Last month, the folks here at Freedom Home Care dedicated a few blogs to macular degeneration, a vision condition that affects more than 15 million Americans. We explained what the condition entails and methods to slow its progress and we offered a video that helps sufferers measure the degree of severity that they’re experiencing. To continue on the theme of healthy vision, we tracked down 10 effective nutritional supplements that have the potential to improve eyesight. The following list comes from the editors at NewsMax.com: 1. Vitamin A: Vitamin A is required in large doses to ensure proper functioning of the
Read More
Archives for Anti-Aging
10 great reasons to put on the teakettle
Not too long ago, the folks here at Freedom Home Care read a blog about some of the benefits of drinking coffee. For some odd reason, coffee seems to be a guilty pleasure, so it was great to hear about all of its heart-friendly attributes. Tea, on the other hand, has always been touted as the more sophisticated drink of choice. Perhaps it’s the way the Brits delicately drink it with their pinky finger pointing out or perhaps it has something to do with its ancient roots. Either way, we thought that we would dedicate a few blogs to what
Read More
Understanding age-related vision decline
The signs of aging – if only they didn’t exist. Unfortunately, however, there are many ways in which the body will change as the years progress. Failing vision is just one of many areas where older individuals will experience the signs of aging, and therefore, it is by no means rare. In fact, it’s one of the most common aspects to growing old. Macular degeneration, a progressive eye condition, affects nearly 15 million Americans, and its numbers are growing as Baby Boomers reach their 60s and 70s. According to AMD.org, the website for the Macular Degeneration Partnership, “the disease attacks the
Read More
Living past 100 – secrets of centenarians
Yesterday, we here at Freedom Home Care reported that the world lost its oldest member. Besse Cooper peacefully passed away after 116 years on the planet, and in an interview with Guinness World Records, she attributed her long life to minding her own business and not eating junk food. And although only eight others have ever lived to such an age, many do live past 100. The question, therefore, surrounds the secrets of their longevity. In an article published by Everyday Health, “researchers believe that both genetics and lifestyle behaviors play an important part in a centenarian’s health and longevity.”
Read More
Celebrating the record-long life of 116-year-old Besse Cooper
Early this month, 116-year-old Besse Cooper peacefully passed away after a long life as a daughter, a sister, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, a wife and a schoolteacher. And surely, after more than a century of living, we here at Freedom Home Care are confident that she was probably so much more to the many people she inspired over the years. According to those at the Guinness World Records, she was the oldest person on the planet at the time of her passing. She was also only one of eight who have ever lived to that age. In the
Read More
Rhonda Guzman introduces the six aspects of wellness
On Nov. 20, Freedom Home Care welcomed Rhonda Guzman, director of therapy at the Claremont Rehab and Living Center, to speak about the six aspects of wellness. She spoke about the life choices that are instrumental in leading to improved health, wellness and an overall better quality of life. Focused on wellness as the active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence, the attendees of the event were engrossed in her expertise on the topic of better living. Guzman explained that the aspects of wellness are broken into six specific areas, including emotional, intellectual,
Read More
7 ways for seniors to treat dry mouth
As we here at Freedom Home Care have discussed in previous blog posts, there are many changes that individuals will face as they grow older. Although some of those changes are quite expected, many of the signs of aging will come as a surprise. Dry mouth is one of these unforeseen items. spy apps for android “If [seniors] have a chronic disease managed by medications, one of the side effects is dry mouth,” explained Dr. Marsha A. Pyle, director of the Training Center for Geriatric Oral Health and associate dean of Education at the Case School of Dental Medicine in
Read More
Laughter does the body (and brain) good
Memory loss is a common side effect of aging. As our bodies (and brains) grow older, it becomes more and more difficult to remember where we put our car keys or when we were supposed to water the plants. In the following video, posted on the official AARP YouTube channel, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist and animator Walt Handelsman puts a lighthearted spin on the forgetfulness that most of us will experience later in life. In fact, the old saying “laughter is the best medicine,” actually holds true when it comes to improving our memories. “Unlike emotional responses, which are limited
Read More
Considering a pet for your aging loved one
In the article “Our Pets, Our Health,” published by the Pet Information Bureau in Washington, D.C., editors explained the mental health benefits that can come from having a cat or dog in the home. And although there is some work associated with keeping a pet, there can be even greater rewards for it. “Many of us occasionally feel alienated from others and some of us, such as the elderly…feel this loneliness even more acutely,” the article explains. “Pets can help bridge this isolation by serving as a social catalyst between young and old.” As more and more aging individuals choose to live
Read More
Superagers – defying age in a single bound
Last night, if you were watching the 9 o’clock nightly news, you might have noticed a spry, good-looking older gal cruising the shops of downtown Chicago. And then, if you continued watching, you would have learned that that older woman was, in fact, 85 years old. According to a study taking place at Northwestern University, 85-year-old Barb Shaeffer falls under the category of superager – men and women in their 80s or older who exhibit remarkable memory and energy for their age. Since discovering this category of age-defiance, Northwestern researchers examined 12 individuals from the Chicago area who fit the
Read More
