‘Wisdom’ Helps Older Brains Keep Pace, Study Shows

Q.    I notice that my elderly dad still is very bright, but he takes a while longer to process information. Is that part of aging and how can we help him keep his mind as well as his body in good shape?

Here’s a study that may explain what’s happening with your dad. In a matched test, the brains of older people were not as fast as those in a group of younger people, but they performed just as well because their brains are wiser, say Canadian researchers.

“It was already known that aging is not necessarily associated with a significant loss in cognitive function,” explains Dr. Oury Monchi, University Geriatrics Institute of Montreal. “We now have neurobiological evidence showing that with age comes wisdom and that as the brain gets older, it learns to better allocate its resources. When it comes to certain tasks, the brains of older adults can achieve very close to the same performance as those of younger ones,” Monchi added.

The study included a group of 24 people aged 18 to 35 and a group of 10 people aged 55 to 75 who were still active professionally. For this test, participants were asked to pair words according to different lexical rules, including semantic category (animal, object, etc.), rhyme, or the beginning of the word (attack).

“When the young participants made a mistake and had to plan and execute a new strategy to get the right answer, various parts of their brains were recruited even before the next task began. However, when the older participants learned that they had made a mistake, these regions were only recruited at the beginning of the next trial, indicating that with age, we decide to make adjustments only when absolutely necessary. It is as though the older brain is more impervious to criticism and more confident than the young brain.”

That’s interesting information to consider. A mounting body of research also has shown that keeping the brain active is one important part of healthy aging. So anything you can do to encourage your dad to stay busy is valuable. The local Home Instead Senior Care^® office has a number of resources for family caregivers at http://www.caregiverstress.com/ that can help keep seniors healthy and engaged.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. For more information about the study, visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-08/uom-css082511.php.

Hold the Bacon! Processed Foods Increase Diabetes Risk

Q.    My 82-year-old father just loves bacon and has several slices every morning. Since Mom died last year, I can’t seem to get him to eat a healthier diet. Any suggestions?

Widowers can take the path of least resistance – foods that they love to eat and are easy to prepare, but may not be healthy for them. Too much processed foods can be among those choices.

A study of more than 400,000 participants by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers finds a strong association between the consumption of red meat, particularly when the meat is processed, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes that strikes more than one of four senior citizens. The study also shows that replacing red meat with healthier proteins, such as low-fat dairy, nuts, or whole grains, can significantly lower the risk.

This study is among the first to estimate the risk reduction associated with substituting healthier protein choices for red meat.

After adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), and other lifestyle and dietary risk factors, the researchers found that a daily 100-gram serving of unprocessed red meat (about the size of a deck of cards) was associated with a 19 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

They also found that one daily serving of half that quantity of processed meat – 50 grams (for example, one hot dog or sausage or two slices of bacon) – was associated with a 51 percent increased risk.

“Clearly, the results from this study have huge public health implications given the rising type 2 diabetes epidemic and increasing consumption of red meats worldwide,” said senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH, who co-authored the study with An Pan, research fellow. “The good news is that such troubling risk factors can be offset by swapping red meat for a healthier protein.”

The researchers found that, for an individual who eats one daily serving of red meat:

·         substituting one serving of nuts per day was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes;

·         substituting low-fat dairy, a 17 percent lower risk; and

·         substituting whole grains, a 23 percent lower risk.

Loneliness can impact widows and widowers like your father. Consider contacting your local Home Instead Senior Care^® office to discuss how they might help. And visit http://www.mealsandcompanionships/, for health tips, health lifestyle options and recipes.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, go to http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2011-releases/red-meat-type-2-diabetes.html.

Want to Keep the Memory Sharp? Give Up Salt, Take Fish Oil and Hit the Exercise Trail

Q.    The older I get, the more I am concerned about avoiding dementia and keeping my memory strong. What can I do for that?

Actually, there are several things to do as well as to avoid, according to the latest research. Senior citizens who lead sedentary lifestyles and consume a lot of sodium in their diet may be damaging their mental health.

A study led by Dr. Alexandra Fiocco, a scientist with Baycrest’s Kunin-Lunenfeld Applied and Evaluative Research Unit (KLAERU)  in Toronto, Canada, has found evidence that high-salt diets coupled with low physical activity can be detrimental to cognitive health in older adults.

The study followed the sodium consumption and physical activity levels of 1,262 healthy elderly men and women (ages 67 – 84) residing in Quebec, Canada, over three years. The adults were recruited from a large pool of participants in the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging (NuAge).

While low sodium intake is associated with reduced blood pressure and risk of heart disease, this is believed to be the first study to extend the benefits of a low sodium diet to brain health in healthy older adults.

Elsewhere, the evidence from a recent study of older people indicates that consuming fish oil supplements has a positive impact on brain health and aging. The study included 819 individuals, 117 of whom reported regular use of fish oil supplements before entry and during study follow-up.

The researchers compared cognitive functioning and brain atrophy for patients who reported routinely using these supplements to those who were not using fish oil supplements. Research results report better cognitive functioning as well as a difference in brain structure between people taking fish oil supplements and non-users.

This research should provide you with plenty of ammunition in your arsenal to make a difference in how you approach aging. If you have trouble staying active, a Home Instead CAREGiver^SM could help. CAREGivers from the Frederick County Home Instead Senior Care^® office provide seniors with plenty of motivation to stay on top of a healthy lifestyle. CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured, and many are seniors as well.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to http://www.homeinstead.com/627/627. For more about the sodium-exercise study, visit http://research.baycrest.org/news/showByTitle/title/older-adults-with-too-much-salt-in-their-diet-and-too-little-exercise-at-greater-risk-of-cognitive-decline/src/@random4d822358917ef. For more information about the fish oil study, go to http://www.lifespan.org/news/2011/08/17/rhode-island-hospital-study-identifies-fish-oils-impact-on-cognition-and-brain-structure/.

Secret to Longevity: Genetics and Lifestyle

Q.    My friends and I were at coffee the other day and the topic of longevity came up. Half the group felt that genetics were responsible for a long life and the other half said they felt it was lifestyle. Who’s right? We’re all in our 80s so I think we’ve done pretty well attempting to figure out this mystery.

