Home Care Assistance

Salt: the truth behind the flavor

2012-02-28T13:00:00.001-05:00

It's no secret that salt is the magical ingredient that adds flavor to any dish. "This tastes bland, better add SALT!"

And over the years we've managed to put salt into many food and beverages to enhance flavor and help preserve freshness. As a result, most people are exceeding their daily sodium intake without even knowing it. The average Canadian’s sodium intake is estimated to be 3,400 mg per day, where as Health Canada recommends for adults 1,500 mg of sodium daily with a maximum limit of 2,300 mg per day.

Zoomer Magazine has passed on some helpful tips to reduce your sodium intake daily:

Use less or no salt when preparing meals.
Pay attention to product packaging and look for foods labeled sodium-free, no added salt, low sodium, or reduced sodium. For example, PC Blue Menu products have an easy to read (-) symbol in an arrow that indicates lower sodium content or no sodium added.
Use the Nutrition Facts table on food labels to choose foods that have less than 120 mg sodium per serving or less than 5% Daily Value (DV).
Choose breads, crackers, baked goods, snack foods, canned sauces, soups and dressings with a low sodium count per serving.
Talk to a pharmacist. Some grocery stores have even initiated programs for customer consultations. For example, the pharmacists in Loblaw banner grocery stores offer one-on-one guidance for concerns such as heart health, blood pressure and nutrition, including the recommended daily intake of sodium.

Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon), Hamilton and surrounding areas.

Heart Healthy Recipe: Eggplant Cannelloni‏

2012-02-27T12:59:00.000-05:00

With heart disease as the leading cause of death and a major cause of disability, it's important to foster a diet that is low in saturated and trans fats and high in fiber and good fats such as omega-3s. To further maintain a healthy heart, keep a close eye on calorie consumption and engage in moderate exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes or more.

Before we share a delicious heart healthy recipe with you, here are a few nutrition basics from the Heart Association that will help benefit your mind, body and spirit. Make sure to read to the bottom of the recipe where we include a link to a recording of the recent webinar we hosted in conjunction with Cleveland Clinic heart experts!

• Eat nutritious foods from all of the food groups, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products and fish.
• Limit foods high in calories but low in nutrients; decrease your consumption of foods high in fat and limit cholesterol, sodium and sugar.
• Try baking, broiling, or grilling lean meats and fish, as these are healthier than frying or sautéing.

Eggplant Cannelloni

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large shallots, sliced
4 cloves garlic
2 jars (12 ounces each) roasted red peppers, drained
Juice of 1 orange (about 1/2 cup)
2 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
Cooking spray
4 ounces goat cheese
4 kalamata olives, pitted and minced
1 teaspoon capers, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook shallots and garlic until soft, about 1 minute. Reduce heat. Cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add peppers and juice; bring to a boil. Lower heat; simmer until peppers are soft, about 5 minutes. Cool. Puree in a blender. Pour into a 9" x 13" baking dish. Coat eggplant slices with cooking spray and broil on a baking sheet until golden on both sides, about 15 minutes. Heat oven to 400°F. Mash cheese, olives, capers and 1 tablespoon of the parsley in a bowl. Place 1 tablespoon of filling at the end of each eggplant slice; roll up. Lay seam side down in dish. Bake 10 to 15 minutes. Top with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

For more heart healthy food tips and other practical information that you can apply in your daily life to achieve healthy longevity, listen to a recording of our February 17th Heart Health 101 Webinar that featured Dr. Steve Nissen and Dr. Marc Gillinov, renowned Cleveland Clinic heart experts and authors ofHeart 411-The Only Guide to Heart Health You'll Ever Need.

Heart Health 101 kicked off the Home Care Assistance Healthy Longevity Webinar Series, an ongoing educational series that will bring experts from a diverse spectrum of health and wellness fields to our clients and the wider community in an engaging and informative format. The webinars are offered free to the public as part of our broader education initiative, through which we will actively provide information and resources around topics related to aging, wellness and quality of life.

Stay tuned for more details on our next webinar which will be on Caregiver Burnout!

Visit our website

Find a location near you

Read about our Live-in and Hourly services

Keeping your kidneys healthy

2012-02-17T12:18:00.005-05:00

How to maintain kidney health

Ward off kidney disease

and high blood pressure are 2 of the leading causes of kidney disease. If you have diabetes, you can reduce your risk of kidney damage by managing your blood sugar levels. If you have high blood pressure, you can help protect your kidneys by getting your blood pressure to a healthy level. There is much you can do to help manage these 2 conditions or, in some cases, to prevent them. By doing so, you'll benefit your overall health - not just your kidney function.

Diabetes and your kidneys

About half of those who have diabetes will develop early signs of kidney damage. Unfortunately, though, early kidney damage has few symptoms, so it's important for people with to have regular tests to check their kidney function. It's also important to be aware of the risk of kidney damage so that you can do as much as you can to minimize it.

While you may not be able to completely protect your kidneys from the effects of diabetes, the following steps will help your kidneys stay as healthy as possible:

Keep control of your blood sugar levels with the help of your doctor or pharmacist.
Ask your doctor about regular urine and blood tests to monitor your kidney function.
Check your blood pressure regularly - your doctor can advise you on your target blood pressure and how often to check.
Eat a healthy diet - your doctor or dietitian can advise you on the best foods for you to choose or avoid.
Try to quit smoking.
Exercise regularly.

Your doctor may also recommend that you take a medication called an ACE inhibitor (e.g., lisinopril, enalapril) to help protect your kidneys.

High blood pressure and your kidneys

The complications of high blood pressure are serious. You may be aware that high blood pressure can lead to a stroke or heart attack, but did you know that it could also cause kidney damage? If you already have kidney disease, maintaining a healthy control of your blood pressure can help protect your kidneys.

What can you do to help control your blood pressure?

Consult your doctor about your "target" blood pressure.
Monitor your blood pressure regularly as recommended by your doctor. Many pharmacies sell blood pressure cuffs that you can easily use at home. If you discover your blood pressure is higher than it should be, speak to your doctor. You may need to adopt some lifestyle changes (see below) or take a medication (or combination of medications) to help lower your blood pressure.
Follow a low-fat, low-salt diet (such as the DASH diet).
Exercise regularly.
Keep a healthy body weight.
Reduce the amount of alcohol that you drink.
Try to quit smoking.

Ward off kidney stones

Passing a kidney stone can be an extremely painful experience. And aside from the pain, kidney stones also pose a risk of kidney damage and urinary tract infection.

One in 10 Canadians will experience a kidney stone during their lifetime. Kidney stones are usually made of a substance called calcium oxalate, but the stones may also be made of uric acid or cystine. Once you have developed a stone, your options are:

to pass the stone when you urinate
to have it surgically removed
to have it dissolved with medication
to have it broken up through a special procedure using high-energy shock waves (extra-corporeal shock wave lithotripsy or ESWL)

Your best course of treatment will depend on factors such as the type and size of the stone.

What can you do to avoid a kidney stone?

Drink plenty of water! Aim for at least 2 L (about 8 glasses) of water daily. If you are exercising, you'll need to drink extra, as your body will lose some fluid through perspiration and therefore this fluid will not pass through your kidneys.
Keep a healthy body weight. Recent studies show that weight gain and obesity increase your risk of forming a kidney stone.
Consume a diet that has normal dietary amounts of calcium and is low in salt and animal protein.
If you've had kidney stones in the past, you may need to avoid or restrict certain foods in your diet (e.g., foods that are high in oxalate such as organ meats or chocolate). Your doctor can advise you on this.
If you still develop kidney stones despite dietary and lifestyle changes, you may need to start taking medications as recommended by your doctor.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether one of your medications may be increasing your risk of kidney stones.

Written and reviewed by the MediResource Clinical Team

http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=2949&channel_id=10&relation_id=11001

CNN: Man Refuses to Retire

2012-02-16T13:12:00.001-05:00

Maine's John Calderwood has given up retirement for a real labor of love. WABI reports.

Living to 100 or more may be a matter of the lifestyle choices you make.

2012-02-15T15:48:00.027-05:00

From Marian Anne Eure, former About.com Guide

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Living to a healthy and happy ripe old age, may not be a matter of genetic predisposition or just dumb luck. A study is published in the June 2001 American Journal of Psychiatry, the monthly scientific journal of the American Psychiatric Association that points to personal choice as being the defining factor in determining a person's longevity.
This study tracked the physical and mental health of 724 men over a 60-year period beginning in 1940. It contrasted the mental and physical health status of 268 Harvard sophomores with that of 456 socially disadvantaged inner-city adolescents. Physical exams were conducted every five years, and psychosocial exams were conducted every two years.

The study identified seven factors that appeared to predict successful aging: moderate alcohol use, no smoking, a stable marriage, exercise, appropriate weight, positive coping mechanisms, and no depressive illness. Depression was the only factor that affected the quality of aging which was beyond individual control.

The researchers found that the health of the inner-city men declined more rapidly than did the health of the Harvard men; their health status at age 65 matched that of the Harvard men at age 75. However, the health of 25 inner-city men who obtained a college education declined at the same rate as the Harvard group. The investigators concluded that education - not money and social prestige - made the difference. Education appeared to give these men the resources they needed to make better lifestyle choices and to therefore maintain health and happiness for a much longer time.

Other studies, not as extensive in their scope have also pointed to higher levels of education and active involvement in a loving family relationship as being the greatest determining factors in longevity.

Life expectancy has been extended in the US for the most part due to the eradication of many infectious diseases, improved early diagnostic technologies and medication advancements. Unfortunately many unwise lifestyle choices have made those extended years more difficult and costly. This translates into more years of expensive medications, assisted living and direct medical costs. These studies have shown that positive lifestyle choices can make these extended years both healthier and healthier.

What does this mean to you and to me for that matter? It means that to a great extent the choices you make now and in the future will determine how long you live and in what state of health. Here are the factors that were found to affect longevity and some strategies for helping to make the right choices for health and happiness. Click on the links to go to the About sites that have lots of great information on making the right lifestyle choices.

Moderate Alcohol Intake1
While several studies over the past few years have shown that moderate alcohol intake may help to protect against heart disease the optimal word is moderate. Excessive alcohol intake can lead to liver damage, drug interactions and injury. If in doubt avoid alcohol to prevent any drug interactions.

No Smoking
Smoking contributes to heart disease, circulatory problems and can cause emphysema and lung cancer. If you smoke quit!

Exercise
Experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily for most people. The exercise can be as simple as walking, jogging or biking. All exercise programs should include a weight bearing exercise to help keep bones strong.

Appropriate Weight
Obesity is becoming a problem of epidemic proportions. Moderation in food intake is the most sensible way to maintain weight in the ideal range. Overweight can contribute to heart disease, diabetes and joint problems.

Positive Coping Mechanisms
Learning how to control stress and deal with anger and change are also choices one can make to improve quality of life. Disciplines such as Yoga and Meditation are excellent ways to slow down and relax. We live in a stressful world, but we can learn to cope.

