Private Duty Nursing for the Wealthy

Private Duty Nursing for the Wealthy in California

, , ,

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

Kinkaid Private Care offers the best private duty nursing in California, delivering concierge luxury in-home nursing care to you in the comfort and privacy of your home. Our services always include individualized health and medical care tailored to your unique needs.

What is Private Duty Nursing for the Wealthy?

There was a time when medical aftercare and follow-along services were provided at a clinic or physician’s office, but that’s no longer true. Premium luxury private duty nursing delivers exceptional medical services at a person’s residence, removing the fuss and bother of scheduling and commuting to clinic appointments and doctor’s visits.

Private duty nursing brings the most talented and experienced nursing professionals into a person’s home, removing the need for visits to the doctor’s office and clinics, but at-home private duty nursing isn’t only about convenience and privacy.

With in home nursing, you also will enjoy better health outcomes. Research has consistently shown private duty nursing leads to better health recovery than traditional follow-along care.

Private duty nursing allows a person to enjoy the finest quality of nursing assistance while enjoying the independence and freedom of staying in one’s own home.

No one wants to spend days or weeks in a hospital setting, which can be noisy and stressful. The idea of receiving the same level of nursing expertise, or better, within the comfort of your home is an appealing option.

What Services Are Offered Under Private Duty Nursing?

All private duty nursing services deliver confidentiality, privacy, comfort, and improved health outcomes.

In-Home Senior Care In-Home Cancer Care In-Home Hospice Care
Nursing Case Management Mental Health Home Care Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Neurological Care Hospital Discharge Planning 24 Home Care
In-Home Caregivers In-home Detox Private Home Healthcare

What Concierge Services are Available in Luxury Home Healthcare?

By adding special services to the in-home healthcare experience, patients can enjoy an improved overall healing experience. These concierge services help the individual feel uniquely cared for while improving mood and reducing stress at the same time.

Taking the home healthcare experience to the next level, private duty nursing may provide additional upscale personalized treatment offerings to further enrich the healing process. These special concierge services provide a heightened degree of physical, emotional, and spiritual comfort, which contribute to aiding the healing process.

The mission of the luxury home healthcare provider is to offer the highest degree of comfort and well-being possible within the patient’s own home while simultaneously delivering the best medical outcomes.

Luxury services might include:

  • Yoga classes
  • Massage therapy
  • Acupuncture
  • IV vitamin therapy
  • Gourmet chef
  • Guided imagery or meditation
  • Personal trainers
  • Beauty services

Enjoying some personal care experiences can help anyone feel better, no matter what medical event they are dealing with.

Private Duty Nursing Services

Our goals are simple. We provide our clients with the best in-home nursing care for the wealthy while preventing unnecessary re-hospitalizations, improving health outcomes, and ensuring a private, confidential, comfortable healing experience.

Kinkaid Private Care offers all of the following luxury private duty nursing services:

At Home Doctor IV Infusion Therapy at Home At Home Lab Draw
At Home Chest X-Ray 24 Hour Home Care At Home EKG

Who Provides Private Duty Nursing for the Wealthy?

Our care is provided by Kinkaid’s team of in-home nurses. Our compassionate and skilled nurses have decades of experience caring for the variety of medical needs you and your family may be experiencing. Our nurses are trained to provide the highest quality care in a kind and professional manner, while also ensuring excellent communication with families.

Why Choose Kinkaid Private Care?

People choose Kinkaid Private Care because they are looking for the best treatment available. The typical one-size-fits-all approach to in-home nursing support offered by other providers just isn’t good enough for clients wanting luxury individualized treatment, the kind of health assistance that is so essential to the healing process.

Kinkaid Private Nursing Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive care. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized treatment to meet the needs of each client. Additionally, not only do we specialize in premium care, but we also practice proper case management techniques to ensure your care is organized, efficient, and best for you.

Overall, we create a concierge medical experience for each of our clients. Our approach starts with building relationships with each of our clients and their families; we get to know you in the comfort and privacy of your home to understand you or your loved one’s specific needs and desires.

We then create a personal treatment team for you consisting of at least one clinical nurse specialist, clinical case manager, and care coordinator. Our teams are clinician-led and available to you 24/7 to provide compassionate, unparalleled service and attention to detail.

Contact one of our nurse specialists by calling 866-337-4596 or filling out our confidential online form. Whatever your situation, know that recovery and better health are possible – and that Kinkaid Private Care will be here to help.

Works Cited

Private Duty Nursing. University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 5/17/2023. https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/nhhc/workforce-issues/private-duty-nursing/

Romagnoli KM, Handler SM, Hochheiser H. Home care: more than just a visiting nurse. BMJ Qual Saf. 2013 Dec;22(12):972-4. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2013-002339. Epub 2013 Aug 12. PMID: 23940375; PMCID: PMC4120108.

/by
Best Way to Detox from Alcohol at Home

Best Way to Detox from Alcohol at Home

,

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

You may have experienced many twists and turns before finally being ready to get some help for a drinking problem. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) takes time to develop and worsen, eventually taking a heavy toll on your life. But as much as you might have resisted the idea of sobriety, you are now ready to tackle the AUD.

So, what is the best way to detox alcohol from your system? Alcohol detox is tricky and must be undertaken with great care. There are unknown risks that can crop up during the detox process, some of which can even be life threatening. For this reason, having a medical professional oversee the detox is the best course of action.

Why Detox Alcohol at Home?

When it’s time to seek help for AUD, many decide to undergo the detox process within the privacy of their own home. There are many benefits to going through a supervised alcohol detox at home. These include:

  1. Enhanced privacy. No one will see you entering a detox center, which eliminates the fear of stigma.
  2. Less stressful than going through detox at a facility. Going through detox at a facility is not as relaxed as it is at home.
  3. Increased comfort being at home in familiar surroundings. Having access to your own bed, your own kitchen, and even the family dog creates a more comfortable detox experience.
  4. Access to your loved ones and their support while going through detox. Instead of strangers at a detox center, you will be able to interact with your loved ones at home.
  5. Holistic therapies. Access to holistic methods, like IV vitamin therapy, massage, and acupuncture, can help ease discomfort.

