Vision for May

Many people take their eyesight for granted, as most of us have the luxury of being able to see out of both our eyes. But there are millions of people who are affected by vision problems as well as other health issues. Experts estimate that approximately 1.3 million blind people live in the United States, with over 20 million additional Americans reporting significant vision loss. (source: National Center for Health Statistics 2006).Healthy vision month is observed in May by the National Eye Institute (NEI) to promote your eye’s health and protection through eye exams. In which it is very important to each and every one of us.

People have said that “your eyes are the windows to your soul” and for good reason too, as many diseases can be seen by looking into your eyes without surgery. The eye’s are a special part of our body because one can see veins, arteries and even a nerve (the optic nerve). Ophthalmologist can detect diabetes, cholesterol, liver disease and other conditions just by looking at your eyes and the general area around it to include your eye lids and eye brows.

Eye conditions and what they mean:

• The outer part of the brows closet to the ears start to disappear

o This is the sign of a thyroid problem

• Bumpy yellowish bumps on the eyelids - might look like styes

o This is the sign that you may have high cholesterol

• The white part of the eye turns yellow known as jaundice

o Is a sign problems of the liver, gallbladder or bile ducts, including hepatitis and cirrhosis

• Sudden dim vision, double vision or loss of vision

o The possible warnings signs of a stroke

If you or someone you know might have any of the conditions you should seek professional advice and if it’s sudden dim vision, double vision or loss of vision accompanied with sudden numbness or weakness of the arm or leg or face, typically on just one side of the body; trouble walking because of dizziness or loss of balance or coordination; slurred speech; or bad headache STOP and CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY!

At First Care of New York we want to keep you safe and healthy and would recommend you have your eyes checked regular by your doctor or specialist. There are many people out there who can no longer do for themselves due to vision problems and other health issues. If you know someone like this or you are affected by this contact us today at 718-364-7251. We have highly trained home health aides and personal care aides that can help in many activities of daily living and can help you navigate your way around life. Our aides help the visually impaired by reading their mail, setting up appointments, dressing, grooming as well as many other activities of daily living. Remember a healthy lifestyle is related to healthy vision and eye health so have your eyes checked regularly.

Celebrating life through research

For the past few years, First Care of New York has proudly participated in the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center fundraising program; which helps to raise not only funds for the program, but also awareness in our community. Now a days more and more people are being affected by cancer directly or by a loved one who is ill from this type of disease. Cancer is caused when the body stops functioning properly and abnormal growth happens. And though it is something that affects people mainly between the ages of 50 to 70, it is something that can attack at any age and anywhere in the body.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2010, there were 19.4 million¹ diagnosed cases of cancer. In 2012 alone over 577, 000² people are estimated to die from cancer according to cancer.gov. These are startling figures and something that we are trying to bring to an end through research for a brighter tomorrow.

First Care of New York aims to donate time, effort, money and sweat to the cause, as we will be participating in the 10th Achilles Annual Hope & Possibility 5 mile run/walk event this coming June 24, 2012 at Central Park. The event features several thousand runners who come from all walks of life but share one common goal. To come together to shed light, increase awareness and raise hope for those that are suffering from cancer and their family members who are affected by it.

Together we can build a team big enough to raise enough awareness and research funds to make a difference. It has always been said that all things starts with one and end with many. We hope you would come and share with us in the opportunity to make a difference and touch people’s lives with goodness. If you would like to donate, First Care of New York is selling raffle tickets to raise funds at $1 US dollar per ticket. The top three raffle tickets winners will win a Laptop (1), Ipad2 (2) or a Kindle (3) and 100% of the proceeds will go towards donations for cancer research. If you wish to participate in the raffle or are interested in acquiring raffle tickets, you may ask for Rina at 718-741-5956. This is a cause that is near and dear to the First Care family and we are committed to raising funds and awareness in order to help those around us.

¹http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/cancer.htm
²http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/all.html

First Care of New York “We pick up where others leave off”

Spring season for seniors!

