Tips on Managing Medications

As you age you can often find that your list of medications has grown over the years.  What is the best way to manage your medications?  

Here are some tips to help you:

Make sure you and your pharmacist have the same information. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or get any additional information you might need.

Write down a schedule of when you are to take your pills and be sure to make updates when anything changes.

Keep your list in an obvious place, on the wall or on your fridge or a table that you always go by.

Your bottles most likely look the same.  Add colored labels to each one for the different medicines.  This can help you keep them straight.

It’s important to work your pill taking into a schedule so that it becomes part of your daily routine.

You can also get a pill organizer if that makes it easier for you.  There are many easily available at your pharmacy or online.

Make a list that you can carry in your wallet or pocket book for when you have doctor’s visits.  Much of this information is online and shared among doctors but it’s good to have just available.

If you are digitally minded you can set up reminders on your phone or on any digital watches you might have.  (We get that this could feel overwhelming to you!)

Finally, review your medications with your doctor annually or as needed.  It’s important for you to feel good about any medicine you are taking.

Private Home Health Care understands that it can get harder to manage everything in your life as you get older.  Keep the faith and try not to get discouraged.  Hopefully every little bit of information you get will help.

The Mighty Sloth?

Saturday, October 19 is International Sloth Day.   How much do you know about the sloth other than it moves very slowly and sleeps a lot?

The Sloth Conservation Foundation has some interesting facts about this mammal that was first described in 1749.

Avocados – The now extinct giant ground sloth feasted on avocados, seed and all.  They were large enough to digest the seed and after they spread the seeds hither and yon.  Without these extinct sloths we might not enjoy avocados today.

Strength – the sloth has 30% less muscle but can lift its entire weight from birth with one arm.  If you are an average human, the sloth is three times stronger than you so beware.

Digestive System – unlike you and I a sloth only goes to the bathroom once a week but when they do they lose a third of their body weight! For those looking to lose weight that could be a dream come true.

Vision – we humans have one advantage over the sloth and it’s our sight.  Sloths are color-blind and can only see in dim light.  Bright daylight blinds them.  Good thing their sense of smell is phenomenal.

Speed – while sloths are not known for speed they can swim three times faster in water than they can move on land. Too bad they spend most of their time on land.

Private Home Health Care hopes you can share this information the next time someone talks about a sloth!

Pasta

Do you like pasta, what kind and how often do you eat it?  We are wondering if you are like others we know and eat pasta at least once a week?

Pasta is very popular, inexpensive and easy to make.  The sauces you make with it might be more work intensive but the pasta is easy.  It comes in boxes at the grocery store or in many places you can find fresh pasta for extra deliciousness.

You can cook boxed pasta on average 10-12 minutes and fresh pasta can be ready in seconds, yes seconds.

What kind of pasta do you prefer of the approximately 51 different kinds of pasta available?

Is it angel hair, thin spaghetti, linguine or do you like shapes like farfalle, elbows, orecchiette or ziti?

Now you might say that pasta is high in carbs and you would be correct.  It also contains gluten so some of you need to avoid that.  

On the other side, there are wheat and chickpea options of pasta with slightly less carbs, and you will also get higher fiber, manganese, selenium, copper and phosphorus.  That’s an extra bonus.

What you put on your pasta can add good nutrients too so if you want to make a pasta primavera you’ll have great benefits from the vegetables and the great taste of pasta.  

To be healthier It’s really a pairing game and watching out how big your serving is.

Pasta is here to stay and has become a staple in most households.  It’s been around for quite a long time, starting originally in China, then heading to Europe and then to America thanks to Thomas Jefferson and his travels to Europe.  A very long history.

Private Home Health Care loves to make pasta, especially on a busy weeknight, and we try to add vegetables either in our sauce or as part of the recipe to make it a healthy choice for dinner.

Today’s Holiday

Many of us have today off to make a three day weekend to enjoy.

You may celebrate it as the traditional Columbus Day or you may think of it as Indigenous People’s Day.