What to Expect During Alcohol Detox

Chronic heavy drinking eventually impacts the brain and several organs, including the heart. Alcohol abuse has a profound effect on brain chemistry and neural pathways. Over time, these pathways are altered.

When you decide to stop drinking the body struggles to adjust to the absence of alcohol. The severity of this reaction, or the withdrawal symptoms, depends on the duration of the alcoholism. Symptoms can range from mild to severe.

It is never wise to stop drinking on your own without medical oversight. Alcohol detox involves having vital signs closely monitored to be on the lookout for any acute symptoms. To reduce the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms, meds are provided as needed.

Detox symptoms may include:

  • Sweating
  • Agitation
  • Confusion
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Irritability
  • Tremors
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Shakiness
  • Disorientation
  • Headache
  • Insomnia
  • Seizures

What Are the Risks of Alcohol Detox?

Alcohol withdrawal can be a challenge because detox does not always follow a predictable path. In fact, you can be nearing the end of the detox process when, on day four or five, extreme symptoms set in. This is a condition called the delirium tremens, or the DTs. Symptoms of the DTs include:

  • Fever
  • Hallucinations
  • Extreme mental confusion.
  • Agitation
  • Seizures
  • Coma
  • Insomnia

The DTs impact a small number of people going through alcohol detox. However, because symptoms can be very severe, up to 15% of those who get the DTs will not survive. For this reason, alcohol detox should always be done under the supervision of a trained medical detox team.

What is the Alcohol Detox Timeline?

The alcohol detox process varies from one person to the next. Some may sail through detox in three days while others take ten days. There are several factors that affect the detox timeline. These include how long you had the drinking problem, how much you drank, your health, and other substance addictions.

Alcohol detox goes through three distinct phases:

Stage one. The initial phase of detox begins about eight hours after the last drink. This stage features anxiety, nausea, stomach pain, mild hand tremors, loss of appetite, vomiting, foggy thinking, sweating, and headaches.

Stage two. The second phase starts 24-72 hours after the last drink and involves fever, increased blood pressure and heart rate, insomnia, and confusion. You may experience a sudden unexpected onset of severe symptoms during this phase.

Stage three. The final phase of detox features less severe symptoms, as the brain adjusts to the lack of alcohol. You might still have fever, disorientation, agitation, and hallucinations, although these are not common. Some symptoms, like sleep problems and depression, may linger for weeks.

The Best Way to Detox Alcohol at Home

The best way to detox alcohol involves doing so in a setting where you are under the care of a physician. This pertains whether you detox at home with the help of a private detox nurse, or in a rehab setting. These experts are trained to guide you through the three stages of detox with the least amount of discomfort. Their goal is to help you safely complete the detox and then segue into treatment.

Next Steps After Detox

For the best chance of recovery success, you should enter a rehab program right after you’ve completed detox. Your detox nurse and doctor can guide you as to which level of care is best for your AUD.

Outpatient rehab is suited for early AUD and is flexible and a less pricey treatment option. If your AUD is moderate to severe, though, a residential rehab program is the better choice. You will receive a much more intensive treatment regimen while having access to 24-hour support.

Treatment elements include:

  • Private therapy sessions.
  • Group therapy sessions.
  • Education and life skills training.
  • Relapse prevention planning.
  • Family therapy
  • Holistic methods.
  • 12-step program.

The best way to detox alcohol is the one that works best for you, however, it should include medical oversight.

Kinkaid Private Care is a full-service concierge private nursing and healthcare management service provider that specializes in at-home medical detox. Kinkaid Private Care detox nurses help ease withdrawal symptoms and offer emotional support as well. If you are interested in the best way to detox from alcohol, please call us today at (866) 527-5892.

/by
what do hospice nurses do

What Do Hospice Nurses Do at Home?

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

Hospice nurses help people stay comfortable during the last days or weeks of their lives. They’re multi-talented and highly skilled professionals who have professional experience and training in helping people and their families when end-of-life care is a person’s best choice.

What is Hospice Care?

Hospice care serves people with 6 months of life left or less. Hospice may last from a few days to several weeks or months, but it is always a form of palliative care that’s centered on helping people who have reached the end of their lives to be comfortable and enjoy their remaining time to the fullest. When a person reaches the need for hospice, recovery is no longer possible nor is it expected.

Unlike other forms of in-home private-duty nursing, hospice care is focused on relieving the symptoms of an illness or condition, rather than the disease itself.

Who Receives Hospice Care?

People who are appropriate for hospice care are usually at the final stage of a terminal disease process, and it is important to note that the care involved in home hospice nursing care is meant to relieve pain and alleviate the symptoms of a disorder. Hospice does not treat the underlying cause of such a disorder as recovery is no longer a viable option.

Many diseases and disorders can lead to hospice becoming the ideal care option, including:

  • Kidney disease or kidney failure
  • Heart failure
  • Late or end-stage cancer
  • Dementia
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Stroke
  • End-stage liver disease

When a person’s medical team feels that continuing treatment will be fruitless, a person can opt for hospice care, which focuses on making a person’s remaining days or weeks comfortable and as pleasant as possible.

What Do Kinkaid Private Care Hospice Nurses Do at Home?

Although there are many good hospice facilities, people usually choose home hospice. Home hospice is focused entirely on bringing palliative care to you or your loved one’s home. In palliative care, a person receives medication, if needed, to alleviate the uncomfortable or painful symptoms of their condition.

This is where hospice nurses enter the picture. Our hospice nurses are highly trained and compassionate professionals experienced in helping patients live the remaining days to months of their lives, with as little discomfort and the greatest degree of freedom possible.

In Home Hospice Services from Kinkaid Private Care

Private hospice nurses from Kinkaid Private Care provide care that manages symptoms, controls pain, and provides psychosocial support to patients and their families. In home hospice nursing care means you won’t have to leave the comfort and security of your home for anything.

