The shocking truth is that nursing homes in America are not safe, and for-profit nursing homes are even less safe. This comes from the latest report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
In fact, 2007 saw a number of states report unprecedented rates of nursing home violations - Idaho, Alaska, Washington D.C. , and Wyoming had a %100 violation rate. The most common violations included infected bed sores, inadequate treatment of urinary tract infections, deficient housekeeping, and improper nutrition. One in six nursing homes, posed “actual harm or immediate jeopardy” to residents. Read the rest of this entry »
Few items on any political agenda today affect as many people as the subject of healthcare costs. Publicly-funded health insurance systems are being debated back and forth between all parties with both sides trying to retain their views about the best course of action for the nation. Many people aren’t content to simply sit back and wait for the healthcare system in this country to fix itself; they have taken it upon themselves to purchase health insurance through work or on the private market.
With health care costs rising at three times the rate of the average wages in this country (and over 105% since 1999), many people are already realizing that their future health care costs will be out of reach if matters are left unchecked. While health insurance plans won’t cover every eventuality, they will help to offset the rapidly-rising costs of health care services in this country. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s still kind of hard to believe that there are so many uninsured individuals in America. Over time, a lot of folks begin to wonder who is truly at fault. The health care system in the States isn’t as great as it should be or as we would like it to be. Access to affordable health care is decreasing each day and those who have pre-existing health conditions give up hope of ever finding a plan that will approve them or one that will give them affordable rates. There are people in other countries living with a universal health care system and it seems to be working rather well; in fact, dollar for dollar, some countries outperform the U.S. by 500% or more.
Imagine constructing a human being synthesized completely through science—a seemingly supernatural fabrication of life. You may think Frankenstein. You may visualize Iron Man. But it’s called bionics.
The field of bionics doesn’t necessarily create entire human beings, but rather constructs body parts for better human functionality. People have been losing body parts and use of body parts since the beginning of time. Non-functioning limbs have been replaced with plastic, wood and even steel.
For over a decade, pharmacists have been advertising their products directly to consumers. There are laws that require drug ads to have proper disclaimers about the risks of their products within the ad; not many are complying with these rules.
There are attempts being made to extend the six-month moratorium to two years. The purpose of the six-month waiting period is to allow some time for physicians to become familiar with the new drugs. Many pharmaceutical companies do not abide by this rule because of the fear of falling behind in competition. You may notice that there are usually multiple ads for different drugs that promise the same thing.
In result to incompliance with the moratorium and placing improper disclaimers in ads and on the drugs themselves have put people’s lives at risk. Representative Bart Stupak of Michigan is one of the individuals concerned about misleading drug ads. It gets a little more personal for him because of what recently happened with his 83-year-old father. Stupak’s father was diagnosed with having low red blood cell counts. He later saw a Procrit drug ad on television that targeted elders with anemia, proclaiming to help liven them up (those with anemia tend to feel tired all of the time) – ads even showed before and after results of seniors who use the drug – dramatized of course.
With all the controversy over statin drugs recently, you might be on the search for a healthy, over-the-counter alternative. A few recent studies have found a common chinese supplement could help dramatically reduce cholesterol.
The Merits of Red Yeast Rice
A Chinese supplement, red yeast rice, is a natural remedy for lowering cholesterol and preventing heart attacks. Studies have showed that 5,000 Chinese heart attack patients who were taking red yeast rice pills cut their risk of getting another heart attack by nearly 50%. They also reduced their chances of needing heart procedures like bypass surgery or angioplasty. Chances of dying from cancer were also reduced by two-thirds.
In Spanish, the word for commercial is propaganda. But these drug commercials are pure comedy. Hold on to your health plan. Who knows when you might need a good hit of…
1. Zoloft
Originally introduced into the market as sertraline, this SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) is a popular anti-depressant. The drug hit a bit of a row in recent history largely because new research suggests that SSRIs have little to no effect on clinical depression, despite the high rates of use among those with health insurance.
2. Enzyte
This herbal alternative to prescription virility medication claims to promote “natural male enhancement,” but its founder Steve Warshak and, yes, his mother Harriet were found guilty of mail fraud and money laundering. Case closed on this wonder tablet. For those of you who bemoan the loss of this herbal super-drug, rumor has it that ginger works wonders.
3. Rozerem
The days of counting sheep are over. And Rozerem has captured the attention of its target audience with advertisements featuring Abraham Lincoln and — yes, you read this right — a talking beaver. Maybe the VP of marketing is from Oregon?
4. Celebrex
From rectal polyps to rheumatoid arthritis — is there anything this drug won’t do? The journey to our neighborhood pharmacy was long and arduous. Celebrex was originally developed by G.D. Searle, promoted by Monsanto, then Pfizer; after that, Monsanto merged with Pharmacia, whose medical research division was acquired by Pfizer. Celebrex is now in Pfizer’s hands, and with it a potential litany of controversial claims arising from its potential heart attack risks (but don’t worry, unless you’re a Celebrex pill popper, your heart should be a healthy ticker).
All through the month of December, Sylvia tried to ignore her slowly-worsening cough and chest congestion. Although she worked more than forty hours a week at two part time jobs, she had no health insurance and couldn’t afford a doctor’s visit. Her cold would get better on its own, she reassured herself.
It didn’t. She was delirious by the time friends finally took her to the emergency room on New Year’s Eve. The doctors diagnosed pneumonia. Three weeks later, she died of adult respiratory distress syndrome. Would universal healthcare have saved her life? You decide.
It’s 2:00 pm, and Julie Raines (not her real name) is looking forward to meeting with hospice staff. But today she isn’t seeing a doctor, nurse, or social worker. Today, she’s working with an art therapist. Julie has a rare neurological disorder. Before she started doing art, she was hostile towards her treatment team. Now she is able to express her anger—and recently, some positive emotions as well—on paper. Her team notes that she has become more accepting of her disease process and more able to express her needs to the care team.
Recent studies have shown that processed meats, such as sausage, could potentially contribute to cancer. Although it may not kill you tomorrow, a daily dose of the cured meat increases the risk of a number of cancers. The culprits include hot dogs, sausages, hamburgers (the ones that are processed), salami, ham, bacon and pastrami.
photo credit: pingnews.com
For over a decade, pharmacists have been advertising their products directly to consumers. There are laws that require drug ads to have proper disclaimers about the risks of their products within the ad; not many are complying with these rules.
With all the controversy over statin drugs recently, you might be on the search for a healthy, over-the-counter alternative. A few recent studies have found a common chinese supplement could help dramatically reduce cholesterol.
All through the month of December, Sylvia tried to ignore her slowly-worsening cough and chest congestion. Although she worked more than forty hours a week at two part time jobs, she had no health insurance and couldn’t afford a doctor’s visit. Her cold would get better on its own, she reassured herself.
It’s 2:00 pm, and Julie Raines (not her real name) is looking forward to meeting with hospice staff. But today she isn’t seeing a doctor, nurse, or social worker. Today, she’s working with an art therapist. Julie has a rare neurological disorder. Before she started doing art, she was hostile towards her treatment team. Now she is able to express her anger—and recently, some positive emotions as well—on paper. Her team notes that she has become more accepting of her disease process and more able to express her needs to the care team.
Recent studies have shown that processed meats, such as sausage, could potentially contribute to cancer. Although it may not kill you tomorrow, a daily dose of the cured meat increases the risk of a number of cancers. The culprits include hot dogs, sausages, hamburgers (the ones that are processed), salami, ham, bacon and pastrami.