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Author: ltcep2023

Thanksgiving Dish Ideas for Seniors

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Diet is going to be a crucial focus no matter what time of year it is, for seniors. Your loved one may have diet restrictions either for weight management or chronic conditions, but that does not mean they should have to skip out on Thanksgiving dinner. It just means you need to be conscientious of the menu. If a senior is aging in place alone, senior home care can help them come up with a small Thanksgiving meal to have during the week that caters to their diet needs. Here are some favorite dishes and alternative recipes to do instead, which can help your loved one enjoy the day but maintain their needed diet.

Roasted Turkey or Chicken

Turkey is a traditional meal for Thanksgiving and luckily it is one of the healthier options for seniors. If they do not like turkey or they are living on their own they can opt for a smaller bird like chicken. These are both birds that senior home care can help prepare in advance at the beginning of the week to enjoy on Thanksgiving. These are the best lean sources of protein filled with vitamin B, low carb, and easier to digest than other types of meat. This can easily be baked in the oven and smaller birds won’t take very long to roast.

Mashed Cauliflower

Because potatoes are high in carbohydrates, which can cause blood sugar increases, especially for individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance, they might not be the best option for seniors. However, mashed potatoes are a staple in Thanksgiving meals, so if you are looking for a replacement, try mashed cauliflower. This is a vegetable that is lower in carbs and calories making it the perfect side for those who are looking to eat low carb and maintain a healthy weight. Mashed cauliflower is also a great choice for seniors who are trying to manage their blood sugar and digestive health. Cauliflower is healthy and it has a versatile flavor. Whatever herbs you add is what it will taste like so you have so many options to work with.

Herb-Infused Vegetables

Baking carrots, broccoli, yams or brussels sprouts is such a good option for seniors. These are healthy, filling, and full of nutrients that a senior loved one needs to be healthy. Thanksgiving can be one of the healthiest celebrations out there; you just have to think things through. Baking carrots and other vegetables can be done on one pan and herbs have little to no calories making it perfect for your loved one who is focused on health. They will taste good, be easy to make, and your senior loved one can fill up on them.

Green Beans with Turkey Bacon

Green beans are usually another staple in Thanksgiving meals and luckily they are something that can be great for a senior to consume regularly. Many dishes contain bacon which is high in sodium and fta but a good alternative is to use turkey bacon instead. You can do everything the same as any other recipe but use alternative types of bacon instead to lower sodium and fat levels in the dish.

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

Kind Words from a Wonderful Client

Posted on by ltcep2023

Again, this picture has nothing to do with this article. But, it illustrates how we like to get out into the community. Please see what our clients are saying about us:

For the past year or so, the aide assigned from Golden Heart has been MC. I wanted to reach out to thank you for sending her to work with and assist my mother. I have joined M and my mother at multiple doctor’s appointments where she actively listens and assists my mother and the doctors. At home, she is an active participant in my mother’s day and attends to her needs providing very good care. My mother seems to be pleased with M and M also seems genuinely interested in my mother’s well-being.

Please accept this email with my gratitude for your employee’s positive and caring service.

We are so proud of the work we do. More importantly, we so very proud of the team that helps us do it. For information on how to get a caregiver like this for you or a loved one, please visit us at GoldenHeartScottsdale.com.

Caring for Our Seniors on Hospice Care

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This picture is not related to this article but illustrates how we love to get out into the community. Some of our clients are on hospice. We’ve redacted the names. Please see what the hospice nurse had to say about our caregiver:

——I had the pleasure of meeting them yesterday, along with C’s caregiver, L. WOW! She is truly amazing! I was really impressed by her approach—she didn’t just “tell” C what to do; instead, she asked him questions, allowing him to come to his own conclusions. She is kind, caring and so great with him. L is a true professional. You are lucky to have her on your team.

Fun with Painting!

Posted on by ltcep2023

We love to have a great time with those who need care. Here are pictures of some of our friends having a great time painting and winning gifts. For information on how you can receive an activity or engage your patients for a day, please contact us at GoldenHeartScottsdale.com.

The Benefits of a Good Laugh

Posted on by ltcep2023

Everyone uses the phrase “laughter is the best medicine,” and while you can’t laugh away a serious health condition, learning to laugh at life and enjoy the world around you can improve your overall health in many aspects. Your elderly loved one is no exception to that rule. A little laughter can go a long way to helping to improve her health.

Health Benefits of Laughter for Seniors

There are three ways that laughter can benefit seniors – physically, socially, and mentally. Let’s look at just some of the benefits in all three categories.

