Presidio Home Care

03/11/2026

It's National Kidney Month. We are sharing our knowledge about managing kidney disease in our latest blog post, "What to Do When Chronic Kidney Disease Affects Your Skin."

If you or a senior loved one is living with chronic kidney disease, you might have noticed something unexpected: your skin is acting up. Read more about how to deal with skin issues as a CKD patient, here:

If you or a senior loved one is living with chronic kidney disease, you might have noticed something unexpected: your skin is acting up. Persistent itching, dryness, discoloration, and rashes are common in CKD and can be very uncomfortable. But here’s the thing—you don’t have to deal with this...

03/06/2026

Taking care of your hearing aids is important because they are delicate medical devices that help you stay connected to conversations and everyday sounds. Proper cleaning and storage prevent damage from moisture, earwax, and dust, which can affect their performance and shorten their lifespan. By maintaining them regularly, you ensure clearer sound quality, fewer repairs, and better overall hearing support.

Here are four tips for caring for your hearing aids:
1. Clean them daily: Gently wipe your hearing aids each day with a soft, dry cloth to remove earwax, dirt, and moisture. Avoid using water, alcohol, or household cleaners.

2. Store them properly: Keep your hearing aids in a dry, cool place when not in use. Open the battery compartment (if applicable) to allow moisture to escape.

3. Check and replace parts regularly: Inspect wax guards and filters often, and replace them as recommended to maintain clear sound quality.

4. Handle with care: Always insert and remove your hearing aids over a soft surface to prevent damage if they are dropped, and keep them away from extreme heat and humidity.

03/03/2026

How is sleep linked to heart health?
Those who regularly sleep fewer than six hours per night are at significantly higher risk of developing elevated blood pressure and cardiovascular complications. Insufficient sleep activates the sympathetic nervous system, increases inflammatory markers, and disrupts hormonal regulation of glucose metabolism. These physiological changes contribute to insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. Get adequate sleep to help maintain healthy glucose metabolism and reduce systemic inflammation and lower your risk of heart disease.

As we age, the daily recommended hours of sleep changes. Adults 18 to 60 should get 7+ hours of sleep. Adults 61 to 64 should get 7-9 hours of sleep. Adults 65+ should get 7-8 hours of sleep. Home Care Aides can assist seniors with creating a quiet environment for sleep, managing insomnia, and handling disruptions that happen in the middle of the night.

02/24/2026

Regular exercise is associated with a 9% lower risk of Chronic Kidney Disease. Completing 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week can help you maintain optimal kidney function. Here are four exercise tips to keep you on track:

1. Break it up into 5 30-minute workout sessions each week. A few healthy workout ideas include: fast-paced walking around your neighborhood, swimming laps, and yoga.

2. Schedule your workout the way you would an appointment. Consider blocking out exercise time in your day, every weekday.

3. Combine strength training and cardio for optimal results. This will help you retain insulin sensitivity and control your blood pressure, both of which are important for the protection of your kidneys.

4. Make it enjoyable so that exercise becomes part of your routine. Sustainable habits are what reduce long-term chronic disease risk.

02/18/2026

Which one's right for me: gel or spray hand sanitizer?

Gel and spray hand sanitizers both use alcohol to kill 99.9% of germs. However, the textures are different, how quickly they dry is different, and how they feel on your hands is different. Gel is thick and viscous while spray is lightweight liquid mist. Application of gel hand sanitizer may take a few seconds to rub in and dry. Spray hand sanitizer dries quickly as the mist is very fine. Gel may feel sticky on the hands until it dries, but it's easy to control its placement. Spray feels mess-free, but it's easier to miss areas that should be covered.

Choose gel in high-touch settings or when full coverage is important. Choose spray when you're looking for a quick application. Gel and spray hand sanitizers are both effective as long as they contain enough alcohol -- at least 60% ethanol of 70% isopropanol -- and are applied correctly.

02/17/2026

Do I need to sanitize my computer keyboard?

Regularly sanitizing your computer keyboard is important because it can harbor more germs than many commonly touched surfaces. Keyboards can accumulate bacteria, viruses, dust, food particles, and oils from your hands, especially if you eat at your computer desk. Over time, this buildup not only poses potential health risks such as spreading colds, flu, or other infections, but can also affect the keyboard’s performance by causing keys to malfunction. Regular cleaning and disinfecting helps maintain hygiene and extends the lifespan of your device. Here are four tips for cleaning your keyboard:

1. Turn your computer off and unplug it first. Before cleaning, power down your computer or disconnect your keyboard to prevent electrical damage.

2. Shake out loose debris. Turn the keyboard upside down and gently tap or shake it to remove crumbs, dust, and other loose particles.

3. Use compressed air. Spray compressed air between the keys to dislodge stubborn dust and debris that shaking alone can’t remove.

