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Five Important Dental Hygiene Tips for Seniors

Home Care in Braselton GA
Home Care in Braselton GA

Did you know that October is National Dental Hygiene Month? This time of year is the perfect time to take a closer look at what issues your senior might be having around dental hygiene. Evaluating what’s working and what isn’t helps you to figure out what solutions you can put in place for her. Ignoring dental hygiene can create bigger problems than your senior might expect.

Aging Causes Lots of Changes in Dental Health

There are lots of changes your senior is facing as she grows older, and dental health is on that list. Your elderly family member may start to experience things like dry mouth, darkening teeth, or just regular wear and tear on her teeth that she’s not used to managing. Her dentist can help her to manage these issues and develop a plan for handling conditions that are new to her.

Hydration Is Crucial

When your elderly family member isn’t drinking enough water, that can contribute to a lot of different health issues. This even affects your aging family member’s dental hygiene and dental health. Keep water available and find creative ways to help your senior to get as much water as she needs. That might mean including hydrating foods, like gelatin, soup, and fruits or vegetables that are high in water content. 24-hour home care providers can be a huge help in keeping your senior properly hydrated.

Medication Side Effects Can Include Dental Symptoms

The medications that your elderly family member takes can have a variety of different side effects. Some of those side effects make keeping her mouth and teeth healthy a little more difficult. Some of those side effects are ones that you can mitigate with some new habits or at least knowing what is going on. Working with both your senior’s doctor and her dentist can help you put a plan together.

Health Issues Can Also Affect Dental Health

Your elderly family member may have health issues that impact her dental health. Diabetes, for instance, can cause blood sugar issues that lead to periodontal disease. Keeping blood sugar under control suddenly becomes something that also helps your elderly family member to maintain her dental health, too.

Your Senior May Need a Help from 24-Hour Home Care

Everyone needs a little bit of help now and then, and your elderly family member is no exception. Home care providers can assist with a variety of different situations, but your senior may start to need more personal help and at varying times. 24-hour home care providers are there to help your senior to manage those situations, including personal care tasks like dental hygiene and caring for her body in other ways. This is essential if your elderly family member is finding these tasks impossible to manage on her own.

Proper dental hygiene is so important for your elderly family member’s mental and physical well-being. Getting her the additional help that she needs for some of these tasks ensures that your senior is not left struggling on her own.

Source
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-care-seniors

If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Braselton, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Best Tips for Creating Low Sodium Meals for Seniors

Home Care Assistance in Concord CA
Home Care Assistance in Concord CA

Just because someone has to eat low sodium doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy their food. Not all seniors know how to cook low-sodium meals, but this is a lifestyle choice that a doctor may recommend for a senior. If you are worried about the health and nutrition of your senior, it is time to look into home care assistance providers who can help monitor nutritional needs. A low sodium diet, sometimes known as a no salt added diet, includes very little sodium.

Although it is tough to have a sodium-free diet, at-risk seniors may frequently reduce their risk of sodium-related health disorders by removing additional sodium, such as table salt. The CDC advises that consumers limit their salt intake to less than 2,300mg daily. You should always visit your doctor to determine what daily consumption is optimal for you since it varies from person to person. Before making any dramatic dietary changes, always consult with your doctor. Here are some tips on keeping sodium low in every meal.

Track Your Sodium Intake

Once you’ve determined how much sodium you or a loved one should consume based on their health requirements, you should begin monitoring your daily salt consumption. There are many approaches to keeping track of everything. If you prefer more traditional approaches, you may maintain a diary. Simply keep a notebook and record daily how much salt you ingest at each meal or snack. Make careful to maintain the record up to date and precise — no sneaking odd pieces of food without documenting them, since that sodium will rapidly pile up. The second, and probably quicker, option is to utilize a food monitoring app. Several applications are available, but the majority enables you to monitor each meal and salt intake. You may also monitor things like calories and sweets. It may seem difficult initially, but the more you do it, the simpler it will get. Tracking salt consumption will become second nature after a time.

