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Winter Safety for Non-Snow Birds

1/30/2019

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Winter safety for seniors - Golden Horizons
winter - parked cars - snow
Winter Storms and Cold Temperatures ARE Dangerous to Our Loved Ones. Be Safe for You & Yours this Winter.
non-snowbirds
Although winter comes as no surprise, many individuals are not ready for it's impact. To plan ahead helps one stay safe and healthy. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) indicates to save lives one must prepare (winterize) home, limit outdoor activity in stormy weather, coordinate necessary transportation concerns (car, bus, train, etc.) and stay ahead of potential power outages or blackouts. Check-in on loved ones especially our golden friends are a must. If we are prepared for the hazards of winter, the likelihood to stay safe and healthy when temperatures start to fall are on our side. The following are CDC's recommended steps for winter safety.

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Safety Tips for the Elderly in Winter

1/25/2019

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The winter season offers great opportunities for fun and outdoor adventures like skiing, snowboarding, sledding, sleigh rides, or a ramble down a snow covered path under the stars. But winter also heightens the possibility of dangerous 
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situations. In winter, we have ice, blizzards, nor'easters, cold temperatures and more. Slippery conditions and winter weather make it a more difficult season for the elderly. We want to make sure the safety and health of our older loved ones are well-maintained. Here is some information on common conditions or issues in winter and safety tips.

Falls - Winter weather brings increased chances of falling due to ice, snow chunks, slippery conditions. Balance issues can increase with age heightening the risk further for the elderly.

Some tips to prevent trips and falls in the winter: a) Make sure the walkways, steps etc. around your home are clear. If you are older, make sure you have someone younger who is able to help in this. b) Apply cat litter or rock salt to the walkways to provide traction and to help de-ice. c) Wear proper footwear with traction. d) If you use a cane or walker, use one with a rubber tip that provides traction.


Hypothermia - Hypothermia is a condition where the body temperature drops to dangerous levels and is caused by long exposure to cold temperatures. Our chances of developing it increase with age. Signs of hypothermia include cold, pale skin, confusion, sleepiness, balance issues, slowing heart rate or breathing. 

Tips for preventing hypothermia: a) Stay indoors or only stay out for short periods of time when it is cold b) Set the heat in the house at about 65 or higher c) If you've been outside and gotten wet clothing, change quickly into dry clothes. Wet clothes help the body temperature drop faster d) Always dress warmly and cover exposed skin in cold temperatures with gloves, thermals, scarves, pants, hats, proper coats etc. 
House Fires and/or Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Winter brings colder temperatures, therefore it is common practice for windows and doors to be shut tight. Many people use fireplaces or wood stoves as sources of heat. If not 
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properly tended, a fire could start, and if with doors and windows shut, there is an increased chance for a build up of carbon monoxide. Warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, nausea/vomiting, confusion, dizziness, weakness, losing consciousness etc.

Tips for preventing fires or carbon dioxide issues: a) Call a professional to clean out your chimneys and flues b) Put up and maintain smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in optimal locations, especially near stoves, fireplaces, furnaces etc. Make sure the batteries are up-to-date c) Make sure space heaters and kerosene heaters are at least 3 feet away from any items that could be flammable d) Open a window just a crack to provide possible carbon monoxide build up an outlet to dissipate.

Frostbite - Frostbite is damage to the skin from overexposure to cold temperatures. It usually occurs on parts of the body farthest from the heart like your fingers, toes, chin, ears etc., and those with heart conditions and poor circulation, as well as the elderly, have increased risk. Signs include grayish, gray-yellowish, ashy skin, skin that feels waxy, numbness in the body parts affected.

Ways to prevent frostbite are much the same as preventing hypothermia - staying inside, or only going out in the cold for short periods of time; dressing properly for being outdoors in winter, staying warm etc.

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Shoveling - While winter is fun, one of the annoying parts is having to clear our walkways and our cars of snow...aka shoveling. It's a great form of exercise, but you are outside in the cold. If we overwork ourselves, it can be a 
​recipe for serious injury. The elderly are even more susceptible to such possible injuries.

Ways to prevent injury when shoveling or clearing snow: a) If you are elderly, hire someone to do it b) Work steadily, not strenuously, so your heart and your limbs function properly. Your heart works twice as hard in cold weather c) Lift with your legs, not with your back.


