Posts Tagged ‘seniors’

Exercise: The Best Medicine For Your Aging Brain

Monday, May 24th, 2010

Isn’t it ironic? You’re in your car waiting to pull through the drive through window at your local Walgreens and what are you there to get? Weight loss medicine? Pills for high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Yes, there are some percentage of people who have an injury or are handicapped and walking into the pharmacy to pick up their medication is difficult. However, a large percentage of people who are waiting in the drive through line are just being lazy.

I own a home care agency in St. Louis that primarily provides care for the elderly. And in this capacity, every day I see what happens to both our bodies and our minds as we get older. It’s also part of my job to stay on top of the latest research on aging. If the people sitting in their cars at the drive through see what I see each day and know what I know, they probably wouldn’t be sitting in that car!

The debate is all but over. The number 1 most important thing we can do for our brains as we age is to be active and exercise. There have been a few studies that have come out recently that have shown the subjects who got regular exercise showed improvement in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Why is this noteworthy? Because the data shows about 15% of those with MCI are likely to develop Alzheimer’s. That’s why when the data shows that older adults who stay active have almost a 40% reduction in getting MCI, it’s important to pay attention. It’s become quite evident that we have to focus on prevention when it comes to neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and take action against them as early as possible.

Long term exposure to physical and mental stressors results in something called oxidative stress. This oxidative stress increases the brain’s vulnerability to diseases such as-you guessed it-Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Parkinson’s is another brain disease resulting from oxidative stress.

You can protect your brain from the effects of oxidative stress, however, by regularly performing aerobic exercise. Besides the aerobic training, strength training is important also. For a recent study, researchers followed 1000 subjects, age 54 to 100, who were dementia free. The researchers followed these subjects for 4 years and assessed the strength of the subjects in nine major muscle groups. The results were incredible. Those who ranked in the top 10% for strength were 61% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those in the bottom 10%.

Do you need more convincing about the importance of exercise? Well, in a 2008 study published in the journal Neurology, researchers measured the midsections of 6,500 adults in middle age during the 1960s and 1970s and then followed up with them 36 years later. The people who had the largest midsections in their 40s were three times more likely to have developed dementia when compared to those with the least amount of fat around the middle.

During normal aging, brain function declines due to the loss of neuronal connections, blockages of blood supply and a decrease in nerve-signaling chemicals. For many years, it was commonly believed that the aging brain was incapable of growing new brain cells. But that belief was wrong. Through studies conducted by Fred Gage, PhD and his colleagues at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies, it’s been shown that more exercise results in more growth of brain cells, a longer life for brain cells and the better able the brain cells are to connect with other cells. By simply walking briskly for 40 minutes four times per week, you can increase the blood flow to the areas in your brain that are responsible for growing new brain cells. The conclusion from these studies is that exercise and movement is so critical to the health of the brain, that much of the brain’s decline we attribute to the aging process is actually because we don’t get enough exercise.

Hopefully this will give you reason to pause the next time you start to pull into the Walgreen’s drive thru. Next time I challenge you to park at the far end of the lot and walk in to get your medicine. Who knows, if you keep up that mindset, one day you may not even need that prescription!

Theanna Zika founded St Louis, MO senior home care company, Heavenly Helpers, in 2004. She shares tips, strategies and advice about caring for seniors that she has learned over the years on the blog at her company’s website. The site also features a helpful list of St Louis, MO senior resources for seniors and their families in the St Louis, MO Metro area.

What You Must Know About Obamas Health Reform And Long-Term Care Insurance

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

The topic which has been on everyone’s minds is how Will Obamas Health reform effect long-term care insurance? Everybody knows that change is about to fall upon us when it comes to this so called reform. Put instead of applauding the change there are plenty of folk that fret about the worse.

Is this health care reform a good or a bad idea for the people of the United States? Everybody has come to the realization that the means that we all know life to presently be in this country will change forever. The changes are going to beat everybody and there’s nothing that we will be able to do to stay away from them.

Obama’s health reform is said to affect long term medical care in a variety of other ways. Everyone will be in a position to have health care without regard for their industrial stature. So, coincidentally it doesn’t matter if you have recently lost your job or if you simply do not have funds you will be able to see a doctor if you deem fit.

