Orgone Energy & Schumann Resonance Metaphysical Products & Their Benefits

Orgone Energy & Schumann Resonance Metaphysical Products



What is Geopathic Stress?

Geopathic Stress is when the vibrational rate of the Earth's magnetic energies and underground water causes a lower vibration, which in turn creates stress to the human body.



What Are Earth's Magnetic Energies Anyway?

The Earth's magnetic energies consist of gridlines know as the Hartman grids and Curry grids which are generally life giving in natural surroundings, but become harmful when a building is constructed on or over them, or if the land that has been poisoned by toxins, chemicals, fertilisers, land fill or other contaminants. Water Veins represent where water runs in underground streams.



Where three of the grids or water veins cross a natural vortex is formed and these are known as Acupressure points of the earth. These Acupressure points, again in natural surrounds are life giving but become harmful when contaminated by the construction of buildings or other man-made structures. These then become a danger to human health, especially if you are sleeping or spending a lot of time over them, as this can lead to physical or Mental Health Problems and other serious health disorders.



Fault Lines, Fissures & Fault Zones

Geopathic Stress can also be caused by Fault Lines and Fissures, known as Fault Zones. These occur with the rising or falling of the Earth's crust. This can cause a lower than normal vibrational rate in the Earth's frequencies, which can then create severe physical and mental states in the human body.



Many Metropolitan cities around the world are affected by major Fault Lines that they have been built on. Geopathic Stress caused by Fault Zones lowers melatonin levels causing sleep disorders, mental instability and Depression. These then ead to related problems such as alcohol abuse, pharmaceutical drug use or recreational drug addiction. Unfortunately most of our lower socio-economic housing areas are more often placed in areas of severe Geopathic Stress, although it doesn't discriminate, as even some of our better socio-economic areas are build over these fault zone areas.



How Can Orgone & Schumann Energy Help?

Orgone Energy offers solutions to cure or remove Geopathic Stress and Fault zones in your home or business. The Geopathic Stress can be neutralized or harmonised with tools such as Orgone Energy / Schumann Generators. A Geoclense Geopathic Stress Harmoniser or other "cures" put in place, raise the vibrational rate of these magnetic grids and fault zones to a "life giving" energy, improving the physical vibration of your home and work environment.



Other household dangers such as Electromagnetic Radiation from electrical appliances can also harmonized with the Schumann Generators, Orgone Energy products and other tools, providing an energetic state rich with healthy life-giving "Negative Ions" which are naturally found in nature, returning the vibration of your space back to how it should be. EMR Mobile Phone Protectors and WiFi Protector on your electronic equipment and computers will protect you by neutralizing the harm that they cause.



Wearing a EMR Orgone Energy Protection Pendant can help to keep you protected from these no matter where you go. Someone recently stopped having Anxiety and Panic attacks in his office as soon after he start to wear an Orgone Pendant! A young boy stopped crying continuously and gained lots of confidence in himself from wearing an Orgone Pendant and is a completely different boy now.



What Orgone Energy Generators?

One of the most promising and exciting devices being made increasingly available to the public in this 21st century are the Orgone Generators or Schumann Resonance metaphysical products, whose principles and workings were first introduced and made popular by Wilhelm Reich in the 1950's. These items have been brought back into popularity in recent times. They are also known as "chemtrail busters" or "Holy Hand Grenades" (HHGs), and these Orgone Energy Accumulators / Chi Generators have tremendous healing and protective capacities.



What is Orgone Energy? Orgone Energy is chi, pranic energy or the Universal life force energy that sustains our Universe. It has two atoms of oxygen to one of water, and it is through the oxygenation process that it builds and heals. It is the creative life force and it is regulated by your crystalline-based pineal gland or third eye, which is our master gland in our body. Due to the pollution, chemicals and bad habits we create, our pineal gland by the time we are adults, has shrunk from the size of a golf ball to that of a dried-up pea and so have our spiritual powers! The planet as a whole is Orgone or oxygen-deficient, thanks to the man-made and other interference to our planet. Hence our severe lack of Spirituality in our society and also why Orgone Energy Products are also know as products to enhance Enlightenment.



Since most of us are at a loss spiritually or are working hard to try to regain our Spirituality, we must fight the enemies of humanity in and one of way to do this by using Orgone Energy technology, which is more organic than it is artificial and therefore more powerful. This technology restores the original Orgone Energy content of our planet by amplifying our planet's natural energies and elementals (nature spirits).



Not only do these devices create or amplify natural Orgone Energy or creative life force, but they also neutralize and convert deadly orgone energy (known as DOR) into positive healing energy. They do this immediately. Orgone Energy attracts, energizes and empowers natural energies and elementals to do their natural restorative and repair work to the environment.



The Great Pyramid in Egypt was a giant Orgone Energy device, as are all pyramidal structures around the planet. Unfortunately, they have been deactivated because of improper use. Mountains and trees are of nature's own natural Orgone producers balancing our climate daily. Large-scale deforestation is a major crime of the negative forces, that will turn this planet to be a lifeless desert if it isn't stopped. Orgone Energy may in future be harnessed to power cars and utilities, and will eventually replace polluting fossil fuels, which are destabilizing our climate.



Orgone devices can be pyramidal, conical or cylindrical, or come as a pendant or in other forms and have no size limit. They can even be made into rings, toys, furniture, and just about anything else. It is as much an art as a science, and the more attractive you make them - the more they will attract and generate positive influences.



A common hand-made unit is around four by four inches but can be much smaller, and has an astounding effective radial range of roughly one fourth of a mile. The power of an Orgone Energy Generator is exponentially enhanced when configured with other generators, usually in triangular or hexagonal fashion.



They are commonly constructed of a molded resin matrix, interspersed with metal shavings and containing a central quartz crystal surrounded by a copper coil. More coils, crystals, and minerals are added for enhancement. The resin attracts the Orgone Energy, the crystals amplify it, the coil directs it and the metal shavings repel it. Astrology, Feng Shui, Divining, Dowsing and other disciplines can be used in conjunction with Orgone Energy products to select auspicious times, places, materials, and purposes for your Orgone Energy generating items.



What are the Benefits Of Orgone Energy & Schumann Resonance Metaphysical Products?

Worn as pendants or jewelry, or placed strategically in and around your house, office, workplace, neighborhood, car, or on your cell phone, laptop or computer, Orgone Energy & Schumann Resonance Metaphysical products, among other benefits, will:



- eliminate toxins, poisons and radiation from the air



- defeat chemtrails and keep your skies clear



- improve breathing problems especially those with asthma



- promote natural health, energy levels and well-being



- knock out bad thunderstorms before they get to your area and chill out tornados headed your way



- clear negative energies as they cannot survive around this energy and naturally removed them



- keep demonic entities out of your home and environment



- stop EMF & ELF attacks (often the cause of anxiety and panic attacks and mental illness)



- protect you from EMR from your Cell Phone as it stops the hot head effect



- stop WiFi signals while using your Wireless Internet connection from causing you harm



- help you to sleep better and wake up feeling more refreshed



- emits positive energies and remove negative energies



- stop headaches and migraines and will improve overall health



- improve gardens, lawns, crops & indoor plants



- improve the moral nature of the people around you



Karen Fay

Director

http://www.OrgoneEnergy.org

Concept, Aim and Objectives of Health Education

Concept of Health Education -
Health education is one important activity that is commonly undertaken to promote health. It is the communication of information that enables people to make decisions about to follow those health-related activities at all stages of life which are conducive for proper health.

It is concerned with communicating on those areas that are related to water supply, sanitation, community health, mental health, disease control, personal hygiene, disaster management cycle, reducing the risk of communicable disease and its transmission, proper nutrition, alcohol and drugs, accident and first aid etc.

The Aim of Health Education should be -
1. Help students to assimilate the body if knowledge appropriate to health education.

2. Expose students to a variety of activities and experience related to health education.

3. Help individuals develop a sound understanding of their total development and enable them to attain positive self-images.

4. Provide opportunities for students make personal decisions related to their intellectual, physical and emotional development.

