
And yet people keep buying up that antibacterial soap in the mistaken
belief that it must be better. After all, it costs more... so it must
be good, right?
Wrong!
Studies have repeatedly proven that antibacterial soaps are no better
than ordinary soaps.
That shouldn't surprise anyone past a certain age. We grew up without
this stuff, and didn't face anything like the bacterial threat running
rampant today.
So if you're looking to stay clean, just do what we did -- warm water
and plain old soap.
99 and 44/100 percent pure,
William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.
--
Thursday, April 15, 2010
New nurses are just for senior patients - Chatham Daily News - Ontario, CA
New nurses are just for senior patients - Chatham Daily News - Ontario, CA
Seniors represent 25 per cent of all emergency department visits and approximately 50 per cent of all hospitalized seniors are admitted through the emergency department.
Seniors represent 25 per cent of all emergency department visits and approximately 50 per cent of all hospitalized seniors are admitted through the emergency department.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Good Hospital News Laughter is good medicine
Articles Hospital News
Humour and smiles work anywhere including progressive hospitals
http://www.hospitalnews.com/modules/magazines/mag.asp?ID=3&IID=138&AID=1699
Over the years, a multitude of physiological and psychological benefits have been attributed to laughter as “the best medicine.” One study frequently cited seems to indicate that cortisol, the stress hormone, was reduced among participants in a humour program. However, its small sample size of young healthy adult subjects makes it difficult to generalize the results, particularly to pediatric and senior populations.
http://www.gestalt.on.ca/ accepting applications for caring humourists
Humour and smiles work anywhere including progressive hospitals
http://www.hospitalnews.com/modules/magazines/mag.asp?ID=3&IID=138&AID=1699
Over the years, a multitude of physiological and psychological benefits have been attributed to laughter as “the best medicine.” One study frequently cited seems to indicate that cortisol, the stress hormone, was reduced among participants in a humour program. However, its small sample size of young healthy adult subjects makes it difficult to generalize the results, particularly to pediatric and senior populations.
http://www.gestalt.on.ca/ accepting applications for caring humourists
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
ALC's - 19% of Hospital population -a bureaucratic nightmare
This is disgraceful.
In many ways we have a wonderful health system. We have skilled doctors and caring nurses who go the extra mile for patients.
Sadly, to access that care, patients often have to negotiate a bureaucratic nightmare of red tape.
The government has downloaded responsibility for health spending to these faceless LHINs.
At the very time when our parents and grandparents most need their loved ones around them, they are shipped off to an unfamiliar place to die among strangers.
People who have lived and worked all their lives in communities such as these should be allowed the dignity of being cared for close to the family, close to those who love them, in their final days.
This is a heartless bureaucracy gone crazy. You can't ship frail old people out of town just so you can balance the books. christina.blizzard@sunmedia.ca
In many ways we have a wonderful health system. We have skilled doctors and caring nurses who go the extra mile for patients.
Sadly, to access that care, patients often have to negotiate a bureaucratic nightmare of red tape.
The government has downloaded responsibility for health spending to these faceless LHINs.
At the very time when our parents and grandparents most need their loved ones around them, they are shipped off to an unfamiliar place to die among strangers.
People who have lived and worked all their lives in communities such as these should be allowed the dignity of being cared for close to the family, close to those who love them, in their final days.
