The Warm Weather is Coming

One can do many great and fun things as the warm weather approaches. People usually plan outings, visit different places and most people typically take a vacation or some other form of leisure and enjoyable activity. People feel better as the warm weather feels great on our skin and we seem to act like plants by trying to suck up as much sunlight as possible.

However, with the great warmth that approaches one should also plan for some of the burdens that come with the warm weather. We have provided a simple list to keep you safe during this season.

·         Keep aware of the ozone

o   Ozone pollution rises between March & October and according to Healthday.com Ozone can cause severe breathing attacks, including intense chest pains and trouble breathing. Most at risk are children who spend a lot of time outdoors, seniors and people with asthma or other respiratory problems.

·         Make sure your car is ready for the heat

o   Thousands of people yearly seem to get “locked in” in hot cars leading to dehydration, trouble breathing and other health problems and sadly several people have even died from heat stroke. Though, gas/electric prices are high, turn on the A/C and don’t leave children or seniors in such hot conditions. It will be well worth it when you don’t have to end up in a hospital or worse.

·         I rarely tell this to my wife but (Go shopping for summer clothing)

o   You should always wear appropriate clothing for the weather.  Wear clothing that is light, loose fitting and comfortable. Do not forget to wear a hat to protect your face and head from the summer heat.

·         Sunblock, sunblock and more sunblock

o   Sunblock protects your skin from all those negative UV rays that can damage your skin or cause skin cancer. UV rays can make your skin look burnt and can cause early development of wrinkles that nobody likes to have, so be sure to apply sunblock to your skin daily.

·         If you do exercise outdoors

o   Be sure to check the weather and pollen count as it is never recommended to workout in the outdoors during these conditions, due to the difficulty breathing one can experience and hydration issues as well

The summer is a time for long sunny days to be enjoyed responsibly. If you know someone that might not be able to care for themselves due to a physical or mental disability, but you still want them to be able to enjoy the summer, consider getting them a certified home health aide. At First Care of New York, we have plenty of certified home health aides and personal care aides who can assist them with many activities of daily living. They can help with bathing, dressing, grooming, cooking and cleaning as well as assist them going places and make sure that that are safe and secure during the summer weather. If you would like more information on our services, please feel free to contact us at (718) 364-7251.

What is Arthritis?

Most people might not be aware that May is considered Arthritis awareness month. And most people that don’t have arthritis might only have a vague idea of what the definition is. But for the millions of people it affects, they probably know the meaning all too well and the specific type one has. Arthritis comes from two Greek words – arthro = joint + -it Is = inflammation; plural: arthritides). Arthritis is the inflammation of a joint or multiple joints typically accompanied by pain, stiffness, redness, swelling and other things. It affects all people regardless of race, nationality, age, gender etc., though a lot of forms typically affect more women than men.

Some of the most common arthritis is osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis but, there is also such thing as juvenile arthritis that affects young children from as early as pre-school to the early teenage years. According to the arthritis.org: While often referred to as if it were a single disease, arthritis is actually an umbrella term used for a group of more than 100 medical conditions that collectively affect nearly 46 million adults and 300,000 children in America alone. Arthritis sometimes develops as a result of having other diseases; thereby, increasing the many ways it affects you. It can start to affect people at any stage in their life from preschoolers to the elderly.

The arthritis affects the musculoskeletal system (which means it can affect any bone in your body) and specifically the joints where two or more bones meet. Damage to the musculoskeletal system can lead to joint weakness, chronic pain and instability and in other cases visible deformities that, depending on the location of joint(s) involved, can get in the way of the most basic daily tasks such as: walking, playing sports, climbing stairs, using a computer keyboard, cutting your food or bathing yourself. This can cause more damages by causing falls or other things which for seniors in particular can be more dangerous.

If you or someone you know suffers from arthritis and need some assistance in the home with activities of daily living such as: bathing, eating, cleaning etc., First Care of New York can help. We have highly trained certified home health aides that can care for you or your loved ones. They can assist with activities such as: bathing, toileting, dressing, cooking, cleaning and other activities of daily living. If you would like to find our more information about the services a licensed home care service agency can offer, please feel free to contact us at (718) 364-7251 or visit our website at http://www.1st-care.org/

Prep for Emergencies

We never like to discuss negative experiences that happen especially if things get worse instead of better, during our crisis. It makes us feel vulnerable when we are not prepared for the things that happen to us. And sometimes one thinks about how the crisis could have gone better. In life one experiences many ups and down but luckily one can have many more good days if you plan and prepare for the dire things that happen to good everyday people. Emergencies such as death, accidents, and tragedies affect the lives of many each year.

