Senior Home Care Aides can Encourage Drinking More Water

Water is the best drink to reduce your risk of developing deep vein thrombosis. The inherent properties of water, whether in tap water or a more expensive bottled kind, include the ability to dilute blood and reduce the likelihood that platelets would clump together and generate a clot. There is no need to drink sports drinks, vitamin waters, or any other beverages with extra substances; plain water will do the task. If you are on a DVT prevention diet due to heart failure, however, you should talk to your doctor about the appropriate daily fluid intake.

Olive Oil Can Actually Be Helpful In Moderation

According to a recent scientific study, eating foods prepared with virgin olive oil may decrease platelet activity, lowering the likelihood of developing a life-threatening blood clot in the leg. Olive oil is beneficial because it contains phenols, which research suggests may reduce platelet aggregation. The risk of developing a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) may be decreased by eating a diet that includes more virgin olive oil. Eating two to three servings of healthy fats like olive oil daily will help minimize your risk of deep vein thrombosis, so follow the DASH Diet’s advice.

Always Include Fresh Vegetables and Fresh Fruits Are Good In Moderation

Produce with the least amount of processing is ideal for preventing deep vein thrombosis. Consuming a diet rich in fiber and antioxidant-rich vegetables has been shown to promote cardiovascular health and lower the chance of having deep vein thrombosis. Whether fresh, frozen, or tinned, vegetables carry a nutritious punch. Vegetables coated with sauce or cheese should be avoided. Canned beans, after being drained and washed, provide tremendous nutritional benefits in preventing DVT at a low cost. If your elderly loved one doesn’t have access to fresh vegetables or can’t bake them, it’s time to look for senior home care to help them around the house.

Fresh fruit consumption improves heart health, increases dietary fiber intake, and reduces the risk of deep vein thrombosis. One research indicated that persons who ate five daily servings of fruits and vegetables had a 50% lower chance of developing deep vein thrombosis than those who ate less than three servings. Fruits that may be eaten in their whole form, such as apples, oranges, pears, and grapes, provide a great snack option. Grapefruit may interfere with the effectiveness of some medicines; therefore those who use prescription drugs should exercise care while eating it. Seek advice from your pharmacy for help.

Dark Leafy Greens Should Be Added to a Seniors Diet

Previously, leafy greens, such as collards, were included on the “deep vein thrombosis limitations” list, particularly for people using the anticoagulant (“blood thinner”) medicine warfarin (brand name Coumadin). High quantities of Vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting, are found in leafy greens. Today, however, even those who take anticoagulants are often advised to eat a consistent amount of leafy greens as part of a diet that promotes heart health. The micronutrients included in leafy greens contribute to overall heart health. If you are taking an anticoagulant, see your physician for advice on eating leafy greens. Senior home care can help your elderly loved one make more fresh foods that help them manage blood clots.

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

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By the time a senior is released from the hospital they are usually well enough to do some things for themselves, but recovering from a heart attack can be a long process. Depending on how much damage was done seniors may need months of rehabilitation and extra care to make sure they are safe at home. And in order to prevent future heart attacks, seniors will need to focus on making some lifestyle changes that will lower their risk of heart attacks. Senior care can make sure that your senior loved one is getting the care they need during recovery when you can’t be there to help.

In-Home Care After A Heart Attack

The services provided as part of an in-home care program can be tailored to the needs of your senior parent. Based on the severity of the heart attack your senior loved one may only need basic help around the house with things like cleaning up or making meals. If the heart attack was serious they may need help with personal care, dressing, and more tasks.

In-home care also can help seniors make the lifestyle changes that they need to make in order to keep themselves safe from future heart attacks. Most seniors know they need to change the way that they’re living for good of their health but many still struggle to make those changes. In-home care providers can motivate seniors to exercise more, eat better, and get more sleep so that they have a lower risk of a future heart attack.

Lifestyle Changes That Help Seniors Recover

Making lifestyle changes is never easy, especially for seniors to need to try and make abrupt changes in the way they live for their health. Most experts say that seniors should focus on making small measurable changes in their lives instead of attempting to make many big sweeping changes. But when a senior is recovering from a health attack some of the immediate changes they need to make are:

Changing Medications

Most likely your senior loved one will be put on medications after a heart attack. Their current medication regimen may also change. In-home care can help seniors make sure that they are taking the medications they need to take at the right times of the day to help them recover.

