Effective Use of Health Apps

With the expansion of the internet, the healthcare industry continues to invest in the development of online information, mobile apps, and personal health devices. The purpose of these tools is to

increase consumer engagement, help individuals take actions that can improve their health, make informed decisions, and engage effectively with the health care system. As the current president of the Americare Companies, Elly Kleinman has been following the rising trend of health apps.

Consumers trust the information sources more, and in addition, they are rising. Recent studies show that 52% have reported searching online for health or care-related information, have used social media or patient portals. One-quarter of consumers’ report they have looked at a scorecard to compare the performance of doctors, hospitals, or health plans compared to 19 % only two years ago.

According to Kleinman, in the period from 2013 to 2015, consumers’ use of technology to measure fitness and health improvement goals has increased from 17 % to 28 %. The use of health apps is highest among the younger population, at 45 % of that group. The use of tech-based monitoring among consumers with major chronic conditions has jumped from 22 % to 39 % in the last two years solely. More than 60 % of tech-savvy users state that using health technologies has had a major impact on their lives. Some groups are becoming engaged consumers way faster than others. For example, younger consumers are on a fast upward trajectory, showing greater gains than the other generations.

Although large numbers of Americans use fitness and other health-related apps, most apps are left unused once they’re being downloaded. Data from a related survey shows that 58 % of adult smartphone users have downloaded at least one of the estimated 40,000 available health-related mobile applications. Around 42 % downloaded five or more of these apps.

Nearly 65 % of the respondents reported that the apps have helped them improve their health. In Elly Kleinman’s opinion, a large number of consumers have demonstrated strong faith in these health apps in terms of their accuracy and effectiveness. Approximately 65 % of the respondents reported using their apps daily.

Kleinman: Rural and Remote Health

People living in America’s rural and remote areas outside often have different social and economic determinants of health. These areas also have generally older populations, higher levels of health risks and higher rates of disease, chronic disease, and injury. People living here generally have less access to health services with shortages of almost all health professions. Elly Kleinman, Americare Companies CEO has been looking into this topic for some time now. His research on healthcare access in rural and remote locations has in fact proven his initial thesis, that people living in these areas are generally disadvantaged in their access to healthcare services.

This article provides a profile of the characteristics and health of people living in rural America.

Living and working in a rural and remote location can be a rewarding and challenging way of life. It can be difficult for people to access help and support for l health problems for many reasons. Health services in rural and remote areas are also very different from their city counterparts. Although facilities play a vital role in the provision of integrated health services, yet they are generally smaller than those located in urban areas. Rural and remote health services are more dependent on primary health care services, particularly those provided by General Practitioners.

On average, people living in rural areas don’t always have the same opportunities for proper health as those living in big cities. That means residents of more inaccessible areas of America are generally disadvantaged in their access to products and services, employment and educational opportunities, as well as income. Still, as Kleinman further explains, rural Americans generally have higher levels of social cohesiveness, such as higher rates of participation in volunteer work and helping in their community.

According to Elly Kleinman, rural and remote services can benefit from the modern innovative technologies, and apply these approaches in the diagnosis and care of patients, and training and expanding scopes of practice for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers. Such innovations can significantly contribute towards improving the accessibility to health services and the quality of care for many rural and remote Americans.

Vaccination against Hospitalization

Many people throughout the country, last year ended up hospitalized for conditions that could have been prevented if they were vaccinated on time, suggested the founder Americare - Mr. Elly Kleinman. The majority of hospital admissions were for diseases such as whooping cough, chickenpox and diarrhea. Recent reports further reveal that a large number of people over the age of two months were hospitalized for vaccine-preventable pneumonia and influenza.

Immunization and Pediatrician experts already warned not to read into the figures without first knowing whether they included people who had not received full course of vaccinations before being hospitalized, or if they included diseases not covered by vaccines. Also it is common knowledge that vaccines are not 100 % effective, so some hospitalizations could have been a result of vaccine failures.

According to Kleinman, Health Department figures show 50 000 measles cases recorded in America last year, and more than half of them were children. Pricey vaccination rates in some trendy suburbs have raised concerns among some Health experts. If in the year 2000 the percent of children under seven that had been lodged as conscientious objectors by their parents was only 0.23%, nowadays that number has increased up to 1.77%.

The healthcare study performed by Elly Kleinman, found that an astonishing number of last year’s hospitalizations could have been prevented nationwide. In addition, he suggests that more than one in 20 patients could have avoided hospitalization only if doctors had picked up some of the warning signs sooner.

Kidney and urinary tract infections, dental conditions, heart diseases, diabetes complications, and skin infections were some of the most common preventable hospitalizations for last year.

Vaccine effectiveness is usually obtained by variable unconditional logistic regression, which is appropriate when frequency matching is used.

