Cantissimo Senior Living Blog

In America, stroke is the third leading cause of death. The brain and heart rely on each other to sustain the basic functionalities of the human body. The brain controls a large portion of the body's range of capabilities and nerve signaling. Your brain has multiple purposes, but a single stroke can put those critical functions at risk. Communication, memory, emotional activity, and physical capabilities can all be affected when the brain is not operating at its utmost potential.

Difference Between a Stroke and a Heart Attack

A stroke and a heart attack may seem similar but are very different. Both ailments occur due to a shortage of oxygenated blood and blood flow. However, strokes primarily affect the brain, while heart attacks mainly target the heart. When the body's blood flow to the heart is blocked, sometimes due to a blood clot, it can cause a heart attack. A stroke, on the other hand, can cause possible brain tissue to decay and long-term disability or death.

As lifespans have increased, the idea of "aging in place" has gained popularity. Defined as "…remaining living in the community, with some level of independence, rather than in residential care.", this typically means living in one's private residence for as long as possible. These days, a combination of family help, home health aides, and adaptions to living quarters have allowed older adults to stay in their homes longer.

For many, however, health or other problems crop up and lead to a senior living arrangement outside the home. Very often, this is assisted living.

Assisted living emerged as a concept in the early 1980s in response to the hospital-like, institutional nature of nursing homes. At the outset, assisted living focused on providing mostly non-medical support for older adults in a more home-like setting structured to preserve their independence, dignity, privacy, and choice.

Within a few years, it became apparent there was an issue for residents whose health declined beyond the facility's ability to support them. While it was clear that their increased needs weren't being met, residents were reluctant to move for two reasons. First, the move from their original home was a difficult, significant life change. Second, the move from assisted living often was to a nursing home; the very place most hoped to avoid by moving to assisted living. Residents desired an opportunity to age in place in an assisted living setting.

Sleep is vital when growing up, and the same is true as we age. However, for older adults, sleeping patterns frequently change. Often, older adults begin experiencing trouble falling asleep or waking up. Others struggle to reach a state of deep sleep. That said, when this happens, don't assume it's a normal part of aging. These could be symptoms of insomnia or other sleep-related conditions. Therefore, ensuring you receive a good night's sleep is important and needs to be consistent, just like when you were younger.

Through a good night's sleep, your mental health and memory improve. Your body can repair worn-out cells and tissues, and your immune is refreshed. With this, your body can better fight diseases and stay healthy. On the other hand, a poor night's sleep can make you susceptible to memory problems, attention issues, and even depression. Further, it leads to a sense of fatigue during the day and worsened focus.

Best Sleeping Positions for Older Adults

If you want to enhance your sleep quality and health, your sleeping position may be a great place to start. For a full and restorative sleep, consider changing to one of the following recommended sleep positions:

If you are age 50 or older, Joseph Coughlin, founder and director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab, thinks you are misunderstood.

In his 2017 book, "The Longevity Economy: Inside the World's Fastest-Growing, Most Misunderstood Market," Coughlin contends consumer marketing companies and society, in general, underestimate the potential of the older generation.

He says this underestimation is exemplified in the false narrative that older adults are a less important demographic than groups under 50. This attitude particularly pervades marketers who spend 500% more on millennials than all other age categories combined.

Coughlin's message to companies overlooking older adults is: Do so at your own peril.

"My son, be steadfast in honoring your father; do not grieve him as long as he lives. Even if his mind fails, be considerate of him; do not revile him because you are in your prime." (Sirach 12-13).

Dementia stands out as a signature affliction of old age throughout human history. Defined as symptoms linked to loss of memory and thinking skills, dementia takes several forms, with 60-80% caused by Alzheimer's disease. Yet, it is not considered to be a part of normal aging.

Some moderate cognition changes are expected with age, but these do not lead to loss of independence. However, more serious cognitive decline can produce symptoms like rapid forgetting, navigation impairment, inability to solve everyday problems, or difficulty holding ordinary conversations.

Nevertheless, age is strongly correlated with dementia. One estimate shows only a 1.7% prevalence of dementia among those 65-69 years old. But with a doubling of new cases every five years, dementia incidence grows to over 50% by age 90.

While the digital age has many advantages, it also has many downfalls, especially for older adults. The continuous exposure to screens can cause significant harm to our eyes and vision. In this post, we'll review several tips to help take care of your eyes. These simple tips will enhance and preserve your vision if you spend time in front of the screen.

First, let's look at major eye problems associated with aging:

Do you know of a medicine that is available at zero cost and attainable almost all the time? You heard us right; it is called laughter!

Laughter contributes to a sense of well-being and encourages you to have an optimistic outlook in life. It leads to a more relaxed state of mind and helps you focus on the positive outcomes of a situation. Laughter allows you to connect to your loved ones and bring an excellent mood to yourself and the people around you. It is true when people say that your attitude affects your body, mind, and soul.

Laughing with your friends, or even on your own, not only has mental but many physical advantages as well. Doctors across the world have suggested that the best, and often, the easiest way of dealing with an issue is to crack a joke and laugh. There is much more depth to this claim, and we will learn more about it as we go on!

Sleep is essential for health, especially as we age. Many things can interfere with the sleep patterns of an adult. According to Sleephealth.org, "It is estimated that sleep-related problems affect 50 to 70 million Americans of all ages and socioeconomic classes." Sleeping is the time to rest and rejuvenate as the mind and body recover from a long hectic day. Studies have shown that older adults need to sleep for eight hours as sufficient sleep contributes to many facets of health and wellness.

Our bodies undergo several changes as we age, such as producing lower levels of hormones. As a result, we experience a reduction in slow-wave or deep sleep. When the body experiences this, it will produce melatonin, which means continuously experiencing difficulty sleeping, and waking up often during the night. Therefore, it is increasingly important as we age to ensure we get sufficient sleep.

Read on for 5 of the top benefits of getting a full night's sleep as an older adult:

Gathered around the patio table on a beautiful early autumn evening, talk with friends turned to caring for aging parents. Jan, whose mother lives independently several states away, related an all too familiar story.

"In our daily phone call, I asked Mom how she was doing. She told me she'd fallen the night before. She wasn't hurt but spent the entire night on the living room floor because she could not get up by herself. It wasn't until her friend came by for the usual morning coffee visit that she was able to get up."

"Thank goodness she wasn't hurt," I said. "But I thought she had a medical alert bracelet." Jan gave me an exasperated look. "She does! But she forgets she has it even though we talk about using it in that exact type of situation. When I reminded her that she should have used it, she said that she probably wouldn't have used it even if she had remembered. I asked her why, and she said then the EMTs would have to come, and that would be too much fuss."

Countless other adult children have had similar calls about issues with elderly parents. Excepting a catastrophic event, it's tempting to avoid the question of whether an older loved one should still be living on their own. Many older adults resist losing their independence, so their children are reluctant to suggest an assisted living option to avoid conflict or feelings of guilt.

Our physiology has equipped us with the ability to fight, flight, or freeze in the face of imminent danger. This natural autonomic response served us well in prehistoric times. After the danger was over, we settled back into a rest and digest, nervous system response. But today it’s a different story. Today’s stress creates dis-ease and sickness in mind, body, and spirit. Today, our stress-filled lifestyles, work schedules, poor postural habits, and weakened resiliency mean that the threats to our nervous system health are exponential. This leaves us chronically overstimulated and out of balance, causing tension and pain. Ask yourself these questions: