Seniors Site

Naturally as we age, one can’t help but think of death and other factors that surround it. When we were younger, we felt invincible as if nobody can ever touch us but now that we are nearing our final years, it is but normal to think—and even be aware—of what may cause our death just so we can prepare for it, if there’s such thing.

Death is natural and it should come. Like they say, everybody wants to be in heaven but it seems that nobody wants to die. As ironic as it may seem, everyone of us should undergo this phase in life just because it’s the way it has to be. According to the natural cycle of life, one must perish to give way to a new life, just imagine if there will be no more deaths and we will just go on living, would that be fun? I don’t think so. It doesn’t matter if we die tomorrow or the next day, what matters most is how we lived our lives right? Below are the top 10 causes of death in seniors. As you can see, the two most apparent causes are accidents and of course, health. While the former cannot be determined when or where it would strike, the latter can be prevented if we just take care of ourselves early on. Here are they, in alphabetical order:

·    Accidents— This includes fall, slips, fractures and others, acquired from both past and present accidents. Seniors are prone to accidents, partly because most of the time their senses are impaired and they can no longer help themselves. Don’t hesitate to seek assistance when you feel you need one. Practice safety precautions especially if there’s no one to assist you at the moment.
·    Alzheimer’s disease—Although death won’t come instantly in an Alzheimer’s disease, many have gone this route and sadly, most of them would have wanted to be dead than living a life that is empty. Most seniors die from complications brought about the disease and not from Alzheimer’s disease itself.
·    Cancer– Young or old, cancer kills and it seems that most cancer fatalities belong to a much younger group now than it was before. It certainly doesn’t recognize age but it kills almost half of the senior population too. Maybe because cancer still has no cure and its cause has yet to be determined.
·    Diabetes–  Some people are born with diabetes but a greater number of patients suffering from diabetes have the “adult onset” type which is clearly defined by one’s lifestyle.
·    Heart disease–  Again, a lifestyle disease. When you know you’re prone to heart problems, it pays to heed calls early on than suffer an irreversible consequence. Dying from heart disease is usually instantaneous and there’s no telling when.
·    Infection—As we age, our body is getting weaker by the minute comprising our immune system enormously. This makes way for various infections to come and breed inside of us.
·    Kidney Problems—Too much alcohol consumed in your lifetime will certainly kill you. Not only that, it will make your overall quality of life unbearable. Kidney problems have its own set of delaying procedures but it’s too painful to put up with. Renal failure will put your body’s own toxic waste management team on hold causing harmful toxins to accumulate and ultimately poison your system.
·    Lung disease– If too much alcohol can kill a person, so does smoking. Lung disease is an effect of sustained tobacco smoking that proves to be very dangerous not only for you but also for the people around you.
·    Pneumonia– It is a lung infection. Basically, an impaired immune system coupled with a lung that has been gradually giving up already then throw in a miniscule bacterium in there and voila! The ever deadly pneumonia.
·    Stroke– Stroke happens when a blood clot blocks a major artery therefore hindering the blood flow to important organs of the body. Usually, the ones that cause problems are the heart and the brain.

Building a strong relationship with your own personal doctor is important since your life depends on this person. Like any other relationship there is, it requires two individuals working in harmony to achieve a successful relationship so it should not depend entirely on the doctor. There are things you need to do to ensure that your relationship with your doctor would be something that is built based on trust and respect and quite frankly, finding a good doctor that fits your needs is quite hard. The best possible way to find your perfect fit is to start looking early in life. This person should be, most preferably, someone who has been working with your health for quite sometime now.

If you’re able to maintain a good relationship with your doctor, it would be much easier for him to see warning signs upon checkups. His concern is most apparent and you’ll feel secured with each and every decision he is about to make regarding your health. These are some ways to enhance your relationship with your doctor today:

·    Don’t forget an appointment. Your doctor is a very busy person and making him wait for you is a very insensitive thing to do. Remember to schedule a regular checkup once a year so that your doctor is updated with your current heath status, preferably on or before your birthday, just so you won’t forget it.
·    Communication is very important. You must be very comfortable talking to your doctor and letting him know your fears. When your doctor feels this, he would develop a much stronger bind with you.
·    Don’t be afraid to ask questions if there is something you don’t fully understand. Asking questions is different from questioning his ability to decide what’s best for you so there’s no need to be afraid if your intention is the former.
·    When there is something that needs to be addressed immediately, usually the good doctor will give you an ample time to decide. Use this time wisely by doing your own research and listing down any questions you may have regarding the issue at hand. When the time has come for both of you to meet again, don’t forget to ask the good doctor of the questions you may have.
·    It is not uncommon to find a doctor that doesn’t exactly fit your needs. It may be your gut feel kicking in or the way the doctor is handling you isn’t exactly your idea of patient-doctor relationship. Whatever the reasons may be, it is important that you feel at-ease when seeing your doctor and it is not bad to find your perfect fit, so don’t hesitate to see another one if you deem fit.
·    It won’t kill a patient if he takes time to be kind. A simple “how’s your day?” would do good for anyone especially for your tired doctor. Always remember that these doctors are people too and they get tired and pressured every single day.
·    Extend appreciation for a job well done. Everyone needs to be acknowledged even if it is their job to care for people. Sometimes, doing something is not always for the money but for the friendships he or she is able to make while doing what he does best.