A lot of folk are taking the reform as a great thing. With over 46 million folk in the US that don’t have medicare it will give them the obligatory means that they need in order to be seen by a doctor. So despite your strain of bad luck that will not effect your well-being care requirements.

One thing that’s causing a lot of ruckus, is the proven fact that all of our wallets will grow thin over the next ten years. The reform is said to cost at least one to two trillion dollars of tax payers money over the course of the next 10 years. It does not matter if you have your own medical care insurance or not you will be responsible for paying excess taxes for the bill.

One excellent point is it will not matter where you become ill about the united states you’ll be able to still see a doctor. All of your records will be transferred from wherever you reside, so any surgery private can view your present medical history.

Doctors are going to be given the right to once again turn down service, which is a horrid thing. If as an example you are a cancer patient who is wanting medication to help with your discomfort, the doctor will have to compare prices of insurances to work out if you qualify for the medication. It’s a cruel way to make folk suffer.

A lot of elderly patients aren’t going to get the attention that they merit. There are claims that medicare has taken aged patients not even a few days of seeing them for a similar infirmities before. Old patients will start to be turned away with this new reform.

It will be remitted by law that everyone has this medical coverage or some form of coverage. Without having it you’ll be subject to fines as well as jail time. Who knew that we might be punished for not taking care of ourselves?

People thought the reform was a neat idea at first, but as time passes by they’re beginning to realize that maybe it is not as good as they may have presumed.

Before you go out and buy a policy go to Long Term Care Insurance, ask questions and request a long term care insurance quote. We represent 20 of the top LTCi providers. This gives you tremendous options.

What You Should Know About The Issue Of Rising Health Care Costs

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

The phenomenon of rising health care costs has been more and more in the news lately. It certainly is a matter of extreme interest to many people around the country these last several months, as has been amply demonstrated at a number of health care reform debates and legislator town halls. The concern over health care costs cuts across all socioeconomic and political affinity groups, too.

As a matter of interest, there are several reasons given as to why medical costs seem to be rising faster than inflation or other consumer indexes. For one, many people have come to expect the latest and greatest in medical technologies and other therapies which has caused a distortion in supply and a consequent rise in the cost of certain medical treatments and therapies.

Many experts who have studied health care administration and other facets of medicine believe that is possible to get control of rising health care costs through a few relatively simple legislative and policy changes. Most believe that some sort of lawsuit reform that can be implemented and that addresses suits brought against medical care providers could be a good first step.

Unfortunately, there are a number of constitutional questions about such a move, in addition to the fact that trial attorneys are very powerful contributors to various politicians and are themselves a very strong lobbying group. Another quick fix would be to allow health insurance companies to compete freely across the country without regard to state lines. Currently, the each state sets its own laws and rules for the regulation of health insurance.

And because each state regulates health insurance from a different perspective, it seems that unavoidable distortions in the market tend to occur and which have the effect of artificially depressing competition that could result in lower costs. For example, the cost of insurance in New York may be much higher than the cost of insurance in Wyoming. Allowing insurers to compete head-to-head seems to make a lot of sense.

Each of the states must also share in the blame, as legislators and others responsible for creating law have looked to forcing insurers to offer gold plated health insurance coverage regardless of the need for certain portions of such insurance policies by certain consumers. This tends to increase the cost of a health insurance policy across the whole group instead of where it belongs, which is on the individual purchaser of the insurance.

The phenomenon of rising healthcare costs shows no signs of going away anytime soon. For sure, it is becoming ever more crucial that some sort of reform of health care takes place sooner rather than later. Also for sure, there are a number of simple fixes that could result in appreciable drops in the cost of healthcare in both the short and long terms and which would gladden any family on a budget.

For more information on how Long Term Care Insurance can help prepare us as we age. Also you can get a long term care insurance quote. We represent 20 of the top LTCi providers. This gives you tremendous options.

