Happy Holidays Senior Community. We have a couple of caregivers who have done some exceptional activities as far as caring for their clients. At Golden Heart, we are in the habit of catching people doing the right things right. When we do, we give them what’s called reward bonu$ point$ that they can use for lots of different types of gift cards. I would like to thank two caregivers WA and AT for doing the right things right. And for these two ladies, we are awarding them 500 bonu$ reward point$ to be used for gift cards. All caregivers, do something fantastic so that we can reward you with bonus points. We would love to help you put the shopping worries behind you. Happy Holidays everyone.
Author: Craig Bass
Welcome Our Newest Caregiver, PG!
Hello Senior Community. As we continue to improve our efforts and help more clients, we hire more caregivers. Please meet our newest. Her name is PG. PG does a great job wherever she goes. Clients love and appreciate her efforts and attitude. Thank you for giving your best effort everyday, PG. We’re lucky and happy to have you on our team.
Keep up the great work!
Rodney Malone
Getting More B12 Into Your Senior’s Diet
Vitamin B12, commonly known as cyanocobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin required for optimal adrenal gland function, nerve tissue health, and red blood cell synthesis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every 31 persons over the age of 51 had inadequate vitamin B12 levels, according to the results of a 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. More than 5% of people over 65 are also affected by the deficit. Vitamin B12 is especially essential for older persons since the body’s absorption of the mineral decreases with age.
Seniors might acquire dietary deficits and other major health problems as they age. Maintaining a good quality of life might be difficult for some seniors, but senior home care can assist them in accomplishing this aim. Families may rely on senior home care professionals to assist their elderly loved ones in making lifestyle choices that will boost their chances of living a longer and healthier life.
Understanding Vitamin B Deficiency
Seniors with insufficient vitamin B12 levels might develop pernicious anemia, which causes inexplicable tiredness, fast heart rate, joint discomfort, and trouble breathing. Memory loss and other cognitive impairment symptoms are typical in B12-deficient elderly and may be misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or mental illness. Confusion and despair are common cognitive symptoms, as are hallucinations and paranoia. Other symptoms include numbness or tingling in the limbs, loss of muscular coordination, an inflamed and swollen tongue, and jaundice. Although symptoms may be mild at first, they might worsen with time and cause the deficit to worsen. Here are some ways senior home care can help to get more vitamin B in a senior’s diet.
Dairy Products Can Be Added to a Senior’s Diet
A bowl of fortified cereal is a simple method to receive B12. Whole-grain products often provide 25 to 100% of the daily minimum intake. Adding low-fat milk, skim milk, or yogurt to dry cereal boosts the B12 content by 15 to 20%. Another fantastic way to obtain nutrition is by consuming a couple of eggs and a dairy product.
Consume More Lean Meats
Vitamin B12 is abundant in lean meat. As an alternative, consider buffalo meat. Buffalo meat is naturally reduced in calories, saturated fat, and total fat content, while still supplying heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids to seniors. Organic grass-fed beef is another rich source of B12.
Seafood Can be Added Into Meals
Four to five ounces of salmon, sardines, or trout in a lunch or dinner meal is an excellent approach to increasing B12 levels. Clams are an additional option. Three ounces of clams provide 100 percent of the necessary dose of the vitamin, as well as iron, selenium, zinc, and protein.
Adding Nutritional Yeast On Foods
Vegans, vegetarians, and seniors who do not consume red meat can consider adding nutritional yeast to their diets. To increase daily consumption, add one tablespoon to casseroles or other meals. Although certain plant foods include trace levels of vitamin B12, nutritional yeast is a superior source.
When In Doubt, Check with Their Doctor About Supplements
Vitamin B12, folic acid, and other B vitamins are often included in over-the-counter multivitamins. When inserted beneath the tongue, sublingual vitamins dissolve. Seniors with severe deficits are often administered vitamin B12 injections as a supplement. Other medication alternatives include vitamin-containing nasal gels.
Source
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/what-to-know-about-vitamin-b12-dosage-for-older-adults
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Queens Creek, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
Meet Our Mascot, Bella!
Hello Senior Community. We work very hard to take care of our clients. If you don’t believe us, just take a look at our mascot. Her name is Bella. Bella is quite tired after spending a day visiting seniors in a community that appreciates dogs and visitors. Well Bella, thank you for being a great sport today. Enjoy you rest. You earned it.
How Can Personal Care at Home Help Seniors with Diabetic Eye Disease?
