Pharmacists

On this World Pharmacist Day we are looking into what a pharmacist does and what a pharmacist needs for a degree?

A pharmacist in brief is a healthcare provider and medication expert.  He or she helps you manage your medications and is available to answer any questions.

Pharmacists are needed all over the world.  Chronic diseases can require medications.  As most of us age we use medications to help manage many conditions.

It’s an important role that is often overlooked.  Your pharmacists work closely with your doctors.  

To become a pharmacist you will need to earn a PharmD or Doctor of Pharmacy degree.  Upon completion you are considered a doctor. 

Your degree will take between three and four years and include courses in pharmacy law, science, pharmacology, compounding, infectious diseases, cell biology and nonprescription therapies.

You’ll participate in hands-on classroom experiences and you may want to participate in a residency to add to your depth of knowledge.

Private Home Health Care appreciates the help given to us and our clients by pharmacists. Pharmacists play a crucial role in health care.

National Centenarian’s Day

Private Home Health Care is celebrating and honoring the lives of people who have lived to be 100 years or older.

We find it absolutely amazing the number of people who have lived so long.

If you check the statistics, in the United States we have at the moment a total of 79 people who are 110 to 114 years old!  Isn’t that amazing? Most of these centenarians are women but there are actually 3 men who are 110 years old.

The oldest woman is Naomi Whitehead who to date is 114 years and 360 days old.  She will be 115 years old on September 26.  Let’s pray for her.

You and I need to celebrate these very long lives and understand all of the changes in the world that they have experienced.

The centenarians have lived through so much.  Think about two World Wars.  They experienced and lived through the Great Depression.  They went from the radio to television.  The internet came about and the digital age was born.

Private Home Health Care is calling out things that centenarians recommends to us:

• Embrace Change and Stay Curious
• Value Relationships and Practice Gratitude
• Keep Active and Maintain a Sense of Humor
• Eat Mindfully and Find Joy in Simplicity
• Prioritize Sleep and Stay Mentally Active
• Engage with Community and Embrace Spirituality
• Accept Imperfection and Stay Positive
• Cherish Family and Be Resilient

The list is challenging but you and I would benefit from following some or all of these tips from those who have lived through so much.  

Today we honor our centenarians.  Congratulations and blessings to all of them.

Birds as Pets

Are you thinking about getting a bird for a pet?

There are a few birds that are very popular to bring home.  Let’s look at a few and see if you get interested in any.

Parakeet or a Budgie – Lifespan:  12 to 14 years. These birds are small and a great breed for beginners. Parakeets are very smart and they can whistle and sing.

Finchies or Canaries – Lifespan:  up to 10 years. Finchies and canaries are on the small side. They don’t need much interaction either. Good for condos or apartments

Doves – Lifespan:  up to 20 years. Very sweet and gentle birds. A calm and gentle setting is best for them.

Types of Parrots

Lovebirds – Lifespan:  up to 20 years. The smallest of the parrot breed. Very smart and they need lots of attention. Good for condos or apartments

Cockatiels – Lifespan:  15-20 years. Medium-sized parrot. Does a lot of mimicking and whistling sounds.

African Gray Parrot – Lifespan:  40-60 years. The most intelligent of parrots, so good if you want to train. They could need up to 5 hours a day of stimulation and are very affectionate.

You can also talk to a place that sells birds to investigate other breeds.

Private Home Health Care understands that a bird can be a big commitment with your time.  There can be lots of rewards too so choose one that is right for you and your setting.

National Pet Bird Day

Are you a bird lover?  Have you ever thought about having a bird as a pet?

There are good and bad things about owning a pet bird so looking at all sides could help you decide.

You would have companionship and entertainment with a pet bird. Some birds live a long time and they don’t ever need to be taken on a walk.

A bird can live in a contained smaller space depending on the size of the bird so you don’t have to live in a mansion to own one.

On the other hand, most pet birds thrive on human interaction so they do require some attention. They can also make a mess with food and poo.  

