Seniors Site

Just thinking of ticks made a person itchy all over! Ticks can be really nasty, not to mention, icky. They are tiny suckers and they live by their host’s blood. They can be found in animals such as dogs, cats and wild animals; it can even find its way to humans!

That is exactly how children of Lyme, Connecticut contracted Lyme disease in 1975, although they had no idea back then when and where it came from; not until 1977 that the link was found between the Lyme disease, called as Lyme arthritis at that time, and ticks. Still, what baffled doctors and health practitioners was the fact that a tick’s bite should no more than rashes, minor swelling and other allergic reactions, while Lyme disease is certainly more than that. Apparently, a person infected with Lyme disease experiences symptoms similar to arthritis hence misdiagnoses. It was only in 1982 that it was found out that there’s an infection involved with a tick’s bite. An infected tick passes Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, to human upon biting. It took that long since there were many misdiagnoses before it was actually pinpointed.

Lyme disease can infect everybody—young and old but unfortunately, seniors tend to get affected more seriously than any other age brackets and they deteriorate at a faster rate as well. Lyme disease is tricky, it was even found out to mimic symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and of course, the most common weakness for elderly people, arthritis. And because these are common seniors’ illnesses, there have been many misdiagnoses committed by unsuspecting healthcare providers.

There are three stages of Lyme disease wherein at earlier stages, it can even be cured by taking antibiotics while if left untreated it can lead to complications such as high blood pressure, memory loss and heart problems.

At first stage of Lyme disease, the infected person will experience common tick bite reactions such as rashes and redness, more of a bruise-like spot where the tick had bitten the victim. This rash will break out at about 1-2 weeks prior to the bite and will subside within a month. Within the second stage of infection, there will be flu-like symptoms, signaling the bacteria working overtime inside the body. Usually, seniors with Lyme disease are already experiencing difficulties by this time as it affects the person’s nervous system. Late stage of Lyme disease is the most detrimental to seniors’ health. Older adults with Lyme disease will now experience its complications such as stated above and it usually occurs within years prior to the bite.

Lyme disease can be very tricky but if you are aware of the possibility of you coming in contact with ticks or tick-infested places, you should inform your healthcare provider at once so the good doctor will be able to do a blood test and rule out Lyme disease if it is not.

You should know that an infected tick’s bite will not instantly transmit the bacteria to your body. As we all know, a tick attaches itself to its host then it will take a day or two before it can pass the bacteria to its host so if you want to prevent Lyme disease, your best bet is to know how to properly remove them—fast! And, of course, you should call your doctor at once.

With all the things we need to do everyday, it becomes harder to keep up with our beauty regime. The problem for older women is that if we missed doing our beauty regime for 2-3 consecutive days, the lack of it becomes instantly apparent. To make matters worse, most of us just don’t have time for makeups and skin care. Fortunately, we can still look good and feel good even without spending a great deal of money for cosmetic surgery.

It is important for us, seniors, to look after our skin, hands and hair. These are the body parts which show aging at once. Of course, we know about wrinkled skin all over which starts around the face and neck area; then there’s age spots appearing on hands and sadly, the hair will lose its luster making it dull and limp. By then, you will see an aged woman; that is if you let it be. Try this simple and easy ways to protect your body from losing its youthful glow. It is simple and easy since it will require only a couple of lifestyle adjustments but certainly effective for maintaining a healthy looking body!

·    Sun spots, age spots and hyperpigmentation, basically it’s all the same. They are those brown spots that magically appear in certain areas of your skin. Some says the cause is aging while other claims it’s over exposure to sun. Whatever it is, we know how harmful sun exposure is so it is best to apply sunscreen every time we go out, rain or shine.
·    When we sleep, the body undergoes repair; that means, we really should get a good night’s sleep every single night. Aside from making your room conducive to sleep, do without your cotton pillow cases because they will crease your face. Try silk instead. This is also the best time to apply moisturizer before sleeping because the skin is more absorbent during this time. Exfoliating is also done before bedtime to allow the skin to recover.
·    Always wear gloves if you are going to handle harsh solutions such as cleaners and dish washing liquids.
·    There are in-shower body lotions which you can use. They are more convenient to use and easier to slather around plus they are better in keeping the body moisturize all day long. Just be careful when using them because it will make your bathroom slippery. You can also use bath oils.
·    Fruits are good for your teeth. Apples for one, make the teeth strong and whiter when eaten as a whole (not juiced) as the teeth should come in contact with the apple’s flesh. Also, the apples’ acids react with your teeth and will clean up yellow stains. Other fruits that can help you maintain good set of teeth are pears, banana, strawberries, watermelon, and oranges.
·    Cheek blusher will not fail to give you that healthy looking skin, even if you are a bit under the weather. A little gloss will also come a long way and they are easy enough to apply.

