It is perhaps a well-known fact that storytelling and sharing from one generation to another is good for everyone, young and old. But a new study has put it to the test, and has found that it is especially good for older adults on multiple levels – mentally, emotionally, and physically. The study focused on writing workshops for older adults living at home and in retirement communities. These workshops were conducted in group settings where adults were prompted to write “life reviews,” a form of memoir and personal writing. Thirty-nine seniors were randomly assigned to two distinct groups: one group
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Posts by Freedom Home Care
Links Found Between Air Pollution and Degenerative Brain Diseases
The latest research indicates yet more reasons to go green — namely because not doing so could cost us our mental health. Air pollution has now been linked with degenerative cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The immense number of cars on the road with inefficient combustion infuses the air we breathe with fine and ultrafine particles — specks of waste at least 36 times finer than a grain of sand, often riddled with toxic combinations of sulfate, nitrate and ammonium ions, hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. We have long known that these tiny particles cause and exacerbate respiratory problems like asthma and
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Join Us In Celebrating and Extending the Reach of Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month!
Did you know that June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month? Don’t worry if you didn’t, we understand! With many high-profile campaigns being mounted on behalf of undoubtedly deserving causes lately, suddenly popping up into the public eye and often seemingly disappearing almost as quickly, it can sometimes be tough to keep track of exactly where and how to stay in touch with the causes that really matter to you. This month, Freedom Home Care would like to take the excellent opportunity to see Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month not only as a short-term effort to raise visibility on relative
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Chicago Family Organizes 26 Mile Run For Alzheimer’s Awareness
Nearly five million adults in the U.S. suffer from Alzheimer’s, according to the National Institute on Aging. And while that number varies among experts, those of here at Freedom Home Care, your home care agency of Chicago, know that the effects of a disease like this one can radically alter the lifestyles of everyone it touches. Alzheimer’s or ALZ, is the most common form of dementia, the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., and by some estimates, the third leading cause of death in older Americans. Many people caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s seek help and support in
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New Research Finds More Ways to Prevent Cataracts, While Others Create Bionic Lenses
At Freedom Home Care, we’ve heard if we eat our carrots we’ll have great vision, but has anyone told you to eat your spinach for the same results? Sure, we associate the leafy green with strong PopEye muscles, but in a recent study done by a team at Qingdao University Medical College in China, it turns out that maybe spinach has been the answer to our vision problems all along. The study, involving nearly a quarter of a million people, found that foods that are rich in vitamin E, like spinach, seed and broccoli, are incredibly beneficial for the health
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The Importance of Staying Hydrated
We have heard time and time again how important it is for us to stay hydrated. From our parents when we were young to our doctors as we get older, water consumption is reiterated as one of the most important things you can do for your body every day. Many of our vital life processes rely on keeping a certain level of hydration and dipping too far below that level can lead to drastic consequences. Freedom Home Care understands that hydration is certainly very important in the elderly. Improper hydration can lead to blood pressure issues as well as kidney
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Summer Skin Care Tips For Seniors
We’re all familiar with the phrase “soaking up the sun.” But how much do we know about the effects that taking in too much sun can have on our bodies? The UV rays from the sun tend to cause damage to the elastin in our skin, destroying the body’s collagen. Elastin helps our skin snap back into its normal position. The sun breaks down these fibers in the skin causing sagging, stretching, and bruising. Over time, skin loses its elasticity and wrinkles begin to form. Over exposure to the sun also causes dry skin, freckles, brown spots, and sun burn. The pursuit
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Running is Not Just for the Young
Although it is rare for someone to pick up competitive running in their sixties or later, Freedom Home Care has seen it happen as well as the benefits that come along with it. Even if you are a very athletic person, you may be joining the rest of us average people who start to see a change in our skills and activity level between ages 30 to 40. That is due to the unavoidable decline in muscular strength, endurance, and higher risk of injury. Not to mention, as we get older our injuries tend to keep us out of commission
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A New Way to Prevent Alzheimer’s
The latest research into Alzheimer’s suggests there may be a new way to prevent the debilitating disease. Scientists have not yet discovered the exact cause of Alzheimer’s, but it is believed it has something to do with abnormal amounts of faulty proteins – amyloid plaques and tau tangles – frequently found in sufferers’ brains. The production and accumulation of beta amyloid plaques in the brain cause irreversible memory as well as cognitive and motor impairments. It is the major neurotoxic agent in Alzheimer’s Disease. The use of certain compounds may block the formation of beta-amyloid, a faulty protein that clogs
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Core Estate Planning Documents that Everyone Should Have: Power of Attorney
Freedom Home Care recently spoke with Matthew R. Margolis from Margolis Weldon and he was kind enough to provide us with this piece concerning Power of Attorney: A common question that I hear from clients, friends, and family is, “why do I need a power of attorney?” The short answer is because once you turned 18, you became the only person who could make a health care decision on your behalf or sign your own name. It is important to differentiate between a Power of Attorney for Health Care (HCPOA) and a Power of Attorney for Property (PPOA). If a
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