Seniors: Do You Know The Advantages Of Acupuncture?

Most people have heard of acupuncture, but not many people have actually tried it. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese form of medicine that has been in practice for many centuries. It involves stimulating certain “meridian” points on the body with needles to help treat health conditions, as well as alleviate pain.

Seniors today are faced with mounting health insurance costs. Western medicine is based in pharmaceuticals, and one of the most refreshing aspects of acupuncture is that there are no medicines involved, whatsoever. What else is great about that? If there are no medications, there aren’t any undue side effects, either.

The Advantages of Acupuncture

• It benefits the respiratory system. Many seniors suffer from various respiratory ailments, and acupuncture can help acute tonsillitis, acute rhinitis, the common cold and the flu, and acute sinusitis.
• It harmonizes the body. Acupuncture is based on the idea that the life force “chi” flows through the body as natural energy. As it flows through the body it passes over 12 meridian points. When acupuncture is performed, pathogens and other toxins are released from the body and put the body into a better state of health.
• It provides relief from mouth disorders. Seniors are naturally at an increased risk of various mouth issues due to simply age and decreased production of saliva. Acupuncture can help with TMJ, toothaches, acute and chronic pharyngitis, post extraction pain, and gingivitis.
• It treats eye disorders. Another common ailment among seniors, acupuncture can help relief cataracts, acute conjunctivitis (pink eye), and central retinitis myopia.
• It helps alleviate arthritis pain. While acupuncture does not work for all arthritis conditions, it can help for many, especially rheumatoid arthritis.

It helps treat mood related disorders. Acupuncture can help seniors gain relief from insomnia, anxiety, and even depression. For the past 20 years, Always Best Care has been assisting seniors all over the United States and Canada with both free referrals for assisted living facilities and in-home care. If you are a senior living in the Birmingham area, and would like information about senior care in Birmingham Alabama or in home care in Birmingham, contact the local Always Best Care branch at 205-874-9730 to set up a free care consultation. They look forward to hearing from you!

Looking for In-Home Senior Care in Birmingham? Contact Always Best Care Today

Always Best Care is a premier senior care giving company that provides both in-home care services and free referrals for assisted living facilities to seniors in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1996, during the twenty years since then, their compassionate caregivers have provided assistance to over 25,000 seniors with personal care, home helper, and companion services. Seniors who live in the Birmingham area, who are interested in learning about in-home senior care in Birmingham and other home care options in Birmingham, are invited to call the Always Best Care Birmingham office to setup a free care consultation. During this consultation, a care coordinator will discuss all of your needs with you, whether you are interested in in-home care or in transitioning into an assisted living facility.

The professional care coordinator will create a customized care plan for you, outlining all of your needs including medical, intellectual, social, etc. This customized care plan will be modified as your needs change into the future, so you never have to worry about getting the precise care you need. Always Best Care is dedicated to fulfilling the needs of their senior clients.

Some of the other services that Always Best Care provides include:

• Always on Call: This is a 24/7 physician access program that allows senior clients and their families to consult with a doctor about everything from prescription refills to non-emergency issues in the middle of the night when going to the emergency room isn’t necessary.
• Always in Touch: A daily reassurance telephone call given to seniors who live in remote locations or are immobile due to health or transportation reasons.
• Always Safe: Uses the Philips Lifeline Alert system for senior fall detection and prevention.

Always Best Care caregivers provide a spectrum of services that fall within the home helper, companion, and personal care categories. These include everything from house cleaning, pet care, assistance with bathing, escorting to various locations, meal preparation, and more. When you sit down with the care coordinator, you will learn all about these attractive services and more.

Seniors who live in the Birmingham area, who are interested in learning more about in-home senior care in Birmingham, or other options regarding home care in Birmingham, can contact the Always Best Care Birmingham location at 205-874-9730 to set up a free care consultation. They look forward to hearing from you!

How Aromatherapy Can Help Dementia Patients

The sense of smell is, indeed, unique. It has the power to conjure memories, to spark cravings, and even to induce nausea. A bad mood is often lifted when the person lights a scented candle. The scent of vanilla, lavender, pumpkin, etc. can be comforting enough to calm nerves, and bring about balance. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries, and is known to help the body, mind, and spirit become synchronized. 

Not only can aromatherapy lighten mood and help diminish feelings of depression and anxiety, it can also help people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by improving the quality of their sleep and relieving anxiety and agitation. By getting more sleep, and better sleep to boot, the senior with dementia can have a better day and more control over what they are doing and what they are thinking.