Stable Marriage
A good marriage is no accident, it takes work and commitment. Studies have shown that happily married people have less heart disease. If you are having problems in your marriage see a counselor. If the problem lies with sexual dysfunction, see a physician who can diagnose and possibly recommend a treatment. If your spouse has died, try to stay socially active in your church or community. Good friendships can develop and fill in the gaps in one's life.

Depressive Illness
Developing depression is not a lifestyle choice but seeking treatment if it develops and following treatment recommendations is. If you feel blue, with decreased energy or initiative you may be depressed and should seek help from your physician.

Sources:Vaillant,George E., M.D. and Mukamal,Kenneth , M.D. "Successful Aging"; American Journal of Psychiatry8June 2001 158: 839-847

http://seniorhealth.about.com/od/prevention/a/longevity_choic.htm

This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://seniorhealth.about.com/od/prevention/a/longevity_choic.htm
©2012 About.com, Inc., a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.

Climate change and your health

2012-02-14T12:05:00.001-05:00

On some days, you look out the window to check the skies for rain or snow. You stretch an arm out an open window to gauge the temperature or turn on the local news to find out the day's high. Day to day, the weather may decide your wardrobe or your route to work. Season to season, you may notice fluctuations from colds and flu to allergies and sunburns. But what about the climate and the overall quality of the weather over time? Can climate change impact your health?

Climate change in a nutshell

People use a lot of energy, and most of the energy we've used over the last century has been created through the burning of non-renewable fossil fuels. The fossil fuels we use - including the gas in our cars and the coal that still heats some homes - release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.

CO2 is also produced naturally by the environment and is an essential part of many natural processes, such as plant photosynthesis. CO2 is naturally regulated to keep the amount of it in balance between the atmosphere and the land and the ocean.

However, this CO2 and other greenhouse gases appear to be accumulating and trapping the sun's heat and radiation in the atmosphere. This increase of CO2 in the atmosphere is caused by the change in our climate: air and water temperatures have risen and weather patterns have begun to shift. Basically, we have managed to change the world's climate.

How climate change may affect your health

In the years to come, our world's climate will become warmer and more unpredictable. Climate change and global warming have been acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a threat to human health, especially to those living in the poorest regions of the world.

The heat is on. Climate changes may bring about more frequent heat waves and the health problems that accompany extreme heat: heat stroke, dehydration, respiratory problems, and cardiovascular distress. With hot, dry conditions, some areas of the world may see more droughts and depleted crops, which would contribute to hunger and malnutrition. In urban areas, extreme heat can worsen smog and pollution. Unpredictable shifts in temperature can take people by surprise. The very young, the very old, and the very frail, tend to be most negatively impacted by heat waves.

Rain and its runoff. Inconsistent patterns of rain could result in more frequent catastrophic hurricanes and flooding. Floodwaters can compromise water safety and become breeding grounds and transporters for any number of waterborne illnesses. Floodwaters contaminated with human or animal waste can trigger diarrhea outbreaks due to bacteria, as with cholera, E. coli, and typhoid, or from viruses like hepatitis A.

Bugs spreading bugs. Insects and other animals act asvectors (carriers) of infectious diseases that can be transmitted to people. As the climate grows warmer, mosquitoes, ticks, and other disease vectors spread into new territories and live for longer periods of time than they normally would. With longer lives and wider reach, these vectors have new and more numerous opportunities to transmit infections like malaria, Lyme disease, or dengue fever.

Pollen and other allergens. Climate shifts could also shift the growth patterns of certain plants. This becomes troublesome when those plants are irritants or allergens. Scientists have noted proliferations of stronger, more abundant poison ivy, ragweed, and earlier onset of pollen season.

The climate has changed. Have you?

The climate is the context in which we live, and it's impossible to escape it. It also feels like the kind of thing over which you have little control. While you can't cool a heat wave or pacify a surging hurricane, you can begin to turn the climate tide through your own individual actions.

Be a proactive weather watcher. You can tune in to the weather report for a forecast of the temperature and overall conditions. Will it rain? Do I need a jacket? Warnings and bulletins alert people of pending extreme weather events, like tornadoes, tsunamis, or floods. Additional forecasts and advisories can warn you of various day-to-day fluctuations in atmospheric conditions.

Keep an eye on the barometric pressure and wind velocity, as factors like these can impact your health. Many news forecasts will issue UV warnings to rate the strength of the sun's ultraviolet radiation on a given day. Pollen levels and air quality indexes warn of days with high smog, pollution, or allergen levels. On days with higher warning levels, you would know to take extra precautions to protect your health. Some of these include:

wearing sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses to protect your skin from UV radiation
staying indoors during days of high smog, especially if you have medical conditions that can be affected by poor air quality (e.g., asthma)
drinking lots of water during extreme heat warnings to prevent dehydration

Help those who need it. Those who have limited resources to adapt to climate changes and extreme weather shifts can fall victim to the elements. During extreme weather shifts, remember those in your area who may need extra support: the elderly, the homeless, or the economically challenged. Act on the behalf of their health and safety by making material or financial donations to help provide fans or air conditioning and cooling units during a heat wave, blankets or coats during an intense cold snap, or shelter after a catastrophic storm.

Think globally, act locally. As you move through your days and make choices, the wider world should stay in your thoughts. Even if you live in a big city and work all day in an office, you are part of the natural world. The small decisions you make each day impact everyone else, albeit in gradual, cumulative ways:

carry reusable shopping bags instead of plastic bags
take public transit, carpool, walk, or ride a bike instead of driving your car
invest in a safe, reusable water bottle instead of buying single-serving plastic water bottles
turn off lights when you don't need them - switch to more efficient appliances, and shut them down when not in use

Amy Toffelmire

http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=4375&channel_id=10&relation_id=3883

Heart disease: risk factors

2012-02-13T14:37:00.001-05:00

In order to function properly, your heart needs a large and continuous stream of oxygen-enriched blood, which is supplied directly to your heart muscle through your coronary arteries. If your coronary arteries become clogged, blocked, inflamed, infected, or injured, the blood flow to your heart will be reduced, which can cause injury to your heart muscle and in turn lead to heart disease or cardiovascular disease (CVD). Some of the more common outcomes of heart disease include myocardial infarction (heart attack), angina (inadequate blood flow to the heart that can cause chest pain), and arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).

General risk factors for heart disease

Those you can't change:

Family history: Genetic predisposition can play a role in the development of heart disease. Your doctor will want to know if you have a family history of heart disease.
Age: Wear and tear on your body is cumulative. The heart is no exception. The older you are, the more wear and tear your system will have and the greater the risk of your system not functioning as it did when you were younger.
Gender: Women after menopause and men over 55 years old are at greater risk of heart disease.

Those you can change:

Smoking: Smoking reduces the blood's oxygen level, injures artery walls, and raises your heart rate and blood pressure.
High-fat diet: Diets high in fat, especially saturated fats, increase the risk of fatty buildup in the arteries.
High blood cholesterol: Cholesterol is a fatty substance required by your body to make cells. But your body only needs a certain amount. High blood cholesterol can cause arteriosclerosis.
Physical inactivity: Regular exercise helps to strengthen your heart muscle and keep it in good working order.
Hypertension or high blood pressure:Hypertension means your blood is hitting too hard against your artery walls. High blood pressure can increase your risk of stroke, aneurysm, heart failure, heart attack, and kidney damage.
Obesity: Being significantly overweight or obese increases your blood pressure, causing your heart to work too hard on less oxygen, and it increases your risk of diabetes.
Stress: Stress increases your heart rate and blood pressure, which in turn causes damage to your arteries and heart.
Diabetes: Men with diabetes mellitus (high blood sugar) have 3 or 4 times the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis, resulting in angina, heart attacks, strokes, or peripheral vascular disease. Women with diabetes are at an even higher risk - probably 4 times that of non-diabetic women.

Written and reviewed by the MediResource Clinical Team

http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=1332&channel_id=10&relation_id=3914

Grand Travel and Your Bucket List

2012-02-12T12:20:00.004-05:00

Friday, February 10, 2012

We all have a bucket list of places to see before we die. In fact, there is a book with a similar title in the travel section of bookstores. If your bucket list includes plans to take your grandchildren, do it sooner rather than later, especially if you’re taking them out of school for the trip.

When my grandsons were four and six, I took them on a trip to Italy. Their parents came too and we all worried at the time about taking them out of school, junior kindergarten and grade one at the time. My sister, a retired teacher, advised taking them. “They’ll learn more on the trip than what they miss in five days of school,” she said. They don’t remember much about the trip, unfortunately, but for me, it was a wonderful memory. And perhaps, subconsciously, they learned something.

After that trip, every time I travelled, my oldest grandson asked if he could “hide in my suitcase” and come along. In retrospect, I wish I had taken him, because now, at fourteen, he barely acknowledges my existence and certainly wouldn’t be seen in public with me, let alone entertain the prospect of travelling with someone so ‘old.’

We have, unfortunately, a small window of opportunity to take our grandchildren on a vacation that fits in with family schedules and school attendance. And, there are compelling reasons to take them out of school for a trip. Generally, in the off season, which is code for when school is in, rates are cheaper, deals are more appealing and crowds are fewer in the usual tourist haunts. And there’s a benefit too of being away from the din of electronic games and television for both grandparents and kids.

There are other advantages to taking children out of school for a trip, especially if there’s a chance for enrichment. Seeing snow in the Rockies, or viewing The Grand Canyon, the Roman Forum or the Eiffel Tower in 3D is a geography or history lesson itself. With funding cuts in the education system, field trips that take kids on larger-than-life excursions like the ones above are tucked into the past.

Certainly, there are mixed reviews regarding the wisdom of taking children out of school for a vacation. Teachers are the best experts in sanctioning the trip. The child’s usual performance in school is an issue. A conscientious student will catch up; a slack student may have problems. The grade level is another issue. Students in secondary school, while they are the ones who may actually learn from an enrichment trip, have heavier workloads than children in the lower grades of an elementary school. For older grandchildren in secondary school, the decision to take the trip is theirs. They know best how missing school may impact their success. If the child is involved in athletic teams, coaches should be informed of the plans as well.

It’s important that the child’s parents give the teacher advance notice of the planned trip and arrange for any homework that should be completed during the trip so the child doesn’t fall behind. Often the time of year is critical in the education system and finding out whether there are important tests your grandchild will miss is critical to planning the trip around an appropriate time.

There should be, if necessary, time allotted on the vacation for doing homework. Perhaps math problems can be solved on the plane or spelling tests given before heading out for a day of sightseeing.

When possible, plan the trip over a time period that coincides with a holiday such as Easter or a professional development day so that fewer ‘school days’ are missed.

The child may benefit even more, besides enjoying the company of a grandparent, from a trip that has some educational value, especially if the destination is a place the child is currently learning about in history or geography.

To sweeten the deal, buy a souvenir gift for your grandchild to bring home to her teacher.

-Bonnie Baker Cowan

http://www.zoomermag.com/people/grand-travel-and-your-bucket-list/37325#more-37325

Do you get enough calcium?

