The decision to move into an assisted living community is a big transition for aging adults. Seniors often fear losing their independence, but a quality senior community will promote autonomy and independence for its residents.
Caregivers and family members do many tasks around the home to help aging adults function well. However, it’s all too easy to fall into the habit of doing too much to help, which can impair seniors’ sense of autonomy. Caring for ourselves is an essential element of retaining our health and mental faculties as we age. Sadly, if an aging adult loses their independence, the will to live may diminish as well.
However, this doesn’t need to be the case! Even the most frail patients can still benefit greatly from completing a few simple activities and feeling more accomplished afterward. With patience and careful attention, you and your loved one’s medical team can develop a safe, balanced approach. Here are a few ways that caregivers and family members can support senior living while still allowing aging adults to maintain their autonomy:
If a senior can’t complete every step of an activity on their own, it is still beneficial to help them do as much as possible on their own. Family members and professionals can supervise to ensure safety and offer assistance when necessary.
Don’t stereotype your loved one. Automatically assuming that someone is weak and incapable can negatively impact the way they view themselves, producing more dependence.
Recognize what a significant achievement it is for your loved one to complete even a small task, like washing a few dishes or getting dressed on their own. A sense of pride and accomplishment will foster independence.
Remember that there’s no need to rush. Sometimes, seniors are perfectly capable of doing activities they’ve done their whole lives, they just need more time on each task. Be patient and always remember that your loved one’s independence and sense of accomplishment is more important than how fast they get dressed.
Tailor expectations to each individual’s ability. By working with your family member’s assisted living staff, you can ensure that their daily activities are appropriate to their health conditions.
Assisted living communities sometimes offer group activities or community classes for residents. Encourage your loved one to participate in a daily routine that will help them feel more confident and social.
It’s impossible to overemphasize how much daily exercise can support happy, healthy senior living. Including even minimal levels of physical activity in their routine helps aging adults stay fit, flexible, and alert.
These are just a few of the ways that senior living can benefit from an assisted living community. While moving into a new community can be a huge change, family and staff members can work to ensure that seniors maintain a dynamic, self-reliant lifestyle. With these ideas in mind, your aging loved one will enjoy a sense of independence long into their golden years.
Mum’s the word the next time you have your blood pressure checked.
Talking while the cuff is on can boost your blood pressure reading. So can a full bladder or crossing your legs, the American Heart Association says.
“These simple things can make a difference in whether or not a person is classified as having high blood pressure that requires treatment,” said Dr. Michael Hochman, a member of the heart association’s blood pressure task force. He’s also an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California.
“Knowing how to measure blood pressure accurately at home, and recognizing mistakes in the physician’s office, can help you manage your pressure and avoid unnecessary medication changes,” Hochman said in a heart association news release.
Here, the heart association outlines seven common culprits that can alter your blood pressure reading.
Having a full bladder can add 10 to 15 points to a blood pressure reading. Always try to use the bathroom before getting a reading.
Poor support for your feet or back while seated can raise your blood pressure reading by 6 to 10 points. You should sit in a chair with your back supported and feet flat on the floor or a footstool.
Crossing your legs can add 2 to 8 points to your reading.
If your arm hangs by your side or you must hold it up while getting a reading, your blood pressure numbers may be 10 points higher than the actual figure. Your arm should be on a chair or counter so that the blood pressure cuff is level with your heart.
Having the cuff placed over clothing can add 5 to 50 points to your reading. The cuff should be on a bare arm.
A too-small cuff can add 2 to 10 points to a reading.
Talking can add 10 points to your reading. Remain still and silent while your blood pressure is taken.
Many women come into the ER with chest pain, and they never thought they would be in that situation. But most heart attacks are preventable, and we need to be more active in telling women what they can do to avoid a heart attack.
The same is true with breast cancer—the more we know about preventing breast cancer, the more women we can help avoid being diagnosed with the disease.
Although breast cancer is far too common, breast cancer survival is improving due to more advanced treatments and early screening for women at high risk.
Do you know your risk, and do you have a plan for when you should be screened? If I asked you if you want to get breast cancer, of course you would answer with an emphatic, “No!” If you don’t want cancer, then you must know your risks, live a lifestyle that decreases your risk, and take your checkups seriously.
Several years ago, I read a story about a young woman who had metastatic breast cancer, and the article described her situation in detail.
There was a picture that showed her being comforted by her sister, who also had breast cancer five years earlier. Both women talked about their mother who had died of the same disease in her mid-40s.
As I read the story, I felt both sad and mad at the same time. Of course, I felt sad for them for all they had gone through, but I was also mad to think their cancer could have been prevented, or at least detected before it spread.
Here’s what I wish they would have known about the genetics of breast cancer:
Ten percent of breast cancer is associated with family history.
The risk of getting breast cancer increases two times if one first-degree relative has/had breast cancer.
The risk of getting breast cancer increases three times if two first-degree relatives have/had breast cancer.
In addition, 50 percent of breast cancer diagnoses are associated with known risk factors.
A patient I’ll call Kelly came to see me for a routine visit recently. In taking her history, several factors caught my attention: she was 48 years old and had never been pregnant; her mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer at 49; and she had regular mammograms that were always negative, but her breasts were very dense, decreasing the likelihood of diagnosis of a small cancer.
I recommended advanced screening with a special mammogram and ultrasound by a breast surgeon.
When she had the testing done, they detected several suspicious areas, and a biopsy showed pre-cancer. Kelly decided to have definitive surgery, and when she had a bilateral mastectomy, they detected early, almost-invasive cancer.
We were able to avoid invasive cancer by doing three things: 1) being proactive; 2) knowing her individual risk factors; and 3) acting early to save her from worrying about recurrence, and having to go through chemotherapy or radiation.
The lifetime risk of breast cancer for most women is 1 in 8. The risk at age 30 is 1 in 250 and increases as you get older. Other risk factors include being female, white and obese (having a BMI over 30). The risk is even greater if the weight is gained after the age of 40 and is in the form of belly fat (especially after menopause). In addition, your risk is greatest if you are diabetic and overweight.
So, what can you do to lower your risk of breast cancer? For starters, lifestyle matters:
Women who consume 10 or more alcoholic drinks per week have a higher risk for cancer of the colon and breast.
Women who started smoking early and have smoked for a long time are at higher risk.
Women who breastfed their children and are physically active have a lower risk.
Two other risk factors that may not be in your control include the following:
Women who work the night shift seem to experience more cancer, according to several large studies.
Women who received radiation for Hodgkins Lymphoma as a child have an increased risk of breast cancer.
If you have any of these high risk factors, get screening early and talk to your doctor about special screening with a Tomo mammogram or adding an ultrasound to your routine mammogram.
I had a patient who put off her mammogram because she had small breasts and thought she would easily be able to see any lumps, plus she had no family history of breast cancer. When her friend finally convinced her to get a mammogram, it showed she had breast cancer.
I’ve given you plenty of statistics and information about breast cancer in this blog, but there are a few takeaway points I want to make sure you remember:
Know your individual risk factors.
If you are at higher risk, talk to your doctor about special testing.
Be active! Exercise a minimum of 150 minutes per week.
A sure sign of summer in Michigan is the number of locally grown, vine-ripened melons available at farm stands and farmers markets. However, with modern transportation, watermelon, cantaloupe and other melons are available year around. So how does a buyer in the dead of winter determine a flavorful melon?
It is important to understand that not all melons behave the same when it comes to ripening. Some, like watermelon, do not continue to ripen once harvested. Therefore, flavor will not improve nor will they become sweeter—it is what it is at harvest. However, cantaloupe and similar fruit will continue to ripen after harvest. Once into the ripening process, fruit will gain sugar, flavor will improve and flesh soften. For the consumer, this means watermelon and similar fruit can be eaten as soon as you bring it home no matter what time of the year it is. However, cantaloupe and similar melons bought in winter probably need to be held at room temperature for a few days or more to allow it to improve.
Photo 2. Summer cantaloupe showing typical golden color and the “dimpled” stem end where the stem has pulled free from the fruit. CC0 Public Domain.
The most reliable way to determine if a watermelon is mature is to observe it while it is still on the plant. Since that is not possible in winter, consumers have to use the next step and that is looking at the “ground spot” (Photo 1). The ground spot is where fruit was in contact with the soil. It is easy to recognize since it will not have the same stripes and color of the rest of the fruit—it will have a more solid color. A mature watermelon will have a yellow ground spot (Photo 1). If it is light yellow or even white, make another selection.
Honeydew melons are the hardest to know when they are mature. Being light colored, the ground spot technique does not work and they do not “self-pick” like cantaloupe. However, like cantaloupe, they continue to ripen off the plant. To eat a honeydew early is not a bad experience, but you do not want to wait so long that it goes bad. The fruit does not provide the signals watermelon and cantaloupe do. For honeydew, you have to rely on the grower picking it at a good time no matter the season since once you cut it open you have to eat it or refrigerate it.
Left on the plant, cantaloupe fruit begin to disconnect when mature and the fruit will essentially pick itself and be ready to eat right away. Summer melons have a noticeable dimple at the stem end and generally have a golden color (Photo 2). Since ripe cantaloupe are quite soft, they have to be harvested in winter production areas when they are less than fully mature so they are able to survive the transport process in good shape. Instead of allowing them to self-pick, they are cut from the plant.
Photo 3. Winter cantaloupe with the stem still attached. Look for cantaloupe where the stem end has begun to crack (arrow), thus indicating the melon is approaching maturity but will improve in flavor if allowed to sit at room temperature for a few days. Photo by Ron Goldy, MSU Extension.
For winter-grown melons, the stem attachment is still evident on the fruit—no dimple (Photo 3). As the fruit matures, you will be able to see the abscission zone form as a slight crack that gets larger over time and will eventually form a circle around the stem (Photo 3). When selecting a winter cantaloupe, look for one where the remaining stem has started to crack and break away from the melon. When you can see that crack starting to form, that means the fruit was harvested mature enough that the ripening process will continue. It probably still needs to sit at room temperature for a few days as it continues to mature. Be patient and let that happen. It will not attain the golden color of a summer-grown melon, so do not expect it to be quite the same, but neither is the weather outside.
A simple one-legged stand can help strengthen your lower body, ultimately improving your balance and reducing the risk of falls. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Bad balance is a common cause of dangerous falls, especially among older adults.
Falls send more than 2 million adults to the emergency room every year and often result in lengthy rehab stays.
Preventing falls is a priority for staying healthy and preventing painful broken bones as you age. Easy strength and balance exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere, such as tai chi and yoga, can help you stay steady on your feet.
But first it’s important to know how good (or lacking) your balance is.
Grab a friend or loved one, a sturdy chair and a stopwatch to check your balance with a quick test called the single leg stance. It basically involves standing on one leg. Doctors use it to predict who might be at risk of falling.
Stand barefoot in front of the chair but don’t touch it. Cross your arms. Lift one leg up off the floor and start the timer. As you feel yourself start to sway, immediately steady yourself with the chair and stop the timer.