The spring brings many things. It provides more daylight; the flowers bloom and the weather sometimes can get nicer. Spring brings the feeling of happiness and good spirits to many of us. But spring can be an unpleasant season for some seniors and one should really take good care of themselves no matter what the season. Keeping active is good physically and mentally for seniors. For seniors that are healthy, it is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and take walks/jog or run, do some bird watching or even play some cards in the park. In the spring time one can enjoy many activities outdoors like playing a little golf, doing a little fishing or even some canoeing. One can enjoy the cool days in some pleasant shade.

For seniors that have limitations, it does not mean they cannot enjoy some of the best spring has to offer. Depending on one’s tolerance to the season’s change, it can still be enjoyable if some proper precautions are taken. One of the primary causes of concern is rise of allergens in the form of pollens and molds. This can really affect those that suffer from allergies and other medical conditions such as: asthma and other breathing conditions as well.

In the spring time, it might be best if one suffers from any medical conditions that might affect their health to wear a light mask if the pollen gets high. Also wearing the appropriate clothing based on the weather conditions outdoor and the activities at hand will make a world of difference for one’s overall well-being in the heat.

Some seniors don’t have that special someone to show them all the great things about spring. At First Care of New York our certified home health aides can provide the joys of spring time. Our certified aides can help seniors enjoy that nice walk outside or enjoy that card game in the park. A certified home health aide can provide all the assistance needed for activities of daily living such as: getting one out of bed in the morning, all during the day and can be until one is tucked in at night. Our certified home health aides can assist getting out of bed, bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming, feeding, cooking, medication reminders and much more. If you would like more information about First Care of New York please feel free to visit our website http://www.1st-care.org/.

Spring cleaning for the 65+

We have already turned our clocks forward an hour and now is the time when everyone starts to talk about the dreaded spring cleaning one must do like an annual pilgrimage or something. But, over time, as we age, we tend to collect stuff and sometimes this stuff starts to build to a point that something needs to be done about it. Now if you are still a self-reliant senior or if you are not so capable to handle your own spring cleaning, there is always help. Just ask friends and family, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.

Now we must keep in mind one thing if we are going to help anyone other than ourselves, we must do the first rule of kindness: Ask the individual for permission to clean and make some changes around their home. What may look like a pile of junk to you may be their most beloved item. Therefore; just tossing items that look like junk to you might cause them more stress than rest.

Secondly, talk to the person you will help or who will help you and make a list of what can be tossed and what must be kept. Most seniors will really appreciate it when one considers them and their feelings.
While making your list, you should also make a schedule for routine maintenance to have regular household chores like: cutting the grass or cleaning the gutters taken care of if your loved one can’t take care of them themselves. Having someone you can rely on to handle these things can be very important because some things left undone can get out of control very quickly.

Review safety measures
• Make sure you replace the batteries on the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Also, test them to make sure they are working properly. These devices should generally be completely replaced every so often. The general rule is that smoke & carbon monoxide detector should be replaced every five to seven years.
• Check the fire extinguisher and make sure it has been inspected by a professional within the last year and that it is in good working order.
• If your senior is capable of using a fire extinguisher, make sure they know how to use it in case of an emergency. Also, make sure it is in an accessible area where anyone can find it.
• Program their phone with emergency contacts on speed dial and be sure to show them how to use this as well.
• Make sure that someone can always check on your loved one. If needed have 7 different people check in on them. One person per day so no one person is feeling burdened. Or if they have friends, create a buddy system, so they can keep an eye on each other.
• If they have important documents like a trust, will’s, insurance etc… have a professional review the documents to make sure your loved one is properly covered.
• Clean out the medicine cabinet – Make sure that the medicines have not expire, throw out any unused medicine that is not required and look at the medicine to make sure they look as if they have been stored in a cool dry place as most medicine recommends.
• Remove clutter and any other items that might cause someone to fall. Be sure to also check the exterior areas of their property, add non-skid flooring if possible to areas where a slip, trip or fall may occur.

On to the general cleaning
• Be sure to organize everything and make sure everything has a place for it. If not, most likely it will become clutter, which can lead to trips, fire and rodents. This is what we want to avoid.
• Dusting can be pretty irritating to someone that might be sick frail or elderly. Try to dust and wipe things done with a rag or something so you won’t get all the dust in the air.
• Move furniture and other large items to eliminate as much dust, dander and the items themselves if they now present a hazard.
• Be sure to sweep everything. Outside areas, be sure to look for hoses or other items left out in the open.

