Positive old grandfather holding walking stick resting on couch

Maintaining Independence with Assistive Devices for Seniors

May 10, 2023/in Activities for Seniors, Aging in Place, Chronic Condition Management, Fall Prevention, Home Care Tips, Medical Tips, Senior Exercise, Senior Health, Technology and Seniors, Tips for Caregivers

Assistive devices for seniors can be easily incorporated into daily life and help maintain independence.

Consider the various tools you utilize every single day – your phone, hairbrush, toothbrush – simple items, but ones you cannot picture living without. Now, imagine struggling to use those items and finding it challenging to accomplish daily tasks. Having access to assistive devices for seniors could mean the difference between living at home and facing a move to assisted living. However, almost half of seniors living at home aren’t utilizing these useful tools – despite the fact that prices are minimal. Read more

The Best COPD Breathing Exercises for Symptom Management

October 5, 2022/in Chronic Condition Management, COPD Care, Senior Exercise, Senior Health

Use these COPD breathing exercises to help you breathe easier.

COPD can make daily life feel more like a battle. The positive news is there are breathing exercises that may help lessen the symptoms and enhance quality of life. These COPD breathing exercises help strengthen the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, so individuals with COPD can take in a higher level of oxygen and expend less effort into breathing.

Our experts in elderly care in Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas recommend trying these COPD breathing exercises for five to ten minutes several times each day.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Lie down on your back on the floor or a firm bed with your knees bent. Support your head and knees with pillows.
Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.
Take a deep breath through your nose to a count of three. Use your hands to make sure that your stomach rises while your chest continues to be still.
Tighten your stomach muscles, and then breathe out through slightly pursed lips to the count of six. Confirm that your chest remains still.
Repeat for five to ten minutes as tolerated.

Controlled Coughing

This strategy can be used along with diaphragmatic breathing to help clear mucus from the airways.

Hold onto a tissue and sit upright in a comfortable chair. Bend your head slightly forward. Place your feet firmly on the floor.
Use diaphragmatic breathing to breathe in deeply. Try to hold your breath for three seconds.
Place one hand on your belly under your ribs. Press it gently in and up toward the diaphragm while you cough once. This should help to move the mucus up into your throat. Cough once again to clear the mucus from your throat.
Spit out the mucus into a tissue.
Rest for a minute or two and repeat as necessary. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands when you have finished.

Pursed-Lip Breathing

Practice this method so you can use it when exercising or performing physical activity like climbing stairs or lifting groceries.

Sit in a chair and relax your shoulders and neck.
Take a normal breath in through the nose with the mouth closed.
Purse your lips as though you were about to whistle, then breathe out slowly and gently for four seconds through your pursed lips. If four seconds seems to be too long, try to breathe out for twice as long as you inhale.
Repeat for a minute or so, as long as it is comfortable.

At Harmony Home Health & Hospice, a leading caregiver in Salt Lake City and the surrounding communities, our care professionals are fully trained and experienced in assisting those with COPD with exercising, along with a full range of in-home care services. Call us at 877-463-3322 to see more about how we can help you.

The Benefits of Exercise for Seniors With Alzheimer’s

September 21, 2022/in Alzheimer's, Home Care Tips, Senior Exercise

Use these tips for exercise for seniors with Alzheimer’s to encourage physical activity throughout the phases of the disease.

The numerous benefits of exercise are clear, but what isn’t as well known is that exercise for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia can be particularly helpful in various ways. It can help reduce the risk for muscle weakness as well as other problems that arise from a sedentary lifestyle, can lessen the effects of psychological and behavioral changes, and much more.

As with anyone who is thinking about starting a new exercise regime, a doctor should first be consulted. After that, try introducing more physical activity into each day for a senior loved one with dementia, implementing the following strategies in accordance with each individual’s capabilities and the appropriate stage associated with the disease:

Early Stages

Older adults in the first stages of Alzheimer’s can enjoy relatively active and social exercises, including things like bowling, dancing, swimming, golf, and walking, although some level of guidance and oversight may be needed. In time, enhanced supervision will probably be required as the disease progresses.