Here are the average times that indicate good balance when you stand on one leg based on age:
Ages 18-39: 43 seconds for men and women
Ages 40-49: 40 seconds for men and women
Ages 50-59: 36 seconds for women, 38 for men
Ages 60-69: 25 seconds for women, 28 for men
Ages 70-79: 11 seconds for women, 18 for men
Ages 80-99: 7 seconds for women, 5 seconds for men
If you become unsteady before your specific time, talk to your doctor. Illness, medication and even footwear can throw you off balance. Together, you and your doctor can find solutions.
You can improve your balance by practicing the one-leg stance, but as a training exercise, hold onto a chair and don’t let go.
Lift one leg for 15 seconds, rest and repeat three times, then switch legs.
The stronger your lower body, the steadier you’ll be on your feet.
For safety reasons, always have someone with you when trying a balance exercise for the first time. Or consider a group balance class.
Many community centers offer fun fitness programs to help adults prevent falls.
Saving money is important no matter your age or income level, but seniors often find themselves needing a few extra dollars here and there to make retirement work. Fortunately, there are practical ways to stretch a dollar, without breaking the bank.
Downsizing to a smaller home, getting rid of cable television, sharing expenses with friends and taking advantage of senior discounts are all effective ways to save money in retirement.
Downsizing
Larger homes cost more to heat, cool, furnish and repair, which is why downsizing the square footage makes a lot of sense for seniors. Moving to an assisted living community can amplify the cost savings, depending on the circumstances. Specifically, downsizing can reduce gas, electric, insurance, property taxes, and water bills, while minimizing upkeep costs like new carpet and landscaping.
Cut back on cable
Cable television isn’t cheap, especially when you factor in premium channels such as HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax. While it’s fun to have all of the sports and specialty channels, they aren’t always necessary, and they can cost more than $100 a month. Netflix and Hulu are much more cost-effective, allowing seniors to stream content via the Internet on their televisions. Both services combined allow retirees to watch movies and television shows at a fraction of the cost of cable.
Share expenses
Whether it’s carpooling to bingo, the movies or to the store to get groceries, ride sharing among seniors is an effective way to cut down on fuel costs. Transportation isn’t cheap, especially in areas of the country where cities are decentralized, or in the countryside where it takes some time to get back to more populated areas. Thus, lower fuel costs can help seniors. Ride sharing also cuts down on the wear and tear to older adults’ vehicles, extending a car or truck’s useful life and reducing maintenance costs.
Moving into an assisted living facility like Vista Springs can also help seniors spread the cost of entertainment, activities, and medical care among fellow residents, enhancing the quality of life for everyone involved. The costs of independent medical attention, food preparation, and daily entertainment is often-times cost-prohibitive for seniors living alone. Finding ways to share expenses among a group provides new and exciting possibilities for aging adults.
Senior discounts
Movie theaters, fast-food restaurants, fine-dining restaurants and similar establishments typically offer senior discounts at particular times, or on specific days of the week. Taking advantage of these opportunities can yield cost-savings and an active retirement, which is beneficial on multiple levels. The goal of retirement is not to stop spending money, but to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor of many years of working. Senior discounts allow seniors to get out and do more for less, which is positive for everyone in the community.
Seniors living off of a fixed income usually need to be cost-conscious to ensure a comfortable and rewarding retirement. But when you find ways to save money in an efficient, practical and common sense way, older adults can live a fun and enjoyable retirement.
Researchers found that women following a low-fat diet reduced their overall calories, changed their cooking methods and reduced portion sizes of meat and dairy products. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Health experts have long touted the benefits of a low-fat diet for preventing heart disease, but now a large study suggests it might do the same against breast cancer.
Researchers found that eating low-fat foods reduced a woman’s risk of dying from breast cancer by 21%. What’s more, the women on low-fat diets also cut their risk of dying from any cause by 15%.
“This is the only study providing randomized controlled trial evidence that a dietary intervention can reduce women’s risk of death from breast cancer,” said study author Dr. Rowan Chlebowski.
He is from the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, Calif.
Diet has long been suspected to be a factor in cancer.
Obesity has been linked to 12 different types of cancers, including postmenopausal breast cancer, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. And, a diet full of healthy foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes is thought to help protect against cancer.
Chlebowski noted that previous studies have shown a higher cancer incidence in countries where people tend to eat more fat.
The latest study looked at the effect a low-fat diet might have on the incidence of breast cancer and death.
Nearly 49,000 postmenopausal women from 40 centers across the United States were included in the study. The women were between the ages of 50 and 79 and had no history of previous breast cancer.
Eighty percent of the women were white, which Chlebowski said matched the population when the study began.
Between 1993 and 1998, the women were randomly assigned to one of two dietary groups. One group was assigned to a normal diet. This diet had about 32% of their calories from fat. The low-fat group had a target of 20% or less of calories from fat.
Chlebowski said the low-fat diet was close in content to the Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension diet, or DASH diet. This emphasizes eating vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains, while avoiding high-fat meats and dairy products, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
The low-fat group lost a modest amount of weight. Chlebowski said there was about a 3% difference in weight between the groups. He said the researchers factored the weight difference into their calculations and that weight alone didn’t affect the risk of death.
Women in the low-fat group adhered to the diet for about 8.5 years and both groups were followed for an average of nearly 20 years.
The women in the low-fat group weren’t able to achieve the 20%-or-less target for fat, but they did manage around 25%, according to the researchers. And they did increase their intake of fruits, vegetables and grains.
“The diet was more moderate than originally planned. But we saw a diet of 25% to 27% fat is largely achievable,” Chlebowski said.
He said the researchers don’t know if any individual components of the diet were more important than others, but they hope further study will tease that out.
In the meantime, Chlebowski said he thinks the message should be one of dietary moderation rather than looking for any one particular food or food group.
He said the women in the low-fat study group reduced their overall calories, changed their cooking methods and reduced their portions of meat and dairy products.
The findings are to be presented soon at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago. Findings presented at meetings are typically viewed as preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
ASCO breast cancer expert Dr. Lidia Schapira, from Stanford University, noted that this study shows “what we put on the plate matters. It’s worth coaching and pushing patients to put more fruits and vegetables on their plates.”
She added that even when women didn’t reach the more stringent dietary fat goal of 20%, they still showed a health advantage from trying to reduce the fat in their diets.
Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, president of ASCO, said these findings were “really, really striking.”
She noted, “This was not an incredibly restrictive diet. People were able to adhere to it pretty well.”
And yet, the incidence of breast cancer went down by 8% in the women on low-fat diets.
“They were getting fewer breast cancers and even when they did get breast cancer, their death rate was reduced,” Bertagnolli said.
Craving something sweet? It may be tempting to gobble up old favorites like candy, chocolate, cookies and cupcakes.
But where does that get you? Lots of calories. Refined sugar. Virtually no nutritional value.
As an alternative, it may be time for you to consider one of nature’s sweet treats: dates.
Along with its caramel-like sweetness, this delectable fruit delivers a healthy dose of antioxidants, fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, plant-based iron and an array of other vitamins and minerals.
And it’s hard to go wrong with a natural food.
“There are a multitude of naturally delicious fresh and dried fruits, such as dates, that provide sweetness with fiber, lowering the glycemic load impact,” Spectrum Health dietitian Caren Dobreff said.
Dates vary by size and weight, so the nutrient information can vary widely. Larger dates can weigh up to 24 grams—and pack about half a gram of protein and just under 1.6 grams of fiber. Smaller dates can weigh about 8 grams and provide 6 grams of carbohydrate, 5 grams of natural sugars and less than 1 gram of fiber.
Dobreff said those smaller dates may be a better fit for those needing to watch their daily total sugar intake, even if it is natural sugar.
Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat
Dates work as a sweet treat on their own, but there are many ways to incorporate them into your cooking and baking, Dobreff said.
“We take a recipe and we give it some interest and a little bit of sweetness, but not off the charts,” she said.
Eliminating refined sugars and replacing them with natural sugar, as found in dates, can help you recalibrate your taste buds to what nature intended for sweetness.
“I want people to have a real idea of what sweet is supposed to taste like,” Dobreff said. “All the added sugars, syrups and artificial sweeteners have given us an unrealistic idea of what sweet is supposed to be like.”
When using dates, Dobreff recommends using the whole date as opposed to products such as date sugar, which is made from dehydrated dates ground into a granulated sugar, or date syrup, which is made by boiling the dates and reducing the liquid to a honey-like consistency.
“The whole food is going to have higher fiber content, which is incredibly important when it comes to regulating your blood sugar level,” Dobreff said. “Added sugars and syrups have virtually no fiber, which has a stronger impact on our blood glucose level.
“And, as we all know, what goes up must come down—and then we have a sugar crash.”
Here are Dobreff’s tips for incorporating dates into your diet:
Use them in baking to replace chocolate chips or candies. If you’re making homemade protein bars or energy bites, add dates for something different.
Add dates to a leafy green salad or to a whole grain salad, such as farro or quinoa.
For a finger-food snack, cut the date open butterfly-style and put peanut butter or almond butter inside. Kids love this one.
Chop them and add them to roasted vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, tossed in balsamic vinegar. “It makes for a wonderful, healthy comfort food,” Dobreff said.
Instead of raisins, add chopped dates to your hot cereal or oatmeal. Go a step further and add apples and cinnamon.
Try these recipes from Spectrum Health’s culinary medicine classes: coconut pecan date rolls and roasted cauliflower salad with dates and golden raisins.
Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat
When shopping in the grocery store, you’ll find dates in the baking or produce section near the dried fruits and nuts. They’re usually offered as organic, too, if you desire.
Remember to remove the pits when you prepare them, Dobreff said.
Dates are a great way we can add nature’s sweetness to our cooking, all while avoiding refined sugars.
“I am hoping that people will think more about, ‘How can I make this dish taste good and use more of a whole food natural ingredient?’” Dobreff said.
As people age, things change in many aspects of their lives. It might be the loss of social interaction with dear friends and relatives who move to other states for a lower cost of living and warmer climates. Friends and family may move, and it is important to be supportive, but it’s still painful emotionally. When other friends or relatives pass away, this creates new painful feelings of loss.
The importance of connection
Most aging adults benefit greatly from being in diverse and exciting social communities that offer a variety of social gatherings and physical activities such as low and medium impact exercise classes, swimming activities, as well as a range of motion chair exercises to upbeat music. And according to exciting research from AARP and Harvard Health Publications, regular exercise changes the brain to improve memory and thinking skills.
Groundbreaking brain research
This exciting research highlights one of the many positive reasons why this happens with seniors. Researchers found that regular aerobic exercise that increases your heart rate and stimulates your sweat glands appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, which is the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning. The lead research mentioned another interesting point involving brain fog that affects many aging adults. With these types of exercises, the brain fog goes away. That is amazing.
Unfortunately, resistance training, balance and muscle toning exercises did not have the same results, but they are still important forms of exercise for other reasons such as an increase in strength, firmness, and stability with balance affecting your legs and feet.