Depression is very common in older adults and it can be a result of many varying factors such as aging, hormonal changes and even the medications they take. Unfortunately, signs of depression in a senior are often overlooked by their health care providers since depression’s symptoms are very similar to those of many diseases and illnesses that affect a senior’s body. Apparently, depression is the last thing a physician will explore when it comes to a senior’s health care.

Consider this, if you have just given birth and you are currently experiencing abnormal behavioral patterns such as fatigue and lack of appetite, your doctor would probably explore first the possibility of postnatal depression before anything else just because it is a natural occurrence during this phase. After ruling depression out, that is the only time they will look over other causes that might be leading to the problem in question. On a senior’s case, they will prioritize lifestyle diseases and chronic illnesses first; before they even get to look at depression, they are probably knee-deep with what your body has therefore, depression is left alone, sneaking on a senior’s quality of life like a thief.

We couldn’t blame doctors for this; we all know they should prioritize life-threatening diseases first before anything else. Depression is not among those diseases as it takes time before it finally blows up. However, what we can do is spot depression signs at once and submit yourself for evaluation; insist if you must, to be treated first for depression before delving into other possibilities.

An elder person with depression would not readily accept the fact that he or she is experiencing one; he may not even realize that at once. A younger person’s reaction to depression is very different from that of a senior’s. While a younger adult will express mood swings in a more distinguishable manner, an older adult will most likely keep to himself making it harder for his family and friends to identify sings of depression.

A senior would most likely be experiencing depression when:
·    Small or no appetite at all.
·    Fatigue and exhaustion.
·    Finds it hard to concentrate or remember important things.
·    Silent and withdrawn even in company of close family and friends.
·    Keeps social interaction at a minimum.

As you can see, these depression symptoms are fairly similar to those of Alzheimer’s, cancer and thyroid disorders. It is important to be very observant of these changes especially for the senior’s caregiver. The caregiver must be able to see through the signs and be able to conclude fairly well by keeping an open mind on things. Seniors are most vulnerable if they have just experienced life-changing events such as loss of a loved-one especially if it’s the spouse or partner. Depression can also set in if the senior feels frustrated due to limited range of motion or memory loss. This is also true for seniors experiencing chronic pain.

Summer is certainly coming. This is the season to have fun, spend time outdoors, frolic under the sun and sport your expensive swim suit that will surely put younger adults to shame! Summers are meant to be spent outside after all.

Unfortunately, it is not safe anymore for elderly people to do this even for younger seniors who are in great health and fitness levels. 20 years ago, it was even forgivable to go out without that sticky sunscreen and sun protection. You can just walk out and stroll away. I even remember the immediate concern for most environmentalists back then: a little hole in the ozone layer; not thinning, not detrimental but a sure portent of what’s to come. 10 years forward, sun screen is a must; if not, you risk exposing your skin to skin cancer. Yet another 10 years and this is what we get, heat waves. Simply put, this issue is no longer about us as an individual person and how we choose to risk ourselves out there; right now, we don’t have much of a choice but to accept what mother nature is going to give us, whether we like it or not.

Heat waves kill. It kills more than any other natural calamities known to us. Heat waves killed thousands of people in the past and is still killing by hundreds every single year, either reported or not; immediate and by health complications. Heat wave hit Chicago in 1995, and then there was France in 1998, the most recent being this year in Australia, along with others that did not bring too much assault in human race but had been uncomfortably hot nonetheless. Weather experts also warn people that due to global warming, they are expecting temperatures to soar higher this year.

By definition, heat wave is considered as such if and when it lasted at least a day of uncomfortably hot, abnormally high temperature combined with unforgiving humidity. It usually runs for days and even weeks unrelenting. A normal human body needs to cool down after experiencing such combination of humidity and high temperature, similar to a sauna experience; but heat waves are remorseless as they can go for days on end. This, of course, can bring catastrophic results to a human body especially to that of a senior’s.

What others won’t probably know is that elderly people are at a greater risk during heat wave. When the body’s temperature is steadily rising, it will reach its limit and when it does, your body can no longer cool itself down or cooling efforts exerted by your body will no longer be enough especially in elderly people’s cases when their bodies’ ability to cool down is much slower than a younger person’s. This is also true for infants and children ages 4 and below, overweight people and those with disabilities and limited range of motion.

