Many seniors are turning to exercise to improve heart health. Studies have revealed that a simple daily exercise program can be very beneficial for seniors. Not only will exercise strengthen and tone muscles, but it will also improve heart health. In addition to the physical benefits, exercise will also improve mood and may help with sleep issues.

Before starting any exercise program, Home Care Houston wants to remind all seniors to check with their doctor first to make sure that the exercises they’re doing are safe.

1. Make sure all exercises are paced. You do not want to go too fast or over-do it. Give your muscles time to relax between exercises.

2. Individuals who have heart failure should always exercise in a controlled climate. Do not exercise outside in the extreme heat or cold.

3. During all exercises, make sure to have water nearby. Staying hydrated is one of the most important factors of a healthy exercise regime.

4. If you become fatigued, stop the exercise. Do not exercise if you have not been feeling well or if you experience any shortness of breath.

5. Pain can be an indicator of other health problems. If you experience any pain, stop the exercise, especially if the pain is in the chest.

6. After all exercises, check your pulse 15 minutes after you have stopped. Your pulse rate should be lower than 120.

Source: webmd.com

Image Source: sxc.hu

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Studies have indicated that a reduced walking speed could mean more than most of us believe. The study focused on the walking speeds of elderly patients and mortality rates. While a reduced walking speed does not mean the patient will die, it may indicate that the patient is at risk for other health problems that could be fatal. Elderly patients are advised to remain as active as they can. Taking short walks daily will help keep the body moving. Slow walking speeds have been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease in many patients. Below is a list of facts that point out the
association of walking speeds to
cardiovascular mortality.

1. A slow walking speed in an elderly patient is associated with the increased risk of death due to cardiovascular issues.

2. Any decreased motor performance can be viewed as a risk factor.

3. Elderly patients should try to stay as active as possible. Introducing a walking exercise into a daily regime could reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

4. Walking speed can be used to predict future health issues. This may not be possible if the patient has broken a hip in the past 2 years, has a debilitating disease or dementia

Source: www.bmj.com

Image Source: www.sxc.hu

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

It used to be that by aged 65 most seniors had plans to retire if they hadn’t already. But that’s a work structure that is changing overtime, because seniors don’t necessarily want to remain idle throughout older adulthood, they want to continue to make a contribution to society. For others, their motivations to keep on working are financial. While many seniors find it necessary to keep on working, some are wondering what the impact of this is on their health in older adulthood.

Studies show that while jobs can add an element of stress to seniors lives, they get the greatest benefits by transitioning from the workforce with part-time, temporary or work at home jobs that keep them working, provide them with income and a sense of purpose. The benefits to senior health are measurable and include the following:

Benefits of Work on Senior Health:

• With a transition period from full-time work into retirement with part-time work, temporary work or work at home, seniors find it’s less of a shock to their mental health. Seniors who immediately retire from full-time work can find that feelings of loss of purpose can cause anxiety and depression

• Seniors who remain in the workforce longer, even part-time are more functional, and often have greater mobility while remaining active members of society

• Instances of high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, lung disease, heart disease, and stroke are some of the common medical problems that are reduced in working seniors

Via: Home Instead Senior care

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

As we age, our bodies begin to process vitamins and minerals less efficiently, which can result in deficiencies of necessary vitamins in seniors. Taking vitamin supplements to increase intake of calcium, vitamins B & D, iron, etc. seems to be many Houston seniors’ answer for the lack of nutrients they’re getting, but the benefits are still up for debate. According to a study released by the Archives of Internal Medicine, vitamin supplements may not do anything when it comes to improving senior health.

Studies have proven that vitamins, minerals and nutrients derived from fruits, vegetables and whole grains do promote healthy aging, however, when these vitamins are extracted and taken as vitamin supplements, they don’t have the same affects upon preventing cancer and cardiovascular diseases as they do in their natural forms. While the belief is that there are no adverse affects from taking vitamin supplements, there is little medical data that supports there is a benefit to regular use.

Houston seniors looking to improve their overall health and prevent the onset of potentially fatal diseases and illnesses should not rely on vitamin supplements alone; in order to receive the 15 minerals and 13 vitamins required for healthy living, the elderly should focus on proper nutrition and receive their vitamins directly from the source.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/17/vitamins-health-effects-lifestyle-health_0217_vitamins.html

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Home Care Houston Northwest serving older adults in Humble, Katy, Spring, Baytown, and Tomball - call 281-440-5160.

