Archives for Freedom Home Care

Alzheimer’s – 10 ways to detect it on its onset

In a recent blog post here at Freedom Home Care we reported that more than 5 million Americans age 65 and older are thought to have Alzheimer’s disease and that one person in the United States is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease approximately every 69 seconds. The numbers are staggering, but the forms of treatment are growing and improving every day. An early diagnosis will allow patients to have a say when it comes to decisions about care, transportation, living options, and financial and legal matters. Therefore, it’s important to look for early warning signs. Although Alzheimer’s usually begins after the age
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Flexing the mental muscles to maintain a healthy brain

As most of us know, the brain is like a muscle, and if you don’t flex it from time to time, valuable functions like memory can be weakened. And just as exercise stimulates the body, exercising the brain will help to keep it healthy and strong. grow grape vines Our brains are constantly hungry for new information and so is definitely true later in life. One way to feed the brain, so to speak, is to learn a new language. Taking on tasks like learning simple French of Spanish can give the brain the workout that it needs and can
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Celebrate National Grandparents Day this Sunday with someone special

These days, there are a lot of far-fetched holidays, fabricated by the likes of Hallmark and 1800Flowers.com. Take some of the silly holidays in September alone, for example. There was Newspaper Carrier Day on the 4th and Dogs in Politics Day on the 23rd. And although Fido and the kid that flies by on his bike every morning might like a little something special, we should all truly turn our attention to the people who make Sept. 9th special – and every other day during the year, for that matter – because this Sunday is National Grandparents Day. “The impetus
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Preventing the unforeseeable through the Affordable Care Act

Before the weather turns cool and the fall season makes its official appearance, people are already talking about flu vaccinations. And it's no surprise, considering that changing temperatures can serve as breeding grounds for a whole host of illnesses. But thanks to the Affordable Care Act, seniors with Medicare are able to receive preventive services such as flu vaccinations, screenings, immunizations and advice to help them stay healthy. order generic viagra During the first six months of 2012, 16 million people have already taken advantage of these now free preventative services. And of those 16 million, more than 1 million
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How technology is shaping the field of health care

In today’s technology age, there are so many new advancements and services to tune into. Driving a car is made easier with the help of navigation systems and voice-activated controls. Getting in touch with loved ones who live out of state is made all the more personal through video chatting with programs like Skype. And as it turns out, the health care industry is benefiting, as well. credit card debt relief Telehealth, which is defined as the delivery of health-related services and information with the help of telecommunication technologies, is paving the way for the future of health care. According
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Making the transition from hospital to home a pill that's easy to swallow

Bringing a caregiver into the home can be a necessity at various times in one’s life. And a typical time of need is the period following a hospital stay. So to make the transition from hospital to home a smooth one, Medicare can be a great resource. Medicare understands that a lot of instruction is relayed in the discharge process, and often times, it can literally be too many pills for one person to swallow. The explanations surrounding new medications or treatments can be lost in translation, leaving an individual confused and scared. Therefore, the tips and links provided below
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Sit and be fit with Mary Ann Wilson

Yesterday, we here at Freedom Home Care reported on the importance of maintaining healthy bones, joints and muscles in order to increase coordination and balance. In our post, we talked about the benefits that come from weight-bearing activities like taking a walk. Understanding that all older individuals might not have the mobility to get out of the home, we are happy to take advantage of the exercises suggested by the PBS series, Sit and be Fit. In it, Mary Ann Wilson focuses on healthy activities that can take place while sitting in any household chair. For the video that we’ve
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Combating old age from the inside out

As individuals get older, retire and settle into their later years, there are a lot of positive changes to embrace. Free time is opened up to spend with loved ones and to devote to hobbies that were always put on the backburner. In that same breath, however, there are also changes that happen in old age that might not be as welcomed. The aging process can bring about wrinkles and gray hair, and although these changes are expected, old age can also usher in other harder-to-spot changes. Just as wrinkle cream and hair dye can improve what happens to the
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Making the bedroom a safer place for your aging loved one

This week, we here at Freedom Home Care have dedicated our blogging to in-home safety for sufferers of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Our caregivers, based in Oak Brook, Buffalo Grove, Grayslake, Highland Park, Hinsdale and Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood, understand that sometimes it’s necessary to place himself or herself in the position of the patient to anticipate potential dangers in the home. “Caregivers will find that such approaches will be dependent upon the person for whom care is being provided,” say the editors at AgingCare.com. “The most important aspect of caregiving in a home is safety and security, for both the patient
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Six tips for delivering safety in the bathroom

In yesterday’s post, we here at Freedom Home Care discussed the importance of creating a safe at-home living environment for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. And we started with the kitchen, one of the home’s top locations for accidents to occur. Bathrooms, however, can also provide special challenges for caregivers. Therefore, we’re delivering some of AgingCare.com’s best tips for how to create an enhanced level of safety in the bathroom. Here they are: 1. Whenever possible, bathtub and toilet areas should supply adequately anchored grab bars in both bathtub area and around the toilet. 2. Products such as raised toilet
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