2012-02-11T12:24:00.001-05:00

A total of 1.4 million Canadians or 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 have osteoporosis. Osteoporosis refers to bone loss that causes "thinning" or weakening of the bones. Because bone loss occurs without symptoms, osteoporosis often goes unrecognized for many years until one or several fractures occur. Since bones are made primarily of calcium, eating calcium-rich foods helps keep bones strong. At the same time, it helps the heart, blood, and muscles work properly.

Other factors also affect bone strength, such as genetics, amount of weight-bearing exercise, and exposure to sunlight. Sunlight is necessary because it affects the level of vitamin D in the body, which helps the absorption of calcium.

Since the body can't make calcium, we have to get it from the food we eat.

Getting the most calcium from your food

The amount of calcium you absorb from the foods you eat depends not only on how much calcium is in the food, but on how easily it's absorbed (bioavailability), the amount of calcium already stored in your body, and what you eat with the calcium-rich food.

Many researchers say that the best bet for getting calcium is to eat dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese because they are high in calcium, and the type of calcium they contain is easily absorbed by the body.

Foods which contain oxalates or phytates, however, interfere with the body's ability to absorb calcium.

High-oxylate foods

Fruits:

blackberries
blueberries
citrus peel
Concord grapes
Damson plums
gooseberries
raspberries
red currants
rhubarb
strawberries

Vegetables:

amaranth
beet leaves
cassava
collards
leeks
okra
parsley
purslane
spinach
sweet potatoes
Swiss chard

Beverages:

beer
berry juices
coffee
cola
Ovaltine®
tea

Other foods:

almonds
chocolate
cocoa
peanuts
peanut butter
pecans
poppy seeds

High-phytate foods

barley
beans
bran and wheat cereals
corn chips
nuts
oats
rice
rye bread
sesame seeds
soybean meal
wheat bran
wheat germ

For example, ½ cup of cooked spinach has 122 mg of calcium, but the bioavailability of that calcium is close to zero because spinach is high in oxalates. If you rely on vegetables as your source of calcium, you should choose low-oxalate vegetables more often, such as kale, broccoli, bok choy, mustard and turnip greens.

How much calcium do you need?

Unfortunately, North American men and women aren't getting enough calcium.

In order to keep your bones healthy, get enough calcium every day and choose low-oxalate, low-phytate fruits and vegetables.

Recommended calcium

Age (years)	Intake per day
1 to 3	500 mg
4 to 8	800 mg
9 to 18	1,300 mg
19 to 50	1,000 mg
Over 51	1,200 mg

During pregnancy and lactation, recommend calcium changes:

Age (years)	Intake per day
under 19	1,300 mg
over 19	1,000 mg

The US National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine can provide more info on recommended intakes.

Calcium rich foods

The following chart lists the amount of calcium found in many common foods.

Click to enlarge

*add 100 mg for each portion of calcium-enriched milk or yogurt

Written and reviewed by the MediResource Clinical T

http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=1544&channel_id=10&relation_id=10999

Heart Health 101, free public webinar : Update

2012-02-10T21:13:00.000-05:00

We are thrilled with the positive feedback we have received in response to last week’s announcement about our up and coming Heart Health 101 webinar. As a reminder, Heart Health 101 takes place on Friday, February 17^th at 11am PST/2pm EST and will provide practical information and tips that you can apply in your daily life to maintain heart health.

If you have not done so already, please sign-up today because space is limited to the first 1000 registrants and we have already filled a large number of spots. We recommend this webinar for anyone who is interested in health and wellness topics, especially those with a personal or family history of heart disease.

Heart Health 101 will be presented by renowned Cleveland Clinic heart experts Dr. Steve Nissen, Chair of the Cardiac Department, and Dr. Marc Gillinov, a recognized Cardiovascular Surgeon. Drs. Nissen and Gillinov, in addition to being accomplished physicians, are the authors of Heart 411-The Only Guide to Heart Health You'll Ever Need, released this month to coincide with Heart Month.

As an added incentive we are giving away autographed copies of Heart 411. We will be sending copies of the book to the first 5 people who post a heart health question or tip on our Facebook wall and share our webinar link with their friends.

Heart Health 101 kicks off our Home Care Assistance Healthy Longevity Series. We believe in empowering people to be proactive and informed when it comes to their health. Our Healthy Longevity Webinar Series brings experts from a diverse spectrum of health and wellness fields to both our clients and the broader community in an engaging and informative format. The webinars are offered for free to the public as part of our broader education initiatives. Be sure to check our website frequently for updates on upcoming webinars, educational initiatives and company announcements!

Healthy foods: beets

2012-02-10T13:04:00.000-05:00

What is it? If you think of beets as just some goopy food plopped out of a can at Thanksgiving, you might want to get to know beets a bit better. A beet is a three-in-one wonder vegetable: You can eat the green leaves, the stalk, and the recognizable knob-shaped beetroot - not a bit need go to waste! Though the deep reddish-violet variety of beets is most common, they also come in white, gold, and other colours. Cultivated for use in soups (Russian borscht, for instance), salads, or as a natural sugar source, beets are affordable, highly nutritious veggies that are available year-round.

What is it good for? Beets are versatile, low in calories, naturally sweet, and packed with nutritional B-enefits. Beets are full of folate, a B vitamin crucial to healthy cell growth, especially during pregnancy. Two more B's abundant in beets:betacyanin, a pigment that is a potentially powerful antioxidant, and betaine, a heart-protective nutrient. Beets are also a great source of fibre.

What does it taste like? At first sight, beetroots look rough and dirty, dusty from their time underground. But bite into a beetroot, and you may be surprised by how sweet it tastes. In fact, beets contain the highest natural sugar content of all vegetables. Eaten raw, beetroot is crunchy, but turns soft when cooked. The greens of a beet taste similar to other greens, such as chard or spinach, while the stems take on more of the sweet beetroot taste. When buying beets, look for those that have stems and leaves still attached, so you can take advantage of the entire nutritious vegetable. Look for beetroots that are smooth, unspotted, on the small or medium side, with firm roots and a deep, rich colour. You can enjoy beets raw and grated over a salad. Or you can marinate, steam, or roast them with the skins still on - though cooking may diminish some of a beet's antioxidant power. Cooked beets can be used in side dishes, main dishes, soups... The leafy greens can be sautéed with olive oil and herbs, and the stalks can be cooked right along into a pasta sauce or stew. Be warned, but don't be alarmed: If you eat too many beets, you may notice a change to the colour of your urine!

Amy Toffelmire

http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=4980&channel_id=10&relation_id=43676

Seniors and the flu

2012-02-09T13:01:00.000-05:00

Seniors tend to be more prone to getting sick. They are more likely to have medical conditions that increase the risk of flu complications, such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, or a weakened immune system. For these reasons, seniors are more prone to flu complications. Seniors have a much higher risk of death from flu complications, and the risk increases with age. One study found that people 85 years or older were 16 times as likely to die of the flu and 32 times as likely to die from flu-related pneumonia as those aged 65 to 69. Seniors in long-term care facilities and nursing homes are at a particularly high risk of getting the flu and developing flu complications.

To reduce your risk of flu complications:

Take steps to prevent the flu. Your doctor may recommend a flu shot (to reduce your risk of the flu) and a pneumococcal vaccine (to reduce the risk of pneumonia, a common flu complication).
If you have flu symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible. If you or your loved one are living in a long-term care facility or nursing home and have flu symptoms, tell your resident care provider right away. Keep in mind that flu symptoms may be different for seniors; in particular, seniors may not have the sudden severe fever that is common in younger people. Your doctor may prescribe anantiviral medication, which can reduce the risk of complications, reduce symptoms, and shorten the length of illness if taken within 48 hours of the start of your symptoms.
If you are diagnosed with the flu, follow your doctor's instructions for flu treatment. If your doctor prescribes an antiviral medication, have the prescription filled as soon as possible, and keep taking the medication for as long as your doctor recommends to complete the full course of treatment. If you have other health conditions, continue to follow your doctor's treatment plan for these conditions.

http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=5760&channel_id=2113&relation_id=95916

Flu protection for yourself and others

2012-02-08T20:50:00.001-05:00

The flu is a contagious infection. That means that everyone is at risk of catching it. To make matters more difficult, the flu is contagious a day before people experience symptoms, so they can spread the virus onto others without even knowing it.

The good news is that there are many simple things you can do to help prevent flu infection. This is especially important for people who are at risk of flu complications and more serious illness. Such people are also more likely to be hospitalized. At-risk people include children between the ages of 6 and 23 months, pregnant women, people with medical conditions, Aboriginal peoples, and people who are older than 65 years. See "Are you at risk?" for more information on at-risk groups.

This flu season, stay on top of your health by taking the following steps to prevent spreading the flu.

Avoid contact. Avoiding someone who has the flu is the most obvious way to protect yourself from the flu. This includes avoiding anyone who has flu-like symptoms while the person has symptoms and for at least 24 hours after the person's fever ends.

Wash your hands. Frequent hand-washing is a simple way to reduce the spread of the flu virus. Proper hand-washing means washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Wash often: before and after eating, after using the washroom, after coughing and sneezing, after touching potentially-contaminated surfaces, and after being in a public place. Dry your hands using a clean cloth or paper towel and turn off the tap with the paper towel or cloth. When hands are not visibly dirty and soap and water are not available, alcohol-based sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol by volume are a good alternative. See "Handwashing 101" to learn more.

Watch where you cough, sneeze, and place your hands. The flu virus can enter the body through the mouth, nose, or eyes, so avoid touching your face with your hands. In addition, you should cough and sneeze into a tissue and dispose of the tissue immediately. If tissue isn't available, cough and sneeze into your arm, not your hand. Always wash your hands after coughing and sneezing.

Stay healthy. Your immune system needs all the strength it can get. Keep it strong by eating healthy meals and staying physically active.

Clean and disinfect. Since viruses can live on hard surfaces for up to 48 hours, common surface areas should be cleaned and disinfected regularly with household cleaners. Make sure you scrub down doorknobs, light switches, keyboards, computer mice, telephones, and remote controls.

Manage your medical condition. People who have chronic medical conditions should make sure they are managing them as well as possible. These people are at risk of flu complications. Follow all treatment options (e.g., medications, vaccines against certain diseases such as flu or pneumonia) as recommended by your doctor. If you are taking medications, make sure you have at least a 2-week supply at home so that you don't have to leave it to get more. Ask your pharmacy if they have a delivery service.

Stay home. Just as you wouldn't want others to infect you with the flu, you should stay home until your symptoms are gone if you do get sick. By staying home, you reduce the risk of spreading the virus to someone else.

If you do get the flu and you are at risk of complications, reduce the risk of complications by visiting your doctor as soon as you have symptoms. Your doctor can outline treatment options that will make recovery easier. Use the Doctor Discussion Guide to help you prepare for your visit to your doctor.

If someone in close contact with you, such as others living in the same household, gets the flu, you should consider seeing your doctor as soon as possible to discuss treatments to prevent the flu. For people at risk for flu complications, this is a good way to help prevent the flu. For more information on medications to prevent flu, see thenext section.

