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KRCA TV Estrella Media Noticias – WelbeHealth North Hollywood Grand Opening

October 6, 2023

How Does Diabetes Affect the Endocrine System? A Helpful Guide

September 29, 2023

1 in 10 Americans are dealing with diabetes. On top of that, 20 percent of people with diabetes have no idea they have it. Uncontrolled diabetes does a number on many parts of your body, especially your endocrine system.

How does diabetes affect the endocrine system? We have all of the answers for you right here. Read on to learn all about living with diabetes.

What Is the Endocrine System?

The endocrine system is made up of a number of different organs and glands, all of which are meant to promote energy metabolism. The most prominent organ in the endocrine system is the pancreas, which regulates your blood glucose levels. It also includes the ovaries and testes.

Endocrine system glands include the adrenal, pineal, pituitary, and thyroid gland. The adrenal gland boosts your blood glucose levels and causes your heart to beat faster, while the thyroid gland regulates your metabolism. Finally, the pituitary gland is in charge of growth and the pineal gland regulates your sleep.

How Does Diabetes Affect the Endocrine System?

Think of your endocrine system like an engine. The food you eat fuels that engine, which in turn has an impact on your blood glucose levels. Ideally, you want a steady level of blood glucose to keep your body running.

When you have diabetes, your body has a harder time regulating your blood glucose levels. They can either go far too high or far too low. What happens to your blood glucose depends on the type of diabetes with which you’re diagnosed.

Type 1 Diabetes

People who have type 1 diabetes are unable to produce enough insulin to properly respond to the intake of food. This causes blood glucose levels to spike. People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have to inject insulin in order to properly regulate their blood glucose.

Type 2 Diabetes

People who have type 2 diabetes produce sufficient insulin, but their body doesn’t respond to it. This also results in high blood glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes treatment includes medication that increases your body’s sensitivity to insulin and keeps blood glucose levels balanced.

Living with Diabetes

The impact of diabetes extends far beyond your endocrine system. If you have it, you should be seeing a doctor regularly to make sure it’s well controlled. You’ll also want to get eye exams and visit the podiatrist to avoid things like diabetic retinopathy and diabetic neuropathy.

The better you control your diabetes, the better the likelihood of positive health outcomes!

Are You in Need of Diabetes Help?

How does diabetes affect the endocrine system?

As it turns out, the answer depends on whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. At a minimum, your body isn’t producing enough insulin or it isn’t responding to insulin. No matter what type of diabetes you have, it’s critical that you see your doctor regularly to make sure it’s properly managed.

Are you looking for compassionate care for seniors living with diabetes? WelbeHealth is there for you. Contact us today to learn how we provide seniors with full-service healthcare and personalized support to help you age well at home and in your community.

5 Easy Crafts for Seniors With Dementia

August 31, 2023

There are several ways you can keep someone with dementia engaged. Check out this guide for some easy crafts for seniors with dementia.

13.9% of Americans have some kind of dementia. Art and crafts are a great way to entertain and help dementia patients pass the time. They create new neural connections.

Engaging in creative activities can have a positive impact. Both on the mental and emotional well-being of seniors. This is especially true for folks with dementia.

Crafts provide a stimulating and enjoyable way for seniors to express themselves. They can reminisce and maintain a sense of purpose.

Here are five rewarding and easy crafts for seniors with dementia.

1. Memory Boxes

Memory boxes are a wonderful way for seniors with dementia to connect with their past.

To create a memory box, gather a small, sturdy box. Collect various items, such as:

Old photographs
Postcards
Trinkets
Other sentimental objects

Encourage your loved one to decorate the box. Use paint, stickers, or markers.

As you work on the memory box together, prompt them with questions about the items they’re including. Encourage them to share stories and memories associated with each item.

The completed memory box becomes a valuable keepsake. It can be revisited and enjoyed repeatedly.

2. Collage Art

All you need are old magazines, scissors, glue, and a piece of paper or cardboard as the canvas.

Request your loved one to cut out images and words from magazines. These images should appeal to them or bring back memories.

As you create collages, discuss the pictures and words they choose. Ask open-ended questions to spark conversations.

The process of creating collages allows for self-expression.

3. Painted Rocks

Painted rocks are a simple and enjoyable craft. It can be done indoors or outdoors.

Collect smooth and flat rocks.

Provide non-toxic acrylic paint, brushes, and water. Ask your loved one to paint the rocks however they prefer.

Painted rocks can serve as garden decorations or paperweights. The act of painting the rocks promotes creativity and focus. It also offers a sense of achievement.

It’s a craft that can be done at a relaxed pace. This allows for breaks and conversations as needed.

