Better Health Archives

Everyone ages – Here’s how to make the most of your later life

November 5, 2020

Many people are afraid of getting older, but why actually? In old age, the body may not be as fresh and crisp as it was in adolescence, but a lot of life experiences make up for it. And even if it sometimes gets slower, nobody has to lack fun and joy in old age. Every old person is entitled to sit back and enjoy life. They really deserve it. Whether it’s living in an apartment independently or having someone taking care of you at home, it explains how life in old age can still be made easy and beautiful.

Senior Apartment Living

You can’t fool yourself. In old age, sooner or later it will be more difficult for everyone to climb stairs or run their own household errands. Keeping a large apartment in good condition or even a large house with a large garden becomes an overwhelming burden … Read More

CommonSpirit Health Expands Behavioral Health Support through Primary Care Collaboration in Partnership with Concert Health

October 14, 2020

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Evidence-based model supports better health outcomes by providing physicians with better tools to coordinate access to mental health services

CommonSpirit Health, a national nonprofit health system serving communities at more than 1,000 care sites and 137 hospitals across 21 states, today announced it is offering new access to support for depression and anxiety within the primary care setting through a partnership with Concert Health, a leading behavioral health medical group. This model will place CommonSpirit’s primary care physicians at the center of all physical and behavioral aspects of care by connecting patients with Concert Health’s remotely located behavioral health care managers who provide therapy and develop a behavioral health care plan for each patient.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201014005359/en/

Access to behavioral health services in the U.S. is challenging at the best of times, and for patients, the lack of care can have far-reaching

Improving Health Outcomes in Papua New Guinea

October 14, 2020

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Published an hour ago

Submitted by Tetra Tech

International Development

Tetra Tech’s Amy Gildea explains how an understanding of the social economy, politics, and culture in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is crucial to improving health outcomes on the island in the Western Pacific. In this post, Amy, the managing director of international development, Asia Pacific for Coffey, a Tetra Tech Company, explains that health and development programs need to be designed smarter and in a way that considers all the drivers of change.

This post originally ran on Devex.

PNG has historically been of key strategic importance for Australia. As the country’s closest neighbor, PNG has represented a key line of defense by maintaining a social and political balance between Australia and the South Pacific region. As a result, successive Australian governments have attempted to support—through financial, social, and other schemes—the development, advancement, and stability of PNG’s political systems, society,

Quest Diagnostics Receives 2020 C. Everett Koop National Health Award for Outstanding Employee Health Program

October 14, 2020

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Named for C. Everett Koop, the 13th Surgeon General of the United States (1982-1989), the award is given by The Health Project to organizations that demonstrate their health programs deliver significant health improvements and business results. In a quarter of a century, fewer than 70 organizations have won the honor. Quest Diagnostics is the sole winner in 2020.

The award was presented last month as part of the virtual annual Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) Forum. To watch a video about the Quest Diagnostics employee population health program that won the award, click here.

“Quest Diagnostics is committed to fostering a healthier world, starting with our employees,” said Steve Rusckowski, Chairman, CEO and President, Quest Diagnostics. “To achieve that goal, we empower our employees with health insights, based on lab and biometric data. But we don’t stop there. We also provide our employees with access to medical expertise

Central Oregon Crossroads: Air pollution and health | Local&State

October 13, 2020

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There is no doubt that COVID-19 has reduced air pollution — just ask anybody who lives in Beijing, China — who for a month or two could see blue skies again before they got the virus under control and went back to business as usual.

This real-time demonstration of what happens following a reduction in fossil fuel emissions should convince everyone that an active decarbonization program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would provide similar results. In Central Oregon, our summer wildfires are creating an additional challenge in the form of air pollution that has similar effects on health as fossil fuel emissions.

In testimony on Aug. 5, to Congress, Professor Drew Shindell from Duke University reported on new research from his lab. He writes:

“The study estimates effects on the health and economic benefits to Americans if the United States and the rest of the world mitigate climate change to

Home Health Buyers, Sellers Headed Toward Frenzied Finish to M&A in 2020

October 13, 2020

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Charter Health Care Group — a PE-backed post-acute care platform company with multiple locations across five states — announced Tuesday the acquisitions of both Vitality Home Healthcare and Heartwood Home Health & Hospice.

The news comes less than two weeks after Bridges Health Services similarly announced a series of transactions at the start of October. It likewise comes after The Pennant Group Inc. (Nasdaq: PNTG) closing on a new joint venture and making its own hospice acquisition.

