International Day of Older Persons

October 1 is International Day of Older Persons, and Private Home Care invites you to celebrate this important day that is dedicated to highlighting the contributions that older people make to society. The International Day of Older Persons is also observed in order to bring widespread awareness to the aging population. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the UN’s official proclamation of International Day of Older Persons, which was ratified in 1990.

Private Home Care honors seniors every day, and especially on this day we embrace the oldest members of our communities. Throughout history, older persons have played an essential role in society. Seniors have been leaders, teachers, and caretakers. However, older persons can also be very vulnerable for a number of reasons, particularly for health related circumstances. Private Home Care’s mission is to provide and encourage the highest quality of life for all seniors, so they may age in place with dignity and respect.

Unfortunately, they have faced discrimination, neglect and abuse. Our organization firmly condemns any negativity against seniors, and we work to advocate for seniors rights and wellbeing. By 2030, the number of people over the age of 60 is expected to grow by 46%. Part of the reason for this is older people are living longer than ever. The aging population are valuable members of society with a significant positive impact. In the US alone, the majority of people who volunteer are elderly. The elderly also contribute many things such as wisdom and inspiration.

An aging population also presents unprecedented challenges. One of the biggest challenges is healthcare. As people get older, their health tends to deteriorate. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of chronic diseases will increase. This includes cancer, dementia, obesity, and diabetes. There will also be an increase in the number of falls. Falling is the leading cause of injury among seniors. However, modern medicine is working hard to help maintain the health, quality and length of life for seniors today and in the future. Private Home Care is also passionate about providing education for adults and younger generations for how to prevent chronic diseases and healthy aging.

Being aware of these challenges now will help to prepare for the future of the aging population. It will also help to ensure rights for the elderly are implemented. For International Older Persons Day, call an elderly family member or neighbor and tell them that you appreciate them. You can also volunteer at a senior center or nursing home. Join us to honor older persons today and every day.

World Smiling Day

Today, October 2cnd, is World Smile Day! Every day is a good day to smile, but especially today! There is a strong connection between smiling, your health, happiness, and well-being.

What smiling does to your body: When you smile, there is a little ‘feel good’ party happening in your brain! Smiling activates the release of neuropeptides that work toward fighting off stress. Neuropeptides are tiny molecules that allow neurons (brain cells) to communicate. They facilitate messaging to the whole body when we are happy, sad, angry, depressed, or excited. As we know with the brain, the more you exercise something, the stronger it is. That means that the more you smile, the easier it is and the more frequently you will do it. The feel-good neurotransmitters—dopamine, endorphins and serotonin—are all released when a smile flashes across your face as well. This not only relaxes your body, but it can also lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

The endorphins also act as a natural pain reliever – many studies have shown that patients have reported lowered levels of pain while watching a funny video. The same goes for medical research trials where they gave the subject pain medicine or a placebo, but if the subject was smiling, the placebo in some cases would be just as effective as the real medication. Finally, the serotonin release brought on by your smile serves as an antidepressant/mood lifter. Many of today’s pharmaceutical antidepressants also influence the levels of serotonin in your brain, but with a smile, you again don’t have to worry about negative side effects—and you don’t need a prescription from your doctor.

In addition, for stroke victims, smiling is an easier feat. This is because smiling only requires 17 muscles to smile, but frowning requires 43.Smiling can actually add years to your life! People who smile tend to have a more positive and optimistic outlook on life, and are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and naturally have a stronger immune system than pessimists.

Smile wholeheartedly – smiling and laughter also have positive effects on the cardiovascular system! This is because when we smile and laugh, it increases blood flow and blood vessel function, which can prevent heart attacks and other heart-related diseases. . Also, smiling reduces stress, which can be a factor or trigger for heart attacks or stroke.

World Heart Day

World Heart Day takes place every year on September 29th. This international health holiday raises awareness of heart health, including cardiovascular disease and prevention.

The World Health Organization (WHO) cites heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world, with nearly 18 million people dying each year from heart-related issues like heart attacks and strokes, which accounts for over 30% of global deaths. Heart attacks and strokes are caused by blockage preventing blood from flowing to the brain or heart. One of the most common types of obstruction is fatty deposits in the blood vessels. Many lifestyle choices trigger these diseases, which can result in heart attacks and strokes. These include: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, stress, and harmful amounts of alcohol. This manifests as raised blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, overweight and obesity, diabetes, and other risks detrimental to good heart health. These is definitely a genetic component for heart health and risk for heart disease, however diet and lifestyle has a tremendous impact on that.

Show your heart some love!

Private Home Care is passionate about nutrition and following the Mediterranean diet, which is considered one of the best diets for heart health! A study found that the Mediterranean diet is such a powerful heart protector that it reduced the risk for heart disease, strokes, and deaths from heart disease 30% compared with a regular low-fat diet, and by more than 50% compared with a standard American diet. A key component to this cardioprotection is replacing saturated and trans fats—which can lead to clogged arteries and heart disease—with mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower cholesterol levels.

The foundation of the Mediterranean diet is vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, beans and whole grains. Meals are built around these plant-based foods. Moderate amounts of dairy, poultry and eggs are also central to the Mediterranean Diet, as is seafood. In contrast, red meat is eaten only occasionally. Following The Mediterranean Diet means no processed foods, which tend to be high in saturated and trans fats, as well as sodium – all of which are not heart healthy.

