Archive for the ‘Senior Health Management’ Category

Aging: What’s Art Got To Do With It?

Friday, November 20th, 2015

Creative art pursuits provide older adults with multiple benefits, not the least of which is enhanced cognitive function.

Throughout history, artists have known that art provides benefits for both the creator and viewer. Current studies in the fields of art therapy, music therapy, and other creative modalities confirm that art can affect individuals in positive ways by inducing both psychological and physiological healing. We know that, in general, exercising our creative selves enhances quality of life and nurtures overall well-being. We all are creative—not just a select few.

Less well known is the effectiveness of incorporating expressive arts into programs for older adults and patients who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other chronic degenerative diseases. Recent clinical research validates what some professionals and others who work with older adults have known for years—that making art is an essential, vital component of activities that offer a wide range of health benefits. Several studies show that art can reduce the depression and anxiety that are often symptomatic of chronic diseases. Other research demonstrates that the imagination and creativity of older adults can flourish in later life, helping them to realize unique, unlived potentials, even when suffering from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.

AGING: What’s Art Got To Do With It?

Sleep Issues and Sundowning

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015
by Liz  DeSantis

Scientists don’t completely understand why sleep disturbances occur with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. As with changes in memory and behavior, sleep changes somehow result from the impact of Alzheimer’s on the brain.

Some studies indicate as many as 20 percent of persons with Alzheimer’s will experience increased confusion, anxiety and agitation beginning late in the day. Others may experience changes in their sleep schedule and restlessness during the night. This disruption in the body’s sleep-wake cycle can lead to more behavioral problems.

Read more: http://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-sleep-issues-sundowning.asp#ixzz3qRrIqdZ0

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Research

Monday, November 2nd, 2015

by: Liz DeSantis

Some Alzheimer’s tests cost thousands of dollars, some cost pennies. The trick is using the right tests at the right time for the right person. An excellent scoring system from Mayo Clinic offers a powerful tool for making the best choices.

Researchers at Mayo Clinic developed a rigorous scoring system to help determine which elderly people may be at a higher risk of developing the memory and thinking problems that can lead to dementia. The study is published in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Link:  Alzheimer’s & Dementia Weekly

Launching Aging.gov

Tuesday, July 21st, 2015

http://www.sciencecare.com/launching-aging-gov-for-seniors-and-caregivers/The federal government recently launched Aging.gov to provide older Americans, their families, friends, and other caregivers, a one-stop resource for government-wide information on helping older adults live independent and fulfilling lives.  The Web site links to a broad spectrum of Federal information, including how to find local services and resources in your community for everything from healthy aging to elder justice to long-term care, as well as how to find key information on vital programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

http://www.sciencecare.com/launching-aging-gov-for-seniors-and-caregivers/

http://www.hhs.gov/aging

 

“Safety in the Sun for Seniors”

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2015

The coming of summer provides many opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. Whether it’s an afternoon gardening or a day at the beach here are some basics for safe, smart time in the sun.

  • 1.  Sun stimulates Vitamin D production, quite a good thing. What to remember is that 15 minutes a day 2 to 3 times a week on the face and hands causes the body to produce and adequate supply of Vitamin D.
  • 2.  Sunscreen should be used anytime a senior is out in the sun more than 15 minutes. Use a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor of 15 and apply it every 2 hours
  • 3.  Cloudy days still require the use of sunscreen. The sun doesn’t feel and hot on cloudy days but UV radiation is still being absorbed by the skin. Seniors skin is more sensitive so sunscreen and sun protection are still needed when the clouds are out.
  • 4.  The sun can hurt your eyes. UV rays can cause cataracts, macular degeneration and skin cancer around the eyes. Seniors should always wear sun glasses. Choose brown, gray or green lenses and the darker and larger the lens the better. Glasses that wrap around the eyes block a higher percentage of UV rays.

Keeping these tips in mind will make your time in the sun safe and enjoyable. And remember to stay on the sunny side of the street!