5. Allow students to experience social relations that will encourage desirable behaviour, leadership and co-operation with others.

Objectives of Physical Education -
For Students -

1. A positive attitude towards physical fitness and good health.

2. A personal value system and satisfactory relationship with peers.

3. increased self-awareness and a positive self concept.

4. independence, interdependence, and a sense of responsibility.

5. An understanding of human sexuality.

6. An understanding of appropriate factual information and concepts.

For Patients and Public -

1. To increase public awareness that disease are significant public health problem.

2. To increase public awareness of symptoms and signs of disease.

3. To improve the knowledge and attitudes of patients about detection, treatment and control of disease.

4. To promote the family and community educational material essential for positive lifestyle habits.

5. To create public awareness about the ill=effects of alcohol, smoking and drugs, etc.

For Health professionals -

1. To increase knowledge, attitude and skills of all health professionals regarding sign, symptoms and management strategies for health hazards to improve disease control.

2. To encourage health professionals to treat patients carefully.

3. To develop resource and material for use of health professionals.

4. To promote research all over the world to curb health hazards.

5. To encourage continuing educational programmes on accurate information on diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Resource - Health Education on Fitness Blog.

Video Source: Youtube

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

PTSD: Healing and Hope

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Assist Hemodialysis Patients with Acupressure Massage Therapy from a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT

Hemodialysis is often prescribed for patients with end stage renal disease. It is a difficult time for the patients. One of the ways these patients can be supported through this period is with acupressure massage therapy given by a licensed massage therapist or LMT. Acupressure massage therapy has been found to be effective in easing the fatigue and Depression among patients with end stage renal disease who are undergoing hemodialysis.

In this medical procedure, the patient is connected to a dialysis machine which filters waste products from the blood. The machine does what normal kidneys are supposed to do. In patients with renal disease, however, the kidneys are no longer functioning properly. Most often, two needles are used to carry blood from the patient to the dialysis machine and to return the filtered blood to the patient. A dialysis session can last for three to five hours and may be prescribed three times a week or more, depending on the condition of the patient.

A study entitled "The Effect of Acupressure with Massage on Fatigue and Depression in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease" was conducted by Yi-Ching Cho, R.N. and Shiow-Luan Tsay, R.N., Ph.D. of the Department of Nursing at the National Tainan Institute of Nursing in Tainan, Taiwan and the National Taipei College of Nursing Graduate Institute in Taipei, Taiwan.

There were 62 participants in the study, all end stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis. They were randomly assigned to an acupressure massage therapy group and a control group. Participants in the acupressure massage therapy group received 12 minutes of acupressure and three minutes of leg massage therapy three days a week for four weeks. Participants in the control group received the standard care for patients their condition for the same period.

During the acupressure sessions therapists used their finger pads to rub and press on acupressure points known to ease fatigue and depression. These are called the Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Taixi and Yungchuan acupressure points. The pressure applied was equivalent to three to five kilograms. This was maintained for five seconds, with a one second release afterwards. Each acupressure point was treated for three minutes.

Assessments of the participants were done at the beginning and the end of the treatment period. Fatigue was measured through the Piper Fatigue Scale while depression was measured through the Chinese counterpart of Beck's Depression Inventory.

At the end of the study, participants in the acupressure massage therapy group showed lower levels of perceived fatigue and improved depression scores. Participants from the control group, on the other hand, showed no significant difference in perceived fatigue and in depression scores.

The study established the effectiveness of acupressure combined with other massage therapy modalities in alleviating the fatigue and depression of patients suffering from end stage renal disease and going through hemodialysis. They, therefore, recommended that these combined therapies be integrated into the standard care for patients in such conditions. In the words of Yi-Ching Cho, R.N. and Shiow-Luan Tsay, R.N., Ph.D., "Assessment of end-stage renal disease patients' fatigue and depression should be an essential part of nursing practice, and clinicians may consider providing acupressure therapy as a method for improving dialysis patients' fatigue."

Patients with end stage renal disease who are undergoing hemodialysis may be brought to licensed massage therapists (LMT) for acupressure massage therapy. A reliable and experienced licensed massage therapist is expected to have expertise not only in acupressure massage therapy but also reflexology massage therapy, shiatsu massage therapy, craniosacral massage therapy, deep tissue massage therapy, sports massage therapy and pregnancy massage therapy. Since LMTs often treat people who have been hurt in auto accidents, an LMT usually also does insurance billing for people in auto accidents.

David Jacob LMT - Licensed Massage Therapist
David Jacob
5406 SE 45th Ave
Portland, OR 97206
Phone: 503-522-5550
Email: pdxmassage@live.com
Website: http://www.pdxmassage.net

Video Source: Youtube

Global Engagement for Mental Health

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Global Engagement for Mental Health

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

#10.4 Caregiver Depression: Caregiver Stress (4 of 6)

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

QLD Nursing Conferences in July

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Better, just not quite there yet...

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Seasonal Adjustment Disorder (SAD)

The best solutions to beat the winter blues.



Dark days and early, dark nights for many of us, can mean craving starchy food, feeling grumpy, mild Depression and difficulty staying awake and, for some, it can mean serious and debilitating conditions.



For people suffering from Seasonal Adjustment Disorder (SAD) the start of winter can mean real biological Depression. In the UK it is thought that 3% of people suffer from SAD (and a many as 20 million Americans) and almost 20% from winter blues. As well as a host of symptoms such as increased anxiety, weight gain, depression and lethargy many sufferers are also vulnerable to infections because their immune system is weakened.



What is SAD?



SAD usually begins, in the Northern Hemisphere, around November reaching its worst point for sufferers in January and February. It is caused when the shorter days of winter reduce the amount of sunlight to the retina. The lack of sun causes the body's level of serotonin to decrease while increasing the level of melatonin, which in turn causes seasonal depression. SAD symptoms disappear in spring, and many sufferers may experience a short period of hyperactivity or hypermania when the light begins to increase.



Symptoms of SAD



Appetite change - craving for sweet and starchy food (chocolate, pasta, bread)

Sleep disruption sleeping at odd times or for long periods of time

Difficulty in waking up (where this not the norm for you)

Weight gain

Fatigue all day no matter how much rest

Lack of energy and lethargy

Little or no sex drive

Mood swings

Lack of concentration

Inability to make decisions

Increased PMS in women

Withdrawal from social contact

Unfounded anxiety

Feelings of guilt or worthlessness

Thoughts of death and/or suicide



In children and young people



Feeling tired and/or irritable.

Temper tantrums. Difficulty concentrating.

Vague physical complaints.

More than usual craving for junk food. .



Getting a Diagnosis for SAD



If you think you are suffering from any of these symptoms, especially if they are unrelated to other social and interpersonal problems, and the more serious ones at the end of this list, then you need to consult a doctor. SAD can be difficult to diagnose accurately and it is important to find a professional to help with the diagnosis. A Consultant will look at the pattern of depression to see if it develops during winter and ends with the change of the season. Even if you have never had these symptoms before do consult a doctor as it may well be related to SAD, but do remember it means a lot more than feeling a bit down.



Treatment for SAD



SAD can significantly improve with the use of light therapy, and some hospitals now have walk in clinics with light boxes for people with SAD. Light boxes have been an effective solution for as many as 80% of sufferers with improvements occurring in as little as four days of use. Light therapy should be the first treatment for SAD. If this does not work your Doctor may recommend antidepressants but do let your doctor know you want to try light therapy first (sometimes it may not be possible because of retinal disease or because your health authority does not support light therapy treatment). For people with milder versions of the SAD symptoms or a bad case of winter blues we have compiled a list of activities and treatments (costing nothing, or very little, to 100.00) that may help dispel some of the winter gloom.



Looking for more health articles ?

How Do I Recognize The Signs Of Depression After A Break Up?

Many people suffer from Depression after the loss of something. But how do you know if you are depressed or just experiencing the normal emotions following the loss of a relationship? Afterall, it's normal to cry, lose sleep, lose your appetite, feel guilty and sad after a break up, isn't it? So if these feelings are all normal how do you recognize the signs of Depression after a break up?



