Hello Seniors, Families and Friends. Every now and then, I get to hang out with some really cool guys. Sometimes, they bring out the hot rods. This is what that looks like. Keep having fun seniors.
Author: ltcep2023
A Thank You Note From One of Our Wonderful Clients
Hello Seniors, Families and Friends. Our caregivers love what we do. When you love what you do, you tend to do a great job. Please see the attached hand written note about one of our caregivers. It’s a wonderful day when a client writes a note of thanks as shown here. To receive the type of care that would increase your desire to write a hand written Thank You Note. Please contact us and we can discuss how. Have a wonderful year Arizonans.
10 Things Seniors Can Do Right Now For A Healthier Heart
February is American Heart Month and now is a great time for seniors and their families to take steps for better heart health. Doing things like changing your diet, exercising, and getting more sleep are all great lifestyle changes to make that will improve heart health in the long run. But there are also things that seniors can do right away, with the help of home care assistance, that will also help improve their heart health like:
Walk Around The Block
Exercise is very important to keep your heart healthy. Experts say that seniors should be walking for at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week. But if that’s too much right now, start by just going for a walk around the block. A home care assistance provider can encourage and support your senior on a daily walk when the weather permits.
Add A Vegetable
Seniors should be eating a heart-healthy diet that is mostly made of vegetables, some fruit, and lean proteins. But it can take time to make lasting dietary changes. To get started eating healthier seniors and their families can just add one vegetable to one meal today.
Smoke Two Less Cigarettes
Smoking is terrible for heart health. Seniors who smoke should really try to quit. But, quitting can be a process. Get started by smoking two less cigarettes today. You won’t even notice two less cigarettes, but your heart will.
Schedule A Heart Disease Screening
Schedule a heart disease screening for your senior parent if they haven’t had one yet this year. Seniors should be getting regular checkups and screenings for illnesses like heart disease.
Call A Friend
Stress can contribute to heart disease, and many seniors have stress related to being alone. Seniors who have a strong support network of family and friends who keep them socially connected are less likely to suffer from physical mental health problems. Seniors should try to reduce stress today by calling a friend to chat. Home care assistance can be there to offer companionship and a helping hand when your senior is lonely or spending too much time by themselves.
Skip Dessert
Maintaining a healthy weight is also important for preventing heart disease. Seniors who are overweight may need some time to lose all those extra pounds, but they can start right now by skipping dessert. Seniors who really don’t want to skip dessert can choose a healthier dessert options like fruit, Greek yogurt, or sugar free pudding.
Go To Bed An Hour Earlier
Sleep is also important for heart health. Getting more sleep can lower the risk of developing heart disease. It can also reduce stress, which is good for the heart. Seniors should try going to bed an hour earlier tonight to get more healthy sleep.
Make Something
Working with the hands and making things like painting, knitting, sculpting, sewing, or wood working can reduce stress, provide a sense of purpose, and give seniors a brain boost. It also can lower the risk of heart disease. Encourage your senior parent to get out their parents, pick up some yarn, or even just do some coloring and make something.
Take A Hot Bath
There’s nothing as relaxing as a hot bath. Seniors who are stressed out should take a hot bath to relax and help their heart at the same time.
Drink A Glass Of Water
Staying hydrated is important for seniors for many reasons, including heart health. And most seniors aren’t drinking enough water during the day. Go drink a glass of water right now.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance 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!
Words of Wisdom From Our Weekly Coffee Group
Hello Seniors, Families and Friends. As many of you know, I have coffee weekly with a group I call my guys. My guys are a group of guys, mostly widowers, who have coffee and talk every week. Yes, I am younger than they are. I do remember most of this. One of the guys brought it to coffee this morning. Will place a smile on a lot of your faces. Enjoy.
How To Help Your Senior Parent Find The Right Medical Care
When you start taking care of a senior parent that is aging in place, one thing that you may need to help them do is find appropriate medical care in their area. Finding good medical care can be overwhelming, especially for seniors. Navigating the maze of what providers are in the insurance network but also provides the care that your senior parent needs can be confusing. Beyond medical care, hiring senior home care to offer non-medical support is crucial to your parent living safely and comfortably at home.
When it comes to finding the right medical care for your senior parent, these tips should help you make sure that your loved one is getting the care they need:
Look For A Geriatrician
Seniors should have a primary care doctor that is a geriatrician. A doctor that specializes in medical care for seniors is the best person to provide referrals and other healthcare that seniors need. They also are the best doctors to perform routine exams and screenings.
Compile Your Senior Parent’s Medical Records
Create a comprehensive medical history for your senior parent. Include information about current medications, past surgeries, allergies, and any chronic conditions. Having this information easily available can streamline communication with healthcare providers. Keep a digital copy and also keep several hard copies that can be given to doctors or medical providers.
Check Their Insurance Coverage And Network
Verify your parent’s insurance coverage and understand the details of their plan. This includes knowing the network of providers covered, copays, deductibles, and any pre-authorization requirements. This information will guide your choices in selecting healthcare providers.
