Archives for exercise

Sleeping your way to 100

Sleeping your way to 100

August 15, 2012 | Comments Off on Sleeping your way to 100

The next time you hear the ridiculous phrase, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” you may want to let the individual know that their chances of reaching age 100 could be slim as long as a good night’s sleep isn’t part of the equation. According to a Wall Street Journal article, extra sleep and a healthy diet equate to a longer life lived. The primary findings of a United Healthcare study that looked at centenarians and baby boomers and the possibility of reaching the age of 100 revealed that “many boomers are embracing lifestyles that could lead to a long and rewarding
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Getting health benefits from video games

Getting health benefits from video games

August 11, 2012 | Comments Off on Getting health benefits from video games

It’s a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon, and chances are that a lot of Chicagoland kids are inside playing video games. As adults, whether it be a parent or a grandparent, it should be our responsibility to get those kids off the couch and outside. And then once Chicago’s youth have taken a deep breath of fresh air, we adults, should then feel it our responsibility to pick up those controllers and start playing video games where the kids left off. Although it might sound a bit odd, a recent Wall Street Journal post titled “How Video Games Keep Seniors Fit,” discussed
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The NCOA debunks the myths of older adult falls

The NCOA debunks the myths of older adult falls

August 6, 2012 | Comments Off on The NCOA debunks the myths of older adult falls

The National Council on Aging is a great resource for older individuals as well as for the people who take care of them. Therefore, we here at Freedom Home Care tend to visit the NCOA’s website with a fair amount of frequency. When we stumbled on the article, “Debunking the Myths of Older Adult Falls,” we knew we had to share it with the regular visitors of our blogs. We hope you find it to be as enlightening as we did: Myth 1: Falling happens to other people, not to me. Reality: Many people think, “It won't happen to me.” But
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Competing in the 2012 Olympic Games at age 71

Competing in the 2012 Olympic Games at age 71

July 30, 2012 | Comments Off on Competing in the 2012 Olympic Games at age 71

Hiroshi Hoketsu of Japan, pictured here, is 71 years old and is, believe it or not, competing at the 2012 London Olympics in the individual dressage for Japan's equestrian team. According to an article recently published by the Huffington Post, Hoketsu isn’t just the oldest athlete to compete at London 2012; he's the oldest one to do so in the last 92 years. As we have come to understand, staying active at a later age in life is not just important; it is imperative. And physical activity isn’t just good for aging individuals; it’s good for people of all ages. Simple
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Reminding patients that there's no place like home

Reminding patients that there's no place like home

July 16, 2012 | Comments Off on Reminding patients that there's no place like home

When a person hears the terms home health care, in-home care or home health aide services, often times the first thing that comes to mind is caring for the elderly. This, however, is a bit of a misnomer, considering that home health care can run the gamut – from post-surgery care to speech therapy. “Home health care is a wide range of health care services that can be given in your home,” Medicare.gov explains. “Home health care is usually less expensive, more convenient, and just as effective as care you get in a hospital or skilled nursing facility.” Just as it
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Paving a road to hip replacement recovery

Paving a road to hip replacement recovery

July 10, 2012 | Comments Off on Paving a road to hip replacement recovery

According to an article on AARP.com, total hip replacements are on the rise – to the tune of 285,000 each year in the United States alone. The figure equates to a 25 percent increase in just five years. “Total hip replacement surgery has some of the best results of all major surgeries,” Paul King, M.D., director of the Joint Center at the Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Md. said in the article. Luckily, insurance will typically cover the bill, minus co-pays of course. Patients, too, will get their money’s worth, considering the implants typically last 20 to 25 years. Regardless
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4 of 4: The signs of aging, a four-part series

4 of 4: The signs of aging, a four-part series

June 26, 2012 | Comments Off on 4 of 4: The signs of aging, a four-part series

Over the past week, we here at Freedom Home Care have been looking at the National Institute of Health’s “Eight Areas of Age-Related Change.” And we’ve been quite captivated by the list because we believe that being aware of the physical changes that our bodies undergo later in life is the best way to combat old age today. So as we post these last two topics, we’d like to thank the NIH for arming us with the knowledge that will help us better enjoy our twilight years. 7. Skin “The simplest and cheapest way to keep your skin healthy and young
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2 of 4: The signs of aging, a four-part series

2 of 4: The signs of aging, a four-part series

June 22, 2012 | Comments Off on 2 of 4: The signs of aging, a four-part series

Mary Ann Evans, better known by her pen name, George Eliot, said, “Old men's eyes are like old men's memories; they are strongest for things a long way off.” Evens, a leading Victorian journalist and author, delivered a touching sentiment about old age with her statement; it is one that speaks to the changes that take place in one’s twilight years. According to the National Institute of Health, there are eight areas of change associated with aging. And in an effort to disseminate the information surrounding these areas of change, we here at Freedom Home Care are delivering the message
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More Than Tired: A look at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

More Than Tired: A look at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

May 17, 2012 | Comments Off on More Than Tired: A look at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

We all experience exhaustion at times in our lives, and usually, a few good nights’ sleep and some self-care can get us back on track.  Occasionally, fatigue becomes chronic and other intervention is in order.  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a relatively new condition, having only been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control since 1988. According to the US Department of Health and Services Office on Women’s Health, experts say that one million people currently suffer from the condition, although fewer than 20 percent of these cases have been diagnosed.  Women are four times more likely to have disease,
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