This is a heartless bureaucracy gone crazy. You can't ship frail old people out of town just so you can balance the books. christina.blizzard@sunmedia.ca
Friday, March 19, 2010
Emailing: Canada v. Europe on Health Care Europe Wins FCPP - Frontier Centre for Public Policy
| Help Support New Thinking
Localize website by geography
Upcoming EventsThe Sky Is Not Falling – Putting Climate Change on Trial Where Are Aboriginal Affairs in Canada Headed? Democratization of the Capital Markets  Upcoming FCPP AppearancesClimate Crisis or Energy Crisis? A climate change forum, chaired by Kath McCabe, with Peter Holle (President, Frontier Center for Public Policy) and Hon Barry Brill (global warming skeptic and former Minister of Energy). Peter will talk about the politics of climate change from a North American perspective, while Barry will discuss whether we should be thinking less about global warming and more about energy security. 6pm, Monday 15 February Mecca Café, cnr Nuffield St and Remuera Rd Free entry, cash bar available. Everyone welcome! Peter will talk about the politics of climate change from a North American perspective, while Barry will discuss whether we should be thinking less about global warming and more about energy security. What New Zealand can learn from Local Government Amalgamation in Canada At various times in Canada there have been moves to consolidate and amalgamate cities in different regions of the country. The reasons given in support of these policies have centred mostly around achieving greater efficiencies from larger economies of scale. But the experience has mostly been negative to mixed. Costs have increased while democratic accountability has decreased. As suggested by the Tiebout Model from the school of public choice economics larger city units have harmed the citizen customer of public services by removing their ability to vote with their feet when choosing the basket of municipal services offered by their local governments. Peter Holle, the founding President of the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, a Western Canada based public policy think tank, will review the Canadian experience and discuss the practical realities of amalgamation in Canada in this seminar at the Law & Economics Association of New Zealand (LEANZ). For more details contact: Matt Burgess at matt02@gmail.com Telecommuting: Being There Without Being There Sustainable Saskatchewan Conference Telecommuting is a stealthy alternative to the more conventional transportation solutions which governments often promote. For more details e-mail: alicia.curle@seda.sk.ca High Performing First Nations - Measuring Community Health and Governance AFOA 10th Anniversary National Conference The Frontier Centre for Public Policy released its third annual Aboriginal Governance Index (AGI) in the summer of 2009. The AGI is a result of surveys conducted in 98 First Nations across the Prairies with over 5,100 on reserve residents. The Index found that three measurements are the best indicators of the overall health of a band: 1) A trustworthy election process; 2) Transparent government and institutions and 3) Competent band administration. The O’Chiese First Nation in Alberta took the top spot on the Index. At this session there will be a discussion of the measurement/indicators that resulted, common indicators among the top ten reserves and what set those communities apart and contributed to their high ranking. Contact Micheline Belanger for more info Phone: 819.827.5031, Toll Free: 866.775.1817 or Email: Manitoba Policy Blueprint for the Future Booming Saskatchewan is on the verge of matching Alberta's flat income tax. Beleaguered Ontario is pushing to trim transfer payments. Alberta is under pressure to slash public spending and reform healthcare. Sales tax harmonization is happening in most provinces. How can Manitoba avoid being left in the dust in these turbulent times? Frontier's Peter Holle maps out how western Canada's only "have not" province can pull itself out of the slow lane. For more details contact: Shaila Wise at 786-8854 or swise@winnipegrealtors.ca Transparency and Accountability in the Public Sector - Panel #3 Hosted by the Macdonald-Cartier Society. For more details contact Immanuel Giulea at 514.577.2669 or immanuel@macdonaldcartier.com
Thu February 11, 2010
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Ben Eisen is a Policy Analyst with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Toronto where he specialized in history and political science. He also holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy from the University of Toronto’s School of Public Policy and Governance. Ben completed a public policy internship with the federal government, and he worked as a researcher for the CBC. Ben’s policy columns have been published in the National Post, the Winnipeg Free Press, the Calgary Herald, The Gazette and the Toronto Sun.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
SmoKe and your loss of individual rights - more underhanded thirdhand hogwash
Newest tobacco fear reeks of lies
Apparently the secondhand-smoke demons aren't scaring enough people... because in their latest desperate move, the Health Nazis have conjured up a new tobacco monster. They're calling it "thirdhand smoke."
That's right, folks. You can't make this stuff up.
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences claims that smokers create toxic particles that linger long after their cigarette has been snuffed. The researchers are suggesting that smokers carry a little invisible cloud of these particles around with them wherever they go, kind of like that dust cloud that always follows Charlie Brown's friend Pig-Pen.