Beneficial Oils for Dementia

• Peppermint. This oil is described as “energizing” and so when it is inhaled; it boosts enthusiasm, motivation, immunity, and energy. It can be brought into the body a number of ways including inhaled, sprayed in the air or used as a lotion.

• Ginger. This oil is traditionally used for people who are having stomach issues, but it is also great for people who suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s. It may be used as a compress on the abdominal area, or a spray aerosol. 

• Rosemary. This oil truly lifts the spirit and helps both the body and the mind. It improves cognitive performance, and can be used in cooking to help encourage appetite while also helping to relieve a blocked colon.

• Lemon Balm. This highly effective oil runs a little bit more expensive than the others, but is still well worth it. It encourages relaxation and also improves digestion and memory. Best used in a bath, as a spray or directly applied as a lotion.

• Lavender. This oil helps the person ease their feelings of depression and anxiety. Can be used as a lotion, spray, or inhaled directly.

Always Best Care has been in the senior in-home care giving industry for the past 20 years. They have assisted over 25,000 seniors during that time, and their caregivers are always employees, never contractors. If you live in the Birmingham area and are interested in finding out about in-home senior care in Birmingham or if you’d like referrals for senior assisted living in Birmingham, you can call the Always Best Care Birmingham location at 205-874-9730 to set up your free care consultation. They look forward to hearing from you! 

Get Free Referrals For Assisted Living Placement In Birmingham With Always Best Care

For the past 20 years, Always Best Care has been the nation’s leading non-medical in-home senior care company. With locations all over the United States and Canada, Always Best Care provides quality, compassionate care to their senior clients through caregivers that are always bonded, licensed, and insured. These caregivers are dedicated and compassionate, and are never contractors, they are always employees. The Always Best Care caregivers provide services that fall within the personal care (such as assistance with grooming, eating, walking, bathing, etc.), companion care (conversations about historical and current events, playing cards together, playing board games together, etc.) and home helper care (housecleaning, plant care, supervising home maintenance) categories. These services are designed to help the senior client make the most of their day, and improve their overall quality of life by getting the help that they need, and the companionship that makes them smile.

If you live in the Birmingham area and would like information about free assisted living placement in Birmingham, you can contact the Always Best Care Birmingham location at 205-874-9730 to set up a free care consultation. The professional care coordinator will help you decide which assisted living community is right for you, and will also accompany you to tour the facilities. Or, if you are interested in non-medical in-home care in Birmingham, you can discuss your needs with the professional care coordinator, and schedule a caregiver to help you when you need it most. 

In addition to the personal care, home helper, and companion care services, Always Best Care also provides a number of Special Services for their senior clients. These include:

• Always Safe – This is a fall detection and prevention program that allows seniors and their families to maintain peace of mind. One out of every three seniors falls annually, so a program like Always Safe helps diminish the sometimes tragic effects a fall can have on a senior.

• Always in Touch – This is a free daily telephone reassurance program for seniors that live remotely or who have limited availability. It’s available for seniors living in Canada and the United States, and is also available for people who have disabilities.

• Always on Call – 24/7 access to doctors for Always Best Care clients and their families.

If you live in the Birmingham area and are interested in learning more about non-medical in-home care in Birmingham, or if you’d like free referrals for assisted living placement in Birmingham, call the Always Best Care Birmingham location at 205-874-9730 to schedule your free care consultation today!

Hate Getting Sick? Try These Healthy Habits

Of course, nobody likes getting sick. Whether it’s the sniffles or the full-blown flu, getting sick usually ruins your day, ruins your plans, and makes you miserable. Many of us know people who seem to never get sick. While most people get two or three colds per year, some people swim through life hardly ever sneezing or picking up a box of tissues from the store. These people tend to have certain healthy habits in common. What are they? Read on:

• They never smoke. Overall, it’s just a nasty habit that nobody should engage in. But, smoking cigarettes affects your mucus membranes making them more susceptible to viruses and other infections.  


• They get social. The more social networks you have (real social networks, not just online), the healthier you will be. That’s the result of research that’s been done on the subject. People with six or more connections live the healthiest lives.  


• They stay clean. The best way to get rid of a virus you’ve just picked up? Wash your hands, with soap and water. Antibacterial soap does no better job than plain old soap and water. And never touch your hands/fingers to your eyes and nose.  


