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

Many senior citizens feel there is little they can do to improve their heart and circulatory health besides taking medications. However, seniors can go one step farther towards improving their heart’s health. There are several simple tips seniors can put into practice in aging care to avoid heart issues.

• Lower Those Cholesterols Levels—People with coronary artery disease can monitor their cholesterol to ensure they don’t become another statistic or victim of heart disease.

• Practice Good Nutrition—Seniors worried about heart disease can eliminate some of that worry by merely changing their diets to follow healthier guidelines.

• Exercise—By taking that afternoon walk, seniors can decrease their chances of heart and circulatory problems a great deal. Exercise not only makes you feel good by getting out of the house, but also does a number on your heart.

• Read Up On Heart Health—So many publications nowadays offer great information when it comes to practicing good heart health. Seniors can turn to any of these publications such as the Harvard Heart Letter. This report helps seniors understand heart and circulatory health and the effects heart problems can have on emotional health. Such reports also provide detailed tips as to what you can do to lower your risk.

Source: health.harvard.edu

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Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.

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

Taking the time to express your love to a senior on Valentine’s Day is a great way to brighten their day. Many people think that just because they are older, they no longer celebrate the day of love. This is not true. In fact, many seniors still have a spouse and a large family, so there is no better time than Valentine’s Day to make them know they are loved. The following list contains some great ideas for seniors on Valentine’s Day.

1. Make handcrafted Valentine’s cards. This can be a great project for school classrooms as well as adult groups. Seniors would be very appreciative of any cards that were hand delivered. Taking the time to make and deliver something by hand can have a huge effect on seniors.

2. Small gifts provide a bit of cheer. For senior family members, use a heart shaped picture frame to display family photographs and present to your senior loved one.

3. Chocolates and cookies make great gifts. Be sure to check if the senior is on a restrictive diet before buying sweet treats. Many sugar-free chocolates are available and cookies that are made at home can also be made to suit a particular diet.

4. A “heart attack” is not always a bad thing! If you are able to decorate living spaces with hearts and other Valentine’s symbols, you will be giving a senior a positive “heart attack.” This can also be done through the mail by filling an envelope with heart shaped paper and confetti.

Source: aginggrandparents.suite101.com

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Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.

It’s January, and I’d bet that by now you’re tired of hearing about the New Year’s resolutions of others. Those who vowed to exercise or eat better might already be falling off the wagon already. If you’ve yet to set a goal for this year, then why don’t you try a different approach to resolutions and change your senior years with unique goals. We here at Home Care Austin wanted to share some of these great ideas to help get you started!

1. Educate yourself – you’re never too old for learning. Pursue an interest; go back to school and take advantage of the discounts for seniors who want to return to college. Or take a class that teaches you more about another hobby like a craft or physical activity like dance

2. Expand your career – if you’re a senior who’s still in the workforce, make the best of your last few years in a career and do something you really enjoy. Even if you’re not working for an income, volunteer somewhere that fulfills you

3. Take a trip – if you’ve been dreaming of getting away somewhere, make it your goal this year. You can take the opportunity to plan and save. It doesn’t have to be something glamorous; even a journey to visit family that normally comes to you makes for a change of pace

4. Work on organization – sometimes with age, people become more sentimental. You may find that your home is becoming more cluttered. Take the opportunity to get your home organized for a safer and more comfortable environment

5. Develop new relationships – whether it’s romance you have in mind, or just feel you’d benefit from increasing your social circle; get out there and network!

Via: LifeScript

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Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.

Home Care Austin cares for aging adults, and knows than many set goals for themselves each year. These can range from something very minor to a huge lifestyle change. Regardless of what the goal is, seniors often need some extra help when trying to achieve them. The internet offers some great resources that will make reaching a goal much easier. The following list contains some popular sites that can be useful.

1. ResolutionsReminders.com – This is a free site that can help you stay on track and attain your resolutions. The site was established in 1997 and has been going strong ever since. It contains valuable resources and users can sign up to receive email reminders.

2. DietTV.com – This site is great for anyone who has set diet goals for the New Year. A personalized program can be created, including a customized diet plan. The site has many areas that will help with all diet and exercise needs, such as an exercise finder and support groups.

3. StopSmoking.net – Many seniors still smoke, and many members of the senior population make resolutions each year to quit smoking. This is one of the hardest goals to achieve, especially for seniors who have been smoking for many years. The site also offers tips on how to quit as well as the option of creating a personalized stop smoking plan.

Source: helium.com

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Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.

At Home Care Austin, we know that grandparents have such a great influence on the lives of their young family members, which is why it’s great to work together to set goals individually, but work towards them together. Help your grandchildren set their goals and use their progress to stay motivated with your own.

1. Ask them to come up with an area that they could improve in their lives – be gentle, but ask them how they think they could improve. Would they like to get better grades? Get along better with a sibling? Learn a new skill? Once an area has been settled on, help them make that goal specific.

2. Motivate with group efforts – write down your goals along with theirs, and track progress with charts. Get the whole family involved, and come together to talk about how you’re doing with your goals

3. Use visual rewards for progress – when you check in with the progress of your grandchildren, reward them. Add stickers to a chart you’ve created, or give them pennies for their piggy bank for every step of the way

4. Keep the experience positive – motivate children by ensuring they always remain positive even if they have setbacks while trying to reach their goals

Via: eHow

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Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.

