Take the AH-CHOO! Out of Your Summer

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As we age, our immune systems weaken and we become more susceptible to illness, the common cold and allergies. While the coming months promise warmer temperatures, sunshine, and outdoor activities, the freshly blooming flowers and grasses also promise many of our Los Gatos home care clients itchy eyes, constant sneezing, stuffy noses, and general discomfort. Here, Home Care Assistance Los Gatos shares 5 ways to reduce the effects of allergies:

1) Allergen-Proof Your Home. There are 3 main allergens in the home: dust mites, pet dander and mold. The answer to keeping them at bay? Clean! Be sure to regularly dust furniture, wash your linens in hot water, vacuum daily and try to keep bathing areas dry. If mold persists, try adding a dehumidifier to your home.

2) Clean Out the Closet. Believe it or not, synthetic fabrics rub against one another creating electrical charges, which attract pollen. Natural fibers such as cotton breathe better, so they stay drier making them less hospitable to moisture-loving mold and pollen.

3) Shower Power. Shower off after gardening and/or wear a pollen mask to keep allergies at bay.

4) Raise Your Glass. EGCG, the abundant antioxidant compound in green tea, may help reduce your body’s immune response to many allergens. Enjoy two or three cups a day of green tea to bolster the body’s defenses against pollen, pet dander and dust.

5) Promote Calm. According to Dr. Tina Sindwani, professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco, stress promotes inflammation and increases levels of cortisol, both of which amplify allergic responses. Reduce stress by participating in calming activities such as meditation, nature walks, or admiring art.

Our Los Gatos caregivers can help clients take these allergy preventive measures—they can assist with light housekeeping, laundry, gardening, healthy meal preparation and calming activities. Trained in our proprietary Balanced Care Method, our caregivers promote healthy mind, body and spirit.

Celebrate an Older Adult in Your Life!

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Did you know that May is Older Americans Month? Way back in 1963, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed that May should be a time to pay tribute to our seniors citizens. In those days, there were only 17 million seniors. Today, there are over 41 million. And the number keeps growing!

The purpose of Older Americans Month is to recognize the talents and contributions of seniors across the United States. Here at Los Gatos Home Care Assistance, we’re excited that one of the biggest events honoring seniors in the Bay Area is going to be held in our neighborhood. On June 4th, the Terraces of Los Gatos and the Los Gatos Weekly-Times will co-sponsor the 17th Annual Senior of Distinction Award recognition event designed to honor seniors who dedicate themselves to volunteer efforts in the Los Gatos and Monte Sereno communities.

Last year’s overall winner, Don Callahan, helped to found the Los Altos Community Foundation in 1990. Two years ago, Jo Grier was recognized for her work at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, helping to feed and clothe the homeless for over fifteen years. Don and Jo are among a growing number of seniors who devote significant time and energy to community service. They are inspirations to us all!

At Home Care Assistance Los Gatos, we encourage all of our Los Gatos home care clients to volunteer. Volunteering provides seniors with a sense of purpose. It also helps to keep older adults physically and mentally active, as well as socially engaged. All of these benefits ultimately make it possible for seniors to live longer, happier lives! (For more tips on healthy longevity, check out our book, Happy to 102).

Do you know an older adult whose volunteerism inspires you? You have until Thursday, May 9th at 5 PM to submit a nomination. Call 408-357-1122 for more information.

Lift Up Your Green Thumbs!

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Earth Day is just around the corner! One of the ways you can show your support is by planting a garden—whether it’s a community garden or a plot in your backyard. In fact, April is National Gardening Month! Many of our Los Gatos home care clients enjoy gardening—not only does it offer environmental benefits but it also supports health and wellbeing. Gardens help reduce air pollution, adding oxygen to the air, and help prevent soil erosion. And the process of gardening itself will you get you outside in the fresh air. Numerous studies have highlighted other mental and physical health benefits of gardening.

Certain gardening activities can be considered moderate physical exercise. Raking leaves, weeding and digging get the heart pumping and increase blood flow throughout the body. Gardening also supports physical health through nutrition—studies have shown that gardeners eat fruit and vegetables more frequently than non-gardeners. Fill your garden with bright-colored fruits and vegetables like bell peppers, kale, and tomatoes for healthy, affordable meals.

In addition to supporting physical health, gardening also promotes mental wellbeing by reducing stress and providing a sense of purpose. Exposure to green space and the wildlife that follows has been shown increase a person’s sense of calm and wellness. The attention and care that plants and flowers require offers a sense of belonging and purpose.

At Home Care Assistance Los Gatos we’ve had a number of clients come to us initially depressed and generally inactive due to reduced physical mobility. Our Los Gatos caregivers can help bring back joy and support a healthy level of activity by assisting with gardening as spring is in full swing. Contact Los Gatos Home Care Assistance today to learn more!

