Michelle Kavall discusses holistic care opportunities with Dr. Michelle Weiner. There are many modalities for therapy for individuals who chose to remain independent in the community. Dr. Michelle Weiner provides interactive education on the holistic care options such as medical cannabis for her clients, as well as, her appreciation for Quality Health Care Concierge in providing a major necessity in support care services to her patients.

Many experts are saying that isolation and loneliness for the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic may begin to exhibit signs of dementia. Social isolation for the elderly can lead to more memory loss and cognitive issues. “We know people who are getting old, if they’re isolated or socially less stimulated, they tend to develop dementia earlier than others,” says behavioral neurologist Borna Bonakdarpour, an assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician. 

If someone is developing early signs of Alzheimers, they may already have particular risk factors for dementia such as loneliness. It can present as the subjective feeling of distress due to social distancing. Although most elders understand the physical risks associated with being in public at this time, they still cant help but have those feelings of being forced to be alone in their homes. It can actually have physical repercussions on people such as high blood pressure or a weakened immune system. Ofcourse, loneliness can also bring up feelings of suicidal thoughts, which has been shown to increase during the COVID pandemic as well. Some research experts even say that loneliness may result in cognitive decline in the elderly. 

Quality Health Care Concierge may provide essential assistance to the elderly and other individuals who are feeling loneliness due to social isolation during the pandemic. We provide compassionate companion care and are practice the safety necessary in today’s times! All companions entering one’s home are equipped with the appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and required to perform safe practices to assure our clients are both feeling safe and at a highly decreased risk of any infection in their homes. Quality Health Care Concierge praises safe practices and increased cognitive function for clients as they are very well known in the community for their holistic care mission. 

After a certain period of time, a family or care giver recognizes that they need help and begins to look for other solutions to care for the elderly, which may include home care. Home health care usually entails allowing seniors and others to live in their own homes with their families and caregivers. It’s a large decisions and it may not always be right for you, but knowing your options for assistance is vital.

If you are not doing well, you may not want to be at home, but studies have shown that those who live at home thrive in their homes as they feel as though they are in a comfortable environment.

When you get older, it helps you to maintain your independence and even gives you hope for yourself and those around you, including your loved ones. As you age and life changes, it can become more and more difficult to stay independent and age in your home. You may be used to managing everything yourself, sharing duties with your spouse, or relying on family members who provide you with help at home. Although this is hard to accept, most of us need some kind of care or support at some point in our lives.

But looking after an aging loved one takes on a whole new role for those loved ones who must balance their lives as well. If you are a care giver, you want your elderly relatives to stay at home and spare them the anxiety and depression that often plagues those living in assisted living or care homes. Taking over daily tasks such as running errands, cleaning, and cooking makes it easier for those to manage their daily routines.

Caring for a senior citizen alone can be extremely difficult, especially if he or she suffers from a chronic illness or dementia. In some cases, care obligations can become a heavy financial burden on the family, forcing the primary care service to reduce its working hours or the care giver to leave its workplace altogether. Some seniors are looked after by professional housekeepers who provide the company, but also care for the house, help with errands, prepare meals and clean.

Clients with memory loss generally require 24-hour monitoring for safety, and other seniors require regular visits from a family doctor or other care provider. As your loved ones need to be cared for and a new routine established, everyone needs to be patient with you and your family. It’s vital in order to find the right caregiver partners to assure that your loved ones are cared for appropriately.

Care for the elderly requires a caregiver to assist your relatives to get dressed, cook meals and do other daily activities. Qualified care is required for relatives who have received a diagnosis that has affected their daily lives and functioning. Medical knowledge is also required to ensure that your loved one is healthy when they are being treated for a variety of diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart failure or other diseases.

There are many  healthy seniors who need a little personal attention and social support and could benefit from regular help beyond what a family caregiver can provide. Hiring a companion can help to ease some of the concerns relatives have about looking after their loved ones and even provide mental health needs.

Companions have a wide range of skills and abilities that could benefit seniors and relatives, such as communication, social support, physical and mental health, and a variety of other activities. Quality Health Care Concierge can help families who may live far away from their loved ones or provide respite care to help reduce caregiving burnout.