4. Bead Jewelry

This craft enhances fine motor skills and provides a sense of accomplishment. You can create necklaces, bracelets, or even keychains.

To get started, gather an assortment of items, like:

Colorful beads
Strings
Clasps
Pliers

Guide your loved one through the process. Help them select beads. Offering assistance with threading and fastening clasps if needed.

Bead jewelry provides a tactile and visually stimulating activity. The finished pieces can be proudly worn or gifted to loved ones.

5. Paper Flowers

You’ll need colored paper, scissors, glue, and green pipe cleaners.

Ask your loved one to cut out petal shapes from colored paper. Attach them to the pipe cleaner stem with glue.

These paper flowers are simple to create. They can be arranged in vases or used for various decorative purposes.

Choose Easy Crafts for Seniors With Dementia

Living with dementia isn’t easy either for the patient or their relatives. That’s why easy crafts for seniors with dementia can be such a boon. They can entertain and help build a connection.

Check out WelbeHealths Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). It’s a full-service option for seniors. It allows them to stay at home and in their community. Learn if you qualify here.

How to Ask for Help With Depression: A Guide for Seniors

July 31, 2023

Living with depression can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. This is how to ask for help with depression.

Are you experiencing a loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy? Do you have feelings of sadness and hopelessness or difficulty sleeping? If so, you may be struggling with depression.

As we get older, life can become more lonely and it may leave you feeling lost.

Living with this disorder can be challenging, especially if you don’t know how to ask for help with depression. You might feel it’s not worth reaching out to someone.

If this describes you in any way, keep reading. This article discusses depression, the symptoms, and how to ask for help so you don’t have to feel this way any longer.

What Is Depression?

Depression, also called depressive disorder, is a mental disorder. It’s common and is characterized by an all-encompassing sadness or negative view of life. Depression affects how you think and act, leading to various emotional and physical problems that interfere with daily functioning.

Depression can occur at any age; however, it begins more commonly as an adult. There are several types of depression, such as:

Major Depressive Disorder
Persistent Depressive Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder

Signs of Depression

Depression can present differently from person to person. Typically, symptoms include:

Feelings of sadness
Loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyed activities
Changes in appetite
Changes in weight
Trouble sleeping
Excess fatigue
Feelings of worthlessness
Feelings of guilt
Difficulty concentrating
Thoughts of suicide or suicide ideation

How to Ask for Help With Depression

Depression as a senior is manageable if you seek treatment. A medical professional will typically prescribe an antidepressant and possibly a mood stabilizer. If you’re unsure of how to ask for help with depression, there are a few things you can try.

Find a Trusted Person

Identify a trusted person with whom you can confide in. This can be a family member, friend, pastor, etc.

Be Open and Honest

When you sit down and chat with a trusted person, you must be open and honest about your feelings. Ask them if they’re willing to help you through this difficult time.

Seek Professional Depression Treatment

If you need help seeking professional help, ask someone you trust to help find a professional or accompany you to one. A professional will have the necessary experience to help.

Help Is Around the Corner

Living with depression can be challenging as a senior, but it’s not something you have to battle alone. If you’re unsure how to ask for help with depression, ask someone you trust if they’re willing to listen.

You want to choose the right time to ask, and when they accept, be honest with how you feel. Professional help is strongly recommended wherever possible to assist with medications if necessary.

WelbeHealth provides full-service healthcare and personalized support to help you age well at home and in your community. Our Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) meets the changing needs of seniors, often at no cost. Many of our centers have support groups available to help you through your difficult times. To learn more visit: www.welbehealth.com/contact/

WelbeHealth Continues Los Angeles Expansion With Opening of New PACE Centers in Rosemead and North Hollywood

June 8, 2023

Through the Medicare and Medi-Cal funded Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), WelbeHealth delivers fully integrated care that allows seniors to age in place

Both new locations are poised to meet the needs of an aging population across greater metro LA; thousands of residents local to the new centers are over 55 and eligible for PACE

See photos of the new spaces here

Today the physician-led senior health services provider WelbeHealth announced the opening of its Rosemead and North Hollywood locations. The new locations will increase access to care in underserved communities where thousands of lower-income older adults qualify for health care through the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a national Medicare and Medicaid program that offers seniors access to comprehensive at-home and community-based services.

The expansion marks a greater Los Angeles metro area presence for WelbeHealth, which also operates centers in Long Beach and Pasadena. Both WelbeHealth Rosemead and WelbeHealth North Hollywood will offer spaces for medical and dental care, social recreation, physical and occupational therapy, personal care, meals and nutritional counseling. Transportation and in-home care are also delivered as part of WelbeHealth’s integrated services.

