Healthcare Update

The Great Debate

            Today, March 24, the US House of Representatives will vote on the passage of the American Health Care Act which is designed to replace the Affordable Care Act of 2010.  The vote was originally scheduled to take place yesterday on the anniversary of the passage of the ACA but was delayed as there does not seem to be enough support within congress to get the measure to pass.  President Trump has insisted that the vote be made today and if it fails to pass that he will wash his hands of the entire affair and move on with his other election promises.  The challenge that faces congress is that this is an unpopular bill that according to the Congressional Budget Office will strip healthcare from millions of Americans over the next ten years.  Others oppose the bill because they feel it does not go far enough to strip the country of national health coverage period.  The outcome of this vote today will have an impact on millions of Americans one way or another. 

            The debate continues even now as I type this and if you are interested in hearing the mindset of the politicians in our legislative branch’s lower house, you can tune in to C-SPAN and be amazed as to the rational of thought from both sides of the aisle.  The vote is scheduled to take place at some point this afternoon and after many late-night calls and early morning renegotiating sessions the American Health Care Act has been tweaked to try and win more support but it is still expected to fail to receive the required number of affirmative votes to pass.  The new version of the AHCA is considered a bill that is even less attractive that the original as it would be more expensive to implement yet not increase the numbers of people who could be insured.   If, by some unexpected reason, the measure suddenly gains the support it needs to pass in the House of Representatives, experts believe that it will certainly fail in the Senate. 

            What does all this really mean for the American people?  Our nation’s healthcare is an incredibly complex system and there is no one right answer.  No matter what system is put in place there would be those who disagree with it and want changes to be made to make it better in their eyes.  Considerations in national healthcare…who is it going to cover, what is it going to cover and how much is it going to cost the taxpayers.  Is the current system perfect?  No.  Is it better that 20 plus million Americans have some form of health insurance as compared to before the Affordable Care Act?  Yes, simple as that.  When other industrialized nations around the world started to develop their health care systems it took time…healthcare is an ever evolving giant that no one person or program can pin down the first time in the ring.  In taking a critical look at our nation’s health care, in a study of 11 industrialized nations in 2014, we came in last in just about every major care category yet we have the most expensive care in the world.  The rising cost of care has outpaced the rest of the industrialized world by a considerable amount and of those other industrialized nations, all of them have some form of national healthcare.  Just a point to ponder.

            This debate of national health care is one that will rage on for years to come and now that it has become a part of our federal system, I feel it will be impossible to remove or revoke.  Over a hundred years ago, President Teddy Roosevelt, the man responsible for many of our National Parks stated, “…the health and vitality of our people are at least as well worth conserving as their forests, waters, lands, and minerals, and in this great work the national government must bear a most important part.”  Teddy failed to get elected for president on the Progressive ticket in 1912, if he had, we might have had our national healthcare start its journey over a hundred years ago.  As always, thanks for reading.  I know many of you are feeling some anxiety over the journey of the new health care bill but it will sort itself out and as a nation I believe that we will move forward and continue to help the people from all corners of our nation live a safer and healthier lives.  As we move towards the weekend, remember to take care of yourself and each other, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Healthcare Update

What’s It Mean For Me?

American Health Care Act Part 2

            After last week’s roll out of the replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act (2010) there have been many questions arising as to how it will impact different populations and at what cost?  The proposed American Health Care Act is designed to revamp the current national healthcare plan by redesigning how things get paid for, at what level they get paid for and who is going to pay for it.  With that being said, one thing is for sure, people, especially those who are in the lower income brackets, will no longer be able to afford health insurance.  The Congressional Budget Office has predicted that at least 23 Million Americans will lose their insurance over the next ten years.  If those numbers weren’t alarming enough, the real stunning fact coming from the White House and their own report which puts that number closer to 26 million Americans who will not be able to have basic health insurance under the American Health Care Act.  Take a moment and think about that…could you be one of the millions of Americans who could lose your health care?

