Senior
Health & Wellness

Diabetes Awareness Month

From our Care Blog

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States. Nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Another 86 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $245 billion. Staggering! If you are overweight, have high blood pressure, or are age 45 or older, you are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The good news is that making healthy changes...

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Staying Healthy: Why Do Some People Get Sick and Other's Don't?

From our Care Blog

Why is it that some people get sick and others don't? Why do some people get the cold and flu each year despite the fact they get all the right shots and vaccinations? What can we do to stay out of the doctor's office each year? How To Stay Healthy As flu season is upon us, I decided to consult the experts at WebMD. What are the characteristics of people who get sick less often? What can you do to stay healthy? Keep your stress at lower levels so it does not weaken your immune system. Enjoy sex on a...

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Benefits of Walking: Walk Your Way To a Better You

From our Care Blog

I have long ago passed the point in my life where I can jog. Two ACL surgeries have left my arthritic knees unable to take the impact. I don’t live anywhere near a swimming pool and I am too hyperactive to do yoga. Spin classes give me a headache just thinking about it. And because I am a work-a-holic who works out of my house, I need to get out and about for my own sanity and the sanity of my family. I have a million excuses NOT to exercise. “I’m too busy” is my favorite. “It’s too hot outside”...

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Organization: Write Things Down

From our Care Blog

Life gets busy and we are inundated with a ton of noise coming from our cell phones, emails, text messages, videos, TV and more. When things get hectic, we can tend to get forgetful. A simple but powerful habit to get into your daily routine is to write things down. Why is it so important you ask? Time has a way of changing our memory: Writing things down as they happen or right after they happen will help you to memorialize the facts. Every time we remember something, we recreate what happened and each time we do this things change....

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Aging: Live Well & Happy

From our Care Blog

There’s no avoiding it. We’re all getting older. That doesn’t mean we have to feel like we’re getting older. There are many things you can do to impact the process of aging so that you will age well and be happy. Here are a few of our favorites. Keep Your Cool. It is said that some levels of stress can be good for us. “If you never have to react to anything demanding, the mechanisms in your brain that help you deal with taxing situations will atrophy,” says Luigi Ferrucci, MD, PhD., scientific director of the National Institute on Aging....

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Family: Traveling with your Aging Parents

From our Care Blog

Summer travel is in full swing. If you are like any families across the United States, your traveling and your trip mate might include traveling with a senior. They may not be as mobile without a wheelchair, or they may have a specific health condition such as Alzheimer’s disease or heart problems that may require you take the lead, not only as the tour guide, but as the caregiver. This may make your vacation much more complex, regardless of whether you’re traveling by plane, cruise ship or your own family car. We spoke with Nurse Gina and she put together...

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Is It Normal to Have Aches and Pains at 60?

From our Care Blog

Is it normal to have aches and pains at 60? Learn what is common, what is cause for concern and how FirstLight Home Care professionals can help.

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Health: Tips to Stay Cool during a Heat Wave

From our Care Blog

It’s August and that means it’s hot outside. Heat waves are hitting the U.S. hard and temperatures are soaring. For many people – especially our senior population - they do not have air conditioning. If you know someone in your neighborhood who does not have air conditioning and is struggling to keep cool, here are some tips for surviving a heat wave that you can share with them. Purchase a fan. Box fans and ceiling fans can promote air circulation throughout the home. Opening doors in the house and using box fans to push hot air outdoors can function as...

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Health: Foot Care and the Right Pair of Shoes

From our Care Blog

Be kind to your feet. As we age, the years of wear and tear can be hard on them. Disease, bad circulation, poorly trimmed toenails, and wearing shoes that don't fit can also harm your feet. Nurse Gina has discussed many times within the FirstLight Home Care family that foot problems are sometimes the first sign of more serious medical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, and nerve or circulatory disorders. Her recommendations.... practice good foot care. The National Institute on Aging recommends that you look at your feet often; use a mirror to look at the bottoms of your feet....

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Aging: 7 Ways to Stay Active with Arthritis

From our Care Blog

If you have arthritis, there may be days where you don’t feel like being active. But this just might make your arthritis pain feel worst and add to the pain problem. It is important to stay active with arthritis. Here are a few fun things we found on WebMD that you can do even with your arthritis: Start walking: walking keeps your joints flexible and your muscles strong. This low-impact, weight-bearing exercise is a good choice for people with arthritis. Carry your groceries: Make the most of your supermarket trip by carrying your groceries in the store and to your...

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