Was “get more exercise” on your list of New Year’s resolutions? Maybe you are caring for an older adult who has slowed down quite a bit? Here are some things you should know. Exercise doesn’t need to feel like a chore. So for so many of us, why does it? A recent poll published in the Translational Journal of the…
New Year’s Resolutions. Eat healthy. Vegetables. Exercise. Easier said than done right? Important vitamins and minerals come from the produce we eat. These nutrients are stored in our body to give us energy for the day. The food from the earth can combat the risk for many harmful diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers. According to…
Three great lifestyle choices for seniors and family caregivers This is a great time to take stock of your plans for 2019. Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet? The recipe for successful long-term resolutions is to create small, measurable and realistic goals with deadlines. There is no shortage of research on aging and caregiving—findings that can provide motivation…
Falls are a serious issue for seniors. The American Geriatrics Society estimates that fall injuries are responsible for medical costs of up to $50 billion annually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that these injuries claim the lives of almost 30,000 older adults each year. Experts project that as more and more seniors live to age 85…
If you are providing care for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease or a related condition, the title of this article will not surprise you. But many people are unaware of the challenges faced by families when a loved one develops memory loss. They should become aware, say experts, who point out that our aging population means more families…
It’s human nature to avoid thinking about the end of our own life—and yet, if we don’t, it’s much less likely that our final days will be spent in the way we would want to spend them. In addition, putting off these considerations until the last minute might mean that our families are left with agonizing decisions, and potential conflict…
She meant to go to sleep an hour ago … but when she finally turns off her tablet computer, chances are she’ll still feel wide awake. Sometimes when we’re busy and it seems like there just aren’t enough hours in the day, we wonder about those eight or so hours that we’re sleeping. What a waste of time, we might…
March 12 – 18, 2018 Is World Salt Awareness Week The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently noted that only half of the 75 million adults in America who have hypertension (high blood pressure) have it under control. One reason, says the expert team, is that people with hypertension often fail to take the medications that could help…
Recent research from the University of Sydney in Australia found that lower back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is the second most common reason people visit their family doctor. It is a leading cause of early retirement and lower income among seniors. It can have a very negative effect on a person’s quality of life—and can…
Sticking close to home can actually harm the health and shorten the life of older adults. When you were a kid, if you holed up in your room all day, or parked in front of the TV for hours, Mom was likely to say, “Get off the couch and go outside for some fresh air!” Now that you’re a grown-up,…
