Contact our Business Coordinator, Laurel at LRagaller@akhomehealth.com if you would like more information on this resource available to veterans!

Exercise is an important part of life, particularly for senior clients. It’s a known mood and energy booster, great for the heart, and it helps control certain diseases and ailments, like diabetes. While most people are busy preparing for the approaching holiday, don’t take a holiday from maintaining fitness.

From candy to cake to rich stuffings and gravies, it’s the season for indulgence. It’s also the season in which many people are prone to depression. Exercise can help combat holiday weight gain while generating mood-lifting endorphins that can keep clients from feeling the holiday blues. The following tips can ensure that clients stay active and fit during this busy time of year:

• Encourage group fitness classes. When people exercise with others, they are more likely to feel encouraged and continue their fitness routine than when exercising alone. Find a list of group senior fitness classes in your area, and encourage clients to attend. Ask Aker Kasten Home Health Care Agency about area classes that cater to seniors at hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or local community centers or gyms, and offer transportation services when needed. In group classes, such as simple water or step aerobics, clients can get in a good workout and socialize at the same time.

• Follow trends for fitness and fun. Many video gaming systems now offer games that focus on getting users moving. The Nintendo Wii and the Xbox Kinect are two systems that have become trendy tools in nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the country to help seniors stay mobile and increase coordination while having a little fun in the process. Maybe it’s time to invest in a game system and some exercise games, and challenge your caregiver to some fun and fitness. If you loved to bowl or play tennis in your prime, you can still enjoy the competition and movement of the online version without as much strain on your joints.

• Enlist the family. With family and friends gathering together this time of year, create an exercise routine that the whole family can enjoy. From walking pets to competitive balancing exercises, ask your Aker Kasten Home Health Care Agency caregiver to help you create a list of fun activities that all ages can participate in.

As always, check with your physician before implementing any new exercise routine.

The content of this page is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.

One sure sign that winter is on its way: Drugstores are already advertising for flu shots, and in fact, some started weeks ago! If you haven’t gotten your vaccine yet, there’s still plenty of time, but do schedule one: It reduces your risk for infection by as much as 90 percent, says Anne Moscona, M.D., professor of microbiology and immunology at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. And while you’re at it, try working some of these delicious immune-boosting foods into your daily diet to fight cold-weather bugs naturally and from the inside out. Cold and flu? Not you!

Brussels Sprouts

These fall and winter vegetables contain vitamin A, which helps keep your immune system healthy. Plus, they offer a phy-tonutrient that can help clear away carcinogenic substances in the body, says Keri Gans, R.D., spokeswoman in New York City for the ADA.

Mushrooms

Enjoying white-button mushrooms may strengthen your body’s defenses against the common cold and even cancer. A report in The Journal of Nutrition shows that mushrooms enhanced the activity of immune system cells. Slice them into your next stir-fry, or order extra ’shrooms on your next pizza delivery call!

Goat Cheese

Besides going great on crackers, goat cheese is a good source of copper, which keeps your immune system humming. Swap out mayo and smear goat cheese on a wrap or mix with chopped nuts and dried fruit for a filling toast topper.

Broccoli and Kale

A compound in this fall and winter produce may enhance your immune system, an animal study in The Journal of Nutri-tional Biochemistry shows. Chewing the veggies triggers the release of chemicals, possibly helping your body regulate infection-fighting white blood cells. Cooking reduces the dose, so it’s best to eat them raw.

Cherries

These bite-size fruits are rich in anthocyanins, which can jump-start your immune system and mop up free radicals. Even if they are out of season you can buy cherries dried, frozen or canned year-round.

Yogurt

Healthy people who had a drink with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri (also found in Stonyfield Farms yogurt) daily for 12 weeks called in sick for respiratory or stomach problems 60 percent fewer times than those who didn’t consume it, notes the journal Environmental Health. Spoon up some plain yogurt, or blend it with frozen berries, sliced banana, peanut butter, a drizzle of honey and ice for a sweet and savory smoothie.

