Stoke and Seniors: What you should know

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

 Each year in the United States, there are more than 700,000 new strokes. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the country, after heart disease and cancer. And stroke causes more serious long-term disabilities than any other disease. Nearly three-quarters of all strokes occur in people over the age of 65. And the risk of having a stroke more than doubles each decade after the age of 55.

A stroke is serious, just like a heart attack. A stroke is sometimes called a “brain attack.” Most often, stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain stops because it is blocked by a clot. When this happens, the brain cells in the immediate area begin to die.
Some brain cells die because they stop getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to function. Other brain cells die because they are damaged by sudden bleeding into or around the brain. The brain cells that don’t die immediately remain at risk for death. These cells can linger in a compromised or weakened state for several hours. With timely treatment, these cells can be saved.
New treatments are available that greatly reduce the damage caused by a stroke. But you need to arrive at the hospital as soon as possible after symptoms start to prevent disability. Knowing stroke symptoms, calling 911 immediately, and getting to a hospital as quickly as possible are critical.

There are two kinds of stroke. The most common kind of stroke is called ischemic stroke. It accounts for approximately 80 percent of all strokes. An ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain.

Blockages that cause ischemic strokes stem from three conditions:

• The formation of a clot within a blood vessel of the brain or neck, called thrombosis
• The movement of a clot from another part of the body, such as from the heart to the neck or brain, called an embolism
• A severe narrowing of an artery in or leading to the brain, called stenosis

The other kind of stroke is called hemorrhagic stroke. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the brain.

One common cause of a hemorrhagic stroke is a bleeding aneurysm. An aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on an artery wall. Over time, these weak spots stretch or balloon out due to high blood pressure. The thin walls of these ballooning aneurysms can rupture and spill blood into the space surrounding brain cells.
Artery walls can also break open because they become encrusted, or covered with fatty deposits called plaque, eventually lose their elasticity and become brittle, thin, and prone to cracking. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases the risk that a brittle artery wall will give way and release blood into the surrounding brain tissue.

Warning Signs

If you suffer a stroke, you may not realize it at first. The people around you might not know it, either. Your family, friends, or neighbors may think you are unaware or confused. You may not be able to call 911 on your own. That’s why everyone should know the signs of stroke and know how to act fast. These are warning signs of a stroke:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Other danger signs that may occur include double vision, drowsiness, and nausea or vomiting. Sometimes the warning signs may last only a few moments and then disappear. These brief episodes, known as transient ischemic attacks, or TIAs, are sometimes called “mini-strokes.”

Although brief, TIAs identify an underlying serious condition that isn’t going away without medical help. Unfortunately, since they clear up, many people ignore them. Don’t ignore them. Heeding them can save your life.

What should you do? Don’t wait for the symptoms to improve or worsen. If you believe you are having a stroke or someone you know is having a stroke, call 911 immediately. Making the decision to call for medical help can make the difference in avoiding a lifelong disability.

Tips for Dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at home is a difficult task and can become overwhelming at times. Each day brings new challenges as the caregiver copes with changing levels of ability and new patterns of behavior. These tips may help in overcoming some of those challenges.

Dealing with the Diagnosis

Finding out that a loved one has Alzheimer’s Disease can be stressful, frightening, and overwhelming. As you begin to take stock of the situation, here are some tips that may help:

Ask the doctor any questions you have about AD. Find out what treatments might work best to alleviate symptoms or address behavior problems.

 Find a support group where you can share your feelings and concerns. Members of support groups often have helpful ideas or know of useful resources based on their own experiences.Online support groups make it possible for caregivers to receive support without having to leave home.

Study your day to see if you can develop a routine that makes things go more smoothly. If there are times of day when the person with AD is less confused or more cooperative, plan your routine to make the most of those moments. Keep in mind that the way the person functions may change from day to day, so try to be flexible and adapt your routine as needed.

Consider using home care services  or respite services to ease the day-to-day demands of caregiving. These services allow you to have a break while knowing that the person with AD is being well cared for.

Begin to plan for the future. This may include getting financial and legal documents in order, investigating long-term care options, and determining what services are covered by health insurance and Medicare.

Communication

Trying to communicate with a person who has AD can be a challenge. Both understanding and being understood may be difficult.

