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Showing posts from 2020

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels During the winter, many people can start feeling down. While some people find ways to cheer themselves up, others continue to deal with feelings of depression throughout the colder months. Visiting Angels Barrington discusses seasonal affective disorder and how seniors can deal with it. Visiting Angels Barrington starts off by explaining what seasonal affective disorder is. To put it simply, seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression. SAD affects people during the same seasons every year. There are many symptoms related to seasonal affection disorder. For instance, Visiting Angels Barrington mentions how those who suffer from SAD usually withdraw socially and struggle to concentrate. There are some ways to treat seasonal affection disorder, the treatment just depends on the patient. Some patients benefit from vitamin D supplements. Others benefit from light therapy or psychotherapy. Visiting Angels Barrington also brings up how deve

Healthy Lungs

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels What is one thing that you do automatically? Breathe. Even if you do not realize it, you are consistently breathing in and out. Your lungs are one of the most important organs in your body. Since your lungs are so important, wouldn’t it be great if you could keep them healthy? Visiting Angels Barrington discusses how you can keep your lungs healthy. Do you think that the air inside your home is clean? Visiting Angels Barrington breaks down how you need to make sure to keep the air in your home as clean as you can. There are several pollutants, that are found indoors, that can be harmful for your lungs. Some pollutants include, lead, cleaning agent vapors, and mold. If you would like to breathe in clean air while you are at home, you can install an air filter in your home. You can also invest in some house plants since they naturally clean the air. Other than keeping your air clean at home, you can also try to exercise more. When you are exercisi

The Resilience of the Elderly

Photo by Kevin Bidwell from Pexels The body might get weaker with age, but there are things that remain strong despite the passage of time. Seniors are wise and have a lot of knowledge to offer based off of everything they have lived through. Visiting Angels Barrington discusses the resilience of seniors. Have you heard of the term resilience before? If you have not, that is fine because Visiting Angels Barrington starts off by defining both the terms resilience and grit. According to Visiting Angels Barrington, resilience is to “re-balance and to thrive, even under challenging circumstances.” Grit is similar to resilience. Grit is the strength that a person has to keep pushing towards a long-term goal. Both resilience and grit refer to someone who continues to preserver through uncertain or troubling times. Though many people see seniors as fragile people, seniors actually have a lot of grit and resilience. Seniors have lived through a variety of challenges. Visiting Angels Ba

Summer’s Fruits

Photo by Katie Moum on Unsplash Now that it is September, the warm months are coming to an end. As summer transitions into autumn, the days get colder and shorter. Visiting Angels Barrington discusses the fruits that you should indulge in during these final summer moments. Farmers, and people who have gardens, are harvesting a variety of fruits at the moment. Considering the Midwest, what fruit do you think is a great buy towards the end of summer? If you said corn, you are correct. During the end of summer, sweet and delicious corn is easy to buy. There are many ways to cook corn if you are interested in making a meal with it. You would just have to look up some recipes. If you have too much corn, you could always freeze it. Corn and tomatoes can both be frozen so you can enjoy the taste of summer during the bleak winter. Currently, tomatoes can also be found in abundance. You can make a couple of tomato sauces, salads, and chili with tomatoes. There are also plenty of meals that

Safe Ways for Seniors to Enjoy Summer

Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash As a result of COVID-19 various summer activities have been canceled, but that does not mean that seniors cannot enjoy the summer. Visiting Angels Barrington mentions a couple of ways that seniors can bask in these warm months. Instead of focusing on everything that has been postponed or cancelled because of the pandemic, Visiting Angels Barrington recommends taking a look at the things around you. Whether you are sitting outside in your front patio or taking a tea break in your backyard, there are plenty of things around you to keep you entertained. Nature is very soothing. So, why not take a seat in a nice shady spot outside of your home to see all that nature has to offer? If you want, you can install a bird feeder outside of your home. That way, when you are sitting outside, some birds can come by and keep you company for a bit. Furthermore, if you have space in your yard, why not start a butterfly garden? The garden can bring so many colo

Visiting Angels Barrington Explains Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Photo by  Pixabay  from  Pexels Have you noticed that your aging loved one has been a bit more forgetful than usual? Visiting Angels Barrington discusses the differences between dementia and Alzheimer's. First of all, it is important to understand that dementia is an umbrella term. In other words, dementia encompasses a variety of medical conditions. Alzheimer's Disease is one of the medical conditions that dementia refers too, but there are other Diseases as well. Some of the other diseases are Parkinson’s Disease, Down Syndrome, Huntington’s Disease, and Vascular Dementia. If you are worried that your loved one might have a form of dementia, Visiting Angels Barrington gives a couple of tips for symptoms you should look out for. Below are some of the symptoms mentioned by Visiting Angels Barrington. Mood Changes Poor Judgement Challenges Remembering Words Time and Place Confusion Once you notice that your loved one is showing a couple of symptoms, you should

