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HOME CARE today
A publication of Alternative Home Care for Seniors
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| ST. PATRICK'S ISSUE |
MARCH 2010 |
Dear Lads and Lassies:
March is here and with it comes the luck o' the Irish.
While you're most likely familiar with St. Patrick's Day traditions -- shamrocks, leprechauns, pots of gold and wearing green -- did you know: - There are 36.5 million U.S. residents who claim Irish ancestry. And that number is almost nine times the populations of Ireland itself. That said, there's a good chance that someone you know came from Ireland or their ancestors did!
- This year, more than 40 billion pounds of U.S. beef and 2.5 billion pounds of U.S. cabbage will be sold for St. Patrick's day feasts.
- Irish soda bread gets its name from the use of baking soda rather than yeast.
- Lime green chrysanthemums are often requested for St. Patrick's day parades.
- Speaking of parades, the first St. Patty's Day parade took place in the U.S. on March 17, 1762 when Irish soldiers in the English military marched through New York City.
- More than 100 parades are held in the U.S. each year.
- Some trace the origin of the phrase, "the luck of the Irish" to the U.S where, during the
exploration for gold, there were a high number of Irish
people who got lucky, and found their "pot o' gold" in the gold fields
of California.
Whatever makes you feel rich in spirit -- Whether it's good health or good times with
family and friends, may you find your own pot of gold this month!
Be well and Happy St. Patrick's Day,
Sharna Fulton, Director of Marketing
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Depression and anxiety are not a normal part of aging
 Too often, we dismiss symptoms of clinical depression and
clinical anxiety in elders as "just getting old."But depression and anxiety are not a normal
part of aging.They represent a
treatable problem that deserves the attention of a geriatric psychologist or
physician.
Examples of behaviors that
may indicate depression or anxiety in the elderly are: apathy, crying spells,
irritability, worry, helplessness,
pessimism, boredom, isolation, physical complaints for no medical reason,
unreasonable fears, memory complaints and hopelessness.
There are research
proven treatments, covered by Medicare, for these disorders. Cognitive-behavior therapy is the most
effective evidence-based form of
"talking therapy" for anxiety and depression in the elderly. With this therapy, elders learn, in a step-by-step fashion, to alter their self defeating beliefs and habits. And then they learn to enjoy life again, no matter their life circumstances.
Medication may be useful and necessary to
assist in the resolution of the depression and anxiety. Often both talking therapy and medication are used together to achieve the best
result. If you suspect your loved one
may have clinical depression or clinical anxiety disorders, you should contact
their primary care physician or a psychologist trained to diagnose and treat problems in the elderly.
Mary Melton, PhD, is a
geriatric psychologist in Lawrenceville,
GA and her services are covered by Medicare.www.marymeltonphd.com
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Do you know a Centenarian?
Gwinnett County Senior Services is looking for people 98 years or older living in Gwinnett County to include in a book project. The featured centenarians need not be able to
communicate effectively as long there is a caregiver who can speak on their
behalf. Their photo will be taken in their own environment and Melanie Miller of Gwinnett County will interview them, if necessary, again through the caregiver. Publication of the book will depend on how many
candidates and funding Gwinnett County is able to obtain. For more information, contact Melanie Miller at 770.822.8842 or Melanie.miller@gwinnettcounty.com. |   Join the conversation about senior care and more on Twitter, Facebook and our newsworthy blog.
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Alternative Home Care for Seniors (AHCS) to offer franchises in the Southeastern U.S. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. For more information, email derrick@alternative4seniors.com or call(770) 736-7977. This does not constitute an offer for a franchise.
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It's 3 AM and you need home care for mom.
But who's going to pick-up the phone?
We will, of course. It's our 24/7 SafetyNET™. That means no matter what time or what day it is,
you'll always get someone to help you with your home care questions. We often can place
a caregiver within 8-12 hours as well. Just call us.
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Each
monthly issue features quick-read information pertaining to seniors,
caregivers, our community involvement, etc. In addition, we proudly
feature a story on a senior service other than home care in each issue.
If you have an idea that benefits seniors, we'd like to know about it
for a possible future issue. To see archived e-newsletters, click here. All articles copyright Alternative Home Care for Seniors 2010.
To request permission to reprint articles or content from past issues, please contact sharna.fulton@att.net
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