Among any other heat-related implications, heat stroke or sun stroke proves to be the most fatal of them all. Others are sunburn, heat cramps and heat exhaustion. Senior citizen is always advised to stay in climate controlled facilities during hot and humid days to avoid health risks.

Saving is important for seniors, especially for those living in a fixed income and are saving for rainy days. But with hard times like these, drastic measures are applied and simple pleasures are forgotten. Gone are the days when we just stroll in a supermarket and buy whatever our eyes like; flash that government issued discount card and head out the door without even batting an eyelash. Today, a senior is forced to find ways for them to somehow cut costs and make ends meet.

When we speak of cutting costs and making ends meet, an average American will think of only one thing: coupons. Coupons are really helpful in acquiring discounts in supermarkets and are quite necessary in maintaining a large household. Coupons can also help a senior in managing his finances better. Actually, if you are a conscious coupon hunter, you will know that there are many of them out there since they are practically everywhere!

You can find coupons in:
·    Products you already bought such as labels, box tops, covers, bottle caps, wraps, inside the product itself and boxes.
·    Product offers and promotional mails.
·    Phone books.
·    Newpapers and Magazines.

For these, you will only need a scissor to cut them out.

However, if you are a computer savvy and you know your way around computers which apparently you are since you are reading this post right now, you should know that there are printable coupons you can also find online. These online coupons are more convenient for seniors since they are given out for free. I think in an attempt to cut promotional costs over the manufacturer’s side, they have acknowledged that it is more cost-effective for them if they distribute coupons online. Come to think of it, this move is certainly great for the environment as well.

Online coupons are better than your ordinary box tops coupons; they have wider choices from electronics right down to travel tickets—things you could actually use. Of course, your regular necessities are always present as well but in bigger discounts as compared to the ones you get in your junk mails.

There are sites especially made to give out coupons. Some sites will require you to register and that is fine, just be careful in signing up for newsletters because they will send out massive junk mails every single day. On the other hand, if you are interested with these mails as well, create a separate email account for your coupons so it will not mess up with your personal email account.

These coupons are searchable over the internet. You can find them at:
·    Manufacturer’s websites
·    Grocery store websites
·    Ebay
·    Coupon sites. Believe me, there are many out there.

Food safety is important in keeping our bodies healthy but we all know that it is not closely watched for every time we prepare food. There are certain steps in preparing food that can be time-consuming for the cook and they do get overlooked most of the time.

Back then, when cooking is convenient and doable for us, we know what goes exactly to our food and we never prepare something that is dangerous for our health and our family’s as well. We make sure they are always fresh and clean, applying painstaking ways to make sure of that as well. But what if somebody else is now doing all the cooking for you? You are completely at their mercy plus you will never know what’s in there.

All food lovers who enjoy eating more than cooking will agree, if and when somebody else cooks for you it is always better and enjoyable. That is why we love dining out with friends or visiting over their houses for some catching up and home-cooked meals; however, these practices may bring health risks to you if you are not too careful. One rule in dining out or dining else where: dirty dining area plus dirty kitchen means you should get out of there fast and find somewhere else to eat. The same goes for delis, cafes and public dining places.

Bacteria and viruses found their way to our foods, no matter how carefully we handled them so the next best thing for us to do is somehow lessen the risks if not eliminating them all together. Seniors should know that foods today can no longer stay fresh after two hours prior to cooking itself so it is not advisable to cook in excess especially if you are not expecting company. Prepare only what you can eat right away or if you are trying to cook something in advance to save you time, then freeze them as soon as the food cooled down a bit.

Senior citizens are more at risk for foodborne illnesses or commonly referred to as food poisoning more than any other age-group. This is because a senior’s digestive system grows sensitive overtime and will not accept anymore some types of foods that are normally taken by the person before. Also, seniors tend to have lower immune system and therefore would not able to combat common foodborne bacteria. This is exactly why seniors should try to stay away from eating raw meats—the common breeding ground for bacteria.

Here are some general food safety tips for seniors:
·    Your food should be eaten within two hours prior to cooking.
·    If you need to keep perishable goods for longer periods of time, freeze them at once.
·    Wash everything that came in contact with raw meats thoroughly when cooking especially utensils used such as knife and cutting board.
·    Wash your hands before and after eating, no matter how clean you thought it was.

In this day and age, it is quite impossible that you have never encountered one sinus problem ever in your life as there are many of them out there waiting for you. Actually, it was even found out that sinus problems are amongst the most popular chronic disorders in America and it affects seniors’ quality of life every time it hits.