Winter Driving - As we age, changes in our body, like poor eyesight or delayed reflexes, can make driving more difficult. That is only compounded in winter, with threat of black ice, poor visibility and bitter cold. We need to be prepared.
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Ways to be prepared for winter driving: a) Have routine maintenance done on your car to prepare for it for winter ie. oil change, winter tires etc. b) Pack an emergency kit and keep it in your in case your were to break down - extra blankets, non-perishable food (protein bars, hard candies), shovel, rock salt, flashlight and batteries, radio, map, jumper cables, first aid kit etc. c) Always remember to drive with your cell phone and keep it charged d) Avoid icy roads if possible e) Posture in defensive driving.

Stay safe this winter!!!

Sources:
​- Healthaging.org
- National Institute on Aging
​
- "The Older Adult's Guide to Winter Weather", Amy Ehrlich, MD, January 3, 2018, US News
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New Office Location

1/23/2019

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We're Moving!!!!!
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Golden Horizons Elder Care Services, Inc., will be moving into a new office on February 1, 2019. Please bear with us as there may be a short interruption in our phone services that day. 
New Address: 251 Main St, Ste 101, Old Saybrook CT 06475
We will be in the same office, but more accessible to you on the first floor. We look forward to continuing our quality services to you all from our new office. Be sure to come visit!
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National Thyroid Health Awareness Month

1/23/2019

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National Thyroid Health Awarness
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located near the bottom of the neck below the Adam's apple. The Thyroid gland  influences the functions of the heart, brain, liver, kidneys, the skin and other important organs. Even the thyroid hormones help the body use energy and stay warm. A healthy thyroid gland is vital to the body and one's well being according to the American Thyroid Association. How does it work? What can go wrong? Treatments available and how to keep it healthy - please read on.

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He Had a Dream...

1/21/2019

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"...I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.

(Yes) It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. (Yes)

I have a dream (Mhm) that one day (Yes) this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed (Hah): “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. ...”
​~ Martin Luther King, Jr

On the beautiful summer day of August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr, looked out over the massive crowd in front of the Lincoln Memorial. He delivered the now iconic "I have a dream..." speech that moved so many, and cemented the the Civil Rights movement into the foundations of the history of the United States of America. 
With passion and conviction, he laid out a dream of unification and true freedom. He expanded on the dream of our Founding Fathers, who, while forging a remarkable dream of a new, free nation into reality, did not reach far enough. 
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National Book Month

1/18/2019

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"That's the thing about books. They let you travel
without moving your feet." ~ Jhumpa Lahiri
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The feel of the paper between my fingers as I turn the page always takes me back. Reading was one of my favorites pastimes growing up. I would get so lost in the pages of a good book that my mother 
would have to call my name five or six times before I would even be aware she was trying to get my attention. Reading provides epic adventures, information, knowledge, travel, danger and more, all from the comfort of your own home. Who doesn't want that kind of easy exploration.
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The National Library
January is National Book Month. It raises awareness about the benefits of reading and the vital role that books, especially tangible books, play in our lives. There are many benefits, including some health benefits. Here are a few.

- Reading promotes good mental health and improves memory. It has you neural pathways firing and your brain active.
- Reading helps reduce stress. Stress affects your physical being as well as mental and emotional. Reading allows you to escape your reality for awhile and focus on something else, thereby relieving some stress.
- Reading provides greater knowledge and information.
- Reading improves your vocabulary.
- Reading helps your mind better focus.
- Reading improves sleep.

These benefits are a small sample of what reading can do for you. Sit down, grab a cuppa or some coffee, pick up a good book and dive in. The possibilities are endless!

Source: 
- Ideapod.com
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What is Brain Training?

1/11/2019

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Reading is an excellent way to exercise your brain. Studies have shown that extensive reading, especially as we get older, saw a 30% reduction in memory decline. Reading also contributes to greater social skills and mental processing.
Have you ever watched an outerspace-themed show or movie like Star Wars or Star Trek? We know from watching these shows that the captains of space ships command their vessels from the bridge (usually with big windows and incredible views of the universe). 

Imagine your body is a space ship and our surrounding environments (outside, our home, our work space etc.) are the epic frontiers of space. What is our bridge and our captain? If you answered with "your head" and "your brain" respectively, you would be correct. The brain captains the body. It houses our minds, our processes for thinking, memory, problem-solving, learning, creativity. It communicates millions of messages with every cell in every body part and oversees all functions for every other system in the body. The brain translates what it sees through our eyes. The brain is the most important muscle in the body.

