International Day of Yoga: 5 Easy Poses for Seniors

 

Namaste! Did you know that today is the International Day of Yoga? What better way to celebrate than practicing some fun yoga poses in the comfort of your own home? The following exercises, recommended by our in-home caregivers in NJ, are low-impact and easy for most independent seniors to follow. Seniors who engage in yoga on a daily basis can gain strength and flexibility while also boosting their mental health. So, let’s get out our yoga mats – here are 5 beginner yoga poses for seniors.

Safety note: seniors with mobility issues should consult a primary care doctor or professional trainer before performing any new exercise routines. 

#1 – Mountain Pose

 This pose might just look like standing, but it’s much more than that! Mountain pose focuses on good posture and alignment by engaging all the muscles in the body, especially the legs.

Steps:

• Stand tall, keeping your feet together (big toes and heels touching). Your toes should be spread to keep good balance.
• Engage the stomach muscles, pulling them in firmly.
• Engage your leg muscles, with your knees actively pulling up and your thigh muscles pulling in firmly.
• Pull your shoulder blades back and down, without letting your chest puff outwards.
• Hold the pose for 5-8 slow breaths.

#2 – Bird Dog Pose 

This is a very good, low-impact senior yoga pose for back and abdominal strength.

Steps:

• Start on all fours, with your arms straight below your shoulders and your knees below your hips, looking down at the floor without dipping or raising your neck out of alignment with your spine.
• Raise your right leg as straight as you can behind you, with your toes pointing towards the floor.
• Now raise your left arm straight ahead of you, with your palm out as if you were shaking someone’s hand.
• Hold for 5-8 slow breaths, then repeat with the left leg and right arm.

#3 – Downward Facing Dog

 This well-known yoga pose doubles as a great workout! The idea is to create a perfect 90-degree angle with your body, while keeping your hands and feet on the floor.

Steps:

• Start on your hands and knees, the same way you start bird dog pose.
• Tuck your toes under, then lift your hips backward and up, as high as you can. Glance back at your feet to make sure they are hip-width apart and parallel.
• Keep your arms straight and your palms flat and pull your shoulders flat onto your back.
• Try to place your heels down to the floor (this will get easier as you practice).
• Remember to engage your abdominal muscles and your leg muscles to keep you steady and lifted.
• Hold for 5-8 slow breaths.

#4 – Cobbler’s Pose

This pose is very similar to what young toddlers do when they’re playing with their toes, but as we get older, we lose this flexibility. This senior yoga pose helps open up the hip muscles, build strength, and even massage your feet.

Steps:

• Start in a seated position, bringing the soles of your feet together in front of you and pressing them against one another. 
• Sit up tall and keep your back as straight as possible as you move forward towards your toes. All while keeping your shoulder blades flat against your back and away from your ears.
• Reach forward with your hands and grab onto your feet. You can now massage your feet gently while in this position, or just relax and try to come forward without rounding your back.
• Hold for 5-8 slow breaths.

#5 – Savasana

This is everyone’s favorite yoga pose because it’s all about relaxation – pure and simple! It helps to relieve stress, anxiety, and muscle tension.

Steps:

• Lie on your back with your feet wider than hip-distance apart, so your feet fall out to the sides.
• Move your arms to a 45-degree angle with the palms up, so you aren’t touching any other part of your body.
• Keep your spine neutral by slightly tucking your chin towards your chest, and make sure your shoulders are flat against the mat.
• Completely relax, focusing only on your breath as it moves in and out of your body.
• Stay in savasana for 5 minutes.

We hope these poses help seniors enjoy the International Day of Yoga. More importantly, we hope they help seniors discover a new way to stay fit, independent, and healthy!

Need help performing yoga at home? Our NJ caregivers can help.

 United Methodist Communities HomeWorks is a leading in-home care agency for seniors in New Jersey. Our aides can assist with daily tasks, activities of daily living, errands, physical exercise like yoga, and light housekeeping. 

 Contact us today to find out more about how HomeWorks caregivers deliver the exceptional care and companionship that your loved one deserves. 