You can go back to your group with the news that everyone is correct. Both genetics and a healthy lifestyle are important to healthy aging. Two recent studies lend credence to both theories. New research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms what other studies have uncovered. If you want to live longer don’t smoke, eat healthy, exercise and drink alcohol moderately.

During the study period, people who engaged in all four healthy behaviors were 63 percent less likely to die early, compared with people who did not practice any of the behaviors. But people can live longer if they practice even just one of these healthy lifestyle behaviors, according to the CDC. Not smoking provided the most protection from dying from all of the causes examined.

People who engaged in all four healthy behaviors were: 

·         66 percent less likely to die early from cancer,

·         65 percent less likely to die early from cardiovascular disease, and

·         57 percent less likely to die early from other causes compared with people who did not engage in any of the healthy behaviors.

On the other hand, another recent study has revealed that people who live to 95 or older are no more virtuous than the rest of us in terms of their diet, exercise routine or smoking and drinking habits, according to research by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Bronx, N.Y. That group found that genes were an important indicator of longevity.

Overall, people with exceptional longevity did not have healthier habits than the comparison group in terms of body mass index (BMI), smoking, physical activity or diet, that research indicated.

Let the debate continue! Take these results back to your coffee klatch and you are sure to generate even more discussion. Remember, as you all start to need support, assistance at home can help you and your friends remain independent longer. Contact your Frederick County Home Instead Senior Care^® office today for more information.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. To learn more about the CDC study, go to http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p0818_living_longer.html. For more information about the centenarian study, visit http://www.einstein.yu.edu/home/news.asp?ID=678.

Study Shows "Broken Heart Syndrome" Can Kill

Q.    I just can’t seem to get over losing my husband of 52 years two months ago. At this age, I don’t know how to pick up the pieces and go on. My children are trying to help me, but I am just lost without the love of my life.

The stages of grief are a typical reaction to the loss of a loved one, which you have recently suffered. Please talk to your physician about the services that he or she would recommend for you. Also, contact Frederick Memorial Hospital, the Frederick County Department of Aging and your church or synagogue about the community grief services that may be available.

Unresolved grief could have a devastating effect on your health. For generations it has been said that people who collapsed and died soon after a severe personal loss just died of a “broken heart.” The cause was probably stress cardiomyopathy, which is now often referred to as “broken heart syndrome.” New research, however, indicates this acute heart failure triggered by stressful events is more common than first thought.

Stress cardiomyopathy (SC) has been known to primarily affect postmenopausal women and is characterized by acute, profound, but reversible left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in the absence of significant coronary artery disease, according to the study published in a recent issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The condition can be difficult to diagnosis, according to the report from researchers at the University of Leipzig, Germany. However, it appears that patients with SC were an average age of 69 years old and 89 percent (227) were women.

Please think about your family and how they would feel if something happened to you as well. If you are overwhelmed at the thought of being home alone or trying to take care of your house, consider contacting us at Home Instead Senior Care^® to discuss how we might be able to help. CAREGivers ^SM, who are screened, trained, bonded and insured, are well-equipped to assist older adults who find themselves in need of companionship.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, go to http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/306/3/277.abstract.

Half of Alzheimer’s Could be Prevented, Research Indicates

17. My mother is terrified of getting Alzheimer’s disease, which her own mother died from. Is there anything encouraging out there to help allay her fears?

Yes, indeed. In fact, a recently released study revealed that more than half of all Alzheimer’s disease cases could potentially be prevented through lifestyle changes and treatment or prevention of chronic medical conditions.

Researchers in this study led by Deborah Barnes, Ph.D., a mental health researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC), reported the proportion of Alzheimer's cases worldwide that are potentially attributable to each of seven risk factors.

Together, these seven potentially modifiable risk factors have contributed to roughly 50 percent of Alzheimer's cases worldwide (51 percent, 17.2 million) and in the U.S. (54 percent, 2.9 million):

·         low education 19 percent

·         smoking 14 percent

·         physical inactivity 13 percent

·         depression 11 percent

·         mid-life hypertension 5 percent

·         mid-life obesity 2 percent

·         diabetes 2 percent

And specifically in the U.S.:

·         physical inactivity 21 percent

·         depression 15 percent

·         smoking 11 percent

·         mid-life hypertension 8 percent

·         mid-life obesity 7 percent

·         low education 7 percent

·         diabetes 3 percent

“What’s exciting is this suggests that some very simple lifestyle changes could have a tremendous impact on preventing Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the United States and worldwide,” Barnes said.

“We were surprised that lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity and smoking appear to contribute to a larger number of Alzheimer's cases than cardiovascular diseases in our model,” added Barnes. “But this suggests that relatively simple lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity and quitting smoking could have a dramatic impact on the number of Alzheimer's cases over time.”

Talk to your mother about the factors that might be contributing to her risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Encourage her to discuss these with her doctor.

If your mom needs help around her home so she can focus more on her health, why not consider the local Home Instead Senior Care^® office. CAREGivers^SM are screened, trained, bonded and insured and prepared to assist older adults like your mother with companionship and non-medical services such as meal preparation and light housekeeping.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, visit http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/07/10278/over-half-alzheimers-cases-may-be-preventable-say-researchers.

Exercise Slows Age-Related Mental Decline

Q. Is there any new research that indicates seniors who exercise are healthier? My 80-year-old mother is trying to tell me that the opposite is true especially since she has some signs of coronary disease. Since Dad died I can’t get her to do anything.

Inactivity after the death of a spouse is not unusual. Why not suggest that your mother see her doctor to make sure her health conditions haven’t changed or that she’s not suffering from depression. Ask the doctor about her ability to exercise, because it could help.

A study published as “Online First” by Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, clearly points to new hope in a method of slowing age-related mental decline in women who had vascular or coronary risks.

Previous research has suggested that physical activity is associated with reduced rates of cognitive impairment in older adults. However, much of this research has apparently been conducted among individuals who are generally in good health.

Further, many of these studies rely on self-reports of physical activity, which are not always accurate; and focus on moderate or vigorous exercise, instead of low-intensity physical activity.