Tomatoes

Relax with tomatoes’ vitamin C, which blunts the effects of stress by reducing free radicals and bolstering your immune system. “It is also your body’s first line of defense against stressors like colds and exertion,” explains Paul Lachance, Ph.D., professor emeritus of nutrition and food science at Rutgers University.

So, if you need help adding some of these healthy choices to your diet, call Aker Kasten Home Health Care Agency today and ask for one of our Caregivers to assist you with grocery shopping  and health meal preparation!

561-955-6010 or 561-737-4990

The content of this page is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.

by Simeon Margolis, M.D., Ph.D.
Jul 22, 2011

As seen on Yahoo! Health

Flu: Influenza (flu) vaccine

Many older people think they don’t need to worry about something as insignificant as the flu. But an annual vaccination against influenza virus is recommended each fall or winter for adults of all ages. Although earlier studies probably overestimated the dangers of influenza in the elderly, bouts of the flu can produce severe symptoms, may require hospitalization, and can be fatal. Influenza is also recognized to increase the risk of heart attacks. One problem is that the flu vaccine is less effective in older individuals. Nonetheless, the vaccine offers at least some protection for most older individuals and should be obtained each year. 

Pneumonia: pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Pneumovax 23)

Another common and potentially dangerous illness is pneumonia. There are about four million cases of pneumonia each year in the U.S., and the pneumococcus is the most common agent leading to hospitalization for pneumonia in people of all ages. Influenza infection greatly increases the risk of developing pneumococcal pneumonia. The pneumonia may be mild and easily treated, but some develop an overwhelming infection that can be fatal.

This vaccine can protect against pneumonia that is caused by the 23 types of the pneumococcus bacterium that are responsible for the vast majority of pneumococcal pneumonia. However, it offers no protection against pneumonia caused by the other 60 or more types of pneumococcus, or by other bacteria or viruses. Recommendations: the vaccine should be given one time to all people who are 65 or older with no prior pnumococcal vaccination or when the history of vaccination is unknown. The vaccine should also be given for those 65 or older if it’s been five years since a previous vaccination.  The vaccine is also recommended for some who are younger than 65, for example those with liver disease, diabetes, or chronic heart or lung diseases. 

Shingles: Herpes zoster (Zostavax)

Shingles results from activation of the varicella virus that causes chicken pox and then remains dormant for many years. Shingles can attack any of the 95 percent of adult Americans who have had chicken pox. As a result, between 10 and 20 percent of them will develop shingles during their lifetime. Most often shingles begins with an unexplained throbbing or burning pain in a limited area on one side of the chest or lower back. Days to weeks later a painful rash appears and evolves into pus-filled blisters with the same band-like distribution as the pain. The rash is not contagious, but bacteria may infect the blisters.

Recommendation: because the incidence of shingles increases progressively with age, the vaccine in recommended for everyone 60 years of age or older. The zoster vaccine (Zostavax) is given as a single, one-time injection, regardless of a previous history of herpes zoster (shingles) or chicken pox. 

Contraindications to giving these vaccines

A vaccine should not be given to an individual who has had a prior severe reaction to the vaccine or at a time when he or she is suffering from a moderate to severe acute illness.

Other possible vaccines

A booster injection against tetanus is recommended every 10 years. Some older people may wish to get protection against hepatitis A and/or B, especially if they will be travelling to underdeveloped countries or are exposed to people with a high likelihood of these disorders.

Check with your doctor about your need for all of these vaccines. We will even accompany you to your doctor’s office to help you understand the information they provide.  Call Aker Kasten Home Health Care today at 561-955-6010 or 561-737-4990. 

The content of this Aker Kasten Home Health Care Agency News page is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.

by Mayo Clinic staff

Fed up with limited healthy meal options? Tired of eating leftovers all the time? Annoyed that you must throw food away because the package contained more than you could eat?

