May
30
Lament on the partner’s death
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For an elder, the death of the partner signifies a huge amount of loneliness and grief. There was a research that found out that there is a huge number of adults who end up in a nursing home immediately after the death of a spouse.
According to one of the researchers, there could be various reasons for this. One of which is the fact that they have lost their social and instrumental support when their spouse died. This could be in the form of daily activities like cooking, cleaning and others that require the help of the other. They may have gotten used to the fact that their spouse has always been there for them.
Another reason behind this is the fact that there is humongous grief on the loss which could lead to anxiety, deep depression, loss of appetite, fatigue and a lot more that would basically drive them into institutional homes.
After careful scrutiny and analysis, the researchers came to a conclusion that in case a spouse died, immediate home care should be given to avoid the hassle of taking the elder to institutional homes.
May
29
The gene that plays a major role in Alzheimer’s disease has been identified by US researchers. This gene that causes neurodegenerative condition is called the TRPC4AP on chromosome 20.
The identification of the gene opens the doors that would most likely improve the public’s understanding of what causes Alzheimer’s disease. This gene is involved in calcium regulation. It is known that whenever the calcium level is not properly controlled, the cells can die which will lead to the beginning of the dreaded disease.
The main significance of this discovery will be the understanding of the mechanism that triggers the disease. This will lead to the manufacturing of more effective drugs that could slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, delay the onset, identify the early course and possibly someday, stop the disease from ever occurring.
May
28
Falseteeth comedy
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While looking for something fun in the Internet, I stumbled upon this really hilarious cartoon that depicted the funny side of a senior who has no false teeth. It was funny that they all left their teeth somewhere else before getting a picture. What got me laughing though was how the photographer told the seniors to show their teeth.
Because of this, I remember my grandfather who always forget his teeth lying around in the kitchen.
May
27
ED drug banned by FDA
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Erectile Dysfunction or ED is a common problem among older men. As much as possible, they want to remedy this problem immediately. There are medications that are available over the Internet.
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration banned the use of Hero or Blue steel products that are suppose to remedy the problem of erectile dysfunction. They are being marketed as dietary supplements but the FDA says that they are unapproved and have not been proven to be effective or even safe.
Those medications carry the tag as all natural. However, there are unapproved substances that are detected inside the medicine itself. The substance is similar to sildenafil which can be found in Viagra and it is approved by FDA.
Point is, before using any medications, it is proper to consult with professionals and even with FDA. Remember, if you have ED, do not take Heroes or Blue Steel.
May
26
A general tip for those with Alzheimer’s
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According to health studies, people who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease should be kept busy mentally and physically. This is a challenge for those who are taking care of Alzheimer’s patients.
According to the National Institute on Aging, it is advisable to simply build on the current skills of the person rather than trying to learn something new. Here are a few suggestions that the agency offered:
1. Keep every activity simple and at the level of the patient.
2. Offer support as the patient starts the activity and break the tasks into smaller steps.
3. Do not push any activity if you think that the person is agitated.
4. If the patient enjoys certain activities, then make those activities part of their daily routine.
5. Have the patient assist in the entire routine. For example, you can have them help set the table for dinner every single day.
May
23
The senior Flash
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Nobody could ever forget the man who can run like the speed of light. With his catchy red suit with lightning stripes, The Flash tracks down and outruns every nemesis that threatens his people.
What if The Flash becomes older? What would he look like? Will he still be chasing after crooks or will he be chasing time to reach the toilet? Here’s an idea of what he might look like as drawn by Donald Soffritti.
May
22
Brain boosters
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In the next couple of years, authorities should be aware that we will soon be flooded by psychoactive drugs that boost the brain function dramatically. According to scientists, the government must be prepared to handle the potential misuse of the drugs for non-medical purposes like students who are cramming for exams and those who want to stay alert at work. There is a possibility that addiction to these types of drugs will kick in as well.
For seniors, this will be a big boost because it can help treat Alzheimer’s disease by improving short term memory or the speed of thought. While these types of drugs will help the general public, especially seniors, there is a strong indication that it will soon be used by people for non-medical purposes.
A good way to act on this now is by ensuring that the funding for the research into the safety of the said medications is properly accorded. There must be ample funding to keep the research going and prevent th medicine to become and addicting one. Another way to do this is by proper advertising and giving proper instructions in using them.
For sure, there will be a big breakthrough in the medicine field when these medicines flood the market. We just have to prepare ourselves for the possible consequences and at the same time, we must embrace the possibility of a great array of medicines that will help us, especially the elderly in dealing with Alzheimer’s disease.
May
21
According to a French study, the risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s disease differ between sexes. Critical factors include stroke in men and depression in women.
On the study of 6892 adults aged 65 and older which is conducted by Dr. Karen Ritchie at La Colombiere Hospital, 42 percent have cognitive impairment. In all, 6.5 percent developed dementia over the next for yearswhile 37 percent returned to normal.
The progression was more likely among those who are depressed and those who are taking in anticholinergic drugs that influence chemical signaling in the brain. The results showed risk factors between sexes too.
Men who have mild cognitive impairment would probably be overweight, diabetic or had a stroke. Those who had stroke were 3 times more likely to progress into dementia. Women with cognitive impairment on the other hand should be more poorer in their general health, may be disabled, have insomnia or have a poor support network. Stroke is not a risk factor to women.
May
20
Google Health
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Google’s online storage of medical records officially opened to the public yesterday, May 19, 2008 and gave users instant electronic access to their very own health history files in complete privacy. The program is called Google Health and it is liked to pharmacies and health care providers. Google is actually planning to add more as time moves on.
This is a great help for seniors considering the fact that with just a click and by simply logging in to their computers, they already have access to their health histories instead of having all those papers lying around the house. They can also add information about prescriptions and the name of their doctors on their online profiles.
Aside from placing all the records from providers electronically, the users can also enhance their profiles with more details like their allergies and the medications that they are taking. They will be able to search for doctors and they can locate health related tools easily. This will greatly decrease the stress of seniors in looking for doctors or health care providers in their areas.
This is one of the breakthroughs of Google that will definitely help everyone out and not just seniors.
May
19
Preventive measure against falls
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For seniors, staying on their feet is a big issue. Of course, nobody wants their brittle bones to be crushed into crumbles when they fall down due to a slip. The shoes that they wear pleay a mojor role on how steady they could be on their feet.
Here are a couple of guidelines for choosing safe shoes and some ways on how to help reduce the risk of falls.
1. Choose shoes that fit properly and correctly. Always measure your foot before buying shoes.
2. Buy the ones that are comfortable and sturdy. Try to avoid those shoes that have thick soles or very high heels.
3. Choose those with non-slip soles.
4. Always keep the laces tied tightly all the time so that you would not step on it and get in an accident. Also, look for shoes with Velcro if you are having problems tying laces.
5. Wear non-skid slippers at home. Avoid walking on socks or barefoot.
6. Keep those toenails trimmed.
