Seniors Site

I am talking about spouses—not girlfriends, boyfriends, partners, flings and such. This findings was released by the American Journal of Public Health stating that upon study, seniors living with their long-time spouses and serious relationships tend to live longer lives than those living with their adult kids, much less those living in assisted living facilities.

Apparently, the most suitable living environment for older people is right in their own homes with a spouse looking after them. These seniors were found out to be acquiring preventive health care on a regular basis such as screenings and tests as compared to those living alone or living with their kids.

Remember Healthy People 2010? This government program aims to improve quality of life for all people residing in the US. For seniors, its main goal is healthy aging and that includes cancer screening, dental check-ups and vaccinations. These are preventive measures that all seniors should participate in but it appears that only those living with their spouses are taking the heed.

Some of the reasons why older adults prefer not to undergo these important checkups are not having enough time to do so, too busy with their work, fear of uncovering fatal diseases that will require them a lifestyle change and having to go through it alone. Also, this study found out that healthcare providers assume that when a senior is living with their kids, they receive enough health attention; doctors who made this research strongly warned against these assumptions and recommended to send their patients to necessary preventive healthcare departments at once to avoid late diagnoses.

Although the study did not suggest that this particular living arrangement lowers lifestyle diseases and other age-related illnesses, it did however, manage to have a higher number of seniors participating in preventive healthcare activities as compared to other living arrangement for seniors. The study cannot offer explanation as well, as to why living with adult offspring prevented seniors from obtaining their much needed preventive care.

Well, living with a spouse is different from other living arrangements there is. Your spouse will know at once when to get medical attention and if the other half is experiencing something different from what the person had in the past. Spouses of older adults are supportive and they know when and how to hold their spouses’ hand; they are more protective and considerate because they know this person all too well. Seniors living with a spouse need not think twice of expressing pain and discomfort to the other person in the house while those who live with their kids tend to keep distress to themselves and try not to disrupt their kid’s life in any way.

Alzheimer’s disease is a terrible illness which often strikes seniors. It gradually makes the memory fade that even the person’s basic functions are forgotten. A family living with a senior suffering from Alzheimer’s disease could attest: it can break you emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially. One moment you have everything, the next thing you know everything is gone.

Alzheimer’s disease is known for gradually increasing attacks on the sufferer which in time, will go permanent. The problem is that you will never know when this “permanent” attack will happen and if the person will be able to recover again after each attack. This is why it is important for the families to prepare and protect the sufferer’s assets and financial matters at the early stages of the said diseases.

The first stages of Alzheimer’s disease is easy enough to manage by the whole family since attacks are quite infrequent and shorter in course but eventually, you will need a professional help and may need to move the patient to a healthcare facility especially during the later stages of the disease. But financially, the family should prepare as this concern will be present right after the diagnosis itself.

According to a certified elder law attorney, the earlier you face the problem and discuss it with the patient, the better. There are laws that apply to seniors and elderly people which should be discussed with the family and the sufferer. These laws should be discussed when the sufferer still understands what’s going on, if possible.

POINTS TO COVER:
·    Alzheimer’s disease health care is staggeringly high. Aside from the medications you will need and the assisted care later on, adult day care facilities have steeper rates for Alzheimer’s patient. In fact, this disease was found to be the most expensive to maintain as compared to any other diseases common to senior citizens.
·    Wills should be prepared while the sufferer still recognizes the consequences of his or her actions. These are living will, last will and testament, health care power of attorney, and general power of attorney. Some states don’t accept these documents if they find the person in question is not capable of doing these statements and will therefore declare them as null and void.
·    At this point, it is important to look and examine closely their assets. If the senior with Alzheimer’s disease is your spouse then you should assess your joint and conjugal properties at once. Somewhere along the way, you will need help from the government which will evaluate the person’s assets. Unfortunately in some cases wherein the couple did not prepare ahead, they lost everything they have worked for all these years.

The laws covering seniors are ever changing, that is why you need to seek help from someone updated with these kinds of things such as certified elder law attorneys. These people are experienced and certified by the law to handle seniors’ affair and protect them from losing everything they have.