Plan Meals In Advance

Making a plan is the greatest approach to preparing for anything. Create a meal plan based on low sodium recipes for seniors if you need to start lowering your salt consumption. Everyone’s approach to meal preparation differs. Some individuals like to simply plan out a menu for each day of the week, while others prefer to spend an hour planning meals and ensuring they have everything they need. Home care assistance can help a senior prep foods and cook meals in advance. This allows them to just reheat things that have already been made. It can help your elderly loved one stick to their diet easier.

Make Wise Decisions

Try to consider wisely before picking what to eat. What is the healthier alternative? Consider it assisting your body in feeling its best and being as healthy as possible. You must make sound decisions for the sake of the rest of your body. This means seniors need to read labels and avoid things with high sodium. Things like canned foods, lunch meat, and freezer meals tend to have many preservatives that are not always the best. They tend to be convenient foods but not the wisest decision for elderly people.

Source
https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/low-sodium-eating

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Concord, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Is Your Senior Getting Enough Vitamin C?

In-Home Care in Concord CA
In-Home Care in Concord CA

In the past, you might not have worried a lot about how much vitamin C your senior was getting. But as she ages, her body needs vitamin C and other nutrients more than ever before. Her body has to have these building blocks to keep her as strong and as healthy as possible. Here’s what you need to know about vitamin C and your senior, and how in-home care can support her nutrition.

What Does Vitamin C Do?

Most people know that vitamin C is helpful to the immune system, but they may not realize what it does. Vitamin C helps your senior’s body to build white blood cells, which fight off infections. But it’s also important for heart health, collagen formation, and converting cholesterol into bile salts. All of this and more is why vitamin C is so important for your senior’s daily diet.

Your Senior May Not Be Getting Enough Vitamin C

It might surprise both you and your senior to realize that it’s possible that she isn’t getting enough vitamin C through her diet. This can happen if your elderly family member isn’t eating a lot of fruits and vegetables or is relying mainly on “junk” food. Some of the side effects of vitamin C deficiency can include being cold more often, experiencing symptoms of anemia, bruising easily, and more.

Increasing Vitamin C Levels

If you’re wondering if your senior’s vitamin C levels are too low, it’s a good idea to talk with her doctor. Your senior’s doctor can examine her and look for signs of deficiency, but there is also a blood test that can definitively show whether your senior’s vitamin C levels are too low. From there, her doctor can help your senior to put together a plan to raise her vitamin C levels.

Foods That Are High in Vitamin C

So, what can your senior eat to improve her vitamin C levels? Fruits, particularly citrus fruits and berries, are great choices. Lots of different green vegetables are also high in vitamin C. This includes broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, cabbage, and peppers. Potatoes are also good sources of vitamin C. If your senior is particularly low in vitamin C, her doctor may recommend supplementation in addition to changing her diet.

In-home Care Can Make All of This Easier

Balancing all of this can be overwhelming for your elderly family member, especially if it means making big changes to her diet. That’s where elder care providers can really help out. In-home care providers can remind your senior to take her medications and supplements. They can also help her to have meals and snacks that are full of the types of foods she needs to be eating in order to support her health. Your elderly family member doesn’t have to figure all of this out on her own.

Ensuring that your senior is getting the nutrients that she needs is the best way to help her to feel as well as she can. It can even help her to get health issues under better control, further improving her quality of life.

Source
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-c/

If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Concord, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Top Sunscreen Information for the Elderly

In-Home Care in Moraga CA
In-Home Care in Moraga CA

Wearing sunscreen is important for all ages, including seniors. Unfortunately, many senior citizens don’t know what type or how much of it to use. As a family caregiver, you may have to help your elderly loved one to use the appropriate sunscreen at the right times. In-home care can also play an important role in making sure your senior is taking sun protection seriously.

