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HOME CARE IS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE
If you need home care services during the coronavirus pandemic, COMFORT CARE is open and ready to assist you 24/7!
COMFORT CARE is Taking Action to Limit Transmission of COVID-19
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided for all clients and caregivers
Daily screening of caregivers prior to a home visit
Education on prevention, transmission, and infection control
Adjustment of caregiver schedules to limit exposure
We follow strict guidelines provided by the AHS
Safety Protocols for COMFORT CARE staff:
Our workers are trained to follow strict protocols whenever appropriate, including:
Wearing face masks and gloves
Washing hands thoroughly and frequently
Taking temperature checks for symptoms
Sanitizing points of contact in the home
Refraining from touching the face
Contact Us Today for Home Care Services
Our company is committed to keeping you or your loved one safe at home during the coronavirus pandemic. For questions about our home care services or coronavirus protocols, please call or send email.
BEYOND SENIOR CARE
FACTS ABOUT DEMENTIA
STRATEGIES TO PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS, BUILD STRONG BONES
PARKINSON'S DISEASE: RISK FACTORS AND TRATMENT
Characteristics of Parkinson’s include progressive loss of dopamine neurons in the middle brain and a dramatic reduction in dopamine levels in the frontal brain. When cells that normally produce dopamine die, common symptoms of Parkinson’s occur. These are different for each person. Symptoms fall into two categories: motor symptoms including tremors, stiffness, rigidity, slow movement, impaired balance, and difficulty walking; and non-motor symptoms, including fatigue, soft speech, drooling, constipation, sleep disturbances, anxiety, dementia, and depression.
STROKE
A stroke happens when blood stops flowing to any part of your brain, damaging brain cells. The effects of a stroke depend on the part of the brain that was damaged and the amount of damage done. Knowing how your brain works can help you understand your stroke.
EATING TO STAY YOUNG: ANTI-AGING FOODS
Anti-aging habits include smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and eating foods that are high in sodium, sugar, and trans fats. But eating foods that are high enough in phytonutrients like flavonoids and carotenoids (antioxidants found in a number of fruits and vegetables) can help with anti-aging and keep you feeling energetic and healthy by consuming high levels of antioxidants including anthocyanins, vitamins like A, C, E, and K, resveratrol, and healthy fats. Here are some fruits, vegetables, and other foods that will help your body resist the effects of aging.
Fruits: blueberries, cranberries, apples, avocados, melons (including those yummy cucumbers!), winter squash (it’s technically a fruit!), citrus fruits (healthier varieties contain seeds), tomatoes, olives, pomegranates, dark chocolate (It’s technically the seed of a fruit and yes, it is good for you! Just make sure it’s at least 70 percent cacao content and low in sugar. Better yet, try raw cacao beans or nibs)
Vegetables: carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, cabbage, lettuces, brussels sprouts, broccoli, beets
Miscellaneous: raw nuts (best when soaked in water for 6–8 hours), beans (cooked from scratch, not the can), green tea, wheatgrass juice, whole grains, seeds (particularly flax, hemp and chia)
PREVENTING FALLS
Falling is the number one reason for injury among seniors. Reduce the risk of falls by limiting of: slippery floors, installing handrails and grab bars, proper lighting, open doors and entrances, wayfinding by visual cues, using communication technology like emergency buttons. To avoid risk of falling try to: be active, check your vision regularly and review your meds.
PHISYCAL EXERCISE AND DANSING REDUSED THE RISK OF DEMENTIA
“Exercise helps maintain brain volume (which shrinks in Alzheimer’s) and promotes neuroplasticity, the forming of new brain connections,” Freiman wrote in an email. “Social dance is one of the activities shown to successfully help avert Alzheimer’s.” Sears recommends interval training (short bursts of activity followed by 90 seconds of rest), as well as lifting weights. He says these types of exercises reduce the impact of inflammation in other organs, resulting in better blood flow to the brain. Sustained aerobic exercises, such as running, have been shown to increase nerve growth factors in parts of the brain related to memory and learning. Dance/movement therapy has been effective in stimulating social interaction, enhancing mood, reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms, increasing self-awareness and self-expression.
AGING AND DEPRESION IN THE ELDERLY
Common symptoms of depression include: persistent said, anxious, loss of interest in activities, feeling of guilt, decreased energy, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, weight changes, suicide thoughts, restlessness, aches or pains, headaches, digestive problems. Risk factors my include: disability, chronic medical illness, female, use certain medications, family history of depression.
