Each and every day that goes by, you might feel like you just haven’t accomplished everything you wanted to and that’s because 24 hours in a day just isn’t always enough. While we can’t increase the number of hours in the day, we would like to help you make the most out of the hours that you do have in everyday so you can increase your productivity and accomplish your goals. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be discussing the below points and providing you strategies to make your 24 hour days seem longer:

1. Sleeping for productivity

2. Eating your way to a 36 hour day

3. Learning to multi-task effectively

4. Organizing your way to success

5. Learning how to get it done faster

6. Learning while multi-tasking in your free time

7. Using technology to increase productivity

8. Turning off

9. Asking for help

Via: Gaia.com

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

Q – My mom was just diagnosed with breast cancer. I feel I need to grieve but know it’s more important to give her my support. What can I do?

A – As hard as it is, you need to put your mom’s needs and feelings first, and you can lend your support in the following ways:

1. Just listen – you don’t need to try and provide advice, especially if you haven’t lived a similar experience.  Just listen, lend them your presence and your ear so they feel they have the support of someone

2. Support with facts – instead of giving advice, do some research about the disease and provide the facts about treatment options, support groups that are available and other resources that could help

3. Support their decisions – no matter what your loved one decides through the treatment and coping process with breast cancer, support it

4. Don’t play a role – not knowing how to deal with someone with breast cancer sometimes causes people to act unusually. Simply be yourself, you’ll appear more genuine than if you try to play a role

5. Make a support network – have other friends and family members come together to extend their support so your loved one with breast cancer knows there are others there for her

6. Laugh and have fun – there might be a grieving process after a breast cancer diagnosis, but keep up the fun activities. Laughter really is the best medicine, so create enjoyable and memorable situations

Sources:

1. SheKnows.com

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

Despite the fact that boomer women are often known as a strong and independent demographic, some women find themselves uncertain of how to manage their money when they’re left in a position where they need to do it on their own. Here are some tips for money management that can help boomer women establish financial stability for themselves:

1. Let go of the idea that it’s too late – you might feel that as you approach your senior years, it’s too late to get yourself out of any financial mess you’ve made or learn new methods when it comes to managing your finances. When it comes to financial planning, it’s never too late to start!

2. Learn about money – this may sound obvious, but start doing your homework and research about all things finance. Learn about investment options, about financing available, about interest rates, and about anything that’s likely to apply to your situation before you even make your next move. Books and the internet are both great resources

3. Talk to a financial planner – you can hire a personal money adviser or speak to one that’s already available to you at your San Jose bank (although someone independent might be more impartial) in order to keep you informed and help you make financial decisions

4. Support yourself – if you don’t have the means to save, invest or pay off debts, you might need to get a job. Find something you love, but ensure you have a set goal for earnings that will help you reach your financial goals

5. Pay off debts – don’t put it off, find a way to start paying off credit cards and loans right away

6. Save and invest – put money away every month without fail, every little bit will help you reach your financial goals and bring financial security

Via: Let Life In

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

You want to enjoy your retirement, and it comes with enough stress without that added by vacation planning. To make vacation planning something to look forward to, and not to dread, there are sites that help seniors plan. Eliminate a lot of the busywork by visiting the following travel sites:

1. Kayak – in order to find the lowest price fare available for their destination of choice, seniors can browse flights at this website. This is also a way for seniors to read about the various destinations and traveller reviews to make a decision about their trip. This saves the hassle of having to check fares and flight times at multiple airlines, and seniors can book directly with this travel site or use it simply as a resource

2. Away –if you’re travelling at a destination you’ve never been to, it’s hard to know what there is to do there, and leaving it until your arrival can require you to be perhaps more impulsive than you’d like. Seniors can login to Away and browse the destination they’re travelling to in order to find activities. This resource can also be used before a destination is settled on to help determine where to go!

3. Hotwire – when seniors are planning a trip ahead of time, they can setup to receive email alerts when there are sales on trips to a destination they’re considering, and prices are available for flights, accommodations and all aspects of travel

4. Orbitz – seniors who are thinking about taking a cruise or a different kid of trip, can look at Orbitz before booking to compare prices and also receive travel insurance

Via: Associated Content

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

Seniors are often under the influence of multiple medications to control their various health issues, but there’s a much more natural way to improve health in older adulthood and that’s through the power of touch and massage. Although it is recommended that a professional administer the treatment if it’s for a specific health issues, caregivers and family members can learn a few techniques that will also incorporate the following benefits:

1. It can improve the mobility of seniors who otherwise find it too challenging or painful

2. Can help seniors to relax, addressing stress and sleep issues like insomnia that are also prevalent in seniors, effecting their overall health and well-being

3. Increases circulation in the limbs and joints, improving lubrication which can help to prevent the progression of diseases like arthritis

4. Flexibility, coordination, strength and posture are all improved when massage is applied to seniors

5. Wounds heal faster with the power of touch

6. Respiration and digestion are both stimulated with overall helps to improve the health of seniors

7. Respiration can be improved with touch and massage, and energy levels are boosted

Sources:

1. EZine Articles 

2. Associated Content 

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

Breast cancer awareness month is not just about helping seniors and people of all ages better understand the disease and ensure that they receive the appropriate screening, it’s also about helping those who have already received a diagnosis. A breast cancer diagnosis can turn your world upside down, but as you fight the disease itself, you can successfully fight the emotional issues that go along with it:

1. Communicate with loved ones – while you might not want to worry the important people in your life, talk about what you’re facing, and let them lend you their support

2. Maintain an intimate relationship – if you have a spouse or partner, maintaining physical intimacy can be beneficial to your emotional well-being and ensure your spouse doesn’t begin to treat you differently

