Matthew Norman, DDS and Michelle Phillips, RDH

Xerostomia is the dental term for dry mouth.  One out of every four adults suffers from some form of dry mouth.  Several factors can contribute to the presence of dry mouth such as: diabetes, anxiety, alcohol consumption, trauma to a salivary gland/duct, radiation/chemotherapy treatment for cancer, and medications.  Medications are the most common cause of dry mouth—both prescription and over-the-counter.  The more medications that a person is taking, the higher the risk that individual is to have diminished salivary flow and a dry mouth.

Dry-Mouth Tongue

Saliva performs many functions.  Not only does saliva help to moisten the tissues in your mouth, but it also helps keep your mouth and teeth healthy and clean.  There are certain enzymes present in your saliva that help to digest food and plaque that adhere to your teeth after eating. If the salivary flow in your mouth is diminished, plaque and food sticks to your teeth more resiliently which increases the chance of having tooth decay or cavities.  Dry mouth can also lead to mouth infections, bad breath and periodontal (gum) disease.  Someone suffering from dry mouth may have gum tissue that appears red, a “cracked-looking” or red tongue.  The tongue can even appear shiny from the dryness.  Dry mouth has also been linked to an overall burning sensation in a person’s mouth.

Currently, there is no treatment available to directly increase someone’s salivary flow or the amount of saliva one produces, but salivary

Biotene Mouthwash

substitutes do exist.  One “over-the-counter” option available is a salivary substitute called Biotene.  Biotene comes in several forms—a mouthwash, toothpaste, moisturizing gels and even a chewing gum.  The Biotene products help to lubricate and protect your mouth just as your own saliva would.  Incorporating these salivary substitutes into your daily oral hygiene regime can improve your oral health and comfort while decreasing the risk of tooth decay caused by diminished salivary flow.

ACT Anticavity Fluoride Rinse

Another option for defense from the effects of xerostomia is fluoride.  Fluoride helps strengthen the outer layer of the tooth to prevent tooth decay.  As mentioned earlier, plaque and food can more easily stick to teeth in a dry mouth, attacking the minerals in the enamel to cause cavities.  Fluoride mouthrinses, such as ACT, helps to counteract this process and strengthen the teeth.

Whether you have a dry mouth or not, brushing twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste, flossing once a day and visiting your Dentist on a regular basis (at least twice a year), is your best defense against tooth decay and gum disease! The team of dental care professionals at Norman Dental in Greensboro NC can be reached at 336-282-2120, located at 2511 Oakcrest Avenue, Greensboro NC 27408. Here is a link to their website: http://www.norman-dental.com/team.html

Michelle Phillips, RDH

Electric Toothbrush

With one who has dexterity difficulties such as arthritis, there are several oral hygiene aids that can help.  There are things such as electric toothbrushes and flossers out on the market now to aid in good oral hygiene.

Electric toothbrushes come in an array of varieties, with the basic function all the way up to those with all the bells and whistles.  They can cost from less than $10, and even go up to over $100.  Electric toothbrushes help those with a lesser ability to grasp small things like a manual toothbrush.  Most come with a substantially larger handle compared to the manual brush.  Another good feature of the electric brush is that the head will either oscillate or rotate, so all you have to do is literally hold the brush on your teeth and move it from tooth to tooth.  Other potential features of electric brushes could include a two-minute timer and pressure sensors.  Two minutes is the optimal time to brush.  Some electric toothbrushes will give some sort of pulsation when two minutes have lapsed, so that the optimal brushing time is achieved.  The pressure sensor is good for those that may have sensitivity due to gum recession.  This indicator will usually turn the brush off momentarily to let you know that you’re pressing too hard.

Flossers

Flossers are aids to help one floss without having to wrap the floss around your fingers.  There are disposable flossers and those that tend to be larger that you have to insert floss into.  An arthritic patient is a great candidate for these flossers, because you don’t have to hold the floss on your fingers and manipulate it in the mouth, you simply hold the handle instead.

