News

2013-04-18

A new study of residents in specialized dementia care homes has confirmed a reduction, averaging 48 per cent, in the requirement for antipsychotic medication, together with dramatic reductions in usage of a range of other medications and a corresponding improvement in the well being of participants.

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2013-02-18

A recent study found that 75 per cent of seniors with complex conditions who are discharged from the hospital receive care from six or more physicians and 30 per cent get their drugs from three or more pharmacies. CareCheq provides easy and secure access to information about medication, homecare, and other services. Call us today!

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2013-02-02

Recent University of California study shows lack of deep sleep in elderly can contribute significantly to memory loss. People in their 70s did worse in a memory test than those in their 20s, even though they had same hours of rest. Monitoring showed quality of sleep enjoyed by older people up to 75 percent worse. Researchers suggest by stimulating deeper sleep, it may be possible to boost memory maintenance in the elderly.

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2013-01-31

If you have a great caregiver, hold on to them. High caregiver turnover is plaguing home care agencies nationwide, an issue addressed in the recently released research by myCNAjobs, a caregiver recruitment vehicle. According to a 2012 Benchmark Study published by Home Care Pulse and sponsored by the National Private Duty Association, average caregiver turnover rate for all home care companies increased from 46.2% to 49.8% between 2010 and 2011. The study was conducted in an effort to understand underlying caregiver motivations in the workplace to increase retention and decrease turnover.

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2013-01-23

Do you have a plan for helping your employees with their caregiving responsibilities? Employees who care for their aging parents cost U.S. employers an estimated $13 billion annually. There is an urgent need for employers to actively address how to best facilitate the realities of employees dealing with eldercare responsibilities. CareCheq can help. Call us today.

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2013-01-14

Do you have a durable power of attorney? What are your end-of-life wishes? Do you have a will or living trust? Do you have long-term care insurance or another plan in case long-term care is required? Where can I find these documents if I ever need them? CareCheq can help keep these documents secure, up-to-date and accessible whenever you need them.

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2013-01-09

For some, holiday gatherings deliver an unwanted gift: the realization that an aging relative is losing the ability to live independently. When far-flung families come together to celebrate, adult children can be alarmed to discover that mom is forgetting more than she used to, dad is leaving the house in disarray, or auntie is now trembling and shuffling when she walks. No wonder inquiries about elder care services, including nursing homes and assisted living, peak annually just after the winter holidays. The time has come to begin looking into options for long-term care. Let us help you, signup today.

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2012-12-27

The children of aging parents come to our site and find the care tools they need. We find that when most people start the process of caring for aging parents, they have no idea what's involved. They don't know what their parents need and what's out there. We provide assistance with a variety of vital service providers, from caregivers, to clergy to life plannings experts and legal resources.

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2012-12-03

Of Americans over the age of 50 who think new technologies fit into their lifestyles, 84.5% say they’ll embrace them. And despite considering themselves slow to adopt, 79.2% of these Americans find technology fun and enjoy trying out new gadgets. CareCheq was designed to support the web, texting, email, basic cell, land-line, smart phones and tablets--all important communication technologies people use when caring for a loved one.

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2012-11-07

November is National Family Caregivers Month and a time to thank, support, educate and empower family caregivers. Celebrating Family Caregivers enables all of us to; Raise awareness of family caregiver issues, Celebrate the efforts of family caregivers, Educate family caregivers about self-identification, Increase support for family caregivers.

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2012-11-06

Most seniors live at home and want to stay there as long as possible. Although many can do this without support, many need help from both family caregivers and home care services. CareCheq can help keep everyone on the same page and increase the quality of life for the senior. Go to Try it Now and sign up!

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2012-11-05

Some families share the care, while others do their best to distance themselves from any family caregiving. However, give family members a chance to contribute if they can. Perhaps you, as the primary caregiver, can ask for a specific task. Often people feel overwhelmed by care needs, or else simply don't know what kind of care to offer, so they do nothing. CareCheq can help you designate, document and coordinate tasks for those who are willing to help.

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2012-10-30

Long-distance care-giving can be trying under the best of circumstances. But many people whose older loved ones live in the path of Hurricane Sandy face the added anxiety of long-distance disaster preparedness. Elderly individuals living on their own should have a small emergency bag — a child’s backpack works well — packed with essentials in case they need to evacuate. Older evacuees should pack at least a week’s worth of medicine, a list of doctors and their contact information, an extra pair of glasses, a change of clothes, a bottle of water and granola bars or other snacks.

