Category Archives: Senior Living

Family caregivers provide a vital service — Part 1

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By Linda Cronk, Michigan State University Extension


As the American population ages, family caregiving emerges as a major concern for more and more families. In the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP 2009 report, Caregiving in the U.S., it was reported that 65.7 million caregivers make up 29 percent of the United States adult population that provide care to someone who is ill, disabled or aged. The report says that caregivers average 20.4 hours per week providing care and caregivers who live with the person they care for spend 39.3 hours per week caregiving.


According to the National Alzheimer’s Association 2011 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, in 2010, 14.9 million families and other unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, provided about 17 billion hours of unpaid care. This represents an average of 21.9 hours of caregiving per week or 1,139 hours of care per caregiver, valued annually at $11.93 per hour—an estimated $202.6 billion in 2010.


Needless to say, the contributions of informal caregivers are very important, valuable and necessary to the well-being of many older adults and a huge contribution to our society. But the challenges and physical, emotional and financial toll of caregiving are also huge.


A Family Caregiver Alliance 2006 report, Caregiver Assessment: Voices and Views from the Field, states several statistics about the emotional and mental health challenges of informal caregiving. Caring for a person with dementia can impact a person’s immune system for up to three years after their caregiving experience ends, increasing their chance of developing a chronic illness themselves.


Also, 40 to 70 percent of family caregivers show symptoms of depression. Caregivers who are caring for someone who has emotional or mental health problems, in result are more likely than others to report a decline in their own health.


There are often physical health challenges for informal caregivers as well. In the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP 2009 report, Caregiving in the U.S., it says that 17 percent of caregivers feel their health in general has become worse as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. The report also states 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. Twenty-one percent of older caregivers caring for those age 65 and older, report a higher degree of physical strain, compared to 13 percent who are younger caregivers.


The immense challenges of informal caregiving make it very clear that caregivers need to make sure they take good care of themselves. It may seem impossible when responsibilities pile up, but with support and thoughtful planning, self-care for caregivers can make the difference between maintaining good health and becoming someone who needs caregiving. For more information about self-care for caregivers, watch for Family Caregiving – Part 2 coming soon. For more information on caregiving, visit the Michigan State University Extension Caregiving page.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).



Fibromyalgia origin: Insulin resistance?

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Studies have shown differences in the brains of fibromyalgia sufferers, sometimes with areas of lower blood flow than expected. Similar problems have been seen in people with diabetes. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Serena Gordon, HealthDay


Fibromyalgia is a mysterious and misunderstood illness, but researchers may have uncovered at least one key to the disease’s origin: insulin resistance.


The new research compared a small group of people with fibromyalgia to two groups of healthy people and noted that a long-term measure of blood sugar levels was higher in the people with fibromyalgia.


Insulin resistance develops when the body starts to struggle with breaking down sugar.


To see if treating those higher blood sugar levels might help, the researchers gave people who had blood sugar levels in the pre-diabetic range or higher a diabetes medication called metformin.


People taking metformin reported significantly lower pain scores, according to the study.


“We combined metformin with standard drugs used for fibromyalgia and saw a much greater degree of pain relief,” said study author Dr. Miguel Pappolla. He is a professor of neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.


In fact, Pappolla said, the additional pain relief was so significant that the researchers actually called patients on different days to re-check their pain scores.


Because this is a preliminary finding, the researchers aren’t sure how insulin resistance might contribute to fibromyalgia or how metformin might reduce pain. “Metformin may have some analgesic (pain-relieving) activity on its own,” Pappolla said.


Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue, sleep problems and distress, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


Even celebrities aren’t spared from this painful condition—Lady Gaga reportedly had to cancel concerts on her tour due to pain from fibromyalgia.


Though the cause of the disorder isn’t clear, it appears that people with fibromyalgia may be more sensitive to pain than other people—what the CDC calls abnormal pain processing.


Pappolla said that studies have shown differences in the brain between people with fibromyalgia and those without, such as areas with a lower blood flow than expected.


The researchers noted that similar problems have been seen in people with diabetes.


The study included 23 people with fibromyalgia.


The researchers compared their hemoglobin A1c levels to large groups of healthy people from two other studies.


Hemoglobin A1c is a simple blood test that measures what someone’s blood sugar levels were during the past two or three months. A level of 5.7% to 6.4% is considered pre-diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. A level of 6.5% or higher means a person has diabetes.


Only six of those with fibromyalgia had normal blood sugar levels. Sixteen had levels considered pre-diabetes and one met the criteria for diabetes.


When the researchers compared the average blood sugar levels of the fibromyalgia group to healthy age-matched people in the other studies, they saw that the blood sugar levels were higher in the people with fibromyalgia, suggesting insulin resistance.


The findings were published online recently in the journal PLOS ONE.


Dr. Edward Rubin, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, said, “It’s interesting that there’s a possible connection between fibromyalgia and blood sugar. We’ve been attacking the symptoms of fibromyalgia, but we don’t have a good understanding of the root cause of fibromyalgia.”


Rubin, who wasn’t involved in the study, said there may be enough evidence here to try metformin along with other medications used for fibromyalgia for people whose blood sugar levels fall outside of the normal range, to see if they have a positive response.


Dr. Bharat Kumar, from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, said this study shows people with the disease that there is hope.


“People with fibromyalgia are often told (falsely) that they have a disease that simply cannot be managed. This article shows that it’s not true. Although it’s unclear if metformin will work for every person suffering from fibromyalgia, there is active research into finding solutions for this frustrating and overlooked condition,” he said.


Kumar said it’s biologically plausible that insulin could have an effect on pain.


“We know that other hormone abnormalities can cause fibromyalgia-like symptoms, so (this finding) is not too surprising,” he added.


Still, he said, he didn’t expect that metformin would be a “silver bullet” for all fibromyalgia pain. He said there are likely a number of causes of the disease.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Find peace of mind with a senior living waitlist

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Living
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


The sudden need for an elderly family member to have assistance or be a part of a senior care community can be a big shock. Getting caught off guard with the sudden need to move your loved one to an assisted living community or nursing home can add stress to you and your family’s lives.


However, you can avoid all the stress and uncertainty by planning ahead and adding your loved one to a senior community waitlist. Once your family member is on a waitlist, you can rest assured that they will have a place to get the care and services they need when the time comes.

What is senior living?

The most basic definition of senior living is a retirement community or housing group where retirees who can generally care for themselves live to enjoy activities and socialization opportunities together. However, while some of the more exclusive communities might require waiting periods, when we talk about a waitlist for senior living we mean a different kind of senior living option.


As seniors age, they generally need help with their day-to-day care or activities of daily living (ADLs). To get assistance with things like medication management, bathing, and mobility, many seniors need to find a living situation where these kinds of services are provided.


Assisted living communities and nursing homes offer assistance with ADLs and, in the case of nursing homes, dedicated nursing care for seniors who need in-depth aid. Getting your loved one on the waitlist to be in line for a spot in a community ensures that your loved one has these services when they need them.

What is a senior living waitlist?

A senior living waitlist lets you reserve a place in a senior living community like an assisted living community or a nursing home without having to immediately move in. Most places are going to require a deposit, which may or may not be refundable. Once placed on the list, most communities will let you know when you reach the top and are able to move in. Sometimes you can defer the move-in and maintain your position at the top of the list, or you may be moved to the bottom of the list after deferment.

How can a senior living waitlist relieve stress?

It’s difficult to know exactly when your loved one is going to need assisted living or nursing care, so having a plan in place can relieve a lot of the stress that you experience when helping make a plan for an aging family member.


Making a snap decision due to stress when your loved one suddenly needs help with ADLs or needs to quickly be moved to a senior living community often means picking the first available location—even if it doesn’t really fit the needs or wants of your loved one.


Having a spot reserved on a senior living waitlist gives you both security and control when it comes to making these difficult choices for your family member. You have the time to find the right community to fit your loved ones needs. You can look at the differences between assisted living communities and nursing homes, look at pricing across communities, and take your loved one to tour so they know what their new home will be like.

When is the right time for a waitlist?

You don’t necessarily need to start looking for a waitlist to join the minute a loved one reaches retirement age, but you should be aware of their health to look for signs that they might need assistance with ADLs. Once you notice some signs, it might be time to talk with your loved one about finding a community and being added to their waitlist.


Warning signs that it might be time to consider making a move to senior living include:

  • Falling or stumbling often
  • Lapses in memory or cognitive function
  • Struggle to keep enough food in the house
  • Difficulty remembering when to take medications
  • Decreased social life and engagement
  • Unclean or grimy house
  • Visible changes in appearance
  • The need for frequent medical care

What should my next steps be?

If you think you want to get your loved one on a waiting list for senior living, there is no better time to start looking than now. Researching early on can help you find the right place that fits your family member’s lifestyle and budget range.


Be prepared, and don’t let the period to add your loved one to a waitlist pass by. Look for signs that it may be time for them to move, and have a plan of action in place so that you aren’t caught unawares. Being on a senior living waitlist can help ensure that your loved one will have the care they need, when they need it.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Red wine—a microbiome fertilizer?

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As little as one glass of red wine each week could enrich the good bacteria in your stomach, according to researchers. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay


A little pinot noir now and then might help keep the bacteria in your tummy healthy and happy.


As little as one glass of red wine a week can increase the diversity of the good bacteria in your microbiome, which can help lower bad cholesterol and keep your weight down, researchers say.


“The more people drink, the higher the diversity. But even small amounts, such as one glass of red wine every week, shows a benefit,” said study first author Caroline Le Roy. She’s a research associate in the department of twin research and genetic epidemiology at King’s College London.


Le Roy cautioned that while the findings in the study were robust, they can’t prove that red wine improves the microbiome, only that the two are associated.


It’s not the alcohol that has this effect, but rather the polyphenols in red wine. Polyphenols help feed the good bacteria in the microbiome, the researchers explained.


Polyphenols are also found in fruits and vegetables, and include antioxidants.


For the study, Le Roy and her colleagues looked at the effect of beer, cider, red wine, white wine and whiskey on the gut microbiome of 916 female twins.


Only red wine resulted in a more diverse microbiome, the investigators found.


The microbiome is a collection of bacteria in the gut that has an important role in health. A healthy microbiome helps digest food and keeps some diseases at bay.


An unhealthy microbiome can lead to poor functioning of the immune system, weight gain and high cholesterol, Le Roy said.


A microbiome with lots of different bacteria is a healthy microbiome, she added.


Le Roy’s team found that red wine improved the number of different bacteria in the microbiome, compared with those who didn’t drink wine.


The researchers were able to confirm their findings in three other groups in Britain, the Netherlands and the United States, which brought the total number of participants to nearly 3,000.


Moreover, the results remained constant even after accounting for factors such as diet, socioeconomic status and age.


Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, thinks that drinking red wine may be a marker of a healthy lifestyle, so the health benefits may be due to other factors.


“Do they, in general, lead healthier lives, such as not smoking, eating more of a plant-based diet and exercising?” she asked.


Wine comes from grapes, which like a lot of plant foods, are rich in polyphenols, Heller said.


But polyphenols are also found in vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, legumes and teas that don’t contain alcohol, she noted.


“In addition, plants are our only source of dietary fiber, which is the favorite food for the microbes that live in our gut. When they are healthy, they help keep our bodies healthy,” Heller said.


While drinking small amounts of red wine has apparent health benefits, there are also unhealthy effects of drinking too much, such as liver disease, certain cancers, pancreatitis and a depressed immune system, she said.


“Guzzling red wine, or any alcoholic beverage, is not the miracle we have been led to believe,” Heller said.


For those who drink, the American Heart Association recommends an average of one to two drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women (one 12-ounce beer, 4 ounces of wine, 1 ounce of 100 proof spirits).


“Let’s be honest, most of us probably drink more than that. If you do not drink alcohol, there is no reason to start,” Heller said.


The report was published recently in the journal Gastroenterology.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.




Helping older adults with substance abuse problems

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By Linda Cronk, Michigan State University Extension


If an older adult were ill or needed help, most people would reach out and help in whatever ways they could. But, if the illness were signs of alcoholism or drug abuse, it’s often really hard for most people to know what to do or say. Often, it’s difficult to tell if what we see are symptoms of substance abuse. In older adults, these signs can seem to mimic other conditions, such as diabetes, dementia or depression.


Is it substance abuse? According to Hazelden, a prominent addiction recovery center, there are two types of alcoholism in older adults. Two-thirds of older adult alcoholics are early-onset – those who have been heavy drinkers most of their adult lives. The other one-third are those who began to drink excess amounts in their older years, often in response to a difficult life situation or transition.


Doctors routinely prescribe tranquilizers for older adults. More tranquilizers are prescribed annually than for all other medications, over 16.9 million prescriptions each year – with the exception of heart medicine.