How Will Obama’s Health Reform Effect Long-Term Care Insurance

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

The subject that has been on everybody’s minds is how will Obama’s Health reform effect long-term care insurance? Everyone knows that there’s a change that is going to be taking place . But will this change help or hurt our country? Some folks are accidentally ecstatic about the reform while others are hoping for the best but brooding about the worst.

Many are wondering if this medical care reform is a bad thing versus being a good. We all have come to the awareness that everything is going to be different. However, is this difference going to be a good or a bad thing for us to all have to face?

One enormous way that Obama’s health care reform is going to affect everybody’s lives is that everybody will be able to be covered. It does not matter what your stature or what’s happened in your life you’ll be able to have the health care that you stand wanting.

For some 46 million American citizens who don’t have health care they’re applauding the reform. It pretty much states that notwithstanding your economic stature you’ll be covered with the necessary hospital insurance you need.

Tax payers are going to feel a major hit to their finances. We intend to all be required to pay back 1 to 2 trillion greenbacks over a ten year time frame in order to rectify the expense of the reform. Even if you do not utilize this Fed. insurance you’ll be responsible for paying taxes on it also.

Irrespective of where you grow unwell at you’ll be able to receive medical assistance you need. So if you are feeling sick in Texas and you are from Arizona you will continue to be ready to go to a Texas doctors office and be seen. Your records will be available at the push of a button.

Medical Personal are going to be given a right to oppose to give you any medical assistance. For example, if a cancer patient requires services for medicine, the doctor will have to compare the prices of the meds and they are going to have the right to turn the patient away if the medication is deemed too costly.

A lot of aged patients are going to be turned down for services. Elderly patients are only going to be permitted to see their doctor once each month if on this insurance. Medicare has already paid a lot for reoccurring medical patients and this new insurance isn’t going to put up with it.

If you do not have the medicare insurance you will be fined and the subject of jail time. By law everybody will have to have this insurance in any case of your industrial stature.

This reform was meant to be a great thing for the Yank folks as a whole, however as time passes on many are convinced that it is simply only 1 big mistake. The choice doesn’t lie in our hands anymore, therefore we can all just hope that everything is going to pan out for the best.

Before you go out and buy a policy go to Long Term Care Insurance, ask questions and request a long term care insurance quote. We represent 20 of the top LTCi providers. This gives you tremendous options.

Will Obamas Health Reform Effect LTC Insurance

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

Lately, the topic which has found itself on everybody’s mind is how Will Obama’s Health Reform Effect long-term Care Insurance? Everyone is clear about the changes that are going to be happening in medicare for the entire country. However, some folk fear this change while others are applauding it.

But, does the health care bill actually be a good or a bad call for the U.S. to make. Coincidentally we understand that no one’s lives will be the same. The changes will happen in everyone’s lives regardless if they need the change or not the ball isn’t in our courts for this one.

One way that Obama’s medical care reform is claimed to affect long care insurance is even with the industrial crisis that our country faces everyone will be ready to be covered with this medical care reform. It won’t matter if you have lately lost your job, have a previous health problem or anything of the sort, you will continue to be able to have medicare.

It’s kind of like a breath of fresh air to the 46 million individuals that reside in the US that find themselves without health coverage and no possible way that they can really afford the cost. Irrespective of what kind of strain of bad luck that you end up running up against you’ll be covered.

Regardless of the rumors it is said that all taxpayers’ wallets are going to take a major hit. This reform is going to cost tax payers a computed 1 to two trillion greenbacks over the course of 10 years. Regardless if you have medical care insurance or not everyone is going to be compelled to aid in the reform.

A great thing that the reform will do is despite where you get ill at, in any state in the united states you’ll be able to seek out care. So, if you get sick in Texas but you reside in Arizona, after you walk into the hospital a doctor will continue to be able to access all of your private medical history.

One thing that’s going to break the Yankee folks is doctors are given back the right to say no thanks to expensive procedures that the long run care may not provide. For instance if you are cancer patient who badly wants medication, a doctor will be given the legal right to compare costs on insurance and if the price is too high has the ability to turn you away.

Elderly patients are going to be neglected. They won’t be ready to seek out care as they could before. Readmission to hospitals for aged patients has caused Medicare an enormous sum of money during the past, the new reform will not permit this expense to take any action.