Sun-Protection Factors or SPF

The SPF on sunscreen stands for sun-protection factor. There are many different types of SPF lotions and sprays. However, it is important that the elderly use a sunscreen that has a 30 SPF or higher. This can help to block out harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.

Using Broad-Spectrum

Your elderly loved one needs to protect their skin from UVB radiation (the type that causes sunburns) and UVA radiation (the type that speeds up the aging process). Both these types of radiation can cause skin cancer. So, when you are helping your elderly loved one to pick out the sunscreen, be sure it is broad-spectrum, meaning it protects against both these types of rays.

Proper Timing

It is also important that your elderly loved one is applying the sunscreen at the appropriate times. Generally speaking, sunscreen should be applied to the entire body about 15 minutes before someone is going to be exposed to the sun. It is crucial that the entire body is being covered including the tops of ears, neck, nose, forehead, arms, legs, feet, and scalp. Even your elderly loved one’s back should be covered. Then, if your elderly loved one is going to be outdoors for over 2 hours, the sunscreen should be reapplied at the 2-hour mark and every 2 hours after that. If your elderly loved one is sweating a lot or has gone swimming, they should reapply the sunscreen after both these instances, too.

When to Use Sunscreen

In addition to the proper timing, there are certain circumstances where your elderly loved one may think they don’t need sunscreen, but they do. Some of these instances include:

  • Being in the shade
  • On cloudy days
  • Only going outside for a short time
  • In the morning and evening (all day really)

Now that you know your elderly loved one still needs sunscreen at these times, too, make sure they know this. It should also be noted that wearing sunglasses and a hat whenever possible outside is another great way to protect the skin and eyes from damaging sun rays.

Conclusion

This is just some of the sunscreen information that is helpful for the elderly. If you are caring for your elderly loved one, it is crucial to make sure they are following the advice noted here today. Many senior citizens won’t remember to put on sunscreen as often as they need to. If this is happening with your elderly loved one, it may be good for you to hire in-home care providers who can remind your elderly loved one to put it on and help them to put it on, as well.

Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/sun-safety.htm

If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Moraga, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Five Ways to Help Your Mom With Bathing and Hygiene

Personal Care at Home in Concord CA
Personal Care at Home in Concord CA

Since her stroke, your mom cannot do many personal care tasks independently. She needs someone to help her get showered and dressed. Brushing and flossing her teeth is too difficult. She cannot shave, apply moisturizer to her skin, or trim her nails.

It’s clear your mom needs help, more help than she’ll accept from you. Between your job, scheduling and managing your mom’s many therapy sessions, and your need for self-care, it’s stressful. How can you help your mom with bathing and hygiene without stressing her or yourself out? The answer is personal care at home.

Set Up a Soothing Setting

Sometimes, aromatherapy can be soothing. Have an essential oil diffuser in the bathroom. Scents like lavender, vanilla, and mint may help your mom relax while you wash her, trim her nails, and take care of her personal care needs.

Invest in a Terry Robe

During a shower, your mom may not enjoy being fully exposed. Purchase a terry robe that’s a little larger than she needs. Drop one shoulder to wash that area, pull the robe back up, and do the same on the other side.

The robe will get damp, but it can be dried outside in the sun. Wash it when you wash the towels.

If she resists using a robe, switch to towels. Have several towels that you can drape over her. Remove towels as needed to wash that area and then cover her back up.

Make the Most of Hand-Held Aids

A hand-held shower wand simplifies the bathing process as you direct water where it’s needed. A shower mitt or brush puts a little distance between your hand and your mom’s body, which may be less awkward for her.

When you’re brushing and flossing her teeth, floss picks may be easier to use. An electric toothbrush breaks up plaque better.

Provide Rewards

Consider offering a reward for getting through it. Your mom may not like having to rely on you or a caregiver for help, but you can make it more appealing by rewarding her with something she loves.

After she lets you bathe her and help her get dressed, sit down together for a cup of coffee and carrot cake muffin. She might appreciate a chai latte and slice of coffee cake.

