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How to Help Your Elderly Parent Prepare for Springtime Allergies

Elderly Care Little Neck NY

Elderly Care Little Neck NY

Spring has sprung and as happens every year, everyone is enjoying watching the flowers bloom, the trees become green and leafy, and the grass grow thick. The world has gone from the whites and grays of snowy winter to the vibrant greens, reds, pinks, and yellows of spring. Who doesn’t love the coming of spring? Unfortunately, the coming of spring also heralds the coming of allergy season. And who doesn’t hate the sneezing, running noses, coughing, and itchy eyes that come with allergy season? According to the AAFA (the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America), pollen is a major cause of spring allergies, also called hay fever.

The AAFA says, “Each spring, summer, and fall, plants release tiny pollen grains to fertilize other plants of the same species. Most of the pollens that cause allergic reactions come from trees, weeds, and grasses. These plants make small, light, and dry pollen grains that travel by the wind.”

In 2012, 17.6 million people suffered with this kind of allergy.(1) Thankfully, pollen allergies are usually more annoying than dangerous. If your parent suffers with seasonal allergies, here are a few tips you can use to make springtime allergy season a bit easier for them to deal with:

● Make sure your parent keeps his or her windows closed during allergy season so pollen can’t get into their home.

● Limit outdoor activities so they don’t breathe pollen in or get it on their clothes, skin, and hair.

● When your mom or dad has to leave the house they should wear sunglasses to protect their eyes.

● Bedding should be washed on a weekly basis, to rid it of any allergens that may have gotten on the fabric.

● See a doctor before allergy season starts so your mom or dad has the right kind of allergy medicine on hand when they need it.

Most important, and a major factor in senior home safety, if your mom or dad suffer from allergies and want to take an antihistamine or other over the counter allergy medicine to help control their allergy symptoms, do not let them. Sometimes over the counter allergy medicines interact with other medications your parent may be taking, and cause an adverse reaction. It should also be considered that some over the counter allergy medicines cause confusion, sleepiness, restlessness, and dry mouth and eyes in those who take it. These reactions can sometimes be more pronounced in the elderly.

With the right knowledge and preparation, spring allergy season does not have to be unpleasant for your senior mom or dad.

(1) CDC. National Center for Health Statistics.FastStats:Allergies and Hay Fever. 2012. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/allergies.htm. Last Updated 2014. (Retrieved April 8 2015)

If you or an aging loved one are considering in-home Elderly Care in Little Neck NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

What You and Your Elderly Parent Can do to Celebrate National Humor Month

Elder Care Nassau County NYElder Care Nassau County NY

Laughing can do more for our health than just putting us in a good mood. It can be used as a therapeutic tool that will help improve our well-being, increases communication skills, and can help relieve stress. Seniors who receive elderly care may especially find relief and a positive attitude through a simple laugh. If you are assisting with the care of an elderly loved one, you may also be feeling stressed over the numerous responsibilities that have fallen on your shoulders. Before that stress turns to burnout, take some time to celebrate National Humor Month with your loved one by following these tips.

• Tell a joke. Did you hear a joke that your loved one will think is funny? Share it with them! If an in-home care provider is assisting with the daily tasks of the elder, invite them to tell jokes with you as a way to relax and enjoy each other's company.

• Watch a funny movie. Make some snacks and watch a movie together that will have you both laughing out loud. Any negative feelings or moods you may have been feeling before the movie will most likely be replaced with feelings of joy afterwards.

• Have a family game night. Family game nights are always sure to have people rolling on the floor with laughter by the end of the night. Not only will this activity be good for a few laughs, but it will help strengthen the family's bond and build new memories, especially for any children that will be playing the games with you. Invite some family members over and let the games begin!

• Watch funny videos. Videos do not have to be long to be worth a good laugh. Thanks to YouTube, it can take as little as 2 minutes to watch a silly clip that you both will enjoy. Due to the millions of videos to choose from, there is sure to be one that will catch the elder's eye, such as funny animal or baby videos.

• Read the comics. Flip to the comics section of your newspaper to find one that you and your family member will find hilarious. If there is a specific comic strip that the elder finds funny, you may be able to find a book full of comic strips with that character, such as Garfield. These books can be found at the library or almost any bookstore.

• Discuss funny memories. Have a memory that brings laughs every time it is brought up? Share it again with your loved one. They may also have other funny memories to share with you that you were unaware of.

Your loved one's senior care provider most likely spends a majority of her day with your elderly parent, so let her in on the fun as well. These tips should help you get a few chuckles while celebrating National Humor Month.

