Labor Day Weekend Safety Precautions

Hello fellow bloggers! As you all know, this weekend is Labor Day weekend. Before you jump out of your seats, I want you to take a few safety precautions as you head out to celebrate the holiday. First and foremost remember to drive safe! There will be a lot of families on the road this weekend. This of course opens the door for all types of road rage and irresponsible driving. Please “be the change you want to see”-Gandhi-. If someone cuts you off, don’t make it your mission to get back at them, just let it go and move on. "As we begin this last summer weekend of heavy travel, drivers need to operate their vehicles much more defensively than usual because more vehicles on the roadways will increase the potential for accidents" (Melody A. Currey Dept. Motor Vehicles). With that being said, remember that this weekend is all about family and fun!

For those of you heading out to the beach; don’t leave home without your sun block/screen. News weather forecasts indicate that it will be a weekend full of sun and clear skies. Also make sure you keep an extra eye on the kiddies, especially when they are in the water. There will be a lot of people out there, some just trying to enjoy the long weekend and others that have bad intentions. Moments like these call us to be aware of our surroundings.

 Most importantly let us not forget the true meaning of Labor Day. Remember that people that fought for those things that we often overlook today. The American worker was not always entitled to a lunch break or to receive minimum wage. Things like Pension plans, workers compensation, and even the right to work in a safe environment, are all things that were earned with sweat, blood and tears.

During this time of remembrance, let us not forget those that are not able to travel to their loved ones. Many people are home alone or have no family to celebrate with. Also, let us remember our fellow Soldiers who are serving around the world, especially those engaged in combat in Afghanistan.

If you or someone you know is having a difficulty with activities of daily living, please feel free to reach out to us and see how we can help. Or you can visit our website http://www.1st-care.org/

At First Care of New York we would like you to have a safe, healthy and enjoyable Labor Day holiday.

Avoiding Depression

Fall is right around the corner and it’s safe to say that stress is at an all-time high. Children are going back to school; adults are coming home from vacation. The world is upside down! With emotions at an all-time high, it is very easy to fall into a pattern of mood swings and maybe even depression. That is why this week I want to take a moment out to give you a few pointers that could help you battle the emotional ups and downs you might be going through. First and foremost, CALM DOWN! Things are out of whack and you have 1001 responsibilities but guess what? Stressing about it isn’t going to make your problems disappear. One of the things that I find helps me when I am stressed out is organizing. For instance, making a “To do” list, or putting things in order from greatest importance to least can be helpful. However, realistically speaking, making a list isn’t for everyone, but don’t fret, there are other ways to cope with stress.

Since life is an emotional roller coaster, some days you feel like nothing can stop you. Other days you feel completely hopeless. Most of the time, you are somewhere in between both extremes. Understanding the pattern of positive and negative emotions will help you put your feelings in perspective. Next time you feel down, just remember that it’s a natural emotion that will inevitably pass. Knowing that a feeling of depression is only temporary makes it less dreadful. Also, even though you may be pressed for time, try to include some leisurely time in which you can meet up with positive people. Nothing affects the way you think and your emotions more than the people you interact with. Thoughts (both positive and negative) are contagious. If you are surrounded by negative people, it’s only natural that you will start to think and feel the same way. To improve your outlook on life, spend time with positive people. Try to understand the way they see the world. Most likely their happiness will rub off on you. Above all, the best way to stop feeling depressed is to take action. What is your biggest problem? How can you alleviate it? Once you decide to stop moping and start moving forward you won’t have time to feel depressed. Action will occupy your mind and give you something to look forward to. Once you get some results, you’ll build momentum and positive thinking will keep getting easier.

Always remember that First Care of New York provides the proper care for our clients affected by an array of medical issues by utilizing our Certified Home Health Aides or Personal Care Aides to help our clients with their activities of daily living such as: visiting their doctors regularly, assisting with medication reminders and also preparing meals with the dietary necessity to help lower blood pressure and other ailments. If you or a loved one can no longer manage on your own or are having health issues due to medical conditions, do not hesitate to give us a call to find out how we may be able to help. Our number is 718-741-5956.

Understanding Cataracts and how they affect us

Often, as we increase in age many changes begin to occur to our bodies. Of the many things that plague us in our older years, cataracts are a very prevalent issue. Cataracts are a change in the clarity of the lens inside the eye. What happens is that the lens becomes partially clouded eventually blocking and distorting light passing through the lens. This of course, causes visual impediments. The lens is made mostly of water and protein. There are specific proteins within the lens that are responsible for maintaining clarity. Over the course of time these proteins are altered, eventually leading to the clouding of the lens. Since cataracts develop very slowly most people do not know they have them at first. However, the clouding progresses and vision will gradually get worse.It is important to note that even though this is an event that most commonly occurs during old age. There have been a few cases in which cataracts have been detected at birth or in early childhood. Some, factors that can lead to cataracts at an early age are excessive ultraviolet light exposure, diabetes, smoking, and or the use of certain medications like oral, topical or inhaled steroids.

There is no proven way to prevent cataracts, but there are certainly ways of slowing cataract development. You simply have to make small changes in your life style, for example…don’t smoke, wear hats or sunglasses when you are in the sun, avoid sun lamps and tanning booths, eat healthy foods, avoid the use of steroid medicines when possible and keep your diabetes under control. The standard treatment for cataracts is surgery. The most common type of cataracts surgery today is called Phacoemulsification. With the use of a microscope, the surgeon will make a tiny incision in the surface of your eye or near the cornea. They insert a small ultrasound apparatus which emits small ultrasonic vibrations, in this pocket that dissolve the clouded lens. “Once the cataract is removed, an artificial lens is placed into the same thin capsular bag that the cataract occupied”. There are also two other types of surgery: extra capsular and intracapsular. The type of surgery you require depends on how severe your cataracts are. This can be determined by receiving regular eyes exams. Although, an eye test may help confirm a cataract diagnosis, it may not always reflect the patient's quality of life. Some patients who do badly in a test seem to have no problem with daily function; while others who may do well insist that their eyesight is poor and does interfere with ordinary activities. You can find more information on this subject by visiting the following link:

http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/cataract/cataract_facts.asp

First Care of New York is a licensed home care service agency that can help individuals that are having difficulties with activities of daily living. With our certified home health aides (HHA) and personal care aides (PCA), we can provide the services needed. Our HHA’s and PCA’s can help with bathing, cooking, cleaning and even medication reminders, as well as other assistance, depending on one’s needs. You can find out more about First Care of New York Inc. by visiting us on the web at www.1st-care.org or you can call us at (718) 741-5956.