Seniors Site

Nine medical societies (family doctors, allergists and cardiologists) were each asked by The American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation (ABIM), to identify five commonly used medical tests and treatments that are often unnecessary for the aged.

The following are some of the most popular, overused tests and treatments for people over the age of 50.

1. Heart screening tests like EKG for people without symptoms.

Cardiology guidelines have over the years been discouraging heart screening tests for the seniors with no symptoms and aren’t at high risk, and yet their use is more common than it needs to be. However, these tests can be lifesaving for people experiencing chest pain or other heart disease symptoms.

44 percent of people without any signs or symptoms of heart disease have had an EKG, an ultrasound or an exercise stress test (2010 Consumer Reports survey). An EKG or cardiac stress test is more likely to return false positive results than find the real problem for those with low risk for heart disease. The dangers include false positive tests which often lead to more tests and invasive heart procedures.

2.Osteoporosis bone scans for elderly men and women without any risk factors.

Bone density decreases with age which means an increase in the risk of fractures, but medical experts state that most women do not need a bone density test until age 65. However many doctors still recommend the scan from age 50. One of the dangers is that one density (DXA) scans may lead to unnecessary medications that may have some serious side effects.

3. CT scan, MRI or X-ray for low back pains.

An estimated 80 percent of Americans suffer from back pains. A vast majority of people with low back pain simply get better within four to six weeks, with or without a physician’s intervention. If older people get an image, physicians say that the results will, most of the time, show an innocent abnormality which has nothing to do with back pains. Some of these tests expose people to unnecessary radiation which may lead to expensive back surgery.

4. Diagnostic tests for supposed allergies.

Many aging people suffer from seasonal allergies and are increasingly putting the blame on food allergy or sensitivity. Nowadays, some doctors perform a blood test, known as immunoglobulin (IgG), for food allergies. But these tests simply don’t work. Many doctors run a couple of blood and skin tests dubbed IgE for seasonal allergies, when just a few specific tests would do. Doctors can easily pinpoint which tests they should run by asking mature patients when and where they have these symptoms.

5. Imaging procedures and CT scans for uncomplicated headaches.

Elderly people may experience excruciating and frightening headaches. Unless these severe headaches are accompanied by other key symptoms, it makes no sense to get a CT or MRI scan of the brain. Yet this happens all the time as patients get frightened while doctors get worried about lawsuits and people want all the information right away. So doctors find it easier to do the scan than have the conversation. Radiation exposure raises cancer risks in the older population. Also false-positives lead to more testing and patient anxiety.

Most americans especially the mature ones, aka us, are on dietary supplements. I wouldn’t be surprised as herbal medicines are believed to be necessary in keeping up with our body’s nutritional requirements. We also believe that when aging, our system has somehow slowed down and some of its functions are not functioning properly at all, that we need supplements to keep us going.
However, there was this case wherein a man who was once subjected to kidney transplant had managed to baffle his doctors as his body wasn’t responding to post-op medications recommended to him. It was later found out that he was constantly taking St. John Worts which is usually a tea, known to improve mood. This herb, when taken, enters the body and breaks down the effect of some known post-op medications before they even reach their maximum and desired effect. Further research also discovered that this certain herb has counteracting effects against chemotherapy for cancer patients, thus, further protecting cancer cells instead of killing them.
Garlic, which is known to be a wonder herb for many also has its contraindications. Garlic capsule supplements are considered to be blood thinners which can cause bleeding. Gingko and Ginseng supplements are contraindicated for patients taking psychiatric drugs. Please do note that while fiber is generally good to the body, laxatives like Psyllium fiber are not recommended when we are taking medications that require long absorption period.
We all thought that these dietary supplements are safe and doesn’t trigger drug reactions. But, haven’t we considered that these complicated drugs also came from simple components, it is just that they are a mixture of compounds and later turned out to be medications? All these chemicals have reactions, and it would be best if we take things in moderation. Too much of something is most likely to aggravate chemical reactions in our body. While browsing the doctor’s handbook on prescribing medicines, one thing I noticed, all drugs have interactions, contraindications and adverse effects.
It may be the right time for us to live the natural, balanced way. Before Vitamin C tablets were manufactured for antioxidants, eating oranges, guava and other fruits known to have natural vitamin C were fine. We might say that St. John Wort is safe and natural, but most forms we take nowadays are already processed (capsules, teas etc) These things have greater concentration of the said herb and can cause more damage than good, considering your health status. What nature gives unprocessed would be the ideal amount of whatever nutrients we want our body to receive.