The mess is fairly contained around their cages so you’ll have less work than other pets in general.

If you travel you’ll need to get a caretaker that likes interacting and caring for birds.  

Your vet will need to have avian expertise and of course cost could be an issue just like any pet.

One last item could be looked at as a pro or con and that’s the lifespan.  Birds can live as little as 10 years up or to 40 to 60 years!  It all depends on the species.

Private Home Health Care has had a variety of pets over the years but not a bird, yet.  We are weighing the pros and cons to see if a bird could work for us.

On Friday, we’ll talk about a variety of different birds that are often pets.  This will give you more information to decide if it’s right for you.

National Rehab Week

National Rehab Week

This coming week is designated as National Rehab Week, September 15-21.  

Do you have a sore shoulder, knee, or back?  Rehab may be for you. 

Short-term rehabilitative care may be just what you need.  

Seniors benefit greatly from temporary rehabilitative help to be able to function better.

After a stay in the hospital, you often need some extra help to get back on your feet again.  

There are different options for you;.

You may be eligible for home health care where you have rehab in the comfort of your home.  

Rehabilitation on an outpatient basis is another option.  You need to be able to get yourself to services offered outside the home.

Private Home Health Care offers home health care with skilled care workers.  Whatever you need we can help you.

Doing the rehab on your own too is another important piece to a full recovery but you can get help if needed.

You could also benefit from a stay at a rehab facility.  A variety of services are offered there as well.  

There are a couple of different types of care provided. 

Subacute rehab offered which is one to two hours a day.  You could receive physical, occupational or speech therapy.

Acute rehabilitation is more intense. At least three hours a day of therapy is offered.  

This is for traumatic injuries, after major surgery or when you are recovering from a stroke.

This week the hope is to raise awareness about the different types of rehab services available.  We can all benefit from rehab at different times in our lives.

Positive Thinking

Are you a person who sees the glass half full or half empty as a general rule?

If you answered half empty it could mean that you tend to see the worst in situations. This can be detrimental to your physical, emotional and mental health.

Today we are looking at positive thinking, what it means and how it can benefit you.

Positive Thinking is a mindset.  It doesn’t mean that you deny or never have negative thoughts. It is more how you deal with those thoughts.

A positive mindset is how you view and react in different situations, good and chaotic. 

It’s a way of focusing on how you can meet a challenge head-on while seeing the positives and working on solutions.  Doing this can help you in many ways.

Help you cope with stress.

Lower your risk of diseases and illnesses

Decrease any anxiety and depression

Improve your psychological well-being

It might even help you live longer

It can be difficult for you to change if you tend to jump to negative outcomes but you can try to help yourself become more positive.

Try being around people who are positive.  That positivity could rub off on you. Pay attention to what you read and watch.  Are they negative or positive?

Be thankful for something each day.  One doctor recommends writing three things each day that you are grateful for.

Do not avoid anything negative.  If you find you are feeling that way try and reframe it in a more positive light or with a more positive approach.

Finally, take care of yourself and your personal health.  Get enough sleep, eat healthy and do whatever exercise you can.

Private Home Health Care knows that it can be hard to be positive in difficult situations.  It takes conscious thought and trying to look at things differently.   It can help you in the long run.

Bocce

We were looking at our local Council on Aging newsletter and it mentioned a group playing Bocce.

Like us, you may have heard of the game of Bocce and if you’ve ever traveled to Europe you may have even seen it being played in a park.  

What’s it all about?

The game of Bocce started back in Egypt a long time ago, in 5,000 B.C.  

It was actually the Romans who popularized it and it’s played all over Italy. In Italian the word Bocce means “bowling.”  

Here’s how this “bowling” works.

You play Bocce as a team or individually.  The goal is to get the most points, either 12 or 15.  

Each team or player gets a colored set of 4 small balls.  A target ball is then thrown.

An individual or a team tries to get as many of the set of balls closest to the target ball.