Originally posted: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/international-day-of-yoga-5-easy-poses-for-seniors/

Keep Moving: The Mantra of Aging Gracefully

 

“Move it or lose it!” Not sure if that expression was originally used to describe aging, but it should have been. Maintaining your mobility is key to keeping your independence as you age. In order to have the best quality of life in your senior years, you have to fight the urge to be a solitary couch potato. 

Here are some (of the many!) advantages to staying active in your senior years. The United Methodist Communities HomeWorks team has also included examples of mobility exercises that older adults can perform safely at home.

Why exercise is key for older adults 

It’s safe to say that everyone could be exercising a bit more – after all, the most popular New Year’s resolution is to sign up for the gym! But it’s even more important for adults over 60 years old. Here’s why:

• Helps you stay independent. When you lose your mobility as a senior, you lose a part of your independence. And the only way to prevent this from happening is to keep moving! Just 30 minutes a day of strength and cardio training will help older adults build the necessary muscle mass to keep them moving without any extra help.
• Supports healthy brain activity. Physical activity is just as essential for brain health as mental stimulation. Exercise helps to boost blood and oxygen circulation throughout the body. Not to mention, multiple studies show that regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing dementia by as much as 30%.
• Reduces arthritis pain. Exercising regularly lubricates your joints which helps reduce the pain and stiffness caused by arthritis. It also reduces overall pressure on your joints, which can help you shed some unwanted weight more easily. 
• Lowers your risk of heart disease. Heart disease is an extremely common condition for older adults in the US. Exercise is incredibly effective at lowering the risks for heart disease because it improves circulation to the heart, helps reduce excessive weight, and keep issues like high cholesterol and diabetes at bay. 
• Promotes better sleep. One of the most common issues seniors experience —  trouble sleeping. Not only do we tend to sleep lighter as we age, many medications can also prevent us from sleeping well. Exercise is a great cure, helping to tire the body and mind. Just remember to exercise each day (preferably not in the two hours before bed) and you should be able to sleep soundly every night.
• Helps fight depression. There are many ways to treat depression, and one of the most effective is exercise, which can reduce symptoms by as much as 30%. Not only does exercise benefit the body, it also helps the mind by preventing and treating feelings of isolation, depression, loneliness, and anxiety.

Senior mobility exercises to try

There’s no need to order the latest Nikes and start training at a marathon level. Exercise should be something you enjoy that is tailored to your abilities, not some dreaded event you don’t want to get out of bed for. Here are some mobility exercises suited for older adults. Please note: consulting your primary caregiver before performing any new exercises is advised. 

• Yoga and pilates – Build strength, improve balance, and relax your mind with yoga and pilates. What’s great is you don’t have to leave your home to participate! You can find many free yoga and pilates videos to follow on YouTube.

• Dancing – Dance is the perfect balance of entertainment and exercise, allowing you to enjoy great music and get a good cardio workout in at the same time. Like yoga and pilates, you can dance in the comfort and privacy of your own home with many videos available to watch on YouTube. 

• Nature walks – The outdoors benefit  the mind, body, and soul! Although it’s cold outside, it’s more than feasible to bundle up before taking a short walk around the neighborhood. 

 

Exercising with UMC HomeWorks  

The hardest part of sticking to a workout routine is staying motivated. You have to hold yourself accountable. A lot of the time, it helps when you have someone else to hold you accountable as well. With UMC HomeWorks, we have home health aides available who can come to your home and provide as little or as much support as needed. Whether it’s cooking, cleaning, shopping or getting a morning workout in, our carefully screened and certified aides are ready to help! 

To find out more about our in-home care services, please contact us today or visit our website at: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/home-health-aide-services/

Originally posted: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/keep-moving-the-mantra-of-aging-gracefully/

Take Care of Yourself This New Year

 

It’s a new year. Which means we all have the chance to reorganize our priorities for a fresh start. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that our health and safety comes first. 