In assisted living communities, you will not be on your own to attempt to figure out and structure a workout plan. That is taken care of since the community has professional trainers there to guide, train, and supervise your activities. They are highly skilled and experienced in dealing with seniors, by keeping a watchful eye on your activities, it will help to keep you from overdoing things. Also, this certainly beats the fees charged by fitness centers and gyms.
Aging adults can thrive in assisted living communities versus aging in place and living alone at home. Even seniors who live alone in a new home face the same issues with isolation, security issues, and in some cases driving restrictions apply due to medical, or vision problems.
Seemingly endless possibilities
In assisted living communities like Vista Springs, there are plenty of opportunities to meet new and vibrant people who share your interests and tastes whether it’s playing pool, poker, movies, jazz, dancing, or even learning a new computer language.
We’ve all seen, heard, or perhaps even dreamed about the picture-perfect retirement: sunny skies, warm nights, brunch in the morning, cocktails in the evening. For retirement-aged adults after World War II, relocation to destination retirements was made possible by the additional savings that Medicare allowed on top of Social Security a few decades earlier. Add on the pensions from employer loyalty, and it’s easy to see why “the good life” picture of retirement was popular. Nowadays, aging adults may not have the means for the retirement life that existed in the ’60s, but staying in your state doesn’t mean settling for second best. Here’s why:
Memories keep you sharp and happy
A study from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013 reported that being in a place associated with a particular memory allows people to recall that memory more clearly. For example, think about how you might feel around your old neighborhood, or at an orchard that your family went to every year. This relationship between spatial and episodic memory means that being in a place with rich memory associations exercises your hippocampus, strengthening the brain’s ability to remember more for longer. While making new memories in a new place can be fun and exciting, there’s more to staying in your state for retirement than comfort and nostalgia. If you’re worried about memory loss as you age, familiar places can help you stay sharp.
Family, friends, networks, support
While life can carry us and our families and friends anywhere, chances are that wherever you are, you have a network of loved ones, work relationships, acquaintances, and connections. The benefits of having established relationships with the people around us are pretty obvious, as staying social in retirement can aid memory, keep you active, and entertain, but there are other ways that keeping your network into retirement can make your life easier.
More and more retirees are choosing to continue working in some capacity for longer. While the idea of working past retirement may make you cringe, part-time work, consultancy, and even entrepreneurship can help give life focus and increase self-sufficiency for aging adults. And even after you’ve retired from your career, your network of friends, business contacts, and coworkers can help you find the right gig in a market where half of all available jobs are never posted.
Staying near family and friends also means having support, no matter what. Your network can help with little, everyday things, like getting a ride to the doctor’s office, or watering your plants when you take a vacation. It’s possible to make new connections after a move for retirement, but nurturing existing relationships is usually easier, more fun, and more relaxing.
Smaller moves, less stress
We’ve explored before how choosing assisted living Michigan communities can enrich retirement life, and when the community is close to home, it’s so much easier. A short distance move is more affordable and less stressful than packing up and moving to a different state. Not only is moving easier, but staying in your state means no difficulty making arrangements for cars, personal IDs, insurance, and more. You may ask yourself, “Why relocate to assisted living near me when I can just stay in my home?” Aging in place is becoming a popular option for many retirees, and it may be right for you, but there are many considerations to take into account: check out our comparison here.
As another cold winter approaches, you may be dreaming of a warm-weather retirement, but there’s so much more to staying in Michigan than meets the eye. Like a cozy blanket and a hot drink on a snowy night, there’s comfort and joy in staying in your state for retirement.
Intermittent fasting—the fancy term for going up to 14 or 16 hours without eating anything—is all the rage these days.
Dietitians and their celebrity clients are touting it as the latest and greatest weight-loss tool.
And there’s been some promising evidence that the approach may even lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, one of the most serious chronic illnesses in the world.
Researchers who have linked intermittent fasting to improved sensitivity to insulin also recently discovered it might lower pancreatic fat in rats. And that may reduce the odds of developing diabetes.
In a small study of humans with pre-diabetes, participants who ate from the hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. saw significant improvements in their insulin sensitivity and blood pressure.
But don’t approach intermittent fasting without some measure of caution.
Kristi Veltkamp, MS, RD, outpatient dietitian at Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital, said it makes sense to take intermittent fasting with a healthy sprinkling of skepticism, especially when it comes to its relationship to diabetes prevention.
“Some people do lose weight when they try this style of eating,” she said. “And the No. 1 way we know to prevent diabetes is by losing weight.”
Even shedding as little as 5 to 10% of your body weight can reduce the risk of diabetes by 58%.
“So this type of eating may be helpful because people are losing weight,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean intermittent fasting gets the credit. From that perspective, any weight-loss method can be said to lower diabetes risk.”
The strict timing of meals can have a significant downside for some people.
“Often, they get so hungry that they overeat during their eight-hour window, sometimes making poor food choices,” Veltkamp said.
For others, it’s just not convenient, especially if they are trying to eat meals as a family.
Most people consume the last meal of the day in the evening, not by 3 p.m.
“By all means, experiment,” she said. “For example, often people are surprised to discover that they feel better eating breakfast later in the day.”
But until more conclusive data emerges, pay close attention to the guidelines already proven to prevent diabetes.
5 proven ways to keep diabetes at bay:
1. Eat the Mediterranean way
If you haven’t already experimented with a Mediterranean diet, now’s the time. Eating meals with plenty of fish, vegetables, whole grains and olive oil has been linked to an 83% lower chance of developing diabetes.
2. Nix the nighttime snacks
Even if you never try intermittent fasting, those evening snacks—often scarfed down in front of the TV—can sabotage any healthy diet. Once you’ve left the dinner table, try to stop eating for the evening.
3. Pay attention to protein
Veltkamp recommends including some protein in every meal and snack. This includes dairy, nuts or cheese. “It keeps people full longer and helps with cravings,” she said.
4. Quit bashing carbs
While processed foods, soft drinks and white sugar cause rapid ups and downs in glucose levels, Veltkamp worries that too many people vilify all carbohydrates.
Whole grains and fruits are a healthy part of every diet, she said.
“Sugar isn’t all bad,” Veltkamp said. “I’ve yet to have to tell a patient that they’re eating too many apples.”
5. Strive for flexibility
Finally, when you’re looking for a lifetime approach to healthy eating, it’s smart to be gentle with yourself.
While all-or-nothing diets may be the craze—from the Keto plan to Whole 30—she advocates a much more forgiving approach, with an 80/20 rule.
Strive for solid, sensible meals 80% of the time, then relax with the remaining 20% of meals.
Rob Buitendorp didn’t worry much about the little lump he found on his neck, behind his right ear.
It didn’t hurt, didn’t get in the way. He had no problems swallowing or speaking.
But he had a doctor’s appointment in three weeks, so he decided to ask about it then.
He is so glad he did.
Buitendorp, a 73-year-old retired insurance adjuster, is one of the growing number of people diagnosed with HPV-related throat cancer. And thanks to his quick reaction, he benefited from early detection and treatment.
“If the cancer is detected early, then patients are more likely to have a choice of effective cancer treatments,” said Thomas O’Toole, MD, a Spectrum Health head and neck surgical oncologist.
It is the most common HPV-associated cancer in the U.S.—more common even than cervical cancer. But the lack of awareness about the disease hampers efforts to combat it.
“This is an epidemic,” Dr. O’Toole said. “It can happen to basically anybody and it’s the scariest thing. It really strikes middle-aged healthy people out of the blue.”
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Early detection is key to surviving—or suffering fewer physical effects. But the earliest signs often go unrecognized by patients and, sometimes, even by doctors, Dr. O’Toole said.
The most common early symptom patients notice is a painless bump on the neck. A sore throat is the second most common sign. Too often, people wait months, hoping the problem will go away, before they seek medical care.
“If you have a bump on your neck and it’s been there for more than two weeks, you should go to your doctor, even if you don’t feel any other symptoms,” Dr. O’Toole said. “The quicker we get a diagnosis, the quicker you can get treatment, which is important in terms of improving patients’ survival.”
He recommends the HPV vaccine to prevent the cancer from occurring.
The Food and Drug Administration initially approved the vaccine for youths age 9 to 26 years. But in October 2018, it expanded the approved use of the vaccine to include men and women age 27 to 45 years.
“Because HPV-related cancers may develop decades after exposure to the virus, it may be a while before we see the impact of the vaccine on the incidence of oropharynx cancer,” Dr. O’Toole said.
Cancer rates on the rise
In the 1980s, the medical community began identifying problems with throat cancers related to the human papillomavirus, or HPV.
As smoking became less popular, the incidence of most head and neck cancers declined, as expected. But one form began to show up more often—cancer of the oropharynx.
If you open your mouth and look in a mirror, you see much of oropharynx at the back of your throat. It includes the tonsils, the base of the tongue, soft palate and the back wall of the swallowing passage.
Long before Buitendorp’s diagnosis, lab analysis of oropharynx cancers began to find evidence of a virus in the tumors. They identified HPV in 15 to 20 percent of tumors in the 1980s, and in 80 percent of tumors by 2004.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
HPV viruses, which can be sexually transmitted, are common and doctors believe many people have been exposed to them.
“It’s only rare that people end up with cancer from it. It’s something we don’t fully understand—who’s going to develop cancer,” Dr. O’Toole said.
Treatments for cancer of the oropharynx include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
“We try to identify what we think is going to be the most effective treatment for the patient with the fewest side effects,” Dr. O’Toole said.
To reduce delays in diagnosis of throat cancer, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery has developed a clinical practice guideline for evaluation of adult patients with a neck mass, Dr. O’Toole said.
“They recommend that when adult patients have a neck mass for more than two weeks or of uncertain duration without signs of infection, there should be an examination of the upper aerodigestive tract, including the oropharynx and larynx,” he said. “This usually will require referral to an otolaryngologist.
“Dr. O’Toole’s office called and said this is something that should be seen immediately.”
Bob Buitendorp
When Buitendorp’s internist looked at the lump on his neck in February 2018, he recommended seeing an otolaryngologist. He gave him the phone number for Dr. O’Toole.
When he arrived home, Buitendorp discussed it with his wife, Ruth. He figured he would follow up on the advice—eventually—but he wasn’t worried. The bump was painless.
“In my family, we have a problem with procrastination,” he added.
Fifteen minutes later, a phone call surprised him.
“Dr. O’Toole’s office called and said this is something that should be seen immediately,” he said.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
At the first appointment, Dr. O’Toole examined Buitendorp’s throat and showed pictures of a suspicious area on the right tonsil.
“He showed me a growth on the inside that was directly related to the external growth,” Buitendorp said.
Dr. O’Toole performed a fine needle aspiration biopsy in the office. Later, in an operating room, he performed a biopsy of the tonsil, which confirmed an HPV-related cancer.
Dr. O’Toole performed the operation with the use of the da Vinci robot. The minimally invasive procedure is performed through the mouth. He made only one incision a few inches long in the neck to remove lymph nodes.
The minimally invasive approach makes recovery easier, he said.