It’s interesting to look at this holiday from both sides.

Christopher Columbus was and is considered a great navigator.  From a job on a merchant ship to later studying mathematics, astronomy, cartography and navigation, sailing the world was quite a feat.

In 1492, he began what would be three journeys sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean, a new route to travel.  He made land on a Bahamian Island, likely San Salvador with later trips to Trinidad and the South American mainland. 

He never did actually sail to North America but his journeys did open up new possibilities for exploration.  He died in 1506.

From the Indigenous people’s point of view, the trips made by Columbus had harsh repercussions for the native peoples. 

Along the way Columbus enslaved many native people and on the trips to the places of their enslavement the trip or from the work required many died. 

One example is the Taino population of South America.  They were forced to search for gold and work on plantations.  They were decimated to only a few hundred within 60 years of Columbus’ journeys.

Additionally, when Columbus and his men traveled to new countries they brought with them diseases.  The native peoples could not fight them and many died.

Private Home Health Care can see both points of view and we hope that whatever your feelings you can find time to make the most of the extra day off.

Bones and Joints

The foot bone is connected to the leg bone, the leg bone is connected to the knee bone, the knee bones connected to the . . .

Do you remember that song that taught us about the bones in our body?  It’s most remembered by the older folks but it was a fun song.  It didn’t talk about the 206 bones in our body but it got us thinking.

Your bones are an important part of your body and we know we have to be careful of osteoporosis, both men and women.  Calcium and physical activity are key along with watching tobacco and alcohol use.

Your joints are also important though and until you have a problem with one, it’s possible that you don’t think about them too much.  They connect your bones and help to protect a lot of structures in your body.

What do we need to do to keep our joints healthy?

Healthy joints need the right foods and exercise like your bones.  In addition, you need to watch your weight as too much weight puts extra pressure on your joints.

Your diet can help both your bones and your joints and truthfully many other areas of your body.  Good items to choose include:

Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids. Think salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, white fish and even European anchovies.

Vegetables that include cruciferous vegetables like arugula, broccoli, bok choy, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower to name a few. 

Turmeric, used in many curry dishes.  It’s best absorbed by the body when in food.

Yogurt, best are the unsweetened and plain yogurts with live and active yogurt cultures so check your labels.

Ginger, add ginger to foods for best absorption and good anti-inflammatory agents.

Green tea, get a good quality tea that is either organic or loose leaf that you make yourself.

Private Home Health Care tries to take care of our bones and our joints.  As we age it gets harder but adding some of the foods and exercises above can help.

Salmon

Salmon, that great pink fish that tastes delicious and is filled with great health benefits.

You may already know that there are a number of different types of salmon.  The ones from the Pacific coast are Sockeye, Pink, Coho and King (Chinook).  

On the East coast Atlantic salmon are an option too, but only farm-raised.  It is prohibited in the United States to fish for Atlantic Salmon.  

What are the benefits from salmon and what is the difference between farm-raised and wild salmon?

Both are low in calories and high in protein. You’ll get a high amount of Vitamin B12, potassium, and iron and Vitamin D as well.

Additionally, you’ll love salmon for the omega-3 fatty acids.  These are healthy fats that support all the cells in your body. You can get help for your heart, with symptoms of autoimmune diseases and depression to name a few.

With farm-raised salmon you could find more pollutants and contaminants.  The levels are considered safe by the FDA but it is something to keep in mind.

Overall, salmon is a great and healthy choice for fish.  You should check with your fish store and see the kinds available.  Think about the benefits of wild versus farmed and decide.

Private Home Health Care loves to have a nice fish dinner at least once a week and salmon is often a delicious choice.

October 7 – A Day to Remember

One year ago, Israel was attacked on October 7 in the Gaza area.  

This attack happened on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, a holiday that marks the end of the cycle of public readings of the Torah.  There was also a music festival going on.

During the attack by the Hamas militant group, there were over a thousand people killed, including some attending the music festival. 

