www.NEGAonline. org
GERONTOLOGY TOPICS
JULY
2007
Eugene E.Tillock,Ed.D.,LNHA. Executive
Director
SUMMER
BLUES OR SOMERTIME BEAUTY?
With staffing problems the summer months may be a time
for the blues but otherwise there are special opportunities to broaden the quality
of living of your residents/patients, through participation in numerous outdoor
activities that are not available at other seasons of
the year.
Outdoor picnics and parties, recreational activity and items such as
gardening all come into play. A seasonal
group of volunteers may be developed utilizing teenagers and other young people
who are free from college attendance.
Some family members who would otherwise be occupied with younger
children might have more open and flexible schedules for volunteering during
summer months. An option is to have
community groups such as the local garden club come to the facility and
beautify it with their plantings, which they can encourage the residents to
care for. Make it a beauty time!!!!!
BRING ON THE PETS: LET THERE BE
CLOWNS
With access to the great outdoors, it is
an ideal time to have a pet contest and to have family members bring in the
varied number of pets from home that were beloved by the residents prior to
admission. Caution: No wild animals
allowed, but pet rocks are always suitable! Recently the media highlighted the
“ugliest dog in the world”. Other categories
might be selected and prized awarded accordingly. This is a good opportunity to bring in the
local media, particularly the TV crews, to portray the human interest stories
that are so endearing to
those in the public. If you really want a bright flare, then get
some of the local service club members to come in as clowns to host activities of
the day. At the same time, you might
play the old favorite of most of the residents, over your public address
system, the song “Bring
on the Clowns”
by Judy Collins. A great time will be
enjoyed by all!
Although
imperfect and leaving some people without coverage the new mandatory health
insurance program initiated by
emergency room for a high fever of undetermined
origin, follows:
R&C
SEMI-PR ROOM 4
DAYS 622. $2,488.00
EKG
2,163.00
LABORATORY
5,540.00
RADIOLOGY
516.00
EMERGENCY ROOM 1,422.00
PHARMACY/IV 688.73
THERAPY
SERVICES
682.00
TOTAL CHARGES: $13,504.73
These
were actual charges. They did not
include separate billings for physician services. Through antibiotic therapy the fever was
abated, although the etiology remained undetermined!
The
largest number of personal bankruptcies nationally are
from unpaid hospital/medical bills that are routinely sent on to high powered
collection agencies for payment. How
well can
your employees or neighbors with limited or
no coverage cope with such bills, in not only routine cases such as this but
with grave longer term health and medical emergencies?
It is
certainly long past the time when there is panic at the term “Socialized
Medicine” when it comes toward recognizing the need for health care for all
Americans. We don’t have to rely on Michael
Moore’s “SICKO” movie to be dissatisfied with our being the only industrialized
nation in the world without universal health insurance and with a standing of
37th in the countries with respect to overall health care for our
citizens.
Where
we can spend a billion dollars a day on the war effort, while irresponsibly
increasing our national debt for many generations to come, we must certainly do
better in health care financing. The
continuing dance of the regulators in reducing
reimbursement while demanding ever increasing quality
and performance are a contradictory abomination. This even persists in our veterans
administration system where gross
failure to meet our responsibilities to past
and present veterans becomes more glaring every day. Time to change!
HIPAA SECURITY AND REGULATIONS
Increasingly
from T J Maxx to the
Such breaches can lead to loss of revenue, potential
regulatory fines, Potential civil suits, and damage to business assets. Each
facility must develop a functional plan of risk analysis
to focus on prevention of code and ethical
violations. It is essential that
appropriate administrative, technical and physical safeguards are incorporated
into the facility plan so that it is in full compliance. NEGA offers a valuable computer assisted
–home study course For 12 approved CEU credit hours,
in its Introduction to HIPAA Regulations.
Extensive written materials are provided as well as computer and
telephone support and interaction services.
A pre and post examination are provided with a
75% passing score needed for course completion.
Send Registration checks to: Systems Educators Inc,
OVERSEAS CARE FOR PATIENTS/EMPLOYERS
If it costs
$12,000 less and offers similar results, why not get your orthopedic surgery
done in
trend, with some offering their employees
hefty bonuses if they voluntarily agree to head overseas for expensive medical
procedures. Even without the encouragement of employers, self-employed patients
And other price conscious buyers began going overseas
in growing
Numbers during 2006. In fact, with consumers sometimes saving 80 Percent
or more over
grow rapidly next year. Some patients
electing overseas care in top grade facilities with
medical experience with a vacation
like convalescence and rehabilitation.
NEW MEMBERS
ARE INVITED TO JOIN NEGA AT THIS TIME!
50% OFF FOR DUES FROM JULY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST:
$12.50 AND $50.00***
MEMBERSHIP
APPLICATION FORM
PRINT FULL NAME:_____________________________Profession:_____________
Home
address:____________________________________Prof.Lic.#______________
City:___________________State:_________ZIP:________
Home
phone:(
)________________(H)EMAIL:__________________________
Work
phone:(
)________________(W)EMAIL:_________________________
Please
enclose check to NEGA with this application form. Amount: $____________***
Calendar
Year Dues: $100 Institutional Member $25 Individual Professional
MAIL
TO: NEGA,
Contact
NEGA Executive Director, Dr. Gene Tillock
genetsr@comcast.net
SUMMER HEAT & PATIENT
DEHYDRATION!!!
This is a critical time of the year when perhaps the
most life threatening risk factor for patients is dehydration. Optimal fluid intake is crucial not only for
survival but for patient well-being. Jeanie Kayser-Jones,
RN, Ph.D. proposes several of the following for
reducing the risk of patient dehydration:
1. Older people should have
1,500 to 2,000 ml of fluids daily.
2. Nursing homes should provide
in service education on the
importance of adequate fluid intake,
and should teach their
staff members how to give
beverages safely.
3. Staff should make beverages
available/accessible 24/7.
4. Professionsl staff must supervise
patient fluid intake daily.
5. Nursing staff should check
fluid intake/output of patients
who are at risk for
dehydration.
6. The patient care plan must
follow a systematic plan to
insure adequate fluid intake for
all residents. This plan
should ensure total daily intake
to meet desired standards.
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