• Choose simple words and short sentences and use a gentle, calm tone of voice.
  Avoid talking to the person with AD like a baby or talking about the person as if he or she weren’t there.
• Minimize distractions and noise—such as the television or radio—to help the person focus on what you are saying.
• Call the person by name, making sure you have his or her attention before speaking.
• Allow enough time for a response. Be careful not to interrupt.
• If the person with AD is struggling to find a word or communicate a thought, gently try to provide the word he or she is looking for.
• Try to frame questions and instructions in a positive way.

5 Star Home Care can assist you  and your family in your time of need. We have certified nursing assistants that are trained to assist your loved one with their daily activites of living so that YOU the family caregiver can take a break. For more information please call us at 404-719-4118.

Services to Help Seniors Stay at Home

5 Star Home Care quality homecare for seniors – call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

 Tips for choosing the right home care services

 By 5 Star Home Care

Each year, more than 22,000 agencies nationwide provide home care services to more than two million people with physical disabilities, chronic health problems, dementia, or terminal illnesses. As the population ages, the number of home care agencies will continue to grow.

We’re living longer—and healthier—lives than ever before in human history. However, if a time comes when help is needed, questions about living arrangements that include assistance or care often arise. Because so many seniors wish to remain in the home and community that holds a lifetime of memories, a wide variety of home care services have evolved in recent years to make this feasible.

 What is home care?

Home care typically refers to non-medical services that assist individuals with activities of daily living. Home care is an increasingly popular choice for care because it enables individuals to remain in their own environments, and can also be a lifesaver for caregivers.

For example, simple tasks such as housekeeping, shopping, meal preparation, opening a jar, or driving to appointments can become increasingly difficult for many older adults. Personal tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and even transferring from the bed to a chair can became unmanageable alone. Many types of individuals, including those who are trained and supervised by agencies, provide such services. In general, home care providers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They may work by themselves or as a team on a shift, part-time, hourly, live-in, or on an as-needed basis.

While some home care agencies provide health-oriented services, it is important to understand the difference between non-medical home care and home health care.  Home health care is more specialized medical care, such as that provided by nurses or physical and respiratory therapists. Care providers are trained medical, health care and psychiatric professionals, or certified nurses’ aides. Home health services are usually ordered by a physician and may be covered by insurance.

Considering using home care services

For many caregivers, there don’t seem to be enough hours in the day. It’s difficult to care for all of the needs of a family member and still have enough time and energy left for your own family, a job and yourself. Exhaustion and stress can become overwhelming. If this description fits you, it’s time to consider home care services.

Seniors who become home care recipients most often would rather stay in their own homes than move into residential care. And economically, except for round-the-clock nursing care, home care can be less expensive than most board and care homes, skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities. However, this is not always the case, and prices should be compared.

If you or your loved one has the living space and financial resources (since the cost will most likely be out-of-pocket), you might consider hiring a live-in care provider (see below for more details.) This type of home care is very well suited for long distance caregiving situations in which the primary caregiver can’t be there in person and the elder needs full-time assistance or monitoring.  Any questions concerning home care options please contact a 5 Star Home Care 5 Star Home Care representative at 404-719-4118.

Tips for Healthy Eating for Seniors in Atlanta

5 Star Home Care the best homecare for seniors call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

Tips for Healthy Eating

by 5 Star Home Care

To help you stay on track with your healthy eating plan, follow these tips:

• Do not skip meals. Skipping meals may cause your metabolism to slow down or lead you to eat more high-calorie, high-fat foods at your next meal or snack.
• Select high-fiber foods like whole-grain breads and cereals, beans, vegetables, and fruits. They may help keep you regular and lower your risk for chron­ic diseases, such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
• Choose lean beef, turkey breast, fish, or chicken with the skin removed to lower the amount of fat and calories in your meals. As you age, your body needs fewer calories, especially if you are not very active.
• Have three servings of vitamin D-fortified low-fat/fat-free milk, yogurt, or cheese every day. Milk products are high in calcium and vitamin D and help keep your bones strong as you age. If you have trouble digesting or do not like milk products, try reduced-lactose milk products, or soy-based beverages, or tofu. You can also talk to your health care provider about taking a calcium and vitamin D supplement.
• Choose foods fortified with vitamin B12. Many adults over the age of 50 have difficulty absorbing adequate amounts of this vitamin. Therefore, they should get this nutrient through fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals, or from a dietary supplement. Talk with your health care provider to ensure that you are consuming enough vitamin B12.
• Keep nutrient-rich snacks like dried apricots, whole-wheat crackers, peanut butter, low-fat cheese, and low-sodium soup on hand. Eat only small amounts of such foods as dried apricots and peanut butter because they are high in calories. Limit how often you have high-fat and high-sugar snacks like cake, candy, chips, and soda.
• Drink plenty of water or water-based fluids. You may notice that you feel less thirsty as you get older, but your body still needs water to stay healthy. Exam­ples of water-based fluids are caffeine-free tea and coffee, soup, and low-fat or skim milk.