Austin Home Care knows that seniors often need some extra support when they are trying to achieve a personal goal. Since so many people have make resolutions at the start of the year, staying on track is important. There are some simple tips that are provided below that will help seniors keep track of their goals, progress and final achievements.

1. Try to be more conscious of what you eat. While sweets are hard to resist, try eating a piece of fruit instead of candy. It will satisfy your craving for sugar and is much healthier.

2. Buy a scale for the bathroom. This will help monitor your weight. You can even use a journal to keep track of any changes. A good scale will help you through your weight-loss journey.

3. Increase physical activity. Seniors do not need to join a gym. A simple short walk each day will help burn extra calories. In addition, that walk can help keep your heart healthy.  Exercise also increases your mood, so not only will it have physical benefits, but your mental health will improve as well.

4. Discuss weight loss plans with a doctor. You want to make sure your diet is providing you with the intake you need to stay healthy yet at the same time will help you lose weight.

Source: aarp.org

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Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.

Most senior citizens do not make New Year’s Resolutions. However, just like everyone else, the elderly do tend to pledge to be healthier in the New Year. Part of staying healthy comes with diet and exercise. Losing weight can seem daunting, but simple changes in lifestyle can yield a solution to the weight loss problem.

• Change Old Eating Habits—Two may be better than one in this instance. Try and eat with your senior, switching out high calorie foods for healthier dinner staples such as salads with vegetables and lean proteins.

• Record What You Eat—Sometimes writing it all down will give seniors or their caregivers some perspective on their eating habits. By recording what you eat, a senior can easily reduce calories just by visualizing those foods causing the most damage to a slim trim.

• Exercise Together—While reducing calories can help lose weight, seniors must go one step farther and exercise to see results. Take long walks daily with your senior, working together to reach fitness goals. If a senior goes it alone, they may be less likely to stick to that daily walk.

• Meditate—As strange as it may seem, negative thoughts about your body and weight can ruin any fitness efforts. Find a quiet place in your home for 5 minutes a day, and just focus on breathing. This simple act will help clear the mind from critical thoughts about your body, allowing for a greater appreciation of the physical self.

Source: aarp.org

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Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.

Many seniors set New Year’s goals, only to find excuses that allow them to abandon them not long after they began in the first place. No matter what your goals are for this year, make sure that you’re part of the minority that actually achieves them, making 2010 a much better year.

1. Focus on fun – particularly when it comes to losing weight or starting an exercise program, the resolution can become a burden rather than something you desire to achieve. Find exercise activities you enjoy, and if your resolutions have nothing to do with weight loss or exercise; ensure you go about attaining your goals in a way that’s focused on fun!

2. Think about your future today – if you have goals for the future, there’s no better time than now to start working towards achieving them. You might have excuses, whether it’s related to your age, your health, the logistics of getting around or something else; but those are aspects unlikely to change so take the bull by the horns and work towards the goals you set

3. Talk to others – if you tell others about your goals, you’ll be more likely to stick to them. It almost creates a challenge, since you’ll be encouraged to tell your friends and family that you’re successful rather than failing at your New Year’s resolutions. This also gives you a support network for encouragement

Via: AARP

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Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.

Despite the fact that we know the holidays are meant to be a joyful time, many of us suffer from a case of the holiday blues at this time of year. Especially senior caregivers and the elderly, who find that they have a lot on their minds and a lot on their plates, can find it a struggle to find joy. But here are some tips to get them through the holiday blues:

1. Surround yourself with people – even if you don’t have family or friends around that you can spend time with, do join other social events taking place in your community

2. Volunteer – no matter what’s happening in your life, you’ll feel great when you volunteer and give back to those in need

3. Join a support group – sometimes it’s not easy to talk to family about the emotions you’re struggling with, so join a support group that allows you to share your feelings

4. Don’t put pressure on yourself – it’s okay if you don’t feel like celebrating over the holidays, don’t push yourself. Get involved with those things that make you happy, and don’t get down on yourself if you don’t feel joyful

5. Avoid alcohol – alcohol can depress your mood, so even though the wine and eggnog is flowing over the holidays, stick to the non-alcoholic stuff!

6. Know the signs of depression and seek treatment – the holiday blues are one thing, but you also need to recognize depression and get help

Via: Health in Aging

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Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.

Before leaving on a vacation or trip, seniors should be aware of several tips geared towards their age group. Not only will the trip run smoother, but also senior citizens will be able to enjoy their desired destination to the fullest degree.

• Contact a Travel Agent - Travel agents offer additional discounts for senior citizens on vacations, along with age-appropriate itineraries and travel packages.

• Take Your Time While Traveling- Seniors should not pack too much sightseeing into one day. Make sure to take several breaks throughout your trips so you do not become too exhausted. It is a vacation after all.

• Pack All Medications, Special Equipment and Items You Can’t Live Without- All necessary medications should go in every senior’s suitcase before leaving on a trip. However, plan accordingly as some countries do not allow certain medicines on their soil. If you need a wheelchair be sure to pre-arrange one with airlines and hotels before leaving the house. Also, pack all items you can’t live without such as an extra pair of eyeglasses.

• Think About Your Safety While on the Move- When traveling do not fall victim to thievery. Carry only the amounts of cash you need for the day. Also write down your credit card company’s phone number should your wallet or purse be stolen.

Via: eHow

Keeping Aging Relatives in Austin Safe and Independent at Home by providing senior home care for Austin Seniors and Elders. Call Home Care Austin 512-347-9207.