Some of the challenges that come with prescription drug use by older adults include:

  • Older people often take higher doses than prescribed because they forgot that they already took a pill or because “if one is good, two are better.”
  • It is not unusual for older persons to take their prescription drugs to a friend or spouse — even when the prescription is old, if the drug fits a self-diagnosed ailment.
  • An older person may also become dependent on alcohol or drugs after a major operation or a lengthy hospital stay. This dependency can be life threatening, yet is treatable.

What are possible signs of abuse? Hazelden has identified several warning signs:

  • Drinks in spite of warning labels while on prescription drugs.
  • Always has bottles of tranquilizers on hand and takes them at the slightest sign of disturbance.
  • Is often intoxicated or slightly tipsy, and sometimes has slurred speech.
  • Disposes of large volumes of empty beer and liquor bottles and seems secretive about it.
  • Often has the smell of liquor on his/her breath or mouthwash to disguise it.
  • Is neglecting personal appearance and gaining or losing weight.
  • Complains of constant sleeplessness, loss of appetite or chronic health complaints that seem to have no physical cause.
  • Has unexplained burns or bruises and tries to hide them.
  • Seems more depressed or hostile than usual.
  • Can’t handle routine chores and paperwork without making mistakes.
  • Has irrational and undefined fears, delusions or seems under unusual stress.
  • Seems to be losing his or her memory.

How can we begin to help our loved ones get help for substance abuse problems? Before talking to your older loved one or friend, talk to a professional trained in addiction and older adults. Prepare by gathering information:

  • A list of prescribed and over-the-counter drugs the person is taking.
  • A list of doctors the person is seeing. They may have a general practitioner and a specialist.
  • A brief life history including religious and cultural background and important life events.
  • An idea of the person’s present ability to live alone and take care of themself.
  • How drinking or the misuse of medicines is affecting their health, family and social life, etc.
  • A list of family members and friends who are concerned and would be willing to help, if necessary.

Together, you and the professional should be able to make an informal assessment as to what type of help the older person needs and how to approach the topic with them. You may decide, for example, that it would be better for your friend’s physician to bring up the problem, since many older people trust their doctors. Or perhaps you can ask another close person, such as a minister or an old acquaintance of your friend to sit down for a personal talk. Find out more at www.hazelden.org about how you can help your friend or loved one get help for substance abuse.


If the person is ready to make a change, the first thing to do is listen and be supportive. You may want to urge your friend to see a physician to get a professional assessment of the problem. Depending on the severity, the older person may need hospital care to treat the physical symptoms of alcohol and drug reactions. Many older persons can benefit from inpatient treatment for alcoholism or drug dependency, if their health insurance or other resources will cover the costs.


Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) can be a good alternative, along with individual counseling from an addiction professional that is trained to work with older adults. Founded in 1935, A.A. has helped millions of people achieve sobriety. When you talk to an A.A. volunteer, ask for a meeting where an older person could be comfortable. See www.aa.org for more helpful information for friends and families of older adults dealing with substance abuse.


Fortunately, today it is more accepted to seek help for alcohol and drug abuse problems. There are excellent resources in many communities to help loved ones and friends address the issue. Michigan State University Extension staff works with the Geriatric Education Center of Michigan at Michigan State University to bring the latest health information about older adults to health care providers throughout the state. See www.gecm.msu.edu for more information.


For more about older adults and substance abuse read Substance abuse in older adults: Underdiagnosed and undertreated.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).



Christmas around West Michigan

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Santa comes to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (Supplied/Dean VanDis)

By Adrienne Brown-Reasner, West Michigan Tourist Association


From parades to light shows, holiday artist markets to cookie tours, traditional holiday celebrations to Christmas festivals, there is no shortage of West Michigan events to get you in the holiday spirit this month!


Be sure to also check out where you can find a Santa Sighting and gift ideas from our Holiday Gift Guide.


Find more events at the WMTA Event Calendar.

Zeeland

The Critter Barn in Zeeland invites you to the 20th annual Live Nativity, held Tuesdays-Saturdays through Dec. 28th. Visit the Critter Barn animals, including sheep, goats, and cows, and take photos of the scene in the historic barn.

Holland 

The Holland Museum will be celebrating a Victorian Christmas at the Cappon House Dec. 14th and 15th, noon-4pm. Enjoy a tour of the opulent home while learning how yuletide celebrations have changed in the last 100 years. Visitors can also create traditional decorations, sample holiday sweets, sing along to Christmas tunes on the piano, capture a loved one’s affection under the kissing ball, and more. This event is appropriate for the whole family, with activities aimed at both adults and children ages 5 and up. Advance registration is strongly encouraged. Admission is $8.00 per person for museum members, $10.00 per person for non-members, free for ages 5 and under.


Stop by the Sneaky Elves Workshop Dec. 20th, noon–3pm, and Dec. 21st, 10am–3pm, at the Holland Area Arts Council. Children will be led through the creation and wrapping of a handmade gift so that they can take part in the giving this holiday season! Parents can drop their kids off and go shopping in Downtown Holland or stay and participate in the fun. 


Experience an authentic European-style open-air Christmas market with handcrafted items, delicious food and artisan demonstrations at Kerstmarkt in Downtown Holland. Open Friday and Saturday Dec. 14th and 15th at the 8th Street Marketplace. 

It’s a Wonderful Life

Presented by the Holland Civic Theatre, It’s a Wonderful Life, brings the classic holiday film to life in Holland Dec. 13th and 14th.


Still on the hunt for the perfect holiday gift? Then don’t miss the Downtown Holland Shopping Jam on Saturday, Dec. 14th! Participating stores will open early for this special savings event. The earlier you shop, the more you save! During the Shopping Jam, merchants will be offering discounts of 30% off from 8-9am and 25% off from 9-10am. Discounted merchandise will vary by store, but will include a discount off at least one item. Please see the participating businesses for savings details. The Shopping Jam is sponsored by Downtown Holland’s own Horizon Bank.


Just because summer’s over doesn’t mean that you can’t fill your table with fresh, local and healthy food. The Holland Farmers Market is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 8am-3pm though Saturday, Dec. 21st. Stop by to pick up everything you need to make your family’s favorite holiday dishes or to decorate your home for the holidays.

Muskegon

A holiday tradition returns to the Muskegon Carr-Fles Planetarium with Mystery of the Christmas Star! Tuesday, Dec. 10th, and Thursday, Dec. 12th. No reservations are needed for this free, 30-minute show in room 1072 at Muskegon Community College. 


Experience the 19th-century Hackley & Hume homes of Lakeshore Museum Center in Muskegon decorated beautifully for the holidays by Muskegon’s local community groups with period-appropriate artifacts, ornaments and more! Tickets can be purchased at the door and are $10 per person, $8 for seniors 65+ and $5 for Kids ages 2-12. Tour dates and times are Dec. 14th, 21st, and 27th from 4-8pm, and Dec. 28th from 1-4pm.

Grand Rapids

Gerald R Ford Presidential Museum presents Season’s Greetings from the White House, with Mary Evans Seeley, Dec. 12th at 7pm. Mary Evans Seeley is a collector, historian, lecturer, author and publisher of two books about Christmas at the White House. She has the most extensive collection of Presidential Christmas memorabilia in the country. Her book, Season’s Greetings from the White House is now in its eighth edition. It tells the stories of Christmas at the White House from Calvin Coolidge through Donald J. Trump. Join the museum as she documents nearly a century of presidential Christmases. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the event. The event is free with open seating. Registrations are appreciated.

Holiday Traditions (Courtesy Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park)

Excitement surrounds this time of year as the annual Metro Health Christmas & Holiday Traditions exhibition brings the glow of over 300,000 colorful lights, strolling carolers, visits from Santa, rooftop reindeer, and 46 international trees and displays to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. Ring in the season with a beloved winter exhibition. Honoring holiday cultures around the world, Meijer Gardens focuses on the authenticity of the symbols of beloved holiday traditions – it’s an idyllic spot to center your thoughts on the true meaning of the holidays. The Holiday Traditions exhibition will be on display through Jan. 5, 2020. 


Join the Grand Rapids Public Museum on Dec. 20th and 21st to enjoy listening to live holiday classics at the Holiday Classics Organ Concert performed by Dave Wickerman on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ. This experience is fun for the entire family! 


This holiday season, visit the Grand Rapids Public Museum from Dec. 21st through Jan. 5th to experience Snowflake Break. Fun for the entire family, visitors will make themed crafts, play games, and explore the museum. Snowflake Break is included with your ticket purchase. Additionally, see historic Grand Rapids built from LEGO® bricks, complete with operating trams, showcasing Grand Rapids during the early 20th century. Take pictures with the Herpolsheimer’s Child Passenger Train, see 15 historic Santas from around the world, and find 12 elves hidden throughout the Museum. Visit the GRPM’s Planetarium to see Let it Snow, featuring festive classics from Frank Sinatra and Chuck Berry to Burl Ives and Brenda Lee, with a stunning finale by the Trans Siberian Orchestra. Tickets are $4 each with general admission to the Museum, free to Museum members and $5 each for planetarium only tickets. Let It Snow showings run through Jan. 5th. As an annual tradition, visitors will be able to view and take pictures with the Herpolsheimer’s train throughout the holiday season. Recognizable to any baby-boomer, the train chugged along the ceiling of the toy department at the Herpolsheimer’s Department Store. 


DeVos Performance Hall and Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids have a number of Christmas events this season:

  • Grand Rapids Ballet presents The Nutcracker at DeVos Performance Hall, Friday, Dec. 13th at 7:30pm, Saturday, Dec. 14th at 2pm & 7:30pm, Sunday, Dec. 15th at 1pm & 5:30pm, and the following weekend, Friday, Dec. 20th at 7:30pm, Saturday, Dec. 21st at 2pm & 7:30pm, and Sunday, Dec. 22 at 1pm. West Michigan’s favorite holiday tradition returns to the grandeur of DeVos Performance Hall with sets by famed children’s book author and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg (The Polar Express, Jumanji), Broadway-quality set design by Tony Award winner Eugene Lee (Wicked, Sweeney Todd, Saturday Night Live), choreography by Val Caniparoli, and the live music of your Grand Rapids Symphony. Don’t miss the magic!
  • Grand Rapids Symphony presents Old National Bank Cirque de Noel at DeVos Performance Hall, Wednesday, Dec. 18th at 7:30pm and Thursday, Dec. 19th at 7:30pm. Since 2009, Cirque de la Symphonie has spent part of each Christmas season in Grand Rapids. Celebrating its 10th annual Cirque de Noel with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Cirque de la Symphonie’s company of acrobats, jugglers, contortionists and aerial artists makes merry with amazing feats of agility and strength, accompanied by beloved Christmas songs and classical favorites. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and in person at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices.

Find the perfect holiday wreath or tree for your home at Grand Rapids Downtown Market Christmas Tree Lot, hosted by Lenderink Tree Farms, Wednesdays and Fridays: 4-7:00pm, and Saturdays & Sundays 10am-6pm through Dec. 15th.

AI for your ears

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Scientists are closer than ever to developing a smart hearing aid that separates desired sounds from undesirable background noise. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Alan Mozes, HealthDay


Chances are if you’re over 60 it’s already happened to you: You’re in a crowded room and finding it tough to understand what your partner is saying a couple of feet away.


It’s a longstanding hearing-loss issue known as the “cocktail party” problem. Conventional hearing aids still aren’t able to fix it—to separate out the talk you do want to hear from the background chatter you don’t.


But scientists may be developing a device that can do just that.


The device would rely on an emerging technology called “auditory attention decoding,” or AAD. AAD cracks the cocktail party problem by simultaneously monitoring a person’s brainwaves and the sound around them.


With that data in place, the new hearing device would triangulate which voice or sound the person is focused on—and then give it an extra sonic boost.


“The cocktail party problem refers to a hearing condition where there is more than one speaker talking at the same time,” explained Nima Mesgarani, who led a group that published their new findings May 15 in Science Advances.


“Because hearing-impaired listeners have reduced sensitivity to different frequencies, they are not able to pick out the right voice,” explained Mesgarani.


He’s associate professor of electrical engineering with the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, part of Columbia University in New York City.


Conventional hearing aids—which simply raise overall sound levels—don’t help much in a crowded room.


“Increasing the volume doesn’t help hearing-impaired listeners, because it amplifies everyone and not just the ‘target speaker,’” Mesgarani said.


AAD works differently.


“(It) works by first automatically separating the sound sources in the acoustic environment,” he said. “The separated sounds are then compared to the brain waves of a listener. And the source that is most similar is chosen and amplified relative to other speakers to assist the listener.”


But this research is still in its early stages, so crowd-addled seniors shouldn’t expect to order the technology anytime soon.


For the moment, the technology requires an invasive surgical procedure and isn’t portable. Any practical application is at least five to 10 years off, Mesgarani said.


Still, the research illustrates yet again the amazing versatility of the human brain.


As Mesgarani noted, neural networks in the brain’s hearing center are remarkably adept at pinpointing which voice a person wants to pay attention to, even with lots of competing noise.


