National Pain Awareness Month

Are you a person who lives with chronic pain?  This month of September is meant to bring awareness to those people who you come in contact with.  This could be your medical professional, family or friends.

Chronic pain can be difficult to diagnose. You may have experienced visits to multiple doctors to find out that you have arthritis.  

Fibromyalgia is another type of chronic pain.  Some days you feel fine and other days you are very achy and may even find it difficult to participate in your normal day.

Additionally, you could have feelings of misunderstanding and stigmas around your pain.  This month the goal is to help you and those around you understand how difficult it can be to live with chronic pain.

There are some things that you can do to help spread the word.

• You can try to have people listen and understand your pain.

• Your friend may be having a bad day.  Try to be aware that it could be caused by their chronic pain condition.

• Attend a webinar on pain management.

• Are there limitations caused by your pain?  If so, find out what they are and try to manage them.

• Find opportunities to share symptoms and feelings around your diagnosis.  

Private Home Health Care understands that many people live daily with chronic pain. We strive to learn and understand so that we can help with pain management.

#PainAwarenessMonth

We at Private Home Health Care would like to wish everyone a very Happy Labor Day!

You and I work very hard throughout the year so it’s nice to have a day off to celebrate.

Have you heard, like we have heard, that some of our younger people may not realize why we have this day off from work?  Just in case that is true here is a quick explanation of how hte day began.

The holiday has been around for about 129 years. At the beginning, the industrial revolution was in full swing in our United States.  Workers often had 12-hour days, seven days a week.  Children ages five and six were also working for lower ages.  Conditions could be poor.

You know there are labor unions for today’s workers. These came into existence to curb the overworking and bad conditions of the average worker in the 1800’s.

Unfortunately, the early unions had learning curves.

For example, at the Pullman Car Palace Company in Chicago there were bad conditions and then workers were told of reduced wages.  That strike was on and union representatives were fired.

If you look back in the history books, Pullman was the lead company in railroad transportation.  When there was a call for the whole Pullman company to strike you can imagine how that hindered railroad shipping across the country.

The next actions by the federal government trying to stop these strikes caused workers who were rioting to be killed.  This caused a huge rift with the US government.

As you can imagine, Congress quickly wrote a law making the first Monday in September a holiday for all workers.  Grover Cleveland was the President and he happily signed the bill on June 28, 1894.

You and I, along with our family and friends, celebrate this day and throughout the weekend each year.  Cookouts, trips, even some fireworks mark the commemorating all the achievements of the United States workforce.

We hope you enjoy it!

National Hummingbird Day

Have you seen any hummingbirds around your house lately?  The summer is the time of year for these tiny little birds so be on the lookout.  They are fascinating.

Tomorrow is National Hummingbird Day so the perfect time to share some information.

You can find over 300 species of hummingbirds in the world.  They have been around North and South America since the 16th century.

Hummingbirds are the smallest type of bird (I bet you could have guessed that) and thus they have the smallest egg.  Their eggs are only a half inch long, so smaller than a jelly bean.

I think you might find it interesting to learn that hummingbirds do not have a sense of smell.  Their eyesight on the other hand is phenomenal.

When hummingbirds fly they do figure eights.  This is what helps them hover over flowers while they enjoy their nectar.  They have also been known to feed on insects.

Have you ever noticed a little hummingbird walk or hop?  I think not because their feet are too small, however they do use them  to scratch or preen.

Last fact, a hummingbird flaps its wings between 10 and 80 times per second! Wow!

What can you do tomorrow on National Hummingbird Day?

• Look for a flower garden with lots of buds.  Spend some time and hopefully you’ll get a nice surprise.

• Do you have a hummingbird conservatory near you?  Plan a visit.

• See if you can learn more about these interesting and smallest of birds.

Private Home Health Care knows that hummingbirds love the nectar of the Rose of Sharon trees and bushes.  We love to watch and enjoy the hummingbirds as they drink.  We hope you get the chance to enjoy them too.