A new study shows that flu vaccines prevent flu-associated hospitalizations among people at age 65 or older, even during seasons when vaccine effectiveness is low. The research findings showed that during a more severe flu season, a flu vaccine with 10% effectiveness would avert around 13,000 hospitalizations, whereas a vaccine with 40% effectiveness would avert about 60,000 hospitalizations.

Senior Care on High Demand

Thanks to the aging of the baby boomer generation born in the period between the late 1940s and the 50s, the American population is getting older than ever before. As the boomer population reaches the age of 65, it is expected that the senior population will reach up to 88.5 millions, which is over twice the number of seniors in 2000, and makes twenty percent of the total population of the United States. America’s founder and president, Elly Kleinman has long been involved in the healthcare industry. According to him this increasing elderly population has and will necessitate more senior healthcare.

Experts predict that the demand for efficient home health care will continue to grow in the years to come, particularly amid the adoption of new and expanded payment and delivery models. Executives from the home health industry, such as Elly Kleinman himself, will need to carefully navigate this new landscape.

Senior care as an industry began spreading in the somewhere between the 60s and 70s, with government activity such Medicare and a longer life expectancy, which led to older Americans needing care.

The actual care given to patients varies from state to state. Home health care can reduce the length of a hospital stay following a surgery, which translates to substantial cost savings.

Today, around 7.6 million Americans receive some kind of health care, whether it is for disabilities, chronic care or hospice care. Most of the home health- care users are aged over 65 and frequently have multiple chronic health conditions.

The home health care industry is broke into pieces, and no major company has more than 5% market share. Aging demographics, comparative cost of service and changing consumer preferences are the three key factors that shape the high demand for home health care. In addition to the growing number of seniors, the home care demand is also being driven by those who prefer to be treated in the comfort of their home. When compared with alternatives such as receiving care in a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation hospital, having care provided in the home is a much more appealing option. The demand is also driven by insurers and government, who want to control costs.

Americare’s founder and CEO, Elly Kleinman will continue his work in the industry, hoping to achieve something that would benefit the entire community.

Kleinman: Effective Health Care Providers

Any time a person we love needs medical care we rely on professionals to answer our questions, give a proper diagnose, and recommend treatments. In the years behind us, doctors were unquestioned authorities and had the lead in conversations with patients over medical care. But with time things have slightly changed, and the relationship has shifted.

With the vast amount of information available online, patients and their caregivers are now able to educate themselves. That means they are able to search for specialists, research on their own for diseases, medications, and treatments, explore various alternatives, find out what others are doing in a similar situation, and more. Elly Kleinman is the founder and CEO of the Americare Companies. Working in the health care industry for over 35 years, he has witnessed the change of healthcare professionals moving towards partnership with the patients, in order to achieve optimal treatment and care.

The caregiver usually plays a central role in this partnership. As a caregiver you are likely to be the person who gathers information, speaks to doctors, transports the patient, ensures lab tests are done, prepares and gives medications, handles insurance, and takes care of many other related tasks. In this article, Elly Kleinman will offer some tips to remove barriers and encourage communication between the caregiver, the doctor, and other healthcare practitioners.

A little preparation goes a long way in making interactions with medical staff more effective. Here’s how Elly Kleinman suggests this can be done.

Recent researches indicate that ineffective communication among health care professionals is one of the leading causes of medical errors. When nurses were asked to point out contributing factors to patient care errors, most of them stated communication issues with physicians as a highly contributing factor.

The large amounts of literature, regarding safety and error prevention, shows that ineffective or insufficient communication among team members is a major contributing factor to such unwanted events. In a care setting, communication failures can lead to serious events such as increases in patient harm, length of stay, and resource use, as well as more intense caregiver dissatisfaction. Reflecting on the outcomes of communication, Kleinman has found that better nurse-physician communication has a more positive patient outcome, like lower mortality, higher satisfaction, and lower readmission rates.

However, due to a number of interrelated dynamics, effective communication among health care professionals can be quite challenging. Health care is complex, with professionals from a variety of disciplines involved in providing care at various times throughout the day, sometimes at different locations, creating a gap with limited opportunities for quality interaction.

Elly Kleinman and Americare Receive Home Health Care Award

Americare, a company that provides home care for individuals in the New York area, recently received an award at the 2015 Home Mental Health Day, sponsored by the Hospice Association of NYC, at New York Institute of Medical Careers, Flushing, NY.

The Home Health Care of the Year is awarded to certified home health aides who have demonstrated excellence, leadership, and compassion throughout their careers at their individual branch office locations. Elly Kleinman, Americare founder, and the president was thrilled to receive the award in the name of all his loyal employees who have worked hard to get Americare on the path where it is today.

