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Month: July 2023

It’s Hot Outside, so Make Sure Your Mom Stays Cool

Posted on by Craig Bass

The first week of July saw the world break the hottest global temperature since records for global highs have been recorded. A day later, the record was broken again when the global temperature reached 62.92 degrees Fahrenheit.

In southern regions of the U.S., heat waves have been affecting states like Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida. The Eastern Seaboard and New England are also experiencing extremely hot weather that isn’t going away. For an older adult, this heat is dangerous.

Your mom lives alone, and you can only check on her with a phone call as you’re on the other side of the country. How do you make sure she’s staying cool when it’s so hot outside?

Is It Time for a New AC?

If your mom’s home doesn’t have central AC, you may want to consider looking into energy-efficient window AC systems. With ENERGY STAR rebates available, she can get an AC system for a lot less. There are also tax incentives for heat pump AC systems if she wants to take advantage of an energy-efficient system for her home.

What If She Doesn’t Have AC?

If your mom doesn’t have an AC system, she can keep her home cooler by closing the blinds and keeping sunlight from warming her rooms. A floor fan or ceiling fans help keep air moving, which will make her rooms feel cooler. If she sits in front of a fan, she’ll feel cooler.

When it’s extremely hot, wearing damp clothing keeps her core body temperature lower. Dampen a T-shirt in the sink and wear that. When it dries out, repeat the process.

She needs to stay hydrated. If she’s on medications to lower fluid retention, talk to her doctor about how much water she should be drinking. If there are no limits, two liters is a good goal, but excessive sweating can increase the amount she needs.

If she doesn’t like drinking a lot of water, stock her refrigerator and fruit bowl with fruits that have high water content. Oranges, berries, watermelon, and cantaloupe are excellent options.

Finally, make sure she stays inside during the hottest times of the day. Generally, this is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If she needs to take a walk, she should go first thing in the morning and after dinner.

Rely on In-Home Care to Support Your Mom

Arrange in-home care services for your mom. You might not live close by, but that doesn’t mean she has to go without anyone checking in for weeks or even months. A caregiver can stop by and make sure her AC is running and that she has access to clean water for showers and staying hydrated.

In-home care aides can clean your mom’s home, take her shopping, and schedule HVAC services if her AC system isn’t working effectively. Learn more about home care services by making a call.

Reference
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/emergency-preparedness/older-adults-extreme-heat/index.html

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

Going Above and Beyond

Posted on by Craig Bass

Here at Golden Heart Senior Care, we love to catch people doing the right things right. In this case, we needed to make some last minute changes due to a caregiver having a baby. You know who you are, congratulations to both of you. So yes, Golden Heart welcomed to new babies to our family this week.

Back to this young lady. When we asked her to work with us on flexing her schedule, her response was Sure. No problem. Just let me know how I can help. That is a philosophy her at Golden Heart. Everything we do comes from the spirit of service. KH will receive additional bonus points for her willingness and ability to help. Thank you KH for being Golden. We Heart you at Golden Heart.

World Listening Day: Take Your Mom Outside for a Day in Nature

Posted on by Craig Bass

July 18th was established by the World Listening Project as a day to head outside and sit and listen to the soothing sounds of nature. It’s a good day for family caregivers to get outside, unwind, and listen to what’s out there.

A Yale report looked at more than 1,000 studies of “Nature Deficit Disorder,” and found that nature has a powerful restorative benefit. When people feel safe when they’re out in nature, it can lower their blood pressure, lower the stress hormones flowing throughout their body, reduce stress, improve their immune system response, and boost their mood.

As a family caregiver, you likely experience a lot of stress as you become a parent to your parent. Take a day off and go outside with your mom. Whether you go to a local park or sit in the backyard, stop and listen to the birds, listen to the water in a nearby stream or river or as it laps the lakeshore or coastline, and enjoy being outside in nature for a change.

Forget about your chores for the day. Focus on the important ones like making sure your mom has food and water and takes her medications on time. Things like vacuuming, dusting, and laundry can wait a day. It won’t hurt anything if you have a relaxed day out for a change.

Use Apps for Identifying Bird and Animal Sounds

You’d be surprised by how many bird sounds you can probably identify already. But, there are apps you can find online that allow you to record a snippet of a bird’s song or animal’s cry. Submit them to the app and it will tell you what you’re hearing.

Cornell Labs’ Ask Merlin is a highly-rated app for identifying bird calls. It’s a good place to start. If you’re looking to identify animal sounds, iNaturalist is one of the best options.

Apps Can Identify Animals by Picture, Too

One of the neatest features of Google Photos is that you can take your photo and have Google Lens identify it. Take a photo of a bird you see flitting in the trees, and Google Lens will tell you what it is.

Experience the Benefits of Companion Care at Home

When you’re not with your mom, is she alone? Does she often experience loneliness? Companion care at home services is an excellent solution. Instead of being alone all day, every day, a caregiver stops by to keep her company.

Your mom’s caregiver is there to help her with housework, cook and share meals, and take her shopping. If your mom has an appointment and hates going alone, her companion can accompany her. Learn more about companion care at home by calling a specialist with your list of questions.

Sources:
https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home 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!