In the recent article, researchers from the Foundation of Public Health, Mutuelle Generale de l'Education Nationale, Paris, examined data from the Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study, which included women who had either prevalent vascular disease or three or more coronary risk factors.

As participants’ energy expenditure increased, the rate of cognitive decline decreased. The amount of exercise equivalent to a brisk, 30-minute walk every day was associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment. So you can tell your mom that even a 30-minute walk a day would help her maintain good “brain” health.

It sounds as though Mom could benefit from a little companionship. Why not try to interest her in activities she used to enjoy with your father or pastimes she liked at one time herself. Recommend she join a walking club, or take up gardening with a friend when the weather is nice.

If she isn’t interested in doing anything with her friends, suggest a paid caregiving service. CAREGivers from the local Home Instead Senior Care® office often join older adults in activities, serving as companions as well as motivators.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, visit http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/171/14/1244.

Food Poisoning Can Threaten Seniors' Summertime Fun

Does your family or seniors group love to picnic in the summertime? Picnics are fun for all ages, but older adults should take special precautions to help ensure that the food is safe and well-protected.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises seniors that it’s important to know that ready-to-eat hot dogs, lunch meats, and cold cuts may not be safe for them or other high-risk groups.

These and certain other foods can be contaminated with the bacteria Listeria, which causes listeriosis, a serious disease that primarily affects older adults, adults with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

In the United States, an estimated 1,600 people become seriously ill with listeriosis each year and 260 die. Older adults are among the groups at higher risk for listeriosis. Listeria is killed by pasteurization and cooking, but some ready-to-eat foods, such as hot dogs and deli meats, can be contaminated after factory processing.

Take the necessary precautions to make sure you and your friends do not get infected. For older adults and others in the high-risk groups, CDC recommends the following tips and precautions when planning events:

• Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, or other deli meats unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165ºF or until steaming hot.

• Do not eat refrigerated pâté or meat spreads from a deli or meat counter or from the refrigerated section of a store.

• Do not eat soft cheese such as feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, brie, Camembert, blue-veined, or panela (queso panela) unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk.

• Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole, or unless it is a canned or shelf-stable product.

For more information or assistance, CAREGivers from the local Home Instead Senior Care® office can help older adults with various household tasks including food preparation – a service that can help keep seniors safe. Mealtime companionship and assistance is among the organization’s most popular and requested services.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about listeriosis and food safety, visit www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/listeriosis/ or http://www.foodsafety.gov/.

Seniors Turn to Prayer for Better Health

Q. As an 80-year-old widow who still lives in my own home, I’m always looking for ways to maintain my health and independence. What’s the latest news about what other older adults are doing to promote healthy aging?

The latest on the topic of health comes from the spiritual realm rather than the medical field. Praying for better health dramatically increased among American adults over the past three decades, rising 36 percent between 1999 and 2007, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association. The study focused on new data comparing 2002 to 2007 that found senior citizens are by far more likely to turn to prayer in coping with health issues than younger people.

Not surprisingly, too, seniors had a smaller percentage increase in those saying they prayed recently, because their numbers were already so high. One suggestion from the researchers is that a previous study found that as pain becomes more chronic, people are more likely to turn to prayer.

Some key findings:

• A significantly greater proportion of women prayed compared with men; 51 percent of women reported praying in 2002 and 56 percent in 2007, in contrast with 34 percent and 40 percent, respectively, among men.

• African-Americans were more likely to pray for their health than Caucasians, with 61 percent of African-Americans reporting having done so in 2002 and 67 percent in 2007, compared with 40 percent and 45 percent for Caucasians during the same periods.

• People who were married, educated beyond high school or had experienced a change in health for better or worse within the last 12 months were also more likely to pray about health concerns, the study found.

The study did not reveal the type of prayer people used, or which occurred first – prayer or the health issue.

The support of a professional caregiver can be of help as well, particularly if you need assistance around the house. CAREGivers from your local Home Instead Senior Care® office can help take some of the fear from the issues of aging and growing older by providing a variety of non-medical and companionship services. CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. To learn more about the research, visit http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2011/05/praying-health.aspx.

Research Says Coffee Drinking Cuts Risk of Breast and Prostate Cancers

Q. My elderly parents drink coffee all day long. What does the latest research say about coffee drinking? What can I do to encourage a healthy lifestyle for them?

It appears that your parents are doing at least one good thing for themselves: drinking coffee. The results of two recent studies reveal a link between lower risks of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women among coffee drinkers.

Men who regularly drink coffee appear to have a lower risk of developing a lethal form of prostate cancer, according to the new study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers. What's more, the lower risk was evident among men who drank either regular or decaffeinated coffee.

The researchers chose to study coffee because it contains many beneficial compounds that act as antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and regulate insulin, all of which may influence prostate cancer.

Among the findings:

• Men who consumed the most coffee (six or more cups daily) had nearly a 20 percent lower risk of developing any form of prostate cancer.

• The inverse association with coffee was even stronger for aggressive prostate cancer. Men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of developing lethal prostate cancer.

• The reduction in risk was seen whether the men drank decaffeinated or regular coffee, and does not appear to be due to caffeine.

In another study, researchers from Sweden compared lifestyle factors and coffee consumption between women with breast cancer and age-matched women without. They found that heavy coffee drinkers had a lower incidence of ER–negative breast cancer than women who rarely drank coffee.

Women who drank five cups of coffee a day had a 33 to 57 percent lower risk for this cancer than did women who drank less than a cup a day. Once they had adjusted their data to account for these other factors they found that the protective effect of coffee on breast cancer was only measurable for ER-negative breast cancer.

Encourage your parents to get regular exercise and visit their doctors as scheduled. Remind them to discuss a healthy diet with their doctor or a nutritionist. If they need help around the house, a Home Instead CAREGiver could assist. CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured, and provide a variety of companionship and home helper services.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the studies, go to http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsid.2655/news_detail.asp and http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-05/bc-crb050911.php.

Home Health Costs Flat While Nursing Homes, ALFs Increase

Q. We’re looking for an affordable care option for my senior parents. What is the best deal out there? Where do most seniors want to live?

