Florida - Southwest

The Importance of Regular ScreeningsColon cancer screenings are crucial for detecting the disease in its early stages when it's most treatable. For adults over the age of 50, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a colonoscopy every 10 years. However, individuals with certain risk factors may need more frequent screenings.Signs of Colon CancerIt's important to be aware of the following symptoms, which may indicate colon cancer:Changes in bowel habits: Persistent diarrhea, constipation, or a change in stool consistency.Rectal bleeding: Blood in your stool, even in small amounts.Abdominal pain or discomfort: Persistent abdominal pain or cramping.Fatigue: Unexplained fatigue or weakness.Unintended weight loss: Losing weight without trying.Nausea or vomiting: Persistent nausea or vomiting.Bloating or fullness: Feeling full or bloated even after eating a small meal.Rectal bleeding: Blood in your stool, even in small amounts.If you experience any of these symptoms, it's essential to consult with your healthcare provider for further evaluation.The Power of Lifestyle ChoicesCertain lifestyle factors can significantly impact your risk of colon cancer. Here are some healthy habits to adopt:Maintain a Healthy Diet: Consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Limit your intake of red and processed meats.Stay Active: Regular physical activity can help reduce your risk of colon cancer. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.Maintain a Healthy Weight: Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of colon cancer. Strive to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.   Quit Smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for colon cancer. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce your risk.Limit Alcohol Consumption: Excessive alcohol consumption can increase your risk of colon cancer. Limit your alcohol intake or avoid it altogether.Understanding the Role of GeneticsFamily history can also play a role in your risk of colon cancer. If you have a family history of the disease, talk to your doctor about genetic testing and personalized screening recommendations.ConclusionBy prioritizing regular screenings, adopting healthy lifestyle choices, and being aware of the signs of colon cancer, older adults can take proactive steps to reduce their risk of this serious disease. Early detection and treatment are key to improving outcomes. If you have concerns about your risk of colon cancer, consult with your healthcare provider to discuss appropriate screening and prevention strategies.

A stroke can be a life-changing experience for the survivor and their family. Strokes vary in type and severity, but many people have been where you are nowfacing difficulties with mobility, vision, speech, swallowing, cognition, and daily functioning. Making progress after a stroke can feel overwhelming, but with the proper rehabilitation, seniors can regain their strength, courage, and independence over the coming months and years. Learn more about stroke in seniors and how to stay safe at home during stroke recovery with tips from BrightStar Care. Recovering from a Stroke at Home Determining the appropriate level of aftercare is vitally important. Some people benefit the most from in-patient rehab. Others are allowed to return home immediately following discharge from the hospital. Either way, any long-term recovery plan eventually includes at-home rehabilitation. It may be comforting at first to return home to a familiar environment, but life may not return to normal. Things that used to be easylike getting dressed, using the bathroom, cooking, and cleaningmay be more difficult now. Rehabilitation may include visits to an out-patient medical facility, but much of the recovery can take place right in the living room. Follow these tips to safely recover from a stroke at home. Preparing your environment is a simple way to prevent falls after a stroke. Clear a path to the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen and avoid slick surfaces. Remove loose carpets or runners or secure them to the ground to improve traction. If you have stairs in the home, use the handrails at all times.Make Changes to the Living Environment Little changes can make a big difference. Heres what to try: Remedy critical dangers like making sure the water temperature isnt too hot Remove slipping, tripping, and balance hazards.