Senior Care in Greer SC

Enjoying fun activities together is a fantastic way for you to make your senior care journey with your elderly loved ones more meaningful and more memorable. It also allows you to pursue your care goals by stimulating your parents’ minds and encouraging them to think critically, be creative, and use their processing skills in new ways. This autumn, one of the most enjoyable and traditional activities you can enjoy with your seniors, their senior health care services provider, and your children and spouse, is carving pumpkins.

Whether you go for a classic jack o’ lantern face, something spooky, or a creative scene, you want to make sure that your carved creations last for as long as possible. Fortunately there are simple ways that you can keep your seasonal decorations from shriveling up or going moldy too quickly.

• Start with a clean pumpkin. The main culprit behind early pumpkin rot is fungi, mold, and bacteria that thrive on the wet flesh of the pumpkin. Getting rid of as many of these potential threats as possible before carving the pumpkin gives you a chance to get your pumpkin carved without introducing those issues into the pumpkin with the carving utensils. Before you start carving, brush away all of the dirt that is present on the skin and then wash the pumpkin gently with a diluted bleach solution. Dry it thoroughly before carving.

• Treat the pumpkin. After removing all of the seeds and pulp from the pumpkin, spray the inside with the diluted bleach solution and allow to penetrate for 20 minutes before carving the design. Once finished with the carving, spray the cut areas with the bleach solution and allow it to penetrate for another 20 minutes. Carefully drain out any excess liquid from the pumpkin before putting on the lid.

• Seal the pumpkin. One of the tried-and-true methods for keeping your skin hydrated and comfortable during the dry fall and winter seasons is also great for keeping your pumpkins fresher longer. Once the bleach solution has absorbed, seal the cut areas of the pumpkin, including around the lid, with petroleum jelly. This will seal in moisture while also discouraging pests that may want to turn your jack o’ lantern into a seasonal treat.

• Avoid candles. While that flickering glow of a candle inside your jack o’ lantern is the perfect eerie Halloween image, lighting a candle inside the pumpkin warms and dries the inner flesh, both of which contribute to decay. Instead, look for battery operated tea lights or strobe lights that still give a glowing effect but without the heat and drying.

• Stay out of the sun. Just like many of the creepy creatures that you celebrate during the Halloween season, your pumpkins will do best if you keep them out of direct sunlight. Place them somewhere on the porch where they do not have sun shining on them during the day, or cover them lightly to prevent too much sun exposure.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring senior care services near Greer, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116.

Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens,Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.

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Edward Harrison

Founder at Heart of the Carolinas

Edward Harrison founded the Heart of the Carolinas Homecare in 2007 when he saw there was a need for caregivers that provide non-medical home care services, at a price that most people could afford. It was standard in the industry to require hourly minimums and it was common to be assigned a caregiver, not matched with one based on your individual personal needs. Edward understood that to make a successful relationship between caregiver and client, skills were not enough, personality and compatibility plays as much a role as do skills.

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