Our primary services include:

  • In-Home Comfort: We tailor our caregiving plans to ensure you experience the highest levels of comfort and well-being in the security and convenience of your home.
  • Pain Management: One of the most important features of hospice care is having any pain you might experience managed by skilled nursing professionals. Our nurses are highly trained and possess decades of experience in hospice care pain management.
  • Medication Management: Our nurses are experts at effective medication management techniques and will administer, document, and coordinate all prescribed medications to aid in the reduction of pain and discomfort. They are specialists in palliative care and are always in contact with your loved one’s physicians and pharmacists about prescriptions.
  • Well-Being and Support: Ultimately, the goal of our hospice care is to enhance your loved one’s well-being as much as possible and to support you in any way we can.

We break down our support into the following four categories:

  • Maintaining Physical Health: Our nurses help you customize health plans, including nutrition, exercise, and other health plans to make sure your body is as symptom-free as possible.
  • Maintaining social connections: Your social life can be a great source of comfort and happiness. Our nurses ensure that you can visit with friends and family whenever possible. They can help coordinate visits as well.
  • Providing Emotional Support: Our nurses provide emotional support and a sense of positivity. They are trained to alleviate the emotional challenges that can come with hospice care.
  • Attending Spiritual Needs: We know that some of the largest aspects of end-of-life care are spiritual and religious concerns. Our hospice nurses are sensitive to those spiritual and religious needs and are trained to attend to any spiritual needs you or a loved one may have. If requested, our nurses can coordinate visits from spiritual or religious advisers.
  • Improved Quality of Life: A better quality of life is a major goal of hospice care, with freedom from pain a priority. Our nurses focus on making sure your quality of life meets your expectations.

We also ensure excellent communication with patients and families. Good communication is the key to handling something as complicated as hospice care. We prioritize communication with our patients and their families to ensure everyone is on the same page and that our patients receive everything they need in a timely and effective manner.

Why Choose Kinkaid?

At Kinkaid Private Care, we pride ourselves on offering the best hospice care in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. With decades of experience and a team of professionals that are both compassionate and capable, we can ensure that you or your loved one get exactly the right care needed during this difficult time. In addition, we only take on a few patients at a time to ensure that we can have a personal connection with everyone that seeks our services.

Our skilled nursing team can help ease this period of transition and ensure that your loved one is taken care of at this crucial time. When you’re ready, reach out to the team at Kinkaid Private Care by calling 866-337-4596 or by filling out our confidential online form.

Whatever your situation, know that Kinkaid Private Care will be here to help.

/by
can i detox in 24 hours

Can I Detox in 24 Hours?

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

Drug and alcohol detox can be a difficult and debilitating experience – still, people are always looking for quick-fix solutions to rid their body of drugs, start feeling better, and escape the discomfort of withdrawal. But can you detox in 24 hours, or are you putting yourself in danger by attempting to do so?

How Drugs and Alcohol Leave the Body

When you ingest drugs or alcohol in any form, or by any method, you are introducing these substances into the bloodstream. For example: if you swallow an addictive substance, such as alcohol or painkillers, they enter the bloodstream through the stomach, the liver, and the digestive tract. In the case of alcohol, drinks are absorbed first through the stomach lining, which enters the bloodstream and heads directly to your liver.

The liver begins to metabolize alcohol almost instantaneously – attempting to clear out the toxic substance from your bloodstream. But some of the alcohol you drink makes it through the liver and passes back into the bloodstream, where it will ultimately reach your brain. As the cycle of blood returns to the liver, more and more alcohol is broken down until you have fully cleared any toxins from your system.

Other methods of ingesting substances work in similar ways:

  • Smoking: substances pass through the capillaries in the lungs into the bloodstream
  • Snorting: substances land upon your mucous membranes, which transport the substance into the blood
  • Injection: substances enter the bloodstream directly

In all cases and with other addictive chemicals, the liver is the primary organ responsible for cleansing – or detoxing – toxic substances from your system. The liver cleans the blood and breaks down addictive chemicals into less harmful metabolites to be eliminated.

How Long Does It Take Drugs and Alcohol to Leave Your System?

Different drugs are broken down at different rates, and fully clearing your system can take anywhere from several hours to over a month. A common method of testing whether substances have fully left your system is through urinalysis – testing the urine for the presence of drug metabolites. By the time a urine test can no longer detect a substance, it has typically been eliminated.

With some variation between individuals, typical drug detection times include:

  • Alcohol: 2-4 days
  • Cocaine: 3 days
  • Amphetamines: 3 days
  • Benzodiazepines: 7-14 days
  • Cannabis: 7-30 days
  • Heroin: 3 days
  • MDMA: 3 days
  • Meth: 3 days

Some substances will take longer to clear the body when they’ve been used heavily, and genetic and physical health factors may influence the rate of drug metabolism as well.

24 hour detoxCan You Detox in 24 Hours?

By understanding how drugs get processed in the body, we can answer the question “Can I detox in 24 hours?” with certainty. In nearly all cases, detoxing from drugs and alcohol is impossible within 24 hours. The drug hasn’t even fully cleared your system yet, and most people’s definition of detox is concerned less with if drugs are still in your bloodstream and more with overcoming debilitating withdrawal effects.

Looking at the time it takes to eliminate drugs from your body above, these timelines generally coincide with when the worst physical and mental health withdrawal symptoms occur. Withdrawal symptoms from opioids, alcohol, and methamphetamine all peak at the 3-day mark, before beginning to subside over the next week. Benzodiazepines and cannabis, on the other hand, have protracted withdrawal symptoms since the substance takes longer to leave the body.

The 24-Hour Detox Myth

When you search for 24-hour detox cures on the internet, many websites will tell you it’s not only possible but simple and easy. Typically, it involves purchasing a detox drink or several different nutritional supplements, either through their own company’s store or via affiliate marketing links. Don’t believe these marketing strategies: no combination of vitamins, minerals, and supplements can cheat biology.

