July 2021 - Golden Heart Summerlin

Stop and Look at Safety Issues Before Your Mom Falls

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Craig Bass

In one year, an average of three million older adults seeks emergency care following a fall. Twenty percent of those falls cause serious head injuries or bone fractures. More than 300,000 of those bone fractures involve the hip.

Reducing your mom’s risk of falling is crucial when she lives alone. You need to stop and look at these common safety issues and address them sooner rather than later.

Cluttered Rooms and Floors

Clutter is not only a fire hazard, but it also increases the risk of a fall. Those books that don’t fit on the bookshelf get stacked on the floor. It seems reasonable until you’re walking down the hallway and catch your toe on them and trip.

Poor Furniture Placement

Your mom loves home design shows, and she loves the living room seating arrangement that has everyone facing each other. The problem is that the paths out of the room are now narrow. She’s consistently hitting her shins on the coffee table. You worry that one of these days she’ll hit her shin hard enough to fall and injure herself.

Loose Stair Rails

Stairs must have handrails for your mom’s safety. The rails have to be securely affixed to the wall or posts. They need to be smooth and splinter-free. Check them periodically for splinters and loose screws.

Low Lighting

Lights on stairs, in rooms, and hallways have to be bright enough. LED lighting is bright and energy-efficient. It will lower your mom’s electricity bills and provide plenty of illumination to every corner of a room and entry.

Slippery Flooring

Flooring in kitchens and bathrooms is often linoleum or tile. When those surfaces get wet, the risk of a slip and fall is high. Add grab bars in the bathroom, too. Grab bars give your mom something to hold onto as she steps into and out of the shower or tub.

Newer vinyl flooring is waterproof. Plus, the surface of this flooring can be textured to give it a slip-free surface even if it’s wet. As vinyl flooring comes in snap-together planks, it’s also quick to install and doesn’t need glue or nails.

Hire Caregivers to Assist Your Mom With Ambulation

Call a home care agency and ask about a home assessment. If caregivers can help her with ambulation, it’s important to hire them. Caregivers keep your mom safe and make sure she has everything she needs. Learn more by talking to a specialist.

If you are considering caregivers in Summerlin, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Four Myths About Aging That You Must Ignore

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Craig Bass

Home Care Assistance in Summerlin NV

As you get older, you start to hear things or even believe things about getting older that may not be true. Here are the four myths about aging that you have to ignore.

Sleep is Less Important

Sleep is just as important as it was when you were a child. Your mom and dad should try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Eight is better. To improve the odds for a good night’s sleep, they should stop drinking water a couple of hours before bed. That helps them avoid middle-of-the-night bathroom trips.

Your mom and dad need to avoid a heavy meal right before bedtime. Your parents should also create a bedtime routine that doesn’t vary. Talk to them about going upstairs, reading a book for an hour, and then turning on a fan for white noise.

Your Diet Doesn’t Matter

Diet is even more important as you age. For artery and muscle health, your parents need to avoid excess sodium and eat enough protein. They must avoid saturated fats and added sugars. They need to make sure they’re eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes, and low-fat dairy that’s high in calcium.

Arthritis Limits Your Mobility

Arthritis is prevalent as you age. It’s hard to avoid it. Your toe and ankle joints, knee joints, and hip joints have handled your weight for decades. Understandably, they’d start to wear out and become painful.

When you have arthritis, mobility may seem counterproductive. It’s painful to walk around, so you shouldn’t. The truth is that you need to stay mobile. It’s what keeps the joints limber and reduces pain. If your parents want to avoid intense arthritis pain, daily activities and exercise are crucial.

Home Care Services Are Just for People Who Are Very Ill or Infirm

Are you among the number of people who associate home care as being something for an aging adult who is very ill or immobile? Home care can help people in those situations, but there’s far more to it. It’s about helping someone remain independent in their home for as long as possible. It’s a helping hand.

Relying on others for help doesn’t mean you’ve lost your independence. Reinforce that with your parents as often as you can. If they need help with daily activities, home care is the perfect solution.

With the help of caregivers, your parents don’t struggle with tasks like housekeeping or meal preparation. They have someone to help out, enabling them to maintain their independence as they age at home. Call a home care agency to learn more.

If you are considering home care assistance in Summerlin, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Golden Heart Conducts Successful Monthly Training

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Craig Bass

Golden Heart is proud to announce that it has completed another month of successful caregiver training at our corporate office.

This month we focused on the importance of successful communication between the client, family and care staff.

The staff was was engaged and hungry!

We provided lunch and dinner for all staff members involved. Overall, we had a great time and learned a lot.

Home Care Las Vegas Training

Use National Anti-Boredom Month to Explore New Outdoor Activities

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Craig Bass

July was chosen as National Anti-Boredom Month because it’s the time of year when kids are out of school and starting to miss their friends. Boredom isn’t just for kids. When it gets hot outside, you may hear your parents complain about being stuck inside. What can you do?

During summer’s heat, you may not be able to get outside as much, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay trapped inside all of the time. Here are some of the outdoor activities that help your parents avoid feeling bored while also staying cool.

Fish for Fun or Food

Invest in some fishing poles and head to the nearest fishing hole. Your parents can keep what they catch and have fresh fish for dinner. Or, they could catch and release if they’re not interested in eating fish. You might want to see if fishing charters nearby can take your parents out onto the lake or ocean. That enables them to try to catch fish they don’t see as often.