Schedule Regular Check-ups
Your senior parent is going to need yearly checkups for general health as well as things like vision and hearing screenings, cancer screenings, and other routine appointments. Schedule those now because getting those appointments can be difficult and the wait times can be long.
Request Referrals, Then Follow Up
If your senior parent has medical conditions that require specialty care put in the request for referrals with their primary care doctor or the insurance company, then follow up after a week or so to make sure the referrals come through. You will need to referral to schedule any kind of specialty care for your senior parent.
Research Healthcare Facilities In The Area
In case of an emergency, you must know where your senior parent wants to be treated. Sit down with them and research local facilities that are in-network for their insurance. Make sure it’s written down in their health plan notes what emergency room they want to be taken to if there is a need for emergency care. Also make note of what hospital they prefer. It’s also a good idea to write this information on a sheet of paper and post it on the fridge, next to the phone, or in some other central place in case the senior home care provider needs it someday.
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!
Should Seniors Make New Year’s Resolutions about Dietary Changes?
New Year’s resolutions are a great way for people to look at changes they want to make over the next year. Many people use that time to decide to radically change how they eat. Seniors might still be stuck in those habits, thinking it’s a good time to do so. But sometimes those changes might not be the best ones to make, especially if seniors are dealing with health challenges. Home care providers can be a huge help when it comes to any dietary changes that seniors do want to make.
Resolutions about Dietary Changes Often Fail
The big issue with making resolutions about dietary changes is that they often are so restrictive that they tend to fail fairly rapidly. When seniors make dietary changes, it’s important that they’re making changes that support their health and that they stick with them. The changes that seniors make around food and eating need to be ones that are sustainable, gradual, and achievable.
Talk to Healthcare Providers First
Before making big dietary changes, seniors need to talk to their doctors about what those changes should be. Seniors often are battling health conditions and taking medications and this information is essential to understand when it comes to meeting nutritional needs. Healthcare professionals can offer personalized advice that helps seniors to improve their health and well-being while also eating better.
Make Small Changes
Making huge changes and completely overhauling an entire diet all at once is a terrible idea for seniors. It’s much better and more sustainable to make gradual, small changes over time. Instead of moving directly from eating frozen dinners, for instance, to only eating fresh fruits and vegetables with every meal can be a huge change. It might also be more than some seniors can physically handle preparing for themselves, which is why senior care providers can be an excellent help during these changes.
Plan Out Meals and Snacks
Meal planning is incredibly helpful for anyone who wants to eat a healthier diet over time. Planning out meals and snacks in advance helps to ensure that seniors are regularly eating a balanced and nutritious diet that is also tasty and satisfying. This allows seniors to be more proactive about making the small, healthy changes to their diet that they want to make.
Practice Mindful Eating
Mindful eating involves being fully present while eating. Seniors who are eating more mindfully are more likely to listen to their bodies’ hunger cues, eat when they’re truly hungry, and notice when they’re full. Eating healthier and more nutritious foods can also help seniors to feel fuller faster because they’re getting more nutrients.
Get Help from Home Care Providers
Making any changes to eating habits and overall diet just isn’t easy for every senior out there. Physical limitations, memory issues, and mobility challenges are just a few of the reasons that seniors might need more help. Home care providers can offer lots of assistance with meal preparation, running errands like grocery shopping, and so much more.
Deciding to be more cognizant of nutrition is really important for seniors, but making big sweeping changes as a New Year’s resolution might not be the best way to make this happen. Home care providers can help aging adults to make the little incremental changes necessary to improve health.
If you or an aging loved one is considering 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!
Supporting Your Senior When They Move In with You
Hello Seniors, Families and Friends. Many times, when a senior has a situation that pushes them to share space with a loved one, it can be very demoralizing and confusing for the person who has the need. Please recognize that the person who has the need in many situations are going through either mental, physical, emotional or some other type of failure that is causing them to need assistance. Many times, the person willing to share space and help are not sure what things to say to their loved one to help them accept their new normal. According to an AgingCare.com newsletter published in January, answers that include the following should assist in helping the person with the need to accept their new normal. Your answers should include and highlight the following;
1. It should recognizes and HEARS your loved ones issues and concerns by restating them.
2. It should offer and describe some level of HOPE.
3. It should finalize by letting them know you enjoy their company and want to enjoy good times with them again along with providing the best and safest solution.
For more information, please feel free to contact us at one of the methods herein.
The Essential Benefits of a Healthy Breakfast for Seniors
Everyone knows that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but it’s especially true for older people. A healthy breakfast gives them a good start to the day and offers many benefits that support their well-being as a whole. If seniors typically struggle with breakfast, the elder care team and loved ones can assist, encouraging them to start the day off right on a consistent basis. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits breakfast brings.
Better Brain Health
For seniors, starting the day with a healthy breakfast can increase their cognitive brain functioning. Whole grains, fruits, and meats make up a well-balanced meal that gives them important nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins B and D. These nutrients are thought to be good for brain health because they help with memory and focus, as well as general brain function.