Certain strategies may be able to help your body cleanse itself of harmful substances somewhat quicker, but these are marginal improvements. Drinking more water, for instance, can dilute the urine, making it contain less of a drug metabolite – but it won’t help you feel better, and it likely won’t make enough of a difference to pass a drug test.

These marketing approaches are not only deceitful – but can be dangerous. Withdrawal symptoms from drugs and alcohol can cause serious medical concerns, which often lead to life-threatening emergencies. The only way to safely detox from these substances is with the help of a trained medical professional, that can provide targeted treatments to reduce your symptoms and keep you safe and comfortable.

 Why Choose at Home Detox

You can detox at home with the help of an in-home medical detox provider. Kinkaid Private Care provides exclusive services to select clients who want the best medical treatment for drug and alcohol withdrawals, and our specially trained providers will meet you at your residence to provide their services.

Kindaid Private Care provides a comprehensive range of home detox services, tailored to meet the unique needs and preferences of individuals seeking compassionate and personalized support on their journey to recovery including:

Medical detox uses proven, evidence-based methods to help people achieve sobriety. Each treatment plan is customized to the unique needs of our patients and can help to manage withdrawal symptoms such as:

  • Shakes
  • Anxiety
  • Substance cravings
  • Hot and cold flashes
  • Restlessness
  • Insomnia
  • Seizures
  • Delirium

These services are typically provided at an inpatient drug and alcohol detox center – but with Kinkaid Private Care, you can receive all the same effective withdrawal management techniques from the comfort of home. This allows you to receive exclusive one-on-one attention from our care team, complete and total privacy, and truly individualized treatment options that allow you to continue living your life as you see fit.

We understand the desire for people to want to overcome drug and alcohol addiction quickly, and our services never extend beyond what’s medically necessary. But choosing to work with professionals can ensure that you start your recovery on the right foot, that you have the tools to maintain it, and that you stay safe and healthy in the process.

Reach Out to Kinkaid Private Care Today

Don’t ask yourself “Can I detox in 24 hours”; instead, ask yourself how important your sobriety is to you. You deserve more than a bottle of supplements to help you overcome drug or alcohol addiction, and Kinkaid Private Care can offer you the best medical detox services on the market.

Reach out to our team by calling (866) 337-4596 or filling out our confidential online contact form to speak to one of our trained medical professionals and start the path to a lasting recovery today.

/by
difference between dependence and addiction

What’s the Difference Between Dependence and Addiction?

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

Drug or alcohol addiction and dependence often get conflated in everyday conversation, articles you read online, and even in academic papers studying substance use disorders. But the difference between dependence and addiction is significant, and understanding these differences can help you make an informed decision in your treatment options.

Is Dependence a Form of Addiction?

To understand the difference between addiction vs dependence, we first need to consider the origins of these terms in psychological literature, how they differ, and where the field stands now.

The key resource for diagnosing mental health disorders is known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders – or the DSM. The DSM is revised frequently, with the current edition known as the DSM-V-TR, or the fifth edition with text revisions. Drug and alcohol addiction, as well as drug dependence, all fall under the umbrella term “substance use disorders” in the fifth edition of this volume, but this hasn’t always been the case.

In the fourth edition of the DSM, substance use disorders were broken into two main categories: substance dependence, or substance abuse. Dependence was categorized as a pattern of substance use that had a few key criteria:

  • Tolerance for your drug of choice
  • Withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop
  • Unsuccessful attempts to cut down substance use
  • Spending a great deal of time using substances
  • Giving up hobbies or activities in favor of substance use
  • Continued substance use despite worsening physical or mental health problems

In contrast, substance abuse had fewer criteria, including:

  • Legal problems as a result of substance use
  • Continued substance use despite harmful consequences
  • Substance use leads to an inability to fulfill your obligations at work, home, or school
  • Using substances when it is dangerous to do so, such as while driving

In these circumstances, substance dependence was often considered much more severe than substance abuse. Yet the emphasis on the two diagnoses was different: substance dependence focused on the physical effects that addictive substances can have, while substance abuse focused on the problematic behaviors that can result from addiction.

dependence vs addictionHow Dependence is Different than Addiction

As we can see from above, dependence refers to a physical reliance upon drugs or alcohol, which doesn’t necessarily result in problematic behavior. A practical example of drug dependence maybe somebody who was prescribed opioid painkillers by their physician: they may struggle with physical withdrawal symptoms and tolerance, but not experience many of the social consequences that illicit drug users face.

Addiction, on the other hand, is less well-defined. Some people categorize addiction as an umbrella term that includes drug or alcohol dependence, while others believe addiction is more accurately defined as continued substance use despite mounting consequences.

Regardless of how you define addiction: dependence vs addiction are not the same.

What is Dependence?

Dependence comes from physiological changes that occur when you take drugs for an extended period of time. Take the example of alcohol – a powerful central nervous system depressant that amplifies the effect of the neurotransmitter GABA within the brain. GABA is the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, causing people to relax, release their inhibitions, and find relief from anxiety.

Yet when people drink alcohol every day, their brains compensate for the depressant effect that alcohol produces. Your brain’s resting state becomes more stimulated at baseline so that even when drinking large amounts of alcohol you can continue to function. Yet when the alcohol is taken away, the central nervous system becomes dangerously overactive, leading to severe physical withdrawal effects such as seizures, delirium, and shakes.

Put another way, your brain becomes dependent on alcohol to remain at equilibrium. Yet many people may not feel as though they are addicted: they don’t experience the wholesale personality change that comes with addiction, or experience significant consequences that lead them to believe that their drinking has become a problem.

4 Forms of Addiction

Addiction, on the other hand, is often categorized by significant disruptions in your daily life as a result of your addictive behaviors. Addiction can come in many forms, including:

  1. Substance addiction – such as becoming addicted to heroin, alcohol, cocaine, or benzodiazepines
  2. Gambling addiction – where people cannot cut down or control their gambling
  3. Sexual addiction – in the form of dangerous sexual activity, pornography addictions, or masturbation addictions
  4. Internet addictions – such as becoming addicted to social media, constant news consumption, or online video games

The key to understanding addiction is that people will continue the behavior even though it is causing damage throughout their entire life. Continued use despite consequences is the hallmark of addiction and can come from either addictive substances or addictive behaviors.