4. Disinfect the keys properly. Lightly dampen a microfiber cloth or cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol (at least 70%) and wipe the keys and surrounding areas. Avoid pouring liquid directly onto the keyboard to prevent damage.

02/10/2026

Most people understand that too much sugar is unhealthy, but few realize how directly it damages the heart. It’s not just the obvious sweets that can impact your heart. It’s the hidden sugars in seemingly healthy foods combined with that daily soda or snack; sugar intake accumulates quickly. In honor of American Heart Month, we’re taking a closer look at sugar’s toll on cardiovascular health and identifying simple, practical steps to safeguard your heart now and in the future.

Check out our new blogpost at: https://www.presidiohomecare.com/post/understanding-how-sugar-affects-heart-health

02/09/2026

Is reusing Ziploc bags sanitary?

Ziploc has stated that their bags are generally safe for reuse, although what the bag previously held should be considered. If a bag previously held dry, non-greasy foods like crackers or bread, washing it thoroughly with warm, soapy water and letting it dry completely is safe. However, reusing bags that contained raw meat, fish, or oily foods is not advised because bacteria can cling to scratches and seams that are hard to thoroughly clean. Here are four practical tips for reusing Ziploc bags:

1. Reuse bags only used for dry or low-risk foods like snacks or bread.
2. Wash bags with warm, soapy water after each use, paying attention to the seams.
3. Allow bags to air-dry completely before storing or reusing them.
4. Throw away bags that are torn, heavily stained, or still smell after washing.

Reusing Ziploc bags can be hygienic in low-risk situations, but if a bag has held high-risk foods, it’s safer to use a fresh bag.

02/04/2026

What do you do when a foreign object enters the eye?

When something gets into the eyes, we might be tempted to rub them. However, this might place pressure on the foreign object, causing scratches to your cornea. Here's what you should do instead:

1. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with clean water and soap.
2. Using clean, warm water, try to flush the object out of your eye. Alternatively, gently touch a cotton swab to the foreign object to remove it.
3. Make sure you've removed your contact lenses before irrigating your eye, as foreign objects can become lodged under the lens.

If you are unable to remove the object by flushing your eye with water or using a cotton swab or the object is embedded in your eye, contact your healthcare provider. If you are experiencing eye pain, light sensitivity, decreased vision, discharge, or have experienced trauma to the eye, contact your healthcare provider.

01/27/2026

Cough drops are meant to soothe your throat. How do they achieve this goal?

Cough drops can moisturize dry throat tissues
Lozenges with key ingredients including glycerin, honey, and aloe vera lubricate the lining of the throat. These ingredients can stimulate saliva production, alleviating the irritation your throat is feeling.

Cough drops may provide comfort to your airways
Menthol is a common ingredient found in cough drops. Menthol brings on a cooling sensation that helps you feel like you are breathing better.

Some cough drops can loosen mucus
Expectorants like guaifenesin can thin and loosen irritants so that we can more easily expel mucus.

01/24/2026

Bread is a staple food, but finishing a whole loaf of it before it expires can be difficult. Many of us freeze or refrigerate part of our loaves so as not to waste it. So how can we reheat bread without drying it out?

Add a bowl of water
Remove your bread from the freezer or fridge. Remove the plastic wrap or foil you kept the bread in and place the bread on a plate. Fill a small ramekin or bowl with three tablespoons of water. Place the plate with the bread and the container with the water into the microwave and microwave both for 10 - 20 seconds to allow the bread to trap moisture.

Use a damp napkin
Run a paper towel under drinking water so it's damp. Remove the plastic wrap or foil you kept the bread in, and wrap the bread with the paper towel instead. Adjust your microwave to low power and heat the bread for short periods of time (10 - 30 seconds) until it reaches your desired temperature.

01/19/2026

Wintertime is a time for hearty soups and stews and we always find ourselves making too much food to finish in one sitting. However, we know that we must be careful when storing leftovers. Here are our best tips for safely handling leftovers:

1. To make sure your leftovers are safe to eat, cook them to the right minimum internal temperature. Measure red meats with a food thermometer to make sure their internal temperatures reach 145° F or above. Ground meats should reach 160° F or above and poultry should reach 165° F or above.
2. Divide large amounts of leftovers into smaller portions. This way, you can cool these smaller portions of food more quickly, so that bacteria is less likely to multiply.
3. Wrap leftovers carefully with plastic wrap or heavy-duty foil or place them in sealable bags or storage containers. Freeze the leftovers as soon as possible after wrapping, so that they cool within a shorter period of time. This minimizes the chances of bacterial growth.
4. Label your leftovers with food names and dates to ensure they are consumed within a safe period of time. Most leftovers are safe in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or safe in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.