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7 Ways to Find Love Later in Life

Date: October 15, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
You Need to Laugh More, for Your Health

Loneliness sneaks up on people who are in the later parts of their lives. It makes sense. Friends may have passed away or moved to be closer to their families. It’s easy to feel alone. Here are 7 ways to find love later in life, and maybe you can feel a little less lonely.

7 Ways to Find Love Later in Life

7 Ways to Find Love Later in Life

 

Loneliness can damage your health in surprising ways. It can be hard to start over finding friends after not needing to for so long. Try these 7 tips to make it easier.

1. Change Your Mindset

Without realizing it, we become set in our ways. These old ways can get in your way when trying to make new connections.

Hopefully, because you are older, you are more confident in yourself. You have no shame about the things you like. By following those likes, you may find new friends.

2. Realize No One is Perfect

You may have accepted your flaws, but what about others? It’s easy to have subconscious expectations of what you are looking in another person.

These standards may make finding new love especially hard.

You don’t want people to expect you to be perfect, right?

3. Don’t Let Others Define You

When you were younger, it was easy to let other people sway you. Whether that was what you wore, what you liked, and even who you talked to. It’s a hard part of growing up.

As mentioned before, hopefully, you are more confident now that you are older.

When trying to find new love, whether romantic or friendship, remember to stay true to yourself.

4. Embrace Faults

Faults don’t always equal a bad thing. Instead, they could just be an odd quirk. Other people’s quirks can make your life a lot more interesting than if they were perfect.

5. Love Differences

There is nothing wrong with people being different from you. People who have different opinions may infuriate you sometimes, but you never know, they may teach you something.

6. See Your Goals

Staying positive will help you find a community. If you can picture making a new friend or new romance, then it’s more likely it will happen.

Send good vibes out into the world.

7. Stay Open

You never know what is going to happen. If you have a closed mind, then you narrow your chances at new opportunities.

Read more here.

Dealing with NH Elder Abuse

Date: October 7, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
7 Ways to Handle Anxiety During Covid-19

Pearl Robinson was a victim of elder abuse. Sadly, she was not alive when justice was served. Robinson and other seniors are the reason our government is taking NH elder abuse seriously.

Dealing with NH Elder Abuse

Pearl Robinson’s Story

 

Before she passed away, Robinson gave Paula Stevenson authority over her money. Stevenson was able to write checks and pay Robinson’s bills. Stevenson eventually become Robinson’s power of attorney.

But Stevenson betrayed Robinson. She stole more than $130,000 from the senior. Stevenson ended up being given a suspended NH State Prison sentence of 1.5 to 3 years in exchange for paying back $132,397 to Robinson’s estate.

Dealing with NH Elder Abuse

 

This is just one of many cases of NH elder abuse. This is a state that has to be especially vigilant because our senior population is growing more and more. Elder abuse can be physical, emotional, financial, or neglect.

We’ve talked about senior financial exploitation before.

So to tackle this problem, the Elder Abuse and Exploitation Unit was created. Since it’s creation, nine cases have led to indictments. 7 were money related.

The biggest problem is how to build a case without a victim’s testimony. Many seniors are not capable of saying what’s happening. They many have some cognitive impairments and aren’t able to say what they need to.

This is the same reason that people choose seniors to abuse.

Luckily, the more awareness that’s out there about elder abuse, the more seniors will be safe. We as a community can help one another by keeping an eye out.

Read more here.

7 Ways to Help with Broken Heart Syndrome

Date: October 7, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
"Rational" Suicide is on the Rise Among Seniors

We’ve all heard about Broken Heart Syndrome, right? Some people think it’s just a way to exaggerate someone’s grief. But that’s not the case. This syndrome is real and has claimed widows who lost their partner after 50 years of marriage.

7 Ways to Help with Broken Heart Syndrome

Broken Heart Syndrome is Real

 

There’s been reports of partners dying within hours of each other, even when they are healthy.

Grief can suppress the immune system and let something like a cold become more deadly. It can also be the result of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, which is where Broken Heart Syndrome comes from. The stress can cause part of the heart to enlarge and fail to pump.

There’s even a term, psychoneuroimmunology, that describes how psychological trauma affects your immunity.

7 Ways to Help with Broken Heart Syndrome

 

The best way to combat this problem is to be there for the person grieving. Here are seven ways to do it.

1. It’s Okay to Cry

Shoving down grief can cause clinical depression. Crying has a bad rep for being a negative action. But really, it shows how important that person was to you.

It’s normal to be sad after the loss of a loved one.

