Remember when you did something wrong in school the punishment was detention? And if you were like me, you were more worried about how your parents would react. Quite frankly, I hated being yelled at. Being put on the spot no matter where we were, worked wonders for correcting bad behavior. But I always knew that my parents had their finger on the pulse… they know what I was doing and were quick to punish if it was necessary (I don’t mean corporal punishment but some of us actually did endure that too).

The reality today is that many parents assume contact by cell phone with their kids is supervision and that their child, no matter what, is never wrong. What do you suppose is the long term outcome? By you thinking that they would never do anything wrong teach them to be responsible for their actions? Does it make them better at getting their way? Parenting is work, we all need to keep tabs on what are kids are doing… think about it.

Have you ever tried to finish a home improvement project without using the right tools? How did it turn out? As a new homeowner, I’ve learned the results aren’t pretty.

Along the same lines, using the right equipment can enable people with certain physical limitations to safely accomplish every-day tasks in the home. If you use any of these common household items for these (or similar) reasons, allow me to share with you a few safer options.

1) Avoid holding onto the towel rack to enter and exit the bathtub or shower. These racks were never designed to hold more than the weight of wet towels.

Instead, consider installing grab bars, which designed to provide adequate support.

2) Avoid holding onto furniture to maintain balance when walking around the home. Furniture can serve many purposes, but it is not a adequate long-term solution to make walking safer.

Instead, consider using an assistive device, such as a cane or a walker, which can help keep you steady when walking around the home.

3) Avoid sitting on a bucket or a step stool when taking a shower.

Instead, use a shower chair or a tub bench. Both items are designed to assist with bathing activity and are height-adjustable.

If you think any of these devices can benefit a loved one speak to their physician or a home health care professional.

Click on the video below to learn more ways to keep the home safe for your loved one.

^{Photo by Danilo Rizzuti}

photo by Jonathan Fitch

If you ever think about it, the feet support us, can get us around, and take a lot of abuse. However according to the American Podiatric Medical Association, 75% of Americans will have some type of foot problem in their lives. The feet are a very important but often neglected part of our body and often when I see patients, it is the feet that they are having issues with. When the feet are not well, it can cause pain, interfere with mobility, and thus your freedom.

Some common problems include athlete’s foot, warts, bunions, plantar facititis (heel pain) corns and calluses, gout, blisters, bunions, hammertoes, ingrown nails, nail fungus, neuromas (pinched nerves), and warts. So this begs the question – how can we take better care of our feet before a problem starts? First of all, wear shoes that fit properly. Wash your feet daily if possible, and keep your feet dry, including in between the toes. Have clean socks (not just because your mother said so), but to avoid inviting fungi. If you have a condition such as diabetes, daily foot checks are necessary by you or a family member. Invest in a telescoping self-examination mirror so you can see the bottom of your feet. Examining your feet should be included in your daily ritual just like brushing your teeth. If you notice any redness, swelling, cracks in the skin or sores, contact your doctor or podiatrist.

Luckily, many foot problems can be treated successfully if found and dealt with. The bottom line is, don’t neglect your feet! Give them the attention they need and deserve. Your feet will thank you for it. So let’s avoid the agony of “defeet”. There, I said it. Corny, I know – whoa! another one! OK I’ll stop now.

Be well.

H — Happiness lives there;
O — Overwhelming love and safety;
M — Me and my family, strong together;
E — Everyone I care about is there.

And that spells HOME. Support at home to care for these children is where VNSNY plays a strong role. We have infants and children in our care that are thriving at home. Keeping families together is our goal.

Mashi Blech is the Director of VNSNY Community Connections TimeBank.

This guest blog was written by Mashi Blech, Director of VNSNY Community Connections TimeBank

Irma was in a panic. She was having surgery and was worried how she would manage alone after coming home from the hospital. Her son was coming from out of town on Day One but what about Day Two, Three and Four? Who would run to the pharmacy or make her some chicken soup?

Vivian moved to this country knowing no one. She was afraid to even leave her house. Who could she trust?

Doris, a talented painter, writer and chef, was having difficulty getting around. She moved to live closer to her son but he was at work all day. How would she spend her days?