Exercising Daily

Daily exercise is a must for seniors that are recovering from a heart attack. Even though seniors may not be able to do strenuous exercise at first they need to start building up endurance and getting some activity each day. Walking is a fantastic exercise for seniors who are in heart attack recovery.

Getting Enough Sleep

The body needs sleep to recover from many conditions, including heart attacks. Your senior loved one may sleep better at night knowing that someone is there with them. And you’ll sleep better knowing that someone is looking after your senior parent.

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

Sources:

https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/life-after-a-heart-attack/heart-attack-recovery-faqs

What To Do After a Heart Attack

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Keep in mind that although some surgeries provide amazing benefits, you will want to ensure your senior can recover quickly. You may need to add them or find someone who can be. Some seniors may need 24-hour home care for a brief time, and it is something you should look into before a senior has surgery. There are many advantages to hiring 24-hour home care for a period of time.

If your senior has been losing their sight, it is time to take them to an eye doctor. Cataracts may be the cause of your senior’s eyesight problems, and surgery can help them see better and live longer. When a senior can see better, they will stumble less, which leads to fewer falls. Cataract surgery enhances a patient’s quality of life as well. Cataracts may make it difficult to do regular duties such as driving or reading. The things your senior loves may no longer be enjoyable. There are a few other reasons why cataract surgery could be the best decision for your senior.

What Are The Symptoms Of Cataracts?

Before deciding on this surgery is something to bring up to the doctor you need to understand if it is something your senior is suffering from. Here are symptoms to be watchful of.

Cloudy vision
Light sensitivity
Halos around lights
Changes in eye prescriptions
Double vision
At first, the cloudiness of the cataract may just damage a portion of your eye’s lens. However, as it develops in size, it will obscure more of the lens. It is important to ensure a senior is getting regular checkups.

Benefits of Cataracts Surgery

If your senior has cataracts you may be worried about them or they may not want to do it because it seems frightening. However, there are a few advantages to why you should encourage your senior to accept this surgery if needed.

It Is Fast

Some surgeries are not fast but choosing to go through with a cataract surgery will be a quick choice. Overall the entire procedure will take 10 to 20 minutes to do and then around 30 minutes to recover from the effects.

It Will Improve Vision

One of the best reasons this surgery is beneficial for a senior who can’t see is that it will certainly work. After the short recovery time a senior will be able to see much better than before. This will lead to a better life and may help them live longer.

This procedure is often conducted under local anesthesia using eye drops that numb the surface of the eye. During the process, you will be conscious, but your eyesight will be quite fuzzy. After the surgery, a senior’s eyes may feel fuzzy and itchy because a new lens is inserted but it will go away in a day or two. After that, a senior will be seeing things better than ever before.

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

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The best foods for seniors who want to stay hydrated are:

Watermelon

Watermelon is mostly water, as the name implies. There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than some cold watermelon. Watermelon is also easy to puree so that seniors who have problems chewing can enjoy it. A watermelon sorbet is a delicious snack. It’s also a fantastic way to end a meal. A home care assistance provider can help your senior loved one increase their hydration by cutting up or pureeing some fresh watermelon for them each day.

Citrus Fruits

Oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are all good sources of water as well as the best source for important minerals and vitamins like Potassium and Vitamin C. Snacking on some citrus fruit is a delicious way senior’s can stay hydrated. If you or a home care assistance provider want to tempt your senior loved one to eat more citrus fruit a great way to do that is to dip peeled orange segments into melted chocolate, then put the segments on a baking sheet in the fridge until they firm up.

Salads

Many of the components of a good salad are at least 85% water. Iceberg lettuce, kale, cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots all have a lot of water in them. Just one salad  per day with a mix of these ingredients can significantly increase your senior loved one’s hydration without them having to drink more water. A home care assistance provider can make a salad for your senior loved one for lunch or for a snack each day.

Celery

Celery is another food that is mostly water but does have some vitamins and minerals too. If your senior loved one isn’t allergic to peanuts some celery spread with peanut butter is a fantastic snack for seniors. It has lots of water, protein, and healthy vitamins and minerals.

