For many people, by the time they reach their twilight years of their mid-70s, they are likely to have developed one or more complex health conditions, or had at least one health incident. If you have a senior parent or another loved one who has suffered from declining health and who needs more care, understanding the Ms of geriatrics will help you to better understand and meet their needs and strengthen your relationship.
For many people, living an independent lifestyle is a sought after goal, no matter the age. Independent living means having the power to make our own decisions and focus on the things most important to us. Seniors should be included in prioritizing their own needs to reach their goals for health and happiness. Going through the aging process doesn’t mean that it’s time to start cutting back on our freedoms.
You may not know this, but dental bridges are actually an ancient technology. Archeological finds from ancient Egypt have shown evidence of dental work that we today would consider to be bridges. Thin wire of metals such as silver or gold were wound around existing teeth, and used to stabilize cosmetic material like bone or ivory, inserted to fill unsightly gaps. These bridges would have been installed and kept for the lifespan of the patient. But still, despite the pedigree of dental bridge technology, problems arise and are a reality for many who have undergone this cosmetic procedure.
For many of us, we focus on living a heart smart lifestyle as we age. This makes sense, as heart disease claims more than 647,000 lives in the United States every year. But the truth is that lung disease can also have a significant effect on how long we live, and how well we live. As we advance through the years, our lungs typically become weaker and less flexible. But our lifestyles can impact how much change our lungs go through.
Savor the flavors of fall with our collection of easy and meatless autumn recipes that seniors can enjoy. Explore delightful dish suggestions that embrace the seasonal bounty of fall that require minimal effort in the kitchen.
The holidays are often filled with high expectations, necessitating a lot of energy and engagement to stand up to the onslaught of non-stop activities and functions. But for seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, holidays can be a challenging time filled with high anxiety and stress. Festivities can often confuse, agitate, and overstimulate people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. And for caregivers, the increased difficulty can add to their existing burden of stress and anxiety.
Discover effective coping strategies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Learn how to manage and alleviate symptoms, including light therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and more. Take charge of your mental well-being as the seasons change.
Dementia impacts the lives of an estimated 50 million people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, another 10 million cases are diagnosed each year. Of those living with dementia, Alzheimer’s is by far the most common type, making up nearly 80% of cases. In the United States alone, almost 6 million people have Alzheimer’s. As the population continues to age, researchers believe this number will climb higher.
Are you having a hard time incorporating brain exercises into your daily routine? Here is our guide to help keep your mind active and sharp ensuring your overall cognitive health as a senior.
A fall can greatly affect a senior's overall health and independence. Here are ways to reduce fall risks for seniors.
As we age, the physical and mental limitations that the aging process brings about can easily lead to a feeling of losing control of the things in life that you love, such as your senior independence. But the good news is that independence doesn’t have an age limit. Older adults can easily take certain steps to allow them to maintain as much of their independence as they can for as long as possible.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or, PTSD for short, is a psychiatric condition that can affect people of all ages, including older adults, who have experienced or been a witness to a traumatic event or series of circumstances. PTSD is a complex disorder that can be physical or emotional, or both, and can create a negative impact on a person’s mental health and quality of life.
The human body is the most complex system ever created. The more we learn about it, the more we can appreciate what a rich system it is. Over the years, our bodies serve us well. Our muscles allow us to walk, run, dance, hold each other, and all the other things we do that each make a thread in the rich tapestry that is our lives. But as we age, we will inevitably lose some of our strength and balance, and this unfortunately increases our risk of suffering from a fall. In fact, one in four older adults have reported falling at one point or another, which adds up to nearly 36 million falls per year. 8 million of those falls will require medical attention due to injury, and fully half of all seniors who fall will experience another fall in the future.
From political drama, the recent COVID pandemic, rapidly changing technology and norms, and more, there’s no doubt that these modern times can be stressful. For older adults who may have more difficulty navigating news stories and technology like video chatting, the impact can be even worse.
Dehydration is a common, but sadly often underestimated health issue that can affect individuals of any age. But for senior citizens, the impact can be especially severe and also complicated. With the aging process, certain physiological changes occur that can make older adults more vulnerable to the effects of dehydration, which can quickly snowball and lead to serious negative consequences for health.
Many people today find themselves seeking out approaches and practices in their pursuit of good health that may not necessarily be considered to be part of the typical, conventional approach to conventional medical care. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, these products and practices generally fall into three categories.
Sleep has a profound impact on our health and our daily function. As we age, we might find our sleep patterns changing. For instance, we might wake multiple times in the night, or wake up earlier in the morning than we’re used to. Sometimes, we may feel that our sleep isn’t as deep as it once was.
For most people, living independently is a lifelong goal, regardless of whatever stage of life they happen to be in. Being independent means making all the decisions in your life, such as how you want to live, where you want to retire, and what is most important to you. For many people, getting older means feeling like those decisions will eventually be taken away from you, but the reality is that it doesn’t have to be that way.
The popular TV show The Brady Bunch showed American audiences an idealized version of a perfectly blended family, with six children, two parents, and a housekeeper. Despite the fact that each parent was only genetically related to three of the kids, they functioned as a family and showed us weekly lessons about love and what it means to be a family. But in real life, things don’t always go so smoothly, and one question is what would have happened to Mike and Carol Brady after the six kids moved out, they entered their senior years, and found themselves needing childcare?
Vascular dementia is a general term describing problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory, and other thought processes, caused by brain damage from impaired blood flow to the brain. You can develop vascular dementia after a stroke blocks an artery to your brain, but strokes don’t always cause vascular dementia. It can also result from other conditions that damage blood vessels and reduce circulation, depriving your brain of vital oxygen and nutrients.
Looking for ways to continue your learning and entertainment through reading? Keep reading and learn how audiobooks can be a better option for you.
Post-retirement can be an exciting phase of life where one has the freedom and flexibility to learn and grow at their own pace. Here is our guide on skills seniors can learn to help enrich their golden years.
It is of course difficult to make healthcare decisions for ourselves, especially when it comes to planning on what to do as we begin to wind down and approach the great unknown. But some of us are tasked with making those decisions for the people we care about, when they are for whatever reason unable to do it on their own behalf. Even if your loved one sorted out their advance care planning beforehand, it is likely that it will not cover all possible medical treatments and options. So how can you best advocate for those you care about when they cannot do it for themselves?
When a loved one falls or has trouble rising from bed or a chair, we will of course want to help them. One of the essential talents of a caregiver is to safely move a loved one from surface to another. There are numerous types of transfers, with varying degrees of difficulty depending on aptitude and circumstances.
With the Summer season in full swing, many of us are making travel plans to get away for a while, either for leisure or to spend time visiting with family and friends. This is a good thing, getaways are important for our physical and our mental health. And traveling offers the change to create lasting memories and create meaningful connections with the people around us. But if you, or one of your loved ones traveling with you, has a current heart condition or a history of heart problems, you may find yourself wondering just what is safe when it comes to journeys by planes, trains, and automobiles. It’s important to be well prepared and informed to ensure a safe journey for everyone involved. Here are some important things to keep in mind as you create your plans for summer travel.