It’s summer and everyone gets a break from school so your grandkids are most likely to plan a camping trip out in the woods, somewhere near the lake where they could pitch a tent, go fishing and spend the day doing what kids do best: playing. It’s every family’s awaited season for adventures like that to happen. We go through some serious planning on how best to get out of the comfort of our house and experience nature, or some may call, wilderness. The most exciting part there, especially for a grandpas and grandsons, is to conquer nature’s challenges. These trips are very important to us, but how sure are we that we are still protected from illnesses after the trip?

There was a young couple once who went hiking in Virginia countryside, it was a bit warm, and the girl decided to wear shorts instead of pants. Days after they came back, she suffered from flu with joints aching. She discovered a rash in her leg that resembled a red bull’s eye. They sought medical treatment, antibiotics were given. It was diagnosed as Lyme’s disease. Turned out, deer ticks found their way onto her legs, and since these ticks were so small, their bite is painless. It would be asymptomatic for days. Serious medical attention may be needed if not treated properly.

There are some pointers we can note to avoid this disease. When going to areas where deer species may possibly be residing, try to wear protective clothing like pants and a jacket to avoid ticks from getting in contact with your skin. Bring insect repellent and apply them in exposed area of your skin. Shower and use antibacterial soap as soon as you get home to remove unattached ticks. If you decide to bring pets, leash them to avoid entering bushes and trails. Check pets for ticks after going outdoors. These ticks may be small enough, but they can be seen by our mere eyes - or with your prescription glasses if need be. Try to check your skin and if any would be found, use a tweezer to pull these bugs. Be careful not to leave their head inside our skin.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infestation that starts with flu, then with joint pains and later, rash on the affected area. It is common during summer when the weather is warm. Let’s not allow these ticks to ruin your vacation, moreover, your summer, by learning how to prevent them from happening to you and your family. Happy summer!

Seniors should be forewarned: there are medical conditions that are mimicked by other diseases. Problem is, they are often misdiagnosed by medical professionals - even your doctor. Here are a few of them, as well as some of the most commonly suspected diseases, just to keep you informed:

Lupus is an inflammatory disease that is characterized by energy loss and body pain. It is often misdiagnosed as simple fatigue especially when aging, muscle pain and rheumatoid arthritis. Doctors commonly detect low blood count and pleurisy in the lungs but the most significant test would be the presence of active lupus erythematosus cells. Clear indications of this illness such as butterfly rash and photosensitivity are manifested on the late part.

Parkinson’s disease is also one of the noted illnesses that is often misdiagnosed. This ailment commonly affecting the seniors has often been mistaken for Alzheimer’s, stroke, traumatic head injury and essential tremors or ET. The only way to test and verify it would be through clinical examination. The medical professional must have a keen eye and should always be open to all possible conditions. It follows that we have to be more patient when a series of tests are being done to us since this is one way to avoid misleading diagnosis.

Fibromyalgia is the widespread pain in the joints often perceived as Rheumatoid arthritis and fatigue. When our body ages, we expect that the amount of activities would be lessened. Joint pains are most of the time, normal especially when aging, but we must make sure that the pain does not reach a duration of more than 3 months and in areas less expected to experience pain.

After a walk in the woods, when you may feel like you’re going to catch a flu, then after a while you see rash in your legs and arms, you might see it as a minor allergic reaction right? Well, you have to watch out if chronic pain occurs and the rash is slowly developing into a bull’s eye formation. These are the major symptoms of Lyme’s disease due to bacterial infestation of deer ticks. Medical attention should be sought so that a dose of antibiotics would be given. If left untreated, serious complications might take place.

Multiple sclerosis is manifested by muscle spasms, balance problems, problems of the eyesight and incoherence. It mimics signs of Lupus, Alzheimer’s and bipolar disorder. Blood tests done to this patients eliminates other disorders, while lumbar puncture and Magnetic Resonance Imaging will reflect damage of the disease to the brain and spinal cord.