As it turns out, keeping your parents in their own home could be the best deal, according to a recent Genworth study. The cost of a private room in a nursing home jumped 3.4 percent in the last year to a staggering $77,745 a year, according to Genworth’s 2011 Cost of Care Survey. Not far behind is a 2.4 percent jump in the cost of assisted living facilities, which is $39,135 a year. The bright light was on home health care, which held steady cost-wise.

At $18 per hour for homemaker services and $19 an hour for home health aide services, the national median hourly cost to receive care in the home remained flat over the past 12 months. “Understanding local caregiving expenses is an essential first step for families faced with rising care costs,” said Buck Stinson, president, U.S. Life Insurance Products at Genworth.

For consumers interested in learning more about the cost of care in their local market, Genworth offers an interactive map of long term care costs in 437 regions across all 50 states at www.Genworth.com/CostofCare. The site offers a range of resources:

• Find specific cost information that matters to your family – by state and type of care setting for 437 cities and regions across the country

• Compare costs across up to three locations including where your senior lives currently

• Calculate the cost of care 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years out so you can plan well for your own future

• Download the full survey report, complete with executive summary, and overviews of long term care services and financing options, or just download a specific state’s data

Industry surveys typically reveal that most seniors prefer to age in the comfort of their own homes. Surveys conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network show the preference at nearly 90 percent.

And with home care costs so affordable, families can now consider that option to be one of the best. For more information, contact your Frederick County Home Instead Senior Care office to find out how a CAREGiver could help your senior loved ones.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627.

Fat-to-Fit Program Can Help Seniors Lose Weight

"For the past 10 years I have had a terrible time losing weight and now, at age 70, I’ve all but given up. Boredom has set in and I seem to be eating more now and exercising less since my husband died. Help!"

Sound familiar? There is help available. Fitness expert and author Carole Carson lost more than 60 pounds at age 60. She now works with AARP, which recently launched the third annual “Fat-to-Fit Summer Weight Loss Challenge,” an online program challenging and supporting people to make positive, permanent life changes to improve their health.

Studies show people are more likely to stick to exercise plans when they have support. The Fat-to-Fit program focuses on personal interaction with both Carson and other participants through the Fat-to-Fit online community of more than 18,000 members.

Challengers will be able to access free diet and fitness tips, Carson’s columns and blogs, videos, recipes and more. They are urged to post frequent updates and to exchange ideas, encouragement, recipes and moral support.

And registrants have a chance to win $2,000. Official registration, rules and details are available at www.aarp.org/fat2fit.

“Most of us know what we need to do, but we need help making lifestyle changes,” Carson said. “The Fat-to-Fit community will help you make new friends as you learn how to incorporate exercise into your schedule. You’ll find an exercise that fits your specific needs and cuts calories, leading to a longer, healthier life.”

The challenge runs through July 9, 2011, and visitors to AARP’s Website (http://www.aarp.org/) can register to join throughout the duration of the challenge.

Carson will select weekly small-prize winners and, at the end of the program, she will select three overall winners. Winners will be chosen based on three criteria: serving as a role model for the entire community, facing and overcoming challenges, and demonstrating the principles of the Fat-to-Fit program.

You mention being bored. That could be why you are overeating. Perhaps you can help others while helping yourself. Why not consider a career in caregiving? Seniors such as you serve as caregivers for other older adults providing such services as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and shopping. Contact your Frederick County Home Instead Senior Care® office today to learn more.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627 or call 301-846-9922. For more about the program, visit www.aarp.org/fat2fit.

Sociable Neighborhoods Make for Healthier Seniors, Study Says

Q. I had a stroke a few months ago and I am recovering well, according to my doctor. What are the best ways to ensure I have all I need to make a strong comeback?

Check out your neighborhood for support while recovering from a serious illness such as stroke. The odds of surviving stroke appear to be much better for seniors living in neighborhoods where they interact more often with their neighbors and count on them for help, according to research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

“Social isolation is unhealthy on many levels, and there is a lot of literature showing that increased social support improves not just stroke, but many other health outcomes in seniors,” said Cari Jo Clark, Sc.D., lead author of the study and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. “What is unique about our research is that we have taken this to the neighborhood level instead of just looking at the individual.”

Clark and colleagues at the University of Minnesota and Rush University in Chicago studied 5,789 seniors (60 percent women, 62 percent black, average age 75) living in three adjacent neighborhoods in Chicago. Researchers interviewed the participants about their neighborhood and their interactions with neighbors.

While stroke incidence didn't differ among neighborhoods, stroke survival was far better for seniors living in “cohesive” neighborhoods, regardless of their gender. “I think this indicates that a positive neighborhood social environment is as important to senior health as stress or even crime, but it is a really complex issue,” Clark said.

One possible reason for improved survival is that seniors living in closer neighborhoods have others looking out for them who can get help sooner if they start experiencing stroke symptoms.

If you don’t feel that you can get that kind of support from your neighborhood, look to family and friends. Or consider a non-medical caregiving company. Your local Home Instead Senior Care® office can provide the support you may need to help you make a full recovery. Home Instead CAREGivers offer assistance with meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and shopping – all activities that can allow you more time for rest and respite.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. To learn more about the research, visit http://www.ahc.umn.edu/media/releases/stroke-community/index.htm.

Home Helper Could Assist Patients Discharged from Hospital

Q. My mother is soon to be discharged from the hospital after a long post-surgery recovery. What problems could she encounter? Since she lives alone, how could we be prepared?

A recent study has identified an unusual phenomenon. For senior citizens, hospitalizations actually may cause temporary memory loss and difficulty in understanding discharge instructions, according to a Northwestern Medicine study.

The seniors go back to normal one month after the hospital stay, the study found. But immediately following a hospitalization is a critical time in which seniors may need extra support from healthcare professionals and family, according to Lee Lindquist, M.D., the lead author of the study, published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

“A helper on the day of discharge could make sure a senior understands discharge instructions and help her get home and follow instructions safely,” Lindquist said. “If a patient is by herself the day of a hospital discharge, it’s possible that she won’t comprehend complicated medical instructions, increasing medication errors and chances of re-hospitalization.”

