Many older adults with arthritis do not exercise thinking that it will make their condition worse. However, it actually helps increase strength & flexibility, reduce joint pain, & combat fatigue. Of course, the thought of walking around the block or taking a dip into the swimming pool might seem a bit too overwhelming when your stiff joints are already bogging you down. But, you do not need to swim like an Olympic competitor or run a marathon to manage your joint pain. Just a few low-impact exercises everyday can help strengthen your joints & improve flexibility. On the other hand, not exercising can result in muscle loss & weight gain, aggravating the arthritis pain. 

Some of the exercises that are known to benefit seniors with arthritis are:

• Water Aerobics 

Water-based exercises are ideal for older adults with arthritis because of many reasons. For example, the resistance of the water helps in building muscles while the buoyancy reduces the impact on joints. Water aerobics give the most benefit when you exercise in a heated pool as the warmth helps in relieving pain. 

• Yoga 

Due to its relaxing nature & low-impact movements, Yoga is one of the most recommended forms of exercise for the elderly with arthritis. Besides managing arthritis symptoms, it also helps in reducing stress. 

• Light Weight Lifting 

Although lifting weights may seem intimidating to the elderly, it can actually help them strengthen their muscles & joints. However, it is important to choose the right dumbbells so you do not end up getting hurt. It is best to weight lift under the guidance of a trained fitness professional who can suggest you the right dumbbells according to your physical ability. 

• Stretches 

For an improved range of motion, stretches are one of the most effective forms of exercise. Besides helping you maintain normal joint function, stretches are highly relaxing and promote better sleep.

If you need someone who can be your ideal partner during your workout sessions and help you with daily chores at the same time, contact Always Best Care today! As one of the leading providers of senior home care services in East Bay, we have the best caregivers to meet your needs. Call @ (925) 210-0323 to book your free care consultation!

Useful Exercises for Older Adults with Arthritis

Many older adults with arthritis do not exercise thinking that it will make their condition worse. However, it actually helps increase strength & flexibility, reduce joint pain, & combat fatigue. Of course, the thought of walking around the block or taking a dip into the swimming pool might seem a bit too overwhelming when your stiff joints are already bogging you down. But, you do not need to swim like an Olympic competitor or run a marathon to manage your joint pain. Just a few low-impact exercises everyday can help strengthen your joints & improve flexibility. On the other hand, not exercising can result in muscle loss & weight gain, aggravating the arthritis pain.

Some of the exercises that are known to benefit seniors with arthritis are:

• Water Aerobics

Water-based exercises are ideal for older adults with arthritis because of many reasons. For example, the resistance of the water helps in building muscles while the buoyancy reduces the impact on joints. Water aerobics give the most benefit when you exercise in a heated pool as the warmth helps in relieving pain.

• Yoga

Due to its relaxing nature & low-impact movements, Yoga is one of the most recommended forms of exercise for the elderly with arthritis. Besides managing arthritis symptoms, it also helps in reducing stress.

• Light Weight Lifting

Although lifting weights may seem intimidating to the elderly, it can actually help them strengthen their muscles & joints. However, it is important to choose the right dumbbells so you do not end up getting hurt. It is best to weight lift under the guidance of a trained fitness professional who can suggest you the right dumbbells according to your physical ability.

• Stretches

For an improved range of motion, stretches are one of the most effective forms of exercise. Besides helping you maintain normal joint function, stretches are highly relaxing and promote better sleep.

If you need someone who can be your ideal partner during your workout sessions and help you with daily chores at the same time, contact Always Best Care today! As one of the leading providers of senior home care services in East Bay, we have the best caregivers to meet your needs. Call @ (925) 210-0323 to book your free care consultation!

Skincare Tips to Follow As You Age

As you age, many changes occur in your skin, making it less supple, dryer, and thinner. The aging skin also tends to get injured more easily and takes longer to heal than before. Besides that, older adults are prone to various skin problems ranging from scaling, mild dryness, and itching, to serious skin conditions, like infection & ulcerations. In order to keep your skin healthy while keeping skin-related problems at bay, here are some skincare tips to follow.

Be gentle while washing your face. Avoid harsh soaps with artificial ingredients or fragrances. Instead, for the milder ones that may have a soothing effect on your skin.

1. Do not use very hot or steamy water when taking a bath.  
2. Apply a good-quality moisturizer on your body after every bath to keep it hydrated.
3. Change your clothes and sheets regularly, especially if you are bedridden.
4. Always apply a sunscreen before you go out in the sun for longer periods of time.
5. To protect yourself from the harmful UV rays, cover yourself properly with the right clothing, hat, and sunglasses.
6. Hydration is very important to keep your skin youthful and flush out harmful toxins from your body. So, drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially during the hot weather. 
7. Eat foods with all the essential Vitamins & minerals that can help you skin look and feel fresh. Some of the foods that are good for the skin are green vegetables, avocados, walnuts, berries, and melons.
8. Avoid smoking as it can cause your skin to age prematurely, and contribute to health conditions like heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke.
9. Invest in a room humidifier during the winter season.
10. Regularly visit a dermatologist.

If you need elder care assistance in East Bay to help you maintain a healthier lifestyle, get in touch with Always Best Care today. Call @ (925) 210-0323!

Why Hiring A Geriatric Care Manager For Your Aging Parent Is Always A Good Idea?

Trying to wade through all the resources, options and information to find the answers you need to help your folks can be very frustrating if you are a working parent caring for an aging parent.