            How?  How does this all come about under the proposed new plan?  In essence, it comes down to how everything gets paid for and who is paying for it.  Currently, the Affordable Care Act mandates that everyone carry health insurance, a good idea to have health insurance but not everyone is thrilled about being forced to buy it or face fines.  The idea is that if everyone has to have insurance then the prices should stay lower making it more affordable.  Subsidies from the government help those with lower incomes so they can now be covered thus reducing the burden on health care providers to care for people who can’t pay for insurance thus lower the overall cost of care…which would lower the cost of insurance…or so the idea goes.  Even though millions of Americans have signed on and now have affordable health insurance for the first time, the benefit to the insurance companies hasn’t played out as planned and many have dropped out of the program causing plan costs to rise thus making insurance more difficult to keep for many.  By dropping the mandate to maintain insurance, millions of healthy young people are projected to drop it thus driving premium costs up more and further affecting how the subsidies will work.

           The restructuring efforts to reshape how to pay for health care under the proposed new plan has been the driving force in the dropping the mandate and altering the subsidies to those who need it.  Under the current plan, those who need subsidies receive them based from their level of income.  The closer to the poverty level the greater the subsidy, if an individual or family is at or below the federal poverty level then they are directed to local and state services to meet their needs (I’ll discuss this more in a moment).  The subsidies under the Affordable Care Act will continue through 2020 when the new proposed American Health Care Act would kick in and then the sweeping changes would make health insurance affordability inaccessible for millions of low income families who depend upon subsidies.  In place of those subsidies, the proposed new plan will have tax breaks depending on age rather than income.  For a young adult, the proposed tax rebate is $2000 and for a person 60 years or older, the tax rebate is $4000.  In researching for this article, currently an older, single, low income male adult ($20,000) gets close to $8,500 in subsidies to help him pay for health insurance, under the proposed new plan, he’ll receive less than half of that thus making health insurance impossible to attain.

            Again, I just am looking to raise awareness of the effects of the proposed new plan and to paraphrase our President, healthcare is complicated.  For unbiased information and research, the Kaiser Family Foundation website is a great source of information on the cause and effects of the proposed plan.  And again, I encourage those of you who wish to dive deeper into this proposed plan to gain a deeper understanding of how this proposed legislation will impact you or your loved ones.  As always, thanks for reading, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Healthcare Update

What’s It Mean For Me?

American Health Care Act Part I

            Congress has recently released plans to replace the current national health system here in the United States and as with anything that the Federal Government does that affects our lives, it has created a huge number of questions.  Below is a brief highlight of the changes proposed to our national healthcare this last week and on the surface, some of these line items might seem like a great deal but for every opportunity, there is a cost.  The long-term cost of some of these line items could actually increase healthcare for the common individual rather than cut cost.  This alternate plan to the Affordable Care Act has created a stir on both sides of the political spectrum as politicians, medical professionals, and healthcare watch groups doubt the dubious nature of the “improvements” to our national healthcare.

1)  Individual mandate

Repeal

Eliminates the individual mandate. Instead, introduces a "continuous coverage incentive" which charges individuals a 30 percent penalty for lapses in health coverage.

2)  Employer mandate

Repeal

3)  Subsidies for out-of-pocket expenses

Repeal

Repeals in 2020.

4)  Premium subsidies

Change

Uses age, instead of income, to calculate how much a person should receive. Households earning less than $150,000 and individual’s earnings less than $75,000 will receive tax credits in full, but they will be capped for higher earners. For a person under 30, the subsidy would be $2,000, and double for people over 60. The bill also expands the type of health plans that qualify for subsidies.

6)  Medicaid expansion

Change

Medicaid expansion will be kept, but federal funding for states as promised under the A.C.A. will be stopped in 2020. Federal funding for people who leave the program and return, or who are eligible staring 2020, will be reduced. The bill also proposes capping federal funding per enrollee, based on how much each state was spending in fiscal year 2016.

7)  Health savings account

Change

Raises the cap, and allows for spousal contributions. Starting in 2018, individuals will be able to place $6,550 into a tax-free health savings account (compared to $3,400 now) and families $13,100 (compared to $6,750 now).

8)  Restrictions on charging more for older Americans

Change

Plans will be allowed to charge up to five times as much for elderly customers, as opposed to three times as much. States have the option to choose their own ratio.