More than 200 seniors, age 70 and older, who lived on their own in the Chicago area and were not diagnosed with dementia or other cognitive problems, took part in the study. At the time of discharge, cognition tests were administered to examine mental status. Almost one-third had low cognition that was previously unrecognized. One month later, 58 percent of those patients no longer had low cognition. They had significant improvement in areas of orientation, registration, repetition, comprehension, naming, reading, writing and calculation.

“When the senior is no longer sick enough to be in the hospital, it doesn’t mean they’re 100 percent ready to be on their own,” Lindquist said. “It’s a critical time and they need extra support and understanding from healthcare professionals and family.”

Help ensure that your mother is safe by providing extra assistance for the days and weeks after she returns home from the hospital. If you or another family member can’t be with her the entire time she’s recuperating, contact the Frederick County Home Instead Senior Care® office.

A Home Instead CAREGiver can serve as a second set of eyes and ears to assist your mom with such activities as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping and medication reminders. CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, go to http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2011/04/memory-loss-seniors.html.

Progressive Weight Training Builds Muscle in Older Adults, Research Reveals

Q. My daughter has been after me to start a weight training exercise program she saw advertised at our local senior center. But, at age 76, I don’t see the point. Since my wife died I’m not interested in getting out.

Before you come down too hard on your daughter, please consider the fact that exercise could help you feel better and stay healthy.

Of course, you should discuss with your doctor any new exercise program before you begin. When you’re having that conversation, why not talk about resistance training. One of the unwanted side effects of aging is loss of muscle strength.

“Resistance exercise is a great way to increase lean muscle tissue and strength capacity so that people can function more readily in daily life,” says Mark Peterson, Ph.D., a research fellow in the University of Michigan Physical Activity and Exercise Intervention Research Laboratory, at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Through resistance training adults can improve their ability to stand up out of a chair, walk across the floor, climb a flight of stairs – anything that requires manipulating their own body mass through a full range of motions. These are all skills that you would need to remain independent at home.

Progressive resistance training means that the amount of weight used, and the frequency and duration of training sessions is altered over time to accommodate an individual’s improvements. Research shows that after an average of 18-20 weeks of progressive resistance training, an adult can add 2.42 pounds of lean muscle to their body mass and increase their overall strength by 25-30 percent.

It can be difficult to get motivated to leave the house after the loss of a spouse. A friend could help. Perhaps someone you know would be interested in exercising with you. Or, if you don’t know anyone who would like to join you, why not consider hiring a caregiver companion.

The Frederick Home Instead Senior Care® office employs CAREGivers who are screened, trained, bonded and insured. Every effort is made to match both male and female CAREGivers with seniors of similar interests. So you could find someone who might be just what you need to improve your health and fitness.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, visit http://www.uofmhealth.org/News/senior-resistance-training.

Safe Drug Disposal in Frederick

Q. My 89-year-old mother has a cabinet full of medications, many of which she doesn't take anymore or have expired. What should we do with them all?

Cleaning out your aging loved one's medicine cabinet and disposing of old or unused medications is important to do periodically. The average senior takes four to six different prescriptions a day and refills prescriptions 12 to 17 times per year, according to Arcadia Healthcare, so its not uncommon for seniors to accumulate a large number of medications. Arcadia Healthcare attributes 28 percent of geriatric hospitalizations to adverse drug reactions -- many of which may be caused by taking expired or wrong medications. Properly disposing of those unneeded pills can help prevent drug mix-ups from happening.

However, it's important that you don't dispose of medications by throwing them in the trash or flushing them down the toilet. Unused medications disposed of improperly create health and environmental hazards when introduced into landfills or the water supply.

Instead, look for hazardous waste collection services in your area and dispose of unwanted medications that way. On Saturday April 30, Frederick residents have the quick and easy option of bringing any unwanted medications to the Drug Disposal Event sponsored by Whitesell Pharmacy in conjunction with the Frederick Police Department. The event will take place at Harry Grove Stadium (21 Stadium Drive, Frederick) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Simply drop off your unused medications, which will be placed in a secure container. All personal information will be kept confidential. You may also remove all personally identifiable information from medicine containers.

Acceptable items include prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, medical samples, pet medications, and medicated ointments or lotions. Non-acceptable items include thermometers, IV bags, blood or infections waste, business waste, syringes, and oxygen tanks. For more information, contact Whitesell Pharmacy at 301-662-4848.

More Seniors Surviving Cancer, Study Reveals

Q. I have just survived my second bout with breast cancer and I am thrilled to have beaten this again. Although, at age 82, the treatments took a toll on me and I am very weak and unable to do what I once did. Yet I am encouraged that I am disease free.

You should take heart in your prognosis. Congratulations. You are in good company, according to a recent research study. The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007 and seven million of those were senior citizens, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It appears about one of five seniors is a cancer survivor.

The largest numbers of survivors with female breast cancer were ages 65-84 years (1.2 million) and 40-64 years (just over 1 million), according to the research results. Approximately 1.1 million of the 11.7 million cancer survivors had lived with a diagnosis of cancer for at least 25 years; of those survivors, 75.4 percent were females.

Other highlights of the study:

• Among cancer survivors on January 1, 2007, an estimated 64.8 percent had lived with a diagnosis of cancer for at least five years; of those survivors, 57.2 percent were females.

• Among all cancer survivors, 54.3 percent were female, and 45.7 percent were male.

The authors note that the increase in number of cancer survivors is due to many factors, including a growing aging population, early detection, improved diagnostic methods, more effective treatment, and improved clinical follow-up after treatment.

It may not be unusual for cancer treatments to weaken individuals. Talk to your doctor about whether this is normal for you and ask what you could do about it. Then consider getting more help around your home until you are stronger. Home Instead Senior Care® hires CAREGivers who go into the homes of seniors to assist them with such tasks as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and shopping.

CAREGivers are often called to assist seniors while they are recovering from illness, injury or surgery; they are screened, trained, bonded and insured.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, visit http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/2011/survivorshipMMWR2011.

Prevent Blindness...Eat More Fish, Study Says

Q. My mother suffers from macular degeneration – which has left her nearly blind – and her quality of life has slipped considerably. She can rarely do anything around the house anymore. What can I do to prevent getting this terrible disease and help her?

