5 Warning Signs of Health Problems

Taking care of our parents takes an indescribable amount of patients and compassion. Speaking from experience, it is one of the most challenging and yet rewarding experiences you can go through.

At some point you have to start making hard decisions on how to best help your family and your parents or grandparents. Here is an article that will be useful if you are starting down this road. Sometimes it’s hard to know that you need help, well, until it’s too late and mom or dad had an accident or some other emergency. This article is intended to be proactive in caring for your loved ones. I hope you find it insightful.

As always, Peace of Mind Home Care is here to help!

We have 100% satisfaction rate with the families we have served since opening our doors…

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Original Article:http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniorshealth.html

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Aging parents: 5 warning signs of health problems

Concerned about your aging parents' health? Use this guide to gauge how your aging parents are doing — and what to do if they need help.

By Mayo Clinic staff

As your parents get older, you may want to make sure they're successfully taking care of themselves and staying healthy. When you visit your aging parents, ask yourself the following five questions. Then, if necessary, take steps to help your aging parents maintain their independence.

1. Have your aging parents lost weight?

Losing weight without trying could be a sign that something's wrong. For aging parents, weight loss could be related to many factors, including:

·         Difficulty cooking. Your parents could be having difficulty finding the energy to cook, grasping the tools necessary to cook, or reading labels or directions on food products.

·         Loss of taste or smell. Some loss of taste and smell is natural with aging, especially after age 60. In other cases, illness or medication contributes to loss of taste or smell. Your parents might not be interested in eating if food doesn't taste or smell as good as it used to.

·         Underlying conditions. Sometimes weight loss is a sign of a more serious underlying condition, such as malnutrition, dementia, depression or cancer.

2. Are your aging parents taking care of themselves?

Pay attention to your parents' appearance. Are their clothes clean? Do they appear to be taking good care of themselves? Failure to keep up with daily routines — such as bathing, tooth brushing and other basic grooming — could indicate health problems such as dementia, depression or physical impairments.

Also pay attention to your parents' home. Are the lights working? Is the heat on? Are the bathrooms clean? Is the yard overgrown? Any big changes in the way your parents do things around the house could provide clues to their health. For example, scorched pots could mean your parents are forgetting about food cooking on the stove. Neglected housework could be a sign of depression, dementia or other problems.

3. Are your aging parents safe in their home?

Take a look around your parents' home, keeping an eye out for any red flags. Do your parents have difficulty navigating a narrow stairway? Has either parent fallen recently? Are they able to read directions on medication containers?

4. Are your aging parents in good spirits?

Note your parents' moods and ask how they're feeling. A drastically different mood or outlook could be a sign of depression or other health concern. Also talk to your parents about their activities. Are they connecting with friends? Have they maintained interest in hobbies and other daily activities? Are they involved in social organizations or clubs? If they're religious, do they attend regular worship services?

5. Are your aging parents having difficulty getting around?

Pay attention to how your parents are walking. Are they reluctant or unable to walk usual distances? Is knee or hip arthritis making it difficult to get around the house? Would either parent benefit from a cane or walker? Muscle weakness, joint problems and other age-related changes can make it difficult to move around as well. If your parents are unsteady on their feet, they may be at risk of falling — a major cause of disability among older adults.

Taking action

There are many steps you can take to ensure your aging parents' health and well-being, even if you live far away. For example:

·         Share your concerns with your parents. Talk to your parents openly and honestly. Knowing that you're concerned about their health may give your parents the motivation they need to see a doctor or make other changes. Consider including other people who care about your parents in the conversation, such as other loved ones, close friends or clergy.

·         Encourage regular medical checkups. If you're worried about a parent's weight loss, depressed mood or other signs and symptoms, encourage your parent to schedule a doctor's visit. You might offer to schedule the visit yourself or to accompany your parent to the doctor — or to find someone else to attend the visit. Ask about follow-up visits as well.

·         Address safety issues. Point out any potential safety issues to your parents — then make a plan to address the problems. For example, perhaps your parents could use assistive devices to help them reach items on high shelves or to help them stay steady on their feet. A higher toilet seat or handlebars in the bathroom may help prevent falls.

·         Consider home care services. If your aging parents are having trouble taking care of themselves, perhaps you could hire someone to clean the house and run errands. A home health care aide could help your parents with daily activities such as bathing and dressing. You might also consider Meals On Wheels and other community services. If remaining at home is too challenging, you might suggest moving to an assisted living facility.