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2012-10-26

Growing evidence suggests that there may be a link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, but the physiological mechanisms by which diabetes impacts brain function and cognition are not fully understood.

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2012-10-20

Consumers are ready to take care of their health on-the-go but physicians are still a bit weary of mobile health applications, according to a recent study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The study found that among consumers already using mobile healthcare, 59% said they have used it to replace some visits to their physicians and nurses. It also found that consumers want to use mobile healthcare to manage their chronic conditions and medication, as well as to gain better access to healthcare information and physicians.

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2012-10-01

Starting Oct. 1, 2012, Medicare is withholding 1 percent of its regular hospital reimbursements in the new Value-Based Purchasing Program, which was created by the 2010 health care law. Contact CareCheq today to learn how we can help you assure patients do not return to the hospital--increasing your referrals from hospitals.

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2012-09-05

September marks first World's Alzheimer’s Month. Read more at: http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2012/08/30/September-will-mark-Alzheimer-s-Month/

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2012-08-21

Aging baby boomers face home health care challenge. Read more at: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-08-05/aging-baby-boomers-face-home-health-care-challenge

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2012-08-10

Study: Poor home care leads elderly to ERs Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/08/09/Study-Poor-home-care-leads-elderly-to-ERs/UPI-34911344536761/#ixzz2399Xf9BN

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2012-07-07

Family Caregivers Recognized as Heroes: Read more at http://www.timesunion.com/business/press-releases/article/Griswold-Home-Care-Family-Caregivers-Recognized-3685680.php

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2012-06-07

Hospital At Home Program Praised as Model for Healthcare Delivery. Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/06/4543181/hospital-at-home-program-praised.html#storylink=cpy

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2012-06-02

Cholesterol's Role in Promoting Alzheimer’s Discovered. Read more at: http://www.voanews.com/content/cholesterols-role-in-promoting-alzheimers-discovered/1146141.html

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2012-05-08

New CMS Rule Encourages Home and Community-Based Care for the Elderly and Disabled. Read more: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-cms-rule-encourages-home-and-community-based-care-for-the-elderly-and-disabled-2012-05-03

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2012-04-25

Nearly three out of four Americans who provide care for a family member or friend who is disabled, elderly or has physical or mental limitations said caregiving had at least some impact on their health, and six in 10 said caregiving caused them to lose sleep sometimes, according to a recent national survey. Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/24/4438303/caregiving-affects-health-of-three.html#storylink=cpy

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2012-04-04

Baby Boomers Aware of Aging Parents' Needs, Yet Lack Vital Care Resources and Tools According to a Care.com Survey. Read more at: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/baby-boomers-aware-of-aging-parents-needs-yet-lack-vital-care-resources-and-tools-according-to-a-carecom-survey-2012-04-04

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2012-03-16

CarCheq staff will be on hand as the Washtenaw County Consortium on Aging holds its first annual Washtenaw County Caregiver Fair Saturday March 17 at the Kensington Court Hotel on Hilton Boulevard in Ann Arbor. The fair is a free event, open to the public, and will run from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information, visit: http://www.micentral.com/events/supercali/show_event.php?id=13069&o=1&c=1&m=03&a=09&y=2012&w=10

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2012-03-08

CareCheq's early adopter program continues to gain support as two more Michigan based home health agencies sign up. The early adopter program provides home health agencies with an opportunity to help shape the product experience and in return is provided with free use of the system for 6 months and an additional 6 months of use at a significant discount. To learn more about how CareCheq can increase your competitive advantage and create new revenues for your business, view the presentation at: http://www.slideshare.net/carecheq/carecheq-someone-you-love

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2012-03-07

CareCheq plans to double staff as its online community grows. The co-founders of CareCheq know firsthand the challenges of taking care of elderly family members who are strong enough to still live at home but not healthy enough to live independently. Those experiences led them to create a start-up that provides an online portal for family members and caregivers to connect. To read more, go to: http://www.concentratemedia.com/innovationnews/carecheqannarbor0185.aspx

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2012-02-25

CareCheq just launched it's Use-It-For-Free, Early Adopter Program (EAP) and is looking for innovative businesses willing to field test the product. There is no charge for participation and you'll have free access to the software for the next 6 months with an additional 6 months of access at a reduced fee for participating in the program. For more information, go to our site at CareCheq.com OR check out our presentation at: http://www.slideshare.net/carecheq