Another option for those unable to grasp small things like the handle of a manual toothbrush is to cut a small hole in a tennis ball and insert the

Tennis Ball Toothbrush

handle of the toothbrush.  With this, it’s much easier to grasp the tennis ball than the toothbrush handle.

Rubberband Toothbrush

One last alternative is to place a rubber band around the handle of the toothbrush, around the back of the hand, then back on the toothbrush handle.  This way, no grasping is required!

Michelle Phillips RDH is a Registered Dental Hygienist at Norman Dental in Greensboro NC, located at 2511 Oakcrest Avenue, Greensboro NC 27408. Telephone number 336-282-2120. http://www.norman-dental.com/team.html

Optimal Oral Health for Optimal Overall Health 

Matthew Norman, DDS and Michelle Phillips, RDH

Many correlations exist between periodontal (gum) disease and systemic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and even pregnancy.  The mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body, and it is becoming more and more evident that an infection in your mouth can affect the rest of your body.

Periodontal disease is infection of the gums.  In a healthy mouth, gums are pink, firm and do not bleed when brushed and flossed.  It is very important to brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and to visit your dentist regularly.  At a routine hygiene appointment, the dentist and dental hygienist review your medical history and evaluate your gums to screen for all forms of periodontal disease and gingivitis.  Gingivitis is the lowest classification of periodontal disease, meaning inflammation of the gums.   Remember, healthy gums don’t bleed!

Heart disease is probably the most commonly linked systemic disease to periodontal disease.  Bacteria are present in bodies of all living creatures.  Some bacteria are not harmful and actually help keep the body healthy, but some bacteria are harmful to your body.  This same situation of helpful/harmful bacteria exists in your mouth.  Any bacteria (good or bad) present in your mouth can be transmitted into your bloodstream, especially when the gums are bleeding due to unmanaged periodontal disease or gingivitis.  Once in your bloodstream, bacteria can reach all other areas of your body, including your heart.  When bacteria enter the bloodstream, it attaches itself to the fatty plaques in your heart vessel arteries (coronary arteries) and contributes to the formation of clots.  One with coronary artery disease has thickened walls of the coronary arteries from the buildup of plaques and the blood clots can obstruct blood flow.  This leads to a lack of oxygen needed for the heart to properly function, which can lead to a stroke and even a heart attack.  Those with periodontal disease are more likely to suffer from coronary artery disease than those without periodontal disease.  Also, unmanaged periodontal disease can worsen a preexisting heart condition.

Diabetes is a chronic systemic illness which is becoming more and more prevalent in the United States.  The American Diabetes Associated estimated in 2011 that nearly 26 million people (8% of the total US population) have diabetes and this number continues to grow rapidly.  A person with diabetes is more likely to have periodontal disease than a non-diabetic, especially one who doesn’t have their diabetes under control.   The diabetic patient is more likely to develop infections and because their wound-healing ability is impaired, oral infection is more difficult to treat.  The relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease has also been found to be two-directional, meaning that the worsening of one condition can cause the other to worsen.  Therefore a diabetic patient, who also suffers from periodontal disease which is unmanaged, is more likely to lose control of their diabetes and suffer from diabetic complications.

Respiratory diseases are also directly linked to periodontal disease.  The bacteria in your mouth can be drawn into your lungs to cause respiratory diseases like pneumonia.  When you inhale, the bacteria in your mouth can settle into your lower respiratory tract and cause infection.  Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have a higher risk of experiencing complications, when unmanaged periodontal disease is also present.

Many people are unaware that a relationship exists between periodontal disease and pregnancy.  When a woman is pregnant, it is common for her to develop a condition called Pregnancy Gingivitis.  During pregnancy, a woman experiences changes in her normal hormone levels.  These changes can cause the gum tissue to become much more sensitive food and plaque levels in the mouth, which lead to inflammation and bleeding in the gums.  The hormonal changes can even make it easier for the bad bacteria that we discussed earlier to grow.   Some bacteria have even been found to cause complications with pregnancy, such as pre-term births.  It is very important for the pregnant patient to see their dentist and dental hygienist for routine hygiene visits to ensure their mouth is in a healthy condition.

