SPRING 2015• YOUR‘FIVEWISHES’

• PROTECTAGAINSTSCAMS

• MEDICATIONMANAGEMENTTIPS

• HEALTHYRECIPE

residentialhomehealth.com phone: (888) 930-WELL (9355)

In case you ever become unable to speak for yourself or make your own health care decisions,

a living will can ensure that your wishes are understood and honored. The short Five Wishes

booklet is a legally binding ‘advance directive’ that clearly indicates who you have selected

to make decisions on your behalf (Wish 1) as well as what medical interventions, if any, you

want to have taken (Wish 2). Beyond these legally binding requirements, Five Wishes places

equal emphasis on your individual preferences, intending to ensure your personal comfort and

dignity near the end of life (Wishes 3, 4, and 5).

Things to know about FiveWishes:

• Created by the nonprofit organization Aging with Dignity, in cooperation with the American Bar Association.

• Currently meets the legal requirements of 42 states, including Michigan and Illinois.

• Can be completed by any person age 18 or over for a small fee.

• Available in dozens of languages.

• Plainly presents choices with clear explanations.

• Easy for you to complete and for others to follow.

Thanks to this inclusive document, making your wishes known may be simpler than you think. Visit residentialhomehealth.com/fivewishes for more.

residentialhomehealth.com phone: (888) 930-WELL (9355)

Elderly adults who live alone

may be vulnerable to scams

attempting to gain access to

their finances. It is important

to be aware of how you may

be targeted, and what steps to

take to protect yourself.

Scams are often attempted

over the phone: the caller may

be a telemarketer pressuring

you to make a donation, or

someone claiming that your

grandchild needs money to be

bailed out of jail. Other scams

might offer products that are

overpriced (such as anti-aging

beauty products) or not as

advertised (such as counterfeit

prescription drugs). Or scam

artists could promise to

improve your finances through

fake investment opportunities

or a hefty reverse mortgage.

Even your Medicare number

may be targeted, which could

lead to you being billed for

incorrect services.

guard againstScams

• Never give out financial or personal information over the phone.

• Ask for details in writing (e.g. address and/or business license number).

• Use Internet research to verify that businesses and/or offers are legitimate.

• Take written notes, and ask for details and exact figures.

• Never send money to unfamiliar people or places.

• Enlist a trusted loved one to help navigate financial decision-making and look over statements.

• Trust your gut: if an opportunity sounds too good to be true, it generally is.

Toprotectyourself,REMEMBERTHESETIPS:

“...Telephone scams can take many forms...”

practice medicationmanagementUsing four or more medications daily (known as ‘polypharmacy’) can put you at risk for

overmedication or harmful drug interactions. When juggling several medications and

multivitamins per day, it can be easy to accidentally skip a dose, take a repeat dose,

mistake one drug for another, or experience side effects.

Followthesestepsforbettermedicationmanagement:

• When picking up prescriptions, make sure the

labels are large enough to read and understand,

and that the cap can be opened with ease.

• When adding a new prescription, ask if it will

cause adverse side effects when paired with

regularly prescribed medication or food.

• Keep a list of current medications (including

drug names, prescribed dosages, and common

side effects), and review and update it regularly

— including sharing it with your doctor and

care team.

• Because it’s easy to confuse medications with

similar names, look for ways to differentiate

the drugs in your regimen: for example, draw a

different picture on each cap.

• The difficulties that come with Alzheimer’s

disease or dementia can put you at increased risk

for missed or repeated doses. Look for helpful

aids like electronic pill dispensers, which keep

medications secure and remind you to take them

at the proper times.

Ifyouhaveconcernsaboutmedicationorwouldlikeanursetocometoyourhome,callResidentialHomeHealth at (888)930-WELL(9355).

Late one evening, a Residential Home Health

patient tested his blood sugar as part of his

diabetes regimen. Although he felt fine, his

glucose level was low. When the patient

was unable to bring this level back to the

normal range, he pressed the button on his

Residential Nurse Alert personal emergency

response system to ask for help.

Residential’s on-call triage nurse listened

to the patient’s concerns and was quickly

abletoprovidespecificdirections

andhelpfuladvice,whichthepatient

followedwithimmediatesuccess.

The triage nurse then alerted Residential

Home Health’s Certified Diabetes Educator,

who followed up with the patient the

next day with additional information and

personalized instructions.

Thanks to the convenience and assurance

of Residential Nurse Alert, what could have

developed into an emergency situation

instead became an ordinary night — with

one press of a button.

real-liferesults

Forin-depthinformation,tips,stories,andourblog,visit:

residentialhomehealth.com

FIND OUT MORE

residentialhomehealth.com phone: (888) 930-WELL (9355)

Ingredients

• 6 oz penne pasta• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts• Salt and pepper• 1 Tbsp olive oil• 3 cloves garlic, crushed• 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary• 3 cups cannellini beans, drained and rinsed• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper • 1/4 cup diced shallots • 12 cups fresh spinach• Grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Using a pot or saucepan, cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, and set aside.

2. In a separate skillet, heat about half the oil at medium-high heat. Lightly season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then sear for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.

3. Add the remaining oil, rosemary, garlic, spinach, pepper, shallots, and beans to the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the spinach wilts.

4. Slice the chicken, then combine the pasta, chicken, and bean mixture.

5. Divide into portions; sprinkle a spoonful of parmesan cheese before serving.

Chicken Penne ToscanaServings: 6 Calories per serving: 400

FeaturedHealthyRecipe

Fordietandhealthtips,visittheResidentialHomeHealthblogatblog.residentialhomehealth.com/blog

residentialwhen to call

Call (888) 930-WELL (9355) at any time to talk with a nurse about resuming home care, or with any other questions. We’ll verify that Medicare will cover you 100%, obtain necessary information from your physician’s office, and coordinate your trusted Residential Care Team to come out and care for you again.

•Preparingforasurgery•Decreasedabilitytowalk,shower,bathe,oreat•Shortnessofbreathduringdailyactivities•Feelingstressedoroverwhelmed

•Diagnosedwithanewcondition•Progressionincurrentcondition•Changesinmedication•Afall(orincreasedfearoffalling)•Hospitalization

Please don’t hesitate to call Residential Home Health if you have experienced any of the following:

residentialhomehealth.com phone: (888) 930-WELL (9355)

p: (866) 902-4000f: (866) 903-4000 residentialhomehealth.com

5440 Corporate Dr., Suite 400 ï Troy, MI 48098p: (866) 902-5854f: (866) 903-4000

residentialhospice.com

residentialhomehealth.com phone: (888) 930-WELL (9355)

READ. DISCOVER. LEARN. SHARE.

As a recent Residential Home Health patient, you’re receiving

our new periodic newsletter, Residential Review. We’re excited to

bring you these resources and tips for daily independent living

and wellness, and real-life stories of Residential Home Health

patients who have inspired us.

Should you ever need home care, call (888) 930-WELL (9355)

to speak with a Residential nurse — 24 hours a day, 7 days a

week. You can also visit us online at residentialhomehealth.com

for additional resources, videos, and articles.

Welcome to the Residential Review

SPRING 2015

• YOUR‘FIV

EWISHES’

• PROTECTA

GAINSTSCAM

S

• MEDICATIO

NMANAGE

MENTTIPS

• HEALTHYR

ECIPE

residentialhomehealth.com phone: (866)902-4000

phone: (888) 930-WELL