In other words, smokers are constantly contaminating everyone, everywhere, all the time with their filthy habit -- whether they're actually smoking around anyone or not.
I'm sure you can see where this is going. More rules, more laws, and less personal freedom -- all in the name of health. And sure enough, the researchers claim that the only solution is 100 percent smoke-free places. And to assure a victory, they're pulling out their ace in the hole: the children.
The scientists claim that since these particles linger on floors, walls and furniture, children who crawl around touching everything are in grave danger. Never mind that they can't present a single child -- not one! -- who's ever been harmed by this supposed health risk.
It's pure bunk designed to scare more people away from the healthy use of tobacco.
Don't believe a word of it. The truth is, smoking can save your life -- and I've got all the science to prove it. Click here to find out more. ---- from Douglas Md
--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975 .
Back to Eden communities Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com "Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care
Monday, March 08, 2010
Thursday, March 04, 2010
do it please -dont study it , talk about it -just do it
A common sense and worthwhile throne speech - the hard part is to make it happen against the entrenched and vested special interest groups who are fattening at the public trough at everyone elses expense.
in reference to: Crime, MPs' pay on the agenda (IS IT THE RIGHT AGENDA?) - Brantford Expositor - Ontario, CA#postbox (view on Google Sidewiki)Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Laughable is correct
The tempest in the teapot - how is it possible to get input without communicating with those that have a stake in proceedings?
in reference to:"That's almost laughable," he said. "But let me tell you something: my parliamentary assistant Dave Levac is working very, very hard on promoting the Green Energy Act. He's very committed to promoting economic development in the region of Brant." Duguid at the act has helped attract 16,000 jobs to Ontario with its $7-billion investment, and predicted it will grow 50,000 jobs in green energy over the next three years."
- Levac's boss faces grilling (COMMENT ON THIS STORY) - Brantford Expositor - Ontario, CA (view on Google Sidewiki)
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
natural gas bill -green energy bill
If you have it ,if you control it you should use it,
Great idea - how about it Canada
"We send approximately $700 billion a year to nasty parts of the world for energy and about 70% of what we consume comes from elsewhere. In the meanwhile, we are the best in the world at extracting and moving natural gas and we have so much of it that we've run out of places to store it. HR 1835 would put an end to this madness and put hundreds of thousands of people to work immediately across the nation."
- A Riddle and a Rant The Reformed Broker (view on Google Sidewiki)
Canada Day update
Canada Day
The olympic spirit should prevail. All service clubs should be involved in making this a great celebration.
A public meeting is planned at knights hall on the 17th of march. Contact us for more information backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com.
"The city will run the show this year, Calnan said, and perhaps even in 2011. The city will put out a request for proposal to run the 2011 show, however, and the hope is that a service club may emerge to fill that role."
- Festivities relocated to Lions Park (COMMENT ON THIS STORY) - Brantford Expositor - Ontario, CA#postbox#postbox (view on Google Sidewiki)
Monday, March 01, 2010
most expensive healthcare system
U.S. healthcare most expensive, not best
PARIS (UPI) -- The United States spends more on healthcare -- $7,290 per capita in 2007 -- than any other country, an international ranking found.
The fifth edition of Health at a Glance provides the latest comparable data on different aspects of the performance of health systems in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.
The more than $7,000 spent by the United States on healthcare -- 16 percent of gross domestic product -- is almost two-and-a-half times greater than the OECD average of $2,984, or an average of 8.9 percent adjusted for purchasing power parity. France follows the United States in healthcare spending at 11 percent of GDP, Switzerland at 10.8 percent and Germany 10.4 percent.
Japan has higher survival rates for people with cancer than most countries. The United States and Canada have good cancer care, screening more people than most other countries, the report said. However, the United States suffers from worse primary care and preventable hospital admissions for asthma and diabetes are twice what they are, on average, in the OECD, the report said.