Preventing bedsores

2012-02-07T13:47:00.001-05:00

Bedsores (also known as pressures sores or pressure ulcers) are areas of damaged skin caused by staying in one position for too long. Constant pressure on certain areas of the body prevents sufficient blood flow to those areas. Since these areas are not supplied with essential nutrients, the tissue begins to die.

Bedsores most commonly occur where soft tissue is compressed between bone and an external surface. These bony areas include the tailbone, hips, heels, ankles, back, and elbows. Anyone who is immobilized due to illness, injury, or sedation, such as people who use wheelchairs or are paralyzed, is at risk for developing bedsores.

Bedsores can develop and get worse rapidly, and advanced sores take a long time to heal. If not treated right away, bedsores can lead to serious and life-threatening infections such as cellulitis (infection of connective tissue), bone and joint infections, and sepsis (bacterial infection of the bloodstream). Sepsis could then lead to organ failure and death.

Most bedsores can be prevented with the following strategies:

Change position. People who are bound to a chair or wheelchair should shift position every 15 minutes. Those who are confined to a bed should move (or be moved) to a new position every 2 hours, even during the night.
Keep skin clean and dry. Moisture increases the risk of skin breaking down. Bacteria from fecal matter can result in serious and life-threatening infections. For those confined to a bed, keep sheets clean and dry as well.
Protect bony areas. Use soft materials such as foam wedges to protect bony areas like the heels and elbows.
Use pressure-reducing beds, mattresses, or cushions. Examples include those filled with foam, air, gel, or water. Talk to a doctor or nurse about what is appropriate for you.
Perform daily skin inspections. Any sign of redness or discoloration indicates that your position should be changed. The area should also be washed and dried thoroughly, and, for open sores, covered with a protective dressing.
Get help at the first sign of infection. If you notice any skin damage or sign of infection (drainage, odour, redness, warmth), tell your doctor, nurse, or caregiver immediately.
Maintain proper nutrition. Good nutrition will promote wound healing and prevent skin from breaking down. If you are having difficulty eating, speak to your doctor or a dietician.

http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=5712&channel_id=10&relation_id=43676

Ready for the Granny Flat?

2012-02-06T13:32:00.001-05:00

Other PEOPLE

Friday, February 3, 2012

When Dorothy’s husband passed away earlier this year, she was immediately invited to move in with her daughter and son-in-law in Vancouver. “It was a difficult decision because Graham and I had a lot of friends here in Victoria and had enjoyed our bridge games, weekend hikes and dinner parties with friends,” she says. “But I also liked the idea of being closer to my two granddaughters and this was an opportunity to enjoy their company.”

While Dorothy is in good health, she also felt it would be wise to be closer to her family, in case of a medical emergency. “My family doctor told me not to wait until I had fallen or been diagnosed with an age-related disease to make the move,” she explains. “He told me the probability of my remaining healthy was more likely if I were living in a family environment where I was cared for and enjoying the company of my family on a daily basis.”

By June, her family had renovated their basement to offer her a bedroom, bath and small sitting room. “I was able to bring some of my own things to furnish it and that made a big difference, having familiar pieces around to remind me of Graham and our life together,” she says.

Dorothy approached the new living arrangement with some trepidation, however. Her relationship with her daughter had been somewhat tumultuous, especially during the teen years. “The last thing I wanted was to have the same kinds of arguments with her,” she says. “But, it turns out my daughter has grown up and I guess I’ve mellowed too, so we seem to be getting along. And, I’ve gotten to know my son-in-law and seeing my granddaughters every day is such a gift.”

With a tough economy, many Zoomers find their children have moved back into the family home as a result of job loss or divorce. But the reverse situation can occur too, with grandparents moving in with grown children for a variety of reasons: to save money for both parties; as a result of health issues; or for accessible and reassuring childcare for the grandkids.

Combining households can be a challenging task for any parties, more so for families when there is a history of conflict or the risk of jealousy among other grown siblings. Attitude is important for both sides. Older parents may feel they’ve been forced to make the move because of an age-related incompetency; the grown children may feel resentful that they have now become caregivers.

Dr. R.C. Dubuc of Ottawa, recommends keeping communication open. “If the attitude is that two equally important households are being combined, respect for the needs and habits of both sides should naturally follow,” he advises. “If the older generation feels they are simply being assimilated into the younger family, the relationship won’t be as successful.”

Guidelines regarding routines for both sides should be talked through right at the beginning and regular family meetings held to discuss any issues needing resolution before they fester. Who will prepare meals? Will babysitting be expected? How will expenses be divided? How will personal space be established and respected? How will laundry and other household tasks be divided?

Dorothy feels lucky. “With my own suite in the basement, I have the luxury of my own personal space. At the end of the day, I can retreat to my sitting area and watch the television shows I enjoy or read,” she says. “It also allows my family upstairs to have their own privacy.”

She contributes to the household by babysitting one night every weekend and makes a point of being available if one of her granddaughters is ill and unable to go to school. She contributed to the cost of the basement renovation, shares in the expenses for groceries and pays for her own television and phone service.

Mealtime was initially a source of frustration. “Breakfast is a crazy time with the girls getting ready for school and their parents scurrying to get out the door for work,” she explains, “so eventually I decided to stay downstairs until they’d all gone. I was just adding to the confusion. Now, I can go upstairs after they’ve left and make my own leisurely breakfast. Family dinners, though, are a joint event and I prepare meals a few times a week for everyone. Sharing that time together is the best part of the day.”

- Bonnie Baker Cowan

http://www.zoomermag.com/people/ready-for-the-granny-flat/37041#more-37041

Heart Health 101, a free public webinar that highlights practical how-to tips for avoiding heart disease

2012-02-04T23:59:00.000-05:00

In honor of Heart Month in the United States and Canada, Home Care Assistance is excited to present Heart Health 101, a free public webinar that highlights practical how-to tips for avoiding heart disease and expert recommendations for individuals managing an existing heart condition or cardiac recovery.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in North America, accounting for almost 25% of mortalities. There is a heart related fatality in America every single minute
Every year, almost one million Americans and Canadians will suffer their first heart attack. Another 500,000 individuals who have already had a heart attack will suffer another attack
There are many health, exercise and diet related activities that can dramatically reduce the incidence of heart attack

Heart Health 101 is presented by renowned Cleveland Clinic heart experts Dr. Steve Nissen, chair of the Cardiac Department, and Dr. Marc Gillinov, a recognized Cardiovascular Surgeon. Drs. Nissen and Gillinov, in addition to being accomplished physicians, are the authors of Heart 411-The Only Guide to Heart Health You'll Ever Need; released this past Tuesday to coincide with Heart Month.

The webinar will be held on February 17th at 11AM Pacific, 2PM Eastern. We recommend this webinar for anyone who’s interested in health and wellness topics, especially those who have a history of heart disease in your family. Space is limited to the first 1000 registrants, so make sure to reserve your seat today.

The book has been described as the definitive guide to heart health from two of America's most respected doctors at Cleveland Clinic, the leading hospital for heart health in America. Their book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in heart health that provides answers to common questions such as “Can a high stress job really lead to a heart attack?” and “What are the most important medical tests to run to check on heart health?” in an accessible way and provides useful health tips from which everyone can benefit.

"Good information is the key to good heart health, said Dr. Gillinov, Cardiac Surgeon at Cleveland Clinic. Myths and misinformation abound. Our mission is to arm people with real, evidence-based medical information that will empower them to ensure their heart health."

Heart Health 101 is part of a broader initiative to provide the public with free education and resources on healthy longevity. In addition to the webinar, Home Care Assistance is providing free copies of our Patient Guide to Cardiac Rehabilitation and Patient Guide to Post-Stroke Recovery. You can request these materials from any of our 75 locations across North America or visit our website for a free download. Stay tuned for more webinars from Home Care Assistance!

Running Up New Times for Seniors

2012-01-30T17:43:00.003-05:00

By Jean Sorenson

BJ McHugh stretches after a run. Photo by: Jean Sorenson

Betty Jean “BJ” McHugh challenges today’s concept of aging and the elderly. The 84-year-old North Vancouver running legend, dubbed the fastest senior in the world, has just finished the James Cunningham Seawall 9.5-kilometre road race clocking in at 62 minutes.

“I thought it was a terrible time,” says BJ, who has been running since her 50s and has set some 30 world records for marathons, half-marathons, and shorter races. But, the time was good enough to earn her first place in the age-graded runners’ category. She acknowledges that age has taken its toll on her times. She once ran the 9.5 kilometre James Cunningham Seawall Race - a favourite with runners in Halloween costumes - in 43 minutes and 52 seconds in 1979, three days before her 52nd birthday.

But as she runs - with other elite senior runners such as the 100-year-old Fauja Singh, who holds world records for his age category in eight different distances, including the Toronto Marathon, and Vancouver’s 74-year-old Rod Waterlow who ran the Vancouver 2011 Fall Classic half-marathon in one hour and 46 minutes - BJ makes society question seniors’ capabilities. And, opens new horizons. At age 80, she set a new world record at the 29th Royal Victoria Marathon.

When she first started running, there were no age categories. Today, races have not only a winning time for the fastest runners, but runners are broken into age brackets of five or 10 years. In addition, runners are handicapped according to age using a computer formula, which determines overall performance. In the Cunningham race, BJ’s age-graded performance outranked more than 900 other racers that day putting her at the top of the podium.

BJ’s “running times” are chronicled in a new book My Road to Rome co-authored by her and CBC reporter and runner Bob Nixon, who first met BJ three years ago when a note about her came into the television studio. He subsequently reported on her invitation by the Rome Marathon organizers to run the 26-mile course.

“I could not get her out of my mind,” says Nixon, “not just because she was such a remarkably lively and fun person to interview, but also because I discovered that her world marathon record as an 80-year-old was faster than I had run the same course when I was in my 30s. I had never met anyone that age who was so fit.”

The CBC story grew into a book that tells the life of BJ, who was born in the small village of Stanwood, Ontario. She grew up on a farm and recalls adventures such as horse-drawn sled rides in winter to her grandparents’ home at Christmas, and follows her dream of nursing to a Toronto school. After graduation in Toronto, she moved to Vancouver to work as a nurse, where she met her husband Robert, a car salesman, who landed in her hospital ward.

BJ laughs because she is not the only nurse to meet her husband as a patient. One day, while working out at the gym, a nurse stopped by to tell her how much she had enjoyed the book. “We both have something in common,” quipped the nurse. “We both met our husbands in bed.”

BJ’s story is full of urban family life - such as the rigours of manually defrosting fridges, sewing new dresses for social events and the kids, seeing her daughter Jennifer off to sporting events, swim meets, training sessions and finally the 1972 Olympics, and outfitting the family for skiing trips to the North Shore mountains. BJ’s recounts are far from dull as she delves into the fabric of life. Nixon says she describes those new ski pants of the ‘70s as “so tight that if a woman put a dime in the pocket you could tell if it was head or tails” and “the whole book is dotted with such McHugh gems.”