A more traditional approach could involve cutting the jaw in half and opening the face like a book. Or a surgeon might make an incision across the neck and take apart the muscles that attach the voice box to the jaw.
“All those things disrupt the muscular attachments,” he said.
He advises patients considering surgery to get an evaluation by a surgeon who can perform a minimally invasive operation.
Dr. O’Toole removed the tumor, which affected the back of the tongue, tonsil and throat. And he removed 66 lymph nodes.
Buitendorp spent five days in the hospital recovering.
“Everything went better than I ever expected,” he said. “I was talking the first day.”
After the surgery, Buitendorp didn’t eat for a week. He lost 25 pounds.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
In the year since then, he has worked with speech therapists to regain the ability to eat a variety of foods. He takes small bites and eats slowly.
“I’m also getting my taste buds back slowly,” he said.
The post-surgery weight loss is common, Dr. O’Toole said.
“Most people can expect to lose 10 to 20 percent of their body weight,” he said.
Buitendorp knows the cancer or the treatment could have taken a far greater toll without quick treatment.
“This could have been serious if I had not said something to (my doctor),” he said. “That is the key. If you see something wrong, talk to your doctor.”
When moving into an assisted living facility, the shift can be hard for both the resident and their family. You may have moved your loved one into an assisted living facility to help them be more social and gain a new community, but that doesn’t mean your job is done. Staying in touch and involved in your loved one’s life can make a huge difference in how they receive their new circumstances and their quality of life.
Here are a few ways to stay in touch and stay involved even if you are far away.
Get to know the community
If possible, when your loved one first makes the move, try to meet the other residents, their families if possible, and get to know the staff. When you’re involved, it will be easier for your loved one to connect a new life to their old one and find comfort in familiar interactions. While they may be hesitant to reach out and let others in at first, by breaking the ice for them, you can invite them to connect to others.
Plan visits
If you are close enough that you can visit on a regular basis, plan out those visits on a calendar and put that calendar in a visible place. This gives your loved one something to look forward to and planning out a whole month can make upcoming weeks more exciting. But, be sure to take the dates on the calendar seriously. Once the visit is on the calendar, every effort should be made to keep it. A missed date is worse than no planned date at all.
Send care packages
Fun packages can make the space between visits or scheduled calls more eventful and give your loved on something else to look forward to. But, when planning a package, get specific. Fill it with items that are personal to your family member, not just generic items. Try, books you’ve talked about, snacks you know they like, special pens if they like to do the crossword. These all show you are thinking about them when putting the package together. Getting these items can add an extra lift to their day even when they can’t see.
Listen
Even if your visits don’t happen often due to distance or other reasons, make the most out of the time you do have by truly engaging and listening to your loved one. This means acknowledging any challenges your loved one might be facing and recognizing that life has changed for them. They may feel as though they’ve lost something and, even if you know it’s the best choice, you should acknowledge those feelings. Ask questions that reveal genuine facts about their lives, not just surface level questions about the weather.
Use technology
If you can’t be with your loved one, there are still ways to keep in touch. Technology has given us countless ways to reach out across distance and taking advantage of these advances is crucial when managing a long-distance relationship with your loved one. Video chatting through FaceTime or Skype will offer face-to-face contact and can close the distance even more than a phone call.
Smartphones are becoming more and more common, and even older generations are taking advantage of their perks. Send a daily text with pictures and updates to your loved one and bring a smile to their face.
Folks with loved ones at a Vista Springs community can take advantage of our newest addition, Care Merge. This app is updated daily by the staff with images and updates about your loved one. Access your family member’s profile with a password and experience their everyday activities to ensure they are living full of life.
Whether it’s a big visit or a small gesture, just reaching out is a great way to make sure your loved one knows you care.
You may be familiar with the census—it happens every 10 years, after all—yet there are often a number of misconceptions about how it works and why it is done.
The U.S. Census Bureau is set to conduct the next census in 2020, and if you are a Michigan resident, it is important that you are counted! The census count determines the share of billions of dollars in federal funding that Michigan receives each year, and your being counted helps communities create jobs, provide housing, fund K-12 education, prepare for emergencies, support programs for older adults; and build schools, roads, hospitals, and libraries.
There are changes being made in how the count will be managed this time around, which may make it more difficult and confusing for older adults and lead to opportunities for scammers to take advantage of seniors. We want you to be prepared and confident when filling out your census information; therefore, here are a few quick things you need to know.
How it works:
Each home will receive a request to respond to a short questionnaire—online, by phone, or by mail in mid-March. This mailing will include a unique Census ID code for your residence. This year will mark the first time that you will be able to respond to the census online, and you also have the option of responding by phone.
A reminder postcard and letter will be sent before a census worker will come to your home to try to fill out the census. They will wear an official Census worker badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and expiration date. Be aware, census workers will never ask for a Social Security Number or banking information. Census forms are filled out by household. Everyone living at the address matters and everyone needs to be counted, including children.
Funding:
As mentioned, federal funding is determined through the census. The distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds, grants, and support to states, counties, and communities is based on this census data. For each person that is not counted properly in Michigan, the state will lose approximately $1,800 in state and federal funds per person each year for the next ten years. You matter!
How you fit in:
Courtesy Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan
Of course, we want everyone counted and that means YOU. Be ready for the census information to come out in mid-March, and if you happen to travel to a different state in the winter months but spend more than six months each year in Michigan, then you should still respond as a Michigan resident. You can use the unique Census ID code sent to your Michigan address to respond online or by phone, or you can wait to respond until you get home.
It is also important to note that the census is completely confidential, and your responses to the census are safe and secure. Under Title 13 of the U.S. Code, the Census Bureau cannot release any identifiable information about individuals, households, or businesses, even to law enforcement agencies. The Census Bureau can only use your answers to produce data and statistics.
Be sure to fill out the census this coming spring! You can learn more about the census at https://mivoicecounts.org/ or by calling (517) 492-2400.
Longevity science is targeted not only towards extending our natural life spans, but also improving the quality of life overall. Longevity science has grown in recent years into a complicated and advanced discipline, with a variety of studies emerging that may have very real benefits within our lifetimes. Here are some of the tips and tricks discovered that appear to slow the process of aging.
Keep mentally active
Crossword puzzles and Sudoku are popular for a reason. Keeping yourself mentally active is one of the keys to reducing mental aging, such as dementia and the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. While keeping mentally active is not a cure to either of these issues, it can significantly slow down their progression. Play memory games, read books, and do other mentally focused activities each day.
Get your exercise
Physical fitness is important not only to keep you comfortable and healthy but also to keep your mind sharp and your spirits raised. Exercise has been shown to improve cognitive performance and mood. That doesn’t mean that you need to take a step aerobics class each day. Taking a long walk, gardening, and hiking are all excellent examples of physical activities that will slow down the aging process without being too intense.
Invest in hobbies
Hobbies are one of the best ways to keep yourself active. Knitting, book clubs, and other social hobbies can fulfill multiple needs at once — and all hobbies provoke thought. Think about the things that you enjoy doing; if you enjoy doing it, there’s almost certainly a group devoted to it. There are even groups available for individuals who enjoy scrapbooking and other relaxing activities. Your hobbies are one of the things that will likely keep you the most active outside of the house.
Stay social
Whether you volunteer at a local community center or simply chat with your friends, remaining well-socialized is one of the keys to keeping yourself active and fit. Socialization isn’t just a basic human need; it also involves a lot of mental stimulation. When you carry on a conversation with your friends, you’re remembering things and applying logic — both things that will keep your mind sharp. Remaining well-socialized also helps keep you motivated.
Eat right
Studies have shown that the cultures with the most longevity tend to eat diets that concentrate on lean meats, fruits, and vegetables. These diets often include high amounts of good fats, such as those found in avocados and olive oils. Red meats and starchy staples are relatively rare. By eating right, you can both feel better and potentially slow down your aging process. Antioxidants are also said to have a positive effect.
Slowing aging isn’t just about living a long life — it’s also about living a comfortable one. In general, keeping both physically and mentally active is one of the best ways that individuals can slow down the aging process and remain youthful and vital even in their later years.
Federal health officials have unveiled plans to allow prescription drug imports from Canada and other foreign nations.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing a rule under which states could import some prescription drugs from Canada, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced recently.
The agency also plans to make it easier for drug manufacturers to import their own FDA-approved drugs that are manufactured abroad and intended for sale in other countries.
“This would potentially allow for the sale of these drugs at lower prices than currently offered to American consumers, giving drug makers new flexibility to reduce list prices,” Azar told reporters.
Azar touted the proposals as “historic.”
All imported drugs would have to be FDA-approved, tested to ensure quality and relabeled to meet U.S. labeling requirements, added Admiral Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary for health.
State programs created to import medications would be limited to pills that patients would typically get from a pharmacy, Azar said.
Injectable products, controlled substances, biologic products and intravenous drugs would not be allowed.
States would create these programs, possibly in conjunction with wholesalers or pharmacies, and then submit them to FDA for approval, Giroir said.
However, drug manufacturers would be able to import any of their own products from other foreign countries, Azar said. That would include products such as insulin, which has recently been subject to steep price hikes.
“Every product is available for importation from every country by a manufacturer,” Azar said. “There is no restriction there, if a manufacturer is willing.”
The manufacturer pathway is intended to address the “bizarre” system of drug rebates that some pharmaceutical companies have blamed for high prices, Azar said.
“Even if the drug company would like to lower the list price of their drug, they may actually be precluded from doing so because of their arrangements with these middle men, where they have to funnel a certain amount of rebate money to those middle men,” Azar said.
Drug companies have said if they can get a new National Drug Code for an imported version of the exact same medicine, then they would compete against their own products at a lower list price, Azar said.
The new proposals are only aimed at brand-name drugs, Giroir said.
“The draft guidance does not address generic drugs because we are not aware of similar private market challenges for reducing the cost of generic drugs,” Giroir said.
The FDA is open to considering similar proposals for generic if warranted, he added.
The officials could not say how soon patients will benefit from these proposals, but said that the manufacturer’s guidance will likely move faster because it faces fewer regulatory hurdles.
Winter in the Midwest is no joke! Sudden storms and freezing temperatures can make life difficult for anyone who lives here—especially for seniors. It’s important for seniors to have a steady internal temperature, as their bodies aren’t able to regulate body heat and maintain warmth the way they could when they were younger.
In the Midwest, winters can be extremely harsh, so it’s important that you take the necessary steps to ensure that your senior loved one is staying warm. From making sure their apartment is full of blankets and sweaters to limiting outdoor exposure as much as possible, there are plenty of ways you can help protect your loved one and keep them warm!
1. Turn the heat up
While most of us are used to turning down the heat in winter to help save money on heating bills, a senior’s home should be kept at a warmer temperature to protect them from getting chills. Remember, a senior’s body loses heat faster than people middle aged or younger. A senior’s home should be kept at 70 degrees during the winter at the very lowest.
