How to you move on after a loved one passes away? After a life living under the same roof, and celebrating anniversaries of the day you got married and other important milestones in your relationship? Facing these anniversaries again once you’re alone couldn’t be more challenging, but you can get through them with these 5 tips for coping with anniversaries:

1. Don’t do it alone – talk to someone about your fears as the day approaches, seek support from a group with other surviving spouses or bond with others who knew your loved one by sharing memories

2. Do something to acknowledge the grief – if it helps, visit the gravesite, plant a flower in honor of the life of your spouse or loved one, release a balloon in the air or do something that has significant meaning to you

3. Eat right – anxiety or feelings of depression might shift your focus away from your own health, but remember to eat properly with nutritious meals. If your emotional state makes it too much for your to prepare them while the anniversary is approaching, ask for help from a family member or friend, hire a caregiver, or use a service like Meals on Wheels

4. Exercise – exercising regularly can help you to release stress and anxiety and will improve your disposition overall

5. Do something to remember your loved one – overtime as you learn to cope with the grief that comes with loss, you might be ready to celebrate their life on anniversaries. Go to a Walnut Creek restaurant you used to frequent together, or make a new tradition by dining out with family at a new favorite spot. Take a trip you and your spouse always dreamed of taking; do something that helps you to honor the life you had with them

Via: Silent Grief

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Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

Q – I know my mom’s come to a point in her life where she could use some help, whether it’s by moving her into nursing home or keeping her at home with the help of a caregiver. I kind of worry about choosing home care, because what if the caregiver just isn’t up to par; at least in a facility she’ll have multiple people caring for her and at least some will be capable. How do I know I’m getting a good caregiver by going with home care?

A – It might not be the case with every home care agency, but when you choose to work with Home Instead Senior Care in Walnut Creek, we ensure that your senior gets only the highest quality of care through rigorous screening and training. We can guarantee that your mom will be happier with one of our caregivers, and here’s some details about our process to ease your mind:

The traits of  Home Instead Senior Caregivers:

• Dependability - work history and employment reference checks are completed for all staff members
• Honesty - drug test and background checks are completed by HISC
• Experience – personal or professional experience in the senior care industry or dealing with senior citizens is considered
• Compassion – a sense of compassion for giving seniors a better quality of life is looked for during the interview process
• Motivation – someone who is motivated in everything they do is better suited to ensuring that seniors are provided the highest quality of care

HISC also has a Caregiver Leadership Training Program that focuses on creating a fantastic caregiver experience by focusing on the following elements:

• Treating CAREGivers with dignity and respect
• Nurturing positive relationships
• Showing appreciation
• Humanizing and professionalizing the caregiving journey
• Connecting CAREGivers to Home Instead, its mission and other CAREGivers
• Dealing with issues openly and honestly.

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

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Let’s be frank – getting older sucks. People we love pass on, we find ourselves in a body that no longer wants to cooperate, and society looks at us as weak and useless. But that doesn’t mean we can’t find happiness in our senior years either, and whether you’re a senior yourself or a caregiver who wants to try and make their loved one just a little bit happier, here are 6 tips you can follow:

1. Encourage physical activity – exercise releases hormones which can help stave off depression. Instead of sitting around at home during a visit with a senior, go out for a walk or pick another activity that’s well suited to the senior’s physical capabilities.
2. Create social situations – the best way to boost senior morale and prevent loneliness is to get them involved in social situations. Invite your senior to a party or encourage them to join a social activity.
3.  Help maintain a healthy diet – studies have proven that a well-balanced diet can prevent depression, so keep your senior’s fridge well stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables.
4. Offer support – if your efforts just don’t seem to boost your senior’s morale or they continue to struggle with elderly depression, make sure they know you are willing to listen to anything on their mind. If they aren’t comfortable talking with a friend or family member, encourage them to speak with a counselor or join a support group for seniors.
5. Encourage their hobbies – while some seniors may withdraw from activities they enjoy, encourage your senior to keep them up or find some new things that interest him/her.
6. Improve the living space – if your senior spends a lot of time in his/her home, even if it’s in an assisted living facility, personalize the space to help them feel comfortable. Photos, décor in their favorite colors and other personal comforts will help seniors feel like they belong there!