Being prepare and responding to the emergency is the best way to minimize the hardships the emergency will cause. One must plan and organize a strategy to the deal with situation and analyze its components. Setting out and implementing a clearly defined emergency plan can save lives.

We will provide several scenarios of emergencies and a short cut to prepare for the crisis.

·         Car breaks down

o   You should always carry an emergency kit in your car. You can pick one up at most retailers and typically include such things as a set of jumper cables, at least one blanket, flash light, signal cone, first aid kit, batteries and gloves.

o   We also recommend pliers, Phillips & flathead screwdriver, a poncho, a small ratchet set and a tire sealant and a light duty air compressor with all the accessories.

·         Fire in the home

o   One should always have fire extinguishers in their home and know how to properly use them. Almost anyone is capable to operate a fire extinguisher and all capable family members should know how to use them.

o   Prepare a fire emergency plan to know all the exits and gathering point for all in the household

o   Have sufficient coverage in insurance to be able to replace some items lost.

·         Natural disaster

o   The best thing to do is plan for ALL the nature disaster and get familiar with how to react to each situation.

o   The basic thing in all situations is, to assess yourself first. You cannot help others if you yourself are injured. Secondly, observe the area for dangers and casualty. Lastly plan to provide or get help, if possible.

·         Health Issue

o   Many health conditions if properly manage can have people live very productive lifestyle but poor management of one’s health has lead to tragedies.

o   Have a medical plan in place with a medical proxy and a list of how you would like your health managed if you cannot make the decision yourself.

o   Sudden health issues do happen and while there might not be much one can do in this situation having adequate health coverage is the key to minimize the hardship that the family would endure not only financially but emotionally as well.

·         Death

o   Death for the most part comes without warning unless one has a terminal condition but even then one does not know their last minutes.

o   Because of deaths certainty one must plan for it by leaving a will, having life insurance and making funeral arrangements if possible.

·         Financial crisis

o   Most of the situations mentioned above have a major financial impact for the most part. Therefore, you need to prepare and get the proper financial tool to help you minimize the emergency such as getting insurance for your life, car, and property.

o   A famous rule is “Cash is king” as you should always be able to access funds immediately (you should have about 6 months worth of expenses) as it might be required in some emergencies or to be able to pay for the emergency in the aftermath.

At First Care of New York we want to prepare all our readers with a little knowledge of how to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. But, if you or a loved one have suffered an emergency and have been left with health issues or not capable to handle activities of daily living, well we can help. We have highly trained multilingual certified home health aides who can help. Our home aides can assist with activities such as bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming, cooking, light cleaning and much more. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact us at 718-741-5956. Ask us why our motto is, “We pick up where others leave off”.

Diet

To lower the risk of high blood pressure and other heart diseases, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 updated its guideline on sodium, based on the DASH diet. The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was tested and established by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute NHLBI. It recommends limiting salt and sodium intake to control blood pressure.

The sodium recommendation, made by the Federal Government's National High Blood Pressure Education Program NHBPEP, is less than 2400 mg per day (~1 tsp of salt). The Dietary Guidelines suggested an even stricter amount of 2,300 mg daily. For people with heart disease, the American Heart Association recommended not more than 2,000 mg of sodium intake per day.

Where do you find Sodium?

Hiding your salt shaker is not enough to cut back on sodium as 75% of our salt intake comes from packaged foods alone!

Processed Foods High in Sodium

canned soup canned vegetables and beans frozen dinners cup noodles or instant noodles/ramen frozen pizza sauce, marinade & dressings breakfast bagel and pancake mix processed meats such as bacon, ham & sausages smoked/cured fish and meat crackers & cookies

How do you cut back on Sodium?

The good news is - you can cut down on sodium by simply switching from processed foods to fresh foods. In addition, always look for the low-sodium versions of the packaged food.

• choose fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned
• choose low-sodium broth and soup
• limit cured meats or foods packed in brine; choose fresh meats instead
• limit instant foods such as instant rice & noodles as well as frozen dinners
• rinse and drain canned foods such as canned vegetables if possible

Furthermore, look out for any form of the word "sodium" on the ingredient list. Additives such as sodium chloride, sodium citrate, sodium bicarbonate are a few examples of hidden sodium found in packaged foods.

En Espanol -- In Spanish

Para reducir el riesgo de presión arterial alta y otras enfermedades del corazón, las Guías Alimentarias para los Estadounidenses 2005 guía actualizada de sodio sobre la base de la dieta DASH. La dieta DASH (Enfoque Dietético para Detener la Hipertensión) ha sido probada y establecida por el Instituto Nacional del Corazón, Pulmón y la Sangre del NHLBI. Se recomienda limitar el consumo de sal y sodio para controlar la presión arterial.