2. Prepare for outages
Harsh storms can sometimes cause power outages at the most inopportune moments. Having no heat or light is a dangerous situation, so help your loved ones prepare for the risk by:
Stocking their house with flashlights and batteries
Keeping an eye on the weather report and encouraging your loved one to go stay with family before big storms
Reminding loved ones to keep their cell phones charged
Having a case of bottled water and shelf-stable foods in case of multiple-day outages
3. Dress in layers
It’s always easier to take layers off when you get too hot than it is to try and add them on after you’ve gotten too cold. Putting on a sweater after your internal body temperature has dropped often means a slow reheating process.
Encourage your elderly family members to wear multiple layers, which will help them maintain their body temperatures. And remember, layering isn’t just for heading outside, it’s equally as important to have extra clothing while staying indoors as well.
4. Keep blankets nearby
When we start to feel chilly, throwing a blanket over ourselves is a great way to quickly warm up. In your loved one’s home, make this simple task even easier by strategically leaving blankets in places where they might need them, such as near chairs or by their bed.
5. Warm drinks and foods
Eating and drinking warm foods can help encourage the body to maintain its internal temperature, as well as proving the essential nutrients needed for the body to maintain its mass and health during the winter. Rather than cold foods and iced water, encourage your senior family members to have foods like hot soups and tea.
6. Cover extremities
It’s important to remember in colder months that the hands, feet, and head are the parts of the body that get chilled and lose their warmth first. With that in mind, it’s essential for these extremities to be protected in winter.
Hats, mittens, gloves, socks, and slippers are all examples of clothing items that are necessary to keep an elderly loved one from getting too cold throughout the winter. Hats and gloves can be worn inside to stay warm if needed, and having these clothing items nearby is helpful, so seniors don’t need to go searching when they get cold.
7. Safety when traveling
Just like we need to prepare for a power outage, it’s important to prepare for vehicle breakdowns in winter as well. If your loved one travels alone, ensure they keep extra coats, blankets, and even boots in their car in case of an emergency. Similarly, if they are being driven by someone else, make sure they have extra warm clothes and water with them in case of an emergency.
8. Limit outdoor exposure
The worst of winter weather is obviously found outdoors. Freezing temperatures, ice, and wet snow that chills us quickly are all dangerous features of a Midwest winter. In order to protect your loved one, do what you can to keep them out of the elements.
Helping keep a loved one indoors can mean anything from running errands for them to doing what you can to encourage them to enjoy the weather from inside the home rather than out of it. Keeping seniors inside helps them stay warm, and also reduces the risk of dangerous falls.
While Midwest winters are more punishing than in other areas, they are still manageable with a plan and some preparation. Helping your senior loved ones stay warm is a wonderful to keep them safe from the elements, even as the winter storms rage outside.
Apart from the sheer fun of owning a pet, having a dog enhances well-being and even personal growth in many ways.
Caring for a dog teaches kids responsibility and offers everyone in the family unconditional love.
Many studies have found that the social support that dogs—and pets in general—provide boosts their owner’s emotional health.
There are also many physical benefits to dog ownership.
Walking Rover on a regular basis—once or twice every day—can help you reach your own daily exercise goals and, in turn, lower your heart disease risk.
In fact, according to one study, owners who walk their dogs on a regular basis are over 50% more likely to meet minimum exercise guidelines. Surprisingly, though, many people simply don’t walk their dogs enough for them or their pets to get in a good workout.
The advantages of having a dog extend beyond the home.
Bringing your pooch to work can reduce your stress.
And studies by researchers at Central Michigan University suggest the presence of a four-legged “co-worker” can boost cooperation, bonding and trust among employees.
That’s important because getting people to work effectively as a group is often a challenge, even when companies try to engage staffers with activities like team-bonding exercises.
For the study, researchers divided participants into groups with and without a dog and gave each group creative tasks to complete. People in the groups with a dog showed more enthusiasm and energy and felt more closeness and trust than those without a dog.
It seems that having a dog in the room encourages kind and helpful behavior, which in turn can help boost how well you do.
If your workplace morale needs a jolt, consider a canine addition to the staff.
It’s important to be involved with your loved one’s health as they age so you can best assist them with medications, doctor’s visits, and other care needs. While being aware of the physical needs of your family members is essential, it’s equally important to be mindful of the state of their mental health.
Seniors can often suffer from loneliness and depression that goes undiagnosed and untreated. Typically this omission comes from the fact that seniors tend to hide mental health concerns from their families out of guilt or shame. That’s why it’s critical to know what signs to be on the lookout for in senior family members and understand how depression and loneliness manifest in elderly people.
A serious epidemic
Shockingly, many people are under the impression that loneliness and depression in old age are a normal part of the aging process. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Loneliness and depression are diagnosed medical conditions that aren’t just a part of growing old, but are part of a serious epidemic in seniors.
Just as with younger people, untreated depression and loneliness in seniors can have severe consequences on both mental and physical health. And, when paired with other health conditions that many older people experience, the symptoms of these mental health issues can have even farther-reaching long-term effects.
Four unexpected consequences of loneliness and depression
Senior loneliness is a specific type of social isolation that occurs when an older person no longer engages in the world around them as they did when they were younger. This condition often occurs in seniors who live at home and don’t have daily social interactions.
While living at home rather than moving to a senior living community is a favorable idea for most seniors, it can become extremely lonely if transportation and mobility become limited. And, if children and grandchildren are too busy with their own schedules to visit often, older family members can find themselves alone and overwhelmed with feelings of worthlessness and detachment.
Less frequent communication with family and friends
Debilitating medical diagnoses
Despondent attitude
What is senior depression?
Like loneliness, senior depression is often the result of changes in health, mobility, or mindset. While it’s reasonable for seniors to have some feelings of anger or sadness about their changing position in life, a serious mental health condition like depression is different than these general emotions and should never be taken lightly.
If you believe a loved one is suffering from depression, speak to them immediately and ensure they have access to the necessary resources should they reach a breaking point, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Depression should never be ignored, even if having a conversation with your senior family member about their mental health is difficult. By being open and willing to listen to them while also being on the lookout for signs that overall sadness has progressed into something more, you can help protect your loved ones.
Signs of senior depression
Overwhelming feelings of sadness, hopelessness, shame, or guilt
The consequences of senior loneliness and depression are frightening to consider, but the good news is that there is plenty that you can do to help your loved ones. The number one thing you can do is to be there for your family members and make time to check in and visit with them.
In addition, you can offer them rides to social events if you live close by, take them out for dinners and shopping trips, and encourage them to find new opportunities to engage with other people. Socialization is essential for maintaining cognitive and mental health in old age, so doing your part to help seniors stay social goes a long way in preventing and treating loneliness and depression.
If you are still concerned that your loved one isn’t getting the necessary interactions they need to stay healthy, you might want to talk to them about assisted living. Assisted living provides seniors not only with the care services they need to age in place, but plenty of opportunities for making new friends and relationships with other residents.
The quest for health and fitness can be a difficult challenge with the hectic pace of busy schedules and the bustle of the holidays.
It seems that New Year’s Day offers us all a fresh new outlook and opportunity to start the year with optimism and hope to improve our lives.
Health and fitness is a journey that requires dedication and commitment.
There is no easy quick fix, patch, pill, cleanse or detox that will replace optimal nutrition and exercise.
Sometimes we can get side-tracked by injury, self-doubt, medical issues and a host of things, which complicate and derail our health goals. It is important to never give up and always continue to fight the good fight for your health. You are worth it!
Jan. 1 is a great time to start by making a resolution to strive for health.
Here’s how:
1. Schedule your annual
A physical exam with your primary care physician or provider should be first on your list. Make sure you are up-to-date on your screening labs, preventive cancer screenings and immunizations.
If you are starting an exercise regime or have weight-loss goals, this is an excellent time to discuss your options with your doctor and create a plan that will hold you accountable at future follow-up appointments.
2. Strive for 60 minutes of exercise a day
This could be broken up into smaller bits of time throughout the day. For example, you could take the stairs at work or park farther from an entrance.
3. Find a workout partner to hold you accountable
You are much less likely to let another person down. You can keep each other on track virtually through text messages or agree to meet in person to walk or exercise.
4. Add exercise to your schedule, and hold firm
Exercise either before work or on your way home from work. It is much easier to either get it done before the day starts or before you get home.
5. Prep your work-out items the night before
If you are an early morning exerciser, get all set well in advance of the alarm going off.
Sometimes sleeping in your exercise clothes might be the trick until you get into the habit of rising early. Set your shoes out, have your water bottle filled and things ready to go.
6. Get at least eight hours of sleep
Studies have shown that adequate sleep reduces stress hormones and will help with weight loss and overall health.
7. Drink enough water
Stay hydrated. This means 64 ounces for an average size adult. (Sorry, caffeinated beverages don’t count.)
8. Cut screen time
Decrease the amount of time spent in front of screens (TV, computer, tablet, phone) and move as much as possible.
Consider walking on your lunch break or taking a 10-minute walk around the house instead of checking social media posts.
9. Fill up on fruits and veggies
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables at all meals. This is an easy way to increase the amount of healthy foods without taking the time to measure anything.
10. Know the stats
Research shows it takes 21 days to make a habit. If you fall off the wagon, climb back on. The ride is much more enjoyable when you are doing positive things for your health.
Commit to just the day in front of you and make it great. Pretty soon, you might have an entire compilation of days that could add up to a new, healthier you.
Many people have heard the term “hospice” without really understanding exactly what it is or what hospice care provides. Those who don’t understand the term have probably never had a reason to think about it, and most don’t think about it until they are in a situation that requires it.
But, hospice care is something everyone should understand because you never know when a family member may require hospice services. But, before we answer, ‘what is hospice care?’ It’s important to point out that there are a lot of misconceptions about hospice. So, let’s start by talking about what Hospice care is NOT.
Hospice is NOT:
Just a place or facility
Whether you desire the full-time care of a Hospice facility or the convenience of a team of caregivers in the comfort of your home or in an assisted living community, hospice care offers flexibility.
Just for cancer patients
A long-standing myth, hospice provides end of life care to those with a wide range of end of life conditions such as kidney failure, heart failure, and advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Just for the patient
Many hospice services provide not only medical care for the patient but grief counseling and after death assistance for the family.
Permanent
Hospice is not a permanent choice. Anyone in hospice care may choose to leave and receive curative treatments at any time.
So, what is hospice care?
Hospice is medical care geared toward maintaining and improving quality of life for an individual whose illness or condition is likely incurable. Hospice is offered as an option when all curative measures have been exhausted and the life prognosis is six months or less.
Hospice IS:
Well-rounded care
Hospice care doesn’t just focus on one aspect of end-of-life care, like pain management. Pain management is part of it, but hospice professionals look at the whole life of the patient. They want to make them comfortable, help them engage in life as much as possible and help ease their minds and hearts. To do that, they provide not only medical care but emotional care as well.
A team of caregivers
Hospice isn’t just a single individual. To provide proper, end of life care, a team of professionals works together to administer medications, provide support, give physical therapy, and provide all the services that account for a fulfilled life, all the way to the end.