Digging deeper into that phenomenon, the Columbia team enlisted a group of people with epilepsy (who were already undergoing surgical care) to listen to a massed group of several speakers. None of the patients had hearing difficulties.


By means of electrodes directly implanted into their brains, researchers were then able to monitor how brain waves responded to the various sounds. That data was fed into a computer, which quickly learned to automatically raise the volume of the “target” speaker’s voice.


Preliminary results suggest that the technology does work as intended. But to date, testing has been confined to a controlled indoor setting and it remains to be seen whether it would work as well among those with actual hearing impairment, the researchers said.


And, of course, it will take time to convert the technology into something that could be worn as an external hearing aid.


Tricia Ashby-Scabis is director of audiology practices with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, in Rockville, Md. She reviewed the new study and said the work “sounds highly promising.”


“Artificial intelligence certainly sounds like a great option in terms of focused listening and setting precedence on which speaker the listener wants to hear,” Ashby-Scabis said.


But questions remain.


“The difficulty is, communication is dynamic,” said Ashby-Scabis. “It is ever-changing. People jump in and out of conversations, and that is a lot of processing for a device to do, and a lot of knowledge it needs to have. I am surprised if this is something we are close to having researchers solving (or) developing, but it is certainly a promising area to be studying.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


The impact senior living culture has on health

3-bottom, Community Health, Health, Senior Living,
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Social life is essential to our health and happiness. Scientific studies have proven that the more isolated and lonely we feel, the more likely we are to experience health problems. For aging adults in particular, living within a vibrant culture has direct health benefits.

Community and health

We often think of families as a senior’s primary source of community, but bearing the total responsibility for a parent’s social life can be a strain on family members. Senior living communities are a wonderful source of support for aging adults and their families.


A 2012 study by researchers at University College London found that social isolation was associated with chronic lung disease, arthritis, impaired mobility, and depressive symptoms. Other research states that, “individuals who lack social connections or report frequent feelings of loneliness tend to suffer higher rates of morbidity and mortality, as well as infection, depression, and cognitive decline.”


Feeling connected within our social environment is a fundamental part of health and happiness. Senior living facilities are designed with this fact in mind. These communities help seniors feel like they belong, which significantly increases life expectancy.

Community features to enhance well-being

As you and your aging loved one choose a senior living facility, look for the culture that best fits their needs. A healthy community will offer a variety of social events to encourage residents’ involvement. This enables seniors to feel welcome and confident as they get established in their new home.


The best communities offer features and amenities which enhance well-being. Rooms should be vibrant and appealing so that your aging loved one feels at home, in addition to offering the best safety features.


Dining options are also important to consider. Does this facility offer a variety of fresh, healthy options? It’s important to find great cuisine so that your senior’s appetite stays strong. Mealtimes are also great for socializing with other residents.

Activities to enhance social support

High-quality senior living involves activities and events that help residents connect with each other. In addition to relaxing and having fun, social events keep aging adults’ cognitive abilities strong. The mental exercises of reminiscing, laughing together, and getting to know new people is an essential part of remaining healthy and active while we age.


Here are a few ways communities can provide active community involvement for residents. If your loved one’s facility has a light social calendar, find out if you can get involved in planning some activities.

  • Reminiscence groups give seniors an opportunity to share their favorite memories. This will increase self-awareness which strengthens mental capacity and overall health.
  • Group exercises like zumba or yoga are great community events.
  • Start a singing group for musical residents. Local music teachers may be interested in getting their students involved.
  • Local museums, libraries, and community centers often have tours and educational programs available for seniors. These activities make excellent field trips.
  • Weekly or monthly game nights are usually very popular.
  • For seniors with literary or political interests, try a discussion groups of books, films, or current events.
  • Holiday and birthday parties are always a great opportunity for social connections. The planning and setup process can also be a lot of fun with more residents involved!

These are just a few of the ways senior living culture can benefit you or your senior loved one. Staying active and involved in our community brings many essential health benefits, and the support within a robust senior living community will keep our golden years healthy and happy.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Technology tips to keep you young

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, Senior Living, Tech Trends,
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


The association between technology and seniors is often misrepresented; older adults of our society today did not have access to computers, smart devices, or the internet. While many people allude this disconnect to the idea that seniors find the devices complicated; it is merely an assumption. The reality is that many seniors do not understand how they can utilize these gadgets to meet their personal interests. Devices play a critical decision in informing the health and wellness decisions you make to stay young. The right application of different gadgets and software can save you time, money and make a situation less stressful. For example, using GPS in your post-retirement trips can save you money you would otherwise spend on a tour guide.


There are several ways you can utilize technology to stay young:

Health Checks

Staying on top of your health is a priority among many seniors; the right technology in your smart phone or tablet can save you several trips to the hospital. For example, there are different accessories and apps you can get to help you check your blood sugar. You can also access different fitness apps to help you follow your exercise routine from the comfort of your home. Additionally, there are games and brain exercises you can engage in to help keep your mind alert and active. The best part about using your device to stay healthy is that you can travel with it or use it indoors even in extreme weather when you’re stuck at home.

Connectivity

One way to stay young-at-heart is to stay connected to your friends and family, especially the younger ones. Even though you might be hundreds of miles away from your loved ones, you can connect with your family by sharing videos, pictures or by scheduling live video chats. If you choose to travel, you and your loved ones can enjoy a peace of mind knowing that you are a call away from each other.

Continuous Learning

Use your gadgets as a learning tool. As you grow older, you will realize you have a lot of time on your hands, which can easily bore you. Take up new courses, learn a craft or spend time indulging in your favorite subject. There are several learning tools available in your devices such as short courses, podcasts, videos, books and research papers; you will have access to an infinite source of information at the comfort of your home. Through your device, you can connect with people with similar learning interests from around the world without the hustle associated with traveling.


Improve your relationship with technology by looking it as an avenue for self-improvement. There are different applications and devices available to help you improve your physical, spiritual and mental wellness from the comfort of your home. Take advantage of the improved access to information to explore your passions.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Sip your way to health

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Research has suggested tea may fight inflammation and other maladies. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Angela Fobar, Spectrum Health Beat


Following water, tea is second in line as the most-consumed beverage on the planet.


Not beer. Not soda. Not even coffee.


Tea.


Humanity has been drinking it for thousands of years. And based on the ever-growing evidence of its health benefits, there’s no reason to think we should let up anytime soon.


As Chinese legend has it, the Emperor Shennong discovered tea some 4,700 years ago when a strong wind tossed falling tea leaves into his bowl of boiling water. The emperor noticed the leaves change the water’s color and aroma. When he drank it, it soothed him.


It’s been doing that to legions of folks, princes and paupers, for eons.


The main benefits of tea are its antioxidant properties from flavonoids and catechins, but it also has other characteristics that can reduce inflammation and help with regulation of blood sugar and other systems.


Two cups of freshly brewed tea each day may protect against the development of chronic disease, while larger quantities—say, four cups a day—may lower glucose and lipid markers.


So sip away and enjoy the benefits.

Here’s what the research says:

Heart health

The most compelling evidence is related to heart disease. As it relates to green tea and heart health, there’s an association between lower levels of cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides and higher levels of HDL—the “good” cholesterol. There’s also evidence of significant lowering of systolic and diastolic blood pressure associated with tea-drinking. Black tea in particular could contribute to a decreased incidence of heart attack.

Weight loss

Research has shown that green tea contains the ideal combination of caffeine and catechins, which work in tandem to stimulate thermogenesis. Green tea has been known to provide numerous health benefits, including the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Glycemic control

Regular consumption of green tea and black tea has been shown to decrease fasting blood glucose, insulin levels and hemoglobin A1C. This can lead to an increase in antioxidants and a reduction in inflammatory cytokines that cause insulin resistance. It may also cut down on fat accumulation from carbs.

Arthritis

Research has shown tea’s antioxidant properties cause an anti-rheumatic effect that may improve the physical abilities of aging populations. This includes improvements in muscle strength, balance and performance of daily activities.

Depression

While many Americans may not be looking at tea for its health benefits, perhaps they should. There’s even been some evidence of tea’s possible role in combatting depression.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.





Feathered friends need care in the winter

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, Pets/Animals, Senior Living,

By Insa Raymond, Michigan State University Extension


As we approach the midst of winter and prepare for cold weather, it is important not to forget our feathered friends outside. While many species travel south to survive the winter, many other bird species stay here. We bundle up in layers of shirts, sweaters, warm winter coats, hats, scarfs and mittens. But how do our feathered friends stay warm?


Birds are warm-blooded creatures just like us. They maintain a body temperature of approximately 106 degrees Fahrenheit but have the ability to adapt their body temperatures, keeping most of their heat around their vital organs and lowering their body temperature around the extremities. Some bird species also have the ability to lower their body temperature during the nighttime, to help survive the cold, frosty nights.


Birds also have many adaptations that help them stay warm. Smaller birds seek shelter in dense foliage or crevices, huddle together, puff up their feathers and tuck in their head and feet. Bigger birds, geese for example, develop an additional layer of down feathers to help insulate them. In addition, all non-migrating birds put on fat in the preparation for the winter months, as this acts as insulator and energy source to survive the winter in northern climates. According to Audubon Magazine, up to 10 percent of a bird’s body weight may be fat in certain species, such as chickadees and finches.


To maintain this high fat density, birds need to spend most of their days seeking high-energy food, which can be scarce in nature during the winter. A simple way to help our feathered friends during the cold season is to hang up bird feeders. Feeding birds is a fun family activity that teaches kids about and to appreciate nature. The more you will get into bird feeding, the more you and your family will enjoy it. Keep a bird field guide on hand and identify the species you see at the feeders.


To attract a diversity of birds, set out a variety of bird feeders with different types of food. A tube feeder with perches filled with black sunflower and an assortment of seeds will attract finches and chickadees. Hopper-type bird feeders filled with sunflower and safflower seeds will attract birds such as cardinals and blue jays. Suet feeders will attract woodpeckers. For more information on what types of bird feeders and seed to use to attract different species, view the Audubon Guide to Winter Bird Feeding. The bird feeders you use don’t need to be expensive – the Madison Audubon Society developed a simple guide to making bird feeders out of recycled materials.

Birds not only need food in the winter but they also need fresh water and shelter. When thinking about changing or adding to your landscape, consider choosing bird-friendly, native plants. Evergreens provide shelter, seed heads and berries, which provide additional food. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a wonderful resource for birding enthusiasts, both the novice and advanced, and provides resources on feeding, landscaping, building nest boxes and much more.


If you really are getting into birding, consider participating in project feeder watch, which is a survey of birds that visit feeders in backyards, nature centers, etc. Feeder watchers periodically count the birds at their feeders from November to April and send the data to Project Feeder Watch. This helps scientists to get a broader picture of bird species, their abundance and movement during the winter months.


If you’d like to turn your birding interest into a 4-H club project, Michigan State University Extension has the resources and tools you need. So enjoy birding this winter! No matter if you do it on a small scale with your family, or on a bigger scale as a volunteer with a group of youth, you will teach youth an understanding and appreciation of nature.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).



Heads up: Beware of text neck

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Don’t let text neck get you down. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Health Beat staff


The next time you’re in a public place, look around.


Notice how many people are hunched over using mobile devices.


Poor posture while constantly looking down at a cell phone places a lot of strain on the neck, or cervical spine. It’s called ‘text neck.’


And, according to a recent reports, it can result in permanent harm.


“When the head is upright, the upper part of the spine is correctly aligned for minimal stress on the muscles, bones and discs in the neck,” explained Nuala Crotty, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with the Spectrum Health Medical Group. “But when you drop the chin to the chest for long periods, you increase stress on the cervical spine and strain the muscles at the back of your neck.”


Just how much wear and tear does this constant downward gaze put on the neck muscles?


The head weighs about 10 to 12 pounds. For every inch the head tilts forward, the weight or pressure on the cervical spine increases. Bending your head forward at a 60 degree angle, for example, results in almost 60 pounds of stress weight on a neck structure that’s designed to handle much less. That’s like carrying a small child around on your neck all day.


With smartphone users now spending an average of two to four hours a day with their heads dropped down, this results in 700 to 1,400 hours a year of excess wear and tear on the cervical spine, according to the research.


Over time, this much stress can do a lot of damage. Muscles and tissues become strained, sore and inflamed, causing headaches, neck, upper back, shoulder and arm pain.


According to Dr. Crotty, if left uncorrected, text neck can lead to chronic neck pain and an increased risk of disc herniation and neck arthritis. Poor posture also decreases lung volume, interfering with the ability to breathe deeply.


“The first step is to be aware of how you hold your body while using technology,” she said. “And then, take steps to prevent problems by practicing good posture and neck alignment.”