Throughout the story, her four children and husband are focal points of her life. But, after finding tennis hard on the body, unable to ski during summer and with the children flying from the nest, she sought out a new sport - running. It turned into a passion and led to record-smashing performances.

Today, BJ says she never set out to smash any records, although the records started falling as she entered races. She continues to run for the pure joy of the sport and, along the way, has developed a group of friends that are as foundational as her sneakers. She doesn’t wear a runner’s watch but marks time with a stopwatch, nor does she worry about pace or the distance she has run. She also doesn’t use a heart monitor. “I know my body,” she says, adding that really is what she listens to when she is running in or out of a race.

She also doesn’t follow a special diet, like many runners who are vegans or vegetarians, nor takes dietary supplements. Instead, she cooks regular meals, although she does watch what she eats, especially near a race date; she suffers from a mild form of irritated bowel syndrome. Her big meal is breakfast - fruit, oatmeal and a bagel.

Regularly running with a group of women starting out at around 6 a.m. three times a week for an hour, she runs a fourth, longer run on Saturday mornings and can last up to three-and-a-half hours, if a marathon is beckoning. She cross-trains with cycling, lifts weights in the gym, and practises yoga.

BJ credits her group of friends - all younger - as her inspiration. Having younger friends is important as one ages, she feels, as they keep her active. “It’s hard to stay in bed when you have friends waiting - even if it is raining outside,” she says. They also provide a source of energy, optimism and humour.

At the crack of dawn, they are a noticeable crowd, chattering down the street. She tells of one North Vancouver resident, who obviously rolled out of the wrong side of the bed to set out his garbage, turning to the noisy group and said: “Why don’t you girls shut up!” Then, there was the morning when an owl swooped down and tried to wing off with the ponytail of a running buddy.

The group works as a team planning events, booking hotels and airfare. “I’m really quite spoiled,” says BJ about the group cheering her accomplishments at events. But, they celebrate their victories together. “Thirteen of us ran the [2011] Chicago Marathon,” she says, adding that all completed the course to take home finisher’s medals.

BJ has not come through the record books unscathed. Husband Robert, long a support member for her and friends at the events, and the family’s main breadwinner, fell 23 years ago on a sidewalk curb, hit his head and sustained brain trauma. Through his decline into dementia, and financial difficulties, BJ tells in her book how she continues to run and stay by the side of the man she calls “the great love of my life.”

BJ has also sustained numerous injuries: she once tripped over her dog as it darted out to catch a squirrel and injured her shoulder, which required surgery. Her running buddies came to the rescue during her convalescence and ran over dinners for her and Robert, adding the occasional bottle of wine. What comes from BJ’s life is not being down, but getting back up.

As she ages, BJ continues to open new doors for runners, as race organizers have to add new age categories to accommodate more seniors entering road racing. Nixon says that what has intrigued him as a journalist in his 50s about BJ is her “secret” to aging as he found himself facing that “slippery slope” of declining health expected in old age. But, here is BJ healthy at 80. And she doesn’t see any mystical fountain of youth; running is part of her active lifestyle. Her book sets out 10 life lessons in the last chapter, including “think young” and “don’t just get into shape - BE in shape by being active.”

She plans to take that perspective into the Honolulu Marathon in December 2012. She has two daughters, Jennifer (the Olympic swimmer) and Jillian, and two sons, Brent and Gyle. They all run or have run, but son Brent competes in marathons.

“My granddaughter Ava wants us to do a three-generation run in Honolulu,” says BJ, an event that takes place a month after her 85th birthday.

BJ’s optimistic she will make it, but quips, “At my age, you don’t buy green bananas.”

http://www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/running-up-new-times-for-seniors

JANUARY 2012 SENIOR LIVING MAGAZINE VANCOUVER & LOWER MAINLAND

Study Shows Caregiving is One of the Most Stressful Occupations

2012-01-27T17:24:00.003-05:00

By Home Care Assistance, 6:17 pm on January 16, 2012

A recent study has confirmed what many of us already know: that caregiving is one of the most stressful occupations in North America. This study found that caregivers are the third most stressed group in America behind the obese and the depressed. Coincidentally, these are two issues that many caregivers are at risk for; this only amplifies the already high stress level of caregivers.

“Caregivers are not only more likely to report stress than other groups; they also report it at higher levels,” said Caring.com senior editor Paul Spencer Scott. “Caregivers are more likely than the general public to have a chronic illness (82 percent vs. 61 percent) and to rate their own health as fair or poor (34 percent vs. 20 percent). Caregivers also appear to manage stress in less healthy ways than the general population. Caregivers are twice as likely, for example, to report smoking to manage their stress (20 percent vs. 10 percent).”

It is more important now than ever to take time out of your day to takes steps toward protecting one’s health and avoiding caregiver burnout. The ability to provide care to another individual is an invaluable service to society, but the caregiver and their patient’s health need to be of equal importance.

Other interesting findings garnered from this report are that people still refuse to accept how stress affects their daily lives. Nearly one third of those polled do not believe that stress affects their physical or mental health. Tests have proven that the truth is quite the opposite; reduction of stress is a major step towards a healthier lifestyle.

Chronic illnesses, not age, determine seniors' reliance on health care: Study

2012-01-25T17:29:00.002-05:00

BY CARMEN CHAI, POSTMEDIA NEWS JANUARY 28, 2011

It's their health, not the age of Canadian seniors that is the main factor when determining the number of medical services they use, according to a report that examines the elderly population's reliance on the health-care system.

"In society, many of us may expect that with age comes chronic conditions but this isn't the case. It became apparent that it's the number of chronic conditions that seniors have, not their increasing age, that drives their health-care utilization," said Greg Webster, director of primary health care for the Canadian Institute for Health Information, which released the report Thursday.

"Once people get to three or more chronic conditions, their quality of life deteriorates and their use of health care goes through the roof."

About 1.1 million Canadian seniors are living with at least three chronic conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis or cancer. The group accounted for 40 per cent of the health care used by seniors, according to the CIHI study.

Healthy seniors — that is, those without such ongoing conditions, who were at least 85 years old, made fewer than half the number of visits to doctors' offices as younger seniors who had many chronic illnesses, though, Webster said.

CIHI collaborated with the Health Council of Canada and Statistics Canada to design the study, which examined the prevalence of 11 chronic illnesses in seniors and the kind of services they needed. The most common chronic illnesses among seniors were high blood pressure, which affects two million seniors, followed by arthritis, which affects 1.2 million seniors.

According to previous CIHI research, health care for a senior between 65 and 69 years old costs $5,828; for a senior 70 to 74 years old, the average cost is $8,803; and for seniors 70 to 79 years old, the cost is $10,989 on average. About $18,160 is spent on each senior who is more than 80 years old.

But it's the chronic illnesses — with their most common forms, such as Type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis, appearing between the ages of 50 and 60 — that make up a big chunk of that spending, said Dr. Bill Hogg, a University of Ottawa professor and research director at the university's Elisabeth Bruyere Research Institute.

Similar patterns of health care exist among adults between 45 and 64 years old. Unhealthy middle-aged Canadians with three or more chronic conditions made six times more visits to the doctor's office, hospital or emergency room than their peers without health conditions, the report showed. About half of Canadians in this age group have at least one chronic condition already.

Hogg said that as the large group of baby boomers ages in Canada, cases of chronic illness in seniors will climb, increasing the burden provincial health-care systems already face.

"People are concerned about the cost implications and about the amount of disability and suffering as projections are that the number of people living with these diseases will increase dramatically. They're all quite significant (diseases), they're not just minor lashes, but they've become a reality today," he said, noting that some Canadian seniors are dealing with a combination of six or more chronic illnesses.

The report recommends that doctors and patients of all ages make maintaining good health and regular exercise a priority to reduce the risk of chronic conditions.

"We shouldn't accept that it's going to be this way," Webster said.

The study suggested only two in five seniors said they had talked to their doctors about what they could do to improve their health: from quitting smoking, exercising more and drinking less alcohol.

"If we take better care, seniors would be healthier and happier and they'd need less health care, leading to a more sustainable system," Webster said.

In 2008, seniors consumed almost 44 per cent of all provincial and territorial government health spending, although they only comprised about 14 per cent of the population, he said.

Handling comorbidity — the accumulation of chronic diseases — results in frequent appointments with doctors and specialists, Hogg said.

Seniors with three or more conditions were making three times more health-care visits than their healthy peers, the report suggested. A patient with three conditions would visit a doctor at least once a month while a healthy 30-year-old man would probably visit the doctor once every five years, Hogg said.

The seniors also reported taking an average of six prescription drugs regularly, which also concerned the researchers.

Hogg said the usage of multiple drugs to reduce or to treat symptoms is "not trivial" as some seniors who were routinely taking multiple medications reported side-effects that were so severe, they needed medical attention. Hogg said the side effects could be minor to very serious, from a dry mouth or nausea to allergic reactions that can led to trouble breathing.

The highest percentage of seniors with chronic illnesses was recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador, where 85 per cent of seniors had at least one chronic illness while the lowest was Quebec, followed by British Columbia and Ontario, the report suggested.

cchai@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/Carmen_Chai

http://www.canada.com/health/Chronic+illnesses+determine+seniors+reliance+health+care+Study/4184036/story.html

Five Reasons to Fit Fruit into Your Day

2012-01-23T17:19:00.000-05:00

(NC)—Wise food choices and regular exercise are steps in the right direction when it comes to improving our overall health. However, one of the easiest (and tastiest) means of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is being ignored. While Health Canada recommends consuming between seven and ten servings of fruits and vegetables a day, Statistics Canada research shows that less than half of Canadians are even making it to five. “We’re taught from childhood that fruit is good for you,” says registered dietitian Lydia Knorr. “Yet even Canadians who are moving towards healthier diets and more active lives aren’t making room on their plates for those recommended servings.”

Incorporating Florida citrus into daily snacks and meals is a simple way to get to that recommended intake. For example, at breakfast time, one 250 mL glass of 100 per cent pure Florida orange or grapefruit juice equates to two servings.

Need a reason to sack the sweets in favour of citrus? Here are five:

1. Health helper—Give your body a boost with a tasty grapefruit. Florida citrus contains essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, all of which may aid in the prevention of disease.

2. Family-friendly—Florida citrus can be packed in lunches or used in grown-up foods like marinades or glazes. For parents looking to make sure kids are getting their vitamins, a fruity treat is a great way to keep them energized without having to hide the healthy stuff.

3. Guilt-free goodness—Say goodbye to eater’s remorse: citrus fruit is light and healthy and can help you maintain a weight you’ll feel positive about.

4. Quick and cost-effective—Your grocery budget may be shrinking, but your appetite doesn’t have to. Drinking a glass of 100 per cent pure orange juice is convenient, inexpensive and filling compared to other beverages like pop or punch—and it’s healthier too.

5. Sweetest snack—Throw those candies away and start fresh with a snack that’s naturally sweet. Fruit can be incorporated into other snacks for diet variety. For example, add some 100 per cent pure orange juice into a smoothie or fresh Florida grapefruit slices into loaves or muffins.

