Holistic Care Management News

hunterreeder

Feb 8, 20225 min read

National Institute for Dementia Education Recognizes Photo Reminiscence Therapy Research Project

Photo Reminiscence Therapy (pRT) Improves Quality of Life for Dementia Patients Pilot Study Conducted by NIDE, CERTUS Institute, Vivid-Pix, Tellegacy, & achi “Cognitive Benefits of Photo Reminiscence Therapy for Dementia Patients” pRT Study at: https://nid.education/nide-publications.html

February 1, 2022, Orlando, FL -- The National Institute for Dementia Education (NIDE) announced today results from the “Cognitive Benefits of Photo Reminiscence Therapy for Dementia Patients” research study that concluded that Photo Reminiscence Therapy can improve the quality of life for those living with dementia or related forms of memory impairment. Conducted by a coalition of organizations, including the National Institute for Dementia Education, the CERTUS Institute, Vivid-Pix, Tellegacy, and achi, the group studied the healing power of photos and concluded that Photo Reminiscence Therapy (pRT) can minimize social isolation and improve medication compliance and general cognitive performance. The complete pRT study is available at: https://nid.education/nide-publications.html. Videos about the study are available at: https://www.vivid-pix.com/reminisce/.

Over 8.8 Million Americans Currently Have Dementia

Over 8.8 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. This number is expected to triple within the next few decades. In addition, Alzheimer's disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with one in three seniors dying from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Experts have been using Reminiscence Therapy for years to help Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and depression. As reported by Shirley Wang, NPR, “Researchers find that dementia patients who engage in activities, such as gathering photographs and talking about family, see improvements in their quality of life and are less agitated.” Researchgate also reported that Reminiscence Therapy is an effective way to increase self-esteem and decrease behavioral disturbances in those with dementia, and their research proved that photography was the best therapy.

“We concluded that the power of engaging with personal photos, matched with a high-quality care curriculum and living environment, may improve the quality of life for those with dementia by stimulating the brain and fostering neurogenesis as well as neuroplasticity. This may improve quality of life and, in some cases, temporarily diminish dementia symptoms during therapeutic sessions,” said Joshua Freitas, PhD(c), M.Ed., BC-DEd, Chief Research Officer, CERTUS Institute.

How pRT Research was Conducted

The Photo Reminiscence Therapy research study identified photos that foster reminiscence and looked at the behavioral and somatic responses of older adults in senior living care through pRT. The study was conducted in 2021 in three five-week phases comparing the influences of viewing different types of photos at four CERTUS Senior Living communities in Florida. CERTUS oversaw the care and clinical assessment, with participants ranging in age from 67 to 92 years, who were living with a diagnosis of dementia or memory impairment and had diverse work backgrounds, from engineers to stay-at-home mothers. The study employed the Tellegacy/achi program, which uses social prompts that foster human connection through focused questions as part of an evidence-based curriculum.

The Effects of Different Photos

The pilot group studied the effects between viewing generic stock photos, personal photos, or no photos. Photo types included family, self-portraits, pets, landmarks, newspaper articles, nature, and abstract themes. Aged or faded personal photos were enhanced using Vivid-Pix technology to digitally enhance and restore images, improving color, contrast, clarity, and overall quality. This allowed photos to be more recognizable and relatable. Vivid-Pix’s knowledge of how people emotionally connect and interact with photos was also essential to the research. “This study highlights the emotional, mental, and physical health benefits that looking at photos provide to the young and young-at-heart alike,” said Rick Voight, CEO of Vivid-Pix.

The pilot study was led by Joshua Freitas, Chief Research Officer at CERTUS and an award-winning expert, researcher, and author on memory care, Dr. Jeremy Holloway, Founder, Tellegacy and Professor and Director of Geriatrics Education at University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Rick Voight, CEO, Vivid-Pix, photo researcher, and Hayley Studer, CPA, FHFMA, Founder of achi, a holistic care management company.

“Our findings were robust, insightful, and beneficial for participants,” said Dr. Jeremy Holloway, Tellegacy. “Through engagement with personal photos, pRT can help patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and provide healthy neurological and action-based benefits to those with dementia, especially in supportive care environments.”

“As a percentage of population, individuals over age 65 will double by 2050. How we care for our aging is of social and economic importance,” describes Hayley Studer, achi. “As a bright light shines on how the social determinants of health are affecting communities, many want to take action to create healthier communities and reduce overall healthcare costs.”