Four Things That Could Be Making You Tired

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At Home Care Assistance Los Gatos, we’ve found that many of our clients experience feelings of tiredness. Whether it’s in the morning, before bed or all day, feeling like you don’t have enough energy can really lower your quality of life. Sometimes the root of feelings of tiredness is easily treatable. Here, we summarize four of the biggest reasons you may be feeling unrested:   

  • Not Enough Sleep: Well, this one isn’t a surprise–if you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll probably feel tired.  Experts recommend at least eight hours of sleep a night.
  • Hypothyroidism: This condition occurs when your thyroid gland, an incredibly important part of your body’s metabolic regulation system, does not make enough thyroid hormone. This causes your metabolism to slow and increases feelings of fatigue, or lack of energy. The condition is treatable; discuss with your doctor whether you should be tested for hypothyroidism.
  • Lack of Exercise:  While it may seem counterintuitive, exercise can actually increase your energy levels.  Obviously if you go run a marathon, you’re not going to feel energized afterwards. The benefits come in the long-term: active people tend to feel less tired than sedentary people. Our Los Gatos caregivers are trained to assist with aerobic, stretching and strength-building activities.
  • Depression: Even if you’re sleeping plenty, depression can make you feel sluggish and tired. Tiredness and lack of purpose go hand and hand with depression. If you think you might be depressed, consult with a doctor or therapist.

If your tiredness makes daily life difficult, you may want to consider hiring a reputable Los Gatos in-home care agency like Home Care Assistance Los Gatos to provide assistance with daily activities as well as emotional support and companionship.

Should You Get a Colonoscopy?

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Los Gatos home care clients, has anyone ever told you how important it is to get a colonoscopy? Just about everyone over the age of 50 needs to get one, right? That may seem like smart advice, but growing numbers of doctors and experts are beginning to feel that the majority of colonoscopies done on seniors each year may not be necessary. Patients and health care providers alike should be aware of screening guidelines and the risks associated with the process in seniors.

A colonoscopy is an examination of the bowel area with a small camera that is passed through the anus.  The colonoscopy enables a doctor to identify and remove “polyps,” abnormal tissue growths. Once removed, the doctor can test the polyp to determine if it is precancerous or not. Generally, screening colonoscopies are recommended after age 50 and if no polyps are found, should not be done again for another 10 years.

Colonoscopies can result in numerous complications including gastrointestinal perforation and heavy bleeding.  In some cases, death has been reported. While the probability of death is low it’s significant considering how unlikely it is that an elderly person will die of colon cancer before he or she dies of another disease.

According to the United States Preventive Services Task Force, convened in 2008, people 75 and older should not elect to undergo routine colonoscopies. Talk to your doctor about alternative, less invasive screening methods.

If you or a loved one has colon cancer or another type of cancer, you may consider hiring a reputable Los Gatos in-home care agency like Home Care Assistance Los Gatos to ensure comfort and safety. Our professional Los Gatos caregivers support independence and a healthy mind, body and spirit.

Congratulations Norm and Norma!

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We don’t know about you, but 50 years of marriage sounds like quite an achievement to us at Home Care Assistance Los Gatos. Anything above that? Extraordinary! Aged 102 and 99 respectively, Norman and Norma Burmah are the longest-known married couple in the United States. On January 26th of this year, they celebrated their 82nd anniversary.

Their granddaughter stated, “We knew our grandparents were Louisiana’s longest married couple and were pretty sure they were the longest living African-American couple in the United States, but the fact that they could be the country’s longest living married couple is just phenomenal.”

Norman and Norma met at a live performance by Louis Armstrong at the New Orleans’s Roof Garden Dance Hall. Last year, they were inducted into the Louisiana Family Forum’s Hall of Fame because they were the oldest known married couple in the state. This year they are recognized again, this time by the country, for the length of their marriage.

The Burmah’s have two daughters, six grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.  In earlier years, they owned a private catering company.

The secret to their long marriage?  They point to love, attention, and patience.   Norman Burmah says it’s not easy, but he practices at it every day.

As life expectancy continues to increase, we will likely see a surge in the number of couples celebrating 70, 80, maybe even 90 years of marriage. At Home Care Assistance Los Gatos, we practice the Balanced Care Method, a holistic approach to longevity that promotes healthier aging through physical activity, improved diet, social ties, and more. If you or a loved one needs Los Gatos in-home care, our professional Los Gatos caregivers can help you live a happy, healthy, independent life in your own home.

 

Brain Scans to Detect Alzheimer’s

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Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, is a devastating disease. Recently, technological advances in brain imaging have created an opportunity to detect Alzheimer’s in people with few or no symptoms. Last month, however, a committee of experts convened by Medicare ruled that Medicare would not cover these tests, making the accessibility to the public limited.

The tests make use of PET (positron emission tomography) scans where doctors inject a radioactive dye into the brain. This dye binds to amyloid plaques, the characteristic clumps associated with Alzheimer’s and highlights their concentration in the collected images. Analyzing the images, doctors can see the relative buildup of plaque, which can hint at the level of disease.

