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Tabitha offers Nebraska’s first and only comprehensive line of Elder care services. Through advanced in-home support, innovative living communities, exceptional rehabilitation services, experienced skilled nursing care and compassionate hospice support, Tabitha is your answer for Elder care in southeast Nebraska.

News & Events
  1. Posted: Wed, May 15, 2013
  2. Posted: Mon, March 25, 2013

    Tabitha Recognizes its Outstanding Leaders

  3. Posted: Mon, March 18, 2013

    Tabitha Gives Supporters the Rockstar Treatment

  4. Posted: Fri, March 15, 2013

    Tabitha Nursing Communities Recognized Among Nebraska's Best

Articles on Aging
Managing Heart Disease - Feb. 2013

Heart Disease
Signs and Symptoms and How You Can Live Heart-Healthy

February is American Heart Month and a good time to make steps toward a heart-healthy lifestyle. But where should you start? A good beginning is to familiarize yourself with the often confusing terminology of heart issues. What’s the difference between heart disease and a heart attack? What about CHF? What terms should you be familiar with?

Heart disease is encompassing term that includes various conditions affecting the heart including coronary artery disease (CAD), congestive heart failure (CHF) and heart attack. CAD occurs when plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. The arteries narrow, making it difficult to provide the blood with enough oxygen to function. Plaque mostly consists of cholesterol and accumulation is increased by smoking and diabetes. 

Heart failure, known as CHF, occurs when the heart weakens and cannot supply the body with the blood flow it needs. Heart failure doesn’t mean that your heart stops working, it just means your heart can’t keep up with your body’s demands. Over a period of time, your heart increases in size so it can hold more blood, it pumps faster to increase the amount of blood it can pump out. 

Both CAD and CHF can contribute to a heart attack, a sudden interruption in the heart’s blood supply due to a blockage. If the heart can’t receive blood due to a blockage, cells can very quickly die. Emergency medical treatment is important for treating the condition. Each year, more than 1 million Americans suffer from a heart attack.

There are many treatments available for heart disease, but early detection is key. Call your doctor if you’re feeling very tired, have trouble getting around, or feel your heart beating in your chest. Other symptoms include chest pain, dizziness and a fast heart rate.

If diagnosed, your doctor can suggest various treatments which could include medication, lifestyle changes and frequent monitoring. Home monitoring systems can be helpful for early detection, like Tabitha’s Honeywell HomeMed Telemonitoring system. This recently upgraded state-of-the-art system allows you to collect your heart rate and blood pressure at home and transmit the results to health professionals for review.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Americans. Learning the terminology and signs can help you live happy and heart-healthy!

To learn more about how Tabitha’s telemonitoring system can help manage chronic conditions like heart disease, contact a Tabitha Continuum Navigator at 402.486.8520. They can walk you through the easy-to-use device and suggest how it might help you catch irregularities before they become full-fledged problem.


Heart-Healthy Tips
A few simple, easy changes can help your heart stay healthy and fit.

  • Eat more fruits and veggies – doctors suggest that fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that may help prevent heart disease. Keep vegetables washed and ready to go for meals. Try to add a fruit for a daily snack.
  • Limit fats and cholesterol in your diet – cholesterol from foods has a direct affect on your susceptibility for coronary artery disease. Limit foods with solid fats such as butter, margarine and shortening. Try oils instead and lower-fat options for your favorite foods.
  • Quit smoking – chemicals in smoke can damage your blood vessels and contribute to the narrowing of your arteries.
  • Move more – regular exercise helps you manage your weight and lessen your chances for developing heart-straining diseases. It also helps to reduce stress, another contributing factor to heart disease.
  • Know your numbers – make it a priority to get regular blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes screenings. Early detection of abnormal results is important in treating heart issues.
  • Be pro-active – contact a Continuum Navigator at 402.486.8520 to see how a home telemonitoring system could work to manage existing conditions.
Embracing the New Year and the Aging Journey - Jan. 2013

Embracing the New Year and the Aging Journey

New Year’s resolutions about improving your life, relationships and health certainly define the season. As we age and we find ourselves surviving the ego-centricity of youth, we emerge armed with experience and knowledge, but perhaps questions about how our goals should evolve with us. Maybe our relationships have changed over the years, perhaps it’s what we believe in, the health of our body or the interests we pursue. At Tabitha, we encourage others to not only face the aging journey, but embrace it. Join us in taking this year to explore your goals at this stage in your life, wherever you are in the aging journey.

Embracing the Mind
Our thoughts are our gifts. Treasure them throughout the aging journey by taking time to nurture them. Consider keeping a journal or reaching out to share ideas with friends and family. Memory loss is not a normal part of aging. Some studies show that taking care of your brain by adopting a healthy diet, getting proper exercise, working puzzles and remaining socially active can reduce your risk for memory loss. 

Embracing the Body
The aging journey certainly takes our bodies to new places. Understanding limitations and abilities at every stage is important and can help you recognize the need for exercise, nourishing foods and health monitoring. Health care professionals become important resources in maintaining your health and ultimately allowing you to physically accomplish the things that matter most.

Embracing the Spirit
Our spirits also evolve over the years. What mattered most to us as children is often vastly different than our defined ambitions as adults. Spend time exploring who you are at this moment. What do you believe in? What is your purpose? Who is important to you? The answers to these questions evolve with time, getting sweeter as the years go by.

Join us in committing the new year to explore the mind, body and spirit of the aging journey. You may be surprised where it takes you.

Keep track of your health care goals with Tabitha’s Personal Health Records book. This handy book allows you to keep record of immunizations, medications, health screenings, doctor appointments and much more in one easy to find location. Request a free copy by e-mailing answers@tabitha.org or by calling a Tabitha Continuum Navigator at 402.486.8520.