Macular degeneration is a big problem in the U.S. and is the leading cause of vision loss in senior citizens. An estimated nine million U.S. adults ages 40 years and older show signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to research that appeared in an issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

An additional 7.3 million persons have early age-related macular degeneration, which does increase the risk of progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration. That’s why this new study is particularly important, not just for you and your mother, but millions of others at risk for this disease.

The regular consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish is associated with a significantly reduced risk for women of developing age-related macular degeneration, according to the study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston.

Results for fish intake showed that consumption of one or more servings of fish per week, when compared to less than one per month, was associated with a 42 percent lower risk of age-related macular degeneration. Researchers say the lower risk appeared to be due primarily to consumption of canned tuna fish and dark-meat fish.

Regular eye exams for you and your mother could help you learn how to reduce the risks for this disease and ensure that your mom is getting the proper care for her condition.

Also, please encourage your mother to get assistance around the house. She could be putting her health at risk. Seniors who suffer from eye conditions such as macular degeneration sometimes can’t see their medications or perform the activities that are important to daily life such as meal preparation and housekeeping. She likely would be unable to drive so errands and shopping also could be needs.

These are all functions that a professional caregiver could assist your mother with as well as take some of the load off of you. CAREGivers from Home Instead Senior Care are screened, trained, bonded and insured. Contact the Frederick office today to learn more. 301.846.9922
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, go to http://www.maculardegenerationassociation.org/resources/information.aspx?post=a1ce1651-348c-46e0-92e1-9dfae30cf0a3.

Life Expectancy in the U.S. Increasing, According to Research

Q. I am a healthy 70-year-old woman who is wondering what the latest research says about how much longer I may live? I’m retired, but I look forward to doing some other things with my life.

The latest news on life expectancy is good. In fact, the average life expectancy for a 70-year-old woman increased by one-tenth of a percent between 2008 and 2009, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. A woman who was 70 years old in 2009 may have another 16.1 years of life left, according to the statistics.

Additional positive news that comes out of this same report reveals that the age-adjusted death rate for the U.S. fell to an all-time low of 741 deaths per 100,000 people in 2009. That’s 2.3 percent lower than the 2008 rate. Here are more statistics that might be of interest to you:

• Life expectancy for the U.S. white population increased by two-tenths of a year.

• Life expectancy was up two-tenths of a year for males (75.7 years) and up one-tenth of a year for females (80.6 years).

• Age-adjusted death rates declined significantly for 10 of the 15 leading causes of death in 2009:

heart disease (declined by 3.7 percent),

cancer (1.1 percent),

chronic lower respiratory diseases (4.1 percent),

stroke (4.2 percent),

accidents/unintentional injuries (4.1 percent),

Alzheimer's disease (4.1 percent),

diabetes (4.1 percent),

influenza and pneumonia (4.7 percent),

septicemia (1.8 percent), and

homicide (6.8 percent).

• Overall, there were 2.4 million deaths in the United States in 2009 – 36,336 fewer than in 2008 (a 1.5 percent decrease).

Regular visits to your doctor may help ensure that you are doing all you can to care for yourself. Routine examinations can help you prevent illness and increase the opportunity for your doctor to diagnose diseases at their earliest stages.

Staying both physically and socially active also is an important part of healthy aging. Why not consider part-time employment as a CAREGiver for Home Instead Senior Care®. Older adults make great CAREGivers because they share many of the same interests as the senior clients they serve. Non-medical care includes companionship and assistance with meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and shopping.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, visit http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p0316_deathrate.html.

Inadequate Sleep Can Lead to Senior Health Problems

Q. My 80-year-old mother stays up half the night watching old movies or playing Solitaire. I can’t convince her that this isn’t good for her health. Sometimes I think she doesn’t have enough to do during the day, but I work full-time so I just can’t get over there regularly.

Here’s a sobering note: lack of sleep has been found to be a new risk factor for colon cancer. A study finds individuals who averaged less than six hours of sleep at night had an almost 50 percent increase in the risk of colorectal adenomas – a precursor to cancer tumors – compared with those sleeping at least seven hours per night. These untreated adenomas polyps can become malignant.

This new research just adds to the list of risks associated with lack of sleep such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and even death.

Of the 1,240 patients studied – who were receiving routine colonoscopies – 338 were diagnosed with colorectal adenomas at their tests. The patients with adenomas were found in general to have reported sleeping less than six hours compared with those patients without adenomas (control) patients. The association between amount of sleep and adenomas remained even when adjusted for family history, smoking and waist-to-hip ratio (a measurement of obesity).

Researchers reported the magnitude of the increase in risk due to less hours of sleep as comparable to the risk associated with having a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) with colon cancer, as well as with high, red meat intake.

Try to encourage your mother to visit her doctor. There could be health or medication-related reasons why she is having trouble sleeping. It sounds like the two of you also could benefit from a caregiving companion for Mom. A CAREGiver from Home Instead Senior Care® could provide companionship and activity options for your mother during the day that may help keep her so busy that she would be ready for bed at night. A professional caregiving service also provides a welcome respite for busy family caregivers like you.

CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. Efforts are made to match CAREGivers with older adults of similar interests.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, visit http://www.uhhospitals.org/aboutuh/tabid/1359/~/Default.aspx?tabid=1359&newsid3423=952.

Lifestyle More Important Than Genetics, Study Reveals

Q. As an active 75-year-old widower, I am worried about the role of genetics in my future. Neither of my parents lived passed 77 and I would like to enjoy a longer life on this earth with my family and friends. I try to lead a much healthier lifestyle than that of my parents. What can you tell me about the latest research?

There has been some conflicting data on this topic throughout the years, but the latest research is good news for seniors like you. A study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has concluded that lifestyle has the biggest impact when determining longevity.

The latest study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, runs counter to what many people just assume – that those with parents who lived to be very old are more likely to live to a grand old age themselves.

“But that's just not true,” says professor emeritus Lars Wilhelmsen. “Our study shows that hereditary factors don't play a major role and that lifestyle has the biggest impact."