Maintenance (time for the handyman work)
• Be sure to check all the doors, door locks, windows and the window locks to make sure they are working properly. If not, have them fixed immediately.
• If you are the handy type, check the roof, gutters and exterior areas around the house that might need some TLC before a small issue turns into a major problem.
• Try to save them money on their bills. If you see someone is using regular light bulbs or has a very old toilet consider replacing the bulbs to fluorescent and for the toilet consider a dual flush toilet that wastes less water.
• Finally, give everything one last walk thru to make sure everything is working properly and in its place.

If you or a loved one is having difficulties in the home and is not able to care for themselves, First Care of New York can help. As a license home care service agency FCNY provides highly qualified home health aides which can assist with most of the spring cleaning and every day activities of daily living for that matter. If you or a loved one needs care or someone to look after them, FCNY is your place, as we pick up where others leave off.

The Vertigo basics

Have you ever had a few too many drinks and you stop somewhere or lay in a bed and you feel like the room is spinning or you feel like you’re moving but your actually staying still. Well, if you ever felt this way, that would be my best description of vertigo in a non-medical form but you get the idea.

Vertigo
[vur′tigō, vurtī′gō]
A sensation of instability, giddiness, loss of equilibrium, or rotation, caused by a disturbance in the semicircular canal of the inner ear or the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The sensation that one's body is rotating in space is called subjective vertigo, whereas the sensation that objects are spinning around the body is termed objective vertigo
Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier.

Which means the inner ear or vision problems might be the cause of the feeling (unless, of course, you are drunk at the time of the feeling).

The original meaning, according to Medterms.com is:
The word "vertigo" comes from the Latin "vertere", to turn + the suffix "-igo", a condition = a condition of turning about). Vertigo is medically distinct from dizziness, lightheadedness, and unsteadiness.
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6129

“A Balance” is defined as a state of equilibrium. It takes a significant amount of work for this to occur in the body. The brain uses inputs from many sources to understand where the body is located in relationship to the world and to allow it to function. Sensory information from the eyes, ears, and position receptors in the rest of the body help keep the body upright and allow it to move in a coordinated fashion. Information comes to cerebellar lobes located in the base of the brain from the vestibular system in the inner ear, vision from the eyes, and proprioception (position) receptors located throughout the body that send signals through the spinal cord. The cerebellum uses that information to maintain posture, coordinate body motions like walking and also coordinate fine motor skills like using a pen to write. Vertigo, a feeling of spinning movement and sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting, occurs when any part of the system breaks down. However, people tend not to use that word to describe their symptoms but instead use the word dizziness or lightheadedness. It is up to the health care practitioner to understand the person's symptoms and define vertigo as the cause of their situation.
http://www.medicinenet.com/vertigo/article.htm

There are several causes in which people suffer from vertigo and plenty of treatment programs that can help as well but, if one still feels that “hung over” feeling they may want to lay down as it might cause them to fall and hurt themselves. This can lead to further injury such as: slips, trips and falls that have ended in a injury or even a fatality. In our previous Blog we have discussed some of the dangers of slips, trips and falls and at First Care of New York, we are here to help you and your family avoid such things from happening. We provide services in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. For your convenience, a nurse can be scheduled to visit you or your loved one at home to evaluate the level of care that is needed at no cost to you, if they participate in our program. The nurse will also be able to evaluate the home to bring to light any potential hazards that might cause harm to you or your loved ones, while suffering from a vertigo episode. They will help clarify some questions you or your loved ones may have. We can provide as much care as is needed from a couple of hours a week to 24-hour live-in care and everything in between. We have highly trained home health aides, personal care aides, homemakers, and nursing care. We help with bathing, cooking, toileting, grooming, medicine reminder, laundry and cleaning services. First Care is a licensed home care service agency that provides top quality aides to all our clients.