Middle to Later Stages

The middle to later phases of Alzheimer’s disease are often associated with heightened levels of confusion and anxiety. For that reason, loud or overly exciting activities ought to be avoided. Repetitious exercises, like indoor bicycling and walking, and tasks like folding laundry, help to lessen anxiety levels as the older adult does not need to make any decisions related to the activity or try to recall what to do next.

Advanced Stages

During the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, children’s toys may be well suited for promoting hand-eye coordination. These toys are usually brightly colored, easy to hold onto, and are intended to stimulate the brain. Additionally, stress balls or soft clay-like items can be squeezed to help build strength in the muscles in the hands.

Harmony Home Health & Hospice in Provo and the nearby areas offers caregivers who are extensively trained and experienced in inventive, kind, and thoughtful care for individuals, and we are always on hand to help families enhance wellness for the seniors they love.

Call us at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE to learn more about our expert in-home health care, or to request more tips and resources specific to the challenges you are facing. We’re pleased to offer senior home care in Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas that helps older adults with dementia live the best possible lives in the comfort of home.

Is Exercise the Best Medicine for Seniors?

September 6, 2022/in Aging in Place, Medical Tips, Prescriptions, Senior Exercise, Senior Health

The best medicine for seniors may also be the simplest — regular exercise.

If you made a resolution in the beginning of the year to work out more this year, ideally you’re continuing to stay with it! Adding more physical activity to your everyday tasks is one resolution we ought to all be putting into action. For seniors, many of whom take a variety of medications for different health problems, this is especially true. In fact, exercise may even be the best medicine for seniors.

Research is revealing that, remarkably, doctor-approved senior workout routines can be as advantageous as typically-prescribed medicines in combating or treating many of the leading causes of death. In one study, researchers compared the benefits of physical exercise vs. medication. The finding consistently demonstrated that both medications and exercise shared practically the same results in reducing deaths in individuals who had previously been identified as having a range of common and serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

For instance, the study found that participants with heart disease who exercised but didn’t take commonly-prescribed medicines, like angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, statins, or antiplatelet drugs, had a similar risk of dying from — or surviving — cardiovascular disease as people who were taking those medications.

Analysts also showcased how rarely physicians “prescribe” exercise as an effective medical treatment. Huseyin Naci, a graduate student at the London School of Economics and Political Science, along with Dr. John Ioannidis, director of the Stanford Prevention Research Center in the Stanford University School of Medicine, worked jointly on the study, determining that, according to Naci, “We are not suggesting that anyone stop taking their medications. But maybe people could think long and hard about their lifestyles and talk to their doctors about whether exercise could and should be incorporated into their care.”

At Harmony Home Health & Hospice, we love helping older adults stay as active as they possibly can, while achieving the best possible quality of life when recovering at home. As the most highly regarded provider of companion care in Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas, we are happy to encourage, motivate, and make exercise enjoyable. We also offer physical therapy services that are specifically personalized to meet each senior’s unique health and wellness goals.

Call us at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE to find out more about how we can help improve overall wellbeing and health for a senior you love!

Caring for Someone with Parkinson’s? You’ll Want to Read This Encouraging News!

April 12, 2021/in Chronic Condition Management, Senior Exercise, Senior Health

These latest findings are great news for those caring for someone with Parkinson’s.

The consequences of staying active and exercising throughout aging are tremendous, but for those with Parkinson’s, it might truly be a game-changer in the progression of the disease. Several studies are exposing direct links between physical exercise and Parkinson’s, such as the largest clinical study to date, in which patients who exercised no less than 2½ hours per week realized a greater overall wellbeing than those who refrained from exercise. And that’s just the beginning of the encouraging news for those caring for someone with Parkinson’s.

The onset of Parkinson’s symptoms occurs following a loss in the brain cells that produce dopamine. Researchers believe that exercise makes it possible for the brain to rebuild lost connections, form new ones, and continue maintaining those that are still in place. Additional studies show:

Gains were noticed in stride length, gait speed and balance following treadmill exercise – after as little as just one single session, and persisting for many weeks afterwards.
Motor function and coordination were enhanced in people who pedaled faster on a stationary bike – once more, with results lasting for weeks after the study was over.
Noticeable improvements regarding the normalcy of movement were noticed in persons with Parkinson’s who participated in a routine exercise regime in comparison to those who did not.

