While food poisoning may be a blanket term for food-borne illness, there are many different causes and symptoms. Depending on the type of food and how it is prepared, there are various bacteria that can grow and infect consumers.

tasty-3524536_1920 Listeria is a bacteria that typically hides in dairy products and produce. This strand of food poisoning usually affects pregnant women, people 65 years and older and those with a compromised immune system. While contamination is sometimes difficult to avoid, there are preventative measures to be taken. The Center for Disease Control and Protection released an article discussing tips for protecting your health, including:

Make sure any dairy products you consume are made with pasteurized milk
Cut melon should not be left out at room temperature for more than four hours
Sprouts need to be cooked thoroughly to avoid getting sick

Coming in contact with Listeria can be frightening and difficult to predict. However, taking proper preventative measures and understanding how to properly care for your food will help keep you safe and healthy.

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Nutrition has a major impact on how our bodies operate and react to changes. Regardless of how our diets have worked for us in the past, dietary tweaks are inevitable as we continue to age.

Since everybody ages differently, there is no universal dietary plan for all to follow. Instead, it is important to be aware of the changes occurring in your body and what foods can work to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.

In a recent blog post, AgingCare lists some helpful tips for adults to follow to improve their diet and, ultimately, their health. Some of these tips include:

Protect your bones by increasing calcium and vitamin D
If you’re feeling low on energy, increase your vitamin B12 intake
Swap out salt for other seasonings, like garlic or onion powder
Probiotics can help improve digestive health

Living a healthy lifestyle and being proactive is important at any stage of life. However, as we continue to age, the changes we experience in our bodies can be largely impacted by the nutrients we are missing out on. Even a small dietary tweak can have a large effect on your overall health.

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Companies that produce and sell consumer products have a duty to test and ensure product safety under specific guidelines. It is also required that products warn of side effects or safety hazards associated with their product to ensure consumer awareness.

However, when a company does not take the proper measures to test their product for safety, the consumer could be in danger. In a recent article, Find Law introduces tips to follow when experiencing a defective product and how to report it, including:

Contact the appropriate agency for information about recalls or how to report a problem
Keep as much of the packaging as possible, including purchase receipts
Have a record of the incident involving the defective product

Injuries from defective products can be serious and lead to significant consequences down the line. It is important to know what to do when experiencing a defective product and how to immediately handle the situation.

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Smartphones and tablets have become an important part of our everyday life. As technology continues to advance, new apps are steadily releasing, offering more features than ever before.

The release of new apps involving management, dementia care and ways to check up on elderly loved ones has created easy problem-solving methods for caregivers. Apps can be a great way for a caregiver to connect with a loved one.

In a recent blog post, HealthCentral lists the top apps that caregivers should be using to reduce stress and connect with a loved one, including:

Coloring apps to stimulate elderly dementia patients
Apps to track how often your loved one is moving around
An app that organizes and manages caregiving between multiple caregivers or family members

Utilizing the technology at your fingertips can have a big impact on relieving the everyday stress of caregiving. Trying out new apps and figuring out what works best for you is the first step in creating a more relaxed and connected caregiving experience.

Check out our Elder Care Resource App, designed to assist caregivers and their families.

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Falling is the leading cause of death in the construction industry. Of those falls, about one-third of them are from ladders. While these statistics may seem frightening, these falls are preventable.

Before beginning work on a ladder, it is important to make sure proper safety precautions are being followed. If the job requires any tasks that make you feel unsafe, consider other tools to use instead of a ladder, like a scissor lift.

If working on a ladder is the best option for you, there are a number of ways to ensure your safety. Safety and Health Magazine discuss the best tips to follow when using a ladder, including:

Ensure the base of the ladder is secured on a level surface
Fully extend the ladder before beginning work
Always maintain three points of contact on the ladder
Never stand on the top rung of the ladder

Falls can always be prevented. By working smartly and following proper safety precautions, ladder use does not have to be dangerous or scary.

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Food poisoning, also known as food-borne illness, occurs when food that is contaminated with harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses or toxins is consumed. It can cause a large range of symptoms, depending on the case and individual. Some of the most common symptoms include stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and loss of appetite.

Certain foods are more prone to cause food poisoning than others, especially if they are handled or cooked improperly. In a recent article, Healthline discussed the top 9 foods that are most likely to cause food poisoning, including:

Poultry
Vegetables and leafy greens
Fish and shellfish
Rice

Pregnant women, young children, elderly and people with chronic illnesses are at a greater risk of food poisoning. To minimize your risk, be sure to practice good hygiene when preparing food, check use-by dates, and keep your food at a safe temperature.