For more information about First Care of New York, please visit: http://www.1st-care.org/

Diabetes – To keep OR lose your feet

According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, there are over 26 million people with diabetes and 7 million more people who do not even know they have diabetes yet. First off, diabetes is a disease that affects many parts of your body and in a very negative way.

What is diabetes? According to the Diabetes Research Wellness Foundation (DRWF)
Diabetes is a defect in the body’s ability to convert glucose (sugar) to energy.
Glucose is the main source of fuel for our body. Glucose is then transferred to the blood and is used by the cells for energy. In order for glucose to be transferred from the blood into the cells, the hormone - insulin is needed. Insulin is produced by the beta cells in the pancreas (the organ that produces insulin). In individuals with diabetes, this process is impaired.

How does one develop diabetes? According to DRWF
Diabetes develops when the pancreas fails to produce sufficient quantities of insulin

• Type 1 diabetes or the insulin produced is defective and cannot move glucose into the cells
• Type 2 diabetes - Either insulin is not produced in sufficient quantities or the insulin produced is defective and cannot move the glucose into the cells.

How are your feet affected?
High Blood sugar can damage the nerves in your feet and cause blood flow problems. Once you develop blood flow problems your feet can feel like it has “pins and needles” in them and you can start to lose feeling and not be able to feel heat, cold, pressure or pain. This lack of feeling can be dangerous because you might not be able to feel an injury, blister or sore and if it becomes infected, add that to poor blood flow and it can lead to losing your toes, foot or leg.

How many people have lost parts of their leg due to diabetes? According to the American Podiatric Medical Association

• More than 65,000 lower limbs are amputated annually due to complications from diabetes.
• After an amputation, the chance of another amputation within three to five years is as high as 50 percent

You should visit your primary care physician or a podiatrist to make sure your feet are healthy and in good shape otherwise run the risk of possibly losing your leg or parts of your leg.

First Care is the licensed home care service agency that provides top quality aides to all our clients. Our certified home health aides can help with bathing, dressing, grooming, cooking, cleaning and assist taking you or your loved one to doctor’s appointment. We are regulated by the NYS department of Health and are accredited by The Joint Commission. We provide services in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. For your convenience, we may even schedule a nurse to visit you or your loved ones at home to evaluate the level of care that is needed at no cost to you. This will help clarify some questions you or your loved ones may have. If you would like to have more information, please feel free to contact us by phone at 718-741-5950 or on our website at http://www.1st-care.org/

Smart Senior Planning 101

As we age “gracefully”, we think about everyone’s needs in our family and try to pay special attention to make sure that they are taken care of; but what about the person whom is the most important – yourself? As the adult, we are taught to care for our children for the rest of their lives. However, in reality, you need to look after yourself to be able to better provide for your children. Sadly, most of us choose not to think of what might happen to us as we age, but if you fail to plan, then you are planning on failing and leaving that burden on your family.
We must face the facts of life as we age. Our body sometimes seems to have a mind of its own and will do whatever it wants, for instance:

• We will undoubtedly get weaker in strength
• Our bodies might hurt more (Arthritis, Osteoporosis etc…)
• We can develop medical conditions (Diabetes, High blood pressure and so on…)
• We start to lose things (like our vision, bladder control and some even our minds)

Therefore, what can we do as responsible adults?

• Create a will to make sure your loved ones get what you would like to leave them
• Get a medical proxy – Someone that can make medical decisions on your behalf if you can no longer do this for yourself
• Get a financial proxy – Someone that can manage your financial affairs on your behalf if you can no longer do this for yourself

Get advice on how to pay for your medical needs if the need arises

o Long term care insurance

o Apply for Medicaid if you qualify

o Apply for Medicare if you qualify

o Get insurance that would cover most of your senior needs

o Get supplemental insurance that would cover other services not provided by your insurance

Other options for finding financing for medical care

o Consider a reverse mortgage if you qualify – it can provide a lump sum or a steady stream of income

The fun part of being old is that one gets to retire and enjoy the grandkids if possible or take that vacation you’ve always dreamt about. The problem is that one day you can slip, trip or fall and break something and you’d be surprise on how quickly one can go from a healthy senior to a debilitated senior. It’s these tough times that one must always plan and prepare for.