Your dad has had diabetes for some time, and he’s starting to struggle more than he used to. His doctor says he’s losing his vision. November is Diabetic Eye Disease Month and a good time to address your dad’s growing need for personal care at home.
What Causes Vision Loss?
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness among diabetics. It occurs when blood sugar levels are not carefully managed. The blood vessels in the eye may rupture and leak blood into the retina.
If this continues to happen and isn’t treated, fluid may start to leak into part of the macula. The macula swells with this excess fluid and it distorts central vision. Macular edema and diabetic retinopathy caused by diabetes can rob your dad of his vision.
In addition, people with diabetes have a slightly higher risk of developing other eye conditions like glaucoma and cataracts. Both of which can impact your dad’s ability to see clearly over time.
Yearly eye exams are essential to helping your dad retain his vision. If he fails to do this, however, he could end up permanently blind.
Are There Signs to Look For?
What signs should your dad look for? Often, there are no clear indicators of eye disease until the vision is diminishing. He should watch for an increased number of floaters, bright flashes of light in the eyes, vision that changes from one day to another, and dark areas in his vision.
He should also pay attention to colors that don’t look as vivid as they used to. If he notices any of these or finds his vision is a lot blurrier than it ever was, he should make an appointment to see his eye doctor ASAP.
Difficulties With Personal Care That Happen With Vision Loss
As your dad’s vision goes, he’s not going to be able to see items within his home. He may be able to feel his way to a room, but he could trip over any items in his way. Judging the height of his bathtub’s side is an issue and could lead to him falling.
Your dad isn’t going to be able to distinguish a bottle of shampoo from the conditioner. He won’t be able to tell his shampoo and body wash apart. He’s not going to be able to see his face to safely shave. It’s all going to require an adjustment.
When your dad’s vision is diminishing, it’s important that you arrange the care services he needs for oral care, grooming, and hygiene. He may also need assistance with toileting while he adjusts. A personal care at home aide helps with all of that.
Personal care at home can help him take care of his teeth and gums, help him wash his body and hair, and get to the toilet on time. Call a personal care at home advisor to learn more.
If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Fountain Hills, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
Congratulations to Summit Hospice!
In our business of caring for others, you meet some great people working for some great companies. One company that we have shared a lot of street time with is Summit Hospice. When a company you know and respect moves into a new office and has an open house, we support their efforts. I didn’t take enough pictures. To Summit Hospice, I would like to say congratulations on your new space. Your office is beautiful. Your team is well trained. And, your work in the senior community is much appreciated. Congratulations on your new office. Keep helping the community in which we work. Our seniors appreciate your efforts.
Dental Care Tips for Senior Citizens
This is the time of year we are looking forward to candy on Halloween, big meals on Thanksgiving, and family dinner for Christmas. But where does that leave your teeth? Many seniors forget how important it is to focus on dental hygiene as they age. However, seniors must keep a routine need to maintain a consistent dental hygiene routine, too. Here are a few important oral health tips and how companion care at home can help with them.
Never Stop Brushing Or Flossing
If you’ve been taking good care of your teeth your whole life, you know the fundamentals already: brush and floss twice daily. Some alterations may be made to these two fundamentals despite their continued significance as you mature. You should treat your teeth and gums gently since they have endured a lot just by being alive. Plaque becomes more stubborn and more rapidly accumulates in people over 50.
Something that may help your seniors stick to a brushing and flossing routine is to have them switch to an electric toothbrush with very soft bristles. Companion care at home may also help remind them to floss after each meal to keep the bacteria down.
Use Mouthwash But Be Careful
A strategy change may be required if you have been using mouthwash many times daily. While it’s true that using mouthwash regularly may help reduce the likelihood of developing cavities or plaque, it also has the potential to alter the mouth’s pH and lead to dry mouth. While dealing with an elderly person, you should exercise caution when using mouthwash due to the prevalence of dry mouth in this demographic. You just need to give your teeth and gums a quick rinse before night. Also, you might benefit from trying something that doesn’t include alcohol.
Implants and Dentures
Dentures may not be your best choice if you’ve lost teeth and are looking into replacing them. In many cases, dental implants might be a far better option than traditional dentures. Implants are a permanent solution that mimics the appearance of your natural teeth without the risk. Implants stabilize your jaw bone, improving your chewing, and protecting your jaw joints from damage. Consult your dentist for advice tailored to your needs.
