Home Care New Braunfels helps seniors remain active and healthy in their own homes.

Seniors are often concerned with heart health. Since so many seniors are affected with heart disease, many are looking for new ways to reduce the risks. Statin doses, which are in cholesterol medications, can effectively reduce risks. In addition, an increased dose can also help prevent other heart issues, including heart attack and stroke. The list below contains some important information for seniors about statin and heart health.

1. Increased doses of Lipitor or other cholesterol lowering medications has been shown to reduce the risk of developing heart related health problems.

2. In combination with medication, lowering bad cholesterol can reduce the chances of heart disease.

3. Seniors who have coronary heart disease should try to get their bad cholesterol levels below 100mg per each deciliter of blood.

4. High doses of statin has been shown to lower cholesterol levels to 70.

5. In addition to reducing the chances of developing heart disease, seniors can also reduce the likelihood of stroke and heart attack.

6. Regardless of the current heart condition, lowering bad cholesterol can have many health benefits for seniors, including lower blood pressure, lower mortality rates and the reduction of risks of coronary heart disease.

7. Seniors who are currently taking medication to lower their cholesterol should speak to a doctor regarding the possible benefits of increasing the dosage.

If you are a caregiver, or know anyone with a heart condition, you could benefit from watching the following clip, which features a modified form of CPR called CCR that is easier to learn, easier to do and can save even more lives!

Source: reuters.com

Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

There are many websites that are available as resources for seniors who have set important goals for themselves this year. These sites are usually free and can offer some great tips for reaching your goals. Seniors can sometimes have difficulty with resolutions, especially if they pertain to losing weight or implementing new diets. Home Care New Braunfels has collected a few of these helpful sites and listed them below.

1. ResolutionsReminders.com – This is a free site that can help you stay on track and attain your resolutions. The site was established in 1997 and has been going strong ever since. It contains valuable resources and users can sign up to receive email reminders.

2. DietTV.com – This site is great for anyone who has set diet goals for the New Year. A personalized program can be created, including a customized diet plan. The site has many areas that will help with all diet and exercise needs, such as an exercise finder and support groups.

3. StopSmoking.net – Many seniors still smoke, and many members of the senior population make resolutions each year to quit smoking. This is one of the hardest goals to achieve, especially for seniors who have been smoking for many years. The site also offers tips on how to quit as well as the option of creating a personalized stop smoking plan.

Source: helium.com

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Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

New Braunfels Home Care knows that there are a number of reasons why goals and resolutions of seniors are often not accomplished. This year, seniors who make them need to overcome these regular hurdles by avoiding the common traps that can lead to resolution failure:

1. Don’t procrastinate – get started with them right away. As soon as you set your goals, get going. The longer you procrastinate, the less likely you’ll ever begin on your journey

2. Overcome the hurdles – it’s Murphy’s Law that what can go wrong will go wrong; but just because you encounter hurdles while trying to meet your New Year’s resolutions doesn’t mean that you need to give up. Overcome!

3. Don’t let a plateau discourage you – no matter what your goal is, you’ll see a lot of progress early on and then hit a plateau. This doesn’t mean you’re not meeting success, this a natural occurrence, and you simply need to keep moving forward with your goals

4. Recognize that if you feel discouraged, it’s simply an emotion – at some stage along your journey to reaching a goal, you’ll likely feel discouraged. But that doesn’t have a bearing on your success, especially once you recognize that it’s simply an emotion and you can get through it

Via: Huffington Post

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Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

The elderly population is no different than any other. They make New Year’s resolutions and desire to make some small changes in their lives. While resolutions made by seniors cannot always be compared to those made by the younger generations, the process of achieving the goal is about the same. Below, you will find a list containing tips that can help anyone reach their goal.

1. Keep the list of goals as simple as possible. Make sure that each goal can be attained. Goals should provide a sense of satisfaction when they are achieved.

