The Aging Revolution is almost here!

We’re just about a week away from a revolution! The Aging Revolution is one of the most enlightening events this year organized specifically to feature the latest discoveries and research on the topic of aging and doing it well. Head to Park Royal South in West Vancouver on Saturday, June 11, from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM to hear from a panel of select aging experts, as well meet all the resources that are available to you in the community. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to uncover the secrets behind aging well. The Aging Revolution is free and open to the public!

50 ways to boost your brain power

The AARP has compiled a massive list comprising 50 ways your aging loved one can improve their brain functions. And since keeping your brain active is one of the best ways to help stave off the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia, it would definitely benefit anyone to go through this list and heed the advice it doles out.

We’ve picked out some of the more interesting revelations presented by the list below:

• Leave your comfort zone – Once a favorite task or activity becomes too easy, move on to something else. The challenge of learning a new skill can do wonders for stimulating the brain.
• Sip red wine, judiciously – The minerals in red wine not only aid in cardiovascular functions, but could also prevent free radicals from damaging brain cells. This only works if it’s consumed in moderation however, which equates to no more than two glasses for women and three for men in a week.
• Pick up an instrument – Music stimulates our brains, but playing an instrument can also aid greatly in brain stimulation. So shut off that TV and get to making music!
• Switch hands – Using your non-dominant hand to perform common tasks can get the mind out of automatic mode and create new brain cells.

Read the whole article here.

8 common Alzheimer’s myths debunked

The mental trap that Alzheimer’s places on those who suffer from it is difficult to imagine. Those whose loved ones suffer from the condition are often faced with caring for a person who sometimes doesn’t appear to recognize the lengths their family goes through to adapt to their predicament. Love counts for much of the perseverance, but it’s common to sometimes fall into frustration, all too often we take it out on the sufferer, the one who needs our care the most.

Self-proclaimed mindfulness-based psychotherapist Marguerite Manteau-Rao has taken a look at the most frequent situations where Alzheimer’s seems the most mysterious, and shows us a better way through the situation. Here’s a quick list of the 8 most common myths debunked:

1. The fact that the person does not speak does not mean that she doesn’t hear or understand.
2. Not recalling facts does not mean that the heart does not know or does not remember.
3. The loss of abilities, no matter how severe, does not mean that all abilities are lost.
4. What appears as nonsensical behavior actually makes a lot of sense from the person’s perspective.
5. The person is not a child or a baby, although some of her behaviors may cause us to treat her that way.
6. It is not all downhill from here, at least not always.
7. The fact that the person struggles with initiating tasks does not mean that she in incapable of making any decisions.
8. Asking what to do with the person can be the wrong question.

Each of the points that Manteau-Rao discusses is followed by an easy-to-read blurb with the likeliest explanation for the sufferer’s behavior. For example, #2 explains that even Alzheimer’s sufferers are “extremely attuned to the quality of their relationships”, which means that interactions with them, whether positive or negative, have an impact on their mood even if they don’t remember the act that brought it about.

Read the entire article here.

Creating fun activities for seniors

Photo from senior-fun.com.

Getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun! Besides keeping the elderly person busy with an interesting distraction, getting your loved into into doing fun, entertaining activities can also make them feel young again by reminding them of the simple joys that life can bring.

But you don’t have to start from scratch; here are a few pointers to help get the ball rolling on crafting fun things for your aging loved one to participate in:

1. Ask them – Get a survey from your loved one (or even better, include his or her friends in the neighborhood or the senior center) of what fun activity they would like to do. Let them take the lead on what activity to do.
2. Organize parties around special events – Throw a birthday party for your aging loved one or celebrate festive occasions, such as organizing a pumpkin carving session during Halloween or stringing cutout hearts around their home leading up to Valentine’s Day.
3. Ask their family or friends – Get opinions from the people who either know them best, or have a different relationship with them. It’ll give you unique insight to what they really find fun to do.
4. Host monthly sing-along sessions – Most everybody has a great time with karaoke, or call on church groups and family members to hold a recital for them.
5. Get them into gardening – Not only is gardening a great excuse to get outside and see nature, but in many cases it could very easily turn into a engrossing hobby.