Dr. Crotty offers these tips to avoid feeling the crunch:

  • Hold devices up, at eye level, as much as possible.
  • Take regular breaks from phones and laptops throughout the day.
  • Draw your shoulder blades together gently. This will naturally pull your head back and align your spine.
  • Tuck in your chin and gently lengthen your neck. Imagine a string at the top or crown of your head, pulling it straight up to the ceiling.
  • Roll or shrug your shoulders a few times and move your neck in different directions to prevent muscles from becoming tight.

See a doctor if neck pain does not go away or if it’s associated with pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in your shoulder, arm or hands.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Assisted living: Value vs. cost

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior Living
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


As parents reach their golden years, they often rely on us to maintain a happy, healthy standard of living. Our loved ones need care and support as they age. They face increased physical challenges in everyday tasks we may take for granted.


As these needs arise, family members often step in to help, but this may not be sustainable as time passes. Additionally, dementia and chronic illness often require professional assistance.


Assisted living communities offer an appealing and comforting solution to these challenges. Since assisted living cost is not insignificant, it’s important to ensure you receive the highest value for your financial investment. If you’re considering assisted living for an aging parent, here are a few things to keep in mind.

What do assisted living communities offer?

Some assume that a nursing home is the only option, but there’s a big difference between assisted living and nursing home care. Assisted living residents are more active and mobile than nursing home patients, who are often bedridden and may need 24/7 care. Depending on your location and on the level of care needed by your senior loved one, assisted living cost can be lower than home care or nursing homes in the same area.


There is no federal definition of assisted living, although individual states provide regulation. This means that the amenities, care packages, and pricing at each community will vary. Some states require different tiers of licensing for different kinds of care, so ask about the community’s licenses in order to clearly understand what they offer.

Benefits of community life vs. assisted living cost

There are countless ways that community life will benefit your aging parent. Remember that you’re not only investing in a living space and meals, but your loved one’s overall quality of life will be much higher. Here are just a few ways this takes place:

  • Physical activity and fitness are encouraged.
  • Social opportunities like movie and game nights are provided. This is essential for retaining mental faculties and communication skills!
  • Senior safety is a top priority. Precautions such as shower railings and medical alert systems are provided, and physical assistance is always nearby.
  • Secure entrances prevent strangers or intruders from threatening your loved ones.
  • Classes and cultural events, such as book clubs or museum trips, keep residents mentally active.
  • Supervised meals, with a variety of food and a happy social environment, help keep appetites strong. In some communities, staff members monitor meals and provide supplements when necessary.
  • Housekeeping and transportation are provided, easing demands on family members.

Managing assisted living cost

The best way to keep costs manageable is to research thoroughly ahead of time. Try to plan as far ahead as possible so that you aren’t rushed by a sudden medical development. Taking time to pick the right community will prevent expensive moves later.


Visit potential communities multiple times and get to know the staff. Don’t be afraid to ask about price flexibility and compare options with care packages. Once you select a community, it’s a good idea for an attorney to review the contract. Make sure you understand the costs as well as exactly what care will be provided.


Although it may be more expensive, quality care is worth the financial investment. In an uplifting and empowering environment, your aging loved one will enjoy a more positive, upbeat outlook. You will have time and emotional energy left for more meaningful connections when family members are not completely responsible for your loved one’s care. With proper planning and research, you can help your parent find a community that uplifts and enriches their life. 


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Are pets a good idea for seniors?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Pets/Animals, Senior Living
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living


By Vista Springs Assisted Living


As you continue to age, many seniors struggle to find motivation during the later years of life. Sometimes days can become very gloomy and lonely. Adding a dog, cat, or other animal companion to your everyday life can make a big difference in your mental and emotional health. 


Pets for seniors can turn lives around, but it’s important to be realistic about your capabilities for caring for an animal as well. Read below to see our suggestions on if a pet is a good idea for you!

Benefits of having a pet

The number one benefit of a pet is the joy that they bring. It’s the reason that so many people have pets—or want to have one if they don’t currently. But, especially in the case of seniors, a pet can be so much more than just a playful friend. 


Pets help seniors feel less alone, and you can experience daily love through the devotion of an animal companion. Pets can also help seniors stay active, by helping you stick to a routine and move around your home, get up at specific times, and get out of the house to buy food and toys to take care of the pet. Animals like dogs also help you get outdoors and socialize with other people. 

Types of pets for seniors

All animals provide a sense of purpose, love, and happiness that all people, especially seniors, can benefit from. But what type of animal friend is best for you?

Dogs

Dogs are a great companion animal for seniors. After all, they are man’s best friend! Dogs encourage seniors to walk, play, and stay active. Certain small breeds of dogs can also be picked up and carried, helping you build and maintain muscle. Small dogs are generally a good idea for seniors, as they aren’t as strong and make great lap pets. In the same vein, older dogs are much less work than energetic and excitable puppies.

Cats

If you want a pet that is a little more low-maintenance than a dog, a cat is a great choice for seniors. Cats like to cuddle and have distinct personalities, but don’t take as much time and energy to care for and are generally quieter and cleaner than dogs. They also are a great choice for seniors who don’t have any outdoor space at their residence. 

Fish

If you are looking for a low-maintenance pet, then there is no better option than a fish. While you can’t pet or play with fish, they still provide seniors with a schedule and routine for daily feeding and cleaning the tank. Too many fish and large tanks can be a burden for seniors, so a few fish in a 5-10 gallon tank is often the best choice. 

Birds

Many seniors enjoy having an avian companion, as birds are colorful, pretty, and play around with toys without as much hands-on care as a dog or cat needs. Some types of birds are able to mimic words, so you have an animal friend that talks back! However, birds still need specific cleaning and feeding routines, so it’s important that seniors understand how to care for a bird before buying one.

Exercise caution before making a decision

While pets provide a lot of benefits to seniors, they are also a lot of work. It’s important for seniors to understand their limitations before making a long-term decision like buying an animal. Pets can take up a lot of energy and time, and if you can’t provide those, it might not be a good idea to have one.


Pets can also become expensive, so it’s important that you know you have the money in your budget to pay for food, toys, vet bills, cleaning supplies, and treats before purchasing an animal friend. 


Finally, while it’s not fun to think about, there is always the possibility as a senior that your pet may end up outliving you. Take into consideration who would pick up the responsibility of an animal in the case of an emergency, and make sure that any pet you pick will fit into their lives as well. 

Pets at assisted living communities

If you want an animal companion, but aren’t sure you can handle the responsibility of caring for one on your own, consider a community pet at an assisted living home! While some assisted living communities are pet-friendly and you can bring your own friend along with you, others have animals for residents to share and enjoy together. 


As you age in place at assisted living, you can enjoy all the benefits of a pet without having to worry about taking care of the upkeep, feeding, and housing of the animal. It’s all of the fun of having a pet without any of the work! 


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.



Top 10 reasons to exercise 30 minutes today

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Just 30 minutes of exercise five times a week can keep you in good health. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Sue Thoms, Spectrum Health Beat


Just give it 30 minutes―exercise, that is.


Federal health guidelines urge us to spend half an hour each day moving with enough vigor to boost the heart rate. But half the U.S. population fails to squeeze in time for it.


To encourage us to make exercise a priority, Thomas Boyden, MD, a Spectrum Health Medical Group preventive cardiologist, details the many ways physical activity can make our lives better.


His top 10 reasons to exercise can provide a little motivational boost to put down the smartphone and pick up the pace.


Routine exercise:

  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Lowers blood sugar
  • Helps control cholesterol
  • Builds bone strength
  • Helps prevent dementia
  • Fights depression, stress and anxiety
  • Improves balance
  • Reduces risk for heart attack and stroke
  • Aids weight control
  • Helps you sleep better

Exercise does not have to mean running a marathon, Dr. Boyden said. But it should involve activity more vigorous than a leisurely stroll.


“I say walking the dog doesn’t really qualify as exercise,” he said. “I have a dog and I know how often they stop.


“We want the heart rate to increase and we want it increased for sustained periods of time. That’s proven by research to lower your risk of events like heart attack and stroke.”


Those with physical limitations, because of weight, arthritis or other health issues, can still be active, he added.


“Particularly when you get older and have joint problems, I encourage people to figure out ways to do seated exercises, so they can take the weight off the joints and exercise without pain,” he said.


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to exercise at least 150 minutes a week (two hours and 30 minutes). Doctors often recommend breaking it into 30-minute sessions because it sounds less daunting, said Dr. Boyden.


“It’s possible and usually easy to do 30 minutes of anything,” he said.

Sedentary sickness

More than 70 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, which can lead to a number of health problems, Dr. Boyden said. These include:

  • Diabetes and high blood pressure, which can lead to cardiovascular disease
  • Increased risk of cancer, blood clots, depression and early-onset dementia
  • Problems with menstruation
  • Gastrointestinal issues
  • Sleep apnea
  • Joint problems, leading to a need for hip and knee replacements

“We are getting sicker as a country because we are getting bigger and more sedentary,” he said.


Excess weight and a sedentary lifestyle drive heart disease, which is the No. 1 killer of both men and women, according to the CDC.


“The strongest data shows if we all maintained a healthy weight, ate healthy, did just a little bit of exercise and didn’t smoke, at least 80 percent of our country would likely never have a heart problem,” Dr. Boyden said.


“I’m a big lifestyle advocate,” he said. “Everything we do for ourselves is as meaningful, if not more meaningful, than the services provided by a health care system.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


How to make the most of the winter season

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Living,
Image by Besno Pile from Pixabay

By Emily Armstrong, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan


Once freezing temps hit, you are more inclined to stay indoors and pass on events you used to enjoy in the warmer months — it happens to the best of us. Yet this lack of socialization, movement, and engagement in the winter can take its toll on your mood. As an older adult, winter can be an especially difficult season.


You may not have the means to drive or keep up with home maintenance and repairs, and you may start feeling a bit defeated during this time. Trying to combat these things can be overwhelming, but just because you aren’t able to get out as much doesn’t mean there aren’t a number of things you can do to have a more fulfilling winter season. Check out the tips and resources below that can help you to embrace a slower winter lifestyle.

  • Become a part of something. Whether it is joining a senior center, book club, or volunteering for a cause that matters, being involved helps your mood immensely. You get a healthy dose of regular socialization with others, and when you join a group initiative you are more likely to stick to it as other people are there to help keep you accountable.
  • Challenge yourself to pick up a new hobby. Hobbies are a great way to keep your mind sharp and fill those long winter hours. The great thing about hobbies is that there are so many out there, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding one that interests you. Top hobbies for seniors are reading, crafting, playing cards and games, and exploring family history.
  • Move your body. Regularly exercising is another great way to boost your mood through the winter months. Maybe you take a low impact water aerobics class at a local gym, walk around an indoor track, or enroll in a wellness class at your local senior center, all options provide you with the means to exercise indoors while getting much-needed endorphins to improve your attitude.
  • Ask for help around the house. As mentioned, it can be especially hard to keep up with the maintenance of your home in the winter. When this happens, don’t be afraid to ask for help. A family member or friend was probably always willing, but was just unsure of what you needed help with. Or if this isn’t an option, through the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan a number of home chores and repair services are available; from yard cleanup, snow removal, lawn mowing, and minor home maintenance.
  • Catch a ride. A number of transportation resources are available specifically for older adults and it is great to take advantage of these in winter months when there is inclement weather. In Kent County, RideLink provides seniors 60+ with affordable rides throughout the county. Recently ride-sharing services such as GoGo Grandparent have also become popular, allowing you to use the popular Lyft or Uber apps without a smartphone. No matter which resource you choose, you’ll have a safe, reliable option to get you to your destination despite unpredictable winter weather.

So, what’s your next step? Reach out to the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan; it is a knowledge hub for services available to seniors. Oftentimes they will offer information on local senior centers to join, available exercise programming, and a number of home and transportation resources to help you maintain your independence over the more difficult winter months and throughout the year. Visit www.aaawm.org.



How to encourage family involvement in assisted living

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior Living
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


The later years in life come with many changes. As we age and health concerns become an important part of life, many of us worry that a move into assisted living will mean the end of our independent, active lifestyles. This is where our family plays an essential role. Although physical and mental capabilities may not be what they once were, maintaining an active relationship with family helps aging adults stay engaged with life. Their memories and emotional health are strengthened by reminiscing and connecting with family. However, it’s not always easy for family members to understand how often to visit or how to spend time together during visits. In some cases, poor communication between family and staff can lead to problems with the resident’s care.


As family members, how can we work with assisted living staff members to provide a happy, robust daily life for our aging loved one?

Understand community policies

First, make sure that you are aware of the community’s guidelines. Each senior living facility has unique needs that require unique policies. For instance, some communities choose to restrict family visits due to the nature of care required by residents. It’s essential to understand policies so that your involvement is beneficial, not interruptive, to your loved one’s care.


