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}

Why is it so high here and is there anything that can be done to change that? I’m glad to say that there is something that can be done to change it, and it is called getting informed and controlling your symptoms. Medication management is very important in any disease but environmental changes often bring the biggest impact on symptom control. This means that there are things that you and your family can do to reduce the asthma triggers and control your symptoms.

Focus on the room you sleep in. Get rid of excess there, no carpeting and weekly mopping will keep (invisible) dust mites under control. Dust mites are a major trigger for symptoms.

No Pets. If you must have pets they do not stay in the bedroom ever! Fish are OK but sorry, no furry creatures allowed.

No smoking in your home EVER!

These three steps will change your asthmatics life for the better.

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.

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.

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