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- Stay Healthy. Stay Home. Issue 85
Stay Healthy. Stay Home. Issue 85
Care receivers Caregivers Nutrition Movement Wellness Aging In Place And One More Thing
As announced earlier, the newsletter has considerably more content going forward and will now be published every two weeks for the next month, at which time we will transition back to weekly publication with the March 27, 2025 issue. As we have continuted to increase the amount of content we publish each week, it has taken an adjustment period to develop a newer format.
We will also launch a store featuring fitness and wellness products at that time. All products purchased by subscribers will be discounted and we will also feature one product per month that will be even more deeply discounted. Our goal is to make your fitness plan as affordable as possible. In the meantime, if you are interested in any fitness products, email me at [email protected] for information and a quote on whatever you are interested in. For more information go to https://www.stayhealthystayhome.net/ and click on "Learn More About This Site" on the home page. More features and changes will be announced as we go forward.
Table of Contents
Care Receivers
Nutrition
We are going to address blood pressure once again, with informatioin from Northwestern Medicine who provides us with dietary information to address BP. As they state, nearly half of all adults in the US have high blood pressure and many more do but are not aware of it. By adjusting our diets, we can limit our risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease and avoid what is known as the “silent killer”.
Nutrition
Healthy Snacks. https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/ has information for us here regarding snacks that are rich in protein, fiber, heart healthy snacks, those that are hydrating and easier to digest and some that can strengthen our bones. I would also recommend checking out the right hand column and reading some of their other helpful blogs on a variety of nutrition information for us seniors.
Movement
Today Meredith has a 20 minute full body workout for us using resistance bands. As Meredith points out, take your time based on your fitness level and use the band strength you are most comfortable with. As she says, over the course of a day we use all areas of our body, so a good full body stretch using the bands will help us in many ways. If you do not have any bands, scroll down a little from the video and she has a link there for the bands she uses which you can order from Amazon and have in a day or two. Your local Dick’s Sporting Goods will have them also if you are not an Amazon subscriber.
Movement
Sciatica or a herniated disc? Dr. Jo gives us valuable advice here to determine which we might be dealing with and some exercises to relieve either. I have dealt with sciatica, expecially on long drives, and it can be debilitating. If you identify either of these issues after watching this, consult your own physical therapist or health care provider and see what they have to say.
Nutrition
The National Council On Aging has a wealth of information here that addresses developing and maintaining a healthy diet, being aware of signs of malnutrition and making sure we are hydrated properly, all subjects that, if we adhere to information like this, will keep us healty as we age.
Aging In Place
This post by Senior Living could fall under Wellness as well. They have a variety of activities for senior citizens for several categories like physical activities, mental and memory enhancing activities, recreational and liesure activities and for those suffering from dementia or blindness along with those in assisted living or Alzheimers/dementia related facilities. As Spring is a little closer each day, getting outside and trying some of these can be good for us. If you feel you need to, consult your healthcare provider before beginning any.
Aging In Place
For our Illinois subscribers, the Illinois Department of Human Services has information here regarding transportation services for senior citizens. Scroll down for information and there is also more provided in the menu on the left. This is a big issue for us as we age. I am thinking of giving up driving myself for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is my reactions are not the same as they used to be. For subscribers in other states, if you search your state’s website, I am sure you will find similar information. Below is another one of those reasons.
Aging In Place
This next article from KFF Health News is information that will help you know what you can, and can’t, expect from Medicare when you are aging in place. There are some exceptions, but few and restrictive.
Caregivers
Wellness
From the American Heart Association, 12 tips for caregivers to stay healthy so they can continue to perform this valuable service to their family member or friend. Obviously, this also applies to caregivers who work for an agency or a health care facility. Some of this might seem very apparent, but I have seen what happens when there is not a plan in place or some structure to follow. In addition to the 12 tips, there are links to helpful articles for caregivers as well.
Wellness
This is some very good information from Harvard Health that covers caregivers health. It features what they call the wellness wheel, which you can see as you scroll down and you can also see it in the image below. There is much more in the article, but I thought the Wellness Wheel was very helpful.
Wellness
Caregiver Support Services. I am not selling their memberships here. I just thought that even though this site is geared towards caregivers who work in commercial settings, there is a blog here and some books that may be helpful as well. As we have stated before here, I don’t think we can be prepared enough as we undertake the role of a caregiver.
Wellness
Caringbridge lists 9 caregiver support groups here 5 of which are online and can be accessed by all of us. There are many support groups online and we will continue to publish information about them. While family and friend support is very helpful, having the ability to communicate with others who are in the same postion as you can be even more helpful. Some groups are moderated by professional counselors as well.
Aging In Place
Family Caregiver Alliance has some more valuable information here for backup planning for caregivers. There is information here, again, that many of us probably have no experience with that can be valuable to both the caregiver and, ultimately, the care receiver as well and perhaps the whole family involved.
Both Care Receivers and Caregivers
Nutrition
The Mediteranean Dish has an excellent recipe I’ve tried a couple times when I find salmon on sale. It’s very healtthy and I try to eat something from a Mediteranean type diet, whether from this site or another, once a week.
Nutrition
From Veri.co, there is a lot here in what they call “The Essential Guide To Eating For Metabolic Health”. This is a long read but contains as much essential information about what metabolic health is and how our nutrtion effects it than anything else I have read. From all I have read and heard, meabolic health is probably as important as any component of our health as we age.
Nutrition
Now for even more enjoyable nutrition advice, some heart healthy desserts form the Cleveland Clinic!
Wellness
Chiropractor, Dr. Jon Saunders, has an excellent video on posture, which is important in so many ways as we age. Dr. Jon addresses many issues seniors can have such as forward head posture, rounded shoulders, lumbar curve and others. Addressing these issues and strengthening our bodies as we age will go a long way to keeping us safe.
Wellness
Dr. Chris Voirin of Oak Park, IL, discusses healthy breathing methods and the importance of awareness of our breathing to our overall wellness, especially to help us relax and for pain relief. Try these techniques for a couple weeks and you will see the value of them.
Wellness
Oak Brook Health and Rehab has three resolutions for care receivers and their caregivers. Not bad advice here.
Aging In Place
Safety. UC Health (University of Colorado) has some very good information here about how to remain in our homes, along with other helpful information, such as, what if our bedroom is on the second floor, what if we live alone, and much more. While this post is directed towards those living in Colorado, and lists some local organizations, the basic information applies anywhere. If our goal/idea is to age in place, it is never too early to begin the planning.
And One More Thing
Rowing. Not on a lake or river, but indoors with a rowing machine. Well and Good magazine has a list of the best rowers put together by three Olympic rowers. First on the list is Concept 2, which I use at the fitness center I go to. It is pretty much my primary cardio workout now and I think it is going to remain that way. It is much less wear and tear on the body which had become a factor for me as I continued running. If a gym or club you belong to has a rower, give it a try a couple times and see what you think.
I would add the Concept 2 to the store we are opening on the site on March 27, but they do not offer any wholesale arrangements. They are the same price any where you buy them. The Concept 2 site is probably your best bet. They are pictured below.
Disclaimer
This website’s content is for informational purposes only. It is general in nature and is not intended to be medical advice. Before starting, consult your own healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis and to ensure this content and any featured products are safe and appropriate for your own medical and physical condition. Stop immediately if you experience pain. Stay Healthy Stay Home makes no representations about the accuracy or suitability of this content for you.
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