National Stroke Awareness Month - Thinks you should know...

Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States. Over 800,000 people die in the U.S. each year from cardiovascular disease and strokes. A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when a

clot blocks the blood supply to the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. You can greatly reduce your risk for stroke through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication. When a stroke happens, it is important to recognize the symptoms, call 911 right away, and get to a hospital quickly.  Use the word "FAST" to remember what to look for:

F - Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A - Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S - Speech: Is the speech slurred or strained?
T - Time: If you observe any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately!

When a stroke occurs, time is critical! The quicker you react, the better the snuffer's chances of recovering.

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

Heart Attack - Recognize the symptoms and take action

A heart attack is the sudden loss of blood flow to the heart muscle due to the blockage of a hear artery. 

 Recognizing the symptoms and knowing what to do are key to minimizing the affects of an attack.  

The most common and easily recognized symptoms are…

   Chest discomfort (pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain)
   Discomfort in other areas of the upper body (neck, arm, jaw)
   Shortness of breath
   Sweating
   Nausea
   Lightheadedness

When a heart attach happens, the blocked artery needs to be opened as quickly as possible to allow blood to flow again.  Recognizing the symptoms and acting quickly are vital!  If you’re unsure of whether it’s a heart attack or not, take action anyway.  It’s best to err on the side of safety!

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

Spring, flowers, pollen, ACHOO!

  Spring brings budding trees, blooming flowers, and fresh cut grass.  It also brings on the dreaded onslaught of outdoor allergies.  If you’re one that regularly feels the affects of allergies, there are steps you can take to help minimize the effects of the explosion of pollens:

1. Keep doors & windows closed during peak pollen months.
2. Use your air conditioner and replace the air filters.
3. If you want to spend time outdoors, do it when the pollen counts are lower.  Midday and afternoon tend to be the highest.
4. Take an antihistamine before spending time outdoors.
5. Avoid open or freshly mowed fields.
6. Postpone yard work, or have someone else do it.
7. Don’t dry laundry outdoors during periods of high pollen.
8. If you exercise outdoors, do you warm-ups, stretching, and cool-down indoors.  This minimized the time you spend outside.
9. Wear sunglasses when outside, and don’t touch or rub your eyes.

As always, consult with your doctor with all health issues.
Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

National Parkinson's Awareness Month

While celebrities such as Michael J. Fox have helped increase recognitions of Parkinson’s Disease, there remains a general lack of understanding about this disorder.  With an increase in the percent of the population having Parkinson’s, National Parkinson’s Awareness Month is dedicated to helping people understand this chronic & progressive illness.

Parkinson’s is a disorder of the central nervous system.  It affects nerve cells in the brain that send signals to control movement.  Progression of the disease varies by person and symptom’s may be mild or severe.  Most people associate trembling with a Parkinson’s sufferer.  Additional symptoms may include a lack of arm movement when walking, slow movement or freezing in place, monotone speech, and stiffness or rigidity of muscles in the limbs and neck.  As symptoms progress, the need for care-giving assistance increases.

The video below chronicles a Parkinson’s sufferer dealing with the disease.  We hope to have an update in the near future that will display how new treatment has made a huge difference in his live.  While there is no cure, early and ongoing treatment can help control and reduce the symptoms.  New procedures have shown incredible success in this regard.  As always, consult with your physician as quickly as possible if you or a loved one shows symptoms.


Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

Seniors & Safe Driving

Sooner or later, we all begin to worry about our parents or other seniors we know and their driving.  If you happen to live in the Lake Norman or Charlotte Metro area, Huntersville Presbyterian Hospital has a great seminar planned on this topic:

Let’s Be Safe: Seniors and Driving
We have a very special guest speaker for Senior Saturday’s
in April to talk about safety behind the wheel for seniors.
Please join us on for April’s Senior Saturday event!
Call now to register!

Saturday, April 20, 2013
10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville – Community Room

Presenter: Kathy Allen, Carolina Safe Driving

This is a free program for seniors. Registration is encouraged.
Light refreshments will be provided. Call Joyce Brooks at 704-316-3872 to register.

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

Having a Great Day with Alzheimer's

Have you ever wondered why people with Alzheimer’s or Dementia suddenly have a “good” day?

Why are they so bad one day and not so bad the next? The family may think- Mom is getting better, the Doctor must have diagnosed her wrong, her memory is fine today, she’s in a great mood!

The truth is that once the brain damage has occurred, it’s permanent. Our brains have about 100 billion neurons with branches that connect at more than 100 trillion points. These neurons help us to retrieve stored memories, and signal our thoughts and feelings. Alzheimer’s disease destroys these neurons.

So why do we experience “good” days and “bad” days? If you think of the neurons in the brain as a very complex road map of streets and intersections and suddenly a bridge is out, consider what your GPS does. It recalculates! Occasionally the brain will be able to reroute or recalculate and find an alternate route to retrieve that information. The brain is remarkable and will try to find a back door to get that information if possible. Some days it works, and some days it doesn’t. So when someone with Alzheimer’s or Dementia is having a great day, that’s just what it is.  A great day.

Reprinted with permission from Debra Kostiw.
Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!