Living a long distance from my mother, who still resides in her own home, makes it challenging to keep track of how she’s doing. When I went to visit her over the Thanksgiving holiday, I found her fridge and freezer stocked full of TV-type dinners containing high levels of saturated fats and few vegetables and lots of junky snack items. There just wasn’t a fruit or vegetable in sight, and when I asked her why her nutrition had declined, she said that she was trying to save money.

While I believed that financial concerns may have been part of the issue, I had a feeling that convenience may have played a part; she was finding it more challenging to prepare and cook meals. During my stay, I made it my mission to show her that she could still eat well on a budget and would address her issues relating to cooking.

Together we went on an outing to the grocery store and price compared fresh produce with canned and frozen goods. We chose some in season local fruits and vegetables, which were substantially less expensive than the imported items and in some cases, even better priced than the canned goods. For other produce my mom preferred that weren’t in season, we chose cans and frozen items. For meats, we also picked up some lean proteins in bulk frozen packages and even got some fresh stuff nearing expiration that I said I would cook and freeze for her so it would keep.

Since many of the things we bought were frozen, they would require little to no preparation. All my mom would have to do to cook these healthy, yet convenient items would be to heat them on the stove or in the oven. However, we also discussed that if this got to be too much, that we could set her up with a local senior nutrition program, so she could go out and have meals served to her at a very low cost or even have them brought to her at home.

Now my mom eats healthy, well-rounded meals regularly and knows that it doesn’t have to break the bank.

Sources: http://www.poststat.net/pwp008/pub.49/issue.366/article.598/
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_/ai_n11838042

Home Instead Senior Care Southeast Houston - 281-484-0200.

The past few days have devastated our lives… those of us effected by Ike. Home Instead Senior Care Southeast Houston sends good wishes and speedy recovery to our neighbors, friends, family caregivers, seniors and elders through-out southeast Texas.

http://www.beloblog.com/KHOU_hurricane/ - Please visit this website blog for current, up-to-date information about local cities near Houston, Texas.

The Red Cross has developed Safe & Well Program for area citizens who need to contact friends or relatives to give/seek post Hurricane Ike status reports.

People are encouraged to:

1) Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767)
2) Visit the Safe & Well Program located on their website at: www.redcross.org

Some Clear Lake evacuees can come back
Three zip code area within Harris County are now safe to return home. All are within the Clear Lake area.

Food safety information

All households should be cautious of food in home freezers and refrigerators during times without electricity. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines advise consumers that if a freezer is fully stocked and the door remains closed, the content of the freezer will usually be safe for about two days. If the freezer is half-full, the content will be safe for about 24 hours.

A properly working refrigerator should keep food safely cold for about four hours after a power outage, if the door is kept closed. Any perishable food including meat, poultry, fish or eggs that has been above 40 °F for two hours or more should be discarded.

Standard refrigerated food should be kept at or below 40 ˚F. Frozen food should remain around 0 ˚F. When power resumes, consumers should check the temperature in their freezer and refrigerator or each food package via a thermometer to ensure safety. Consumers should not rely on appearance or odor.

The FDA advises: when in doubt, throw it out. For more information, go to: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fsdisas.html.

Kroger stores filling prescriptions
Kroger stores that are open will give customers a few days supply of their necessary prescriptions. When the store can reach CVS or Walgreens to confirm, they will give you the rest of the prescription.

Running Can Help Prevent Disability - Continuing from post date September 3..

Home Instead Senior Care Southeast Houston & Bay Area - 281-484-0200.

Disability levels were lower in runners at all time points and increased in both groups over time, but less so in runners.  At the end of the 21-year follow-up, in terms of disability, “the higher levels among controls translate into important differences in overall daily functional limitations,” the authors write. “Disability and survival curves continued to diverge between groups after the 21-year follow-up as participants approached their ninth decade of life.”

If your father is healthy and your doctor says it’s O.K., there’s no reason why he shouldn’t continue to run.  Your concern could really be the stress that you’re seeing on your dad since he began caring for your mother. 

Why not suggest that he arrange for some respite care.  A CAREGiver from Home Instead Senior Care could assist with a variety of tasks around your parent’s house, from meal preparations, medication reminders and light housekeeping to errands and shopping.  A little extra help could keep your dad in running shape for years to come.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care Southeast Houston & Bay Area - please call (281-484-0200. 

For more information about this study, log on to http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/jaaj-ora080708.php.