(Opens in a new window)Keep everyday items on the kitchen counter for easy access. Simplify bedding in the sleeping area. Increase bathroom accessibility with grab bars, a walk-in tub or shower, and a comfort-height toilet seat. Post a list of emergency contacts in a prominent location. Take Steps to Prevent Another Stroke Having a stroke increases your risk for another. Some causes of stroke in seniors are beyond your control. For instance, once you turn 55, the odds double every decade. Women also have a higher risk than men, and African-Americans have more strokes than Caucasians. Even so, lifestyle changes can make a big impact on the long-term health of a stroke survivor. Heres how to minimize the risk of having another stroke:(Opens in a new window) Quit smoking, vaping, and using tobacco. Manage high blood pressure. Increase daily physical activity to prevent weight gain. Manage existing diabetes. Avoid food high in trans fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol. Do Post-Stroke Exercises For recovering stroke survivors, physical activity can make the difference between remaining dependent and gradually gaining independence. Please talk to your doctor before doing these post-stroke exercises recommended by the American Stroke Association (Opens in a new window).  Bridge weight shifts: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip distance apart. Lift your hips toward the ceiling so your shoulders, hips, and knees are in a straight line. Holding your arms out for support and keeping your hips level with the floor, shift your weight slowly from the left leg to the right leg. Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise until your legs become tired. Mini lunges: Start in a standing position with your hands on the hips. Step forward with one foot and bend your knee slightly, keeping your hip, pelvis, knee, and ankle in a straight line. Return to the standing position and repeat eight to 10 times on each side. Swiss ball weight shifts: Sit in a chair with an exercise ball between your knees. Scoot to the front of your seat and put your hands on the ball. Roll the ball away and bend forward until your elbows touch the ball. Return to the starting position and repeat eight to 10 times. Then, roll the ball out at an angle on the right side eight to 10 times, followed by eight to 10 times on the left side. Crumpling a piece of paper: Sit at a table with a piece of printer paper in front of you. Pick up the paper and crumple it with both hands, keeping your shoulders down and back. Then, uncrumple the paper using the same two-handed technique. Consider Arranging In-Home Stroke Care for Seniors Some stroke survivors feel comfortable handling daily tasks independently. For others, hiring a non-medical in-home care provider (Opens in a new window) may be necessary. This ensures your loved one has long-term, comfort-focused assistance with dressing, personal hygiene, light housekeeping, and meal preparation. Arranging in-home personal care services can improve senior health and safety after a stroke. Heres how: Reduce the risk of slips and falls: Mobility limitations and increased fatigue raise the risk of an accident. A care professional can help seniors safely navigate the stairs, use the bathroom, and get in and out of bed. Assist with household tasks: Physical and cognitive limitations can make shopping, cooking, driving, and housekeeping more difficult. A caregiver can take over these tasks or arrange services like grocery delivery and transportation to appointments. Offer reminders: A stroke survivors rehabilitation may involve taking medication, performing at-home exercises, or attending medical appointments. An in-home care provider can remind seniors to do these things at the allotted times. Stick to dietary recommendations: Difficulty eating and swallowing are common concerns after a stroke. Having a caregiver there to prepare prescribed foods and monitor your loved one at mealtimes ensures proper nutrition and food safety. Watch for signs of another stroke: One in four stroke survivors (Opens in a new window) have had a previous stroke. Care professionals know to watch for signs of stroke in seniors (Opens in a new window) and call 911 for help if necessary. Choose BrightStar Care If youre looking for in-home care for seniors previously suffering from a stroke, turn to BrightStar Care. We are committed to providing A Higher Standard of Care by only hiring caregivers who exemplify compassion and empathy. Then, we match them to you based on your personality and lifestyle. For added peace of mind, we also have skilled nursing care (Opens in a new window) available if you need assistance with medical machinery, medication management, wound care, and other nursing services. To learn more about our offerings, please contact us (Opens in a new window) at 866-618-7827. 