Respite care
Even those individuals who have vowed to care for their sick loved one sometimes need a break. In order to provide the best care possible, they need to be able to step away from time to time and leave their loved one in the care of someone they trust. Many hospice providers offer respite care so, even if you haven’t turned to a facility for full-time hospice help, you can still get the help you need when you need it.
Affordable
Many insurance plans cover a portion of the expense for Hospice care but for those that don’t, it is “covered by Medicare (through the Medicare Hospice Benefit), Medicaid (in most states), and The Veteran’s Health Administration,” according to the American Hospice Foundation’s website.
While different programs may offer different benefits, you can find a list of the services most Hospice Care Services provide on the the Hospice Foundation of America’s website. You should be sure to ask any facility or service you are considering what exactly they provide.
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
— The eternal optimist
Hope is a roof over your head
The 3:11 Youth Housing Program is for youth ages 18 to 24, to transition from homelessness to stability. They focus on that age range because it’s when people are entering adulthood. It now consists of eight rehabbed duplex-style homes in Grand Rapids, each with room for three to four youths and a mentor or mentor couple. More info here.
Still time
David Wiesner (American, b. 1956), Art & Max, 2010. (Supplied)
If you haven’t taken your kids to the Grand Rapids Art Museum yet during winter break, you’re still in luck. The GRAM will waive admission fees for visitors age 17 and under through Jan. 5.
Grieving the loss of a loved one?
The holidays can often serve as a stumbling block on the journey from grief to healing. The topic of grief is not often something anyone wants to talk about, especially at a time of year that, for most, is a time of great joy and happiness. Here are some tips on how to cope.
Fun fact:
It’s nothing new
Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) began the concept of celebrating the new year in 2000 BC. Back then, people observed new year in mid-March, around the time of the vernal equinox. See? We’re not so special.
“Baby boomers are a lot more willing to embrace hearing aids than their elders were,” said Debbie Youngsma, AuD, CCC-A, an audiologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. “They are into their smartphones. They are into all that technology. And hearing aids are smart.” (Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat)
There long has been a big gap between the number of people with hearing loss and those willing to wear a hearing aid.
But tech-savvy baby boomers just might be the ones to narrow that gap.
“Baby boomers are a lot more willing to embrace hearing aids than their elders were,” said Debbie Youngsma, AuD, CCC-A, an audiologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. “They are into their smartphones. They are into all that technology. And hearing aids are smart.”
The number of people with hearing loss is growing as rapidly as hair is graying in the baby boomer population.
According to a recent federal report, 17 percent of Americans—1 in 6—say they have trouble hearing. Not surprisingly, the number increases with age. Forty-three percent of those over 70 report hearing loss.
Those self-reported numbers likely don’t capture the full picture, Youngsma said.
People don’t always recognize when they have trouble hearing. Why? The loss may occur too gradually to notice. They may have never had their hearing checked. Or they could be in denial.
“Less than 21 percent of those with hearing impairment are wearing hearing aids,” she said.
Those who do get hearing aids wait an average of seven to 10 years to seek help. That’s a lot of missed conversations.
Accepting the technology can mean a big difference socially and emotionally, Youngsma said.
“Untreated hearing loss usually results in isolation and withdrawal from social situations,” she said. “They can get depressed, frustrated and lonely.”
“Obviously, the earlier you get (hearing aids), the easier it’s going to be to adjust and get back into the world of hearing.”
Tired of saying, ‘What?’
Rochelle Morris, 52, said she didn’t realize how much she missed before she got hearing aids two years ago.
She traces problems with her left ear to a car accident in 2004, when the air bag deployed and slammed into the left side of her head.
She started noticing problems hearing about five years ago. She often asked co-workers or family members to repeat something. She missed the punchlines of jokes.
“I felt myself not doing things because I didn’t want to say, ‘What?’ or ‘Say that again,’” she said.
Morris resisted the idea of wearing hearing aids—until she saw how small and unobtrusive they are.
“I pictured an old person and was really kind of embarrassed about it,” she said. “I didn’t need to be, because you don’t even notice it.”
Within a couple of days, she embraced the technology.
Youngsma said she is encouraged to see the stigma waning, particularly among the young baby boomers.
Many are still in the workforce, and communication is crucial to performing their jobs. They also are more likely than their elders to see a hearing aid as just one more technological device—to add to their tablet, laptop, smartphone, Kindle, FitBit or Apple Watch.
“You can act like you’re texting while you’re changing what the hearing aids are doing,” she said.
For Morris, hearings aids opened up a world of sounds she had missed—from the wind blowing through the trees to conversations with her husband, Brian, and their children, Anna and RC.
And when she could hear better, her balance improved.
Causes of hearing loss
Injuries, like the one Morris sustained, are one of several causes of hearing loss, Youngsma said. Others include aging, ear infections, cancer treatments and exposure to noise—either cumulative or one loud burst.
And remember when your parents would tell you to turn down your music? Well, they were on to something. Going to loud concerts, or listening to loud music with ear buds, can take a toll on your hearing.
Impacted ear wax also can cause temporary problems with hearing.
“Hearing loss is the third most common complaint, following hypertension and arthritis, in older adults,” Youngsma said.
Proper dental care is an essential part of aging healthfully. As we grow older, our oral health has an even bigger impact on our overall well-being than in past years, so maintaining a dental hygiene routine is important.
While brushing and flossing routines remain central, some additional steps are important for seniors’ dental health. People with dementia, severe arthritis, or mobility struggles need assistance with this crucial habit, so make sure your aging loved ones have the help they need. With these things in mind, you can prevent future problems and ensure the best oral health possible.
Tips for improving senior dental care during aging
See your dentist at least every six months. Routine cleanings help prevent decay and cavities, and also allow your dentist to detect gum disease in the early, reversible stages.
Let your dentist know of any health conditions or new medications that may lead to oral problems. Tell them right away if you ever experience increased sensitivity.
Quit smoking. In addition to the risk of lung cancer, smoking can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.
Brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride-containing toothpaste, and floss once a day.
If you wear dentures, remember to clean them daily. Remove them for at least four hours a day, preferably at night.
Eat whole foods and avoid sugar. Processed, high-sugar foods do not support oral health in any way, but teeth and gums thrive on a high-fiber diet.
Medical conditions connected to oral health
Many of the health problems that concern seniors are linked to oral health. A strong dental hygiene routine doesn’t just support your teeth and gums; here are a few of the ways excellent dental care is connected to overall health:
Cardiovascular disease
Oral health is closely connected with our heart health. Periodontitis allows bacteria below the gum line, contributing to the spread of toxins through our body. Studies have found that severe periodontal disease is associated with higher risks of stroke and double the risk of fatal heart disease, and in some cases, tooth infections can cause infection in the heart’s lining or valves. In the absence of gum disease, fewer bacteria are present in the cardiovascular system. While researchers don’t fully understand the connection between oral and heart conditions, it’s clear that good dental hygiene supports the cardiovascular system.
Pneumonia and respiratory problems
Poor oral health can contribute to pneumonia. In fact, some studies have shown a higher mortality rate in pneumonia patients who also have more gum problems. When bacteria from the mouth is inhaled into the lungs, an infection may occur in the respiratory system and existing medical conditions can become much worse. Regular brushing and cleaning helps remove dangerous oral bacteria and helps prevent internal infection.
Diabetes
Oral health is essential for people with diabetes. Gum disease inhibits the use of insulin, and high blood sugar leads to gum infections. People whose glucose is poorly managed suffer from gum disease much more often than those whose glucose is well-controlled, so stay mindful of your blood glucose levels.
These are just a few of the ways doctors and scientists have demonstrated the essential role played by our oral health. With education and energy put toward dental hygiene, you or your aging loved ones can enjoy a healthier, more comfortable daily life.
By Chia-Hui Neilly, NP-C, Barry Community Health Center
Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to maintain normal levels of blood glucose using a hormone known as insulin. Currently, more than 100 million people in the U.S. are diabetic or pre-diabetic. If this trend continues, almost 1 in every 3 people will have this condition (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Moreover, diabetic and pre-diabetic patients are more prone to heart attacks, strokes, and other health problems than other individuals.
1. What are the risk factors for type 2 diabetes?
Overweight and obesity: The more fatty tissue, the higher chance for type 2 diabetes
Inactivity: Inadequate physical activity leads to weight gain that causes type 2 diabetes.
Smoking: Smokers are susceptible to type 2 diabetes, and non-smokers are more immune to heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses
A family history of diabetes is associated with a high risk of type 2 diabetes.
Pregnancy-onset diabetes (gestational diabetes) increases risk of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes.
Polycystic ovary syndrome, characterized by an erratic menstrual cycle, obesity, and excess hair growth, is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
What is the first step to preventing diabetes?
Always observe for type 2 diabetes symptoms, which include: increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination, fatigue, headaches, and blurred vision.
What are the best strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes?
You may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by doing the following:
Lose excess weight by balancing food intake and physical exercise. A 5% to 10% reduction in weight significantly lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and substantially improves one’s health status.
Stay active for at least 30 minutes daily to prevent excess weight gain and reduce fatty tissues. A relatively high-paced walk with no extra gymnastics per day is an adequate physical activity to maintain a healthy body.
Avoid sedentary behaviors such as physical inactivity, continuous watching of television, and prolonged sitting sessions.
Adopt health-conscious diets and behaviors to avoid being overweight and to counteract other food-related risk factors for type 2 diabetes. To achieve this goal, one needs well-balanced meals that contain the following items.
A variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Protein from diverse sources, including seafood, white lean meat, poultry, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products
Fat-free or low-fat dairy products, namely milk, yogurt and cheese, and soy milk
Nut-based oils such as olives and avocados
What other dietary measures are effective to prevent type 2 diabetes?
Limit daily consumption of meat, sweets, and refined grains.
Avoid sweetened drinks such as soda and juice.
Maintain the recommended portion sizes in every meal by filling the plate with ¼ grains, ¼ protein, ½ fruits. Additionally, consume six to eight glasses of water daily.
Always consume a high-fiber diet to enhance digestion, facilitate weight management, and control blood sugars.
Limit the amount of alcohol to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The recommended daily liquor intake for men is two drinks, but women should ingest half that amount.
Are there tests for type 2 diabetes?
Three different tests for type 2 diabetes are available. However, your primary care provider will determine whether one test is adequate to confirm an individual’s diabetic status.
Please feel free to contact us for any questions, comments, or concerns. Importantly, discuss with your primary care provider about testing for type 2 diabetes.
Being a caregiver for a loved one is a job most people are happy to take on. They want to take care of the person who, in many cases, took care of them. And while caregiving has its rewards, it’s also a 24/7 job. Caregivers are on call at all hours of the day, especially if they are the primary caregiver. This constant responsibility and added emotional and physical strain can cause something called caregiver stress. When caring for a loved one, you are less likely to care for yourself, give yourself much-needed breaks, or keep yourself healthy.
In many cases, those keeping others from becoming even more ill, end up in the hospital themselves. To stay strong for your family and avoid the ails caused by caregiver stress, remember these self-care ideas.
