We often think of vital signs like measurements of blood pressure, pulse rate, cholesterol levels, or blood sugar as indicators of overall health, but those are not the only ways to gauge a person’s overall health. What people may not be aware of is that walking speed, or gait, is a useful metric for evaluating current health and predicting future health outcomes.
One of the best things about summer is enjoying all the seasonal, local produce. Farmers’ markets are full of a rainbow of ripe, delicious fruits all bursting with juices and flavors. And besides just the flavors, fruits are full of all sorts of beneficial nutrients and vitamins to help with your bodily health and overall wellness.
The aging process is a great unknown for many of us. It’s a subject no one is keen to talk about, despite the fact that it happens to more or less all of us eventually. The truth is that there’s plenty of things you can do to prepare for the process, and tons of information you can find to guide you.
Apathy is defined as a feeling of disinterest, when you’re lacking the motivation to do anything or care about anything around you. While it can be caused by something as simple as a case of the blahs, it can also be a sign of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other more serious mental or emotional health conditions.
While hospital stays are generally unpleasant, there’s few feelings better than finally being discharged from one. The road to recovery is many times long and difficult, but getting back to your home and life is a significant milestone. Most people prefer to recuperate at home, but even when it’s an option, the help and care needed must be considered.
The COVID pandemic has had a huge, immeasurable impact on all of our lives and has served as a wake-up call for many people in terms of their understanding of how important vaccines are for the state of public health. Ask any geriatrician and they’ll tell you that vaccines are one of the most powerful weapons in their medical arsenal for combating serious illness. For senior citizens, contracting a serious illness can profoundly impact their health and quality of life, leading to ripple effects such as loss of independence, decreased mental and physical capabilities, or a prematurely shortened lifespan.
With summer in full swing and temperatures soaring, the urge to enjoy the fresh air can also lead to exposing yourself to the risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration, and other heat related health concerns. While the indoors and the air conditioning are ideal and comfortable, it can also lead to getting bored and complacent, which can lead to loss of mobility and independence. While high temperatures can be high risk, there are ways to enjoy the outdoors smartly and safely.
Caregiving, no matter how rewarding, is always a stressful experience. Watching our parents age will undoubtedly produce emotional reactions. And when your elderly loved one needs help to get through the day, it is often a painful experience.
The medicare system is complicated, but by learning the basics you can save money and ensure that you get the health care that you prefer. Here are some frequently asked questions, and their answers, about Medicare that will help you to plan and navigate the system.
While the summer is a great time to plan outdoor activities, stretch our legs, and shake off any remaining winter blahs that might still be weighing us down, the truth is that enjoying the sunshine can quickly turn from a fun time to a dangerous time. Sunlight, higher temperatures, and physical exertion can take their toll on the youngest and fittest people, and older adults are particularly susceptible to heat emergencies and dehydration. The good news, however, is that with a little bit of preparation and preventative steps, you can make sure your days never turn sour and you can let the good times roll all summer long.
There are an estimated 11 million caregivers in the United States who are part of the sandwich generation. For those unfamiliar with the term, the sandwich generation refers to adults today who are caring in home for both their older parents, and their younger adult children who have moved back home or remained there for any number of reasons after turning 18. These people are not only caring for the aging adults in their lives, but also the needs of their younger children. Members of the sandwich generation tend to experience high levels of emotional stress, as well as physical and financial strain as they juggle responsibilities.
At certain points in our lives, the prospect of the future and discussing it with others can be endlessly exciting. Our minds will race at the possibilities of the adventures we can have, the places we’ll visit and vacation in, the various apartments and homes we can live in, the friends we’ll make and the future spouse or partner we’ll meet, and, if we’re lucky enough, the kids we might one day raise. However, for many of us as we age through our lives and reach the twilight years, thinking about the future can be somewhat less exciting, and a bit more overwhelming. Both for the individual, and for their loved ones.
Osteoporosis is a common problem many seniors face as bones lose density with aging. Bones with lower density are more susceptible to fractures or breaks, and can be slower to heal after sustaining an injury like that. The good news is that there are many ways aging adults can help shield themselves from losing bone density and suffering osteoporosis, by making simple changes in their diet and lifestyle.
Urinary incontinence is one of those realities of life that many people consider to be an inevitable nuisance that happens as you age. While the aging process and the decline of physical capabilities plays a role, it’s not something that you need to accept unquestioningly, or let influence your life and decisions should it happen to you.
For many caregivers, the idea of receiving a solid eight hours of sleep on a given night sounds like a wonderful pipe dream. After all, it’s difficult for people who don’t have the added concern of providing care to a senior loved one to get eight hours in each night, so what chance would they have? While prioritizing sleep as a caregiver can be a hard row to hoe, it should be a priority for any elder care plan. After all, the better the health and mindset of the caregiver, the better the care provided will be.
According to a 2022 report by the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 6.5 million people in the United States living with some stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Among people aged 65 and older, more than 10% of them have Alzheimer’s, or another type of dementia such as frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, or one or more other types of dementia in various combinations.
Summer is almost upon us all and with the warm, sunny season comes the natural and understandable desire to get outside the house and be active. Golfing, gardening, swimming, and more, there’s plenty of excuses one can take to get outside and take in some sun.
Many of us know that vitamin D is an important vitamin that we get from the sun and from fortified foods, but not as many of us know what it actually does for our bodies, and what happens to us if there’s a deficiency of it in our bodies. For example, your body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium, which means that vitamin D is essential for maintaining strong bones and teeth. For seniors, who have the highest incidence rates of bone deterioration and tooth decay, this makes maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D of critical importance.
Sadly, financial abuse and scams targeting seniors is on the rise. The Federal Trade Commission reports that older adults and seniors lose more money to scammers than people in younger cohorts. The average senior over age 80 lost $1,700 to scams and cons, compared to just $188 lost by people aged 19 or younger, according to the FTC.
We carry our skin around every day, but oftentimes we neglect it and don’t think about it until irritation or injury occurs. Our skin is a fragile layer of tissue that surrounds us, and is actually the human body’s largest organ. Skin is made up of water, protein, fats, and minerals, and serves many vital functions like protecting us against germs and regulating body temperature. Like all parts of our body, skin changes with age. Over the course of our lifetimes, skin is susceptible to scratches, tears, cuts, burns, infections, and diseases.
Maintaining strong bones as we age will reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Every year in the United States, close to 1.5 million fractures are caused by osteoporosis, a condition affecting seniors especially where bones become weak and brittle.
Many seniors struggle with a poor diet, something that sadly goes overlooked by friends and family members. Older adults may have qualms about leaving the house, especially given the risk of the coronavirus that remains ever-present.
Any one of us can easily lose track of time, forget the date, not know what specific day of the week it is, or even find ourselves unsure of exactly where we are. When we go about our lives and find ourselves getting lost in the daily business of existence, it is normal to find ourselves a little disoriented here and there.
In 1963, when Older Americans Month was established, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthday. About a third of them lived in poverty, and there were few programs available to meet their needs. There was a growing concern and interest in older Americans, which prompted a meeting between then-President John F. Kennedy and members of the National Council of Senior Citizens. This meeting led to the designation of May as “Senior Citizens Month”, then the precursor to “Older Americans Month”