Energy Boost
As people get older, their natural energy levels tend to drop. But a healthy breakfast can give them the energy they need to start the day. Complex carbohydrates, which are found in fruits and whole grains, give them energy slowly, so they don’t get the rapid energy boosts and drops that come with sugary snacks. This long-lasting energy is important for seniors to keep up a busy lifestyle and do daily tasks. An elder care team can help seniors understand how different foods affect their energy.
Nutrient Absorption
Seniors can get important nutrients that they might not be getting enough of otherwise during breakfast. For example, calcium and vitamin D are important for keeping bones healthy and avoiding osteoporosis. Both of these are common at breakfast time. Additionally, consuming dairy products, foods with added vitamins and minerals, and getting some sun in the morning can all promote better nutrient absorption.
Weight Loss
A healthy breakfast is important for adults who are trying to lose weight. If they skip breakfast, they might eat too much later or pick snacks that aren’t as good for them. A varied breakfast helps control hunger and keep them at a healthy weight by getting their metabolism going early in the morning. This is another area where the elder team can help, offering thoughts for healthy meal planning.
Blood Sugar Control
People over 65 are more likely to get diseases like diabetes. A breakfast that is well-balanced with proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates can help keep blood sugar levels in check. In turn, this lowers the chance of insulin resistance and improves metabolic health as a whole.
Heart Health
A good breakfast can have a positive effect on heart health, which is very important for seniors. Fiber-rich foods, like whole grains, fruits, and nuts, help keep the heart healthy and lower cholesterol.
In the end, a good breakfast is an important part of being healthy for seniors. Seniors who make eating a healthy breakfast a priority can improve their brain function, get more energy, and more. With the help of the elder care team and loved ones, seniors can enjoy breakfast and get their day started in the right way.
Sources:
https://www.grayingwithgrace.com/importance-of-breakfast-for-elderly/
https://tyemedical.com/blog/healthy-breakfast-ideas-for-seniors-and-why-the-first-meal-matters/
https://elderlyrightsandmentalhealth.org/2018/12/18/the-importance-of-breakfast-in-old-age/
https://www.lifetimedaily.com/health-benefits-of-breakfast/
If you or an aging loved one is considering 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!
What Signs Indicate That Seniors Might Be Losing Their Vision?
Changes in health come with aging, including changes to things like vision. This is one of those changes that can come on so slowly that it’s difficult to notice at first. The sooner seniors get help with their failing vision, the better. Companion care at home can be a huge help with this process, especially if seniors aren’t aware that they have vision trouble yet.
Complaints about Vision Trouble
One straightforward way to recognize when seniors are having vision trouble is when they complain about vision issues. Mentioning blurry vision, trouble focusing, difficulty reading, or pain in the eyes or head can all be indications that someone is dealing with vision issues. Seniors might ignore these symptoms or even consider them to be temporary issues, but they’re an indication that an eye exam is warranted.
Moving Extremely Carefully
Something that seniors might not notice, but that other people will, is when seniors start to move overly cautiously. They may lean on the wall to feel their way through a room, for instance. This is an indication that navigating safely is becoming more difficult. Home care providers may notice this and let families know that it’s happening.
Seeming to Be Confused in Familiar Spaces
Vision loss makes it difficult for people to recognize familiar spaces. That happens even in places that seniors know very well. Confusion or disorientation in areas that seniors have normally been comfortable in is a big warning sign. Improving lighting can help some with this issue, but it’s also important to figure out what is happening with the individual’s vision.
Body Language Signs Associated with Vision Loss
When seniors are having trouble with their vision or are experiencing vision loss, there are body language indications. These signs might include squinting a lot, tilting the head, or rubbing eyes a lot more often. Sometimes these gestures are subconscious, so it might take someone else pointing them out before seniors realize that there is something going on.
Trouble Identifying Visual Cues
Daily life involves relying on visual cues for communicating and getting things done. But seniors with vision trouble may not be able to even notice visual cues. They could have more trouble identifying faces, subtle changes in the environment around them, and expressions of the people they’re talking to.
Self-isolation or Avoiding Favorite Activities or Socializing
Vision loss can change so much for seniors. They may start to lose confidence and feel less independent. This can lead directly to self-isolation and withdrawing from favorite activities and people. Companion care at home can help aging adults to have their socialization needs met and also offers help boosting their self-confidence.
When seniors are starting to lose their vision, it’s important to address the situation as soon as possible. Companion care at home can be a great start to help seniors understand the changes they’re experiencing while also offering them a friendly person to talk to. This also helps family caregivers to stay aware of how things are progressing so that more help can be added if necessary.
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!
Another Great Review from a Wonderful Client!
Because of HIPAA, we’re not allowed to release clients names. Please see what our clients are saying about us below:
Hi Vanessa. I just wanted to let you know that my mom loved RS and they already formed a bond. Haha. We are so happy she will be caring for my mom for the next few weeks. Thanks again.
For more information on how you or your loved one can receive this type of care, please contact us on one of the methods included in the letter.
Happy Holidays and be safe!!!