A Message About Scams

From your Homecare Team:

Are you tired of receiving phone calls about your “car warranty,” “lower credit card interest rates,” or “a family member in trouble?” These scammers have become very sneaky, scamming Americans out of $29 BILLION dollars annually. How can you protect yourself and your friends? Ask for a callback number! Scammers want to keep you on the phone and don’t want to give you a way to contact them. Don’t give out ANY personal info over the phone! Think it is a family member? Hang up and call them directly to verify.

Managing Stress

Whether you’re experiencing everyday stress or you’re sufering from prolonged stress caused by an ongoing circumstance in your life, one thing is certain — you need to help yourself relax! Thankfully, there are all kinds of relaxation techniques to counteract the stressors life throws at you.

Decompression
To counteract more physical forms of stress, try this simple technique: Apply a warm heat wrap to your neck and shoulder area for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to relax the muscles in your face and throughout your upper body. Foam rollers can work wonders on highly stressed areas of the back and legs. Or, if you’ve got the time (and money), get the full decompression experience by visiting your local massage therapist.

Meditation
Meditation is a powerful way to calm your heart rate, focus attention and increase awareness of potential sources of stress. Research has found that regular meditation can even change the structure of the brain and strengthen the hippocampus, an area of the brain crucial for memory and learning. The two most popular meditation techniques are mindfulness (being aware of any feelings, thoughts, ideas as they present themselves) and concentrative (disciplined focus on a mantra, a singular sound or image). Sit comfortably with eyes closed; best practices recommend staying engaged between 15 to 20 minutes, although newcomers may be challenged to do more than a few minutes. Start small, stay consistent, and don’t give up!

Movement
Getting the body moving and the blood flowing has been demonstrated to heighten mental stimulation and is one of the very best stress relievers. Try practices such as yoga to actively engage body and mind and increase flexibility and balance, effectively reducing stress levels. If all you have time for is a walk or a jog, take the opportunity to counteract the cortisol and enjoy the sense of well-being brought on by the presence of endorphins in the brain.

Winter Safety Tips

The snow has arrived in the mountains! Hard to believe that we are almost back to winter! We wanted to share a few
safety tips for everyone to keep in mind:

Hypothermia sets in FAST!
• Keep your indoor temperature set to 65 degrees or warmer.
• Layer up! 2-3 thinner layers of loose fitting clothing are warmer than one bulky layer!
• Wear the essentials! Use a hat, gloves, boots and a scarf even if you will only be out for “a minute”.
• As we get older, you actually shiver less! You may not know how chilled you really are!

Falls increase this time of year!
• Wet pavement could actually be ice…. Keep a small bag of salt or cat litter near the door.
• Use shoes or boots with non-skid soles.
• If you use a cane, now is the time to replace the rubber tip if it is worn or get an ice pick attachment. Of course, ski
poles are a good substitute!

Fire safety and Carbon Monoxide poisoning
• If you have a fireplace or woodstove, carbon monoxide poisoning can be a real factor!
• Install a CO2 detector , the gas is colorless and odorless.
• If you feel confused, dizzy or nauseous or have blurred vision – this might be CO2 poisoning. Get fresh air ASAP and
call 911!

And this is the time to put together an Emergency kit including a flashlight, extra batteries, 3 days of food supplies, first
aid kit, water, and a dust mask to help filter contaminated air. Visit Teton County’s website by viewing the

For full kit details view HERE.

We love seeing your faces and hearing your voices! Stay safe and if you need any help, please don’t hesitate to call us!!