By Sarah Daubman, Registered Dietician
According to the American Heart Association the average American consumes about 15 grams of fiber per day. What is the actual goal for fiber consumption? The recommended intake for men is 30 -38 grams per day, 21-25 grams per day for women. Reaching this goal is not as hard as you may think, but first let’s talk about what fiber is and why it’s important.
Fiber is a carbohydrate that can not be broken down by digestion therefore it provides no calories or nutrients. Fiber is found in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans and peas), nuts and seeds. The two kinds of fiber are soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, which dissolves in fluids, thickens substances. Inside the body this type of fiber binds with fatty acids and prolongs stomach emptying time. Oats, peas, beans, apples, corn, carrots, citrus fruits and potatoes are sources of soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in fluids and provides bulk inside the intestines, resulting in softer bowel movements. Higher intake may help relieve constipation. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, brown rice, seeds, nuts, leafy green vegetables and seeds.
Both types of fiber are important and adequate intake is associated with many health benefits. It can help with weight control as fiber makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time making overeating less likely. High fiber foods also tend to have fewer calories per serving than less fibrous foods. Fiber can also prevent and treat constipation by helping form softer, bulkier stools. Less straining during bowel movements may reduce the instances of hemorrhoids and diverticular disease. Additionally, high fiber diets may help with elevated cholesterol because soluble fibers bind with cholesterol as they pass through the intestinal tract, reducing the amount in the bloodstream.
So how much fiber are you consuming? You can check the nutrition facts label on most foods or check the link for a fun fiber intake calculator. A few words of caution: If you are going to increase your fiber intake, do so gradually. Too much fiber at once can cause bloating and gas. Also be sure to drink enough fluids, 8 – 10 cups per day.
http://www.fiberchoice.com/eating/calculator.asp
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Geriatric Case Management: Do I Really Need Direction
By Dana Pavelock
Are the problems that you or your loved ones are facing becoming larger and more complete than you can comfortably manage? Are other demands and responsibilities now so great that you are not able to provide the desired level of supervision and attention to your loved one’s
problems.
For the past two decades, Geriatric Care Management has been a popular services that has been well utilized; especially in more urban and metropolitan areas. Understanding the complexities of the health care system and finding the time to coordinate care for a loved one can be a very overwhelming task. In communities such as ours we have been fortunate in being able to navigate through most of the planning and care needs via services from the Dutchess County Office of the Aging, Home Care agencies and knowledgeable hospital and nursing facility social work and discharge planning staff.
However, in just the past few years we have begun to see a significant shift with more individuals requiring additional assistance and ongoing support as the health care industry continues to diversity. Fortunately, information available now through the Internet makes navigation somewhat easier than in the past but still, lifestyles of the sandwich/baby boomer generation often leave very little time to thoroughly assess medical conditions, home safety considerations and how to access appropriate services for a loved one.
What can a Geriatric Care Manager do for you? How do you find a Geriatric Care Manager, and how much will it cost? Are Home Care agencies equipped to handle Geriatric Care Management services? Typically agencies and individuals offering Care Management may include but are not limited to the following services:
Conduct comprehensive health assessments to identify problems and to provide solutions; screen, arrange, and monitor in-home help or other services; provide short or long-term assistance for caregivers living near or far away; review financial, legal, or medical issues and offer referrals to geriatric specialists; provide crisis intervention; act as liaison to families overseeing care, and quickly alerting families to problems; assist with moving to or from a retirement complex, assisted care home, or nursing home; provide consumer education and advocacy; offer individual and/or family counseling and support; 24 hour crisis intervention; coordinate practical daily services, paying bills and daily money
Are the problems that you or your loved ones are facing becoming larger and more complete than you can comfortably manage? Are other demands and responsibilities now so great that you are not able to provide the desired level of supervision and attention to your loved one’s
problems.
