National Ice Cream Month

July is set aside as National Ice Cream Month.  You and I may think that makes sense because we may get hit with the urge to eat ice cream during warm summer months.

What kind of ice cream do you like?  Vanilla, chocolate, cookie dough, mint chocolate chip?  The list of flavors has become very long!

As I began to ponder my favorite flavor I started to wonder about ice cream.  How long has it been around and how has it evolved?

Historical facts

Did you know that King Tang of Shang in China was responsible for one of the first versions of ice cream? Back in 200 BC he had about 94 “ice men” create a cold dessert of buffalo milk, flour and camphor.

What about the Romans you ask?  The Romans were known to send slaves high up into the mountains to collect snow to flavor with fruits and juices.

Charles I of England was executed in 1649.  Do you think that’s because he paid his chef to keep his ice cream recipe a secret?

Modern days

In 1904 at the St. Louis World Fair, a Syrian vendor trying to help a neighbor who had run out of bowls, created a waffle cone with his batter.  What a great idea!

Do you have ice cream trucks that visit your neighborhood?  The first one started in 1920 by a man named Harry Burt.  I can hear the tune now!

You know July as the official Ice Cream Month because Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation back in 1984. The proclamation read, “Ice cream is a nutritious and wholesome food, …”. “It enjoys a reputation as the perfect dessert and snack food.” 

Hmmmm . . .

Private Home Health Care loves ice cream during the summer.  Likewise we enjoy it in moderation. If you are like the average American and eat 4 gallons a year you might think about scaling back to be more healthy. 🙂

World Listening Day

Tomorrow is World Listening Day, a fairly recent day to encourage all of us to take time to stop and listen to what is around us.

Have you tried to just stop and listen?  There are so many different sounds in the world outside, especially in the summer.

The creators of the day want us to try to become a better listener.  Listening is important for all of us to communicate with each other.  You and I speak to each other often but are we truly listening?

The focus of each year’s World Listening Day changes.  Consequently this year’s focus is listening to the world outside your window.  When you listen you explore the interactions between us as humans and nature.  

The official name for this listening to nature is “acoustic ecology.”  Do you want to try using acoustic ecology tomorrow?  You might be surprised at what you hear.

Have you ever tried listening to bird calls?  You can have fun listening to the sounds and learn to identify the bird.  You can discover how it flies and where it lives.

We at Private Home Health Care have been noticing the sounds of many birds around us.  We’ve begun to learn the sounds of chickadees, robins, cardinals, and cat birds. We have even seen Cooper Hawks in our backyard. Amazing.

No matter where you live there are sounds outside your window. You may hear birds, airplanes overhead, children playing outside, and maybe street cleaners all in your neighborhood. Once you stop and listen, the sounds come alive.

Tomorrow we hope you try and take the time to listen to the sounds outside around you.  Additionally, you might try listening to the people in your life too.  You could be very surprised!

#WorldListeningDay

Today is Global Forgiveness Day.

Forgiveness.  Not always an easy thing to do.  

Sometimes you have little offenses that have happened to you.  Other times the offense feels gigantic.  Do you feel you are able to forgive either transgression?

The day began in British Columbia, Canada with a goal of encouraging forgiveness.  In many ways it appears that by forgiving it benefits your overall health.

Holding off on forgiving can cause you a lot of anger and frustration.  You might not even be aware of the stress that swirls around it.  Too much stress can cause you health issues.  You might feel depressed or overwhelmed at times.

The Mayo Clinic defines forgiveness as “letting go of grudges and bitterness when someone you care about hurts you.”

I’m sure at some point each of us has been hurt at some point.  It’s a very human experience.  It’s not always easy to forgive.  Many families have strained relationships based on hurts and an inability to forgive.

You may even find that at times you get frustrated with yourself.  Did you also forgive yourself after?

On this day there are some suggestions on how to work towards being more forgiving  . . .

• Try to practice forgiving someone.
• Share your feelings and experiences on forgiving with a friend or on social media. 
• If you find that someone forgives you, try to be accepting.