“Replacing high-calorie candies and fatty snacks with fresh fruit doesn’t have to mean compromising on cost or taste,” says Knorr. “Fruit like grapefruit not only helps you look and feel great, but also delivers when the sweet tooth hits.”

Visit floridacitrus.ca for fun and delicious ways to help you get your five a day.

www.newscanada.com

http://www.zoomermag.com/health/food/five-reasons-to-fit-fruit-into-your-day/36375#more-36375

Seniors Weigh in on Living Life Without Regrets

2012-01-11T21:35:00.000-05:00

Life’s biggest questions are naturally the hardest to answer, and if you choose the wrong action you could end up regretting it in the long run. We all hope to live with no regrets, but for many, this is not the case. Thankfully, Karl Pillemer of Cornell compiled a list of life’s greatest trials and sought out advice from people who have already made their life changing decisions and lived with their results. These people, of course, are our elders. As they say, another year older, another year wiser.

On Regrets – The seniors questioned on how to avoid regret came to a consensus on two major points. First, always be honest while taking advantage of new opportunities and embracing challenges. It is impossible to regret something if you did everything within your power to accomplish it. Second, try to travel as much as possible. Most seniors believe that this should take precedent over many other things young people spend money on.

On Happiness – Happiness is a choice and not a culmination of positive or negative circumstances life throws at you. You may not be able to control what happens to you, but you can always control how you react to it.

On Marriage – While love can initially bring people together, a lasting friendship and complementing qualities will build a lasting relationship. As one 89-year-old woman put it, “too many young people are giving up too early, too soon.”

On Careers – Out of the seniors polled on careers, not one said that they achieved happiness by working in a profession they did not like for a big paycheck at the end of the day. As one 83-year-old former athlete and recruiter put it, “the most important thing is to be involved in a profession that you absolutely love and that you look forward to going to work every day.”

On Parenting – It is important to spend more time with your children despite whatever busy work schedule you may have. Sacrifices may have to be made along the way, but spending time with your children should come before your career.

Click here to read more life tips from our wise elders.

http://homecareassistance.com/resources/home-care-blog/

Andropause (male menopause)

2012-01-08T11:39:00.000-05:00

"Male menopause" is a rather inaccurate but popular term used to describe the symptoms of low testosterone levels in older men, which is called andropause. As men age, levels of testosterone can drop by as much as 50%. Other terms for the same condition include male menopause, male climacteric, viropause, and PADAM (Partial Androgen Deficiency in Aging Men, sometimes shortened to ADAM).

What does testosterone do?

Although many people are aware of its important role in maintaining muscle strength and sexual function in men, testosterone also has important effects on the brain, skin, liver, kidneys, blood, bones, heart, cholesterol levels, and the prostate.

The pituitary gland in the brain controls the release of testosterone in the testicles. The pituitary gland first produces the hormones leutinizing hormone (LH) andfollicle stimulating hormone (FSH). These hormones travel through the bloodstream to the testicles, where they stimulate the testicles to produce both testosterone and sperm.

Andropause may be diagnosed when there is a low level of testosterone in the blood, symptoms of testosterone deficiency, and improvement of those symptoms when testosterone replacement is taken. There are many potential causes of testosterone deficiency, so it is important to determine the exact cause of testosterone deficiency and determine which therapy is appropriate.

Richard A. Bebb, MD
in association with the MediResource Clinical Team

http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=1589&channel_id=10&relation_id=3883

Seniors in hospital beds costly for health system

2012-01-04T07:38:00.000-05:00

CBC News

Posted: Dec 1, 2011 3:00 PM ET

Last Updated: Dec 1, 2011 3:59 PM ET

Read 123comments123

It is estimated that caring for a senior in the community costs about one-quarter of caring for the same person in hospital. Mark Baker/Associated Press

Canadian seniors account for 85 per cent of patients in hospital beds who could be receiving care elsewhere, a problem that will only grow as the first baby boomers turn 65 this year, according to a new report.

Thursday's report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information called Health Care in Canada, 2011: A Focus on Seniors and Aging, examines how seniors use the health system and where there’s room for improvement.

For example, 47 per cent of seniors have completed their hospital treatment but remain in an acute-care hospital because they're waiting to be moved to a long-term care facility such as a nursing home or to rehab or home with support (so-called "alternate level of care" patients.)

Those patients have a ripple effect on the rest of a hospital, said Dr. Jeff Turnbull, chief of staff of the Ottawa Hospital.

"The delays of getting into the hospital delays, of getting timely surgery diagnostics, all are affected by our that fact that we have so many people sitting in our acute-care beds," said Turnbull.

Last year, those ripples meant the hospital had to cancel 600 elective surgeries, he said.

Currently, seniors represent 14 per cent of the population, but they use 40 per cent of hospital services and account for about 45 per cent of health spending of provincial and territorial government, the report's authors found.

For hospitals, an acute-care bed costs about $1,100 a day. In comparison, Turnbull estimated it costs a quarter of that to care for the same senior in the community.

The goal for governments should be to spend money on the right services so more seniors can stay at home and out of hospital longer, said Kathleen Morris, CIHI's director of health system analysis.

Those services include traditional health-care services such as nursing and physiotherapy as well as transportation or help with household chores to help the 93 per cent of seniors who live at home, Morris said.

Ensuring continuity of care for seniors across the health care system could potentially lead to better care and better quality of life, health policy researcher Marcus Hollander in Victoria said, commenting on the report.

The report's authors pointed to efficient use of new technologies such as:

A medication monitoring system equipped with a sensor to allow family members to use online video clips to monitor which medications were taken for seniors receiving home-care services.
Magnetic door sensors that send an email, text message or cell phone message to caregivers if a person with dementia goes outside unattended.
Flexible bed mats with pressure sensors that let caregivers know when their family member has woken up and is moving.

The report also included chapters on seniors' use of prescription drugs and caring for seniors in the community or in residential care.

With files from CBC's Susan Lunn http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/12/01/seniors-hospital-beds-health-care.html?cmp=rss

New Study: Seniors Need Better Dental Health Care

2012-01-03T07:39:00.000-05:00

By Charmaine Gooden

Seniors in Ontario, especially women, are not visiting the dentist regularly, increasing their risk of developing serious oral health and chronic illnesses, says a study released by Women’s College Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). The study shows that 45% of Ontarians 65 years and older did not see a dentist in the last year. This seems to be a greater challenge for who make up the major portion of Ontario’s senior population. Tooth decay and gum disease have been linked to an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, bone loss, and even some types of cancer. Regular dental checkups may reveal early warning signs of many diseases. Even though Canada has universal healthcare, dental visits are not covered by the government.

“Poor oral health can contribute to many serious medical conditions and affect a person’s ability to chew and digest food properly, leading to inadequate nutrition,” explains Dr. Arlene Bierman, principal investigator of the study. “With dental services not covered under our universal health-insurance program and many older adults not visiting dentists regularly, the findings suggest we need to rethink the services we provide to help keep seniors healthy as they age.” Researchers suggested that more preventative methods be made to ensure that the older population is getting the dental attention they need.

http://www.zoomermag.com/health/new-study-seniors-need-better-dental-health-care/29655

Foot Care Info-Sheet for Seniors

2011-11-22T11:27:00.000-05:00

Most people are born with healthy feet. But three out of four people develop serious foot problems as they age – putting their independence and well-being at risk. Healthy feet contribute to your safety and health. How?

Feet that are healthy and pain free help you keep your balance. Good balance can prevent falls, a major cause of injury and hospitalization; some falls result in disability or death.
Healthy feet also allow you to stay active. When your feet are too sore to walk, you lose strength and become at greater risk for falls. Walking is the perfect exercise to keep your weight down, prevent blood clots and keep your bones and muscles strong.
Keeping an eye on your feet can even give you an early warning about serious health problems such as diabetes, arthritis, nerve damage and poor blood circulation.

Basic Foot Care

Foot pain may keep you from enjoying life and staying active. Many foot problems can be avoided if you:

Check your feet every day. Don't wait until your feet hurt. Take a few minutes every day to look for cuts, blisters, bruises, sores, infected toenails or swelling. Use a small mirror if bending over is a problem, or ask someone for help.
Wash your feet every day. Use warm water. Don't soak them longer than 10 minutes, or your skin will get dry and start to crack. Dry well between your toes.
Keep your feet soft and smooth. Use unscented cream on the tops and bottoms of your feet if the skin is dry and cracked.
Wipe off excess cream and don't apply between your toes. Use talcum powder if your feet sweat a lot.
Wear comfortable shoes and socks. Many people have foot problems because their shoes don't fit, don't give proper support or don't have enough grip on the ground.

Socks help keep your feet dry. Wear a clean pair every day. Avoid socks with ridges or an elastic at top; they can irritate or restrict circulation.
Be active every day. Walking is the best way to keep you, and your feet, healthy because you can do it anytime, anywhere – for free!

To increase circulation, prevent cramps and keep your muscles in good shape, try these exercises:
- while sitting, pick up marbles with your toes
- while holding onto a table or chair back, get up on your tiptoes, then rock back to your heels, 20 times
- while sitting, alternate pointing your toes toward your nose with pointing your toes downward; rotate your ankles in circles, first in one direction, then the other
Take care of your toenails. Cut or file your nails regularly with appropriate nail care tools. Trim them straight across and never shorter than the end of your toe

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/seniors-aines/publications/public/age/info/foot-pied/index-eng.php

The Burden of IBD in Canada

2011-11-18T15:32:00.000-05:00

In the fall of 2008, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) released its report, “The Burden of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canada.” This landmark document revealed that over 200,000 Canadians suffer from inflammatory bowel disease. IBD affects more people than multiple sclerosis or HIV and is almost as prevalent as epilepsy and Type 1 diabetes. In spite of that, IBD remains a closet disease, shrouded in silence and relatively unknown.

Why is that? Perhaps it is because people with Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are reluctant to speak out about health issues that have been taboo in polite conversation. It’s time for that to stop. We need to bring this conversation out into the open and talk about a disease that strikes more than 9,000 new patients every year.

Canada has one of the highest incidences of IBD in the world. With an annual cost of $1.8 billion to individuals, their families and society at large, the burden of IBD is significant. In 2008, costs covered by the health care system were estimated at $753 million; including expenses such as hospitalization, surgery, medication and physician visits. Not included in these estimates, but having as real a system impact, are things like emergency visits, lab costs and other consultations with other health professionals such as nurse practitioners, dietitians and social workers.

In addition to the direct expenses to the health care system, it is estimated that IBD incurs more than a $1 billion dollars every year in indirect costs. These include short and long-term work absences, productivity losses, caregiver work absences and patient out-of-pocket expenses related to care, nutritional products, medication and complementary therapies.

Beyond the economic impact, the emotional suffering inflicted by these chronic diseases is incalculable. Quality of life, career choices, sense of self-worth, intimacy and personal freedoms are all affected when someone develops IBD. Over and above those concerns, the risk of premature death for IBD sufferers is 47 per cent higher than the general public, and the risk of developing colorectal cancer is also elevated. Read more

Click here to learn more and get help.

