Taking Care of Someone With Alzheimer’s Disease
November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, and we know that in addition to many of the demands of daily life—working, taking care of the home, and raising children—many women are also taking care of their aging parents. In honor of both Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month, we wanted to talk about some tips to help those of you who are trying to keep all the other plates spinning while caring for someone you love with dementia.
Ask for help. We know it can be hard to ask for help, and that it can feel like sometimes it would just be easier to do things yourself. When you’re trying to balance so many things though, asking for help is key. Whether it’s help around the house, at work, in caregiving, or with all three, it’s important to realize that this season of your life is extremely busy, and it’s just not possible to do everything. Trying to do it all will just leave you exhausted and overwhelmed.
Keep yourself healthy. When you’re trying to do so many things at once, the idea of exercising, eating healthy, and/or getting enough sleep can seem laughable. Even in this busy season though, remember that your own health is important. Especially when you are getting help from other people with the many other tasks that are calling your name, it’s so important to find time to do the things that keep you healthy.
Find support. Caretaking can often be a thankless job that not everyone understands, but finding support from other caretakers in a similar situation to you can be extremely helpful. They can often relate to many of the struggles you are dealing with on a daily basis and may even be able to offer some solutions that have worked from them. Seeking out help from mental health professionals can also be very helpful with all the stress you can be under as a caretaker.
Take breaks. When you are dealing with so much, taking breaks is important (and if you’re asking and getting help, you hopefully can find even little pockets of time to take them). Whether it’s a 5-10 minute break during the day just for something you want to do, or a longer break for more involved hobbies or interests, time away can help you recharge, both for your own mental health and to be a better caregiver to your loved one.
https://www.alzheimers.gov/life-with-dementia/tips-caregivers
Keeping Your Skin Healthy as You Age
One of the first signs of aging many of us start to notice is how our skin is changing. It can dry out, start to thin, and otherwise lose some of its suppleness and resilience. There are several things you can do to slow down and minimize this process as much as possible, including:
Shield skin from the sun. This should be a no-brainer, but the sun ages you and contributes to fine lines and wrinkles on your face and other areas of your body. In fact, it’s estimated by the EPA that as much as 90 percent of the visible skin changes we often blame on aging are actually a result of the sun. You can combat this by choosing a broad spectrum, UVA/UVB protection sunscreen with SPF 30+ and applying it before spending time outside. A hat and sunglasses also add another layer of protection.
Moisturize. Moisturizing as soon as you get out of the bath or shower helps lock moisture in. Use a good quality moisturizing for your body and a facial moisturizer for your skin type.
Don’t smoke. Smoking is bad on so many levels—for your inside and outside. Smoking can lead to premature wrinkling and aging, and the more someone smokes, the greater the risk of this.
Eat a healthy diet. Just as smoking as bad for just about every part of your body, eating a healthy diet is good for just about every part of your body, including your skin. Research suggests specifically that a diet with lots of fish oil and omega-3s as well as antioxidants and limiting unhealthy fats and processed carbs can help keep your skin looking younger.
Keep baths and showers shorter and a little cooler. Keeping showers or baths to about five minutes helps hydrate your skin, but staying in there for 10 minutes or more starts to dry it out. Keeping the water temperature a little bit cooler can also help as hot water starts to strip your skin of its natural oils.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/8-tips-to-protect-and-preserve-aging-skin
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 ⅓ cups chopped yellow onion
- ⅔ cup chopped carrot
- ⅔ cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 6 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 6 ounces orzo, preferably whole-wheat
- 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 24 cooked chicken meatballs (12 ounces), such as Easy Chicken Meatballs
- 4 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add broth, cover and bring to a boil. Add orzo, oregano and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is just tender, about 9 minutes.
- Stir in meatballs and spinach; cook until the meatballs are heated through and the spinach is wilted, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Serve sprinkled with cheese and drizzled with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil.
https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/269824/minestra-maritata-italian-wedding-soup/