Falling is a serious accident for seniors than in any other age groups. This is because older adults tend to break bones when they fall or slip; usually the hip bones. According to statistics almost half of the senior population with hip fracture as a result of accidental falling or slipping, dies in about six months prior to the fall itself. At this alarming rate, health care providers are compelled to seek the root-cause of the problem and in a way prevent seniors from deaths due to this very unfortunate accident.

This is also why exercises that will establish and strengthen an older adult’s balance such as yoga are highly recommended by their physicians and attending doctors. But sometimes, even these exercises couldn’t regain one’s balance and prevent seniors from falling down and injuring themselves.

Last Monday, May 25, 2009, John Hopkins University School of Medicine released a finding that will provide a link to aging and falling risks. Apparently, not because you just reached the age of 40 that you will gradually lose balance; there is a closer link that will provide some sense to it especially if the person feels much younger than his current age.

If you are having some difficulties in hearing or had an inner-ear infection even far back in your childhood days, you have a higher risk of losing balance and falling down when you reach forty. You can even feel this imbalance in your younger years although you must have overlooked it since you still had a stronger footing and faster reflex then. Vestibular dysfunction or inner-ear dysfunction affects half of the American population at any age bracket but doctors didn’t suspect this back then to have an effect on seniors, much less on their falling episodes. They assumed that weakness, vision impairment and gait were the culprits to a senior’s fall.

Vestibular dysfunction affects one’s balance. If you look closely to the ear’s composition, the inner ear is the one responsible for sending signals to the brain which in return stabilizes the person’s balance. When there is a disruption along the line from the ear to the brain, the person’s equilibrium is heavily compromised, exposing the person to increased risk of falling and losing balance.

The study firmly believed that if the senior is aware that he or she is suffering from inner-ear dysfunction, he will be able to prevent falling or protect himself from doing so. Tests for inner-ear dysfunction are available upon request in your doctor’s office and they don’t cause much. Inquire about them now.

This diet is making quite a buzz in and around weight loss and weight management communities especially for those dying to lose their unwanted pounds and are quite intrigue with “successful” celebrity diets; apparently, Best Life Diet has all the right ingredient to rise above others in the market today: weight loss campaign and hotshot celebrity to promote the diet.

Best Life Diet is developed by Bob Greene. Bob Greene is the famous exercise physiologist and personal trainer to Oprah. This diet plan, as it was said, helped Oprah to lose and maintain weight as she was struggling with it for quite sometime back then. Along with Oprah’s weight loss success came the Best Life Diet book and has shoot right on top of Amazon.com bestseller’s list prior to its release.

While Best Life diet has Oprah to back up the claim, it also has its fair share of critics. Critics dismiss Best Life diet as yet another fad diet bound to fail but Bob Greene’s promoter is solidly behind his back as far as the diet plan goes. Promoters claim that Best Life diet is not a fad diet although it gathers quite a number of followers nowadays; insisting that the diet itself is a lifestyle change meant to be practiced everyday and not for just a period of time. This diet also targets what most diet plans fail to see: the emotional aspect of weight loss.

The diet consists of three phases. The first phase lasts for a month which will be spent on immediate concerns such as your weight and addressing the root cause of your weight gain especially if it’s emotional. It is important that these issues were addressed and settled before introducing healthy eating habits. In this phase you will also be advised to do without the usual weight gain culprits such as fried foods, soft drinks, white bread, pastas, high-fat dairy products, and foods laden with trans-fats; foods that are referred to as the danger six by Bob’s diet plan. The second phase is all about gradually adapting to healthy lifestyle and right food choices that will help you lose weight in a manner that you will be able to stick with it for the rest of your life. You will also learn to prepare recommended foods as there are recipes you can find in the book. Best life diet plan consists of mostly fruits and vegetables but it will not restrict you of other food groups as well.

The book also stresses the importance of right exercise and how to incorporate it with your daily life. Overall, the Best Life diet doesn’t seem so bad as it promotes healthy lifestyle; aside from the fact that it tackles the emotional and spiritual sides of weight management. For seniors trying to lose weight or maintain weight for health reasons, consult your doctor first to make sure if the Best Life diet is the best option for you and will not interfere with your current medications and nutritional requirements.

