The Ability to Choose, VA Punta Gorda

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Seniors do need a helping hand here and there, but they are still people filled with thoughts and opinions. Visiting Angels Punta Gorda breaks down why it is important for seniors to have choices and make decisions throughout their daily lives.

To better understand what Visiting Angels Punta Gorda explains, could you envision yourself in a situation for a minute? Imagine that you are in your 70s. You have a caregiver who helps you throughout your day. However, you do not get to choose how your day is planned out. The caregiver decides what you will wear, what you will eat, and what you will do. In other words, all your days are planned out without taking into consideration your wants.

That situation in the reality of many seniors. Could you imagine not having any choices? Visiting Angels Punta Gorda emphasizes the fact that many seniors tend to withdraw from their life because of the lack of choice.

To read the whole article, you may visit The Beauty of Giving Seniors Choice.

Annual Eye Exams for the Elderly, VA Punta Gorda

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Many seniors are good at keeping up with their doctor appointments, but fall behind when it comes to their annual eye exam. Visiting Angels Punta Gorda breaks down why seniors should care about their annual eye exam.

Off the top of your head, do you know what eye exams are for? Yes, eye exams are used to see if you need an updated glasses or contacts prescription, but the exam is also great for other things. Visiting Angels Punta Gorda explains how the annual exams are perfect for taking a close look at someone’s eye. The older you get, the more vision problems you may develop. Afterall, the risk for eye problems does increase with age.

When seniors visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist, the professional will be able to spot any problems that could be developing. Most of the time, the earlier a vision problem is detected, the more options are available to treat the condition. If the condition gets treated earlier rather than later, it can be stopped before it develops into something worse.

To read more about the importance of annual eye exams, you may visit Four Reasons Why Seniors Need Annual Eye Exams.

The Elderly and Anxiety, VA West Cincinnati

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Many people have moments in which they feel anxious, but those moments do not occur frequently. While a lot of things come with age, anxiety should not be expected. Visiting Angels West Cincinnati brings up how seniors manage anxiety.

To get the conversation started, Visiting Angels West Cincinnati discusses signs of panic disorders. To be more specific, Visiting Angels West Cincinnati highlights five kinds of panic disorders and names a couple symptoms of each disorder. One of the panic disorders is called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD. Symptoms of OCD include dizziness, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Another disorder is called Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD. Signs of GAD include headaches, muscle tension, and fatigue.

To help seniors deal with their anxiety, Visiting Angels West Cincinnati recommends hiring a professional caregiver. The caregiver can help seniors feel secure and safe at home.

To read the whole article, you may visit 4 Steps to Help Seniors Manage Anxiety.

Staying Cool and Hydrated, VA West Cincinnati

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Seniors need to be aware of a lot of things when it comes to their bodies. In particular, seniors need to pay extra attention to their how much water they drink. Visiting Angels West Cincinnati brings up how seniors can make sure to drink enough water.

Why do seniors have trouble when it comes to staying hydrated? Well, as people age, their thirst sensations become duller. A senior has a difficult time drinking enough water because their body is not telling them to drink water. Visiting Angels West Cincinnati shares four ways that seniors can stay hydrated. The first idea has to do with water and fruit. Seniors can try infusing their water with fruit. Seniors can try infusing all kinds of fruit and they can have fun tasting the drinks while hydrating themselves.

Furthermore, Visiting Angels West Cincinnati discusses how seniors can also eat food to rehydrate. Yes, some foods can provide seniors with the needed water. Examples of food include watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes. So, if seniors do not want to drink anything, they can try eating something instead.

For more ideas on how to stay hydrated this summer, you may visit How to Stay Cool and Hydrated During the Dog Days of Summer.

Senior Friendly Plants, VA Sarasota

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Did you know that plants are great for the earth and for people? Visiting Angels Sarasota breaks down how seniors benefit from plants.

There are four main benefits that Visiting Angels Sarasota brings up. For one, houseplants are great for purifying the air. Houseplants can recycle carbon dioxide and turn it into fresh air. Furthermore, in-door plants are great for removing common air toxins that can be found in tobacco and cleaners. Other than cleaning the air, plants are also great for boosting the mood. Plants add a pop of color in the room they are placed in and that pop of color can help brighten anyone’s home.

Visiting Angels Sarasota goes through the other two benefits of owning a houseplant before getting to their list of plants. On the list, Visiting Angels Sarasota includes aloe vera and jade plant. There are two other plants as well.

To read more about plants, you may visit Easy-to-Grow Plants for Seniors.

Wellness Areas that Seniors Tend to Miss, VA Sarasota

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Time can pass quickly. You can be in your early 30s one moment and in your 60s the next moment. Visiting Angels Sarasota emphasizes three areas of wellness that seniors need to take care of as they age.