When families do not understand the needs of the assisted living facility, their well-meaning visits can become a frustration. Here are a few simple things to keep in mind so that your presence is as helpful to your loved one as possible:

  • Be respectful of staff members’ time. They have many residents to care for in a limited time frame.
  • Be careful not to take over and dominate the facility. Remember that the person you are visiting is not the only person in the community.
  • Treat staff members as partners in your loved one’s care, not as subordinates or adversaries.
  • Staff and residents alike will love families who help out. Take initiative in tasks such as pushing wheel chairs, starting a game of cards with a lonely resident, or volunteering in the dining room.

Socializing and recreational activities

Many senior communities offer social events such as movie or game nights. Ask for a calendar of the activities planned by your community and make a priority of attending. It is not the quantity of time spent with your loved one, but the quality and type of activity. Make sure your visits are filled with worthwhile activities and quality time.


This is a great opportunity to get involved with your elder’s life. The transition to assisted living can make aging adults feel isolated. Taking the time to get involved with their social circle will help them stay connected to the world around them. It’s important to maintain the continuity of the life they had before the move to assisted living.


Working with the community to schedule your own events is another great way to stay connected. Perhaps a grandchild’s music teacher can bring their students for a recital, or your family can help arrange an outing to a local park or museum.


The most important thing to remember is that your aging loved one’s life does not need to stop just because they move to assisted living. Take initiative to help them stay active and alert. These years are a wonderful opportunity to create memories together.


So, if you have a parent or grandparent in assisted living, don’t underestimate what a difference you can make in their life. Come alongside staff members and get involved in the community’s social events. Your support will help your aging loved one enjoy an active, alert lifestyle after the transition to assisted living.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


3 tips to help your loved one avoid fraud

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Living,
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Senior abuse in the form of financial scams is a huge problem—especially as scammers are changing tactics and taking advantage of fears and uncertainties. In fact, recent reports say anywhere from 3 billion to 30 billion dollars are lost every year as a result of senior financial scams. With these high numbers in mind, it’s important that you do your part to help protect your loved ones. 

1. Visit elderly family members regularly

One of the best ways to prevent fraud is to keep in contact with your senior family members. By visiting and talking with them, you can stay up to date on their daily lives and be the first to hear about suspicious new “friends” who might be having an undue influence on their financial decisions. 


Seniors who are isolated from their families and don’t have active social lives are often the first targets of scammers, since a senior without a strong support system is more likely to believe a lie and fall victim to fraud. 

2. Warn your loved one about common scams

Most scams happen over the phone or online, as scammers can impersonate people of authority. Scammers will either act charming to influence seniors, or act like there is a serious emergency in order to trick them. Here are a few of the most common elderly scams you can warn your loved one about. 

Social Security & IRS scams

A common scam involves a perpetrator pretending to be an authority from the Social Security office or the IRS. They will tell a victim that there is a major problem with their account, and if they don’t immediately give out personal information to clear up the problem they could face legal action or arrest.


This scam can scare seniors into giving away their Social Security number or banking information to avoid threats. However, it’s important to explain to seniors that the Social Security office and IRS will never threaten someone over the phone, and often don’t reach out by phone at all—especially when asking for personal information.

Charity scams

Some scammers try and take advantage of kind-hearted seniors by pretending to be from a charity asking for donations. Assure your loved one that if they get a call from a charity and want to contribute, there will be other ways they can donate or volunteer their time than by giving out information over the phone. 

Internet & tech support scams

Scammers like to take advantage of the lack of knowledge many seniors have surrounding technology. For example, seniors can receive a phone call or pop-up claiming their computer is infected with a virus, and the problem can’t be resolved until the victim verifies their identity by handing over a Social Security number or other piece of information. 


Remind your loved one that they should never give out personal information to an unverified source, especially if the other person is making the situation seem suspiciously urgent.

Lottery & fake prize scams

Another set of scams are lottery and prize scams. These will try to convince seniors to hand over a small amount of money for “taxes and fees” with the promise that a larger amount of winnings and prizes will be given to the victim after the first transaction clears. Tell your loved one that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. 

Grandparent scams

These scams involve a perpetrator pretending to be a family member who is in an emergency and needs quick money. Often they say that they need money immediately to cover rent and expenses, lawyer fees, bail, or medical bills. They will request that the victim keep this transaction a secret from the rest of the family out of shame or embarrassment. 


To protect your loved one, tell them to ensure they are speaking to someone they know and can verify that the situation is legitimate. If they aren’t certain, have them hang up and call a trusted family member.

3. Always advise caution with finances

While you don’t want to frighten your loved one into never making a transaction again, it’s important they are aware of the dangers of financial scams and that they can be a target. Come up with a plan together, and include things like:

  • Blocking solicitation calls with the help of an app or phone provider
  • Having your loved one call you before agreeing to anything suspicious
  • Talking to their bank to see what measures can be taken to limit the damage of a scam
  • Creating a separate bank account that houses a majority of their savings that isn’t connected to a card or their primary checking account
  • Setting a spending limit on debit cards

Remember:

While seniors can be targeted by strangers, most elder financial abuse comes from other family members, so keep an eye on anyone who becomes too invested in your loved one’s financial situation. If you or your loved one believes they have been targeted by a scammer, report it to the police immediately or call the number below to talk through the options for reporting fraud.


AARP Fraud Watch Network Hotline (877-908-3360)


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Deep sleep—cleansing for the brain

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While the biological processes are still a bit murky, researchers suspect a proper night’s rest gives your brain a chance to rid itself of toxic molecules. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Amy Norton, HealthDay


The deep stages of sleep may give the brain a chance to wash itself free of potentially toxic substances, a new study suggests.


Researchers found that during deep sleep, the “slow-wave” activity of nerve cells appears to make room for cerebral spinal fluid to rhythmically move in and out of the brain—a process believed to rinse out metabolic waste products.


Those waste products include beta-amyloid—a protein that clumps abnormally in the brains of people with dementia, said researcher Laura Lewis, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University.


Lewis stressed that the findings, reported in a recent issue of Science, do not prove that deep sleep helps ward off dementia or other diseases.


But the ultimate goal of research like this is to understand why poor sleep quality is linked to higher risks of various chronic conditions, from dementia to heart disease to depression, she said.


Researchers have known that cerebral spinal fluid helps clear metabolic byproducts from the brain, so that they do not build up there.


They’ve also known that the process appears to amp up during sleep.


But various “hows” and “whys” remained.


So the investigators recruited 11 healthy adults for a sleep study using noninvasive techniques: advanced MRI to monitor fluid flow in the brain and electroencephalograms to gauge electrical activity in brain cells.


Sleep is marked by REM and non-REM cycles.


During REM sleep, breathing and heart rates are relatively higher and people often have vivid dreams.


Non-REM sleep includes stages of deep—or slow-wave—sleep. During those stages, there’s a slow-down in brain cell activity, heart rate and blood flow, and research has found that deep sleep may aid memory consolidation and allow the brain to recover from the daily grind.


“There are all these fundamental things your brain is taking care of during deep sleep,” Lewis said.


Her team found that housecleaning may be one.


When study participants were in deep sleep, each pulse in slow-wave brain activity was followed by oscillations in blood flow and volume, which allowed cerebral spinal fluid to flow into fluid-filled cavities in the central brain.


The spinal fluid moved in “large, pulsing waves” that were seen only during deep sleep, Lewis explained.


Based on what’s known about the work of cerebral spinal fluid, experts said it’s reasonable to conclude that slow-wave sleep promotes the flushing of waste from the brain.


The study “elegantly” illustrates the importance of deep sleep, according to Dr. Phyllis Zee, a sleep medicine specialist not involved in the work.


It “helps to explain how and why sleep is important for keeping neurons healthy—facilitating the removal of toxic molecules,” said Zee, a professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago.


“One can think of sleep as a top way to take care of your brain,” she said.


Another sleep medicine specialist agreed.


“There is growing evidence, with this study and others, that sleep plays a role in clearing toxins from the brain,” said Dr. Raman Malhotra, an associate professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis.


Other research has suggested that sleep loss can promote the buildup of “unwanted proteins” in the brain, said Malhotra, who also serves on the board of directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.


A recent government study, for instance, found that one night of sleep deprivation triggered an increase in beta-amyloid in the brains of healthy adults.


“As we learn more about this role of sleep,” Malhotra said, “it may help explain why individuals who don’t get enough sleep, or suffer from sleep disorders, are at higher risk of certain chronic health conditions.”


The latest study involved younger adults with no health problems.


Lewis said that it will be important to find out whether healthy older adults, or people with certain health conditions, show any differences in cerebral spinal fluid dynamics during deep sleep.


A big question for future research, she said, will be whether alterations in those dynamics precede the development of disease.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.




15 easy (and healthy) recipes for cold weather

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living


By Vista Springs Assisted Living


As the weather starts to cool down, it’s time to start looking for ways to keep warm. While cozy blankets and cranking up the heat can help, so will having hot food. At the same time, it’s important to keep your health in mind and remember that as you age it’s not as easy as it once was to whip up complicated meals. 


Having recipes in hand that are hot, healthy, and easy to prepare can make a big difference when it comes to planning out your meals and shopping trips. Take a look at these fifteen different dishes from Good Housekeeping and Delish that meet all these criteria—and taste amazing as well! 

Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

Satisfying chicken dishes

1. Light Chicken Parmesan⼁Cook Time: 25 minutes

This light take on a classic Italian dish can be prepared in under a half hour and will meet your cravings without packing on calories the same way a heavier, traditional Chicken Parmesan would.

Get the recipe here.

2. Lemon Pepper Baked Chicken⼁Cook Time: 30 minutes

Both flavorful and healthy, this baked chicken can be paired with some roasted fall vegetables for a full meal that chases the cold away!

Get the recipe here.

3. Healthy Chicken Casserole⼁Cook Time: 1 hour

Casseroles are a great way to make a delicious meal without having to spend a long time in front of the stove—just combine the ingredients and bake! This dish features healthy grains like wild rice and great vegetables like brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. 

Get the recipe here.

4. Apple Cider Glazed Chicken⼁Cook Time: 35 minutes

What better way to celebrate fall than with a recipe featuring everyone’s favorite autumn drink, apple cider! This sweeter take on chicken will help you get into the fall spirit while ensuring you keep eating healthy at the same time. 

Get the recipe here.

Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

Soups, stews, & chilis

5. Savory Pumpkin & Sage Soup⼁Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Nothing else can warm you up and satisfy your taste buds the way good soup will! This pumpkin soup is simple, but the sage and mushroom garnish will make you feel like a professional chef.

Get the recipe here.

6. Easy Black Bean Soup⼁Cook Time: 35 minutes

This flavorful soup combines black beans, red onion, and jalapeño to make a deliciously spicy dish that will make you forget about the chilly weather, all while taking only a half hour to make. 

Get the recipe here.

7. Cauliflower Soup⼁Cook Time: 30 minutes

Cauliflower is a great versatile food that can hold a lot of flavor. This simple soup only uses a few ingredients, but the outcome is so hearty and healthy that you wouldn’t believe it was so easy to put together. 

Get the recipe here.

8. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup⼁Cook Time: 40 minutes

When it comes to fall food, butternut squash soup is a classic. This soup doesn’t take long to make, but it will impress anyone you share it with.

Get the recipe here.

9. Butternut Squash & White Bean Soup⼁Cook Time: 45 minutes

If you love butternut squash soup but want to add a little more, then try this variation. With white beans and chickpeas, this take on the original adds some extra heartiness and flavor. 

Get the recipe here. 

10. Chicken Pumpkin Stew⼁Cook Time: 40 minutes

This healthy stew uses plenty of fresh vegetables like pumpkin, red pepper, and green beans to satisfy both you health needs and your taste buds.

Get the recipe here. 

11. Turkey Slow Cooker Chili⼁Cook Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Don’t let the long cook time scare you away! This meal only requires about 20 minutes of prep, and the rest takes care of itself in a slow-cooker. Start it in the morning and have a delicious meal ready for dinner!

Get the recipe here. 

Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

Recipes featuring fall veggies

12. Spaghetti Squash Alfredo⼁Cook Time: 35 minutes

Cut back on carbs normally found in pasta with this spaghetti squash substitution. Spaghetti squash is easy to prepare and can help you get your favorite flavors in a healthier way.

Get the recipe here.

13. Spaghetti Squash Pizza Boats⼁Cook Time: 55 minutes

Another recipe featuring spaghetti squash, this cheesy dish has all the makings of a great pizza without the empty calories. Warm and tasty, this meal will fill you up in the same amount of time it would take to get delivery.

Get the recipe here. 

14. Cauliflower & Broccoli Carbonara⼁Cook Time: 20 minutes

This cauliflower and broccoli dish is a great way to get the recommended helping of vegetables while making a recipe for the cold weather in only 20 minutes.  

Get the recipe here. 

15. Cheesy Bacon Butternut Squash⼁Cook Time: 45 minutes

Cheese, bacon, and butternut squash? Whether you use this as a side dish for a family meal or make it by itself, this recipe has it all! 


Get the recipe here. 