There is no better time than right now to prioritize self-care. Especially if you are entering your senior years, and realize a little extra help could go a long way in your home. Use this time as an opportunity to look into home health aides. Whether you need help preparing meals, cleaning the house, or even juggling doctors’ visits, the home health aides at United Methodist Communities HomeWorks are ready to help! If you’re not sure where to start, the team at UMC has put together a guide to address common questions and concerns with hiring a home health aide. 

What services do home-health aides provide? 

Our home health care organization, United Methodist Communities HomeWorks helps seniors stay independent at home by providing a little extra help whenever needed. Our caregivers are state certified home health aides (CHHA), screened for experience, compassion, and patience in helping seniors with daily tasks of living. Having a home health aide allows both seniors and their families to live life to the fullest by giving them the support they need to stay in their homes safely.

We can provide different types of services based on what you need, including:

• Medication management
• Grocery shopping and running errands
• Transportation to and from appointments
• Meal preparation
• Light housekeeping services
• Personal care, such as bathing, grooming, and dressing, etc.
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s memory support and care
• Communicating between doctors and family members on care needs and healthcare choices, which  is especially important when family lives far away
• Respite care to assist caregiving family members, or to provide care for specific needs such as recovery from an illness or surgery, during a vacation, etc.
• Companionship
• 24-hour live-in care
• Tapestries at Home: Specialized dementia care

Finding a home health aide you can trust

Because home health aides take on such a personal role in your life and home, it’s essential that you find someone who you enjoy spending time with. Someone who suits your lifestyle and, above all else, is fully qualified and trustworthy for this important role. It can be tough inviting a new person into your home, especially for more intimate, personal care services. Despite this, our team is determined to find someone who will feel like part of the family, while assisting you with the utmost professionalism and empathy.

At United Methodist Communities, we’ve been serving seniors in New Jersey for over 110 years – something we are extremely proud of! Not only have we taken the time to learn what services older adults need to stay independent, we’ve also developed a way to customize these in-home care services, making them as flexible and affordable as possible.

Although, we all have a pretty good sense of humor, we take our role in your life very seriously. That is reflected in how we select the caregivers on our team. Our state-certified caregivers provide assistance for seniors with a wide range of care and medical needs. You can feel confident welcoming  HomeWorks’  experienced and trained staff into your home. All programs include an initial evaluation and continued oversight by a registered nurse in case additional medical support is needed within the home.

In addition, we screen our caregivers beyond their training and experience. We look for individuals who are patient, kind, compassionate and willing to go the extra mile to make a difference in your quality of life.

Continue to live independently with UMC HomeWorks

Needing extra help does not mean you have to give up your home, your community, or your independence. Our team of in-home health aides are fully equipped to bring an abundant life into your home. They are the bridge between companionship and the support you really need. Let us worry about the small stuff like running errands, cooking, and managing medications, so you can keep living your life to the fullest.

For more information about our home health aides across New Jersey, please call us today or visit our website at: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/contact/

Originally posted: https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/take-care-of-yourself-this-new-year/

4 Benefits of In Home Senior Care

When you or a loved one start to need some extra help around the house or in daily life, there are two main solutions – moving into a CCRC or assisted living community, or hiring in home senior care. 

Here we take a look at how seniors benefit from home care services.

• The comfort of home: For many people who use these services, this is by far the most important benefit. Moving can be a big disruption in life, removing you from familiar surroundings, your community and your social circle. By staying at home, a good level of independence and routine is maintained, which is something most people love – and is especially beneficial to seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
• Control over your care: When you choose senior home care, you get to control what services are provided, when they are provided and who provides them. This means customized care that fits the patient’s needs as well as personal preferences. You can choose from live-in care to part-time or respite care as the costs are usually determined on an hourly basis, and services can include anything from light housework, transport and companionship to assistance with bathing and grooming.
• Affordability: By being able to customize care services and work within hourly rates, assistance for seniors is often more affordable than making the move into an assisted living facility. You can choose whatever care option best suits your budget rather than having to pay monthly fees.
• Greater flexibility: By choosing in home care, you get greater flexibility in your services because they’re provided for just one person rather than a whole community. This means that if you want to go grocery shopping, your home health aide can take you. If you want meals at a certain time, that can be arranged. It’s all about working within your requirements.

