Celebrating Care That Moves You Day with Centers Health Care

On August 2, we celebrate CARE THAT MOVES YOU DAY, a special day that encourages movement for a healthy mind, body and soul.

Did you know that movement plays a crucial role in rehabilitation? At Centers Health Care, we believe in the transformative power of mobility. We move our patients in our gyms and in their hearts. Join us as we explore the benefits of movement in healthcare and how it can positively impact recovery.

Is moving good for you? Let’s count the ways…

Here are 7 benefits of exercise and movement:
1. Sharper memory
2. Weight loss and maintenance
3. More energy
4. Better sleep
5. Healthier muscles and bones
6. pain reduction
7. better mood

At Centers Health Care, movement is the key to rehab and better health—physically and mentally. So let’s get moving!

On August 2, at all 45 of our facilities, special events and activities will highlight CARE THAT MOVES YOU DAY.

Centers Health Care is on the move. How about you? Get up and dance. Step up and step out. Post a video of your movement styling, with the hashtag #CareThatMovesYou, and you’ll be entered to win a prize. It’s your move!

This summer, Centers Health Care is on the move.

Win big. Learn something, give something. Enter here.

The summer 2023 campaign is about to launch and that means we’re moving—fleets of ice cream, donut, taco and hot dog trucks hitting the road to reinforce relationships, strengthen partnerships, and create new connections. And in the process, spread the word about our teams, our rehab, and our results

Our 37,000 team members are our #1 asset. Top healthcare professionals, leading specialists, experienced therapists, experts in every field–the sharp minds, caring hearts and healing hands make a world of difference in the quality of life of those we serve. These are the Teams that move us.

Modern healthcare is advancing at an exponential pace. We’re proud to lead the way as we pursue and embrace new rehab technology at each of our 45 facilities. Cutting-edge sciences like biomechanics and the rehabilitative equipment of tomorrow ensure that we help the people in our care achieve optimal health. This is the Rehab that moves us.

Our superior teams together with our superior rehab equipment leads to superior results—with 9,000 successful discharges every year. That is our focus. That is our mission. That is our promise. Every patient we discharge has a story. And every story is a testament to our success. These are the Results that move us.

Be sure to enter to win. Prizes include ear pods, bicycles, dinner for two, and more. You can accept the prize or donate up to $250 to any of the following charities. Care to win. Care to give. Either way, everyone is a winner.

American Heart Association
Parkinson’s Foundation
American Cancer Society
Asthma and Lung Foundation
Alzheimer’s Association
Diabetes Foundation

3 ‘Healthy Habits’ That Aren’t Really as Good as You Think

As we get older, it’s important that we develop more and more healthy routines for our long-term health and overall fitness.

Some of these healthy habits, however, get lost in translation. They may have roots in being healthy but can either not be enough to give you the full benefit or could have unhealthy aspects as well.

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing takes a look at three so-called healthy habits that you can improve upon.

1. You Stay Out of the Sun

Spending too much time in the sun can be harmful and lead to skin cancer, but you should try to spend a little time in the sun. Fifteen to 30 minutes in the morning and again before dark is good to help your natural circadian rhythm and get a natural infusion of vitamin D. This avoids the period during the day (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) when the sun’s rays are their strongest, and if you do spend more time in the sun, it’s okay—just be sure to use sunscreen.

2. Eating Nutrition or Energy Bars

Most energy bars, prepackaged fruit juices, and smoothies are marketed to be healthy, but they are typically loaded with so much sugar that they should not be a part of your daily diet. Some bars, however, are healthy if they contain more protein and fiber than grams of total sugar, so be sure to read the labels.

3. Drinking When You Feel Thirsty

Keeping a water bottle with you at all times is a great thing, but only sipping from it when you feel thirsty is not. If you feel thirsty, chances are that you’re already a little dehydrated. You want to proactively be drinking throughout the day—especially early on, otherwise you might have to wake up and use the bathroom often. To know how much you should be drinking, take your body weight and divide it in half. That’s the amount of water (in ounces) that you should be drinking, but if you’re active and sweating a lot, you should be drinking more.

 

To learn more about Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://oak-hill-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing on How to Help You Hear the TV

About one in every three people over the age of 65 has hearing loss. For those who live alone, you can simply just turn up the volume on the TV if you are having trouble hearing.

But one common problem is that while someone may have trouble hearing the TV, their spouse isn’t having an issue. That means the TV is too loud for one person or too soft for the other.