Everyone will experience feelings of sadness and anger after a relationship breakup. It's when these feelings last for an extended period of time that they become more concerning. The timeframe may vary depending on who you talk to but typically if you have had these sad feelings or changes in behaviour, appetite, sleep patterns or lifestyle for more than a month then you may be experiencing depression.



Common signs of depression after a relationship break up are these: loss of interest in daily activities, loss of pleasure in activities formerly enjoyed, feelings of sadness, helplessness, or hopelessness, crying spells, sleeping too much or too little, trouble concentrating, difficulty making decisions, memory problems, increased or decreased appetite, unexplained weight gain or loss, restlessness, becoming easily annoyed, lack of energy on a daily basis, speaking in a slow, monotonous tone, feelings of guilt, less interest in sex, thoughts of death, and physical problems such as headaches or stomach problems.



As you can see the signs of depression are very similar to what most people would consider normal feelings and emotions that you would experience after breaking up with someone. It's really the time frame that defines depression after a break up. The longer these feelings last the more likely it is that you are suffering from depression. Because the signs and symptoms are similar you may not recognize them. If you do recogniZe them you may just figure they will go away on their own.



Once you have recognized the signs of depression after a break up there are simple steps you can take on your own to help overcome it. If these things don't work then it is advised that you seek the help of your medical doctor for advice in how to treat depression.



Discover effective and proven methods to save your relationship before it ends so you can avoid a painful state of depression after a relationship breakup. Click here now.



Peter Harris is a health care professional and author and writes frequently about relationships.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder Tips

FIVE DON'T DO'S

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Aligning Substance Abuse Prevention with Mental Health and Primary Care

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Aligning Substance Abuse Prevention with Mental Health and Primary Care

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Health Effects of Being Overweight: The Dangerous Truths

Weight and health are strongly related to each other. The risk of disease goes up as weight gain pushes you out of the healthy weight range and into the overweight, obese range. Till date, obesity has been linked with more than thirty medical conditions. Not just large weight gains carry ill health effects, even 10 or 20 extra pounds increases the risk of disease and death. The health effects of being overweight are dangerous and hazardous to life.

Overweight and High Blood Pressure
Approximately 40 to 70 % of humans suffering from high blood pressure are due to the side effects of being overweight. Social groups where people do not gain much weight, as they get older, do not experience this increase in high blood pressure. The first thing a physician tells an overweight or obese patient who has high blood pressure is to lose fat. Mostly this is enough to get his or her blood pressure under control even without any medication for blood pressure.

Being Overweight increases the risk of Heart Disease
The side effects of being overweight on your heart is very dangerous and if your BMI is in the obese range, your heart disease risk quadruples. Fifty percentage of all human deaths results from heart disease and it is the major killer of both men and women. Being excess weight or obese are firmly linked with heart disease risk factors. Overweight, obesity and abdominal fat increase the risk of diabetes, which is a heart disease risk factor. If your BMI is in the overweight range, your heart disease risk doubles compared to people with BMIs in the healthy weight range.

Being Overweight negatively affects Blood Cholesterol
One of the side effects of being overweight is that it unfavorably affects cholesterol levels in the body, as well as some of the constituents of cholesterol. Body cholesterol level is made up of different types of cholesterol: important ones being LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) that is a bad cholesterol, and HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) that is a good cholesterol. LDL contributes to heart disease risk and HDL helps protect the heart. Hence, for heart health, the target is to reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. Increase in weight invites problems by increasing LDL levels and reducing HDL levels.

Diabetes and Excess Body Weight
The strongest of the side effects of being overweight is found with diabetes. Weight gain significantly increases diabetes risk. The risk increases about 25% for every unit increase in BMI over 22. One study estimated that more than one-quarter of new cases of diabetes could be assigned to a weight gain of 11 pounds or more. If we eradicate adult weight gain and obesity, we could eliminate over 80% of all diabetes. It is not unexpected that one of the first treatment recommendations for diabetes is weight loss.

Weight Gain and Cancer
Latest studies from the National Cancer Institute and other research institutions suggest that over 20% of all cancer is associated to overweight or obesity. For so many years, researchers have been telling that certain forms of cancer with a link to hormones are due to side effects of being overweight. A government report on overweight and obesity has summarized that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer after menopause because body fat produces the hormone estrogen.

Weight Loss Makes You Healthy
The side effects of being overweight is very hazardous to your health and it is unambiguous that gaining even a little bit of weight is not good for a person's health. Conversely, it takes only a small weight loss, as little as 5%, to gain great health benefits. For a person who weighs 200 pounds, that is just 10 pounds! Weight loss is vital in the treatment and prevention of heart disease, unhealthy blood cholesterol levels, heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
Here is a summary of just a few of the benefits of losing a modest amount of weight, around 5% to 10% of initial body weight:

• Reduce risk of breast cancer, in particular, if the weight is lost before age 45.


• Decreases blood pressure and reduces risk of heart disease.


• Increases HDL cholesterol incrementally.


• Reduce incidence of diabetes by 58%.

The best thing in your life you could do for you is to achieve and maintain a weight that is in the healthy weight range. Once your weight creeps into the overweight or obese range, the myth that a "small weight gain is nothing to worry about" can be very hazardous to your health and life.
The effective way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume. More techniques for determining body fat percentage.

Video Source: Youtube

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Problems Associated With Teen Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the pivotal moments of a woman's life but not when you're young with a bright future ahead. Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult experiences any young woman can go through. The stress of pregnancy, revelation of pregnancy to parents, and moving on despite the shame and worry can be nerve-racking. Indeed pregnancy especially during teenhood will never be easy.

According to studies, teenage pregnancies in the United States have decreased steadily over the years. In 1991, there were 60 out of 1000 young women who gave birth and in 1998, 51 out of 1000 gave birth. This decrease may be due to the effective use of birth control and decreased sexual activity among teens.

Yet teen pregnancy rates remain high. According to Women's Health Channel, in the United States alone, approximately 1 million teenage girls experience pregnancy every year.
Health risks to the baby and children out of teen pregnancy are more likely to experience health, social, and emotional problems. An increased risk for complications such as premature labor in teen pregnancy and socioeconomic consequences are present.

But there are more serious problems for the teenage mothers-to-be than the statistics and how the world views them either negatively or positively. Both the baby and the mother are at risk in major areas of life such as school failure, poverty, and physical or mental illness.

Pregnant teenagers may not seek proper medical care that may lead to a bigger risk of medical complications. In their pregnancy, they need understanding, medical care, and education - particularly in nutrition and complications of pregnancy.

Pregnancy to teenagers brings all sorts of emotions. Some do not want their babies while others feel that its creation is an achievement. Some feel guilty and anxious while others feel that they need to baby to love but not aware of the special care it would need. Also, Depression is common during pregnancy in teenagers. And when worse comes to worst, a pregnant teenager may even require the help of a mental health professional.

Teen pregnancy can be risky to unborn babies. Teen pregnancy results to underweight babies, poor eating habits of the teenager, and smoking and drinking tendencies of the pregnant girl. Lastly, pregnant teens are less likely to seek prenatal care.

Unwanted pregnancy can be prevented through open communication and providing guidance regarding sexuality, contraception, and risks and responsibilities of possible pregnancy. Sexual education and family life in schools can also prevent unwanted pregnancies. Finally, support of family and love will greatly help pregnant teens.

Pregnancy is one of the pivotal moments of a woman's life but not when you're young with a bright future ahead. Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult experiences any young woman can go through. The stress of pregnancy, revelation of pregnancy to parents, and moving on despite the shame and worry can be nerve-racking. Indeed pregnancy

Articles provide a general overview. For more helpful advice,information,videos & self help books please visit the website listed below;

A new mental health strategy for Scotland

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

A new mental health strategy for Scotland

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Mental Health First Aid - Missouri

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

PBS Hawaii - Insights: Mental Health

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Suicide and the Elderly

Suicide has become a major concern amongst the older adults of society with the over 65s becoming one of the highest risk groups for suicidal behaviours. In fact, white males over 65 have the highest risk group of all for suicide. In fact, previous studies have shown that, although adults over 65 made up only 13 percent of the population, they made up 18 percent of all deaths by suicide.