Vacation is fun but it seems that it has its own aftermath that most seniors find it regrettable after going home and contending with it for months to come. Actually, this is a common problem to most vacationers since people that are on a vacation tend to throw every ounce of discipline out the window come vacation time. The problem:  overeating.

It is not uncommon for vacationers to let go of their diet plan since vacation is closely associated with good food and great time. These two go hand and hand. Quite frankly, a vacation is never complete without going home with one satisfied stomach. For most seniors, dining out and simply enjoying what the vacation has to offer are the highlights of a good vacation. Although vacations should be fun and are without any restrictions, one must also think of their health when out vacationing or risk ending up in some hospital’s bed. Here are some great tips to stay slim and sexy this summer vacation:

·    You would know you’re on a vacation when something good and interesting is sitting on your plate. It’s okay to savor a local delicacy since most memories of your vacation will fade quickly but never the ones that are remembered by your stomach. That doesn’t necessarily mean you must eat them with every single meal especially if they are not too healthy. Once a day is okay, then makeup for it by eating healthy for the rest of the day.
·    When dining out, plan your meals accordingly. Decide the things you’re going to order even before you get there so you won’t go overboard when the “ordering” time comes.
·    ALWAYS eat your breakfast, no matter how sleepy you get in the mornings. Without breakfast, your chances of pigging out come lunchtime are much higher. Also, breakfast, being the most important meal of the day will keep you going for almost half of the day.
·    Make grocery stores your bestfriend. They are cheap and very flexible. You can even cook a good dinner if you are staying in a place that has a kitchen. Also, packs of healthy foods such as instant oatmeal, teas, and trail mixes can be found in most supermarkets and convenience stores. These things you can bring along with you and munch on when hungry.
·    Vacations are meant to be enjoyed thus most chores, responsibilities and obligations are left back home. Take advantage of this “nonduty” time by catching up with your almost-forgotten fitness routine. Jog, run and stretch in the mornings.
·    Stay away from fast food chains, instead find local restaurants that are serving home cooked meals.
·    If your knees can afford it, use stairs instead of elevators. You’ll burn extra calories this way. Also, use your feet and walk around town to get the feel of the area.
·    Stay hydrated. When you get dehydrated, your mind will trick you in thinking you’re hungry when you’re not. The same goes for the amount of sleep you get since it affects your hormones particularly those that control your hunger pangs.

Of all the health conditions a senior must face upon reaching an advance age, mental problems prove to be the hardest to detect. In fact, even the senior himself won’t know if he is already experiencing these problems up until the time an expert tells him so. Furthermore, mental health problems usually go undetected since other potentially fatal illnesses should be ruled out first. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of conditions that share the same symptoms, mental illnesses usually go full-blown before they get proper medical attention.

It was said that old age should be the time when seniors reap the rewards of their lifelong hardships and battles. This should be the time they relax, let go of some obligations and just be happy. Unfortunately, this is not always the case for most seniors especially now that many have been delaying retirement for financial reasons. There’s always the pressure of living our daily lives and sometimes, it makes a powerful impact in the way we think without us knowing it. If this reason alone could make us go crazy then just imagine what seeing our friends gradually fading right before our eyes, major illnesses hit us left and right and losing a spouse can do to us. No matter how matured we have become as seniors, there’s no way these incidents would go unfelt.

