Did you know that stroke accounts for almost 10% of the 50 million deaths worldwide every year? Despite being a leading cause of death and adult disability, fewer than one in five people across North America can recognize a symptom of stroke.  In observance of Stroke Month, we want to share key warning signs and risk factors of stroke so you can be better prepared in an emergency.

Click here to download the FAST Wallet Card to keep a reminder of stroke warning signs with you wherever you go.

Be knowledgeable about the risk factors of stroke and have an active dialogue with your physician to discuss lifestyle modifications to reduce your risk. Home Care Assistance is one of North America’s leading providers of post-stroke assistance in the home. Our unique Balanced Care approach emphasizes physical and mental exercise and activity helps stroke victims recover as effectively as possible.

Join us in raising awareness around stroke and share these warning signs and risk factors with someone you love. Together, we can make a difference in the fight against stroke.

When your aging parent or loved one needs home care in San Mateo, call Home Care Assistance, we can be reached at (650) 462-6900.

How well we age is in part predetermined by our genes. Recent research suggests that those with family members who are centenarians are 20 times more likely to live past 100 as well. However, longevity does not completely boil down to just nature, but nurture as well.

Healthy eating habits and exercise can be the beginning steps to keeping you living happy and healthy into the triple digits.

1. Don’t retire: Evidence shows that in societies where people stop working abruptly, the incidence of obesity and chronic disease skyrockets after retirement.

2. Floss: Flossing everyday might keep your heart healthy.

3. Move: Your body is a well-oiled machine and needs to keep moving to stay strong, even if its only 30 minutes a day.

4. Eat fiber: Maintaining stable blood sugar levels throughout the day with fiber and whole grains can keep diabetes at bay.

5. Sleep: Getting at least six hours of sleep a night can add years to your life.

6. Eat food, not vitamins: People who have high levels of certain nutrients like selenium, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, age much better and have a slower rate of cognitive decline than those who do not.

7. Don’t stress: Find a good way to deal with stress, like yoga, meditation, or exercising.

8. Be an Adventist: Being a seven day Adventist means cherishing your body; no smoking, alcohol abuse or abuse of sweets.

9. Keep a routine: Consuming the same diet and participating in the same activities for the majority on one’s life keeps the immune system healthy and strong.

10. Connect: Regular social contact can be helpful for avoiding depression.

11. Be conscientious: The book The Longevity Project, by Howard Friedman, describes a study that followed 1,500 children for eight decades, collecting exhaustive details about their personal histories, health, activities, beliefs, attitudes and families.

Read the full article 11 Habits – Live Happy to 102!

When your aging parent or loved one needs home care in San Mateo, call Home Care Assistance, we can be reached at (650) 462-6900.

You may be like many people who weren’t active enough even before they started caregiving. Now, as a caregiver, you need more than ever to fit physical activity into your life. It will go far toward keeping you fit for a job that can be physically and mentally draining. The American Heart Association recommends that all healthy adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most – preferably all – days. Here are some tips to help you get moving by the American Heart Association:

Start with a one-month goal you know you can reach. Make it easy to succeed. Example: “I’ll walk five minutes twice a day at least five days a week for one month.”

Stretch. When done properly, stretching activities increase flexibility. Ease yourself into a stretch, relax, and don’t push or bounce. Exhale as you stretch. Inhale while holding the stretch. Close your eyes for deeper relaxation.

Get an exercise mat. It will encourage you to do simple exercises. Taking a full body stretch on the mat is a great way to relieve tension. Force your body to stay still and concentrate on lengthening and stretching your muscles.

Move during commercials. Every time one comes on TV, get up and move. Lift your legs,walk in place or do a mat exercise. Those commercials really add up!

Purchase or borrow exercise and relaxation videos. You may even find your loved one trying to make a few moves if you work out while they’re in the room.

Read all 12 Get Moving Tips at Heart.org

Listen to our Heart Health 101 webinar – http://homecareassistance.com/webinar-series/ – featuring Cleveland Clinic heart experts and authors, Drs. Marc Gillinov and Steven Nissen.

When your aging parent or loved one needs home care in San Mateo, call Home Care Assistance, we can be reached at (650) 462-6900.

Lily Sarafan is the co-author of three books on aging and healthy longevity and President of Home Care Assistance joins the show.

Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels & guest Lily Sarafan discuss the following:

• What is one of the leading causes of hospital readmissions or slow post-hospitalization recovery?
• How does in-home care help reduce avoidable hospital readmissions?
• What are a few helpful tips for families planning for a hospital discharge?
• What is the difference between a skilled nursing facility and in-home care? Which is the more effective option for post-hospitalization care and recovery?
• I noticed that Home Care Assistance has an exclusive Balanced Care Method training program for caregivers. What is the Balanced Care Method and how does it help improve a patient’s recovery?

Lily Sarafan is a leading advocate on senior care, healthy longevity and aging in place. She passionately drives and advances the mission of changing the way the world ages. As President of Home Care Assistance, Lily has led the Company’s expansion across North America and oversees day-to-day operations including identity and strategy, special initiatives, expansion and business development. Lily has been featured by over 100 media outlets ranging from ABC to Smart Money to Forbes. She is also co-author of Happy to 102: The Best Kept Secrets to a Long and Happy Life (June 2009), The Handbook on Live-in Care: A Guide for Caregivers (August 2011), From Hospital to Home Care: A Step-by-Step Guide to Providing Care for Patients Post-Hospitalization (January 2012). Lily received Masters (Management Science and Engineering) and Bachelors degrees from Stanford University.

Source: ehealthradionetwork

When your aging parent or loved one needs home care in San Mateo, call Home Care Assistance, we can be reached at (650) 462-6900.

Without a restful night of sleep, you will be both physically and mentally drained the next day. Sleep deprivation can actually also put you at risk for a heart attack. According to a recent study published in Circulation, a journal published by the American Heart Association, individuals with insomnia increase their risk of a having a heart attack by 27 to 45 percent! And simply falling asleep is not sufficient; falling asleep but not staying asleep can increase your risk of a heart attack by nearly 30 percent. Poor sleep has also been linked to heart disease, an increased risk of developing diabetes and obesity.

Simply making adjustments to your nightly routine can help you minimize these risk factors and enjoy a restful night of sleep and a healthy heart. The first step is to create a routine. Try to set your schedule so that you are waking up and going to bed at the same time each day, even on the weekends. This will help train your body to be more prepared for rest and more likely to stay asleep throughout the night.

Another quick and easy way to prepare yourself for a good night sleep is to turn down the lights about two hours before bed. Our bodies are very receptive to light and associate it with daytime. It fact, studies have shown that light, artificial or natural, will keep you awake. Turning down the lights signals to your brain that it is time to go to bed.

Going to bed hungry or too full will also prevent you from having a peaceful slumber. Being mindful of what we put into our bodies at the end of the night is a good way to promote a restful night. Stay away from stimulates like coffee and energy drinks, especially later in the day, as these can keep you tossing and turning at night and switch to a non-caffeinated herbal tea as a way to break your caffeine habit.

Webinar Spotlight Feature: Caregiver Burnout and How to Protect Your Health – Join us on this free webinar series addressing Caregivers and Their Health.

When your aging parent or loved one needs home care in San Mateo, call Home Care Assistance, we can be reached at (650) 462-6900.