Elder Care in Bellevue, WA

Everyone has had the terrible feeling of a taste bud that is swollen, inflamed, and painful. Old wives’ tales say that these bumps come from lying, but the truth is the swollen taste buds, or inflamed papillae, are the result of damage and irritation to the small structures on the surface of the tongue known as the papillae. While they are largely harmless, if these swollen taste buds become a part of your elder care journey with your aging parents, you will quickly find that they can create a miserable situation. Knowing how to handle them quickly and efficiently can help you to ease your loved ones’ pain and discomfort and reduce the chances that they will not eat and drink as much as they should because they are trying to prevent the pain.

There is no one scientific consensus about what causes swollen taste buds. While some people once believed that they came from bits of food getting stuck down inside the taste buds, this is not widely considered an actual cause of these difficulties. Instead, medical professionals believe that swollen taste buds come primarily from trauma or injury to the taste buds, such as biting, scraping, or hitting them, from a highly acidic or spicy diet, hormonal changes, dietary deficiencies, or irritation caused by products or lifestyle choices such as certain mouthwashes and toothpastes or smoking.

The most common symptom of swollen taste buds is the taste buds themselves, but this condition can also lead to a variety of other symptoms, including:

• Sore throat
• White or red bumps
• Swelling
• Loss of taste
• Change of color in the tongue

While for the most part swollen taste buds disappear on their own, there are ways that you can help to reduce the discomfort and pain of the condition. Some ways that you and your aging loved ones’ elderly health care services provider can help your parents get through their encounter with swollen taste buds quickly and efficiently:

• Ice cubes. Apply an ice cube directly to the swollen area of the tongue to help reduce the blood flow to the area of the tongue, cutting down on swelling and pain. Make sure that you do not apply the cube for more than 3 minutes as this could cause cold burn. Alternately, encourage your parents to suck on crushed ice.

• Sea salt. Sea salt and warm water are a beneficial combination often used to soothe sore throats because of their ability to ease inflammation and help fight germs. This same tactic applies to swollen taste buds and the symptoms that accompany them. Make a heavily concentrated sea salt and water mix and encourage your parents to gargle with it without swallowing.

• Clean the tongue. While you do not want to apply a lot of pressure that might further injure or irritate the bumps, it is important to continue to clean your tongue even when you are dealing with swollen taste buds. These buds can be more vulnerable to bacteria and germs, putting you at risk of infection and illness. Clean with your regular toothbrush while brushing or with a tongue scraper to remove coating and dislodge germs and bacteria.

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Home Care in Bothell, WA

Chia seeds are probably best known for sprouting into soft, grass-like plants on decorative planters. While they can certainly grow into a cute and whimsical houseplant, chia seeds have health benefits that go way beyond the clay planter! In fact, chia seeds are packed with nutrients that can benefit elderly adults and help keep them healthy. Read on for some of the amazing health benefits of these tiny but mighty seeds and some ways to incorporate them into your elderly loved one’s diet. As with any diet change, it’s important for your senior loved one to speak with their primary physician to discuss their specific health needs and how chia seeds could affect them.

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds:

• They are packed with fiber for healthy digestion and for feeling full. The best part is, you don’t need to eat a lot to get a great amount of fiber. In fact, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds contain 11 grams of fiber!
• They are a good source of calcium for strong and healthy bones and teeth. Elderly adults who are lactose intolerant but who also need to get more calcium may benefit from incorporating chia seeds into their diet.
• They have the good kind of fat, in other words, they contain omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for good brain health.
• They have antioxidants which help to prevent cell damage.

How to Eat Chia Seeds:

Chia seeds are very very tiny, making them easy to incorporate into favorite recipes. They also do not have much of a taste, so they will not even alter the flavor. Here are some ways you can get chia seeds into your healthy diet. 

• Sprinkle them on your breakfast yogurt or oatmeal.
• Add them to baked goods like breads and muffins.
• Blend them into a fruit and yogurt smoothie.
• Sprinkle them on top of a salad.
• Make chia pudding by soaking them in water or milk overnight. In the morning it will have the texture of tapioca pudding! Add some honey and fruit and you will have a sweet and nutritious treat.
• Add them to the breading of your favorite breaded chicken or fish recipe.
• Sprinkle some on top of sautéed vegetables.

Since chia seeds are so versatile, they can easily be incorporated into your elderly loved one’s diet. Eating chia seeds along with other nutrient-rich foods can help your elderly loved one improve their quality of life, manage chronic illnesses, and even boost their mood.

Source: http://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Bothell, WA, or the surrounding areas, please contact SYNERGY HomeCare of Bellevue at 425-462-5300.

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Elderly Care in Mercer Island, WA

The harvest season may have come to an end, but that does not mean that the love of all things pumpkin is over. Pumpkin is still a very popular flavor throughout the end of the year, and with all of the nutritional benefits that this gourd powerhouse offers, you should find as many ways as possible to integrate it into your elderly care routine with your aging loved ones.

One delicious way to use pumpkins is to create a rich, delicious, and satisfying pumpkin soup. Perfect for using up those adorable little sugar pumpkins that you likely have left over from centerpieces or maybe even sitting on the front porch for Halloween, this soup bakes right in the pumpkin for incomparable flavor and an impressive presentation.