It’s important to mention that the results achieved were dependent upon consistent, ongoing exercise. The clinical tests reported that any protective benefits achieved were discontinued after the amount and intensity of physical exercise was reduced or was implemented just for a short period of time. The necessary criteria for sustainable results seem to be just like those needed to help those who’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury or stroke: intensity, specificity, difficulty and complexity.

Additional research is underway to hone in even more on the remarkable effects of physical exercise in people that have Parkinson’s disease, and the precise reasoning behind it. For the time being, if caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease, it’s certainly useful to talk to his/her primary care physician for a recommended exercise routine.

For customized in-home health care services to help those with Parkinson’s and other chronic conditions live safer and more comfortable lives, call Harmony Home Health & Hospice, one of the top-rated home health agencies providing Salt Lake City in-home care and care throughout the nearby areas, at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE.

Learn the Latest Guidelines for Optimal Nutrition for Older Adults

March 25, 2021/in Activities for Seniors, Senior Exercise, Senior Health, Senior Heart Health, Senior Nutrition

Ensure good nutrition for older adults with these tips.

It’s certainly no secret that a wholesome diet is crucial for a healthy body. What many people don’t recognize, however, is that dietary recommendations for adults are altered as we age. Nutritional experts at Tufts University have developed the MyPlate system, which is a more advanced adaptation of the previous food pyramid, supplying up-to-date guidelines on good nutrition for older adults in particular.

The MyPlate for Older Adults model includes important information on foods that are high in vitamins and minerals and low in salt, sugar, and fat; however, it also gives direction on subjects such as suggested physical activities and fluid intake, issues that are of special concern for older adults.

Due to the fact that activity levels are in many instances lessened, older adults tend to need fewer calories as they grow older, but they also still require equal or greater levels of nutrients and regular activity for optimum health. MyPlate for Older Adults endorses:

Brightly-colored vegetables, like peppers and carrots
Deep-colored fruits, such as melons and berries
Whole, fortified, enriched grains and cereals, like brown rice
Low- and non-fat dairy products, including yogurt and low lactose milk
Liquid vegetable oils and soft spreads, which contain lower amounts of saturated and trans fats
Spices as opposed to salt
Liquids such as water and fat-free milk
Physical activity, including walking, resistance training, and light housework

Also, other recommendations include taking advantage of choices that are more simplified to prepare and minimize waste, such as bags of frozen pre-cut vegetables and single-portion cups of fruit.

At Harmony Home Health and Hospice, the leaders in elderly care in Salt Lake City, UT and surrounding areas, we recognize it can be a challenge to help older loved ones follow a nutritious diet. Our dedicated home health care team can provide a wide range of skilled care services to optimize senior health. Contact us online or call us at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE (1-877-463-3322) to learn more about our professional home health care services and to arrange for a free in-home assessment. To find out if services are available in your area, please visit our Service Area page.

Meaningful Activities for Seniors that Promote Purpose and Value

September 23, 2020/in Activities for Seniors, Aging in Place, Senior Care, Senior Exercise, Senior Health, Senior Safety

Discover meaningful activities for seniors that promote purpose with these tips.

Look online for “activities for seniors” and you’ll probably find a mixture of games, crafts, memory-stimulating puzzles, and of course, the requisite bingo. What you won’t find, unless you really search much deeper, are the purposeful, philanthropic activities that bring meaning to our lives. However, if you ask older individuals what they would most wish to do, the majority of them won’t mention art projects, games, or bingo. What they want most of all is to feel useful.

The University of Minnesota shares facts on how the most vulnerable times in our lives are the initial year of life, and the first year following retirement. The loss of the sense of purpose discovered in a rewarding career can result in extensive health concerns – and even an earlier mortality rate, if that sense of meaning is not redefined in some way to let the older person experience an ongoing sense of being needed.

