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Could There Be a New Way to Predict Mortality in Seniors?

Date: May 5, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Seniors Could Show Unusual Covid-19 Symptoms

No one can predict when they die. The question is if you could know, would you want to? A new study in Jerusalem may have found a new way to predict mortality in seniors.

Could There Be a New Way to Predict Mortality in Seniors?

Could There Be a New Way to Predict Mortality in Seniors?

 

Researchers have developed a method to find the “age” of a patients’ immune system. The immune system’s age could predict mortality in older adults.

The Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) said the immune age is a kind of biological clock that will help identify an early weakening of the immune system.

This could help create preventive measures to reduce disease and mortality.

In the study, the Technion scientists were able to determine the changes in the immune system that happens over the years.

In 9 years, they checked the immune systems of 135 healthy people of different ages once a year. From this information, they built a model that figures out the changes in a specific person.

The data allowed researchers to determine the immune age in an index called “IMM-AGE score.” This index gives info that biological age can’t.

Using this method, the team determined the age of over 2,000 seniors.

They may also be able to figure out genes that affect the immune system’s age. They could even identify lifestyle, habits, and medications that affect the immune system’s “age.”

Immune systems getting older means that people aren’t able to handle infections and have a higher risk of chronic diseases.

Read more here.

7 of the Best Dressing Aids for Seniors

Date: May 5, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
7 of the Best Dressing Aids for Seniors

Seniors with limited mobility can struggle with everyday tasks like dressing. It can be an incredible loss of independence. Luckily, this article talks about some of the best dressing aids for seniors.

7 of the Best Dressing Aids for Seniors

7 of the Best Dressing Aids for Seniors

 

All these tools help with dressing tasks that you may not realize are difficult.

1. Button Hook

One of the hardest things to do while getting dressed is doing buttons. A button hook like Good Grips hook can save you time and frustration.

The hook features an easy to hold handle, and the wire loop will go into and pull through the buttonholes. It can also unbutton shirts as well.

It has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon.

2. Zipper Puller

Another hard part of getting dressed is dealing with zippers. Like buttons, they are small and hard to grab. Zipuller helps you zip any piece of clothing with ease. It grabs the zipper and has a long ribbon for you to pull the zipper up.

It has a 4.2-star rating on Amazon.

3. Carex Sock Aid

The ability to bend may lessen as you get older making putting on socks painful. Using a Carex Sock Aid will help ease the pain of bending over to put on your socks.

It has a flexible, terry cloth grip that won’t ruin the fabric of your socks. The handle features large loops for easy pulling. It will work with all kinds of socks.

It has a 4.1-star rating on Amazon.

4. No Tie Shoelaces

That’s right, shoelaces that you don’t need to tie. If your finger flexibility isn’t what it used to, don’t worry. Xpand Shoelaces are easy to set up and make any type of shoes easy to put on and safe to wear around. Plus, there are 44 color options.

It has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon.

5. FootFunnel Shoe Assist

Like socks, shoes can be hard to put on too. That’s why FootFunnel Shoe Assist was created. It spreads the back of your shoe, letting your foot go in smoothly. You can use it sitting or standing.

It has a 3.6-star rating on Amazon.

6. Long Handled Shoe Horn

This is another version of a shoe tool that will help you slip in your shoes. Shoe Horn Pro is an excellent option if your limited mobility makes putting on shoes hard.

You can adjust the handle to whatever length feels right for you. It’s made of durable stainless steel which means it will last you a while. You can use it standing up or sitting down.

It has a 4.3-star rating on Amazon.

7. Dressing Stick

A dressing stick will help with overall dressing. If you find pushing your shoulder backward painful, or can’t bend to pull your pants up, this will help you.

The RMS Long Dressing Stick is an excellent version of this. It’s the most recommended by health professionals. It has a push-and-pull hook on one end, and a vinyl C shaped cup hook on the other end. One is for clothes, and the other is for zippers and shoelaces.

It has a 4.3-star rating on Amazon.

Read more here.

Can Electromagnets Help Boost Your Brain’s Memory?

Date: May 5, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Can Electromagnets Help Boost Your Brain's Memory?