Angel Gurria, secretary-general of the OCED in Paris, said the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and Germany provide good primary care, but no one OECD country provides high quality care in all areas.
"There are opportunities for all countries to improve the performance of their healthcare care system, and making such improvements does not necessarily require higher spending," Gurria said.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International
--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975 .
Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care
Fwd: 2009 Canada Consumer Healthcare Index - Frontier Online
Dave
On an objective basis, Congratulations are due - Ontario and BC are the best performers in Canada on health care. Well done Sieg
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Frontier Centre <no-reply@fcpp.org>
Date: Mon, Dec 21, 2009 at 8:32 AM
Subject: 2009 Canada Consumer Healthcare Index - Frontier Online
To: siegholle@gmail.com
From: Frontier Centre <no-reply@fcpp.org>
Date: Mon, Dec 21, 2009 at 8:32 AM
Subject: 2009 Canada Consumer Healthcare Index - Frontier Online
To: siegholle@gmail.com
| | |||
| December 21, 2009 (EM416) If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got . . . 2009 Canada Consumer Healthcare IndexMedia Release - Canada Health Consumer Index 2009 How good is your provincial health care? Frontier's annual Canada Health Consumer Index evaluates healthcare-system performance in the ten provinces from the perspective of the consumer. For the second straight year, Ontario and British Columbia finish with the top scores in the CHCI's overall rankings. The Frontier Centre's new Canada-wide comparison of health care is out. You can watch a re-broadcast of Ben Eisen's media conference remarks at www.fcpp.org/livestream.php. (15 minutes) Canada Health Consumer Index 2009 How good is your provincial health care? Frontier's annual Canada Health Consumer Index evaluates healthcare-system performance in the ten provinces from the perspective of the consumer. For the second straight year, Ontario and British Columbia finish with the top scores in the CHCI's overall rankings. The Frontier Centre's new Canada-wide comparison of health care is out. Saskatchewan's Surgical Wait Times Rated The Worst In Canada Frontier Centre in the Media - Ben Eisen is interviewed by the Regina Leader-Post regarding Frontier's release of our 2009 Canada Health Consumer Index. Front page coverage from December 16, 2009. The Henry Ford of Heart Surgery Dr. Shetty, who entered the limelight in the early 1990s as Mother Teresa's cardiac surgeon, offers cutting-edge medical care in India at a fraction of what it costs elsewhere in the world. The approach has transformed health care in India through a simple premise that works in other industries: economies of scale. Geeta Anand writes that the Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital models high volume patient care which keeps their operating costs down. Worth a look from the Wall Street Journal. Frontier Media Appearances Ben Eisen on Saskatchewan: 2009 Healthcare Consumer Index (CBC) - December 16, 2009 Frontier policy analyst Ben Eisen was interviewed by Garth Materie on CBC Saskatchewan`s Blue Sky about Saskatchewan`s results in the 2009 Healthcare Consumer Index. (9 mins) Frontier Radio Commentary Copenhagen Leaves Unanswered Questions - December 18, 2009 If there is anything close to a consensus on climate change treaties, it's that Canadians don't want one. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces. Frontier Channel - Video Healthcare Consumer Index Coverage (CBC SK) - December 18, 2009 CBC Saskatchewan`s News at Six delves into the findings of the Frontier Centre`s Canada Health Consumer Index. Tuesday, December 16th, 2009 (3 mins) ------------------------------------------------------------- Speaker's Bureau If you need a thought-provoking, articulate speaker to illuminate today's important issues and explain tomorrow's trends please contact the Frontier Centre. Centre staff and advisory board members are available to discuss a wide variety of topics important to our community. For more information contact the Frontier Centre for Public Policy: Bored with old answers to old problems? Help broaden the debate. Did you know that over 11,000 opinion leaders receive this service by email and fax? Send Notes from the Frontier to a fellow opinion leader - Frontier Centre Email Lists We welcome your feedback. Send us yours at newideas@fcpp.org ------------------------------------------------------------- The Frontier Centre for Public Policy is an independent public policy think tank whose mission is "to broaden the debate on our future through public policy research and education and to explore positive changes within our public institutions that support economic growth and opportunity" FRONTIER CENTRE FOR PUBLIC POLICY Head Office - 203 - 2727 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba CANADA R3J 0R2 (Tel: (204) 957-1567 Fax: (204) 957-1570, E-mail: newideas@fcpp.org Saskatchewan Office - 2353 McIntyre Street, Regina, Saskatchewan CANADA S4P 2S3 Tel: (306) 352-2915 Fax: (306) 352-2938, E-mail: seymourd@fcpp.org Alberta Office - Alberta Office: Suite 1280, 300 - 5th Avenue S.W. - Calgary, Alberta, CANADA T2P 3C4 Tel: (403) 230-2435 E-mail: mmilke@fcpp.org NOTE: If you have received this email correspondence inadvertently and would like to have your name removed from our distribution list, you can remove yourself from this list by clicking here . Thank you. FCPP Project Home Pages :
Copyright 2009 Frontier Centre for Public Policy All rights reserved healthcare_frontiers | |||
--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975 .
Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care
Put a smile on your face
How many of these can you smile about ?
Murphy's Real Laws, Part I
1. Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.
2. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
3. A day without sunshine is like, well, night.
4. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
5. Back up my hard drive? How do I put it in reverse?
6.I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
7. When the chips are down, the buffalo is empty.
8. Seen it all, done it all. Can't remember most of it.
9. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.
10. I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
11. He's not dead. He's electroencephalographically challenged.
12. She's always late. In fact, her ancestors arrived on the "Juneflower."
13. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted and used against you.
14. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges.
15. Honk if you love peace and quiet.
16. Pardon my driving, I'm reloading.
17. Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so popular?
Murphy's Real Laws, Part II
18. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
19. It is hard to understand how a cemetery can raise its burial costs and blame it on the higher cost of living.
20. Just remember if it wasn't for gravity, we'd all fall off.
21. The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.
22. It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try and pass them.
23. You can't have everything. Where would you put it?
24. Latest survey shows that 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the world population.
25. If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.
26. The things that come to those that wait may be the things left by those who got there first.
27. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking.
28. Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries.
29. The shin bone is a device for finding furniture.
30. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
31. It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.
32. Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter since nobody listens.
33.I wished the buck stopped here, as I could use a few.
34. I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.
35. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.
36. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
19. It is hard to understand how a cemetery can raise its burial costs and blame it on the higher cost of living.
20. Just remember if it wasn't for gravity, we'd all fall off.
21. The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.
22. It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try and pass them.
23. You can't have everything. Where would you put it?
24. Latest survey shows that 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the world population.
25. If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.
26. The things that come to those that wait may be the things left by those who got there first.
27. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking.
28. Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries.
29. The shin bone is a device for finding furniture.
30. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
31. It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.
32. Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter since nobody listens.
33.I wished the buck stopped here, as I could use a few.
34. I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.
35. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.
36. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975 .
Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care
A New Way to Fight Depression Using Only Your Mind
A New Way to Fight Depression Using Only Your Mind
Zindel Segal, PhD, CPsych
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Suffering from depression is very different from being sad. Sadness is a normal part of life. Depression is a constellation of psychological and physical changes that persist, unrelenting, for a minimum of two weeks -- and often much longer.
One of every eight women and one of every five men will suffer at least one bout with serious depression at some point in their lives. Genetics seem to predispose some people to depression, though life events can be a factor as well. Seniors who experience losses in physical functioning and social networks can be especially susceptible to bouts of depression.
For those affected, depression often becomes an ongoing issue -- those who have faced it once have a 40% chance of experiencing an episode in the future and those who already have had multiple episodes face up to an 80% chance of additional recurrences.
Depression is most commonly treated with medication that regulates the brain's chemistry and with professional counseling, which helps people take effective action in the face of the low motivation and pessimism that often define depression.