Like with any muscle, we have to exercise it to keep it healthy, sharp and functioning properly. A great way to do this is through brain training. Yes, you read that correctly. Brain training refers to practicing and improving cognitive functions through mental exercises. Such mental exercises target core brain functions including attention, long-term and short-term memory, creativity, auditory processing, cognitive processing speed, logic, reasoning, emotional processing, strategy etc.
We started this post with mentioning Star Wars and Star Trek. Yes, we have these movies, but even better: we have books! Books open our worlds to all kinds of adventures from the fictional swashbuckling tales of Treasure Island to the epic real life stories in the many biographies available to us. 

There is nothing better than stepping into the pages of a good book. Not only can we entertain ourselves, but reading provides one of the best brain training exercises available to us. It improves vocabulary, processing, social skills, information, memory and more. Studies have shown that, in older adults, there is as much as a 30% reduction in memory loss and cognitive function. Pick up a book!

Other great ways to train your brain include doing puzzles or playing games. A classic puzzle, a rubix cube, or a word puzzle makes the brain work through problem-solving, creativity and processing. Playing a game of chess, checkers or cards helps the brain work on logic, strategy and reasoning.

Exercising our brains keeps us
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sharp and reduces cognitive decline, not-to-mention all these different activities are rather enjoyable. Give your brain a boost this January (and every day for the rest of your life)! Happy training!
Sources
- "Can Reading Help My Brain Grow and Prevent Dementia", Alan Castel, Ph.D., April 11, 2018, Psychology Today
- "Dementia Breakthrough? Brain-Training Game 'Significantly Reduces Risk'", Honor Whiteman, November 16, 2017, Medical News Today
- "Brain Training", Learning Rx
- "Reading Books and Playing Games May Help Prevent Dementia: Study", Alexandra Sifferlin, May 30, 2018, Time Magazine
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Golden Nuggets, January 2019

1/4/2019

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A publication of Golden Horizons Elder Care Services, Inc.
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A Message from the Office

Is it really 2019 already? It feels like we just welcomed the 2000s. But here we are; we blinked and we’re one year away from the 2020s. Boy has time flown!
With a new year just starting, and a new decade looming, I’ve been thinking about the next 365 days. Each one is an opportunity. How will we live today? What will we do to live our lives to the fullest, leave no regrets? How will we make the world better today? Whose life can we change today? How can we finish this day, this year, this 
decade, strong?

One way we can do each of the above is to promote good health this year. One of our greatest assets as humans is our health. It governs so many other areas in our lives. Without good health, we can’t function at our best. January kicks off a new year, and as such we can use it to set the tone for our health. It is National Book Month and National Thyroid Month. Join us as we explore good brain health, the benefits of reading, good thyroid health, and how we can set healthy goals for 2019! Happy New Year!
                                                       
~ Golden Horizons Office Team

Mr. W's Newsletter Inspiration

“We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty
there that needs to be done.” ~ Alan Turing
​Cultural Tidbit: The above quote belies the effect of Alan Turing’s life and accomplishments. He is widely considered the father of AI (artificial intelligence) and theoretical computer science, fields of study that are only now truly accelerating. His “short distance” was definitely further reaching than most; he was a veritable man ahead of his time. Born June 23, 1912, in London England, Alan Mathison Turing was recognized to have incredible intelligence and gifting from an early age. As he grew, so did his abilities, particularly in science and problem solving. He made significant contributions in mathematics, computing, logic, theoretical biology, philosophy and cryptanalysis. During WWII, he was instrumental in helping to break the Nazi cyphers and codes at Bletchly Park. His work there focused on the Enigma code and his efforts helped to turn the tide for the allies. Sadly, Turing died at the age of 41, but his legacy and contributions live on in our lives today.
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Caregivers of the Month

January 2019: Emily A. & Queen M.
We are starting off 2019 with honoring two caregivers who are proving themselves to be an exceptional team. Emily and Queen joined the Golden Horizons team three years ago, in December 2015 and February 2016 respectively. Individually, they demonstrated positive attitudes, professionalism, and care for their clients, but as a team, they stand out in their abilities. They are both punctual, reliable, and unfailingly attentive to their client. Together, they are a well-oiled machine in providing exceptional care to their client and representing Golden Horizons. Thank you for your hard work and dedication ladies! Congratulations!

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    Golden Horizons Elder Care Services are registered with the State of CT as a Homemaker-Companion Agency. The well-being of the aging is their primary purpose. Your loved ones are in caring hands with Golden Horizons. Golden Horizons' offices are located in Old Saybrook, and Groton, Connecticut, USA.

    Resource Links:
    • Alzheimer's, Dimentia & Driving
    • American Medical Association's Caregiver Self-Assessment Questionnaire
    • AgeNet Better Solutions for Aging
    • Long Term Care Locators
    • National Association for Home Care and Hospice

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