For so many aging Americans, the price of health care is a cause for much undue stress. For seniors living in Evanston and Skokie, that stress has been greatly alleviated by recent news that was published yesterday in Evanston’s Evanston Now, a news and information site dedicated to the local community. According to the site, the NorthShore University HealthSystem is donating $1.8 million to support the establishment of a new federally qualified community health center to serve low-income patients in Evanston and Skokie. “The contribution supplements a $650,000 annual grant from the federal government to the Erie Family Health Center, the group
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Posts by Freedom Home Care
Finding inspiration from senior athletes
Last week we reported on Hiroshi Hoketsu of Japan, a 71-year-old competing at the 2012 London Olympics in the individual dressage for Japan’s equestrian team. Hoketsu’s accomplishments are impressive. He is, after all, the oldest individual to do so in the last 92 years. As you’ll see in the video below, Hoketsu isn’t the only senior out there showing off their athletic prowess. The National Senior Games also known as the Senior Olympics is bringi college essay writing ng together a whole host of aging individuals who despite their age are participating in competitive games. In Tennessee, for example, tens of thousands of senior
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The NCOA debunks the myths of older adult falls
The National Council on Aging is a great resource for older individuals as well as for the people who take care of them. Therefore, we here at Freedom Home Care tend to visit the NCOA’s website with a fair amount of frequency. When we stumbled on the article, “Debunking the Myths of Older Adult Falls,” we knew we had to share it with the regular visitors of our blogs. We hope you find it to be as enlightening as we did: Myth 1: Falling happens to other people, not to me. Reality: Many people think, “It won't happen to me.” But
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Celebrating Chicago’s North Shore communities
More than 150 years ago, Europeans settled in what are now known as Chicago’s North Shore communities. After an 1833 treaty with local Native Americans, the area was free for the picking. Towns like Evanston rose up once Northwestern University opened its doors in 1855 and even more emerged upon the founding of Lake Forest College two years later. After the devastation of the Great Chicago Fire, city dwellers escaped to its quiet neighborhoods, building mansions and beautiful homes that still line the streets today. Ever since, the tight-knit communities have welcomed even more residents to raise families and open
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Tips to help aging individuals cope with extreme heat
This summer has been brutal – temperature-wise. In a recent blog post, Tom Skilling, Chicago’s favorite forecaster, reminded residents just how hot it's been. If we crack the 90-degree marker 11 more times, he said, we will tie the 24-year record for the most days over 90 degrees. And considering that Chicago’s five-day forecast calls for three days of above-90 temps, it looks like we just might do it. Despite the fact that the worst is behind us, it’s still a good idea to be reminded of the health risks that this type of weather can pose to aging individuals. Hypothermia,
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Feel comfortable and confident with your loved one's caregiver
When your loved one opens his or her home to a new caregiver, the No. 1 hope is for that individual to become not only an aid but a friend, as well. A recent study, however, revealed that hiring a caregiver can open up the unfortunate opportunity to a host of concerns. The study, recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and funded by the National Institute on Aging, revealed poor hiring and screening practices by home-care agencies around the nation. According to an article published by NextAvenue.com, which summarized the study’s findings, including the responses of 180
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Competing in the 2012 Olympic Games at age 71
Hiroshi Hoketsu of Japan, pictured here, is 71 years old and is, believe it or not, competing at the 2012 London Olympics in the individual dressage for Japan's equestrian team. According to an article recently published by the Huffington Post, Hoketsu isn’t just the oldest athlete to compete at London 2012; he's the oldest one to do so in the last 92 years. As we have come to understand, staying active at a later age in life is not just important; it is imperative. And physical activity isn’t just good for aging individuals; it’s good for people of all ages. Simple
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The joy of knitting
In this video, Jane Pauley introduces viewers to Betsy Lee McCarthy, knitting extraordinaire. McCarthy was such an avid knitter, in fact, that she left her high-paying day job at age 57 in order to launch a new career – and one that she considered her life-long passion. Making the transition wasn’t easy, but McCarthy was finally able to make financial sense out of her life-changing decision. She wrote the book Knit Socks, and it sold an astounding 65,000 copies. And although McCarthy hasn’t officially retired, she is teac buy cheap levitra online hing the craft to many who are. Take
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10 facts about the nation's aging population
In a report published by the National Institute on Aging, it was said that we as a planet are living longer and healthier lives. And although this is a testament to better diets, better living conditions and an overall better understanding of the human body and what it needs to live to its fullest, an older population also carries significant challenges with it. “Longer lives must be planned for,” the report reminds us. “Societal aging may affect economic growth and many other issues, including the sustainability of families, the ability of states and communities to provide resources for older citizens,
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Three straightfoward questions to ask a potential caregiver
When it comes to choosing a caregiver for your aging loved one, there are a lot of options. And we here at Freedom Home Care understand that it is not an easy decision to make. Therefore, to make the transition easier, we offer free in-home consultations in order for you to learn more about our services and to do so face to face. During the meeting – or while interviewing any potential caregiver – it’s important to ask the right questions. TodaysSeniors.com, a website dedicated to providing tips, news and advice plus reverse mortgage and Medicare tools for seniors and
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