6 SYMPTOMS OF HEART ATTACK THAT WOMAN EXPERIENCE DIFRENTLY
While some of the symptoms of heart attack are shared by both sexes, there are others that are specific to women in particular. Here, we’ll look at six of the symptoms ladies need to pay special attention to.
By recognizing the symptoms quickly and calling for an ambulance, you stand a better chance of receiving effective treatment and survival. Even though we tend to think of older men as being at higher risk for heart disease and heart attack, the American Heart Association reports that heart attacks are still the number one killer of women in the United States.Dr. Nieca Goldberg of the Center for Women’s Health at NYU shared one of the symptomatic differences: “Although men and women can experience chest pressure that feels like an elephant sitting across the chest, women can experience a heart attack without chest pressure.”
1. Pain in the Back, Neck, Jaw, or Arms
2. Acute Stomach Pain
3. Cold Sweats
4. Shortness of Breath and Dizziness
5. Increased Fatigue
6. Pressure and Pain in the Chest
LOW VITAMIN D LINKED TO LOWER BACK PAIN IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMAN
According to the research published in the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), women who have low vitamin D level as well as smoking and high body mass index could be experiencing a greater likelihood of moderate to severe lower back pain and more severe lumbar disc degeneration. Possibly this is happening because of the beneficial effects vitamin D has on nerve and muscle pain sensitivity, muscle strength and mass, and inflammation. The role of vitamin D in the body is important because it is critical in maintaining levels of calcium and phosphorus, which can help to prevent bone diseases such as osteoporosis and rickets.
HOW TO KEEP STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM
A healthy immune system can help protect you from toxins, infections, allergens and more. Steps that can help builds a healthy and functional immune system. They include: anti-inflammatory diet (plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables) which includes vitamin C, zinc, exercise, modify stressors, good sleep and keeping vitamin D on the proper level.
HOW TO LOWER BLOOD PRESURE NATURALY
Many adults can make dietary and other lifestyle changes to bring their blood pressure to healthier levels
Drop Extra Pounds
Sack the Salt
Befriend Beets
Embrace Herbs and Nutrients:
Cardamom is good in soups, stews, and stir-fry. Research shows that cardamom can significantly reduce systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure.
Flaxseed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower blood pressure. Flaxseed can be added to nearly any recipe, ranging from salads and soups to smoothies, stews, grains, cereals, baked goods, and vegetables.
Garlic has an ability to relax blood vessels and in turn helps lower blood pressure. A recent meta-analysis of 20 trials, for example, reported that garlic reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive adults. Fresh and roasted garlic are an excellent addition to many dishes, but you can take supplements (odor-free) as well.
Ginger, a versatile ingredient that works well in soups, desserts, noodle and vegetable dishes, and stir-fry, as well as tea, can improve blood circulation and benefit blood pressure. A new study in Nutrition reports that daily consumption of ginger can reduce the risk of hypertension and also protect against coronary heart disease.
Hawthorn, a traditional Chinese medicine herb that has been used for cardiovascular issues for millennia. Currently, there is growing scientific evidence that hawthorn can improve mild cases of hypertension and also reduce the risk of other cardiovascular factors. Take hawthorn according to the directions of a knowledgeable health care provider.
Exercise Regularly
If you exercise at least 30 minutes on five or more days per week, you can
Allocate Alcohol
Manage Stress
Monitor Your Blood Pressure
Beta-Blockers for Hypertension Linked to Higher Risk of Heart Failure Among Women
New research has found that women who take beta-blockers for hypertension are at a higher risk for heart failure.
The study, published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, showed that women who were taking beta-blockers and had no prior history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have a nearly 5 percent higher risk for heart failure than men when admitted to hospital with the acute coronary syndrome.
Beta-blockers are commonly prescribed to adults with hypertension, a leading cause of CVD. This study set out to find the effects of beta-blockers on men and women with hypertension and no history of CVD.
Past studies have primarily focused on the effects of beta-blockers on men. Therefore, for this study, researchers set out to examine how gender plays a role in patient outcomes.
DEHYDRATION
What is dehydration?
• Dehydration occurs when fluids and electrolytes are lost due to profuse sweating and not drinking enough water.
• Various organs are affected. The person will feel ill and could become incapacitated.
