An Outstanding Honor for Beth Abraham Center

Montefiore Health System recognizes that Beth Abraham Center delivers the highest quality of post-acute care to patients transitioning from hospitals.

The award is based on Montefiore’s comprehensive review of the following factors:

• CMS and NYS DOH quality scores
• RFI score pertaining to clinical capabilities, staffing, quality, and collaborative activities
• A review of DOH surveys and other submitted supplemental materials
• The volume of patients discharged to and admitted from proximal MHS facilities
• Specialized service offerings (vent, dialysis, bariatric, etc.)
• Feedback from MHS internal stakeholders

We are proud to have earned this outstanding honor and we look forward to working with Montefiore.

Beth Abraham Center earns prestigious Target: BP Gold + honor.

Beth Abraham Center has been recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Medical Association (AMA) for its commitment to helping improve blood pressure (BP) control rates among the patient populations it serves, earning Gold + level recognition as part of the 2022 Target: BP™ Recognition Program.

The Participation award recognizes practices that have committed to reducing the number of adult patients with uncontrolled BP.

Hypertension (high BP) is a leading risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and preventable death in the U.S. In addition, there are 116 million U.S. adults living with high BP and less than half of those people have their BP under control – making both diagnosing and effectively managing hypertension critical.

“We are proud that Beth Abraham Center has received this great award from the American Heart Association for this year’s Target BP Recognition Program,” said Kenny Rozenberg, CEO of Centers Health Care. “The commitment to save lives as we continue the journey to fight hypertension demonstrates our dedication to our residents and their families.”

Target: BP is a national collaboration between the AHA and the AMA aimed at reducing the number of Americans who suffer from heart attacks and strokes each year by urging physician practices, health systems and patients to prioritize BP control. The initiative aims to help health care organizations improve BP control rates through use of the evidence-based AMA MAP BP™ quality improvement program, and recognizes organizations committed to improving blood pressure control.

Centers Health Care is committed to improving BP control rates throughout its facilities.

4 of the Most Common Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

Vitamin or mineral deficiencies can oftentimes be to blame for a host of medical conditions. In the United States, there are several common deficiencies in otherwise healthy people that can cause problems. Many times, a simple deficiency can explain an otherwise puzzling health condition.

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has details on four deficiencies that you may want to ask your doctor about.

1. Iron

Nearly a quarter of the worldwide population has an iron deficiency, which can lead to conditions like anemia. That number is much higher in preschool children. Signs of anemia include fatigue, weakness, decreased brain function, and a weaker immune system.

Good sources of iron are red meat, shellfish, beans, seeds, and dark, leafy greens. Vitamin C can also enhance the body’s ability to absorb iron. It can be taken via supplement, but check the label on your multivitamin, as not all of them contain iron.

2. Iodine

Iodine is essential for good thyroid health, and a deficiency can cause an enlarged thyroid (goiter), which can increase heart rate and promote weight gain.

Fish and seaweed are packed with iodine, as are plain yogurt and eggs. Table salt can also be enriched with iodine.

3. Vitamin D

Vitamin D can be found in foods, but it primarily comes from sun exposure, and given that so many people are inside throughout the day (especially in the winter months), it’s natural that a vitamin D deficiency is common–it’s seen in nearly three-quarters of all U.S. seniors. Muscle weakness, bone loss and weakness, and even an increased risk of certain types of cancer can all come from this deficiency. Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel along with egg yolks are high in vitamin D, but the best way to get enough is through the sun or supplements.

4. Magnesium

About half the U.S. population does not get enough magnesium, which is important for bone and teeth structure, along with processes involving your muscles and others. A deficiency can cause an abnormal heart rhythm, restless leg syndrome, and migraines.

Whole grains, almonds, dark chocolate, and dark green, leafy vegetables are good sources of magnesium.

 

To learn more about Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://beth-abraham-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

How to Turn Languishing Mental Health Into a Flourishing One

As the country slowly worked its way through COVID-19, a gradual instead of a swift end to the pandemic led to continual mental health problems This state of not quite feeling back to normal and missing life pre-pandemic was given the term languishing.

In some ways, 2022 has been better, but the virus is still with us and may be for the long-term. While we can get back to many of the things we enjoyed prior to 2020, that same feeling may never quite return.

With that in mind, experts say we can return to flourishing. Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has details on a four-step process to leave you feeling your best.