In summary, it is crucial for everyone to visit their dentist regularly – especially those who have a systemic disease, which can increase their risk of developing periodontal disease.  Your dentist and dental hygienist should be evaluating your periodontal health on a regular basis to ensure your mouth is in a healthy condition.  Regular dental visits will allow the dental team to check for signs of gingivitis and periodontal disease, and recommend treatment if treatment is necessary.  It is also important to be aware that a cure does not currently exist for periodontal disease.  Those with periodontal disease must maintain their dental health with excellent home care and regular dental hygiene visits.  As with any other disease, early detection is critical.  The sooner the condition is discovered and treated, the better the outcome.

Norman Dental is located at 2511 Oakcrest Avenue in Greensboro NC 27408  Telephone :336-282-2120

http://www.norman-dental.com/doctorMN.html

Lungs and Tobacco Use

By Carissa Stella

It has been well documented that smoking presents health hazards in many different forms, but the biggest issue with smoking is the damage it can do to a person’s lungs. The tar and approx. 4,000 carcinogens present in tobacco smoke can decrease the ability of the lungs to provide oxygen to the blood. Additionally, 20 of those carcinogens have been identified as those that cause lung cancer as well as throat cancer and other diseases.

Tobacco smoke – A dangerous enemy

In addition to lung cancer, tobacco smoke is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke as well chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and high blood pressure. It has been shown that a person who smokes as many as 20 cigarettes a day is more at risk to contract tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

Additional complications of smoking include:

• Emphysema
• Bronchitis
• Common cold
• Increased HIV susceptibility

The effects of smoking

Long-time smokers may display some of the same symptoms as those with COPD accompanied by wheezing and what is termed smokers’ cough. As tar builds up in the lungs, their capacity is diminished and they will experience being out of breath much faster than non-smokers. They will also display some of the same symptoms as those who suffer from asthma.

Each cigarette smoked causes damage

When a person breathes, air is drawn in through the mouth and nose and moves through the trachea into the lungs through the bronchi. This carrier is similar to a tree with branches that gradually become smaller as the air moves into the lungs until it reaches the alveoli and its small air pouches lined with cilia.

The cilia in the lungs are small hairs that help move oxygen into the blood stream. These tiny hairs become coated with tar and other chemicals in tobacco smoke and can no longer function properly. In addition to helping move air into the blood, the cilia also helps filter the air so it is clean when it reaches the blood stream. If the air is not clean the lungs become irritated and can cause the bronchi to shrink. This promotes phlegm and makes it much harder to breath and causes coughing. Additionally, carbon monoxide can form in the blood while smoking, displacing oxygen in the blood.

Smoking promotes COPD

When the bronchi become irritated, an excess of mucus is produced that causes coughing and often leads to bronchitis. As smoke continues to irritate the alveoli they are destroyed leading to emphysema. The bronchi will also become narrow, making it much harder for the smoker to exhale. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is a degenerative disease and its effects are permanent but studies have shown that quitting smoking can stop the progression of the disease.

Smoking causes more than lung cancer

It isn’t just the lungs that are affected by smoking. As tar and the other carcinogens are carried into the lungs they can cause mouth and throat cancer as well as cancer in the esophagus and larynx. It had also been shown that the use of alcohol may increase the chance of contracting these forms of cancer.

Tobacco smoke is also a major trigger for those suffering from asthma, causing extreme difficulty in breathing for asthma sufferers, even when they aren’t the ones smoking. Additionally, it has been shown that pregnant women exposed to cigarette smoke have a higher risk of giving birth to babies that are susceptible to developing asthma. So it’s important to understand the health risks inflicted on others from smoking.