Read the full guide here.

Home tests to check your balance, memory, endurance, and more

Self testing is a good way to quickly assess anyone’s physical and mental fitness, especially that of an elderly parents. It can be an easy way to gauge the level of a person’s physical prowess, which could help determine the likelihood of debilitating falls or accidents as the person gets older. That said, the AARP has come up with 11 exercises for cognitive and physical fitness that you can do right at home.

The persons undergoing these tests don’t even necessarily have to be seniors. It can possibly help assess a younger person’s chances of physical deficiency in later life, although these tests are not the final determinant of that likelihood. As always, a doctor should be consulted prior to determine if the person being tested (especially one who’s elderly) is capable of performing the tests safely.

We’ve included two tests below to help give you an idea of what they involve. Read the rest of the article to get the full details of how the tests should be performed or graded.

WORD COUNT

What it measures: Verbal fluency, mental organization, short-term memory

Test: For one minute, count how many words you can say beginning with the letter F. For another minute, say words starting with A. Then a third minute with S. Add them up. No proper nouns, no repeats, no variations on the same word. (If you say “apple,” you can’t use “apples.”)

Score: On average, people ages 50 to 59 listed 42 words; 60- to 69-year-olds listed 38.5 words; 70- to 79-year-olds, 35 words. Those in their 80s named 29 words, and those ages 90 to 95, 28 words.

Good to know: Unlike some other skills, vocabulary improves up to a fairly mature age, and with education. People in their 40s bested everyone with 44 words, while 16- to 19-year-olds averaged 39 words. Twenty-somethings averaged 41 words. Thirty-somethings averaged 43 words.

STRIKE A POSE

What it measures: Balance

Test: Balance on one foot, eyes closed. Right-handed folk, raise the left foot — lefties, raise the right — about six inches off the floor, bending the knee at a 45-degree angle. Then start the timer. As soon as you sway, open your eyes or touch the floor, stop the clock. Do this test three times and average your score.

Score: 50-year-olds should aim to balance for 9 seconds; 60-year-olds, 7 seconds; 70-year-olds, 4 seconds. 25 to 30-year-olds may balance 28 seconds. 30 to 35-year-olds stand for 22 seconds. 40-year-olds stand for 16 seconds; 45-year-olds, 12 seconds.

Good to know: Your ability to balance is a good indicator of risk of future falls.

What happens after hip surgery?

Getting hip replacement surgery can be an extremely frightening concept for any elderly person. But aside from the complications that are always a possibility for any bout of major surgery, what undoubtedly scares a person the most is the fear of the unknown. No one likes to be on the edge of the precipice, and most certainly nobody likes the thought of subjecting the remainder of their lives to the success or failure of recovery from surgery.

But it doesn’t have be unknown. The web resource AgingCare.com has put together a guide to help those about to undergo hip replacement surgery be more aware about what will happen before the surgery and during recovery.

Here’s a brief excerpt from the article:

On the day after surgery or sometimes on the day of surgery, therapists will teach you exercises to improve recovery. A respiratory therapist may ask you to breathe deeply, cough, or blow into a simple device that measures lung capacity. These exercises reduce the collection of fluid in the lungs after surgery.

In addition, home care assistance can also be a benefit to the recovering elderly patient after being released from the hospital. Having a caregiver at home can help lighten the burden of daily duties like cooking, cleaning, and transportation to the grocery store or doctor’s office.

Read the rest of the article here.

Biking could diagnose Parkinson’s variants

We’ve already written about biking being a likely benefit to those with Parkinson’s disease, but apparently the good news with biking doesn’t end there. Studies have found that the ability to ride a bike can help diagnose whether an individual has Parkinson’s disease, or if they’re afflicted with atypical parkinsonism.