When we talk about mental illnesses, it is quite impossible for the sufferer to feel the symptoms, much less for him to arrive in a conclusion that he is indeed suffering from it. Most of the time, it is the caregiver or someone who lives in the same house who would notice these warning signs. This is why it is extremely important for the caregiver to be very alert and vigilant of these signs especially if the senior is currently undergoing a lot of stress. It is also important to note that if and when a senior experiences sudden lifestyle change, the caregiver should be more observant of the senior’s behavior and reaction. Here are some warning signs that could signify mental problems in seniors:

·    The average, healthy grieving period for an adult would be anywhere between 6 months to a year. This is depending on the degree and the type of loss they had. Within this period, the grieving senior should be able to function entirely normal with little pockets of sadness every now and then. When you notice depression lasting two full weeks or more then it is time to seek help.
·    Take note of the senior’s ability to concentrate and focus on the task at hand.
·    Although it is but natural for seniors to think of their death, it is not normal for someone to be obsessed about it.
·    Weight loss is the number one sign of all diseases which means if someone experienced sudden weight loss, he or she is sure to have something that the body couldn’t take very well.
·    If the senior has trouble sleeping or if their sleeping patterns have become very erratic these past few days, something is wrong.
·    Most of the time, addictions are a result of depression. This is the mind’s way to forget painful things or even emotions that the mind couldn’t process.
·    Chronic pains with no evident source. When the mind is deeply hurt, it creates pain anywhere in the body to divert the feeling. In most cases, seniors who suffer depression welcome these pains instead of dealing with their emotions.

Baldness in medical term is what your doctor would refer to as Alopecia. Baldness can be very frustrating and unfortunately, it is prevalent among older adults and progresses overtime. But, alopecia is not limited to seniors only as it also strikes younger adults especially if they are predisposed to the said hair condition. As experts would say, alopecia can be a result of many different factors, genetic being the most persistent of them all. Some seniors who are suffering from alopecia stated that the condition started more or less, in their mid-30s while others start later in life. It can manifest as partial or total baldness depending on what fate decides to give you since its extent cannot be fully determined until your hair stopped growing.

While it can lower one’s self-esteem, older women being the most affected than their male counterparts, alopecia’s damage is not at all life-threatening. Healthcare providers believe that alopecia—particularly diffuse alopecia or androgenic alopecia—is an age-related condition along with couple of others like diminishing eyesight and/or deafness. What concerns healthcare providers the most is that alopecia can also be a symptom of an underlying disease, illness or condition that the senior may have. For one, severe depression can cause hairfall, even if the senior hasn’t recognized it yet. It is always advisable for seniors to consult your doctor when your hair starts falling to rule out any possible health risk.

Age-related baldness cannot be prevented altogether, although it can be delayed and in some cases, remedied as with any other conditions that come with aging. Androgenic alopecia is referred to as such since the condition was found out to be a result of declining androgen hormones but it doesn’t necessarily mean that this type of alopecia is exclusive to men. Androgenic alopecia can also hit older women although the hairfall pattern tends to be diffused whereas male pattern baldness creates a horseshoe-like shape in one’s head.

There are treatments available for seniors who suffer alopecia and are growing quite conscious of it. For mild cases, there are medical preparations you can buy that may improve your hair’s current state. However, these preparations can only improve or delay but never cure since as of the moment, there is no known cure for baldness. Some seniors who lost a lot opt to have cosmetic surgery or hair transplant and fortunately, most of them come happy and satisfied with their decisions.

This summer proves to be the worst season for seniors since it’s becoming hotter everyday. Every year, local authorities prepare for this season and proceed with caution while keeping an eye to senior housing facilities and communities present in their area. These round-ups are done since seniors are the most vulnerable to heat-related incidents that can be fatal when overlooked.

Heat-induced stress can trigger health complications from other diseases that you may have. Volunteers from various organizations often take time to visit shelters wherein seniors are known to live alone and help them prepare for hot days ahead by informing them what to do in case they feel symptoms of heat-related incidents and assist these seniors in heat-proofing their houses as well. Other volunteer groups check-up on them every now and then just to know if the senior in question is still okay and not experiencing any life-threatening difficulties.

Although it seems that they got us all covered, we still need to do our own preventive measures just to make sure we get past this summer alive and well. Aside from the basics such as not going out during those times when the sun is at its hottest and staying cool indoors in well-ventilated places, there are some foods that actually cool down the body’s temperature thus alleviating the stress brought about by heat. Here are some cooling foods that can help you ease the heat away:

·    Your best bet would be watery foods or foods that are rich in water content. Great examples of which are watermelon, fruit juices and even cold soups.
·    Increase water intake. If you are not a water-person, any liquid that is not a diuretic will work as fine too but try to “like” water when possible since it’s better absorb by the body than any other liquids.
·    Coconut water is good for the body as it works similar to a sports drink. It has high sodium and potassium content to replenish your body all lost minerals when it perspire. Best of all, coconut water is naturally sweet so you don’t have to add sugar anymore. Best when served cold.
·    Take advantage of the summer season by experimenting with different kinds of seasonal fruits. Fruits are great for you since they pack fibers, beta carotene and vitamins needed by the body. Also, fruits are dieters’ bestfriend:  no fats but filling and delicious. Try mangoes.
·    There are types of vegetables that are best when served cold too especially the salad-types. Lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes are a great addition in your daily meals. When cold, they can be very satisfying to one’s stomach—and body temperature too!