Hire Personal Care Aides

It’s time to talk to a personal care at home agency. With a specialist’s help, you can arrange the personal care services your mom requires. You’ll have peace of mind that she’s in great hands, and she isn’t stressed that you’re seeing her at her most intimate moments.

Jot down a list of the care tasks she needs help with from the time she gets up to the moment she goes to bed. Find out if others in the family can help her with any of them, and if she’ll allow their help. From there, book personal care at home for her.

If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Concord, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Keeping the Skin and Mind Young: What Tips Can Help?

Home Care in Walnut Creek CA
Home Care in Walnut Creek CA

When caring for your elderly loved one, does it seem like they pay a lot of attention to their skin and mind? Maybe, you or a home care provider hear them talking about their wrinkles or how they really hope they don’t get dementia. If that is the case, you can share the tips that are noted below. These tips can help to keep their skin and mind younger-looking and feeling for a longer time than if they weren’t doing these tips.

Reduce Stress

The number one point to make to your elderly loved one if they want to keep their skin and mind young is to reduce their stress. Studies show that stress can cause wrinkles, dementia, and many other neurodegenerative conditions. However, there is good news. Your elderly loved one can learn many coping techniques to help reduce and prevent stress such as:

  • Hanging out with friends, loved ones, or home care providers
  • Reading
  • Journal writing
  • Watching comedy
  • Doing crafts
  • Taking a nap

It may even be a good idea for someone to write down the things that lower your elderly loved one’s stress levels. That way, no matter who is taking care of or helping them at a given time, they will know how to help them bring calmness to their days.

Moving Forward

Is your elderly loved one stuck in the past? Maybe, they continue talking about the past practically every time that you speak to them. If that is the case, it would be highly recommended that you or someone else try to get them to move forward. There are many ways that this can be done including:

  • Setting goals for the present and future
  • Working on projects
  • Cleaning
  • Going through things from the past and getting rid of them

Each one of these ideas can help your elderly loved one to move forward. If your elderly loved one isn’t sure what they are going to do in the future, you can work with them to create goals. It might be trial and error for a while and that’s okay, as long as they are attempting to achieve some type of goal or project.

Eating Healthier Foods

Another way that your elderly loved one can keep their skin and mind young is by eating healthier foods. There are certain sugar, salt, or fat-filled foods that increase inflammation in the body. Those are the foods that also cause blood vessel damage that can harm the brain. However, if your elderly loved one eats healthier foods on a regular basis, it can significantly improve their skin and brain health.

If you are trying to help your elderly loved one keep their skin and mind young, they should start with the tips noted above. These are tips that have helped many elderly people to feel and look younger. The sooner your elderly loved one starts using these tips, the better it will be for their looks and the way they are feeling each day.

Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/skin-care-and-aging

 

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Walnut Creek, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Best Low-Impact Exercises for Senior Citizens

24-Hour Home Care in Walnut Creek CA
24-Hour Home Care in Walnut Creek CA

Are you looking for exercises that will be safe for your elderly loved one? Depending on the state of their physical health, there may be some exercises they just can’t do. However, most senior citizens can do low-impact exercises such as the ones that are noted down below. If you have questions about whether these exercises are alright for your elderly loved one, you or a 24-hour home care provider can take them to the doctor to find out.

Fun, Effective Water Aerobics

One of the types of low-impact exercises that is great for senior citizens is water aerobics. These exercises are fun and effective. There are many places where these exercises can be done. You or a 24-hour home care provider might be able to take your elderly loved one to the pool at a local community center or senior center. Some of the benefits of this type of exercise include:

  • Easing joint and back pain
  • Boosting muscle mass
  • Improving balanced
  • Reducing risk of falls

If you are not sure whether this would be a good activity for your elderly loved one, possibly because they don’t like to swim, there are many other low-impact exercises that would be beneficial for them, as well.

