Early this month we wrote a blog called “Visiting a Loved One in a Nursing Home,” which talked about the nuts and bolts of holiday visits—what gifts to bring, what to check in advance, and when a visit should be delayed. Today’s blog deals with the more personal side of visiting a loved one in …
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that the labels for birth control pills Yaz and Yasmin, manufactured by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, be strengthened to include more information about the increased risk of blood clots. This is not Bayer’s first appearance at the FDA scrutiny rodeo. In 2008, Yaz was the best-selling birth …
For years, experts have been telling us not to eat raw cookie dough due to the risk of Salmonella from raw eggs. But that’s not the only risk, and it’s not even the biggest risk. After reading this information based on an article in The New York Times, I predict you’ll never be tempted again. …
Good news for disabled and elderly people who require personal care services: A federal judge has stopped North Carolina from ending services for some Medicaid recipients who receive in-home care. According to an article in the News & Observer, the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) had recently increased eligibility requirement for personal …
The American Association for Justice (AAJ) has published a document listing the ten worst insurance companies in America. To come up with this list, researchers at the AAJ undertook a comprehensive investigation of thousands of court documents, SEC and FBI records, state insurance department investigations and complaints, news accounts from across the country, and the testimony and depositions of former …
I had heard about fires that break out during surgical procedures, but I thought that they were exceedingly rare. But according to a notification by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), every year about 650 patients are injured by surgical fires. In some cases, the injuries are life threatening. In addition, more fires start …
During the holiday season, nursing homes see an increase in the number of people visiting their loved ones—some estimates say that more people visit in the month of December than in all the other months of the year combined. In order to have the visit go as smoothly and successfully as possible, the Iowa Press-Citizen …
Here’s a good news story: The health-care overall championed by President Barack Obama’s administration has saved Medicare recipients about $1.5 billion since it went into effect in January 2011. This amounts to an average savings benefit to the elderly of about $569 per person. According to a story on Bloomberg.com: “Millions of Americans are receiving …
Three months ago, we wrote a blog about how some folks were calling to ban fighting in major league hockey. The call for action came on the heels of three deaths: 35-year-old Wade Belak, who committed suicide; 27-year-old Rick Rypien, who was found dead in his home; and 28-year-old Derek Boogaard, who died from an …
In May 2011, we told you about an eye-opening statistic that said that nearly one in seven elderly nursing home residents are given power antipsychotic drugs, even though the medicines are dangerous and most of the recipients don’t benefit from these medications. Now, a new article in The Daily News reports that the number may …