All three of these retired women joined the VNSNY TimeBank, a free community project open to all. In the TimeBank, members give what they can and get what they need. It’s as simple as neighbor helping neighbor, and it has changed so many lives. Since December 2006, more than 2,300 TimeBank members of all ages have exchanged over 130,000 hours of service.

Irma met some wonderful friends who took turns visiting her after she returned home from the hospital. They even made her bed and cooked her some chicken soup. Once she recovered, Irma taught English and Spanish, cooked for others and helped recruit new members. Vivian’s new friends from the TimeBank taught her how to get around the city and how to access services she needed. She often travelled to the TimeBank office to help organize the monthly member mailings and cooks regularly for our gatherings. And Doris found Regina… the two of them did everything together. Regina even helped get Doris’s work displayed in a local art show. Doris was a big help to another member going through cancer treatments. She also gave art and English lessons to other members.

Read more about the VNSNY TimeBank and learn how you and your family can join the fun!

Things are very different now then they were 20 or more  years ago. To begin all teens should have some type of out of the home paying job. Why? So they can earn their own money and manage their own money. Parents, don’t buy them everything they ask for. Jobs within the household are good too, but they should be expected as a part of living in your home. I am against allowances unless the job goes above and beyond, like shopping for the family, babysitting younger siblings, etc. Let’s face it, there are many bills that come every week that require consistent attention to stay afloat living independently. Opening a savings/checking account and managing a checkbook are skills that will stay with them a lifetime. Organization, community resposibility and living safely (i.e. leaving candles unattended and shutting off the stove when you are done, locking doors, etc.) have to be done always. So as you watch your kids grow and mature remember to TEACH too. They learn from you, so seting a good example gives them the skills to live independently.

New York City temperatures are beginning to drop. Before you know it snow will be in the forecast, which means older adults need to take adequate precautions before heading outdoors. They can reduce their risk of falling by sticking to these guidelines.

Using an assistive device such as a walker or a cane doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take additional steps for winter safety.

For more helpful tips on preventing accidents this winter, check out the VNSNY page.

Photo by: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you are in the midst of a busy holiday season, getting enough sleep is something that can be hard to obtain. Yet for others, this is a year round problem if they have sleep apnea. It has been estimated that this condition, where a person has episodes of stopped breathing during sleep, affects about 18 million Americans (1 in 15 people) yearly. Not only does it contribute to daytime drowsiness and lack of energy, but could be potentially dangerous and affect ones health. Many suffer from this condition without even knowing it.

I once had a patient who had uncontrolled high blood pressure, and even though he was taking his medications the way his doctor told him, it was always too high. One weekend, his sister and her family came into town and stayed with him. It wasn’t until his younger nephew told him the next day that he snored so loudly it nearly scared him, that he went to get it checked. Eventually it was discovered he had obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and now that he uses a CPAP machine at night, his quality of sleep improved along with his blood pressure.

Months later I told a girlfriend his story when we went on a trip together and I found her snoring to be disturbing. After having a sleep study done, she too found out she had sleep apnea and wears the CPAP at night. She recently told me she now gets the best sleep ever. Although snoring does not mean a person has this condition, speak to your doctor about your sleep patterns and your energy during the day. If you believe you or someone you know may have this, have it checked out. Good sleep is something we all need! Be well.

However, before I make any of those resolutions I took time to reflect on my experiences providing care in the greatest city on earth and here’s what I came up with.

The Value of Home Care

Having choices is good. Having choices when it comes to caring for the older adults in our lives is invaluable. Everyday I witness how home health care improves the quality of life of the elderly and can be an alternative to living in a nursing home.

Finding the Right Words

As I have shared previously I’ve been working to improve my Mandarin which is one of the most widely spoken Chinese dialects. My wife recently pointed out that the majority of my improvement has not been through the online language program I use but is a result of my everyday interactions with the Chinese speaking seniors I work with.

Stepping into the Community

Several times this year I spent time with various local community groups to talk about topics ranging from the benefits of exercise to falls prevention. I quickly realized many of the older adults in the audience actually had prior knowledge of the topics I had come to speak about and the fruit of our time together was our discussion on how to put the discussed principles into daily practice.

Now it’s your turn, drop a comment and let us know what were some of your highlights in the past year.

Photo courtesy of Salvatore Vuono