#NATIONALHUMMINGBIRDDAY

Be Kind to Humankind Week

We’ve blogged about kindness before on this blog but this week of being kind to humankind week is just too good to not mention.

In 1988 Lorraine Jara from New Jersey started this week.  In her hometown a young man passed away from a boating accident where people passing by did not want to get involved.

This sad story made Lorraine realize how important every life is and how important kindness is to each of our lives.  

The week runs from August 25 to August 31 each year.

Lorraine stated that this last week in August is: “a week of reflection and kind thoughts of others to make this world a better place. Of course we suggest practicing kindness daily, but this is the week you can take.” 

You can choose kindness at any time and anywhere of course but this week especially there is a path to follow to help guide you.   

Below are some of Lorraine’s suggestions for the rest of this week:

• Willing-To-Lend-A-Hand Wednesday – find a way to help someone you know today.

• Thoughtful Thursday – treat whoever you run into nicely.  You could do a favor also.

• Forgive-Your-Foe-Friday – ohh.  This can be hard.  Can you make up with someone you’ve had a disagreement with?

• Speak-Nice-Words-Saturday – you know what this means right?  If you can say anything nice stay quiet but if you can spread the love.

Private Home Health Care loves to share good thoughts.  We appreciate each of you and we hope you have a wonderful rest of your week.
#BK2HK

Thoughtfulness

Thoughtful is defined as “given to or chosen or made with heedful anticipation of the needs and wants of others”.  (Merriam-Webster.com)

What does it mean to you to be thoughtful?  Today is a day for you to focus on thinking about how you can be thoughtful to others.

Would it be thoughtful for you to try and help a senior citizen do their grocery shopping?  How about if you sit with someone and have a discussion.  A conversation can spur any number of things.

You could take a walk with someone and listen as you walk. What about sending someone a note to say hello?

To be thoughtful it really is all about thinking of another person over yourself.  This is not always an easy thing to do especially if you have any health or other life issues going on.

The good news is that by being thoughtful to someone you might feel good after.  You might also discover that you have a good deed done for you.

As the summer winds down, it’s always nice to have goals and to focus on different things outside of ourselves.  This day of thoughtfulness is the perfect solution.  

Expressing thoughtfulness is a win-win situation.  Here are some additional suggestions on thoughtful things to do:

• Bring a bunch of fresh flowers to someone you know.
• Share a book idea and even bring someone the book.
• If you know a child, bring them to a park for some fun.

Private Home Health Care works to be thoughtful in our care and we hope that you can find time today to show how thoughtful you can be.

#NationalThoughtfulDay

A Day of Remembrance

On this rather somber Black Ribbon Day you and I are asked to join Europe in remembering all of the victims of Stalinism, Nazism and fascist regimes over the years.

Many of you were alive during WWII and you recall the inhumanity of the Nazi regime.  Terrible atrocities were done to millions of Jewish people and we must never forget.

Likewise Joseph Stalin may have appeared to be a hero in WWII however during his reign from 1924 until 1953 again millions of people died.

Recently friends traveled to Eastern Europe.  They found thriving societies in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Hungary.  

Were you to visit these countries you would also find bustling and happy communities.  In addition, you would see leftovers of communism in the architecture and some monuments and statues and perhaps some buildings with bullet holes visible.  

On your visit you’d learn how early it is for these countries to live a freer life.  It was as recently as 1989 that fascist regimes fell and the people took over.

Think of that.  So many difficulties to endure over so many years and now for a mere thirty-four years these countries have enjoyed the freedoms that we in America take for granted.

This day is set aside so all of us around the world remember the victims who died under these leaders.  

Private Home Health Care pledges to remember so that history does not repeat itself.

#BlackRibbonDay

Senior Citizen Day

Well this is a very special national day today!  The day is for all of the awesome Senior Citizens we know.

Ronald Reagan had the idea back in 1988 to set aside a national day for some of the most treasured among us.

You might be surprised to learn that as of 2020 the number of people over the age of 65 has grown to 55.8 million!  That makes up about 18% of the US population.