Mosser Celebrates National Activity Professional Week

Monday, January 26th, 2015

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by Alex  Trotta
Mosser Nursing Home recognized their activity employees with flowers during Activity Professional Week held January 18th to 24th.

AMosser Celebrates National Activity Professional Week_edited-2ctivity workers provide intellectual stimulation with games like Trivia, Uno and Card Sharks. Physical games such as bowling or bocce ball strengthen muscles and improve balance. Activity staff schedule area musicians for entertainment and local clergy for ministry and fellowship.  Visiting individual residents for companionship and emotional support are other services offered by the Activity Department.

Our Activity Staff strives to improve the lives of our resident’s each day and we are very grateful for everything they do!

Right to left standing( Liz DeSantis, Activity Aide, Amanda Waelchli, Activity/Social Service Director, Ella Waelchi, Star Volunteer, Sandy Shook, Activity Therapist(seated)

Partner with Your Physician to Manage Your Medications

Tuesday, February 4th, 2014

Should seniors that are taking multiple medications actively manage those medications or depend on their health care provider(s) to keep track of the medications and possible interactions when adding new ones? A reader recently asked Dr. K. on AskDoctorK.com that question and we’ve included the full post for your reference below.

Dear Doctor K: I’m in my 70s. Like many women my age, I’m on several medications. Should I be actively managing them? Or can I leave that to my doctor?

Dear Reader:
Many older adults are on a number of medications, prescribed to treat different health conditions. Yet each medication you take has the potential to interact — sometimes dangerously — with another. And if you see specialists for various health conditions, your medications may be prescribed by several different doctors.

If that’s the case, work with your primary care physician (PCP) to manage your medications. That means reviewing all of them with your PCP at every visit. Make sure to tell him or her about pills prescribed by specialists as well as over-the-counter drugs and supplements. Your doctor can make sure each drug is appropriate for you, and check that your medications don’t interact with one another.

At any medical visit, your doctor may suggest starting a new medication or changing the dose of one you already take. But time constraints may prevent your doctor from providing a detailed explanation of why, and what to expect. So you need to take the initiative.

My colleague Dr. Anne Fabiny is chief of geriatrics at Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance and editor in chief of Harvard Women’s Health Watch. She recommends asking lots of questions.

First, make sure you understand why the doctor is suggesting the medication, and what it is going to do. Ask what adverse effects the drug might have, and which ones warrant a call to your doctor. Find out how long you’ll be on the medicine. And check back in with your doctor after a few weeks to let him or her know how you’re doing.

Here is a list of 10 questions to ask your doctor every time you get a new prescription:

  • Why are you prescribing this drug?
  • How is it supposed to treat my condition?
  • Has it been tested and found to be safe and effective for people my age?
  • What side effects might it have, and what should I do if I have any of them?
  • At what dose are you starting me, and why?
  • Will you eventually increase or lower the dose?
  • Is there a lower-cost generic alternative to this drug available?
  • Can you put me on a drug regimen that will be easier for me to take (for example, once a day instead of several times a day)?
  • For how long do you want me to take this medicine?
  • What should I do when the medicine runs out? Will I need to refill the prescription, and if so, how can I get the new prescription from you?

If you’re thinking of stopping one of your medications, perhaps because of unpleasant side effects, let your doctor know first. You and your doctor can explore other options, such as lowering the dose or switching to a different drug.

When I was early in my training in internal medicine, I got my first lesson in how difficult it could be to make sure a patient was taking the right medicines. A patient of mine was getting medicines prescribed by several specialists — thirteen medications in all. At every visit I went over what I thought was the total list of her medicines, and she said I had it exactly right.

She was crippled by arthritis, so one day I made a home visit. She offered me some tea, and as we sat down at the dining room table I noticed a beautiful glass vase — full of pills. Her daughter told me that each morning she put her hand in the vase, grabbed a bunch of pills and swallowed them. She knew that she should take each pill as it was prescribed, but she felt “it would all work out OK in the end” the way she was doing it.

After she had gone into heart failure three times in three months, I (and her daughter) finally convinced her to take the medicines as prescribed. Her health improved.

Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School.