Differences of Clinical Presentation in the Elderly

Elderly IBD patients are less likely to present with symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and anemia.8-10 More frequent symptoms include weight loss, bleeding, fever, and paradoxical constipation (with distal UC, which is more common than pancolitis).11 Colonic CD is more common than small-bowel or ileocolonic disease and has a lower incidence of fever and strictures than small-bowel disease.9,12,13 Elderly patients have a lower incidence of IBD family history and, as expected, a greater incidence of osteoporosis, but their incidence of extraintestinal IBD manifestations is similar to that of younger patients.8,10,12,14 However, a disparity exists in the literature, with some reports claiming that there is no difference in disease location. Read more

Walking Tips for Seniors

2011-10-19T14:57:00.001-04:00

http://www.walkandrollpeel.ca/walking/seniors.htm

Walking for daily exercise is low-impact, safe and free. It can also improve cardiovascular fitness and strengthen muscles and bones.

The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults (65+) recommends accumulating at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week to achieve health benefits and improve functional abilities.

Speak to your health care provider before starting a walking program, especially if you have an existing chronic medical condition or have been inactive for a long period of time.

Stay safe while walking

Choose a familiar route that is flat and free of obstacles.
Consider the surface you’ll be walking on. A smooth, soft surface that’s free of debris will put less strain on your joints and feet.
Wear supportive footwear – wear low-heeled footwear with non-skid soles.
Avoid rushing – rushing increases your risk of falling. Take you time.
If using a walking aid (e.g. cane or walker) ensure that it is fitted for your height.
Check the Clean Air Peel website for the daily Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) and theUltraviolet (UV) Index to plan outdoor activities accordingly and to protect your health or the health of seniors in your care.
Be extra careful in cold weather — sidewalks and paths can be slippery.
Cold weather can cause numbness and make it difficult for you to feel any pain or an injury. When it’s cold outside, consider walking in an indoor place, like a mall or community fitness centre.
Walk with friends or a walking club.
Carry a cell phone in case of emergencies.
Dress appropriately for the weather and drink plenty of water.
Stop or take a break if you feel any pain during your walk. Consult a health care provider if pain continues after your walk.

Sources: Canada Safety Council’s
Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat
Peterborough Moves’ Safe Walking
Region of Peel Public Health’s “It’s Time to Prevent Falls” brochure (PDF 134kb, 2pgs)

World Mental Health Day

2011-10-12T14:31:00.000-04:00

Did you know that Monday October 10th is World Mental Health Day? This day was established by the World Federation for Mental Health in 1992 to provide education, awareness and advocacy for those affected by mental illness worldwide.

Family caregivers are disproportionately affected by mental health concerns as a result of the stress and strain of caring for individuals with chronic disease or other health issues. Beyond managing the day to day activities for the care recipient, many family caregivers find that the biggest struggle they face is letting go of the person they used to know and accepting the current status of the individual they care for. Other factors that can impact a caregiver's mental health include the nature of the relationship with the care recipient, the stage of the disability or disease and the strength of the social support network.

There is hope – and there is help. We would like to share with you the Caring for the Caregiver Plancreated by the World Federation for Mental Health. This customizable plan ensures that the mental and physical health of the caregiver is not only maintained but also improved.

The Caring for the Caregiver Plan has three components:

1) Cope with day-to-day demands by getting the help that you need

Understand that it is okay to ask for help
Define the help you need
Seek out resources in your community for help

2) Create a community of care providers

Utilize a web-based caregiving coordination service, or a paper and pencil calendar method, to organize offers of help
Contact a reputable home care agency to provide respite care

3) Care for your mental health

Monitor signs of caregiver burnout
Watch for signs of anxiety, and if necessary, seek help
Watch for signs of depression, and if necessary, seek help

Take the time to write out a Caring for the Caregiver plan for yourself. In doing so, you can help sustain – and ultimately improve – your own mental and physical well-being while continuing to provide excellent care. At Home Care Assistance, we wrote the book on family caregiving, and we're here to help with respite care when you need us. Have a great weekend!

Visit our website

Find a location near you

Read about our Live-in and Hourly services

Climate change and your health

2011-10-07T11:38:00.000-04:00

Climate change in a nutshell

How climate change may affect your health

The climate has changed. Have you?

wearing sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses to protect your skin from UV radiation

staying indoors during days of high smog, especially if you have medical conditions that can be affected by poor air quality (e.g., asthma)

drinking lots of water during extreme heat warnings to prevent dehydration

carry reusable shopping bags instead of plastic bags

take public transit, carpool, walk, or ride a bike instead of driving your car

invest in a safe, reusable water bottle instead of buying single-serving plastic water bottles

turn off lights when you don't need them - switch to more efficient appliances, and shut them down when not in use

Amy Toffelmire

http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=4375&channel_id=10&relation_id=10998

Diana Nyad, and Other Inspirational Seniors

2011-09-30T10:02:00.000-04:00

CNN reports 61-year-old Diana Nyad had to abandon the first shark cage-free swim from Florida to Cuba about half way through the 103-mile undertaking. Nyad was attempting this to show people all over the world that it is never too late to set goals for yourself and you can do anything you set your mind to, even if you are older. Both the wind and currents contributed to her decision to stop the swim, plus asthma and shoulder pain.

Here are three other senior citizens who defied the odds and exceeded expectations of what was expected of someone their age.

The Huffington Post reports Min Bahadur Sherchan became the oldest person ever, at age 76, to scale 29,035 feet-tall Mount Everest in 2008. The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed Sherchan had indeed become the oldest person to scale Mount Everest; in 2009, they awarded him a certificate and put him in the record books. Sherchan is a former soldier in his home country of Nepal and wanted to climb for world peace, which is what kept him determined throughout the climb.

HealthLine reports that, at age 91, Edith McAllister from San Antonio, Texas, is a daily water skier and has stayed mobile and independent even in her older years. McAllister believes in daily physical activity and thinks you just need to keep going and not stop in order to stay healthy. Instead of just sitting around the house waiting for life to pass her by, she gets out there on the water and just has thetime of her life, which she probably learned from her father -- also an avid water skier.

ESPN reports Ken Mink, 73, from Arrington, Tenn., became an inspiration after he became part of the Roane State Community College basketball team. Mink had been kicked out of a junior college basketball team when he was younger for something he did not do and was committed to get back on the court again before it was too late.

Mink came onto the court defending the ball, shooting free throws, and dribbling the ball as he ran just as well as a lot of the men younger than himself. This was an excellent moment and an inspiration for older people everywhere; it showed that all you have to do is set your mind to do something and ask to become part of a team and you might get your shot.

CNN Wire Staff, "Diana Nyad Back In U.S. After Abandoning Cuba To Florida Swim", CNN

Adam Taylor, "Min Bahadur Sherchan, Nepalese Climber, 76, Oldest Man To Conquer Everest", Huffington Post

Jolie Bookspan, "91 Year Old Water Skier", Health Line

Wright Thompson, "The Legend Of Ken Mink", ESPN

By Jeanne Rose | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Tue, Aug 9, 2011 http://news.yahoo.com/diana-nyad-other-inspirational-seniors-194500497.html

September 2011 is the first World Alzheimer's Month

2011-09-22T12:31:00.000-04:00

We are excited to share with you that September 2011 is the first World Alzheimer's Month and today is Alzheimer’s Action Day. This is a great opportunity to show your commitment to the fight against Alzheimer’s disease!

There are nearly 15 million Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers providing 17 billion hours of unpaid care—valued at 202 billion dollars— annually. Caregivers are under tremendous physical and emotional strain, with over one-third of family caregivers reporting symptoms of depression.

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be extremely difficult. The emotional toll of seeing a loved one slowly slip away can be significant. Given the serious nature of Alzheimer’s symptoms, including memory loss, wandering and hallucinations, around-the-clock care is often the only way to ensure the health and safety of individuals with Alzheimer’s. Most family caregivers who try to provide the necessary level of 24/7 care eventually feel overwhelmed and burned out.

If you find yourself in this situation, one solution is to arrange for respite care. This can include developing a weekly schedule of relatives, friends or neighbors who will fill in for a few hours to enable you to run errands or simply enjoy some leisure time with friends. Home Care Assistance specializes in Live-in Care through our dedicated team of screened, trained and insured caregivers.

Help us raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease by changing your Facebook profile picture for a day to the Alzheimer’s Association “END ALZ” graphic that can be found here. While you’re on our Fan Page, we encourage you to share a link you find interesting or to leave a comment related to Alzheimer’s disease and how it has affected someone you care about.

10 habits for a heart healthy lifestyle

2011-09-22T11:06:00.000-04:00

ARTICLE BY: ELIZABETH ROGERS

- SEP 08, 2011

Heart disease is a top killer worldwide -- but our lifestyle choices can go a long way toward reducing our risk. In honour of World Heart Day in September, we round up the basics to living well.

It may be the strongest muscle in your body, but your heart is still vulnerable to disease. Each year, cardiovascular disease claims over 17 million lives around the world. By 2030, that number could reach 23 million, according to the World Heart Federation. It’s one of the top causes of death worldwide — even in countries that have access to health care and prevention.

Medicine has come a long way preventing and treating cardiovascular disease and saving lives, but we have to do our part too. Lifestyle choices can make a difference in how long and how well we live.

Here’s what experts say we should be doing to live a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Enjoy a healthy diet

We often hear that this or that food is good for the heart, but you don’t need to load up on super foods. Experts still say the best way to get those beneficial good fats and essential nutrients is through eating a healthy and varied diet. Eating well shouldn’t feel like deprivation with heart healthy foods like salmon, nuts, olive oil, legumes, lean meats and low-fat dairy. Foods that are high in fibre also help lower cholesterol.

And dare we say eat more fruits and vegetables? They’re packed with essential vitamins and nutrients we need for good over all health — like antioxidants, beta carotene and vitamin C, to name a few.

We know what foods shouldn’t be staples in our diet: bad fats (like saturated fats and trans fats), processed foods and foods high in sugars and salt. These foods can contribute to weight gain, unhealthy cholesterol levels, glucose intolerance and chronic inflammation in the body — all of which take a toll on the heart.

(For more information, see 6 keys to healthy eating and Top foods your heart will love for ideas.)

Drink in moderation (if at all)

While some studies have shown that alcohol — particularly red wine — offers some small heart protective benefits, but experts advise caution. Consuming too much alcohol can increase heart risk and contribute to weight gain, liver disease, chronic inflammation and other conditions.

How much is too much? For some people there is no safe amount — like if you’re taking certain medications or have certain health conditions. Otherwise, guidelines recommend no more than one or two standard drinks per day to a limit of nine per week for women and 14 for men. However, experts don’t recommend starting drinking as a prevention strategy. (For more information, see the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s advice.)

