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Don’t miss your yearly checkup

June 1, 2021 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

Don’t overlook the value of a yearly health screening.

There’s a reason we’re told so see the doc at least once a year as we age: the older our bodies get, the more they can start to break down. A regular checkup can help identify unknown issues before they become serious.

Even if you feel healthy, you still should visit your health care provider at least once a year. During a regular checkup, your doctor likely will take care of such important issues as screening for medical issues, assessing potential future health care needs, updating vaccinations and encouraging any health-focused changes that might be necessary.

If your health is great, you’ll feel relieved. And if there’s something you need to take care of, you’ll be thankful you caught it early.

For example, did you know that other than getting it checked, there’s no reliable way to tell whether you have high blood pressure? That’s one reason high blood pressure is known as the “silent killer,” causing damage to your circulatory system and leading to potential heart attacks and strokes without you even knowing it. At a checkup, your doctor will identify whether you have high blood pressure — and, if so, what to do about it.

Plus, regular checkups can help you get to know your doctor better, which can be comforting if you ever have an illness or emergency.

In addition to a regular health checkup, older men also should consider regular screenings for cholesterol, colorectal cancer and diabetes, among others. Women also should consider regular breast cancer screenings. Your health provider will let you know what screenings are important for you specifically, based on your health and history.

Related: Five simple ways seniors can lower cholesterol

With Father’s Day coming up, how about a checkup as an outside-of-the-box gift idea?

The joke about belts, ties and wallets is that dads often need them but would rarely buy them for themselves. Setting your dad up with a health checkup could be something like that, too. If your dad has been dragging his feet about seeing his doc for a look-over, helping him set that up could be a needed gift.

Another good idea could be signing up for long-term care help at home. At-home care visits from a certified nursing assistant can give you piece of mind that medication is being monitored, groceries are stocked, and daily needs are being met.

You both will be thankful for that.

Filed Under: Caregiving, Long-term care Tagged With: health

How to practice thankfulness — and how it can improve your life

December 10, 2020 By Take My Hand At-Home Care

Giving thanks can make you happier and healthier.

In a world that seems crazier by the day, how can you ensure your brain and body remain in good shape? Research shows that one way to do this is by practicing gratitude.

According to Harvard Health, the act of being thankful “helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”

The more we spend time thanking others, thinking positive thoughts and compiling our own lists of things to be thankful for, the less we spend time experiencing aches and pains and visiting the doctor. Grateful people also might have better sleep and healthier hearts, according to the University of California, Berkeley.

The upshot of all the research is that if you’re interested in improving your health, being more thankful is a great way to go. So, how can you practice gratitude here in Whatcom County? Here are five simple ways:

  1. Keep a gratitude journal. Each day, write down something you’re thankful for. Some days, it might be just a word, and other days it might be several paragraphs or more. Think back on things that have happened recently and recall why you are thankful for them — maybe a stranger holding open a door for you, a package that arrived earlier than expected, a kind greeting from the pharmacist at the drugstore, etc. The point is to find things to be thankful for and write them down.
  2. Write and send thank-you notes. A thank-you note is a personal connection that can improve two lives — yours and that of the person receiving your note. Perhaps you could send a thank-you card to your doctor or leave a note thanking the driver in the space next to yours for not dinging your car when you parked a little crooked.
  3. Pray or meditate. If you’re religious, be sure to work gratitude into your daily prayers. Mindfulness meditation, too, can be a refreshing way to incorporate thankfulness into your routines.
  4. Create visual reminders of the things you’re thankful for. One of the biggest reasons we’re not more thankful is that we simply forget to be. Creating visual reminders — a sticky note on the mirror, perhaps, or a visual cue on the dining room table — can help us enter a state of thankfulness as we go about our day.
  5. Simply say “thank you.” Whenever you have the opportunity, say “thank you” to those around you. At the store, on the phone, while driving (a friendly hand wave will suffice!), in a conversation with your at-home assistant.

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude can work wonders in your life. Let’s get started!

Filed Under: Resources for caregivers, Resources for senior citizens Tagged With: gratitude, health, thankfulness

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Give dad what he really needs this Father’s Day

Ties are great. Wallets are swell. But your dad probably doesn’t need or want those things anymore. If you want to show your love for dad this Father’s Day with something he truly needs, try these three great options: Time. The circumstances of life can make time a rare luxury as your father ages. Older dads typically have children who are in their busiest years — kids in the home, tons of … [Read More...]

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Take My Hand At-Home Care is fully licensed, bonded and insured and has been locally owned and operated since 2012. It is currently owned by Matt … Read More...

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  • Give dad what he really needs this Father’s Day
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