Older Feet Need Special Care
Right at Home of Longwood/Lake Mary is your locally owned in-home senior care provider serving the areas of Altamonte Springs, Heathrow, Longwood, Lake Mary in Seminole County, Eatonville, Fern Park and Maitland in Orange county. Our mission is to provide safe, compassionate in-home care for seniors who need assistance with maintaining their current lifestyle in their own home, wherever home is. An engineering team hardly could have come up with a structure more complicated than the human foot. Our bodies
‘Tis the Season……. Are You Ready?
Yes, it’s here. As if you haven’t already read in the newspaper or heard on the news, the 2021 hurricane season began June 1st. And it runs all the way through the end of November! NOW is the time to prepare! These storms, often spawning tornadoes, flooding, power outages and the like are especially menacing for the senior who lives alone and cannot summon immediate help! Remember the anxiety we all felt during prior hurricanes like Irma, Charley, Frances and Jean several years ago? It’s
Addressing Later-Life Sleep Problems
Some changes in our sleep patterns are perfectly normal as we grow older. Older adults tend to go to sleep earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning. Research shows that older adults may need a little less sleep than they did in younger years. This is good to know, because, ironically, worrying about our sleep can actually make it harder to sleep! But not all sleep changes seniors experience are normal. Incontinence, pain from arthritis or osteoporosis, digestive problems, and the
Polypharmacy and Older Adults
Medications play an important role in improving the health and preserving the independence of seniors today. Medications help control many health conditions older adults commonly experience, such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, chronic pain and eye problems. “As a society we have become reliant on pharmaceuticals to help us attain a longer and higher-quality life”, noted Dr. Sandra Kweder, deputy director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “It’s a
Top Questions About Geriatric Mental Health Answered
As families help older loved ones manage physical health conditions, they shouldn’t overlook mental health changes. Depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders are quite common among the older population. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) reports that one in four older adults will experience a mental disorder. Here are a few questions families often ask: Q. Are changes in my loved one’s personality and behavior just a normal part of aging? A. Health problems, the loss of
2021 Family Caregiver Resolutions
Today, a record 53 million people in the U.S. are providing care for older loved ones. Caregiving brings with it many emotional rewards, but at the same time caregiving can be both physically and emotionally demanding. Caregivers are stressed as they struggle to balance caregiving tasks with their work and other family responsibilities. They lose sleep worrying about the quality of care they’re pro- viding. It’s no wonder! Today’s family caregivers are asked to perform medical tasks “that would make
Updating Our Holiday Traditions with Older Loved Ones
Whether your family celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali or another winter celebration, you are probably making preparations right now. Your traditions, special recipes and heirloom decorations may have been handed down from some of the very family members who are now the beloved elders at your celebration. But as the years go by senior loved ones often experience changes in health, and it becomes time to adjust our family traditions. Here are some situations to consider: A loved
Tips to Help Seniors Lower Their Fall Risk
Each year 3 million older adults seek treatment at the hospital after a fall. More than 27,000 of them will die as a result of their fall injuries, and many more will experience disabilities that can lead to a loss of independence. Falls are a major health problem according to the CDC. And while the effects of a fall can be life-changing and life-threatening for seniors, the fear of falling is a serious threat. Sometimes, after a fall or being told by their doctor they are at high risk of falling,
Don’t Forget Preventative Care
Most seniors have been taking health precautions these days. Handwashing, wearing a mask when advised to do so, and practicing social distancing help protect us from exposure to COVID-19. But this is no time to lose sight of our overall health. Healthcare providers report that many patients are failing to come in for preventative care. This could put them at risk for a host of health conditions-including more serious effects from COVID-19. Today, most healthcare facilities are ready and prepared to
