Home Care Mississauga helps seniors remain active and independent in their own homes.

Heart health is essential in older adulthood, especially as risk factors increase. The best way that seniors can arm themselves against problems is to make positive lifestyle changes, arm themselves with knowledge, and understand the risk factors. With these steps, while the risks of heart disease and stroke cannot be eliminated, it does give seniors a better fighting chance!

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Canadian seniors can improve their heart health with 10 simple tips. Seniors can implement these concepts into their lifestyle on their own or with the health of a senior care provider:

1. Cut down on eating out – whether it’s snacks or meals, avoid eating out and fast-food and prepare meals at home. Pack a lunch when away from home for work or other activities

2. Check nutrition – when shopping for groceries, always read the nutritional information to make smart decisions that will benefit your heart health

3. Understand family history – know if heart problems, heart attacks, heart disease or strokes are in your family history because that automatically increases risk factors

4. Measure your waist – while many step on the scale, few actually take their measurements. The waist is most important because those with a larger circumference are prone to high blood pressure, cholesterol and other issues that can affect the heart

5. Know the risk factors – understanding the risk factors for heart disease and stroke can help seniors to make healthy lifestyle choices. Likewise, knowing the signs and symptoms to detect the onset of these issues can help catch heart problems early

Via: The Care Guide

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Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Home Care Mississauga helps seniors remain active and independent in their own homes.

Walking is one way to attain better health, and for seniors it’s a lower impact activity that can be done virtually anywhere. However, when beginning an exercise program later in life, exercising due caution is necessary to prevent accidents, health problems and other occurrences. Any senior looking to get active should give walking a try, and for those who care for seniors; it’s an activity that can easily be done together for the motivation and companionship.

1. Choose the right shoes – a store that specializes in providing running shoes, or an orthopedic shoe store can make sure that seniors get the right shoes to provide support and comfort

2. Stretch and warm up – never just jump straight into a workout, warming up and stretching is essential and so is cooling down after a workout

3. Be aware of warning signs – seniors need to pay attention to the signs that their body provides them. Any pain, circulatory issues or other physical changes could indicate that they’re pushing themselves too hard and may require a doctor’s attention

4. Think about the weather – with the varying climates in Canada, particularly in Ontario, seniors need to be aware of changing weather conditions. Cold weather can create numbness in the feet and limbs; hot weather might lead to an increase of physical exertion, and of course inclement weather can pose risks

5. Talk to a doctor – before beginning an exercise program all seniors need to talk to their doctors. A professional can provide insight into safe exercise programs for any seniors specific health issues, such as those with diabetes

Via: The Care Guide

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Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Home Care Mississauga helps aging seniors maintain strength to stay at home.

The Grey Bruce Heart Health Program in Ontario is one designed to help prevent heart disease in older Canadians and promote a healthy lifestyle that specifically benefits the heart. For those who don’t know how to get started on their own, this program has a number of focus areas and events and works in partnership with the community in the Owen
Sound area and provides resources to all
Ontarians such as:

• Walking programs that get seniors walking in ways that are enjoyable and incorporate socialization

• Awareness about the effects and risks of heart disease in women

• Information about healthy heart foods with an emphasis upon lean, low-fat diets rich in nutrients

• Affordable, nutritious food programs that help give low-income seniors access to healthy heart foods

• Community gardening programs which promote physical activity allow seniors to grow their own produce and socialize

• Recognition of those seniors in the local community who have adopted healthy heart lifestyles

• Campaigns to prevent the initiation of more smoke-free public places, plus resources to help seniors quit smoking!

Via: Grey Bruce Heart Health

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Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Home Care Mississauga helps seniors and elders with doctor visits if your family member cannot be there with you.

Despite encouragement that exercise can improve their health, many seniors are still reluctant to believe that there will be noticeable changes that will truly make a difference in their lives. According to a new Canadian study, however, many seniors might be prepared to change their tune because a non-sedentary lifestyle can improve artery health, providing for a healthier heart.

The recent study evaluated the heart health of older adults in two groups – one that walked regularly according to a prescribed regiment; and the other that avoided any semblance of exercise. After a mere three month period, it was demonstrated that the active group improved arterial stiffness in their heart by as much as 15% to 20%.

So seniors, lace up your walking shoes, but make sure that you talk to your doctor and get a clean bill of health for any new exercise routine before you begin!

Via:Healthhabits.ca

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Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Home care Mississauga cares for aging seniors and the elderly and we know that the heart is an essential  part of the human body, and for many seniors it’s a cause of grief as it presents health issues as they age, often due to genetics or lifestyle. While gene elements cannot be reversed, risk factors can be reduced with positive lifestyle changes such as:

1. Eating well – well-rounded nutrition with daily recommended values from every good group

2. Supplemental vitamins – to boost nutritional intake, vitamin supplements can be used. Those with proven benefits to the heart include Omega 3 fatty acids, and coenzyme Q10. The former lowers blood pressure, helps ensure a regular heart rhythm, and prevents plaque build up in the arteries

3. Keeping weight under control – diet, exercise and an overall focus on positive health can help seniors control their weight, and in turn, keep their heart in optimal health

While all of the above have proven positive effects to seniors in preventing heart issues, it’s important that they speak to their doctor before changing their diet, beginning an exercise program, or starting use of vitamin supplements.

Via: Senior Health Answers

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Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

In order to meet your financial goals this year to plan for later on in your senior years, or get other parts of your finances in order, you need a reputable financial advisor. To find the best person for the job, you want someone with experience that’s also reliable, and here are some home care tips for Mississauga seniors for ensuring that the person you
select checks all of the boxes.

