Private Home Care, 203 Pleasant Street, Marblehead, MA (2025)

04/19/2024

National Garlic Day

On National Garlic Day we thought we would share some interesting facts about this tasty vegetable found in many meals.

Did you know that garlic is a flower from the lily family?

If you lived thousands of years ago with the ancient Indians or Egyptians you would have used garlic in your food and in medicine.

You can choose from a wide variety of different garlics. There are 450 different types.

California supplies 90% of the garlic to the US.

When you eat garlic your body will benefit from many trace minerals like copper, iron, magnesium, germanium, selenium and zinc. Trace minerals play important roles in our bodies function.

Garlic is also filled with Vitamins A and C, fibre and amino acids.

Health properties to benefit you include anti-coagulant, antioxidant, antiviral and antimicrobial. Quite a few for such a small bulb.

You should store unpeeled garlic in a cool, dark place away from other foods. It will keep for six weeks stored correctly.

Private Home Health Care loves garlic and its health benefits. If we have a lot we also try to drink water with lemon to avoid the after effects of bad breath.

Photo by Nick Collins

04/17/2024

Pickleball

There is a pickleball craze that is happening all over the US. Have you played it? This month it is in the spotlight..

According to one website pickleball players number in the low millions and the number appears to be growing.

You can play the game if you are young and or old. You’ll see the rules are not terribly hard and it can be a moderate workout.

You need a court, a racquet and a ball. Simple. Courts these days are easy to find in most communities.

The rules are not too overcomplicated either. If you’ve ever played ping-pong or tennis some of the rules will sound familiar. Expert players can be very helpful to beginners.

The Serve
You must serve underhand, below the waist and it must land in the opposite corner of the opposing players.

The Score
You can only score when serving and you get a point when the opposing team cannot return the volley or hits the ball out of bounds.

The Fault
Just as in tennis if you hit the ball into the net or it bounces twice it’s a fault. You also cannot hit an opposing player.

There are other rules about dead balls, non-volley zones and timeouts. You can learn these on the court when you go to play.

With the right mindset and a desire to have fun you can become a picklehead along with the millions of other Americans.

Private Home Health Care enjoys watching pickleball but as of yet we have not picked up the paddle and ball to join in but we love the atmosphere.

Photo by Jorge Alcala

04/15/2024

Patriot’s Day

Private Home Health Care would like to wish everyone a Happy Patriot’s Day.

While not a federal holiday, those in Massachusetts have a long weekend on this third Monday in April.

Patriot’s Day began to commemorate the beginning of fighting during the American Revolution with the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

You may not have heard of Massachusetts Frederic T. Greenhalge but back in 1894 he thought celebrating this day was a perfect replacement for a long held day of fasting and prayer called “Fast Day”.

Additionally, Governor Greenhalge decided to also honor the four Massachusetts men who lost their lives in the Baltimore Riot of 1861.

These members of the 6th Massachusetts Volunteer Militia ran into mobs against the Northern aggressors at the beginning of the Civil War.

These days Patriot’s Day is known as Marathon Monday by the thousands of marathon runners who come from around the world to take on the challenge.

Many of you here in Massachusetts have this day off. You may head into a Boston Red Sox game or go along the route of the Boston Marathon. The marathon started in 1897 and the baseball team added a game starting in 1959.

Did you know that only Maine and Wisconsin celebrate Patriot’s Day in the U.S. The only difference is that their holiday is always on April 19.

We hope that whoever has the day off can enjoy themselves. For those working hopefully traffic and your work is a bit easier on this Patriot’s Day.

Photo by Run ffwpu

04/12/2024

Tips for Grocery Shopping

This is a bit of a different topic for us but in case you haven’t noticed the price of groceries have gone up. We felt it might be helpful to share some tips on ways you can get the most for your money at the grocery store.

Plan your meals for the week and buy the food for those meals. This can help so you don’t have to run to the store later in the week.