Downsizing Tips for SeniorsAlthough downsizing is a necessary process for everyone, it can be particularly difficult for seniors because they may be less mobile and find it more difficult to sort through their belongings. If you're a senior (or know someone who is), here are five tips to help get started with downsizing:Start early and smallThe best time to get started on downsizing is now. Start by focusing on a single room or area that is under-utilized or cluttered, such as the basement or attic. This will help you get a feel for what to expect and give you something to look forward to as you go through the process. Begin with small areas, like your closet or garage, and work your way up from there. Then, gradually build up to larger items like furniture and appliances. If you have a large home, you may want to consider hiring a professional organizer who can help you tackle all of the big-picture decisions of downsizing.Get rid of duplicates Duplicates are another thing that can take up space in your home. You might have four pairs of black pants when one pair would suffice or ten different types of cereal that all taste the same but take up valuable space in your pantry. Try to get rid of any duplicates that you don't need as soon as possible so they do not clog up your storage space or become too heavy for their container (which could cause them to spill out). Cut down on your collectionsIf you have collections such as paperweights or dollhouses, consider cutting them down so that only the most valuable pieces remain in your collectionthis will help reduce clutter around those items and make them more accessible when you want to use them!Make keep, donate and get rid of piles Whether they're stamp albums, seashells or model ships, collections can take up a lot of space in your homeand often don't get enough use in their original form to justify keeping them around. Consider downsizing by selling some items and donating others so that only the most valuable pieces stay behind where they'll be put to good use every day! Donate items that are no longer needed, sell them online at sites like eBay or Craigslist, or pass them along to friends and family who may want them. And, finally, throw away the articles that are taking up space without any need.Ask for helpAsk your kids or grandchildren to help, or hire some experts. Many organizing, moving and other pros can be extremely helpful while youre decluttering and downsizing. Having an estate sale run on your behalf can be time-consuming, but if your items are valuable, it might be worth hiring a service.  Downsizing is an important part of the process of moving into a senior living community. But, it can be overwhelming if you don't know where to start. With WeCare Senior Relocation Services, LLC you need not worry about your moves. Contact us now! 

If youve woken up in the middle of the night to a money-related panic attack, youre not alone. Our financial situation dictates so many parts of our everyday life. That said, excessive stress is a concern that should be addressed.Money-driven anxiety is a growing concern in this uncertain economy. Ignoring your finances entirely isnt the solution, nor is excessively fretting over every aspect of your finances. So what can you do to ease the burden of financial anxiety?AVOID THE COMPARISON TRAPPeople tend to post the best version of themselves on social media. Try not to let this facade of vacations, dining out, and luxury items fool you into thinking thats how everyone lives. Trying to keep up will likely only get you so far. Avoid stretching yourself to present a skewed image of your lifestyle to others.Theres also a private element beyond these posts that goes unmentioned. We dont see the time or commitment some people put into their careers. Some people, like influencers, may receive gifts from companies and may not be spending their own money on the trips/clothes/etc. theyre posting. There could also be plenty of debt as a result of maintaining this supposedly ideal lifestyle. Instead of getting caught in comparison, try to focus on what you need to be happy. Understand what you need, create your own goals, and measure your progress against your past self.START AN EMERGENCY FUNDIts common for financial stress to stem from picturing the worst-case scenario.If I lose my job, how will I pay my bills?What if a family member gets sick or injured?Can I afford to fix my car if I get in an accident?While being aware of the worst possible situation can be constructive, fixating on it can be unhealthy. By preparing an emergency fund, you may reduce stress during unforeseen circumstances. Try tying this fund to your monthly budget to start building on something to lean on when something pops up.TRY SPENDING SOCIALLY, NOT MATERIALISTICALLYWe accumulate possessions, they become old, we want something new, and the cycle continues.According to research from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, participants were happier when they spent money on experiences versus material possessions in every category, regardless of how much the item cost.1Try spending money on an experience with the people you love. Our closest relationships are often what ultimately make us happy.CONTINUE TO EDUCATE YOURSELFFinancial professionals can review your entire financial picture or provide guidance in a specific area of concern. They can be great resources, and some even offer no-obligation initial meetings to discuss the basics of your financial plan, a good first step towards lessening the load of anxiety.You can also do your own research, but be mindful of biases, conflicts of interest, and the sources that resources use. Ultimately, its your money, and you may feel more comfortable when you understand where you are financially, and what you can do to pursue your goals.