Being able to make simple, healthy meals that taste great is a useful skill, especially as you continue to age. Cooking shouldn’t be an all-day task, and it’s important to find foods that aren’t just delicious, but provide additional benefits for you and your health as well. Try these dishes out and stay warm and healthy all year long!


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.



Stuck on cubicle mode? Walk it off

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Long bouts of sitting at a desk can lead to greater risk of health problems, including heart disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Take a stand for a longer life.


Researchers say even a few extra minutes off the sofa each day can add years to your life span.


“If you have a job or lifestyle that involves a lot of sitting, you can lower your risk of early death by moving more often, for as long as you want and as your ability allows—whether that means taking an hour-long high-intensity spin class or choosing lower-intensity activities, like walking,” said study lead author Keith Diaz.


He’s assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University in New York City.


The new study involved nearly 8,000 American adults, aged 45 and older. Each wore physical activity monitors for at least four days as part of research conducted between 2009 and 2013. The investigators then tracked deaths among the participants until 2017.


The results: People who replaced just 30 minutes of sitting per day with low-intensity physical activity lowered their risk of an early death by 17 percent, according to the recent study published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology.


More intense exercise reaped even bigger rewards, the researchers said.


For example, swapping a half-hour per day of sitting for moderate-to-vigorous exercise cut the risk of early death by 35 percent.


And even just a minute or two of added physical activity was beneficial, the findings showed.


“Physical activity of any intensity provides health benefits,” Diaz said in a university news release.


His team pointed to a recent study that found that one in every four U.S. adults sit for eight-plus hours per day.


Two experts in heart health believe that level of inactivity can be a killer.


“Exercise, at any risk level for cardiovascular disease, is shown to improve not only how long one lives, but also lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes,” said Dr. Satjit Bhusri, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.


And heart specialist Dr. Guy Mintz said there are many ways Americans can change their slothful ways. He directs cardiovascular health at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.


The American Heart Association currently recommends “moderate aerobic activity for 150 minutes per week or vigorous aerobic activity for 75 minutes per week,” Mintz said.


“Some American companies, like Google, are taking note of the importance of exercise and the deleterious consequences of a sedentary existence, including increases in obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” Mintz added. “Employees are encouraged to get up from their desks and exercise—whether that is in the form of stretching, ping pong, walking, jumping jacks, treadmill or stationary bicycle.”


He believes other companies could follow that example.


“Employers with tight work schedules should carve out mandatory time daily for their staff to exercise and make it fun,” Mintz said. “Both the employer and employee benefit. Companies also win with higher productivity, less sick days, lower health costs and improved morale.”


For his part, Diaz said future research will “look at the risk of specific cardiovascular outcomes, such as heart attack, heart failure and cardiovascular-related deaths, associated with physical activity versus sedentary behavior.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Why Uber and Lyft works for seniors

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


The sharing economy, which provides ride-sharing technology from companies such as Lyft and Uber, is quite useful to seniors who can no longer drive or have no access to a means of transportation. While previously the focus was on millennials, the companies are now focusing more on older adults, launching several services to reduce obstacles these adults have while working with the technology.


One stereotype you will come across is that the aging population are more resistant to technology; however, the reality is that there are more members in this age group embracing technology, and taking advantage of services such as Uber and Lyft. Many seniors who cannot drive depend on their friends and family members to get around; however, this is not a sustainable option if you are looking to enjoy your flexibility. Seniors can schedule rides and get to their appointments or social engagements on their own time.

Benefits of Using the Ride-Sharing Apps Include:

  • An easy to use app you can learn to use in a short time even if you are not technologically savvy. Get a tech-savvy helper to guide you through the set up and you can start using the app immediately.
  • Ride-sharing apps offer affordable transportation regardless of your budget. The duration and distance of your ride will determine the money you pay the driver
  • You have access to helpful features that give an estimate for your trip and allow you to split the fare when travelling with a friend.

Despite the obvious advantages, you are likely to face challenges common to seniors when using the apps. Many seniors have concerns such as legality and the credibility of drivers. Additionally, if you grew up with cell phones, you may find the apps a little difficult or confusing. Fortunately, Uber and Lyft are aware of these challenges, and are continuously working to provide solutions for their senior customers.

Some of the Solutions Include:

  • Partnerships with companies that serve seniors and that seniors trust. You can call the numbers of the partner company, where they will organize your transport and schedule a ride for you. If you need assistance getting into or out of the car, the partner company will inform the driver in advance. The partner company also helps you process your credit card details so you have an easy time making payments.
  • Partnerships with companies that offer care services to seniors who have no access to smart phones for easier transportation. The care facility has access to a dashboard where it can request, organize and pay for multiple rides at a go.

While there are legitimate concerns to using ride-sharing apps, there is a lot of investment going into making the apps more friendly and safe to seniors. Using Uber or Lyft can simplify your life, cut your transportation costs and reduce your dependency on loved ones. The good news is that the sharing economy is focusing more on seniors, providing solutions that are more relevant to the challenges the older generation may face.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Aging adults and the importance of a rich social life

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Think about the last time you hung out with people you enjoyed being around, that made you laugh and with whom you shared interests. How did you feel? Energized? Excited? Now think about the last time you realized it had been a while since you got the chance to see friends or be around people you cared about. How did you feel? Lonely? Deflated? Like your energy had been sapped? Now picture feeling like this every day. It’s a common feeling for many seniors who live alone and is why a rich social life is so important for aging adults.


When we are young, socialization helps develop who we become as a person, and in our older age, socialization can help maintain that. If we lose that, whether it’s due to a health condition that keeps us inside or a decline in friends due to death and illness, it can have a profound effect on our lives and our health.


Experts have labeled loneliness almost as harmful to our health as smoking. According to an article in the Journal Sentinel by Mark Johnson, studies have found that one in 10 Americans live alone and the rate of loneliness in seniors is 35% or higher. And loneliness can lead to a handful of other problems including, poor sleep, high blood pressure, depression, cognitive deterioration, and stress.


The answer to loneliness is socialization. And, given the fragile state of our health as we age, maintaining a strong social life to help prevent extra health issues is particularly important as we get older.


Connecting with friends, talking, and laughing all stimulate the brain. Having something to look forward to every day offers a positive outlook on life and encourages a healthy mental state. This boost in brain activity offered by a connection with others can actually help slow (not cure or stop) the onset of dementia or Alzheimers.
And, those who take the time to see friends and make a point to connect, are more likely to participate in the physical activity that will maintain a healthy body weight, strengthen the heart and slow the onset of many other ailments that can plague us as we age. Simply knowing that there will be someone else there to participate in the activity with, can make anyone more likely to get and move (like an accountability partner at the gym).


This connection and interaction with others is one of the key reasons many family members decide that an assisted living facility is best for their loved one or why many seniors make the decision to move to a more accommodating community. Injuries in our old age can often confine us to wheelchairs and limit our mobility. Assisted living facilities provide all the benefits of an active, social, community, without the hassle of travel.


Activities don’t even have to be extremely physical to be beneficial. Playing cards or games with friends, making something together, group move time, or simply chatting over a cup of coffee are all beneficial to the mental health of seniors, therefore spilling over into their physical health.


So, as your loved one ages and finds it harder to get out and see friends, it’s important to begin thinking of ways to help them remain socially active. Whether it’s making sure they have frequent visitors, providing transportation to and from events, or looking into assisted living facilities that will provide a social community right at their fingertips; any activity is good activity.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Memory care: The specifics that matter

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


When caring for patients facing different forms of dementia or memory loss, it can be tempting to look at the big picture only. Will they be safe? Will they be clean? Will they remain physically healthy and as happy as possible? These are all important questions to ask when looking at the care a loved one will receive when diagnosed with a memory disorder. But it’s also important to make sure the memory care facility you are considering focuses on the individual details that will aid in well-rounded care.


Details matter. Here are some of the specific care elements you should consider when choosing a memory care facility for aging adults.

Layout and design

The design of an assisted living community should make it easy for residents to find their way around on their own for as long as possible. The layout should optimize wayfinding, ensure safety and create freedom. Wide hallways, creative labeling, and naming of hallways and sections, bold colors and shapes can all contribute to a safe and vibrant community.


Sliding doors over swinging doors add an extra element of safety, and soft amber lighting over areas such as the restroom can trigger memory and make it easier for patients to locate a spot over and over.

An understanding staff

A staff that is not only trained and certified to care for those with memory problems, but who are also sympathetic, caring, and engaging is key when it comes to creating a positive environment for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Looking at certifications and qualifications is important, but it’s also vital to look at the details of their behaviors and attitudes toward their patients.


It’s important that caregivers know when to just go with the flow and when to encourage a patient to try to remember. There will be times when it’s best to go along with an idea even though it’s obviously wrong, and times when it’s best to redirect and distract them. Treating your loved one like a resident and not just a patient can have a huge impact on their overall well-being, and you want to work with a staff you like and can trust.

Peace and stability

A memory care facility that can manage any type of memory care can be beneficial as the needs of your loved one change. Things can become unfamiliar and scary as memories begin to fade, but being in a familiar environment and surrounded by friends can keep patients in good spirits and often slow the progression of the disease. When a facility supports all stages from independent living, to minimum care to advanced memory care, it can make sure your loved one is getting the best care, right from the beginning and they won’t be jarred by sudden moves, changes in staff or location.


A part of this stability comes from a peaceful living environment. Alarms should be as silent as possible to avoid distressing patients, and all areas of the facility should be designed with peace in mind. Fireplaces, pianos, patios and plenty of sunlit areas can all add to a feeling of peace and contentment and help keep patients calm no matter their stage.

An active social life

When memory patients are at home being cared for by a loved one, it can be easy to create a bubble and cut off the outside world. But, maintaining an active social life is key to making sure they feel like belong. Even if they don’t participate in activities or conversation, just being surrounded by it, listening, thinking and reacting will activate and stimulate certain areas of the brain. Organized activities and an active community help make sure patients stay involved and maintain a social life.


Social time is also a great time to promote activities and games that build memory muscle, keep brains active and renew remaining capacities for memory.


So, when choosing a memory care facility, don’t just look at the pictures. Pay attention to the details and make sure your loved one will be cared for in every aspect of their everyday life.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Study: Focus on lifestyle, then HDL

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An active lifestyle will always be one of the best tools to build a healthy heart. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Amy Norton, HealthDay


A large new study adds to questions about whether your “good” HDL cholesterol levels really affect your risk of heart disease.


The study, of nearly 632,000 Canadian adults, found that those with the lowest HDL levels had higher death rates from heart disease and stroke over five years. But they also had higher death rates from cancer and other causes.


What’s more, there was no evidence that very high HDL levels—above 90 mg/dL—were desirable.


People with HDL that high were more likely to die of noncardiovascular causes, compared to those with HDL levels in the middle, the study found.


The fact that low HDL was linked to higher death rates from all causes is key, said lead researcher Dr. Dennis Ko.


That suggests it’s just a “marker” of other things, such as a less healthy lifestyle or generally poorer health, he said.


That also means it’s unlikely that low HDL directly contributes to heart disease, added Ko, a senior scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto.


“This study is going against the conventional wisdom,” he said.


But the reality is, doctors are already shifting away from the conventional wisdom, said cardiologist Dr. Michael Shapiro.


Shapiro, who was not involved in the study, is a member of the American College of Cardiology’s Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Section.


“Many people know that HDL is the ‘good’ cholesterol,” he said. “But they may not know that the medical community is moving away from the idea that we’ve got to raise low HDL.”


That’s in part because of the results of several clinical trials that tested the vitamin niacin and certain medications that boost HDL levels.


The studies found that while the treatments do raise HDL, they make no difference in people’s risk of heart trouble.


On top of that, Shapiro said, research has shown that gene variants associated with HDL levels have no connection to the risk of cardiovascular disease.


No one is saying that doctors and patients should ignore low HDL levels. Levels below 40 mg/dL are linked to a heightened risk of heart disease.


“That is a consistent finding,” Shapiro said. “So we can reliably use it as a marker to identify patients at higher risk and see what else is going on with them.”


Causes of low HDL include a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, poor diet and being overweight. And it’s probably those factors—not the HDL level itself—that really matter, Shapiro said.


The current findings are based on medical records and other data from nearly 631,800 Ontario adults ages 40 and up. Over five years, almost 18,000 of them died.


Ko’s team found that men and women with low HDL levels were more likely to die during the study period, versus those with levels between 40 and 60 mg/dL.


But they had increased risks of not only heart disease death, but also death from cancer or other causes.


People with low HDL tended to have lower incomes, and higher rates of smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure. After the researchers accounted for those factors, low HDL was still linked to higher death rates.


“But we couldn’t account for everything,” Ko said. And he believes that factors other than HDL number—such as exercise and other lifestyle habits—are what count.


“When you see that something (low HDL) is associated with deaths from many different causes, it’s probably a ‘generic’ marker of risk, rather than a cause,” Ko said.