At First Care of New York we know the challenges that some families face when their loved ones are struck with illnesses such as: Alzheimer’s, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), etc. or are hurt due to accidents or falls. A lot of times these things happen suddenly like strokes or embolism, which can leave one severely disabled. It is during these times when you can call First Care of New York to care for yourself or your loved one. We can help you every step of the way from finding financing options to getting the right care you or your loved one may need. Our certified home health aides can assist with all activities of daily living such as: bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, cooking, cleaning, laundry, run errands and even assist with going to doctor visits. Don’t let an accident or declining health become a burden on you or your entire family. We can help anywhere in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan and we also accept many forms of payment from Medicaid, Private Insurance, workers compensation, as well as private paying clients. If you would like more information, please feel free to give us a call at 718-364-7251 x9 or check out our website at http://www.1st-care.org/.

How to stay committed to your commitments

O.k. so the New Year is upon us. We have made our list of New Year’s resolutions and like every year, we think this year is the time for change. Sadly, two weeks later, we stop going to the gym, one month later we are still fat and now paying a monthly gym membership, yoga class and Pilates, which we thought was going to make us healthy, skinnier and open our minds. By the end of February, our hopes and dreams have once again been shattered until next year.

The big question here is: WHY?

Why do so many of us make New Year’s resolutions (i.e. eating healthy), commit to do things (i.e. love more) and even commit to make changes (i.e. quit smoking), but time and time again we keep failing. This does not make us a bad person or a failure by any means. Most of us have plenty of distractions in our lives, which force us to make different levels of commitments. The shameful truth is that we make excuses because we LOVE comfort, safety and simplicity. We all know the effort it takes to count calories, go the gym and work out, but most times we slip into our old habits with “yeah but” which always trumps our commitments.

In order to stay committed one must learn how to be and stay committed without letting “yeah but” back into our vocabulary. Regardless of the commitments that we make to ourselves or others, here are a few key words of advice to help you stay committed.

Sacrifice
A key to knowing we are committed is by being able to sacrifice for the good of our commitment. Think of the athlete that is willing to train for countless hours at the gym to be able to perform at their personal best. If you are willing to sacrifice for something knowing it will disrupt the comforts of your life then you are committed.

Create a ritual
Make working out part of your schedule. The same way taking your kids to soccer practice every Tuesday and Thursday is part of your routine, you should make the gym or whatever other commitment part of that same schedule. Over time this will make you go to the gym almost subconsciously, since it will be part of your weekly routine.

Determination
There will be inevitable setbacks while you are trying to complete your goals. Like the athlete that could not workout on Monday but decides that they will go to the gym on Tuesday instead to make up for Monday. We must face our challenges with confidence and resilience to make sure that our commitments are met. This involves us learning to solve problems in order to take the necessary steps to work past them.

Get support
There are plenty of people out there and in our lives that would love to help us if we need the help. If you are trying to go to the gym as a regular routine, but sometimes feel discouraged or “out of it”; find someone to go with you so you can motivate them and they can motivate you.

Lastly, it is also important that we keep our goals in context. We should remember that the point of achieving our goal either today or years from now is to improve our lives. However, we are still living in the present and must acknowledge that. If we live only for our goals, we will possibly resent the present, and start resenting our goals as well.

At First Care of New York we are always committed to providing the best home care services possible. We understand the delicacies that come with our clients and the condition they are in versus the life they used to lead. We understand that they want to continue to live freely, independently and with the same energy and fervor that makes them happy. The ability to continue to perform their daily activities, whether it be in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan or Queens areas. You can count on First Care of New York to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for any and all Live in Care, Personal Care, Home Health and Companionship. For your convenience, we may even schedule a nurse to visit you or your loved one’s home and evaluate the level of care that is needed. This will help clarify some questions you or your loved one may have. First Care is a licensed home care service agency that provides top quality aides to all our clients. We are regulated by the NYS Department of Health and are accredited by The Joint Commission. If you would like to have more information, please feel free to contact us by phone at 718-741-5950 or on our website at http://www.1st-care.org/.