Memory gets more precious as we age and it can feel like there is nothing we can do to restore it once it’s lost. It might not be all hopeless though. A new study says that electromagnets can help boost your brain’s memory.

Can Electromagnets Help Boost Your Brain's Memory?

Can Electromagnets Help Boost Your Brain’s Memory?

 

The study, published in Neurology, worked with a small group of seniors aged 64 to 80 who had average memory loss that comes with age. People’s memory got better after 5 sessions with a special device. Their improvement was so impressive that the group performed similarly to the control group of young adults.

The process is called transcranial magnetic stimulation and is already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It’s mostly been used to help with depression.

Researchers thought that it could help wake up regions of the brain that have to do with memory. The hippocampus is a particular part they focused on because it’s thought to be the part of the brain that causes forgetfulness. Using MRI brain scans, researchers were able to target specific areas.

 

The Process

 

The stimulation happened in 30-minute sessions five days in a row. Essentially, what the researchers did was put up an 8-shaped magnetic coil against each person’s head. Because of the way the magnetic field works, no actual electricity went through their skull.

The hippocampus is too deep in the brain for the magnetic fields to touch, so the researchers looked at the area of the parietal lobe. The lobe is behind, and a little above your left ear and is connected to the hippocampus.

The participants were brought back after a day’s rest to see if the magnets had any effect.

The Results

 

Before the experiment, the seniors did worse on memory tasks than a group of young adults aged 25. The seniors only got around 40% of the questions right while the younger people got 55%.

After the magnets, the seniors did as well as the young adults. The ability to remember went up 31%, and on average the seniors were able to answer 43 out of 84 questions right instead of the 33 before.

Sadly, the effect didn’t last a long time. A week later the seniors’ ability to remember went back to how it was before. It could be possible that using the magnetics for a longer period of time could make the memory improvement better and last longer.

The process is very expensive and hard to come by.

Your Attitude Affects Your Health as You Age

Date: April 28, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Your Attitude Affects Your Health as You Age

Attitude is everything. When you think positively, the day seems to go your way. Have you thought about your attitude towards aging? It’s not uncommon to have a negative outlook about aging. There can be some downsides. Your attitude affects your health as you get older, so thinking positively will keep you healthier.

Your Attitude Affects Your Health as You Age

What Do People Think of Seniors Around the World?

 

According to Orb Media, countries with a lot of respect for seniors had better health among the elderly and less poverty for people 60 and older.

Sounds great right?

Well in a 2016 World Health Organization survey, 60% of people feel that older people aren’t respected. The survey spanned across 57 countries.

A lot of young people, 18- to 24-year olds, think it’s normal to be sad when you get older.

It’s thought the anti-aging industry (AKA anti-wrinkle creams and the like)  is partially to blame. The industry promotes the fear of aging and that looking old is terrible.

Your Attitude Affects Your Health as You Age

 

Becca Levy, a professor of public health and psychology at Yale School of Public Health, interviewed 660 people from Ohio. The interviews were done over 20 years, and the team compared them to mortality information.

The team found that people with positive attitudes towards aging lived 7.5 years longer than others with negative attitudes.

Levy believes the significant difference is due to how positive thinking can affect psychological, behavioral, and physiological mechanisms in the body. Positive thinking can make it easier to live a healthier lifestyle, like eating better and exercising.

Positivity can also make people more resilient and able to cope with stress better. Stress has been established as a contributor to memory loss and brain shrinking. Depression and anxiety were found among people who had negative thoughts about aging.

A different study found people with a positive attitude had less cardiovascular disease. They also produced less cortisol, which is a stress hormone. There were also findings of less frequent dementia.

Which Countries Have the Most Negativity?

 

Countries with high income and are highly industrialized have more negative attitudes towards the elderly. Rural countries have a higher level of respect because seniors can work longer and contribute to the economy.

The USA is in the bottom 10 percent of people who view seniors with respect.

Negative attitudes towards aging can start developing as young as age 6.

Read more here.