One powerful program, the Baltimore Experience Corps, matches retirees with young children in schools that are understaffed, providing them with the invaluable opportunity to mentor, help with reading skills, and serve as a welcoming and nonjudgmental friend to the children. And they are certainly helping themselves in the process also. As Michelle Carlson, Ph.D., of the Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health points out, “By helping others, participants are helping themselves in ways beyond just feeding their souls. They are helping their brains. The brain shrinks as part of aging, but with this program we appear to have stopped that shrinkage and are reversing part of the aging process.”

When assisting older individuals who have Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, it could take a bit more creativity to discover engaging activities for seniors that increase their sense of purpose and meaning. Providing in-home care in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area, Harmony Home Health & Hospice offers the tips below to help get you started:

Research local and nationwide agencies that assist those in need – the homeless, veterans, animals, women and children in impoverishment or crisis, etc.
Find out if these agencies have any volunteer positions that older individuals or those with cognitive difficulties could provide help with, such as:
- Organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving have ribbon campaigns that involve folding, cutting, and stapling lengths of ribbon to cards for distribution.
- Animal rescue shelters and humane societies often need donated towels and blankets that can be washed and folded at home; or aging adults and family members may be able to make homemade pet treats together, or possibly even take dogs for walks together or snuggle kittens.
- Put together care packages for the homeless or veterans with travel-sized toiletries, snacks, etc.
- Work on coloring pages or other simple crafts together, letting the senior know they will be provided to a local domestic crisis facility to brighten the day for women and children.

Make sure the older adult has opportunities to assist with as many projects as possible around the house: sorting and folding laundry, snapping beans, setting the table – letting the person know how much his or her help is required and appreciated.

At Harmony Home Health & Hospice, our Salt Lake City in-home care experts go beyond merely providing care in the home; our caregivers are committed to helping find meaningful activities for seniors so that they can continue to live lives full of meaning and purpose. For more recommendations on helping older adults maintain the highest quality of life, reach out to us any time at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE (1-877-463-3322). To learn about all of the communities where we provide in home health care and hospice services, please visit our Service Area page.

7 Great Fall Prevention Exercises for Seniors

August 21, 2020/in Fall Prevention, Senior Exercise

These fall prevention exercises for seniors can reduce the risk for serious injury.

The CDC shares that as many as one in three seniors fall each year, and surprisingly, less than half of them tell their doctors about those falls. When a senior experiences a fall, even if it does not cause serious injury, he or she can begin to fear falling, leading to reduced involvement in activities, decreased mobility and physical fitness, and eventually, an increased risk of another fall.

In our last blog post, we shared some fall prevention home modifications you can make to boost senior safety. Additionally, there are a number of exercises that seniors can engage in regularly to increase muscle strength and enhance balance, which will not only help to lower the risk of falls, but will also provide the older person with more confidence and improved wellbeing. Check with the senior’s doctor first, and then try these fall prevention exercises, as recommended by our professional home health team:

Leg Lifts: Lift the knee as high as your hip (if possible), holding onto a sturdy object such as a chair to maintain balance. Hold the leg up for three seconds or more.
Flex and Point: While seated, point the toes and then flex them. Repeat with both feet.
Toe Taps: In a sitting position, simply tap the toes, repeating with alternating feet.
Sit-to-Stand: Holding onto a chair for support, stand and then return to a seated position. Try to gradually decrease reliance on the chair as legs are strengthened.
Calf Muscle Strengthening: Holding onto a wall, chair or the kitchen counter, repeatedly raise up and down on tiptoes. As strength improves, try to go higher up on the toes and eventually try the movement on one foot at a time.
Shin Muscle Strengthening: Stand and lean against a wall with heels 7 – 8” away from the wall. Lift the toes of both of feet off the ground as high as possible.
One-legged Stand: Hold onto a secure object, and then raise one leg off the ground and maintain balance on the standing leg.

Falling can cause devastating injury to an older adult. Contact Harmony Home Health & Hospice, the leading provider of home care in Ogden and the surrounding locations, for more fall prevention tips to ensure the seniors you love remain safe. Call us at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE (1-877-463-3322) for more information about our home health services for seniors.