According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year 3 million mature individuals (age 65+) are treated in emergency rooms for fall injuries. From 2007 to 2016, the rate for deaths from falling for this demographic increased by 30 percent and is still rising. While the topic of fall safety may not seem dire or important, annual statistics such as these say otherwise.

As the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for Americans age 65 and older, it’s important to MediQuest Staffing & Homecare to help educate you and your family about ways to keep your loved ones safe. By understanding the problem and identifying ways to prevent falling, we hope that these simple tips will help to reduce the risk of injury for you or your family. Continue reading Simple Tips to Prevent Fall Injuries in Older Adults →

Exercising regularly as we age has many benefits, from lowering our risk for heart disease and stroke to reducing chronic pain, improving sleep quality, and even making us happier. Yet, despite these benefits, “Only 35-44% of adults 75 years or older are physically active, and 28-34% of adults 65-74 are physically active,” according to statistics reported by the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.

While the CDC’s physical activity guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, many older people have physical challenges, injuries, or chronic conditions that can make regular exercise difficult, if not impossible.

But, even if you have physical challenges, it’s still possible to get regular exercise that is safe, easy on the joints, and beneficial for your whole body. Check out our roundup of the top 11 chair exercises for seniors to help you increase strength, stabilize muscles, increase circulation, and gain flexibility to make every day activities easier. Just be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any regular exercise program. Continue reading Top 11 Chair Exercises for Seniors →

We’ve all heard the prediction that the aging Baby Boomer generation is poised to overwhelm the nation’s healthcare resources very soon. In some ways, this is good news, as the home healthcare industry will benefit from a robust demand for services like those we offer here at Mediquest, and in turn, be able to extend families and senior patients higher quality care.

Of course, many challenges are standing in the way of meeting that demand, including a significant shortage of qualified home healthcare workers.

No matter your perspective, it’s certainly an exciting time to be involved in home healthcare! And this is why we’re offering a closer look at some of the emerging trends that will make 2019 another interesting year. Read on to learn more about the challenges, as well as the exciting innovations that are currently driving our industry. Continue reading The State of Senior and Home Care in 2019 →

Home healthcare used to be a career that nurses and therapists would choose after many years of working in hospital or doctor’s office settings as a transition toward retirement or “slowing down” in their professional lives. It’s true that home health positions offer great flexibility and opportunities to connect with patients. Today, many professional caregivers just getting started in their careers are choosing home healthcare for precisely these reasons.

In a previous blog post, we discussed some of the benefits to working in the home healthcare field. In today’s post, we are taking a closer look at why individuals might choose a career in home healthcare. Continue reading Why You Should Choose a Career in Home Healthcare →

With World Hospice and Palliative Care Day coming up again on October 13^th, we wanted to commemorate the event by offering a closer look at what hospice home care can offer those patients who do not want to spend their remaining time in an unfamiliar place. Continue reading Hospice Home Care is Available →

As a full-time caregiver for a family member or other loved one, you know what it’s like to be “on call” 24 hours a day/7 days a week even though caregiving is not your chosen profession. You’re in good company, as it has been reported that upwards of 34 million Americans provide care for no pay to an adult over the age of 50, and the majority of these caregivers have no formal training or background in caregiving. Of course, that doesn’t keep you from feeling overburdened and even totally burned out at times.

The good news is that there is help available to allow you to rest and recharge whenever you feel the need. This help is known as respite care, and it provides short-term relief for primary caregivers.

Today we’re taking a closer look at just how this care can help both you and those you care for. Continue reading What is Respite Care and How Does it Help? →

Have you recently learned that you or a loved one that you serve as a caregiver is facing surgery in the near future? As you prepare for the procedure, you will likely have many questions about what’s involved with the healing process and how long it might be before things can get back to normal. In addition to typical nervousness about undergoing the surgery itself, you may be feeling overwhelmed trying to decide about options for after-surgery care. Or perhaps you have yet to think about this critical recuperative period. In either case, there’s no need to worry or struggle with uncertainty.

Here at MediQuest staffing, most people know that we connect our professional healthcare workers with families in the Lancaster County, PA area facing long-term care needs.

We work with you to determine what specific services and personnel will be the best match for your unique needs. You can learn more about our different types of compassionate caregivers here, or simply give us a call at (717) 560-5160 to start the conversation. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most valuable services that caregivers offer for post-surgery assistance. Continue reading The Top Ways a Caregiver Can Help After Surgery →

If you are reading this, you are likely serving a family member or other loved one as a caregiver, though that role is probably one you have no formal training for. As we discussed in an earlier blog post 2015 report created by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving showed that about 34.2 million Americans were providing care for no pay to an adult over the age of 50, and fewer than 20% of those individuals claimed a professional background in caregiving.

Undoubtedly, there are many of us caring for an aging parent, relative, or another family friend with no compensation and probably little to no support from others. Some provide this care out of a sense of duty or gratitude, but many family caregivers are still stressed out, burned out, and struggling to balance their own full lives with providing compassionate care. Have you considered the benefits of hiring a professional caregiver to complement and support the caregiving work you are doing today? Continue reading How a Professional Caregiver Can Help with Family Events →

If you listen to news reports, the tragic opioid epidemic in the United States today primarily seems like a youth and young adult problem. These populations are mobile and highly visible, and reports of overdoses occurring in public places like convenience store parking lots and even hospital bathrooms are frighteningly familiar. The sad truth, though, is that opioid abuse is also hurting older adults and seniors at alarmingly high rates, as well.

The older population is suffering silently in many cases, as large numbers of affected individuals live in rural areas without access to supportive care or many resources at all. Older Americans are overdosing in their homes, which goes unnoticed by the media. Or, they’re misusing opioids on a long-term basis in ways that are making them sick as they suffer serious side effects (nausea, dizziness, respiratory depression) of their pain relief efforts. Still more are embarrassed to admit they have a drug abuse problem, or they don’t even realize that they are addicted and at risk of overdosing.

The good news is that there are lots of ways to break the cycle of relying on opioids for pain management. Even doctors who once were quick to write prescriptions for oxycodone, hydrocodone, or codeine have now learned that these drugs have more drawbacks for almost all patients than positive qualities, and they’re focusing on alternative therapies. Chronic pain, or even acute pain following surgeries or dental procedures, is undoubtedly a real problem in many people’s lives. Unfortunately, the “quick fix” answer of opioids for pain control turned out to cause a crisis instead of solving problems.

So, what are your options for pain management without opioids? Let’s take a look at some of the proven treatments and more creative methods that are gaining in popularity now. Continue reading Pain Control without Opioids is Possible for Seniors →

Are you looking for a new career? If you’re interested in helping others in the healthcare field, you’ve probably considered the possibility of becoming a nurse. However, obtaining a full Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certification can be a long and expensive process. If you want to get started quickly, you can choose instead to become a Home Health Aide or a Certified Nursing Assistant. You still get to perform many of the duties of a nurse and help people in need, but without the time and cost involved in becoming an RN or LPN.

There are a few differences between a Home Health Aide and a Certified Nursing Assistant you should be aware of before you embark on your new career. Here is what you need to know about the two careers, what makes them different, and which may be right for you. Continue reading The Difference Between a Home Health Aide and a Certified Nursing Assistant →