7 Things that Cause Dark Spots and How to Get Rid of Them

Date: April 28, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
7 Things that Cause Dark Spots and How to Get Rid of Them

Dark spots, also known as hyperpigmentation, appear on your skin when you produce more melanin than usual. Melanin gives your eyes, skin, and hair their color. They aren’t cause for medical concern and don’t need treatment. This article talks about dark spots and how to get rid of them.

7 Things that Cause Dark Spots and How to Get Rid of Them

Symptoms of Dark Spots

 

The color of dark spots can range from light to dark brown. It all depends on your skin tone. They feel the same as the rest of your skin and aren’t supposed to be painful. They can be different in sizes and be on any part of your body. The parts of your body that are exposed to the sun are the most likely areas to get spots.

You can get them on:

  • The back of your hands
  • Face
  • Back
  • Shoulders

7 Things that Cause Dark Spots

 

There are different reasons that dark spots can appear.

1. Sun Damage

Some people call dark spots sunspots because of being exposed to the sun or tanning beds. As mentioned before, the areas that are out in the sun are most likely to get sunspots.

2. Hormonal Changes

There is a skin condition called melasma that causes small patches of skin discoloration. It happens more to women, especially during pregnancy. This is because hormones trigger this condition.

3. Medication Side Effects

Some medication can create more skin pigmentation and create dark spots. Medicines that do this are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), tetracyclines, and psychotropic drugs.

4. Inflammation

If you have skin inflammation often, it can cause dark spots. Skin inflammation can happen because of eczema, psoriasis, injury to the skin, and acne.

5. Wound Healing

Dark spots can stay after an insect bite, burn, or a cut heals. They can fade in time.

6. Irritation

Cosmetic skin or hair products can mess with your skin and make dark spots.

7. Diabetes

This condition can cause areas of the skin darker.

7 Ways to Get Rid of Dark Spots

 

If you feel more comfortable without dark spots, there are ways to get rid of them. You should choose the best treatment based on the cause, size, and the area the dark spot is on.

1. Laser Treatment

There are different types of laser treatments you can use. The most common is an intense pulse light laser. It targets melanin and breaks up the dark spots.

2. Microdermabrasion

This is a special treatment where a device that has an abrasive surface is used. It removes the outer layer of the skin and encourages new collagen growth, which can lighten dark spots.

3. Chemical Peels

This is when you put a mixture on your skin that exfoliates the surface, making new skin growth and fade dark spots.

4. Cryotherapy

This when liquid nitrogen is applied to the dark spots to freeze them. Freezing hurts skin cells, and the spots will lighten after healing.

5. Prescription Skin Lightening Cream

This bleaches your skin which is why you can only get it by prescription. It will take months to lighten the dark spots. Hydroquinone, an active ingredient in these creams, prevents skin from making melanin.

These products have a strength of 3 or 4%.

6. Over the Counter Creams

If you don’t have a prescription, you can look at over the counter creams. They won’t be as strong as prescription ones, but they work. They will have different ingredients like retinol or alpha hydroxy acid. These speed up the exfoliation and create more skin growth.

Pick ones that are recommended by dermatologists to avoid any potential harmful creams.

7. Natural Remedies

Certain natural ingredients can help treat dark spots. Look for niacinamide—a form of vitamin B-3, soy, licorice extracts, and mulberry. It’s not known for sure if these work, but according to researchers, they show great promise.

Treatments to Avoid

 

There are a lot of suggested treatments out there, but you have to be careful about which ones you pick. Remedies that involve lemon or apple cider vinegar have no evidence that they work. Some unproven treatments can irritate the skin and make dark spots worse.

Read more here.

U.S. Seniors are Working More Than Ever

Date: April 28, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips

Retirement seems to be farther and farther away for many Americans. U.S. seniors are working more than ever and longer. The reason? They don’t have enough money.

U.S. Seniors are Working More Than Ever

U.S. Seniors are Working More Than Ever

 

In 57 years, the rate of retirement-aged workers has gone up 20% according to a new report from United Income. In early 1985 retirement-aged workers only made up 10% of the U.S. labor force. The most significant spike is from college-educated older workers. Those with at least an undergraduate degree is up to 53% from 1985’s 25%.

