Assistalife Home Care

Macadamia Nut Crusted Coconut Shrimp with Orange Lime Sauce

assist — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:08:06 +0000

Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pound cleaned and de-veined shrimp
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup crushed macadamia nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a baking dish with olive oil. Place flour in a small bowl. Drench shrimp in flour, then dip into coconut milk and roll in crushed macadamia nuts. Place in baking dish and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through. Serve 3 shrimp on bed of rice topped with orange lime sauce. Makes 4 servings.
Orange Lime Sauce
Mix 10oz jar orange marmalade with 3 table spoons tangy mustard and 1 table spoon lime juice in a sauce pan and warm.

Enjoy!

Healthy Moves for Aging Well

assist — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:07:20 +0000

ARM CURLS – Sit in a comfortable position. Place a one pound weight (soup can, water bottle) in your right hand. Resting your elbow at your hip, bend at the elbow and touch the soup can to your shoulder. Slowly lower the weight, returning the hand to its starting position. Repeat with your left arm. Work up to 15 to 20 arm curls two times a day.

Falls in Seniors: What`s the Big Deal?

assist — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:06:03 +0000

Falls among the elderly are a very serious problem. The Center for Disease Control reports that more than one third of adults over 65 years of age fall each year. According to a 2004 study by the California Department of Public Health, there were 25,150 falls which resulted in hospitalizations in Los Angeles and Orange Counties alone. Each of these hospitalizations cost an average of $40,000 to $43,000. Falls can often lead to fractures, and are the leading cause of injury deaths. Surprisingly, more than half of all falls in older adults happen inside the home, with stairwells, living rooms and bedrooms being the most common locations. If you know a senior who has fallen, you probably know how long-lasting the pain, loss of mobility, and other side effects can be. Falls can lead to decreased mobility and independence, which can then lead to admission to a nursing home or long-term care facility. For those of us committed to Aging in Place, preventing falls is crucial. Fall prevention can’t be overdone.

Fall Prevention

So what can be done to prevent falls? According to the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence (www.stopfalls.org), successful fall prevention involves three areas: balance and strength, medical management, and environmental (home) modifications.

Balance, Strength and Physical Activity

Balance exercises can be adjusted according to an individual’s abilities. Ask your primary physician for exercise suggestions. One simple exercise you can do is a Single Leg Stance. It doesn’t require any special equipment. Start by standing behind a chair and holding on to it with your hands. Then slowly lift one leg up and hold in that position for 5 seconds. Bring your leg down, and switch sides. You can increase the difficulty of this exercise by holding the position for longer stretches, or by holding onto the chair with just one hand.

Medical Management

Taking multiple medications can put one at risk for falling. Especially if you are under the care of multiple physicians, be sure to keep a complete, up-to-date list of all the medications you are taking. Bring this list with you to your next doctor’s appointment and ask your doctor about how these medications might interact with one another. You should also mention any other therapeutic substances you are taking without a prescription. Also, tell your doctor about any medications that make you sleepy or dizzy. Just as important, have your vision checked yearly and get adequate glasses whenever your prescription changes.

Environmental (Home) Modifications

There are lots of common sense precautions one can take to make a home safer. For example, make sure all area rugs have a non-slip backing or are removed from any walking path within the home. Since many falls occur in the bedroom, install a nightlight to illuminate the floor at night. Some night lights activate themselves in the dark.
Stairs should be of special concern. Install handrails on both sides of every stairwell, and make sure the stairwell is well-lit. Also, fix any loose or uneven steps. Anyone can trip on uneven pavement, and the hard edges in steps can make a fall particularly painful.

Next Steps

If you would like more information about fall prevention and home safety, you can contact the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence. Our agency can also provide you with a thorough home safety checklist you can use. For assistance in obtaining home safety equipment, contact the Convalescent Aid Society (CAS), which provides free equipment on loan throughout the San Gabriel Valley. If you live outside that area, they can also suggest resources in your neighborhood.
Falls happen when least expected and the consequences are very serious. Take action today! A fall prevention program is one of the least expensive things you can do to protect yourself against injury.

Reduce your Risk: Make Brain-Healthy Life Choices

assist — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:05:39 +0000

With the rapid progress being made in understanding, diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s, it is time to understand that our future is only as healthy as our brains. The Alzheimer’s Association offers the following advice on ways to live a brain-healthy lifestyle and potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. There are a number of things you can do to help keep your brain healthier as you age, Debra Cherry, executive vice president of the Alzheimer’s Association, California Chapter observes that, “Increasing evidence shows that healthy lifestyle habits, such as being heart smart, eating a brain-healthy diet, staying physically and mentally active, and staying socially involved contribute to healthier aging and may also decrease your risk for Alzheimer’s”.

1. Stay Mentally Active – Mentally stimulating activities strengthen brain cells and the connections between them, and may even create new nerve cells.

2. Remain Socially Active – Social activity not only makes physical and mental activity more enjoyable, it can reduce stress levels, which helps maintain healthy connections among brain cells. A recent study reported that leisure activities that combine physical, mental and social activity are the most likely to prevent dementia. In the study of 800 men and women age 75 and older, those who were more physically active, more mentally active or more socially engaged had a lower risk for developing dementia.

3. Stay Physically Active – Physical exercise is essential to maintain good blood flow to the brain and encourage new brain cells. It also can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, which are risk factors for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

4. Adopt a brain-healthy diet - According to the most current research, a brain-healthy diet is one that reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes, encourages good blood flow to the brain, and is low in fat and cholesterol. And there is growing evidence that an antioxidant-rich diet of dark skinned vegetables and fruits helps protect brain cells.

5. Manage your body weight – A long-term study of 1,500 adults found that those who were obese in middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia in later life. Those who also had high cholesterol and high blood pressure had six times the risk of dementia. Studies also have shown that high intake of saturated fat and cholesterol clogs the arteries and is associated with higher risk for brain impairment.