7 Strength Training Benefits For The Elderly

Strength Training for the elderly helps with the following:

1. Osteoporosis — makes the bones stronger.
2. Arthritis – eases arthritis pain.
3. Balance – improves balance and the built up muscle can sustain a fall or an impact better.
4. Cardiovascular Health – lowers blood pressure, decreases bad cholesterol (LDL), and increases good cholesterol (HDL).
5. Obesity – reduces body fat mass.
6. Diabetes type II – can help control blood sugar
7. Back problems – back strengthening exercises can help relieve back pain.

People Who Became Famous In Old Age

* Harry Bernstein, author who published his first book, The Invisible Wall, at 96 in 2007
* Jeanne Calment, oldest known person ever (122)
* Ann Nixon Cooper, who at age 106 made national news during the 2008 US presidential election for voting for Barack Obama. She was mentioned in Obama’s victory speech.
* Granny D, political activist who ran for public office at the age of 94
* James Fisher, blacksmith who returned from retirement to become the first person over the age of 100 to achieve the ACA qualification.
* Enrico Dandolo, who led the infamous Fourth Crusade in his 80s
* Sadie and Bessie Delany, civil rights activists
* Ruth Ellis, 101-year-old African-American LGBT activist
* Florence Holway, rape survivor and activist
* Johannes Heesters, Dutch-Austrian entertainer
* Mary Harris “Mother” Jones, Irish-American labor organizer
* Maggie Kuhn, activist and founder of the Gray Panthers
* Mae Laborde, actress who began acting in her 90s
* Buster Martin, said to be the oldest worker in the UK at age 103
* Grandma Moses, American folk artist
* Narses, who became a successful general at 74
* Peter Oakley, aka geriatric1927, British senior famous for his YouTube videos
* Clara Peller, Wendy’s spokeswoman, famous for her “Where’s the Beef?” catch-phrase
* Emily Perry, actress who played the role of Madge Allsop
* Mary Jane Rathbun, nurse and activist who was arrested for serving marijuana brownies to AIDS patients
* Malvina Reynolds, folk singer and political activist
* Olive Riley, blogger who started blogging at 107
* Arthur Winston, who at age 100 retired from his job working for the Los Angeles Metro after 72 years missing only one day, that being for his wife’s funeral in 1988.

– From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Keeping Mom and Dad Safe at Home submitted by Hospice & Palliative Care of Greensboro

Generally, elderly parents want to remain living in their own home. However, remaining in the home becomes a concern when children see their parents slowing down, perhaps even having trouble with handling stairs and doing general daily activities. Yet, with parents’ mental and physical health currently not creating problems, there seems to be no imminent need to search out support services or other accommodations for aging parents.

 

This is now the time to evaluate the home to make it safe and secure for your loved ones — now and in the near future — in anticipation of aging disabilities that may occur. Help and support are available. The nation as a whole is more aware of elderly needs and services and products are becoming available at an outstanding pace.

 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states,

“Employment of personal and home care aides is projected to grow by 51 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The expected growth is due, in large part, to the projected rise in the number of elderly people, an age group that often has mounting health problems and that needs some assistance with daily activities.” Bureau of labor Statistics-Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition 

This growing need for aides and services also encompasses 

• home remodeling services — making a home more serviceable to the elderly;
• safety alert systems and technology;
• motion sensors to monitor movement;
• telehealth services — using home-based computer systems for the doctors office or a nurse to monitor vital signs and
• even a pill dispenser that notifies when it is time to take medication. 

Where do you begin to make sure your elderly family member is safe and managing well in his or her home?

 

Visit often and at different times of the day and night. Make note of daily activities that appear challenging and where changes might be made to add safety and convenience. Remove rugs that slide — causing a fall — and move furniture with sharp edges. Set the water heater at a lower temperature. This will protect their older sensitive skin from scalds and burns. Be sure smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are in place.

 

Bathrooms are a hazard area for the elderly. Grab bars by the toilet and shower are a must to help prevent falls. There are easy to install bars at your local hardware store if you want to do the work yourself. Another item that is good to have is a shower stool or chair.

 

If you are not sure of what needs to be done, consider hiring a professional. There are companies that specialize in home remodeling and accommodation for seniors. Michelle Graham of Accessible Design by Studio G4 says about senior home remodel projects,  

“The main thing we incorporate in all of our projects is a careful study of needs and potential needs that may develop throughout a client’s lifespan.”