If you usually cook for one or two people — or if members of your family rarely have time to eat together — you probably face such frustrations. But small-quantity cooking can be made easier and more interesting. Here’s how:

• Shop with convenience in mind. Buy frozen foods in bulk — fruits, vegetables, chicken breasts or fish fillets. Remove and thaw out only the amount you need. Also, keep on hand ready-to-eat, low-fat, reduced-sodium canned soups and low-fat frozen meals or prepackaged single-serving foods. The latter can be pricey, so stock up when you find a sale.
• Take advantage of your freezer. You may be surprised to learn that many foods freeze well, including breads, meats, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and seeds. Freezing food keeps it fresh longer and helps prevent waste. For best quality, freeze food while it’s fresh. Don’t wait until it’s been refrigerated or left on your counter for several days.
• Cook a batch and freeze single portions. For example, make a casserole or stew and freeze individual-size servings. Then take out only the amount of food you need. Be sure to write the date and contents on packages and move older packages forward as you add food to your freezer.
• Prepare one-dish meals. For quick and simple cooking, choose a dish that serves as the whole meal. Look for dishes that include foods from several food groups, such as meats, whole grains, legumes and vegetables. Healthy examples include beef, barley and vegetable stew; chicken, vegetable and rice casserole; turkey and bean casserole (made with turkey breast, white beans and tomatoes); and vegetarian chili with diced vegetables and beans.
• Use extras wisely. Plan meals so that you can use the extra food in new dishes. For example, cook rice as a side dish for one meal, then use the remainder in a casserole or rice pudding. Bake chicken for a meal and use the leftovers in sandwiches, soup or toss with greens, dried fruit, and nuts for a tasty salad. Or make a meatloaf mixture and bake some as a meatloaf and freeze the uncooked portion for later use in meatballs or stuffed peppers.
• Hit the books. Many cookbooks are available with recipes for one or two people. Not only are cookbooks a good source for recipes, but also they can provide practical advice and helpful tips on such things as selecting healthy foods, planning menus, shopping and reading food labels.

Be creative and keep it fun

Mix things up and try a nutritious snack instead of a traditional meal when you’re short on time or energy. For example, spread a brown rice cake with ricotta cheese and fresh strawberries or herbed goat cheese and sliced olives. Other snack-turned-meal ideas are corn muffins served with apple and cheese slices, or fat-free refried beans mixed with salsa, a small amount of low-fat sour cream and baked tortilla chips.

Treat yourself to company from time to time. Invite friends or relatives over to sample some of your home cooking. Or start a cooking club, which is a great opportunity to try new recipes and have fun in the kitchen.

Remember you don’t have to settle for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or a bowl of cereal every night. With a little planning and creativity, you can create healthy and tasty meals for you and your dining partner.

Grocery Shopping and Meal Preparation are just a couple of the ways that an Aker Kasten Home Health Specialist can help enhance your quality of life at home.  Please call us now to find out how we can help you eat healthier!             561-955-6010   or    561-737-4990

By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Adapted by LRagaller
Jan. 5, 2006 –

If you’re living, you’re aging, but that’s not such a bad thing, a new study shows.  The study of nearly 3,500 men and women age 65 and older started a decade ago and is still going. Here’s what the researchers have learned so far:

• Most people — even after age 85 — still lived independently and reported being in excellent or good health.
• People with good vision, good hearing, and good moods viewed their health favorably.
• Having close ties to family and friends is also a plus.

The bottom line: Aging brings change, but not necessarily a dismal, lonely decline.  The study appears online in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Healthy Elders

Aging isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, the study shows.

“Older people are healthy,” says researcher Truls Ostbye, MD, PhD, in a news release. Ostbye is a professor in Duke University’s department of community and family medicine.

“We hear a lot about disease and disability among the elderly, but the quality of life in older individuals is actually, by most measures used, high up to the oldest of age,” Ostbye says.