Learn more about home care services that can help you or your loved ones maintain independence and stay at home longer with the support that’s needed.

Alternative health care is multifaceted and one of the major factors that affects one’s overall health is their nutritional capacity. Any individual that stays informed and well-versed in how the right nutrition can affect their overall health and well-being is on the right track! Often people feel that they have to make significant nutritional changes and shy away from the vast effects of even the smallest changes to their diets. Education and knowledge is key to keeping positive changes simple. 

Many seniors feel that facing adjustments is a massive challenge. The reality is that nutritional needs are different with age while seniors fight the loss of muscle mass and potentially decreased immune function. Most dieticians stress the need to stock up on superfoods and immune boosting foods for the elderly. Some basic tips are to look at your snack choices and switch some of them up with fruits. Fresh fruits are simple because they don’t require preparation; another good choice is dried fruits that don’t have added sugar. Another trick is to add fruits and vegetables to meals you’re already making.Another wonderful addition to any diet is a very healthy breakfast, and you can easily add in some banana slices. Immune boosting foods include teas, Acai berries, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, garlic, and lots of ginger. 

Quality Health Care Concierge cares about the wellness of the elderly! Our highly trained and compassionate caregivers take care of their clients in making sure their nutritional needs are always being met in their individual journeys to a lifestyle change through alternative care. 

Interesting Additional Information:

https://www.medicinenet.com/immune_boosting_foods_pictures_slideshow/article.htm

Sharing some good news in our Florida community! Liberty Health Sciences, a prominent Cannabis Dispensary is having a Grand Re-Opening next Saturday, August 29th, 2020 with doors opening at 10am until 5pm EST.

15% off all products, plus local cuisine, giveaways, swag, music, and more.

Liberty Health Sciences | Medical Marijuana Dispensary
10795 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33161
(786) 598-2223
https://goo.gl/maps/C5a8zhsnFvdhoXED9

Oftentimes people may confuse Palliative Care with Hospice Care or they shy away from acklowedgining the beneficial experience of Palliative Care. Palliative Care is such a broad type of care that it does not particularly specify treatment for one diagnosis or for any specific severity of care needs. Generally, it treats the whole-person and relieves symptoms whether or not it may cure a disease or disorder. It should not be confused with hospice care, which typically entails a terminal disorder where an individual has been diagnosed 6 months or less to live. 

Most interestingly, Palliative Care is provided by an interdisciplinary team. Thus, the care needs are multifaceted and provide so many options to treatment plans. Palliative Care doctors help to prevent and alleviate suffering.

Quality Health Care Concierge is focused on introducing people to natural healing and alternative medicine in palliative care. With focus on the support network and strong knowledge of holistic care, they provide a wide network of palliative care and holistic care physicians in Florida. We become an integral part of the journey of holistic palliative care including that of providing care givers that are individually educated on Holistic Care, thus decreasing the anxiety of their clients as they require the utmost high levels of attention through their individual journeys. Our goal is to be a part of the continuous care needs of our clients while providing the best possible support in keeping people independent, safe, and happy in the community. 

As pioneers in the healthcare industry, we feel it is important to help guide our clients and the elderly in the community on the process of obtaining a medical marijuana card. We are here to provide the correct information, access to the most trusted physicians in Florida, provide a step-by-step guide that assures legitimacy, and helps reduce the anxiety about the process itself. With the ability to publish information online, folks have become targets and are highly susceptible to exposure to mis-information, thus should rely heavily on the network provided to them by their already trusted caregivers/companion care takers.

Make sure you are working with diligent professionals and have information to make the right decisions.

Quality Health Care Concierge clients may be referred to an internal and highly rated physician network. Our companion staff may accompany people to their initial assessment visit to their physician of choice. Once that physician provides a comprehensive assessment with a diagnosis for their patient, they then write a prescription-like recommendation that provides details of the product, route, frequency, and potential adverse effects. The following steps include being registered on the Florida Medical Marijuana Use Registry online where the Department of Health requires a yearly payment of $75, prompting obtaining a Medical Marijuanna Card within 10 business days. Florida qualifies ten chronic conditions that deem to be debilitating and allowing for prescription of Medical Marijuana. These conditions include the following: ALS, MS, AIDS, HIV, Glaucoma, Cancer, Epilepsy, Parkinson’s Disease, Crohn’s Disease, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and many similar conditions.