To view the full pRT pilot study, see: https://nid.education/nide-publications.html

To view videos about research, see: https://www.vivid-pix.com/reminisce/

About The National Institute for Dementia Education (NIDE)

NIDE works to enhance the quality of life for those living with dementia through research, case studies, education, collaboration, and advocacy. NIDE works with senior care facilities, memory care units, hospitals, and universities studying memory disorders to create unique certificate programs that improve the way we care for seniors who have dementia. The NIDE Standards of Excellence Council offers free dementia training and certification for participating students and caregivers. For more information, see: https://www.nid.education/.

About Vivid-Pix

Vivid-Pix helps people relive photos and documents by connecting individuals, families, and friends with their most treasured memories, restored through Vivid-Pix technology. The U.S. Patent Office has awarded two patents to Vivid-Pix for its image processing techniques used to automatically correct faded images. Vivid-Pix founders brought Kodak’s “You Press the Button, We Do the Rest” philosophy to the design of Vivid-Pix RESTORE. Vivid-Pix RESTORE is available at: https://vivid-pix.com/restore/buy.html, with a free trial at: https://vivid-pix.com/restore/free-trial.html. For more information about Vivid-Pix, visit: www.vivid-pix.com. About CERTUS Senior Living

CERTUS Senior Living is a research-based senior living community specifically designed for people living with dementia. The CERTUS Senior Living research division, the CERTUS Institute, works with organizations to create pilot programs, research products’ effectiveness, and help improve the delivery of services following best practices with the mission of making memory care better. CERTUS Senior Living is a leader in memory care research and lifestyle accommodations through their evidence-based approach to memory care, endorsed by the National Institute for Dementia Education, as well as a number of nationally recognized organizations. For more information, see: https://www.certusseniorliving.com/.

About Tellegacy

Tellegacy is an intergenerational program created to combat loneliness and social isolation among older adults, keeping them connected and engaged through weekly phone or virtual visits with university students. As research shows, loneliness and social isolation can result in long-term negative health outcomes. Tellegacy founder Jeremy Holloway, PhD is determined to change that narrative with his flexible, relationship-oriented, mindfulness, goal-setting and guided imagery curriculum. To learn more about the Tellegacy program and how it can save lives, visit www.tellegacy.com.

About achi

achi is a holistic care management company that lowers overall expenses by actively engaging people and connecting them to organizations to address the social determinants of health. Through innovative partnerships, cross-sector collaboration, and creative solutions, we equip organizations across multiple industries to educate the people they serve and connect them with resources to improve their lives from the ground up. By partnering with health systems, educational institutions and corporations, achi empowers lasting transformation in individual lives— resulting in an overall healthier population and data to transform our healthcare payment models. To learn more about achi and its mission, visit www.achi.solutions.

Contact: Karen Thomas/Eva Yutani, Thomas PR 631-549-7575 Emails: kthomas@thomaspr.com / eyutani@thomaspr.com http://www.thomasprsocial.com http://www.thomaspr.com Vivid-Pix website: https://vivid-pix.com/ Vivid-Pix free trial download: https://vivid-pix.com/restore/free-trial.html Research and reliving memories video: https://www.vivid-pix.com/reminisce Photos: Study Logo: http://www.thomas-pr.com/136/photos/CognitiveBenefitsPhoto.jpg Don’t Let Your Memories Fade Logo: http://www.thomas-pr.com/136/photos/DontLetYourMemoriesFadeLogo.jpg Vivid-Pix Logo: http://www.thomas-pr.com/136/photos/vividpixlogo.html

hunterreeder

Jan 20, 20222 min read

achi Has Acquired Assets of Value-Based Consulting Firm, Front Health

Expanded data-driven solutions and value-based care strategies now offered through achi

achi, a holistic care management company, has acquired certain assets of Front Health. The deal was finalized in Columbus, Ohio, on December 30, 2021, and resulted in certain analytic tools and other assets being transferred to achi.

“We are thrilled to gain access to Front Health’s analytic tools and other assets as we continue to expand our service capabilities in the value-based care market,” said Hayley Studer, Founder and CEO of achi. “As a bright light continues to shine on how the social determinants of health are affecting communities nationwide, data analytics are needed to help pinpoint areas of greatest opportunity. While these challenges are not new, they have garnered the attention of many leaders that want to take action. The value-based strategies and specialized analytical tools brought to the table by Front Health will enhance the services offered by achi, furthering our mission, and supporting our core growth initiatives.”

The acquisition of selected Front Health assets fits into achi’s strategy to create healthier communities while reducing overall healthcare costs to transform healthcare payment models through a value-based approach. By purchasing certain Front Health assets, achi will now be able to expand its data-driven capabilities and solutions to further support clients in making informed strategic decisions that will allow for better outcomes at a lower cost. The unparalleled tools and resources attained will further achi’s mission to address the social determinants of health, equipping the company to continue changing lives and transforming healthcare.

