Archives for Freedom Home Care

Chicago’s MOPD asks, “Can you hear us now?”

With the goal of keeping Illinois residents connected, the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities has made free amplified phone, teletypewriters (TTYs) and CapTel devices available to qualified individuals through the Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation. With no age or income restrictions, we here at Freedom Home Care believe that it is a service that many of our clients could benefit from. The only criteria required to qualify for the program are as follows: Being a legal resident of Illinois Filling out the program application (available at MOPD’s two locations) Having standard phone service in residence (land-line) Having a difficult time
Read More

Spreading awareness about glaucoma

According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, approximately 2.7 million Americans have glaucoma and more are being diagnosed every day. By 2030, the number may rise to as high as 4.2 million. And the condition is by no means exclusive to those in the United States. Worldwide, there are currently 60 million individuals afflicted with the condition. “Experts estimate that half of them don’t know they have it,” reports the GRF. “Combined with our aging population, we can see an epidemic of blindness looming if we don’t raise awareness about the importance of regular eye examinations to preserve vision. The World
Read More

Avoiding preventable hospital readmissions

According to data provided by Medicare, nearly one in five patients who leave the hospital are readmitted within the next month. Additionally, it was revealed that 75 percent of readmissions are preventable. To try and avoid preventable readmissions, Medicare produced a checklist that patients can rely on when they are preparing to end their hospital stay. Therefore, it’s important to keep these items in mind during discharge: 1. Ask where you will get care after discharge. Do you have options (like home health care)? Be sure you tell the staff what you prefer. 2. If a caregiver will be helping
Read More

Important information for taking generic pills

Many Americans take more than one daily prescription and when doing so, they often rely on the color of the pills to know that they are sticking to their medication schedules. It can be as easy as knowing that every morning they must take one blue pill and one white pill, for example. When switching to generic drugs, however, using a color-coded rule of thumb isn’t always that easy. And that’s because often times, generic drugs are a different color than their brand-name counterparts. According to an article published by WRAL.com, a media outlet covering the Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville
Read More

Elderly Americans considered winners in fiscal cliff deal

In the 11th hour, Republicans and Democrats found common ground, keeping the U.S. economy from tumbling over the fiscal cliff. That doesn’t mean, however, that everyone is happy about the outcome. Many consider the deal a losing battle, although, according to the Huffington Post, America’s elderly aren’t part of that contingency. They can be considered among the winners of the fiscal cliff deal, which also includes rich individuals, the unemployed and doctors. “As recently as yesterday morning, it was taken for granted that one of the major provisions of an alternative to the fiscal cliff would be cuts in the
Read More

Understanding the role of elder mediators

“As society ages, it’s become more common for adult children to provide assistance to their elderly parents,” explained the editor of a Chicago Tribune article. “But making sure that everyone, including the parent, agrees on a care plan can often be a challenge. A new type of go-between, known as an elder mediator, can guide squabbling siblings and elderly parents to solutions before conflicts tear a family apart.” It’s not uncommon for tension to rise as parents or other aging loved ones show signs of needing help. It’s also not rare for family members to be at odds for how
Read More

How to ease sibling tension when dealing with aging parents

In the following video titled, “What To Do When You Fight With Your Siblings Over Your Aging Parents,” Dr. Mikol Davis from AgingParents.com provides professional legal and health care information to families in need. In addition to discussing the potential for conflict between siblings and family members dealing with their aging parent’s possessions, he suggests solutions to find resolution.
Read More

21 classic movies to watch in 2013

As winter begins to settle in, there’s nothing better than curling up with an afghan and a movie on the living room couch. Because let’s face it, with a now-permanent blanket of snow on the ground and temperatures sticking below 32, no one wants to venture out into the cold. Therefore, to warm your heart and inspire a bit of nostalgia, the editors at AARP chose the following 21 movies that they consider must-sees: 1. Lawrence of Arabia, 1962 2. Casablanca, 1942 3. The Producers, 1968 4. The Longest Day, 1962 5. Grand Illusion, 1937 6. Spirited Away, 2001 7.
Read More

Get assistance from Freedom Home Care before and after a colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer, which includes cancer of both the colon and rectum, is the second-leading cancer killer of men and women in the United States. By undergoing an endoscopic examination of the bowels, individuals can receive a diagnosis for the potential of colon cancer or for the presence of ulcers or polyps. More commonly referred to as a colonoscopy, this examination has been a life saver for thousands of men and women. For anyone who makes the smart choice to undergo the out-patient procedure, Freedom Home Care can assist with the preparation involved. The Colonoscopy/Out-Patient Program is scheduled as a 24-hour
Read More

Cleaning out the medicine cabinet – an essential New Year’s resolution

How many times have you gone to your medicine cabinet only to be confronted with bottle upon bottle of unused or expired prescriptions? As time passes, medications quickly accumulate, making it more difficult to find space to store new prescriptions and equally hard to find what you’re looking for. According to an article posted on News-Medicine.net, “Because each season brings a host of new illnesses and conditions, it’s easy for medicine cabinets to become cluttered with unused or expired prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and herbals that can potentially be harmful to one’s health. Hanging onto old, expired or unused medications
Read More