Winter and a Groundhog

Here in the Northeast we are right in the middle of the winter season.  It’s now February and the days are cold and sometimes filled with snow.  

The wind seems to be persistent and the sun wants to shine at times but often there are clouds in the sky. You begin to start to think about warmer days.

Just how much longer will the blustery cold weather last?

Puxatawny Phil of Gobbler’s Knob has come out and made his prediction.  He has seen his shadow so it looks to be six more weeks of winter. 

Skiers may be happy with the news but many of us were hoping for a shortened season. Sigh.

You’ll have to don winter coats, hats, scarves, mittens and boots for a bit longer.  Come later in February all these clothes can feel too unwieldy.  You might long for the ease of short sleeves and lightweight pants.

You need to find ways to pass the time and still keep your sanity.

• Try an outing to a museum, a play or a concert.

• Book reading can be a good pastime, especially if you are homebound.

• You could research some of your genealogy or play some computer games.  

• Get together with other people for games, watching a movie or just chatting with a cup of tea. 

• Exercising, whatever you can do is healthy and helps keep your mind in a good place.  

The winter months can feel long so having some fun and keeping connected with others is important for your mental health.  Try doing whatever works well for you, whatever your situation.

Private Home Health Care looks forward to keeping active these next few months and connecting with friends.  Warmer weather may feel just around the corner.

Scams and How to Avoid Them

Dishonest people have been in the world since the beginning of time.  Today, however, there are many devious scammers who prey on the elderly and some of their schemes can catch you off guard.

Data from 2023 shows that fraud accounted for about $10 billion dollars in losses.  If you are elderly, you account for about $3.4 billion of that with an average of $34,000 for each instance of fraud.

What types of scams are there these days and how can you avoid them in today’s blog.

Imposter Scam

This is when the fraudster poses as a trusted official like a government official, bank representative or a trusted business.  

You might be told that your electricity is behind and will be shut off so you need to send money immediately.  You might also hear from a loved one in your family who is in terrible trouble and needs money wired to an account right away.

Solution:  Never give personal information over the phone and never send money without verifying information.  Hang up and contact the bank or business or your loved one or a family member to follow up.  

Tech Support Scams

You may use a computer and have an email account.

Beware of phony tech support people asking for remote access to your computer or a fix for a problem you might be having.  Remote access lets them get your personal information.  Your issue might not be resolved but you’ll be asked to send money.

Beware also of being told you have overpaid on a tech-subscription and they look for your banking information to pay you back.

Solution:  Never allow remote access to your computer and never send money for any services that you haven’t lined up directly.

Online Shopping Scams

Amazon, eBay and other online shopping sources are subject to scammers.

You may get an offer that is too good to be true and money is needed asap to reserve it.

There could also be a request to send money to a specific app or platform that serves only the scammer.

Solution:  Do not click on links received via email or a text especially when it asks you to update passcode information or it is something that needs immediate attention.  Amazon does not work that way.

Private Home Health Care works with many people and we try to warn them of the tricks of scammers.  They can be very sophisticated.  Bottom line is do not be too trusting and verify, verify, verify before you give you any information or money.

Today is National Carnation Day

Carnations are a popular flower used in many bouquets for many occasions.  You are probably familiar with this flower and you know what it looks like

The question for today is, how much do you know about this flower being celebrated today? 

The carnation has been around for 2,000 years, as far back as Ancient Greece and Rome.

January 29, is the birthday of William McKinley, our 25th President.  He loved the carnations and had them on his lapel every day as well as a bouquet or two at the White House.

You might be interested to learn that carnations are native to the Mediterranean.  If you have ever traveled to that area of the world we wonder if you saw fields of carnations.

When you shop for carnations you can choose from twenty-four different varieties.

Overall the carnation represents love, destruction and admiration.

Additionally, certain colors have specific meanings, in case you wanted to know.

White – innocence and simplicity

Pink – gratitude

Red – love (no surprise there!)

Yellow – sadness and sympathy (formerly rejection in the time of suitors)

Sadly, President McKinley was assassinated at the age of 58 in 1901.  He was traveling out among a crowd and rumor has it that he gave his carnation to a small child perhaps losing his lucky charm.

Private Home Health Care learned quite a bit writing this blog.  We may buy some pink ones to show our gratitude for all the good things in our lives.

