Senior
Health & Wellness

Reducing the High Cost of Hospital Readmissions

From our Care Blog

Millions of Americans go to the hospital each year for reasons that are often necessary and unavoidable. Whether we fall, get sick, or hurt ourselves in a number of different ways, going to the hospital for medical care is something that we simply can't avoid.  However, the same cannot be said for a substantial fraction of people who are readmitted to hospitals each year.  Hospital readmission is not only extremely costly and harmful to the patient, it can be easily avoided with proper care and precaution. Although there are many factors that can play into the need for a hospital readmission,...

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Meditation and Aging

From our Care Blog

For thousands of years, meditation has served as an excellent source of stress relief and relaxation. Through active practice, people can even see improvements in their health, including reduced blood pressure, a slower heart rate, and a stronger immune system.  But did you know that it might also help reduce the process of aging? Recent studies have found that people who practice mindful meditation (focusing on the present) had improved telomere health.  For those who aren’t neuroscientists, telomeres are the protective ends of our DNA that prevent the ends of chromosomes from fusing with nearby chromosomes or deteriorating.  The healthier the telomere,...

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Four Effective Ways To Ask For Help For Seniors

From our Care Blog

Taking care of an elderly parent or a person with a chronic illness can become too much. You have your own family, job and responsibilities, and can easily become overwhelmed. Don’t be too proud to ask for help – from other family members, friends, people in your church or community organizations. You’ll be amazed at how many people volunteer and will love helping seniors! Help with Meals. Too often, seniors neglect their nutrition and eat poorly. This can result in weight loss or serve as a precursor to illnesses such as diabetes. Round up a group of people to provide meals for one day/week each. They...

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Depression In Seniors

From our Care Blog

Depression is common amongst aging parents.  As parents begin to age, they also begin to recognize the realities of their mortality through physical and mental limitations. Signs of depression should never be taken lightly-there are a number of important issues in regards to depression amongst the elderly. Please make sure to address these issues with those around you, all care takers, and your parents. Depression is not something that is easily spoken of but imperative that it be for the health and safety of your parents. Know the warning signs of depression.  Take the time to be aware of the...

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Senior Citizen Exercising

From our Care Blog

During the winter months, exercising is the last thing many of us want to do.  Although, we all know how important it is to continue to stay active, and a good exercise regime year around will help maintain a healthy lifestyle. With that said, it isn't only important for you to continue to exercise but to make sure it is a goal for your aging parent as well.  This is an even trickier battle, since the winter months can be dangerous, and going outside isn't always the best plan.  “A regular exercise program is the best available prescription for independent, active...

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Caregiving Tips From Nurse Gina

From our Care Blog

Here at FirstLight Home Care, we believe it takes an incredibly special person to be a caregiver. Patience, understanding, unconditional love and kindness to not just a loved one, but to others in need of care as well. It’s not easy being a caregiver; there are struggles emotionally, mentally and of course, at the end of the day, physically, you are exhausted. Whether you are caring for a loved one or for several others-it doesn’t matter. You are an extraordinary person. You may be familiar with our very own Nurse Gina. With more than 40 years of experience as an RN, geriatric...

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The Benefits of Drinking Water

From our Care Blog

In today’s medicine-centric world there seems to be a pill for  everything. Whether you have a headache, digestive problems, or want to lose  weight, there is a “magic” pill that can take care of all your problems.  But do you ever stop and wonder what might be causing these problems in the first place? Yes, a pill can take care of the pain, but why not take precautions to prevent the pain from ever occurring in  the first place?  One of the most simple solutions to these problems is also one of the main culprits that cause them: water.  According...

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Non Medical Home Care Versus Medical Home Care

From our Care Blog

What is the difference between medical home care and non medical home care? This ultimate guide from the experts at FirstLight explains.

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Senior Care To Keep Parents Active

From our Care Blog

Grieving the loss of a parent is more than difficult, and seeing your living parent live alone can also be hard.  Many times, your living parent is still able to take care of him or herself and moving into an assisted living center is out of the question.In a situation like this, it may become a responsibility of yours to help keep your parent active.  With the hustle and bustle of your own life, including children and work, this can be a very difficult task and much guilt may start to arise. It is important to remember that as it...

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5 Best Ways To Keep Your Heart Healthy

From our Care Blog

Lifestyle and family history both play an important role in the health of your heart.  As we all know, living with heart disease or any other heart condition may be ultimately debilitating and decrease your life span.  The good thing from all this, is that most heart conditions can be prevented and/or managed if you know the proper lifestyle adjustments required.  Explained, are five of the best ways to keep your heart healthy. Know your family history.  Heart conditions do run in the family, and the earlier you know there is history of heart conditions, the sooner you can work to...

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