Freedom Home Care Lake Forest would like to remind you that November is also American Diabetes Month. With that in mind, here are some tips on preparing food for the holidays for people with diabetes. The holidays can be a tough time for diabetics. There are many sweet, starchy foods in abundance and it’s generally a time of festive binge eating. By preparing ahead of time, both hosts and guests can enjoy eating in sensible and healthy ways. Here is a guide for how to do that. Have a Food Plan The success of any event depends on a good
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Posts by Freedom Home Care
It’s Alzheimer’s Awareness Month!
November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, a time set aside to honor the millions of men and women who live with Alzheimer’s. As five million Americans live with the brain disorder, it’s imperative that time is spent finding a cure for Alzheimer’s, while working toward its treatment and prevention. Alzheimer’s Awareness Month helps to bring awareness to this disorder while offering ongoing support to those who are affected by the disease. What is Alzheimer’s? Alzheimer’s is a progressive, and unfortunately irreversible, brain disorder that slowly erodes a person’s memory, thinking, and mental processing abilities. Even the most seemingly mundane and simplest
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National Hospice Awareness Month
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and Freedom Home Care is working to help raise understanding and awareness. If you have a loved one who is in need of hospice care, we are your home care agency. We provide assistance and the support you need and deserve. Understanding Hospice Care Hospice is a specific form of care for patients who are terminally ill. Once medical treatments are no longer curative, care is tailored and designed to give that patient comfort and the highest quality of life possible, rather than a cure. The ultimate goal of hospice care
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Communicating with Loved Ones with Dementia: Avoiding Distress
Elderly Parent Refuses Help: What to Do
Our parents, especially in their later years, can often be reluctant to admit that their time is catching up. They sometimes say misleading phrases like, “I don’t need help” or “I can take care of myself.” Even though these statements may be true at times, our parents and grandparents aren’t indestructible. They’re not superheroes and that’s perfectly fine, but they must understand this crucial fact. Dealing with parents can often cause headaches and leave family members stressed; these next tips will help show you how to deal with an elderly parent. Ask Questions Before any arguing can begin, try asking
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How to Reduce Joint Pain in the Colder Months
With the temperatures starting to lower, it’s not uncommon to hear complaints about increased joint pain. It is believed that there’s a common factor between the changing temperatures and precipitation levels, and the pain they experience within their bodies. According to a study, 2/3 of people interviewed about chronic pain said that they experienced most of their pain in the colder seasons. Most people said that they could tell when the weather was about to change because they felt pain in the days prior. Below, are some ways to prevent some of the chronic pain you may experience. Dress in
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4 Important Considerations When Planning for Home Care
Planning home care for a loved one is never easy. There a lot of aspects of care that work together to meet the needs of your senior. What type of services will they require? Will they need it full time or part time? What about equipment or supplies? How much can your loved one still do on their own without any help? Planning ahead for your senior’s long term care is critical, so it’s important that those initial steps are in place. But with everything that needs to be done, it’s hard to know exactly where to start. Professional agencies
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What is Validation Therapy and How Does it Work?
For those who have family members living with Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia know that it may be difficult to communicate with them at time. We at Freedom Home Care know just how tough it can be- so we would like to show you a therapy that may be effective in providing your loved ones with some relief. Validation therapy is something that is used in a Home Care Agency’s work. It is the idea that there is an underlying reason for disoriented people’s behavior. Those who study this theory believe that in order to help those living with Dementia, find
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Benefits of Music for the Elderly
We at Freedom Home Care, your home care agency, believe that music can work in many ways. One way found in a recent study shows that music is good for the health. The relationship between music and senior citizens can be beneficial for health and the quality of life. With the holidays and holiday music approaching right around the corner, we thought what better way to show you just how effective music can be. A study by the American music Therapy Association showed that music and activities done with music provides comfort and relief to people living with Alzheimer’s
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Beating the Holiday Blues for Seniors
Depression during the holidays has become an unfortunate epidemic, even among seniors. According to Mental Health America statistics, more than 34 million seniors age 65 and older are dealing with depression in one form or another. And growing older doesn’t mean depression has to be a part of the everyday experience. Many people suffer from depression due to chronic illnesses like cancer, arthritis, heart disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Older loved ones are also more likely to be alone around the holidays. Family has moved out of state. A significant others have passed on. Friends might not keep in touch like
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