Sinusitis is inflamed paranasal sinuses. These are air-filled cavities situated in your cranial bones. Sinusitis is usually a result of an infection which can be fungal, bacterial or viral in nature. It can also be an allergy or poor immune system. This sinus problem lasts depending on the severity of the cause; it can be anywhere between days to months. It is also important to note that weakened immune system can increase your risk of catching sinus infections more often. Sinusitis can occur as acute, sub-acute, and chronic. It can also occur from time to time without any distinguishable pattern.

Actually, once your sinuses got irritated from any foreign object, they react; this reaction is characterized by inflammation causing the nose to be clogged and stuffy. Aside from the difficulty in getting air pass in and out through your nose, you will also get headaches that are somewhat difficult to localize since they feel as if they affect the whole face. It will also be accompanied by nasal discharge. By the way, smoking can cause sinus problems that may worsen overtime.

Over the counter medications are most of the time, not advisable for seniors anymore since it may interfere with their current medications resulting to severe complications. Moreover, most of them will not treat the sinusitis itself but will only alleviate its symptoms. Unfortunately, sinus problem knows no age limit and they will attack you whenever they want to. For weary seniors, the next best thing for their sinus problem is natural home remedies or natural alternative treatments that are proven safe and effective. One of them is sinus irrigation.

Sinus irrigation is very popular in India and it is still widely practiced today. In fact, sinus irrigation is an ancient Ayurvedic technique that cleanses nasal passageways with water. This type of sinus cleansing will include the use of Neti pot. Neti pot looks somewhat like a kettle but it is much smaller and has longer snout and is usually filled with saline solution. This snout is then gently placed into your right nostril while tilting the head to make way for the drainage. Allow saline water to naturally drain from the other nostril. This should be done for each nostril. You will immediately feel the difference after every session.

Neti pots should be kept clean all the time, the same as how you treat your toothbrushes although it is not necessary to replace Neti pots regularly. Expect difficulties within first few tries as the technique requires some level of expertise but it will all be worth it after you get past through it. You should also consult your doctor first even if the procedure sounds easy and simple.

It is very important for seniors to stay fit and healthy even if they are already in their golden years. By staying physically fit, a senior will be able to delay early onset of common age-related diseases, if not preventing them altogether. In fact, most of these common illnesses are lifestyle diseases and can be easily managed with a combination of good diet and exercise; all you need is some patience to do it.

By engaging in a sport, you maintain a physically fit body; you are able to draw out toxins. These toxins are the culprits in making your life miserable later on affecting your quality of life. Exercise also affects the way you feel and think about the world around you, putting you in a much better perspective; making you live your life to the fullest; lead your life exactly how you want it to be. General appearance is very important for seniors as it becomes the main basis of younger adults on how they will treat you. If you look frail and unstable, they will treat you like a child needing constant care, even if you are still in the right frame of mind. On the contrary, if you look strong and capable, they will not question your authority and will respect your decisions. That’s how strong the power of suggestion can be.

Generally speaking, you exercise for your own self-improvement as nobody else will benefit from it but you. Although not even half of the senior population is interested in doing sports, it is still important that you stay active as much as you can and don’t let anything else stand in the way. Your exercise doesn’t need to be too pressing, tiring and sweaty; anything that will keep you moving is fine. Here are some excellent exercise ideas for seniors of all ages:

·    Gardening. Gardening is very therapeutic for seniors. This kind of activity is easy, fun and very rewarding. You can experiment with your garden anytime you want to and if you are lucky, it can even give you something to wonderful to eat. You can be a flower or fruit person depending on your preferences.

·    Yoga. It was said that yoga is the most recommended form of exercise for seniors. It will improve your flexibility and balance. Moreover, it will calm you down and put your mind at ease—as if you are in-control of your life and the things around you. You can even invite friends to go with you for a little bonding time.

·    Swimming. This activity is considered light for seniors but can certainly do your body good. For starters, it improves your cardiovascular system particularly your pulmonary circulation. It is very kind to your joints as it bears no weight but tones your muscles just the same. You can even do water aerobics if one is available within your club. Swimming is considered as endurance training since it can build your endurance levels overtime.

·    Dancing. Dancing is fun and it is a great way to meet new friends as well. Seniors can join dance classes of their choice within their area. Ballroom dancing will keep seniors active and sociable thus adding zest to their lives. Dancing is fun even if you are going solo, as a couple or part of a group. It improves both health and happiness of seniors.