Drinking More Water

If your senior loved one doesn’t like drinking water because they don’t like tap water bottled water is a good option that might encourage them to drink more water. But you can also make water more appealing by adding fruit to it. With an infusion pitcher you or a home care assistance provider can make delicious fresh fruit water.

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

Source:

https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/study-finds-a-lack-of-adequate-hydration-among-the-elderly

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It could be due to the Covid-19 pandemic or just the fact that people are so busy these days, they don’t have or make time to socialize. If your elderly loved one is feeling lonely, it is crucial that you help them to feel better. There are numerous ways that you and an elder care provider can help with this.

Making Plans Together

Are you the one who usually makes the plans for your elderly loved one? For example, maybe you make up all the plans and then, just tell your elderly loved one what is going to happen. If that is the case, maybe, you could do things a little differently from now on. It might be a good idea to start having your elderly loved one help make the plans. For instance, you could pick the time of when you are going to dinner with them and they could pick the restaurant. Just helping to make decisions could make your elderly loved one feel less alone.

Connecting Regularly

Do you find your own life to be full of appointments, work, and running errands? Are you making it over to your elderly loved one’s home less and less? This is normal. It happens. Life does often get in the way of socializing and visiting with loved ones. However, if your elderly loved one is feeling lonely, it may be a good idea to have companion care at home providers connect with them regularly. Just having someone come to their home and sit with them a few times a week could help to reduce their feelings of loneliness.

Having a Pet

If there aren’t many family members or friends in your elderly loved one’s life it is no wonder they are starting to feel lonely. However, there might be a solution – what about getting them a pet? It could be a guinea pig or a cat. Sometimes, dogs are a lot of work for senior citizens. However, cats and guinea pigs are a bit easier to take care of since your elderly loved one wouldn’t have to take them outdoors. If this is something you believe would help your elderly loved one to feel less alone, talk to them about it. See what they think. You or a home care provider could even help with the light cleaning it might take to pick up after the pet.

Conclusion

These are some of the best tips to help senior citizens to prevent or overcome loneliness. If your elderly loved one has been feeling lonely, let them know that you understand and want to help. Share these tips with them to see what they believe would or could help. Then, you and the companion care at home providers can work together to help your elderly loved one to start feeling less lonely.

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

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/loneliness-and-social-isolation-tips-staying-connected

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One of them is called colorectal cancer. This is common cancer that often affects the elderly. The good news is there are some prevention tips that can help to lower your elderly loved one’s risk of getting it. Read the tips mentioned here and share them with your elderly loved one today. The more they know about how to prevent colorectal cancer, the better for good senior health.

Following Dietary Guidelines

Your elderly loved one should follow all dietary guidelines. By doing so, they can lower their risk of colorectal cancer. The first step to take is to reduce or stop eating red meat completely. Processed meats should be eliminated or quit completely, as well. Some of these meats include streak, hamburgers, bologna, and bacon. Research shows the carcinogens in these meats can damage DNA and cause cancer. If your elderly loved one has a difficult time cutting down on these meats, do your best to replace them with seasoned lean meats. The more you can caregivers can do this for your elderly loved one, the lower their chance of getting colorectal cancer will be.

Getting Regular Cancer Screenings

Your elderly loved one should also get regular colorectal cancer screenings. There are many ways that these screenings can be done. Your elderly loved one can get a virtual colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or fecal occult blood test. The type of tests and how often they should be done will be determined by your elderly loved one’s doctor. The most important thing is to make sure your elderly loved one is at least seeing their doctor to have the tests done.

Exercising Regularly

Just like with almost all other health issues, to lower your elderly loved one’s risk of colorectal cancer, they should be exercising regularly. Physical fitness should be an important part of your elderly loved one’s life. Some of the best exercises for lowering the risk of colorectal cancer include walking, swimming, and stretching, Your elderly loved one should try to exercise for about 2 hours every week. If they can get in more exercise, without overdoing it, they should try to do that. If your elderly loved one needs someone with them when they are exercising, to help prevent falls or for socializing, you can hire caregivers to be there.