Aligned with WelbeHealth’s commitment to holistic health, the new locations are thoughtfully designed contemporary spaces, inspiring an environment where participants can feel mentally rejuvenated while receiving high-quality medical care. Features like outdoor social spaces, hair salons and laundry rooms offer a respite from loneliness and limited access to personal care that many lower-income older adults experience.

“Welbe’s purpose is to unlock the full potential of the most frail and vulnerable seniors through a model of clinical excellence, comprehensive social services and our courage to love culture, that values every one of our team members, our participants and their families. We see a huge need for services like this in the Rosemead and North Hollywood communities,” said Si France, MD, Founder and CEO at WelbeHealth. “We know that caring for this population has ripple effects throughout their families and their communities, and we’re honored to serve them.”

Both centers are currently enrolling new participants, with services set to begin on July 1.

Over 9,000 seniors are eligible for PACE within a 20-minute drive of the two centers. The surrounding populations are highly diverse, with over half of local seniors primarily speaking a non-English language including Spanish and Chinese. To meet the needs of its participants, WelbeHealth has employed multilingual staff members across many positions. Culturally appropriate meal menus, activities, and other services have been made available to best serve the needs of the local communities.

“California’s population is aging rapidly. We are expanding our presence in Southern California to meet the growing need for specially designed services that allow seniors to thrive in their communities while lowering costs compared to institutional care. Our mission to serve the most vulnerable seniors with better quality and compassion will lift the burden off family members and improve the lives of older adults,” said Vaneesh Soni, MD, Chief Growth Officer at WelbeHealth.

In addition to the new North Hollywood and Rosemead centers, WelbeHealth operates programs across California, including in the cities of Modesto, Stockton, Pasadena, Long Beach and Fresno.

About WelbeHealth

WelbeHealth is a physician-led public benefit company founded in 2015 that provides comprehensive healthcare services for seniors through a fully integrated program that includes all medical and dental care, physical and occupational therapy, transportation to medical appointments, meals and personal care services. WelbeHealth addresses social determinants of health to keep the most vulnerable seniors living safely in their own homes. Services are delivered through the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a national Medicare and Medicaid program.

For more information, please visit welbehealth.com.

Contact: Ryan Jackson, welbehealth@berlinrosen.com

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The Importance of Regular Eye Care

February 28, 2023

The secrets that an eye exam can unlock

Making regular eye care a priority can be life-changing. Eleven million Americans need help with their vision, and technology has improved drastically in recent years. Eye exams can prevent trouble by alerting your doctor to health conditions you didn’t know you had and prevent vision loss. The typical eye exam is fast, simple, and pain-free.

What is a basic eye exam?

Just by taking a few simple eye images, a doctor can get an early glimpse of eye diseases and use treatments to preserve your vision or restore what you may have already lost. The first step is usually a dilated eye exam given by an optometrist. The test measures eye alignment, eye movement, visual sharpness, and depth perception. New technology offers an alternative to dilated eye exams. Sometimes, a doctor will snap a simple picture of your pupil, allowing them to see as far inside as they need without eye drops.

“Eye exams can also highlight other health issues. If we can see trouble coming, we can treat it faster and get ahead of it,” says Otashe Golden, MD, Regional Medical Director at WelbeHealth.

Many people, when they try on a new pair of glasses, suddenly see clearly and realize how out of focus the world had become. “Most of us have experienced it – and it can be scary,” says Dr. Golden. “One day you can read street signs perfectly well, and the next, you are driving on the highway at night and can’t find your exit.”

Many eye diseases are relatively common and can go unnoticed for a long time, such as cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration.

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults

Diabetes patients are at higher risk for glaucoma and cataracts. Diabetic retinopathy — scarring on the retina’s blood vessels — can happen due to high blood sugar levels and is the leading cause of blindness in American adults. Diabetic retinopathy is also the most preventable cause of blindness. By seeing an eye doctor, early detection and treatment can prevent or delay blindness. For most people with diabetes, there can be very little treatment available if the diagnosis comes too late.

How often do you need an eye exam?

How often should you get an eye exam depends on certain factors. For people with diabetes, it is recommended to get an eye exam every year. On the other hand, individuals who are African American and aged 40 years and older, Mexican Americans who are 60 years or older, and those with a family history of glaucoma should have an eye exam at least every two years.

Get Ways to Protect Your Vision

Get regular eye exams.
Eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight.
Wear sunglasses that block out 99% to 100% of UA and UVB sunlight.
Don’t smoke.
Use protective eyewear to avoid injury.
If you are reading on a screen, be sure to take frequent breaks to give your eyes a rest.