• They exercise a lot. Physical activity is a great way to boost immunity, warding off all types of colds and diseases. Aim for 45 minutes every day, five days per week. 


• They get enough sleep. In our world today, sleep is highly underrated. Aim for between 7-9 hours every night. Those with less than seven hours are three times more susceptible to catching a bug. 


• They get the annual flu shot. Influenza, among seniors, can be a deadly disease. Getting the flu shot will help prevent the flu entirely, or at least make the symptoms less severe. It’s also been proven to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.  


• They laugh! Laughing is a great way to stay positive and also boost the immune system. It’s usually done in social settings and has been proven to ward off colds and disease.

Always Best Care has been in the in-home care giving industry since 1996. During that time they have helped over 25,000 seniors in both the United States and Canada. Seniors living in Birmingham who are interested in receiving information about in-home health care in Birmingham, Alabama, or other options surrounding senior care in Birmingham, Alabama, can call the Always Best Care Birmingham office at 205-874-9730 for a free consultation.

Always Best Care Offers Affordable Home Care Solutions in Birmingham

In the care giving industry since 1996, Always Best Care Senior Services provides affordable home care solutions in Birmingham, as well as to all of their other many locations around the United States and Canada. They employ only the finest caregivers who are well-trained and highly skilled, along with being bonded, certified, and insured. These caregivers also undergo thorough background checks, so that the senior and their family can have the ultimate in peace of mind. 

If you are interested in learning about in-home care in Birmingham, or other options regarding affordable home care solutions, you can contact the Always Best Care Birmingham office at 205-874-9730 or email them at info.bham@abc-seniors.com and set up your free care consultation. Their team is well equipped to handle all of your questions whether you are interested in in-home care, or getting a referral for an assisted living community.

Seniors who choose in-home care have a variety of services available to them through their compassionate caregivers. They range everywhere from home helper services, personal care services, and companion services, so that the senior can have the time to really do what they enjoy most, whether it’s spending time with friends, reading, gardening, or whatever else they would like to do with their newfound freedom. 

Caregiver Services 

The services provided by the Always Best Care caregivers include (but are not limited to) providing appointment reminders, dropping off and picking up dry cleaning, arranging appointments, picking up prescriptions, preparing future meals, overseeing home deliveries, mailing bills and letters, answering the door and phone, housecleaning, assisting with clothing selections, assisting with bathing, dressing, grooming, supervising home maintenance, stimulating mental awareness, talking about historical and current events, and many others. 

Special Services 

Always Best Care seniors also have access to programs that are designed to promote peace of mind for them and their loved ones. They include:

• Always in Touch – A daily telephone reassurance program for those who have limited contact with the outside world.  


• Always Safe – A fall prevention and detection program to help seniors that fall obtain speedy medical treatment.  


• Always on Call – 24/7 access to physicians that ultimately cuts down on time spent in doctor’s offices, hospitals, etc. 

If you live in the Birmingham area and are interested in learning more about in-home care in Birmingham, or affordable home care solutions in Birmingham, you can call the Always Best Care Birmingham office at 205-874-9730 for more information.

How Caregivers Can Help Senior In Improving Their Health?

Health of the seniors is the major concern of families, especially if the elderly lives on their own. Problems with mobility along with aging can make elders homebound, obstructing their walks, exercise and daily lives.

Being homebound, lonely and less physically active will have adverse effects on senior's health. However, you can prevent adverse effects on senior's health by hiring a caregiver. Here are the areas where caregivers help elders in to improve their health.

Assistance with food – Caregivers will assist elders with their diet plan as well as with meal planning, meal preparation and grocery shopping. They may also provide companionship to your elder during meal. With caregiver's close eye on their diet and proper food planning, your elderly family member's health will surely improve.

Furthermore, caregivers will ensure that your senior is eating healthy foods, snacks, and the food is not expired or gone bad.

Encouragement for walks & exercise – Caregivers will encourage elders to go out more for walks in parks or to exercise, which will certainly improve their health. Regular walks in fresh air with a companion will help seniors in socializing, which is good for their mental health.

Assistance with daily living – When living alone, seniors may need help with daily living or they will lag behind on tasks like laundry, organization, and cleaning. Caregivers can provide assistance to elder with daily living tasks keeping them physically active.

When you trust a caregiver with the health of your elderly family member, you should make sure that he/she is the right candidate.Rely on noted organizations like Always Best Care to find the right caregiver. Call us at (205) 874-9730 and get a free consultation regarding in home care in Birmingham.