Is Treatment the Same for Dependence and Addiction?

The difference between addiction and dependence treatment comes down to your priorities in treatment. Treating substance dependence can be as simple as a medical detox, helping people overcome the physical aspects of their substance use problems and achieve abstinence in a safe and controlled manner.

In contrast, treating addiction often requires more intensive psychotherapy treatments to treat the behavioral issues that are so common among people living with addiction. Specific psychotherapies may be employed to help people resist future relapse, learn healthy ways of coping with their problems, and strive towards building fulfilling lives in recovery.

Unfortunately, not all treatment centers make delineations in treatment for addiction vs dependence. Truly customized care options are typically only provided by treatment providers who meet with their clients one-on-one, work on their goals for treatment together, and build a plan for recovery that suits your exact needs. At Kinkaid Private Care, we only take on a few clients at a time – and deliver all of our treatment options from the comfort of your own home, with exclusively one-on-one service between our patients and providers.

Start Treatment at Kinkaid Private Care

Kinkaid Private Care offers premium home health solutions for helping people break free from their substance use challenges. Our in-home detox service providers know the difference between dependence and addiction and can cater your treatment plan to your specific needs. Call our team at (866) 337-4596 or fill out our confidential online contact form to get started with a free, no-obligation consultation today.

/by
how to detox your body from drugs at home

How to Detox Your Body from Drugs at Home

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

Although drug addiction remains at high levels nationally, every day many people decide to quit using drugs. Many others want to stop their drug abuse but fear checking into a rehab facility. Other people struggling with drug addiction may be concerned about the potential dangers and discomforts of drug detox. These are all valid concerns. After all, everyone has heard of the dangers of drug detoxification, but what is it and why is it dangerous, and can drug detox take place in a person’s home?

Can You Safely Detox From Drugs at Home?

Fortunately, you can safely detox from drugs in the comfort and privacy of your own home, with one major caveat: you can detox from drugs at home with professional medical assistance.

Drug detox is the process by which drugs of abuse and their toxic byproducts are purged from an addicted person’s body, allowing them to function without those drugs.  However, most addictive substances make significant changes in the ways a person’s major organs and tissues work and react. Addictive drugs cause dependence, and that’s a serious phenomenon in which the addict’s normal, baseline functioning depends on a steady level of their drug of choice in their bodies just to work at all.

That’s why quitting ‘cold turkey’ by abruptly halting one’s intake of addictive drugs is risky, painful, and can be life-threatening. When a person stops taking drugs of abuse suddenly, their body will go into withdrawal, which can be painful and dangerous.

No one should attempt to quit drugs on their own. There are many other safe, secure ways to get clean from drugs, including home detox.

What Does Detox Feel Like?

Detox feels different for everyone, and that includes the levels of discomfort a person feels. When a person stops consuming alcohol or drugs, withdrawal starts. Withdrawal is the most intense phase of detox and can be uncomfortable or painful. Some factors that influence this include the individual’s overall health and the drug or drugs they’ve been using. The biggest factor that influences a person’s detox is whether they’re going through it alone or with professional assistance.

Detoxification is the first step in the substance abuse recovery process. During this process, the body rids itself of toxic substances and the chemical by-products caused by these toxins.

All of the following detox symptoms happen when a person detoxes at home without medical supervision and support. Home detox with medical support is a much less dangerous, far more comfortable process.

Alcohol. Alcohol has one of the most painful detoxes when detox is carried out without medical support. After about 8 hours after the last drink, a person will experience nausea, anxiety, and abdominal pain. Other symptoms include mild hand tremors, heavy sweating, vomiting, loss of appetite, and headaches. About 24 hours after an alcoholic’s last drink, dangerous symptoms become inevitable. These include rapidly increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature.

The final stage of unmanaged alcohol detox includes delirium tremens, a dangerous syndrome that produces hallucinations, agitation, disorientation, and sometimes seizure.

Opioids and opiates. These drugs are highly effective painkillers but produce euphoria when abused and are habit-forming. They include fentanyl, hydrocodone, oxycodone, codeine, morphine, and heroin. Detoxing from opioids without medical support can include some unpleasant symptoms, such as muscle cramps, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, tremors, blood pressure swings, runny eyes, and stomach cramps.

Benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines (benzos) are prescription-only medications given for the relief of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. There are a vast number of benzos, but the most commonly prescribed are alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), triazolam (Halcion), and temazepam (Restoril), and they all require medically supervised detox upon quitting.

Ironically, when a person quits consuming benzos, rebound anxiety becomes intense, causing sweating, heart palpitations, shaking, and a rapid heartbeat. Long-term use of benzodiazepines can cause a person to become psychotic or have seizures and like alcohol, heavy users of benzos should never try to abruptly stop using on their own.

How to Detox Your Body From Drugs at Home

If you’re detoxing from drugs at home, you need the support of in-home medical care. However, you can also establish new habits that will help you recover more rapidly. Eating a healthy, nutrient-dense diet is one of the best habits you can establish.

What Foods Help Flush Out Your System?

Addiction causes severe nutritional deficiencies which can leave a person vulnerable to malnourishment. People who are in detox from drug addiction need to return to good physical and mental health and eating nutrient-rich foods helps speed that process. That’s because addiction wreaks havoc on a person’s tissues and organs and can leave a person malnourished.

These are some of the most effective foods for flushing out and supporting a person’s system during detox.

