Humans have a connection to the outdoors, and it is no different for the elderly. Outdoor spaces can be extremely beneficial for elderly people, especially those who struggle with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Learn more about this below. How Outdoor Spaces Help the Elderly The outdoors is said to help many people feel more relaxed and happier. When walking in nature, people feel less stressed, which can boost their mood. Is the same thing true for the elderly? According to the Chicago Botanic Garden, “The keys (and often the greatest challenges) to successful aging are to remain physically active and socially
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Archives for Alzheimer’s Disease
Tips to Give Yourself a Calming Environment
The space around us can have a huge impact on mood, concentration, comfort, and safety. For the elderly, particularly those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, a calming environment can make a huge difference. An environment that creates a state of calm and relaxation can reduce agitation and confusion. The following are three key things to consider when creating a calming environment for yourself or an elderly person you love. 1. Lighting – Since the elderly often struggle with sight, a well-lit room is essential to creating a calming environment. Provide as much natural light as possible, but when that
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Signs Someone You Love May Have Alzheimer’s
Today almost everyone is directly or indirectly affected by Alzheimer’s. If you don’t know someone personally who has Alzheimer’s, the probability is high that you know someone who knows someone with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s makes up between 60 and 80 percent of the people living with some form of dementia. It is estimated that there are about 5.7 million people currently living with Alzheimer’s in the US. With that number expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, it has never been more important to be able to recognize the signs. 1. Changes in Memory – It’s normal for your loved
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Freedom Home Care’s Medical Staffing Services
You may have seen Freedom Home Care services advertised in the Chicago area. Freedom Home Care Highland Park provides many different in-home senior care services to give those that you love a little bit of extra help. However, you might not know that Freedom Home Care also has medical staffing services. Learn more about these medical staffing services below. Medical Staffing Services The medical staffing service at Freedom Home Care is separate from their other senior-care services. This medical staffing service is to help your hospital or doctor’s office get some extra medical staff if you happen to have a
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Holiday Gift Guide for Seniors
As you begin your Christmas shopping list, don’t forget about getting something for that special someone. Whether they are your senior next-door neighbor, your parents, or the family members you hardly see. As you go down the list, items might get harder and harder to think of. It may be difficult to find something that they don’t already own, but don’t fret! We here at Freedom Home Care have compiled a holiday gift guide for seniors that they’ll love! Whether they love to spend time outdoors in the garden or sitting on the porch, or they’re on the hunt looking
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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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The Benefits of Reading for Seniors
With National “Read A Book Day” approaching in early September, what better time to learn about the benefits of reading for seniors than now! As a homecare agency, we know just how important it is to maintain your best possible physical and mental health. Find out the benefits of reading from us here at Freedom Home Care! The first benefit of reading regularly is that it will help enhance memory skills. While reading on a regular basis, it can be very critical to the short-term recall of events that happen each day. Think of it as a mini-workout. Each time
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Let’s Talk Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
Every June is Alzheimer’s and brain awareness month in the United States. This is a time for people of all ages to raise awareness and join in on the fight against this disease. To increase awareness, we at Freedom Home Care have provided some ways to get involved for all ages. Let’s start with something for everyone. The first thing you can do to get involved is to maintain 67 seconds of silence. Every 67 seconds someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and showing some silence will help recognize just how frequent this disease is. Wearing purple is
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Can Dementia Come and Go?
Can Dementia Come and Go? That is often something that goes through a lot of people’s minds when they are dealing with or have a family member diagnosed with dementia. At Freedom Home Care, your home care agency, we have asked some experts and are here to share what they have to say about dementia coming and going. One morning your loved one is lost and not sure who you are greeting them. The next morning they greet you with a smile and are enjoying the daily newspaper. Could it be that their dementia has gone away and they
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5 Books on Caring for Aging Parents and Grandparents
The National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP estimated that about 34.2 million Americans have provided care to an adult 50 or older. The Alzheimer’s Association found that approximately 15.7 million adult family caregivers have cared for loved ones living with Alzheimer’s. Caring for aging parents, grandparents, family or friends is becoming a common experience. Many of us find reading stories from other caregivers helpful to understand and prepare for care-giving duties. Below are a couple books that depict the challenges of caring for seniors. “The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias,
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