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Spring Cleaning Chores You Can Do Now

There are some chores you won’t be able to do now, but it’s a great time for others. Shampoo carpets and upholstery now. With your heating system turned on, the warmth of the room and a few fans moving air around will help the material dry faster.

Wash the inside of the windows and patio doors. You’ll need a warmer day to do the outsides, but the inside of your windows are easily cleaned with some white vinegar or window cleaning spray. When the weather warms up, half the task is already completed.

Cabinet organization is a good chore for rainy or snowy days. Pick a room and empty the closets and cabinets. Go through the items and decide what stays and what goes. Once you’ve decided, put everything you’re keeping back where it goes. A room freshening spray will help freshen the smell of closets that store items like shoes or outdoor apparel.

Deep clean the grout on floors, in showers/bathtubs, and on backsplashes in the kitchen and bathroom. Some disinfectant spray and a steam cleaner can help kill mildew and bacteria that are clinging to the surface.

Cleaning Chores to Save for Warmer Weather

Launder curtains and bedspreads once the weather warms up. You could do them now, but you have to dry them in the dryer and that can damage some fabrics. Wait until it’s warm enough to dry things on a clothesline outside.

Throw open the windows and strip mattresses of protective covers. Put the covers in the wash before you clean the mattress. To clean the mattress, cover it with a cup or two of baking soda and let it sit for a few hours. Vacuum the mattress to remove the baking soda, dead skin flakes, and dust that’s gathered for the past year.

Pet beds are another task to save for the spring. Sprinkle baking soda over them, use a spot cleaner on any stains, and let them air out in the sun. When the bed has been outside in the sun for a few hours, you can bring it in and vacuum off the baking soda.

Hire senior care aides to help your parents keep their home clean throughout the year. Caregivers can help with light housekeeping tasks like vacuuming, dusting, sweeping, and mopping. They can also wipe down and disinfect surfaces. Call a senior care agency to make arrangements.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Mullica Hill, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. at 1-800-493-5660

The post Start Spring Cleaning Tasks Now to Ease a Last-Minute Rush appeared first on Attentive Care, Inc..

Digestion slows down leaving you feeling fuller for longer. Studies find that the side effects of some medications can slow down the production of saliva. Less effective taste buds can make foods taste less enjoyable. Tooth or jaw pain can also impact eating habits.

If you’re concerned that your parents are not eating enough, there are things you can try. Before taking those steps, talk to their doctor. If it’s a side effect of their medications, prescription changes may be enough to help spark an appetite. Ill-fitting dentures or other oral problems can be corrected with proper dental care.

What do you do if that’s not enough to help? What are the best ways to get your parents to eat?

Try New Things

Introduce new foods from time to time and see what your parents think. They may never have enjoyed starfruit in the past, but they find the tart flavor is appealing now. You could also have them try a type of fish they’ve never had before.

Cook foods they used to like in different ways. They’ve always enjoyed fresh pineapple. Try putting cubes of fresh pineapple on a skewer with red peppers, onion, and zucchini and baste it in a teriyaki sauce. Serve that with couscous instead of rice and see what they think.

Add Extra Seasoning

To make flavors stand out, add extra seasonings to foods. You don’t have to use a lot of salt to make items taste appealing.

Marinate chicken thighs in a lot of fresh basil, garlic, black pepper, lemon, and olive oil. Remove the thighs to a baking dish. Boil the marinade and use that to baste the chicken while it bakes.

Stronger herbs like basil, garlic, dill, and oregano should be noticeable as your parents eat. You can sprinkle foods with fresh herbs for added flavor.

Serve Smaller Plates

Instead of serving three big meals, offer smaller plates more often. Turn breakfast into two or three smaller plates throughout the morning. Do the same with lunch and dinner. Aim to have heavier foods earlier in the day to avoid heartburn before bedtime.

You could start your parents off with toast and coffee when they get up. Later, offer them a fruit cup or yogurt and granola. For lunch, serve a small grain salad topped with grilled salmon. An hour after that, offer some sliced cheese, baguette, and roasted vegetables. Make a fruit smoothie an hour or two before dinner.