Some of this year’s awards are given to individuals who have exhibited excellence and growth in the role of a home caregiver.

For Kleinman, recognizing their hard work and caring home health aides that represent Americare Companies so well in the community, gives them extra focus and strength to continue their mission. For over 15 years now, his team of dedicated professionals has been providing quality care to many clients and families in need. Even now, he continues to assist the clinical staff with patient assessments through focused and specialized review and developing a patient-specific care plan that includes interventions and tools used to accomplish measurable goals and outcomes.

Each honoree received an award and a keepsake book with tributes about the contributions home health aides make to the care and safety of their clients.

Home health aides provide support and personal services, such as helping clients with bathing, dressing, and eating. They adhere to professional standards and maintain a safe, secure, and healthy client environment by following federal, state, and local requirements.

Elly Kleinman is the founder of Americare and has built a successful career in the home healthcare industry with more than 25 years’ experience in the healthcare industry, encompassing both administrative and clinical areas.

He regularly volunteers for services and programs that benefit the community and those dear to his patients. Kleinman has helped raise money for awareness of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, a continues to go above and beyond for his patients and his community.

Home Health Care Services Americare provides

There is a wide range of in home health care services that can Americare provides. Home care is usually less expensive, more convenient and what people prefer. Through trained health care professionals, Americare provides a broad array of home care and home health care services including senior care, pediatric nursing and physical, occupational and speech therapy.

Employing a professional home health care by Americare is an important decision, and one in which most people have little training or practice. Americare is a name that is trusted by physicians, patients, clients and their families. Whether it's for a little bit of support and assistance or nursing or therapy services, Americare home health care is what is most often preferred.
Americare Company’ offices deliver appropriate high quality home care with more than 30 years experience and treat each patient with compassion and respect. When it comes to home care, now you have a choice. If you want receive the most appropriate and best quality of home care for yourself or your loved ones it’s important to make sure you are making the right decision.

Americare offers wide range of home health care for seniors or people dealing with some medical condition.
One of the most common medical issue Americare clients struggle with is Heart Disease.

Home care services for people with Heart Disease

Americare has experience in helping individuals and their families live with Heart Disease. We can customize a Home Care program for Heart Disease Patients that are in a need for such program.
Americare Home Care program for Heart Disease Patients provides:

• Medication reminders; 
• Assistance; 
• Administration; 
• Reconciliation; 

Americare Home Care program for heart disease patients teaches the patients how to recognize early changes in how they feel, and to take appropriate action to decrease episodes of serious illness.
Americare Home Care program for heart disease patients Develops and prepares a heart healthy diet including shopping and meal preparation.

Home health care for people with heart disease is conducted by strictly treated caregivers. Americare caregivers assist with physician follow up including transportation, they also help patients with the daily activities of living such as bathing and dressing.

Americare caregivers help patients with daily tasks, such as fixing food and getting dressed, and with other activities, such as running errands and light housekeeping.
At some point, patients who struggle with heart disease may also need health care support, such as managing medications, coordinating physician visits or transitioning to home care after a stay in the hospital.

For more specific cases or simply for additional questions visit Mr. Kleinmans LinkedIn profile.

Personal home care assistance

Personal Home Care Assistance for Comfort and Security

If you or a loved one is struggling with prolonged illness, recovery from surgery, physical or developmental disabilities or simply the challenges of aging, the home health services that Americare Companies offer will provide the support you need. These services will help you maintain your regular daily activities in the familiar, comfortable surroundings of your own home. Americare Home Care begins with highly trained caregivers, fully bonded and insured and carefully matched to your requirements and preferences, available on an hourly, live-in, or as-needed basis. 

Americare can also provide you only occasional transportation to medical appointments, or assistance during the night or on weekends. If you are concerned about your safety, or the safety, companionship and emotional support of some of your family members the services that Americare provide can be the solution you are looking for. Maybe your family members need a respite from caregiving duties, or while they are out-of-town. In any case, Americare can assist you with all your home care needs. 

With complete flexibility, no contracts, and fully customized care, your Americare team is available 24/7 to arrange for a free in-home assessment, as well as professional oversight and care management.

Americare Companies offer unique benefits and provide peace of mind for your loved ones. Some of these services include:

Personal Care
Americare Caregivers help clients with activities of daily living which include:

• getting in and out of bed;
• walking;
• bathing;
• toileting;
• dressing;
• medication reminders;
• appointment scheduling;
• answering the phone and door;
• handling mail;
• reading;

·       companionship and more.

Meal Preparation
Americare Caregivers prepare nutritionally sound meals and help with grocery shopping as necessary.

Light Housekeeping
Light housekeeping means keeping the home orderly through changing linens, including:

• making beds;
• dusting;
• vacuuming;
• handling laundry;
• watering plants;
• disposal of garbage and more.