1. Identify Your Feeling

Languishing came from the self-realization that many people weren’t feeling depression or burnout but knew that things weren’t quite right. Whether you are looking to take steps to help yourself feel better or are seeking professional help, being able to identify how you’re feeling is the first crucial step in the process.

2. Give Your Mental Illness a Name

After identifying your feeling, give it a name. Instead of calling it something clinical like depression or anxiety, giving it a first name to make it feel more like a person or a silly name to make it feel like it’s something you can overcome can help lighten the mood.

3. Determine Meaning and Purpose

Finding meaning and purpose can make all the difference, even if it’s in smaller activities. If you’re getting up to clean a room of the house, do some yardwork, or jog or ride your bike for 10 minutes, you achieved something you weren’t doing before, and that can be a stepping stone to even more activity and accomplishment.

4. Mindfully Meditate

Give your brain a break by resetting it when you’re feeling your negative emotions. Many smartphones and smartwatches have apps to guide you through a minute or two of meditation, and sometimes, that’s all it takes to clear your head.

 

To learn more about Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://beth-abraham-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

How to Get the Most Savings on Your Cell Phone Bill

Mobile phones have become a necessary utility for most people, lining monthly bills up right next to the electric, cable/internet, and mortgage bills. But with so many options and so many companies fighting for your business, there are plenty of ways to lower your bill.

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at five ways that you can cut down on your mobile phone spending.

1. Get Rid of What You Don’t Need

Most cell phone plans are loaded with features that you may not be using hardly at all. The chief offender here is unlimited data. If you’re mostly using your device on your home’s WiFi or on wireless networks at area businesses, you may be better off buying a smaller data plan. You can find out how much data you’ve used over the past several months and compare it to other plans.

2. Smaller Phone = Shrunken Bill

A phone with a smaller screen will likely cost you less than a larger model. If you’re having trouble seeing the screen, you can change the size of the text on a smaller screen—you don’t need a big screen to do that.

3. Buy an Older Model

If you’re in the market for a new phone, you probably don’t need the latest and greatest. Most companies will sell models that are a couple years old, and those will be quality devices at a significant cost savings (some plans may even offer the phone for free).

4. Opt for a Prepaid Plan

If you are not an avid mobile phone user, a prepaid plan may be a better option. This way, you pay as you go and don’t have a monthly bill.

5. Use a Family Plan

Family plans often have deals where you can add a line for just $20. If you partner up with family members (or even friends—you don’t have to be family), you can each save on your monthly bill. The only catch is that one person has to “own” the account—and get a large bill—so it requires a bit of coordination.

 

To learn more about Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://beth-abraham-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

 

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing With 6 Places in the House Where Valuables Could Be Stored

You never know where treasure may lie!

According to the book, “Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff,” when people are going through an older relatives’ house when they’re ready to move, they’ve found money, jewelry, coins, and other valuable items in the strangest of places.

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has details on six things you need to check so you can feel like a real-life detective before you let the movers do their thing.

1. False Drawers

Chests of drawers, women’s vanities, and old trunks have false bottoms, secret compartments, and other areas to keep extra-special items hidden a bit more than usual. Check under linings and feel around edges for any openings. Bookshelves may also contain Bibles or dictionaries that are hollowed out and used for secret storage.

2. Under Floorboards

Check under area rugs and in corners of rooms that have wall-to-wall carpeting for any floorboards that are loose, out of place, or have newer nails than the rest of the room.

3. Pantry

Check all cans, tins, and boxes for any items that may have been stored for safekeeping.

4. Freezer

Most people wouldn’t think to hide anything in a freezer, but people have found plastic bags with cash in the freezer, along with credit cards and coins that were frozen in ice. Gives new meaning to the term cold hard cash!

5. Toilet Tanks

Another unusual place on the surface, but a good hiding place when you think about it. Check the lid to make sure nothing is taped to it, and look for jars or bottles in the tank itself.

6. Closets

This goes without saying, but go beyond searching the shelves. Go through shoeboxes, photo albums, coat pockets, and anything else you might find in closets around the house.

 

To learn more about Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://beth-abraham-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

Campaign: Care that Moves You

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing With a FAQ Guide to Dental Implants, an Alternative to Dentures

A lost tooth can be one of the most distressing things to happen when it comes to your oral hygiene and health, but advancements in dental care and cosmetic dentistry have given patients more options when it comes to replacing a lost tooth or row of teeth.

Dental implants were first performed in 1965 and have grown in popularity in recent years.

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a list of frequently asked questions that you might have when it comes to dental implants.