Pay attention to symptoms of eye trouble.

Call your family doctor, nurse, or eye doctor if you notice eye symptoms such as:

Difficulty seeing or double vision
Redness of the eye or pain in the eye
Flashes of light
Floaters (specks look like they float in front of you)
Circles/halos around lights

WelbeHealth responds to Governor’s budget proposal

January 10, 2023

MENLO PARK, CALIF. – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom released his state budget proposal for fiscal year 2023-2024. The budget included several proposals in line with WelbeHealth’s policy priorities, including an increase in resources for Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE) administration within the Department of Health Care Services and the maintenance of funding for key health and human services programs including CalAIM, behavioral health and housing programs, and ensuring access to health care for all Californians regardless of documentation or ability to pay.

PACE enables frail seniors to remain in their homes while receiving coordinated, whole-person care and is a high-quality cost-effective alternative to nursing home care. In recent years, the number of PACE participants has increased significantly.

“WelbeHealth applauds the governor’s support of Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and other proven care models for frail and vulnerable seniors. For every participant that enrolls in PACE, it saves taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars while increasing their length and quality of life, allowing them to live at home. Whether from an economic, health care or social standpoint, this may be one of the best investments the administration could make,” said Si France, M.D., chief executive officer of WelbeHealth, in response to the proposed budget.

To learn more about Governor Newsom’s full budget proposal, you can click here: 2023-24 State Budget Invests in Californians while Safeguarding State’s Future

About Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE)

Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE) is a comprehensive whole-person health care program for frail seniors living with chronic health conditions and other complex needs. As both insurers and providers, PACE organizations are able to seamlessly plan and manage all aspects of care for seniors – medical, social and supportive services. PACE participants are over the age of 55, live in a PACE service area and have been deemed eligible by the state for a nursing home level of care. 90% of PACE participants are dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

About WelbeHeatlh

WelbeHealth is a physician led, mission-driven organization founded to serve the most vulnerable seniors with compassionate and quality care, in a pure value-based model. WelbeHealth manages the entire care portfolio for participants including their primary and specialty care, ensuring they get to and from appointments, helping them navigate any necessary paperwork, providing assistance with activities of daily living, and ensuring they have enriched lives through social and emotional care.

Contact: Cyndi Hillery, cyndi.hillery@welbehealth.com

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Managing Sadness and Grief Over the Holidays

December 21, 2022

Although it is not uncommon for people of all ages to experience some degree of sadness over the holidays, be it from having been isolated during the pandemic or having experienced the loss of a loved one, older adulthood is a time of greatest risk and could result in substantial increases in death by suicide. For this very reason, it is encouraged to start a conversation with a friend, family, therapist, or another medical professional about how your mood is going and if you might be experiencing some degree of depression. This is not to say that most seniors are depressed, but we do recognize that the experience of declining health or mobility, plus the shrinking of one’s natural support system due to loss, can raise the sense of loneliness and despair.

Warning Signs

In their toolkit for suicide prevention among seniors, the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration identifies the following warning signs of suicide:

Talking about wanting to die or kill oneself.
Looking for a way to kill oneself.
Talking about being a burden to others.
Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.
Acting anxious or agitated, behaving recklessly.
Sleeping too little or too much.
Withdrawing or feeling isolated.
Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.
Displaying extreme mood swings.

If you experience any one or more of these behaviors, please reach out to your doctor or mental health professional they can listen to your thoughts and feelings around these matters.

From conducting one of the longest-running support groups at WelbeHealth in Stockton, Forever Friends, I can attest that not only do other seniors share your concerns, but they are ready to help out whenever possible

– Randall Ramírez, LCSW, LMFT | Behavioral Health Specialist

Strategies for Coping

As an alternative way of approaching the holidays, seniors can:

Be Proactive

Becoming more proactive in planning ahead on how they want to celebrate the season and how they can build special celebrations or memorials around those loved ones who have passed on or who are distant from them.

Sharing Memories

This may include raising a toast at the holiday dinner table to the lost family member or friend and asking others to offer one cherished memory. Or it may involve setting a place for them at the table and reminiscing.

Making a Donation

It could also be as simple as setting up a spot to collect donations to the loved one’s favorite charity. All these approaches not only honor the person we lost, but they create a space for acknowledging our collective sadness and feelings.

Socializing

We hold onto the belief that seniors retain talents, strengths, and skills into their later years that can be shared with others. Because seniors are living longer, we also support the idea of embracing quality of life and progressing with your dreams into the Golden Years. Joining a group that hosts activities, whether at a Senior Center or local club, aim at creating strong connections and bonds with fellow seniors.