About achi

hunterreeder

Nov 4, 20215 min read

The Opposite of Poverty Is Justice

achi Founder Hayley Studer with her children volunteering with BBM in Biloxi, MS

I just returned from a week-long mission trip to Back Bay Mission (BBM) in Biloxi, MS. I’ve been going there every 12-18 months for the past nine years and the staff and guests continue to impact me in unexpected ways each time. Normally, I look forward to spending my week roofing or working on other tangible housing rehab projects, but this trip I got to spend more time in some of the other areas. My experiences last week helped remind me why I originally started achi and the importance of community partnerships and coordination of services when it comes to addressing social determinants of health issues.

Going into this trip, I knew facts about homelessness and understood that it can impact anyone, regardless of background, education, race, or age. Last week, I learned about the people, their stories and the daily struggles and choices that must be made. What was once just head knowledge, now became heart knowledge.

Biloxi doesn’t have any homeless shelters within the city. However, they do have some incredible non-profits that have served the population for many years. I had the opportunity to work with two of these organizations while I was there. The Micah Day Center at BBM provides homeless guests with shower and laundry facilities, access to computers, basic clothing and personal supplies. Loaves & Fishes (L&F) provides breakfast and lunch. Both entities operate during certain hours and days of the week.

These two entities do an incredible job serving low-income and homeless guests. The staff know the stories of the people they serve and treat them like family. There are rules to follow for the services, but I witnessed people acting out of compassion and thoughtfulness, and they would work with each person to try and make sure they were able to get what was needed. Until this trip, I hadn’t thought about how we could work so hard to meet the needs of those we serve, yet still miss the mark on how we go about it. Not because of a lack of compassion, understanding, or willingness to help, but simply because the organizations offering services for the most sought after basic needs in homeless communities are often siloed to meet solely those needs due to policies, regulations, or absence of support and resources.

What I discovered is that we often fail to look at services holistically and through the eyes of those that are utilizing them. Processes that may look good on paper and make sense to an organization or me as a volunteer may be completely at odds for someone that actually uses them. When I get up in the morning, I take a shower, go to my closet for clean clothes, grab a quick breakfast and then start my day. It seems simple enough, but it’s actually a luxury. What if I didn’t have a place to stay, there were no shelters in the area, and I had to rely on others to provide basic necessities for me and those services were only available at certain times and in certain locations? Then I may have to choose when I woke up in the morning if I wanted to get a shower that day or if I wanted to eat breakfast.

Dorothy was a perfect example of this. She stopped by the job site where we were working one day and was trying to get to L&F before they stopped serving lunch. She had gone to BBM in the morning because she needed to have some laundry done, but without transportation, now needed to walk almost 2 miles within the next half hour in order to make the lunch cut-off. Again, I was faced with the fact that I do not have to choose daily whether I am going to do laundry or eat lunch. Both organizations provide great support services for her, but by operating independently, Dorothy faces additional unnecessary challenges each day.

While working at L&F, I met a gentleman that both volunteers there and utilizes the services. Melvin has had one leg amputated and uses a motorized scooter that they found for him for mobility. The scooter worked fine, but the batteries would no longer hold their charge and he would have to find places to charge them five to six times a day (not easy when you are living on the streets). A staff member was hoping to order a new battery pack for him, but needed to find donations or some way to pay for it. It took a little research, multiple phone calls, connection with another organization that was able to pay for the batteries, an afternoon of walking around downtown and talking to various other people living on the streets to try and locate Melvin, but we were finally able to get new batteries for the scooter so he could effectively get around. It was a very simple solution, but took some work to coordinate and bring the right resources together.

I was watching the movie Just Mercy on the plane at the start of my trip and the leading character said “the opposite of poverty is justice.” That resonated with me throughout the week as I listened to people’s stories and learned about their daily struggles. Justice is about fairness and giving people what they deserve. As human beings, don’t we all deserve the same access to basic services? A BBM staff member often tells us that “not everyone wants to be housed, but everyone deserves the opportunity to be housed.”

There are progressive leaders in Biloxi that are beginning to look at these things more holistically and are looking for ways to better coordinate services without duplication and design them with the guests in mind. Places like Cherry Street Mission in Toledo, OH, have made great strides in centralizing services and leveraging meals to bring the necessary services to the guests. It’s not easy work, but it’s needed. People living on the streets face enough challenges each day. Let’s collaborate on models that holistically address the social determinants of health for a person so that we can create a just process where someone doesn’t have to choose between a shower/laundry or lunch.

About achi