Get active (and stay active)

Exercise has many benefits for the heart– such as lowering blood pressure, helping control blood sugar levels, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress and increasing good cholesterol levels. Experts estimate that people who aren’t currently active can cut their risk of a heart attack by as much as 35-55 per cent simply by getting more exercise.

http://www.50plus.com/lifestyle/10-habits-for-a-heart-healthy-lifestyle/131277/

How to become an optimist

2011-09-15T16:10:00.000-04:00

ARTICLE BY: CYNTHIA ROSS CRAVIT

- SEP 08, 2011

When times are tough it's easy to expect the worst. But a positive attitude benefits your health, your happiness -- and your productivity.

Research shows that having a positive attitude can make a huge difference in promoting better health and an improved sense of well-being — which in turn can lead to improved confidence and productivity.

And while optimists are often accused of oversimplifying or being unrealistic, the Mayo Clinic says that people who tend to view situations in a positive light experience a higher level of both physical and mental functioning than their pessimist counterparts.

Optimists, for example, have:

- Greater resistance to catching the common cold

- Reduced risk of coronary artery disease

- Easier breathing if you have certain lung diseases, such as emphysema

- Better coping skills during hardships

- Less negative stress

Further, studies have found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by a full 50 per cent compared to those who were more pessimistic. (For more, see Will your personality determine how long you live?)

Retrain the brain

If you’re not a natural optimist, can you change the way you think — and become more upbeat? Experts say yes, that with practice, people can basically retrain their brains to think more positively. Mainly this has to do with monitoring — and changing, if necessary — the ’self-talk’ or the automatic stream of thoughts that runs through your head, endlessly, every day. These thoughts can be either negative or positive, and can be based on logic or on misconceptions and lack of information.

According to the Mayo Clinic, some common forms of negative self-talk include:

Filtering. This happens when you magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all of the positive ones. For example, after a fantastically productive day at work, you suddenly realize you forgot one task – and it is this task you focus on instead of the ones you did accomplish.

Personalizing. In this case, when something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. Did your company lose an important account? You think it must be entirely your fault — when in reality other factors came into play.

Catastrophizing. This happens when you automatically anticipate the worst in any given situation. Your boss asks to see you? It must be bad news.

Polarizing. In this instance there is no middle ground: You view things as either good or bad, black or white. You feel that you have to be perfect or that you’re a total failure.

Silence the internal critic

Instead of automatically giving in to them, challenge your negative thoughts. You can weed out negative self-talk by replacing thoughts that are based on irrational thinking with rational, positive ones. For example, if you’re feeling out of the loop at the office, instead of saying to yourself: “No one bothers to communicate with me”, say instead, “I’ll see if I can open the channels of communication.”

http://www.50plus.com/lifestyle/how-to-become-an-optimist/2021/

Keeping your kidneys healthy - Seniors' Health - Body & Health

2011-09-07T15:48:00.000-04:00

Keeping your kidneys healthy - Seniors' Health - Body & Health

Ward off kidney disease

Diabetes and high blood pressure are 2 of the leading causes of kidney disease. If you have diabetes, you can reduce your risk of kidney damage by managing your blood sugar levels. If you have high blood pressure, you can help protect your kidneys by getting your blood pressure to a healthy level. There is much you can do to help manage these 2 conditions or, in some cases, to prevent them. By doing so, you'll benefit your overall health - not just your kidney function.

Diabetes and your kidneys

About half of those who have diabetes will develop early signs of kidney damage. Unfortunately, though, early kidney damage has few symptoms, so it's important for people with diabetes to have regular tests to check their kidney function. It's also important to be aware of the risk of kidney damage so that you can do as much as you can to minimize it.

While you may not be able to completely protect your kidneys from the effects of diabetes, the following steps will help your kidneys stay as healthy as possible:

Keep control of your blood sugar levels with the help of your doctor or pharmacist.

Ask your doctor about regular urine and blood tests to monitor your kidney function.

Check your blood pressure regularly - your doctor can advise you on your target blood pressure and how often to check.

Eat a healthy diet - your doctor or dietitian can advise you on the best foods for you to choose or avoid.

Try to quit smoking.

Exercise regularly.

Your doctor may also recommend that you take a medication called an ACE inhibitor (e.g., lisinopril, enalapril) to help protect your kidneys.

High blood pressure and your kidneys

What can you do to help control your blood pressure?

Consult your doctor about your "target" blood pressure.

Monitor your blood pressure regularly as recommended by your doctor. Many pharmacies sell blood pressure cuffs that you can easily use at home. If you discover your blood pressure is higher than it should be, speak to your doctor. You may need to adopt some lifestyle changes (see below) or take a medication (or combination of medications) to help lower your blood pressure.

Follow a low-fat, low-salt diet (such as the DASH diet).

Exercise regularly.

Keep a healthy body weight.

Reduce the amount of alcohol that you drink.

Try to quit smoking.

Ward off kidney stones

Passing a kidney stone can be an extremely painful experience. And aside from the pain, kidney stones also pose a risk of kidney damage and urinary tract infection.

to pass the stone when you urinate

to have it surgically removed

to have it dissolved with medication

to have it broken up through a special procedure using high-energy shock waves (extra-corporeal shock wave lithotripsy or ESWL)

Your best course of treatment will depend on factors such as the type and size of the stone.

What can you do to avoid a kidney stone?

Drink plenty of water! Aim for at least 2 L (about 8 glasses) of water daily. If you are exercising, you'll need to drink extra, as your body will lose some fluid through perspiration and therefore this fluid will not pass through your kidneys.

Keep a healthy body weight. Recent studies show that weight gain and obesity increase your risk of forming a kidney stone.

Consume a diet that has normal dietary amounts of calcium and is low in salt and animal protein.

If you've had kidney stones in the past, you may need to avoid or restrict certain foods in your diet (e.g., foods that are high in oxalate such as organ meats or chocolate). Your doctor can advise you on this.

If you still develop kidney stones despite dietary and lifestyle changes, you may need to start taking medications as recommended by your doctor.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether one of your medications may be increasing your risk of kidney stones.

Written and reviewed by the MediResource Clinical Team

Healthy Brain - Challenge yourself

2011-08-30T15:11:00.000-04:00

Just as physical activity improves your body's ability to function, studies show that keeping your brain active may help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Research is showing that by using your brain, you increase its networks of connections. A brain-healthy lifestyle also emphasizes the importance of overcoming routine and monotony in our daily lives. By approaching daily routines in new ways, you engage new or little used mental pathways.
Since the evidence suggests that mental stimulation enhances brain activity and may help maintain brain health throughout life, it is important to put your brain to work.
Challenging your brain doesn't have to be difficult. It can be as simple as dialing the phone with your less dominant hand or as complex as learning a new language. Remember, the goal is to give your brain a new experience and a workout each and every day.

Play games to challenge your mind – chess, word and number puzzles, jigsaws, crosswords and memory games.

Pursue a new interest such as learning to play a musical instrument, taking a course or going to the theatre.

Break your routine – take a different route to the store or change the order of your morning routine.

Involve one or more of your senses in a novel way - write your name with your opposite hand or count out coin change by using your sense of touch.

Read a book – discuss it with a friend.

Pursue cultural activities like going to plays, museums, concerts, galleries.

Keep up hobbies such as sewing, carpentry or take up a new hobby.

Cross train your brain – try a variety of mental challenges.

For some great ways to take action on brain health, visit our BrainBooster^TM pages.

Note: Your abilities, health situation and interests should be taken into consideration when choosing brain healthy activities. If you have questions about your own situation, speak to your doctor or health-care provider.
For a reference list of studies regarding Alzheimer's disease and brain health, click here.
[This information is also available in an information sheet you can download from this site.

http://alzheimer.ca/english/brain/challengeyourself.htm

Music Helps Ease Pain & Anxiety of Cancer Patients

2011-08-25T14:42:00.002-04:00

The saying music soothes the soul has proven to be more than a catchy phrase. Over the years, frequently listening to music has been linked to a number of health benefits which includes reducing stress. A recent review of 30 studies published in the Cochrane Library found that music therapy helped cancer patients reduce anxiety and pain while improving overall quality of life.

Joke Bradt, PhD., and associate professor of creative arts therapies at Drexel University and her colleagues reviewed studies that included 1,891 cancer patients who went through different forms of music therapy. In all of the studies, participants commonly listened to music and in some cases also played instruments, sang, or created rhymes along with control groups the received standard treatment. Improvements linked to the different music therapies included: reduced anxiety, improved pain and mood, lower blood pressure, heart rate, and overall improved quality of life.

Bradt concludes that there is need of more research and tests in order to see which type of music therapy is most effective, but says that programs should be tailored to the individual’s tastes and skills. “It’s not like when you go to a doctor with a headache, and he prescribes a specific type of medicine that will help me with my headache and also help you with your headache,” Bradt explains.

More in depth studies are needed to know the true extent of the benefits that music may have, however the results are promising. Robert Zatorre, Ph.D., a cognitive neuroscientist at McGill University sums it up saying, “the cost involved with music is very small compared to other kinds of interventions. How well it works – say, compared to drugs – is another question, but the side effects are very minimal as well. The worst thing that can happen [when] someone doesn’t like music is that they can turn it off.” So whether you suffer from a chronic illness or not, listen to some music to help brighten your day and improve your mood.

Aging: Too Old to Benefit From Exercise? Pish!

2011-08-19T16:49:00.000-04:00

Researchers divided a group of 64 volunteers with an average age of 84 into three groups. The first group exercised by walking, the second did resistance training, and a control group did no exercise.
After 16 weeks of regular exercise twice a week, the exercise groups had lower systolic blood pressure, improved upper and lower body strength, improved hip and shoulder flexibility and improvements in tests of agility, balance and coordination when compared with members of the group that did not exercise.
All of the participants, who ranged in age from 66 to 96, were healthy enough to take care of daily tasks on their own, but some exercisers used canes or walkers during their sessions. Three-quarters of the participants were women, and only five participants were younger than 75. The study appears in the February issue of The Journal of Aging and Health.
Ross Andel, a co-author of the study, suggested that the exercise program would also be suitable for older people who had greater handicaps. "Based on our findings," he said, "it is reasonable to expect that a similar exercise program would be successful in older individuals who have difficulties in activities of daily living." Dr. Andel is an assistant professor of gerontology at the School of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida.
Both the resistance program and the walking program led to significant improvements, leading Dr. Andel to suggest that the exercise itself, and not the type of exercise, provides the benefit. "It is at least as important to exercise in advanced age as earlier in life," he said.

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

Published: February 28, 2006

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/28/health/28agin.html

Positive aging

2011-08-18T10:34:00.001-04:00

Aging can be difficult at times, we all go through it. It is important to remember that even though our physical appearance changes, our spirit does not. Some people in their 70s and 80s are much younger than some people in their 20s or 30s. It all comes down to one thing and that is our outlook on life. Everybody is looking for the fountain of youth, but what they often are unaware of is that the fountain of youth can be found by simply looking within oneself.
Always remember, we are never too old to realize a new goal or dream. Also we must realize, just because someone is older, it does not mean that they are incapable of accomplishing great things to contribute to society.

The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes.

~Frank Lloyd Wright

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
~ Mark Twain