The rise of older people going to college has pushed the demographic’s inflation-adjusted income to an average of $78,000. That’s 63% higher than the $48,000 in 1985.

Younger American workers saw their average income rise by only 38% over that same period.

United Income’s information comes from the recently released data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Who Needs the Work?

 

Out of the two groups of college educated and less educated seniors, it’s the less educated seniors who need the work more. Though the college educated are the ones more likely to work.

The BLS believes a big wave of baby boomers will be the strongest growth in the labor force through at least 2024. It’s estimated that Social Security replaces only around 40 to 50% of worker’s income before retirement. It’s thought that people who retire need about 80% of their income before retirement.

The typical worker is in the bottom 50% of the income distribution. They earn less than 40,000 a year and have no retirement savings. People in the middle 40% of income distribution earn anywhere between $40,000 to 115,000 and have $60,000 saved. People in the top 10% make more than $115,000 and have an average of $200,000 saved for retirement.

It’s guessed that to retire you would need a million or two and be comfortable.

Read more here.

Does Inflammation Affect Bone Healing?

Date: April 21, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips

Inflammation can cause all sorts of havoc in your body. Now, a study is saying that inflammation affects bone healing. This could explain why it takes so long to heal after a broken bone as you get older.

Does Inflammation Affect Bone Healing?

Does Inflammation Affect Bone Healing?

 

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

It’s well known that your body gets more easily inflamed as you get older due to wear and tear. Inflammation caused by the immune system thinking something is attacking you. It’s supposed to be part of the healing process.

This study looked at how the age-driven increase in immune signals ruins the ability of stems to multiply. Stems cells are crucial to bone repair and creating new bone.

The team tried and successfully restored the skeletal stem cell number and function in aging mice by using the anti-inflammatory part of aspirin.

Their results prove that the decrease in the number and function of the skeletal stem cells that enable bones to heal is due to inflammation, not age.

This could mean that it would be better to start taking anti-inflammatory drugs weeks before any orthopedic surgeries, instead of waiting until after a bone breaks. Doing this could result in an average healing speed.

Read more here.

12 Different Ways Your Eyes are Warning You About Your Health

Date: April 21, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
12 Different Ways Your Eyes are Warning You About Your Health

Your eyes aren’t only good for seeing. They can also give you signs about your health. Depending on the symptoms, it can be obvious or subtle. It’s essential to pay attention when your eyes are warning you about your health.

12 Different Ways Your Eyes are Warning You About Your Health

12 Different Ways Your Eyes are Warning You About Your Health

 

1. White Spots on Your Cornea

This can mean you have an eye infection, which is a common problem if you wear contact lens.

It can also be a sign of a corneal infection.

2. Eye Twitching

You already know that stress comes out in different ways, including eye twitching. Luckily, this symptom isn’t dangerous, but it is a sign that you need to relax.

3. Blurred Vision

Usually, blurry vision means it’s time to break out the glasses, but it could mean more. Not only can blurry vision be a sign of eye problems like cataracts or macular degeneration, but it can also be a sign of diabetes.

A 2014 study found that 73% of diabetic patients sampled had blurry vision. Your eye doctor could detect diabetes when they are checking your eyes.

4. White Ring Around Your Iris

If this is noticed during an eye exam, it may be time to go to your doctor. While a white ring can be a sign of aging, it can also be a sign of high cholesterol. Your eyes could be telling you that you are at an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

5. Damaged Blood Vessels in Your Retina

This isn’t a symptom that you can see in a mirror. This is the type of symptom that gets noticed during an eye exam.

Damaged blood vessels in your retina are also known as hypertensive retinopathy.

It’s a sign that your blood pressure is too high.

6. Your Eyes are Dry All the Time

If you are rubbing your eyes all the time and the skin around them is red, this can mean you have allergies. Rubbing too much or too hard can cause your eyelid to become looser and even saggy. This can cause wrinkles, increased exposure to air, and make your eyes dry.

7. Eye Floaties

Occasionally you will see little specks in your vision, and while most of the time they are harmless, they also shouldn’t be shrugged off. If you notice you have more than usual, this could be a sign of a retinal tear or detachment.