At the other end of the spectrum, people with very high HDL—topping 90 mg/dL—faced increased risks of dying from noncardiovascular causes.


Shapiro called the finding “very interesting,” but the reasons for it are unclear.


Alcohol can raise HDL. So that raises the question of whether heavy drinking helps explain the link, said Dr. Robert Eckel, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus.


Regardless, there is no reason for people to try to send their HDL skyward using niacin or other medications.


“Raising HDL with drugs is not indicated,” Eckel said.


Shapiro stressed the importance of lifestyle: “Don’t smoke, get regular aerobic exercise, lose weight if you need to.”


Those things may, in fact, boost your HDL, Shapiro noted. But it’s not the number that matters, he said, it’s the healthy lifestyle.


The findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Assisted living or senior home care?

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


As we age, it can become difficult to maintain the quality of life we are used to without some form of assistance. But when it comes to senior care, it’s not always clear what living arrangement is best for an aging adult. With large numbers of Baby Boomers reaching retirement age every day, the options for senior care are becoming more rich and diverse. For some, the comfortable familiarity of senior home care is the number one priority, while others prefer the wealth of assistance options and provided senior activities of assisted living. Before you make your decision for yourself or a loved one, make sure you’re aware of the benefits and drawbacks of each care option.

Senior Home Care

Aging in place is an attractive choice for many seniors, but some daily activities such as driving, shopping, bathing, and housekeeping can require assistance. In-home care is one way to ensure reliable help for any tasks that may cause difficulty. An in-home caregiver can support seniors in keeping up with proper hygiene, exercise, and nutrition, as well as maintaining a clean and pleasant home environment. A caregiver can also be an excellent companion to a senior who chooses to age in place, as opportunities to socialize may be limited by mobility and availability of transportation.


However, senior home care services are all different and may charge additional fees for certain tasks or aren’t able to offer them at all. Since caregivers usually charge per hour of service, the cost of caring for a senior who needs help with many daily activities may become a burden for them and their families. Additionally, in-home caregivers usually cannot provide medical care, though they can assist with making and keeping appointments, and with medication reminders and administration.

Assisted Living

In assisted living, communities are created with autonomy for aging adults in mind. With routine and medical care always available, seniors are empowered to maintain their familiar and ideal lifestyles. Not only is independent living easy, such as cooking favorite meals or working on hobbies, but assisted living also provides opportunities for being social with comfortable community spaces and a variety of senior activities. Seniors in assisted living communities typically keep their own schedules — and with so many things to do, that’s no small task!


Seniors and their families may dismiss assisted living out of hand as being out of their budget, but the option is more affordable than many believe, especially when compared to the long-term costs of in-home care. Care, living space, meal options, and activities are all included in the cost of an assisted living arrangement, whereas seniors aging at home need to pay for each of these individually. Making the decision to move from a familiar home full of memories can be painful, but the opportunity to continue living life with vigor in an assisted living community, surrounded by friends and loved ones, can definitely make it worth the choice.


Ultimately, the decision between in-home care and assisted living can only be made by a senior and their loved ones. Depending on the level of care required, the ability of family members to provide assistance, and medical needs, one option may work better than the other. Understanding the benefits of each can help you make the best decision to help you or your aging loved one live life to the fullest. 


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


3 memory tips worth remembering

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Making a written list is likely to improve your ability to recall items on that list. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Len Canter, HealthDay


If you have a hard time remembering names or what to get at the supermarket, there are ways to boost your memory.


According to a study in the journal Consciousness and Cognition, one of the best things you can do is say the information you want to remember out loud—and it’s even stronger if you repeat the information to another person. That means not just mouthing the words.


This could explain why you can recite your child’s favorite book unaided—read it out loud enough times and you can have near total recall.


An everyday example is to repeat the name of a new acquaintance out loud as soon as you’re introduced.


Instead of just saying, “It’s nice to meet you,” add their name and say, “It’s nice to meet you, Mary.”


Making word and number associations is effective, too.


Break down a phone number you want to memorize into digits you can associate with special dates or the ages of your kids, for example.


You might try dividing almost any type of information into chunks that you learn one by one.


Other research explains why making lists is so effective.


The human brain is better at recognition—or seeing words—on a to-do list rather than trying to mentally recall errands you’re supposed to run.


Finally, make friends with technology if you haven’t done so already. Use the apps on your phone to make lists and add the names of people you meet to your contacts as soon as you meet them—this gives you the opportunity to repeat their name and write it down digitally.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



The importance of objects in assisted living memory care

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


When you wander the halls of the Vista Springs Center for Memory Care and Rediscovery, you’ll find not only the luxury accommodations our residents have come to expect but also a few unique features meant to speak directly to the care and treatment of the residents in our assisted living memory care facility.


While the halls, rooms, and decor of our facility are all specially design to accommodate residents with memory conditions, caring for these community members goes beyond even tiny details like color and layout. Bold colors, shapes, and textures are used to help anchor residents to their environments and strengthen memory muscle but objects and activities take memory care to the next level.

Sensory stimulation

Using objects and activities to trigger emotions and memories is called Sensory Stimulation and it’s a popular technique when it comes to treating and caring for those with memory disorders. These objects can create a connection with the rest of the world when the patient has lost the ability to create that connection on their own.


In sensory stimulation, one or more of the fives senses will be aroused in a positive way when an object or activity is offered. The technique is used for a wide variety of conditions like autism or brain injuries but is popular in treating those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. These objects can help create a safe and stimulating environment.

Sensory stations

Within the Vista Springs community, this technique is used via stations set up throughout the memory care facility. These stations are set up for different activities such as clothes folding, diaper changing, shirt buttoning, and dishwashing. There are even cribs with babies to rock to sleep and cases filled with objects that would have been important during different time periods.  


These simple activities take patient’s back to times they remember fondly; raising their children or actively participating in life. Sensory stations and various activities can be especially positive if a patient is upset, discouraged or scared. Activities they once engaged in mindlessly around the home will bring them comfort, decrease agitation, and maintain motor skills.


These types of stations and objects help focus on the person, the things they once enjoyed, and their daily lives; not the disease.

Comfort and communication

While these objects and stations may not improve their memory or slow progression of the disease, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s or dementia, they do offer other perks for the patient and their caregivers.Engaging in familiar activities can improve overall mood, raise self-esteem and confidence and improve well-being.


And, for those who experience trouble communicating and everyday tasks, certain activities can offer alternate outlets of communication. If they have a hard time speaking, simply picking up a pen or pencil to draw may bring back old memories or give them a way to express themselves, even if it’s not through words.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


7 ways to get ready for visiting family

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


It can seem daunting to have the family over for the holidays. Whether you are at your home, or if you are celebrating the holidays in an assisted living community, the pressure to be a good host for their visit can be overwhelming. No matter where you are, having guests can make you feel frantic. Here is a list of ways to prepare for family so everyone—including you— has a happy and carefree holiday.

Get overnight plans in order early

If your family is planning on staying overnight, either for one night or for a few days, the earlier you get plans together the better. Make sure you have a head count for how exactly many guests are coming, and make sure you have the rooms, beds, or couches that you need if you are planning on having family stay with you.


If you don’t have the space (or don’t want the headache), booking a hotel is a great way to make sure your family is close, but not too close. The earlier you start looking at prices and booking rooms, the less expensive and less competitive shopping for rooms will be. While it’s too late to get November rates, it still helps everyone avoid traveling stress to have plans made well in advance.

Spruce up your home

Sprucing up your home, whether that’s rearranging furniture to make room for opening presents or just making sure everything is nice and clean, is a great way to get ready for family. Make sure that the kitchen, bathrooms, and living spaces are guest-ready, and your place is looking fresh.


If you are in a new place for the holidays, then having your place ready to go will make a great first impression on family, and it will help you feel good as well to know that your home was appreciated. Having your space looking nice can help you feeling less stressed and more welcoming.

Get out the decorations

Celebrate the season with fun decorations! A small tree, fun and festive lights, winter-scented bath soaps, red and green kitchen towels, holiday knick knacks, and other decorations can help your home shine extra bright. Traveling family will appreciate walking into a home that looks ready for all the festivities, and it can help spread the holiday spirit among tired family.

Plan activities in advance

While you might have your own daily activities, making sure you have enough things planned to fill the days with family is just as important. Crafts and other activities can help keep everyone engaged, especially if you have younger ones visiting.


Some ideas for activities include:

  • Homemade Christmas cards
  • Cookie cutter ornaments
  • Popcorn garland
  • Gingerbread houses (if you don’t have the time to make gingerbread, many stores sell kits so you can get right into the decorating fun!)
  • A holiday movie night
  • Caroling (this can work especially well in an assisted living community, and your neighbors will love the music you and your family bring.)

Play holiday music

Another way to set the holiday atmosphere is to play holiday music. If you are tech-savvy—or have a helpful grandchild—making a holiday playlist on a music streaming service is a good way to keep the spirit bright. Have everyone send you a list of their favorite holiday songs, and combine them together so everyone can enjoy.

Get out of the house

If you have family coming for several days, then you might need to plan something bigger than gingerbread. See what local activities your community is planning for the holidays, like a holiday play or music concerts. Window shopping, holiday parades, Santa’s village, or driving around to look at light displays are all ways to get the most out of the holidays, and get out of the house for a bit.

Make a sweet treat

You may already know the best ways for you to eat right this winter, but the holidays can be a time to be a little naughty. It’s always best to have meals planned out beforehand to save yourself time and stress, and having something homemade is another way to enjoy holiday fun. Something as simple as cookies any senior can make is a great way to show the family you care. And everyone can get involved in the baking or decorating!


The holidays can be a stressful time, even without the added pressure of entertaining family. Being prepared in advance is the best way to ensure that you aren’t scrambling at the last minute. Having family over can mean a lot of prep work on your part, but the memories you create and the joy that you can spread among those you love the most will make it all worth it.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Boots shopping 101

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Your choice of boots will play a big role in how your feet fare this winter. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Alyssa Allen, Spectrum Health Beat


It’s that time of year again—time to start thinking about what boots you’ll wear when you’re trudging through snow, slopping through slush and traversing the ice.


If you’re in the market for new boots, keep in mind these 10 tips from Brian Buchanan, DPM, a foot and ankle specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group Foot & Ankle.

1. Your feet change in size as you age.

Your feet are not immune from the effects of aging.


As we get older, our arches tend to collapse, causing our feet to get longer and wider. With seasonal footwear like winter boots, it’s easy to end up in the wrong size. Don’t assume you’re the same shoe size as last year.


“Getting measured is very important,” Dr. Buchanan said. “This is potentially a big issue as people do more shoe shopping online.”

2. Too small equals cold feet.

If your winter boots (or ski boots) are too tight or too small, your feet get cold faster, which can become a serious issue. There should be room for air to circulate within the boot.


When you go to be measured at a full-service shoe store, try to go mid-day or mid-afternoon. As the day goes on, our feet swell, so a shoe that fits at 9am might be very tight at 6pm.

3. Boots with any size heel do not mix with ice.

Take this advice straight from a doctor who sees a lot of ankle fractures and foot injuries from slips and falls on the ice.


“With a winter boot, a heel is dangerous because it’s more unstable,” Dr. Buchanan said. “You have to be very, very cautious.”

4. Good tread equals good traction.

Make sure your boots are going to grip the ground.


The flat, slippery sole of fashion boots can be treacherous in slippery outdoor winter conditions, Dr. Buchanan said. The best tread will be on boots that are marketed for outdoor winter walking.

5. Boots with a pointed toe might look good, but they’re not good for you.

Boots that come to a point at the toe increase the rate of foot problems for women.


A sharp-pointed boot pushes the toes together, increasing bunion deformities and pressure points on the foot, Dr. Buchanan said.

6. Wrap your feet in warmth.

A winter boot should have the appropriate liner to keep your feet warm and dry. Look for waterproof, wool or sheepskin liners.

7. Two socks are better than one.

To keep your feet warm during extended periods of time in cold temperatures, consider wearing two pairs of thin socks rather than one thick pair to help prevent blistering, Dr. Buchanan said.

8. Keep an eye on your kids’ boots during the winter.

Children’s feet grow so fast that something that fits in November might not fit in February. Add to this the fact that kids tend to push the limit of how long they stay outside in the cold, and it can be a recipe for disaster.


Make sure their boots are big enough for air to circulate and keep their feet warm.

9. Outdoor conditions call for outdoor boots.

Wear fashion boots inside, for shorter periods of time during which you will not do much walking. Before going outside, change into winter boots designed for outdoor use.


“It really becomes a question of function of the shoe,” Dr. Buchanan said.

10. Happy feet lead to a happy body.

Robbing your feet of the support and care they need can lead to bigger issues in your knees, hips and back.


Start with a firm foundation with your winter boots, and you can ward off other ailments, according to Dr. Buchanan.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


The puzzling art of protein

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Ounce for ounce, it’s near impossible to beat the mighty chicken if it’s protein you’re after. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Len Canter, HealthDay


Low-carb, vegetarian, Mediterranean—whatever your diet, it’s important to get enough protein.