• It can be difficult to detect mild to moderate dehydration.
Who is at risk?
• People who cannot recognize symptoms of dehydration.
• People who take psychotropic medications. Those medications may decrease the body’s ability to sweat. Certain medications such as lithium need water in the body to do their job; if there is not enough water the person may develop lithium toxicity, which can be life threatening. Other medications decrease certain brain functions such as temperature control, and the person becomes prone to overheating or heat loss.
• People with a long-term health condition such as diabetes.
• Infants.
• Older people.
• Athletes.
When is the risk higher?
• In hot weather
• During exercise
• During sickness
• Limited access to fluids
Prevent dehydration
• Offer water frequently
• Consider ways to make drinking water more palatable such as a pitcher of ice water with lemon or other fruits
• Monitor fluid intake and output – consider tracking this information
• Encourage other types of fluids if water is not preferred
• Watch for signs of dehydration (see next page)
• Individuals who rely on care from others may not recognize they need fluids. It is important for care providers to offer fluids frequently and watch for signs of dehydration.
• Water helps the body in many different ways. It regulates temperature, lubricates joints, and removes waste from the body.
• Plain water is the best but other beverages and foods high in water can also help with hydration. It is important to act quickly if someone is dehydrated, as the result can be serious and even life threatening. It is safer to have a person drink extra water now than to wait until they are in need of IV fluids.
• Medications or illness may cause dehydration. Hydration is important for someone losing fluids through diarrhea, vomiting, or a fever.
Signs of dehydration:
heat exhaustion, headaches, fainting, blurred vision, mood change, urine output decreases and becomes concentrated, appears dark, sunken eyes, wrinkled or saggy skin – elasticity decreases (pinch skin and it stays folded), extreme dryness in the mouth, fever over 102 degrees, constipation, severe pain or blistering of skin, increased thirst, fatigue, no tears when crying, dizziness Signs of severe dehydration, nausea and/or vomiting, confusion, seizures, rapid breathing, coma, low blood pressure, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat
When dehydration occurs, offer plenty of fluids. Depending on symptoms, smaller sips may be easier to tolerate.
If you think someone is dehydrated, seek medical attention right away, especially for these symptoms:
• No urine for eight hours
• Rapid heartbeat
• Dizziness
• Confusion Staying hydrated
• Offer foods that contain a lot of water - popsicles, watermelon, cantaloupe, fruit salads, gelatin, cucumbers, lettuce, celery, tomatoes, and strawberries.
• If you are thirsty and drinking a beverage, it is a good reminder to offer one to the person you are supporting as well.
• Encourage the person to carry a water bottle and remind them to take drinks, or keep one for them and offer drinks frequently.
• When going out - bring water for everyone in the group.
• Encourage water over, or in addition to, soda or other sweetened beverages.
PREVENTING TYPE 2 DIABETES IN SENIORS
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes in NYC Area Seniors Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar. Diabetes can be caused by too little insulin, a resistance to insulin, or both. There are two types of diabetes, easily remembered… Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar. Diabetes can be caused by too little insulin, a resistance to insulin, or both. There are two types of diabetes, easily remembered as Type 1 and Type 2.
Type 1: body makes little or no insulin, most common in children/young adults, generally genetic or hereditary
Type 2: body is making insulin but cannot use it correctly, known as “adult-onset diabetes” diet, lack of exercise, family history may affect
Type 2 diabetes is very common in older populations. Lack of exercise and activity, stress, and some medications can increase risk. High blood sugar levels can cause multiple symptoms, including:
fatigue, blurry vision, frequent urination, excess thirst and more
Diabetes carries with it the dangers of other long-term health complications, such as heart attacks, blindness, and eye disease, kidney disease, as well as putting some at a higher risk for Alzheimer’s Disease.
Although maintaining a healthy lifestyle is so important, pre-diabetes symptoms can be difficult to observe without medical training. At your next check-up, make sure to discuss any risk factors you may have for pre-diabetes and any measures that you can take to improve your health and happiness. Some dentists are even checking patients’ teeth and gums to check for a known correlation between periodontitis (swollen, tender or receding gums) and diabetes.
Luckily, Type 2 diabetes is reversible with lifestyle changes, especially by losing weight and eating a well-balanced diet, and sometimes in addition to medication. Many senior and community centers offer weekly blood pressure screenings as well as organize groups of at-risk individuals in exercise and dietary contests or support groups.