Carefect Blog

June 7, 2012 by Carefect Admin

The Benefits of Gardening for Seniors

Gardening is a favorite activity of many seniors during the spring and summer time. Besides being enjoyable, it provides numerous health benefits. If you have an older parent, you should encourage them to remain active in a hobby like gardening. How Gardening Can Keep You Healthy Gardening has many benefits for overall physical and mental health. Here is a list of reasons to continue in this activity if it is a favorite. It provides exercise and improves mobility and flexibility. For seniors who don’t have appointments or schedules to keep,...

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June 4, 2012 by Carefect Admin

Alzheimer’s disease – Understanding and Dealing with Personal Hygiene Issues

Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects more of a person’s life as it progresses. It does more than just make them forgetful of events and names; it affects their ability to remember how to do their daily tasks, such as eating and getting dressed. It can become difficult for the person with Alzheimer’s to handle their own basic personal care. Depression is a behavior condition associated with Alzheimer’s and can cause the person to lose interest in their appearance. This may be helped with medication so it is best to...

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May 31, 2012 by Carefect Admin

Summer Safety Tips for Seniors

As the temperatures rise, family caregivers may be concerned about the safety of their senior family members. Statistics have shown that hot weather can be harshest on older people and children. Precautions are needed if the senior will be active outdoors; they also need to be careful indoors if they do not have the proper air conditioning. High temperatures force your body to work harder to keep you cool, and it can cause many heat-related problems. Some of these issues can be life-threatening, especially for seniors. They tend to sweat...

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May 28, 2012 by Carefect Admin

How to Recognize the Signs and Risk Factors of a Stroke

Stroke is one of the most well-known health issues of seniors. Early intervention with a stroke victim can lessen the long-term effects and it may allow them to fully recover. However, it can be difficult to recognize when a loved one is having a stroke if you do not know what to look for. A stroke happens when the blood flow to your brain is interrupted. There are several reasons that this can happen but it is most often due to a blockage or clot in the artery. The blood...

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May 24, 2012 by Carefect Admin

Alzheimer’s disease – Understanding and Dealing with Difficult Behaviors

Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. It can be difficult to diagnose the disease in its early stages, since its initial symptoms may seem as “just a sign of getting older.” However, as the disease progresses, it leads to behavior changes and the loss of the ability to think and do daily tasks. Behaviors to Be Expected People with Alzheimer’s often experience drastic changes in their moods from how they would behave normally. You may see your parent or family member become withdrawn and distant. They will often...

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May 21, 2012 by Carefect Admin

The Most Common Eye Diseases Among Seniors

While many people expect to reduce their 20/20 vision as they get older and need glasses, they may not expect to develop other eye conditions. There are numerous conditions that affect the eyes, but four are mainly found in older adults. Cataracts Cataracts affect a large number of the older population and are characterized by clouding of the lens. It can happen in one or both eyes and results in blurry vision. There are other types of cataracts that can affect anyone, but the most common cause is aging. The...

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May 17, 2012 by Carefect Admin

Arthritis and seniors: The Basics

Arthritis is a condition that can affect anyone, but is almost commonplace in those over 65. As the body ages, bones and joints start to deteriorate leading to pain, swelling, stiffness and discomfort. Women are more apt to have osteoporosis, or a softening of the bones caused by a lack of calcium, which makes them even more susceptible to arthritis. Although there are more than 100 different types of arthritis, the most common among seniors is osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. If you become familiar with these different types and...

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May 14, 2012 by Carefect Admin

Managing Sundowner’s Syndrome

Those with Dementia or Alzheimer’s tend to suffer from a syndrome called Sundowner’s Syndrome. As the name implies the symptoms appear in the late afternoon and evening for some, for others not until the sun has completely set. Medical science has never been able to come up with a physiological or psychological reason for it to occur, but they have developed several theories as to why the symptoms only begin at night. There are continuing studies into the causes and potential treatments for Sundowner’s Syndrome but there still is no...

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May 10, 2012 by Carefect Admin

Warning signs a senior should not be driving

Drivers over 70 are the second highest group involved in vehicle fatalities, with drivers under 20 being the highest. The effects of aging are different between people, but if it is affecting cognitive functions and physical capabilities, driving can become very dangerous. Even some medications can affect driving ability no matter what age a person is. For most seniors, driving is one privilege they do not easily want to relinquish. However, there are things to watch for when it comes to your senior parent or loved one that is still...

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May 7, 2012 by Carefect Admin

Understanding Parkinson’s disease and how homecare services can help

According to statistics, there are nearly 100,000 people living with Parkinson’s in Canada. This number is expected to double by the year 2016. Parkinson is caused by the death of cells in the brain that produce a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is a very important chemical in the brain that affects anything from a person’s mood to their movement and coordination. When the production of dopamine in the brain is decreased, messages sent to the brain from other parts of the body during movement are slowed, eventually leaving the afflicted...

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