2. Help Them Find a Professional

It’s always good to have a neutral party tell you it’s okay to grieve. That everything you are going through is normal. Then have someone who knows what to do to get back on your feet.

3. Give Them a Book

Some people may not be comfortable with talking about their grief. If you want to be there for them without hovering, try getting a book about grieving.

This way, they can tackle their grief on their own time.

4. Remind Them that They Have Others Who Love Them

It can be easy for someone who is grieving to feel alone. Without being overbearing, it’s good to remind people that they have a lot of loved ones around them.

Whether that’s friends, kids, siblings, or even grandchildren.

5. Encourage Them to Talk About Their Spouse

Too many people tell others who are grieving to move on. You mean well, but it’s not about forgetting. Instead, healing happens by remembering your spouse.

This way, you process your emotions and then can go forward.

So encourage talking about the person who passed away. Share happy memories.

6. Remind Them to Stay Healthy

It’s easy when being overwhelmed by grief and forget about personal health. Healthy eating, staying hydrated, and getting good sleep are key to a good immune system.

Tell them there is nothing wrong with asking their doctor for some temporary help.

7. Help Them Do Things that Brought Them Comfort Before

Did they like to read, take long baths, listen to music? Encourage the person grieving to do these things again. Tell them it’s okay to make time for themselves.

Read more here.

Is Telemedicine the Future of Treating Seniors?

Date: October 7, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Is Telemedicine the Future of Treating Seniors?

Telemedicine is always developing. It’s going to start impacting all aspects of healthcare. BDO USA, LLP, released a report that showed how executives, clinical leaders, and clinicians plan to invest time and money into different areas of care by 2020. Telemedicine is going to be the future of treating seniors.

Is Telemedicine the Future of Treating Seniors?

Is Telemedicine the Future of Treating Seniors?

 

Technology will be able to change the way seniors are treated for illness. This will work for both as needed and preventative medicine.

This is sort of thinking is based on the fact that the aging population is increasing greatly with each passing year. This is causing people to wonder how everyone will be able to not only get treatment but afford it as well.

What Technology Will Help the Most?

 

It’s been said that a variety of innovative tech will be helpful. One particular field is digital health. This includes wearables, sensors, robotics, driverless cars, and telemedicine tools.

This type of tech could give seniors more independence, as well. They can stay home longer, have lower health costs, and have better access to doctors.

The other part that will help seniors is getting better data faster and robotics. The idea is that this combo will improve individual healthcare.

It should also lessen some of the little things that caregivers usually do.

An example of this would be taking vitals. If technology can advance enough, while you are taking at vitals at home, a doctor will be able to see it. Then, they can decide if it’s worth checking out, or if it’s just abnormality.

The Future for Seniors

 

If everything goes as these people expect it to, telemedicine can help with chronic care management, interventions, home monitoring, remote counseling, and online therapy.

This will also be incredibly helpful for any seniors who live in rural areas or don’t have access to transportation.

Read more here.

7 Drugs Connected to Higher Risk of Dementia

Date: October 1, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
How to Protect Yourself from Pharmacists' Mistakes

A research study found increased brain atrophy and dysfunction in older adults taking “anticholinergic” drugs. These are drugs like Benadryl and sleep aids. The team was led by scientists at the University of Indiana School of Medicine. Here are 7 drugs connected to higher risk of dementia.

7 Drugs Connected to Higher Risk of Dementia

7 Drugs Connected to Higher Risk of Dementia

 

There are certain drugs that can be bad for your brain’s health. You need to know what kinds of toxins to avoid to protect yourself. It’s not just the habit forming drugs to look out for, you should be aware of “anticholinergic” drugs.

These drugs are in everything from allergy medicines to muscle relaxants to painkillers. They are in many over the counter medications and are prescribed for a variety of common health problems.

They block acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter in the body. This can lead to lower brain function like sedation. Now, normally this isn’t problem, but as the brain gets older it can’t handle this sort of sedation.

Research has linked them to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and hospitalizations in older adults. They have the opposite effect of medications used to treat Alzheimer’s.

So avoid these drugs as much as you can.

1. Sedating Antihistamines

The prime example is diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which is usually an over the counter medicine and has strong anticholinergic activity.

Non-sedating antihistamines like loratadine (Claritin) are less anticholinergic and are safer.

2. PM Versions of Over the Counter Pain Killers

Most over the counter painkillers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen (Tylenol and Motrin) come in a PM or night time formulation. This means a mild sedative, usually antihistamine, has been mixed in.

This also includes PM cold medicine.

3. Medications for Over Active Bladder

These include bladder relaxants like oxybutyin and tolterodine. Brand names Dirtopan and Detrol.