Read the full article here.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether or not your loved one is experiencing Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, especially when every person experiences different symptoms of wide-ranging severity.

A recent blog post by Aging Care discusses some clear early indicators of Alzheimer’s and dementia to look for in your loved one. Some of those include:

Forgetfulness and short-term memory loss
Losing things
Language and speaking problems
Personality changes and mood swings

If any of these signs are present and you believe that your loved one may have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, it is important that you speak to a doctor immediately. An early diagnosis will allow you to plan for care and treatment strategies and the future.

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Driving in wet, rainy conditions can be extremely dangerous, especially if you are not prepared. It is important that you are properly equipped for wet road travel both before departure and while you are driving to ensure safety.

In a recent blog post, What Happens Now released 26 tips for safe driving in the rain. Here are a few of them:

If at all possible, avoid driving until conditions improve.
Make sure your vehicle is in good operating conditions, particularly the tires and windshield wipers.
Avoid standing water.
After driving through a pool of water, tap on your brake pedal lightly to dry off your brakes.

It is crucial that you take these precautionary measures when driving in wet and rainy conditions to avoid accidents. Most importantly, use your best judgement. If you can’t see road signs or cars ahead of you, pull over and wait for the heavy rainfall to die down.

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Establishing a trusting relationship with a company and their caregivers is key for a successful in-home care experience for your loved one. It is important that the senior feels comfortable with the person assisting them with personal care tasks, as well as more straightforward tasks, such as light housekeeping or planning meals.

In a recent blog post, Aging Care discusses some measures that the family members, home care companies and professional caregivers can take to ensure a pleasant transition into at-home caregiving for the senior. Some of those include:

1. Screen home care companies thoroughly.
2. Form a caregiver connection.
3. Warm up to more than one caregiver.

It is important that you let the company know if the caregiver is not a good match and why. They should work alongside you and your loved one to find a match that suits the senior’s needs best with desired traits and skills.

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Workers’ compensation should cover your medical costs and pay for any days of work you miss when you injure yourself or develop an illness because of your job. Even though almost all employers have to buy workers’ comp insurance, it does not cover everyone on the job.

Knowing exactly what qualifies for workers’ compensation and how to go about it can get tricky. In a recent blog post, NY Daily News highlighted some things you should know in order to make sure you get the workers’ compensation you deserve, including:

Report every injury or illness
Visit the right medical provider
Ask your employer to explain its workers’ comp coverage
You may not need an attorney to get what you’re owed

To be covered by workers’ compensation, you must be accidentally injured while doing your job, or get ill from doing your job. Just simply getting injured or sick while at your job does not entitle you to workers’ compensation benefits.

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Going outside in the summer heat can be extremely demanding for seniors. However, sun exposure produces vitamin D, which is necessary for brain, bone and muscle health. Finding the right summer activity that interests the senior and meets their capabilities can be challenging, but worth it.

Natural sunlight and fresh air not only provide physical benefits but mental and emotional benefits as well. Outdoor summer activities can be rejuvenating for seniors. In a recent blog post, Aging Care gave ten creative outdoor activity ideas for caregivers and seniors to enjoy together, which include:

Catch a sporting event
Stroll around
Picnic outdoors
Attend community events

It is much more difficult for a senior’s body to adjust to the warm summer heat than a younger one. It is important to make note of any signs of fatigue, thirst, sunburn or overheating the senior may be experiencing and return to the indoors.

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The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in every 20,000 eggs are contaminated with Salmonella. Even some undamaged, fresh eggs may contain Salmonella bacteria, which can cause foodborne illness. Eggs must be properly handled, refrigerated and cooked before being consumed in order to be safe.

In a recent blog, University of Minnesota Extension suggests some ways to prepare your eggs to ensure that you are consuming them safely. Here are a few of them:

Buy eggs that have been refrigerated.
Store your eggs in the refrigerator, in their carton, at 40 degrees F or below.
Don’t wash your eggs.
Serve your cooked eggs and egg dishes as soon as possible after cooking.

Regardless of whether it is for health purposes or not, no one should eat foods containing raw eggs. Salmonella can cause serious intestinal infections, especially in those lacking a strong immune system, which includes young children and elderly.

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