Senior
Health & Wellness

Fall Prevention for Seniors

From our Care Blog

Falling is an all too common problem with seniors that often lead to injuries and future health complications (due to a decline in bone mass throughout aging, falls can be the first step to decreasing health.) In fact, the majority of accidents that occur in retirement facilities are falls.  The bright side is that falls can be easily prevented since they usually are caused by simple mistakes. In order to help avoid future health complications and maintain independence, our team of caregivers at FirstLight Home Care have developed some tips to prevent falls for seniors. Keep a Well Lit Living...

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The Great American Smokeout!

From our Care Blog

Today, November 15 is the great American Smokeout, a day initiated by the American Cancer Society to bring awareness to a habit that can be life-threatening. Did you know that one in five Americans still smoke? Or that using tobacco is the #1 cause of premature death in the United States? It's going to take more than warnings on cigarette packages to get people to quit. Although smoking has been banned in many restaurants and buildings, we know that people who smoke will always find a time or place to smoke. And even though a pack of cigarettes can cost...

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Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

From our Care Blog

November is National Diabetes Month and FirstLight Home Care would like to bring your attention to an illness that impacts millions of Americans every day. According to the National Diabetes Association: Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Another 79 million Americans have pre-diabetes and are at risk for developing type 2  diabetes. The statistic that is most startling is: Recent estimates project that as many as 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless we take steps to Stop Diabetes. Although Type 1 diabetes is not preventable, Type 2 diabetes is....

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Tracking Devices for Your Wandering Parent

From our Care Blog

A GPS tracking device for your aging parent?  I know, it sounds a little strange at first…  at least it did to me.  I had really only heard of tracking devices being used by search and rescue teams, the police, and possibly the nervous parents of toddlers and/or new teenage drivers.  But, then you throw in the additional word “wandering” before “aging parent,” and my curiosity was peaked.  Maybe there are more uses and benefits than I originally thought. So, I recently began to read up on the various tracking device options that are out in themarket. Similar to satellite...

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Wii by Nintendo: An Effective Way For Seniors To Exercise And Have Fun

From our Care Blog

Video games often get a bad rap, especially when it comes to how many hours young kids and teenagers can be glued to them.  Hours of sedentary sitting along with the less-than-nutritious diets of many children are a recipe for an overweight, unhealthy generation.  But, video game promoters and advocates can create a case for the positives of video games for kids. Are there also benefits for seniors?  The resounding answer seems to be YES! Nintendo has been around since 1985, and they continuously come out with new and improved video games.  Starting with the Nintendo Entertainment Systems, moving on...

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Men Are Caregivers Too

From our Care Blog

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a long-time friend of mine who had been caring for his elderly mother.  My blog entry was also about how FirstLight Home Care is meeting the needs of aging America, and an unfortunate lack of awareness surrounding caregiving options. This week however, I want to circle back to the fact that my friend Dave* (a male obviously) was in a caregiver role for his mom.  Dave* is not alone in having that title.  According to a National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) survey, 44% of caregivers are men.  Yes, I said 44%, and...

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Diabetic Care: Five Ways To Avoid Complications

From our Care Blog

Diabetics and those caring for diabetics know and understand the severity of this disease.  When living with diabetes it is important to also understand the care needed to prevent any complications.  Diabetes has the ability to wear down our bodies over time; this chronic illness requires constant  awareness.   Here are five ways to avoid complications with diabetes: Stay up to date with diabetes information.  Become an expert of the topic, medications, interventions, symptoms, complications, and new research and treatment. Maintain blood pressure and cholesterol levels since both can aid in blood vessel deterioration.  A healthy diet and exercise can...

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Be Positively Happy

From our Care Blog

Happiness begets happiness. When we think positive thoughts, we lessen stress, increase our coping skills and reduce the risk of depression and cardiovascular disease. Everyone likes being happy, but it’s not always easy to get there. To start on your path to happiness and positivity, follow these tips: Surround yourself with positive people and things. Toxic relationships will make you unhappy. Take count of all the meaningful relationships in your life and work on nourishing them, then distance yourself from relationships that cultivate negativity. Make your home a place that relaxes and inspires you; fill your space with things that...

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Caregiving Doesn’t Stop If Your Loved One Is Hospitalized

From our Care Blog

Today we handed the spotlight over to Martine Ehrenclou, M.A., an award-winning author and patient advocate, who shared her personal experiences of handling the care and hospitalization of her mother and godmother and how others can navigate the intimidating hospital world. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. Have a great weekend, all! -- Jeff Bevis I began my journey into advocacy eleven years ago when my mother and godmother were patients in hospitals for very lengthy stays (five months and seven months respectively.) I was not prepared for what I saw and experienced with their...

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Stress Awareness Month: Stress stops here

From our Care Blog

April is Stress Awareness Month, a national effort sponsored by The Health Resource Network (HRN) to inform people about the dangers of stress, offer coping strategies and disprove harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society. Prominent writer Martin Boroson, author of One-Moment Meditation: Stillness for People on the Go, published an article yesterday on Huffington Post about “stresscalation”—the way in which we pass our stress to other people, often unwillingly. Boroson challenged readers to vow not to pass their stress on to others for one day, in honor of National Stress Awareness Day on April 16. It’s...

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