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A Katy Times Publication

DECEMBER 2017

Table of Contents A Hug Away Home Health Care

How to ﬁnance long term health care

Healthy Resolutions for the New Year

The health beneﬁts of avocados

Managing pain with massage therapy

Tips for ﬁghting the ﬂu

Katy Healthy Living a supplement of the Katy Times. 5319 E 5th St. • Katy, TX 77493 (281) 391-3141 // www.katytimes.com

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A Hug Away

IS A GODSEND FOR HOME HEALTHCARE PATIENTS

A Hug Away Healthcare is a godsend for those families wanting to retain a quality lifestyle for their loved ones who need medical care at home. Located at 1203 Avenue D, Suite A, in Old Town Katy, A Hug Away Healthcare is owned by sisters Marisa Frasier and Tikisha Johnson. Marisa is the Administrator and Tikisha is Alternate Administrator. Filling new leadership positions are Karen Forknot, RN, Director of Nursing; and Keisha Welch, Alternate Director of Nursing. “Our heart is in Katy, but our care has no limits,” said Marisa. “We are licensed to service all of Texas, and we’ll go as far as we have to in order to fulfill our patients’ needs.” Commenting on the hiring of Karen and Keisha, Marisa said: “We are excited about the new leadership positions as we embark on our new projects and look forward to them leading the agency to new heights.” The business is truly a one-stop shop for anyone who needs home health care services. Included among its services are: infusion care, wound care, skilled nursing, physical therapy, medical equipment, social services and companionship services — all offered within the convenience of one’s own home. But that’s not all. A Hug Away also provides full-time hospice care, occupational therapy, speech therapy, intravenous injections, intramuscular injections, catheter insertions, blood

pressure and glucose level checks and other vital checks for body temperature, pulse rate and rate of breathing. A Hug Away is also expanding its services to include pediatrics and psychiatry. “Our licensed physicians, registered nurses and other medical professionals work in collaboration with family physicians to deliver the best home health care available,” said Marisa. “It’s all about giving our patients the quality lifestyle they want and deserve.” Most of the home health care referrals come from doctors who have knowledge of A Hug Away or have personally experienced “our high level of care,” said Marisa. Word-ofmouth advertising drives about three-fourths of their business, she added. A major focus of A Hug Away is hospice care and that’s understandable, as it was this issue that actually launched the idea for the business. When Marisa worked at a previous job, the wife of one of her employees was suffering from brain cancer. Marisa started a health hospice in an effort to ease his mind while at work, allowing him to maintain his job for insurance purposes as well as for him “to be at peace with the hospice process.” After that successful effort, Marisa and Tikisha “went at hospice full time.”

DECEMBER 2017

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Another major offering by A Hug Away is its respite service that is available hourly, daily or weekly. “Even though many families take great joy in providing care to their loved ones so that they can remain at home, the consequences for the family caregivers can be overwhelming without the right support,” said Marisa. “Our respite service offers you the much-needed temporary break from the oftenexhausting challenges faced by the family caregiver.” Respite services include, but are not limited to: doctor visits with an assistant; supervised maintenance; nutritional services; sitter companion services; “planned” emergency care; medication reminders and reading assistance.

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In addition, A Hug Away offers a wide array of medical equipment to assist in the care of a loved one, including wheelchairs, hospital beds, oxygen, walkers and shower benches.

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Hospice services provided by A Hug Away include, but are not limited to:

“We always encourage volunteers to help with our hospice program,” said Marisa. “Interested parties can contact us at 281391-AHUG for training and assignments.”

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• General Microneurosurgery • Minimally Invasive Brain & Spine Surgery • Neck & Back Pain • Disc Herniation • Spinal Stenosis • Brain Tumor Microsurgery

Hospice care focuses on improving the quality of life for patients and their families faced with a life-limiting illness. The primary goals of hospice care are to provide comfort; relieve physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering; and promote the dignity of terminally ill persons. Hospice care neither prolongs nor hastens the dying process.

A Hug Away has been a member of the Better Business Bureau since 2009, and has an A rating. For more information, visit www.ahugaway.com.

KATY HEALTHY LIVING

HOW TO FINANCE long-term

care needs

Failing to plan for long-term care expenses may leave aging men and women with little or no assets late in life. AARP says that the cost of long-term care continues to rise and the array of options can make it difficult for families to find the best, most affordable care.

care for later in life. But many people are unaware that this type of insurance exists. A survey conducted by Leger Marketing for the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association found that 74 percent of respondents said they havenâ€™t included provisions for long-term care in their retirement plans.

The median monthly costs for a semi-private room in a U.S. nursing facility hovered around $6,800 in 2016, according to The Genworth Cost of Care Survey. That adds up to roughly $82,000 per year. Individuals who only anticipate hiring a home health aide should know that such options cost an average $3,800 per month.