9)  Dependent coverage until 26

Keep

10)  Pre-existing conditions policy

Keep

11)  Essential health benefits

Keep

12)  Prohibitions on annual and lifetime limits

Keep

(Courtesy of Bob Fredericks, The New York Post, 3/10/2017)

         I would like to take this time to state that I am not promoting any one particular political party view but I am trying to inform my readers as to what is going on and some of the possible repercussions to these changes.  There may be those readers who disagree with national healthcare on principle and then at the other end of the spectrum believe that the Federal Government should pay for everything…as we move forward in the foreseeable future, I don’t see either of those options happening anytime soon as the current landscape of our country doesn’t allow for it.  In order to keep this post manageable, I intend to break this topic up into multiple posts for easier consumption.  There are dozens of reputable news sources who are churning out a blinding amount of information on this topic and I encourage you to wade into the fray to inform yourself to the best of your ability.

            The question of national healthcare is one that goes back over a hundred years here in the United States as various administrations have tried and failed to get national healthcare for our citizens.  The earliest push for healthcare was for basic insurance coverage for all Americans over a hundred years ago with the belief that healthy people made for better, more productive workers and thus a more vibrant economy.  The other industrialized nations in Europe had started to adopt national measure to protect their populations in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s and these nations have had well over a hundred years of making adjustments to arrive at the systems they have today.  Healthcare is complicated to say the least…it’s complex and there is no one method that is going to make everyone happy.  It is going to take trial and error, empathy and equality but most of all it is going to take communication and compromise…a willingness to have dialogue and finding a way to move forward for the benefit of all, not just party lines.  I know it’s a complex subject but when I return Monday, I will begin to break each item down for better understanding.  As I hope everyone has a great weekend and stay warm during this late winter cold snap…warm weather will be back soon.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlight

The Power of Being Positive

“Being positive in a negative situation is not naïve, it’s leadership” ~Unknown

            We have become a nation besmirched of cynicism and negativity.  We believe that the doomsday clock is ticking faster than ever and that the end of days must surely be at hand because of this, that, and the other (fill in the blank and pick your own reasons).  In the latest Gallup poll on American’s satisfaction of the state of the union…for the fourth month in a row the level of dissatisfied Americans has continued to hover near 70%.  The worry index (I’m not making this stuff up!), spiked in November and still hovers just above 30% (this means we worry everyday about the state of our country) …in short, as a nation, we have a very poor and pessimistic outlook on our nation and our lives.  Negativity, pessimism, gloom and doom…all these emotions take a collective toll on both our mental health as well as our physical health too.  The power of positive thinking not only allows us to develop a better outlook on life but it can help us lead healthier lives as well.

            There are those who argue that by living an artificial “positive” life that it can create more problems than it cures but I believe it is all in how you look at being positive.  When I encourage being positive I mean try and find the good out of every situation.  What I don’t mean is hide your head in the sand and pretend that the rocks and shoals of life don’t exist…one view sees the pitfalls and bumps in the road the other pretend those things don’t exist.  I am reminded of a quote by Charles Swindell when he said, “Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you react.”  In short, life happens…how are you going to react to it?

I want to discuss the power of acknowledging the adversity in life and focusing on the opportunity that comes from that adversity and moving forward, growing and developing better, sharper life skills.  There are proven health benefits to having a positive outlook despite the naysayers, and according to Mayo Clinic these benefits include:

·         Increased life span

·         Lower rates of depression

·         Lower levels of distress

·         Greater resistance to the common cold

·         Better psychological and physical well-being

·         Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease

·         Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

The belief is that by having a better outlook on life, a positive outlook on life, even during times of upheaval, the ability to be positive is a calming force that reduces the bodies stress levels.  It is this reduction of measurable stress that give us the better coping skills as well as the other benefits associated with being positive. 

            If you don’t feel you’re a positive person, don’t worry, you’re not alone but don’t stress about it, there are techniques you can learn to become a more positive person with a healthier outlook on life.  Identify areas where you typically have negative thoughts (work, school, ect.) and try to find small areas to focus on in a positive manner. Have a check moment…find something you do daily (check email, have a snack, go to the restroom…) take time and do a mental inventory of your mood, do you feel negative? If so why?  How can I put a positive spin on it?  By becoming more aware, you will begin to change the way you approach and look at the world.  Be open to humor in tough times, surround yourself with positive people and practice positive self-talk (I struggle with this one at times but it works).  Like I tell my kids, if you don’t stand up for yourself, who will?  The same idea applies to talking kindly of yourself.  By incorporating these few methods, you can gradually change your outlook to a more positive point of view thus reducing stress and allowing you to feel better about yourself and your suroundings.