Dance it Out

Did you know there are numerous health benefits to dancing? Just like swimming, it is fun, too. There are often senior citizen dance programs. A 24-hour home care provider can also find dance exercise programs or videos online for your elderly loved one, if they want to dance at home. Some of the many benefits of dancing include:

  • Improving balance
  • Lower risk of falling
  • Having fun
  • Boosting energy
  • Reducing pain and tension in the body
  • Reducing mental health issues

If your elderly loved one needs these benefits, talk to them about starting a dance program as soon as possible.

Getting on Bike

Another low-impact exercise for the elderly is bicycling. If this is something you think your elderly loved one could do or wants to do, you can get them a bike if they don’t have one. If the weather doesn’t allow for a bike, you could even get them an indoor exercise bike. Some benefits of this exercise are:

  • Less pain in the joints
  • Improves cardiovascular system
  • Improves balances
  • Lessens muscle pain and other types of pain
  • Boosts energy
  • Improves muscle strength

Now that you know the benefits of this type of exercise, it may be a good idea to get your elderly loved one started with cycling very soon.

Conclusion

If you are looking for low-impact exercises for senior citizens, you can start with the options here today. You or a senior care provider may even want to talk to your elderly loved one about which ones they prefer over others. Then, you can make a workout plan together.

Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/how-older-adults-can-get-started-exercise

If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Walnut Creek, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Make Pizzas Healthier for National Pizza Week

In-Home Care in Pleasant View CA
In-Home Care in Pleasant View CA

Your mom and dad eat a lot of frozen pizza. It’s their frozen food, but you know it’s not healthy. National Pizza Week falls during the second week of January. It’s time to learn how to turn your parents’ favorite meal into a healthier one.

Switch to a Whole-Grain Crust

Don’t have the pizza on a white crust. Instead, switch to a whole-grain or whole-wheat crust for added fiber. Make a crust using whole-wheat flour, yeast, honey, and water.

Make a Crust From Cauliflower

Swap out the bread crust for one made of cauliflower. Use a grater to grate a head of cauliflower. Mix that with eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and some nutritional yeast. Form that dough into a crust to support your tomato sauce and toppings.

Focus on Vegetables

Skip the processed meats when choosing toppings. Instead, focus on plenty of vegetables. Slice and grill Portobello mushrooms to use instead of beef. You could make a Mexican pizza with salsa, cheddar, peppers, onions, and black olives.

Make your own tomato sauce, too. Puree ripe plum tomatoes in a food processor and cook that with sliced fresh basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. When it’s thick, put it into jars to store in the refrigerator.

Choose Low-Fat Cheeses

Instead of aiming for high-fat cheeses, look for those that are lower in fat. Cheeses made with skim milk may be a better option for your parents. Fresh mozzarella in moderation with some fresh basil leaves and Pomodoro sauce makes for a healthier pizza.

Watch Portions

Portion control is essential when it comes to meals. Your parents may be tempted to eat an entire pizza on their own, but a serving size is usually one slice. If they still feel hungry, pair the soup with a low-calorie soup made from vegetable stock, barley, and chopped vegetables.

If they don’t want soup, pair the pizza with a large salad. Toss the greens and other vegetables with fresh citrus juice instead of an oily dressing.

Have you looked at meal preparation assistance from an in-home care aide? It’s time to address your parents’ need for help around the home. While it can be hard to admit your parents are struggling, it’s also important.

Talk to an in-home care specialist about care services like meal preparation. Instead of your parents focusing on frozen or canned foods that are easy to make, your parents enjoy hearty, healthy meals prepared by their caregivers. Call an in-home care agency to learn more.

 

If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Pleasant Hill, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Senior Yoga Routines for Insomnia

In-Home Care in Clayton CA
In-Home Care in Clayton CA

Seniors should be getting adequate sleep throughout the night, but this can be hard, especially when a senior struggles with insomnia. There may not be a way for them to wind down like they used to. As a senior gets older, they often stop moving as much as they used to, which means they burn off less energy. Sometimes, other things contribute to their lack of sleep, leaving a senior frustrated. Even with in-home care providers helping a senior out, they still may not feel relaxed or stress-free enough to get a full night of sleep.

