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While pain is an unpleasant sensation, it plays a vital role in the body’s defense system. Without pain, we wouldn’t know if we have been injured, are sick, or if we have a life-threatening illness. Pain, however, can occur without an obvious cause or can be a symptom of chronic disease such as Arthritis. What Causes Pain? Pain can result from two different mechanisms known as Nociceptive or Neuropathic. Nociceptive pain is caused by a stimulus and is the major cause of acute pain which can last from a [...]

For most people, daily activities seem trivial – we often take our ability to complete basic tasks without issue for granted. However, many things can happen to inhibit our ability to completely care for ourselves like injury, illness, or inability. In fact, the average life expectancy in the US is increasing and many people may live to an age where additional help becomes a necessity to maintain quality of life. While living independently is the ideal, the future is not predictable. Long-term care planning, however, is crucial in preserving your quality [...]

Nearly one million Americans are living with Parkinson’s Disease and around 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive nervous disorder that destroys the dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. With PD, a large part of the brain’s substantia nigra, largely responsible for producing dopamine, begins to lose function. Dopamine is a critical neurotransmitter responsible for regulating and controlling the movement of smooth muscle in the body. The lack of dopamine slows down the message transmission responsible for movement thus causing involuntary and erratic motions. [...]

According to the CDC, about 96% of people with kidney disease are not aware of their condition. This is because many people don’t know the symptoms and mild kidney damage does not halt kidney functions so it can go unidentified. Kidneys, however, play an essential role in the body and their failure or breakdown can lead to severe consequences which may be fatal if not properly managed. Kidney disease is one of the health challenges seniors face as the likelihood of the disease increases with age. Fortunately, there are identifiable signs [...]

Periodically, AmeriCare will feature guest authors from our franchise family. Throughout these posts, we hope to offer a peak behind the scenes to show the tremendous amount of compassion and expertise of our wonderful team members. Our owners and their teams truly are the heart and soul of AmeriCare’s culture and what creates the AmeriCare Difference when it comes to serving clients. Do You Remember When…? By: David Kafora, AmeriCare Arizona Area Developer Do you remember the time before Google Maps, GPS, and smartphones? How many occasions did you [...]

Heart disease affects one in four Americans. When the heart is not working properly, it affects other parts of the body and could have serious consequences if not treated promptly and properly. Fortunately, there are some warning signs of heart disease that you can monitor and notify your healthcare provider if they appear. Once notified, your physician can intervene and prevent further complications. Below we highlight a few ways heart disease may manifest at the earlier stages. Angina Angina is a classic symptom of heart disease. It primarily [...]

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease or cardiovascular diseases account for 1 in 3 deaths in the United States every year. Even though the risk of heart disease increases with age, there are a lot of things seniors can do decrease their chances of experiencing heart or cardiovascular complications. February is American Heart Month and medical and professional organizations across the country are working to educate people about the importance of maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle. While helping guide people to better choices, American Heart Month is also dedicated to [...]

Parents often need extra help as they age but they may resist the extra attention to their personal matters. Having tough conversations with your parents about their future health and well-being can be difficult for you and frustrating for them. Conversations about caregiving or financial management are difficult for your parent because, to them, it may signify a loss of autonomy or independence.  They may rebuff your suggestions for a myriad of reasons – not wanting to give up important decision-making opportunities or allowing others to help in their day-to-day life. [...]

As is tradition, 2019 is officially here and it is time to set some new goals to start off fresh to boost your overall health for the new year. New Year’s resolutions can be difficult to follow, but we are here to help set you and your loved ones up for success! It is important to set resolutions by creating day-to-day plans that help accomplish your goals. Choosing resolutions than are achievable by small tasks is an easy way to build momentum and help create a positive trend in behavior that [...]

Seniors have a lifetime of experience and knowledge to share. However, due to generational gaps in outlook and expectation, elderly people tend not to connect regularly with younger generations. Ideological differences due to technological advancements and reliance along with differing cultural attitudes create barriers between generations but bridging this gap can create cross-generational collaboration which is beneficial to both the young and young-at-heart. Moreover, sharing with others help seniors avoid isolation and loneliness that so often comes with aging. Our industry partners at ClearCare have highlighted a few unique things that [...]