Check the supplies you have in your kitchen and fridge and make a list of what you need. Stick to that list when shopping.

Check local store flyers to find what is on sale. If you have a freezer and you have room, stock up on meats or foods you can freeze for later.

Have a meatless meal one or two days a week. It is healthy for you and it can save money.

Watch the prices so you can compare and know what is a bargain. Be sure to check unit prices to make sure you have the best overall price.

Buy a Sunday paper if you are able to get coupons for groceries from it.

Must you have a name brand or can you get a generic brand? Some store brand items are just as good as the major brands.

Think about joining a wholesale club. Quantities can be large but if you have storage space it can save money. Items can last longer before you need to buy it again.

Online grocery shopping can be convenient but is often more expensive. You could try a trip to the grocery store instead.

If you pay by credit card, see what perks you get when you use a particular card. You might get cashback or other rewards from your shopping.

Private Home Health Care shops every week so we understand how expensive it can get to feed a family. We hope some of these tips are helpful to help you spend as wisely as possible.

Photo by Jack Sparrow

04/10/2024

National Siblings Day

In 1995 Claudia Evart lost both her brother and sister at an early age. She founded the day because she realized how important siblings are in your life. She has also founded the Siblings Day Foundation.

Your siblings can have a profound effect on your life, even more so than your parents.

This came recently from a study of male adult development from data gathered since 1938. Dr. Richard Waldinger wrote a book called The Good Life.

If you read this book his findings show that those of us with “good relationships keep us happier, healthier, and help us live longer.”

Other studies shine a light on the positive effects of siblings:

As an adolescent, your siblings may have validated your beliefs and feelings which helped your self esteem.

A good sibling relationship can have positive effects on your academic performance.

If you are in a difficult situation like divorce, low income or parental mental illness a stable older sibling can help you to be well adjusted even in these settings.

Finally, support and closeness with siblings lead to less loneliness and depression. These could also help you feel overall satisfied with your life as you age.

Additionally, some other studies have found evidence that lifelong relationships with siblings have an effect on your well-being in a negative way too. Participants with difficult sibling relationships at ages 18-19 can be more likely to have depression and to use mood-altering drugs by age 50.

Think back to the days of growing up with brothers and sisters. You surely had fights, large or small but there were likely also times when you played games or shared toys. Many lifelong lessons were learned.

Private Home Health Care hopes that on this National Siblings Day you will find the time to reach out and tell your siblings how much you care. As adults, your ties can remain strong and you can get great support and have fun times with your siblings.

Photo by Olia Danilevich

04/08/2024

Afternoon Tea

The month of April has a variety of national days. One of these days is National Afternoon Tea Day.

If you have lived a long time you may remember how afternoon tea was a special event.
Afternoon tea could be during the week or on weekends.

When you went to an afternoon tea you would have choices of a snack as well as types of tea. The United Kingdom high society started this tradition so English Breakfast or Earl Gray was usually served.

As time went on and this spread across the pond, many other teas were offered. The snacks included but were not limited to finger sandwiches, small cakes, petit four pastries and scones.

For those living in the Boston area, there were many places where afternoon tea was a standard. The Ritz Carlton was known for a fabulous “high” tea. Travel north of Boston and you would find snacks and tea at the Wenham Tea House.

The tea and snacks were helpful when the dinner meals were served later in the evening, 8:00 or 9:00 pm. You would be able to have tea and snacks and still be hungry for dinner.

Today our lives are very busy and taking time to travel someplace for tea and snacks seems like a luxury. You stop at Starbucks or another place that offers tea on the go.

You may have time to stay and work on your computer but free time to eat and snack is hard to fit in.

Making this a national month is an attempt to revive the tradition and to allow us to slow down a bit and be mindful. Your tea drinking could lead to stress relief and a time to catch up with friends.

Private Home Health Care loves the tradition of afternoon tea. We also need to try and heed our own words to slow down and take time to sip a nice cup of hot tea and relax!!