I hope by now, our older adults have already learned how to cope with the ongoing recession that somehow still affecting our quality of life. I mean, it has been years after it all came crashing down right? Although we are still experiencing the impact of the thing that has happened, fortunately for us resourceful and adaptable seniors, we are able to stand through it all and pick up the pieces all over again.

Downsizing is not anymore embarrassing now. We all need to adapt a sustainable living not just because of the recession but for a better environment as well. This is something we should do and practice—with or without recession; this is a change in the way we conduct our daily lives. Aside from that, we seriously need to do without the things we don’t need. This is the primary goal of sustainable living and I must say, this kind of lifestyle is the most suitable for recession-proofing our lives.

For seniors, we know that as we age, there are things we should be saving for instead of spending on something totally unnecessary for us. Time will come that those days we should be spending time out shopping, we’d rather stay at home and relax; that a homemade coffee will taste as good as those you can buy in Starbucks and dining out is something we do on special occasions only. If you are a senior experiencing all these then probably, you are not having a hard time threading the deep waters of recession unlike the other half of the world.

Although buying a house nowadays seemed lucrative, with low prices and all; it is not advisable for seniors, as discussed in previous post titled: Senior Housing: to Rent or to Buy? If you have to move to another house for whatever reason, it is best to rent a modest-sized apartment somewhere safe and senior-friendly. Even your job may be at risk as there are companies still closing left and right without any prior notice while if you are running your own business, you can understand why this is happening to big companies and how hard it is to keep your business up and running right? Home based business can earn you a little extra which you can save for rainy days, no matter how small it is. There are many online jobs you can take such as tutorials and counseling. You can also learn how to sell your stuff over the internet to boost your sales a little more. These are the things that will not require much from you unlike a second or third job outside of home.

Seniors can also cut back by avoiding purchases made from credit cards. While it is very convenient to use your credit card when purchasing items and it has a credit limit to prevent you from going further away from what you can pay, credit cards encourage unnecessary purchases and not to mention excessive purchasing—both things lethal to your wallet. By paying in cash, you will be able to control your spending better because you can see your money flying away from you.

You can beat recession just by keeping in mind that everything you don’t need, you can do without. If you practice this and live for and by it, you will be able to tide yourself over this recession.

For seniors, it seems that the hardest thing for them to give up is their independence. This is something they have worked hard for ever since and it won’t be easy to give it up that fast. So, if you are someone trying to commit a senior for a long term care, don’t expect it to be that simple because I am telling you now, you will be in for a fight!

If you are the primary caregiver and you are now having a hard time keeping up with care giving demands, you might be thinking of long term care from someone professional and experienced in doing this kind of job for longer periods of time. But, convincing a senior to a long term care, whether professional or not, is not that easy. You will have to make the senior see through your intentions so be sure that yours is sincere.

On the other hand, seniors need not worry about long term care. Consider this as someone who would make your work easier so you will have more time for yourself and for things you would rather do. Think about this, you don’t have to shovel that snow outside or clean the toilet regularly; you don’t even have to do your laundry anymore! Someone else will take care of that for you. Moreover, forget those nasty pills! Your new “nanny” will remind you if it’s time for you to take your medications and it will be entirely his or her fault if you missed one.

Long term care is not bad. Long term care is just another set of helping hands and they could either assist you with your work load or do it entirely for you, depending on your wishes. They will not take over your life—they will only be exactly where you want them to be. What’s more is that they can be your 24/7 medical help so you don’t have to worry about those nights when you feel breathing difficulties and such.

Long term care is usually required for seniors in very advanced age. This is when the senior can no longer fend for themselves hence the need for someone to assist them with their daily activities such as bathing, dressing and using the bathroom. If you, as a senior, feel that you can still do these simple tasks of caring for yourself then you don’t need long term care yet.

Seniors should also know that long term care is done in settings that are most convenient for you and doesn’t really need to be in a care facility somewhere far from your family. It can be done in your own home, nearby hospital or your children’s home—wherever works for you best.

Long term care is a general term for medical and non-medical services rendered for people with disability, rehabilitative needs and seniors especially those with chronic and terminal illnesses. It will help the recipient receive their much needed health care and be able to keep up with their personal needs. There are different types of long term care—most of which are adequately covered by Medicare.

