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Month: February 2021

March is National Kidney Month! Are Your Kidneys Healthy?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Tips for healthy kidneys

Download the National Kidney Month Checklist Here

The kidneys are important organs that affect many other body parts, including the heart. Follow these tips to keep them working efficiently:

Avoid extra salt

Eating a lot of salty foods can disrupt the balance of minerals in the blood. This can make it harder for the kidneys to work properly. Try swapping out processed foods — which usually have a lot of added salt — for whole foods, such as:

  • fresh fruits and vegetables
  • lean cuts of meat
  • nuts

Exercise

High blood pressure is a known risk factor for chronic kidney disease. Regular exercise, even for just 20 minutes a day, can help reduce blood pressure.

Stay hydrated

Drinking plenty of water helps the kidneys perform one of their most important functions: removing toxins. Learn more about how much water you should really be drinking every day.

Use medications with caution

Regularly taking certain over-the-counter medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can cause kidney damage over time. Occasionally taking them is fine, but work with your doctor to find alternatives if you have a condition that requires managing pain, such as arthritis.

Know the risk factors

Several things can increase your risk of developing a kidney condition. Make sure you regularly have your kidney function tested if you:

  • have diabetes
  • are obese
  • have high blood pressure
  • have a family history of kidney disease

 

The Facts About Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

  • 37 million American adults have CKD and millions of others are at increased risk.
  • Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.
  • Heart disease is the major cause of death for all people with CKD.
  • Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the best estimate of kidney function.
  • Hypertension causes CKD and CKD causes hypertension.
  • Persistent proteinuria (protein in the urine) means CKD is present.
  • High-risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension and family history of kidney failure.
  • African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, American Indians and Seniors are at increased risk.
  • Two simple tests can detect CKD: blood pressure, urine albumin and serum creatinine

How Can  Home Care Help?

·       Caregivers prepare nutritious meals and snacks.

·       Medication reminders

·       Meal Time Reminders

·       Report Changes in well-being

·       Water Intake Reminders

·       Accompany to MD Appointments

 

RESOURCES and Information for this post:

Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale provides in-home care services for seniors in Scottsdale and the surrounding areas in Phoenix. If you or a loved-one want to learn more, call us at 480-284-7360. https://goldenheartscottsdale.com/

 

Medline: https://www.healthline.com/health/human-body-maps/kidney

National Kidney Foundation: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/about-chronic-kidney-disease#facts

 

Congratulations Osa on your Caregiver Award!

Posted on by Craig Bass

Golden Heart Senior Care is pleased to announce that OSA has been awarded a Caregiver Award for her excellent work and referral of a new client. OSA always helps the office and fills in. We are proud to have her on-board. OSA will receive a bonus for this award! Congratulations OSA AND thank you!

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring home care in Scottsdale, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

Simple Healthy Eating Solutions for Your Elderly Loved One

Posted on by Craig Bass

When it comes to the way that your elderly loved one eats, it all matters. Being a senior citizen means the metabolism is slowing down and in some cases, it is more difficult for the body to process certain foods. This is why it is so important that you and home care providers help your elderly loved one to choose simple, healthy eating solutions. Here are some of the solutions that may work for your elderly loved one.

Increased Fruit and Vegetable Intake

One of the most important things for your elderly loved one to do is to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat. Your elderly loved one should be getting 2 to 3 servings of fruits and 2 to 3 servings of vegetables every day. You and their home care providers can make eating these foods more enjoyable for them by making smoothies, putting fruit in yogurt, and steaming the vegetables.

Adding In More Calcium

Research shows that bones become more brittle as we age. One of the ways that you can help your elderly loved one to prevent fractures and breaks in their bones is to make sure they are getting enough calcium. You can do this by adding more cheese, milk, and other dairy products to your loved one’s diet. If necessary, you may need to ask your elderly loved one’s doctor if they can take calcium supplements.

Choosing the Healthy Fats

Many senior citizens suffer from low energy, feeling down, and memory loss. If this is something your elderly loved one is experiencing or you would like to help prevent this, you need to make sure they are choosing healthy fats. You and their home care providers should get more omega-3s for your elderly loved one.