Photo by Carol Potier

04/05/2024

National No Housework Day

This Sunday, April 8 is a fun national day and maybe a good day to do something enjoyable.

National No Housework Day is a day to relax, guilt free. A day for you to forget all about work that needs to be done around your room, your apartment, your condo or your house.

Perhaps you always do this on Sunday but for those of you who don’t make a change. You could try and get it all done on Saturday or maybe not!

There are so many ways to spend time on this Sunday rather than housework.

You can try and get caught up in a good book. Curl up in a chair or on your couch.

If you have kids, choose a game to play as a family.

Do you like to play cards? Gather a group and have some fun and laughs.

Catch up on that television series you have been hoping to watch.

Watch a new movie or revisit an old favorite.

You may need to use will power to ignore dust or dirty floors. Are they dishes in the sink? Don’t look. Tell yourself that it’s only for one day.

Truthfully, maybe the dishes are only for a day but the rest might be for a week but isn’t it worth it to take a day off?

Private Home Health Care likes to keep a clean house but this Sunday we are going to put our feet up and relax!

Photo by Lisa Fotios

04/03/2024

National Walking Day

Yes, it’s early April and once again National Walking Day.

When you walk it is a low maintenance way of keeping your body in shape. The health benefits range from helping you, keep away heart disease, strengthening your bones and helping with weight control.

The question for you when it comes to walking is “how do you make it more interesting?” You may have been walking thirty minutes a day for a while now and getting restless or bored.

Here are a few suggestions to take the boredom out of walking.

Try mixing it up a bit. If you walk in the street change your environment. Add some light weights to your walk. Are you walking on a treadmill? You can vary your terrain or intervals.

Be mindful on your walk. See if you can hear different sounds. Listen to your breathing. Look for different things in your path.

Add a friend. The time can pass more quickly and differently when you are talking with a friend while you walk. You might even lose track of time.

Listen to something different on your walk. Switch up your music or podcast. Try listening to an audiobook for a change.

Walk with purpose meaning if you have errands to do plan your walk around stores you can visit. You’ll have a healthy walk and get things done. A win-win!

Taking a walk is a relaxing and gentle way to add a healthy habit to your life.

Private Home Health Care hopes that you have found the suggestions helpful. We enjoy walking, whether on the treadmill inside or walking outside and we hope you do too.

Photo by Rachel Claire

04/01/2024

April Fool’s Day

Today is a day for you to be prepared. There could be pranksters in your path who would like nothing better than to fool you on this first day of April. It could be a big prank or it could be a small prank. Be on guard!.

You may be the prankster too! Who are you planning on tricking?

April first is a fun day and it definitely brings happiness and hopefully plenty of smiles. A teacher friend I know tells her Kindergarteners that she made brownies and then she gives them a brown letter “E.”

Have you ever wondered how the tricks behind April 1 ever began? We did too and it turns out it’s still a mystery. There are some ideas but no one seems to know for certain.

One thought is that it started back in 1852 when the Julian calendar switched over to the Gregorian calendar. People who were slow to move to the change celebrated the new year from late March to April 1. They were called April Fools.

It was in Britain when April Fool’s Day really started to take off in the 18th century. The Scottish people spread the holiday over two days.

On the first day people sent unaware friends on phony errands called “hunting the gowk.” A gowk is a cuckoo bird the symbol for a fool.

The second day was for pranks. On Tailie Day, you would see fake tails put on the back of a person or even “kick me” signs.

There may be more mysteries behind the origins of April Fool’s Day but for now Private Home Health Care wants you to be on your “toes” and look out for tricks today!

We also hope you have some fun moments in your day. It’s a great way to start off the month!

Photo by Polina Kovaleva

03/29/2024

Easter Season

For the 2.6 billion Christians in the world, yesterday and the two days are the most important. Christmas is the only other holiday of such importance.

As a Christian you celebrate three holy days. Holy or Maundy Thursday which was yesterday. This commemorates the Lord’s Last Supper.