A living will is different from your basic last will and testament. These are two different wills that you need to prepare ahead of time so you will avoid relatives bickering over you in the future. A senior should not hesitate in doing these important documents as they are very imperative to your health– and I must say, wealth care.

A senior’s living will is sometimes called as advance statement or written statement. This is a written living will that will set clear instructions of your preferred medical treatments if and when you are no longer capable of deciding for yourself. Such cases include but not limited to, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, and falling into coma.

Living will primarily deals with end-of-life issues for seniors. This is not binding as your last will and testament but healthcare providers consider such advance statement and use them as reference for treatments you would and would rather not receive in cases of mental impairment. This can also help your children in deciding for you when that unfortunate time comes. Living wills can also be dictated to a voice recorder or written in presence of an authority, if preferred.

Living wills are best made when the senior in question is still in the right frame of mind so don’t forget to include dates within your will and with a witness around. Your living will should include treatments you would have in certain circumstances. This means you need to consider levels and progression of a suspected disease. Also, you must consider what to do if you reached the highest deterioration point possible. A senior making a living will should also try to explain how he or she arrived to such decisions because this will only prove he is very much aware of its health implications. Go over this with your healthcare provider; you should also furnish a copy for your doctor so he will know what to do in cases of emergencies. Living wills can be changed anytime you want to just as long as you know what you are doing.

In cases of absent partner with multiple children, a senior may assign one of his children to decide for him. This will eliminate arguments and spats within family members over medical decisions. This is possible by healthcare power of attorney which will allow you to appoint the decision maker on your behalf when you are unable to do it yourself. By the way, this is only effected when it concerns your health and not other matters such as financial and estates.

Some seniors hesitate making a living will or any will for that matter just because some of them believe that it can mean welcoming death and illnesses at their doorsteps. You should remember that these wills are done for practicality reasons. You are just making sure that all your wishes are done accordingly; that everything you will leave behind is safe and secure and will fall on the intended person’s hand. This will not invite disease, illnesses and death; you are just preparing for what’s inevitable.

Acupuncture is an alternative remedy for seniors experiencing chronic pain, and persistent ailments that somehow elude the medical field. Acupuncture is also effective in stress-busting efforts for older adults. Generally it is safe for seniors but be sure to mention current medications and other health concerns upon consultation so that your acupuncturist will be able to ensure maximum safety for you as a patient.

Acupuncture belongs to the traditional Chinese medicine group and has been around for a long, long time. Acupuncture has been very successful ever since the method was perfected by Chinese practitioners and has garnered followers all over Asia. On the other hand, it also earned its much-due credit in the US and has been recognized by the World Health Organization; through which Acupuncture helped Americans in overcoming ailments with no medical cure. Acupuncture is very popular for seniors experiencing chronic back pains.

If you are concerned about those needles that will pierce your body, then you are in for a big surprise! They are not your regular needles as they are made for acupuncture purposes only. These needles are so thin—they are virtually painless. Moreover, your acupuncturist is highly-trained to set these needles in their designated places without giving you even the slightest discomfort.  Basically, the method targets acupuncture points within the body. In doing so, it stimulates the blood circulation and flow of natural healing energy your body possess. After these needles are done with you, they are disposed at once, ensuring sanitation for the next client.

If you are interested in getting acupuncture for your osteoarthritis, be sure you are receiving one from a certified acupuncturist as it can be potentially fatal if not done properly. Ask your healthcare providers for referrals since acupuncture is not frowned upon by medical science groups and most likely they will get you in touch with a certified acupuncturist. There are also national organizations for acupuncturists that you can check out. Generally, you should look for the practitioner’s license since it is required by the state before one can operate and try to find one that has a medical background or is practicing conventional medicine such as doctors and dentists. As a reminder, don’t rely on the acupuncturist’s diagnosis of your health status as they are not intended for that; acupuncture still falls under alternative methods and although they are certainly effective in aiding some ailments, their methods are not dependable for life-threatening diseases. On the other hand, acupuncture can be done al
ong with conventional treatments for some cases; ask your doctor if it is safe for you to undergo one.