More Proteins

It is also very important that your elderly loved one eats enough proteins. However, since their body may not be able to digest proteins as well as it used to, you need to make sure they are eating proteins that are easier for their body to digest. Chicken, fish, nuts, and eggs are all great options.

Conclusion

These are some of the simple, healthy eating solutions that you can offer for your elderly loved one. If your elderly loved one doesn’t eat healthy because they aren’t sure what to buy when grocery shopping, you or a home care provider can assist them.

Sources
https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionforolderadults.html

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring home care in Apache Junction, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

Congratulations Holly on the Going Above and Beyond Award!

Posted on by Craig Bass

Golden Heart Senior Care celebrates Holly, our On Call Superstar!

We are pleased to announce that Holly, our evening and weekend On Call Manager, is awarded the “Going Above and Beyond Award.” Holly works tirelessly to ensure our clients are always covered.

Holly will get a bonus for this award. Holly is also fully vaccinated with both shots! Congratulations Holly and Thank you! Laurie and Rodney.

5 Things that Interfere with a Senior’s Sleep

Posted on by Craig Bass

There are many things that can affect a senior’s ability to sleep soundly and get the rest they need. Getting adequate sleep is very important for the body’s immune system, fighting infection and disease, physical health, mental functioning and coping with stress. If a senior isn’t getting enough sleep, it should be brought to the doctor’s attention.

1- Aging Naturally Changes Sleep Patterns

It’s common for seniors to naturally get tired earlier, wake up earlier, and sometimes wake up in the night due to natural changes in their brain as they age. As adults age, the brain’s “master clock center ” (the suprachiasmatic nucleus) leads to changes in the senior’s circadian rhythms, which influence things like when the body feels sleepy or alert.

2- Health Conditions

There are numerous health conditions that can interrupt a good night’s sleep. Sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and nocturia are just a few. Many seniors have multiple health conditions at once, which add up to a big risk for disturbed sleep.

3- Medications

A number of medications can interfere with sleep. Talk to the doctor or pharmacist about whether any of your medications may be interrupting yours.

4- Pain

Not only can pain contribute to sleeplessness, but sleeplessness can in turn, make pain worse, which can quickly turn into a vicious cycle.

5- Caring for a Loved One Throughout the Night

Being a family caregiver can be wonderfully rewarding, but when sleep is disrupted every night in order to care for your family loved one’s needs, it can severely impact your health.

How Elder Care can Support a Senior’s Sleep

Elder care services can help seniors and family caregivers who are struggling to get enough shut-eye to feel and function at their best.

Regular Exercise Support

Elder care aides can walk with seniors routinely, a practice that many seniors find enjoyable, motivating and reassuring. Elder care aides can help with transportation to the pool, gym or balance class, strolls through the park or out in the garden. Regular activity has been shown to promote better sleep, and getting outside for sunshine and fresh air only enhances the effect.

Consistent Sleeping Schedule and Bedtime Routine

An important step in good sleep “hygiene”, as they say, is to get up and go to bed at the same time each day. Many seniors find this to be much easier with the assistance of an elder care aide, who can show up at the same time each morning and assist with morning routines, personal care, walks, breakfast or other needs.

A bedtime routine can be especially powerful when you include a few soothing features to get your body and mind ready to rest.

  • Allow time to wind down with the lights dimmed
  • Listen to calming music
  • Drink some chamomile tea
  • Enjoy relaxing aromatherapy
  • Take a warm bath
  • Gently rub lotion on your back, legs or feet

Overnight Assistance for Loved Ones

Some families find that when elder care can take care of a senior’s needs during the night, the family caregiver is able to get much better sleep and find themselves in a much better health, spirits and position for caregiving. Savvy family caregivers may arrange for the night elder care aide to take care of the laundry, clean the cat box or put away the dishes while they are there, which can buy valuable time and energy for the next day.

Sources
https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/sleep-disorders-in-the-elderly
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/aging-and-sleep#:~:text=Mental%20and%20physical%20health%20conditions,and%20pain%2C%20such%20as%20arthritis

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring elder care in Phoenix, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!