March is National Nutrition Month
National Nutrition Month® is an annual nutrition education and information campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign, celebrated each year during the month of March, focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day is also celebrated during National Nutrition Month®, on the second Wednesday in March. This occasion increases awareness of registered dietitian nutritionists as the indispensable providers of food and nutrition services, while recognizing both RDNs and nutrition and dietetic technicians, registered for their commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives.

To learn more, click here.
The Collective Exhale: Family Caregivers and the Coronavirus Vaccine
As loved ones get vaccinated, caregivers breathe a big sigh of relief.

"I got the vaccine!” My mother's voice on the phone sounded pleased and a bit confused. “But I felt sleepy afterward. I took a three-hour nap.”

I was jealous and relieved. Jealous at the thought of a three-hour nap and relieved that my sisters and I could relax just a little. One more booster shot to go!

For older adults and the medically compromised, the vaccine brings a palpable sense of liberation. Watching images on the news of smiling people getting inoculated, flashing the two-fingered “V” for victory, I feel hopeful, despite the fact that the virus continues to burn through our country at an astounding rate, disrupting lives and families and limiting human interaction..

During the pandemic, caregivers have layered on the extra stress of keeping everyone safe from the virus, including themselves. Once minor events, such as going to the grocery store or having a family member relieve you of caregiving for a few precious hours, must now be weighed against the risks. For all of us, it's exhausting. But for many caregivers, it's like an extra set of ankle weights.

To read more, click here.
Are You Eligible for the
COVID-19 Vaccine?
To learn more, visit CT.gov. If you are eligible, here's how to get the vaccine.
For Many Seniors, Whether They Get a COVID-19 Vaccine May Depend on Their Families
When she saw the lines of cars on the TV, Dana Chadwell knew getting her parents vaccinated in her county wasn't an option.

It was late December and COVID-19 vaccination distribution had finally begun for priority groups, including the elderly and health care providers. Chadwell, a 46-year-old Chattanooga, Kentucky, resident, wanted to get her parents, both in their mid-to-late 70s with significant health conditions, quickly vaccinated. But in Hamilton County where she and her parents live, people were lining up for hours to wait in their cars for vaccines, and, in some cases, discovering there were no doses left. There was no way her parents could wait hours and hours in line, she thought, especially if their efforts were fruitless.

For more information, click here. Content Credit: US News
March Recipe of the Month:
Radish Salad
Dressing:
  • 2 cups grapefruit juice
  • 2 tablespoons chardonnay vinegar 
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
  • 1 teaspoon honey 
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce 
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
  • 1/2 cup olive oil 

Salad:
  • 2 cup mixed thinly shaved radishes, such as red, icicle, Easter egg, watermelon, black, purple ninja, etc.
  • 2 cups watercress 
  • 1 bulb fennel, thinly shaved
  • 2 avocados, cut into quarters 
  • 1 pink grapefruit, segmented 
  • 1 orange, segmented 
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
  • 1/4 serrano chile, finely diced

Directions:
For the dressing: In a small pot, bring the grapefruit juice to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce the juice to 1/4 cup. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the reduced grapefruit juice, vinegar, mustard, honey and soy sauce and season with salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until emulsified.
For the salad: Combine the radishes with the watercress and fennel in a medium bowl and toss with a small amount of the dressing. Arrange the avocado, grapefruit and orange on a platter, drizzle with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the serrano, then top with the dressed radish mixture and serve.

Content Credit: Food Network
Lower Valley Care Advocates
is Hiring!
Lower Valley Care Advocates (LVCA), a subsidiary of Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley, is now hiring for the following positions:

  • Home Health Aides
  • Personal Care Aides
  • Companions
  • Homemakers

LVCA offers competitive rates and will train new hires.

For more information, call 860-767-2695 or email info@lowervalleycareadvocates.org.
Let's Stay Connected!
To learn more about Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley, click here.
To learn more about Lower Valley Care Advocates, click here.
 Questions? Call Us! 860-767-0186