Alpha

La recomendación de sodio hecha por el Programa Educativo Nacional del Gobierno Federal la Presión Arterial Alta NHBPEP es menos de 2,400 mg por día (~1 cucharadita de sal). Las Guías Alimentarias sugieren una cantidad aún más estrictas de 2,300 mg al día. Para las personas con enfermedades del corazón, la Asociación Americana del Corazón recomienda que no más de 2,000 mg de la ingesta de sodio por día.

¿Dónde se encuentra el sodio?Ocultando su salero no es suficiente para recortar el sodio el 75% de nuestra ingesta de sal proviene de alimentos envasados ​​en paz!

Alimentos elaborados ricos en sodio

·         sopas enlatadas

·         Conservas de verduras y frijoles

·         Cup Noodles o fideos ramen instantáneo

·         pizza congelada

·         salsa, adobo, y apósitos

·         rosquillas y la mezcla para panqueques

·         carnes procesadas como el tocino, jamón, salchichas y

·         pescado ahumado / curado y carne

·         galletas y galletas

¿Cómo reducir el consumo de sodio?

La buena noticia es que usted puede reducir el sodio por el simple hecho de cambiar de los alimentos procesados ​​a los alimentos frescos. Además, siempre se ven en las versiones bajas en sodio de los alimentos envasados.

·         Elija vegetales frescos o congelados en lugar de enlatados

·         elija baja de sodio y la sopa de

·         limitar las carnes curadas o alimentos envasados ​​en salmuera; elija carnes frescas en lugar de

·         limitar los alimentos instantáneos, como el arroz y los fideos instantáneos, así como comidas congeladas

·         enjuagar y escurrir los alimentos enlatados, tales como las hortalizas en conserva, si es posible

Además, esté atento a cualquier forma de la palabra "sodio" en la lista de ingredientes. Aditivos tales como cloruro de sodio, citrato de sodio, bicarbonato de sodio son algunos ejemplos de sodio oculto encuentra en los alimentos envasados.

Why is sleep important?

From the National Sleep Foundation - According to the National Institutes of Health, 50 to 70 million Americans are affected by chronic sleep disorders and intermittent sleep problems that can significantly diminish health, alertness and safety. Untreated sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, heart disease, stroke, depression, diabetes and other chronic diseases. Sleep problems can take many forms and can involve too little sleep, too much sleep or inadequate quality of sleep.

That means that at least one out of six people has a sleep disorder. Therefore, this might mean that someone in your household could have some form of sleep disorder slowly deteriorating their health. It is just not some simple thing as I did not get a good night sleep today and I will try to get a better one tomorrow. Most people might not even be aware of the sleep deficit they create and continue to do so. This leads to millions of people that suffer from this condition and we can see clearly how this affects one’s health and overall well-being. The first four linked conditions can become severe enough to cause more serious complications to your health; it can even leave you handicapped. You should learn how to master your sleep or get professional help if you need to figure out how to get a better nights rest, as you will be doing it for the rest of your life. However, for those that suffer from the hypertension, heart disease, stroke, depression, diabetes and other chronic diseases, First Care of New York can help.

First Care of New York is a licensed home care agency that not only provides home care services, but also trains all of its aides and can provide you and your loved ones with the proper care you/they will need. Our certified home health aides can assist with all activities of daily living such as: bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, cooking, cleaning, changing of bed linens, moving the patient around if needed, laundry, run errands and even assist with going to doctor visits. 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/.

Multiple Sclerosis – The general idea

We have all heard of Multiple Sclerosis or probably better known as MS.

What is Multiple Sclerosis? According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Multiple sclerosis (or MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the Central Nervous System (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision.

How does it affect you?

MS is considered an autoimmune disease (which means your body’s immune system attacks the cells, nerves, tissues and/or other substances normally present in the body).  In the case of MS, your immune system attacks your central nervous system and makes it difficult for the signals to reach your brain; thereby causing interruptions or completely stopping the signals. This slowly worsens neurologic function that can eventually lead to all the symptoms one can develop.

What is happening in the body?

Your immune system attacks the myelin, a fatty substance that protects and insulates the nerves. Once this barrier is destroyed, the immune system can even destroy the nerve fibers. This builds a scar tissue (sclerosis) in the spinal cord and/or the brain and it can develop in multiple areas of the central nervous system giving the disease its name. Though the body can rebuild the myelin, the deterioration is so much faster that the body cannot keep up.

What are the stages of MS?

They can be mild, moderate or severe depending on where and how much damage occurred to the body.

What are some of the symptoms?

