H1N1 Swine Flu Update

1. Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness (ILI) are increasing nationally. Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness are higher than what is expected during this time of year and have increased for six consecutive weeks now. This is very unusual for this time of year.
2. Total influenza hospitalization rates for adults and children are similar to or lower than seasonal influenza hospitalization rates depending on age group, but are higher than expected for this time of year.

Yes you still need to make sure you keep you hand clean and washed!

Source: cdc.gov
The CDC updates can be viewed at
Click here for the CDC H1N1 Swine Flue Update

As a small business owner or employee, you do not want to be caught unprepared when the flu season hits.
Regardless of the size or type of your business, a bit of planning now can put strategies into place that will
help protect the business and its employees, when 2009 H1N1 flu hits. Plan now for the return of 2009 H1N1
to your community and for the potential for a more severe outbreak. It is important that the following list of
recommendations be reviewed carefully and applied in the most appropriate way to your small business.

Small businesses play a key role in protecting employees’ health and safety as well as limiting
the impact to the economy and society during an influenza pandemic. Advance planning for
pandemic influenza, a novel infectious disease that could occur in varying levels of severity, is
critical. Companies that provide critical services, such as power and telecommunications, have
a special responsibility to their community to plan for continued operations in a pandemic and
should plan accordingly.

SOURCE: flu.gov

Click to read how to create your plan

Traditionally, cardiovascular disease has been thought of as a “male” disease, but cardiovascular disease is in fact the leading cause of death for women as well as for men in the United States. In 2003, all forms of cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of about 500,000 American women, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Statistically, 2 out of every 5 female deaths in the United States is caused by cardiovascular disease, especially coronary heart disease and stroke.

Alarmingly, studies continually reveal that women lack understanding of the risks they face from heart disease and stroke. While the media tends to emphasize breast cancer, cardiovascular disease claims more than 10 times as many lives as breast cancer annually and more than 8 times as many lives as lung cancer. It is responsible for more deaths annually among women than all other causes combined. Minority women face an even greater risk. Cardiovascular disease claims a significantly higher number of black and Mexican American women than white women, possibly because of higher rates of obesity and lack of exercise in these populations. While there has been positive news in recent years — overall rates of heart disease have declined in women, possibly due to risk factor reduction — there is still significant room for improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in women.

Studies are ongoing to understand the gap between the dangers of cardiovascular disease in women and its treatment. In recent years, researchers have begun to understand that women experience cardiovascular disease differently than men, especially coronary heart disease. It may have different symptoms, and onset tends to occur later in life. Because of these differences, women may be less likely to be referred for testing for heart disease. As a result, women have to be more assertive in seeking out appropriate care. Also, women have different target goals when it comes to controlling risk factors such as cholesterol levels and triglycerides. It is important that all women understand the dangers posed by cardiovascular disease and take appropriate steps to prevent it.

Click her to read the rest of the article

Source: yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com

Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs)—sometimes called “Assisted Living” or “Board and Care” facilities—are non-medical facilities that provide a level of care that includes assistance with activities of daily living.

CANHR’s Residential Care Guide offers basic information on all 7,000+ Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly in California, and the ability to search by county, city, or facility name.

Click here for the rest of the article

Click here for RCFE evaluation check list

Soruce: www.canhr.org
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
650 Harrison Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94107

(415) 974-5171
(800) 474-1116 (toll-free; consumers only)
Fax: (415) 777-2904

H1N1 Flu Blog Updates at Washington State University

Follow  how Washington  State University is dealing with their H1N1 Swine flu outbreak.

Every morning at HWS, a small group of us gather to review the previous day’s flu related activities on campus. We talk daily with campus leaders to monitor the situation and to determine what steps need to be taken next. It is clear from our conversations that many of you want more info, and you want it faster and clearer. This blog is our effort to provide you with that information as quickly and as accurately as possible. To begin, we’ve pasted some of the simple answers to questions we believe to be important.

Follow their blog about the Swine Flu

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AFP) – Some 2,000 students at Washington State University have reported symptoms of swine flu, university officials said, in one of the largest reported outbreaks of the virus on a US college campus.

The west-coast school last week instituted a blog to help provide information to students about the sudden and dramatic spread of the A(H1N1) virus on campus just days into the new school term.

“We estimate that we have been in contact with about 2,000 students with influenza-like illness in the first 10 days of our fall semester,” the latest online posting said.

“At this time of year, we would typically only see a handful of patients with influenza-like illness. Health care providers in the local community have also seen WSU students with influenza-like illness, but we have no way of knowing how many.

“We also have no way of estimating how many students are self-caring at home without contacting us,” school officials said.

Flu shot Source AFP/DDP/File

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