Sources: Wedmd.com, MayoClinic.com, Cleveland Clinic

Listen to Your Heart: Signs of a Heart Attack

 By Carissa Stella

The heart is an amazing muscle in that it provides nourishing blood and oxygen to the entire body and if something is wrong, it can almost seem to talk to you, provided you know what to listen for. A heart attack is a life-threatening emergency during which quick action can save a person’s life or at the very least minimize damage done to the heart muscle.

Signs of a heart attack

When a person suffers a heart attack it is due to a blood clot in one of the blood vessels leading to or from the heart and is typically announced by pain somewhere in the body.

While each person is different, the common signs include:

Chest pain: Located in the center of the chest and may last a few minutes and go away, often returning. It may feel as though the heart is being squeezed and is sometimes accompanied by the feeling of fullness in the chest or severe pain.

Upper body pain: During a heart attack the pain may radiate down one or both arms and often includes discomfort in the neck and jaw.

Trouble breathing: When a person is having a heart attack they often experience a shortness of breath. However, this feeling may occur before they feel any pain in the chest.

Additional Symptoms: In addition to these common signs, the person may experience nausea or the feeling of being light headed and breaking out in a cold sweat.

While a heart attack among women is just as likely, the warning signs are often ignored longer, not recognized for the danger they represent, making it more likely for a woman to delay seeking treatment. Since men are more prone to a heart attack many women do not recognize the typical symptoms, refusing to believe they are having one, causing the delay in treatment.

Signs of a heart attack in women

The symptoms a heart attack in women are similar to those in men including:

• Pain in the center of the chest.

• Pain also in the arms, jaw, neck or stomach.

• Shortness of breath or a feeling of being light headed.

When any of the warning signs of a heart attack present, it is imperative to seek emergency medical care. If a person in your care shows signs of a heart attack it is important to take the appropriate action.

What can I do?

1. Call 9-1-1 for emergency care. Do not try to take the person to the hospital in a private vehicle. Emergency Medical Technicians have the experience and equipment to administer proper care while travelling to the emergency room.

2. Above all, remain calm. Have them sit or lie down and talk calmly to them to help reduce their anxiety.

3. Ask if they take medication for heart problems. They may have a heart history and take medications such as nitroglycerine. If so, try to obtain their medication and follow the label directions. If you can determine they are not allergic to aspirin, have them chew one.

4. If the person in your care stops breathing, administer CPR, if you know how, until emergency responders arrive.

Better safe than sorry
A heart attack is a serious medical emergency and there are a few other medical issues that often present with similar symptoms that may not be life-threatening. The person should be treated as though they are having a heart attack. It is always better to be safe than ignore the symptoms and find out later you were wrong. Remember to keep your medical appointments and see your doctors regularly.  Be proactive with your loved one’s and your own health care!

 Sources: Wedmd.com, MayoClinic.com

The Importance of Respite for Caregivers

By Carissa Stella

As with any job, everyone needs time away from their responsibilities to take care of personal affairs, ease the stress of their position as well as to renew their energy. Being an in-home caregiver incorporates some additional stress of being responsible for someone’s health. This makes it more important for you, as a caregiver, to be able to provide quality care and attention to the patient. Whether you are caring for a family member or are a paid professional, taking a break from your responsibility will prevent you from getting burned out from the job.

Caregivers need to care for themselves too

If you are a caregiver, the job can lead to feeling overwhelmed and even episodes of depression if you are not able to take some time off and have time for yourself. Many in-home caregivers who remain on the job 24/7 will find it hard to take a break but the stress and negative emotions build up over time and could possibly hamper the quality of the care they provide.

Fortunately, there are options available for respite from the every day duties. You can have others in your care network such as other family members and friends spend some time with your loved one. You can hire an in-home care service to help keep a normal routine or use one of the many adult day care programs that can provide a different environment. All options can be therapeutic for both your loved one and   for you, the caregiver.

Bringing in some additional help

When you are considering finding help to care for your loved one it is important to understand the type of help that is needed. Once you know the type of help you require, make a list of those who can provide that help and the cost if you need to bring in professionals.

You should look around the home to determine what preparations are needed for an outsider to come in and help out. Also remember any medications that will be required will have to be readily available, at least until the temporary caregiver is familiar with the surroundings.