Tailored, Expert Senior Home Care in NJ 

As a leading senior home care provider in New Jersey, our team offers in-home care for older adults through trained, experienced nursing and health aide staff. We have a wide range of services from companionship and help around the home to 24-hour live-in care, depending on exactly what you and your loved one requires. Our services are scalable and by-the-hour, allowing you to develop a custom care plan.

For more information on our senior home care services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/Home-Heath-Aid-services 

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/4-benefits-of-in-home-senior-care/

6 Easy Ways to Make a Senior's Home Fall-Proof

Falls are a serious health concern for seniors, causing broken bones, severe bruising and injuries that can have a lasting effect on the quality of life. If you’re worried about your senior parent or loved one falling at home, here are some easy ways to make their home a safer, more fall-free space, from our in-home senior care team:

• Secure rugs. Seniors tend to shuffle their feet rather than lifting each foot cleanly off the ground, which makes it more likely for them to trip over uneven floors. Anchor down rugs with non-slip rug pads to prevent them from sliding, folding, curling, or wrinkling, or put them in storage. Any high pile rugs should be removed.

• Create wide, clear walking paths. Stairways should be completely clear of items and all walkways should be kept as wide as possible. This allows seniors to move easily through the home even with a walker, cane or wheelchair.

• Increase the lighting. As eyesight diminishes with age it becomes more difficult to see hazards before falling over them. Increased lighting can be a big help, especially in frequently used rooms, entrances and around stairs. Install bulbs with the highest wattage recommended for the fixture and add bedside lighting so your loved one doesn’t have to get up and move in the dark to turn on lights.

• Non-slip stairs. Unless the stairs are carpeted, they don’t provide much traction, and this can lead to a bad fall. If you don’t want to carpet the stairs, apply non-slip adhesive strips to each stair tread to ensure good grip. It’s also important that the handrail is in good condition and properly secured.

• Clear out. It’s easy for our homes to become crowded with stuff, but this can quickly become a serious hazard to the elderly. Now is a good time to do a thorough home clear out of furniture, old magazines and books, and other items that create clutter. Re-arrange furniture so that it is easier to navigate around a room. Hosting a garage sale can create a budget for aesthetic or safety upgrades!

• Install grab-bars. Bathrooms are not generally designed for seniors or the disabled. The combination of water and slippery surfaces makes daily bathing and grooming activities high fall-risk situations. Grab bars are ideal for supporting older adults getting in and out of the bath and shower and are easy to install — just make sure they are properly secured.

Senior Independent Home Care in NJ – Compassion, Care and Independence!

At United Methodist Communities, a leading seniors homecare services provider in New Jersey, we offer tailored, compassionate care through our HomeWorks program. In this program, we focus on offering in home senior care for the elderly tailored to their specific requirements to provide them, their families and caregivers with personalized, compassionate care that prioritizes health, happiness and independence.

For more information on our senior independent home care services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/elderly-home-health-care-nj/

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/6-easy-ways-to-make-a-seniors-home-fall-proof/

A Guide to Thyroid Diseases and Health Issues

It’s Thyroid Awareness Month, and our in home senior care team is bringing you these insights to help raise awareness of thyroid health conditions and how they affect seniors. By helping people recognize symptoms and receive treatment for these conditions, we hope more seniors can truly enjoy their Golden Years!

What is the Thyroid? 

This is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck. Although it’s small, it has a huge role to play in the human body, releasing hormones that control your metabolism – essentially controlling the way each cell and organ uses energy.
It helps regulate hundreds of critical functions, including:

• Heart rate
• Breathing
• Body weight
• Muscle strength and control
• Body temperature
• Cholesterol levels
• Digestive functions
• Mood
• Bone maintenance
• And much more

Because it affects so many different systems, it can be very difficult to link different (seemingly unrelated) symptoms to a thyroid health condition. Other indicators that you may be at risk include a family history of thyroid conditions, certain medical conditions like Graves or Plummer’s disease, and iodine deficiency.