Keep in mind what future home adjustments might be needed for your parents to “age in place” in their home.

 

Home safety or medical alert companies provide GPS-based bracelets or pendants to track the elderly at home who tend to wander. Or the companies may provide alarm devices such as pendants or bracelets which allow the elderly to alert someone if there has been a fall or a sudden health-related attack. In the event an alarm has been triggered, a 24 hour monitoring service will alert the family or medical emergency services or call a neighbor depending on previous instructions. In addition there are companies that will install motion sensors in the home to monitor the elderly on a 24 hour basis.

 

Don’t forget your parents’ community as a valuable resource for helping them stay in their home. Take Margaret Muller as an example. At 82 years of age, Margaret lives alone in her small home. She manages very well with the help of her local Senior Center. The Center’s “Senior Companion” program sees that Margaret is taken to the store for groceries and other needs and checks in with her often to see how she is doing. Once a day, the Senior Center delivers a hot healthy meal to her door. Having these services and visits gives Margaret the help she needs and peace of mind that she is not alone.

 

Neighbors, local church groups, senior centers and city centers are some places to look for assistance. Most of the time there is little or no cost for these services.

 

Your state aging services unit is a valuable community resource. The National Area on Aging website http://www.aoa.gov/states:

 

“AoA, through the Older Americans Act and other legislation, supports programs that help older adults maintain their independence and dignity in their homes and communities. In addition AoA provides funding for a range of supports to family caregivers.”

 

Some of the programs the site lists are:

“Supportive Services and Senior Centers

Nutrition Services

National Family Caregiver Support Program

Grants for Native Americans

Nursing Home Diversion Grants

Aging & Disability Resource Centers

Evidence-Based Disease Prevention

Long-Term Care Planning

Alzheimer’s Disease Grants

Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities”  

A few thoughts on hiring home care aides or live-in care givers.

The classifieds are filled with people looking for work as aides to the elderly. Many of these aides are well-qualified, honest people who will do a good job; but, of course, there will be some not so reputable. If you are looking to hire someone, be sure you interview and check references and qualifications. You will be responsible for scheduling that person and doing payroll and taxes as well. Be very sure you hire someone trustworthy, as the elderly seem to trust these helpers more than they should and therefore can easily be taken advantage of.

 

A professional home care service will eliminate your employment concerns. Professionally-provided aides are usually bonded and service is guaranteed. Home care companies take care of the scheduling and payment of their employees. Home care companies cater to the elderly in their homes by offering a variety of services. The National Care Planning Council lists many of these companies throughout the country on its website http://www.longtermcarelink.net/.

These providers represent a rapidly growing trend to allow people needing help with long term care to remain in their home or in the community instead of going to a care facility. The services offered may include:

• companionship
• grooming and dressing
• recreational activities
• incontinent care
• handyman services
• teeth brushing
• medication reminders
• bathing or showering
• light housekeeping
• meal preparation
• respite for family caregivers
• errands and shopping
• reading email or letters
• overseeing home deliveries
• dealing with vendors
• transportation services
• changing linens
• laundry and ironing
• organizing closets
• care of house plants
• 24-hour emergency response
• family counseling
• phone call checks
• and much more.

Thomas Day, Director of the National Care Planning Council states,

“Care in the home provided by a spouse or a child is the most common form of long-term care in this country. About 73% of all long term care is provided in the home environment typically by family caregivers.”

As their caregiver, you can make the difference in the quality of life for your aging parents and if staying in their home is a possibility, you have the resources to make it happen.

An Old Lady’s Poem

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?

What are you thinking when you’re looking at me?

A crabby old woman, not very wise,
uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply,
when you say in a loud voice, “I do wish you’d try!”

Who seems not to notice the things that you do,
and forever is losing a stocking or shoe…..

Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will,
with bathing and feeding, the long day to fill….

Is that what you’re thinking?

Is that what you see?

Then open your eyes, nurse; you’re not looking at me.

I’ll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
as I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.

I’m a small child of ten …with a father and mother,
brothers and sisters, who love one another.

A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,
dreaming that soon now a lover she’ll meet.

A bride soon at twenty — my heart gives a leap,
remembering the vows that I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,
who need me to guide and a secure happy home.