Senior Health: Conclusion

These are some of the best tips that can help your elderly loved one to prevent colorectal cancer and enjoy good senior health. If your elderly loved one starts doing these things sooner rather than later, it will help even more.

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. at 1-800-493-5660

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/

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So many factors can increase your senior’s fall risk even more than she might realize. Understanding those factors can help you and your senior to put plans in place to reduce the risk of senior falls.

Losing Balance and Flexibility

Both balance and flexibility are important to avoid a fall. Balance issues keep your elderly family member from being able to tell where she is in space, causing her to stand upright when she walks. Lack of flexibility means that your senior’s joints aren’t able to respond and move in the ways they need to in order to help her to stay upright.

Losing Stamina

Your senior needs stamina in order to avoid a fall because it’s a necessary part of being able to stand and to walk. If she’s running out of endurance too soon, that can compromise her ability to have safe mobility. Issues with stamina are common after a period of being sedentary, whether that’s because of an illness, an injury, or simply inactivity.

Losing Muscle Tone

When your senior loses muscle tone, she no longer has the strength that she needs in order to walk safely and to avoid a fall. The problem with losing muscle tone is that it can happen quickly and very subtly. Your elderly family member may find that just a short time of not being as active as she used to be can cause her to experience significant muscle tone.

Losing Vision

Your senior’s vision helps her to be able to see obstacles and to be able to keep her balance. When she’s not able to see well, she may not be able to trust the input her brain is receiving from her eyes. That can cause her to second guess herself and her actions, which can lead to a fall.

Being Afraid to Walk or Fall

Fear is another huge factor when it comes to fall risk. Your senior may become scared that she will fall or afraid to walk, even around her own home. That can then become such a powerful fear that your elderly family member starts to experience loss of stamina, balance, and muscle tone, therefore increasing her risk of falling.

Having elder care providers available regularly can help your senior to deal with many of these challenges and can help her to improve her overall mobility, avoiding senior falls, as well.

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

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Your mom and dad have had their COVID-19 shot.

They’re ready to get back out and do things they’ve been unable to do for the past year. You’re a little more hesitant. As the restrictions are lifted, what can your parents do? What shouldn’t they do? Isn’t it still important for them to keep wearing their mask when they’re around others?

Effectiveness of the Vaccine

One thing that’s important to remember is that the vaccine offers protection against the virus, but it’s not guaranteed to be fully protective. If your parents do get COVID-19, the symptoms should be less severe. The vaccine is not 100% effective. Few vaccines are 100% effective. They still need to be careful around others.

Use Care When Gathering

Your parents want to gather, and they should. They need to be careful, though. Instead of attending a big gathering with strangers, they should socialize with others who are taking precautions to avoid the virus.

A family picnic together in the open air where people can spread out is a great idea. Everyone can bring a dish. That prevents others from needing to cook multiple dishes to make sure people have enough food. If someone doesn’t want to cook, they could buy ice for the coolers that will hold the drinks.

Masks Helped Lower the Cases of the Flu and Common Colds

Another thing to consider is how effective mask-wearing was for COVID-19. In a typical year, there are flu cases across the U.S. Mask wearing and social distancing dropped the number of lab-tested positive cases to a total of 1,814 as of May 2021. The 2019/2020 flu season that happened before the pandemic had approximately 38 million estimated cases.

Wearing a mask is simple and made a big difference in spreading viruses that have hit people hard in the past. It’s not a bad idea for your parents to keep wearing their masks when they go shopping or are in a crowded public place.

Keep Washing Hands

Your parents also need to keep washing their hands. It’s a good practice to continue. It stops the spread of germs and can help them avoid viruses, bacterial infections, and foodborne illnesses.

When they wash their hands, they should suds their hands for a full 30 seconds before rinsing their hands. Air drying is best, but they could dry their hands with a clean towel if they prefer using a towel.

Stay Home When You’re Sick

When you’re sick, stay home. Even if you’re the family caregiver and they rely on you, you need to stay home to stop the spread. Talk to a senior care agency about respite care services. While you’re at home getting over the flu or another virus, your parents have the help they need from trained senior care aides. Call to learn more.

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

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm#ILIActivityMap
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/past-seasons.html

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