Dentures need special attention to hygiene. Dentures need daily cleaning with a denture-cleaning solution. In addition, you should remove your dentures and rest your mouth often. It is recommended that dentures be removed from the mouth for at least four hours every day (when sleeping is ideal).
Watch for Medication Side Effects
What, if any, drugs do you take? Maybe they’re making your mouth dry, which might be bad for your teeth. If you suffer from dry mouth, you should know that it’s not only an irritation; it may also be harmful to your oral health since it makes it easier for plaque to stick to your teeth and speed up the progression of cavities and gum disease. Keep an eye out for any changes to your mouth, teeth, and gums after beginning a new medicine. If you’re experiencing any symptoms related to your medication, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist immediately.
Focus On Drinking Water
If you’re thirsty, choose water instead of soda. Regular citrus fruit juices and sodas contain a lot of sugar. Consuming an excessive amount of sugary beverages may lead to a decrease in dental enamel, the development of cavities, and even tooth loss. If you want to help out your mouth, ditch the sugary drinks and drink plenty of water instead. There are many positive effects on one’s health by regularly consuming water. Water is a natural preventative for dry mouth and will help rinse away acids in your mouth.
Source
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-care-seniors
If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Scottsdale, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
Thank You, Maria!
Hello senior care community. When you have someone who does a good job at work, we feel it’s important to recognize them. Our Office Assistant Maria, comes into the office every day with a smile, big energy and a can do attitude. Maria, we are lucky to have you as part of our office team. Enjoy your gift card as a thank you for doing and awesome job and having an awesome attitude. Thank you for all that you do.
4 Great Dog Breeds for Seniors
Has your elderly parent expressed a desire to adopt a dog? October is National Adopt a Dog month, sponsored by the Humane Society since 1981. It encourages people seeking out pet ownership to consider adopting a dog rather than purchasing one from a pet store or private breeder. Many dogs need to be adopted and they cover every type of breed. While sometimes finding the exact breed your parent desires may be a bit of a search at shelters, it is possible.
Different breeds of dogs can vary in temperament, maintenance, energy, and compatibility so before you take the plunge into being a dog owner, your parent should do a bit of research on what breed of dog may be best for the type of life he wants to provide the dog. While your aging parent can always get help from you and perhaps a home care provider, in the end, he will be the one mainly responsible for his new dog staying happy and healthy.
Let’s look at some top breeds for seniors and why they can be a great fit.
Shih Tzu
Topping the list is the adorable little Shih Tzu. Usually weighing around 10 pounds, these sweet little dogs are great lap dogs and are happy to snuggle with your parent on the couch or chair almost all day. They are also often very good with guests and visitors. They do require a lot of grooming so your parent will need to be prepared to groom and care for this dog’s coat. A home care provider can help with brushing when visiting but your parent will still need to pay for regular groomer visits.
Maltese
This is another small lap dog. Malteses are very good at understanding and reacting to people’s moods and are often used as therapy dogs because of their sweet demeanor. They don’t shed at all but do require regular grooming and daily walks. Having to provide a dog with daily walks is also a great incentive for your parent to get out and exercise as well. When the weather is too cold or too hot, he might want to have a younger family member take the dog for a walk on those days or even have a home care provider do it.
Poodle
Poodles are intelligent dogs that can be easily trained to follow rules. They also have a huge eagerness to please. It makes them happy to make you happy. Poodles come in three different sizes from the very small toy poodle to the much larger standard poodle, which can weigh up to 75 pounds. It can be a great option if your parent doesn’t want a smaller dog.
Bichon Frise
Back to small dogs, the bichon frise is a wonderful dog for seniors. They are not high energy and just love to curl up beside a person and keep close to their person. They make sure your parent will never feel alone because they don’t like to let their owners out of their sight!
These are just a few suggestions but in the end, it’s up to you and your parent to determine which is the best dog for him.
Source
https://www.forbes.com/health/healthy-aging/best-dogs-for-seniors/
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Cave Creek, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!
We Love Visiting Our Wonderful Clients!
Hello Senior and caregiver communities. I thought I would share a personal thought. For me, there is one thing that is hands down the best part of the job. I will go see any client anywhere at any time as it is my favorite part of what we do. The responsibility of taking care of clients is a very serious honor for us and can be stressful at times depending on the situation. To our clients, all seniors and all caregivers, we love you and we are here to help whenever you need us. Just like this picture included, when you contact us, we will come out to see you and it doesn’t matter where you are. Best wishes to all of you.