Sleeping medications can be very dangerous for seniors because they may be more sensitive to them than younger adults. They can also be deadly for older adults who take too many. It can be better for seniors to try more natural ways to cure insomnia. In-home care providers can help a senior implement lifestyle changes to stay healthy. A senior may want to try yoga classes and learn routines before bed that help them sleep better.

Yoga can be a good way to burn off extra energy, stay healthy, stay limber, and even sleep better. Different poses will affect different things in our bodies without most of us even realizing it. If your loved one has not started doing yoga, now is the best time to start. It can help them relieve stress, aid in digestion, and improve sleeping habits. There may even be senior classes in the nearby community center.

Best Yoga Poses for Insomnia

If you want to calm your nerves it may not be the best idea to do a rigorous workout. Fast-paced workouts can leave a seniors body sore and ramped up too much to sleep. The goal of doing yoga is to find calming poses that are restorative. Seniors can start with these simple poses if they feel comfortable doing so.

Forward Fold

Standing with feet close together a senior can bend over. They don’t touch the ground but they can also use blocks to stay stable during this fold. This pose helps a senior calm down and ease tension inside their bodies to help them sleep at night.

Legs Up The Wall

One of the best ways to wind down for the night is to lay in bed or on the ground and put their legs up the wall. It is another inversion pose like the last one. It helps prepare the body for sleep and allows a senior to reflect on the day they had. Having this small amount of time to lay and think things over may help them sort through thoughts which allows them to sleep.

Puppy Pose

If a senior has good knees this will be a great pose for them. If they have bad knees the senior should have small pillows to kneel on. Once they find a comfortable position on their knees they will bend forward, forehead on the ground and arms stretched ahead. This will be a great pose to relieve stress and tension for bedtime.

If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Clayton, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

How Much Water Should Your Senior Drink Each Day?

Home Care Assistance in Walnut Creek CA
Home Care Assistance in Walnut Creek CA

Drinking the right amount of water every day is a lot more important than your senior might realize. Dehydration is a huge problem for older adults and it’s much easier for your senior to become dehydrated.

Why Is Water So Important?

The human body is mostly water, so when your senior isn’t getting enough water every day, she’s more likely to develop health issues. The right amount of water helps to flush waste through her body and helps to regulate her body temperature. Water is also crucial for keeping joints and muscles lubricated and moving freely. Without enough water, your senior’s organs start to suffer and her overall health can fail quickly.

Water Intake Recommendations

Most people are familiar with the recommendation to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. That’s a basic guideline, but other recommendations can suggest a range anywhere from 11 to 15 cups of water per day, depending on gender. That’s a lot of water to just start drinking, so it’s always a good idea for your senior to gradually increase her water intake. Keeping track of water intake might be easier with home care assistance during the day.

Water from Other Sources

The good news is that your elderly family member does take in water from other things, like the food that she eats. This is another reason that having a diet high in fruits and vegetables can be beneficial. Many foods, like melons, berries, and leafy greens, are high in water content. Eating plenty of broth-based soups regularly can also help with water intake. Elder care services can be helpful if your elderly family member needs assistance with eating healthier meals more often.

Your Senior May Need More or Less Water

Ultimately, your senior may need more or less water than the average general recommendations. It’s an excellent idea to work with your senior’s doctor to come to a more customized recommendation that takes her health and needs into account. Once she has a goal in mind, it’s easier to come up with possible solutions to help her to meet that goal. Home care assistance can remind your senior throughout the day to sip water while helping her in other ways, for instance. Finding ways to gamify water intake can help quite a bit.

Getting enough water on a regular basis can do a lot to improve how your senior feels and how her body functions. She may be surprised just how much better she feels when she’s properly hydrated.

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Walnut Creek, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.