  • Water. Staying hydrated is always important, especially when a person is detoxing from drugs. During detox, people may experience heavy sweating, which can help the body purge itself of toxins, but can be dehydrating. Getting enough water helps prevent that dehydration, but also increases the body’s ability to flush out the harmful biological byproducts of addictive drugs.
  • Protein. A person in detox needs protein to help rebuild tissues and organs damaged by addiction. Both meat and plant-based proteins will do the job.
  • Fruit. Fruits are a good source of fiber, vitamins, and water. Some of the most effective cleansing fruits include citrus, cantaloupe, peaches, and berries.
  • Green leafy vegetables. Spinach and kale are loaded with nutrients, including minerals like potassium and calcium. Sea greens like kelp are loaded with prebiotic fiber that helps regenerate healthy gut bacteria.
  • Healthy fats. Some fats are essential for the good health of the nervous system. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in supplements, but the best way to get them is from fatty cold-water fish, like salmon or mackerel, or plants, such as chia, flaxseed, and walnuts.

Kinkaid Private Nursing Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive in-home detox care on the market. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized care to meet the needs of each client. Additionally, not only do we specialize in premium care, but we also practice proper management techniques to ensure your care is organized, efficient, and best for you.

Overall, we create a concierge medical experience for each of our clients. Our approach starts with building relationships with each of our clients and their families; we get to know you in the comfort and privacy of your home to understand your exact needs. We then create a personal care team for you consisting of at least a clinical nurse specialist, clinical case manager, and care coordinator. Our compassionate teams are clinician-led and available to you 24/7 to provide unparalleled service and attention to detail.

/by
In-Home Caregiver in Los Angeles

In-Home Caregivers in Los Angeles

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

In-home caregivers provide essential services to those who need a little extra help in the place they feel most comfortable. At-home caregiver services can benefit people who need help to continue living independently, have disabilities that interfere with their daily routines, or are currently managing chronic health issues. Further, starting treatment with an in-home caregiver in Los Angeles can drastically increase the quality of life for anyone who needs help in their everyday life at home.

Personal Care and Companionship

When most people consider the duties and responsibilities of a caregiver, they are thinking of personal care and companionship. These professionals typically provide non-medical care but can help with routine medical tasks such as blood pressure readings, medication reminders, and reporting on health concerns. Additionally, caregivers are well suited to helping people with trouble ambulating, transferring, and completing their activities of daily life.

While some people may require more intensive care in the form of in-home nursing care or at-home doctor visits, they can still benefit from the friendship and support that a personal care and companionship caregiver can provide. The primary role of a caregiver is to support their client in their everyday lives while working to inspire further independence and growth.

Benefits of At Home Caregiver Services

In-home private caregivers can help people with specific needs accomplish their day-to-day tasks. This could include:

  • Assisting with bathing, grooming, dressing, and toileting
  • Help with walking, transferring, and fall prevention
  • Helping with meal preparation and planning
  • Light household duties
  • Medication safety and reminders

Further, private in-home caregivers in Los Angeles provide the vital service of adult companionship. Particularly for seniors, loneliness and isolation have been associated with a host of serious health conditions. Choosing a friendly and reliable caregiver gives seniors living in empty homes the opportunity to meet with somebody regularly and share their experiences and hobbies with them.

For many families and seniors, in-home caregiving is often a preferred alternative to assisted living homes. Most seniors would much prefer staying in their homes, and in-home caregiving is an effective solution for many.

Choosing the Right Caregiver

Choosing a caregiver for yourself or a loved one can be a daunting task. The very nature of caregiving services makes it an extremely intimate relationship, as they will be invited into your home and attend to your basic needs. In choosing a caregiver, you want to ensure that:

  • They are reliable and trustworthy
  • They are communicative with clients and families
  • They are compassionate, warm, and empathetic

Kinkaid Private Care works with several caregiving agencies throughout Los Angeles and surrounding areas. Our team has personally vetted these companies for their reliability, compassion, and communication skills, to ensure that each of our clients gets the help they need.

At Home Caregiver Services Available

Personal care and companionship caregivers are available with Kinkaid’s network of caregiving providers throughout Los Angeles and surrounding areas. Caregiving services are available up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, depending on each client’s particular needs. These caregivers are trained to help with a variety of different needs and tasks and can help improve the quality of life of anyone who needs assistance throughout the house.

Find Your In-Home Caregiver in Los Angeles with Kinkaid Private Care

At Kinkaid Private Care, we understand that caregiving is an important, but sensitive task. To help all our clients get the best in-home caregivers, we’ve partnered with trusted caregiving companies in the Los Angeles area to ensure each of our patients gets the support they need.

Kinkaid Private Care’s mission is to bridge the gap between hospital and home, by bringing the best concierge medical and caregiving services directly to our clients. Caregiving is a vital component of that mission, as they can facilitate the healing process through connection, compassion, and everyday assistance. To get started with an in-home caregiver in Los Angeles, reach out to our team by calling 866-337-4596. Our team would be happy to help you determine what level of care best suits your needs and connect you with trusted caregivers that you can rely on.

/by
stopping klonopin

The Dangers of Stopping Klonopin Suddenly

,

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

Stopping Klonopin suddenly, without appropriate medical intervention, can lead to a life-threatening emergency. The withdrawal effects from Klonopin can lead to serious physical symptoms that are incredibly dangerous, particularly if you are taking a high dose of Klonopin. Kinkaid Private Care offers in-home benzodiazepine detox that can alleviate these physical symptoms and help you to achieve sobriety safely.

Klonopin Addiction

Klonopin, also known by the generic form clonazepam, is a benzodiazepine drug that has a high risk for misuse. Typically prescribed for the treatment of anxiety or as an anticonvulsant, Klonopin can also lower people’s inhibitions, produce a feeling of euphoria, and lead to drug dependence.

Like other addictive drugs, using Klonopin recreationally, or in excess of your prescription, can quickly lead to the development of a substance use disorder. People who develop an addiction to Klonopin can experience symptoms such as:

  • Invasive drug cravings
  • Lack of interest in activities outside of Klonopin use
  • Worsening physical and mental health symptoms as a result of Klonopin use
  • Multiple failed attempts at cutting down or stopping Klonopin use
  • Uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when stopping Klonopin suddenly
  • Using more Klonopin than intended, or for longer than intended

Benzodiazepines like Klonopin resulted in over 212,000 emergency department visits between 2016 and 2017, and were involved in nearly 17% of overdose deaths between 2019 and 2020. These drugs, even if prescribed by your physician, can be incredibly dangerous. But you must take care when deciding to stop your Klonopin use, to avoid any complications of withdrawal.

