Q – My elderly mother, who lives alone in Bakersfield, neglects her nutrition because she says food doesn’t taste like it used to, and since my father passed away she doesn’t bother to cook for herself. I worry about her health with all the processed convenient foods she eats. Can you suggest a healthy, tasty recipe that would be easy for her to make that would encourage her to cook at home?

A – Here’s a great recipe that your mother will be able to make quickly and easily, and it has such a great taste she’ll surely be convinced that cooking at home is worthwhile. It also tastes so wonderful that she needn’t cook it just for one; if she invites over some guests they’re sure to think she’s been slaving away in the kitchen all day even though the recipe only requires about 10 minutes preparation time, and 30-35 minutes in the oven.

Lemon Dill Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup sour cream
1 TSP chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. lemon zest

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425? F. degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chicken.
Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread 1/4 of the lemon dill sauce over the bottom of pan.
Arrange chicken breasts on top of sauce in a single layer.
Pour remaining sauce over chicken and spread evenly.
Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, until chicken is done.

Sources:

1. ClevelandAndSeniors.com

2. Nutritionwerks.com

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Q – I know that my elderly mother from Bakersfield has a diet rich in salt. Is sodium harmful to a senior’s health? And if so, how can we help her cut back?

A – Every diet should contain sodium in order for the body to maintain homeostasis, however, when it’s consumed in excess it can be harmful to a senior’s health. According to a recent study completed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, seniors who consume more than 1,500 mg of salt per day are at a greater risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. While altering a senior’s diet may seem drastic, proper nutrition with a reduced sodium diet is essential for Bakersfield seniors’ health.

If your mom consumes processed foods, like meats, on a regular basis an easy change would be to encourage her to shop for fresh foods instead. Generally, fresh meats will not contain added sodium, but this can be confirmed with the butcher before purchase. Packaged foods should also contain ingredient lists, and will state if they are low in sodium – seniors should choose these products for better nutrition. You can also encourage your mother to choose salt-free snacks over those that are high in sodium; omit salt from recipes where possible; and use other spices and seasonings that are sodium-free.

Sources:

1. MayoClinic

2. Magic Kitchen.com

3. Seniors for Living

Image: pro.corbis.com

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Since she became retired and her mobility has declined, most of my mom’s favorite hobbies and activities have kept her confined to the home. Her love of crafts has her knitting, building dolls houses, painting ceramics and even beading jewelry (though this is becoming increasingly difficult as her eyesight changes).

Last spring, I began to notice that she just hadn’t been getting outside much; particularly since living in a condo in Bakersfield she has no garden to take care of and no pets to encourage her to step out of her home. . Her building has a public patio area, and with permission, we decided to setup a patio table and chairs to give her a surface to sit and do her crafts, while enjoying the fresh spring air and sunshine in Bakersfield. This year, I know that when her grandchildren come over to their grandma’s for a visit, they will love sitting out on the patio playing board games, cards, making crafts and socializing with their loved one because they won’t be cooped up inside when the weather should be getting them into the fresh air!

Sources:
1. Suite 101 Janienne Jennrich
2. Disabled World

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Pain is personal, so how do you know if someone is over or underestimating the pain that they experience? How do you know if the type of pain management treatment prescribed is an effective method for combating the pain that a senior’s feeling when you can’t experience what they’re experiencing yourself? While many of us wish we could take away the pain from our elderly parents or grandparents, or experience it just long enough to tell the doctor’s what a terrible job or what a great job they’re doing in pain management, this just isn’t a reality. Since the only real account of the pain a senior experience can come directly from them, treating seniors effectively with pain management is a major challenge in the medical profession.

Through my experience seeing my elderly parents through pain management treatment due to injury and illness, I’ve seen them overly doped on pain medication, or even screaming in pain. According to the doctors, treating seniors for the pain they’re experiencing can be hit and miss for a number of reasons; various conditions can affect the absorption of pain medication or impact the way the body processes pain; and seniors quite regularly under express the pain they’re experiencing for fear of being seen as a burden.

We might not be able to take the pain away from the important seniors in our lives, but we can help by listening to what they have to tell us and trying to communicate their expression of pain to the doctor responsible for their pain management.

Sources:
1. About
2. MedicineNet

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

What would you do if you had an elderly parent with an addiction?

No one seems to suspect that senior citizens are at risk for drug addiction, but currently approximately 17% of people over the age of 60 abuse prescription medication, and many have adult children who are wondering: “what do we do?” People have preconceptions about what defines an addict, but age and pharmacueticals don’t discriminate.

The elderly who face depression, illness, and various ailments are more likely to become reliant upon their prescriptions and face withdrawal once they try to stop taking them. Addiction doesn’t mean you needlessly take medications; many seniors legitimately require pain killers to cope with Arthritis or sedatives to deal with the loss of a spouse, but it’s abuse when medications are taken consistently against medical instruction.

What if you had a parent who had a history of alcohol abuse and now uses prescription drugs? It’s a great debate with seniors who abuse prescription drugs, since they need them, is it fair to categorize seniors and label them as addicts as you would label an alcoholic? According to experts, drug abuse is addiction, regardless of medical need. Alcoholics also need to have a drink in order to avoid withdrawal, and that’s addiction too. But would you handle a senior’s prescription drug addiction the same way you’d intervene with an alcoholic?

Sources:
1. Bio-Medicine
2. Join Together

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Q – I am a caregiver for my elderly father in Bakersfield. He seems to tire of the meals I serve him, and I’m looking for some healthy, new ideas to make for him this summer. We are on a more limited food budget, and with all the other responsibilities I have caring for him, I don’t want to spend hours slaving over the stove, especially when it’s hot; can you suggest some healthy, summertime meal ideas?