Companionship
Americare Caregivers provide one-on-one support, including escorts to medical and other personal appointments.

Respite Care
This servicefrom Americare gives family caregivers an opportunity to spend time away from their loved one(s) with the confidence that a trained professional is administering care in their absence.

Transportation
Americare Caregivers transport clients to doctors, hair appointments, grocery shopping, and other miscellaneous errands.

Stand By and Assist
If our clients have problems walking or just need a little assistance, ourAmericare caregivers are there to help out. We will stand by clients and assist them around the house or on their errands.

24 Hour Care
Americare can provide adult care up to 24 hours a day for clients that are in need of round-the-clock care.

Contact Elly Kleinman Americare Companies at their RISD profile at any time to schedule a free assessment by one of our qualified senior advisors.

Jewish Bread, Wine and Salt Housewarming Tradition

Over the years a traditional housewarming gift has come about, this being a gift of salt, bread, and wine. Have you ever asked yourself what are the roots of this tradition? There are some interesting quotes on Goodreads about Elly Kleinman Americare that will give an answer to this question.

While there are various stories, the most universal is that this tradition began as an old Russian folk custom. During the period, when the emperor and empress would pay a visit to the village, merchants and gentry would present their honored guests with a round loaf of bread piled with salt, a sign of hospitality.

Newly married peasants also were honored, with the gift of bread and salt signifying that this new couple of two young people would always be blessed with the necessities of life. Thus when given at housewarmings, the bread and salt represent the giver’s wish that the recipient’s pantry always be “plentiful”.

Another story behind this Jewish custom is that since bread and salt are such important ingredients to any meal, it is a friendly gesture to bring some to “welcome party” with the new neighbors. Wine also certainly falls into this category, particularly for the Sabbath.

This tradition nowadays is stronger than ever. With a new home, it is tradition to bring bread, salt, sugar and wine to the home to afford the new residents the following blessings:
-“Bread so that you shall never know hunger”
-“Salt, so your life shall always have flavor”
-“Sugar and so your life shall always have sweetness”

Elly Kleinman's family have taken these traditions to heart and created elegant housewarming baskets that include challah (bread), kosher salt, flour, wine and more. These are gifts that will reflect this beautiful tradition as well as to bring peace and happiness to the recipients.

Other beautiful and appropriate housewarming gift ideas are the Babka bread, and challah bread which in the tradition of Kabbalah, is believed to provide protection from evil and also a framed Home Blessing.

Dementia Care: Part 2

Continuing From: Part 1

Why Choose Americare Dementia Carers? There are many different types of this illness – over a hundred in fact. In more than 20 years, we’ve provided live-in support for people affected by Alzheimer’s, Frontal Temporal, Lewy Body, Vascular, and much more. Before joining the team at Americare Companies, each of our carers goes through a rigorous program for training. They go through training at our Center of Excellence, as well as a program developed alongside Dementia Us. It’s here where they learn to deal with the challenges of caring for someone with this illness, states Elly Kleinman, Americare founder. Carers have contact with our Dementia lead specialists, at all times. We also encourage carers and our customers’ families to call the Americare Companies helpline if they have any questions whatsoever. With our home care services, we can help with daily household tasks, like preparing meals, cleaning and running errands, as well as help with medication. However, as well as providing nursing care for Dementia patients, our friendly carers also provide full-time companionship. They love nothing more than to play a board game, chat over a cup of tea, or go for a stroll in the park with the people they look after. It’s this warm people-centric approach that we’ve become known for. If you’re considering Dementia live-in care, you can rely on our caregivers to deliver their support always to the highest possible standards.

Who Americare have Provided Dementia Care At Home For
Claudia has received Dementia care from Americare Companies for more than two years, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Initially, Claudia’s daughter, Anna, stepped up to provide her support. However, after a couple of days staying with her mother, Anna realized that her mother required a greater level of Dementia home care. They discussed a variety of options together. Claudia, who’d lived in her home for 22 happy years - 19 spent with her husband before he sadly passed away - wanted to stay at home to receive her care. Anna also wanted her mother to remain in an environment where she could do all the things she loved most – from walking her dog, to spending time with her friends. Americare caregiver Betty came in to provide care at home for Claudia. It didn’t take long for Betty to establish a routine and strategy for Claudia. The two have established a good friendship, regularly spending time looking through Claudia’s family photo albums, and bonding over their mutual love of gardening.

The Next Steps For Help With Dementia Care Our team of care advisors are always on hand to give more information and advice on our care services. Contact us today to find out more. If Alzheimer’s disease or another form of Dementia affects someone in your family, you’ve come to the right place.

For more info about Americare Companies or Elly Kleinman visit his Center for Health Journalism profile.