Hyperthyroidism Symptoms 

Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid produces too much hormone, causing many of your body’s systems to speed up. You may only experience some of the following symptoms of hyperthyroidism, including sudden weight loss, anxiety or jitteriness, tremors in hands or fingers, irregular or pounding heartbeat, sweating, increased appetite, increased body heat, and muscle weakness. It can also cause your thyroid gland to become enlarged.

Hypothyroidism Symptoms 

This is when the hormone output of the thyroid drops below ideal levels, often causing the body’s systems to slow. Symptoms can include fatigue, lack of energy, feeling cold, dry skin, high cholesterol, brittle hair and nails, unexplained weight gain, muscle weakness and aches, and depression.

Treatment for Thyroid Conditions 

Hyperthyroidism can be treated with medication or radioactive iodine to slow hormone production, while hypothyroidism is treated by taking a synthetic version of the hormone produced by your thyroid to bring you up to healthy levels. It’s a fairly simple treatment that can make an incredible difference in your health and quality of life – all it takes is a blood test to diagnose.

Companionship, Skilled Nursing and Respite Care from In Home Senior Care Specialists 

At United Methodist Communities in New Jersey, we understand the challenges of providing expert medical care and companionship to seniors while encouraging a full and independent life, which is why we’ve developed our HomeWorks program.

Through this senior home care program, trained staff can assist seniors and their families through comprehensive in home care. Each care plan is designed around the client’s needs, filling in with necessary assistance while allowing your loved one to remain in the comfort of their home.
For more information on our seniors home care services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/elderly-home-health-care-nj/

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/a-guide-to-thyroid-diseases-and-health-issues/

A Day in the Life of a Home Health Aide

The in-home senior care industry is booming and many people looking for rewarding careers in caregiving are considering becoming home health aides. But what is this role really all about? What could you expect on a typical day? Is it the right fit for you? Our senior independent home care specialists offer some insight that may help you determine the answers.

Typical Duties as a In Home Senior Care Provider 

As a home health aide for seniors, you’ll be assisting older adults with a wide range of daily activities. This type of care is tailored to the specific needs of the individual you’re caring for, so they may cover a wide range of activities, including:

• Light housekeeping such as washing dishes, doing laundry, etc. Please note, however, that this role does not include performing heavy housework.
• Organizing a client’s schedule (arranging doctors’ appointments, etc.).
• Grocery shopping and meal preparation.
• Arranging transportation for errands and appointments.
• Personal hygiene (bathing, dressing and toileting, etc.).
• Assistance with ambulation and feeding.
• Communicating with family members about care and care requirements.
• Providing companionship.

The extent to which a client requires these services depends on their health condition and specific needs.

Work Hours and Environment 

Work will primarily take place in the client’s home and the hours are determined by the tailored care they receive, including:

• Respite care – Assisting family caregivers on a temporary basis, providing post-hospitalization care, etc.
• Part-time care – Caregiving on a regular basis for a set number of hours per day or days per week.
• Live-in care – Providing non-medical care on a full-time basis to seniors as an alternative to moving into assisted living communities.

United Methodist Communities Senior Independent Home Care – Where Compassion is Part of the Job 

Whether you need part-time residential in home senior care in NJ or need someone qualified and experienced to assist your loved one on a more permanent basis, our HomeWorks program is here to help. Our team is dedicated to playing a positive and compassionate role in the lives of seniors and are trained and selected for their ability to enhance the security, wellbeing and state-of-mind. Our staff are fully certified in New Jersey and have extensive senior care training and experience, so please feel free to ask for formal certification and references.

For more information on our home health aide services in NJ, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/home-health-aide-services/

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-home-health-aide/

Accident Prevention in the Home

Falling at home is the leading cause of injuries and hospitalizations for the elderly, so it’s no surprise that it’s a serious concern for seniors as well as their family members. Here are some tips from our in home senior care team in New Jersey that will help make home a safer place for seniors.