It would be best to take second opinion if we are not that satisfied with initial diagnosis. There are diseases that mimics other diseases’ symptoms perfectly that it has become harder to detect correctly. It is also dangerous if we are treated on the disease which we don’t have in the first place.

Given in the morning, at bedtime, or after meals, mouth care entails brushing and flossing the teeth and inspecting the oral cavity. It removes soft plaque deposits and calculus from the teeth, cleans and massages the gums, reduces mouth odor, and helps fight and prevent infection. By freshening the patient’s mouth, oral cavity care also improves and enhances the taste of food, aiding appetite and most importantly, nutrition.

When you reach the point in your life when you realize that you need an oral health treatment or is expecting to need it soon, you need to plan out an analysis about this matter.
If you don’t know already, Medicare doesn’t include dental insurance for our elderly population or for our senior citizens. There might be a couple of exceptions but they are mostly rare to acquire.

There are a few of dental plan options available in the market today, and four of the dental plan options will be explained to see how each one of them affects you as a paying member.

First is the PPO dental insurance plan which is quite popular for senior citizens since it gives you the freedom of choosing your own preferred dentist. Businesses usually use this type of insurance plan to provide valuable options to their employees. Though PPO plans have numerous benefits for the elderly, be alert and aware for its flexibility comes at a price. Annual premiums are much more costly than the others.

Second is the HMO dental insurance plan, also known as dental health maintenance organizations or DHMO. This insurance plan is less expensive than the PPO plans and indemnity plans, and businesses usually use this type of plan to insure their employees at affordable rates.

A traditional dental coverage for seniors or the Dental Indemnity Insurance is the third type of dental insurance plan. In here, the policy holder picks any dentist he or she wishes and pays the dentist directly for services. The payment you gave is then returned to you for the insurance reimburse the carrier by means of the claims process. These plans cover 50%-80% of the dental work expenses, while the remaining is paid by the patient. The only advantage is that it may take a long time before the patient can be reimbursed, making this type of dental insurance for seniors, not the best choice.

Lastly is an alternative to traditional dental insurance plans, the Discount Dental Plans. They are not insurance, so they don’t require any copay or deductible and carry no yearly or annual maximum limits. It is also important to keep in mind that you will be responsible for paying the dentist the full discounted fee.

Dental infection and decay advance more in seniors. It is of utmost concern to schedule frequent checkups with proper oral health. This can ensure that you’re still smiling with confidence.

The aging process comes with individual role changes and transitions. Some roles, spouse or employee, may be bewildered, while new roles, widow or volunteer, may spring up. Such changes call for role adjustment or modification. The elements that may influence role adjustment include age, sex, beliefs, attitudes, financial gain, health, cultural background, and preceding experiences.

With aging, changes in the marital role may take place. The division of work and labor, and household management may change after retirement. If the other becomes ill, one spouse may take the role of the primary caregiver; If a better half passes away, social relations for the one left may also change. As a result, spouses may call for a “renegotiation” of household chores as well as leisure time and social activities. An independent adult may find himself growing dependent of the persons around him and it is all associated with an aging person’s natural, growing need for assistance. As we all know, the aging process comes with major physical, psychological, and sociological losses as well as a diminished ability to compensate and cope up with common stressors.

One of the most profound losses a person can experience in his or her lifetime is the death of a spouse. In addition, widowhood can seriously impact a person’s financial status, social network, and also physical and mental health. Bringing in awareness of counseling services, support groups, and other resources that are available to help him or her cope and adapt to the loss of a spouse is of great help. Informing him or her about respite care services that are available proves to be helpful especially when the affected person is a caregiver.

Following a loss of this kind, remember that there are decisions that should be made and paperworks that should be filed pronto. Take the easy route and call Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 if by chance you cannot find your spouse’s Social Security Number. 12 certified copies of the death certificate from the funeral directory or country health department are also needed. Aside from that, birth certificates from the state or country public records office where the person was born is also a requirement. To be able to prove your relationship and eligibility for any benefits, you’ll also need a marriage certificate on file with the county clerk where the license was released.

In instances where you can’t locate your spouse’s recent Income Tax returns, you could fill out IRS form 4506, a request for Copy or Transcript of Tax Form, with proof of authorization attached to act in lieu of your spouse.

