Walnut Creek Senior Care enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.

Many seniors prepare their own foods. This is why all seniors should know how to prevent the spread of foodborne illness and how to prevent food poisoning. By following some of the tips that are provided below, seniors will be able to prepare food safely and not worry about the chances of illness or poisoning.

1. Hand washing is essential. More than half of the potential cases of foodborne illness can be removed by properly washing your hands. Make sure to wash hands before, during and after all food preparation. Washing during preparation reduces the chances of cross-contamination.

2. Check refrigerator settings to make sure the food is being stored properly. The setting should be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. After shopping, put perishables away quickly.

3. Clean the refrigerator often. Any lunch meat that has been open for more than 5 days should be discarded.

4. When thawing food, do not just leave them on a counter. Place them in the refrigerator overnight to thaw them properly. Foods can also be thawed by running them under cool water or placing them in the microwave, but both of these methods should only be used if the food will be prepared immediately.

5. Wash preparation surfaces often to prevent contamination. This is very important when preparing raw meats. It is suggested to have two separate cutting boards, one for raw meat, poultry and fish and the other for breads and vegetables.

6. Be aware of proper cooking temperatures. Always make sure food is thoroughly cooked.

Source: eatright.org

Image: chicken.org

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.

Our Walnut Creek Caregivers enable seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.

Food safety is an issue that everyone should be aware of, especially seniors. Many seniors still prepare their own meals. When doing so, there are some tips that seniors can use to help prevent the chances of developing a foodborne illness. The tips provided below will help seniors prepare their food safely and maintain their health.

1. Older individuals, newborns and pregnant women are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses. This is because they usually have a weaker immune system than a healthy young adult. People in these groups need to be very careful of the foods they ingest.

2. To protect yourself from becoming ill from a food, make sure that all food is stored properly.

3. When cooking food, make sure that the food has reached the proper temperature. This can be done by inserting a thermometer into the food as it is being prepared. This is very important when cooking meat and poultry.

4. When preparing food, be sure to wash your hands often. This will help prevent cross-contamination. This is important when coming in contact with raw fish, meat and poultry.

5. Some foods are more prone to carrying bacteria. This is common in chicken and some red meat. Try to avoid preparing or eating these foods, especially if they are undercooked.

Source: eatright.org

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.

Home Care in Walnut Creek enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.

Food allergies and intolerances can cause serious reactions in seniors. This is why seniors should always know what they are eating. Many prepared meals contain multiple ingredients. Some of these could trigger an allergic reaction. The list below provides seniors with important facts regarding intolerances and food allergies.

1. Food allergies are more common in children, but they do affect seniors as well. Family history plays an important role. Seniors should be aware of any other family members who have allergies or intolerances.

2. Food allergies can be mild or severe. Seniors need to know how they react to specific foods and be prepared for the worst possible reaction at all times.

3. The most common allergies include those to milk, peanuts, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy and tree nuts.

4. The best way to cope with food allergies and intolerances is to avoid the foods that trigger a reaction. Most seniors will be tested by a doctor to determine what foods cause a reaction and how severe that reaction may be.

5. Anyone with a food allergy or intolerance should know what is in the foods they eat. Since some food allergies are to common ingredients, this is very important when managing allergies.

6. When preparing food at home, always read the labels. Even if you are familiar with an ingredient in a recipe, it may contain traces of an allergen.

7. Make everyone informed of your allergies and intolerances. This includes family members, caretakers and friends.

Source: eatright.org

Image Via: healthinlife.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.

Aging Care in Walnut Creek enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.

It is important for seniors to know the facts about food allergies and intolerances. Managing a diet to allow for allergies can be a difficult task, especially when there are multiple allergies. The following list contains some useful facts about allergies and intolerances for seniors. Seniors need to be aware of everything they eat and how those foods could affect them.

1. There are eight foods that account for more than 90% of all food allergies. These include eggs, peanuts, milk, soy, wheat, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. Many people can have an anaphylactic reaction when they ingest a food they are allergic to.