The study group consisted of men born in 1913 that have participated in health and longevity studies in Gothenburg for many years. Those in the 1913 Men Study who did not smoke, consumed moderate amounts of coffee and had a good socio-economic status at the age of 50 (measured in terms of housing costs), as well as good physical working capacity at the age of 54 and low cholesterol at 50 had the greatest chance of celebrating their 90th birthday. "The study clearly shows that we can influence several of the factors that decide how old we get," Wilhelmsen said.

This is good news that you can share with your friends. It’s important to see your doctor regularly to ensure that your blood pressure and cholesterol remain at healthy levels. Companionship or help around the house also could have a positive impact on you as well. Contact Home Instead Senior Care® to learn how a CAREGiver could assist you.

Or maybe you could be a CAREGiver yourself. In fact, CAREGivers who are seniors often share many of the same interests and hobbies with other older adults. You could help inspire other seniors with your healthy habits and encourage them to make the most of life.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, go to http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2010.02331.x/abstract.

Research Says Socially Active Seniors Avoid Disability

Q. I can't convince my 82-year-old dad that he will feel better and stay healthier if he remains socially active. Since Mom died he doesn't seem to want to do anything.

Tell your dad about the latest news, which reveals that those who are socially active are at least one and one-half times as likely to avoid disability. According to research, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences and conducted at Rush University Medical Center, higher levels of social activity are associated with a decreased risk of becoming disabled.

"Social activity has long been recognized as an essential component of healthy aging, but now we have strong evidence that it is also related to better everyday functioning and less disability in old age," said lead researcher Bryan James, Ph.D., from the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center.

"The findings are exciting because social activity is potentially a risk factor that can be modified to help older adults avoid the burdens of disability," he noted.

The study included 954 older adults with a mean age of 82 who are participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, an ongoing longitudinal study of common chronic conditions of aging. At the start of the investigation, none of the participants had any form of disability. They each underwent yearly evaluations that included a medical history and neurological and neuropsychological tests.

Results showed that a person who reported a high level of social activity was about twice as likely to remain free of a disability involving activities of daily living than a person with a low level of social activity, and about 1.5 times as likely to remain free of disability involving instrumental activities of daily living or mobility.

Your father could be suffering from depression since the passing of your mom. Why not encourage him to visit his doctor to make sure his health checks are up-to-date. Then suggest that he reconnect with his friends or make new ones at a senior center or faith-based organization.

Perhaps he could use a little help as well. A CAREGiver from Home Instead Senior Care® could help on two fronts: first, a CAREGiver could provide companionship and someone to accompany him to events or activities. A CAREGiver also could assist your father in reconnecting with old friends or help facilitate his social schedule.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, visit http://www.rush.edu/webapps/MEDREL/servlet/NewsRelease?id=1471.

Diabetes and Depression: Double the Trouble

Q. My 85-year-old mother has been depressed since my father died. She’s also diabetic. What problems should I be looking out for and how can I help her?

Here’s an interesting fact from a recent study: About 20 to 25 percent of patients with diabetes also have depression – nearly twice as many as those without diabetes.

What’s more, older women suffering with diabetes and depression have a significantly increased risk of death from heart disease, as well as an increased death risk from all causes, over a six-year period, according to a report in a recent issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

A study of 78,282 older women in the Nurses Health Study – aged 54 to 79 – was conducted in 2000 by An Pan, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and her colleagues.

The women were classified as having depression if they reported being diagnosed with the condition, were treated with antidepressant medications or scored high on an index measuring depressive symptoms. Reports of type 2 diabetes were confirmed using a supplementary questionnaire.

During six years of follow-up, 4,654 of the women died, including 979 who died from cardiovascular disease.

Compared with women who did not have either condition, the results were:

● those with depression had a 44 percent increased risk of death,

● those with diabetes had a 35 percent increased risk of death and

● those with both conditions had approximately twice the risk of death.

When considering only deaths from cardiovascular disease,

● women with diabetes had a 67 percent increased risk,

● women with depression had a 37 percent increased risk and

● women with both had a 2.7-fold increased risk.

Be sure your mother is under a doctor’s care. If she lives alone and you can’t be with her all the time, consider hiring a caregiver companion to assist her. A companion could remind her to take her medications, help her around the house and generally brighten her day. CAREGivers from the local Home Instead Senior Care® office are bonded and insured to do just that. Many are seniors themselves.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. To learn more about the study, visit http://pubs.ama-assn.org/homepage/media/2011a/0103.dtl#5.

Heart Association Lowers Sodium Intake Guidelines

Q. My 82-year-old mother’s doctor is constantly harping on her to lower her salt intake. I’m never sure of how much is too much sodium and salt.

The American Heart Association (AHA) has recently weighed in on this important matter, issuing a call to action for the public, health professionals, the food industry and the government to intensify efforts to reduce the amount of sodium (salt) Americans consume daily to 1,500 milligrams.

This was already the level recommended by most health groups for senior citizens – those most in danger of high blood pressure.

The AHA noted that elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is a major public health problem – approximately 90 percent of all Americans will develop hypertension over their lifetime.

In the advisory, published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the association sets out the science behind the American Heart Association’s recommendation for the general population, which is to consume no more than 1,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day because of the harmful effects of sodium – elevated blood pressure and increased risk of stroke, heart attacks and kidney disease.

Sodium consumption is currently more than two times higher than the recommended upper limit of 1,500 mg daily, with 77 percent of that consumption coming from packaged, processed and restaurant foods.

"Even a modest decline in intake – say 400 mg per day – would produce benefits that are substantial and warrant implementation,” say the advisory authors.

According to the advisory:

• As sodium intake rises, so does blood pressure and the risk of negative health outcomes.

• Independent of its effects on blood pressure, excess sodium intake adversely affects the heart, kidneys and blood vessels.

• The potential public health benefits of sodium reduction are enormous and extend to all Americans.

• Scientific evidence on the adverse effects of excess sodium is strong and compelling.

It’s important to check the sodium level in packaging, particularly of processed foods, to ensure that you are staying within the recommended daily allowance. Consult with your doctor or a nutritionist if your mother has questions.