An alternate way this reform is going to have an impact on medicare is everybody will be remitted by law to be forced to pay for their medicare. Without paying for it, you’ll be punished by excess fines and in a few cases jail time.

This reform could have looked great initially, but over time people are truly seeing what it is going to be doing to affect long term medical care and accidentally our lives as a whole.

Before you go out and buy a policy go to Long Term Care Insurance, ask questions and request a long term care insurance quote. We represent 20 of the top LTCi providers. This gives you tremendous options.

What You Should Know About Arranging Geriatric Care For Our Loved One

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

There is one thing in life that we all will face at one point. It is the fact that we will grow older as the days go by. We are bound to have to make plans for geriatric care for a loved one or a family friend. Our loved ones will probably have to do the same for us at one point as well.

There are a couple different choices when it comes to geriatric care. Where an elderly person lives will depend a lot on their medical condition. If they are well enough to move around their own apartment and cook for themselves but run a risk of falling or being injured then an assisted living facility may be the right choice for them.

There are emergency pull cords placed strategically throughout the apartments. If a person was to fall, they would not have to get up in order to get help. When they pull the cord the emergency personnel will be notified immediately and help will be on the way.

Once a person hits a certain medical condition, the option of cooking for themselves or living on their own may be eliminated. They may need to consider moving into a nursing home where they can get constant care for their illnesses. The nurses will be there at all times to help and will hand out all medications on a schedule.

Since they will no longer be able to cook for themselves, there is a cafeteria on site in the nursing home and all meals and snacks will be prepared for the residents. They all gather in a group room and enjoy their meals together. When they are finished they can return to their room or simply hang out with their new friends.

Not all of the residents in the nursing home are there because they are critically ill. Many times elderly people are sent to a nursing home to recover from some pretty debilitating surgeries. They could have had a hip replaced or even a knee or both knees replaced and just need nursing care to help them recover until they are able to get back to their own home.

Some of the other residents are truly ill with critical medical conditions. This will likely be the last place that they live during their lives. The nurses at the facility will be there to keep the person comfortable and happy during their final days.

There is no doubt that geriatric care will be a part of our lives at some point. A nursing home or retirement community may make things much easier on our loved ones when they are to a point that they can not be completely self reliant.

For more information on how Long Term Care Insurance can help prepare us as we age. Also you can get a long term care insurance quote. We represent 20 of the top LTCi providers. This gives you tremendous options.

Happy Independent Living For People That Are Disabled

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

There are many preconceived views globally with regards to people suffering from disabilities which unfortunately have created negative attitudes as somebody that has a living disability are seen as defective and sickly persons. Most people see disabled persons as being a burden to their families and also themselves and that they solely rely on others charity.

Disabled living is really a philosophy and many disabled persons work showing self determination along with self respect and should be given equal opportunities. Not until the late 1960’s did organizations form by disabled people themselves to promote the concepts of integration, rehabilitation and normalization for those with a living disability.

Independent living of handicapped persons would not entirely mean that they want to carry out everything for themselves and that they do not need assistance and want to reside isolation. This would mean that independent living with the disabled requires choices in addition to control in their everyday lives which plenty of people take for granted. By using mobility equipment they can drive or catch public transport and attend school or work normally like they are ordinary people and need to be recognized and loved for who they are.

A living disability does not necessarily mean that the handicap should be monitored by professionals night and day. Lots of the disabled are very competent at attending normal schools and universities and are capable of operating within normal environments even though they will often depend on disability equipment or disability products does not always mean to say they have a disabled brain capacity.

Actually there are the ones that suffer from sever disabilities or are severely handicapped and cannot in any way attend to themselves along with not being effective at working or even comprehending their surroundings and a disability of this nature requires constant care and in most cases some people are institutionalized. With respect to the individual’s disability an income supplement or perhaps a personal assistant may be required.

Happy independent living for the disabled allows them to control their own services and that they are free to pick among competing providers which in turn allows the handicapped to live on with dignity among their community. You will find various organizations run by disabled people who mentor other handicapped people showing them how to assume responsibility for their own lives and show them the way to develop coping strategies. These people are shown how to run their ever day lives when preparing for disabled living.

