senior care services palm beach gardens Archives

March 27, 2023

Senior care

Benefits of Skilled Home Health Care Services

As individuals age or experience medical issues, many may require assistance with day-to-day activities, such as bathing, dressing, and eating. While some individuals may choose to move into assisted living facilities or nursing homes, many prefer to remain in the comfort of their own homes. In these cases, skilled home health care services can provide much-needed support and care.

Horizon Care Services is a leading provider of home health care services, offering skilled nursing, home health aides, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy services. Our team of trained professionals can provide individualized care and support to clients in the comfort of their own homes, allowing them to maintain their independence and quality of life.

There are numerous benefits to utilizing skilled home health care services, including:

Personalized Care: Home health care services can be tailored to meet the unique needs and preferences of each individual client. This personalized approach ensures that clients receive the specific care and support they require, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach that may not be as effective.
Improved Health Outcomes: Skilled home health care services can help individuals recover from illness or injury, manage chronic health conditions, and prevent hospital readmissions. Our skilled professionals work with clients to develop personalized care plans that address their specific health needs and goals, ultimately resulting in improved health outcomes.
Increased Independence: With the support of skilled home health care services, individuals can maintain their independence and continue to live in their own homes for as long as possible. This can have a positive impact on their overall quality of life, as well as their mental and emotional well-being.
Cost-Effective: Home health care services can be a more cost-effective alternative to hospital or nursing home care, as they typically involve fewer medical interventions and can be provided on a part-time or as-needed basis.
Family Support: Home health care services can also provide much-needed support to family members who may be caring for a loved one. Skilled professionals can provide respite care, allowing family caregivers to take a break and tend to their own needs, while still ensuring their loved one is receiving quality care.
Companionship: In addition to providing essential care and support, home health care services can also provide much-needed companionship and socialization for individuals who may otherwise be isolated. The skilled professionals at Horizon Care Services are not only trained to provide medical care, but also to build meaningful relationships with their clients.
Continuity of Care: Skilled home health care services provide continuity of care, meaning that the same professionals will work with clients over an extended period of time. This allows for a deeper understanding of each individual’s needs and preferences, as well as a greater sense of trust and familiarity.

Overall, skilled home health care services can provide numerous benefits to individuals and their families. Horizon Care Services is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to each and every client, allowing them to live their lives to the fullest in the comfort of their own homes.

June 10, 2022

Health

How To Live A Healthy Life With Diet

Being healthy is a goal for many people. According to research published in the journal Molecular Medicine Reports, what type of diet a person eats affects their quality of life. Scientists and doctors explain the risk of having a poor diet and how you can use your diet to live a healthy life.

Health Risks

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. The CDC also states that one in ten Americans have diabetes. The National Cancer Institute reports that over 600,000 people die of cancer each year.

And according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80 percent of heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes, and up to 40 percent of cancer would be prevented if people lived healthier lifestyles, including diet and exercise.

A healthy diet is essential because your body needs the proper food and nutrients to function well. Aging and environmental factors like stress and pollution can affect how your body works. A healthy diet fights the effects of aging and the environment. Your diet can also support good immune health, muscle strength, and brainpower.

Cut Down on the Carbs

Carbohydrates are necessary to fuel your body. But too many carbs can lead to added weight and an unhealthy life. Examples of food that contain carbs include:

Bread
Vegetables
Raw and Refined Sugar
Fruits
Soft Drinks
Pasta

When planning your diet, include carbs from foods that offer additional nutrition, like the vitamins in fruits and vegetables. Soft drinks, desserts made with refined sugar, and junk foods usually contain many carbs but have few vitamins. You can also choose healthier whole-grain versions of bread and pasta.

Eat Lean Protein

Protein in your diet helps build and repair muscle tissue. Eating protein can also make you feel fuller and curb cravings and snacking. Eating more lean protein instead of empty carbs helps reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Examples of lean meat and other healthy protein sources include:

Fish
Poultry
Nuts
Greek Yogurt
Tofu

Use Healthy Oils

According to the American Heart Association, using healthy oils as part of your diet helps reduce heart disease risk. Healthy oils can also reduce inflammation that accelerates the aging process and can lead to arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease. Examples of healthy oils include:

Olive Oil
Avocado Oil
Canola Oil
Sunflower Oil
Flaxseed Oil

Drink More Water

According to a study in Nutrition Reviews, water is essential for human life. By staying hydrated, your body functions work correctly. Your body is up to 75% water, based on your age. Infants have more water, and the elderly have a little less water in their bodies.