Out of 111 parkinsonism sufferers in the study, the loss of biking ability with those eventually diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease only occurred in two patients, whereas 34 who lost the ability were diagnosed with atypical parkinsonism.

Since the study took place in the bike-obsessed Netherlands, where residents ride their bikes more than their cars, the study may not apply across a larger segment of the Parkinson’s disease afflicted population across the globe. However like with many other studies, any new information we come by in the fight against Parkinson’s will always be welcome.

Read the complete article here.

Keeping aging muscles strong

Getting older signals the start of a lot of undesired physical changes: Lower energy levels and longer time for recovery from injuries or sickness to start. Another is strength loss, a condition called sarcopenia, which often means that muscle loss, not just fat loss, has begun to occur. While research is still hoping to isolate the more specific causes of sarcopenia, two forms of prevention therapy –measured protein intake and physical exercise–are clear assets to the aging individual.

It’s no secret that improvements in diet and exercise can and will benefit anyone at any age, but there seem to be no other existing methods of therapy that have as much of an impact on the delay of sarcopenia on an elderly person. Increasing select proteins in the diet, like having at least four ounces of fish or alternate sources like soy and quinoa, give the body the essential building blocks for muscle recovery. In addition, 30 minutes of walking and modest resistance training three times a week that focus on different muscle groups are extremely helpful as well.

Like with any change in lifestyle, consult your doctor before making any adjustments to diet or level of activity. Read the whole article to get the complete story.

Great holiday gift ideas for aging parents

It’s that time of year again when we wrack our brains trying to figure out that special gift for our loved ones! And since nothing says “I love you” more than a personalized gift. Here is great list from Eldercare blog of gift ideas perfect for aging family members. Here are a few of the more creative highlights:

Create a memory book. Go to your local photocopy shop to create a beautifully bound book of your elder’s poetry, photographs, short stories and works of art. Seeing their creations in print will delight them.

Make a tribute home video. Never underestimate the power of giving them credit for all they’ve done for you.  A home video reminds them of how they have positively influenced your life. Show off your cooking skills or perform a magic trick or tap dance (all of the talents you got from Mom or Dad, of course).  If grandchildren are featured, have them recite a poem, play a musical instrument or show off their bowling or baseball abilities.  End the film with a heartfelt message or song. Transfer the video to DVD for easy viewing.

Throw a card party. Invite friends and family members to send your elders a greeting card and include any remembrance about them: a funny story, a photograph, a poem. Ask young grandchildren to draw a picture. Everyone loves to get mail, and for days they will be thrilled at getting lots of mail and cards with funny, endearing and touching notes. Place the cards in a beautiful scrapbook.

Many of these gift ideas highlight one of the most cherished things in an aging person’s life: their memories. We have a lot to thank our parents and grandparents for (besides bringing us into this world!) and the least we can do is show them how much of a positive difference they’ve made in those around them.

The hazards of living alone

Studies have shown that elderly people who live by themselves have an increased chance of dying sooner than their accompanied counterparts, but the reasons behind it may surprise you. In a great number of cases, many casualties could be traced by to a lack of accountability. With no one around to provide a watchful eye, access to healthy meals, and occasional simple reminders to “do the right thing”; many elders wind up maintaining bad habits like smoking and eating processed food that lead to health problems.

In other instances, having another person in the house meant that CPR and 911 calls were made available sooner, extending the person’s life (although experts still advise using emergency alert services that employ alert bracelets and pendants.) Protecting against falls during the holiday season, when Christmas decor start getting strung up, can be prevented by using step-stools instead of chairs. Building and maintaining a network of friends and family is also key, since being social has been proven to lower high blood pressure and reduce stress.

Seniors may not necessarily think of these solutions themselves, so the responsibility may lie in their children and grandchildren’s hands to keep Grampa and Grams out of harm’s way.

Read the article.