Exciting new tool: In the last decade or so, a new technique has been shown in studies to help sufferers head off depression before it takes hold. The technique is called mindfulness -- paying attention to the present moment, without judgment, in order to see things more clearly.
LIFE ON AUTOMATIC PILOT
Mindfulness can prevent depression from taking hold of us because the alternative -- our usual state -- is that we operate on "automatic pilot." Our minds are elsewhere as we perform mundane activities. Example: You're taking a shower, but wondering what's waiting in your e-mail.
If we let it, this automatic pilot also will select our moods and our emotional responses to events -- and the responses it chooses can be problematic. For instance, if you make a minor misstep in some area of your life, your autopilot might select as your emotional response feelings of anger, failure and/or inadequacy, even though the event might have been completely inconsequential.
Because your mind is not paying full attention to the situation, you might not grasp that the negative feelings are greatly out of proportion to what's really going on. You only know that you feel bad. When these negative feelings persist, they can pull you into the downward spiral of depression.
Example: A friend mentions that one of the stocks in his portfolio has turned a profit. Your investments have not been as successful, and your autopilot selects inadequacy as your primary emotional response. This may sound like an overreaction, but in someone who is prone to depression, these feelings can expand into a full-blown episode.
Mindfulness can be an antidote to automatic pilot. By becoming more aware of the world around us, we experience life directly, not filtered through our minds' relentless ruminations. We learn to see events for what they are rather than what our autopilot might turn them into. That helps us to derail potential episodes of depression before they have a chance to take hold. It typically takes two weeks or longer for depression to fully sink in, so there is often plenty of time to stop the process.
BECOMING MINDFUL
Learning to be mindful involves more than simply paying attention. You must reorient your senses so that you experience a situation with your whole mind and heart and with all of your senses.
Try it out: Pick up a raisin. Hold it, feel it, examine it as if you had never seen anything like it before. Explore the raisin's folds and texture. Watch the way light shines off of its skin. Inhale its aroma. Then gently place it on your tongue. Notice how your hand knows exactly where to put it. Explore the raisin in your mouth before biting. Then chew once or twice. Experience the waves of taste and the sensation of chewing. Notice how the taste and texture change as you chew. Once you swallow, try to feel the raisin moving through your digestive system.
Keep it up: Practice the following three steps every day to make mindfulness a regular part of your life -- and episodes of depression less likely...
1.Focus on your breath. Focusing your attention on your breath is perhaps the simplest, most effective way to anchor your mind in the moment. You think only of this breath. You can do this anytime, anywhere.
2.Watch your thoughts drift by like clouds. See them, acknowledge them, but do not attempt to reason them away. Some people attempt to use logic to escape depression. They tell themselves, My life is pretty good -- I should be happy. This just leads to troubling questions like If my life is good, why am I so unhappy? What's wrong with me?
It is also tempting to try to push negative thoughts away so that you don't have to deal with them at all. Unfortunately, the thoughts are still there even if you refuse to acknowledge them.
Better: When you feel bad, reflect on what is bothering you. Try to uncover the original thought or event that set off your bad feelings. Then view it as just a thought, something independent from you even though it has popped into your head. Do not dismiss it, though. Even if the thought or the event that caused it was trivial, the feelings it has prompted are real and significant.
Next, notice any physical sensations that you are experiencing. Does your throat feel tight? Is your mouth dry? Are there butterflies in your stomach? Just as you are learning to watch your feelings float by, watch these physical sensations in a detached way. If you can learn to spot the onset of these sensations, you will be able to identify the early signs of depression sooner -- and head off the bad feelings before they take root.
3.Take action. Ask yourself: Does this thought have any merit? Is it connected to negative thoughts that I have had in the past? What can I do to make myself feel better about this issue?
Example: You feel depressed about your work life even though you are doing fine in your job. When you reflect on these negative thoughts, you realize that they began recently, when you learned that your brother received a promotion. You feel left behind because it has been some time since your last promotion.
