As we grow older, the discs in our back deteriorate and become more prone to injury. With that said, it is important for older adults to be mindful of their daily habits that may lead to pain or discomfort. Here are nine common daily habits that can cause back pain!
Choosing to move to an assisted living, skilled nursing, or memory care setting is one of the most significant decisions of a lifetime. Therefore, it makes sense to carefully consider all the options. One of the most effective tools in evaluating alternatives is the facility tour.
Prior to scheduling tours, make a list of the 3-5 top choices. This can be done by looking over websites, reading online reviews, and asking questions over the phone. Make this part of the process more efficient using a checklist. See our blog, How to Choose? The Ultimate Assisted Living Facility Checklist for more information. This checklist can be applied to assisted living settings and to skilled nursing and memory care options.
It is estimated that Alzheimer's disease affects more than 5 million Americans and as many as 44 million people worldwide. It can be a devastating diagnosis for both the individual and their family. But, the good news is that there are some things you can do to help reduce the risk of it happening in your life or the lives of those close to you.
Habits such as getting enough sleep, exercising, learning new things, reducing stress, and socializing with friends and family members have all been shown to reduce the risk of developing this debilitating illness. We will discuss seven habits today that have been shown to be vital strategies in reducing Alzheimer's risk!
Your heart is a vitally important organ. It continuously pumps blood throughout your body to ensure that your living tissues get the nutrients and oxygen that they need. While all of your organs are important in their own ways, the heart is arguably the king of the organs: if it stops working, so does everything else. Given that fact, it's essential to take care of your heart! In addition, good heart health reduces the risk of heart attack and leads to a healthier body in general, so it is critical to take care of it. Here are some tips to take care of your heart at any age.
Depression is a mental health disorder that affects 15%–20% of adults older than age 65 in the United States, according to a report by the CDC. Depression can be difficult to identify because the symptoms are similar to typical signs of aging, such as fatigue and forgetfulness. In addition, depression often goes unnoticed or misdiagnosed because depression may not cause any noticeable changes in mood or behavior. Yet depression has severe consequences for older adults, including increased risk for falls, social withdrawal, cognitive impairment, physical dysfunction, and suicide. Knowing the warning signs of depression can help an older adult receive appropriate treatment before depression leads to further complications.
As a musician and music lover, I've always been captivated by its powerful potential to influence my emotions and even impact my brain activity. When I was younger, I listened to music while studying (a practice I maintain to this day). To this day, certain songs or melodies transport me to that place and connect me to whatever I was doing at the time. While science has determined that scent is the strongest sense tied to memory, sound—in this case, music—has a strong correlation to memory as well.
Music does something special to people. Different frequencies are known to produce very specific effects on people of all ages. Over years of study on the effects of sound and music, a therapeutic method called Music Therapy was developed. As a result, many people suffering from various mental disorders and disabilities have engaged in music therapy to great effect.
Dementia is an age-related condition where one's cognitive functioning becomes so impaired that it interferes with activities of daily living. Emotional changes often accompany these changes in cognition, and people's personalities may change. These changes can be startling and difficult to deal with, both for the person with dementia and their loved ones.
That said, there are ways to identify dementia early. We know to look for stereotypical signs of dementia like memory loss, but what other signs of dementia should we watch for?
In exploring senior living options for the first time, older adults and their families might feel apprehensive. Experience Beyond Measure correspondent Mike Lawson recently sat down with Jennifer Thorson, Executive Director of The Harbors Senior Living Community of Fridley, in Minnesota, to throw some light on the subject.
In her role at The Harbors, Thorson oversees the full range of operations, including managing employees, meeting prospective residents and their families, and handling the paperwork for leases. "I make sure that everything is streamlined and running flawlessly, but I get to do the fun stuff, too."
Anxiety disorders are some of the most common forms of mental health conditions. People of all age groups suffer from mental health conditions like depression, mental stress, and anxiety. Older adults aren't any different. Studies show that anxiety is very common among older adults. 10 to 20% of older adults suffer from some form of anxiety disorder, and the number may even be higher as, in many cases, the condition remains undiagnosed. This is largely because many older adults tend to avoid seeking assistance for mental health issues.
You may see people around you who have lived an amazing life. However, when they reach a certain age in their lives, they start suffering from anxiety. This has made people believe that anxiety is a natural part of aging. This is absolutely false. Many older adults tend to live and maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle. However, one of the biggest reasons that such a large percentage of older people suffer from anxiety is that they don't do anything to heal themselves, making things worse. If their anxiety is managed and treated, these older adults can also rediscover their happiness. This is why, to live a happy life, older people have to invest in caring for themselves. They need to seek the required care to manage their anxiety.
When it's time to make long-term care decisions for your senior parent or disabled loved one, you may be unsure as to whether they will be better off at home or in a facility-based care community. Unless your loved one has a long-term care insurance policy, you may also be wondering how you're going to pay for your loved one's long-term care expenses — as average annual costs range between $18,746 and $100,379. To learn more about long-term care planning and for some advice on paying for long-term care services, read on.