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Posts Tagged ‘senior’

Too often, seniors mistake the concept of retirement planning to only include the financial dimension of the plan. This is a mistaken perspective.Senior Retirement

The complete retirement plan considers all aspects of retirement including financial needs, personal pursuits, estate plans, legacy gifting, travel, hobbies and of course health care.

One critical aspect of planning for retirement is giving thoughtful consideration for “Advanced Directives”.

What are advanced Directives? Retirement Plan

In the simplest terms, Advance Directives involve preparing the legal documents needed to accurately present your desires and expectations regarding personal health care treatment if circumstances occur where you can’t make your own decisions.

Most Advance Directives are offered in the form of a Living Will or a Durable Power of Attorney. This article is only informational and is not intended to provide legal advice. Check with an attorney to determine what type of advance directive is appropriate in your state.

Essentially, a Living Will is a legal document whereby a patient can state in advance their personal wishes to either receive, or to have withheld, active life-support if they are deemed to be permanently unconscious or terminally ill and lack the ability to make informed choices.

To be applicable, the Living Will is valid when at least two doctors confirm that a patient is in an irreversible coma or has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and can not make critical personal health care decisions.

If a patient can make an informed decision, the requirements of the Living Will are not in effect.
What differentiates a Durable Power of Attorney for health care from a Living Will is the patient can identify in advance who is authorized to make critical health care treatment decisions if they can’t make them independently.

The person specified in a Durable Power of Attorney may also be known as the “attorney in fact”, “surrogate or proxy decision maker” or simply “agent”. Some have also used the term “patient advocate”.

Also, the Durable Power of Attorney is a legal instrument used solely for the health care treatment decisions of a patient that is unable to make them.

And the inability to make health care decisions does not have to be resulting from a coma or terminal illness when a Durable Power of Attorney is used in contrast to a Living Will.

The inability to make health care decisions should not be confused with mental incompetence. In the instance of mental incompetence, most courts will appoint a legal guardian empowered to make all financial, legal and health care decision. This appointment will only occur if adequate proof of incompetence has been presented to the court for consideration.

In most locations, the Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney both require at least two doctors to confirm that a patient does not have the capacity to make informed health care choices but the Living Will further requires the patient be in an irreversible coma or diagnosed with a terminal illness.

When a patient is being checked in to a hospital or clinic, most will inquire about the existence of an advanced directive.

Some states have laws requiring hospitals to ask about advance directives and provide documents if the patient doesn’t possess the documents. These directives must be well documented in the patient’s medical chart.

Every senior should take steps through the use of advance directives to ensure their personal health care treatment choices are honored even if circumstances occur that prevent a conscious choice.

The use of Advance Directives is not a replacement for active and honest communications between health care professionals, patient and family members. As circumstances change, these important directives should be amended to always align with the wishes of the patient.Senior Advisors

For more than 20 years, Karl Edmunds has been a noted author within the business and management consulting arena. As a senior, he now engages his curiosity and observations about life to write about key issues of importance to the growing community of seniors (Boomers), and the value of living life to the fullest every single day. Give me your comments and suggests at http://Plan-Retirement.org or http://For-Seniors.org

Perhaps it is a bit simplistic to suggest that you can drink your way to better health, but that is what I am about to say.

Over the years, one natural remedy that has been confirmed through the direct experience of many seniors is the use of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). Nutrition for seniors

Health improvements for a wide range of ailments including various allergies, sinus infections, some forms of acne, high cholesterol, chronic fatigue, acid stomach, arthritis and cold symptoms to name a few.

In addition, Apple Cider Vinegar is reported used among weight loss advocates. Many people believe that ACV is a good “fat-burner” and a natural appetite suppressant. There is an apple cider vinegar diet suggesting daily consumption of ACV prior to meals to suppress appetite. But more research is needed to scientifically valid these claims.

Certainly each person seems to be affected differently, but if you are suffering and in pain, there is little harm and nominal cost in giving this natural remedy a try.

And you won’t have to worry about dangerous side affects that accompany so many of our recommended drugs.

First, you must think of Apple Cider Vinegar as medicine because you are not likely to take it as a taste delight.

Try it and let the results guide you on the amount to use and the frequency of use. Most seniors and elderly people that are convinced of the value take apple cider vinegar routinely. Senior Health

Over time, seniors that consistently use the product speak of better complexion and energy. Some elders and seniors also give a daily drink to their dogs and cats and celebrate improvements in mobility, and disposition.