Warm Weather

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash Now that it is nice and warm outside, it would be a  great  idea to take advantage of the weather. While social dist ancing matters are still in place, seniors can still have fun at home.  Visiting Angels Barrington  shares some ways in which  seniors can enjoy the warm weather.   For one, seniors can start a garden in their backyard or where ever they have some space. A caretaker can get  the  dirt, seeds, plants, and any  other  supplies  need ed  to start a garden. Furthermore, caretakers can help seniors  get started so seniors do not bite off more than they can chew. Seniors can think about the fruits and vegetables they  love and plant some seeds. With some love and care, those seeds will eventually grow and  the  seniors can enjoy the fruits of their labor.   Another way that  senior s  can enjoy the weather outside, is by taking some of their activities outside. If someone knits, does crossword puzzles or writes letters, they can  continue with

The Importance of Breakfast

Photo by  Jannis Brandt  on  Unsplash   Everyone is told to start off their day with a good breakfast, but do you know why?   A  healthy breakfast has   shown to benefit senio r s  in a  variety of ways .   Visiting Angels Barrington  breaks down  why elders should start off their days with a healthy meal.   At the moment, COVID-19 is  affecting  people all over the world. Visiting Angles explains how the se  st ressful times  can  affect   someone’s  appetite.  Food can begin to lose its taste or become less  appetizing if   someone is feeling very  stressed or sad. Visiting Angels points out how some senior s can  lose the motivation to cook or eat because of social  isolation  and lack of independence.    During those moments when someone feels upset, a healthy breakfast is a good way to develop a healthy routine.  Breakfast is healthy when it contains components like  protein , whole grains, and fruits. Protein can be found in eggs,  yogurt,  and nut butters. Whole grains can be fo

Your Workout Lowdown

We all have heard the many benefits exercising provides for us but as we get older, we tend to become less physically active. In their article, Visiting Angels of Barrington discusses all the benefits exercise provides for seniors. One of the main benefits exercise provides is for our hearts. Exercising helps in lowering blood pressure and also helps to strengthen our hearts. If you happen to have a heart condition, exercising doesn't have to be rigorous with high intensity. A simple walk around the neighborhood is enough to provide plenty of benefits for your heart. Be sure to consult with your doctor to make sure that your exercise regimen is okay for you. You can learn more about the benefits exercising as a senior has by heading over to Visiting Angels Barrington's latest blog:  https://www.visitingangels.com/barrington/your-workout-lowdown-weekly-message_3784 .

How to Cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

The winter season is notorious for inducing feelings of sadness, otherwise known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is a type of depression that occurs in people around the same time each year. According to a study, 40% of people who have Alzheimer's and 20% of caregivers experience Seasonal Affective Disorder. Visiting Angels Barrington shares some information on what to look out for and how you can help someone who may be experiencing this kind of seasonal depression. A few symptoms that are associated with SAD include: Feelings of fatigue, sluggishness, and feelings of worthlessness Social withdrawal Sufferers may feel irritable, agitated, or anxious May experience suicidal thoughts ( Suicide Hotline : 1-800-273-8255) One of the ways Visiting Angels Barrington notes that you can help someone suffering from SAD is by meeting with a doctor. It can be a relief to have a professional diagnosis along with treatment. Other ways you can help is by incorporating sel

Comitting to a Healthier Living in 2020

2020 is here which means that it's time to reflect back on ourselves and see where we can make improvements to our lifestyle. There are many ways we can improve our lifestyles and making healthier choices is one of the most popular ones. In their latest article, Visiting Angels Barrington shares a few ways you can have a healthier 2020. One of the things Visiting Angels suggests is to embrace your age. Nowadays, Visiting Angels notes that we live in a youth-worshiping culture where we often only look for the challenges that come with being senior. But that's not the case! Being a senior means you've accumulated decades of wisdom through your experiences. Another important way you can improve your lifestyle for 2020 is to face your bad habits. Whether that is smoking or succumbing to poor food choices, if there is a habit that haunts you, Visiting Angels suggests to face them. Not all habits are bad. It is just a matter of determining whether or not a habit is worth t