Search Results for "senior health"
Why You Need to Find a Geriatrician for the Best Senior Health Care
The best senior health care is provided by a geriatrician who is an expert in the unique needs of older adults.
If your child suddenly developed an illness, who would you call? It’s a no-brainer; many parents have the number on speed dial for the pediatrician they’ve carefully chosen to manage the medical care needs of their children. With their specialized training, working with a trusted pediatrician ensures the best possible care.
Likewise, selecting the best senior health care provider who focuses on specific health concerns of older adults is equally as important. However, sadly, the health care system as a whole has not placed a great focus on the unique health care needs of seniors. Dr. Carla Perissinotto, geriatrician and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, shares her alarm over this age-related health … Read More »
Petaluma Home Care Tips: Better Balance = Better Senior Health
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Learn tips to improve balance for seniors
mproving balance is one of the best ways to improve senior health, particularly when it comes to preventing falls. Once an older adult has experienced a fall, the initial impulse may be to decrease physical activity to lower the possibility of falling again, but it’s essential for older adults to optimize their overall muscle strength and balance and stay as active as possible.
These balance exercises, recommended by the National Institute on Aging, are a great place to start (after first receiving approval from the senior’s primary care physician):
One Foot Stand: Grasping a sturdy chair for balance, lift one leg just a bit and hold the position for 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times and then switch legs.
Heel to Toe Walk: Position the … Read More »
6 Ways the Great Outdoors Can Impact Senior Health
During our lives, we mark time by the change of seasons, and with each new season comes a bevy of outdoor experiences that spark our senses. In the spring, we can smell flowers or rain in the atmosphere. Summer is filled with sunlight that warms our skin and causes our eyes to squint. In the fall, we take pleasure in the cooler air that provides relief from summer’s heat.
According to one study, spending time outdoors makes us feel more alive. For the elderly who have limited access to transportation or diminished mobility, being exposed to the natural environment is even more crucial. Nature Deficit Disorder is a label that originally applied to children who stay indoors too much, watching TV and playing video games instead of playing outside. The term also can apply to older adults who are confined to … Read More »
Improving Health and Wellbeing for Seniors With Six Simple Steps
Improving health and wellbeing for seniors is easier with these tips.
Though New Year’s Day is still months away, who says resolutions should only be made at the start of the year? There is no time like the present to start a new habit or goal, especially when it comes to improving health and wellbeing for seniors.
We have six strategies you can implement today. Pick one to begin, or jump right into all of them to attain the greatest benefit:
Make an appointment for a physical. Rather than waiting for an injury or illness to call the doctor, a yearly check-up is a great way for seniors to stay on top of their health and potentially prevent issues before they occur.
Get physical. With the physician’s approval and recommendations, kick off a new exercise routine – together! Working out … Read More »
How to Empower Seniors to Take Control for Better Chronic Health Care
Seniors know best what they’re dealing with; empower them to take control of their chronic health care needs.
When it comes to chronic health care, seniors are the experts, hands down, with up to three out of four seniors affected by a number of conditions that are ongoing, necessitate long-term medical treatment, and place restrictions on activities. With the never-ending barrage of bloodwork as well as other tests, physicians’ appointments and procedures, and medications, managing chronic diseases usually takes both a physical and emotional toll, and may quickly become daunting.
Dr. Mary Tinetti, chief of geriatrics and internist at Yale School of Medicine, said, “Once you get three, four, or five and six diseases, several things happen: Number one, almost guaranteed, trying to get one of these diseases under control is going to make one of the other … Read More »
How to Assess Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Remotely
Monitoring mental health and wellbeing in older adults is critical.
The isolation and fear brought on by COVID-19 has had a profound impact on mental health and wellbeing in older adults. In a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, nearly one half of seniors surveyed stated that their level of stress and worry has adversely impacted their own health. And even though it still may be risky to visit in person with older adults, it’s critical to stay in frequent and regular contact in order to watch for any changes or signs which could indicate a senior mental health concern.
As psychiatrist Judith Feld, MD, MPH, states, “If a senior usually really enjoys a call with a grandchild, for example, but that seems to have changed, maybe you need to ask more questions, such as, ‘How can we be of … Read More »
Santa Rosa, CA Senior Care Tip: Can Reducing Saturated Fat Improve Heart Health?
Learn the possible reasons why reducing saturated fat to improve heart health may not be working for you.
Our senior care experts in Santa Rosa, CA understand that it’s tough to make the right dietary choices when recommendations appear to constantly be changing. We’d been told that saturated fats from sources such as butter, red meat and fried food were detrimental and might affect a person’s odds of developing heart problems, but later research indicated there isn’t enough proof that people who gave up these delicacies improved their heart health – and so, we went back to our old ways due to the green light to select butter over margarine.
However, as reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, scientists clarify that the lack of noticeable results in reducing fatty foods is more likely related to equally … Read More »
Avoid Caregiver Burnout: Finding a Healthy Balance When Caring for Senior Parents
You plan for a career. You plan to buy a house. You plan for a family. Life, however, often has other plans and can throw some unexpected curveballs. Caring for an older loved one is not often a job most people plan for, and many underestimate the financial burden, the amount of time it takes to provide care and the emotional toll it can take.
To help keep a healthy balance and avoid caregiver burnout, remember these tips:
Take time for a phone conversation or a visit with a friend or family member every now and then. Too often family caregivers throw themselves full force into caring for their loved one that they lose track of other healthy relationships, which can lead to feelings of isolation and depression. Remember to surround yourself with supportive friends and family.
Set personal limits. Don’t be afraid … Read More »
What Is Senior Social Frailty and Who Is at Risk?
It’s easy for older adults to slip into spending too much time alone, which can lead to senior social frailty.
Not so long ago, we were all taking precautions to protect ourselves and loved ones from the spread of COVID-19. For older adults, who were especially vulnerable, this meant isolating at home and avoiding social interactions. While these measures were necessary for safety, they created a new norm of solitary living for many seniors—one that has persisted long after the height of the pandemic and is causing a condition known as senior social frailty.
Recognizing and Resolving Senior Anxiety
If you suspect senior anxiety in someone you love, help is available.
Does an older adult you care about seem more withdrawn, restless, or forgetful than usual? While these changes may appear to be part of aging, they might actually indicate something deeper: senior anxiety.
Anxiety is more than just occasional worry or stress. In older adults, it can manifest in subtle or unexpected ways, including:
Persistent, obsessive thoughts
Recurrent nightmares that disrupt sleep
Repetitive behaviors, like checking and re-checking that appliances are off
Physical symptoms, such as sweating, dizziness, or a racing heart
Overreactions to otherwise manageable stressors
What Contributes to Anxiety in Aging Adults?
Aging brings unique challenges that may contribute to anxiety, including:
Side effects from medications
Chronic illnesses or reduced mobility
Grieving the loss of a loved one
Concerns about declining independence or financial stability
Unresolved childhood trauma
These factors, combined with changes in … Read More »