Quality Health Care Concierge then suggests that their caregivers and/or companions accompany clients to a dispensary of choice in order to have vetted professionals find the right product for each individual. Let’s make this process as simple as possible to facilitate the right decision in speaking with professionals. Our team will be there to provide personalized care to assist in reduction of anxiety in the processes from the initial discussion, research, and most significant: how to obtain a medical marijuana card in Florida.

What is holistic care for the elderly? This question is often discussed amongst elderly and their caregivers or medical providers. Elderly often wonder how a holistic plan can be one that is both beneficial and effective while providing the results that can be measured. In evaluating the effects of a holistic approach, the individual must assess their needs as a whole person. Rather than just focusing on one specific diagnosis or ailment that has become chronic, a person might consider their entire way of life as a blank slate in painting a healthier lifestyle. Holistically, a whole person has many facets that contribute to their overall well-being such as mind, body, and soul. Quite often, specific needs of the elderly are overlooked such as spiritual needs, loneliness and social isolation, and independence in self-care. 

How can these important factors of well-being for the elderly affect their overall health? Let’s consider one of the holistic markers of care: independence in self-care. When elderly remain feeling independent in their self-care, they show signs of improvement to cognitive functioning and memory, lower feelings of anxiety/depression, potential less feelings of social isolation, and other organic factors that contribute to a better overall well-being, such as better sleep. Oftentimes, it takes a team of professionals to contribute to a holistic health approach for wellness. Quality Health Care Concierge provides personalized private companion care and allows for all of their clients to have access to a wide-range of holistic care practitioners in the state of Florida. Many of our partners provide support services to help our clients remain independent, on the right track, supported, and monitored holistically! Some of our favorite services include those of Geriatric Care Management Senior Options Enrichment Program that provides evidence-based strategies for senior mental health during the pandemic.

Flyer for more information: Senior Options Enrichment Program

When we think of the word “companion,” we think of a friend or someone who walks through life with us. A companion helps us in our needs. Companionship is social in nature. Companions talk to us, cook dinner with us, and watch TV with us, read to us, or play cards with us.

These are things seniors and all citizens need the most. Many seniors have lost a spouse, have regular feelings of loniness and/or anxiety. Their children or families work and have families of their own, so they might not get by to see Mom or Dad for days or a few weeks. Some seniors have outlived their siblings and friends. They’re lonely and feel forgotten or ignored. Companion care supports this most basic of human needs and promotes positive mental health in the aging community.

How Is Companion Care Different From Home Care?

When an agency sends a home health aide to a senior’s home, the aide helps the senior bathe, dress, take their medications, and could perform light duties like switching out the bed linens for clean ones.

Some home health care aides help the senior with housekeeping, cooking, running errands, and taking the senior to a doctor. They may spend between two to four hours helping with these things, and then the aide moves on to his or her next client.

Companion care means just that; the companion will spend time with the senior talking or helping the senior with his or her daily routine. They’ll take the senior to the doctor, to the grocery store, or to a department store to shop.

The companion will assist the senior with tasks such as paying his or her bills or picking up their prescriptions and dry cleaning, and maybe even get lunch. The difference between the two is the quality of the time spent with the senior.

Different Styles Of Companion Care 

Companions come in different types just like home health care does. For example, a live-in companion would do just that. The senior would have someone with them 24/7 for companionship with all its benefits.

In-home companion care schedules someone to visit the senior to help with whatever the senior needs and spend time with the senior. The time can be spent during the day or at night or even overnight if the senior needs help.

What Do Companions Do? 

It’s totally up to the senior what a companion can do for them. The job encompasses:

• Light housekeeping like dusting and vacuuming
• Doing the laundry and dishes
• Running errands like grocery shopping and assisting in paying bills
• Transportation to doctors, pharmacies, and shopping
• Planning social activities such as church activities, town senior center activities, and/or the senior’s choice in social activities
• Cooking meals or going out to eat

Benefits Of Companion Care 

Above all things, seniors value their independence. Seniors recognize that their bodies can’t perform like they did in youth, but living in a “home”, or know as an adult facility, strips them of all dignity and desire to be independent. Seniors will opt to make choices that will facilitate them to stay at home. Companion care helps seniors do just that with dignity and compassion.