2. Anyone with a food allergy or intolerance should know what foods make them ill and do their best to avoid these foods. It is important to make mention of any food allergies to anyone who is preparing food you will be eating.

3. Food allergy symptoms appear almost immediately after eating the food. The symptoms can include itchy nose and throat, watery eyes, shortness of breath or hives. There are many symptoms, but these are the most common.

4. Food intolerance is when the body cannot digest the food components. This is common with foods that contain lactose or sulfides. The symptoms may include abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea or nausea. Unlike food allergies, food intolerance is not life-threatening.

5. If you have a food intolerance or allergy, make sure to meet with a dietician to understand what foods you need to avoid. You also need to learn about food ingredients so you know what to watch for. Make sure to read all labels on packaged foods and inform family members and friends of the intolerance or allergy.

Source: eatright.org

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.

Whether you are a senior, a professional senior caregiver, or a family member caring for a senior, information is key when it comes to escaping the wrath of the flu. Aside from arming themselves with Kleenex and juice, seniors can keep in mind several tips towards preventing the flu.

• Wash Your Hands—The simple act of cleaning your hands can prevent germs from spreading or reaching your senior. Encourage your senior to wash their hands or carry hand sanitizer.

• Avoid People Who Are Sick—As much as a senior may love to see their grandchildren or children, if any party is sick, it is best to just stay out of close contact until no longer contagious.

• Stay in Bed—If you are a sick senior, try to not push yourself by going out on errands. Not only can rest help a senior recover faster, but you will also prevent others from getting sick.

• Sleep, Exercise, and Eat Healthy—Some of the best ways to fight the flu can easily be by getting a full night’s sleep, being active, and eating foods and drinking liquids beneficial to your health.

• Keep your hands out of your eyes, nose and mouth—One of the most common ways germs can spread is by rubbing your eyes, nose or mouth after touching a doorknob or other item that is contaminated.

• Cover Your Nose and Mouth—When sneezing or coughing, it is always better to cover your mouth and nose to prevent your flu-like symptoms from spreading to others.

Source: cdc.gov

Image Source: sxc.hu

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.

If you are a senior, or are a caregiver, you will understand how important it is to remain active. Seniors often live on a fixed income which limits them when planning trips. There is some great news! The list below will offer a few suggestions for day trips that do not cost a thing! These types of trips are a great way to get seniors out of the house, while providing some exercise and socialization.

1. When was the last time you visited the State Capitol? Probably many years ago, if ever. The State Capitol is open to the public and offers guided tours. This is a wonderful way to learn new things about the state you live in as well as a great way to spend the day without having to worry about what it will cost.

2. When going on a day trip to the State Capitol, or anywhere else, pack your own lunch. The buildings are usually situated on landscaped grounds that make for the perfect picnic location.

3. Do not forget to inquire about other public buildings. These buildings are paid for by your tax dollars, so feel free to enjoy them. The same goes for state parks and forests.

4. If you are still searching for a unique day trip, try a guided tour of the Governor’s Mansion!

Via: ehow.com

Image source: sxc.hu

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.

Often families think about making changes to an elderly loved one’s home when they live alone; but for some reason, when they choose to move an older adult in they believe that the same standards do not apply. Whenever a senior is moving in, consider their comfort and safety by taking the same steps that you would if they lived elsewhere. Here are some top tips to get you started, and increase their comfort in your home:

1. Install a lower peephole – particularly for seniors that live alone, a peephole is an important security measure. Osteoporosis can cause seniors to lose height, and causing them to strain to see out of a peephole is a danger

2. Reduce glare in the home – for the comfort of seniors, install blinds on the windows that can be adjusted depending upon the amount of light or glare coming into the home

3. Prevent falls with safety measures – put railings on stairs and in the bathroom, and to avoid slips remove area rugs

4. Control water temperatures of the faucets – seniors can scald themselves if they find it challenging to control water

5. Change door handles – seniors with arthritis often have trouble manipulating doorknobs; accommodate them by installing level handles or other assistive devices

6. Try to control clutter – whether a senior is moving in, or you’re trying to make their home a little safer, finding storage for all the extra items that are not regularly used is important to reduce clutter and increase safety

Via: Guide for  Boomers and Seniors who Live with Them

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 – My parents are getting on in age, and in their 80’s, I’m beginning to worry if they truly are safe and healthy living independently in their homes and meeting their own crucial needs. I’ll be visiting with them in their home over the upcoming holidays – what should I look for to determine whether or not they’re okay living like they are without anyone to help them?