Photo by Kaboompics.com

National Blood Donor Month

January is set aside for donating your blood which is still an important need in the United States.

You are likely aware that the American Red Cross is one place where you can donate your blood.  Their national blood program has been around since 1940.  They are a trusted organization and supply about 40% of blood needed.

There are other places you can turn to as well if you’d like to donate.  There are regional organizations along with national and independent centers where you can go.

Donating your blood is important because there are always needs.  At times it can be more urgent if supplies get low but blood is crucial for many different reasons.

According to the American Red Cross*:

• Every two seconds someone needs blood or platelets
• Approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells
• The average red blood cell transfusion is three approximately units 
• Blood and platelets cannot be manufactured; they can only come from volunteer donors
• The most common blood type requested from hospitals is Type O

If you choose to donate blood you can estimate that it will take approximately one hour and fifteen minutes in total.  

The actual blood drawing is eight to ten minutes but you need time at the beginning and then time at the end to make sure you are ok to leave.

Private Home Health Care understands how important it is to donate blood.  There is always someone in need and it’s an easy and generous thing to do.

*Information taken from the American Red Cross website (https://www.redcrossblood.org/local-homepage/news/article/blood-donation-importance.html).

January is Thyroid Awareness Month

Your thyroid is a very important gland in your body and this month is a time to highlight it to raise awareness.  The gland has a big job so if it goes off track it needs to be treated. 

This mighty butterfly or H-shaped gland in your neck is responsible for regulating your metabolism or how your body uses energy.

The hormones created by your thyroid go directly into your blood system.  They affect almost every organ system in your body:

• Cardiovascular
• Nervous
• Digestive
• Reproductive

The size of your gland is about the size of a walnut so not too big.  You take a simple blood test to check if your thyroid is working well or if something is amiss.  Problems are fairly common but the good news is that they are very treatable.

Some possible problems and number of people here in the United States with thyroid issues are:

• Underactive thyroid – affects about 10 million people 
• Overactive thyroid – about 1 of every 100 people over the age of 12 have this
• Enlarged – includes about 5% of people
• Cancer – about 44,000 people (with a survival rate of 98%)

Treatments vary from medications to surgery to radiation and chemotherapy.  

You can live without your thyroid but you will need to take medication for the rest of your life to keep up with its important bodily functions.

Private Home Health Care knows thyroid health is important.  It’s not difficult these days with all the foods we eat but getting enough iodine in your diet helps support this.  Table salt, fish, seaweed and dairy products all have iodine.

Grandparents

Do you have any grandchildren?  

Being a grandparent can be super rewarding and it can help your health too in addition to being fun.

You raised a child or children and they’ve grown and now have children.  Hopefully you get a chance to visit with your grandchildren whether near or far.

Time spent is so much different than when you were raising a child.  Unless you are a guardian of your grandchild, your time can be spent on fun things without expectations.  Some might say that you can actually spoil your grandchildren.

You can play sports, do puzzles, bake cookies, go bowling or whatever you think your grandchild would enjoy.  Taking in a movie with lunch after can be fun too.

You’ll get in return unconditional love.  That comes with no price tag attached.  Your mental health can be helped and you might find help to fight off any depression.  

Depending on the age of your grandchild you could have interesting conversations.  You never know what kids will say.  An adventure could be in your future.

For your grandchild, you can be that security blanket for them and a grown up who listens to them without any judgement.  Add some kisses and hugs and the warmth will spread over them.

Many grandparents help out with childcare on a regular basis.  Studies have shown that this can help boost your brain function.  You do also have to be careful that you don’t overload yourself.  As we age, watching children can become more difficult.  

If the childcare gets overwhelming at all you may need to reassess.  You want to be sure to take care of yourself in situations.  Pay attention to what you are feeling.

Private Home Health Care loves to see grandparents and grandchildren and the love and joy between them.  It can be very special.  We hope you get a chance to experience it.

Honoring a Legacy

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister who led a nonviolent civil disobedience movement to better the lives of Black Americans in our country.

Today on this third Monday in January we honor him and his legacy.  He was born on January 15 so the day coincides as closely as possible with this.

The goal of this day is a national day of service so that everyone can volunteer in their communities.  This is carried on in many communities across the country.

Additionally, in some areas of the country this is a big travel weekend, especially for those of us in the Northeast.  Skiing can be at a premium this time of year.