This trend may be due to a number of factors such as Depression, chronic pain, physical or mental illness, death of spouse, retirement and lack of social networks. Older men living alone and no longer engaged in productive activity such as employment, face a greater risk of suicide than married men or women. Often, it is a combination of all the aging factors that lead them to this end.

When you think about it, elderly couples have often been together for several decades, raising children and living happy lives as a couple. They see themselves as a half of a whole and the death of the other half is devastating. It is not at all uncommon for the spouse left behind to feel that he or she is just not able to live without the other. They may also see death as being reunited with the spouse who has already passed on.

Retirement can also be traumatic, particularly if the person has been in the job for many years. This sudden loss of productiveness and the associated social interaction may leave the person feeling isolated and worthless to society. Sadly, elderly people make sure that the act of suicide will be successful as they are more determined to die. Where younger people are often making a call for help, the elderly have decided that they no longer want to live and are therefore four times more likely to be successful.

There is also a large number of deaths caused by homicide-suicide. In the majority of cases, the person kills his spouse before killing himself. People over 55 years of age account for the majority of these deaths with about one and a half thousand people dying this way each year.

It is important to be aware of the warning signs of suicide in the elderly and to be careful in the techniques of approaching this behaviour. Some signs to watch for may be irritability, changes in appetite, change in sleep patterns, chronic pain or headaches. Of course, these may not be a sign of the person considering suicide and are only an indication. Medical interventions may be all that is needed. The person's physician can assess them for Depression to avoid possible suicidal behaviour.

Depression is a biological mental disorder where people feel sad, hopeless, or lost. They may lose the ability to concentrate and often show significant changes in sleep or eating patterns. Often a person suffering from depression thinks about ending their life and suicide may occur when the person has major depression.

Not everyone gives out warning signals before a suicide attempt. However, most show some form of indication to friends or family members.

If you believe that someone is at risk of committing suicide, don't take it lightly. Offer the person support and take action to avoid the act. Putting the person in contact with crisis intervention agencies, psychiatric services, or support groups is a great way to start. Become involved by showing that you care, listening to their troubles, and generally giving them hope and encouragement.

If you are a family member or friend, organise other members of the family or other friends to visit regularly. Talk about the happy times, helping the person to recall joyous memories. These acts can help to ward off depression. Being a support system may make all of the difference to the person's feelings of being wanted and loved and may help to prevent suicide. Feelings can be changed and suicide can be prevented.

Mental Health

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

VIDEO DIARY

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

VIDEO DIARY

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

*SCREW THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM* - Australia eating disorder/mental health support sux! - real life

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

*SCREW THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM* - Australia eating disorder/mental health support sux! - real life

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

'INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE'

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

'INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE'

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Postpartum Depression!

Postpartum Depression is a complex mix of physical, emotional, and behavioural changes that occur in a mother after giving birth. It is a serious condition, affecting 10% of new mothers. Symptoms range from mild to severe Depression and may appear within days of delivery or gradually, perhaps up to a year later. Symptoms may last from a few weeks to a year.

Baby blues
'Baby' or maternity blues are a mild and transitory form of 'moodiness' suffered by up to 80% of postpartum women. Symptoms typically last from a few hours to several days, and include tearfulness, irritability, hypochondriasis, sleeplessness, impairment of concentration, and headache. The maternity blues are not considered a postpartum depressive disorder.
Diagnosis
The diagnostic criteria for postpartum depression (PPD) are the same as for major depression, except that to distinguish PPD from the mild, transitory baby (maternity) blues, the symptoms must be present one month postpartum. Depression can also occur during pregnancy (ante-natal depression).
There are other types of postpartum distress that do not involve depression. For example, the mother may present with postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD (including pure-O OCD). Symptoms of post-partum OCD include recurring intrusive thoughts, obsessive thoughts, avoidance behaviour, fears, anxiety, and depression.

Causes
While not all causes of PPD are known, several factors have been identified. Beck (2001) has conducted a meta-analysis of predictors of PPD. She found that the following 13 factors were significant predictors of PPD (effect size in parentheses -- larger values indicate larger effects):

Prenatal depression, i.e., during pregnancy (.44 to .46)
Low self esteem (.45 to.47)
Childcare stress (.45 to .46)
Prenatal anxiety (.41 to .45)
Life stress (.38 to .40)
Low social support (.36 to .41)
Poor marital relationship (.38 to .39)
History of previous depression (.38 to.39)
Infant temperament problems/colic (.33 to .34)
Maternity blues (.25 to .31)
Single parent (.21 to .35)
Low socioeconomic status (.19 to .22)
Unplanned/unwanted pregnancy (.14 to .17)

These factors are known to correlate with PPD. That means that, for example, high levels of prenatal depression are associated with high levels of postpartum depression, and low levels of prenatal depression are associated with low levels of postpartum depression. But this does not mean the prenatal depression causes postpartum depression -- they might both be caused by some third factor. In contrast, some factors, such as lack of social support, almost certainly cause postpartum depression. (The causal role of lack of social support in PPD is strongly suggested by several studies, including O'Hara 1985, Field et al. 1985; and Gotlib et al. 1991.)

Although profound hormonal changes after childbirth are often claimed to cause PPD, there is little evidence that variation in pregnancy hormone levels is correlated with variation in PPD levels: Studies that have examined pregnancy hormone levels and PPD have usually failed to find a relationship (see Harris 1994; O'Hara 1995). Further, fathers, who are not undergoing profound hormonal changes, suffer PPD at relatively high rates (e.g., Goodman 2004).

Finally, all mothers experience these hormonal changes, yet only about 10-15% suffer PPD. This does not mean, however, that hormones do not play a role in PPD. Block et. al. (2000), for example, found that, in women with a history of PPD , a hormone treatment simulating pregnancy and parturition caused these women to suffer mood symptoms. The same treatment, however, did not cause mood symptoms in women with no history of PPD. One interpretation of these results is that there is a subgroup of women who are vulnerable to hormone changes during pregnancy. Another interpretation is that simulating a pregnancy will trigger PPD in women who are vulnerable to PPD for any of the reasons indicated by Beck's meta-analysis (summarized above).
Profound lifestyle changes brought about by caring for the infant are also frequently claimed to cause PPD, but, again, there is little evidence for this hypothesis. Mothers who have had several previous children without suffering PPD can nonetheless suffer it with their latest child (Nielsen Forman et al. 2000). Plus, most women experience profound lifestyle changes with their first pregnancy, yet most do not suffer PPD.

In severe cases, postpartum psychosis (also known as puerperal psychosis) can develop, characterized by hallucinations and delusions. This happens in about 0.1 - 0.2% of all women after having given birth. In some cases, postpartum psychosis can develop independent of postpartum depression. Sometimes a pre-existing mental illness can be brought to the forefront through a postpartum depression.
Get a free e-book - 'Vitamins - The Truth'. ALL you need know about family health.
Evolutionary psychological hypothesis
Evolutionary approaches to parental care (e.g., Trivers 1972) suggest that parents (human and non-human) will not automatically invest in all offspring, and will reduce or eliminate investment in their offspring when the costs outweigh the benefits. Reduced care, abandonment, and killing of offspring have been documented in a wide range of species. In many bird species, for example, both pre- and post-hatching abandonment of broods is common (Ackerman et al. 2003; Cezilly 1993; Gendron and Clark 2000).

