Cluttered Homes are Bad for Seniors

Clutter may seem harmless, but for seniors, it can present many problems. Some caregivers do not know what to look for in a cluttered home. The list below can help. Caregivers should be able to identify possible problems that can arise from clutter in a senior’s home.

1. Take a look in the kitchen cabinets and look for unused pots and pans.

2. The refrigerator and freezer should not hold any food that is old or expired.

3. If a caregiver notices piles of mail on the table, this could mean that the senior is not paying their bills.

4. Clutter in the bathroom can create hygiene problems. Check the medicine cabinet for outdated medications.

5. Cluttered basements are common in the senior population. While this may seem harmless, it can create a perfect space for rodents, mildew and mold.

6. Stairways should be free of clutter to prevent falling.

7. Bedroom closets should not have too much in them. If they are cluttered, it could cause the senior to get confused.

8. Extra papers and magazines lying around the house could be a fire hazard. They should be discarded regularly.

Source: Home Instead

Home Care Jacksonville, Elder Care Fort Walton, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Bradentonprovides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

Older Women Tend to Work in Direct Care

It is very common for older women to be employed. In fact, many of these women work in the field of direct care. This is an important job position to hold. These women care for seniors who have severe health problems and disabilities. The list below contains some facts and information about women in the role of a direct care worker.

1. In 2018, it is believed that more that 1.2 million women over 55 will be direct-care workers.

2. This increase is mainly due to the growing work force. Fewer seniors are retiring early and many senior women stay employed as long as possible.

3. Older women will make up the majority of employees that are providing services and support to other seniors with illnesses and disabilities.

4. Direct-care jobs are typically funded with public money. The government is trying to ensure that these jobs attract a stable group of employees.

5. Direct-care positions are very important in society. Without these jobs, many seniors would not receive the care they need on a daily basis.

6. One major concern is the low pay scale. People who provide direct-care earn much less than the average worker. This could cause potential problems in the future by driving older women away to look for a better paying job.

Source: PHI National

Florida Caregivers

Seniors Live Longer than Their Ancestors

Seniors in today’s world are living an average of ten years longer than their ancestors. The increase in public awareness has been one cause for this. More people are becoming knowledgeable in regards to senior health issues. Also, seniors are receiving better health care. The following list includes some facts about senior life expectancies.

1. Medical intervention and awareness are responsible for a large portion of the reason seniors are living longer.

2. Over the past 170 years, life expectancy has increased at a rate of 2.5 years each decade. This is equal to gaining 6 hours of life each day!

3. Most individuals who were born in 2000 or later will reach the age of 100.

4. Since people are living longer, it may be time to make some changes to lifestyles. A proposal would be to have younger people work fewer hours. This would allow them to work longer as they age instead of entering retirement and then living for another 30 or 40 years.

5. Seniors are encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This should include a well-rounded diet, daily exercise and social involvement.

Source: Duke News

Our Florida Caregivers help seniors live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.

Tips for Easy Weight Loss for Seniors

It may sound like an impossible thing to do, but losing weight does not always have to be difficult. Many seniors have trouble losing weight because they cannot exert themselves physically. The list below contains some useful tips for seniors on how they can lose weight without severe physical activity.

1. After eating a meal, push yourself away from the dining table. Do not stay for seconds!

2. Instead of sitting for that second helping, bag it and take it for a lunch the following day.

3. After supper, close the kitchen. Try to avoid late night snacks.

4. Use stairs whenever possible. This will help improve circulation and is a great form of exercise.

5. While walking, when the donut shop comes into view, keep walking!

6. Eating out can bring about many impulses. It is important to avoid supersizing any meal.

7. When dining out, take your leftover meal home. Do not feel as though you have to eat everything on the plate.

8. Instead of using the remote to the television, get up to change the channel. This will add a bit more exercise to the day.

9. When shopping, do not go on an empty stomach. Also make sure to leave unhealthy foods on the shelf.

10. Rely on your will power. It may be difficult to change old habits, but these tips can help lose weight quickly.

Source: http://www.fromfat2fit.com/articles/a10.html

Home Care Jacksonville, Elder Care Fort Walton, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Bradenton provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

Walking Reduces Stress in Seniors

Seniors often experience high levels of stress and tension. To battle this, many seniors are now taking short walks during the day. This can help reduce tension and also provide a means of physical exercise. The list below contains some useful information on walking for seniors.

1. Walking can reduce stress and tension. Short walks can have positive effects on the mind and body.

2. If you feel stress building, try taking a short, but brisk walk. If you cannot fit in a walk, do some simple stretches to move your body around. This will also help to reduce stress.

3. Do not look at walking as though it is an exercise. Take it as time to be alone and clear your mind while reaping the benefits of a physical exercise.

4. Focus on the surrounding and breathe calmly. Sights, sounds and smells can make seniors relax and reduce tension.

5. Bring along a friend for the walk. This is a great way to socialize while getting some exercise. Walking partners can make the walk seem very short and enjoyable. The same goes for pets. Take the dog for a walk each day. The pet will benefit, and so will you!

Source: AARP

Home Care Jacksonville, Elder Care Fort Walton, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Bradenton provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

Combining Generations in One Household

Whether you’re a senior yourself or have an older adult in your life, you’ve likely considered joining forces to live together under one household. You may have different reasons for thinking about this, but you’ll find the same benefits of bringing all family members together.