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2012-02-20

CareCheq Issues New HIPAA Statement: CareCheq is committed to identifying meaningful solutions to the challenges our customers face on various fronts. This customer commitment requires that we keep in step with industry legislative and regulatory initiatives such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA"). HIPAA's privacy and security regulations require our customers to monitor and limit the ways in which patients' confidential information is accessed, utilized, stored, transmitted, and disposed. We realize our customers must comply with HIPAA's complex privacy and security standards, and, that their compliance activities may include seeking assistance from CareCheq in those cases where CareCheq has access to patients' confidential information when it comes out of activities on behalf of customers and when conducting their security risk assessments. To that end, CAreCheq has established processes to facilitate our customers' compliance to HIPAA privacy and security requirements. CareCheq has implemented the Administrative Simplification requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 as described below: The Electronic Transactions and Code Set Standards have been implemented. The requirements of the HIPAA Privacy rule have been implemented. CareCheq meets HIPAA security rule requirements. Changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) have been included in the Economic Stimulus Bill signed on February 17, 2009. CareCheq is aware of the new requirements and efforts are underway to implement the new HIPAA requirements as mandated.

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2012-02-11

Alzheimer's Families Clamor for Drug: By SHIRLEY S. WANG: A study published Thursday in the journal Science, was conducted in mice, and the road to an effective Alzheimer's treatment is littered with failures that looked promising early on in animals. "The Alzheimer's community is very desperate for anything that shows any sign of hope or promise," said Eric Hall, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, a New York-based advocacy organization that started to field calls from consumers as soon as the paper was published. While Mr. Hall said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the drug, which appears to clear a sticky substance called amyloid from the brains of Alzheimer's mice, "I don't think people should be taking this in their own hands or running to it," he said. Sam Gandy, a neurology professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and associate director of its Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, said he wasn't surprised to get inquiries from patients about bexarotene, as they also often ask for off-label use of another treatment on the market, intravenous immunoglobulin, which costs about $50,000 a year and is given in time-consuming infusions. "To patients and families who are this motivated, the idea of an off-label pill is not a major leap," he said. The cost would be $1,200 or more a month and unlikely to be covered by insurance, Dr. Gandy said.

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2012-02-06

Seniors and Caregivers Connect Online By Ryan Malone There’s a pervasive notion out there that older people can’t, or don’t want to, use computers. Facebook fan pages like I Hate Teaching Old People How To Use Computers, boasting over 200 members, Yahoo! chat forums, the Lifestyle section of some newspapers and guests at cocktail parties can all be counted on for stories of someone’s mother/grandfather/elderly neighbor messing up when it comes to computers and getting online. These anecdotes spread and grow and eventually morph into a general perception that seniors and technology don’t mix. The reality, however, isn’t so clear-cut. Read more at: http://www.insideeldercare.com/family-life/seniors-and-caregivers-connect-online/

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2011-12-28

Harvard study focuses on hospital readmission rates. The increasing use of hospital services may be contributing more to high readmission rates than the severity of patients' conditions or the care they receive after being discharged, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. The study, which appears in the Dec. 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, is the latest research on a hot-button health care issue related to cost and quality of care. Avoidable readmissions cost Medicare an estimated $12 billion annually, said Karen Southard, program manager for Patient Safety/Care Transitions at the Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence.

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2011-10-16

CareCheq unveiled its home health care solution at the 12th annual Solutions for Family Caregivers Expo in Novi, MI. Company representatives met with more than 35 potential business partners and conducted more than 50 demonstrations during the Expo, marking a successful and significant step in establishing CareCheq as a viable product in the home health (B2B) and family (B2C) caregiver markets.

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2011-10-10

CareCheq is now serving Unlimited Home Care, a home-help service administered by the Michigan Department of Human Services. Unlimited Home Care provides services in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Kent counties.

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2011-10-06

CareCheq will unveil its new health care focused social media platform at the 12th Annual Solutions for Family Caregiver Expo, held in the Diamond Center at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, MI. (Saturday Oct 15th, 9am-2pm). Please stop by at the CareCheq booth to learn how this cloud based, innovative product can help your family stay involved in the care of a loved one, or help your business enhance the quality and delivery of services, increase referrals, retention rates and create new revenue opportunities.

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2011-10-04

CareCheq executives attended the 30th Annual NAHC conference in Las Vegas, NV. The goals for many of the exhibited products were to improve outcomes, reduce hospitalizations and to strengthen referral relationships. As a new entry in the Caregiver Solutions space, the conference offered an incredible learing and networking opportunity for the CareCheq team.