Today is Good Friday which commemorates the death of Jesus who Christians believe is the Savior of the World.

You might wonder why it is called “Good” Friday. It is not good in the traditional sense but rather the redemption and reconciliation that is brought between humanity and God. It is a sad but very holy day.

The most holy day of the three days is Easter Sunday when the Savior is resurrected up to Heaven. For Christians is it this redemption for all that they too will rise after they die.

Private Home Health Care has learned that the worldwide Christian community has been increasing and is expected to continue to increase. Between 2000 and 2022 Christianity rose 1.18% annually.

As of 2020, Christians made up 31% of world religions. The Christians include Roman Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox and Anglicans.

You may be surprised to learn who has the largest number of Christians. The list below is the number of Christians from largest to smallest by continent.

Africa
Asia
Latin America
Oceana (islands scattered mostly in the Pacific Ocean)
Northern America
Europe

Private Home Health Care wishes everyone a very holy Good Friday and a very blessed Easter.

Photo by George Dolgikh

03/27/2024

Whole Grains

Do you eat any whole grains? Whole grains are a delicious option to add to your healthy diet.

There are many whole grains to choose from like, whole oats, whole wheat, whole grain rye, buckwheat, bulgur wheat, millet, whole barley, brown rice and quinoa. Buckwheat and millet are gluten-free.

You can eat the grains at any time of the day, breakfast, lunch or dinner. These are easily found at grocery stores and recipes for any of them are available online.

If you are a traditionalist or if you just prefer paper, pick up a book for recipes to try.

Whole grains are extremely healthy because they are packed with nutrients. Whole grains are enriched with nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamin B. They also have minerals such as copper, zinc, iron and magnesium.

Additionally, these powerful grains are full of antioxidants. These mighty molecules fight off the free radicals in your body that can be very harmful.

Don’t you find it amazing that all of these different whole grains are so healthy for your body?

Whole grain breads, pastas and popcorn are all super healthy additions to a diet. If you swap out wheat bread for white bread and chickpea or whole wheat pasta for white pasta you will increase your nutrients.

Another option is for you to have a meatless meal and incorporate a whole grain into that meal. Soups are also a great way to add grains to your diet.

Private Home Health Care understands the benefits of adding whole grains to our diet. Be adventurous if you haven’t tried whole grains and make your diet a bit healthier.

Photo by Vie Studio

03/26/2024

National Physicians Week

This last week in March is designated as National Physicians Week.

The week was organized to honor the physicians in the United States and their dedication to their patients.

Private Home Health Care works with many physicians and appreciates the care they provide to patients.

You hopefully see your physician at least once a year for an annual check up. If you have other medical issues that need to be monitored you may see specialists more often.

These doctors have very busy schedules on any given day. When you go they try their best to listen to you, talk with you and give you good guidance.

You can find doctors in many different settings. You could visit them in a hospital setting or in an office setting. There is usually staff you interact with prior to the doctor’s visit like someone to check you in and a nurse to take vitals and get you set up.

Patient visits are a major part of a doctor’s responsibility but there is also quite a bit of paperwork that doctors are also responsible for in their day-to-day operations. We don’t often think about that side of their work.

Currently as of 2023, there are over 900,000 physicians in the United States. This includes general practitioners as well as specialists.

The United States population is approximately 336,202,796 so the number of physicians. In 2019 the nation’s groups of age 65 and older grew by one-third. This can be challenging for the number of physicians available.

This coming week you can hopefully show your support for your physician or medical professional. One idea shared is to give them a red carnation but whatever you can do would be appreciated.

Photo by Antoni Shkraba

03/20/2024

Wellderly Week - Part 2

Yesterday we talked about keeping yourself from becoming socially isolated or lonely.

Today we ask, are you retired, elderly or do you know someone elderly? How physically active are you or how physically active is the person who is your friend or family member?

It turns out that physical activity is something to promote for everyone, including the elderly.