4. Medications for Vertigo or Motion Sickness

Meclizine (Antivert) is prescribed to treat vertigo. It’s also use to treat motion sickness.

5. Medications for Itching

These include the strong antihistamines hydroxyzine (Vistaril) and diphendyramine (Benadryl) are often precribed for itching or hives.

6. Medications for Nerve Pain

An older class of antidepressant known as “tricyclics” isn’t used for depression, but instead to treat nerve pain. They can also be prescribed to reduce nerve pain after shingles.

They usually have amitripyline and nortriptyline in them.

7. Muscle Relaxants

These includes drugs like cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) and they are often given for back or neck pain.

Read more here.

Retirees Going into Bankruptcy

Date: October 1, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Taxi Driver Saves Senior from Being Scammed Out of $25,000

The economy may be slowly getting better, but there is a group that’s getting left behind. According to Consumer Bankruptcy Project, bankruptcies among seniors is going up. Are retirees going into bankruptcy?

Retirees Going into Bankruptcy

Retirees Going into Bankruptcy

 

According to the report, bankruptcies have tripled in the last 25 years. In 1991, there were only 1.2 bankruptcies for every 1,000 people over 65.

In 2006, there were 3.6. Over 12% of all bankruptcies are now 65 and older. This is up from 2.1% that same period.

Now, there’s around 100,000 bankruptcies filed by people 65 and older. Though this could easily be more.

How Did This Happen?

 

When researchers talk about this event, they bring up the idea of “risk shift.” This is when the burden of paying for a risk is moved off the shoulders of a collective and put on individuals. A collective could be companies or government.

Retiring involves risk. You rely on your investments, government programs, and insurance to keep you comfortable.

The programs that retirees depend on are going through constant changes. Right now, there are longer wait times for full Social Security benefits, the replacement of employer given pensions with 401 (k) savings plans, and more expensive health care.

What Do These Programs Do?

 

You might not be sure what each of these programs do. It seems like everyone has a different definition.

Social Security

This is the biggest source of income for retirees. The retirement age has been increasing over the years.

It used to be 65, but now it’s on its way to 67.

This age increase is cutting people’s benefits.

You can retire starting at age 62, but Social Security will punish you with a lower income. If you have to wait until 67 to retire, then you have to figure out how to make other money last longer.

Benefit Pensions

This is a trade between a company and you. For all the years of working for them, they give you a fixed income when you retire.

This used to be more common, but now companies are trying to figure out how to cut costs. This was the first thing to get cut.

What has taken the place of benefit pensions is the 401((k). Sometimes businesses put money into it, but it’s usually up to you to put money in it.

Though 401(k)s can be at the mercy of the stock market and fees of Wall Street.

So it’s not a great substitute.

Healthcare

Healthcare is another big problem for seniors. Medicare doesn’t cover everything. People usually have to get supplemental insurance from a private market.

Surgery, treatments, and medication have been rising in cost. Because of this, insurance can’t give the same kind of coverage that they used to.

This means you can’t get the same amount of coverage without spending more money that you aren’t earning.

Most retirees spend around 20% of their income on out of pocket health care.

Read more about the state of American retirement here.

3 Things Not to Put on Your Face

Date: October 1, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
3 Things Not to Put on Your Face

There are a ton of myths when it comes to skin care. People now more than ever are worried about how they look. Skin is the first thing that will show your age. Though if you aren’t careful, you could do more harm than good. Here are 3 things to not put on your face.

3 Things Not to Put on Your Face

3 Things to Not Put on Your Face

 

People will put just about anything on their face if it means that they will look younger. Here are a few things to avoid.

1. Petroleum Jelly

This product has long been a staple in beauty routines. This is with good reason, your skin on your face does get thinner and less elastic as you age. This can lead to dryness.

It’s important to moisturize your skin. But, thick moisturizers and petroleum jelly have no water in it. It doesn’t evaporate and creates a barrier to lock in skin’s existing moisture.

If you really want to use it, do it after a shower when your skin is damp.

2. Alcohol Based Products

Products that contain alcohol can dry out your skin. If you overuse it, it can lead to inflammation and breakdown of the skin.

Specific types of alcohols to look out for are isopropyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol.

3. Baking Soda

Beauty experts sing baking soda’s praises as a natural facial scrub and skin brightener.

To be fair, it is a great product.

Though you should never use it too much or scrub too hard. It can dry you out more. You need to dilute it when you use it.

Read more here.

Elderly Dialysis Problems on the Rise

Date: September 23, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Elderly Dialysis Problems on the Rise

The End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) in the US is growing. Patents over 65 have the highest percentage of ESRD. Because of this, doctors are now trying to identify and treat the fact that elderly dialysis problems are on the rise.