Keeping Your Cool In The Heat

By Ruth Majors, RN, Tabitha Health Care Services

Do you like to golf, garden, attend car shows or just spend time outdoors? The summer months mean many of us spend more time outside doing those activities we love. Summer fun can also bring on the heat and with that—heat stress. What begins as a fun day at the classic car show can end up in crisis if you are not cautious about summer heat. Even short periods of high temperatures with little exertion can cause serious health problems. Heat stress can include a variety of conditions ranging from a mild skin rash caused by excessive sweating to a severe heat stroke.

Though individuals aged 65+ are more vulnerable to the stress of heat and heat-related illnesses, a little advance planning can make the difference between a summer made in the shade or a summer meltdown!

  • Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable clothing such as cotton.
  • Schedule heavier activities during the coolest parts of day.
  • Take more breaks in extreme heat and humidity.
  • Take breaks in the shade or a cool area when possible.
  • Drink water frequently. Drink enough water that you never become thirsty.
  • Avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol and large amounts of sugar.
  • Use sunscreen. Regardless of the SPF number, all sunscreens should be thoroughly re-applied every 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  • Water, sand, concrete and other surfaces reflect UV rays so you can be exposed even under cover. You DO need sunscreen even if you are under a beach umbrella or sitting in the shade.
  • Use a Buddy System—when exposed to heat, monitor the condition of your buddy and have someone do the same for you.
     
Celebrate Your Independence By Preventing Falls & Fractures
  • One-third of individuals aged 75+ report a fall at least once a year.
  • Falls result in over 200,000 hip fractures each year.
  • Falls are not a normal part of the aging process and oftentimes can be avoided by making simple changes in your home.

-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Did you know that falls are incorrectly attributed to aging? In contrary to popular belief, falls are not a normal part of aging. Falls and fall-related injuries occur at any age. But the greater severity of injuries as we age, combined with longer recovery periods, makes these injuries a serious threat to our health. Here are some simple tips that you can do to protect against falls and injury:

  • Check your home regularly to make sure you don’t have any tripping hazards: loose carpet or flooring, cords, even a pair of shoes. Avoid throw rugs.
  • Place a rubber mat with suction cups in your shower or tub.
  • Make sure you have ample light to see by. Place night lights in rooms and hallways.
  • Ensure that couches and chairs are at a proper height to get into and out of easily.
  • Have your vision and hearing tested and corrected regularly.
  • Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about the side effects of drugs and how they affect your balance and coordination.
  • Avoid getting up quickly after eating or lying down as low blood pressure may cause dizziness.
  • Use a cane or walker to help maintain balance on uneven or unfamiliar ground, or if you sometimes feel dizzy or short of breath.
  • Wear shoes that have rubber soles with low heels and provide support.
  • Get adequate calcium and vitamin D in your diet.
  • Getting screened and treated for osteoporosis.
  • Exercise! Exercise! Exercise! Regular physical activity improves strength and muscle tone and keeps joints, tendons and ligaments more flexible. Walking, swimming or bike riding builds endurance. Weight bearing activities may reduce bone loss from osteoporosis. Check with your doctor or physical therapist about a suitable exercise program.
  • If you are prone to falling, considering using an emergency call service such as "VoiceCare.”

If you would like a Home Safety Evaluation to remove any potential for falls, please contact one of the staff Tabitha Office during business hours.

Osteoporosis: Are You At Risk?

By: Audrey J. Cassel, P.T., D.P.T

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation:

  • 20% of those affected by osteoporosis are men.
  • 10 million Americans are estimated to have osteoporosis. 34 million more have low bone mass.
  • 85% of adult bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20 in boys.
  • 25% of hip fractures patients age 50 and over die in the year following their fracture.
  • Osteoporosis is the weakening of the infrastructure of your bones. Weakened bones are more likely to break. The risk factors for osteoporosis include age, gender, race, weighing less than 127 pounds, family history, hyperparathyroidism, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, cancer, organ replacement, and some necessary medications (steroids, anti-seizure, anticoagulants, synthroid, some cancer medications and some diuretics).

The good news about osteoporosis is that there are many risk factors that you can control. Does your diet consist of too much or too little calcium, too little Vitamin D, too much or too little protein, more than two drinks of alcohol per day, any smoking or too little exercise? Weight bearing and resistance exercises are very good to decrease your osteoporosis risk. Exercises that involve crunches, sit-ups and running INCREASE your risk of fracture if you already have low bone mass. Be sure to see your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Everyone begins losing bone mass after age 30, but changing your lifestyle can decrease the rate at which you lose bone mass. Many people do not realize that they have lost bone mass until they have a fracture or begin to have posture changes.

Osteoporosis can be diagnosed by having a Dexa Scan which determines how much infrastructure is left in your skeleton. The Dexa scan is painless and only takes a few minutes. You will be given a T-score which states whether you are above or below normal. A normal T score ranges from +1 to -1. Osteopenia or low bone mass is from -1.0 to -2.5. Osteoporosis is less than -2.5.

Even if you don’t have low bone mass now, you will be at risk during your lifetime, make changes now. Tabitha offers physical therapy programs for people at risk for decreased bone mineral density or for people with osteopenia or osteoporosis. For more information, please visit with a Nurse from Tabitha or call 402-486-8520.

For additional information, you can visit these Websites:

www.nof.org (American Physical Therapy Association)

www.niams.nih.gov (Geriatric Section)

General strengthening for older adults: Printable PDF

About the Author: Audrey Cassel has been a physical therapist for over 30 years. She graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center with a Bachelor of Physical Therapy. She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2008 from Creighton University. As part of doctorate degree from Creighton, she developed a community program about osteoporosis.