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 Angel News
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December 2008
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Keep Active - Keep Mentally Alert
A 2008 study by the Harvard School of
Public Health found evidence that seniors in the United States with active social
lives may have slower rates of memory decline and lower mortality rates. In fact, memory decline among the most integrated
of the study subjects was less than half the rate among the least integrated
(findings were independent of age, gender, race and health status).
To read the full press release, click here.
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High-Fat Diet Could Promote Development of Alzheimer's Disease
A
recent study conducted
on mice suggests that metabolic changes induced by a diet rich in fat
(diets
typical of most industrialized countries) could
affect the inflammatory response in the brain, thus contributing to
Alzheimer's disease. The study was done on mice and the authors of this
study admit that the work might not translate from mice to humans, but
they feel
the addition of more Omega-3 fatty acids to a diet are not likely to
hurt a
person and may significantly help.
Read the entire
article here.
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Open enrollment time? To
save money, open a flexible spending account, use mail-order prescription drug
services and tap into discounts on gym memberships.
A simple online calculator for businesses to estimate the
costs of elder care in the workplace.
A primer on aging related terms.
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Greetings!
"Home
for the Holidays" is a theme people often use this time of year. Home is
considered more comfortable and for many people, home is where the heart is. At Visiting Angels of Burlington & Mercer Counties,
we work hard to ensure that our clients spend as many years in the
comfort of their homes as possible. In this newsletter, we continue our mission
of sharing the latest in home care, home health care and elder care news with
colleagues, clients and friends.
Please
enjoy these articles in the spirit of community in which this newsletter was
sent.
Happy Holidays!
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Given
Housing Market Issues, Aging in Place is the # 1 Choice
 South Florida is one of the nation's worst hit areas for real estate
downturns, but the region's bad real-estate market is having at least one
positive side benefit. An article in the Orlando Sentinel states that,
"Businesses that help South Florida homeowners 'age in place' - or stay in
their homes as long as possible - are gaining popularity with seniors and their
adult children as more elders choose not to move into assisted living
facilities." Read the full article here.
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Breaking Myths of Aging
Tips, advice and anecdotes offered by geriatrician Dr. John
Morley:
 The
artist known as Grandma Moses, who passed away at age 103, took up painting in
old age after her hands and fingers became so crippled that she could no longer
quilt. The Impressionist Art movement was helped along by Monet's blurred
vision. Willem de Kooning made his best art after being diagnosed with
Alzheimer's disease. Ditto Ravel's simple, repeating melody we know as "Bolero"
was composed after dementia settled into the composer's brain. Critics think
Michelangelo's first Pieta, done when the sculptor was 25, is inferior to the
one he did at 80. Nelson Mandela's presidency was all the more remarkable
because Mandela survived years as a political prisoner to become president when
he was 80. Roger Bacon's prescription for healthy aging included all things in
moderation, proper diet, rest, exercise and - for the book jacket - "inhaling
the breath of a young virgin."
Read the full article.
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Losing the Sense of Smell? Could Be a Sign of Impaired Cognition
 Participants in a hearing loss study
at the University
of Wisconsin, Madison, were reported to
have unexpectedly presented an intriguing connection between reduced odor
identification ability and the association with the subsequent incidence of
cognitive impairment. This conclusion was reported in the August issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.
Lead investigator Carla Schubert told Reuters Health that "participants
who performed poorly on an odor identification test were at higher risk for
cognitive impairment 5 years later."
Read about the study.
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What's Happening at Visiting Angels
Visiting Angels of Burlington & Mercer Counties ("Visiting Angels of B&M") was thrilled to support Burlington County Women Newspaper as Platinum Sponsors of their "2nd Annual Women's Expo". We extend our warmest congratulations to Terri Petry and Ingrid Edelman, Publisher/Editor and Promotion Manager, respectively, of the newspaper for their ringing success as architects, marketers, "go-to" persons, and implementers of the Expo from start to finish. They were utterly superb!!!
 In our humble opinion, our booth was the BEST! As always, we were prepared with our personalized banners, wealth of elder and homecare resource materials, computer screen with Visiting Angels' TV commercials and customized promotional items. For this very special Expo, we also brought along 1,000 BPA-free "Angel" water bottles for each person to receive as they entered the Expo.
The highlight of our exposition was a seminar given by Rudy Tervooren, Director and Co-Owner of Visiting Angels of B&M, entitled "Stress-Free Holidays! The Importance of Caring for a Family Caregiver." In honor of "National Family Caregivers' Month" and to get a jump-start on the holiday season, Rudy geared his presentation towards those who care for a loved one living at home. Given that the holiday season poses a specific challenge for family caregivers who are often overwhelmed with the multitude of extra tasks piled high on their to-do lists, in his seminar Rudy covered:
- How to cope with holiday-related stress.
- Tips for those who care for parents and their own children at the same time.
- Understanding "caregiver burnout": What caregiver burnout is and how you can avoid it.
In addition, Rudy discussed and answered participant's questions about how respite care can be key to avoiding caregiver overload and burnout. All in all, Rudy's message centered on how pre-planning and simple tips can help you relax and feel the spirit of holiday joy.
And, we cannot forget to mention the amazing Nintendo® gift package that we raffled at the Expo. This included both a Wii® Games Console and a Wii Fit® game and balance board. A lovely (and as you can see below, very happy) woman by the name of Mary Ann Brunetti was our grand prize winner!
We are very much looking forward to our first "Speakers' Series Luncheon" at the Traditions at Hamilton Crossing Clubhouse on January 12. Traditions at Hamilton Crossing is a beautiful 55+ community/neighborhood that actually constitutes New Jersey's eighth largest municipality. Nora de Cárdenas, Director/Co-Owner of Visiting Angels of B&M and Elder/Homecare columnist, will initiate a discussion on "Aging in Place: Staying Independent, Staying in Your Home". Her partner, Rudy Tervooren, will also share from his considerable experience on this subject.
On behalf of all of us at Visiting Angels of B&M, we wish you and yours
an extra dose of
Health, Peace and Love in the New Year!!!
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Visiting Angels of Burlington & Mercer Counties:
About Our Care
Visiting Angels of Burlington
& Mercer Counties is a New Jersey-licensed, non-medical home care company
committed to going well beyond the "industry standard" to provide an
exceptional level of security, comfort and peace of mind to our clients and
their loved ones. Our "Angels", all certified home health professionals, are ready to
provide compassionate and dependable assistance with the activities of everyday
living to seniors, the disabled, those recovering from surgery and to those who
are simply frail. Our services include such simple tasks as light
housekeeping, meal preparation, errands and shopping to more personal tasks
such as hygiene assistance, bathing, dressing and grooming.
Visiting Angels' in-home
care helps make it possible for seniors and adults with special needs to
continue to live at home and maintain the independence of their daily routines
and familiar surroundings, for as long as they can do so safely. We truly
understand how challenging and alien the entire home care selection process can
be ... and we are experienced in working with families; with loved ones
"resistant" to receiving care; and with third-parties payors (such as insurance
companies and the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs) to help insure that the best
interests of the family and their loved ones are met. Visiting Angels' services
help families spend more mutually-rewarding and meaningful time with their
loved ones and also helps provide comfort and peace of mind to those who face
the challenge of long-distance caregiving.
For more information, please
visit our website, www.VisitingAngels.com/Burling-Mercer; call us at
609-883-8188; or contact us by email at
info.VisitingAngels@comcast.net.
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