Physically

  • Increasing oxygen in the blood. A good belly laugh can increase blood oxygen levels, helping all parts of the body receive the oxygen they need to function well. This can improve organ health by stimulating them.
  • Improved immune system. Positive thoughts and emotions release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more serious illnesses.
  • Relaxes muscles. A good laugh stimulates circulation and lets tight knots in those muscles relax.
  • Pain management. Laughter can help a person manage their pain levels by releasing endorphins into the system.

Mentally

Laughter can also help with mental health concerns.

  • Laughter can help fight depression and anxiety.
  • Laughter can help your loved one manage an emotionally tense situation. A light joke in the middle of a tough situation can bring relief from all of the stressful emotions surrounding that situation and is not inappropriate.
  • Laughter can help reduce stress. It can help to find distractions during long-term stressful situations such as an illness. Watching a funny movie or playing a silly game can provide the body with relief during that period.

Socially

  • Learning to laugh at oneself, can help your senior connect with others even when she makes a mistake or fails at a task. It makes her more approachable to others, creating the opportunity to form relationships.
  • Laughter can attract others. Others will be drawn to those who are in good spirits and enjoying the moment they are in.

Add Laughter to the Menu with a Companion Care at Home Provider

Maybe your loved one feels like she just doesn’t laugh that often and doesn’t know how to get started. She doesn’t need to alter her personality to learn to laugh more but she might need a few starting points and having someone like a companion care at home provider help her find the funny things in life might be just what the doctor ordered. Here are a few ways your loved one and her companion care at home provider can increase her daily laughter.

  • Discover what is funny to your loved one. She can look at cartoons, movies, and books and think about which ones made her smile or chuckle. Is there a pattern to what makes her laugh? Is it animals doing silly things? Is it slapstick humor? Discover what it is and then add more.
  • Listen to some comedians. Not all comedians are the same, so finding one that shares your loved one’s sense of humor can help her laugh more. Her companion care at home provider can join her while watching a routine because they are always more funny when enjoyed with a friend.
  • Play silly games. The best way to laugh is to try games that are silly like charades or Pictionary. The best advice is to tell your loved one to never take herself too seriously. Just have fun!

Reference
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/population-care/why-older-adults-benefit-regular-doses-humor

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

Celebrating Eat Better, Eat Together Month with Your Senior

Posted on by ltcep2023

October is National Eat Better, Eat Together Month. While many look at this month as a time to remind parents that having meals with their children together is an important part of having a healthy household, the same can also be said for your elderly loved one. Below are some great tips for sharing a meal together with your senior this month and how home care assistance can help.

Health Benefits for Seniors of Eating Together

The benefits of sharing a daily meal with someone are huge, and it can make a big difference in the quality of life for an elderly person, especially one who lives alone.

  1. It reduces loneliness. Many seniors say that the time of the day that they feel the loneliest is at mealtime. Having someone there to share the food and some conversation with can have positive mental benefits that last the entire day.
  2. It results in better food choices. Many seniors will choose more healthy and diverse foods when eating with someone. A little bit of peer pressure to eat those Brussels sprouts can be a good thing!
  3. It increases caloric intake. Many seniors have a reduced appetite and forget about eating if they are alone. Or they grab something easy like a piece of toast and then skip a nutrient-packed meal together. It’s easier to sit at a table longer and enjoy the food when someone is sitting beside you.
  4. It prevents obesity. Eating with someone can also help a person to eat less. Eating a well-balanced meal of healthy and satisfying dishes can help your loved one avoid trying to fill up later with unhealthy food choices.
Home Care Assistance in Ahwatukee AZ
Home Care Assistance in Ahwatukee AZ

If you do not live near your loved one, or can only visit on weekends, how do you encourage her to eat better by eating together this month (and hopefully well into her future)?

Four Areas to Find People to Eat with When Family is Far Away

  • Neighbors. Depending on where your loved one lives, if she has neighbors that are similar in age, she might look at seeing if everyone wants to join up to eat together once a week at a different person’s home. It’s a great way to connect with her community and build up friendships while eating well.
  • Faith Communities. Many faith-based communities have small groups specifically for seniors and they might have events that center around meals. She might enjoy breaking bread with like-minded folks.
  • Senior Communities. If there is a senior center in the community, she can look into the community meals they serve so that she can join them.
  • Home Care Assistance. Your loved one might enjoy having someone come to her home, help her make the meal, clean up after the meal, and of course, join her for the meal. What could be simpler? A home care assistance provider can help not only provide companionship but also ensure that the food choices made are best for your loved one.