Long-term care insurance is a safety precaution that can be purchased early in life to plan to help pay for expenses aging men and women may incur in their golden years. New York Life Insurance says that policy holders will be reimbursed for qualified long-term care costs up to a maximum daily benefit amount. Coverage varies, but policy premiums generally increase with the age of applicant.

Retirement savings can quickly dry up when long-term care is required. Individuals need to keep in mind that, in 2014, the Social Security Administration said the average month retirement income from Social Security was just $1,294. The National Care Planning Council says that at least 60 percent of all individuals will need extended help during their lifetimes. Ongoing care can last for many months or years. Long-term care needs, including assisted living and nursing home stays beyond a few months, may not be covered by federal health insurance programs, such as Medicare. As a result, it is up to individuals to find ways to finance their care.

GOVERNMENT AID Government aid is available for U.S. residents but qualifications vary and it is usually limited to those with financial hardships. Medicaid pays for the largest share of long-term care services in the United States, according to the Administration on Aging. But to qualify, oneâ€™s income must be below a certain level and the person must meet minimum state eligibility requirements. Financing long-term care is something individuals must consider as they make their plans for the future. It is a large expense that cannot go unaddressed even though the need for care might be in the distant future.

LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE Long-term care insurance is one of the ways to offset costs of DECEMBER 2017

Healthy Resolutions

FOR THE NEW YEAR AHEAD

Many people see the dawn of a new year as the perfect time to implement changes that they hope will have positive impacts on their lives in the year ahead. New Year’s resolutions have a way of falling by the wayside as the year progresses, but sticking with the following healthy resolutions can have lasting impacts on the lives of men and women. READ MORE Many adults wish they had more time to read, but busy schedules filled with commitments to work and family can make it hard to pick up a book every day. But perhaps more men and women would find time to read if they knew doing so could add years to their lives. In an analysis of 12 years of data from the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study, researchers at the Yale School of Public Health found that people who read books for as little as 30 minutes a day over several years lived an average of two years longer than people who did not read at all.

SLEEP MORE More time to sleep might seem like an unattainable goal for many men and women. But the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute notes that ongoing sleep deficiency can increase a person’s risk for chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults age 18 and older get between seven and eight hours of sleep per night. TURN OFF YOUR DEVICES As recently as 15 years ago, many adults made it through their days without smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and other devices that are so prevalent today. While it might seem impossible to live without such devices in the 21st century, turning them off can have profound impacts on people’s quality of life. A 2013 survey of more than 1,000 people conducted by the resilience platform meQuilibrium found that 73 percent of respondents felt their devices contributed to stress in their lives. The

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American Psychological Association notes that stress can negatively affect the musculoskeletal system, the respiratory system and the nervous system and potentially increase a person’s risk for heart disease and gastrointestinal problems. WORK LESS Working fewer hours may help many professionals cut back on their stress, as the APA notes that 65 percent of Americans cited work as their primary source of stress. But working fewer hours may also make men and women more productive. A recent experiment funded by the Swedish government compared nurses at a retirement home who worked six-hour days on eight-hour salaries to a control group that worked the more traditional eighthour workday. Nurses in the experimental group reported having more energy in their spare time and at work, which allowed them to do 64 percent more activities with facility residents. Nurses in the experimental group also took half as much sick time as those in the control group. As a result, the study’s authors ultimately concluded that productivity can increase with fewer hours worked. Committing to healthy New Year’s resolutions can have profound and unexpected consequences that can greatly improve one’s quality of life.

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DECEMBER 2017

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF Food trends come and go. But one such trend that has seemingly enjoyed more staying power than other flavors of the month is avocado toast, a popular dish that might trace some of that admiration to how easy it is to prepare. The popularity of avocado toast has exploded in recent years, but it has actually been around for decades. Many trace the origins of avocado toast to Australia, though it’s hard for food historians to say with utmost certainty where the dish was first served.

Avocados

the American Journal of Ophthalmology and The Archives of Ophthalmology found that diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin are associated with a lower risk of macular degeneration, which the American Macular Degeneration Foundation notes is the leading cause of vision loss in the United States.

Avocado toast might be as healthy as it is popular. Avocados boast a host of health benefits, some of which might surprise even the most ardent devotee of avocado toast.

• Avocados can promote healthier bones. Because they’re high in vitamin K, a nutrient that is crucial for bone health, avocados may help reduce a person’s risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition characterized by bones becoming fragile and brittle due to loss of tissue. Vitamin K may help improve the intestinal absorption of calcium. That’s a significant benefit, as calcium deficiency has long been associated with a greater risk for osteoporosis.

• Avocados are loaded with vitamins. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Nutrient Database, avocados are a great source of numerous vitamins, including C, E, K, and B-6. Avocados also contain beta-carotene, which the human body converts into vitamin A that promotes healthy skin and a strong immune system.

• Avocados may help fight depression. Avocados are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which benefit the body in myriad ways. One of those ways is by helping to reduce the symptoms of depression. Polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 fatty acids are thought to antagonize inflammatory cytokines that can contribute to feelings of depression.