·         Contact the doctor for guidance. If your parents dismiss your concerns, you might call the doctor directly. Your insights may help the doctor understand what to look for during upcoming visits. Keep in mind that the doctor may need to verify that he or she has permission to speak with you about your parents' care. Likewise, you may need to sign a form verifying that you have your parents' permission to discuss their medical information with the doctor and his or her staff.

·         Seek help from local agencies. Your local agency on aging — which you can find using the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging — can connect you with services in your parents' area. For example, the county in which your parents live may have social workers who can evaluate your parents' needs and put them in touch with pertinent services, such as home care workers and help with meals and transportation.

Sometimes aging parents won't admit they need help around the house, and others don't realize they need help. That's where you come in. Remind your parents that you care about them and that you want to do what's best to promote their health and well-being, both today and in the months and years to come.

Keeping Your Brain Sharp

I ran across this article I found interesting. As we all age the mind can go, granted, some more dramatic than others. There are some things we all can do to stay sharp (or sharper) as we go on with this crazy thing we call life…

I hope you find it useful!

Keeping Your  Brain Sharp 

By Darcia Brewer

If you are interested in keeping your brain sharp, no matter what your age, there are key lifestyle behaviors you should be practicing. The Bay Area Senior Advocates (B.A.S.A.) series on nutrition would like you to know that besides exercise, which encourages the growth of new cells by increasing oxygen flow to your brain, and challenging your brain with skills that keep you thinking, diet plays an important part in brain health.

Although we have no control over our own genetics, as a risk factor for chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, we can make those lifestyle decisions that may help keep our brains healthier.  There is much research that indicates diet, as well as the other lifestyle factors mentioned above, that can help prevent cognitive decline, especially if started early in life.  So what is this “special” diet that helps promote brain function?

Although emerging science may tweak dietary recommendations, the basics for eating right, for those with and without chronic disease, are relatively well known and simple.  There is no magic or secret to eating right, yet motivation and putting knowledge to practice, is the barrier.  There are many correlations between the risk factors for heart disease and diabetes with increased risk for Alzheimer’s.  So, the science-based dietary guidelines that are good for the heart are also good for the brain, plus good for everyone in general:

Maintain energy balance – balance energy in (calories consumed through food and beverages) with energy out (physical activity); increases in physical activity (even if small, such as choosing to walk the stairs over taking the elevator), apart from diet, has been shown to slow cognitive deterioration.

Minimize saturated and Trans fats – choose vegetable oils and margarines with liquid vegetable oil as the first listed ingredient and no more than 2 grams saturated fat per tablespoon (examples:  canola, corn, olive, safflower, sesame, soybean and sunflower oils); limit foods that contain hydrogenated fats; choose reduced-fat and no-fat salad dressings/mayo with no more than 1 gram saturated fat per tablespoon; choose lean meats/poultry/cheese (less than 5 grams of total fat per 1 ounce serving); eat fatty fish (mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least two times a week (approximately 8 ounces fish per week provides the recommended 500 mg/day of EPA and DHA, essential omega-3 fatty acids); choose vegetable oils (soybean, canola and flaxseed), walnuts, Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach and salad greens for other essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Reduce sodium intake – Aim for 2,300 mg sodium or less, daily (1 teaspoon of table salt contains 2,300 mg!); choose foods low in sodium (140 mg or less sodium per serving); for those with hypertension, consume 1,500 mg or less per day for health benefits.

Build your diet around low- and non-fat dairy; legumes (beans), nuts and seeds; fish, lean meat and poultry, as well as:

Fruits and vegetables – Aim for 8-9 (1/2 cup servings) of fruits and vegetables of a variety of colors daily; choose whole fruits over fruit juices most often; drink juice that is labeled “100% juice” and “100% vitamin C” if possible.

Whole grains – whole grains are the entire grain kernel, including the outer covering that contains the grain’s fiber and many vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals; aim for at least 3 ounce servings per day of whole grain foods such as (whole wheat bread, crackers, pasta, buns, tortillas; whole grain barley, rye, oatmeal, cornmeal, buckwheat, brown rice, wild rice and popcorn, whole grain cereals); limit refined (processed grains); choose whole grain breakfast cereals that provide at least 3-4 grams fiber per serving, no more than 8 grams total sugar, and less than 3 grams fat; choose foods that list a whole grain (whole wheat, brown rice, oatmeal, corn) as the first ingredient on food labels; don’t be fooled by foods labeled “multi-grain,” “stone-ground,” “100% wheat,” “cracked wheat,” “seven-grain,” or ‘’bran”; some foods are made from mixtures of whole grains and refined grains, so check the first ingredient listed.

As always, we are here to help, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Have a wonderful week….