Additionally, hostages were taken and many are still in captivity one year later.

Private Home Health Care remembers our Israeli friends and we pray for the families of those who lost a loved one or who are still waiting on word.  We hope that a tragedy like this never happens again.

Meningitis

We are thinking about meningitis today because it is World Meningitis Day.  This is an important day because this disease is a worldwide problem and the hope is that it can be eradicated by the year 2030.

You may not be aware of details about meningitis so we hope to share information to help explain a bit to help to raise awareness.  

Meningitis is an illness that causes inflammation of the tissues that surround your brain and spinal cord.  The two most common forms are viral and bacterial.

In the United States, the viral form is up to 75,000 each year.  Any age can contract meningitis, including the elderly.   The more serious bacterial illness has about 2,600 cases in a year, mostly in children ages 5 and under.

• Viral meningitis is the most common and while it can be painful, it will often resolve without medical intervention.

• Bacterial meningitis is much more serious as it can be deadly and you must receive immediate treatment.

Additionally, there are a few other forms but these are extremely rare.

You contract meningitis from viral infections however this does only happen in a few people.  

Your most common symptoms would be a sudden fever, headache and a stiff next.  A diagnosis is obtained by blood tests, lumbar puncture or an EEG.  You could also have a CT scan or MRI if needed.

The key to treating this illness is early detection.  This helps determine the course of treatment and improve your chances of recovery.

Private Home Health Care would love to have this disease wiped out.  We hope that sharing some facts about this illness will help spread awareness.

Rosh Hashanah

Today at sundown begins the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, meaning Head of the Year.  This holiday celebrates the beginning of the Jewish calendar year. In the Jewish new year it begins the year of 5785.  

If you are Jewish this two day holiday represents the beginning of a new year but it also has a more solemn piece to it.  These two days mark the beginning of the Ten Days of Repentance.

The ten days that start with Rosh Hashanah end with Yom Kippur, a high holy day of repentance.  Over the ten days you should reflect on your life and contemplate any sins that you many need to atone for at Yom Kippur.

For this holiday if you are a practicing person, you would attend prayer services at your synagogue and spend time with your family. At the service you would hear the sounding of the shofa, or ram’s horn.  It is important to think about how you have been living your life.

Additionally, you light candles each evening and eat traditional foods during seder, a meal with family.  Apples and honey are enjoyed which represent a happy and sweet new year.  Your meal also includes challah bread, pomegranates and fish heads.

The symbolic foods are called simanim.  Other food might include beets, pumpkins, leeks, gourds, spinach and dates.  Often a new fruit or food is eaten to say a special blessing called, the shehecheyanu blessing.

These next ten days are an important part of the faith of our Jewish neighbors.

Private Home Health Care respects the traditions of our Jewish friends and we plan on greeting them with “shana tova” to say Happy New Year.

Knitting

Knitting and crocheting are two of the most popular yarn crafts in the United States.  

If you are a knitter do you know that it’s a hobby that gives you many health benefits, especially for seniors.

Physically, Knitting is an activity that you can do anywhere and it’s also very low impact to your body.  It helps improve eye-hand coordination, your dexterity and fine motor skills.  

If you have arthritis the movement helps the joints and additionally it can lower stress and your blood pressure.

Mentally, your benefits continue.  Knitting requires focus along with attention to detail and at times problem solving skills.  These all help with your cognitive abilities.

When you knit you can get a feeling of accomplishment. It is also an activity that can help with isolation or loneliness if you can find a group to knit with.

As with everything, yarn has increased in cost so that can make the hobby a bit more expensive.  For those of you seniors however, if you can afford it knitting has many benefits both physically and mentally so it’s a great hobby.

Furthermore, knitting can just be plain fun!  It’s an activity that you can enjoy for a long time.  Bring on the scarves, mittens and sweaters!

Private Home Health Care is thinking that knitting might be a great hobby to begin.  The fall and winter seem like great seasons to start.