Q. My adult daughter is constantly after me to exercise more, but at age 85 I just don’t see the point. It’s all I can do just to keep up care of my home. Do you think it’s a good idea?
Yes, but don’t take our word for it. Here’s more evidence that physical activity may delay the spiral of decline that begins with inability to perform daily activities and continues through illness and death.
And the research, which appeared in a recent Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, shows that seniors who start exercising even at age 85 can live longer and healthier lives.
Researchers at Hebrew University Medical Center and Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, studied 1,861 individuals born in 1920 and 1921. Participants underwent assessments in their homes at ages 70, 78 and 85 years, during which they were asked about their physical activity levels.
Those who performed less than four hours per week of physical activity were considered sedentary, while those who exercised about four hours weekly, performed vigorous activities such as jogging or swimming at least twice weekly or who engaged in regular physical activity (for example, walking at least an hour daily) were considered physically active.
When compared with those who were sedentary, individuals who were physically active were:
• 12 percent less likely to die between ages 70 and 78,
• 15 percent less likely to die between ages 78 and 85 and
• 17 percent less likely to die between ages 85 and 88.
These active seniors also were more likely to remain independent and experience fewer declines in their ability to perform daily tasks, report less loneliness and were less likely to have poor self-rated health.
The benefits associated with physical activity were observed not only in those who maintained an existing level of physical activity, but also in those who began exercising between ages 70 and 85, according to the research.
By enlisting the help of a family member or agency such as Home Instead Senior Care to assist around your home, you would likely have more time and energy for exercise. Call today for more information.
For more about this study, log on to http://pubs.ama-assn.org/media/2009a/0914.dtl#2.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
What's Going on with Mom? Call the Hairdresser
Q. I’m worried about my 80-year-old mother’s health, but I can never get any information out of her. Any ideas?
Why not call her hairdresser? Hair stylists may have a unique opportunity to help steer their elderly clients to needed health services, according to a small, exploratory study. More than 80 percent of 40 Columbus, Ohio, area stylists surveyed said that older clients often or always shared their problems during appointments.
“Hair stylists are in a great position to notice when their older clients are starting to suffer from depression, dementia or self-neglect,” said Keith Anderson, assistant professor of social work at Ohio State University and co-author of the study that appeared in the Journal of Applied Gerontology.
Study participants reported that, on average, about one-third of their clients were 60 years old or older. Anderson said the results suggest that most stylists do develop close long-term relationships with their older clients.
About 85 percent of stylists described their relationships with older clients as “close” or “very close.” About 72 percent said their role was like one of “family” to some of their older customers.
Health and family problems are the issues most often brought up by elderly customers – more than three-quarters of stylists have heard such complaints, the survey revealed. And more than a third of stylists said clients have discussed problems with depression or anxiety. The vast majority of stylists said their response to hearing their clients’ problems is to offer sympathy and support, and to try to cheer them up. But fewer than half said they have given advice, and only about one-quarter have tried to get the client to speak to someone who can help them.
That’s not because they are unwilling to help, Anderson said. About two-thirds said they are willing to refer an older client to appropriate services. But the problem, Anderson said, is that more than half – 52 percent – said they were unfamiliar with community services that may be helpful to older adults.
One of those resources is Home Instead Senior Care, a company with franchises in more than 600 U.S. communities whose CAREGivers help keep seniors independent. Log on to www.homeinstead.com/627 or call 301-846-9922 for more information about the many services our company provides to seniors in Frederick County.
For more information about the study, log on to http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/salontherapy.htm.
Why not call her hairdresser? Hair stylists may have a unique opportunity to help steer their elderly clients to needed health services, according to a small, exploratory study. More than 80 percent of 40 Columbus, Ohio, area stylists surveyed said that older clients often or always shared their problems during appointments.
“Hair stylists are in a great position to notice when their older clients are starting to suffer from depression, dementia or self-neglect,” said Keith Anderson, assistant professor of social work at Ohio State University and co-author of the study that appeared in the Journal of Applied Gerontology.
Study participants reported that, on average, about one-third of their clients were 60 years old or older. Anderson said the results suggest that most stylists do develop close long-term relationships with their older clients.
About 85 percent of stylists described their relationships with older clients as “close” or “very close.” About 72 percent said their role was like one of “family” to some of their older customers.
Health and family problems are the issues most often brought up by elderly customers – more than three-quarters of stylists have heard such complaints, the survey revealed. And more than a third of stylists said clients have discussed problems with depression or anxiety. The vast majority of stylists said their response to hearing their clients’ problems is to offer sympathy and support, and to try to cheer them up. But fewer than half said they have given advice, and only about one-quarter have tried to get the client to speak to someone who can help them.
That’s not because they are unwilling to help, Anderson said. About two-thirds said they are willing to refer an older client to appropriate services. But the problem, Anderson said, is that more than half – 52 percent – said they were unfamiliar with community services that may be helpful to older adults.
One of those resources is Home Instead Senior Care, a company with franchises in more than 600 U.S. communities whose CAREGivers help keep seniors independent. Log on to www.homeinstead.com/627 or call 301-846-9922 for more information about the many services our company provides to seniors in Frederick County.
For more information about the study, log on to http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/salontherapy.htm.
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