While none of these deals are directly related, they signal a recent rekindling of the M&A fire across the home health and hospice spaces. Dealmaking experts are starting to notice, too, with some expecting a frenzied final few months of 2020.

“I was discussing this with my partner,” Rich Tinsley, president of M&A advisory firm Stoneridge Partners, said during last month’s Home Health Care News FUTURE event. “I’m expecting the end of this

Report shows lack of health care access in Black Belt

October 13, 2020

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By CAROLINE BECK, Alabama Daily News

a path with trees on the side of a road: Black Belt counties have less physical access to health care in Alabama.

© Provided by Birmingham WBRC
Black Belt counties have less physical access to health care in Alabama.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama’s Black Belt counties have less physical access to health care options and the state overall is suffering poor health outcomes, according to a recent report released by the University of Alabama’s Education Policy Center.

The EPC’s definition of the Black Belt includes 24 counties, and Monday’s report, “Health Care: A Key Challenge in Alabama’s Black Belt,” said 17 of them have fewer than the statewide average of 3.9 hospital beds per 1,000 people.

Four Black Belt counties, Lamar, Lowndes, Perry and Pickens, don’t have any hospitals.

“These data suggest that the Black Belt is largely underserved in terms of health care,” the report says. “Specifically, it indicates that Black Belt residents lack physical access to health care, i.e. the nearest hospital or

Health Beat: Can food lower blood pressure? | Health Beat

October 13, 2020

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ORLANDO, Fla. – Nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure. Estimates show at least one in three Americans should be on blood pressure meds.

“Medications can be tough to take,” said Dr. Daniel Munoz, a cardiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “They can be complicated to take, particularly the more medications somebody is prescribed.”

But you can fight this common health threat with what you eat. First, include foods rich in Vitamin C, like bell peppers, cherries, and grapefruit. One study found people with high blood pressure who ate foods high in Vitamin C reduced their readings by five millimeters of mercury.

Salmon and flaxseed contain omega-threes, which have been shown to lessen inflammation and lower blood pressure.

Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids that have blood pressure lowering effects. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which has been linked to reductions in blood pressure. Also, despite their

Barrett Volleys Fire on Health Care Law as Democrats Highlight Pandemic Threat

October 13, 2020

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Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett speaks during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

WASHINGTON (CN) — Democrats drilling Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett buckled down Tuesday on their warnings that Republicans are commandeering the high court to overturn the landmark health care legislation that protects those with preexisting conditions, among the 7 million Americans who contracted Covid-19 this year.

In lockstep, the Senate minority has defined Barrett as a President Donald Trump’s pick to overturn the Affordable Care Act by giving the Supreme Court a 6-3 conservative majority in time for a hearing next month where the Justice Department backs conservative states fighting the ACA.

Before Trump nominated Barrett to the Seventh Circuit in 2017, the longtime professor had criticized Chief Justice John Roberts for pushing the Affordable Care Act “beyond its plausible meaning to save

Barring better health, Auburn shouldn’t be favored by 3.5 at South Carolina

October 13, 2020

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It’s been a difficult year to handicap college football teams.

Bettors have had to wade through a combination of opt-outs, practice disruptions, COVID game cancelations and injuries, often with teams being less forthright than usual about who may or may not be available.

I’ve fallen victim to that a few times, failing to account for Auburn’s many injuries when handicapping the team’s game against Arkansas.

So although Gus Malzahn sounded optimistic about several key players on Sunday, until we know more information, it’s not a good idea to bet on Auburn at South Carolina.

The Tigers were 3.5-point road favorites as of Tuesday morning.

My current power rankings, which are based solely on which team I’d favor on a neutral field as of today and only rank the 77 FBS teams currently playing, slot Auburn at No. 16 and South Carolina at No. 22.

Home-field advantage has been more difficult

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Mediarabe

Category: Better Health

Everyone ages – Here’s how to make the most of your later life

CommonSpirit Health Expands Behavioral Health Support through Primary Care Collaboration in Partnership with Concert Health

Improving Health Outcomes in Papua New Guinea

Quest Diagnostics Receives 2020 C. Everett Koop National Health Award for Outstanding Employee Health Program

Central Oregon Crossroads: Air pollution and health | Local&State

Home Health Buyers, Sellers Headed Toward Frenzied Finish to M&A in 2020

Report shows lack of health care access in Black Belt

Health Beat: Can food lower blood pressure? | Health Beat

Barrett Volleys Fire on Health Care Law as Democrats Highlight Pandemic Threat

Barring better health, Auburn shouldn’t be favored by 3.5 at South Carolina