Sources:

1. Senior Journal: Kara Gavin
2. Everyday Health

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

All Walnut Creek seniors want to know how they can live longer and be healthier when they reach old age. A recent study has shown that the healthiest seniors share the same 4 healthy habits which can be easily implemented into any routine with very minimal effort. Here’s how you can improve your health and your life:

1. No smoking – the participants in a study who had the least instances of cancer, diabetes, heart attack and other health problems in older adulthood never smoked during their lives
2. Active lifestyle – the healthiest older adults have always lead relatively active lives, engaging in exercise or sports for 3.5 hours or more on a weekly basis
3. Healthy eating – seniors at least risk for cancer, diabetes and heart attack limited their intake of red meat, and stuck to lean proteins and ate lots of fruits and vegetables and have always had this routine
4. Controlled body weight – those least at risk for critical and chronic illnesses have always watched their weight, maintaining a Body Mass Index of 30 or under during their lives

There is no big secret about how to be healthier in older adulthood, take care of yourself throughout your life and you’ll be far better off!

Via: Mercury News

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Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

Some of us are just hoping that by the time retirement rolls around, everything falls into place – that we’re able to pursue our goals, and that we’ll have the finances we need to chase our dreams. But to ensure we’ll reach our retirement goals, planning is necessary. And if your aging parents are as described above, you might just need to give them a push in the right direction by talking to them about retirement planning.

6 tips for early retirement planning:

1. Start early – talk to your parents about their retirement plans by the time they are 50…earlier is okay too, but don’t wait too long! However, if your parents are already retired, it’s not too late to have this conversation
2. Know their retirement goals – where do your parents want to live when they retire? Do they want to remain in Ventura? Do they want to travel? Do they want to take on any new hobbies or continue with old ones? This will help determine their financial needs for retirement
3. How much? – you might not feel comfortable asking your parents about their finances, but it’s important to know if they have saved enough to get them through their retirement, while still meeting their goals. Ensure you let them know that they can’t live on their Social Security Benefits alone; according to studies, these only cover about 40% of retirement living expenses
4. Check Social Security Benefits – although seniors can’t live on their Social Security Benefit alone, requesting to know how much they will receive can help with financial planning for retirement
5. Let them know early retirement might be a possibility – whether or not they hope to retire early, with the economy today, many people are forced to retire at an earlier age. Take a look at the industry that your parents work in; if they are in an industry that’s really being effected, it might result in early retirement
6. Discuss health care – knowing what your parents would want with regards to their health care is perhaps the most important so you know what to do if they are not able to speak for themselves. You can also encourage them to draft a living will, but make sure you know what they’d want with regards to senior services as well as health care

Via: Senior.com

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

With summer nearing its end, you might be dreaming of taking a trip that you never had the chance to do when you were working and raising a family. Now that you’re retired, there’s no better time. But if you’re planning on booking a rental car, make sure you plan ahead, as many companies will put limitations on the options that older adults have. To make sure your dream vacation isn’t ruined by confusion over a rental car, plan ahead and use the following tips:

1. Ask about age maximums – many rental car companies, or individual rental franchises in certain cities may very with their age limits. While some may not allow seniors over 70 to rent a car due to the potential cost of insurance following an accident, others may put no restrictions on maximum driving age
2. Check your insurance – check with your existing insurance policy and see if it will cover a rental car if you’re driving away from your Walnut Creek home. Using existing insurance or purchasing new insurance may allow you to rent a car from a company that otherwise has age limitations
3. Start at home – if you determine that it’s cheaper to rent a car from a local Walnut Creek agency, get your car at home and make it a longer road trip to your destination if the savings are worthwhile!
4. Pick up the phone – while looking at car rental agencies online might be a great way to get costs, companies don’t always post maximum age limitations online. Pick up the phone, and don’t be modest about your age. Tell them you’re a senior and find out if there are any restrictions or special steps that will need to be taken to rent a car at your age

Via: About

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Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

It’s never too late to meet your goals; there’s no age limit on success. It doesn’t matter what you plan to achieve later in life, there are 10 shared traits amongst the most successful that can mean achievement.