If applicable in your case, you’ll necessitate Military Discharge papers to also prove eligibility for any benefits. If you don’t have this, you could contact the National Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200, and call attention of the branch of the military where your spouse has served.

Lastly, the Original Will as evidence, to show disposition of assets, which may be at the office of a lawyer who wrote it or in a safety deposit box, is needed. Arm yourself with Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate and Social Security Numbers for you and your spouse since some banks may have special procedures that would require these things. While losing someone is painful, it doesn’t need to be hard on your pocket too, if you’ve just lost your better half, make sure you don’t lose your financial security, and the earliest you could bring yourself to put these things in order, the better.

Adapting a lifestyle, especially if it has something to do with how a person eats can dramatically change a person, physically and otherwise. Vegetarianism seems to be the most favorite adapted lifestyle these days, young and old, it’s just one or the other reason for turning vegetarian however, for seniors, it is a lot more for the health than any other.

As you all may know, we seniors suffer from several limitations on food intake and consumption. Whatever it is that’s being offered to us, we must first be certain what’s in it and how it could affect our health. There is almost always no work-around either, no matter what these “healthy alternatives” companies say – say, artificial sweeteners versus sugar or salt alternative versus real salt. You will still end up missing the real thing.

Now, going vegan is not really a bad idea for seniors, again, considering the many “don’ts” we have to remember when eating. If we look closely to the general order of things, seniors should be limiting consumption of sweets, diuretics such as coffee and tea, fried and greasy foods, and salty - among other things, all the while loading up on fruits, veggies and whole grains. In other words, most of us seniors are encouraged to a life of vegetarianism and I must say, the lifestyle won’t hurt us any, in fact it might even help us solve some of our heath problems.

Still, you need to check with your doctor if this is a good idea for you and ask her/him his thoughts about your decision to go vegetarian. Don’t be ashamed to check, there are many people who do this and doing so will also prepare your doctor for future analysis and treatment with regard to your health.

Taking into consideration how sensitive your digestive system has become, a vegan diet might suit you since you exclude meat in your diet and even its byproducts which often cause trouble to your digestive track. However, it is very important to consult healthcare providers before you start a vegan diet as there are still aspects to it that an aging body won’t probably be able to manage. For example, it is best if you consult a nutritionist to properly plan your vegan meals instead of striking it completely on your own. Aside from that, pay close attention to types of food that have undesirable reaction to your body such as cabbage which is known for their gas-making properties and figs which induce laxative effects. On top of that, a vegan must make sure they are getting all their needed nutrients, even those that are normally found in meats which you are not supposed to take anymore since you have just turned vegan.

Happiness is something we chase all our lives. Honestly, if you ask me now, I would probably tell you that the only human beings not really bothered with being happy are infants. But then again, maybe all those crying could also signify their unhappiness. Regardless of age, we all want to be happy right? But it seems there are times happiness is so elusive, it can be frustrating.

Anyway, if we are to believe Dalai Lama, happiness can actually be achieved, and it is not so elusive afterall. We just have to start with ourselves and work our way out. It is even possible to rub some of your happiness off with people around you who might be in dire need of some happiness in their life.

According to Dalai Lama, happiness is a state of mind which I firmly agree. However, you need to be fulfilled before you can achieve complete happiness. This only means that you should be happy in every aspect of your life, be it worldly and/or intangible.

Dalai Lama recommends that you train your mind to be happy. Of all the things you could do with a human brain, training is one thing you can sure do with it. Happiness is all about attitude, your attitude towards things, and how you react on certain things. I remember a saying “a coin always has two sides” which is true. Something so negative could be positive too, it’s just how you see things that matters most. So it all boils down to how your mind was trained to be in constant happiness.

Thanks to yoga and other meditative techniques, calmness of the mind has become easier to achieve. That you don’t really have to sweat it to be able to calm your mind or exert a lot of effort to do this. Calming techniques, when learned, not only eliminates stress but also helps you to focus on more important things than wasting your time dwelling on unproductive and “over-and-done-with” past. This will also help you to keep on moving forward and be able to feel content and satisfied with what you are achieving right now.