A – During the summer months, mealtime in Bakersfield should be all about Convenience, and with the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, it’s easy to make quick, healthy meals while maintaining a budget. During the summer, many healthy fruits and vegetables are in season, which reduces the price and increases the variety. For even more selection at a low price, try frequenting a local farmer’s market in Bakersfield or browse the aisles of your favorite grocery store for great deals on produce.

A great way to make fast, healthy, and delicious meals is to take advantage of the nice weather and barbeque outside. Using the barbeque speeds up the cooking time of most meals, and tastes great even with limited seasonings. Instead of laboring over sauces to flavor your meats or fish, use a few fresh herbs and allow the taste from the grill to come through. Ensuring your father’s diet is rich with fruits and vegetables will also help him prevent heat exhaustion during the warmer months!

Sources:

1. Senior Advocate

2. eHow

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

Q – Is medical care available to seniors in Bakersfield at home?

A – While many doctors do continue to make traditional health calls to visit seniors who have issues with mobility that make it difficult for them to get into their doctors’ offices, these services tend to be costly and are often not covered by medical insurance programs like Medicare. However, new technologies which are emerging into the home care market for seniors, hope to make medical care available to all seniors from the comfort and safety of their own homes. General Electric and Intel recently announced their partnership and commitment to donate $250 million dollars towards the research and development of home health care technologies for the elderly over the next 5 years. Already available on the market are the Intel Health Guide, which allows seniors to interact with medical professionals using a 2-way video computer and the GE QuietCare; a home monitoring system which allows senior caregivers to keep track of the senior’s well-being remotely.

Over the upcoming years, these two partnered technology giants hope to create health technologies that will allow doctors and nurses to monitor their senior patients’ health, quality of life and diagnose elderly health issues remotely, while the senior remains in their Bakersfield residence. Hopefully, these new technological developments will help more seniors get the medical care they require in a convenient and affordable manner.

Sources:
1.   New York Times Steve Lohr
2.    Intel & GE Health Care Alliance

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

While family history does play a role in the likelihood that a senior will have a stroke, there are other stroke risk factors that can be eliminating, therefore decreasing the chance of a stroke. Seniors from Bakersfield can control the following factors that put them at risk for having a stroke:

• Carotid Artery Disease
• High Blood Pressure
• Atrial Fibrillation
• Cigarette Smoking
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Warning Signs or History of Stroke
• Lack of Exercise
• Obesity
• Excessive Alcohol Consumption
• High Cholesterol

According to the National Stroke Association, the above risk factors are controllable with the following behaviors; good news for seniors in Bakersfield!

•    Have your blood pressure checked at least once per year and record your blood pressure somewhere it can be remembered if needed
•    Stop smoking!!!
•    Ensure that any alcohol is only consumed in moderation – 1 drink per day is not likely to increase the risk of a stroke
•    Find out if you have high cholesterol, diabetes, circulation problems or atrial fibrillation and ensure a doctor is taking steps to control any present issues
•    Exercise daily!
•    Maintain a diet low in salt
•    Understand the stroke symptoms and seek medical attention if they’re present

Sources:
1.    Healing Daily
2.    BBC Health

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

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

When a family comes together to discuss the care requirements of an aging loved one, it’s a process of decision making that can make or break a family, but nonetheless is a process that the whole family needs to be involved with. As soon as one family member notices signs that concern them about their senior’s health or living arrangements, it’s time to call a family meeting.

While a series of meetings may take place as care decisions are being made, the first meeting should only involve those closest to the senior being discussed, such as siblings and immediate family members. However, the senior shouldn’t be in attendance at the first family meeting, so that family members are able to discuss their concerns about the senior’s health and well-being without fear that they’re upsetting their loved one.  During this initial meeting, the family can discuss future plans and discuss the role each of them will play in the care of a senior. It’s important at some stage, once the rest of the family comes together, to involve the senior in meetings so they can share their own wishes with regards to senior care. A third party, like a Geriatric Care Manager may be in attendance as a resource and meeting moderator.

At each meeting, allow every family member involved to share their views on how to handle home care, and try to stick to an agenda to minimize disputes and keep things on track.

Sources:
1.    Elder Care Online
2.   Suite101

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.

According to a recent study completed by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, ballroom dancing is an ideal activity for Bakersfield seniors. As fans of Dancing with the Stars already know, it’s a great activity that aids in weight loss and cardiovascular health; but it has an additional benefit for seniors that you might not suspect. The study, which focused on 469 seniors over the age of 75, found that ballroom dancing is linked with a lowered risk of cognitive issues like Alzheimer’s and dementia. According to the study, seniors don’t need to dance all day to get the most of ballroom dancing benefits, a 5 minute warm up followed by a 20 minute ballroom dancing routine is ideal for keeping older adults active, fit and healthy.

Seniors interested in taking up ballroom dancing during retirement can contact dance studios, seniors centers, and community centers in Bakersfield to find out if they offer ballroom dancing classes. Typically seniors can either choose to attend ballroom dancing classes with a spouse or friend or get matched with a partner during the classes.

If you’re an active senior, start ballroom dancing today to benefit both your body and your mind, and have fun while doing it!

Sources:
1.    Senior Advocate
2.   SeniorJournal

Home Care Bakersfield provides home care for the elderly, aging, and seniors in Bakersfield, Delano, Wasco, Lamont, Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Ridgecrest, Taft, Shafter, Bodfish, Wofford Heights, Rosedale, Oildale, Kernville area. Call us today at 661-321-3235.