 

Exercise tips for Seniors in Atlanta

5 Star Home Care the best homecare for seniors call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

Exercises for Senior Citizens

By 5 Star Home Care

The term ‘senior citizen’ was coined in the year 1938. In the United States, any elderly person who is 67 years and above is regarded as a senior citizen. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, only 32% of American senior citizens exercise on a daily basis.

Senior citizens are prone to fall prey to various health hazards. Common senior health problems include obesity, acid integestion, muscle weakness, stroke, panic attack, heartburn, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. A good way to fight against these is to take up some physical exercises. Exercises promote one’s health and assist in living life with full zeal and enthusiasm.

Despite knowing the fact that exercise is the prime element to keep the body fit; most senior citizens fail to take it up. They become lethargic as they grow old and this leads to inactivity. Due to this inactivity, senior citizens may suffer from failure of immune tolerance, diminishing overall body strength, flexibility and mental equilibrium, which are recognized as some of the important factors of healthy body and mind.

The main objectives of exercies are to:

• Promote health
• Strengthen muscles
• Improve cardiovascular organization
• Elevate athletic skills
• Prevent obesity, diabetes, heart diseases
• Make the body flexible

To gain a healthy body, senior citizens should adopt some healthy habits, which can make them happier as well as healthier. They should follow some senior exercise programs that help in maintaining physical, mental as well as emotional balance. Senior citizens can start with some simple exercises to cope with various problems such as stree, anxiety and other health diseases. These simple exercises include:

Walking: To get started, walking is the best primary exercise that senior citizens should opt for. Walking on a regular basis in the morning and evening can keep one fit and healthy. A senior citizen should walk according to his/her capability. This can reduce the extra fats of the body, make the body flexible and can uplift one’s spirit.

Yoga: Yoga is a form of traditional Indian exercise, introduced to America by Swami Vivekananda. It has a healing effect on one’s soul. It includes breathing exercises and meditations that have been practiced since ancient days. Yoga plays a vital role in keeping a balance between body, mind and spirit. This can help senior citizens in reducing stress, high blood pressure, blood glucose level and blood sugar level. It promotes elasticity of body and provides relaxation.

Swimming: Swimming is another form of exercise that cures many health related diseases in senior citizens. It has some benefits such as reducing stress, muscle pain and helps keep one fit.

Lightweight exercises or training: Senior citizens may also practice light weight lifting with the help of light weight dumbbells. This will help enhance liveliness and improve metabolism.

Besides, senior citizens can do various other physical exercises, which include aerobics, muscle flexibility and endurance exercises.

Aerobic exercises: Aerobic exercises are rhythmic by nature and warm up the body. While doing these exercises, a senior citizen involves in physical activities like jumping, dancing according to steps to tone up the body muscles. These strengthen the respiration process, provide sufficient oxygen, improve blood circulation, reduce blood pressure, reduce rapid palpitation and help improve mental health.

Muscle flexibility exercises: As senior citizens grow old, their muscles tighten and their range of motion decreases. Therefore, to preserve their range of motion, maintain youthful flexibility and relax their mind, muscle flexibility exercises are very effective. Muscle flexibility exercises involve stretching slowly without bouncing. While maintaining normal breathing during each movement, attention should be paid to the muscles that are stretched. This will help the senior citizens to relax their body as well as mind.

Endurance exercises: Some endurance exercises like riding, stair stepping, walking and swimming can improve the endurance level of senior citizens. They can gradually increase the duration of these exercises according to their level of tolerance. While doing these exercises, one should start slowly but plan to work a little faster as time passes by.

Some Points to Remember

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes on a regular basis
• Start slowly and increase activity gradually
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, while exercising
• Test blood glucose level
• Consult a physician before starting any exercise regimen

These tips will help in fulfilling all the objectives of exercise and provide an all-round development of body, mind and soul. Proper care of senior health, will also make life worthy of living.

5 Star Home Care – Atlanta, GA – Fall Prevention Tips

5 Star Home Care the best homecare for seniors call 404-719-4118. Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

Preventing Falls to Preserve Independence
By 5 Star Home Care

A slight distraction, a little loss of balance, or a slip on a throw rug—and down you go! You’ve “fallen and you can’t get up”. That’s all it takes to move you from independence to a period of decline. The consequences of a fall are considerable and can be prevented with some simple preventive measures.