This year the holiday also coincides with the Presidential Inauguration.  This is a major transfer of power for our United States, so an important event too.

Still, Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered today for his work that led to all races with equal rights in our country.  He was a very inspiring man.

Private Home Health Care celebrates the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the way he touched millions of people of all races.

Soup Swap Day

Tomorrow is Soup Swap Day.  A day to break out your soup recipes to share with family and friends.

You need a location, some recipes, some soup to share and people.  A fun day to have a get together, especially in these cold winter months.

Soup connoisseurs have determined that soup has been around in the world for the last 5,000-9,000 years.  You must be able to find a recipe to two! 

It can be found in all cultures in one form or another so it’s universal.

The word derives from the word, “suppa”.  Interesting if you live in Boston since “suppa” is really dinner in this neck of the woods.  “Suppa” actually comes from the Latin word for bread soaked in broth.  French Onion Soup anyone?. 

What kind of soup do you like to make?  Are you a potage type of person?  Do you like chowders or maybe a minestrone soup?  Vegetable soup with barley can be delicious.  There are so many options.

Are you someone that follows a recipe or do you create your own?  If you make your own you might want to jot down a few notes in case it’s a hit and people want the recipe.

No need to rush into it tomorrow if you need more time to get organized and cook.  A soup swap is good any time during the winter months and we still have a few more cold months to go.

Private Home Health Care loves to make soup during the winter.  Vegetable soups are our favorite but we wouldn’t pass up a yummy chicken or beef based soup!    We hope you can take time to have a swap and add to your list of recipes to make.

Photo by Navada Ra

National Hat Day

Today is National Hat Day!  What kinds of hats do you like?  There are so many options.

Do you like a fedora, a beret or perhaps a homburg?  Are you more on the casual side so perhaps a baseball style cap or a newsboy? 

Looking for style?  Ladies could try a cloche or pillbox.  Gentlemen might like a bowler or a panama hat.

During the winter it’s more important to think about warmth over style for good reasons.  

The temperatures can get pretty low during the winter months and by keeping your head warm you can keep the rest of your body warm.

A hat keeps the heat capped to your body.  It’s key to keep your head warm and dry.  Merino wool and synthetic materials are good choices.  

Your body can lose heat in many ways.

Losing heat by radiation is one common way our bodies lose warmth. If you’ve ever done an outdoor winter activity and removed a helmet or hat and you’ve seen steam, that’s radiation!

Your best choice during the long winter months would be a beanie, with or without a pom, pom or maybe a trapper hat. Both are great for warmth.

For people dealing with Raynaud’s syndrome, the cold can really affect your fingers.  Having a hat on your head and a warm set of mittens, not gloves, is a big factor in getting through the cold.

Keeping your entire body warm from head to toe is a must if you like to be outdoors.  A hat, long johns, warm clothes, socks and mittens all work together to help you enjoy your adventures.

On National Hat Day Private Home Health Care hopes that you put on your favorite hat as you head out the door.  We know it can flatten a good hair style but keeping your body warm in the winter is more important.  Give your hair a good fluff after!

Wolf Moon

Each year you and I will experience a full moon each month.  Scientists have come up with full moons every 29.5 days.

In 2025 we will have 12 full moons.  It’s exciting because this year we will also have two lunar eclipses, March 13-14 and Sept. 7-8.  You have plenty of time to get ready for both.

Today you will see the full moon called the Wolf Moon.  History got its name this month because of the cold and often snowy days in our North America.  It’s thought that the Wolf name comes from the often heard howling wolves during these months.

Wolves howl for mark territory, coordinate hunting and due to hunger from scarcity of food.  In our area there are times near woods when you can hear coyotes howling.  We imagine that the howls are similar.

Today’s Wolf Moon gives you and I an extra surprise.  It could be a bit late but if you can stay up you might be able to see Mars.  The Wolf Moon is scheduled to pass in front of it at a time when Mars will be its biggest and brightest.

You can look for the full moon starting at approximately 5:27pm here by us on the East Coast.  To see Mars you need to look around midnight when many of us are asleep.

Additionally, if you can stay up, a recommendation is that you block the right half of the moon with a distant object.  That way you can see past the moonlight and hopefully catch a look at Mars.

Private Home Health Care is not always able to stay up late but we hope anyone who can will be able to enjoy today’s Wolf Moon.  The next full moon for February is the Snow Moon, February 12.