If you are considered a senior citizen, think about all that you have seen in your lifetime.  You have lived through an amazing number of changes over the years.

You have experienced huge changes in technology for one thing.  The internet made life more digital and now there is so much information available at our fingertips.  Many of you embraced and contributed to this new way of life.

You need to remember that you are valued and that your contributions have been plentiful.  Perhaps you have experience in the sciences, medicine or government.  

You may have had the important job of raising a family.  Whatever your path, remember that you have made contributions to society.

On this day it’s important for each of us to find time to pay tribute to the seniors in our lives.

• Visit with a senior in your life and show them appreciation and support.
• Do you have any interest in volunteering at a nursing or retirement home?
• Find out about the life of a senior.  Spend some time talking with one.

Private Home Health Care loves and respects our senior citizens.  Don’t forget!  If you are a senior now look for discounts and special deals today and every day.

#SeniorCitizensDay

Serendipity

Today is Serendipity Day.  What is that you might say?

Merriam-Webster defines serendipity as “the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for”.

You’ll find that serendipity is a positive thing, never negative.  The day encourages all of us to look for the beautiful things around you, things you might not ordinarily notice.

A common phrase comes to me, “time to stop and smell the roses!”  If you do, you’re bound to have  some unexpected good fortune.

You might not know that the word serendipity just came to be in the 1700’s.  An English author read a Persian novel called, “The Three Princes of Serendip.”  

The story was set in Sri Lanka (called Serindip) and had three princes travel the world after being banished.  The trio had many serendipitous encounters with unexpected revelations. 

Thus the word serendipity came into play.

On this day the point really is for you to be positive and look for unexpected things in your day. You may be on a walk and you have a chance meeting with an old friend.  Perhaps you are out and about and see the most beautiful garden that you never noticed. 

The organizers of the day really want each of us to be open to and enlightened by any new experiences or encounters.  

Private Home Health Care knows that life is full of the unexpected and the way that we approach and handle these can have a very positive and happy outcome for each of us. 

#serendipityday

End of Summer Blues

It’s the middle of August and perhaps it’s starting to feel like the days of summer are coming to a close.  How does that make you feel?

Early on the days are warmer and the nights are longer and it feels like a whole new world ahead.  

You may go camping.  That visit you planned to visit friends and family might come off.  If you are a gardener new plants go in to add color.  You might spend a few hours weeding or the new birds out and about may catch your eye.

The summertime is great for enjoying sunny days either by swimming in the ocean or a lake, by taking a nice walk or sitting at a cafe having coffee and watching the world go by.

For those of us in New England the seasons are part of the joy of being a New Englander.  We look forward to some seasons more than others but we have four seasons to enjoy each year.

If you are beginning to feel like the summer is slipping away, try not to dwell on it.  Try and enjoy the remaining days and make the most of them.  You could be surprised at how long warm days stick around.  Remember too that it will come back again.

Private Home Health Care has tried to have a fun-filled summer and to appreciate each day.  We hope that you can do the same thing and enjoy the summer as long as we have it.

World Conservation Day

Today is a special day to think about our world and how you and I can contribute to keeping it healthy for all of us .

As of July 16, 2023 there are an estimated 8 billion people across this glorious world.  That’s a lot of people who use the earth’s resources.

Not everyone in some countries are able to help but you and I who are in better positions here in the United States can do little things to help.

It’s likely that you already are practicing some of the simple ways to conserve.

• Recycling and reusing materials
• Turning off lights when you aren’t in the room
• Car pooling or using public transportation
• Having a digital footprint rather than using paper to print

You may find events in your town or city today that are meant to spread the word on conservation.  Join an event in person or online and see if there are any other suggestions that you feel comfortable adding to your daily routines.

If you like to read books you might choose one by people who are famous conservationists.  People like John Muir, Theordore Roosevelt, David Attenborough and Jane Goodall.

Private Home Health Care supports conservation. We believe it’s important for all of us to contribute as best we can to keeping our world’s resources available to all. 

#WorldConservationDay