Private Home Health Care knows that forgiving can be difficult and at times feels impossible.  The following quote from Alexander Pope in the 18th century may help, “To Err is Human, to Forgive Divine.”

​​#GlobalForgivenessDay

Getting Back Into Our Routines

Private Home Health Care enjoyed the 4th of July holiday.  The festivities were fun and time with family and friends was awesome. Now what’s next?

After the holidays we can feel a bit unsettled.  We may have had company at our house, a block party or outside activities.  Our normal routines went out the window as they should have.

Now that the party’s over, how do you and I get back into our routines and the more normal pace of our lives?

First, go easy on yourself.  You cannot control everything so think about the areas you can control and focus on those.

Next, do not forget to take care of yourself.  Try not to beat yourself up on things that may have slipped through the cracks.  Did not get the bedroom or garage cleaned out?  Acknowledge it and then move on or take care of it now.

Check your self-talk.  Is it positive or are you reviewing what you had planned that did not get completed?  Try to be positive in your thoughts.  It helps keep the stress level in check.

Reassess your priorities.  Do they still make sense or do you need to make some changes? What’s done is done.  Do you still need it to be done?

You and I can find comfort in following our usual patterns.  It gives a rhythm to our lives. 

Schedule your positive habits back into your daily life if you need to because it can help you to feel like you are being productive.

Our lives can feel so fleeting at times, especially as we age.  It’s important to make sure we try to help ourselves by controlling and managing the areas open to us.  Be sure to take good care of yourself.

#routines

#selfcare

Happy Independence Day

Private Home Health Care would like to wish everyone a very Happy and Festive 4th of July!

We hope that you can enjoy this day with family and friends no matter the weather.

We appreciate all that our forefathers and mothers did to form this great country of ours!

Celebrate living in the best country in the world!

#indepencenceday2023

#4thofJuly

Seniors

On this last day of June we are thinking about our community’s senior citizens and some of the challenges of aging.   

There are an estimated 55.8 million Americans over the age of 65.  The younger you are the less you may feel some of the communication issues that older seniors encounter.

The older you get the more you slow down cognitively and your hearing can diminish.  If you live alone it can prove difficult to hear phone conversations. 

As an older senior you may not be technologically savvy and consequently that can make day-to-day living and communicating difficult. 

It’s important for all of us as we age to keep communication lines open.  It helps us to stay mentally well and less isolated.  

Are you able to learn a new skill with help?  Cell phones provide opportunities to connect with family members with a phone call or a visual.  See if your child or grandchild can help you. Facetime provides an opportunity to see the person you are speaking with no matter the distance between you.

Make time to visit or meet with friends.  Play a game at a senior center or in the activity room at your living facility.  

If you have access to a computer, see if you can access the internet. You can find out how to knit or crochet or build a birdhouse.  You can research your family history and then share the information.  Reach out for help if you need it.

As we age it’s very important for all of us to stay connected to each other.  Family and friends become vital to our well being and helps keep us from feeling isolated. 

Additionally, try to stay positive and keep an open mind to learning new things.

National Day of Joy

As we close out the month of June we come to a day that is new to the national day calendar.  It is the National Day of Joy.

You may wonder why a special day for joy and why did this begin?

The day actually was created by a group of caregivers for seniors called the Comfort Keepers just recently, in 2019. The Comfort Keepers realized how important joyful moments are to our elderly population.

Oftentimes joy is defined by wealth and material things.   While both can help with your joy there are many other ways to experience true and lasting joy.

Think about what brings you joy and take time today to experience it.  

Do you have family members that make you happy?  Spend some time with them on the phone or in person.

Does music and singing bring you joy?  Surround yourself with it.

Religion is another road to joy for some people. Take some time today  to pray.

Does smiling and laughter give you a warm feeling?  Spread these when you go out and see the reaction you get from others.

In order to spread joy, you need to feel it.  If you spend time comparing yourself to others that can lead to unhappiness.  Each of us is unique with our own experiences and it’s important to understand and appreciate this.

Henri Nouwen, now deceased, was a Catholic priest and theologian.  He is quoted as saying, “Joy is not something that happens to us.  We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

Private Home Health Care believes that each of us is unique and special in our own way and because of this it’s important to add joy to our lives each and every day. 

