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.

Home Remedies…Are they really effective?


Everyone has a grandmother, aunt, or even a mother who swears she can cure anything by creating some sort of weird concoction. Almost always we laugh at them and just disregard what we consider as old wives tales. However, when we are down and out and we take those home remedies; more often than not we get cured. So what is it about these remedies that cure us? Is it that these crazy concoctions actually have medicinal properties? Or is this just some sort of mind trick, where if you believe something will cure you it does? Extensive research has been done on this subject for the simple fact that some home remedies are just out of this world. For example in my household the simple cold can be cured in many ways: for initial symptoms honey and a lime cut in the form of a cross will do. However, if this has developed into an actual cold, it requires a mixture of onions, aloe, and honey. Home remedies go much farther than lime and honey or aloe. There is an entire civilization out there that has survived on natural medicine. In fact, the National Geographic wrote an article in which they discussed the fact that some of the over the counter medicines we use today is rooted from a form of natural medicine. For example “Digitalis”, which is used to treat chronic heart failure, comes from the leaves of the foxglove plant, and ephedrine, a component of many commonly prescribed respiratory medicines, is derived from a chemical formula from the ephedra plant” (Swerdlow, Joel NGM).


Although, the nature of home remedies has evolved over time, the main principle remains the same. People have the ability and resources to cure themselves of many diseases. Of course some illnesses require more than a few herbs, so don’t stop going to your doctors just yet. We can however entertain the idea that maybe grandma had a point. On the other hand it’s important to note, that like any type of medicine usage, this practice shouldn’t be abused. It’s not safe to decide you’re just going to stop going for your regular checkups. Always consult with a doctor before deciding to treat anything on your own. At least, now you know that you have options, and that sometimes Mother Nature can help you get better.

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: visit their doctors regularly, assisting with medication reminders and also preparing meals with the dietary necessity to help lower blood pressure. 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 718-741-5950.

What is Hepatitis C?

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) - “Hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. Toxins, certain drugs, some diseases, heavy alcohol use, and bacterial and viral infections can all cause hepatitis. Hepatitis is also the name of a family of viral infections that affect the liver; the most common types are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.

Luckily for us in the U.S. and other developed countries, we can enjoy the benefits that exist, such as vaccines to help prevent Hepatitis A and B. Nevertheless, there is no vaccine available for Hepatitis C. So why is Hepatitis C so bad? The CDC defines Hepatitis C as a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness that attacks the liver. It results from infection with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is spread primarily through contact with the blood of an infected person. Hepatitis C can be either “acute” or “chronic.” Those affected by hepatitis may have symptoms of dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, fever, and/or jaundice (which is yellow color in the skin or eyes)

Chronic Hepatitis C is a serious disease that can result in many different long-term health problems such as: liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death. It is also the leading cause of cirrhosis, as well as liver cancer and the typical reason for liver transplantation in the United States.

According to the CDC the long-term effects of Hepatitis C:
Of every 100 people infected with the Hepatitis C virus, about
• 75–85 people will develop chronic Hepatitis C virus infection; of those,
o 60–70 people will go on to develop chronic liver disease
o 5–20 people will go on to develop cirrhosis over a period of 20–30 years
o 1–5 people will die from cirrhosis or liver cancer

Therefore, you should always get yourself checked out. At First Care of New York, we believe everyone’s health is important, which is why we have all our Certified Home Health Aides and Personal Care Aides tested for Hepatitis, to provide you the peace of mind that you or your loved ones are getting the right health professionals in your home to provide safe care. 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/

What it is to be disabled!

There are many ways people describe being disabled, but I like the way it is stated in Disabled World (TM).

A disability is a condition or function judged to be significantly impaired relative to the usual standard of an individual or group. The term is used to refer to individual functioning, including physical impairment, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment, intellectual impairment mental illness, and various types of chronic disease.