8. Puffy and Red Eyes

This symptom doesn’t necessarily mean infection. It can be a sign that you are tired. Your eyes are telling you that you need to sleep.

9. Yellow Patch or a Bump on the Whites to the Side

A tiny percentage of this is precancerous, but most of them are not. Getting too much sun can cause these patches. You can wear special glasses that will protect you from the sun if you notice these patches appearing.

10. The Whites of Your Eyes Turning Yellow

If you see this symptom, it could mean that you are developing Jaundice, a condition where you have too much bilirubin. It’s a yellow compound formed from the breakdown of red blood cells.

You can get this due to an infection, alcohol-related diseases, or cancer.

11. Eye Strain and Tearing Up

It’s hard not to be on the computer all day in this new age of technology. If you stare too long at a computer or TV screen, your eyes can get too dry and start tearing up.

12. Broken Blood Vessels

While no one likes to look in the mirror and see this, it’s essential to notice. This can mean that you are straining your eyes. Maybe give your eyes a break.

Read more here.

Did You Know You Can Experience Dementia Without Having the Disease?

Date: April 21, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
7 Ways to Handle Anxiety During Covid-19

It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to have dementia. It can be even harder to communicate with those who have it. Did you know there is a class called “A Walk in Their Shoes” that can give you the experience of having dementia without having the disease?

Did You Know You Can Experience Dementia Without Having the Disease?

Did You Know You Can Experience Dementia Without Having the Disease?

 

When you take the class, you learn about dementia through your senses. You will put on garden gloves, and a few fingers will be banded together. You will have a nose clip and a giant clothespin. The sunglasses you’ll wear have small dots on the lenses. This makes everything hard to see and put together.

You will have popcorn kernels in your shoes to make standing and walking painful and cause you to wobble. Finally, you’ll have headphones streaming a ton of different and indecipherable sounds.

The idea is to create what daily life is like with dementia. You will probably feel anxious and afraid. You will be overwhelmed.

The class was created by Alyssa Mackey, who is a dementia trainer and direction of business development at The Residence at Salem Woods. The goal is to help people of all walks of life to be able to talk to people with dementia in better ways. To have them speak slower and be more patient.

Things like facial expression, stance, proximity, and tone of voice are key messages to those with dementia. Things become more focused on feelings and instinct.

Read more here.

Could One Senior Community Change Senior Care?

Date: April 14, 2019
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
10 Easy Ways to Reduce Stress in Seniors

We’ve talked a lot about senior communities and even special ones that cater to those with dementia. Now, there is Hogeweyk, a neighborhood in Amsterdam that’s actually a senior community designed for those with dementia. This model of care could change everything when it comes to senior care.

Could One Senior Community Change Senior Care?

Could One Senior Community Change Senior Care?

 

How can Hogeweyk be a neighborhood and a senior community at the same time? Well, there are 27 houses that can hold 6 to 7 people comfortably. There’s a mall, restaurant, bar, supermarket, and a club room. It has streets and alleys and even a theater.

The inspiration for this neighborhood senior community was wanting to improve the traditional nursing community environment. Yvonne van Amerongen noticed that people with dementia were confused about going from their homes to a hospital setting which added to the confusion from dementia.

They wanted to go home and live in a home, not in a ward.

Amerongen and her coworkers felt that they should organize living arrangements to be more family like., to have 6 or 7 people together instead of 20 to 30.

They group people together based on their ideas about life to make things smoother for the seniors and even have them be friends. They interviewed families to get to know these seniors as people for proper placement.

Not only did this help with creating a warmer environment, but it also battled loneliness. These groupings created social circles and social life for these seniors. They could talk to each other and understand each other. Meanwhile, people without dementia would struggle to make conversation with them.

But how does Amerongen keep seniors safe? They have professional and volunteers in the neighborhood that know how to do work with people with dementia.

Management works within the neighborhood that way they can keep an eye on the residents.

By thinking differently, Amerongen and her coworkers were able to create a more comfortable environment for seniors with dementia. Hopefully, America will follow suit and build these dementia villages too.

Learn all about Hogeweyk by listening to Amerongen’s Ted Talk.