What to know about traveling with Medicare 

/in , ,

Happy portrait of senior couple, woman embracing her husband

www.Medicare.gov suggests that before you go, remember to look into Medicare coverage outside the United States.

If you have Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance), your health care services and supplies are covered when you’re in the U.S. However, in general, Medicare won’t pay for health care services or supplies if you travel outside the U.S. (except in these rare cases).

That doesn’t mean you have to travel abroad without coverage. Here are 3 ways you can get health coverage outside the U.S.:

  1. If you have a Medigap policy, check your policy to see if it includes coverage when traveling outside the U.S.
  2. If you have another Medicare health plan (instead of Original Medicare), check with your plan to see if they offer coverage outside the U.S.
  3. Purchase a travel insurance policy that includes health coverage.

Read more 

The Overprotected American Child 

/in ,

Andrea Petersen, author of “On Edge:A Journey Through Anxiety,” shared with the Wall Steet Journal the following article:

Why not let them walk to school alone? Parents and communities are figuring out ways to give their children more independence—and it just may help them to become less anxious, more self-reliant adults.

A few weeks ago I left my 9-year-old daughter home alone for the first time. It did not go as planned.

That’s because I had no plan. My daughter was sick. My husband was out of town. And I needed to head to the drugstore—a five-minute walk away—to get some medicine for her. So I made sure my daughter knew where to find our rarely used landline phone, quizzed her on my cellphone number and instructed her not to open the front door for anyone. Then I left. Twenty minutes later I was back home. Both of us were a bit rattled by the experience—her first time completely alone, with no supervising adult!—but we were fine.

Read more 

April is National Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month 

/in

The Center for Disease Control shared that children and families thrive when they have access to safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. Policies and programs that are supportive of children and families can prevent child abuse and neglect and other early adversity. CDC works to better understand the problem of child abuse and neglect and to prevent it before it begins.

Facts about Child Abuse and Neglect

Child abuse and neglect are significant public health problems in the United States.

  • In 2016, more than 1,750 children died in the United States from abuse and neglect.
  • According to child protective service agencies, about 676,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2016, although this number likely underestimates the true occurrence.
  • One in 4 children have experienced abuse or neglect at some point in their lives and 1 in 7 experienced abuse or neglect in the past year.
  • The total lifetime cost associated with just 1 year of confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect is $124 billion.

Exposure to child abuse and neglect and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) cause toxic stress that can disrupt early brain development and harm the nervous and immune systems. Exposure to childhood adversity can increase a person’s risk for future violence, unhealthy behaviors, poor health and wellness, and limit life opportunities. This impact can be long-lasting and may continue across future generations. Read more 

Take steps to prevent high chair accidents 

/in
Amita Health shared with the Daily Herald Newspaper that the recent recall of 36,000 Graco high chairs in the U.S. serves as a reminder that high chairs can pose safety hazards, and parents must be vigilant about minimizing high chair risks for their little ones.

A study by the journal “Clinical Pediatrics” showed high chair-related injuries rose more than 22 percent between 2003 and 2010, with emergency rooms treating about 9,400 such injuries each year. That works out to one high chair injury every hour.

Head injuries caused by falling were the most common injury reported in the study — an unsurprising finding given that high chairs usually are higher than regular chairs and situated near hard surfaces such as tables or countertops.

“Putting your child in a high chair is such a habitual, everyday activity that it’s easy for busy parents to become complacent and forget some basic safety steps,” said Dr. Carol Salman, an Amita Health pediatrician.

Read more 

10 Common Food Safety Mistakes 

/in ,
Gloria Kent, the Content Manager for  Recommendedthings.com,  shared that when we eat we often make mistakes which could create problems over a period of time. We avoid some basic safety factors to be kept in mind when it comes to foods. For example, not keeping the food properly stored and closed, not checking on the contents before buying them, not being sure about the expiry dates and other such things could create problems.

It is all about being informed and knowledgeable and we are sharing some of the important food safety mistakes which many of us often make. We are sure it will help a lot in understanding the same and then putting it into practice.

Click on MORE to see a a comprehensive piece on some of the common lapses regarding safety of food items.

Read more 

Be Prepared to Stay Safe and Healthy in Winter 

/in ,

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention shared that winter storms and cold temperatures can be dangerous. Stay safe and healthy by planning ahead. Prepare your home and cars. Prepare for power outages and outdoor activity. Check on older adults.

Although winter comes as no surprise, many of us are not ready for its arrival. If you are prepared for the hazards of winter, you will be more likely to stay safe and healthy when temperatures start to fall.

Take These Steps for Your Home

Many people prefer to remain indoors during winter, but staying inside is no guarantee of safety. Take these steps to keep your home safe and warm during the winter months.

  • Winterize your home.
    • Install weather stripping, insulation, and storm windows.
    • Insulate water lines that run along exterior walls.
    • Clean out gutters and repair roof leaks.
  • Check your heating systems.
    • Have your heating system serviced professionally to make sure that it is clean, working properly, and ventilated to the outside.
    • Inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys.
    • Install a smoke detector. Test batteries monthly and replace them twice a year.
    • Have a safe alternate heating source and alternate fuels available.
    • Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) emergencies.
      • Install a CO detector to alert you of the presence of the deadly, odorless, colorless gas. Check batteries when you change your clocks in the fall and spring.
      • Learn symptoms of CO poisoning: headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.