Can you reach a happy medium? Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has ideas to help everyone hear the TV comfortably.

1. All About That Bass

With so many TVs on the market at an affordable price, unfortunately, the sound quality from the speakers may not be as good as more expensive televisions from the past. If the music from the TV is fine but you’re having trouble understanding dialogue, it’s recommended to turn down the bass in the volume settings. Additionally, turning on the closed captioning can help you better understand the dialogue.

2. Compress the Volume Range

If you’re tinkering with the settings, take a look at what’s called volume compression. This reduces the difference between the loudest and softest parts of the audio in a show or movie.

3. Buy a Soundbar

A soundbar can be installed above or below the TV to provide better-quality audio in your room than most TVs provide—especially cheaper ones.

4. Buy a Pair of Headphones

As televisions add more features, some can connect to wireless headphones via Bluetooth, and others can take on a wired headset through the remote control. If your TV doesn’t have any of these options, here are several headphones you can invest in to make everyone happy while watching TV at a comfortable volume.

 

To learn more about Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://oak-hill-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

Campaign: Care that Moves You

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing With 5 Foods Featured in the Popular Mediterranean Diet

While fad diets generally tend to not have long-term success because of their difficulty to be sustainable, a more consistent food plan like the so-called Mediterranean diet is something that dieticians agree can be a healthier way to live for the long term.

The Mediterranean diet focuses on natural foods that are consumed in that region of the world, which is known for health and longevity among its people. This includes foods high in good fats, whole grains, fish, fruit, beans, and other legumes.

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at five foods that are key parts of the Mediterranean diet.

1. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

While there are plenty of different foods that are a part of this way of eating, extra-virgin olive oil can be described as the glue that links them all together. EVOO is heart-healthy and have been found to lessen a person’s risk of death from a number of common diseases. It can be used in salads, tossed in vegetables, and a substitute for butter on fish and whole grains.

2. Walnuts and Other Nuts

Walnuts, peanuts, and almonds are three great nuts that contain plenty of good fat and protein to fill you up as a snack. Walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids and also help regulate the digestive system.

3. Wild Salmon

Wild—not farmed—salmon is one of the best sources of animal protein available and is also one of the foods richest in omega-3s, which can make your cardiovascular system healthier along with your brain and memory function.

4. Blueberries

Blueberries have been found to be one of the world’s best superfoods due to the level of antioxidants contained within, which helps the body by keeping inflammation to a minimum. Inflammation keeps the body’s defense systems working hard and can lead to burnout.

5. Garlic

Garlic, along with shallots and leeks, are in the allium family, which is a key part of the Mediterranean diet. Adding garlic not only adds flavor to a number of dishes (a healthier alternative to adding salt) but it can lower the risk of several cancers, including colorectal cancer.

 

To learn more about Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://oak-hill-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing With Details on Approved At-Home COVID-19 Treatments

In late December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two antiviral treatments against COVID-19. Both can be taken at home but must be prescribed by a doctor. But in both cases, seeking treatment from a doctor early is key.

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has all of the information you need to know on both Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, two treatments that can prevent COVID-19 from becoming severe, including helping to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.

Early Diagnosis and Treatment Is Key

If you’re familiar with the flu therapy Tamiflu, the COVID-19 antivirals work in a similar fashion. When treated in the early stages, Tamiflu helps reduce the length and severity of flu-related symptoms. It’s pretty much the same for Paxlovid and Molnupiravir—starting the course of medicine directly after a diagnosis is aimed to keep symptoms mild to moderate and prevent serious complications that would require hospitalization or become life-threatening.

If given within the first five days of symptoms appearing, Paxlovid can be up to 88% effective against hospitalization or death. Molnupiravir hasn’t shown to be quite as effective, but it’s believed that it can cut down that risk by 50%.

Medicine for High-Risk People at the Moment

For now, the medicines are only recommended for those 12 and older and also at high-risk for severe complications from COVID-19 that would lead to hospitalization. High-risk refers to those with conditions that could make an infection worse, including immunodeficiencies, diabetes, obesity, cancer, etc.

The FDA also emphasized that these drugs are only effective once someone is infected. It is not to be given as a preventative measure or should it be used as a substitute for a COVID-19 vaccine.

