The FirstLight Care Corner

Aging Parents: Ask Nurse Gina

From our Care Blog

Wouldn’t it be great to have a resource to call upon when you have a question or a concern about the changes you are seeing in your parents as they get older? Well you do. Nurse Gina is our resident care leader. She is a professional geriatric care manager and RN who has been working with seniors for more than 35 years. She has provided individuals and their families with information and resources on conditions, senior care, home healthcare, mediation, restorative plans and move management. We turn to Nurse Gina for all of our parent-care questions. Her experience spans from...

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Aging Gracefully: The Power of Walking as you Get Older.

From our Care Blog

Every now and then we have to admit that we can’t do all of the physical exercise that we did when we were younger. Thankfully, walking is one form of exercise that most of us can do throughout our life. Not only will walking help you to slow down the aging process, but you will help you feel more energetic and better about yourself. So lace up your walking shoes and check out the health and aging benefits of walking: Walking can reduce your stroke risks: According to University of South Carolina researchers, walking briskly for just 30 minutes, five...

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Heatwave: Keeping Seniors Cool

From our Care Blog

Because we are in the middle of summer and the temperature is rising, this could be deadly for the elderly in our local communities. We did some homework and found some pretty simple tips to help keep everyone in your family cool this summer: Stay hydrated: Drink cool drinks, preferably water. Stay indoors during the hottest parts of the day, which is typically 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. To keep your rooms cool, close your blinds. Only open windows when it’s cool enough to do so. Head downstairs. Hot air rises. A lower floor or basement can be a cool...

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7 Secrets For A Longer Life

From our Care Blog

Living longer can happen if you stop and take a look at your life and well, follow these secrets we found on WebMD’s website. The health focused folks over at WebMD put together a great slideshow on 18 secrets for a Longer Life (which we guess really aren’t that much of a secret since they have it on their website that millions of people view each month). We went through the slideshow and picked out some of our favorites that we’ve started to try (we can already feel the years being added on to our lives). Eat Like an Okinawan:...

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Depression and Aging

From our Care Blog

Depression is not a normal part of aging. However, older adults are at an increased risk for depression. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that 80% of older adults have a least one chronic health condition, and 50% have two or more. Depression is more common in people who have other illnesses or whose function becomes limited. It also increases in those who require home healthcare and older hospital patients. Unsure if a family member is suffering from depression? Here are some signs from CDC that might help you confirm your concerns: Signs of Depression Feelings...

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5 Reasons We Love America

From our Care Blog

The 4th of July may have come and gone this year, but the memory lingers on. We should celebrate all that is good about America each and every day, not just reserve our patriotism for one day of the year! We think this is a brilliant idea that needs little motivation. But, in case you do, here are 5 reasons why we love America: Freedom: We have the freedom to do what we want, believe in what we want, and say what we want and to do so without persecution. For many in the world, this is not true. In...

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Getting To Know Americans Age 50+

From our Care Blog

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Respite Care: Caring For The Caregiver

From our Care Blog

If you are the primary caregiver in your family, then you’ll be able to relate to this blog post. It can be exhausting to care for an aging parent or a family member 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are going to need a break -- a time to regroup and re-energize yourself. You may not want to admit exhaustion and although taking a break isn’t on the schedule, but here are some ways you can help care for the caregiver: Take the person in care away: If the person in care can still travel, offer to...

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Make Every Day a fabulous Father’s Day

From our Care Blog

Father’s Day 2014 may be over but can’t we keep it alive each and every day. While searching the web for smart men talking about being a great day, we found Carey Casey, CEO of the National Center for Fathering. We’re now big fans. Mr. Casey wrote the following blog earlier this month and we thought it was worthy to share because he was spot on. The National Center for Fathering has a father-training program that looks very rewarding and his ideas for how to make every day like Father’s Day. His tips are simple and easy for all of...

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LIVE LONGER AND STRONGER: Tips to aging gracefully

From our Care Blog

Our friends over at the National Institute of Aging have put together a pretty awesome list of benefits that as you age, healthy eating and exercise can improve the following: Increase mental acuteness Help resist disease and injury Offer faster recovery Yield higher energy levels Boost a functioning immune system Provide better management of chronic health problems So what can you do?First, speak to your doctor about your current eating and exercise routine. Get their recommendations. The National Institute of Aging promotes these basic things: Eat smart - less salt, more fiber, more fruits and veggies. Add exercise into your...

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