Most people who develop a Klonopin addiction will be unable to stop on their own. Targeted intervention from a benzodiazepine detox can help people break through this initial first stage and start them on the path to recovery.

How Do I Get Rid of Clonazepam?

If you’re committed to stopping Klonopin, the first step should always be to reach out to a benzodiazepine detox. The side effects of stopping Klonopin “cold-turkey” can be deadly, and it’s vitally important that you seek professional help before getting rid of your medication.

If you’ve found a treatment team that can help you to detox safely, the United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends disposing of your medications by taking them out of the original container, placing them into a disposable container, and mixing them with coffee grounds or cat litter. Don’t dispose of your Klonopin by flushing them down the toilet, where it can contaminate local water supplies, or throw them in the trash where children or pets may be able to reach them.

How Long Does It Take to Get Klonopin Out of Your System?

Klonopin can stay in your system for up to a month. Klonopin has a half-life of 22-32 hours, much longer than most other benzodiazepines. The half-life of a drug refers to the amount of time that it takes your body to eliminate 50% of the substance, and some studies have shown that Klonopin was still detectable in urine up to 28 days after administration.

This long half-life of Klonopin can also make the withdrawal process take an extended period. Klonopin’s withdrawal timeline is over twice as long as other benzodiazepines, such as Xanax or Valium, and many people will need extended treatment in order to detox successfully.

The Dangers of Stopping Klonopin Suddenly

Klonopin, like all other benzodiazepines, is a central nervous system depressant. Specifically, it acts on GABA receptors within the brain. GABA is the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that it is responsible for helping people to calm down and relax.

This produces several effects that make Klonopin widely abused, including:

  • Relaxation
  • Drowsiness
  • Anxiety relief
  • Lowered inhibitions

It can also produce side effects such as slowed breathing, light headedness, and memory loss.

When people use Klonopin for extended periods, their brain’s become dependent on the drug. The natural resting state of the brain becomes more stimulated, balancing out the effects that Klonopin has on GABA receptors.

When a person attempts stopping Klonopin suddenly, that balance is broken, and their central nervous system becomes hyperactive. This can lead to the hallmark side effects of stopping Klonopin, typically referred to as Klonopin withdrawal.

Klonopin Withdrawal Symptoms

People who have been taking Klonopin regularly experience several withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop. These symptoms can range from being mildly uncomfortable to life-threatening emergencies, depending on how much Klonopin you typically take, how long you’ve taken Klonopin, and if you have any pre-existing medical health conditions.

Klonopin withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Racing heart rate
  • Anxiety
  • Sweating
  • Muscle aches and cramps
  • Insomnia
  • Shakes
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Hallucinations
  • Seizures

If left untreated, the seizures from Klonopin withdrawal can be deadly.

Klonopin withdrawals typically begin one to three days after your last dose. You may first begin to notice symptoms between the second and third days, and symptoms typically begin to peak at the two week mark. Most withdrawal symptoms will begin to subside after about a month.

Getting the Help You Need

If you’re living with the effects of a Klonopin addiction, detox is considered a medical necessity. It is not safe for you to stop Klonopin on your own, and it should never be attempted without medical intervention.

Getting treatment is the only way to ensure that you can safely stop Klonopin use. Targeted medical interventions can prevent withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, as well as alleviating the side effects of stopping Klonopin suddenly.

Kinkaid Private Care offers in-home Klonopin detox services to help people break through this difficult stage from the comfort of home. Our in-home detox model brings a team of medical and mental health professionals to where our clients are already most comfortable, and delivers targeted treatment options to alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal.

In-home detox services with Kinkaid offer the highest level of addiction care, individualized treatment plans, and a concierge medical experience like no other treatment center can provide. Our team has decades of experience in substance use treatment, and can bring everything you need to recover to your own home.

If you or a loved one is struggling with Klonopin addiction, reach out to our team by calling (866) 337-4596 or filling out our online contact form for a free, no-obligation consultation.  You can recover – and the team at Kinkaid Private Care can help.

/by
transition of care from hospital to home

Top Strategies for Transition of Care from Hospital to Home

Effective transition of care from hospital to home is a vital element for ensuring that patients receive the support they need to maintain their health. This can often be a challenging process, with several potential hazards that can lead to negative outcomes if not handled appropriately.

What is Patient Transition of Care?

Patient transition of care is the process of transferring between one healthcare setting to another, or from a hospital to home. Ideally, this is a transition from hospital to home care, where patients can continue receiving the treatment and support they need to stave off future illness or injury.

While patients typically aren’t discharged from a hospital setting without being considered stable, the transition period is still a time of concern. Approximately 1 in 5 patients experience adverse events after hospital discharge, including:

  • Worsening of their condition
  • Adverse drug effects
  • New complications
  • Readmission to the hospital due to lack of support at home

Having a firm plan in place and being prepared to offer extra assistance at home during this period, can dramatically reduce the likelihood of hospital readmission.

How Does Transition of Care Work?

Discharge planning from hospital to home occurs while patients are still in the hospital. Your treatment providers will walk you through what steps need to be taken to ensure you stay safe and healthy during this period, which could include medication plans, rehabilitation exercises, or certain precautions that need to be taken when back at home.

Yet after patients are discharged from the hospital, they are often on their own in terms of managing their health. They may be given instructional paperwork and medications, but it’s up to them and their families to ensure all the necessary steps are taken.

Why Proper Transition of Care Is Important

A smooth transition of care is essential to preventing unnecessary readmission to the hospital. Done well, a transition of care from hospital to home promotes recovery, independence, and health. Yet a poor transition of care from hospital to home puts patients at increased risk of their illness getting progressively worse, rather than better.

At Kinkaid Private Care, we believe there is a significant treatment gap during this transition. Many people need continued professional support after a hospital discharge to keep their recovery on track and prevent future medical expenses or complications.  As such, we have designed a comprehensive home health care model to provide people with the exact support they need after hospital discharge.