In-Home Care Services. If your loved one prefers a comfortable and familiar environment while you are not with them, in-home care services is the best option. These services can be tailored to fit your loved ones needs fulfilling the day to day of medication management, personal care and companionship. It’s important to make sure you use a licensed home care agency to ensure you are receiving professional, reliable and the highest quality service for your loved one. It’s important to take the time for yourself and knowing a caring professional is looking after your loved one will allow you to enjoy your time away.

Adult Day Care Services. These are designed for individuals with a wide range of needs. Many communities have established programs that allow the individual to become part of their community. Typically, they are run by professional caregivers and are available weekdays, giving in-home caregivers a break during the day to allow for them to take care of their own business. It also can relieve some of the stress of caring for your loved one by knowing they are in capable hands.

Here are some of the benefits from of these respite programs:

•  Time out of the house that they can spend with others.
• An opportunity to be part of a group of people closer to one’s own age.
• A chance to learn some new skills through activities in a friendly encouraging environment.
• Regaining a sense of independence
• Improved self-esteem

Getting away from the environment

As a caregiver, it is not only important to have someone else come into the home to give you a break. It is important that you get out of the house, even if just for a few hours. In the beginning it may only be for an hour or so, until you are comfortable with the caregiver’s abilities and the patient’s feeling of confidence. When you start to feel more comfortable, you can gradually increase the amount of time you spend away from home and your loved one. If you are a caregiver, we’d love for you to share with us and those reading how you take time for yourself. Where do you go for rest and relaxtion? How do you rebuild your energy?

Important Information for Caregivers on Strokes and Learning Act FAST

By Carissa Stella

Strokes are considered the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability. Understanding what a stroke is and how to determine if you or someone in your care is having a stroke can be instrumental in reducing the long-term effects.

How does a stroke occur?

A stroke is an attack on the brain in which a blood clot stops the flow of blood to a portion of the brain. It can be in an artery that provides blood and oxygen from the heart or in a small blood vessel, but in either case affected portions of the brain can be killed resulting in brain damage.

Providing fast medical intervention is the best way to aid a person experiencing a stroke. Administering drugs approved by the Federal Drug Administration within the first three hours of the onset of the symptoms gives a patient the best chances to have a full recovery.

The symptoms of a stroke encompass, but are not limited to:

• Trouble speaking or overall confusion. Speech may be slurred or the person cannot form words properly.
• Sudden trouble with vision in one or both eyes.
• Loss of balance or other trouble walking.
• Sudden numbness in an arm, leg or in the face, typically only on one side.
• Sudden severe headache with no immediately identifiable cause.

Strokes happen suddenly, requiring FAST action –

If one or more of these symptoms become apparent in a person, there are a few simple things you can do to determine if they are having a stroke . Making it easy to remember, the National Stroke Association has developed a list of tests that will require fast action. In fact, they developed the acronym FAST to help care givers remember the symptoms.

Face: Have the person smile and look closely to see if both sides are even or if one side tends to droop.

Arms: Have the person raise their arms to determine if one side tends to slowly drop lower.

Speech: Have the person respond to any simple sentence to determine if they can pronounce clearly. If their words are jumbled or appear difficult to speak, they are likely having a stroke.

Time: When a person is having a stroke, time is of the essence. Make a note of the time when the symptoms first appear and get them to an emergency stroke facility or to the emergency room as soon as possible.

Types of stroke

There are two essential types of strokes – hemorrhagic and ischemic, with ischemic, or TIA being the most common occurring in roughly 85 percent of all strokes. These are due to a blocked artery in the brain typically from a blood clot or plaque build-up. Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by blood leaking into the brain. Although this type comprises only 15 percent of all strokes, they account for over 30 percent of stroke deaths.

Know what to look for

The potential of a person suffering a stroke or a TIA increases with age and once a person has suffered a TIA, or a mini-stroke, their chances of suffering an additional stroke are even greater. By knowing the symptoms and what to look for, and by getting the person to the emergency room in a timely manner, you can reduce the effects of a stroke and in many instances reverse the effects of the stroke.