If you give ACV a try, go for an organic brand. Many devoted users recommend the BRAGG brand as a solid product to use. ACV from some providers can be too acidic for some users so try a smaller than recommended dosage first and then move up to the full dosage if you don’t experience any side effects.

Also, some people with sensitive teeth have some difficulties drinking ACV. If sensitive teeth are a problem, try warming your ACV slightly or drinking through a straw.

Any natural remedy with broad claims of healing and benefit must be evaluated with care and caution. Despite personal health stories, there has not been extensive formal study of ACV over the past 10 to 20 years. The lack of formal review of ACV doesn’t invalidate personal health claims it simply affirms the importance of using care. Nutrition

Janet Shapan, has been a publisher, writer and media designer in the special interest magazine and TV production business for over 25 years. A Boomer, her passion is identifying and sharing current innovations in health, wellness and other lifestyle categories of interest to Seniors. For more information on Senior Living, visit: http://For-Seniors.org

It is about time we toss out an old, worn out rule of thumb. That rule held that anxiety disorders declined with age.

The theory was that seniors would report mental issues less frequently due to their focus on physical pain and problems. This assumption may be somewhat valid but does it mean we should simply ignore seniors that complain of anxiety issues? Health For Seniors

This is how we sweep problems under the rug. Rather than face the real possibility that seniors do actually struggle with anxiety more with age, we make unfounded assumptions and then pay little or no attention to the problem.

Unfortunately the growing senior population has forced our health care professionals to concede that aging and debilitating anxieties go together.

And many seniors contending with anxiety disorders have fought with them for years. According to the American Geriatrics Society Foundation, anxiety becomes more common as we get older, because medical, psychological, and social problems tend to build up.

Until now, mental health professions lacked any standardized scales or measurements that would accurately and swiftly measure anxiety within a patient.
Senior Health

And a tool was needed that could effectively be used in day to day clinical practices dealing with mental health problems.

Studies suggest that only 11% of psychiatrists use any type of standardized measurement tools to evaluate results when dealing with depression or anxiety disorders so a significant opportunity for improvement exists.

With this in mind, Mark Zimmerman, MD, director of outpatient psychiatry at Rhode Island Hospital, and his colleagues developed the Clinically Useful Anxiety Outcome Scale (CUXOS).

Using the CUXOS scale, patients were able to complete the test in less than two minutes and the clinician scored the test in less than 15 seconds.

The scale has been found to reflect high internal consistency and test-retest reliability and correlates well with other known self-report measures.

Zimmerman says, “We believe that the use of standardized scales should be the standard of care and routinely used to measure outcome when treating psychiatric disorders. Only in this way can we ensure that we are having an impact on our patients.”

Researchers acknowledge the need to question any new self report scale since there is no shortage of similar scales available now, but the CUXOS distinguishes itself in several respects and is intended as a general measure of the severity of psychic and somatic anxiety.

The study was based on work in the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services (MIDAS) Project, for which Zimmerman is the principal investigator. It is a unique integration of research quality diagnostic methods into a community-based outpatient practice affiliated with an academic medical center.

Along with Zimmerman, other researchers in the study are Iwona Chelminski, PhD, Diane Young, PhD, and Kristy Dalrymple, PhD, all of Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School.

Communication with aging parents, patients and senior friends is the best way to identify life changes that often drive escalating levels of anxiety. Pay attention to the following key indicators:
● Sudden changes in daily routines and activities;
● Unusual levels of worry that is out of proportion to the circumstances;
● Sudden changes in moods or behavior due to medication;
● Changes in outlook on life or loss of interests;

The results to date for the CUXOS scale gives hope for many seniors suffering with anxiety. Faster and more accurate measurements of anxiety will reduce long term health care costs and provide relief to care givers. But most importantly, seniors that suffer anxiety disorders will enjoy life more. Senior Living

Janet Shapan, has been a publisher, writer and media designer in the special interest magazine and TV production business for over 25 years. A Boomer, her passion is identifying and sharing current innovations in health, wellness and other lifestyle categories of interest to Seniors. For more information on Senior Living, visit: http://For-Seniors.org

Over the years seniors have been told that aches and pains that come with exercise are just part of the deal and in time they will go away. This may be true to some extent, but it is possible to learn from these pains.

What is the body telling us? For Seniors

Many seniors have jumped into a new fitness program with great enthusiasm and felt the stabbing pain of a headache before the first session is complete.

Studies suggest that roughly 45 million people suffer from chronic headaches but did you know that 70% of these people feel headache pain while exercising.