            As we head into the weekend, take some time and practice a few of these ideas.  It may feel a little funny at first but given time I bet you’ll start to see the world a little bit differently and with a little more hope.  As we look for the good in life we often find the good in people and in situations that we didn’t always see there before…take a chance and see what you can find.  As always, thanks for reading, I hope everyone has a good and safe weekend.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlight

The Gall of it all!

The gallbladder is a small pouch, about the size of a pear, that sits just under the liver and stores the bile produced by the liver for use to help breakdown the fats we consume in our daily diet.  Even though the gallbladder helps us during the digestive process, the gallbladder itself is not considered an essential organ and can be removed without significant long term harm to the individual.  This little storage pouch is often not thought of during the events of our regular day…that is until the little blighter starts to act up with inflammation, gall stones, or cancer.  Issues with the gallbladder are the base of most of the digestive issues in the United States.  It is estimated that over twenty million people living in the US have gall stones and there are almost a million new cases every year.  What does this all mean?  What’s the big deal of having gall stones? 

Gall stones are just that, little stones that develop within the gallbladder and cause a blockage of the bile that is to be released after food is consumed.  When these bile ducts are blocked, the individual can experience a range of symptoms that are all uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating.  The following are what a patient might experience with gall stones:

·         Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the upper right portion of your abdomen

·         Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the center of your abdomen, just below your breastbone

·         Back pain between your shoulder blades

·         Pain in your right shoulder

·         Nausea or vomiting. 

There is no clear cause of the formation of these stones but there are contributing factors that help in the formation of these stones.  Some of the most common contributors are too much cholesterol in the bile, too much bilirubin or the gallbladder doesn’t empty properly.  Factors that may increase your risk of getting gall stones are many: being female, being age 40 or older, being overweight or obese, being sedentary, being pregnant, eating a high-fat diet, eating a high-cholesterol diet, eating a low-fiber diet, family history, diabetes, rapid weight loss and having liver disease. 

If you have experienced or are currently experiencing any of the symptoms and you feel you have at least one of the possible risk factors don’t just wait for the pain to go away on its own.  The chances are that these symptoms will gradually get worse and if left unchecked your gallbladder could rupture leading to a whole host of new problems.  Go see you family physician and they will start the protocol of getting the issue under control and if need be, the removal of the gallbladder will be ordered.  In most cases the procedure is an outpatient affair done laparoscopically with a few small incisions versus opening up the torso to remove a ruptured one.  As I said before, millions of people have gall stones and you can live a normal life with them as long as you’re not experiencing any painful symptoms.  The most common remedy is to have the gallbladder removed though there are some options of taking medications to dissolve the stones instead of surgery.

As always, thanks for reading and I hope as we move forward into the week that everyone enjoys the spring like weather, only a few more weeks to go till Spring gets sprung!  Take care of yourself and each other…in these times of random acts of violence against people of different backgrounds and religions we need to embrace the best of humanity more than ever…remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

President's Day

President’s Day

“The supreme quality for a leader is unquestionable integrity.”

~President Dwight D. Eisenhower

            In 1799, President George Washington passed and a young nation mourned this loss with a heavy heart.  To honor his memory, February 22, Washington’s birthday, became a day of remembrance to celebrate the life of one of America’s greatest individuals.  Though celebrated since 1800, Washington’s birthday did not become a federally recognized holiday until President Rutherford B Hays signed it into law in 1879.  At first this new federal holiday only applied to the District of Columbia and in 1885 became a nationally recognized affair.  Washington’s birthday joined four other federal holidays…Christmas Day, New Years Day, the 4th of July and Thanksgiving Day. In 1971, as a part of Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Washington’s birthday federal holiday was moved to the third Monday in February as part of creating more three-day weekends for federal employees.  Though recognized as a day to celebrate Washington’s birthday, by the 1980’s, this holiday became one to celebrate and honor all of our nation’s Presidents.  As of today, there are four Presidents who have their birthdays in February…George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan but all are too early or too late to fall on President’s Day. 