In-Home Caregivers Tips for Sharing from the Generations: Recipe Reminiscing

By Carissa Stella

Nearly every family has its favorite recipes handed down from generation to generation and in-home caregivers have the unique opportunity to offer those reminders. Parents have likely handed down those recipes for treats or goodies to the next generation and would likely feel special if they could help you hand those same recipes down to subsequent generations.

By handing them down, it is more than simply writing out the list of ingredients and the instructions. It means standing with them and making the cookies or rolls or whatever treat the recipe is for. It is the interaction the children had when they learned how to make the special treat. As a gift you could make the food item and give it to your parents as a token of your appreciation for teaching you how to make it.

Another option could be to create a cookbook of your family’s favorite recipes, making sure you include the name of the relative that was famous for making it for family gatherings. In addition to your parents, you can include recipes from aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers to bolster the strength of the book and add to the treasured memories it contains.

Remember though that not all of your parents’ or grandparents’ recipes were written down. Instead many of them cooked from memory and in order to include those recipes in a family cookbook, you will probably have to stand beside them, helping them of course, and write down the ingredients and instructions as you go. Once you are done with each recipe you can categorize it before turning it into a cookbook to be treasured by subsequent generations.

The important thing to remember is to have personal instructions available from all of those contributing to the cookbook. No doubt most will tell you that the most important ingredient is love, and in most instances you will, as an in-home caregiver, find that to be true, much as it is true with the care you are providing your family member.

As a gift for those to whom you are providing care, you could place all of the family’s favorite recipes onto cards and arrange them in a small basket also containing flowers. This can rest on a bedside table or elsewhere in the room where the parent can read through the many items and remember how and when they cooked each item in the basket. Several baskets could be created to share with other members of the family.

If the parent had a favorite recipe for rolls for example, you can replicate the recipe and deliver a basket of rolls weekly or monthly, reminding them of those rolls. This unselfish act would undoubtedly be appreciated and if they have dietary restrictions, the ingredients can be changed to reflect those restrictions without losing the taste or texture of the rolls.

Whether you use a three-ring binder with tabs to separate categories of recipes or loose leaf paper for your cookbook, it will not be as important as the recipes included. If in-home caregivers can save some of the hand written recipes from years gone by they can add personal value to the cookbook. The important thing isn’t how professionally made the cookbook appears or the quality of the paper. It is the quality of memories the recipes spark along with the love it can generate for many subsequent generations.

Tips for In-home Caregivers from Hearthside Home Care on How to Recreate the Memories from the Past

By Carissa Stella

Since the first Christmas was celebrated there have been traditions started and passed down through subsequent generations and many families have started their own traditions to be shared by their children. Each family may be different but what remains the same are the memories these traditions spark every season.

Tips for In-home Caregivers – How to Recreate the Memories from the Past

Whether it is when and how a tree is decorated or climbing into the car on Christmas Eve for a trip around the neighborhood to view the numerous decorated houses, traditions can only become traditions if the families pass them on to their children. Reliving those memories year after year will often provide more memories and even those can be shared with others.

Remember, if those memories are not shared they will soon fade away and be remembered only as a habit. It does seem that everyone buys presents and puts them under the tree, but those that share memories of their childhood continue those memories until a tradition is established. In-home caregivers can continue those traditions with their loved ones by recreating those memories with their parents or other relatives.

Depending on the circumstances, those memories can be transformed into a written or photographic work as a reminder to everyone about how the tradition started and how it remained part of the family’s memory over the years. Understand that not all of the traditions will remain, as many families, as they have their own children may wish to start their own traditions, but by maintaining a record of them will help remind everyone what their holidays consisted of when they were younger.

Breathing New Life into the Old Traditions

Looking back through albums of times gone by can also lead subsequent generations to turn back the clock to relive some of the old traditions, possibly breathing new life into them. Some may even become part of the new memories being created. Talk to the ones receiving your care and have them relive their experiences and how their traditions came about and how their own family traditions grew from those of their own parents, accounting for the changes over the years.