Hydration is the first area of wellness that Visiting Angels Sarasota brings up. Did you know that your thirst sensation diminishes with age? What does that mean? Visiting Angels Sarasota breaks down how the body gets less signals to hydrate as you get older. In other words, seniors are more likely to get hydration signals once they are already dehydrated. Thus, seniors should make sure to drink plenty of water every day. They can speak to their doctor when it comes to finding out the specific amount of water they need to drink.

The second thirst sensation is oral health. Yes, many people are not comfortable at the dentist, but Visiting Angels Sarasota explains why oral health is important. Enamel wears down with age and keeping up with your oral health can help seniors avoid serious oral issues.

For more information, you may visit Three Areas of Wellness That Most Seniors Miss.

An Aging Loved One with Low Vision, VA Southlake

A zoom in photo of an elderly man's blue eye. — Image by analogicus from Pixabay

Low vision affects the daily lives of millions of Americans. If you would like to help an aging loved one, who has been diagnosed with low vision, take a look at Visiting Angels Southlake’s advice.

Visiting Angels Southlake starts off by explaining what low vision is. To put it simply, low vision is when a visual impairment cannot be fixed using medication, surgery, or glasses. Many seniors can naturally develop low vision because of age. Health conditions like cataracts and diabetes can also lead to low vision. Signs of low vision include blurriness, night blindness, reading struggles, and difficulty recognizing faces.

To help a senior loved one who has low vision, Visiting Angels Southlake recommends adding more light around your loved one’s home. The light can help prevent some accidents by making it easier to spot objects.

To read the whole article, you may visit Caring for a Senior Parent with Low Vision.

Visiting Angels Southlake Discusses Social Distancing Visits

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The elderly are at risk when it comes to COVID-19. Social distancing is important because it helps prevent COVID-19 from spreading. Visiting Angels Southlake brings up some ways you can make your visits more fun while keeping your loved one safe.

During the summer, many families tend to have a family reunion. While people should not gather in large crowds, Visiting Angels Southlake shares a great way for families to carry out a family reunion. First, depending on the amount of people, the family can be divided into small groups. Every small group can gather in a different location and use Zoom to have a large virtual family gathering. The small groups can then take pictures and the pictures can be stitched together to form one complete family reunion photo.

If your family does not hold family reunions, you can encourage your kids to have a bit of fun. Visiting Angels Southlake recommends visiting your loved one’s home with your kids. The kids can draw on the sidewalk and leave nice messages or drawing for your senior loved one.

For more tips, you may visit Four Ways to Take Social Distancing Visits to the Next Level.

The Importance of an Emergency Plan for Your Loved One, VA South Elgin

An elderly man reading a book and sitting alone outside. — Photo by Connor Wang on Unsplash

Are you currently caring for an aging loved one? If you are, have you thought about an emergency plan for your loved one? Visiting Angels South Elgin explains why families should have an emergency backup plan ready for an elderly loved one.

Visiting Angels South Elgin first wanted to emphasize how August is National MedicAlert Awareness Month. To celebrate this month, Visiting Angels South Elgin wanted to bring attention to all the good that MedicAlert has brought to seniors. Since 1953 MedicAlert bracelets have been helping seniors. The MedicAlert Foundation works with the Alzheimer’s Foundation. Seniors who have bad memory and are separated from their caregiver can have all their important information on a MedicAlert bracelet so they are reunited with their caregiver.

The MedicAlert bracelet is an emergency backup plan. It is common for seniors with memory problems to wander off and get lost. The bracelet provides a way for seniors to find their way back home. Visiting Angels South Elgin also explains how in-home care services benefit seniors. A professional caregiver is trained to help their client though their day to day life.

For more information, you may visit What’s Your Emergency Back Up Plan?

Ideas to Help Seniors Stay Active While Social Distancing, VA Santa Clarita

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Seniors do not have to head to a gym or senior center to stay active. There are plenty of ways seniors can practice social distancing and stay active. In fact, Visiting Angels Santa Clarita brings up four ways seniors can stay active from the comfort of home.

When someone is inside all day, it can be easy to spend the whole day siting back and watching television. However, seniors should try to move as much as they can. Visiting Angels Santa Clarita recommends setting a long-term goal. For example, if a senior cannot stand for more than five minutes, they can set a long-term goal to eventually stand up for 15 minutes. The senior can then set up short term goals to help them achieve that long-term goal. A short-term goal can be to stand up for five minutes every hour.

Seniors can also find some fun hobbies to get them up and moving. If someone is doing something they enjoy, they will have more fun being active. Visiting Angels Santa Clarita suggests that seniors should bird watch, bake, and or garden.

For more great ideas, you may visit Four Ways to Stay Active While Social Distancing.