That’s not to say that aging is a piece of cake.

Many serious health problems — including high blood pressure, cancer, and stroke — become more common with age. Vision, hearing, and memory often fade, and personal losses or isolation can bring depression late in life (or any time).

Positive Despite Challenges

The seniors in Ostbye’s study weren’t in prime shape. Still, they were generally upbeat about their health and ability to handle chores of daily life.

Here are some of the challenges they faced:

• Most had had at least one major illness, such as heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, cancer, or heart failure.
• Hearing, eyesight, and mental skills often slipped with time.
• Some couldn’t handle all of their daily activities alone.
• Loneliness was most common among the eldest women, probably because they had outlived spouses.

Despite those issues, most scored high on surveys of 10 key traits, including senses, physical illness, mood, social support, and activities of daily living. That sample included 80%-90% of participants aged 65-75. For people aged 85 and older, 60% rated their health as being excellent or good.

Mood had the biggest effect. The researchers found that “persons of healthy mood [are] more than three times as likely to report good or excellent health.”

All participants lived in Cache County, Utah, which has a high life-expectancy rate for people aged 65 and older.

More than 5,000 people — about 90% of the county’s elderly population — participated in the first survey, which was done in 1995.

Following in Their Footsteps

You may be able to enhance your own aging process. Here are some ideas from the study:

• Make your eyes and ears a priority. Glasses, eye surgery (such as for cataracts), and hearing aids can renew links to the outside world.
• Treat depression and work on improving bad moods.
• If daily activities are harder than they used to be, look for new solutions.
• Keep in touch with family and friends.

Religious or spiritual ties may also help, the researchers note.

Utilizing home care services can help you implement the ideas listed above.  Many seniors are able to live independently in their homes with weekly help from an Agency.  Home Health Care Specialists can:

• escort you to doctors appointments
• alleviate depression and loneliness
• join you in daily activities—even short walks and card games
• help you keep in touch with your family and friends and religious traditions
• do light housekeeping, linen changes & laundry, assist with personal care, & give medication reminders and more…

Call Aker Kasten Home Health Care Agency today to learn how we can help you stay healthy at home  561-955-6010   or  561-737-4990

Be More Active

Exercise can lower your blood pressure while boosting your HDL (good) cholesterol level.   Walking, biking, or doing other physical activity for about 30 minutes each day can make a big difference in your heart health.  Being active also makes it easier to manage your weight, gives you more energy, helps you cope with stress and helps you sleep better.  Exercise can even help to prevent depression and lower your risk for Alzheimer’s disease.  Eventually, you might even be able to ask your doctor about reducing your medication as you improve your cholesterol level.

A great way to begin a walking routine is to invite a friend or your Aker Kasten Home Health specialist to walk with you several times each week.  This will help insure your safety and provide a companion to share some conversation along the walk!

Aim for  A Healthy Weight

If you have diabetes, you may already know losing weight helps to manage blood glucose by lowering insulin resistance.  In other words, when you lose weight, your body can use insulin more easily, which in turns means better glucose readings.  But you may not know losing weight is one of the most effective things you can do to lower your blood pressure.  It can also help decrease the burden on your heart and your joints.  You don’t have to lose a lot of weight to reap health benefits:  losing just 7-10 % of your body weight can lead to improved glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.  Aker Kasten Home Health specialists are available to prepare heart healthy meals and snacks for you to enjoy.

Eat More Fiber

Eating more fiber can help to lower your cholesterol level and blood glucose.  Fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, beans and whole-grain breads and cereals.  Foods high in fiber also help you feel full more quickly, which can help in your weight-loss efforts. 