The main reason that the panel rejected Medicare coverage of these brain scans is because it says there’s not enough hard data to prove the link between amyloid buildup and Alzheimer’s.

If the link is confirmed, however, some experts say the brain scans could have numerous benefits.  In the case of a negative result for a patient with health issues, a doctor can focus on treating other potential conditions.  For a positive result, a person could begin pharmacological or cognitive interventions as well as prepare financially, legally, and emotionally for their likely condition.

At Home Care Assistance Los Gatos we know how important quality Los Gatos Alzheimer’s care is for a loved one. Our Los Gatos caregivers are trained in addressing the unique needs of those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Home care Los Gatos clients, do you think these tests should be covered by Medicare?

Green Tea at Breakfast and Red Wine at Dinner May Delay Alzheimer’s

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A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry released preliminary data suggesting that chemicals extracted from green tea and red wine can interrupt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. As many of our Los Gatos Alzheimer’s care clients know, Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the build-up of amyloid protein into clumps called plaques in the brain. These clumps attach to proteins on the surface of nerve cells called prions and cause the cells to die. It is the gradual degradation of these cells that results in the disruptions in memory, thinking and behavior characteristic of this form of dementia.

Researchers at the University of Leeds formed the amyloid plaques in a test tube and then added them to isolated human and animal brain cells. They then added purified extracts of EGCG from green tea and resveratrol from red wine, as recent research has indicated that these compounds can actually re-shape the amyloid clumps.  In doing so they did indeed see that the plaques changed shape and this prevented them from being able to bind to the prion receptors.

Though these findings do not necessarily suggest that we stock up on red wine and green tea, they do indicate that disrupting the interaction between amyloid plaques and prions may be a promising target for pharmacological interventions.

At Home Care Assistance Los Gatos we know how important quality care is when you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Our professional Los Gatos caregivers are trained and experienced in providing optimal Los Gatos Alzheimer’s care and we have a number of educational resources for family caregivers.

Tips to Get You Up and Moving

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We’ve all heard time and time again that exercise offers extensive benefits for the mind and body, but even so many of us find it hard to get motivated to exercise regularly. At Home Care Assistance Los Gatos, we’ve found that the key to staying on the right track is to set yourself up for success. Here are some great ways to do so:

1)    Exercise with Friends. Whether it’s a walk around the neighborhood or a visit to the gym, schedule a regular time to exercise with a friend. Not only will you motivate each other and act as accountability partners but you’ll also get the added mental and physical benefits of maintaining social ties.

2)    Do something you enjoy. It’s incredibly hard to maintain an exercise regime if you hate what you’re doing. If you despise running, don’t do it. Explore various options (swimming, tennis, gardening) until you find what you enjoy.

3)    Hire a Professional. When you’re paying for someone to help you workout, you’re much less likely to slack. If you’re older and find some exercises difficult, he or she can help make sure you’re able to do them safely.

4)    Make It Fit Your Lifestyle:  If going to the gym is too time consuming, work out in the comfort of your own home. If you’re too busy to workout during the day, commit to working out before dinner. Finding a way to fit exercise into your life without extra hassle is the key.

For older adults, exercise can help prevent the loss of muscle strength and bone density and improve balance. Our professional Los Gatos caregivers are trained in our exclusive Balanced Care Method, a holistic approach to care which includes helping our Los Gatos home care clients start and maintain a healthy activity level. We hope these tips get you on the right track!

Fight Arthritis Pain with Delicious Dietary Additions

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We know many of our Los Gatos home care clients are affected by arthritis pain. In 2007-2009, the CDC estimated that 50% of adults aged 65 and over had arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that there are 50 million people of all ages living with arthritis in the United States, making it the leasing cause of disability. Most people think of medication as the major treatment option, however, there are also foods you can add to your diet to obtain natural anti-inflammatory effects and ease aching joints.

1)    Extra-virgin Olive Oil. Olive oil contains oleocanthal, an olive polyphenol, which has been shown to have the same anti-inflammatory power as ibuprofen. Add one tablespoon a day to salads, vegetables or enjoy on bread as a snack.

2)    Ginger. Gingerol, a chemical found in ginger, fights inflammation and pain. Make some fresh ginger tea for an added warming, calming benefit. Beware, however, that ginger has some blood-thinning properties. If you’re already taking blood-thinners, consult with your doctor before adding too much ginger to your diet.

3)    Oranges. Oranges are chockfull of vitamin C, which protects collagen, a major component of cartilage (the connective tissue between our joints).

4)    Salmon. Salmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which help decrease the production of chemicals that spread inflammation. Also rich in vitamin D salmon helps prevent swelling. Make some ginger-glazed salmon to get the dual benefit of this fatty fish and the powerful spice.

Los Gatos caregivers should consider incorporating these foods in the meals they make for their Los Gatos in-home care clients who have arthritis. In addition to adding these foods to your daily diet, other lifestyle changes like regular exercise and physical therapy can also greatly aid in arthritis-related pain management.