Positivity is very important in your pursuit of happiness. Negativity only has destructive effects on your life and would not - will never - yield long-desired happiness. Learn to let go of the negative things you have been feeling and abhorring and never be influenced by anger. Most importantly, educate yourself, because the better you understand things, the lesser negativity could get to you.

Always remember that good things only bring about good vibes. Knowing that you only have good intentions to start with will only lead to harvesting and ultimately achieving, happiness.

I don’t know about you but I’ve been battling undereye circles, puffy eyes and eye wrinkles for only God-knows when. I’ve tried everything, from natural remedies to eye creams although I am not yet ready for “the knife”. Not that I have anything against it, it’s just that I felt I haven’t gotten that far yet.

So you could say that all my efforts were not done in vain. While my eye area may show signs of aging, it’s not as horrible as it should be considering my age. But, I tell you, it takes an awful lot of time, effort and commitment for such result. Every single day, you need to pay close attention to your peepers and make up for the time or day you ignored it. Sometimes, it gets a little frustrating too.

Overtime, I was able to come up with a nice and doable regimen for my eye skin care. Below are some of the things you need to observe when caring for the skin around your eyes:

• Puffy eyes have a reason. While they can get quite hard to predict, getting to the bottom of it can help you avoid getting puffy eyes again. Eye creams can only do so much, it’s impossible for eye creams to be able to fight something unbeknownst to them especially if it is something genetic which is mostly the cause of puffy eyes. Also, take into consideration fluid retention as this could also cause puffy eyes. When your body hold on to water, your eye skin which is basically thinner than anywhere else tend to swell more noticeably. Try the good old cucumber and tea bag remedy, while it may not eliminate swelling at once, they help reduce it.
• Eye creams with caffeine. This is for those who have problems with water retention thus puffy eyes. Since caffeine is a known diuretic, it will help drain excess fluid on the eye area.
• Gently massage the eye area, careful not to cause too much friction between your fingers and delicate eye skin. When massaging the skin around your eye, it would help if you apply an eye cream or eye gel first so that your fingertips won’t rub the skin too much.
• Dark circles can also be a result of hyperpigmentation. It can be your genes (again) or unconsciously rubbing the eye area. If you notice your eyes to be very itchy at times, try to consult with your eye doctor as dry eyes are also part of the aging process and it can get really uncomfortable.
• Try not to frown too much since collagen levels (the substance that is responsible for ironing up your skin straight) diminishes over time. In other words, one time you frown could mean there’s no erasing that permanent line made.

Caring for your heart, or at least, taking measured steps to a healthier heart should begin at 40. This is because when you reach this age, you are less physically active than you ever were but more mind stressed than you’ll ever be. Bear in mind that if you hit the sack at night feeling drained and energy-less, that doesn’t mean you got your fair share of physical activeness. You could be fatigued just by sitting in a corner and thinking of 101 different things at the same time.

So when you hit the age of 40, better start consciously planning your activities according to what’s best for your heart. For this, you could consult with your cardiologist during your annual visits and checkups, ask if a certain activity is suitable for you and what things should be considered during these activities. Moreover, it wouldn’t hurt if you start asking your cardio doctor about tests for more in-depth assessment of your heart’s status. You should, by now, have your own heart doctor, find one if you still haven’t any.

Keep in mind that this is the age when you should get your physical self moving. Set aside some time for your daily exercises no matter how impossible it seems considering your current daily schedule of activities. If it helps, consider yourself as one of your responsibilities, that if you can do things for your kids, parents and husband, certainly you can do things for yourself too. You owe yourself and your body that much anyway.

Also, exercising is not only for those who would like to drop pounds so even if you don’t really need to trim down, you still need to get moving in order to maintain a healthy heart. Work with your cardiologist to be able to detect signs if your heart is in danger or if you’re at risk. There are risk assessment procedures that could be done, just ask your doctor about it.

Do take note of your past and recent surgeries as they may have put you at risk for heart problems. Not all surgeries do, but recent studies find that some of the most simple of surgeries put a patient in higher risk of developing heart problems. Have your doctor check for calcifications in other parts of your body. If you are a girl, mammogram shows specks of calcifications which are usually brushed off by your oncologist but should be noted by your cardiologist.

Again, regular checkups will help you. As simple as monitoring your blood pressure, your pulse rate, glucose levels, your weight and BMI can help you detect heart problems early on.