1) Think positive – visualize yourself accomplishing whatever it is that you want to achieve with success. Avoid negative thoughts and negative people
2) Set your goals – be specific about your goals, whatever they may be. Set a date and stick to it, for example, tell yourself “next month I am going to start volunteering in the community”
3) Stick to your goals – if you set a goal, find a way to make it happen. Don’t make excuses or let fear hold you back. Without follow through goals don’t mean anything!
4) Embrace new wisdom – you’re never too old to learn something new, and you can never think that you know everything. Take a class, whether it’s at a Houston college, or to learn a new hobby from a craft store or other place that will teach you about your new interest
5) Be persistent – not all goals can be accomplished immediately, but if you keep your eye on your goals and work through any trials and tribulations, you’ll get there
6) Make decisions wisely – get all the information you need an analyze decisions before you follow through
7) Invest in your future – if you have a goal, it’s okay to filter your time and money into achieving it. Don’t feel guilty or let anyone stand in your way!
8. Communicate – talk to others about your goals, ask them to be open and honest and give them the same in return
9) Be different – don’t set goals just because someone’s told you there’s certain things you should achieve in older adulthood, do what’s right for you!
10) Admit when you’re wrong – it’s okay to make mistakes, just make sure you admit it when you’re wrong

Sources:

1. About.com

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Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

As caregivers, we hate to see our elderly care recipients suffering with aches, pains, illnesses and other aging related problems. We devote a lot to those that we care for, and it’s hard to see them struggling. We might not be able to take away all of their pain and suffering despite our best efforts, but there are 4 ways that caregivers can improve their seniors health through encouragement to adopt healthy habits:

1) Pick healthy habits that you can stick with – if you don’t enjoy your lifestyle changes with regards to diet and exercise, you just won’t stick with it. Choose physical activities that you like doing, so you’re motivated to keep it up, and don’t just choose foods that you know are healthy – stick with ones that taste good, agree with your cooking style, and that provide you with a well-rounded diet!
2) Stop thinking that it’s too late to make healthy changes – it’s never too late to start exercising and to receive benefits with regards to strength, flexibility, bone density and more. No matter what ails you, don’t ever think that it’s too late. Any steps you take to improve your health are helpful and positive!
3) Don’t let fear hold you back – you might worry that exercise will cause injury and greater problems, but if you suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure or other common illnesses for Ventura seniors, then the risks that can come from NOT exercising, are actually much greater than the risk of injury when you do
4) Make small changes to your diet – making small changes to increase the fiber in your diet, or the fruits, vegetables and other nutrients, can make a huge different. Gradually replace your less healthy food choices to those that will have a more favorable impact on your body!

Sources:
1. Family Doctor

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

In the medical practice where I work in Walnut Creek , we constantly find ourselves having to twist the arms of our senior patients in order to get active. They know they should exercise, but they’re just not sure how to start and how to do it at an age where accidents and injuries are more likely. In order to ease their minds, and give them some safe ways to exercise, we provide our patients with the following exercise tips for active Walnut Creek seniors:

1) Most men and women over the age of 50 need to consult a doctor before beginning a fitness program, so to be cautious about your health, get clearance first

2) Choose an activity/routine that you will stick with and enjoy. Work with a trainer, join a group class, invest in exercise equipment for the home, or exercise outside with a friend
3) Start off slowly, increasing the duration and intensity of activities as your fitness abilities increase
4) Listen to what your body is telling you, if it hurts or causes too much physical strain, then stop the activity
5) Set realistic short and long-term goals, which for seniors should be about improving overall health
6) Keep a journal about your fitness activities for health purposes and to keep you motivated
7) Ensure that you choose a well-rounded fitness routine that incorporates resistance training, cardiovascular activities, exercises that promote flexibility, and those that promote balance
Make sure you have the right equipment, particularly clothing and supportive shoes
9) Make simple lifestyle changes to promote further exercise, like parking farther away from the grocery store entrance, or doing more housework yourself
10) Reward yourself for working hard

Sources:

1. SeniorJournal

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

Nature can make you feel alive, and it gives you the chance to step away from your busy life and reflect upon your natural surroundings and about other aspects of your life. While I’m sure you know that nature can make you feel alive, did you know that it might actually increase your lifespan through its physical and cognitive benefits?

Get outside and get active, and once you’re in touch with nature you can expect a longer, happier and healthier life because of the following benefits:

• Attention and memory spans improve by 20% after a 50 to 55 minute walk in a natural setting
• Sights in nature cause reflection and mental stimulation
• In nature, your mind can focus on stimulus rather than tuning out other surroundings in the environment when it’s overwhelming in a busy city environment
• Being in an environmental surrounding provides the brain with “active rest”
• Getting out into nature generally involves some form of physical activity and weight bearing activities like walking can help with osteoporosis and muscle strength
• Body weight, body fat and cholesterol is lowered when Walnut Creek seniors get active by hiking or walking outdoors reducing the risk of stroke, and heart conditions
• The boomer generation has a strong sentimental to the outdoors based on Woodstock and other events, so it can take them back to fond memories of their youth

Sources:

1. AARP

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.