3. Keep track of your disease – by tracking your symptoms and presenting them to your medical doctor, you can feel like you’re taking control over the disease, which gives you a sense of power. Also keep track of visits in a log, save results of tests and receipts

4. Seek professional support – having the support of friends and family isn’t enough, find a support group of people who are dealing with similar struggles and talk to a counsellor, spiritual advisor or other professional

5. Educate yourself – keep yourself informed every step of the way. Do your own research and empower yourself

6. Have a backup plan – with an unpredictable disease, you need to be prepared for anything.  Don’t dwell on the worst case scenario, but plan for it

Via: About.com

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

Pumpkins are in season in the fall and they are popping up in San Jose grocery stores, garden centers and other outlets. While you’re shopping for a pumpkin to enhance your Halloween decor that you plan to carve with your grandchildren, do your kidneys a favour and save the seeds for a snack. You’ll prevent kidney stones and improve your overall health if you follow these tips:

1. Try them raw – the greatest benefit comes from raw pumpkin seeds when they are ripe in the fall, so take advantage of this season and grab a snack!

2. Avoid the salt – the added sodium won’t do you any favors so avoid the salt when preparing your pumpkin seeds

3. Save the seeds from Halloween art – when carving your pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, save the seeds and rinse them thoroughly in cold water and then dry them out in the oven

4. Turn pumpkin seeds into a powder – if you don’t enjoy the taste of the pumpkin seeds, grind them in a blender or coffee grinder until they turn to a powder and mix them into water, juice or other drinks

5. Make sure you get the recommended dosage – 5 to 10 grams of pumpkin seeds will improve kidney function, so take a hand full for your mid-morning or afternoon snack as a way to benefit your health and curb your appetite!

Via:  Associated Content 

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

If you were asked to take in one of your grandchildren today would you do it? It can be a challenge, but for 6 million Americans, the answer is “yes”. Many grandparents are responsible for the primary care of their grandchildren from a wide variety of reasons, and need to overcome the following difficulties that younger parents are less likely to experience:

1. Seniors who are retired often have limited finances available, and adding another member to the household can come at an increased expense

2. Seniors may not have the same physical capabilities that younger parents would when responsible for the physical care of children when carrying them around, bathing, and physical chasing after children

3. Seniors may neglect their own health needs when worrying about others

4. Seniors may be under the stress of legal issues when trying to adopt a child or ensure that they legally remain the child’s guardian

In order to overcome these challenges, there are a number things that these older adults need to do in order to make the best life for themselves and for their grandchildren.

1. Find out if there are assistance programs available in their area to help grandparents raising grandchildren financially

2. Remember to simply do the best that they can, and remember, that loving the children and ensuring their safety, health and happiness is all that’s really important

3. Of course, the health of their grandchildren is important, but grandparents need to remember if they don’t take care of themselves, they’ll be unable to care for anyone else

4. Seniors can try to minimize the stress of the process by seeking support from those who have been in similar situations

5. Respite help is necessary to give seniors a break. If children are too young to be in school seniors can find a daycare or ask for help

Sources:

1. Care-givers 

2. AARP 

3. Answers for Families 

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

Q – In my family, my dad has always taken control over the finances, and I feel like my mom remains out of the loop. If she had to step in and manage the finances, I don’t know if she’d be able.  Is this a common thing amongst the boomer generation, and are there any specific mistakes she could avoid?

A – Unfortunately many boomer women do end up taking a backseat to the finances, and that can lead to mistakes that can compromise their financial future. Here are some common mistakes your mom should avoid:

1. Some boomer women expect they’ll receive an inheritance – women who are fortunate enough to still have parents alive, might expect that at the time of their passing, they will receive a large enough inheritance to carry them through retirement. There are no guarantees if boomers will receive an inheritance at all, and if they do, they may not know if it will be enough to finance their senior years

2. Reliance on a spouse – many women allow their spouse to control all aspects of finances and also assume that their loved one is effectively planning for their retirement. Both partners should be involved in financial management, or at least have an awareness

3. No planning for women on their own – boomer women might assume that their spouse will be with them forever. But death or divorce can change this, and women need to make sure they have their financial ducks in a row so they can survive on their own

4. Expecting a man to save the day – some women on their own have the “prince charming” attitude and are waiting for a man to sweep them off their feet and fill up their bank account

Via: Let Life In

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

Breast cancer awareness month is here, and take the chance to show your support to someone who has suffered with breast cancer with a unique product that represents the fight against the disease while making a contribution towards finding a cure. Here are some fun products To choose from, that seniors and breast cancer survivors of all ages will appreciate.

1. Breast cancer awareness t-shirts: you don’t need to participate in an event with giveaways to receive a breast cancer awareness t-shirt. Buy one for a friend or loved one to honor their fight against breast cancer. T-shirts are available that take a light-hearted perspective to the disease and others are sentimental. Choose something that you know will mean the most to the recipient, although the gesture in itself will have the greatest meaning

2. Ribbon magnets – buying a magnet for someone who has survived breast cancer can allow them to put it on their fridge and be reminded everyday that their fight against the disease is appreciated by the people who love them. Even those who are still going through the fight will fight harder to survive if they know they are supported

3. Coffee Cups for breast cancer awareness – coffee cups can be used year-round, and like magnets, can remind recipients about the fight they’ve undergone and let them know that there’s someone to help them contribute to awareness and support towards a cure

4. Lapel pin – unlike other clothing items for breast cancer awareness, a lapel pin can be worn with any dress code, including office wear. If you purchase a lapel pin for someone who has gone through the fight against breast cancer, they can wear the accessory to show their support everywhere they go

Via: Associated Content

Image: giftsforyounow.com

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.