A – Holidays are the best time to evaluate the needs of seniors who live independently at home; look in the following areas, and decide if you think they could use help from a caregiver:

1. Check the refrigerator – spoiled foods or lack of nutritious food options may indicate that your senior has not been eating properly due to a health issue, difficulty shopping for groceries or preparing meals

2. Look in high places – if your senior has always been neat and tidy, dust or dirt in higher places may indicate changes in their mobility

3. Look at their mail – bills piling up around the home, or bills that aren’t being picked up from the mail box could either mean that they aren’t managing to stay on top of their financial responsibilities due to a condition like Alzheimer’s or dementia, or it could be related to their finances

4. Check their medications – look in the medicine cabinet and compare dates and dosages to the number of prescription pills in the bottles

5. Take a look at your loved one – their appearance can give away a lot. Do they appear to be well-groomed, dressed and bathed?

6. Talk to friends and neighbors – those that see your senior on a regular basis might be able to give you some insight; ask close friends and neighbors casually when you see them over the holidays

Via: Home Instead Senior Care

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.

Football is America’s favorite pastime; many of us like to sit down on a Sunday afternoon or a Monday night with a bowl of salty snacks and a nice cold beer to watch the game, but while you’re watching, do you ever wonder what happens to those players following an injury? I don’t mean today, or even tomorrow, but down the road when they’re ready to retire, and they just can’t seem to remember the names of their grandchildren because they’ve developed dementia. I bet you haven’t, because few of us actually consider what today’s actions mean for the future. A recent study, however, demonstrates that we should.

In a study, former football players aged 50+ were surveyed to determine if they were at higher risk for Alzheimer’s or dementia, and the results were rather shocking. 6.2% of these once NFL stars claimed to have received such a diagnosis, which is a big increase from the national average of 1.2%. While experts claim that further investigation into these results, and what they mean specifically is needed, it looks like that while we’re watching Monday night football, we should take the time to hope that the players have great insurance that will carry them into their retirement when they’re at a higher risk for a condition that could require additional medical attention and senior care services.

What I’m saying might sound a little extreme – don’t stop watching the games, and don’t stop rooting for your favorite teams, just remember how every action today can change the future tomorrows.

Via: Via: NYTimes

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 flu season on its way, the medical practice where I work in is receiving phone calls every day with people looking for more information about the virus and the H1N1 vaccine. We’re hearing a lot of rumors, with some truths hidden amongst them, and feel it’s important that everyone has access to accurate information about the virus that can help them make decisions about managing their health. Here are some of the common beliefs about the H1N1 virus and the truths that surround them:

1. The swine flu shot isn’t for everyone – unfortunately, there is not enough of the H1N1 vaccine to make sure the complete population is protected, although the CDC does recommend it. Those who are in higher risks groups should receive the vaccine as soon as it’s available, including women who are pregnant, those who are around or care for babies under 6 months of age, everyone age 6 months through age 24, and anyone with pre-existing medical conditions between the ages of 25 and 64

2. The seasonal flu shot offers protection against the Swine Flu – the H1N1 virus varies from the season flu, and therefore those in the high risk groups should receive BOTH shots to ensure protection and cannot expect that one shot offers protection for both. However, do note that the risk groups for the seasonal flu shot vary from the H1N1 Virus

3. Getting the seasonal flu vaccine makes people more susceptible to H1N1 – studies have both proven and disproven this myth, so at this stage there is no firm answer

4. Seniors are most at risk for H1N1 – seniors are actually in the lower risk group for H1N1 and in the higher risk group for the seasonal flu. Seniors over the age of 65 are less likely to contract H1N1 but should speak to their doctors to determine if they should receive the shot due to existing medical conditions

Via: DailyFinance

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.