To learn more about Oak HIll Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://oak-hill-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing on Fraud Protection Services Offered by Cell Phone Companies

Whether it’s a call regarding your expired car warranty or something more sinister like someone impersonating a government agency and looking for your personal information, unwanted calls on our cell phones have become an unfortunate part of the smartphone age.

Fortunately, however, the major cell phone companies are starting to fight back. Some features come standard while others are available at an additional fee, but this is good news for everyone, especially for seniors who scammers are more likely to prey upon.

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at what each major carrier is doing combat fraudulent calls.

AT&T Call Protect

AT&T offers Call Protect, which blocks potentially fraudulent calls without you even knowing about it. In addition, calls that may be spam are labeled as such when you get the call, as the caller ID will say “Spam Risk” when you look at your phone to see who is calling. For an additional fee, you can get caller ID on numbers that aren’t in your contacts along with features that allow you to send callers from suspicious numbers directly to your voicemail.

Verizon Call Filter

Most Verizon customers have free access to their Call Filter feature, which also blocks suspicious callers from reaching your phone. Their add-on feature is called Call Filter Plus, which gives you caller ID features and a visual spam risk meter that will help you determine whether you want to answer a call, send it to voicemail, or block the number outright.

T-Mobile Scam Shield

T-Mobile, which recently merged with Sprint, includes a free set of tools called Scam Shield in their mobile plans. It alerts callers on their screen if an incoming call is a potential scam risk while it also blocks numbers that their database knows are malicious. Two other nice features include free caller ID and access to a free proxy telephone number. This is a number that you can give out to companies or anyone else you wish where you would prefer to keep your main number private.

 

To learn more about Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://oak-hill-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing on Different Medications for Migraines

Those who suffer from migraines understand that they’re more than a headache—a migraine can stop you in your tracks and ruin your day, making it impossible to do normal tasks like work, parent, drive, or just about anything else you need to do.

The throbbing pain from migraines is usually experienced on one side of the head and can last for hours or even days in severe cases.

But if you haven’t yet, you should see your doctor if you’re experiencing migraines. Treatment options now are much better than they were in the past. Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at medication that either prevents or stops migraines.

Preventative Medications for Migraines

These are medicines that you would regularly take in order to prevent a migraine from occurring. They include monoclonal antibody treatment, antiepileptic drugs, beta blockers, and tricyclic antidepressants. In addition, even Botox can help prevent migraines despite its more common cosmetic use.

Medicine That Treats Migraines

There are several prescription medications—including triptans, Lasmiditan, and ubrogepant—that stop migraines in their tracks, but the key is to know the triggers when one is coming on. Some will have an upset stomach, others will have visual issues like flashing lights or heat waves, and many become sensitive to light and sound. Taking the medication as soon as these symptoms begin can help the episode end more quickly.

Lifestyle Changes That Can Reduce Migraines

There are also things you can do that might help reduce the number and severity of migraines you experience. They include making sure you keep a regular sleep schedule (and getting seven to nine hours per night), increase exercising or find other ways to manage stress, and avoid bright lights, loud sounds and other triggers, which can range from certain food or drink to even smells.

To learn more about Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://oak-hill-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

5 Ways to Use Life Insurance During Your Own Lifetime

Life insurance is commonly purchased to protect loved ones from huge financial burdens in case of the policyholder’s death. But, did you know that there are plenty of features of life insurance that can benefit the person who is carrying it while they are still alive.

Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at five ways to leverage life insurance during your lifetime.

1. Paying for Long-Term Care

Life insurance can be used to help with the costs of long-term care from assisted living facilities or rehabilitation and nursing centers like Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing.

2. Borrowing Money From the Policy

Typically a feature of permanent life insurance (see below), you are able to borrow against the policy to pay off loans or provide some money when you otherwise might be short.

3. Use to Cover an Illness

Permanent policies can provide help for disabilities or a terminal illness. A feature called an accelerated death benefit can allow the policyholder to use funds prior to death to help with their needs.

4. Serve as Collateral

Life insurance is considered a financial asset, so use it to your advantage like any other asset you have. You can use it to help get a mortgage or large loan, and it can even be used as collateral in certain situations.

5. Help Out a Charity

Some permanent policies can make regular contributions to a charity, while all policies may be able to have a charity be named as a beneficiary or even have the policy itself gifted to a charity.

If you’re interested in any of these features, you’ll want to check with your insurance agent because some perks differ whether you’re carrying whole or universal life insurance (permanent) or term life insurance (good for a certain number of years).

To learn more about Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://oak-hill-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.