Touch therapy for infants is well-promoted by experts worldwide since this therapy proves to sooth and calm your babies while sending them signals of assurance when spoken words bear no meaning yet. It was even said that touch therapy is the most effective alternative therapy for infants because it promotes health and well-being of the child. Furthermore, its health benefits last longer and even way beyond childhood such as stronger bones and good blood circulation. I bet your kids enjoyed this bonding time with you back then too.

The effects of touch therapy to infants are no different when the therapy is applied to senior citizens. Even a stressed out younger adult seeks a good massage every now and then to relieve stress and renew senses when it becomes too heavy for their worn-out bodies. Professional athletes for one, hire sport massage therapists for their therapy needs such as simple after-practice massage to assisting them with their injuries and helping them to recuperate. Medically, massage therapy is referred to as medical therapy. Also, let’s not forget physical and occupational therapy which are actual branches of medical science. From here, we’ll know that indeed massage therapy works wonders for our bodies, no matter what age we are in and if younger bodies do benefit from it then just imagine what it can do for our senior ones.

For seniors, the most beneficial part of getting a massage therapy is its ability to have pain under control especially those brought about by arthritis. Pain management is just one of the many great benefits a massage therapy can give you. Aside from overall improvement in the quality of life you lead, it greatly enhances your health and wellbeing. It is also proven to be very affective in managing the aging process and for whatever negative things it brings to our bodies. It was also found out to be beneficial for patients with Alzheimer’s disease since it can induce relaxation thus improving the ability to communicate and stay focus on their thoughts, although this notion is yet to be proven by experts.

Seniors with arthritis found solace with massage therapy. First and foremost, massage therapy is all natural and very effective in increasing one’s range of motion by encouraging natural joint lubrication of the body. Also, it improves balance by its ability to increase muscle strength and coordination. Aging can also bring great stress to your body and most age-related illnesses can cause limited physical activities. These factors can cause your body to break down on its own but if massage therapy is introduced, your body undergoes stimulation like it moved more even if you are in a very relaxed state. Effects of massage therapy are felt at once and a senior who underwent a massage will notice the difference especially with their energy levels and mental awareness. Truly, massage therapies are the most effective solution in alleviating age-related symptoms.

Our bodies are designed to move. When you study its composition, you’ll notice that every strand of muscle has its own duty to perform specifically when moving. Even as simple as typing words over your keyboard, you are using muscles to do the job. When you perform everyday tasks, it becomes harder to recognize the importance of these muscles since it comes naturally as reflex but in reality, it is the mind-and-body coordination at work. For younger adults, moving comes very naturally.

Unfortunately for seniors, moving becomes quite a task and some age-related illnesses usually force seniors not to move a muscle. This in return, contradicts what the body is made for. When this happens, something in there is bound to break down eventually causing areas of mobility to deteriorate rapidly. Before moving on, seniors should know that these unfortunate events can be prevented—or delayed—if you have introduced regular exercise earlier in your life. Here are some known points of deterioration in seniors when you decide to stop moving your body:

·    Staying power or endurance. Most seniors tend to lose endurance as they age which limits almost all physical activities. When a simple activity proves to be very exhaustive such as walking and climbing the stairs, you would know you lack exercise or you don’t move around that much. Endurance is something you train and it certainly can be pushed when the body is trained to do so however, lack of endurance training will result to decreased staying power on the senior’s part.
·    Muscle mass. Muscles are dead giveaway to your age since, naturally, it shrinks along as we age which results to frail, sagging look. In this day and age when looks are important, looking all crinkly and saggy is a crime indeed! Furthermore, when muscles stopped moving, it will start wasting or what medically referred to as muscle atrophy. Decrease muscle mass will result to weakness since force depends on the mass.
·    Impaired balance. This is the most hazardous implication of them all and sadly, it is prevalent among seniors since there are many reasons for balance impairment aside from lack of exercise. Impaired balance, almost always causes falls and slips among seniors and it could be very disabling to fragile bones. On the other hand, there are exercises that can improve your balance such as yoga and Pilates.
·    Lessened tractability or flexibility. As we age, it is but natural to experience joint stiffness every now and then but when a person lacks motion, it progresses fast enough to disable the suffering person. Compromised flexibility will result to reduced mobility and limited range of motion.