Ask for and accept help
If you’re caring for a family member, ask another family member to step in once in awhile. Even if they just come by to read while you sit with a cup of coffee, this small break can refresh your body and mind. Or ask a neighbor to stop by for an hour while you go grocery shopping. Even though you are the primary caregiver, you don’t have to shoulder the responsibility on your own.
The chance to talk to someone who understands what you are going through can lift a huge weight off your shoulders. Only another caregiver will understand that while you love your family member, you may sometimes get frustrated with them, and then feel guilty about it. Find a safe space where you can express these feelings with people who are probably feeling the same things. It’s also a place where you can brainstorm solutions to the problems you face every day and find the resources you need to face those problems head on.
Stay active
You can combat fatigue, depression, and insomnia by staying active. Even if it’s just a 20-minute walk every day or jogging in place in front of the TV, any movement helps. Try Yoga in the morning before your loved one wakes up or a simple stretching routine every night before bed. It doesn’t have to be intense; it just needs to get you moving. Though, if you do have the option to get out the house (remember when we said to ask for help?) getting outside can play a large role in staying happy and healthy.
Stay social
While it’s tempting to spend almost all your time with your loved one, chatting, watching TV, reading or playing games, it’s also detrimental to your health to cut off other connections. When we don’t socialize, ailments like depression and loneliness are quick to set in. Maintain your social life as much as possible by asking neighbors or other family to step into the caregiver role once in awhile. Make daily phone calls to friends and family and share updates and stories with your loved one. If they have a hard time getting out, they will enjoy hearing your stories and being involved in your life.
Overall, the best advice for caregivers is to take care of yourself, too. Eat right, drink water, get plenty of sleep, and see your doctor regularly. You won’t be any help to your loved one if you wear yourself down!
Many of my patients come to see me about symptoms and health issues they are experiencing, but I make it a point to help them recognize when they are at risk for something they don’t yet have.
This is especially true if they have increased risk factors for specific diseases or various health problems. There are changes they can make to help prevent these issues.
One of my patients, who I’ll call Judy, was faced with some life-changing decisions she needed to make, so we sat down and talked about what was happening in her life.
Judy’s mom had recently been diagnosed with end-stage endometrial cancer, and Judy wanted to know how she could shape her own future to be different from her mom’s. We first looked at Judy’s current health and how she was handling perimenopause.
For the most part, she was taking her perimenopausal symptoms in stride, but she struggled with weight gain (especially around her middle) and she was a smoker. She was afraid to quit smoking, fearing that she would gain even more weight.
As with all of my menopause patients, we discussed what she wanted her Picture of Self to look like at a specific point in her future and what she had planned to help her achieve her goals.
Before we discussed the changes Judy could make, we talked about some of the well-defined risk factors of endometrial cancer that she can control.
Excess estrogen increases the risk of endometrial cancer because it induces the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to grow. When this growth occurs unchecked, there is a risk of abnormal or cancerous development. Progesterone acts as a natural balance by stabilizing the endometrium and keeping it from growing out of control.
Excess estrogen can occur for two reasons: the levels can increase naturally during perimenopause, or there may be too much “unopposed” estrogen if you take estrogen-containing medications without balancing them with progesterone.
Low-dose combination oral contraceptives and appropriate doses of hormone therapy can help prevent endometrial cancer by controlling the level of circulating hormones and thus the growth of the lining of the uterus. Progesterone-releasing IUDs also help control the growth of the endometrium and decrease the likelihood of abnormal growth.
Finally, Judy and I discussed some lifestyle habits that can make a significant impact on her risk of developing endometrial cancer.
Smoking increases the risk of developing many cancers—another great reason to quit! Weight loss can help to decrease the risk, because estrogen, like many hormones, is stored long-term in body fat. Therefore, decreasing the body fat reduces the excess estrogen in your body. Other healthy changes you can make include increasing your physical activity, and eating a diet low in saturated fats and high in ruits and vegetables.
After talking with Judy, she was much more optimistic about her future. She has a clear understanding of her specific risk factors, specifically her smoking and central obesity. She has also regained a sense of control, and by making healthy choices, she is continuing to work toward her goals.
As it was mentioned in part one of this series about the importance and value of informal family caregiving, caregivers often experience depression as well as physical health challenges. In a Family Caregiver Alliance 2006 report, Caregiver Assessment: Voices and Views from the Field Caring, it says that caring for persons with dementia can impact a person’s immune system for up to three years after their caregiving experience ends, increasing their chances of developing a chronic illness themselves.
In the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP 2009 report, Caregiving in the U.S., it states that 17 percent of caregivers feel their health in general has gotten worse as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. The report also says that studies have found that 23 percent of family caregivers who have been providing care for five years or more report their health is fair or poor.
Michigan State University Extension says that caregivers need to make their own care their first priority. It isn’t possible to be an effective caregiver for others without taking responsibility to keep their own well-being in mind. But, because of the constant demands of family caregiving, it is often difficult to include self-care in the daily list of responsibilities.
It is important to keep self-care simple. Stick with the basics. According to the National Center of Caregiving at the San Francisco-based Family Caregiver Alliance, it is vital to focus on the following basic self-care practices:
Learn and use stress-reduction techniques.
Attend to your own healthcare needs.
Get proper rest and nutrition.
Exercise regularly.
Take time off without feeling guilty.
Participate in pleasant, nurturing activities.
Seek and accept the support of others.
Seek supportive counseling when you need it, or talk to a trusted counselor or friend.
Identify and acknowledge your feelings.
Change the negative ways you view situations.
Set goals.
All of these activities are easier to accomplish with the support of family, friends and community resources. Reaching out to others to gather support for your family caregiving efforts can mean the difference between the normal caregiver burden and disastrous caregiver burnout. Contact your local MSU Extension office, your county commission on aging or the regional Area Agency on Aging to locate community resources to support your valiant efforts at family caregiving and self-care.
The digital age we live in today is fast-paced and full of constantly changing technology. This can be intimidating to aging adults who may fear they can’t understand new devices. However, combined, seniors and technology can be a powerful tool.
Modern devices connect us with loved ones, keep us in touch with medical professionals, and help us stay safe. If your loved one is nervous about getting started, here are a few easy ways to explore technology for seniors.
1. Use Technology to Connect
Today’s technology offers powerful ways to connect with our family and friends. For seniors who may not be as mobile as they once were, this is a huge benefit. There are many ways to use the digital world to stay social:
Help your loved one set up a social media account to see the latest photos and updates from grandchildren or long-distance relatives.
Use Skype or other video-chatting services to stay in touch when distance or health prevents face-to-face visits.
If your elderly family members can’t attend gatherings, upload family videos to YouTube and share privately.
2. Find Community Resources
The first step to understanding the digital world is mastering basic computer skills. For those of us who didn’t grow up with modern technology, this can be quite a challenge! If you need assistance or ideas for helping your aging loved one become comfortable with computers, research what resources are available in your area.
Many senior living community centers offer technology education. Local libraries, schools, and junior colleges have computer facilities and may offer classes or tutoring programs to the general public. Another great resource is your local Area Agency on Aging, a free service offered by the U.S. Administration on Aging.
3. Start Learning and Creating from Home
As we age, we may find that active pastimes are simply too demanding for our current health. Additionally, the living spaces in most retirement communities may not allow space for large projects. However, the digital revolution has made a huge range of new creative and educational activities possible from the comfort of our own homes.
Many people have always wanted to learn another language, but never had the time; some have a novel inside them just waiting to be written. Perhaps your loved one would enjoy blogging on a favorite topic and connecting with others who share their interests. Technology makes all these things possible! Check out resources like the National Novel Writing Month and Khan Academy for inspiration.
4. How to Get Started
No matter our age or lifestyle, trying new habits can be intimidating. Some seniors are ready and excited to get started with new technology, while some may be very overwhelmed.
Focus on small steps and loving communication.
Forming a new habit takes at least two months, so remember that this change in your loved one’s lifestyle probably won’t happen all at once.
To help keep your loved one from becoming even more overwhelmed, start with bite-sized projects.
Even a few small changes can make a huge difference! Just one email or social media account is enough to increase contact with family and friends.
These are just a few of the ways modern technology can enhance senior living for aging adults! With a few simple steps to introduce your loved one to the digital world, you can help them enjoy a happier, safer, and more convenient lifestyle. No matter where we are in life, the digital world is an exciting place to learn and explore.
Studies have found associations between artificially sweetened beverages and increased risk of stroke and heart disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
The health risks of sugary drinks, from juice to soda, are well known.
They can lead to overweight and diabetes, stroke and other problems in the brain, including poorer memory and smaller brain volume.
But diet sodas aren’t the answer.
A number of studies have found an association between artificially sweetened beverages and an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, heart attack and other heart-related deaths in women.
The most recent was published earlier this year in the journal Stroke, with researchers suggesting that, even without identifying a specific cause and effect, people should seriously consider the potentially harmful effects of artificially sweetened drinks.
And there’s more.
Researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine followed 4,000 people of both sexes over 10 years.
Using MRI tests, they linked just one artificially sweetened soda a day to brain changes that can lead to dementia, as well as the type of stroke caused by a blockage in a blood vessel.
These risks were triple those of people who don’t drink diet sodas.
It didn’t seem to matter which common artificial sweetener—saccharin, aspartame or sucralose—was consumed.
While some people see diet soda as a way of weaning off regular soda, it may be healthier in the long run to skip this type of transition.
If you like soda’s carbonation more than the better option of water, flavor plain seltzer with a squeeze of your favorite citrus fruit, a few crushed berries or both.
For variety, try freshly grated ginger, chopped mint or a teaspoon of vanilla. Also consider replacing soda with a glass of milk—you’ll get important protein and a shot of calcium in the bargain.
The holidays are notorious for overindulgence, whether it’s from eating too much at the family dinner table or from having too much rich and sugary food that isn’t healthy for us. But what can you do over the holidays to avoid packing on the pounds when healthy options aren’t as readily available?
Thankfully, there are plenty of tips and tricks you can use to avoid overeating and making poor health choices during big family feasts, while still enjoying your favorite foods. Take a look through this list of helpful ideas that you can use to make better decisions this holiday season, and celebrate without the stomachache.
1. Watch what you drink
The beverages we consume during the holidays is an often unexpected source of carbs and calories. Sweet drinks and alcohol can have unhealthy ingredients, and when we don’t stop to consider what we are drinking, we can find ourselves shaking our heads in shock at the scale next year.
To help avoid overindulging with unhealthy drinks, make sure you are consuming plenty of water throughout the day. Not only will this help you quench your thirst, but drinking a glass of water before a meal can also help you feel full and calm your cravings before dessert is brought out.
2. Stop snacking
Eating healthy, full meals is the best way to avoid gaining weight over the holidays, so don’t skip out on breakfast and lunch in favor of unhealthy snacks! Not only are snacks typically high in fats and sugar, but they fill us up before we have a chance to eat our veggies during dinner.
If you are going to snack, try going to healthier foods like cut vegetables, fruits, or other foods that provide additional health benefits like boosting energy levels and building endurance.