The loneliness and isolation many seniors feel as they age change their minds from normally functioning to depressed. Dealing with loneliness or Depression may lead seniors to search for medicinal fixes but all do not prefer to add more potential medication to their daily regime.

Companion care gives seniors the social interaction they need to battle the loneliness and isolation of age. The depression is lifted with the company of someone who listens, talks, and laughs with seniors.

Physical fitness is vital at any age, but it’s especially vital in advancing age. Mobility, flexibility, and strength are areas in which most seniors need help. Thanks to imminent doctors on the Internet, seniors are now aware of the benefits of even the mildest fitness routines.

Companion care won’t push a senior to become or remain fit, but they’ll be there to appropriately work out with the senior.

How Can You Locate A Companion For Your Senior Loved One?

Your local and state Agency on Aging provides contacts for home health services like home care or hospice care. For companion care, please contact Quality Health Care Concierge at 888-981-5595 to learn how we can be of service to your senior loved one.

Although we don’t have much say when it comes to getting older, we do have some say when it comes to how we age. According to a study published by CNN Health, an online resource that provides information on a wide range of health topics, the average American can expect to live 78.6 years. That said, the best way for seniors to achieve or even surpass this life expectancy is by exercising regularly and eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. After all, eating right and staying physically active has been shown to help fend off chronic diseases, not to mention many of the aches and pain that come with getting older.

Exercising
Studies show that 18 million seniors are struggling with limited mobility as a byproduct of aging. Physical activity has been shown to help prevent or minimize the effects of arthritis, improve bone health, and strengthen muscles, all of which can improve mobility while reducing the risk of falls. Regular exercise can also improve stamina and lower the risk of developing chronic diseases, some of which include colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. And the benefits do not end there; according to a study published by the National Institute on Aging, aerobic exercises, for example, can help improve memory. The study found that exercising increases the size of an individual’s hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for short and long-term memory.

Despite the numerous health benefits associated with regular exercise, some seniors believe that engaging in any form of physical activity will increase their chances of falling and being severely injured. Many also believe that they are too out of shape to exercise. If any of this resonates with you, you will be happy to know that there are plenty of low-impact aerobic exercises that you can do without worrying about falling. We would, however, recommend doing these exercises with someone close to you or a companion so that you feel at ease. And best of all, these exercises are not overly taxing on the body. According to Silver Sneakers, a program that encourages older adults to participate in physical activities, some of the best exercises for seniors include:

• Bodyweight exercises
• Pilates
• Yoga
• Swimming
• It is worth noting that walking is also a great aerobic exercise for seniors. However, to reduce the risk of falling, it may be a good idea to walk with a cane or walking stick.

Dieting
While eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is always a good idea, it becomes increasingly important as we get older. For this reason, most dieticians and nutritionists will encourage individuals over the age of 65 to eat the following foods for good overall health:

Fiber – Along with keeping you regular, eating whole grains, legumes, and other fiber-rich foods can help reduce high cholesterol, inflammation, and even high blood pressure.

Fatty Fish – For seniors, one of the best ways to go about improving joint health and mobility is by consuming fatty fish, such as mackerel, salmon, and sardines. These types of fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help reduce the intensity of numerous joint symptoms, some of which include stiffness, tenderness, and swelling.

Blueberries – Along with being delicious, blueberries are chock-full of antioxidants as well as vitamins C and E, all of which can help the body fight off illnesses while keeping cells healthy.

Tomatoes – Like blueberries, tomatoes are rich in antioxidants, which can help fight off many of the free radicals that contribute to illnesses. However, they also contain lycopene, a compound that has been shown to protect against prostate and lung cancer.

Yogurt – Given that bone loss is common among older adults, primarily due to diseases like osteoporosis and osteomalacia, it would be a good idea to consume more yogurt. After all, this delicious dairy product is an excellent source of vitamin D, which the body uses to absorb the calcium, a mineral that supports strong bones and teeth.

All in all, there are many things that seniors can do to improve their chances of living a longer and healthier life. But please start with small changes first before going all-in on any new food or exercise routine, and have a friend, relative, or companion by your side.