Overall, a person’s body needs to move so you can use it better. If a senior wants to enjoy his or her retirement years, it is important that you indulge your body more. Taking care of your body will compel it to pay you back handsomely and will guarantee you a happy life years ahead.

In some cases such as accidents and medical emergencies, it becomes easier to determine when and how to intervene with your beloved senior’s life but unfortunately, there are times when your efforts are met with resistance and things steer into a much harder road of second guessing and lifestyle changes. Sometimes, decreased capacity to lead life normally in seniors is not that obvious and worst, if the senior don’t acknowledge this fact in the first place.

It was always said that the key to a successful intervention is good communication-relationship between the senior and the supposed negotiator or the caregiver himself since more often than not, seniors tend to be weary and untrusting to intruders—sadly, that’s you in this situation. If the senior could somehow feel sincerity in there, he or she will allow you to help them albeit reluctantly. But the question still remains, how would you know when it’s time?

Sending the senior to a long term care facility is way off the mark especially if there is no apparent reason for doing so. In fact, these facilities should be your last resort preferably in phases when the senior can no longer move on his own and he needs medical attention too. As much as possible, allow seniors to have a little breathing room because they still need their privacy as an individual. If your senior can still function normally, like caring for himself but having some trouble keeping the house up and running, then the most you need is a cleaning lady to keep an eye on the house and the senior too. This way you are meeting with the senior halfway.

Actually, the first thing to give way is the appearance of the senior if there is an existing problem with his mental and physical capabilities. It helps if you are good in observing their behavior but be careful not to point out everything you are noticing. Instead, try a different approach such as offering help with their daily tasks. When offering help, give reasons other than what it’s intentionally for such as doing their laundry just because you have nothing better to do this weekend or doing their grocery because you’re also getting yours. With this approach, seniors will give in easily thinking that they are not a burden on your side and you are willing to help with their odds and ends.

There will be times that the senior may mention some minor health problems, these are the times that you should be paying attention and reading between the lines. If your mom or dad is living with someone younger than them then ask this person what he or she thinks. As soon as you notice signs of deteriorating health, it is best to increase number of visits just to see if the situation progresses and how fast it goes. Be on the look out for safety risks that your parent may have left behind unconsciously such as burnt pots, open doors, and slippery floors. Moreover, a senior who is suffering depression needs assistance too and almost always, it is the hardest illness to detect so it pays to take note of that as well.

We all need sleep. Sleep helps in relieving our mind and body of all the stress we encounter when performing our daily activities. When we are sleeping, the body’s system goes on auto-function and heals itself to get it ready for the next day’s tasks. Whereas the body undergoes recuperation while fully relaxed, the mind on the other hand stays active and performs systemized organization of gathering data and information stored at different nooks and crannies of the brain hence the possible manifestations of dreams.

Unfortunately, as we age, our sleeping patterns suffer tremendously. As a newborn child would, it seems that the body doesn’t recognize time anymore and won’t respond to the circadian rhythm like it used to. Due to this very unfortunate occurrence, a senior’s body will have to put up with the very destructive effects of sleep deprivation.

While sleep problem with seniors has relatively unknown cause except for a couple of potentially plausible explanation such as medication side effects or diminishing sleep hormones, there are ways to induce “the mood” and help you achieve better sleep. Here are some of the ways you might want to try tonight:

·    If you find that alarm clocks work for you, then it too may work to remind you of your bedtime. The body needs to prepare itself for hours of sleeping even if you already had a long and tiring day. In other words, it needs conditioning, best if you can do it for about an hour. Within this hour, before-bedtime rituals should be done but they need to be relaxing such as reading a book or listening to soothing music. Set your alarm clock one hour before sleeping to remind you when it’s time to wind down.
·    Emotional status of the person prior to sleeping plays a big role in his or her capacity to sleep. We all know that it gets quite hard to attain sleep when you are bothered or troubled but try as we might, clearing up the head is easier said than done so the next best thing you can do is try to slow things down even for a bit.
·    Avoid worrying too much if sleep doesn’t visit you right away for there are days that it won’t really come easily. Just don’t do anything that will stimulate your senses in getting active again such as action-packed movies or exercising. Never force yourself to sleep when you are not feeling it since it will only create panic if it doesn’t come at once.
·    Seniors tend to suffer nocturia or night-time urination. This disorder is extremely common among men but it also manifests in women. Try to lessen your trips to the toilet during the night by avoiding drinking water and diuretics prior to sleeping.

Sleep deprivation has many effects on one’s health. It is most advisable for seniors to try to get sleep as much as they possibly can and not to be overly conscious of the time it arrives. One golden rule for seniors’ sleeping problem, when sleep strikes, grab the opportunity and sleep!