Exercise is also an important part of heart health. The American Heart Association recommended that healthy adults get 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week for optimal heart health. This can be walking, biking, hiking, dancing, running – anything that gets your heart pumping and your limbs moving! Although 150 minutes may sound like a lot, it is just about 20 minutes a day, which is totally do-able. Wearing a step monitor makes it much easier to get those 10k steps a day and incorporate movement into your daily lifestyle! Your heart will thank you!

Coffee For Your Health

Coffee – a daily morning ritual for millions of Americans. At first glance it may not seem like it, but thanks to its high levels of antioxidants and beneficial nutrients, it can be quite healthy. In fact, studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of several serious diseases.

Coffee go-go time: The reason you get a quick wakeup call after chugging a mug of coffee has to do with the way caffeine tricks your brain. Not only is caffeine a brain stimulant, but it also blocks receptors for a chemical called adenosine, which normally prevents the release of excitatory brain chemicals. With adenosine out of the way, these brain-sparking chemicals can flow more freely. Caffeine also stimulates the central nervous system by promoting the release of other neurotransmitters, including noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin. All of this combined gives you a surge of energy, helping improve memory, mood, vigilance, energy levels, reaction times and general mental function. As we know, bolstered mental performance helps slow age-related mental decline.

It showed that people—particularly those who were ages 70 and over—who took in more caffeine scored better on tests of mental function. Also, some studies have shown improved long-term memory performance and thinking ability in regular caffeine consumers.

New research reveals what gives coffee its protective properties for brain health, and why it can help keep Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease at bay. There are some correlations that correspond to a decreased risk of developing cognitive impairments and disease. For Alzheimer’s, results from studies suggest that coffee compounds could provide a neuroprotective effect by inhibiting these proteins from forming the terminally disruptive clumps and plaque tangles found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

There is a set of compounds known as phenylindanes that form during the roasting process and give coffee its paradoxically enjoyable bitterness. More than any other compound of those examined in this study, the research team found that phenylindanes inhibit both amyloid beta and tau, which are toxic proteins. The excessive buildup of amyloid beta and tau in the brain is a key factor in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. In laboratory tests, it appears that a longer roasting time causes the coffee beans to produce more phenylindanes. This suggests that dark roasted coffee — whether regular or decaf — has the strongest protective effect on the brain.

Coffee is also associated with many health benefits. It contains hundreds of bioactive compounds that contribute to its powerful health benefits. Many of these compounds are antioxidants, which fight the damage caused by free radicals in your cells.

-Drink coffee to get fit! Coffee can help burn fat because caffeine can boost your metabolic rate by 3–11%. This aids in weight loss and fat reduction. Caffeine also increases epinephrine (adrenaline) levels in your blood, which is the fight-or-flight hormone, which prepares your body for intense physical exertion. As the caffeine breaks down body fat it makes free fatty acids available as fuel, which can improve physical performance by 11–12%, on average. Therefore, it makes sense to have a strong cup of coffee about half an hour before you head to the gym.

These essential nutrients in coffee inform of more health benefits:

Chlorogenic acids (CGAs): These polyphenol antioxidants may benefit some biological pathways, such as blood sugar metabolism and high blood pressure, both of which are related to the risk of age-related mental decline.

Cafestol and kahweol: Present in coffee’s natural oil, high amounts of these compounds are found in unfiltered coffee. They may be good for the liver and protect against cancer, but a high intake may raise LDL cholesterol

Trigonelline: This alkaloid compound is unstable at high heat and during roasting forms nicotinic acid, also known as niacin (vitamin B3). Trigonelline may also help prevent dental cavities by inhibiting bacterial growth.

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month! Libraries are invaluable centers for the community, and National Library Card Sign-Up Month was created to encourage people to sign up and join their local library! Reading enriches your life, and being part of a library community can be invaluable. This is especially true for seniors, who are some of the most frequent visitors to libraries. In fact, social sciences studies have shown that public libraries are  essential resources for seniors. Your local library is not just a place to read books but has become a place to explore, discover, and connect with a vast world of library programs for seniors, activities, public library services for seniors, and information.

Signing up for a library card is worth it –  the Institute of Museum and Library Services states that 38% of older adults visit their local libraries 1-3 times a month, 42% at least once a week, and 8% visit every day or most days! Men tend to be more frequent visitors than women, but both men and women alike are taking advantage of the great benefits and programs offered at libraries.

Not only can seniors use libraries as a source of vital information, but libraries are also a great place for seniors to interact with their peers and other members of their community. Libraries provide a safe, comfortable, and inviting setting at which older members of the community can socialize and connect with like minded others. In fact, many public libraries have senior reading rooms. Libraries may also have a cafe, which is another great spot to have a snack and sip coffee while you read or meet others!  

From interacting with their peers or becoming involved in volunteer reading programs, libraries are more than just a source of reading materials, they help provide a sense of purpose and belonging. This is crucial to overcoming loneliness and isolation that many seniors struggle with. What is more, libraries also offer opportunities for intergenerational activity that engages the whole community. And all of this is made possible with a simple library card! 

Seniors may have trouble keeping up with ever-changing new technologies. Many libraries have incorporated technology to further appeal to their senior audience. Libraries are an important source of access to computers and digital literacy training helping seniors to connect with family, friends, health information and government services.