Carmel, CA Family inHome Caregiving Promotes Healthy Diet To Clients

A pyramid of food with people around it.


At Family inHome Caregiving, we stress that seniors should get the proper amount of exercise, plenty of social interaction, and eat a healthy diet.  Many of our clients are in their 90’s and some even over 100 and most have lead very healthy lives which lead to their longevity.  Following a diet like the Mediterranean diet which includes a lot of vegetables, fish, olive oil and is light on red meat can help stave off a number of diseases.  Nutritional supplements can help, but they just aren’t the same thing as eating healthy food.  A 2019 study of more than 30,000 adults found that healthy levels of vitamins A and K and the minerals magnesium and zinc may be associated with a lower risk of death—but only from food, not pills (AARP The Magazine, April/May 2022, page 34).

Skipping Breakfast Is Not A Healthy Idea

A plate of food with eggs, bacon and tomatoes.


A hot trend seems to be skipping breakfast in order to lose weight.  However, it’s not a good idea.  According to a study which was published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, those who ate more than 25 grams of fiber per day had a 21 percent lower risk of all causes of death than people who skipped breakfast.  Another study found that those who skip breakfast had a higher risk of diabetes.

Corral-de-Tierra, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA OR HHA Designation A Plus

A man and woman looking at a laptop


Corral-de-Tierra, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA OR HHA Designation A Plus (Also Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-Tierra, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

Monterey, CA Daytime Sleeping A Red Flag For Alzheimer’s And Dementia

A woman looking out of the window at her home.


According to a new study by UC San Francisco, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, getting too much sleep during the day could be a sign of Alzheimer’s Disease or some other form of dementia.  For 14 years, researchers studied 1,401 seniors who had annual cognitive testing and wore a watchlike device that monitored their mobility.  Although some napping is normal for older adults, the study found that daytime naps of longer than one hour were associated with a 40% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s compared with those who napped less.  The study also found that the average duration of daytime naps increased with age for everyone, including healthy adults.  However, it doubled after a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and nearly tripled after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease (Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, May 2022, page 15).  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this horrible disease when they passed away.  There is a wonderful group of people at the Monterey Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch who can help you through this painful journey.  They also have a 24-hour hotline at 800-272-3900.

Medicare Advantage Plans Add More Perks

A building with the capitol in the background.


Choosing a Medicare Advantage program that is right for you can be difficult due to the wide range of things that they cover—or don’t.  Plans are expanding benefits in 35 out of 41 categories this year, according to a study done by actuarial consultant Milliman.  Vision coverage still ranks as the most common supplemental benefit, with 97% of Advantage plans offering it in 2022, followed closely by hearing (94%), fitness (94%) and dental care (91%).  However, less common benefits like acupuncture and coverage for bathroom safety devices with the number of plans featuring these increasing by 70% and 32%, respectively (Kiplinger’s Retirement Report May 2022, page 15).

Super Foods Can Stave Off Dementia


A number of studies have been performed on the relationship between various foods and the onset of dementia.  One showed that walnuts can improve cognitive function.  Another that blueberries can boost memory.  And fish oil supplements can lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.  The Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet—both of which encourage you to eat lots of fresh produce, legumes, nuts, fish, whole grains and olive oil have been shown in multiple studies to provide protection against cognitive declines.  And they can be delicious if prepared with lots of fresh spices.

 

Seniors Should Get Regular Checkups, Even If They Feel Good

A person holding a hamburger in their hand.


AARP The Magazine just had an interesting article (April/May Issue, page 33) about how some seniors don’t go to the doctor regularly because they feel great.  As we have seen with COVID-19, many diseases and viruses are symptomless but if left untreated can turn into something very serious.  Researchers have been studying this phenomenon which they call future-time perspective.  The more time we perceive that we have, the more we’re able to ignore the fact that we’re overweight, have high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, and other serious health problems.  Make sure you see your doctor at least once per year.

Nursing Homes And Assisted Living Facilities Closing : Seniors Forced To Relocate

A woman with grey hair sitting in a chair.


A number of nursing homes across the country are shutting their doors, a combination of COVID-19 costs, difficulty finding employees, and costs rising faster than payments from Medicare and Medicaid/MediCal.  One home told USA Today that they were losing more than $100 a day for every resident covered by Medicaid, which represented 95% of its residents, and they were forced to close.  Sadly, this is forcing many seniors to relocate and if you are on MediCal, it will be tough to find an open spot.  “It’s a result of the values of our society—we just don’t value taking care of old, poor people,†said Danny Williams, the owner of the home that was forced to close.  According to an analysis of federal data by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living, more than 300 homes have closed or are in the process of winding down.

 

Traffic Signs, Ironically, Are Killing People

A yellow diamond with an arrow pointing to the bottom.


A new study which was published on science.org found that electronic signs which are meant to alert people to dangers on the road actually cause an increase in car wrecks as distracted drivers stare at the sign.  The researchers studied traffic around areas that had signs displaying year-to-date road fatalities and found that the number of vehicle crashes increased, on average, by 4.5% in the 6.2 miles following the fatality-statistic message.  Researchers believe that the signs put excessive demands on drivers’ attention and information processing abilities in what is known as cognitive load.

Inflation Driving Seniors Back Into The Workforce

A jar of coins with the word retirement written on it.


Inflation in the U.S. hit a 40 year high of 7.9%, which is causing financial problems for many seniors.  Economists say that this is forcing many retirees back into the workforce.  Thankfully, this may ease staffing shortages which has hit a number of industries.  “We’re beginning to see the migration of the older cohort who expected to live on fixed income in a low interest-rate and low-inflation environment, Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM US LLP, told The Wall Street Journal.  “Really what you’re dealing with is an inflationary shock that has elicited a change in behavior,†he said.   The share of people over 55 either working or looking for a job rose to 38.9% in March from 38.4% in October.  That translates to more than 480K people in that age group entering the labor force during the last six months.