What is Dysphagia? Dysphagia (pronounced “dis-fey-juh”) is the medical term used to describe difficulty swallowing.  In the normal swallow reflex, muscles in our throat and esophagus contract in a complex action that moves food from the mouth into the esophagus and down to the stomach.  For many different reasons, individuals with dysphagia are unable to… Continue reading What Is Dysphagia (Difficulty Swallowing)?

Shield HealthCare’s 13th Annual Caregiver Story Contest has officially ended. November 30th marked the final day of submissions for Shield HealthCare’s “What Makes Caregiving Rewarding?” Caregiver Story Contest, which recognizes the demanding roles and responsibilities of today’s caregivers. A special thank you to all the dedicated caregivers who shared their stories this year! What’s next? Here are… Continue reading 13th Annual Caregiver Story Contest Update

This December, Shield HealthCare encourages everyone to observe National Safe Toys and Gifts Month. National Safe Toys and Gifts Month is a project led by Prevent Blindness America to help families keep safe toy guidelines in mind when buying and accepting toys for children. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, hospital emergency rooms treated approximately 265,00… Continue reading Safety Precautions for Safe Toys and Gifts

Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture that is caused by injury or abnormal development in the immature brain, most often before birth. Cerebral palsy is caused by an abnormality or disruption in brain development. Most of these problems occur as the baby grows in the womb, but they can… Continue reading What is Cerebral Palsy? Symptoms, Treatment and Resources

Angelman syndrome is caused by a missing or defective gene, typically affecting chromosome 15. If you or your loved one has AS, it is important to know...

Congress first designated November 1983 as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month.  At the time, fewer than 2 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s; since then, that number has more than doubled.  Each November, we recognize the 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and honor the more than 15.4 million caregivers, families and friends who… Continue reading Shield HealthCare Recognizes National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

Home care and hospice workers provide vital services to Americans who are aged, disabled, and ill. This caring work is performed by more than 2 million nurses, therapists and independent caregivers each year. By providing professional in-home care, home health and hospice providers help preserve the independence and dignity of the ones we love. Home… Continue reading Why Home Care and Hospice Care?

Nearly 40% of adult Americans are caring for a loved one who is disabled, sick or elderly.  Many family caregivers perform complex daily medical tasks for their loved ones, including managing multiple medications, providing intensive wound care, operating life-supporting medical equipment, providing specialized meals and much more. We recognize and support the 90 million family… Continue reading Celebrating National Family Caregivers Month 2013

What is a Stroke? A cerebral vascular accident (CVA) is most commonly referred to as a stroke. It happens when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or severely reduced, therefore depriving brain tissue of oxygen and food. Without treatment, brain cells begin to die within minutes. Stroke Symptoms If you think… Continue reading What is a Stroke? Symptoms, Risk Factors and Treatment Options

Dementia is a broad term that describes a group of symptoms that affect many of the cognitive skills necessary for daily functioning, such as memory, attention, language, perception, judgment or reasoning. It isn’t a specific disease, and many causes of dementia symptoms exist. It has varying degrees of severity, and its causes are often categorized –… Continue reading Dementia: Signs, Symptoms and Risk Factors