            The President’s office has been built over the past two hundred and twenty-eight years by the actions or inactions of the various men who have had the privilege of being elected to that office.  We celebrated George Washington because he was a national hero during the struggle for independence and was considered a great leader for his ability to discharge his duties with courage, integrity and honesty.  In short, George Washington became the ideal symbol for the new nation and as many historians agree, one of his greatest attributes was humility.  Washington could have easily been crowned the new King of the United States or run for President for a life time but he knew that his actions would set the tone for future generations to come.  The office of the Presidency is one that should command and deserve respect not only from those who come to visit the office of the President but by the person who resides in the President’s home.  Over the years our country has seen those who handled the job well and those who have had their fair share of struggles and scandals but the office…the idea of who and what the president has lived on.  The history of the presidency is a fascinating one as each of the previous 44 presidents (43 different men as Grover Cleveland won…then lost…then won his office back so he counts twice) have left a unique legacy that joins the blend and the rich history of the presidency.

            I encourage you to take some time today and to get to know some of the interesting facts about our previous presidents…who was the first (and only) president to get married while in office?  Who was the first family to have a father and son both as presidents?  Who was the first president elected by congress?  There are many great sources to find answers to questions like these if you’re in to that kind of trivia.  To date, the United States have never had a woman to fill the office of President but throughout our history, dozens of women have thrown their hats into the ring and as with other industrialized nations, I’m sure it is only a matter of time before we will have a woman as a head of state.  I hope everyone has a great week moving forward so take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Just a Thought

Science Rocks!

“Galileo – the father of modern physics – indeed of modern science.” ~Albert Einstein

            The definition of science is: the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.  Or in layman’s terms, science is the study of what we observe in the world around us.  Science has given the world so many benefits to our modern world it is unfathomable to think of a world without it.  Scientific study gives us electricity, clean and safe water, warm and comfortable homes, the clothes on our back, the cars we drive and the toys we play with.  Without science, we might as well be living in caves with nothing but tree leaves to cover our nakedness.  On this date in history in 1633, Galileo was confronted by officials of the church in Rome about his belief that the Earth was not the center of the solar system but that the sun was.  This theory was not new to the scientific community or the church leadership but it was a taboo subject that the Catholic Church deemed heretical and against the teachings of the church.  Galileo was, according to Albert Einstein, the father of modern physics/science and after his time with the inquisition, Galileo was placed under house arrest for the last eight years of his life.  It was while he was under house arrest that Galileo wrote his groundbreaking book, Discourses and Mathematical Demonstrations Concerning the Two New Sciences.  The manuscript was smuggled to Holland where it was printed and published for the enrichment of all humanity.  The two “new” sciences were the study of materials and the study of motion, precursors to physics as we understand it today.  Galileo was 77 when he passed away.

            I am writing about science today not just because of the injustice that Galileo faced almost 400 years ago, I am writing about science today because it is a field that is so critical to the future of our nation’s industry and development…and it is in grave danger.  On the global stage, the Unite States lags far behind other industrial nations when it comes competencies in certain academic arenas such as math, reading and science and it has been for a long time.  And given the recent events in our nation’s capital and the dismissive attitude towards science, it doesn’t look like we will be gaining much ground in the near future.  Science is the base for all understanding of medical advancements in medicine, lifesaving technique and lifesaving care.  Science is where humanity will discover the cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.  Science is also the springboard platform to launch our economy to the next level as high tech jobs and manufacturing will expand and provide solid growth.  Science will provide innumerable jobs in renewable energy and the technology that goes with this cleaner energy.  Hundreds of years ago, humanity looked upon science and mathematics as witchcraft brought about by Beelzebub when really it is a testament to the God given ability for men and women to use reason and forward thinking to gain a better understanding of the world around us.  Ask any elementary school aged kid what their favorite class is (after gym and recess) and it is usually science.  How did we begin to lose our sense of wonder?  Too many video games?  I don’t have the answer, I just ask the questions…how do we as a nation find our ability to wonder and ask questions again?

            As always, thanks for reading and I encourage you to do some of your own reading on the positive impact of science and how we all benefit.  Science is not against humanity…just the opposite, science is very much for the success of all humanity.  Have a safe week and take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlight

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, CPR

            I love learning new things, especially those things that are positive, edifying and serve a purpose for humanity.  I had an opportunity to take a basic life-saving class this past week in order to renew my CPR certification which was out of date by at least 20 years.  My, how things have changed!  As we head into the weekend, I would like to share a little bit about the history of CPR and some of the basics for those of you who may think you are not capable of learning the basic skills behind saving a life.  I would also encourage you to find a location where CPR training is given and take advantage of learning this life saving technique, you may never know when you could save a person’s life.

