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Month: October 2021

How Much Physical Activity Should Your Senior Be Getting?

Posted on by Craig Bass

Being as physically active as possible might need to be a bigger part of your senior’s overall plan for wellness. That’s especially true if her doctor agrees that she should be moving more. But just how much more is really right for your senior to move? That might depend on some other variables.

There’s the Official Recommendation

The official recommendation from a variety of health professionals is for people, even aging adults, to get at least 150 minutes per week of exercise. That equates to around 30 minutes per day. If your elderly family member is able to be much more physically active, then moderate-intensity exercise can bring that total down to 75 minutes.

But Unofficially, Moving More Is Better

Realistically, though, moving more at all than she is now can be good for your senior. Once your senior talks with her doctor and gets a definitive recommendation, all she really needs to do is to gradually increase her activity levels. Moving just a little bit more can be fine. It might be easier for her to do this with company, either from caregivers or from friends and family members.

She Can Add to Her Activity Levels Over Time

Once your senior is more active in general, she can increase her activity levels. There are lots of ways to do this. She can spend more time being active or she can make the exercise that she does more intense. Doing activities that help her to build muscle are good options, because losing muscle tone and strength are big issues for aging adults.

It’s About What Feels Okay and Is Safe

Ultimately, this is about what feels and is safe for your senior and her needs. It’s also about what helps her to feel healthy and content. If your elderly family member wants to exercise and has mobility concerns, it may make sense to have assistance from 24-hour home care providers available. 24-hour home care providers offer stability and companionship that your senior can rely on as she works to help her body to be stronger and more physically active.

The right levels of physical activity are truly individual. There are general recommendations, but there are also specific variables that really impact how active your senior is able to be. Paying attention to all of these factors helps you and your elderly family member to make sure that she’s safe and healthy, no matter how active she is.

 

If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Mesa, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

Congratulations Enell!

Posted on by Craig Bass

CONGRATULATIONS ENELL! Golden Heart is pleased to announce that Enell has been awarded a Caregiver Award today. Enell gets rave reviews from our clients and is always willing to pick up shifts and help the office. We are lucky to have Enell on our team! Enell will receive a bonus for this award!

 

If you or an aging loved one is considering 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!

Four Possible Consequences of Malnutrition for Seniors

Posted on by Craig Bass

If you suspect that your aging family member is malnourished, make sure to talk with her doctor to set up a plan to assess what nutrients she needs and how to best get them into her daily diet. Ignoring nutrition needs can seriously impact your senior’s health and may make it more difficult for her to meet her own goals as she ages.

Decreased Muscle Strength

As your senior ages, she is more likely to lose muscle tone and strength. If she’s not getting the nutrients that her body needs, that decrease in muscle strength is likely to occur much more quickly. Losing muscle strength can also mean that your elderly family member is not able to maintain mobility and that becomes a huge safety problem.

Increased Fall Risk

Another big problem with losing muscle tone is that it can increase your senior’s risk of falling. Other factors can contribute as well, though. Low blood sugar, low blood pressure, and more can all be contributing factors to increasing your senior’s fall risk. Falling even one time can have serious health consequences for your elderly family member for a very long time to come.

Weakened Immunity

Your senior’s immune system requires nutrients in order to maintain itself. To reduce the risk of illness, infection, and other health problems, your senior’s immune system need to be able to keep itself running. If you’re noticing that your elderly family member is frequently ill or is having a more difficult time healing in general, it might be due to poor nutrition.

Increased Likelihood of Hospitalization

Malnutrition can also increase the risk of your senior ending up hospitalized, either due to a fall or due to another health issue. Aging adults hospitalized may be more likely to become even weaker, lose more muscle tone, and suffer further attacks on their immune system. In short, that makes all of the other consequences even worse for your senior.

Keeping your senior well nourished is absolutely vital, but it can feel complicated. Working with senior home care providers can help, because they’re able to be there with your senior and help to monitor what and when she’s eating. If your senior needs physical help eating, elder care providers can offer that assistance. Even if all that your elderly family member needs is for senior home care providers to cook for her, that can go a long way toward improving her nutritional intake.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home 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!

7 Practical Tips For Effective Elderly Home Care

Posted on by Craig Bass

At Golden Heart, our goal is to support your loved ones and your family in providing exceptional home health care service. All of our home care services are selected to provide the customized solutions you need for in-home care for elderly loved ones.

When planning senior home care services, there are several practical tips to consider. Our home health services can work with you to tailor our senior home care services to your specific needs.

1. Hire top home healthcare providers – this ensures the home health aide working with your loved one has the training, skills, and experience needed.

2. Create a routine – home care for seniors with memory loss, Alzheimer’s, or dementia should start with a predictable daily routine.

3. Consider safety issues – home health care agencies can help you spot potential issues in the home such as loose rugs, the need for safety bars in the bathroom, or other safety features.

4. Keep things simple – don’t over plan or do too much in one day, keep things simple to reduce stress and give you time for yourself.

5. Get home care help – from light housework to meal prep and daily care, our home health caregivers are here to help.

6. Assess needs – our home health agency staff constantly assess the needs of their clients. This allows us to make suggestions and provide resources for the family.

7. Understand the care needed – as the elderly age, health services may increase to deal with ongoing medical issues. Our staff will work with the family to report any changes noted.

Our home health professionals work with you to provide exceptional care at home. We are here to support your needs and those of your elderly loved ones.

The Importance Of Respite Care

Posted on by Craig Bass

It is important for many families to care for aging parents in their own homes. Having the ability to keep parents at home and surrounded by people that love them has a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing.

At the same time, families can find the additional challenges of managing young children and busy schedules difficult to integrate with their role as a caregiver for elderly parents. This can lead to burnout, stress, and increased challenges for the whole family.

Adding Respite Care

Golden Heart provides respite care services from a trusted local home health provider. These respite services are provided in your own home, allowing your parent or parents to stay in a familiar setting. Respite care at home provides trusted Medicare caregivers who provide companionship and support throughout their stay.

Respite care for elderly individuals from Golden Heart is customized for your needs. This could include a small break throughout the day or spending a longer block of time to allow you to get away and relax. With either option, you have the peace of mind in knowing your loved ones are well-cared for while you are away.

Our respite providers are trained professionals who provide the services needed for your parents while you are away. Senior respite care services can include assistance with meal preparation, light housekeeping, and personal care support.

Respite care for caregivers helps you to spend time with your family while knowing respite care providers are caring for your elderly parents. Scheduling respite care at home allows you to recharge your batteries and find time for yourself.