Senior Care Blog

Beginning when we are very young, the arts are a source of enrichment for our minds and spirits – and at Hillendale Home Care, we believe that should continue as we grow older!

If you are caring for a loved one who has been diagnosed with COPD, you probably know that outdoor air pollutants can aggravate symptoms. However, did you realize that poor air quality in the home can also be troublesome? Purifying the air at home can help everyone breathe easier and be more comfortable.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, an estimated 12 million adults are currently diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and it’s estimated that another 12 million may be living with the disease without even knowing it.

We don’t often think of the rug in the living room or the cord for the lamp as a hazard, but for older adults with limited mobility, small things like these can cause potentially dangerous falls. More than 90 percent of hip fractures occur as a result of falls in the home, with most of these fractures occurring in persons over 70 years of age.

Falls among the elderly can have devastating effects, many times resulting in a chain reaction of health complications.

One of the most frightening aspects of aging for many seniors is the thought that at some point, a move to a nursing home or other institutional living arrangement will be unavoidable. After building a lifetime of memories in a family home, including raising children, caring for grandchildren, perhaps losing a spouse, home is a place of unparalleled comfort and nostalgia for seniors.

As we shared in our last blog post, home care can be a viable option for many seniors who require some extra assistance with day-to-day living but prefer to remain at home rather than move to a nursing home. Although in-home care is preferred by seniors, it still can be a bit disconcerting at first to consider allowing a caregiver to come into their personal space.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive illness that affects as many as as one million people in the U.S., according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. It affects more people than multiple sclerosis (MS), muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—also called Lou Gehrig’s disease—combined. There are five stages of Parkinson’s that range from mild symptoms (Stage 1) to severe stiffness, making those with the disease unable to care for themselves (Stage 5).

Did you know that every year about 50,000 to 60,000 people in the U.S. are newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, according to the National Parkinson’s Foundation? Usually the disease affects people who are over the age of 60, although Parkinson’s disease can strike young people, as it did to actor Michael J. Fox.