A wonderful exercise option is yoga for aging seniors. The best thing about yoga is that you can practice anytime or anywhere. You don’t need a mat to practice yoga just a few minutes a day. Think about yoga as a state of mind, a way of creating an inner peace with yourself and the…
As we age, our risk for having a heart attack grows. As such, we all should be acquainted with the signs of a heart attack. Signs include: Chest pain or discomfort like pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Upper body discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw or upper part of the…
Importance of Regular Exercise: Doctors often recommend strength training to seniors to keep muscles and joints functioning at their best ability. According to The American Academy of Family Physicians “Regular exercise provides a myriad of health benefits in older adults, including improvements in blood pressure, diabetes, lipid profile, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and neurocognitive function”. Unfortunately, for many…
The New York Times recently reported that even after 30 years of warnings regarding the dangers it poses to the elderly, use of benzodiazepine, sedative-hypnotic drugs like Valium, Xanax, Ativan and Klonopin, rises sharply with age. A study in the February 2015 edition of JAMA Psychiatry reports that 9% of those between 65 and 80…
For many Americans age 65 and older, dental care is a necessity that they cannot afford. Some older adults live on Social Security benefits of just $850 per month. Unfortunately, the cost of dental insurance and associated copays are just too expensive with this limiting budget. Additionally, the link between ageism and dental care means…
It’s not uncommon for seniors to experience hearing and vision loss. Sadly, these changes can cause both physical and emotional hardships. They may feel a loss of independence, an inability to do the things they love, and a disconnect from the world around them. Beyond these discomforts, with the loss of vision and hearing, they…
New Hypertension Guidelines Only about six years overdue, new guidelines for treating hypertension have been released by the Joint National Committee on The Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. For drug treatment, the committee increased the threshold of hypertension from 140/80 to 150/90 in those aged 60 and older. With that, they re-categorized…
At a time when seniors wish to remain independent – and in their own homes – for as long as possible, establishing a support system is essential. The act of caregiving often falls on relatives or close friends, but these caregivers are not always local and long-distance caregiving is on the rise. But how can…
If you live an hour or more away from a parent or relative who relies on you for some form of care, you are considered a long-distance caregiver. Managing long-distance caregiving is no easy task. It is stressful and time-consuming and difficult to accomplish without additional help. Being far from your loved one when they…
Green tea is well-known for helping induce a calm, alert mental state, but did you know it could also deliver cognitive support? Scientists believe this is due to the unique nutritional aspects of green tea, including high levels of the amino acid Theanine. Who would have thought you get cognitive support in green tea! This is great…