Human infants require an extraordinary degree of parental care. Lack of support from fathers and/or other family member will increase the costs borne by mothers, whereas infant health problems will reduce the evolutionary benefits to be gained (Hagen 1999). If ancestral mothers did not receive enough support from fathers or other family members, they may not have been able to "afford" raising the new infant without harming any existing children, or damaging their own health (nursing depletes mothers' nutritional stores, placing the health of poorly nourished women in jeopardy).
For mothers suffering inadequate social support or other costly and stressful circumstances, negative emotions directed towards a new infant could serve an important evolved function by causing the mother to reduce her investment in the infant, thereby reducing her costs. Numerous studies support the correlation between postpartum depression and lack of social support or other childcare stressors (Beck 2001; Hagen 1999).
Mothers with postpartum depression can unconsciously exhibit fewer positive emotions and more negative emotions toward their children, are less responsive and less sensitive to infant cues, less emotionally available, have a less successful maternal role attainment, and have infants that are less securely attached; and in more extreme cases, some women may have thoughts of harming their children (Beck 1995, 1996b; Cohn et al. 1990, 1991; Field et al. 1985; Fowles 1996; Hoffman and Drotar 1991; Jennings et al. 1999; Murray 1991; Murray and Cooper 1996). In other words, most mothers with PPD are suffering some kind of cost, like inadequate social support, and consequently are mothering less.

On this view, mothers with PPD do not have a mental illness, but instead need more social support, more resources, etc; with treatment focusing on helping mothers get what they need. (See Hagen 1999 and Hagen and Barrett, n.d.).
Effects on the parent-infant relationship
Post-partum depression may lead mothers to be inconsistent with childcare. They may not respond quickly or positively or at all to the infant's cues. This can affect development of a secure attachment. If a mother (or other caregiver) does not respond consistently in a warm, caring way -- holding, rocking, cooing, stroking, or talking softly -- the baby may have trouble feeling safe, secure and trusting. An insecure infant may have trouble interacting with the caregiver -- rejecting them or becoming upset when with them. The infant may be withdrawn, passive or have trouble reaching milestones on target.

Older children may also develop attachment issues. They may be less independent and less likely to interact with other people. They may have discipline, behaviour and aggression issues. Some children with these issues have a higher risk of mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.

Maternal depression reduces consistent and readable communication between mother and child, and as a result poor language development may occur, with vocabulary deficits still present at early school age.

Treatments
Treatments for PPD are largely the same as for clinical depression in general. If the cause of PPD can be identified, treatment should be aimed at the root cause of the problem.
Post-partum psychosis (Not to be confused with PPD)
Post-partum psychosis or PPP, (also called Post-natal Psychosis or PNP and puerperal psychosis (PP) in the UK) is a mental illness, which involves a complete break with reality. Although correctly termed as a postnatal stress disorder or postpartum depressive reaction, Post-partum psychosis is different from Post-partum depression. The majority of PPP occurs within the first two weeks after childbirth with a classic 10-14 day meltdown, likely caused by the radical hormonal changes combined with neurotransmitter over activity. When correctly diagnosed at the earliest signs and immediately treated with anti-psychotic medication, the illness is recoverable within a few weeks. If undiagnosed, even for just a few days, it can take the woman months to recover. In cases of PPP, the sufferer is often unaware that she is unwell. [1]

Psychosis can also take place in combination with an underlying psychiatric disorder, such as bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, or undiagnosed depression. In some women, a part-partum psychosis is the only psychotic episode they will ever experience, but, for others, it is just the first indication of a psychiatric disorder. Only 1 to 2 women per 1,000 births develop post-partum psychosis. [1] It is a rare condition, and often treatable. However, much media coverage of post-partum depression has focused on psychosis, especially following the Andrea Yates case. Whilst postpartum/puerperal psychosis is a serious psychiatric illness, the risks of a mother suffering this illness harming her baby are low: infanticide rates are estimated at 4%, and suicide rates in postpartum/puerperal psychosis are estimated at 5%.
Get a free e-book - 'Vitamins - The Truth'. ALL you need know about family health.
Andrea Yates case
Main article: Andrea Yates
After the National Organization for Women (NOW) insisted that Andrea Yates had postpartum depression, the Individualist Feminists of Ifeminist.com pointed out that postpartum depression is quite common and that most sufferers do not murder their children. In fact, Yates suffered from postpartum psychosis. After Ifeminist.com pointed out that this stigmatized a large number of mothers and made them less likely to seek professional help, NOW removed their claims from their official website. Some believe that Yates' fundamentalist church bears some responsibility for the murder, as the church allegedly urged her to ignore her psychiatrist's orders. Yates methodically drowned her children in a bathtub in her Clear Lake City, Houston, Texas house on June 20, 2001.

__________________________________________________________________

Books and other resources:
Morning Star?by Danna Hobart is an honest account of one woman's experience with postpartum depression/psychosis.
References
Ackerman, J. T., Eadie, J. M., Yarris, G. S., Loughman, D. L., & Mclandress R. M. (2003) Cues for investment: nest desertion in response to partial clutch depredation in dabbling ducks. Animal Behavior, 66, 871-883.
Beck, C.T. The effects of postpartum depression on maternal-infant interaction: a meta-analysis. Nursing Research 44:298-304, 1995.
Beck, C.T. A meta-analysis of predictions of postpartum depression. Nursing Research 45:297-303, 1996a.
Beck, C.T. A meta-analysis of the relationship between postpartum depression and infant temperament. Nursing research 45:225-230, 1996b.
Bect, C.T. (2001) Predictors of Postpartum Depression: An Update. Nursing Research, 50, 275-285.
Canadian Pediatric Society. "Depression in Pregnant Women and Mothers: How Children are affected." October 2004. Accessed 22 November 2005 at http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/babies/Depression.htm.

Cezilly, F. (1993) Nest desertion in the greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber roseus. Animal Behavior, 45, 1038-1040.
Cohn, J.F., Campbell, S.B., Matias, R., and Hopkins, J. Face-to-face interactions of postpartum depressed and non-depressed mother-infant pairs at 2 months. Developmental Psychology 26:15-23, 1990.
Cohn, J.F., Campbell, S.B., and Ross, S. Infant response in the still-face paradigm at 6 months predicts avoidant and secure attachment at 12 months. Special Issue: Attachment and developmental psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology 3:367-376, 1991.
Field, T., Sandburg, S., Garcia, R., Vega-Lahr, N., Goldstein, S., and Guy, L. Pregnancy problems, postpartum depression, and early mother-infant interactions. Developmental Psychology 21:1152- 1156, 1985.
Fowles, E.R. Relationships among prenatal maternal attachment, presence of postnatal depressive symptoms, and maternal role attainment. Journal of the Society of Pediatric Nurses 1:75-82, 1996.
Gendron, M. & Clark, R. G. (2000) Factors affecting brood abandonment in gadwalls (Anas strepera). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 78, 327-331.
Gotlib, I.H., Whiffen, V.E., Wallace, P.M., and Mount, J.H. Prospective investigation of postpartum depression: factors involved in onset and recovery. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 100:122- 132, 1991.
Goodman J.H. (2004) Paternal postpartum depression, its relationship to maternal postpartum depression, and implications for family health. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 45, 26-35.
Harris, B. Biological and hormonal aspects of postpartum depressed mood: working towards strategies for prophylaxis and treatment. Special Issue: Depression. British Journal of Psychiatry 164:288-292, 1994.
Hoffman, Y., and Drotar, D. The impact of postpartum depressed mood on mother-infant interaction: like mother like baby? Infant Mental Health Journal 12:65-80, 1991.
Jennings, K.D., Ross, S., Popper, S., and Elmore, M. Thoughts of harming infants in depressed and nondepressed mothers. Journal of Affective Disorders, 1999.
Murray, L. Intersubjectivity, object relations theory, and empirical evidence from mother-infant interactions. Special Issue: The effects of relationships on relationships. Infant Mental Health Journal 12:219-232, 1991.
Murray, L., and Cooper, P.J. The impact of postpartum depression on child development. International Review of Psychiatry 8:55-63, 1996.
Nielsen Forman D, Videbech P, Hedegaard M, Dalby Salvig J, Secher NJ (2000) Postpartum depression: identification of women at risk. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 107, 1210-7.
O'Hara, M.W. Depression and marital adjustment during pregnancy and after delivery. American Journal of Family Therapy 13:49-55, 1985.
O'Hara, M.W. Postpartum Depression: Causes and Consequences. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1995.
O'Hara, M.W., and Swain A.M. Rates and risk of postpartum depression - A meta-analysis. International Review of Psychiatry 8:37-54, 1996.
Trivers, R. L. (1972) Parental investment and sexual selection. In B. Campbell (Ed.), Sexual Selection and the Descent of Man (pp. 136-179). London: Heinemann.??