3. Stay active
Staying active in winter isn’t always the easiest task, but it’s important to do what you can to combat additional calories with exercise. Even something as simple as taking a walk after your meal can go a long way in keeping your overall health in check over the holiday season. Just be sure to watch out for ice!
4. Find healthy options
Make sure that there are plenty of healthy options on the table, like salads and other vegetable side dishes. If you are hosting dinner, ensure that you provide the options your family and friends need to have a balanced meal. If you are visiting someone else, call ahead and see what the menu is, or offer to help out the host by bringing your own healthy dishes to share.
5. Fill up on vegetables
When filling up your plate with food, try and keep a ratio of 50% vegetables, 25% meats, and 25% starches. This will help you get the servings of veggies you need while still enjoying the other items on the table. A helpful hint: more color on a plate often means a healthier meal!
6. Pick the best spot
Having the best seat at the table doesn’t just mean more elbow room! If you aren’t seated right in front of the buffet table, you can avoid some of the cravings for second and third (and fourth) helpings. Staring at the available options during dinner can make it difficult to stick to one serving, so don’t sit yourself in the way of temptation!
7. Take your time
Don’t rush to stuff yourself just because holiday food tastes good! Things will be just as delicious if you take your time and savor each bite. Slowing down while eating helps you to fill up naturally, rather than still feeling hungry even though you’ve already overeaten.
In the same vein, don’t rush to get up and have additional helpings of food before you’ve finished the entire plate, including all your veggies and healthier items. This will help you stick to just one serving of each of your favorite foods, which will be more than enough when you take your time enjoying them!
8. Stop when you are full
The biggest favor you can do for yourself this holiday season is to stop eating once you are full. When eating foods we enjoy, most of us want to push ourselves past our limits, which leaves us aching and uncomfortable. By listening to our bodies and putting down the fork once we’ve had enough, we can save ourselves the discomfort and enjoy a much healthier holiday. Remember that leftovers are always an option!
Holidays are always a wonderful time for family and friends to gather together and enjoy each other’s company. As a part of that tradition, we often indulge in delicious meals, but it’s important to keep our health in mind. That doesn’t mean we can’t eat our dinner favorites, but following these tips can help us avoid feeling too full on unhealthy foods, so we can experience the absolute best that the holiday season has to offer.
“To be distributed pursuant to my last will and testament” sounds straightforward when leaving one’s possessions to their heirs. But what happens if that IRA, bank account or other important account has a beneficiary form attached to it? In the eyes of probate court, it is simple. The beneficiary form wins every time. Beneficiary forms override wills.
Why? Because beneficiary forms give heirs the ability to circumvent the probate process in order to receive funds in a timelier manner.
Beneficiary forms can cause a loved one to be disinherited. This mainly occurs because account holders forget and fail to update their forms. To prevent this from happening, you should coordinate your beneficiary forms with your overall estate plan and review designations every few years, especially after a life-changing event such as marriage, divorce, birth or death. You have the option not to name beneficiaries, and then funds would flow to your estate and be paid out per your last will and testament.
Whom can you name as beneficiaries?
Individuals
Trusts
Charities
Other organizations (Church, University, etc.)
Your estate
No one at all
Whom should you not name as beneficiaries?
Minors – Set up a trust payable at age 25 for those under 18 or 21, depending on laws in the minor’s state.
Disabled persons – Small inheritances can prevent them from getting government benefits
Avoid naming your estate on retirement plans – Required to be taxed and paid out within 5 years if estate is named.
7 simple rules to remember:
Do not leave beneficiary lines blank – Leaving lines blank or not naming beneficiaries will likely have your heirs end up in probate court. If assets go to your estate, they may become exposed to creditors.
Use trusts for beneficiaries who are minors – Most states place restrictions on minors and usually a court will appoint a guardian to handle the funds. Establish a trust receivable at age 25 and name the trust as the beneficiary.
Understand key rules – When designating Beneficiaries ask questions and read the fine print. Remember Beneficiary forms, in most cases, override wills.
Let your beneficiaries know – Tell your Beneficiaries what you have named them on and where to find contact information for the advisor and where to locate important documents. Also, give important contact information to your advisor.
Check and re-check – Make sure Social Security numbers, telephone numbers and addresses are correct. Make sure names are properly spelled and figures are accurate.
Use percentages instead of dollar amounts – Due to fluctuations in markets, values of accounts will rise and fall. By using percentages your heirs will still receive their portion of intended inheritance.
Name contingent beneficiaries – Avoid assets being transferred to your estate and going through probate in case of primary beneficiary death by naming contingent beneficiaries when appropriate.
As we move into our golden years, it’s more important than ever to educate ourselves on how to stay healthy. Basic health care services are essential, but modern research shows that this is just the beginning for the healthiest, happiest senior living. Here are a few areas where education and preparation can help you or your aging loved ones avoid future risks and enjoy life to the fullest.
Dealing with chronic conditions
Chronic health conditions create ongoing daily challenges for senior living. The physical, emotional, and practical demands of living with a chronic illness can be overwhelming. With some understanding and planning, however, it’s possible to minimize the frustration and isolation that often comes with chronic illness.
Develop an exercise routine that is appropriate for your physical condition. Even a ten-minute walk or a gentle stationery bike ride will strengthen you and lift your mood. Building flexibility and endurance gives your body essential tools for the fight against sickness and fatigue.
It’s important to be educated on the appropriate use of medications. Know how each prescription interacts with other drugs and what impact it will have on your body.
Understanding nutrition can make a significant difference for senior living. The vitamins and nutrients found in fresh, whole foods are powerful weapons against disease and fatigue.
Decision-making and evaluating new treatments can be difficult for someone suffering from chronic illness. If your aging loved one finds it difficult to make important decisions, make it a priority help them stay informed. Develop a calm, orderly strategy for working through decisions with the assistance of doctors and family members.
Emotional well-being
While working with your doctors to ensure the best medical treatment, remember that emotional health is also a significant part of your overall well-being. Many aging adults are unaware of the risk of depression that comes with many common health problems. However, by educating yourself on the symptoms of depression, you can notice and handle potential problems before they get out of control.
A therapist or counselor will help you adopt healthy emotional responses to the stress of health problems. The physical consequences of stress are minimized when we understand how to care for ourselves emotionally in painful or stressful situations. If we take the time now to understand the psychological and spiritual challenges that accompany aging, we can more easily prevent problems from arising in the future.
Health literacy is essential
It’s impossible to over-emphasize the importance of good health education for seniors and their families. There are many programs and resources available to assist aging adults and their families in these essential matters. Discuss these situations with the staff at your community to find out what they can do to support healthy, educated senior living.
With a good understanding of your own medical needs, you have the power to improve your daily quality of life. You can help your medical team keep you strong by focusing on areas of life that relate to health and happiness. Healthy emotional habits, a diet full of fresh whole foods, and an appropriate level of exercise can all dramatically improve the quality of senior living. Improve your health literacy today to take control of your health and happiness in your golden years.
It’s far better for your long-term mental health if you accept your negative emotions, rather than passing judgment on yourself. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Studies done at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that acknowledging a blue mood—and not berating yourself for it—can help you work through it more easily.
It turns out that accepting negative emotions is better for your long-term mental health than constantly passing judgment on yourself, which can cause your feelings of negativity to snowball.
Putting pressure on yourself to feel upbeat can make you feel even more downbeat, according to the research.
It turns out that the people who let feelings like sadness, disappointment and even resentment run their course had fewer mood disorder symptoms than people who judged themselves for having them or who tried to bury them.
Accepting negative emotions seems to help you better cope with your stressors.
There’s one important caveat, however.
While it helps to acknowledge the normalness of negative emotions and not think you can—or need—to feel happy 24/7, it’s also important not to ignore a persistent and deep blue mood and other signs that could signal depression.
Symptoms of depression include a loss of interest in things that you used to enjoy and deep feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness that last for three or more months.
Unlike a blue mood, depression needs treatment, such as counseling, medication or both.
Many of our most treasured holiday memories take place at Mom and Dad’s house. So after a loved one has moved into a senior living facility such as an assisted living community, it may feel like you can’t celebrate the usual holiday traditions. Luckily, that just isn’t true at all. While locations may have changed, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy everything the season has to offer.
Holiday traditions are usually based around activities that take place in the home, which is why we can feel as though there isn’t a way to celebrate favorite family traditions the way you used to. However, with the right attitude (and with the right tips and tricks up your sleeve) your family can still enjoy the same traditions, just with a slight twist.
1. Holiday shopping trips
Going out searching for presents is often a time of bonding for family members. After all, nothing brings a family closer together than navigating the crowds at the mall! But with a loved one in assisted living, it may be difficult to make that trip out to the store. Talk to your loved one about how they would feel about this type of day trip, and consult their physician to see if it’s safe for them.
If it’s going to be too difficult to take your loved one out for the day, take the shopping mall to them! Online shopping allows you to find the perfect presents with only a few taps of a computer. Help your family member search the gifts they want to purchase, or just enjoy browsing around together and seeing what the holiday sales and hot-ticket items are, all from the comforts of home!
2. Deck the halls
Even if your loved one doesn’t have a large home to decorate after making the move, their senior living apartment still can get the full holiday treatment! Help them make their living space feel more in tune with the holiday spirit by taking time to decorate together. Try things like:
Setting up and decorating a small, fake tree with bright lights and your loved one’s favorite ornaments.
Adding blankets, pillows, and other cozy items to warm up the apartment.
Stringing garland or tinsel around walls.
Hanging a wreath over their door. For extra bonus points, make it a fun crafting experience and build the wreath yourselves!
Bringing the outdoors inside with decorations of pinecones, cranberries, branches, and other woodsy elements.
To make apartment decorating even more of a holiday celebration, have several different family members come over, make some yummy snacks and hot cocoa, and play carols that make the day even merrier.
3. Open presents together
Giving and receiving gifts is a favorite tradition for families, but it’s one that senior loved ones in assisted living communities can often miss out on. Rather than just call a loved one and fill them in on the joys you experienced together, bring the whole family over for a visit and enjoy opening presents as a group, so no one feels left out!
4. Enjoy a holiday dinner
Having a large family meal is often the highlight of everyone’s holiday traditions. When the whole family gathers together to eat, drink, laugh, share stories, and enjoy each other’s company it exemplifies all the reasons that the holiday season is so special.
Assisted living communities know that eating together is a huge part of family tradition, and that’s why they plan and throw holiday parties full of delicious food and treats for families to enjoy with their loved ones. When everyone gathers together in celebration, no one will ever feel left out!
5. Keep family at the heart of the holidays
The number one reason that people struggle to find ways to celebrate the holidays in assisted living is because they are so used to thinking about these activities in a different setting. But just because “home” has a different meaning than what it used to doesn’t mean that the holidays will never be the same.
Much more important than where we spend the holidays at is who we spend the holidays with. Family and friends are what really keep our memories of holiday traditions alive, not the location where they took place.
In order to make the most of the holiday season, spend time with your loved ones, no matter where they are. When the family is together and celebrating, the holidays are always cheerful and bright.