A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,
bound to each other with ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,
but my man’s beside me to see I don’t mourn.

At fifty once more, babies play round my knee,
again we know children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead;
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.

For my young are all rearing young of their own,
and I think of the years and the love that I’ve known.

I’m now an old woman …and nature is cruel;
‘Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles, grace and vigour depart,
there is now a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
and now and again my battered heart swells.

I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
and I’m loving and living life over again.

I think of the years ……all too few, gone too fast,
and accept the stark fact that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, people, open and see,
not a crabby old woman; look closer …see ME!!

-Author Unknown

Study: As Strength Decreases, Risk Of Alzheimer’s Increases

In a study of 970 older adults with no discernible cognitive impairment, researches at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center measured the seniors’ muscle strength, assessed their cognitive abilities, and evaluated their neurologic and neuropsychological functions.

After 3.6 years 138 participants developed Alzheimer’s disease, along with the greatest muscle strength loss.

The study concluded:

“Overall, these data show that greater muscle strength is associated with a decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment and suggest that a common pathogenesis may underlie loss of muscle strength and cognition in aging.”

Source: The Senior Journal

The Seniors EyeCare Program: Helping People Over 65 Preserve Sight

People eligible for a referral through the program receive a comprehensive, medical eye exam and up to one year of care— at no out-of-pocket cost —for any disease diagnosed during the initial exam.

Volunteer ophthalmologists accept Medicare and/or other insurance reimbursement as payment in full; patients without insurance receive care at no charge.

EyeCare America offers multiple eye care programs for which individuals may qualify. Callers will automatically be screened to determine the program that provides the most appropriate eye care services. Callers who have not had an eye exam in the past 12 months and are at increased risk for glaucoma may be eligible for a glaucoma eye exam through our Glaucoma EyeCare Program.

The Seniors EyeCare Program is designed for people who:

* Are US citizens or legal residents
* Are age 65 and older
* Have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years
* Do not belong to an HMO or the VA

To determine if you, a family member or friend qualify for a referral through this program, call 800-222-EYES (3937) toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Of Retired Seniors And Playgrounds In Japan

I spoke to a retired senior recently. “Does it get boring being retired without a job to fill time with?”

“No,” she said, beaming. “I’m completely happy.”

“How is it,” I asked, “you’re happy when many retired seniors I’ve talked to say they wish they never retired and get bored not having a job? What’s your secret?”

“You have to rediscover how to play,” she said.

Wise advice, I felt. Perhaps Japan has taken this a step further with their Playgrounds for the Elderly.

North Carolina Donated Dental Services, Dental Help Based On Income For Elderly And Disabled Residents Of North Carolina

Here are some basics about Donated Dental Services that will help you determine if you might qualify for dental care with this exceptional program:

o DDS is designed to serve people who fall through the cracks: elderly, disabled and medically compromised people who do not have the resources to access care on their own
o DDS provides comprehensive care, restoring individuals with serious dental needs to good oral health; the program is not designed for routine exams and cleanings
o Once an applicant completes the attached form, a DDS Coordinator will review the application and conduct an intake interview with the patient
o If the patient qualifies for the program, the Coordinator will contact him or her when a volunteer dentist is available in their area to help
o Patients are seen in the dentists’ own offices, where they are treated with the same dignity and respect as the office’s paying patients

Call Ms. Jennifer Caplain, North Carolina Donated Dental Services Coordinator at (877) 650-9001 or (919) 677-9001 or visit their website: North Carolina Dental Society: Donated Dental Services .

Holiday Blues – Depression in the Elderly submitted by Hospice & Palliative Care of Greensboro

The holiday season is quickly coming upon us. If you are a caregiver for an elderly loved one, you may notice a change in your loved one’s mood as the holidays approach. Perhaps you are one of many, who visit elderly parents and family during the holidays who live a distance away. When you visit you may notice that loved ones are not as physically active, or they show symptoms of fatigue or sadness and have no interest in the holiday or in their surroundings.

According to the National Institutes of Health; of the 35 million Americans age 65 or older, about 2 million suffer from full-blown depression. Another 5 million suffer from less severe forms of the illness. This represents about 20% of the senior population — a significant proportion.