Why Fall Prevention is Important

Each year over 11 million older Americans experience a fall, making falls the 5th leading cause of death in seniors. It is estimated that 40 percent of these falls are preventable. According to the Georgia Department of Health, hip fractures are the number one injury among Georgia’s elders. A hip fracture can be a very difficult injury for a senior to overcome, and in fact, only 25% of them will make a full recovery. Some 20 percent of those with hip fractures will die within one year of the event.

1. Falls can be prevented. Nothing is more important than believing you can prevent falls through awareness.
2. Discuss medications with your doctor. Certain medications, or a combination of medicines, can increase your fall risk significantly. Be especially careful when starting a new medication.
3. Remove environmental hazards. Eliminate environmental hazards in your home or personal hazards in your routines.

Fall Prevention Tips

You can do a lot to prevent falls by following these tips from the Satellite Beach Fire Department:

1. Exercise regularly to improve balance and coordination.
2. Take your time, especially getting out of bed or a chair.
3. Clear the way by keeping stairs and walkways clear and well-lighted.
4. Look out for yourself by seeing an eye specialist once a year and using night lights.
5. Avoid slippery areas by using non-slip mats and wiping up spills immediately.
6. Throw rugs can throw you! Only use rugs with non-skid backing.
7. Tread carefully: keep stairs well lit and install handrails on both sides.
8. Best foot forward: wear sturdy, low-heeled shoes with non-slip soles.

Remember that you can preserve your independence by preventing falls!

5 Star Home Care- The Advantages of Senior Home Care

5 Star Home Care the best homecare for seniors call 404-719-4118.  Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

 

We Provide an Affordable and Caring Solution for the Busy Family

 

5 Star Home Care is the perfect solution for seniors and others who aren’t ready to leave their homes for an institutional setting or live with relatives, but because of illness or chronic conditions need support to remain at home. We improve your life by providing compassionate, one-on-one care in the comfort of your own home.

Highly qualified and trained caregivers are ready to help you and your loved ones with a variety of daily activities such as:

 

 

 

• Caring Companionship
• Meal planning and preparation
• Incidental transportation
• Running errands
• Light housekeeping
• Medication reminders
• Assistance with bathing and grooming
• Assistance with bill paying
• Information and referral servicesOur personalized and affordable services are available 7 days a week and can range from a few hours per day to 24 hour live in care.
  Enjoy the Simple Pleasures

   

  5 Star Home Care provides help with daily activities, enabling you to save your energy for the important things in life, such as:
   
   

   

   

• Connecting with friends or family
• Taking short walks
• Reading a good book
  Reconnect with Loved Ones
  Constant family caregiving can bring about considerable stress. We provide a respite for the primary family caregiver, i.e., a wife caring for her husband or a son caring for his parents, offering relief with daily routines and strengthening relationships. For more information please contact us at 404-719-4118 or visit us on the web at www.5starhomecare.com.
   

   

   

 

Seniors with Memory Loss in Atlanta

5 Star Home Care the best homecare for seniors in Atlanta call 404-719-4118. Serving all areas in Metro Atlanta including Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cobb County, and  Gwinett County.

How to Help a Senior with Memory Loss

By 5 Star Home Care

There is big a difference between a “senior moment” and serious memory loss. As more is learned about the effects of aging and early signs of disease, seniors may get distressed at not being able to remember and think it is a sign of a serious condition.

Instructions

Step1

Observe and take notes. Mentally note the memory lapses and write them down later. This will help establish a pattern and determine if the memory loss is short-term or long-term.

Step2

Take the senior to the doctor, and bring along your written observations. Memory loss can signal serious illness such as the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. A stressful event such as a recent move or a death of a friend can also trigger temporary memory loss.

Step3

See if alcohol helps. This is not a license to drink to excess, however, studies show alcohol in moderation can help with memory. Check with a doctor first.

Step4

Organize, organize, organize. Talk with the senior. Find out the best place or places to keep keys, glasses, medicines and other important items.

Step5

Encourage talking out loud. Get a senior in the habit of saying things such as “I am turning off the stove” or “I have locked the door.” Not only does saying it out loud help her remember tasks, it helps her remember that she accomplished the task.

Step6

Watch for change. Some memory loss in aging is to be expected, but any major changes from your first observations should be reported to a doctor.