Strategies for Ensuring a Safe and Productive Transition of Care

A few simple strategies can ensure that you or your family members transition of care from hospital to home goes off without a hitch, and inspires future healing and recovery:

Involve Family in the Planning Process

Getting family members involved in the discharge planning from hospital to home can help to make sure that the medical condition and treatment plan is understood and feasible. Patients in a hospital setting are often overwhelmed and may not have the ability to mange the planning process by themselves.

Get Any Necessary Equipment

Your discharge plan from the hospital may have several recommendations, prescriptions, and treatment plans that may require specialized equipment. For example, people recovering from an injury may need resistance bands or training equipment to facilitate their at-home physical therapy, or people suffering form respiratory disease may need oxygen tanks or breathing apparatuses.

Keep Up with Follow-Up Visits

Making sure to attend follow-up appointments and primary care visits can help patients to track and monitor their condition over time. Too often, people return home and get complacent about their health status, which can set them up for future hospital readmission that could have been avoided.

Start Professional Home Care

Professional home care services can help you stay on top of the entire transition process. A transition from hospital to home care is often much more conducive to recovery, as you have a trained medical provider within the house to help with the next steps of the treatment process.

Home Care with Kinkaid Private Care

Kinkaid Private Care offers premium home care services to families who are planning a transition of care from hospital to home. Our team of medical professionals has experience helping families with a wide range of conditions, from physical disability, chronic illnesses, neurological, and much more.

Our concierge style home health care services can also include home doctor visits and scans, providing the most convenient and customized treatment plans on the market.

Reach out to Kinkaid Private Care today by calling (866) 337-4596 or by filling out our confidential online form. Whether your family is still planning a hospital discharge, or trying to prevent future readmission, our team will be there to support you and your loved ones throughout the entire process and pave the way to holistic health and recovery.

/by
bathroom safety for the elderly

Bathroom Safety for the Elderly

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 36 million older adults fall each year. One in five of these falls results in an injury, such as a fractured hip or broken bone. A significant portion of these falls occur in the bathroom, where slick and wet surfaces can lead to slips and stumbles.

These falls are often preventable. Taking steps towards bathroom safety for elderly people can significantly reduce the hazard of falling, and prevent costly medical expenses, injury, and loss of independence.

Common Hazards in the Bathroom

The bathroom is filled with potential hazards that people don’t think twice about. Despite being one of the smallest rooms in the house, it is one of the most frequently used and a common place for injurious falls. A bathroom’s small size, wet environment, and slippery surfaces all contribute to the high rate of injuries.

The most common hazards in the bathroom include:

  • Bathtubs. Bathtubs are typically made from slick porcelain, and often have rounded edges that make it difficult to stand up in. The raised edges of a bathtub can also become a tripping hazard, particularly for seniors with limited mobility.
  • The toilet seat. Many seniors struggle with lowering themselves onto a traditional toilet seat.
  • Clutter. The small size of bathrooms makes clutter a common cause for tripping or stumbling. Even items on the counter can pose a hazard.
  • Floors. Slick flooring, such as linoleum, tile, or wood can often be hazardous, particularly when wet.

When considering bathroom safety for seniors, these hazards must be accounted for and addressed.

6 Bathroom Safety Tips for Seniors

Bathroom safety for elderly people is a simple way of reducing healthcare costs and unwanted injury. Following these bathroom safety tips for seniors can help keep you and your family safe, healthy, and anxiety free.

1.      Install Grab Bars

Grab bars can assist seniors in maintaining their balance when stepping out of the shower or bathtub, when they are at their highest risk for falling. Without dedicated grab bars, many seniors will reach for a towel rack to help maintain their balance – but these often don’t have the structural support necessary to help people stay on their feet and may simply rip out of the wall.

When choosing a grab bar, look for one that can be wall mounted, as these are the most secure. Avoid grab bars that attach via suction cups, as they can detach right when they are needed most. Place the grab bars where they can easily be held while transferring from the shower or tub.

2.      Invest in a Shower Chair

A shower chair is a simple tool that helps eliminate the slippery conditions within a shower or tub. Shower chairs are particularly useful for seniors who struggle with mobility, are wheelchair bound, or have trouble bathing on their own. A sturdy shower chair can also help seniors maintain their independence, as it helps them to continue bathing on their own without support.

3.      Reduce Clutter

Decorations, trash cans, and cleaning supplies are often left scattered about a bathroom. Each of these items of clutter can create a potential slipping hazard for elderly people, increasing the risk of injury.

When workings towards bathroom safety for elderly people, finding places to store these items can significantly reduce the risk of falling.

4.      Add Non-Slip Mats or Strips

One of the main reasons for falls in the bathroom are wet and slippery surfaces. Placing non-slip mats in a shower or tub can provide extra traction where it’s needed most. Consider adding nonslip strips or bathmats on the floor as well.

5.      Install a Raised Toilet Seat

A standard toilet seat high is typically 15 inches from the floor. Many seniors struggle to lower themselves to this height and may struggle standing up as well. Adding a raised-height toilet seat can make transferring to and from the toilet much simpler and be less stressful on the body.

The ADA standard for toilet seat heights is 17 to 19 inches. Raised height toilet seats are widely available and can be installed on existing toilets.

6.      Hire a Caregiver

An in-home caregiver can help with toileting, hygiene, and mobility issues. If you or a loved one is struggling to continue completing these tasks independently, caregivers can provide a lifeline to sustained independence and bathroom safety for seniors.

In-Home Senior Care with Kinkaid Private Care

Many senior citizens will need professional support to maintain their independence as they age. At the same time, most seniors greatly prefer living in their own home, and want to avoid moving into a nursing home or care facility. At Kinkaid Private Care, we offer premium in-home senior care to older adults who are struggling with mobility, health, or cognitive issues. Our services are designed to help seniors continue living on their own, while fostering health and longevity. To learn more about our comprehensive suite of elder care services, reach out to our team by calling 866-337-4596 or by filling out our confidential online contact form.

/by