Depression in the elderly is difficult to diagnose and is frequently untreated. The symptoms may be confused with a medical illness, dementia, or malnutrition due to a poor diet. Many older people will not accept the idea that they have depression and refuse to seek treatment.

What causes depression in the elderly?
It is not the actual holiday that causes depression, but the fact that holidays tend to bring memories of earlier, perhaps happier times. Additional contributing factors that bring on depression may be the loss of a spouse or close friend, or a move from a home to assisted living, or a change with an older person’s routine.

Depression may also be a sign of a medical problem. Chronic pain or complications of an illness or memory loss can also cause depression. In addition, diet can also be a factor when proper nutrition and vitamins are lacking.

As an example, Selma’s husband passed away, a few months before Christmas. Her family lived close by and would call or drop in often to check on her. Selma seemed a little preoccupied and tired, but this was to be expected as she had been the caregiver for her husband for many years. It wasn’t until the family noticed that her holiday decorations were not out and her yearly routine of Christmas card writing was not happening that they began questioning her mental and physical well being.

A trip to her physician confirmed depression, caused by not only the loss of her spouse, but a vitamin B12 deficiency. There were both mental and physical reasons for her depression.

Symptoms to look for in depression might include:

• Depressed or irritable mood
• Feelings of worthlessness or sadness
• Expressions of helplessness
• Anxiety
• Loss of interest in daily activities
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Lack of attending to personal care and hygiene
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irresponsible behavior
• Obsessive thoughts about death
• Talk about suicide

How do you know if it is depression or dementia?
Depression and dementia share similar symptoms. A recent article on Helpguide.org gives some specific differences:

In depression there is a rapid mental decline, but memory of time, date and awareness of the environment remains. Motor skills are slow, but normal in depression. Concern with concentrating and worry about impaired memory may occur.

On the other hand, dementia symptoms reveal a slow mental decline with confusion and loss of recognizing familiar locations. Writing, speaking and motor skills are impaired and memory loss is not acknowledged as a being problem by the person suffering dementia.

Whether it is depression or dementia, prompt treatment is recommended. A physical exam will help determine if there is a medical cause for depression. A geriatric medical practitioner is skilled in diagnosing depression and illnesses in the elderly. If you are a care taker of an elderly person it may be beneficial for you to seek out a geriatric health care specialist. For more information on senior health services go to http://www.longtermcarelink.net/about_senior_health_services.htm

Treating depression in older people.
Once the cause of depression is identified, a treatment program can be implemented. Treatment may be as simple as relieving loneliness through visitations, outings and involvement in family activities. In more severe cases antidepressant drugs have been known to improve the quality of life in depressed elderly people. Cognitive therapy sessions with a counselor may also be effective.

As a care giver or family member of a depressed older person, make it your responsibility to get involved. The elder person generally denies any problems or may fear being mentally ill. You can make the difference in and remove the Holiday Blues from seniors suffering from depression.

The Geriatric Mental Health Foundation offers a “Depression Tool Kit.” To read more about the tool kit and depression in the elderly go to http://www.gmhfonline.org/gmhf/consumer/depression_toolkit.html

To find a Senior Health Care Services in your area on the National Care Planning Council website go to http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a7seniorshealthservices.htm

The National Care Planning Council supports the work of geriatric practitioners and their services to the growing senior population. If you are a geriatric practitioner and would like to list your services with the NCPC please call 800-989-8137.

1950s Nostalgia: Who Was Miss Kitty?

Amanda Blake, a telephone operator named Beverly Louise Neill before she became an actress, played the part of Miss Kitty, the wry, red-haired salon keeper, on the TV show Gunsmoke from 1955 to 1974.

After retiring from TV, she worked tirelessly for the welfare of animals, funding projects and participating in the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and The Humane Society.

A former heavy smoker, she contracted a cancer of the mouth in 1980. After recovering from the shock of her diagnosis, she advocated before a United States House of Representatives subcommittee for stronger warnings on cigarette packages:

“I am a victim of oral cancer, a victim of cigarette smoking. When my doctor told me I had cancer of the mouth, I didn’t believe it. I had never even heard of cancer of the mouth, yet I had it. I believe that I would not have smoked had I seen a label on a cigarette package or in a cigarette ad that said ‘Warning: Cigarette smoking may cause death from heart disease, cancer or emphysema.”

She died on August 16, 1989 at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California of oral cancer. She was 60 years old.

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia