|
in the News ...
Exercise Your Thinking Muscle
“If you don’t use it, you lose it.” Most people are familiar with that challenge - especially, when it comes to muscles. It turns out that the same challenge can be applied to the “thinking muscle” - our brain. As many people age they experience declining mental function and difficulties with memory.
The good news is that “regular exercise” for our brain can improve mental function and memory. One exercise that you may try, is taking a class. Research supports that taking a course, on anything, provides the benefit of keeping our brains fit and healthy. Even better, there is no sweating involved. What a fantastic way to study interesting topics, meet new people, and exercise your thinking muscle.
Most colleges and universities invite older adults to take courses that have open spots. Although some topics may be limited, the tuition will be waived. To find out about the offerings in your state, visit the Senior Resource and look at the state by state listing.
Resources:
STATE by STATE Senior Education Opportunities: http://www.seniorresource.com/senioreducation.htm
Talk About Prescriptions Month
October is “TAP” Month and an important opportunity to review the medicines you take. Two-thirds of adults age 65 and older use one or more medications each day, and one-quarter (25%) take three medications daily (NN). One in three persons over age 65 of age do not have prescription drug coverage (TAP).
Many people have side-effects from medicines that add complications to their health. Without insurance, many people cannot pay for medicines and that adds complications to other areas of their life.
The National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) has developed a wide range of materials for TAP month. They can be used by older adults of health professionals who work with older adults. A listing of these, and other resources are available at the links below.
Resources:
Fire Protection
More than half of all home fire deaths result from incidents reported between 11:00 pm and 7:00 am. In a typical house fire, you have less than two minutes to get out of the house to safety. That means, if there is a fire in your home, it is likely to happen while you are sleeping. Will you be organized and prepared to act quickly and get you and your family to safety in less than two minutes?
During the week of October 7 – 13, take time to plan and Practice Your Escape. The Fire Prevention Website has many resources to help you get started.
Fire Protection Factsheets
Home Safety Council
Fire Safety Tips
Fire Prevention
National Mammography Day
Annual breast exams, including a mammogram, are recommended every 1 - 2 years for woman age 50 and over.
Protect yourself! Celebrate National Mammography Day - make an appointment today.
Take Charge Tips
Technology
Technology abounds in our life. In the field of health and wellness, technology is making life easier for many people. The prevention, management and treatment of many conditions and diseases have been greatly improved thanks to advances in technology. This month we will begin to take a look at how technology enables us to take charge of aging well. We will explore how the internet, assistive devices, and gadgets can take a positive role in our lives. Over the upcoming months, we will add to this information and make it a permanent section of the LWAW website. Please feel free to offer comments and suggestions for additional topics by emailing the webmaster at: livewell@livewellagewell.info.
Eat Healthy
The internet quickly became a bottomless pit of tips and information for eating healthy. Nutrition and health are two of the most widely searched web topics. Through the world wide web, it is possible to research topics of interest, receive personalized nutrition counseling, and even order groceries for home delivery.
It is important to find accurate and reliable information. But how do you know if a certain resource meets those criteria? A quick review of the Web Research Checklist (download PDF file)can help you identify them.
Just a few resources to get you started:
Be Active
Pedometers, heart rate monitors and scales that calculate body mass index are just some of the more common gadgets available for activity seekers. These gadgets don’t improve health directly, but they may provide inspiration or motivation, and track progress along the road to successful aging.
Technology applied to assistive devices has greatly improved the lives of people whose physical ability has been changed in some way. These “gadgets” range from ergonomic gardening tools to carbon fiber prosthetics that allow leg amputees to run marathons.
Being active should not be limited to physical activity. Aging well means maintaining a strong thinking muscle as well. Mind games, puzzles and brain teasers are easy to find online.
Indeed, technology allows people to easily stay physically and mentally active.
Resources:
Get Checked
Regular checkups are important to aging well. Finding a disease or medical problem early means better treatment and a better outcome. Every year new tests become available to make this possible.
Health professionals are using the internet in two ways to encourage people to “get checked.” First, they use it to explain tests and take away fears about having tests done. Many offer videos that explain diagnostic tests in detail so that you can be fully prepared for the test. Lab Tests Online is a perfect example.
A second way health professionals use the internet is to provide reminders to schedule important tests. At the right time of year, you can receive a reminder email. It is just like the old-fashioned post cards of yesteryear.
Resources:
Be Smoke Free
People who smoke will admit it is not an easy habit to break. Technology is making contributions in this area of health as well. For people struggling through the process, countless resources are available online. Support groups and chat rooms provide constant companionship and encouragement until success is achieved.
Biomedical technology continues to explore nicotine addiction. Today, there are more medications and treatment options available than ever before. There is hope that one day, treatment options will exist that allow people to stop easily.
Resources
Be Positive
It is likely that “living a positive life” means something different to each of us. The experts say simple things like keeping in touch with close friends and family, listening to music we like, meditating, and regular doses of sunlight are all activities that contribute to a positive life.
It should be no surprise that technology has also made its way into this area of life. Just think about music. Portable music machines, iPods and CD players allow us to listen to music anywhere. We can download the music we like one song at a time and create our own play list.
Being part of a community a having the support of family and friends makes a big contribution to a positive life. Technology makes it possible for us to talk and be in touch with these important people anytime. Cell phones, email, and internet phones – even Alexander Graham Bell would be amazed!
When faced with uncertainty, it is challenging to remain positive. Having facts about your situation often eases anxiety and enables people to set a course for getting through a difficult situation. The internet makes it possible to access information and get answers to many questions and ease your mind.
Resources:
|