When dinner comes around, make it light. Offer some soba noodles with stir-fried vegetables. If your parents are hungry an hour later, they could have some whole wheat crackers topped with hummus.

Hire home care aides to help with the extra meals. You’ll still be able to keep up with your job duties, children’s needs, and errands while having home care aides prepare the next round of small plates. Call a home care agency to arrange meal preparation services.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care in Mullica Hill, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

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If your parents are feeling lonely, it’s important to take steps to ease that loneliness. One thought people have is that a pet is the easiest way to provide an older adult with a devoted companion. Is it the best way?

The Benefits of Pet Ownership

The National Center for Health Research has held several studies about pets. One study put adults through a stressful timed test. Adults with pets had a lower pulse and blood pressure than those without a pet.

Other studies have led to similar results. People found their blood pressure decreased more when a pet was in the room than it did on blood pressure medications. Cat owners have shown signs of having lower cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure readings while petting a cat.

The studies also found that people with at least one pet handled daily activities of living better. Pet owners were more able to walk up and down the stairs and perform other activities of daily living than people without a pet.

Why is this the case?

The general consensus is that pet owners have to stay mobile for their pets. Dog owners know their dog needs to go for a daily walk or to go outside for bathroom breaks. Cat owners have to get up and feed their cats and clean the litter box. Those require people to get up and walk around.

Pets also give your parents a reason to get up and get things done. A dog or cat isn’t going to sit and wait for hours or days before getting an expected meal. The pet is going to make it known it’s mealtime. Pets need brushing and nail trims. They need to go to the vet, which increases socialization with other people.

Is There a Better Way?

Caregivers offer a better alternative to a pet. Caregivers can help your parents with daily tasks like housekeeping as well as provide companionship. Your parents have help and someone to talk to.

You could also consider pairing caregivers with a family pet. During the caregivers’ visits, they could also remind your parents what care needs the pet has that day. Your parents have reminders and encouragement to complete those tasks while the caregiver is there.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in Mullica Hill, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

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Sources:

https://www.center4research.org/

The post Are Pets the Best Way for Your Parents to Have Daily Companionship? appeared first on Attentive Care, Inc..

Itchy and Dry Skin

Dry skin doesn’t necessarily mean that there is an issue with your elderly loved one’s skin. However, if it isn’t treated, this could become an issue. Research shows that many elderly adults develop dry skin on their lower legs, forearms, and elbows. Their skin starts to get scaly and rough. This can create severe itchiness. There are many things that can contribute to itchy and dry skin including losing sweat glands, losing oil in the skin, stress, dehydration, and more. If your elderly loved one has itchy and dry skin and ointments or lotions don’t help, have them see their doctor for other treatment options.

Bed Sores

Many elderly adults have to stay in their beds for a long time. They might have a health condition that prevents them from getting up a lot or they may need to recover after surgery. Staying in bed for too long can cause bed sores. If you notice that your elderly loved one has red, darkened, or discolored areas on their skin and they have been in bed a lot, these could be bedsores. You can have your elderly loved one moved for a while and have them stay hydrated. If these things don’t work after a couple of days, you can have their elder care provider take them to the doctor.

Shingles

Research shows that about 1 million U.S citizens get shingles each year. If your elderly loved one gets shingles, they may be in a lot of pain and discomfort. Generally, this condition will last between 2 to 4 weeks. If you notice that your elderly loved one has a fever, general weakness, pain, burning, and a blistering rash, they could have shingles. They should be taken to their doctor for the proper treatments.

Skin Cancer

Your elderly loved one may develop skin cancer, as well. Thousands of elderly adults get skin cancer every year. If you notice any new moles on your elderly loved one’s skins or any changing moles, they should see their doctor for an assessment. The moles may be different colors, the edges may be rough or discolored, or they could even be painful.

These are some of the skin conditions that are commonly found in elderly adults. If your elderly loved one is experiencing any of these signs, be sure they get the proper assessments and treatments as soon as possible.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Mullica Hill, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660

Sources
Medicinenet.com
Healthline.com
Msktc.org/sci
Cdc.gov

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