These centers and organizations work along with regional and local governments which raise awareness and also enhance the infrastructure and prohibit discrimination as well as segregation. Over recent years disabled living awareness and action has been acknowledged throughout the globe ensuring the safety, health and well being of disabled persons. Happy independent living for the disabled is mostly a philosophy of care and services promoting dignity and independence.

Jerry Hetfield is a freelance researcher and writes about disabled living as well as the disability products used to help people enjoy their lives. You can read more from him at his website.

Appropriate Retirement Gifts For Golfers

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

There is a commonly-held notion that golf is a pastime and sport of big shot entrepreneurs and businessmen. It also has the reputation of being an exclusive, elite sport that is not accessible to regular blue collared employees. However, this is not really the case as modernization and commercialization have brought this so called elite sport into the reach of the common worker.

This is because you don’t need to get hold of expensive equipment to join in. Unlike big game fishing and polo which need a lot of resources – a boat and a horse respectively – golfers just need a set of golf clubs, which are reasonably affordable these days. Bearing this in mind, retirement gifts for golfers and aspiring golfers are more easily thought of.

Personally made retirement gifts to personalize golfing equipment is quite an easy task as you could easily make it personal by embroidering such items as home made golf club pouches, and caddy covers. These can be knitted that is if you are a knitter or any similar craft which may require different materials.

A good idea is to think about the fashions of golfing which means to focus on the things worn by golfers. You may even be able to set a new trend in golfing apparel by using your lively imagination and an interesting design for your retiree.

Normal gifts. The most common and usual method of getting a retirement gift for golfers is to go over to the nearest sports shop and get your retiree some of the things sold there. It may sound a little impersonal to just get the retiree a commercially made gift but then this may actually prove really useful if the retiree is still a novice or beginner golfer. Maybe you might want to get him a golf club set as this is the basic requirement to be able to play golf.

Furthermore, you may find some other accessories that your retiree golfer may still need but then perhaps you could also use your imagination on what things can be made to enhance the golfing equipment he may already have.

Commercially available golfing equipment is also useful, if you want to make your retiree feel good. You could give him a famous set of clubs, making him look like a pro.

Gags and Jokes The amusing part of deciding to give a gag present, instead of the traditional gift, is the humour these items can create. It also adds to the brighter side of the golf-playing retiree’s party and his friends will be able to take part in with smiles, laughs and jokey comments as well.

The joke present should be bought very carefully as the gag gift may represent a sensitive matter for the retiree, especially if he is still a newbie player. Gag present in relation to golfing might be taken negatively and discourage or at least hinder their learning and progress as they are disturbed by the idea emphasized by the gag present given to them.

However, for more advanced golf players who are already acquainted with the way golfers think, the gift of a good joke present on their retirement day would be quite amusing as they would already know golf not only as a method of relieving their stress and getting some decent exercise but of actually just having a laugh as well.

People ought to view retirement presents for golfers as just a simple method of encouraging your golfer friend to appreciate the funny side of life after his working life has ended.

Enjoy yourself if you are going to or planning a Golfer’s Retirement Party, however if you want to get a better understanding of retirement, please visit our website Retirement Planning.

5 Common Mistakes People With Elderly Parents Make

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

1. Avoiding the discussion of alternative living arrangements for your parents.

Being proactive here is so important. When you have these discussions early and often you can be much less confrontational and it will be so much easier for everyone. Having these conversations earlier rather than later, you are able to approach them in a more relaxed, low-key manner.

If you wait until after Mom has fallen and broken her hip, the pressure is on and the emotions are high. At that point you are pressed for time to find answers quickly.

2. Being in the dark about your parents financial situation.

Know whether or not they have a long term care policy. If so, you should know where it is and make sure it’s easily accessible. Also, take some time to read through it so you know what it does and does not cover.

If your parents do not have long term care in place, do you know what other financial resources are available if needed? Perhaps a visit with an attorney to talk about Medicaid eligibility and spend down rules would be worthwhile. And if one of your parents is a Veteran, see if they are eligible to get coverage for certain services.

