Category Archives: Health and Wellbeing

Five Tips for Focus

As we begin to re-establish routines and re-enter society, it's easy to get weighed down by stress and anxiety. To stay balanced, motivators such as Brendon Burchard have created simple and effective routines for focus and peace. Brendon Burchard is a three-time NYT Bestseller and a member of Oprah's Super Soul 100, among countless other accolades....

Calm, Cool, and Collected- Staying Cool in Summer

While Minnesotans are grateful for summer, the extreme heat can be a problem before we get used to it. Heat exhaustion follows heat cramps and precedes heatstroke, which can be dangerous without proper treatment. Signs of heatstroke include:

cool skin and goosebumps, even in the heat,
faintness
dizziness
muscle cramps.

The best ways to treat and...

As fun as summer in Minnesota is, no one likes a mosquito. They attack out of nowhere and leave irritating bumps in our way! Chemical bug sprays are popular for combating them, but there are some awesome natural alternatives for those who are chemical-averse. Healthline has a list of natural oils that repel mosquitoes,...

Inclusive Playgrounds in MN

As summer 2021 kicks into high gear, many are looking forward to getting back to playgrounds and parks. Here are a few of the many inclusive playgrounds in the Twin Cities, open to families of all ages and abilities. Many of these playgrounds were designed with the assistance of Flagship...

Joan Vaughn
I’m Joan, and I know home care from the inside out. I’ve navigated my daughter through 24/7 home care nursing and managed her PCA’s. I’ve helped my parents move into (and out of) assisted living, Medicare episodes, skilled nurse visits, home health aids, and PCAs. Sandwiched in all of that, I’ve helped coordinate home care equipment and supplies, physical therapists, occupational therapists, county workers, and medications (oh, the medications). I know emergency departments, children’s hospitals, cancer wards, cardiac floors, and specialty units. I can recite health insurance policies (and call their bluff). I know a lot of other things in life too, like Shakespeare, where to sit to see a great sunset over a lake, how to keep myself healthy, how to read a profit/loss statement and state statutes, when to use a comma, and that gratitude is one of the keys to success. So I’m going to have this blog and write about home care from time to time. I’ll include topics like current legislation, professional boundaries in a tricky environment, and being a caregiver. I’ll also post some guest blogs from clients and nurses. Join me in the conversation.