Read more 

Cold Weather Safety for Older Adults 

/in ,

The National Institute on Aging shared that if you are like most people, you feel cold every now and then during the winter. What you may not know is that just being really cold can make you very sick.

Older adults can lose body heat fast—faster than when they were young. Changes in your body that come with aging can make it harder for you to be aware of getting cold. A big chill can turn into a dangerous problem before an older person even knows what’s happening. Doctors call this serious problem hypothermia.

What Is Hypothermia?

Hypothermia is what happens when your body temperature gets very low. For an older person, a body temperature colder than 95°F can cause many health problems, such as a heart attack, kidney problems, liver damage, or worse.

Being outside in the cold, or even being in a very cold house, can lead to hypothermia. Try to stay away from cold places, and pay attention to how cold it is where you are. You can take steps to lower your chance of getting hypothermia.

Keep Warm Inside

Living in a cold house, apartment, or other building can cause hypothermia. In fact, hypothermia can happen to someone in a nursing home or group facility if the rooms are not kept warm enough. If someone you know is in a group facility, pay attention to the inside temperature and to whether that person is dressed warmly enough.

People who are sick may have special problems keeping warm. Do not let it get too cold inside and dress warmly. Even if you keep your temperature between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, your home or apartment may not be warm enough to keep you safe. This is a special problem if you live alone because there is no one else to feel the chilliness of the house or notice if you are having symptoms of hypothermia. Read more 

Avoiding injury in the snow and ice 

/in

Dr. Diego Villacis, an orthopaedic surgeon with the Northshore Orthopaedic Institute in Evanston, shared with the Daily Herald Newspaper that

Like clockwork, Chicago winters usher in a deep freeze, usually with ice and snow.

While that’s not surprising, I am taken aback by how many ankle and wrist fractures I treat from people slipping and sliding. It’s only a ground-level fall, but if you are not careful you can really hurt yourself, especially on outdoor steps.

For those anxious to hit the slopes, here’s some sobering news: More than 246,000 people were treated at hospitals, doctors’ offices, and emergency rooms for injuries related to winter sports in 2015, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

• 88,000 injuries from snow skiing

• 61,000 injuries from snowboarding

• 50,000 injuries from ice skating

• 47,000 injuries from sledding, tobogganing, and snow tubing

Even the hardiest Midwesterners could use some tips (or reminders) about staying injury-free this winter, whether you’re skiing, shoveling or simply dashing out to get the mail. Read more 

Lombard Police to host child seat inspection event 

/in

The Lombard Police Department is recognizing Child Passenger Safety Week by hosting a child safety seat check at the Lombard Police Department on Saturday, September 23, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Lombard Officers will check car seats for proper installation and advise parents, grandparents, and caregivers how to choose the right car seats and install them properly in their vehicles.

The event, part of Lombard’s participation in National Child Passenger Safety Week is free to the public. This event is one of 88 Illinois events sponsored by AAA, the Secretary of State, Illinois Department of Transportation and Village of Lombard.

The updated recommendations emphasize how important it is to keep children in each restraint type for as long as possible before moving them to the next type. For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers should visit their local inspection station to ensure their child’s safety seat is used properly:

• Rear-Facing Seats: In the back seat from birth to the height and weight limit of the seat. Recommended up to 2 years old, but at a minimum age of 1 year old and 20 pounds.

• Forward-Facing Seats: In the back seat when the child has reached the height or weight limit of the rear-facing seat to about age four and 40-65 pounds.

Read more 

Back to school driving safety reminders 

/in

The  Lombard Police Department shared that Lombard Schools are back in session and the Lombard Police Department is reminding residents about the laws regarding school zone speed limits, texting, and passing school buses.

 

  • School zone speeding or failure to yield to children in a crosswalk:  a first violation is a petty offense with a minimum fine of $150, a second or subsequent violation will result in a fine of $300.
  • Using a cell phone (unless hands free) or texting in a school zone: $120 fine unless the violator is involved in a traffic crash that causes great bodily harm (Class A Misdemeanor) or death (Class 4 Felony).
  • Passing a school bus: first offense will earn drivers a fine of $150 and a 3 month driver’s license suspension, and a second offense will result in a minimum $500 fine and a 1 year driver’s license suspension.

Additional safety tips from www.saferoutesinfo.org remind parents and drivers who are often in a hurry to drop off and pick up students during arrival and dismissal times, to stay alert and follow these tips:

  • Slow down and obey all traffic laws and speed limits in school zones and neighborhoods.
  • Comply with local school drop-off and pick-up procedures.
  • Avoid double parking or stopping on crosswalks. Double parking blocks visibility.
  • Avoid loading or unloading children at locations across the street from the school. This forces youngsters to unnecessarily cross busy streets—often mid-block rather than at a crosswalk.
  • Prepare to stop for a school bus when overhead yellow lights are flashing. Drive with caution when you see yellow hazard warning lights are flashing on a moving or stopped bus.

Read more