When you begin an exercise program and you have not exercised for quite a while, you are 1.5X more likely to experience a headache than someone that works out 3X per week.

Beginning a new exercise program causes the body to respond in two ways. First the increased blood flow around the brain inflames the vessels and stretches the nerves in the vessels creating pain. In response, the body releases endorphins, a sort of natural pain killer to counter the pain.

Regular exercise lessens this response because consistent exercise increases blood flow to the brain area and your muscles become more responsive and less fatigued over time.

Exercise Tips… Senior Health

Breathe: A common response by many seniors during intense exercise is to hold the breath. Doing this once in awhile is not a problem but if you habitually hold your breath to accomplish an exercise, you are likely to get headaches. If you need to grunt or make noises to get through it, do it but stay attentive to your breathing.

Be Careful of Exercise Bursts: One minute you are cooling your jets setting on the sidelines of a group volleyball game and the next minute you are on the court sprinting to save an errant pass without any warm up or stretching as if you were 25 years old. Cardio burst like these can cause problems for any age but are especially harmful for seniors. It is important to stay warm and avoid the intensive bursts when your body is unprepared.

Watch What You Eat: Don’t jump headlong into an intense exercise program with an empty stomach. Try having a 100 to 300 calorie snack maybe 30 to 60 minutes before you begin. You will love the energy burst. But be careful of soy, citrus fruits, yogurts and nuts if you are prone to headaches.

Stay Hydrated: Too often seniors think a short brisk walk or lifting a few weights doesn’t call for active fluid intake. Not true. Dehydration is a common cause for headaches during exercise among seniors. Before you even begin your exercise, drink an 8 ounce glass of water and bring another 8 ounces with you to drink during the exercise. And if it is hot, drink more or consider an indoor program.

These are just a few tips to help you have a better experience during your exercise. Speak to your doctor and be clear about the steps and precautions you should take before you begin exercising. What is most important is that you actually begin. Stay active. Stay engaged. As you see improvement you won’t have any problems being motivated to continue. Senior Living

Janet Shapan, has been a publisher, writer and media designer in the special interest magazine and TV production business for over 25 years. A Boomer, her passion is identifying and sharing current innovations in health, wellness and other lifestyle categories of interest to Seniors. For more information on Senior Living, visit: http://For-Seniors.org

Anxiety disorder is a general term describing various forms of fear and anxiety including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic conditions, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and stress and separation anxiety.

Generalized anxieties are not uncommon among adults. They are characterized by enduring anxiety that really doesn’t seem to have a clear cause or reason. The anxiousness tends to be continuous and makes daily life very difficult. Seniors

Panic episodes can appear as brief and intense bouts of fear or apprehension. In most cases these conditions are usually short lived ranging from a few minutes to a few hours. The cause may be apparent but often it is unclear.

Linked to panic attacks is a condition known as agoraphobia, the anxiety about being in a place or situation that may be difficult to get out of. People who suffer from agoraphobia usually need to be near doors or openings at all times. In severe cases, this leads to the individual never wanting to leave his/her home for fear of not being able to leave wherever he/she is going.

Phobias are the largest category of anxiety disorders. If you are a senior with a phobia you know the power of these fears. Social phobia (otherwise known as social anxiety disorder) is an abnormal fear of public embarrassment or humiliation. This may stem from social events, public speaking or other public situations resulting in physical symptoms such as blushing, sweating, and difficulty speaking.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is mainly characterized by repetitive obsessions with certain thoughts or images and compulsions to repeatedly perform certain actions or rituals. OCD thought pattern could be compared to superstitions, where the afflicted person believes if certain actions are performed, the danger or evil will be eliminated.

There are other types of anxiety related issues stemming from daily stresses, post-traumatic stress from a traumatic experience or separation. Senior Health

There are many treatment options for the above disorders/phobias: psychotherapy focuses on increasing the individual’s sense of their own well-being.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aims to get at the root of the dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and cognitions and to treat them accordingly.

And pharmaceutical therapy employs various medications to relieve symptoms but is rarely used just by itself as it doesn’t treat the core problem, only its symptoms.

Anxiety and insomnia are often related. Each can be causes of the other which, in turn, leads to a vicious cycle that may seem impossible to break.

A study conducted by Dag Neckelmann, MD, PhD, of the Department of Psychiatry at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norwa, shows that chronic insomnia increases your odds of having anxiety disorders. So, treating chronic insomnia may be one way to alleviate feelings of anxiousness.