If you or an aging loved one are considering in-home Elder Care in Nassau County NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

Senior Care Recipes: Homemade Banana Pudding

Senior Care Manhattan NYSenior Care Mahattan NY

Spring is the perfect time to add something special to your senior care journey with your loved one by planning a special get-together with friends and family. Whether you want to host a simple brunch with just a few people or have plans for a large family reunion picnic, this social interaction and seeing people that she loves is a wonderful away to give your aging parent an emotional boost and keep her mind sharp and strong.

While planning your menu for your get-together you can create dishes that are not just delicious and satisfying, but also ones that can help you to pursue your care goals with your parent. Many seniors deal with feelings of depression, anxiety, and isolation as they get older and are facing special events. They feel that they are no longer relevant because they are not able to be as involved as they used to, and they may start to worry that their families will not remember them. By encouraging your parent to get into the kitchen with you and help you prepare a special dish, you can ward off these negative feelings. Cooking together also stimulates her mind and improves her memory skills.

This recipe is for a traditional Southern dessert that people often simplify with shortcut and convenience ingredients, but is always far better when prepared from scratch. Have your parent help you with measuring and mixing, and give her the confidence of knowing that this simple but extraordinary dessert will be something that her family always remembers.

What You Will Need
• 1 twelve ounce box of vanilla wafers
• 3 medium bananas
• 1/2 of a stick of butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 3 cups of milk
• 1 cup of sugar, separated into 3/4 of a cup and 1/4 of a cup
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 of a teaspoon of tartar
• A medium bowl
• A double boiler
• A stirring spoon
• A small bowl
• A 9 by 9 inch oven proof baking dish
• A large bowl
• A sharp knife

What to Do
• In the small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and sugar
• Slowly add milk to the sugar and cornstarch
• In the top of the double broiler, add the sugar, cornstarch and milk mixture
• Cook over medium or low heat
• Stir the mixture constantly until it thickens, making sure not to leave unattended
• In the medium bowl, add the eggs and slightly beat them
• Add the eggs to the hot custard and stir well
• Cook for 2 minutes inside the custard pot
• Remove the custard from the heat
• Add butter and the vanilla extract to the custard pot
• Allow the custard to cool
• Use the sharp knife to slice the bananas
• In the baking dish, alternate the pudding, wafers and bananas, beginning and ending with pudding
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
• In the large bowl, add the egg whites and cream of tartar
• Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form
• Slowly add sugar, while beating, until the peaks become stiff
• Spread the topping over the pudding mixture
• Place in the oven
• Allow to bake until the topping is golden brown

If you or an aging loved one are considering in-home senior care in Manhattan NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.

4 Ways to Make Sure that Your Elderly Loved One Eats a Healthy Dinner

Elderly Care in Jamaica NY

If your loved one is having a difficult time eating a healthy dinner every night there might be more than one reason. Sometimes it's just no fun to cook, especially if your loved one is in pain or is dealing with health issues. Try some of these ideas and see if they help to make a difference.

Stock the Kitchen

Elderly Care in Jamaica NYIt's really difficult for your loved one to eat a healthy dinner if he has to work harder to figure out what to put together. Keep the kitchen, freezer, and pantry stocked with lots of healthy food choices that he can easily combine for a great meal. It'll be easier for him to cook his own food and you'll find it easier to put a meal together if you're the one doing the cooking.

Fire Up the Slow Cooker

The slow cooker has come a long way since it was first introduced, but it's still one of the handiest tools to have in the kitchen. You can put frozen ingredients into the cooker in the morning and have dinner ready whenever your loved one is ready to eat. Make it even easier on yourself and spend an hour or two preparing slow cooker meals that you can freeze in a freezer bag and then defrost just in time to cook. A little planning can go a long way.

Order In

Another option that is gaining popularity are subscription plans where you can choose meals and have the ingredients shipped fresh to your loved one every week. The services typically send just enough of each ingredient to make the dish, so there aren't a lot of leftovers clogging your loved one's refrigerator. This is a great option if your loved one enjoys cooking, but it's also great if you have elder care providers who come in to cook for your loved one. They have everything they need to make gourmet meals for your loved one in one box.

Sit Down Together to Eat

If it's at all possible, sit down with your loved one to eat. Many times loved ones avoid mealtimes if they're going to be alone. Very few people truly enjoy eating alone every single night, and that might be the case for your loved one. Make it a point to spend time with him and he may find himself eating healthier meals far more often.

Getting the right nutrition into your loved one isn't as tough as it feels at first.

If you or an aging loved one are considering in-home elderly care in Jamaica NY, please contact the caring staff at Gentle Hands Home Care.