Muscle weakness, decreased coordination, blurred or hazy vision, eye pain, double vision, muscle stiffness, urinary problems, loss of balance, slurred speech, numbness, extreme fatigue, problems with memory and concentration, paralysis, blindness and more. The way the symptoms affect people vary widely from person to person depending how severely and specifically where the body is being attack and how fast is the attack progressing.

What can I do if I believe or have MS symptoms?

Consult with your doctor. They might be able to prescribe medication to help your symptoms.

What usually happens to individuals with MS?

While many can live a moderately normal life with medication, some require assistance such as: a cane, walker or a wheel chair due to extreme fatigue. For the most part, it is not usually fatal, though some cases have been reported.

A loved one or I is suffering from MS, how can I get help?

Depending on the severity, getting them home care services is a great solution.

First Care of New York can help with all activities of daily living from helping the individual get out of bed, bathing, toileting, grooming, feeding, cooking, cleaning and running errands. With a certified home health aide by your side, you can convert your lifestyle from partially productive to fully productive. Life is to be lived to the fullest without letting the little things get in our way. Assistance from a certified home health aide is not for the weak, it is for those who want to live life to the fullest of your capabilities. Feel free to check out our website to see how we may help you today at www.1st-care.org

The Motionless Doom

For the common mobile person this might be something that does not even cross one’s mind or even come up as a thought as something that can actually happen, but the immobile person not only thinks about it, but also should have great concern. The issue we are talking about is: bedsores, which are also known as, pressure ulcers, pressure sores or decubitus ulcers.

Definition and causes of Bed Sores: According to Medical News Today.com

Bedsores are skin lesions, which can be caused by friction, humidity, temperature, continence, medication, shearing forces, age and unrelieved pressure. Any part of the body may be affected; bony or cartilaginous areas, such as the elbows, knees, ankles and sacrum are most commonly affected. The sacrum is a triangular bone at the base of the spine and the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity (like a wedge between the two hip bones).

Who is affected?

Wheelchair users (especially those with spinal injury), frail elderly people, terminally ill people, people that cannot move parts of their bodies, people with decreased mental awareness or patients that are sedated, basically anyone that cannot change position without assistance can acquire bedsores.

What areas are more affected?

Ankles	Back of arms	Back of legs	Back of the head
Breasts (females)	Buttocks	Elbows	Genitals (males)
Heels	Knees	Rims of the ears	Shoulders
Shoulder Blades	Spine	Tailbone	Toes

Signs and Symptoms

·         Discoloration: In light-skinned people the skin might turn red or dark purple. In dark-skinned people the skin might become darker than normal in the affected area.

·         There can be a bad odor from the area

·         The skin will swell around the sore

·         Warmth or redness around the affected area

·         Pus – In yellow or green color

·         Decreased mobility in the individual

·         The area affected may be painful

There are four stages of bed sores depending on their severity.

The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, USA, defines each stage as follows:

·         Stage I - starts as a persistent area of red skin, which may be itchy, painful and may also feel warm, spongy or firm when touched. Among people of African ancestry, and individuals with darker skin, the mark may seem to have a bluish/purplish cast; it may even look ashen or flaky. As soon as the pressure is relieved, the sore generally goes away rapidly.

·         Stage II - skin loss has already taken place. This could be in the epidermis (the outer layer of skin), or the dermis (deeper down in the skin) - sometimes both. The pressure ulcer is at this point an open sore, similar to an abrasion or a blister. The surrounding tissue may appear red or purple.

·         Stage III - there is now a deep wound, like a crater; the damage has gone below the skin. There is skin loss which occurs throughout the entire thickness of the skin. The underlying muscles and bone are not damaged.

·         Stage IV - the most severe type of ulcer. Skin is severely damaged and there is tissue necrosis (surrounding tissue starts to die). Underlying muscles or bone (or both) may also be damaged. Tendons and joints may also be damaged. At this point there is a serious risk of developing a life-threatening infection.

Bedsores are something that can be easily avoided by moving the individual around every hour or so, making sure that their skin is in a dry healthy condition and maintaining a proper diet for the individual, amongst other things, is crucial in keeping the individual bedsore-free.

The trouble begins once bedsores appear and what stage level they are in once they are noticed. Depending on the stage the bedsores are in, it can become quite hard to treat in certain situations, especially when it has reached a stage IV that has even lead to death all too often. This is when being trap in a bed or a chair can become the cause of death for the individual.

First Care of New York is a licensed home care agency that not only provides home care services, but also trains all of its aides can provide you and your loved ones the proper care; you/they will need especially for those that are in this type of situation. Our certified home health aides can assist with all activities of daily living such as: bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, cooking, cleaning, changing of bed linens, moving the patient around if needed, laundry, run errands and even assist with going to doctor visits. 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/.