Go Swimming or Soak in a Pool

Elderly Care in Summerlin NV

Swimming pools aren’t as expensive as they were in the past. An inflatable ring pool is a suitable solution to summer’s heat. You don’t have to purchase a big one either. Get a small pool, fill it with water and soak in that on a hot summer’s day.

If you have a full-size pool or live near a public pool, take advantage of it. Your parents get plenty of exercise swimming laps. If they prefer, they can walk laps and use the resistance of the water to help them work out their leg muscles.

Photograph Nature

Grab a camera and head into the forest. The shade of the trees keeps you cooler, and your parents can get photos of nature along the way. If they don’t want to go into the forest, look for other scenic areas like rivers with waterfalls, lakes, and public gardens.

Play Water Volleyball

Head to a lake or ocean cove where the water is waist-deep and play water volleyball. You can get inflatable nets and an inflatable beach ball to make it easy to bring with you. The benefit to the water is you stay cool, and falling doesn’t hurt.

In between your visits, who helps your parents with daily activities? Call a home care agency and look into elderly care providers. Caregivers assist their elderly clients with housework, meals, transportation, laundry, medication reminders, and so much more. With elderly care aides helping them, your parents are able to age at home independently and safely.

If you are considering elderly care in Summerlin, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Six of the Best Habits to Embrace as You Age

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Craig Bass

Senior Care in Henderson NV

As your parents’ caregiver, you need to keep your well-being in mind. At the same time, you also want them to stay in the best possible health, making it important for them to embrace healthy habits. Team up and make sure all of you are taking steps to improve your health.

Choose Meals and Snacks Wisely

Added sugars, high sodium items, saturated fat, and processed flours are all poor dietary choices. It’s time to embrace a diet that focuses on whole grains, lean proteins, healthy unsaturated fats, and a lot of fresh produce.

Make as much as you can from scratch using fresh fruits and vegetables, grains like farrow and barley, and healthy fats like walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil. Canned low-sodium beans are high in fiber and low in fat, so they’re a must-have. Stop snacking on cakes, cookies, and doughnuts. Instead, enjoy nuts, raw vegetables, and fresh fruit.

Exercise Often

Every day, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity. If you feel you can do more than half an hour, feel free. Mix it up, too. Put on a Yoga or Tai Chi video before you shower in the morning. Go for a walk after dinner. Add weight training and aerobic activities throughout the week.

Stop Smoking

If you or your parents still smoke, it’s a good time to stop. Talk to your doctor about cessation aids that will help you kick the habit. Within weeks of quitting, your blood’s carbon monoxide levels return to normal.

You’ll find it’s easier to breathe. It also helps lower your blood pressure and reduces the risk of many chronic health conditions like gum disease and lung diseases.

Check Your Blood Pressure

See your doctor each year for a blood pressure screening. You may want to ask about electronic monitors you can use at home to track it so that you’re not dealing with doctor’s office anxiety when the reading is taken.

Drink Plenty of Water

Everyone should be drinking about two liters of water per day. Set this as your goal, and do your best to reach it each day. Some foods will add water to your daily intake, but it’s also essential to drink enough water throughout the day.

Make Time for Fun

It’s just as crucial for you to take breaks. If you’re busy helping your mom and dad and keeping up with work, stop and think about your last day off. Has it been months or years since you did something fun like take a vacation or went out with your friends?

Hire senior care aides to help your parents for a few days. While their needs are covered, you’ll have time to go on a trip. Take some days off, sleep in, and lounge around the home for a chance.

No matter how you decide to relax and unwind, make sure you take this time for yourself. Senior care is the best way to ensure everyone’s needs are covered.

If you are considering senior care in Henderson, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Socializing and Fun: Two Things the Elderly Need

Posted on July 2, 2021 by Craig Bass

Caregivers in Las Vegas NV

The elderly need to keep socializing and having fun. If they don’t do this, their memory and other health aspects are likely to decline. The good news is there are many ways for elderly people to have a great time in life. If you are a family caregiver, keep reading here to find out more about how your elderly loved one can socialize and have fun at the same time.

Joining a Club

What interests does your elderly loved one have? Do they like gardening, reading, crocheting, or singing? Talk to your elderly loved one to find out what passions they have. Then, you can help your elderly loved one to find clubs in their area or online that fit with these passions. If needed, you can even hire caregivers to drive your loved one to these clubs. By attending a club, your elderly loved one can feel like they belong somewhere. They can also socialize and have fun.

Humor

Another way for your elderly loved one to have fun is by hanging out with people who enjoy laughing and having a good time. Think about the people your elderly loved one spends most of their time with. Now think about the times when you see your elderly loved one smiling around certain people. Who are those people? These are the people they should be spending more time with.

Hosting a Gathering

Your elderly loved one can have fun and socialize by having a small get together at their home. There are so many different types of parties they can throw. You or their caregivers can help to put on the party, too. A dinner or game party can be a fun way to see longtime friends or family that haven’t been together in awhile.

Conclusion

Socializing and having fun are very important for the elderly. Doing these things helps the elderly to reduce stress, ease their pain, express themselves, and much more. If you want to help your elderly loved one obtain these things in life, you should encourage them to do the things mentioned above. If needed, you can hire caregivers to help your elderly loved one with these things, as well. Caregivers can even visit your elderly loved one regularly. This way, your loved one doesn’t feel alone. The caregivers can play games with them, have conversations, and much more.

Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7233208/

If you are considering caregivers in Las Vegas, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Month: July 2021