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

Practicing food safety is the best way for seniors to prevent food poisoning. Foodborne illness and food poisoning occur as a result of improper food safety. Seniors should be very careful when buying, storing and preparing food. Below is a list that provides seniors with tips on food safety. These tips can reduce food poisoning chances and help senior make sure they are safely preparing their meals.

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 San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

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

Seniors are a high risk group when it comes to foodborne illness. Since the immune system of seniors is weaker than normal, seniors should take precautions against the illness. This can be done by following some of the tips provided in the list below. Food safety is a great concern in the senior population. Risks can be reduced by employing some of the tips provided below.

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 San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

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

Seniors with food allergies and intolerances must know what they are eating. If food is prepared by other people, seniors should make sure they ask what ingredients were used. Many seniors have food allergies and intolerances, so to avoid any complications; they should always know exactly what they are consuming. The list below contains some facts for seniors on food allergies and intolerances.

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 San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

San Antonio Non Medical Care enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.

Food allergies affect many people of all ages. It is possible to outgrow an allergy, but it is also possible to develop them with age. Seniors need to be aware of any food allergies they may have so they can avoid those particular foods. They should also be aware of food intolerances. Even though they are two different things, they can cause serious reactions in seniors. The list below provides facts about allergies and intolerances.

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 San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

Any senior who has been diagnosed with high blood pressure should be informed of other symptoms to look for. If these symptoms become present, it could indicate that the high blood pressure has caused other health problems. The list below contains important facts and symptoms that Home Care San Antonio thinks all seniors need to know as they battle high blood pressure.

1. High blood pressure is the primary risk factor for heart attack and stroke. It can also cause kidney damage, blindness and heart disease.

2. The symptoms of high blood pressure can be different for each person. Some seniors will never experience any symptoms. Symptoms include dizziness, blurred vision, headaches and fatigue.

3. If the heart has been affected, the following symptoms may be present: chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and dizzy spells.

4. If the kidneys are affected by high blood pressure, patients may experience frequent urination, urinary tract infections, pain in the lower abdomen, increased glucose and protein in the urine or blood.

5. Should high blood pressure affect your eyes, you will experience loss of vision, blurred vision, headaches or double vision.

6. Malignant hypertension is caused by the rapid onset of high blood pressure and may cause shortness of breath, severe headaches, nausea, chest pain, confusion or seizures.

7. Talk to your doctor if any symptoms are present. Then work on a solution to lower your blood pressure, either by diet changes, medications, exercise or a combination of all three.

Source: hearthealthyonline.com

Image Source: sxc.hu

Home Care San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

The flu does not have to inflict every senior citizen. It can easily be avoided by following these simple tips. Pass these along to your senior to insure a healthy winter season.

• 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 San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

If you’re planning on moving a senior relative into your home, then their health and safety are probably your top concerns. Keep that in mind when you consider making much needed changes to your home that will further increase the comfort and safety of seniors, who have different needs than younger generations when it comes to living arrangements.

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 San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

While the last thing you want to think about over the holidays is making decisions that will potentially take away independence from your senior loved one; you can’t ignore the warning signs during a visit that something is amiss. Your acknowledgment that they need help can be one of the best gifts you’ll give them this year if you manage to take steps to improve their health and happiness. Don’t ignore the signs during this year’s holiday visit, evaluate the following areas to determine if that important senior in their life is truly okay on their own without help at home.

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 San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

When we find ourselves experiencing health problems later on in life, we rarely question why they’re occurring – we simply blame the aging process for what we perceive as an expected decline. This is especially true when it comes to conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia, after all, for decades the term “old and senile” has been applied to seniors. However, there is new evidence that proves that sometimes it’s not just genetics, age and bad luck that can cause us to experience conditions like cognitive decline, the decisions we make in our youth and the activities that we engage in can play a role as well.

Football is one of America’s favorite pastimes, whether it’s to watch or to play, and it just might be responsible for some elements of Alzheimer’s or dementia. A study was completed where former NFL players over the age of 50 were surveyed and 6.1% of them admitted to having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Compared to the national average of 1.2% these numbers are quite astounding, since they demonstrate that head injuries, like concussions have the potential to lead to issues later in life.

Although experts say that further investigation will need to be done to determine the real role of head injuries in the development of Alzheimer’s and dementia, it’s food for thought – for everyone out there who wants to try and secure increased health and happiness early in life, it’s a lesson to take a long and hard look at any and all actions during our youth, because you never know what they will lead to!

Via: Via: NYTimes

Home Care San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.

There are a lot of rumors circulating about the H1N1 virus, and as flu season is here or on its way depending upon specifically where you live, it’s time to set some of them to rest. With better information about the virus, you can make informed decisions about the vaccine and your health.

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 San Antonio provides senior care in San Antonio, Helotes, Leon Springs, Castroville, Pearsall, and Pleasanton. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care San Antonio at 210-614-1132.