For more tips and full article (Adobe, .pdf), click here: Heart Health

Source: Alzheimer's Association, 2011 Alzheimer's Disease Facts & Figures

No matter what illness a love one faces, it clearly takes a toll on the entire family.  Caregivers are wise to plan for breaks in caregiving to reduce stress levels and refresh energy and enthusiasm.  Aker Kasten Home Health Care can provide caregivers specifically trained to spend quality time with Alzheimer’s patients with a view to helping them enjoy their day and give the family a short break to attend to themselves or other matters. 

Dr.  John Aker, CEO and Administrator of Aker Kasten Home Health Care Agency has been deemed an Approved Training Provider by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the University of South Florida’s Training Academy on Aging to deliver his curriculum of Home Health Care Training on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. 

This training educates caregivers on the scope of these diseases, behaviors common to sufferers, and specific recommendations on how to engage sufferers in daily activities to enhance their quality of life.  Call today to arrange for a FREE in home consultation to discuss your scheduling options, 561-955-6010 or 561-737-4990, knowing that Aker Kasten has specially trained our caregivers to provide Alzheimer’s patients with compassionate care.

A 2008 Annals of Internal Medicine paper reported the results of a trial involving 380 advanced-cancer patients with moderate-to-severe pain.  The authors—a team from Florida Atlantic University and the University of Colorado Denver–randomly assigned participants to receive either six 30-minute massages over two weeks or six control sessions in which a therapist placed both hands on 10 different areas of the body for three minutes each.

The study found that touch of either kind was associated with statistically significant improvements in pain reports with very few side effects.  The authors point out that one reason pain may decline with touch is that healthy people have an aversion to touching sick people, so those who are ill get fewer hugs and less hand holding.  Under this theory, isolation literally hurts, and though it’s a bit treacly to say, a hug can heal.

~Time Magazine, March 7, 2011, Beyond Drugs: How Alternative Treatments Can Ease Pain, page 84.

We at Aker Kasten Home Health Care Agency want to help ease your pain and we understand the power of a human connection and the power of touch.  If you are feeling isolated, let us help you re-connect with the world around you.  Part of good health is social interaction with people who care about you.  We can escort you to synagogue, book club, and other social gatherings.  And we can simply visit with you, hold your hand, and listen.

The content of this page is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.

Many caregivers hit by time, money demands

February 28, 2011, Page 4B

“More than a third of caregivers surveyed by Caring.com, a consumer website, have been forced to quit jobs, take early retirement, reduce work hours or take leaves of absence.”

“More than 40% of caregivers are spending more than $5000 a year on a loved one’s care…The ecomomic downturn has made that burden even heavier.”

Aker Kasten Home Health Care Agency acts as your family’s support network to promote the safety of your parent and protect your serenity.  With a full menu of options ready to tailor to your unique situation–from medication reminders, assisting mom with a weekly walk, escorting dad to his doctor appointment, to daily 4 hour visits to assist with housekeeping or personal care, to live-in care and case management–we help fill the gap so your parent is cared for lovingly while reducing stress on your already full schedule.

USAToday’s article also listed several steps you can take to cut costs that won’t compromise your parent’s care.  They suggest exploring the applicability of claiming your parent as a dependent and/or deducting your parent’s medical expenses (note: you must be providing at least 50% of the parent’s financial support and an income test may apply, be sure to consult your tax preparer).

Home health care often costs less than you might think. And you must consider the time and money saved by not having to leave work to drive your parent to the doctor–knowing that their Aker Kasten supplied aide will carefully escort them and assist them as necessary, for instance.  And the peace of mind that comes from another caregiver acting as your parent’s friend and your teammate, will prove invaluable.

As our client’s daughter, an attorney, recently said:  ‘I was relieved by the comfort it gave me to know that my mother was in competent and loving hands when I could not be with her.  Dr. Aker and Kim were both prompt and responsive to our needs, and the aides they provided us were gentle and dedicated caregivers.’

Allow us to assist you in honoring your parents:  Aker Kasten truly is Where Excellence And Kindness Meet…

561-955-6010  or  561-737-4990

The content of this page is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.