Perhaps your mom could benefit from help at home? A CAREGiver from the local Home Instead Senior Care® office could assist her with meal planning and preparations, along with errands and shopping. Why not call today.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, go to http://www.newsroom.heart.org/index.php?s=43&item=1237.

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Older-Adults-and-Social-Media.aspx

Positive Attitude Often Leads to Better Health

Q. I like to think that I am a senior with a sunny outlook on life. Does this matter when it comes to overall health?

Existing research does indicate a direct correlation between attitude and feeling good. Positive emotions do, in fact, influence healthy outcomes for older people.

"We all age. It is how we age, however, that determines the quality of our lives,” said Anthony Ong of Cornell University, author of the review article in Current Directions in Psychological Science. The data he reviews suggest that positive emotions may be a powerful antidote to stress, pain and illness.

There are several pathways through which a positive attitude can protect against poor health later in life. For example, happier people might take a proactive approach to aging by regularly exercising and budgeting time for a good night’s sleep.

On the other hand, these people may avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and risky sex. The benefits of these healthy lifestyle choices may become more important in older adults, as their bodies become more susceptible to disease.

An optimistic outlook also has been shown to combat stress, a known risk factor for a lot of disease. Studies have found that people with stronger positive emotions have lower levels of chemicals associated with inflammation related to stress. Also, by adopting a positive attitude people may even be able to undo some of the physical damage caused by stress.

Research has uncovered an interesting paradox: Despite the notable loss of physical function throughout the body, a person’s emotional capacity seemed to stay consistent with age.

So staying upbeat definitely can make a difference in your life, as can making important contributions to society. Many older adults volunteer or even continue working. One profession that attracts seniors is caregiving. That’s because older adults can often relate the best to other seniors. The local Home Instead Senior Care® office hires senior CAREGivers to assist other older adults in their homes with such tasks as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping and shopping.

The organization has a multi-phased safety and caregiving education program for CAREGivers. Consider sharing your good attitude by serving others.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, visit http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/are-positive-emotions-good-for-your-health-in-old-age.htmlhttp://www.utmb.edu/newsroom/article6494.aspx.

How Will You Live?

Every day for the next 19 years, approximately 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65. As the largest generation in American history, this group has made a tremendous impact on the world over the course of their lifetimes. Now as Baby Boomers head into their "golden years," how will they shape the future? How do they want to age and how do they plan to make their latter years golden indeed?

Watch this inspiring short video and consider just how far you've come over the course of your lifetime. What major changes took place in your life? What do you consider your most significant accomplishments? How will your past shape your future? What do you want your future to look like? Post a comment to share your thoughts!

Research: Activity Speeds Recovery for Seniors

Q.    My 80-year-old mother has been in the hospital for 10 days and I am trying to figure out how to help her get her strength back. What do you suggest and how I can assist her further when she is home? 

In a nutshell, help get your mother moving. A study has shown that hospitalized elderly patients who work to get back on their feet even by taking short walks around a hospital unit tend to leave the hospital sooner than their more sedentary peers.

The research, conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, draws on data collected from 162 hospitalized patients over age 65. Each patient was fitted with a pager-sized “step activity monitor” attached to his or her ankle – an electronic device capable of counting every step the patient took.

“Using these monitors, we were able to see a correlation between even relatively small amounts of increased mobility and shorter lengths of stay in the hospital,” said Steve Fisher, a UTMB Health assistant professor and lead author on the paper. “We still found this effect after we used a statistical model to adjust for the differing severities of the patients' illnesses.”

Talk to your mother’s doctor or health care team about ways that you can get your mom up and around. Most hospitals are eager to help their patients recover and will assist them in daily walks. If you want to supplement that care by assisting your mother, she would undoubtedly welcome that encouragement. Or, if you are unavailable, consider hiring a caregiver companion who could help your mother in the hospital.

Such an individual not only could assist your mom in the hospital, but could also accompany her home to help keep her motivated to move as well as to lend a helping hand with household chores such as meal preparation, light housekeeping and medication reminders.

Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured, and capable of assisting your mother with several activities of daily living until she regains her strength. Home Instead Senior Care® also makes every effort to match CAREGivers with seniors of similar interests, which is a bonus for many older adults.

For more tips on how you can help your mother realize the important benefits of exercise, go to http://www.getmommoving.com/.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the activity study, visit http://www.utmb.edu/newsroom/article6494.aspx.

Living to 100 All in the Attitude

Q. I still feel fit and healthy at 75. How can I live to be 100?

It’s all in the attitude, according to recent research from the University of Georgia. How we feel about ourselves and our ability to adapt to an accumulation of challenging life experiences may be as important – or more important – than health factors in determining if we survive to be 100 years old.

The research used data collected as part of the Georgia Centenarian Study, one of only two centenarian studies in the country, to measure psychological and social factors in addition to genetics and health of so-called expert survivors.

Research found that critical life events and personal history, along with how people adapt to stressful situations and cope with them, are crucial to explaining successful aging. “Understanding health in these terms has huge implications for quality of life,” said Leonard Poon, director of the Institute of Gerontology in the UGA College of Public Health and lead author of the study.

Personality also determined how well the centenarians reacted to life stress and change, and therefore whether they were as happy in their old age as they were when young. Healthy 100-year-olds had personalities described as open and conscientious. Neurotic personalities tended to be less healthy, the study found.

Other research drawing from the Georgia Centenarian Study compared physical function of the elderly living in the community with those living in retirement facilities and found that physical activity decreased by approximately one-third when community residents moved to retirement facilities.

A decrease in physical activity accelerates a decline in health, explained Elaine Cress, professor in the Institute of Gerontology and lead author of a related study. “By understanding physical decline in functioning, caregivers can help maintain a high quality of life for the centenarian with appropriate support,” Cress said.

Companionship assistance can play an important role as you grow older, helping to maintain your independence and safety at home. Contact Home Instead Senior Care® for more information about how CAREGivers can make a difference in the lives of older adults as they approach that milestone age of 100.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, log on to www.homeinstead.com/627.1. For more about the study, visit http://www.uga.edu/news/artman/publish/101130_Age.shtml.