Great News: West Nile on the Decline

There's good news for those of us who have felt a sense of dread every time we slapped a hungry mosquito this summer. Officials at the CDC believe that the West Nile outbreak has peaked and they expect the number of cases to decline.

As of Tuesday, 2,636 cases of West Nile virus and 118 deaths had been reported to the CDC, the most serious outbreak since 1999 because of a high number of cases triggering neuroinvasive diseases such as encephalitis and meningitis. The elderly and those with already-compromised immune systems have been at an especially high risk.

Although West Nile cases should decline, the CDC still recommends taking the following precautions:

• Remove standing water from outdoor containers 
• Wear long pants and sleeves when outside at dusk and dawn 
• Apply insect repellent when spending time outdoors 
• Keep mosquitoes from coming indoors by using air conditioning and repairing screens on doors and windows 

To learn more, click here.

Happy National Assisted Living Week!

National Assisted Living Week is September 9-15! The theme of this year's celebration is "Art for the Ages." Residents, staff, families and the community are encouraged to come together to celebrate the artistic talents and creativity of assisted living residents.

National Assisted Living Week was established by the National Center for Assisted Living in 1995. To learn more, click here.

Introducing Embrace Skin Repair Cream

The newest addition to our Embrace family of products, Embrace Skin Repair Cream is a whole-body moisturizer designed for daily use. It protects and helps relieve dry, chapped or cracked skin.

Additional features:

• Nurtures and conditions skin
• Designed to provide maximum hydration while still being light enough for everyday use
• Forms an invisible barrier with dimethicone 
• Nourishes and rejuvenates skin with organic aloe vera and vitamins A and D
• Fresh, clean, gender-neutral scent 

To learn more about Embrace Skin Repair Cream and our complete skin care line, click here.

CMS Works to Update Definitions for Inpatient, Outpatient Status

CMS has released a proposed rule on determining whether a Medicare beneficiary is classified as a hospital inpatient or outpatient.

In the rule, CMS says "hospitals appear to be responding to the financial risk of admitting Medicare beneficiaries for inpatient stays that may later be denied upon contractor review by electing to treat beneficiaries as outpatients receiving observation services - rather than admit them."

Classification is key because Medicare beneficiaries might need care at a nursing home after an inpatient hospital stay, but Medicare does not cover the nursing home stay if the beneficiary is admitted under observation status. This can lead many beneficiaries unable to afford their follow-up care.

The American Hospital Association issued a comment letter that noted hospitals risk loss of reimbursement when patients are admitted for short stays. The AHA also said that CMS frequently criticizes hospitals that use an excessive number of observation stays.

To learn more, click here.

10 Signs You Need a New Joint

Everyone has joint pain from time to time, but how do you know when it's time to bite the bullet and replace a joint? Faculty from the Harvard Medical School say that joint replacement might be appropriate if one or more of the following apply to you: 

1. You are unable to complete normal daily tasks without help.
2. You have significant pain daily. 
3. Pain keeps you awake at night despite the use of medications. 
4. Nonsurgical approaches, such as medications, the use of a cane, and physical therapy, have not relieved your pain. 
5. Less complicated surgical procedures are unlikely to help. 
6. Pain keeps you from walking or bending over. 
7. Pain doesn't stop when you rest. 
8. You can't bend or straighten your knee, or your hip is so stiff that you can't lift your leg. 
9. You are suffering severe side effects from the medications for your joint symptoms. 
10. X-rays show advanced arthritis or other damage. 

To learn more, click here. 

Stressed Out? Smile!

It might not be easy, but try smiling the next time you're in a stressful situation. Researchers at the University of Kansas have found that doing so can lower your heart rate and reduce stress responses. 

The reason? The researchers believe that when you activate the facial muscles used to smile, it sends a message to your brain that you're happy and calm. You don't actually have to be happy, either. Faking a smile works just fine. 

To learn more, click here. 

FDA Approves New Drug for Advanced Prostate Cancer

The FDA has approved Xtandi, a drug designed to treat prostate cancer that has returned or spread despite major medical intervention. According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 241,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year and 28,170 will die from the disease.

Xtandi is indicated for patients who have already received the chemotherapy drug docetaxel and testosterone-limiting interventions, such as drugs or surgery.

During a study, patients who took Xtandi survived an average of 18.4 months longer than those who received a placebo treatment.

To learn more, click here.