#Joy

National Rose Month

June is the month of the rose and there is a good reason as rose lovers most likely know. The blooming of the roses begins in June!

You can find over 150 varieties of roses in the United States and Canada. They have been so popular for their scent and beauty that in 1986 President Ronald Reagan made it the official flower of the United States.

Did you know that the rose is actually an ancient flower found in Asia and the Orient centuries ago?  Napoleon’s wife Josephine was a huge rose lover.  Their chateau in Malmaison outside of Paris had over 250 varieties of roses in the gardens.  

You’ll see references to the rose in poetry, music, religion, medicine, art and perfume. There are even edible roses.

The American Rose Society was established in 1892 with the goal of promoting the culture, preservation and appreciation for the rose. You can visit them at https://www.rose.org/.

The Society has actually classified roses into two categories. One is the old roses cultivated before 1867.  Likewise, the other category is the modern roses for any that came after mainly because that is the date of the hybrid tea rose.

The hybrid tea rose is very popular today.  They are a cross between hybrid perpetual roses and tea roses.  You know them by their large, high buds and tall, straight stems.  These are very easy to find to plant or to buy.

Likewise, if you are getting married and you want a bouquet of roses there are a few options from both old and new roses. 

• Old garden roses are perfect if you’re looking for a strong scent and large bloom.  
• Modern garden roses are mainly grown in greenhouses but you can choose from a wide variety of colors.
• Sweetheart roses are great for corsages and flower girls as they are smaller.
• Spray roses are smaller but they come in clusters.  These are good paired with other flowers.

Private Home Health Care hopes that now and throughout the summer you will take some time to smell the roses!  They really are beautiful.

Do You Drink Enough Water?

You and I need to drink water to keep us hydrated.  Every part of our body needs water from our cells to our tissues to our organs. 

Hydration is important for all ages.  The older we get, the easier it is to get dehydrated.  

The recommended daily intake is 92 ounces for women and 124 ounces for men.  That’s about 11.5 cups for women and 15.5 cups for men.  

That sounds like a lot of water, so what are some ways to help us stay hydrated?

• Add some flavor to your water.  Try fruits like strawberries, lemons or limes.  You could even add cucumber for a change.

• Develop a routine for when you drink your water.  Try in the morning before you eat or after you brush your teeth.

• Get a large bottle to keep track of your water.  You could even set an alarm on your phone to remind you to drink.

• Work with a friend to remind you or have a competition on how much water you each drink.

• Traveling to work or to visit a friend?  Take your water bottle with you to drink on the way. 

Private Home Health Care works with many people and we always stress how important it is to stay hydrated.   As the summer gets warm find a water bottle and be sure to drink up!

Summer Solstice

We cannot pass up this day without saying, “Welcome Summer!”

Today is the longest day of the year for you and I in the Northern Hemisphere.  The Summer Solstice.  A time for warmth, sun and fun in the outdoors.

For many of us it has been a cloudy and cool spring so we have truly been awaiting the warm days of summer.  You may have planted flowers or new bushes.  Now the time begins to nurture the plants and enjoy the beauty of your work.

Summer is a time to be outside.  You can take a hike or a walk.  You might head to a beach to read a book or play some volleyball.  All of a sudden you may be yearning for ice cream and there may even be an ice cream truck that comes to your neighborhood.

Speaking of neighborhoods, oftentimes we see more of our neighbors in the summer.  If there are children they usually ride bikes or play outside. You spend more time outside too because the weather is great.

Does anyone go camping?  Summer is the perfect time to head to the woods.  Tents work great or a trailer but either way you can set up camp, have a fire and relax. 

Additionally, many grills fire up with hamburgers or veggie burgers and many friends gather for good food and conversation outside.

We in New England have a change of seasons.  Each season is to be celebrated and because of the changes we are apt to truly appreciate all the warm days of summer.

Private Home Health Care loves the summer season and we enjoy it while also remembering to protect ourselves with sunscreen, hats and sunglasses.  

#SummerBegins

#SummerSolstice