When mobility is an issue, something as simple as going up and down the stairs can be a challenge. Certain conditions make it even more difficult to move about your home like arthritis, specific types of muscular diseases and dementia. Mobility can also be affected after having major surgery when in-home care and post-surgery care is needed in order to assist in recovery. Many people have to consider alternative solutions to stairs whenever living in a two-story home prohibits safe movement from one floor to the next – which can be costly for a senior living on a fixed income.
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Archives for balance
Tips for Choosing the Right Walking Cane
Choosing the right cane requires a little more planning than most people can imagine. Before investing in a cane or walker, seniors should first identify the reason they need walking support, if they need it to support their full weight and the appropriate type, size, and fit of the device. Canes and walkers provide different levels of support for the person using them. They can be beneficial to seniors with pain, weakness and problems balancing on their own. They’re also helpful in avoiding falls and providing extra support when needed. And according to Lori Ramage, physical therapist and the Joint Club
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Freedom Home Care Sponsors Fitness Classes for Seniors
We at Freedom Home Care enjoy being regularly involved in our community, and one way we do so is by sponsoring some fun and exciting senior fitness classes, such as… Sit and Be Fit: One of the most popular classes offered to residents, this class provides residents with a combination of strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination based exercises. Part of the class is done seated, while the other half of class is done standing. However, for those who are unable to stand for the exercises, modifications are given. Chair Yoga: Very light class offered to residents interested in learning basic yoga while also improving their flexibility. The instructor takes the class through meditation techniques, breathing strategies, and seated yoga routines. This class is meant to leave the participants feeling calm and relaxed.
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Falling Down: Prevention Tips
Trips and falls can lead to serious injuries, hip fractures, and head traumas in older adults – Freedom Home Care wants to help you take steps to prevent them. Each year, one in every three adults ages 65 and older slip and fall in the U.S. According to Physical Therapist Alice Bell, seniors who have fallen once are the most at risk of falling again. There are a number of factors that contribute to falls experienced by seniors, and any kind of fall can be especially dangerous for people with Osteoporosis. Known to many as the silent disease, Osteoporosis causes
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Three steps to “catch yourself” before falling
The Fall Prevention Center of Excellence at the University of Southern California is one of the top authorities on falls in the elderly population. The group spends their efforts helping those at risk to avoid falls of any kind. Therefore, they target those who are suffering from muscle weakness, arthritis, a history of falling, depression, difficulty balancing or walking, difficulty thinking or vision problems as well as those who take multiple medications. According to the group’s “Catch Yourself: Simple Steps to Prevent Falls” brochure, the following suggestions should help you or aging loved ones stay on their own two feet:
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Need exercise? Put on your dancing shoes!
For some seniors, certain types of exercise can be just too much. Jogging and high-impact aerobics are too strenuous, and other types of workouts might require special equipment or gym memberships that don’t fit into a tight budget. how to get ex back Therefore, some seniors might want to consider filling up their dance card. It can be a great way to stay fit and healthy. More over, dancing can be a fun way to socialize with others. According to an article published by eHow.com and written by Maggie McCormick, dancing has plenty of benefits. Here are just a few
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FHC makes yoga accessible to patients for better posture and balance
Because we here at Freedom Home Care understand the importance of balance and posture for seniors, we have been hosting a weekly chair yoga class at the Homestead at Morton Grove. Each week, one of our RNs, who is also a licensed massage therapist, has led the class. And each week, residents have expressed gratitude for having the opportunity to participate in one of the world’s most popular ways to increase balance, flexibility and circulation and improve posture and overall health. To learn more about the yoga classes, contact Freedom Home Care or the folks at the Homestead at Morton Grove. In
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Overcoming the great digital divide
It’s not uncommon for the elderly loved ones in our lives to feel frustrated with today’s technology. After all, much of the new devices and tech tools seem to be geared more toward the younger generations. “What’s developing is a digital divide,” said Ken Dychtwald in a recent NY Times article. “New technologies are largely oriented to people under the age of 50. If you’re older than that, you have to muster the courage to ask your family how things work.” Dychtwald is the chief executive of Age Wave, a research and consulting organization that focuses on population aging, and
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Learning the basic movements of Sun tai chi with Dr. Mike Neskovic
Yesterday, we here at Freedom Home Care posted a blog about tai chi and the benefits that the ancient form of exercise can offer elderly individuals. Therefore, for today’s blog, we felt compelled to post a video that can get the aging loved ones in our life started on a new path toward exercise and healthy living. The video highlights Sun-style tai chi, which is recognized by the American Arthritis Foundation as the official tai chi for arthritis. When seniors choose to follow along with Dr. Mike Neskovic, they quickly discover that the movements are gracious, slow and rhythmic. The
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Finding balance through tai chi
The Chinese have long been known for their unique way of living, which has produced some of the healthiest yet oldest individuals on the planet. It is a way of life that combines both body and mind. And at the heart of it lies tai chi, an ancient martial art that has been practiced for centuries for both its defense purposes as well as its health benefits. “Deeply rooted in Chinese meditation, medicine, and martial arts, tai chi (pronounced ”tie chee”) combines mental concentration with slow, controlled movements to focus the mind, challenge the body, and improve the flow of
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