Senior Friendly Plants, VA Sarasota

A photo of small plants placed on a table.
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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

Elderly man holding a stress ball.
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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.
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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.
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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. 

Visiting Angels Mentor Discusses Healthy Recipes

Healthy foods in a bowl and on a table.
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Everyone should keep track of the food that they eat. A body benefits from a healthy diet. Visiting Angels Mentor explains how seniors can cook healthy recipes at home. 

For one, seniors who have serious medical issues or dietary restrictions should contact their doctor. A doctor should be able to give a senior a list of foods that are both nutritious and beneficial for their body. Seniors who do not need a specialized diet can take a look at some general dietary guidelines. The guidelines are helpful when figuring out the right combination of food needed to give seniors the vitamins and nutrients that they need. 

If a senior cannot have gluten they should try to search for food or cooking products that are gluten free. There are more options in the market nowadays for gluten free foods. Also, those who cannot have a lot of sugar should find a combination of foods that will keep their blood levels steady. 

To read the whole article, you may visit Healthy Recipes to Try at Home. 

Seniors and Scams, VA Mentor

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Scammers are always out to steal something from someone. Visiting Angels Mentor discusses why scammers tend to target seniors specifically. 

What do many seniors tend to have? A life’s saving account. Seniors spend their whole life saving up money so they can live out their elderly years in peace and comfort. Some seniors might only have enough to barely get by, but scammers do not care. Scammers are only interested in stealing as much money as they can. Seniors also tend to be more trustworthy, and scammers use that trust against them in a variety of ways. 

Visiting Angels Mentor brings up a couple of examples of how scammers get money from seniors. For one, scammers try to steal a person’s identity. By stealing their identity, scammers can use the personal information to access the senior’s money. Additionally, scammers might try to convince the senior to hand over their money willingly. A scammer can lie and manipulate the senior to get the money they want. Lastly, scammers can offer fake services and products to seniors. The products and services could appear to be legit, but the scammer can turn the tables instantly. 

For more information about scams, you may visit Scams That Target Seniors – What to Watch Out For. 

Visiting Angels NNMP Explains Elderspeak

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Elderspeak can be harmful for seniors. Visiting Angels Northern Neck-Middle Peninsula breaks down what elderspeak is and how it impacts seniors. 

What is elderspeak? Visiting Angels NNMP defines elderspeak as a unique speech pattern that is similar to baby talk. Elderspeak is when people change their way of speaking when talking to seniors. Those who use elderspeak often slow their speech, simplify their grammar, use “we” and “us” instead of “you”, etc. Needless to say, elderspeak is not necessary when speaking to the elderly. 

Seniors often take elderspeak in a negative way. Visiting Angels NNMP brings up how many seniors develop depression, low-self-esteem, and embarrassment when someone uses elderspeak. The elderly can still follow conversations. If anything, seniors just need a bit more time and patience to understand a complicated conversation. 

To read the whole article, you may visit Elderspeak: What is it and Why it Can Be Harmful. 

Visiting Angels NNMP Palliative Care

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Palliative care and hospice care are often thought to be the same thing, but that is not the case. Visiting Angels Northern Neck-Middle Peninsula explains the difference between the two and discusses its palliative care service. 

Both palliative care and hospice care share a similar goal, to help seniors live a more comfortable life. The main difference between palliative care and hospice care is the fact that hospice care is meant for individuals who are nearing the end of their life. On the other hand, palliative care can support those who just need extra help due to serious medical issues that cause daily discomfort. Out of the two, Visiting Angels NNMP offers professional in-home palliative care services. 

There are many benefits to in-home care in general. For instance, with in-home care, a senior has the full attention of their caregiver. The one on one care is great for those in palliative care because they can receive the prompt attention they need. The caregiver can help their client bathe, get dressed, go grocery shopping, etc. Palliative care provides amazing help from the comfort of home. 

For more information on Palliative Care, you may visit Palliative Care: Quality of Life and Comfort Redefined.