Acupuncture is done in several sessions but results are felt even after the first session alone. However, you should finish your recommended number of treatments to further improve your health. Acupuncture is very beneficial for seniors if done properly. This will eliminate harmful side effects that synthetic drugs can give us.  It can also help in improving a senior’s quality of life by eliminating pains and discomforts.

For this month alone, several earthquakes were felt in different parts of the world. There have been small hits in Asia that were barely felt by their residents but were still able to make it to the records. However in the US, there were quite a few hits as well that came in different levels. Some were felt in California and Los Angeles areas; apparently those were enough to cause alarm to people residing in these areas.

As a general rule, every household should have a disaster-preparedness plan, although its importance is often overlooked by many until it’s too late to do so. More importantly, in face of disasters such as earthquakes, you will need to move fast with one direction in mind. This can be hard if your own range of motion is limited or if you are living with someone with disability problems. With a disaster-preparedness plan, everyone in your household will know what to do and how to move in one synchronized movement that will enable everybody to move into safety the soonest possible time.

Another thing the head of the household should be thinking of when it comes to disaster-preparedness is the kit itself such as earthquake kit. If you are an elderly person, you should take time and prepare it ahead rather than regret later for not doing so. Here are some general suggestions of what goes inside your own earthquake kit:

1.    Water. A seniors’ earthquake kit should contain at least one gallon of water per person. This should be in durable plastic containers that will not break or leak. You should also take note that you must replace it once in a while to ensure water safety. Try to keep a three-day supply in there.
2.    Food and medical supplies. This is equally important as you will need these things to survive. Canned goods are your best bets; just don’t forget to pack in the can opener! Canned soups and juices are great too since they will not spill, leak or rot (unless it’s expired). For seniors, you should put together your three-day worth of medications, complete with doctor’s prescription in there, just to make sure you won’t get confused what medicine to take in a certain hour of the day.
3.    First-aid kit. Some drug stores sell complete first-aid kits so you don’t have to go through it one by one. It is more convenient for elder people to just buy one since these kits are cheaper and come in cute, handy bags as well.
4.     Documents. Yes, it’s a tedious task but seniors need to do them. All your important documents should be gathered in one place, safely wrapped in a waterproof container. This will include personal records such as birth certificate, marriage certificate, social security number, and any other ones you can think of.

If you want to emergency proof your house, read more in this post I made two months ago.

As one thinking senior, have you ever wondered how we evolved from apes to our current human form? Even before the word scientist, anthropologist and paleontologist were created, it has been a mystery how closely primates and humans are related and still, we are nowhere near the absolute answer to this age-old question.

Overtime, we gathered bits and pieces of evidence showing how it happened, hoping that somewhere in between we will finally find the missing link. Some of us are still a bit skeptical about the buzz which Sir Charles Darwin started years ago but after substantial evidences come piling up one after another, it becomes harder to turn our backs from the apparent truth.

For those still frowning upon the idea of “us-originally-apes”, I want you all to meet, Ida. Still not the missing link we are hoping for, or at least Sir Charles did, but nonetheless, one step closer to the truth.

Ida, the 47 million year old fossilized lemur-like being with noticeable characteristics of a human had made a debut just recently. Ida is considered by paleontologists as the most critical part of the missing link of human evolution so far. At a glance, this fossilized species looks very much like any other lemur we know considering its size and shape but upon closer inspection, a trained-eye will quickly spot the difference such as nails instead of claws, opposable toes, hands that were capable of grasping and short limbs. What’s more remarkable is the presence of talus bones in this fossilized lemur. FYI, all humans existing today have talus bones located between your heel bone and your lower leg bone. If you had been to orthopedic recently, you would probably know.

Ida had been unearthed some 25 years ago in Germany where she had lived hanging in someone’s private wall for the next twenty years. Only in 2006 that she caught the eyes of professionals. Negotiations began with extremely high amount of money involved in the said transaction. After the deal was done, she settled into her new home—in Oslo; where she will hopefully spend her eternal life living a celebrity’s life, safe and protected.

Evidences showed that Ida lived during the Eocene period. According to researchers, this was the time when early primates branched out. Some primates were left to be just the way they were then—as lemurs, while the other half evolved into apes and ultimately, humans.