You have to throw the balls so far but not too far.  You are also allowed to hit another player’s ball or the target ball to get you closer.

There are ways you score points and all the rules will be explained when you play.  It’s all pretty simple overall.  

This really is a game that any age can play. For seniors it is a perfect game.  

It is a low-impact activity that improves your strength and coordination.  It can help with your flexibility and balance too.

Your brain gets a boost.  Bocce is a game of strategy so you have to think when you roll.  

It’s great for camaraderie too whether you play individually or on a team.

Private Home Health Care is looking forward to signing up for a game of Bocce.  It sounds like a lot of fun.  There’s a reason this game has been around for a very long time. Give it a try!

Resources for the Bereaved

Bereavement.  A state of sorrow over the death of a loved one.  It could be the loss of a family member or a close friend.  Whatever it is you feel great sorrow.

For each of us there is a time when we feel bereaved.

Often you share your feelings with other family members or friends and that can help with the pain.  There are times though when you may need a bit more.

If you belong to a church or synagogue there is often a group that meets for sharing and discussion.

For anyone who has had a loved one at a hospice facility, look for services offered through that organization.

Additionally, when you search the internet there are different options available.  Some allow you to search for a group in your area of the country.

Others offer help online with resources to help you personally deal with bereavement.

https://healgrief.org/grief-support-resources

https://www.hospiceandcommunitycare.org/grief-and-loss/grief-links

https://www.ogr.org/national-grief-resources

Private Home Health Care understands that grief and bereavement are different for each of you.  We hope that when the time comes you can find a resource that is right for you.

Physical Assistance?

As you age your physical and mental health can change.  You may find that you need help in different areas that you’ve never needed before.

You may find that you need more physical assistance.  Do you know if you have reached that point?  How can you tell?

Some questions to ask yourself are:

Is it still safe for me to drive a car?

Can you walk safely and steadily?

Are you having any significant memory loss?

If you answered yes to one or two of these questions there is a good possibility that you  need some physical assistance with your day-to-day living.

Recognizing that you have a need is a big step.  Sometimes you hear it from a family member.  Try to be open to listening to them. 

It is not always easy to accept change, especially when it’s you that is changing.  Not being able to take care of some basic tasks can get you down.

Reach out for help when you need it. There are many ways to get extra assistance. 

Private Home Health Care is one place that has been helping seniors for many years.  We can drive you to appointments, help with groceries and prepare medications.  

If you have specific medical needs we are trained in many different areas.  We can also provide companionship.  Check our website for the services we provide:  https://eldersathome.com/

Aging can be hard to accept but please know that there are people and services available to help you. It happens to most of us so you are not alone.

National Macadamia Nut Day

Tomorrow is a national day for that delicious and healthy macadamia nut.

Private Home Health Care has talked about the benefits of eating nuts, in general, but today we are focusing on this powerhouse nut.

Macadamia nuts can be a bit on the higher side of prices but when you hear about their goodness you might be ok to spend a bit extra.

It’s true that they are high in fat and calories but that’s not the full story.  

Macadamia nuts actually are very high in monounsaturated fats (so the good fat).  So high that these nuts contain the most of any other food source.

This means that eating these nuts in moderation can actually help with your metabolic syndrome.  

Your metabolic syndrome includes risks like high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low good cholesterol, high blood sugar and belly fat.  Those little nuts can help with all of these.

Your bone health?  Macadamia nuts are loaded with calcium, magnesium and potassium.  Some of their compounds might even help with aging a bit.

The trick to the macadamia nut is to not eat too many.  A one ounce portion or about 10-12 nuts at a time helps cut down on the calories which are very real in them.

They are very versatile too.  You can eat them raw, in a salad instead of croutons, or add it to your granola.  

You can even substitute macadamia nut flour for almond flour.  It’s a 1:1 ratio. 

Try some of these tasty treats and you may just get hooked like we did.  Just remember, moderation gives you the most benefits.  Enjoy!