If you are using a pumpkin that you have had around for a few weeks or that you have been keeping outside, make sure that you examine it extremely carefully before using it. Do not use a pumpkin that shows any signs of rotting, softening, molding, or pest activity as these will damage the safety of the pumpkin. Rinse the pumpkin thoroughly before getting started on the cooking process to ensure you remove any contaminants.

What You Will Need

• 1 whole baking pumpkin, at least 4 pounds. You can also make this recipe in two smaller pumpkins by equally distributing the ingredients into the 2-pound pumpkins
• 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves
• 2 ounces of goat cheese
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth
• 1 small apple
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/2 small yellow onion
• A metal spoon or ice cream scoop
• A basting brush
• A sharp knife
• A round casserole dish
• An immersion blender

What to Do

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Elder Care in Mercer Island, WA

Joint injuries are relatively common, particularly among elderly adults who are more prone to falls and other accidents, and whose bodies tend to be more fragile and vulnerable to damage. Among these injuries, tears and other damage to the rotator cuff can be among the most painful and debilitating. The rotator cuff is in the shoulder and can be damaged in many different ways, from something as simple as a slip in the shower to more serious incidents such as falls and auto accidents. These injuries often require surgery, meaning you will need to modify your elder care routine to accommodate your aging loved one’s recovery after this procedure.

Use these tips to help your aging parent through recovering after a rotator cuff injury and surgery:

• Get perspective. You may take your ability to use your shoulder for granted and not think about how often you actually need to use it, or how difficult it would be for you not to be able to use it. Try having your partner tie your arm to your side so that you are unable to move your shoulder and then go about your day doing normal things such as using the restroom, dressing, bathing, making yourself something to eat, putting your shoes on, or taking care of your pets. This will give you an idea of what it will be like for your parent after surgery. Use this to help you come up with modified care tasks to help him get through these challenges.

• Hire help. Recovering from rotator cuff surgery is not only limiting, it is also quite painful, and your aging parent will need support, care, and assistance 24 hours a day for at least a week, and then most of the day for several weeks after. Get in touch with the elder care agency in your area to find out about hiring an elderly health care services provider to give him this type of care.

• Dress carefully. Getting dressed will be one of the greatest challenges your parent faces after rotator cuff surgery. Choose clothing that you, your parent, or his elderly health care services can slip on without your parent having to move his injured arm. This may mean cutting up shirts and dresses to create an open side that permits the sling or brace to remain out of the clothing.

• Bathing effectively. Showering will not be an option for the beginning of the recovery period. Not only will your parent not be able to move his arm properly to shower, but he will not be able to get his sling wet. Instead, encourage proper hygiene through baths and sponge baths. This is another time when an elderly health care services provider can be an extraordinary help, providing dignified, supportive assistance during this process.

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Elderly Care in Kirkland, WA

Creating a plan for contact is not just in the case of an emergency any longer. The need for elder care workers and family members to know the various technological gadgets and tools available in today’s consumer marketplace is essential for keeping aging loved ones connected with family. This is the best way to combat loneliness and ward off depression in the 21st century.

Loneliness is Dangerous

A serious issue among aging seniors is loneliness. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 10 million elderly Americans who are ages sixty-five or older are living alone. This same census report also cites that, on average, lone individuals live in one in four homes in the United States. This statistic alone is reason enough why a family contact plan is an excellent way for communication to remain active with elderly care family member no matter if they are thousands of miles away, or just around the corner.

Virtual Technology Has Benefits

Instilling a family contact plan as a way to communicate with aging loved ones during their home senior care routines not only battles loneliness and depression, but it also provides peace of mind. In this day and age, technological advances makes it possible to speak, view, and hear family members while they are receiving in home care.

Virtual Family Dinner: thanks to using cameras (webcams), microphones, and computers, a family that is scattered throughout the entire country can sit down to enjoy a dinner together. An alert will sound off by the system each time a family joins the meal.

Digital Frames: Companies like CEIVA, for example, are digital photo receivers that allow solitary elders to remain connected to family. The digital frame hooks up to either a broadband or WiFi connection so other users can send photos from anywhere throughout the country or even around the world.

Presto Email Service: this email service does not require use of a computer in order to enjoy communication. The only thing family members have to do is hook up the Presto Printing Mailbox up for their loved one in their home for them, and they will be able to receive communications. These communications include printed photos, reminders, and letters “emailed” through their phone line and into their Presto Mail machine.

The Family Contact Plan

Technology should not be the only way family members stay connected to their aging loved ones during in-home care. There should be the creation of an additional plan that includes traditional mail, telephone calls, and in-person visits. That way, there is daily contact occurring between family members and their aging loved one in one form or another.

Final Thoughts

Combat loneliness by being helpful to aging loved ones during their elderly care. Offer daily communication. Remain connected to gaining loved ones one way or another, even if family members can’t be there in person, on a daily basis. Reduce the risk of aging loved ones becoming depressed or lonely by taking advantage of all technological gadgets and tools available. Even receiving a card with two or three sentences written on it or a voicemail that simply says, “I’m thinking of you,” makes a stronger impact that most believe.

Source

http://www.census.gov/prod/1/pop/p23-190/p23-190.pdf

If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Kirkland, WA, or the surrounding areas, please contact SYNERGY HomeCare of Bellevue at 425-462-5300.

The post Elderly Care and Loneliness: Creating a Plan for Family Contact appeared first on SYNERGY HomeCare of Bellevue.