2. Goals should be realistic. Seniors cannot set the same goals as younger people because those same goals are not always realistic.

3. Have a plan. Each goal should have a specific plan to go along with it. This makes achieving goals much easier. It may be helpful to make a list of things that can be done to meet a goal and cross it off when it is attained.

4. Set a timeline. You should have a deadline for yourself. This will help motivate you to meet your goal.

5. Write a list. When making resolutions, be sure to write them down. People who make lists of their goals are much more successful at achieving them.

6. Keep tabs on your progress. You may want to use a journal to take notes. This will help you see what kind of progress has been made already and what is left to do.

Source: associatedcontent.com

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Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

New Year’s resolutions just don’t typically make it through the year. But these are 10 fun resolutions that can change seniors’ lives, and will make 2010 a better year!

1. Be social – attend parties, classes, and social groups. Seniors who are socially active have better physical and mental health than those who are isolated. It’s not uncommon for seniors to withdraw, but avoid it in 2010

2. Try healthy indulgences – controlled amounts of red wine and dark chocolate are enjoyable and can improve health by preventing diabetes, lower blood pressure and more

3. Laugh a lot – you’ve heard laughter is the best medicine. It’s true. Laughter is about the only thing you shouldn’t do in moderation. People should get in a good laugh a couple of times a week to improve the health of their blood vessels

4. Take a snooze – heart related death has been proven to be reduced in seniors who nap for 30 minutes at least 30 times per week. It can also help seniors feel refreshed and improve their immune systems

5. Dance for health – dancing can help to prevent dementia, and is a great form of exercise. Get out those dancing shoes in 2010!

6. Eat some fat – linoleic acid and safflower oil can actually help seniors with a few pounds to shed lose weight, so incorporate them into your diet

7. Get some sun – don’t forget the sunscreen, but vitamin D can lift spirits and reduce the risk of heart disease

8. Try tai chi or yoga – these activities can improve mental health through meditation and help with balance, strength and flexibility

9. Have sex – many seniors give up sex, but it can help you to sleep better, reduce pain, blood pressure and stress

10. Spend time in nature – anxiety and depression are greatly reduced in those who appreciate green space!

Via: AARP

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Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

With so many family functions around the holidays, you may notice some changes in your senior’s mental and physical health. While changes for the better are always more welcome, sometimes it can be hard to admit your senior is showing decline, specifically by acting depressed. Here are five simple signs to look for with your senior’s physical and mental actions to receive answers on whether you should seek
help from outside sources.

• Loss of appetite—A change in appetite usually results in the most common sign a senior is depressed of unintentional weight loss.

• Generally disinterest—Seniors may lose interest in daily activities they once enjoyed or found pleasing.

• Sleepless nights—A depressed senior may have trouble sleeping through the night. This can also explain another sign your senior is depressed, increased fatigue.

• Increased Irritability—Some seniors’ personalities turn increasingly agitated or dispirited when feeling low or depressed.

• Unusual thoughts about death—Abnormal notions about death and dying arise in a down senior.

• Where to get a geriatric assessment—Seniors and senior caregivers can receive help and more information on these depression signs by visiting their primary care physician or other outlets such as hospitals, senior centers, religious affiliations, Medicaid offices, or a local Area Agency on Aging.

Source: National Pace Association

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Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

You might feel like coming up with gift ideas for a senior in your life is impossible, but there are some gifts that are on every senior’s Christmas list. These items are practical, and can really help to change their lives!

• Items that allow them to pamper themselves – seniors on a budget are not likely to splurge on things they consider non-essentials. Buy them candles, soaps and body lotions that allow them to feel pampered at home. Gift cards to restaurants or spas are added luxuries

• Gift baskets – gift baskets with a combination of items, including some of the above, as well as seasonal foods, books, and craft supplies that they will enjoy and make use of are all great things to include! Gift baskets can be bought pre-fabricated or can be created at home

• The gift of companionship – seniors will most appreciate the company of their loved ones. If this is not possible, senior care services can be gifted for companionship and assistance at home

• Take an elderly loved one out for the day – a trip out for lunch around the holidays to see a movie or a musical event can be a very enjoyable way for them to spend a day and it will be memorable!