Fray, Kathy: "Oh Baby...Birth, Babies & Motherhood Uncensored", pages 364-381, Random House NZ, 2005


Note:
Attn E-zine editors and Site owners.
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your e-zine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed above. Also, kindly advise us where and when it will be published.

The information on this site is provided for information purposes and is in no way intended to replace the knowledge or diagnosis of your doctor. Our intention is to focus on overall health issues or strategies. For specific guidance regarding personal health questions, we advise consultation with a qualified health care professional familiar with your particular circumstances. We advise seeing a physician whenever a health problem arises requiring an expert's care.

Video Source: Youtube

Risk and Compliance Practices for Nursing Facilities

Introduction



On March 16, 2000, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (the "OIG") published its first "Compliance Program Guidance" for Nursing Facilities" (the "Guidance" or "2000 Guidance"). The Guidance comprised a set of voluntary recommendations for nursing facility programs that encourage compliance with applicable federal regulations. Although the recommendations were not enforceable operating standards, they contained practical advice which, if implemented, would mitigate the regulatory scrutiny to which a nursing facility likely would be subject. Since the publication of the original Guidance in 2000, there have been significant changes to the regulatory enforcement environment, the federal payment system for nursing facility services, and a heightened focus on quality of care, an issue that the Guidance addressed, albeit not with the emphasis currently accorded to the issue.



On September 30, 2008, the OIG published further recommendations in its Supplemental Compliance Program Guidance for Nursing Facilities (the "Supplemental Guidance" or "2008 Guidance"). The Supplemental Guidance reflects the above-noted transformations in the way nursing facilities deliver, and receive reimbursement for, health care services, as well as the intensification of federal enforcement activity and increased concerns about quality of care in nursing facilities. Together, the original and supplemental guidelines identify risk areas that will assist to nursing facilities to evaluate and refine their current compliance program, or develop a new program.



This article reviews the Supplemental Guidance with an emphasis on the areas of risk identified by the OIG, the need for compliance programs in nursing facilities, and the recommendations for reducing risks. This article also will discuss certain practical steps which, while not specifically addressed in the 2008 Guidance, can substantially increase the likelihood of a nursing facility remaining compliant, especially if adopted as part of a comprehensive compliance plan that also incorporates the OIG's recommendations.



The 2008 Supplemental Compliance Program Guidance contains five major sections:



1. Overview of the Compliance Program Guidance Process



2. Overview of the Medicare/Medicaid Reimbursement System



3. Fraud and Abuse Risk Areas



4. Other Compliance Considerations -- Including the Importance of an Ethical Culture and Regular Review of Compliance Program Effectiveness



5. Self-Reporting Violations of Criminal, Civil or Administrative Law



Compliance Program Guidance



Both the 2000 Guidance and the 2008 Guidance are intended to encourage the development and use of internal controls to monitor adherence to applicable statutes, regulations, and program requirements. The fact that the OIG has published compliance guidance for nursing facilities does not, by itself, suggest that the OIG views compliance problems to be more acute among nursing facility providers; rather, the 2000 and 2008 Guidance each is part of a series of compliance program guidance that the OIG has issued for hospitals, hospices, ambulance suppliers, durable medical equipment suppliers, physicians, pharmaceutical companies and a number of other segments of the health care industry.



The areas of fraud and abuse risk addressed by the OIG are supplemental to federal certification and state licensure compliance risks. The Supplemental Guidance states: "Together with our law enforcement partners, we have used, with increasing frequency, federal civil fraud remedies to address cases involving poor quality of care, including troubling failure of care on a systemic level in some organizations. To promote compliance and prevent fraud and abuse, OIG is supplementing the 2000 Nursing Facility CPG (Compliance Program Guidance) with specific risk areas related to quality of care, claims submissions, the (Medicare and Medicaid) Antikickback Statute (the "Anti-Kickback Statute"), and other emerging areas."



In general, the purpose of a compliance program is to reduce fraud and abuse, with the associated benefit of enhancing health care providers' operations, improving the quality of health care services, and reducing their overall cost. On this point, the 2008 Guidance provides: "Compliance programs help nursing facilities fulfill their legal duty to provide quality care; to refrain from submitting false or inaccurate claims or cost information to the Federal health care programs; and to avoid engaging in other illegal practices."



An effective compliance program demonstrates a nursing facility's good faith effort to comply with applicable statutes, regulations, and other federal health care program requirements, and may significantly reduce the risk of unlawful conduct and corresponding sanctions. Note that there is no one-size-fits-all compliance program that will have the same efficacy for all nursing facilities. Although, as identified in the 2000 and 2008 Guidance and discussed in this article, there are certain principles that should be incorporated into any plan, any truly effective plan will evaluate the particular risk areas of a specific nursing facility's operations and formulate a plan in response to those needs.



Reimbursement System Overview



The Supplemental Guidance provides a detailed overview of the current reimbursement system for nursing facilities to provide a context for the risk analysis. From a compliance perspective, the fact that SNFs are reimbursed under a consolidated billing requirement (i.e., the prospective payment system) triggers a number of potential risks. For example, because ancillary services, such as therapy, are included within the composite rate, SNFs have a financial incentive to reduce the level of medically necessary therapy services furnished to residents since there is no supplemental reimbursement for such services. In addition, as a result of the reimbursement system, certain nursing facilities have entered into unlawful "swapping" arrangements by which they refer business to providers or suppliers for services outside the consolidated rate (i.e., that the outside provider or supplier can bill to the federal government) in exchange for that provider or supplier providing the nursing facility with items or services included within the composite rate at below fair market value rates.



Fraud and Abuse Risk Areas



Several fraud and abuse risk areas are particularly relevant to the nursing facility industry. The nursing facility's compliance program should carefully evaluate these risk areas and, in coordination with health care legal counsel, identify those to which they have potential exposure. The primary areas of fraud and abuse risk identified by the 2008 Guidance include:



• Quality of Care

• Submission of Accurate Claims

• The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute

• Other Compliance Considerations



Quality of Care



Inadequate staffing, insufficient training and education, lack of oversight, or other factors often lead to a failure of nursing facilities to deliver quality care, resulting in a risk of harm to residents that, in turn, involves licensing and certification issues. When this failure is systemic and acute, a nursing facility also potentially may be subject to a number of federal authorities and state laws addressing false and fraudulent claims made to the government. Criminal, civil and administrative sanctions may result. This approach (i.e., charging nursing facility with violations of false claims statutes on the basis of substandard resident care) has been applied with increasing frequency in recent years. To reduce potential liability risks under several key federal fraud and abuse statutes and regulations, the OIG recommends that, as a foundation for understanding quality of care issues, the key staff and members of a nursing facility understand the Medicare Conditions of Participation for Nursing Facilities. Additional considerations include sufficient staffing, comprehensive resident care plans, medication management, appropriate use of psychotropic medications, and resident safety. To reduce risk, the Supplemental Guidance emphasizes:



• A nursing facility must provide sufficient levels of trained, competent staff to attain and maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of its residents. In connection with this obligation, nursing facilities should evaluate whether staff patterns are sufficient to meet patient needs.

• A comprehensive, interdisciplinary care plan must be developed for each resident. A physician must be involved in both the development of the plan, and the care of that resident.

• Nursing facilities must demonstrate proper medication management, which includes education of staff on medication management, and ensuring that pharmacist consultants are not receiving improper kickbacks based on the volume or value of drugs prescribed to residents.

• The appropriate use of psychotropic medications must be ensured through the careful monitoring, documentation, and review of resident use of psychotropic drugs.

• Nursing facilities must ensure resident safety, protecting against abuse and neglect from both staff and other residents. The 2008 Guidance states that education, internal reporting systems, monitoring, comprehensive staff screening, communication of a firm commitment to resident safety, and other steps can help protect residents.