Elderly Dialysis Problems on the Rise

Elderly Dialysis Problems on the Rise

 

Even though it helps, dialysis therapy is not the end all be all. In older patients, it doesn’t seem to preserve functional status or independent living. The most vulnerable time for older patients is when they first start the therapy.

Older patients that get hemodialysis (HD) show a high prevalence of functional disability and dependence.

The consequences of normal aging combine with dialysis side effects, like post treatment hypotension, increases the chances for falls. These falls can even cause accidental death.

The American Geriatrics Society recommends that all older patients be screened for falls. This empowers members of multidisciplinary dialysis teams to perform fall screenings and functional assessments. This is an easy way to identify patients who are at risk and increase their quality of life.

Many ESRD patients are also at risk for cognitive and executive function impairment. This can cause problems with complex thinking, compliance, quality of life, and decision making.

Time Limited Treatments

 

Because of the risk of further suffering from side effects in older patients getting dialysis, it’s important to check in with patients often. A time limited trial begins with identifying patient specific goals.

These are often tied to quality of life and geriatric syndromes, along with planned re-evaluations to assess the patient’s perceptions of the benefits and burdens of dialysis.

By talking about all this, it allows for a fluid transition into advance care planning. Advance care planning with dialysis patients can help promote the use of hospice, a benefit often that is usually not used with this group of people.

With advance care planning, there is connection to fewer intensive procedures at the end of life, death at the location of choice, increased patient satisfaction, and increased use of hospice.

More is being done to figure out what is best for patients and how to make it easier for both patients and their families.

Read more here.

7 Tricks to Stick to Your Diet

Date: September 23, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
7 Tricks to Stick to Your Diet

It’s hard to stick to your diet and keep up with exercising. It’s especially hard if you are right at the beginning. No matter what the reason is that you are dieting, these 7 tricks should make it easier.

7 Tricks to Stick to Your Diet

7 Tricks to Stick to Your Diet

 

Hopefully these tricks will ease your pain of dieting.

1. Plan Ahead

Being hungry and tired at the end of the day is the worst when you’re dieting. It’s just too easy to get some fast food to eat.

Prepare your meals ahead of time. Then all you have to do is stick it in the microwave or oven.

You can map out your meals and snacks for the week that way you don’t get too overwhelmed. Then you can write out all the ingredients you need and go to the grocery store.

2. No Temptations

Get rid of all tempting food. You can’t get cravings and break your diet if there isn’t any bad food to eat.

If you live with others, ask them not to eat those temptations in front of you.

3. Drink A Lot

Drinking a lot of water is a great way to curb your hunger. It fills your stomach and keeps you hydrated.

4. Treat Yourself

Again, dieting is hard. You shouldn’t expect yourself to do it perfectly without any treats. It’s just not going to happen.

Create goals that you want to accomplish. When you hit those goals, give yourself a small treat. Eat or drink it slowly that way you can enjoy it.

5. Be a Smart Snacker

If you are getting hungry, have a small plate of cucumbers, carrots, and the like. It will keep you sated.

6. Don’t Let Ads Get to You

Food ads are everywhere. TV, social media, and magazines tease you with images you aren’t supposed to eat.

When you can, try to turn off any of these things that would show you those ads.

7. Distract Yourself

Often, we eat because we are bored. You will forget to be hungry if you are too busy having fun!

Try new hobbies. Go out and exercise. Spend time with friends.

Read more here.

Northern NH is Age Friendly Soon

Date: September 23, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Northern NH is Age Friendly Soon

9 northern NH towns want to be more senior friendly. They are working together so that NH is age friendly according AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly Communities.

Northern NH is Age Friendly Soon

NH is Age Friendly Soon

 

To do this, they are working on creating better changes to housing, transportation, health services, and employment.

It’s the first time that rural towns in NH have joined together as a single resource—sharing and planning entirely for the purpose of being age friendly.

The planning network includes the Mount Washington Valley towns of Albany, Bartlett, Chatham, Conway, Eaton, Freedom, Jackson, Madison, and Tamworth.

How They Will Become Age Friendly

 

The idea is to create livable communities that promote wellbeing, economic growth, and happier, healthier people of all ages.

They will do this through walkable streets, affordable housing, transportation options, and more.

These plans will be put into action in 3 phases over the next 5 years. This includes designing outdoor spaces and buildings. Creating access to leisure and cultural activities, so that seniors can be social. More opportunities for older residents to work and volunteer.

Read more here.