WelbeHealth Executive Director Mindy Wilds Honored with Prestigious PACE Award

December 5, 2022

Mindy Wilds, executive director of WelbeHealth’s Fresno Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), was recently honored by the National PACE Association (NPA) with the prestigious Marie-Louise Ansak Award.

The Marie-Louise Ansak Award, named after the founder of PACE, recognizes the ingenuity, hard work and sacrifice of an individual PACE program employee who has worked to improve the quality of life for one or more frail older persons during the past year.

“We are proud to recognize Mindy with the Marie-Louise Ansak Award,” said Shawn Bloom, president and CEO of the NPA. “Mindy earned this high honor through epitomizing the innovative team player that is core to delivering PACE.”

Wilds received the award at the October NPA Annual Conference in Seattle.

“I love this model of care because we can think outside the box and provide common sense solutions for our participants and their families,” said Wilds.

Mindy Wilds with Award — Mindy Wilds with the Marie-Louise Ansak Award

Wilds joined WelbeHealth in February 2021 as the executive director of WelbeHealth’s Fresno Center, which provides medical care, physical therapy, social and recreational activities, meals and nutritional counseling, transportation and other support services to PACE-eligible medically frail seniors age 55 and over.

“Mindy is a model for all of us. Her tireless commitment and dedication to seniors in our communities enables them to thrive and live longer with greater connection, vitality and meaning,” said WelbeHealth CEO Si France, M.D.

About WelbeHealth

Founded in 2015, WelbeHealth provides comprehensive home-based medical and social services to more than 1,500 vulnerable seniors across California, including the cities of Stockton, Modesto, Pasadena, Long Beach and Fresno. The company recently became the first Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) provider to convert to a public benefit company, meaning it is obligated to take into consideration the concerns of all stakeholders while prioritizing corporate responsibility and sustainability.

An alternative to nursing homes, PACE is a Medicare and Medicaid program that helps keep people in their homes and communities. PACE programs are proven to reduce depression, lower hospitalizations, decrease rehospitalizations, reduce nursing home admissions and improve preventive care, according to recent data from the National PACE Association.

For more information, please visit welbehealth.com.

Contacts

Jennifer Wezensky
jennifer@jwprmarketing.com

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WelbeHealth Modesto Center Opens to Serve Medically Frail Seniors

September 30, 2022

Physician-led healthcare organization WelbeHealth and Northern California-based healthcare network Sutter Health have opened a new center in Modesto that serves medically frail seniors.

Located at 1224 Scenic Drive, the center is designated a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) alternative care setting. Integrated with WelbeHealth and Sutter’s PACE center in Stockton, the new Modesto location provides day services to PACE-eligible medically frail seniors age 55 and over. The center, which will employ more than 100 full- and part-time employees when at capacity, features:

Physical and occupational therapy
Personal care and supportive services
Meals and nutritional counseling
Recreational therapy
Access to in-home care and mobile clinic

The new Modesto center addresses a community need, since only a fraction of the over 3,000 PACE-eligible seniors in Stanislaus county are receiving PACE services, according to a WelbeHealth analysis of U.S. Census data and the Medi-Cal Managed Care Enrollment Report.

“WelbeHealth was built on the mission of serving our most vulnerable seniors with greater quality and compassion in underserved communities,” said WelbeHealth CEO Si France, M.D. “As the first provider of PACE services in Modesto since 2019, we are proud to complement our care with a beautiful facility.”

PACE is a national Medicare and Medicaid program that helps keep seniors living in their own homes instead of nursing homes. PACE programs are proven to reduce depression, lower hospitalizations, decrease rehospitalizations, reduce nursing home admissions and improve preventive care, according to recent data from the National PACE Association.

“We are proud to partner with WelbeHealth to enrich the lives of seniors, their caregivers and the broader community,” said Christopher Stanley, M.D., Sutter Health’s chief population health officer. “WelbeHealth shares our commitment to high-quality, community-based healthcare services that help frail older adults anticipate problems and prevent hospitalization or early entry into a nursing home.”

Todd Smith, M.D., foundation area CEO for Sutter Health in the South Valley, said that the importance of good health for aging seniors can’t be underestimated.

“Creating greater access to comprehensive home and community-based healthcare services helps seniors achieve their best health and maintain their independence,” Dr. Smith said.

In addition to the new Modesto center, WelbeHealth has locations in Stockton, Pasadena, Long Beach and Fresno. More than 1,500 seniors were served in 2021. Sutter Health is a not-for-profit integrated health network that serves more than 3 million people in 22 California counties.

Contacts

Jennifer Wezensky
269-274-4071
jennifer@jwprmarketing.com

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