Submission of Accurate Claims



The need for accurate reimbursement claim submissions is a second risk area addressed by the 2008 Guidance. Facilities are advised to regularly review the accuracy of all reported data. Four primary sub-areas of risk exist: proper reporting of resident case-mix, therapy services, screening for excluded individuals, and restorative and personal care services.



• Nursing facilities must ensure that they are not improperly upcoding resident Resource Utilization Group ("RUG") assignments. Assessment, reporting, and evaluation of resident case-mix data is a significant and common risk area. Inappropriately elevating the resource intensity of care required by the resident (i.e., in the form of upcoding the RUG), in effect, causes the federal government to pay for a level of care in excess of that which the facility in fact will be providing, and can result in risks for the facility under the false claims statutes.

• Facilities must also ensure that they are providing medically appropriate physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. The OIG found, for example, improper instances of inflating RUG classifications, over-utilization of fee-for-service therapy covered by Part B under consolidated billing, and stinting on therapy services covered by the Part A Prospective Payment System, each of which can result in submission of false claims.

• Pre-employment screening of new employees and periodic screening of existing employees is an essential means of identifying excluded individuals. Employing an excluded individual can subject a facility to penalties under the civil monetary penalties statute.

• If a nursing facility fails to provide necessary restorative and personal care services, it risks violating the fraud and abuse laws for billing for services not rendered as claimed. Facilities should implement procedures to ensure that the quality and amount of services are delivered appropriately.



The Anti-Kickback Statute



Nursing facilities must evaluate numerous factors when contemplating entry into contractual arrangements with referral sources when the arrangements do not fit within one of the safe harbors to the Anti-Kickback Statute. Six specific areas of risk are identified by the OIG: free goods and services, services contracts, discounts, swapping, hospices, and reserved bed arrangements.



• If a facility provides a good or service of independent value to residents at no cost, for the purpose of generating referrals, the facility may be in violation of offering remuneration with the intent to generate business payable by a federal program. This is the hallmark of a violation under the Anti-Kickback Statute. Some examples include supplies offered by a pharmacy, or a hospice nurse providing nursing services for non-hospice residents.

• Facilities can minimize risk of disguised kickbacks in physician and non-physician service contracts by reviewing arrangements for legitimate need, the actual provision and complete documentation of services, compensation at fair-market value in an arm's-length transaction, and the severing of any correlation between compensation, on one hand, and the volume or value of federal healthcare program businesses, on the other. To completely eliminate the risk, facilities should endeavor to structure services arrangements to comply with the personal services and management contract safe harbor (to the extent reasonably practicable). In those cases where, for one or more reasons, it is not possible to fit expressly within the safe harbor, the arrangement nonetheless should be structured in a manner that conforms as closely as possible to the terms of an applicable safe harbor.

• While the Anti-Kickback Statute contains an exception for discounts, any discounts must be based on the reduced price of a good or service and in an arm's-length transaction. Discounts must be fully disclosed on cost reports and claims.

• Nursing facilities must not accept a reduced price from a supplier or provider in exchange for the facility referring other federal healthcare program business for which the supplier can bill Medicare or Medicaid. Such swapping arrangements are expressly not protected by the discount safe harbor.

• Facilities should ensure that requesting or accepting benefits from a hospice does not influence the facility's decision to do business with that hospice. For example, a hospice might offer free or below-market goods or services (e.g., when a hospice nurse provides services for non-hospice patients) to induce a facility to refer patients to the hospice. This and other related practices are suspect under the Anti-Kickback Statue.

• If a hospital pays to reserve a bed in a nursing facility, with even one purpose being the potential inducement of referrals to the hospital, this would pose a clear risk under the Anti-Kickback Statue. Reserved bed payments must be for the sole purpose of securing needed beds.



Other Risk Areas



Additional areas of risk identified in the Supplemental Guidance include: physician self-referrals (including, in particular, Section 1877 of the Social Security Act commonly known as the "Stark Law"), anti-supplementation, Medicare Part D, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA") Privacy and Security Rules.



• Nursing facility services, by themselves, are not "designated health services" (or "DHS") for the purposes of Stark Law (and, thus, arrangements involving solely nursing facility services do not implicate the Stark Law); nonetheless, certain services (e.g., laboratory services) sometimes offered by the facility are DHS and, as a result, are covered by the Stark Law. Facilities must be conversant with Stark Law, and review all financial relationships with physicians who refer or order DHS, to ensure compliance with Stark. Facilities should pay attention, in particular, to physicians who are owners, investors, medical directors, or consultants to the facility.

• Nursing facilities are prohibited from charging residents (or their families) for covered services in excess of the Medicare or Medicaid amount.

• Facilities must ensure that they provide beneficiary freedom of choice when choosing a Part D plan, a right guaranteed under federal law. Nursing facilities cannot coach or steer the selection of a plan, and must guard against a pharmacy who services the nursing facility from engaging in this practice.

• Nursing facilities must design policies and procedures that ensure the privacy and confidentiality of protected health information, as required under the HIPAA Privacy Rule and HIPAA Security Rule.



Other Compliance Considerations



Ethical Culture



The 2000 Nursing Facility Guidance stressed the importance for a nursing facility to have an organizational culture that promotes compliance. OIG commends nursing facilities that have adopted a code of conduct that details the fundamental principles, values, and framework for action within the organization, and that articulates the organization's commitment to compliance. OIG encourages those facilities that have not yet adopted codes of conduct to do so. Additionally, a nursing facility's leadership should foster an organizational culture that values, and even rewards, the prevention, detection, and resolution of quality of care and compliance problems.

Good compliance practices may include the development of a mechanism, such as a "dashboard." Further information and resources about quality of care dashboards are available on the OIG Web site. When communication tools such as dashboards are properly implemented and include quality of care information, the directors and senior officers can, among other things:



• Demonstrate a commitment to quality of care and foster an organization-wide culture that values quality of care;

• Improve the facility's quality of care through increased awareness of and involvement in the oversight of quality of care issues; and

• Track and trend quality of care data (e.g., state agency survey results, outcome care and delivery data, and staff retention and turnover data) to identify potential quality of care problems, identify areas in which the organization is providing high quality of care, and measure progress on quality of care initiatives.



OIG views the use of dashboards, and similar tools, as a helpful compliance practice that can lead to improved quality of care and assist the board members and senior officers in fulfilling, respectively, their oversight and management responsibilities.



Regular Review of Compliance Program Effectiveness



Nursing facilities should regularly review the implementation and execution of their compliance program systems and structures - typically on an annual basis. The assessment should include an evaluation of the overall success of the program, as well as each of the basic elements of a compliance program individually, which include:



• Designation of a compliance officer and compliance committee;

• Development of compliance policies and procedures, including standards of conduct;

• Developing open lines of communication;

• Appropriate training and teaching;

• Internal monitoring and auditing;

• Response to detected deficiencies; and

• Enforcement of disciplinary standards.



Nursing facilities seeking guidance for establishing and evaluating their compliance operations should review the 2000 Guidance, which discusses in detail the fundamental elements of a compliance program.



Other issues a nursing facility may want to evaluate are whether there has been an allocation of adequate resources to compliance initiatives; whether there is a reasonable timetable for implementation of the compliance measures; whether the compliance officer and compliance committee have been vested with sufficient autonomy, authority, and accountability to implement and enforce appropriate compliance measures; and whether compensation structures create undue pressure to pursue profit over compliance.



Most importantly, nursing facilities should recognize that the development of a compliance program (or, in the case of facilities with existing programs, the refinement of such program), by itself, does not suffice. In other words, there must be an ongoing commitment, reinforced on a regular and continuous basis, to implementing the provisions of the compliance program - with a view toward elevating the quality of care at the facility and reducing the facility's regulatory risks.



Self-Reporting



If the compliance officer, compliance committee, or a member of senior management discovers credible evidence of misconduct from any source and, after a reasonable inquiry, believes that the misconduct may violate criminal, civil, or administrative law, the nursing facility should promptly report the existence of the misconduct to the appropriate federal and state authorities. The reporting should occur within a reasonable period, but not longer than 60 days, after determining that there is credible evidence of a violation. Prompt voluntary reporting will demonstrate the nursing facility's good faith and willingness to work with governmental authorities to correct and remedy the problem. In addition, prompt reporting of misconduct will be considered a mitigating factor by OIG in determining administrative sanctions (e.g., penalties, assessments, and exclusion) if the reporting nursing facility becomes the subject of an OIG investigation.