1. Don’t just look at an individual’s title – Financial Advisors may go by a number of different interchangeable titles. The title doesn’t really matter, but the services they provide do. Look at what services are provided, and how you think those suit your needs

2. Ask about their clients – consider your goals, and ask about the type of people they normally work with and what their needs are to gauge their suitability to help you

3. Check qualifications – it’s okay to look into the skills and qualifications of a business or individual. Ask about their certifications and the education and other relevant information about their experience

4. Check to make sure the company is reputable – firms and individuals that are reputable should be licensed with the Investment Industry Regulatory Association of Canada

Via: Reader’s Digest

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Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Home Care Mississauga sees many seniors who are trapped in their homes because they are too weak to perform the activities they must do to remain safe and independent. Greg Bechard of Home Instead Senior Care in Mississauga, says “that’s why staying active is a prerequisite for healthy aging, but addressing these issues can be a challenge for many families.”

Losing the ability to get around is a big concern for seniors, and also a big concern of the adult children who care for them. This is according to a national survey of seniors and adult children commissioned by Home Instead Senior Care, a seniors’ care provider with 25 locations across Canada. Lack of activity can lead to a downward spiral of poor health resulting in frailty, which is a condition that threatens the mind, body and social life of older adults, according to senior-care experts.

The national Home Instead Senior Care survey of Canadian seniors aged 65 and older found that the two top challenges seniors face are: maintaining their independence (66 percent rated this no. 1) and staying physically active (65 percent rated this no. 1). Other challenges such as managing finances, eating a healthy diet, and keeping socially engaged, while all important, were further down the list.

The problem of inactive seniors has prompted Home Instead Senior Care to develop a public awareness program designed to help keep seniors engaged and fit, and to fight frailty arising from inactivity. The program includes Get Mom Moving activity cards and the website www.getmommoving.com.

The research showed that being active also correlates to a ‘happiness’ factor for both seniors and caregivers. In the survey, 93 percent of the seniors surveyed said their biggest source of happiness is being able to get around as they choose, and 89 percent said it stems from remaining active. The survey was conducted online with 358 seniors aged 65 and over, and with 407 adult caregivers aged 35-62, along with a telephone survey among current Home Instead Senior Care clients and care recipients.

Erin Billowits, owner of Vintage Fitness, is dedicated to energizing the lives of the 50-and-up group with physical activity, and does workshops for Home Instead Senior Care. The older adults she works with have such ailments as osteoarthritis, Parkinson’s, and other mobility challenges. Billowits says less than ten per cent of Canadian seniors do any type of strength training – even with very light weights – and that such activity provides the greatest benefit.

“For many older adults, being active is the difference between living independently and living in a long-term care facility,” she says. “When working with older adults, we stress that they have an emotional goal and a physical goal. For example, one woman didn’t have enough flexibility to paint her own toenails and another was fearful about not being able to get up off the floor after a fall, so this becomes the goal.”

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

Home Care Tips to Increase Brain Function

Maximize your brain power in the New Year, and fight off the sometimes effects of aging that can affect your cognitive functioning. This year, you want to make memories, but you also want to be able to remember them. By maximizing your brain power, you can help to secure your memories, and keeping your brain sharp is easier than you think.

1. Stay social – socializing does a lot more for your mind than you might ever realize. Having a conversation, even one that only lasts about 10 minutes has the same benefits as doing a crossword puzzle. You’ll find that your memory and thinking skills are improved

2. Keep forming new brain cells – have you heard that old saying, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it? Well, that applies to your brain too. Brain cells not used self-destruct, so make sure you keep your brain active

3. Don’t be afraid to yawn – you might have been taught that yawning in public isn’t polite, but it actually cools off brain cells and improves blood flow so it can maximize your brain power

Via: Reader’s Digest

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Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

With the New Year here, there’s no better time for seniors to start making improvements to their homes that can make them more comfortable and safe while living independently. Not all seniors can afford to make changes that will keep them at home, which is why many lower income Canadian seniors are eligible to receive assistance from the Home Adaptations for Seniors’ Independence Program.

In order to qualify for the program, seniors must:

• Be 65 years or older

• Have more limited mobility as a result of aging

• Meet the income criteria

• Live at a permanent residence independently (though home can be shared with other family members)

• Changes must be permanent to the home and improve seniors abilities to navigate around their home and generally increase safety. Common approved changes include hand rails, grab bars, levers on doors, and movement of storage spaces so they’re more accessible

Via: Canadian Mortgage and Housing Association

Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.

It’s a New Year, and those seniors who still get behind the wheel to drive, whether it’s just around town or for longer distances, one great goal is to resolve to be a safer driver. Here are some tips that will help you as a senior become a safer driving, both for yourself and others on the road.

1. Acknowledge that driving skills can change with age – it might not be true for everyone, but reflexes, perception and other abilities needed for driving can change with age and seniors need to recognize this and take added precautions for safety

2. Avoid weather conditions – Canadian winters can be harsh, and this winter in particular has brought us colder temperatures and a great deal of snow. Whenever possible, avoid driving in snowy and icy conditions. But for when it’s necessary, make sure your car is fully equipped

3. Stick to routes you are more familiar with – take roads you are comfortable with, especially when driving at night and if there is inclement weather

4. Plan routes in advance – if you need to travel to areas you don’t normally, plan your route in advance to find one that will be the most accommodating

5. Take a course – if you feel you need to hone your skills, take a refresher course in driving

Via: About.com

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Home Care Mississauga helping older adults and elderly live independently and safely at home. Please call 905- 276-2273.