Understanding
Senior Care

Tips for Traveling with Your Elderly Parents

From our Care Blog

Are you about to head out on a family adventure with your elderly parents? Read these four travel tips to ensure a safe, stress-free vacation. Research and plan: Planning, reserving and confirming must be accomplished in advance to make the most of the trip. Establish a trip itinerary that allows everyone to contribute  and that also clarifies the activities planned for each day. Make sure to build in down time in case your parents need some extra rest. Make hotel reservations, and reserve event tickets, passes and dining reservations in advance to avoid long lines, changes or disruptions to the...

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Should Your Elderly Parents Live at Home Alone?

From our Care Blog

Elderly parents want to remain living independently, but it can be a struggle as they decline in physical or mental abilities. But when they are determined to do so, what do you do? AARP reported earlier this year that 80 to 90 percent of aging people, including our elderly parents, would choose to reside in their own homes for as long as possible, as opposed to choosing to live in a nursing home or independent care facility. This desire by your elderly parents to live independently can make it challenging for the adult child/children who is caring for them. ....

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Understanding Scleroderma

From our Care Blog

Pronounced “skleer-oh-DUR-muh”, it is a disease that involves the hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues – the fibers that provide the framework and support for your body. June is Scleroderma awareness month. The entire month has been dedicated to this disease because so few people know about it, but yet, there is an increasing number of people being diagnosed with the disease. And, since awareness of the disease is low, many researchers do not always receive the resources they need to better understand the cause, symptoms and find a cure. Scleroderma affects women more often than men...

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Stars, Stripes and Fireworks: Safety Tip For Summer Holidays

From our Care Blog

It’s officially summer. Time for outdoor family fun, celebrations and of course fireworks. If not handled properly, fireworks can cause burn and eye injuries in kids and adults. The best way to protect your family this summer from accidents is to not use them at home — period. Instead, attend public 4th of July celebrations, and leave the lighting to the professionals. It’s important to note that lighting fireworks at home might not be legal in your community, so if you still want to use them, be sure to check with your local police department first. If they're legal where you live,...

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Six Reasons Why Men Should Go To The Doctor

From our Care Blog

60 percent of men don’t go to their doctors regularly. June is Men's Health Month and for good reason. In a recent study of 500 men by Cleveland Clinic found out that only three in five get an annual physical and just over 40 percent go to the doctor only when they fear they have a serious medical condition. Of those they surveyed, over 53 percent agree that their health just isn’t something they talk about and 19 percent admitted they go to the doctor so their significant other or loved one will stop nagging them. If you are like the...

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Aging and Mental Health: Activities To Improve Your Mental Health

From our Care Blog

One in five older adults experience mental health concerns that are not a normal part of aging – the most common of which are anxiety or mood disorders including depression*. Most mental health cases respond well to treatment, but unfortunately many older adults go do not get diagnosed and go untreated, which can lead to diminished functioning, substance abuse, poor quality of life, and increased mortality. Mental health is as important as physical health. Good mental health contributes to an overall feeling of well-being which impacts your stress levels, memory, sleepand how you think and feel about yourself. There are many...

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Questions to Ask your Aging Parents

From our Care Blog

It's time for the "talk" with your aging parents. Start the conversation with these questions about your aging parents living situation, health, finance, and memorial wishes. If you are a son or daughter of aging parents, it might be time to start asking questions to find out everything you can about their living situation, health, financial and memorial wishes. By starting a conversation, you can work with them to develop a plan and should something serious happen, you will have basic information to support them. At FirstLight Home Care we know it can be tough to start a conversation with...

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Medication Mismanagement: Tips on Prescription Drug Safety

From our Care Blog

Persons aged 65 years and older comprise only 13 percent of the population, yet account for more than one-third of total outpatient spending on prescription medications in the United States*. If you are older, or the caregiver for someone that currently takes multiple prescription medications simultaneously to treat different conditions and symptoms, mismanagement of any medication can be harmful and could lead to hospitalization or even death. In 2016, the American Family Physician publication reported that one in six hospital admissions of older adults is because of a medication error, a proportion that is four times that of younger people. ...

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Summer Travel: Elderly Travelers Checklist

From our Care Blog

Pack The Essentials: Elderly Traveler Checklist Summer is quickly approaching and more elderly people will be heading out-of-town and will travel by car, plane, train or ship for their next adventure. AARP is reporting that adults 50 and older will be active travelers in 2017. More than 55% will travel within the U.S.; 42% plan to travel both domestically and international; and 3% are expected to travel solely abroad. If you or your parents are one of the millions 50 and older travelers preparing for a trip, FirstLight Home Care has put together the following Senior Travel Checklist Essential that...

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Five Myths + Misconceptions of Parkinson’s Disease

From our Care Blog

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. There are many myths and misconceptions about Parkinson's Disease and FirstLIght Home Care is here to set things straight. During the month of April, our caregivers at FirstLight Home Care will share information through our social media channels about the disease. Conversations will include living with or caring for someone with Parkinson’s Disease and tips and resources to help you better understand this progressive neurological disorder that affects nearly one million people in the United States. The first step in understanding Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is to recognize some of the many common misconceptions and myths that...

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