How Does a Dental Implant Work?

A titanium screw—the implant—acts as the root of your missing tooth and screws into the jawbone. The bone then fuses to the screw to give the implant stability.

The abutment is the piece of titanium that sticks out and does the work of the tooth, and a crown is attached to the abutment to make it look natural. If you need implants for more than one tooth, a bridge is used.

How Long Does a Dental Implant Last?

Taking proper care of your implant can assure that it lasts a lifetime. This includes daily brushing and flossing as well as getting a checkup at a dental office every six months.

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Dental Implant?

The patient will need to have a strong jawbone and be in good oral health (free of gum disease). People suffering from diabetes and other diseases like Parkinson’s are at greater risk of infection or complications, so talk to your dentist about any pre-existing health conditions.

Are Dental Implants Better Than Dentures?

Dental implants are more durable, permanent, but also more expensive. Dentures are better options for those with unhealthy or weak jaws and those who would prefer to remove the teeth for any reason.

 

To learn more about Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://beth-abraham-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing on How Symptoms of Omicron Variant Differ From Prior COVID-19 Versions

As we turn the page to 2022, we’re dealing with yet another surge of COVID-19—this time in the form of the omicron variant.

While tests are hard to come by, it’s important to note that some of the symptoms of the omicron variant differ from 2021’s delta and the original form of the virus in 2020.

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at common symptoms and different ones regarding omicron, especially if you’re vaccinated.

More Cold-Like Symptoms

Experts believe that the omicron variant settles more in the throat than other forms of COVID, which settled in the chest and lungs. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most reports of common symptoms are cough, fatigue, congestion, and a runny nose.

Loss of taste of smell—hallmark symptoms of COVID in the past—do not appear to be associated with the omicron variant.

Mild Symptoms for Breakthrough Cases

A breakthrough case is defined as a vaccinated person testing positive and showing symptoms. The most reported symptoms for fully vaccinated/boosted individuals are a sore throat, some fatigue, and muscle pain. Most reports are that it’s a little uncomfortable, but no worse than a cold or mild flu.

Encouragingly, at least in breakthrough cases, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath has rarely been reported.

The Most Common Advice: Get Boosted

Symptoms in those who have received the two-shot series of Moderna or Pfizer vaccines but had not yet been boosted had similar reports to the breakthrough cases listed above, but the severity has been a little more intense—more fatigue, more coughing, and a fever, but still, not much shortness of breath reported.

Among Johnson & Johnson vaccinated positive cases, there has been some shortness of breath but hospitalization generally not required.

For unvaccinated individuals, breathing issues still persist and have required hospitalization.

To learn more about Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://beth-abraham-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing on How a Cash-Out Refinance May Be Good for You

Home values have gone through the roof in 2021, and experts aren’t predicting a sharp bursting of the bubble like in 2008. So even if you’re not looking to sell any time soon, you can take advantage of the rise in home values by taking a cash-out refinance.

Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has the details on if a cash-out refinance is the right thing for you to do.

What Is a Cash-Out Refinance?

A cash-out refinancing allows you to restructure the terms of your mortgage while also getting a cash payout at the same time. In order for this to work, you must owe less on your current mortgage than what the home is worth. So if you owe $150,000 on the home but it is worth $400,000, you would be able to get up to the difference in cash. You could, for example, take out a new mortgage for $200,000 and get the difference of $50,000 in cash, which you would pay back as part of the new mortgage price but presumably at a lower interest rate than you were paying on the mortgage—and an especially lower rate than you would get on a loan from a lender.

What Are Good Reasons to Go Forward With a Cash-Out Refinance?

With rising home values and very low interest rates, now is a great time to explore this option if you need a large amount of cash. The interest rates on the new mortgage will be significantly lower than a cash loan or interest that you would have to pay back on a credit card.

One reason people typically get a cash-out refinance is if they’re looking to pay off the balance of high-interest credit cards. Another common reason is either for a large purchase for the home or to be able to pay for a major renovation—to the kitchen or bathroom, for instance. Other reasons can be for a major home improvement like a swimming pool or to replace a roof or air-conditioning system.

Explore Your Options

While you typically get a better interest rate through this option than through a home equity loan, you will have to pay closing costs on a cash-out refinance. In addition, if you borrow more of 80% of the home’s value, you will have to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI), so be sure to talk to your lender to see if these additional costs will make it worthwhile to pursue this option.

To learn more about Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://beth-abraham-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.