Give the Gift of Life: National Blood Donor Month
This year marks the 50th anniversary of National Blood Donor Month, and the nation’s need for blood is still just as urgent as it was in 1969. In the United States, every 2 seconds someone is in need of donated blood, whether for surgery, chronic illness, cancer treatment or traumatic injuries. One donation can save up to three lives!
The Thyroid and Aging
Fatigue, change in mood, hair and nail changes, weight changes, and memory issues. Sound like signs of aging? Maybe not. These could also be signs of a malfunctioning thyroid—a condition that can be mistaken for other reasons in older adults.
5 “Health” Foods That Really Are Bad for You
Many of these health food favorites are labeled “low fat,” “high energy” or “fresh,” but these promotional promises often fall short of true nutritional value. Here are five popular unhealthy health foods to watch out for well beyond the holiday season.
The Holiday Season: End Social Isolation Among Seniors
A May 2018 Forbes article highlighting the government report, “2017 Profile of Older Americans,” finds that 50 million Americans are age 65 or above. Of these older adults, about 14 percent of them live alone, and twice as many women as men in this age range live by themselves. Of American women over age 75, nearly half of them live alone. The year-end holiday season is often dreaded by many of these solo seniors who are just not up for the upbeat socializing and yuletide festivities.
Stream Family-Friendly Movies This Holiday Season
The holidays are a time for family, presents, indulgent food and, of course, movies! After all, what’s a better way to spend a snowy December afternoon or evening than snuggled up with your family on the couch watching holiday movies?
What Is Naturopathy or Naturopathic Medicine?
“We’re all going to get older, but your brain and body can function so much better when you take care of yourself from day to day. When our clients take better care of themselves and we help them with their care, what a big difference that makes in their health,” says Patty Hietpas, who has a doctorate in naturopathy and is certified as a naturopath, a non-physician practitioner who can help direct individuals in holistic health choices.
CE Webinar on Addressing Health Issues Seen in Seniors Over the Holiday Season
On December 13, Right at Home is sponsoring a web seminar, Discovering and Communicating the Need for Care, hosted by the American Society on Aging. We cordially invite you to join us and learn more about how you can discover and communicate the need for care concerning a senior loved one.
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week
The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) sponsors Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, which aims to help keep seniors more active, healthy and safe when they are behind the wheel. By keeping seniors on the road, rates of isolation, loneliness and depression can be reduced.
Keeping Older Loved Ones Warm in Winter
Prevention of cold exposure to seniors takes precautionary measures before winter sets in and ongoing observation by family members, caregivers and those familiar with the older loved one’s health and living environment.
Sundowning and Dementia: How to Manage Signs and Symptoms
As the days get shorter during winter, sundowning can be more of an issue. If your loved one is already experiencing sundowning symptoms, they will likely get worse during this season. Everything gets more confusing for people with dementia when daylight is lost.