Although research hasn’t yet pinpointed one perfect formula, experts say that the typical “recommended” daily minimums aren’t optimal and that it helps to factor in your weight and activity level to determine how much protein you personally need.


A good baseline for people who exercise at a moderate level is between one-half and three-quarters of a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.


If you weigh 150 pounds, for example, eat between 75 and 112 grams of protein per day.


To lose weight, diets with higher amounts of protein—between 90 and 150 grams a day—are effective and help keep you from losing muscle along with fat.


Since the body uses protein most effectively when you have it at regular intervals, divide your daily intake into four equal amounts for breakfast, lunch, a snack and dinner.


If you work out at a high level, consider eating another 50 grams of protein before you go to bed to help with overnight muscle repair.


You might be familiar with calorie counting, but it’s also important to know how to tally your protein intake.


While one ounce of chicken weighs 28 grams, it contains only about 9 grams of protein. So it takes a 3-ounce portion to deliver 27 grams of protein, or about one-quarter of the average daily need.


27-gram protein portions

  • 3 ounces of fish, turkey, chicken or lean beef
  • 7 ounces plain Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup cottage cheese

You can also get high-quality protein from some plant-based foods.


These include tofu, whole grains, legumes and nuts—all better options than eating extra red meat or any processed meats.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Cholesterol 101: What you need to know

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Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat

By Rick Jensen, Spectrum Health Beat


The nation’s top nutrition panel may be changing its tune when it comes to an earlier recommendation of avoiding eggs and other cholesterol-rich foods, but not all doctors agree.


A preliminary report released in 2014 noted that “cholesterol is not considered a nutrient of concern for over-consumption,” meaning it might matter less how much cholesterol is in the foods we eat.


That doesn’t mean people should go wild with a pound of bacon each morning.


Thomas Boyden, MD, a Spectrum Health cardiovascular physician, said he believes diet and exercise are two of the most important components of cholesterol management.


“I am 100 percent for patients doing everything they can for themselves and ultimately taking responsibility for their own health,” Dr. Boyden said. “If patients were more focused on diet and routine aerobic activity, many would realize they have the opportunity to improve their overall health and reduce their chance of heart disease and stroke, potentially without the need for medications.”


Dr. Boyden said some people have inherent genetic risks or other illnesses and are at higher risk than others. These patients oftentimes cannot fix their cholesterol numbers with diet and exercise alone, so he advocates for medication in these cases.

If you have high cholesterol, here’s what you need to know:

Worst foods

Avoid fatty foods, but know that not all fat is bad fat. The worst are trans fats and saturated fats, which are mostly found in processed foods and fatty meats. Eating less of each of these will benefit a patient’s cholesterol levels. Beef and red meats should be consumed in moderation.

Best foods

Try to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables and non-animal based proteins. Soy products, beans and fish (which has a better fat composition than other animal products) are all great to incorporate into your diet. Introducing fish into your diet a couple times per week can make a noticeable difference.

Activity

The more aerobic activity you can work into your routine, the better. Moderate aerobic activity is less likely to affect weight loss, but it can lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and helps control blood sugar. Exercise improves mental capacity, makes bones strong and improves mood. Any exercise is helpful, so don’t feel that you need to train like an athlete. Just 20–30 minutes per day of moderate activity has proven benefits. The key is to get your pulse and breathing elevated, but there is no need to push yourself to extremes.

Family history

It is important to know family history and whether you have a higher disposition to illnesses and risk factors. Are you overweight? Do you have diabetes or high blood pressure? And do any of these conditions run in your family? Talk to your doctor about how your genetics could affect your health now and in the future.

Treatment

If you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure and/or diabetes, it’s important to speak with a physician to create a personalized treatment plan that works for you. Your doctor can conduct an individualized risk assessment and help you determine what might work best for you.

Screenings

Learn about the effects of cholesterol on your health at a free vascular screening. To qualify for a free screening, you must have at least two of the following risk factors:

  • Diabetes
  • Age 60 or older
  • Hypertension
  • History of smoking
  • High cholesterol
  • Family history of abdominal aortic aneurysm
  • Family history of atherosclerosis before age 60

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Coffee—a gallstone buster?

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There’s no definitive proof coffee drinking lowers the risk of gallstones, but there is an association that merits further study. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Alan Mozes, HealthDay


To the many ways in which coffee seems to confer unexpected health benefits, add a lowered risk of painful gallstones.


After tracking nearly 105,000 Danes for an average of eight years, researchers found that those who downed more than six cups per day of the world’s most popular beverage saw their gallstone risk drop by 23%.


“High coffee intake is associated with a lower risk of gallstone disease,” said study author Dr. A. Tybjaerg-Hansen. She’s chief physician of Rigshospitalet’s department of clinical biochemistry at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.


That’s good news for Danes, 6% of whom drink six or more cups of coffee every day, she said.


But what about the average Dane, who knocks back just two cups a day? Or the average American or Brit who consumes between one to two cups daily? The study has good news for them, too. It turns out that even small amounts of coffee appeared to lower gallstone risk.


Compared to those who abstained from coffee, participants who drank just one cup of Joe a day saw the risk of gallstones dip by about 3%. Meanwhile, those who consumed three to six cups per day saw their risk lide by 17%.


The findings were published recently in the Journal of Internal Medicine.


Gallstones are hard pebble-like pieces that can accumulate in the gallbladder, where they can sometimes block bile ducts. When that extremely painful condition develops, surgery to remove them is often the treatment of choice.


So what is it about coffee that seems to diminish risk? Tybjaerg-Hansen said that, for now, “we can only speculate on that.”


But she noted that because caffeine is excreted via the bile, it’s possible that it reduces the amount of cholesterol found in the bile. That could reduce gallstone risk, given that “the development of gallstones depends on a balance largely between cholesterol and bile acids,” Tybjaerg-Hansen explained.


Coffee also stimulates the muscle contractions that move contents though the gastrointestinal tract.


As to whether it’s the caffeine content that serves as coffee’s silver bullet, Tybjaerg-Hansen said, “yes, that is a possibility.” That raises the prospect that tea or chocolate might also lower gallstone risk.


But whatever’s behind coffee’s power, she believes that the team’s subsequent genetic analyses indicate that it’s coffee itself—rather than lifestyle factors common to coffee drinkers—that is at play.


Another expert is not so sure.


Dr. Anthony Bleyer is a professor of nephrology at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. He was not involved in the Danish study and was not previously aware of any link between coffee and gallstone risk.


“(But) it seems every week there is a new story about how coffee may or may not be associated with some benefit,” he cautioned. “Information on coffee is collected in many big databases. It is easy to do a comparison with just about any factor: osteoporosis, weight gain, weight loss, sleep, ulcers, cancer, mortality. You get the picture.”


And Bleyer acknowledged that many people will find studies like this interesting, given that coffee drinking is such a common habit.


“But from a scientific standpoint, I am not a big fan,” he added.


“For one thing, consuming six cups of coffee is quite a lot,” he said, “and the (high level of) caffeine could have big effects on sleep, gastric reflux and on arrhythmias.”


But most importantly, said Bleyer, the things that drive people to drink a lot of coffee in the first place “may also cause other changes in diet.” And it could very well be those dietary changes, rather than coffee itself, that end up affecting gallstone risk.


His bottom line: don’t place too much stock in the power of coffee to reduce gallstone risk.


For now, he said, “these studies show only an association, that is not causative.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.




Honoring our veterans in senior living communities

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living


By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Veterans Day on November 11 is a day for the people of the United States to honor those men and women who have served our country in the armed forces. For aging and elderly veterans, the holiday is an important time to reflect on their experiences and receive recognition for their deeds, and in senior living communities, it’s likely that there are several residents who have served.


Whether you’d like to take some time this Veterans Day to honor the veterans around you, or you are a veteran yourself, here are some meaningful ways to observe the holiday:

1. Plan an Oral History Interview or Discussion

Oral history projects such as the Veterans History Project are reaching out to veterans across the country to preserve their memories and experiences for future generations. The interviews are informal and meant to be comfortable and companionable to make it as easy as possible for veterans to talk about experiences that may be troubling. Most oral history projects recommend one-on-one interviews, but a group discussion with several veterans can make it easier to exchange stories and memories. The most important part of any oral history project, after all, is preserving authentic first-hand accounts. The Veterans History Project has a list of suggested interview questions to get the conversation started, but from there, let it wander. The most interesting stories can come from unexpected places.

2. Pack Care Packages

While Veterans Day is for honoring those who have already finished serving honorably in the armed forces, it’s also a good day to show support to those who are currently serving. Organizations such as Operation Gratitude help people connect with deployed troops to send care packages, which typically include little comforts from home that are difficult to get on deployment. This is a great social activity for veterans to engage in, as they can recall what they would have appreciated, the sort of rations they received, and more details about their service as they continue to support the armed forces.

3. Attend Local Celebrations

Local governments and schools often organize parades or assemblies to honor Veterans Day. If you are a veteran, consider talking to school groups about your service, or attend a school event. Putting a face to history helps kids understand the reality of what they learn. Local parades celebrate the service of our veterans, and local businesses and organizations may offer discounts or donate proceeds to services that help veterans.

4. Thank the Veterans Around You

This is one of the simplest, but most meaningful things you can do to celebrate Veterans Day. Take a moment to shake the hand of the veterans around you and thank them for their service. A small gesture can mean a lot, and for veterans in senior living communities, gratitude from peers, caretakers, family, and friends can have more significance than large events and speeches.


However you choose to celebrate Veterans Day, we hope you have some time to support the aging and elderly veterans who have done so much for our country. From all of us at Vista Springs, happy Veterans Day and thank you for your service!


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Avoid skiing injuries by training now

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By Jason Singer, Spectrum Health Beat


Although the slopes might not be ready just yet, it’s never too early to begin preparing your body for ski season.


Here’s a look at the most common injuries and the best ways to prevent them:

Head injuries

Falls account for 75 to 85 percent of ski injuries, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, and nearly all ski-related head injuries are the result of falling.


The best way not to fall is “making sure you’re in shape,” said Jason Lazor, DO, who specializes in sports medicine for Spectrum Health Medical Group Orthopedics. To do that, start preparing weeks or months before you actually get on the slopes.

The time to start prepping for skiing is yesterday. Prepare your core, muscles and joints for the rigors of skiing and you’re less likely to injure yourself. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

“You don’t really want to ski yourself into shape,” Dr. Lazor suggested. “When you’re skiing, you’re putting a lot of forces on the body. …The body can best handle those forces when you’ve done some prepping.”


Dr. Lazor recommends a combination of stretching, cardiovascular training like running, cycling and/or swimming, and resistance training focused on the lower extremities to best prepare for ski season. In terms of weight and resistance training, he suggests focusing on quads, hamstrings, abdomen and pelvic stabilizers.


Strong muscles and flexibility increase stability and muscle control, as well as decrease muscle fatigue, which all help to prevent serious falls.


“The more in-shape you are and the more body control you have, the better you can avoid accidents, and when accidents do happen, the better you can protect yourself,” Dr. Lazor said.


The other key for protecting your head is wearing a properly-fitted helmet. You’ll look great.

Sprains and fractures

Two other common injuries when skiing are sprains and fractures. Collisions with objects and other skiers account for between 11 and 20 percent of ski injuries, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, and are the primary cause of fractures.


Skiing “in control” is the best way to avoid those collisions, says Dr. Lazor. Almost every resort posts a Responsibility Code, which reminds skiers to keep an eye on the skiers in front of them, stop in safe and visible places, always look uphill while stopped, and other basic tips for avoiding collisions and ensuring safety.


It’s also important to know your limits, says Dr. Lazor, and not to ski on trails that are above your ability level.

Thumb and wrist injuries

About 30 to 40 percent of skiing injuries are to the upper extremities, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, and “the most vulnerable joint of the upper body is the thumb.”


Skier’s thumb, which is a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb, happens when skiers fall on an outstretched hand while still gripping their ski poles.


The best way to avoid this injury—which can lead to pain and weakness when grasping objects—is to avoid falling (see above advice). A second helpful tip is to use ski poles with straps rather than fitted grips.


“(Straps) are associated with fewer injuries,” the American College of Sports Medicine reports.

When to see a doctor

“In general, if you’re questioning an injury, go seek out help,” Dr. Lazor advised.


Signs of serious head injuries are people acting outside their normal character, behaving more emotionally than normal, a sudden sensitivity to light and lingering headaches.


Another advantage to working out before winter arrives, Dr. Lazor said, is people who work out can tell the difference between general soreness following physical activity and pain from an injury. He frequently reminds people that the Orthopedic Urgent Care clinic stands at the ready to assist them as they encounter any sort of orthopedic injuries—on or off the slopes.


Dr. Lazor has a simple mantra for those wondering when to see a doctor: “When in doubt, get checked out.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.