These are just a couple of suggestions as you can develop your own set of exercises that will perfectly fit your current lifestyle and health limitations. As a rule of thumb, you must see your health care provider first before doing exercises as it can put your health in compromise if you don’t. Also, try to stay hydrated every time you engage in an activity.

Housing is still an issue for seniors; considering the many varying factors that affect a senior’s life. Most of the valid reasons are: health, downsizing for better household management, security and of course, there’s the need for assisted living; all of which is sure to force a senior to this very tough decision: whether to rent or buy a new home.

Looking back, a younger adult would be dreaming a home to call his or her own; after all, it is the greatest American dream so why not? But that was 30 to 40 years ago, when you were still in your late 20’s or early 30’s; that was when you were still building your dreams one by one, invincible and healthy as a mule.

As you grow older each day, your priorities are going to shift from one concern to another. Once, you were saving every penny for your own “home-sweet-home”; now, all of it is going to your medical and emergency funds. Back then, you will need space for your kids, but now that the kids are on their own, you won’t need too much space for you and your spouse and let me tell you, downsizing is not bad, in fact you are doing the environment a favor; ever heard of sustainable living?

Now that we have arrived in this house predicament, the question is: is it still wise to buy your own house or should we rent instead? As a senior, we have more urgent matters to attend to so it is equally important to acquire a house that is quite manageable and at the same time, fits your lifestyle especially if you are living alone. House ownership surely entails many responsibilities and will bind you for the next 10 to 20 years.

If you are still on your “younger senior” years and you feel fit and healthy, is certain you can still pay the monthly amortizations fully and will still be able to keep up with the demands of housekeeping, then buying a house can work for you. The advantage of which is the pride of having your own place; you will have something tangible to pass to your kids and if you are lucky, it may even turn into an investment someday although this is not the situation as of the moment.

On the other hand, if you are living alone and you just need a little space to conduct your living then renting is more advisable for you. Due to unstable house rates, buying a house is not too wise for seniors to engage in. Aside from the fact that you will need to maintain a habitable home for yourself which is quite hard at times, mortgages have taxes, interests and insurances paid in incremental amounts. This situation proves to be hard for seniors in a fixed income.

Another thing to consider is your current lifestyle. If you plan to travel most of the time and you own a house, you will have to hire somebody to clean the house for you and another to look after your house while you’re away whereas if you are just renting an apartment or a small flat, the landlord or owners will take care of that so you don’t have to worry about it anymore plus you don’t have to pay them anything since these services are most of the time, included in your monthly rent.

Generally, a woman’s ability to reproduce ends soon after menopause sets in. This is the body’s portent that the female reproductive system has already put her foot down and declared “enough is enough!”

Menopausal arouses mixed emotions from women, aside from the fact that those crazy hormones are also kicking in; some may even find this liberating as if it gives them freedom to take care of themselves now after spending so much time taking care of the family. Sadly for some, they might take it as an end to their womanhood thus the need to prove yourself something and defy the law of nature; the end result? It’s the sweet idea of pregnancy and giving birth.

Apparently, this was the case of an American woman who had given birth to a twin two years ago at the age of 60. She is perfectly happy with her life, marriage and aside from the twin, she has children too but she felt she needed to do this one more time. She then sought help conceiving via in-vitro fertilization and succeeded in doing so. She gave birth to perfectly healthy twins and proved everybody else that senior pregnancy is possible and not life threatening at all.

Well, maybe she got lucky as senior pregnancy is indeed life threatening especially for all those senior women who are now experiencing age related diseases left and right. Indeed, it is possible to conceive after 50, either intentional or accidental, but this situation is not encouraged by health care providers as senior pregnancy is very dangerous to the pregnant woman’s life as it is to her unborn baby.

For senior men, it’s never a problem because they can stay fertile as long as they keep their bodies healthy and active but for women wanting to bear a child at a very advance age, you may want to consider adoption instead. Apart from the fact that senior pregnancy is a health risk, there are many considerations you may want to look at before finally arriving in a decision such as your child’s caregiver if something happen to you.

Health concerns to the mother in a senior pregnancy include but not limited to: diabetes, high blood pressure, and its complications. There are also health risks for the unborn baby such as low birth weight and premature birth. A senior pregnancy can also experience miscarriage and fetal malformation—all of which is associated with age.

To date, the oldest woman to give birth is the 70 year old Indian named Omkari Panwar just last year. This coming month of July will be her babies’ first birthday. She conceived through in-vitro fertilization and gave birth to twins as well. She did this to produce a heir for the family as she only has two daughters.