The summer sun is shining down on the Valley, and for those of you who regularly venture outdoors, or even walk to your car in the parking lot, being prepared for sun exposure is important in preventing skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation states that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime, and as people are living longer, this statistic is only growing.
If you are caring for an older loved one, ensuring their safety while outdoors in the sun is an important part of your role as a caregiver. There are many ways you can protect yourself and the person you care for from harmful UVB and UVA rays:
- Regularly use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. The SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, indicates how protective a sunscreen is against the effects of the sun. If it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to turn red, a SPF 15 sunscreen will prevent reddening 15 time longer – about five hours. SPF 15 blocks around 93 percent of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97 percent and SPF 50 blocks 98 percent.
- Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside, every two hours and immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
- Seek the shade, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Cover up with clothing, hats and UV-blocking sunglasses.
- See your physician every year for a professional exam. They may see things you would miss when looking over your skin yourself.
If you are headed outside, consider getting out early in the day, when the sun is not yet at its brightest. Also, you can keep your loved ones active without going out in the sun by taking a walk indoors at the mall. Remember, you are your aging loved one’s advocate, so make sure you take the necessary precautions when going out in the sun this summer.
National Better Hearing and Speech Month has been around since 1927, and each year the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association promotes the month of May as a time to encourage people to be screened for hearing loss, as well to promote ways to assist in the cost of hearing tests and hearing aids.
For our aging population, the threat of hearing loss is rather common. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 30% of adults between 65–74 years old and 47% of adults 75 years or older have a hearing impairment. With so many of our older adults experiencing hearing loss, this month is significant in promoting a better quality of life for our seniors.
Improving the lives of our older adults by addressing their hearing impairment problems is crucial, but really listening to our aging loved ones is essential in helping them feel comfortable and important. Many times we find that the seniors in our lives repeat stories, or seem to be confused in their communication. When we listen to their thoughts, concerns and comments, though, we let them know that we care about what they say and think. Our older population has lived quite the history, and many have stories that illustrate not just how they lived their lives in the 1930s, ‘40s or ‘50s, but really how our entire society lived. Making our loved ones feel heard and understood shows how important their past is to our present, and creating this interaction truly leads to better thoughtful and compassionate care for our seniors.
Next time you see or visit an older loved one, don’t hesitate to sit, listen and let them direct the conversation. They will appreciate the attention you are paying them, and you never know – you might just learn something new.
Mother’s Day is just a couple days away, and it seems only natural for us at Cypress HomeCare Solutions to celebrate the gift of moms, and the reason we care for the aging adults in our community.
Almost three decades ago, our inspiration, Joan S. Roth, needed care following a life-changing heart attack. Her husband and sons stepped in as Family Caregivers for Joan, and found that caring for their mom was one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives. As a result, Cypress HomeCare Solutions was “born” from our mom Joan, and after 18 years we remain dedicated to providing compassionate care to those who need it most.
Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist Peter Thomas has stated that “God’s greatest gift to humanity was moms.” We agree. Over the last 18 years, we have had the privilege of caring for many moms in our community, and we are grateful for the families who have entrusted us in their care. This Mother’s Day, we want to celebrate both the mothers that are still with us and the mothers that have passed, and recognize the impact they have made on our lives. Joan Roth left behind her legacy with Cypress, and we are proud to pass along the gift of caring to so many families in our community.
From our Cypress heart to yours, thank you to all the moms out there – we wish each and every one of you a very Happy Mother’s Day!
- Joan with her sons