What actions could you take to allay these negative feelings? Perhaps you could speak with your supervisor about your job performance and your prospects for future promotions... or contact a headhunter to remind yourself that you have other options.
With any problematic thought, identifying it quickly and taking some positive action is often enough to head off depression.
Important: Learning the mindfulness approach can be useful for preventing future bouts of depression -- not for combating an episode that is already under way. When people are in the midst of depression, they typically cannot concentrate sufficiently to practice mindfulness. It is better to use the technique between episodes of depression so that it becomes a natural part of your thought process.
WHERE TO FIND HELP AGAINST DEPRESSION
For information about depression and links to local support, contact...
National Institute of Mental Health, 866-615-6464, www.nimh.nih.gov.
National Alliance on Mental Illness, 800-950-6264, www.nami.org.
--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975 .
Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care
Get some sun boys
How sunlight boosts your love life
I've been shedding light on America's sex problems for decades...and now the mainstream is finally coming around.
Toss your dangerous penis pills, because the REAL answer to most cases of erectile dysfunction can be found in a single hormone: testosterone. And a new study suggests that you can get your own bedroom boost by simply stepping outside -- because your testosterone rises and falls alongside your sun-powered vitamin D levels.
But don't count on the sun alone to get your sex life cooking. It might give your testosterone levels a little kick, but it won't be enough for most sexually challenged men.
There's a simple reason for that: As you get older, your body makes less testosterone. It happens to the best of us. Getting fat will also cause your levels to go limp. And if you're fat and old, you're up the creek -- but let me throw you a paddle: Switch to a high-protein diet rich in animal fats, and drop the carbs down to almost nothing.
The protein will give you energy. The zinc in the meat will boost your testosterone levels. And the lack of carbs will help you shed those extra pounds. Add it all up, and you'll be back on track in the sack -- but most men over 50 will need an extra hormone boost to really complete the picture.
Forget off-the-shelf testosterone supplements. Visit a doc who knows something about natural hormones. He can check your levels and top you off the right way: with a series of injections.
Finally, don't be afraid of that big yellow thing in the sky. The media's Chicken Little act over sunlight is out of control -- I actually read an article in the online edition of the St. Petersburg Times that said you should get your vitamin D through sunlight "only with your doctor's approval."
I kept looking for the punchline, but it wasn't a joke.
So consider this your permission slip -- get outside and bask for a few minutes every day. Skip the sunblock and head back inside when your skin turns just a little pink.
The sun won't poison you if you use some common sense, but your food might.
--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975 .
Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Age myth and health cost exposed to be wrong
When did longevity become such a bad thing? People are living
longer, yes, but also healthier lives. The healthcare budget is
burgeoning not because we are aging but because everyone is
using the healthcare system more and the treatments are much
more costly. So say the experts. But the myth persists that
aging Boomers will drain the public purse. Read more [
http://www.imakenews.com/eletra/go.cfm?z=carp%2C422580%2Cbct7jVmF%2C3791910%2CbgBnVyG
]
--
from CARP
longer, yes, but also healthier lives. The healthcare budget is
burgeoning not because we are aging but because everyone is
using the healthcare system more and the treatments are much
more costly. So say the experts. But the myth persists that
aging Boomers will drain the public purse. Read more [
http://www.imakenews.com/eletra/go.cfm?z=carp%2C422580%2Cbct7jVmF%2C3791910%2CbgBnVyG
]
--
from CARP
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Hospital Readmission Epidemic
Hospital Readmission Epidemic
The last thing anyone wants after spending time in the hospital is a return trip... yet almost one in five Medicare patients who are discharged from a hospital will be back within the month, according to a recent New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) study. For patients with heart failure, it's even higher -- the readmission rate is about one in four.
Why are these numbers so high, and is there anything patients and family members can do to prevent this from happening? I called Eric Howell, MD, associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and chief, division of hospital medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, to ask for advice. Dr. Howell is himself a hospitalist (a physician who specializes in the care of hospital patients), so he has much to say about this problem and how to prevent it from happening.