For the past two decades, Geriatric Care Management has been a popular services that has been well utilized; especially in more urban and metropolitan areas. Understanding the complexities of the health care system and finding the time to coordinate care for a loved one can be a very overwhelming task. In communities such as ours we have been fortunate in being able to navigate through most of the planning and care needs via services from the Dutchess County Office of the Aging, Home Care agencies and knowledgeable hospital and nursing facility social work and discharge planning staff.
However, in just the past few years we have begun to see a significant shift with more individuals requiring additional assistance and ongoing support as the health care industry continues to diversity. Fortunately, information available now through the Internet makes navigation somewhat easier than in the past but still, lifestyles of the sandwich/baby boomer generation often leave very little time to thoroughly assess medical conditions, home safety considerations and how to access appropriate services for a loved one.
What can a Geriatric Care Manager do for you? How do you find a Geriatric Care Manager, and how much will it cost? Are Home Care agencies equipped to handle Geriatric Care Management services? Typically agencies and individuals offering Care Management may include but are not limited to the following services:
Conduct comprehensive health assessments to identify problems and to provide solutions; screen, arrange, and monitor in-home help or other services; provide short or long-term assistance for caregivers living near or far away; review financial, legal, or medical issues and offer referrals to geriatric specialists; provide crisis intervention; act as liaison to families overseeing care, and quickly alerting families to problems; assist with moving to or from a retirement complex, assisted care home, or nursing home; provide consumer education and advocacy; offer individual and/or family counseling and support; 24 hour crisis intervention; coordinate practical daily services, paying bills and daily money
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Understanding Acute Rehabilitation
By Susan Hecht, RN
A family member asked recently what exactly we do on our rehabilitation unit. I thought for a minute about how best the community would understand the importance of a Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program. So I explained to this family member that our mission is to assist individuals with achieving their highest potential for recovery and enable them to return to their homes and communities.
After a few minutes, she asked me what types of services we offer. I explained that we offer many including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, pet therapy, family education services, home assessments, support groups and many more. She was impressed with the services I mentioned. “I had no idea you offered all those services on that unit,” she said. I explained that we are also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). I offered to take her as well as other family members on a tour of the unit. They agreed, I showed them around and they were very impressed.
About three months later I was called on a consult for a patient who was recommended for our acute rehab here at Saint Francis. It happened to be the husband of the family member who had asked me about our services. He was admitted to our unit for rehabilitation after a stroke. He participated in three hours of therapy daily, and also in our Stroke Support Group. While he has returned home, he continues to come in on Fridays to our Stroke Support Group.
His wife very grateful for that one day someone took the time to explain what the Rehabilitation Unit is all about. Little did she know, at that time, that she and her husband would have need of our services just a few months later.
Education is a very important part of nursing today. Making sure the community understands how and what we do here at Saint Francis is and will continue to be a very important role for me. And, yes, that education can include your relatives.
A family member asked recently what exactly we do on our rehabilitation unit. I thought for a minute about how best the community would understand the importance of a Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program. So I explained to this family member that our mission is to assist individuals with achieving their highest potential for recovery and enable them to return to their homes and communities.
After a few minutes, she asked me what types of services we offer. I explained that we offer many including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, pet therapy, family education services, home assessments, support groups and many more. She was impressed with the services I mentioned. “I had no idea you offered all those services on that unit,” she said. I explained that we are also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). I offered to take her as well as other family members on a tour of the unit. They agreed, I showed them around and they were very impressed.
About three months later I was called on a consult for a patient who was recommended for our acute rehab here at Saint Francis. It happened to be the husband of the family member who had asked me about our services. He was admitted to our unit for rehabilitation after a stroke. He participated in three hours of therapy daily, and also in our Stroke Support Group. While he has returned home, he continues to come in on Fridays to our Stroke Support Group.
His wife very grateful for that one day someone took the time to explain what the Rehabilitation Unit is all about. Little did she know, at that time, that she and her husband would have need of our services just a few months later.
Education is a very important part of nursing today. Making sure the community understands how and what we do here at Saint Francis is and will continue to be a very important role for me. And, yes, that education can include your relatives.
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