Three Rules for a Great Meal Together

  • Meal plan beforehand. A home care assistance provider can help her shop and plan the meal before she begins.
  • Turn off all distractions such as phones or televisions.
  • Set the table. A meal needs to look like a meal to feel like a meal. Have drinkware, plates, silverware, and maybe even a centerpiece to complete the look.
  • Make conversation a part of the meal. Not sure what to talk about, look at using conversation starter cue cards to get the discussion rolling.

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

Meeting with Clients

Posted on by ltcep2023

Hello Seniors, Families and Friends. Getting out to see our clients has always been my favorite part of the job. As the Owner, I try to get out to meet every client. In this case, I went to meet the client for an assessment. It doesn’t matter if they’re in their home or in a facility. If you need Golden Heart to come and see you, please contact us at GoldenHeartScottsdale.com. We’ll come to see you and we’ll bring a smile.

We Come To You!

Posted on by ltcep2023

Hello Seniors, Families and Friends. As many of you know, we go to where our clients need us to go. It doesn’t matter if they are in a facility or in their homes, we will come to the client. So if you need Golden Heart Senior Care to coma and visit you, please feel free to contact us at GoldenHeartScottadale.com and we will be happy to come and see how we can help.

Nourishment

Posted on by ltcep2023

Hello Seniors, Families and Friends. We all know that nourishment is an important part to each day. Additionally, we’ve all heard them, whoever they are, say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Please see the attached. This is a picture of a wonderful breakfast that a Golden Heart caregiver cooked for her client. If you need assistance with meal prep or any other activity of daily living, please contact us at #GoldenHeartScottsdale.com and let’s discuss what we can do to help. Eat up everyone and have a fantastic day.

7 Ways Personal Care at Home Makes Incontinence Care Easier

Posted on by ltcep2023

Incontinence can be a big issue for seniors, especially if they live alone. Incontinence affects comfort, confidence, and even health. Getting to the bathroom on time can feel like a race that seniors often lose, further damaging confidence and self-esteem. Personal care at home can offer supportive and compassionate help for seniors who are battling incontinence. Here’s how they help.

Personalized Routines

Each senior has specific needs, even if they’re dealing with a problem as common as incontinence. Personal care at home helps seniors to develop personalized routines and schedules around hygiene, toileting, and other necessary tasks related to managing incontinence. Caregivers are able to be more effective and respectful of seniors’ needs and preferences.

Monitoring and Support

Changes in toileting patterns and other symptoms related to incontinence could mean that seniors need additional help. They might develop a urinary tract infection or other medical issue, for instance. Personal care at home helps to monitor seniors and how they’re doing so that any changes can be addressed quickly.

Maintaining Comfort and Dignity

One of the reasons seniors might be reluctant to have help with personal care tasks is that these situations can be so embarrassing. Caregivers offer respectful assistance only in the ways that seniors truly need the help. This type of care isn’t about causing further embarrassment or shaming anyone for what is happening. Home care providers just want to help while keeping seniors comfortable and preserving their dignity.

Using the Right Products

The right incontinence products make all of the difference in the world. There are different types of products, different absorbencies, and a variety of protective garments. Personal care at home can help seniors to experiment and find the products that work best for their needs.

Protecting Skin

Incontinence can lead to skin irritation or even infections if seniors aren’t careful. Personal care at home helps seniors to keep their skin clean and protected, especially after changing incontinence products. Developing a skin care routine that meets the senior’s needs keeps seniors both more comfortable and healthier.

Promoting Healthy Choices

When seniors are living the healthiest lifestyle they can, that helps with incontinence. Keeping a food diary helps seniors to notice which foods and drinks might irritate their bladders, for instance. Staying physically active, getting plenty of sleep, and staying hydrated are all choices that keep seniors healthy and better able to fight off UTIs and other possible issues.

Educating Family Members and Seniors

Managing incontinence can be a weird situation for family caregivers and seniors to do together. With the help of personal care at home, family caregivers can learn more about incontinence and how to help their seniors. Elder care providers can also suggest home modifications that might make the situation easier, like using toileting aids and stocking the bathroom with the necessary supplies.

Personal care at home isn’t there to make an embarrassing situation worse. These compassionate caregivers want to help seniors manage whatever issues they’re battling, including incontinence that could be making them feel uncomfortable and isolated.

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