Chronic insomnia typically is a prolonged period such as a month or more of having trouble falling asleep, waking up too early or overall poor quality of sleep. About 10 percent of adults in the US contend with this condition.

If you aren’t sleeping, first check with a doctor to ensure that certain conditions like heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, pregnancy, menopause or arthritis aren’t the cause of the problem. Check your medications as well.

A practical approach to deter both anxiety and insomnia is reducing the consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Coffee is not always the sole culprit. Some tea, soft drinks, and certain medications can negatively impact sleep patterns. You may think alcohol helps you relax and fall to sleep but most drinkers experience a light and fragmented sleep pattern. Senior Living

Another simple solution to insomnia is just old fashioned exercise. Take a 20 minute walk every day or a few times each week. Make sure you get your heart rate up during the walk. But don’t walk too close to bed time.

The information offered here are just basic tips and not medical advice. If you are still experience severe anxiety levels and can’t sleep, seek professional help from medical and psychological professionals.

Janet Shapan, has been a publisher, writer and media designer in the special interest magazine and TV production business for over 25 years. A Boomer, her passion is identifying and sharing current innovations in health, wellness and other lifestyle categories of interest to Seniors. For more information on Senior Living, visit: http://For-Seniors.org

No Pain. No Gain – is so not the rule for good senior health and fitness!

For seniors who already have pain that they are trying to heal, the prospect of purposefully adding even more pain and discomfort makes taking physical exercise seem like a bad joke and totally unreasonable.

The idea that we should feel pain after we exercise may be good for military boot camps that want to create soldiers out of young men, but as seniors, there should be a way to work around extreme exercise… and there is!

Here is a useful mini guide explaining ways to safer, pain free senior fitness how you can actually enjoy your daily physical exercise…

Swimming is popular activity that is highly recommended for no pain, with gain exercising. Being in the water relieves muscle tension, pain and swelling from arthritis, and lets your body perform resistance exercise with little tension on your joints.

It is still possible to overexert yourself and feel sore the next day, but the water makes the chances of a successful and painless workout much more possible.

Some hospitals have even built swimming pools or co-opted with gyms for pool use because swimming is such a beneficial way for seniors and those undertaking physical therapy to regain strength and fitness.

There are a few ways to make sure that you are in the right environment to engage in a no pain with gain workout. Professional gyms that employ certified instructors are a great place to start and senior fitness classes are now becoming very popular.

Silver Sneakers offer classes made specifically for seniors at various levels of fitness and ability. Many instructors will also offer modifications for exercises. If the modification information is not readily available, ask the instructor or fitness manager for it.

As long as your doctor has approved the activity or class, the instructor should be able to offer ways to keep pressure off the knees and wrists, or recommend alternate exercises for those of you using walkers or wheelchairs.

Wellness centers and weight rooms should have personal trainers on hand that can recommend the proper weight for circuit training and lifting weights. If a fitness instructor does not have this information, then consider taking a different class or going to another gym.

Luckily, many doctors and fitness enthusiasts are beginning to support seniors in the re-done no pain, no pain approach. Yoga, for example, purports that no one is supposed to feel pain during any of the postures being used.

In other words, a posture done within a person’s own abilities will not be painful – after all, yoga exercises are designed to improve the body not to cause self-injury!

The benefits derived from the different types of yoga are numerous: not only does it help you improve your flexibility, focus and stamina it also helps maintain your overall general health.

Besides finding places which can offer you the proper modifications to their classes and machinery, from a mental wellness attitude, finding something enjoyable which you like to do and that is physical will also diminish any pain philosophy.

If you pick a physical activity that you consider fun, you are not likely to associate it with a need to create discomfort. For instance, if you go dancing then you should end the night feeling both rejuvenated and exhausted by the fun, not the pain, you have experienced.

Even just taking a little walk can do wonders for your fitness and general well being… not only does it revive you it may motivate you to continue exercising.

The only potential drawback to doing something that you enjoy is that you tend not to think about how much you are working your body during the exercise. Try to keep tabs on how it is feeling and remember when your body tells you it’s had enough – stop and rest!

As gentle and safe as the new workouts for senior fitness are, a little soreness can still result from any physical exertion.

Counteracting soreness with some yoga or stretches will take away some of your knots and kinks. Drinking plenty of water before, during and after exercise also helps to keep sore muscles at bay.

The traditional, tried and tested remedy of a relaxing warm bath is still a favorite way to help your body alleviate any soreness until it gets accustomed to your new pain-free senior fitness program.

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