Think about the benefits you’ll reap if you are able to be active. Your stress and anxiety level improves and along with your balance. You could sleep better and if you have depression, that could decrease.

If you are older it is recommended that each week you spend at least 150 minutes of exercise. This should be a form of moderate amount of aerobic exercise and two days of muscle strengthening.

You can do things like light weights, walking, gardening or even stretching. The time isn’t too much really. It works out to be 21 minutes/7 days a week or about 30 minutes/5 days a week.
Do whatever works for your age and pace.

Hopefully you can easily add activity into your life. At home, you could join a friend for a walk or to do yoga. If you are in a facility usually there are many options available, like a gym or directed exercise activities.

No special clothing is needed, just something comfortable. You also don’t need to spend lots of money. Walking doesn’t cost a thing!

Private Home Health Care has a treadmill in our office. Physical activity is important no matter how old you are and we know it! We hope you can add or keep physical activity in your life.

Photo by Kampus Production

03/19/2024

Wellderly Week - March 18-23

This week in March is dedicated to our senior citizens. When you get to be elderly it’s important to remember that age really is just a number. You can still find ways to have fun, grow and perhaps even contribute to your community.

There are ways you and family members can help. Our blogs are going to share ways that you can stay well mentally and physically.

It’s a time when you can try new things and take on hobbies you couldn’t do when you were younger and working.

Today’s topic is about the pitfalls of social isolation and loneliness.

As you age you may find that you need to be a caretaker. It could be for a spouse or sibling. You may lose a spouse or you may experience personal health issues.

In these instances it’s important for you to not go inward and keep yourself separated from others.

If you lose someone close to you, reach out to family and friends. To have people to talk or spend time with after such an event can be very fulfilling. Without contact with other people it and with time alone it can lead to loneliness.

Many of you live in assisted living facilities. Having social contacts at meals, game or tv nights or any event sponsored can keep you from feeling socially isolated. Being socially isolated happens when you are surrounded by people but you don’t have many contacts to share experiences.

Social isolation and loneliness are not the same but you must be careful of both.

Private Home Health Care understands that it’s not always easy to age. The good news is that there are ways that you and family members can help to let you enjoy and live a fun-filled and happy life.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio.

03/15/2024

World Sleep Day

Today is World Sleep Day. The goal of the day is to spread awareness of the importance of sleep for each of us. It also calls out common sleep-related issues that many of us share.

For you as an adult, it is best to get at least seven hours of sleep a night according to the Mayo Clinic.

As an aging adult it can get more difficult for you to get those recommended hours of sleep. This can cause issues with your health or even with your driving.

Some common sleep disorders are:

Insomnia - you are not able to fall asleep easily or you may wake up during the night.

Sleep Apnea - your breathing is affected. You have uneven breathing patterns that disrupt your sleep.

Restless Leg Syndrome - your legs do not want to stay still in bed. At times this can happen before you get into bed.

Narcolepsy - You fall asleep, sometimes suddenly, because you get so sleepy.

Sleep is important for us all because it’s a time when our bodies relax and regenerate. There are ways to help you work towards better sleep patterns.

Stick to a sleep schedule. Make your bedtime and wake up time consistent.
Watch what you eat or drink. Try not to drink too much alcohol and don’t eat too late.
Keep your room at a cool temperature, on the darker side and quiet.
Try to avoid daytime naps. This can disrupt your nighttime sleeping.
Be physically active during the day but not too close to bedtime.
Manage your stress. You cannot and should take care of anything while you are asleep.

Private Home Health Care works with people who have trouble sleeping. Sharing information about sleep-related issues and getting in touch with a medical professional can help. Bonne nuit!

Photo by Polina Zimmerman.

03/13/2024

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye disease that affects around 3 million Americans.

If you have this in your family it is a hereditary disease so you need to be sure to have your eyes checked by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.

It is a slow moving disease so very treatable when caught early. A treatment of eye drops has been what has been used for many years to treat glaucoma. The goal of the drops is to lower the intraocular pressure (IOP) in your eye.