Disability is conceptualized as being a multidimensional experience for the person involved. There may be effects on organs or body parts and there may be effects on a person's participation in areas of life. Correspondingly, three dimensions of disability are recognized in ICF: body structure and function (and impairment thereof), activity (and activity restrictions) and participation (and participation restrictions). The classification also recognizes the role of physical and social environmental factors in affecting disability outcomes.*

In addition, there are many different types of disabilities such as:

• Mobility and physical impairment
• Hearing Disability
• Psychological Disorders
• Head Injuries - Brain Disability
• Vision Disability
• Spinal Cord Disability
• Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
• Invisible Disabilities

I included invisible disabilities because there are many people that suffer from such things as chronic pain or some kind of sleep disorder. Often times, even with testing, it might seem as if people are imagining their conditions because the test might not diagnose any specific ailments. But tests are not always the first level of defense to express how one feels or the experiences one may have due to their body.

If you or someone you know is disabled or needs assistance with their activities of daily living, reach out to First Care of New York Inc. and find out the many ways our certified home health aides can be there for you and your family. Our certified home health aides and personal care aides can provide services such as:

• Bathing
• Escort to MD Appts
• Medication reminder
• Feeding
• Toileting
• Grooming
• Sitter
• Light Cleaning
• Dressing
• Cooking
• Companionship
• Personal care

We work with all people regardless of payment needs such as: Medicaid, Workers Comp, No Fault Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance and even private paying customers. As a licensed home care service agency, we have the capability for you to reach us at any time 24/7 - 365 days a year to find out how to obtain services or just find out some information. We provide top service in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan area.

* http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/

The 1-2-3’s about diabetes

Many people might be a little unfamiliar with what exactly it means to have diabetes! Generally when one eats a meal, the sugar (glucose) in that meal stimulates the pancreas to release insulin in an amount that is proportional to the meal that one ate. The reason this must occur in our body is because cells use sugar and other nutrients to function properly. When one has diabetes, this process does not function as it should. So we are going to break it down so you can know the difference and how they affect the human body. First off, it is actually called Diabetes Mellitus (DM); of which Diabetes comes from the Greek word (diabainein), meaning "to pass through," and Mellitus comes from the Latin word meaning “honey-sweet”; this refers to the fact that the urine of a diabetic has a sweet taste.
Type 1 Diabetes (Sometimes called Juvenile Diabetes because it usually occurs in people under 20 years old) Type 1 Diabetes is also found in 5%-10% of all diabetes cases – It is when your own body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (called beta cells)

Secondary Diabetes (Not to be confused with Type 2) – Is different from Type 1 because the cause of the destruction of the beta cells is by something other than the immune system, such as: pancreatic surgery or cystic fibrosis but none-the-less one ends up with the same results as type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes (Is found in 90%-95% of all diabetes cases) – People with Type 2 produce insulin, but it is either not enough insulin or the body cannot use the insulin as it is supposed to.
Gestational Diabetes – Occurs in pregnant women, who never had diabetes before but during pregnancy develop high blood sugar levels and sometimes develops into type 2 diabetes.

The sad part is that there is really no way to prevent diabetes for the most part. Type 2 diabetes can be detected early and possibly treated with medication. If one feels that diabetes might be something you think you have or have a family history of, be sure to have yourself checked out by your doctor.

Some of the common consequences of not properly monitoring and treating your diabetes would be:

• It takes longer to heal from wounds
• Retinopathy – A condition that causes you to have eye problems and can lead to blindness
• Kidney Damage – Note: You need your kidneys to live
• Poor blood circulation – This will increase your chances of having a stroke and heart attack. It can also cause nerve damage because your body is not getting what it needs. This is usually the cause for amputations of the limbs.
• You can go into a diabetic coma

Diabetes is a very serious issue, which can lead to some serious complications and one should always be sure to monitor and keep their diabetes as under control as possible. Taking proper care of one’s diabetes condition is critical to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Once illness gets out of control, it can become quite serious. First Care of New York provides the proper care for our clients affected by diabetes by helping our clients visit their doctors regularly and assisting them with medication reminders as well as other great services. If you or a loved one can no longer manage your diabetes 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 you. Our number is 718-364-7251.

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/.