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Kurt Hjelle

Aromatherapy can help reduce falls in the elderly, study shows

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“Nursing home residents who continuously wore a lavender-scented aromatherapy patch were less likely to fall in a recent study from Japan. The aroma was so faint that only the person wearing the patch could sense it. A fresh patch was affixed to the person’s clothing near the neck every day for a year.

Lavender essential oil is used in aromatherapy to ease anxiety and nervousness, and it has been shown to improve balance in older adults. Participants in this study had a significant decrease in agitation during the course of the trial, which may have contributed to the reduced rate of falls”

“Lavender Aromatherapy Reduces Falls in Elderly Nursing Home Residents” by Heather S. Oliff, PhD, HerbClip, 11/30/12

Link to study: US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

 3 Life Lessons You Can Learn By Riding a Bike

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A few weeks ago my youngest daughter, Alaina, learned to ride a big-girl 2-wheeler, no training wheels bicycle! As I watched her experience the joy of the wind in her hair and pride of pedaling for the first time, a few life lessons occurred to me. I thought I’d share those with you.

When the road throws you a curve, go with it!
When a turn is coming up, you have to lean with the curve so you stay on course. You can’t fight it and go the other way or you’ll fall off. Life sometimes throws you curves too, and in order to remain on top, you need to go with the flow. If a tragedy happens… 

accept its pain, and go with God’s larger plan which is for the ultimate good!

A bike doesn’t move on its own.
Life and bicycles need people to operate them. Without a person behind the handlebars, guiding and making choices, it just won’t go anywhere. Life is the same. Making no choice, is really the same as making your choice; do so mindfully and thoughtfully.

You can’t do it forever.
 Some people wish they could live forever. Some people even act as if they just might. But just like riding a bike, your body eventually wears out, and you need to go home. The important thing is that you enjoy the ride while you’re experiencing it, have fun, and be grateful for the ride.

If you know someone who’s body is ready for a rest, but wants to rest at their own home before going to their final home with God in heaven, Safe at Home Healthcare can help.

4 DIY Home Tips That Grandma Used

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Grandma likely used every one of these, how about you?

#1 Soak Greasy Tools in Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola might not be good for your waste or teeth but it sure is good for cleaning tools and sticky surfaces. Since the late 1800s, when cola was invented mechanics have been using it as a cleaner for their tools and for mechanical items. New Jersey textile designer William H. Carroll’s says “Soak in Coke!” When tools or mechanical items get all plugged up with oil and grease, just soak them overnight in a Coca-Cola bath and it will cut the grease and make them shine. Coca-Cola costs less than water so there’s no expense here.

#2 Freshen Up a Room Using Coffee Grinds
A house that has a fireplace that hasn’t been used for some time can start to have a sooty odor from drafts circulating through the house. The 1914 Old Farmer’s Almanac suggests using coffee grinds to freshen the air: Crumple old newspapers, put them in the fireplace, and sprinkle ground coffee on top of the newspapers. Light the fire and let it burn. The coffee scent will over power the soot smell.

#3 Non-toxic Cleaner: Baking Soda and Murphy Oil Soap
This is a very effective bathroom cleaner recipe that’s natural. All you need is baking soda and Murphy Oil Soap, a biodegradable, phosphate-free vegetable oil soap invented way back 1905. Sprinkle baking soda on your porcelain bathroom fixtures and then rub with a wet rag. Add a little bit of Murphy Oil Soap to your rag and keep rubbing. Then rinse well. For the toilet, sprinkle baking soda inside the bowl followed by Murphy Oil Soap. Then scrub with a toilet brush.

#4 Save the Cooking Water
When you prepare pasta, corn on the cob, potatoes, or vegetables, don’t pour the hot water down the drain. Save the water and when it has cooled dump it directly onto a thirsty plants.

Good Idea: Smart911.com

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I believe that everybody should have a Smart911.com safety profile for their home. Especially Seniors who live alone. Smart911 replaces the Vial of Life that has been around for many years. The vial of life is a brief information sheet including current medications, allergies, doctor’s names next of kin etc. which is put in a vial and then placed inside the refrigerator freezer. Then a magnet or sticker is placed on the front door to alert the EMS personnel that vital information is located in the freezer.

Now there is something better.

Smart911 is a free service used by public safety agencies across the country to enhance communication and response for their community. It can be used by
9-1-1 agencies to quickly send first responders to the location of an emergency with more information, by emergency management to better plan for and
respond to disasters, and by municipalities to send emergency notifications to their citizens.
By creating a Safety Profile for your family, you are providing potentially life-saving information to public safety officials at the time when they need it most. On the way to your home.

Why should you get Smart911 ?

Today over 70% of calls made to 9-1-1 in the U.S. are made from mobile phones, and these mobile phones relay limited information about the caller.
Unlike a landline, a mobile phone does not link directly to an address or include a caller’s name. 9-1-1 call takers are trained to ask specific questions to determine the location of the emergency, who is
in need of assistance and other specific details in order to send the correct response teams, to the correct location, quickly. These questions take time, and often during an emergency the caller may not be able to communicate effectively.

If you have a Smart911 profile the call taker will have all the information they need to help you quickly.

Check out Smart911.com and see if it is available in your area.  If not, put in a request and tell all your friends about this life saving service.

Health Benefits Of Coconut Oil For Seniors

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In this post, I want to talk to you about Coconut’s Health Benefits.
The oil of the coconut offers a wide range of nutritional and health benefits which include everything from lowering cholesterol,
reducing the risk of heart disease, promoting weight loss, helping to maintain a target weight, boosting energy levels, increasing the metabolic rate and preventing wrinkles.
It also contains lauric acid, a powerful antiviral and antibacterial agent, which is believed to be a valuable in preventing routine illness and boosting the immune system. All great benefits for us, especially for baby boomers and our senior clients.
It contains calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium and a whole host of vitamins, the coconut is a real powerhouse which can be safely added to most people’s diets,
So how can you reap the benefits of Coconut Oil.
I use coconut oil in the morning to make a scrambled egg.  My wife puts a tablespoon in her smoothies, and my sister takes a tablespoon straight.(not for me)   I have also heard people add a teaspoon to their Coffee or oatmeal.
So, as busy as you are, be sure to take time and keep learning! Until next time this is …Kurt Hjelle with Safe at Home Healthcare.