            The history of cardiopulmonary resuscitation as we know it today got its start in 1960 as CPR was first developed and shared with physicians as a method to revive unresponsive patients who had stopped breathing and had no pulse.  Since 1960, modifications and improvements have been introduced as the science of saving a life has improved.  The CPR of today is quite different than the CPR of when I was first learning about it as a kid in the 1970’s.  Today, CPR involves a rescuer giving chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 times a minute and if the rescuer is able to, 2 breaths via mouth-to-mouth after every 30 compressions, (this is the basic life-saving act of CPR).  Though developed in 1960 and endorsed by the American Heart Association in 1963, the pieces of the CPR puzzle started more than 200 years earlier.  The Paris Academy of Sciences officially recommended the use of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for drowning victims in 1740.  The first documented use of chest compressions for the purpose of saving a life was done by Dr. Friedrich Maass 151 years later in 1891.  These ideas were brought together in 1960 and have been used to great effect in saving thousands of lives over the past 57 years.  The American Heart Association has been the champion of CPR as CPR is the best first treatment for those who have suffered a cardiac arrest (which is different from a heart attack).  Cardiac arrest is where the heart develops an irregular heart beat and can suddenly stop whereas a heart attack is caused by a blockage of a blood vessel to the tissue of the heart causing damage to the tissue of the muscle, if the blockage is large enough then too much tissue is damaged and the heart stops.  This is why CPR is so effective as a first response to the patient, the chest compressions keep the blood flowing to the heart and to the brain in order to keep the tissue alive until either the heart goes back into its normal rhythm or is shocked back into its normal rhythm.  Time, speed and effective communication are all critical elements in executing CPR and the more trained persons that can help during an episode, the higher the probability of a successful outcome for the patient’s survival and recovery.

            As we head into the weekend before Valentine’s Day, take time to look up CPR either at the American Heart Association’s web page or just google CPR to read more about this fascinating subject…you may be surprised at what you learn.  Have a great weekend everyone and be safe out there, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Safety Highlight

Modern Day Slavery

“Human trafficking is a crime against humanity.  We must unite our efforts to free victims and stop this crime that’s become ever more aggressive, that threatens not just individuals, but the foundational values of society.”  ~ Pope Francis

            Human trafficking is exactly what it sounds like, the selling of a human being into the bonds of slavery for the purpose of engaging in sex for pay or for forced labor.  In school, we learned that President Lincoln ended slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation 154 years ago, on January 1st, 1863.  The reality is that the slave industry is alive and well here in the United States as well as all around the globe.  Where slave markets were once a public affair, the new slave market operates in the shadows of abandon buildings and the cross roads of the interstates.  Due to the dark nature of this “industry” there are no hard, confirmed numbers but agencies that fights this abomination such as the US Institute Against Human Trafficking estimate that in the United States alone there could be up to a million persons ensnared in this vial trade as victims.  The victims of this modern slavery are people of every age, gender, and orientation…no one is immune. 

            While Victims can come from every walk of life, there are certain tendencies and vulnerabilities that trafficker seem to be attracted to.  According to Polaris, one of the many agencies fighting human trafficking, many victims are runaways or who are homeless as well as victims of domestic violence or sexual assault.  These victims are targeted because of their vulnerabilities and are often forced into situations of harsh labor or for sex trafficking.  It is estimated that somewhere between 100,000 to 300,000 persons are forced into the sex trade with most of these children under the age of 18 and as young as 5 years old.  It is believed that as many as 15 % of those sold for sex are boys and that number is growing.  I’m sure some of you might have heard on the news about how host cities step up vice enforcement as tens of thousands of football fans pour in to their city to party…some of those parties involve the exploitation of the innocent to the highest bidder. 

            There are warning signs that might allow a person to help a suspected victim of trafficking if they are aware… (from https://polarisproject.org/recognize-signs)

Common Work and Living Conditions: The individual(s) in question

• Is not free to leave or come and go as he/she wishes
• Is under 18 and is providing commercial sex acts
• Is in the commercial sex industry and has a pimp / manager
• Is unpaid, paid very little, or paid only through tips
• Works excessively long and/or unusual hours
• Is not allowed breaks or suffers under unusual restrictions at work
• Owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off
• Was recruited through false promises concerning the nature and conditions of his/her work
• High security measures exist in the work and/or living locations (e.g. opaque windows, boarded up windows, bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.)