To encourage providers to make voluntary disclosures to OIG, OIG published the Provider Self-Disclosure Protocol. When reporting to the government, a nursing facility should provide all relevant information regarding the alleged violation of applicable federal or state law(s) and the potential financial or other impact of the alleged violation. The compliance officer, under advice of legal counsel and with guidance from governmental authorities, may be requested to continue to investigate the reported violation. Once the investigation is completed, and especially if the investigation ultimately reveals that criminal, civil, or administrative violations have occurred, the compliance officer should notify the appropriate governmental authority of the outcome of the investigation. This notification should include a description of the impact of the alleged violation on the applicable Federal health care programs or their beneficiaries. Note, however, that the decision as to whether or not a facility should self-report typically is complex since an initial determination needs to be made whether the conduct is more accurately characterized as a billing error (for which repayment can be made, without the requirement to self-disclose), or whether the conduct rises to a level that self-disclosure is the appropriate course of action.



Summary



A critical element of a nursing facility's compliance program is the establishment of a culture of compliance, and a formal commitment to an ethical culture and compliance that begins with senior management and, in turn, permeates all levels of the organization. Nursing facilities should establish clear policies and procedures to ensure compliance, and should regularly review, revise, and build on this compliance program. Further, as noted above, there must be an emphasis on continually implementing the principles of the compliance program. It is our sense that, by investing in compliance, a nursing facility can simultaneously take steps to elevate the quality of health care services furnished to residents, while it also mitigates the risks of regulatory violations (that can result in penalties and other sanctions, including closure of the facility). In light of the heightened scrutiny to which nursing facilities are subject in the current enforcement climate, with significant resources being deployed to find violations, prudence dictates that nursing faculties, in turn, attach a commensurate degree of attention to these risks.



Advising Clients on RAC Audits in Washington, D.C.

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

'VIDEO DIARY' COPING MECHANISMS

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Part 1 - Clinical Updates On Mental Health Disorders - Glen Havens, MD - Host - Dr. Freda Crews

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information

Stem Cell Research

How To Buy Your Way Out Of An Early Death From An Incurable Disease.

How?... With Private stem cell research, of course!…Stem cell research holds more than hope for cures. The jury is in on stem cell research. Stem cell research can offer a cure for your incurable illness. With private stem cell research a personal cure for an ill patient can be accelerated. With every michroscope in the lab tuned into your unique disease a rapid cure is guaranteed. Private stem cell research for the wealthy (that will eventually lead to cures for everyone) has arrived!

So now you are all relaxed about your health’s future because some countries such as Switzerland and some American states such as California are beginning to endorse stem cell research.We too are excited about this ground breaking research. Unfortunately these researchers will be working with one hand tied behind their back because these countries and California are working with restrictive legislation that forbids or impedes the cloning of human embryos. That’s like giving them permission to build the fastest car in the world but with the restriction of not allowing them to put a motor in the car!

That’s why the major new cures for cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other incurable diseases will ultimately come from small offshore labs working without restrictive legislation from the western world. Thank God for the sake of our health that there is a world outside the United States and the Western countries. The number one lab in the world offering excellence in medical research is Gen Cells Cures owned by Gerald Armstrong. Our motto is “Have Michroscope will travel” When a government gets in the way of our life –saving research we will pack up our michroscopes and move on.

When Alexander Grahm Bell patented his telephone in 1876 it was the difference of a half turn of a screw that put him in the patent office before Elisha Gray. With only one company in the Grand Unites States openly working on therapeutic cloning, the U.S.A is left in the dust where innovative research and future cures are concerned.The U.S. was once at the forefront of medicine and technology, research and innovation, cures and prevention. Now the job falls into the hands of the few working outside America. In many cases the work will be done by Americans. Even the Korean’s who first cloned the human embryo had help from steady American hands, but the work was done in Korea by Koreans, not in America by Americans. We here at Gen Cells Cures have found that the Korean’s new technique of squeezing out the DNA from the egg cell works much better than sucking out the DNA with a tiny needle. Their cloning process was a spectacular achievement.

The only American company working openly with therapeutic cloning research in the country is Advanced Cell Tech. When the cure comes it will likely come from Gen Cells Cures or some other little basement lab out in the middle of nowhere. Gen Cells Cures wants the opportunity to find cures for major incurable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimers disease, diabetes and other dreaded incurable diseases. The only problem with Gen Cells Cures and Advanced Cell Tech is that both of these biotechs are always running out of the money needed to do the research. Getting private funding is like pulling teeth. It’s not easy work. The cure cannot come from the western world with restrictive legislation backed by ignorance and obscurantism. All that controversy over a stem cell smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. Even if stem cell research (with it’s restrictive limitations) had all the funding in the world there will not be a cure found until all the research is completed and that includes the therapeutic cloning stem cell research. Through out history their have always been those people with dark age thinking who have held back scientific progress. Sadly, US President, George Bush is a victim of such limited thinking. Gen Cells Cures michroscopes already have Alexander Grahm Bell’s half turn of the screw built in for success with no U.S. competition.

Non-embryonic stem cell research has produced therapies for more than forty ailments including, heart disease, lupus, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, brain hemorrhage, brain tumors, retinoblastoma, ovian cancer, sarcomas, scleroderma, multiple myeloma, leukemia, renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer and others. There have been no therapies from embryonic stem cell research so far simply because researchers have been using generic stem cells and there has not been one penny of public or private research money available for the real solution, therapeutic cloning stem cell research. While adult stem cell research received 190 million dollars from the U.S federal government in 2003. Therapeutic cloning stem cell research received zero dollars in funding support in 2003! What can you expect with zero dollars allotted to this life-saving research. Why hasn’t there been a cure from therapeutic cloning stem cell research so far? The answer is plain and simple, fear and ignorance has restricted the research!

Gen Cells Cures doesn’t like working with generic stem cells created from an egg and a sperm cell. There is no genetic match for our patient and you destroy the embryo that could have gone on to become a baby. The company likes working with perfectly matched cells created from a patient’s skin cell and a human egg cell. You have a perfect genetic match and the stem cell is made young again . While we like the applications of adult stem cells and will use adult cells until we unravel the secrets of therapeutic cloning. We would rather have our cure come from perfectly matched fresh young stems cells rather than adult stem cells that are as old as our patient! We see the somatic cell nuclear transferred stem cell brought back to the beginning of life as the key to unlocking the aging clock. We just don’t see a skin cell matched with an egg cell as a human being.

Fortunately for those of you with the ways and means and the vision to see the new dawn of stem cell research there is a way out for you and that way out is your own private medical research, (private stem cell research.) Gen Cells Cures is searching desperately for the funding to carry out the research that has been put on indefinite hold in the U.S. and the West. If someone knows a millionaire or a billionaire without a cause, please direct him or her to this stem cell research article. And if you know some one who is in desperate need of a cure, but is poor send him or her to us anyway. Maybe we can find their cure with our dime store michroscopes while we wait for the support to arrive to buy the high quality michroscopes we need to do the job. God tends to look after his flock. Gen Cells Cures offers stem cell research that includes a combination of an accumulation of today’s best science and molecular biology that fuses therapeutic cloning stem cell research and genomics, (without political or legislative restraints.) Gen Cells Cures futuristic medical research technologies are available to the public now! Stem cell therapies and cures are just around the corner brought to you by Gen Cell Cure’s advanced stem cell research... No FDA approval needed! Stem cell research, stem cell research and more stem cell research is your solution and stem cell research is the solution for the world.

Article by Gerald Armstrong- scientist0707@yahoo.com
Gerald is the owner of Gen Cells Cures
Visit his group for information about “the cure” for incurable diseases and aging.
Group address http://www.msnusers.com/cures

You have my permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

You can find additional info at the following links:

Click Here for more information
Click Here for more information