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Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

Most people look forward to the holidays, but for seniors, especially those who have experienced loss, can find themselves dreading the joy and celebration of the season. Help return the positive to the holidays for the seniors in your life with these 5 tips:

1. Allow memories and past rituals to live on – don’t discourage seniors from reliving those important memories of holidays past, thinking that it will prevent depression. Share memories of family members no longer with you, look at photos, and keep old family traditions alive

2. Make sure visiting seniors are comfortable – to help reduce the stress of seniors coming into your home over the holidays, make sure that your home is senior-friendly, with safety being the primary concern

3. Avoid impulsive holiday activities – to ensure that seniors can be involved with all holiday activities, avoid being impulsive that way seniors can be well-rested for more excitement

4. Focus on the joy – while it’s okay to reminisces, over the holidays make sure that all memories discussed focus on the positive

5. Create new traditions – while you can focus on incorporating old rituals into the holidays, create new ones as well that give the whole family, including seniors, new things to look forward to doing together. Holiday activities can’t just focus on the past

Via: ArticleBase

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Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

Sleep disturbances affect many Americans, leaving many individuals unable to sleep during the night or feel well-rested during the day. Some of the most common problems include the following:

• Teeth grinding (bruxism) – an involuntary act which can cause problems with oral health and jaw pain

• Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome – a skewed internal clock that often makes it challenging for people to fall asleep before 2am and wake before 7am

• Sleep apnoea – this comes at varying levels of severity, and results in unusual sleeping patterns which can disturb sleep

• Insomnia – difficulty falling and staying asleep

• Restless Leg Syndrome – leg pain that comes with sleep that can interrupt sleeping patterns

But, despite the belief that seniors experience a greater number of sleep disorders, a new study shows that it’s a misconception. In reality, seniors who have been retired for a number of years, and have been removed from the stress of balancing a career, family and other responsibilities, experience less sleep related disorders. Based on this study, it shows that sleep problems aren’t a result of age as many believe, so those seniors who still suffer from sleep disturbances should seek the help of a medical professional to find the underlying problem.

Sources:

ScienceDaily

SleepDeprivation.com

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Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.

Q – I have parents who are in their 90’s, and I really don’t have the slightest idea of what to buy them anymore. After years of birthdays and holidays, I feel like I’ve covered all the bases; I’m not sure that there’s anything specific that they need or want. Anything you would suggest for holiday gifts this year?

A – There are all sorts of little things than seniors can use on an ongoing basis, even if they don’t require any big ticket items. Think about offering them items that they require – but choose varieties that they might consider more luxurious and wouldn’t necessarily buy from themselves.  Here are some great ideas for items that you can include in a senior’s holiday gift basket:

1. Purchase items that will aid in dental health – it might not sound like a glamorous holiday gift idea, but a senior’s dental health can really change their quality of life, especially over the holidays when they’d rather enjoy. In a gift basket, include a favorite toothpaste or denture cleaner, mouthwash, floss and a new toothbrush (buy electric, or one in their favorite color – something they might not splurge on!).

2. Stock up on other personal items – splurge a little bit and include personal items that are more than just the basics. If you know that they prefer a certain kind of scented soap or body wash, but typically stick to a cheaper bar soap, pick some up! Bubble bath, body lotion and other items they wouldn’t necessarily buy for themselves would also be appreciated

3. Include nutritious snacks – crackers, preserves, tea and coffee are all great things to include in a senior’s gift basket. Try to buy the items you know they love, but won’t get for themselves!

Via: Well Sphere

Home Care San Marcos, New Braunfels, Schertz, Canyon Lake, Seguin. Call 830-624-8380.