Poor Mental Health or Abnormal Behavior

• Is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid
• Exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behavior after bringing up law enforcement
• Avoids eye contact

Poor Physical Health

• Lacks health care
• Appears malnourished
• Shows signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture

Lack of Control

• Has few or no personal possessions
• Is not in control of his/her own money, no financial records, or bank account
• Is not in control of his/her own identification documents (ID or passport)
• Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves (a third party may insist on being present and/or translating)

Other

• Claims of just visiting and inability to clarify where he/she is staying/address
• Lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or do not know what city he/she is in
• Loss of sense of time
• Has numerous inconsistencies in his/her story

          Human trafficking is a horror against humanity and must be fought with all resources long before we build a wall or cancel health insurance to millions of people…our humanity depends upon it.  If you have questions, please call the US Institute Against Human Trafficking (844) 600-7774 or Polaris (888) 373-7888 or if you suspect someone is being held against their will, call your local authority…every bit helps.  Thanks for reading and I hope everyone has a safe week moving forward.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com

Health Highlight

Norovirus, The Stomach Bug

            Maladies of the gastrointestinal track are often referred to as a stomach flu or as food poisoning by those who think they have been poisoned by consuming some form of undercooked mystery meat product served up by their favorite greasy spoon restaurant.  What they are most likely suffering from is an acute outbreak of the norovirus which wreaks havoc on the digestive system of those who are unfortunate enough to contracted the highly contagious bug.  Norovirus is an illness that involves the inflammation of the stomach and of the intestines which causes severe symptoms that usually start within 24 hours after exposure and can last up to 48 hours after the symptoms start.  Norovirus is a tough bug that has the ability to mutate easily and due to the design of the virus, it is hard to kill and is easily transmittable.  Even though the illness in very unpleasant, most people recover just as quickly as they came down with it.  The most common time of the year to become ill from the norovirus is during the late fall into the winter which is why so many people confuse it with the flu but it should be understood and recognized for what it is in order to help minimize its spread.

            The symptoms of norovirus can be severe and sudden as the most common symptoms involve the onset of nausea, cramps, and a headache followed by vomiting and watery diarrhea and all usually at the same time.  Other symptoms also include feeling feverish, muscle aches and fatigue.  This illness usually lingers for up to 48 hours for most people but for the elderly and those who already have weakened immune systems, the illness can last longer which is why dehydration becomes such a serious concern.  There is no known vaccine for the norovirus so the best thing for those who are suffering from norovirus is to try and relieve the impact of the symptoms they are suffering from.  The best thing to do is to make sure that the patient is getting plenty of fluids in order to prevent dehydration.  Medication for the headaches, fever as well as muscle aches such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen (over the counter products) will work as well as long as the patient can keep the medication down long enough to allow it to work.  The body will want to purge anything that is in the system and it will do so with regularity until the illness has run its course.  As a patient is coming out of the illness, items like dry toast or crackers are often a good food to help get the system back in order again but most likely the patient will not feel too keen to dive in and eat until they are good and ready which may be a couple of days.

            Norovirus is really a highly contagious bug as the virus can survive up to 72 hours on an untreated counter or door knob.  People who have been ill with norovirus are still contagious even after they start to feel better so it is advisable that those who are ill take an extra day to fully recover before going back to work as they could pass the illness on without knowing it. The virus is passed on by contaminated surfaces or objects that might have vomit or stool on them.  A simple towel that might have been used to clean up after a mess can carry that virus for days until it is washed and dried properly and everything that towel touched becomes contaminated for up to three days.  The make-up of the virus makes it resistant to common disinfectants and the only way to kill the virus is by using bleach or heat to kill the virus.  Decontaminating the living areas and washing hands frequently with hot soapy water is about the best defense against the spread of the virus.  The norovirus has been making repeated trips around our communities this year so I felt the need to share…I hope everyone has a great weekend and I hope that for those who are planning to attend Super Bowl events and parties, be safe and have fun.  Take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.

Wm Reid

Best Home Care Services

325 N Eastern Ave

Connersville, IN 47331

765-827-9833

wmreid@bhcshealth.com