Senior’s Holiday Blues

The Holiday season is amongst us. It is a time of year when many people are jolly and are usually looking forward to gathering with friends and family; looking forward to getting presents and ringing in a new year. Nevertheless, for many of our seniors, the holiday season is sometimes the roughest part of the year. Many seniors are widows/widowers, have lost friends and other family members as they have aged, are separated from family or their current loved one or themselves could be ill either physically or mentally and can no longer participate in the holiday events like they used to. While many will try to hide their feelings during the holidays, it can be quite a tough time for our seniors, which can lead to the holiday blues and even worse depression.

Several symptoms of the blues are:

• Crying often
• Loss or gaining weight
• Difficulty sleeping
• Difficulty thinking, remembering or concentrating
• Irritability
• Loss of interest
• Sense of worthlessness
• Thoughts of suicide – Contact a mental health professional immediately

One should pay special attention to their friends and family during these times and if you notice any of the symptoms; even if they are not an elderly person, you should approach them and see if they might be feeling blue during the holidays. Listen carefully if someone complains to you about being depressed or says people don't care. That person may be telling you he or she needs help.
There are many things one can do to avoid feeling the blues:

• Volunteer – Helping others is a great way to distract your mind from your own troubles. Churches and other civic groups would appreciate your help.
• Do not be alone – If you cannot be with family during the holidays invite some close friends to come over.
• Avoid alcohol if possible – Alcohol is a depressant and that is what you are trying to avoid.
• Don’t deny or hide your feelings of sadness – Just being able to share your feelings with someone can help you cope with the holiday blues.
• Avoid stress – Stress during the holidays may make you feel more isolated and worsen your mood.
• Honor loved ones – Remembering the person that cut the turkey or dressed as Santa can be difficult, but it can also bring the family closer and aide in having a pleasant holiday.

At First Care of New York, Inc., we are here to help with concerns like the holiday blues and depression. Our staff is trained to recognize and handle clients who may be dealing with depression when visiting patient’s homes in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. Our home health aides and personal care aides are trained to help you. The aides serve as companions during those hard and dark times. We also have Live-in care for those of you who may need 24 hour support. No matter the time, day or place, we want to brighten your day first with care. We hope you have a very happy and safe holiday season.

The beautiful winter months are coming

The winter brings many joyful things such as: Christmas, the New Year and a bunch of snow and rain. Sometimes the weather turns out worse than expected and we end up in a severe storm that knocks out the electricity, shuts down roads. Severe weather can even lead to people needing to be evacuated from their homes. Every year the weather seems to be more unpredictable than the last and since the winter is only a few weeks away; First Care of New York would like to give you some advice on how to prepare for it.
The basics of winter are as follows:

1. Be sure to check all your doors and windows to check for drafts. If you do feel a draft, try to seal it or find someone that can do it for you. A great deal of heat loss is because of drafty doors and windows leading to higher heating bills.
2. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. With your windows shut, you never want to take the chance of having carbon monoxide creep into your home as it is a colorless and odorless killer.
3. Prepare an emergency kit – You should have all the necessities like spare batteries, medicine, first-aid kit, battery operated radio, flashlights, blankets and a list of emergency contacts. You also want to stock up on non-perishable foods and plenty of bottled water. You never want to get stuck in a storm without having some form of lifeline.

If you are a homeowner you will also want to do the following as well.

1. Replace your heater’s air filter today and every 3 months
2. Have your home’s heater serviced to ensure optimum efficiency (get a furnace inspection)
3. If you have an attic, make sure you are not losing significant amounts of heat due to poor insulation or improper ventilation.
4. If you have a fireplace, order firewood early to get a better price and do not forget to have someone inspect your fireplace to make sure it is still in good working order.

The winter is a beautiful time of year to enjoy hot cocoa, have snowball fights, and have a sleigh ride (granted this is mostly for kids), but we can also enjoy cozy nights, snuggling up for good movies and going ice-skating. This is what winters are supposed to be about, not about freezing temperatures and high heating bills. At First Care of New York, we always want to keep you informed of the best ways to keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy. Enjoy the winter!!!