3. When your parents’ health starts to fail, thinking that a nursing home is the only option.

There are no shortage of options around these days. If your parent is resolute about staying in their own home, it is very possible to arrange for care there.

There are also ways to be very creative about combining several modalities of care. For instance, a family might have their father go to adult day care several times a week during the day, then have a caregiver stay over nights and family members supplement the other times if needed. The possibilities are endless to customize a plan that is just right for your situation.

4. Trying to find help at the last minute

Nothing is more stressful than trying to formulate a plan of care knowing your Mom is coming home tomorrow from the hospital. There is no way to make good, rational decisions that quickly and under that much duress. You will feel overwhelmed.

You’ll want to do your research as early as possible. Identify some facilities or agencies and contact them. See which ones you get a good vibe from and build a relationship with them. Arrange for you and/or your parent(s) to visit or have someone come to the home for an assessment. By starting the process sooner rather than later, you can call on people who are familiar with your situation if an emergency occurs.

5. Only looking at cost when deciding between care options.

This can be a tricky one. If you are looking at nursing homes, understand that there are very expensive ones that have poor track records when it comes to care. Fancy brochures, videos or tours don’t count for much. Try your best to talk with residents and their loved ones to get a better feeling about the quality of care the nursing home offers.

As for home care, be very careful about choosing the “cheapest” hourly rate. Remember that good caregivers demand to be paid more. Good homecare agencies cannot offer the best caregivers AND be the cheapest. Also ask to meet and approve of any caregiver before they start care.

Theanna Zika started Saint Louis home care company, Heavenly Helpers, in 2004. She shares tips, strategies and advice about caring for seniors that she has learned over the years on the blog at her company’s website. The site also features a helpful list of Saint Louis senior resources for seniors and their families in the Saint Louis Metro area.

A Quick Review Of The Stages Of Care For The Elderly

Monday, March 15th, 2010

When you age, the idea that you may not be able to look after yourself or live on your own becomes clearer. The alternative to give up your home may be on the list of hardest decisions you ever make. But were you aware that you might not have to give up your house right away? It’s true. Knowing what the different aging care choices are can help you make the decision that gets you the right level of care for your stage of life.

You’ll need to recognise when someone suffers from certain health conditions they will need very specialised care that’ll make some healthcare choices disagreeable. They can include Alzheimer’s or other kinds of dementia, care following a massive stroke or heart attack, or even similar to arthritis, where mobility can be profoundly affected.

Do you like the idea of staying in your own home? Consider a care provider who will come in and help look after your needs. Think about the specific needs you will want met, and the home itself. If mobility is a problem, someone may need to move to a home with no stairs. If you cannot lift, consider having help with your housework and yard work. You should think carefully about the different things you need to do around the house and make sure that these are taken care of in order to make living at home as successful as possible.

You may look at a retirement residence as a good transition from your home. You want to make sure that the facility you choose has activities you will enjoy and enough privacy and independence that you will feel at home there. Look at this place as somewhere you will want to live for a long time. Health care methods and advances in medical care can keep you around for many years to come.

You may be forced to look at a nursing home in order to take care of your specific health needs. If you are selecting a facility for a loved one, you need to make sure that the residents are healthy and well cared for. The cost of these facilities may be high, and there should be signs that the money is going back to the patients and being used to benefit them, as well as improve the facility. Look for a facility that can accommodate you or your loved one’s specific challenges and needs. Is there in house physiotherapy and routine medical check-ups? These can be important things to consider when picking a facility.

Palliative care just isn’t simply for those who are aging. It provides quality end of life care to those who are likely to pass away imminently. This may include people suffering from cancer or other diseases. This type of facility is often a facility of last resort, when people are too ill even for a nursing home. Often people will pass away in a nursing home rather than in palliative care but if a disease is very advanced, they may be moved either to a separate facility or to a designated area of a nursing facility.

You must think beyond the immediate situation when determining whether a specialized aging care arrangement is best for you. By learning about the aging process and any specific needs you have, you’ll find a facility that may assist you grow old gracefully and enjoy any remaining years you may have.

For more information on how to protect your assets and about long term care insurance visit us today. We represent 20 of the top LTCi providers.


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