Water helps move nutrients, supports healthy cells, and is part of how your body removes toxins. You get thirsty when your body senses a need for more water. Replacing soft drinks, fruit juice, and other high sugar, high-calorie beverages with water is key to a healthy life.

A Healthy Plate for Your Diet

The Harvard School of Public Health suggests a healthy plate plan to help you create a diet that provides a healthy life. The plan includes:

The more vegetables, the better.
Eat plenty of fruits of all colors.
Eat a variety of whole grains and limit refined grains like white bread and white rice.
Chose fish, poultry, and nuts for lean protein.
Use healthy oils for cooking and at the table.
Drink water, tea, or coffee with no sugar.

Portion Size

Another aspect of diet and healthy living is how much you eat. Many foods have a suggested serving or portion size listed. Eating more than the recommended serving, especially snack or junk foods, can add additional calories without adding nutrients. While it’s okay to indulge once in a while, keeping to the portion size will improve your diet and provide a healthier life.

macular-degeneration-home-health-care-for-seniors

April 6, 2022

Senior care

Macular Degeneration 101

Otherwise referred to as age-related macular degeneration. AMD is the leading cause of permanent and severe vision loss in individuals older than 50. This incurable eye disease is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of your retina, which is the inside back layer of your eye. The retina is tasked with recording all the images you see and then sending them from the eye to the brain via the optic nerve.

The central part of the retina is tasked with focusing central vision in the eye, and it is responsible for enabling you to read, recognize colors, and see objects. This portion of the retina is known as the macula.

The macula is basically the most sensitive area of the eye, since it collects images in high detail and then sends them to the brain via the optic nerve. The brain then interprets these signals as sight.

So, when the cells of the macula get damaged and start to deteriorate, it negatively effects the way your vision. This doesn’t happen in its early stages, but as the disease progresses, people start experiencing blurred vision.

In the later stages of the macular degeneration, people can experience complete loss of central vision. In fact, people who suffer from advanced macular degeneration are recognized as legally blind.

Even when people suffer from extreme cases of macular degeneration, they still have their peripheral vision, since the rest of their retina is still functioning properly. However, their peripheral vision is simply not as clear as their central vision.

There are two main types of macular degeneration – dry and wet. In most cases (85-90%), people suffer from dry macular degeneration, while the remainder suffers from the ‘wet’ type of this disease. There is also a third type of macular degeneration that doesn’t affect older people. Young people can suffer from a form of macular degeneration that is called Stargardt disease, which is caused recessive gene.

The dry form of AMD is characterized by the presence of yellow deposits in the macula. These yellow deposits are referred to as drusen. As the disease progresses, the size of these yellow deposits grows and their presence increases. This is what leads to a distortion of vision.

Three Stages Of Macular Degeneration

There are three main stages of age-related macular degeneration – early, intermediate, and late AMD.

During the early stage of AMD, most people won’t notice any vision loss. This is exactly why regular eye exams are important. If you’re in the early stage of AMD, your doctor will instantly notice it, since there will be yellow deposits beneath the retina.
During the intermediate stage of AMD, some people notice vision loss. However, others still may not suffer from any noticeable symptoms during this stage of the disease. Patients in the intermediate stage of age-related macular degeneration have pigment changes in the retina.
The late stage of AMD is when vision loss really becomes noticeable. The vision loss gets worse over time and in the end, patients suffer permanent vision loss that can’t be treated by surgery or eye injections.

If you’re worried about suffering from this disease, then you can help prevent it by starting to live healthier. In order to lower the risk of macular degeneration, you should:

Quit smoking.
Eat more vegetables, especially dark leafy greens.
Start wearing sunglasses outdoors more regularly.
Take eye exams regularly.
Make sure to keep your cholesterol and blood pressure under control.
Eat more fresh produce.
Make sure you maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly.
Eat more fish, or at least take a fish oil supplement.

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