1. The state of the economy – the economy has hit many people hard and families have to rely on each other for support. This has often been one factor that has influenced families in brining seniors into their homes to provide physical care as well as financial assistance across the board

2. There is a growing senior population – 16% of the American population lives in a multi-generational household. Numbers are increasing as there are more seniors living to older adulthood who may require care and support, or find it important to be surrounded by family

3. People are marrying later – younger generations on average aren’t starting families until their mid to late 20’s, so many people in their early 20’s remain at home which puts more adult generations under one roof

4. Focus upon independence – seniors and their families are no longer focused upon aging in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, so living with a family member can create a care option focused upon independence

Via: Pew Research Center

Home Care Jacksonville, Elder Care Fort Walton, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Bradenton provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

With Mother’s Day coming up this week, it’s time to show appreciation to those mothers who have been there for us throughout our lives. Those mothers who we are there for now that they are aging. But while we appreciate them, we may not know how Mother’s Day came about. There are a number of different historical perspectives from different cultures and all of them recognize that joy and appreciation of motherhood.

•    Egyptian Roots with the Goddess Isis – in ancient Egypt, an annual festival was held to honour the goddess Isis, considered the mother of the pharaohs.

•    Ancient Roman History with Cybele – initially in Roman tradition, Isis was also recognized, marking the beginning of winter with a 3-day celebration. However, Mother’s Day also recognizes the Phrygian goddess Cybele who was Rome’s version of Rhea, considered the mother of many of the major deities. These celebrations were said to be very wild, and were banned until later the focus shifted to giving flowers and eating cake

•    European History for Lent and the Mother Church – in Europe, on the fourth Sunday lent, individuals honoured the church where they were baptized which was known as the “Mother Church”. Flowers and jewels were placed around the place of worship as offerings.

These Mother’s Day celebrations of the past have similarities to what is celebrated here today in Canada on the second Sunday of May.

Mother’s Day Central

Home Care Jacksonville, Elder Care Fort Walton, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Bradenton provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

Safe Exercise Guidelines to Encourage in Seniors

If you’re a caregiver, you can get out there and get active with the senior that you care for to help them adopt a healthier lifestyle and improve their heart health. Make sure that their comfort and safety is also a priority, and do so by following these basic guidelines for seniors starting a new exercise program for the first time:

1. Talk to a doctor  – seniors should never start a new exercise program without first consulting a doctor

2. Invest in the right clothing – the right clothing is important for anyone who’s engaged in a physical activity, but seniors who are sensitive to changing temperatures and at a greater risk for injury should be more cautious. Supportive, comfortable shoes are essential, and clothing should be loose yet flexible and breathable

3. Always warm-up – exercise should never begin without a warm-up to prevent injury. A low-impact activity can warm up muscles, get blood circulating and increase overall body temperature

4. Don’t start too quickly – early into an exercise program, seniors need to build their endurance. Going too hard, too fast can be physically damaging. Intensity can be built as endurance improves

5. Cool down – a cool down portion of a workout is as important as the warm-up. It allows the body to physically cool down and move into a state of rest

6. Schedule it in – to keep up the motivation to exercise, seniors should set their next workout!

Via: The Franklin Institute

Home Care Jacksonville, Elder Care Fort Walton, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Bradenton provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464.

You’d be lying if you said you’ve never had one of those moments where you’ve said or thought “why aren’t there more hours in the day?” With all that we have going on in today’s society, there just isn’t enough time each day to accomplish our goals during our career days or in our retirement. While there’s no way to find more hours in the day, you can get some of them back with increased productivity and efficiency in everything that you do. To help you make the most out of every day, over the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring a number of articles on the following aspects that will help you take control over time:

1. Sleeping for productivity

2. Eating your way to a 36 hour day

3. Learning to multi-task effectively

4. Organizing your way to success

5. Learning how to get it done faster

6. Learning while multi-tasking in your free time

7. Using technology to increase productivity

8. Turning off

9. Asking for help

Via: Gaia.com

Home Care Florida, Elder Care Florida, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464..

Sad but true, money rules the world, and in order to ensure your financial future and security as a boomer woman, you need to take matters into your own hands. Follow these 6 tips for controlling your financial future, so your life heads down a path that brings you comfort and satisfaction:

1. Let go of the idea that it’s too late – you might feel that as you approach your senior years, it’s too late to get yourself out of any financial mess you’ve made or learn new methods when it comes to managing your finances. When it comes to financial planning, it’s never too late to start!

2. Learn about money – this may sound obvious, but start doing your homework and research about all things finance. Learn about investment options, about financing available, about interest rates, and about anything that’s likely to apply to your situation before you even make your next move. Books and the internet are both great resources

3. Talk to a financial planner – you can hire a personal money adviser or speak to one that’s already available to you at your Florida bank (although someone independent might be more impartial) in order to keep you informed and help you make financial decisions

4. Support yourself – if you don’t have the means to save, invest or pay off debts, you might need to get a job. Find something you love, but ensure you have a set goal for earnings that will help you reach your financial goals

5. Pay off debts – don’t put it off, find a way to start paying off credit cards and loans right away

6. Save and invest – put money away every month without fail, every little bit will help you reach your financial goals and bring financial security

Via: Let Life In

Home Care Florida, Elder Care Florida, Senior Care Melbourne, FL, Home Care Fort Myers FL and Senior Home Care Florida provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Jacksonville, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Destin, and Palm Coast. Call us today at 904-363-6699 or 850-243-6464..