• Avocados can benefit vision. Avocados contain lutein and zeaxanthin, a pair phytochemicals concentrated in the tissues in the eyes. Lutein and zeaxanthin are believed to block blue light from reaching structures in the retina, thereby reducing a person’s risk of developing macular degeneration. In fact, studies published in the American Journal of Epidemiology,

Trendy foods come and go, oftentimes falling off the radar when their health benefits are overstated or proven dubious. However, the documented benefits of avocados may ensure the staying power of avocado toast.

KATY HEALTHY LIVING

MANAGE PAIN WITH massage Addiction to opiates is a growing problem in the United States and Canada. Pain relief therapies, such as massage therapy, can be viable alternatives to the prescription pain medicines that often serve as a gateway to illegal drugs such as heroin. Addiction to prescription painkillers is common. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that 4.7 million people in the United States are dependent on painkillers, the sale of which has increased by more than 300 percent since 1999. Retail pharmacies across Canada dispensed 19 million prescriptions for opioids in 2016, which was up slightly from 18.9 million in 2015, according to the health data company QuintilesIMS. When prescriptions to oxycodone, hydromorphone and fentanyl run out, many people turn to heroin as a less expensive and more readily available means of pain relief. NIDA says that up to 7 percent of people who are prescribed opiate or analgesic pain killers will become addicted. To help reduce the overprescribing epidemic and keep people from becoming addicted to pain meds, people can look for other ways to alleviate pain. Massage therapy is a viable option that can work wonders to improve flexibility and offer relief from pain in different parts of the body. In addition to alleviating pain, massage therapy can promote relaxation, reduce anxiety and improve quality of life. Research indicates that massage therapy can reduce the incidence and frequency of back pain, headache and leg pain and can even reduce stress and tension. Massage therapy can

therapy

be an asset to those with myalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome and other conditions. Researchers at McMaster University in Canada found that massage therapy affects the activity of certain genes, which directly reduces inflammation in muscles - the same results that would occur if a person took pain medication. Researchers tested people who exercised and received massages afterward against a control group, discovering that â€œmassage dampened the activity of proteins known as inflammatory cytokines, which cause inflammation and pain. It also increased levels of proteins that signal the muscles to produce more mitochondria, the cell structures that produce energy and help muscles recover from activity.â€? A review published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice noted that moderate pressure massage can lead to decreased cortisol levels, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. Massage may help stimulate serotonin products, improving mood and feelings of well-being. Also, according to AMTA, deeper massage stimulates blood circulation to improve the supply of oxygen and nutrients to body tissues while helping the lymphatic system to flush away waste products. It also eases tense and knotted muscles and stiff joints, improving mobility and flexibility. Massage therapy can be a viable alternative for pain sufferers who are reluctant to take potentially addictive prescription pain medications.

DECEMBER 2017

FLU-FIGHTING TIPS TO KEEP YOU AND OTHERS HEALTHY Sniffles, sore throat, fever, and aches and pains may accompany a number of illnesses, but during the wintertime such symptoms are typically indicative of influenza. Throughout much of North America, flu season peaks between December and February. But flu season can occur anywhere from October to March, advises the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The flu is contagious and can sideline people for extended periods of time. The CDC says that each year one in five Americans gets the flu. Taking steps to fend off the flu can help men and women and the people they routinely come in contact with. FOODS Food can be used to fend of the flu. Common foods that many people already have in their pantries can be powerful flu-fighters. Garlic, for example, contains compounds that have direct antiviral effects and may help destroy the flu before it affects the body. Raw garlic is best. In addition to garlic, citrus fruits, ginger, yogurt, and dark leafy greens can boost immunity and fight the flu, according to Mother Nature’s Network. The British Journal of Nutrition notes that dark chocolate supports

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T-helper cells, which increase the immune system’s ability to defend against infection. A study published in the American Journal of Therapeutics showed that carnosine, a compound found in chicken soup, can help strengthen the body’s immune system and help fight off the flu in its early stages. FLU SHOT AND MEDICATIONS Annual flu shots administered in advance of flu season can help protect people and their families from getting the flu. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that, in select situations, antiviral medications, which are usually prescribed to treat the flu and lessen symptoms, can reduce the chance of illness in people exposed to influenza. Many over-the-counter medicines can alleviate symptoms of the flu, but cannot fend it off. STOP GERM PROLIFERATION Germs can be spread easily between persons through direct contact and indirect contact with surfaces sick individuals have touched. Doctors recommend staying home for at least 24 hours after a flu-induced fever has dissipated. Well individuals should avoid contact with sick people. Frequent hand-washing with soap and water can stop germs from spreading. When soap and water is not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can help. People also should avoid touching their eyes, noses and mouths after being in public places or around someone who is ill. REST AND RESTORE Those who feel symptoms coming on should begin drinking more liquids to keep the respiratory system hydrated and make mucus less viscous. Remember to get adequate sleep, as a tired body cannot effectively fight the flu virus. People of all ages should take steps to protect themselves from the flu.

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