Unfortunately, it has been discovered that for people prescribed these drops as many as 67% of those people do not use them.

You may think this sounds crazy since that is what treats a disease that can eventually rob you of your eyesight but that’s what a research study in 2018 showed.

The hopeful news recently is new treatments that are coming available. These new treatments involve laser treatments. This is new technology.

One laser platform that has had initial approval uses a computer tacking device to treat rather than using a lens directly on the eye.

There are multiple studies going on that would give opthalmologists the ability to use less invasive procedures done in their offices.

If you have glaucoma and are being treated for it by a medical doctor, ask them about this new technology. It could be that some is available now or you could get involved in a study to help it move forward.

Private Home Health Care understands how important caring for your eyes is. Glaucoma is a treatable disease with exciting advances on the horizon. Visit your doctor to learn more.

03/11/2024

National Girl Scout Day

On Tuesday, the Girl Scouts will be honored with a National Day. This seems fitting since right now Girl Scout cookies are being delivered all over our United States.

It turns out that Juliette Gordon Low organized the first girl scout meeting back on March 12, 1912. Juliette lived in Savannah, Georgia and girls gathered for fun, adventures and to do service projects in the area.

Now after all of these years the girl scouts are still active and they are in 92 countries. The original goal was to have girls embrace their unique strengths and passions and that is still true today.

Girl scouts continue to earn badges for all different areas now including in the digital space. They work on service projects to improve and help out in local communities.

In their troops they have enrichment experiences offered and many take camping and other trips depending on the age of the girl scouts.

You have most likely seen girl scout cookies being sold at different places. Like us, you may have been asked by a girl scout you know to order some cookies. The types of cookies have grown as have the prices, but it’s a major fundraiser for them so get a box or two.

In today’s world, there are so many activities for your children. It’s hard to fit them all in but for girls this organization still has strong leadership with good goals.

You’ll find their motto to “Be Prepared” and their slogan of “Do a Good Turn Daily” has not changed. There are many opportunities for fun and a chance to grow and learn.

If you look on the Girl Scout’s website it says that many of the women astronauts were girl scouts. Not bad company!

Private Home Health Care knows women who were girl scouts and who learned so much and had many great experiences. In addition, we are currently enjoying our girl scout cookies too.

Photo by Cottonbro Studio

03/08/2024

Spring Forward!

Do you remember back in November when we turned the clocks back an hour? Well, this weekend it’s time to move the clocks up an hour!

Last year we said the time Falls Back and now this almost Spring we need to Spring Forward.

Private Home Health Care wants to be sure you know that the time to Spring Forward is here.
This Saturday night when you go to bed move your clocks, and any alarms, forward one hour.

You don’t want to miss out on any of your activities this Sunday.

Back in November when we moved our clocks back an hour we gained some sleep but we traded that for a shorter day of light. The sun set in the early afternoon and at times that felt like quite an adjustment.

You and I change our clocks every year for Daylight Savings Time. Did you know the first Daylight Savings Time (DST) began in 1918? It was called the Standard Time Act.

Lots of farmers grumbled about the time change since there were mornings with a lot less light for them to work. Their grumbling worked and it became optional to implement it.

During WWII there was a form of DST but since it was during the war it was called “War Time.”
It was not until 1966 that Daylight Savings Time became the law of the land. The law was signed by President Lyndon Johnson and was called the Uniform Time Act.

Now every state in the United States except for Arizona and Hawaii use Daylight Savings Time. You may have heard some people wanting to do away with DST but as of yet that hasn’t changed anything.

The good news about this weekend is that we get hopeful since this means that our daylight is longer and Spring is that much closer.

This week check your gardens to see if you have bulbs beginning to sprout. Look at the trees around you and look for buds. You may even listen and hear a few more birds chirping that usual. All good signs of new life and warmer weather ahead.

Private Home Health Care knows that we may still get a snowstorm but we also like to think about the changing season which is not far away.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

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