Accident Prevention Tips for Outside the Home 

If there are stairs outside your loved one’s home, add rails on both sides of them. Each step can be marked with non-slip contrasting colour strips for easier navigation by seniors with poorer vision, and outdoor areas with stairs should be kept well-lit – preferably with motion or light-sensors so that they turn on automatically.

Accident Prevention Tips for Inside the Home 

In the bedroom, make sure the bed is at a height where it is easy to get into and out of, remove clutter to keep pathways free of trip hazards, and install nightlights so that your loved one doesn’t have to get out of bed and move around in the dark. If their bedroom is upstairs, make sure the stair railings are secure or suggest that they move downstairs to avoid the stairs completely.

Safety rails in the bathroom are a must, especially in the bath and shower. Make sure the towel rail is securely fitted to the wall and that there is a grab bar by the toilet if your loved one has trouble getting up from a sitting position. If possible, modify the bath to a low-rise bath and the shower to a walk-in shower to make access easier. Place bath mats on non-slip material and fix down if necessary with double-sided tape. It’s also a good idea to make it a habit to leave a light on in the bathroom at night.

In the rest of the house, check all light bulbs to make sure they are working and that they are bright enough. Remove any pieces of furniture and belongings to make clear, wide pathways through the home, and fix down any carpets or rugs so that they can’t trip your loved one.

In Home Senior Care – The Perfect Balance between Independence and Safety! 

As a leading senior independent home care provider in New Jersey, our team offers at home care for older adults through trained, experienced nursing and health aide staff. We have a wide range of services from companionship and help around the home to 24-hour live-in care, depending on exactly what you and your loved one requires. Our services are scalable and by-the-hour, allowing you to develop a custom care plan.

For more information on our seniors home care services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/Home-Heath-Aid-services

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/accident-prevention-in-the-home/

Cataracts – Signs, Symptoms and Treatment Options

June is Cataracts Awareness Month, so our in home senior care team is helping to raise awareness by sharing important information about this health condition.

What are Cataracts and What Causes Them? 

Cataracts is clouding of the eye’s lens (which is normally clear) that causes vision problems. It is predominantly a result of aging, and by 80-years of age, more than half of all Americans will have experienced a cataract. It can occur in one or both eyes and is not a contagious condition.
The lens of the eye is largely made up of protein and water. The proteins can start clumping up over time, which clouds the lens and prevents the right amount of light from reaching the retina. When this clumping first starts, it only affects a small portion of the eye and may not be easily noticed. As it progresses and grows, the symptoms will worsen, and vision will be increasingly affected.

8 Symptoms of Cataracts 

Symptoms of this condition include:

1. Clouded or dimmed vision
2. Sensitivity to bright light/glare
3. Halos around lights
4. Difficulty seeing at night
5. Increasing need for brighter and brighter light for reading and close work
6. Difficulty distinguishing different tones and colors
7. Fading or browning/yellowing of the eye
8. Double vision in the eye

Risk Factors 

Cataracts primarily result from the aging process, but other risk factors can make cataracts more likely, including certain health conditions like diabetes, certain medications like corticosteroids, as well as smoking, high alcohol intake, obesity, high blood pressure, eye injuries and excessive exposure of the eyes to sunlight.

Treatment for Cataracts 

Cataracts can be diagnosed by your physician using a range of eye tests, so annual checkups are important. Fortunately, there are very effective treatment options available to restore your vision once your prescription glasses are no longer effective.

During cataract surgery the clouded lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens. This is usually done on an outpatient basis and, after a few days of recovery, your vision should be fully restored.

Senior Independent Home Care in NJ – Compassion, Care and Independence! 

At United Methodist Communities, a leading senior homecare services provider in New Jersey, we offer tailored, compassionate care through our advanced HomeWorks program. This program offers in home senior care for the elderly tailored to their specific requirements and provides them, their families and caregivers with personalized, compassionate care that prioritizes health, happiness and independence.For more information on our senior independent homecare services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/

Original content posted on https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/cataracts-signs-symptoms-and-treatment-options/