Generations ago it is likely that many of the things enjoyed today were not in existence or were not affordable to most and your family may have had to make changes based on their circumstances. Today, greeting cards are churned out by factories by the millions whereas two or three generations ago, cards were mostly handmade. Talk to your parent about how modernization changed their traditions and learn from their memories of how to make Christmas the same special holiday it was when they were much younger.

Don’t forget about the memories of Dad climbing a ladder in the snow to attach decorations to the house and how wonderful everyone thought the house looked when he was done. You can also talk about how wonderful the house smelled when Mom had Christmas pies in the oven and cookies lined the table. Most of these traditions may still exist in many homes while others have waned to be replaced by those “store-bought” pies and cookies, but the memories of those sweet smells will remain in the air of your memory.

The dedication your parents or grandparents had to ensure the kids experienced a wonderful holiday is what maintains the strength of family traditions. Even if you really didn’t like the Christmas movies your Mom insisted on watching as a family every year. It isn’t so much the movie as it is having the family together in one room sharing time together, creating their own holiday traditions.

Tips for In-Home Caregivers to have a Peaceful Christmas from Hearthside Home Care

By Carissa Stella

With all the decorating, cooking, and gatherings, Christmas and the holidays tend to bring additional stress, but planning and prioritizing can help you enjoy a peaceful holiday season. Here are some useful tips for in-home caregivers to help manage stress during Christmas and the holiday season:

1.   Remind yourself that things don’t always go as planned and be flexible. It’s ok if you can’t make it to every holiday party you are invited to or stay for hours at each one. If you need to make an appearance at more than one just be cautious of the time and leave when you need to. Set boundaries – set an alarm on your watch or cell phone giving yourself a few minutes to say your goodbyes before heading on to the next. If you have elder loved ones with you keep in mind their needs and plan ahead. Feel good about asking for help if you need it. You owe it to yourself as a caregiver, and those you care for will benefit from a less-stressed ‘you’.

2.   Spending time as a family is the ultimate gift to each other whether you are eating together, exchanging gifts, sharing memories of Christmases past or singing carols. There is so much joy in the company of family and a room full of laughter and story-telling. If you are hosting a family gathering, ask family members ahead of time to help decorate and setup or bring a dish with them to alleviate the stress of cooking and preparing all on your own. The time together and memories made are what’s most important. Remember: Feel good about asking for help if you need it. You owe it to yourself as a caregiver, and those you care for will benefit from a less-stressed ‘you’.

3.   Travel schedules - If you aren’t able to be with your family during the holiday season, its ok – be creative and set your own holiday schedule. Traveling over Christmas can be stressful with traffic jams, packed airports and hustle. Look into the alternative of travelling before or after the holidays.

4.   Money and budgets - If it feels like your wallet isn’t big enough for the amount of gifts you would like to purchase, then consider updating your gift giving traditions this year. Keep it simple by drawing names with each family member buying a gift for one other person and set a budget to avoid financial stress. You’ll have more money to spend on a nice gift for one person than if you had to spread your budget amongst all your family members. As another alternative, experience the joy in giving to those outside of immediate family who are in need by donating to a charitable organization, or directly to a child or family in need.

5.   More on donating to those in need – Look outside of yourself – volunteer at a food pantry or soup kitchen, collect needed items for the homeless shelters, or volunteer at a homeless shelter. You’ll quickly gain perspective, better appreciate your blessings, and you will get a gift in return far greater, knowing you have made a difference by helping those who are perhaps less fortunate than yourself.

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed during the holidays, take a break. Find a quiet place alone to yourself, reflect, and stay focused on what is important and take care of yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself as a caregiver, you will find it difficult to properly care for your loved ones. Remember: feel good about asking for help if you need it. You owe it to yourself as a caregiver, and those you care for will benefit from a less-stressed ‘you’.