A reliable and trustworthy geriatric care manager can offer a refreshing outside perspective to help assess your folks' needs, identify options you may not have considered and start to create a plan of support. Extensive education and experience in elder care allows Geriatric Care Managers to assess the level of help needed, plan for changes that should be implemented right away or in the future and arrange for needed care services.

You can most likely find a Geriatric Care Manager near you who can open up a world of community resources and options you may be unaware of at a very reasonable fee. With their experience in elder care and vast knowledge about aging issues, geriatric care managers can zero in on your parents' needs and offer professional suggestions to best help you honor and care for your parents.

A Geriatric Care Manager is particularly helpful if your parents live in another state. They will not only know the local agencies and support systems available to help you provide the best care, they most likely know the local elder care attorneys.

So, whether you live near your parents and are currently their primary caregiver or you live far away and find yourself fretting over what is best for them, consider hiring a Geriatric Care Manager to help ease the stress and worry.  

Looking forward to hiring a geriatric care manager in East Bay, CA? Get in touch with the experts at Always Best Care. Dial (925) 210-0323.

The Many Benefits 0f Elder Care Assistance

Most of the older adults prefer staying with their family or in the familiar areas of their own house because of the comfort they feel there. The best thing is that with the advancement of technology and modernization, the elders are not required to shift to a nursing home or hospital. Elder care assistance allows them to remain in their own vicinity and take the benefits of the different services from basic assistance, nursing and medical management from day to day life.

Some of the most significant benefits of elder care assistance are:

·       Professional assistance

The care providers are trained to deal with routine and critical situations. They have the required experience for the field.

·       Social interaction

If a caregiver is someone from the family, there are certain limitations which restrict the communication and socialization of the person. In such situations, having someone from the outside can be beneficial. This will also help them in having a healthy emotional state.

·       A better lifestyle

The professional caregivers are trained in such a way that they can help an elderly citizen to live a lifestyle that they had lived formerly as they understand that seniors feel more comfortable in living and maintaining the lifestyle they were earlier accustomed to.

·       Save time

Taking care of an older adult becomes a bit difficult when you are a working professional yourself. Hiring someone who could offer elder care assistance can help save you a lot of time!

For the best eldercare assistance in Contra Costa County, get in touch with an expert from Always Best Care by dialing (925) 210-0323. Always Best Care combines national strength and standards with local accessibility and personal service. Caregivers at Always Best Care in the East Bay are thoroughly screened, bonded and trained to provide the safest and highest level of care.

10 Things to Keep In Check to Ensure That Your Beloved Elders Live A Healthy Life

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle might seem easy but it isn’t. Especially when you belong to the older age group, a healthy lifestyle is extremely important. Here are is a list of 10 things that should be kept in check to ensure the well being of your loved ones:

1. The diet

Make sure that they consume plenty of fruits and vegetables. They are easy to digest. Coarse grains are also good for their health. Reduce their consumption of red meat and keep a check on their calcium intake.

2. Supplement intake

You should select the food items that are rich in vitamins and minerals to avoid deficiency of these in their body.

3. Medical check-ups

Regular check-ups are very important because they help you identify ailments much before they start affecting their body severely.

4. Physical activity

Physical activities play a crucial role in maintaining the health of older adults. Exercises like walking, gardening are strongly recommended for them.

5. Alcohol consumption

Alcohol consumption should be minimized to avoid a number of risks.

6. Bone strength

Weak bones can land you in troublesome situations. The danger of falling over always hovers around. A sufficient amount of calcium and a little exercise can do wonders.

7. Brain exercises

Exercising your brain can keep you from diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

8. Smoking

Smoking has never done any good for anyone. The sooner you quit, the better it is.

9. Communication with people around them

Communication is the key to happiness. Make sure they interact and share their feelings with the individuals around them.

10. Sleep cycle

They should not compromise with their sleep.

If you think you need additional help with elder care assistance in Contra Costa County, call Always Best Care at (925) 210-0323.

7 Things to Do To Make Sure That Your Elders Get Adequate Sleep

For an adult to carry out his daily activities with ease, at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep are important. In the absence of an adequate amount of sleep, older adults are more likely to become irritable, feel exhausted and sick, and have memory lapses as well. The older adults have this tendency to wake up at the slightest of noise and this is responsible behind their sleep depravity most of the time. If you try to consult a doctor about this issue, they will probably prescribe you medicines that will stop working within a few weeks. Not to mention the harmful side effects they bring along.

Here are 7 things that can be done for improving the sleep cycle in older adults:

1. Make them feel safe

The adults need to know that they are not alone. Reassurance through devices like call bells, bedside lamps, bedside telephones, etc can be great.

2. Set the thermostat to comfortable room temperature

Keep the temperature on the cooler side rather than warmer. Experiment with settings to create a comfortable atmosphere.

3. Keep their room as dark as possible

A dark room helps them fall asleep easily.

4. Keep the house noise-free

Since they are extremely sensitive to sound, the house should be kept as quiet as possible.

5. Fix their bedtime

Fix an activity that can be repeated every night before they go to sleep. It helps in sending signals to the body.

6. Make them listen to soothing music

Music can be very helpful.

7. Get them sleep companions like stuffed animals or pets.

Sleep companions help the elderly feel safer and relaxed.

Always Best Care constantly works towards making home care in Contra Costa County accessible and affordable for all. You can know more about the services we offer by calling us on (925) 210-0323.