First of all, he pointed out that some repeat visits are inevitable simply because some patients are quite sick. "Patients with chronic diseases, such as heart failure, diabetes, renal failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are vulnerable to emergency situations which, in turn, can lead to readmission even with the best care," he noted.
Preventable Causes of ReAdmission
Dr. Howell identified several reasons why readmissions often happen and shared advice on what patients (and their loved ones) can do to reduce the likelihood of landing back in the hospital...
Transition plan. A key contributor to the problem of frequent readmissions, in Dr. Howell's opinion, is inadequate preparation for the patient's transition from hospital to home. "Patients typically spend about a half-hour with a doctor on the day of discharge," says Dr. Howell. "But it takes much longer than that for patients to learn how to take care of themselves after a complicated hospital stay, particularly one that is shorter than it used to be, as is the case with many hospitalizations."
What to do: Patients being discharged should understand their medical condition, the related test results, and what they need to do to manage their illness or recovery. Make sure you clearly understand how to take a new prescription, including how to adjust dosages if necessary. Get detailed written instructions on how to carefully monitor aspects of your condition -- for instance, heart failure patients are told to weigh themselves daily and to call the doctor if there is a significant change, because this is a sign of trouble.
Confusion at home. With limited guidance before leaving the hospital, it's common for patients to feel overwhelmed once they get home, most especially those who live independently without others around to remind them what to do. This can lead to mixing up or missing doses of medicines... forgetting specific instructions... problems caring for surgical wounds... and difficulty in performing the prescribed exercises to prevent pneumonia or to speed healing. Also, patients may not recognize early symptoms that should trigger a call to the doctor, so that minor problems don't become major ones.
What to do: If possible, someone else (a friend or family member) should be with you during the discharge discussion to take notes and help you remember the instructions.
Who's in charge? Another issue is that patients don't always know which doctor should be called if a problem arises when they are at home. Since many hospital patients are admitted through the emergency room, it's not unusual that your primary-care physician (and not everyone even has one) wouldn't know you were in the hospital at all. Then, given the increasing reliance upon hospitalists to oversee in-patient care, your personal doctor may or may not have been involved during your hospital stay. So, Dr. Howell says, you can't just assume that your doctor has been updated with your latest information or discharge instructions.
What to do: When you return home, call your doctor, at minimum. Better yet, schedule a visit so he/she can take over your care. Dr. Howell strongly suggests asking your hospitalist to contact your doctor when you are discharged to open up communication and share information about your condition and treatment. "When doctors communicate, there are fewer errors and less likelihood the patient will need to be readmitted to the hospital," notes Dr. Howell.
The Empowered Patient: Take Responsibility
It is less likely that you will have to head back to the hospital if you take steps at the time of discharge to learn how to manage your own care. Dr. Howell provided this checklist of proactive patient steps to facilitate a safe and healthy transition from hospital to home...
From your discharging doctor (or nurse)...
Get a clear and complete explanation of what is wrong... a list of medications you need to take and their dosage instructions, along with information on why each one is important... and details of all other aspects of your care at home, including what you should eat, how wounds should be dressed and so on.
Ask the hospitalist whether he/she has spoken to your primary-care physician -- if not, request that this be done.
Ask about signs and symptoms you should be on the lookout for... learn which ones require a call to the doctor... and find out which doctor you should call (the hospitalist or your personal physician) if a problem does arise.
Make sure you get copies of your discharge summary and your medical records, both of which you then can take to your own doctor at your next visit. (While the hospital will send the discharge summary to your doctor, this can take 30 days -- which can be too long.)
Once home, make an appointment with your own doctor to follow up. Bring all related paperwork, along with the name of the hospitalist who discharged you who can provide more information on your condition and treatment, if that turns out to be necessary. The more information everyone (including you) on your health-care team has, the better off you will be.
Source(s):
Eric Howell, MD, associate professor of medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, chief, division of hospital medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975 .
Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)