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The Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults

Late in December, 2007, Tufts University released an adaptation of the USDA MyPyramid titled, "The Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults." According to Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc., director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts (USDA HNRCA), the original MyPyramid may not address the unique dietary needs of adults age 70+. For example, with age, energy needs decrease with less activity, but nutrient needs (vitamins, minerals and water) remain about the same. Older adults need to consume smaller amounts of nutrient-dense foods for optimal health and avoid chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease.
The Modified MyPyramid promotes the same nutrition guidelines as MyPyramid with simple adaptations. It includes foods more commonly chosen by older adults, such as frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables. Adequate fluid intake is promoted by glasses of water depicted at the base of the pyramid. The importance of dietary fiber continues to be emphasized. An addition to this adapted pyramid, is a flag at the top suggesting that some older adults may need supplements such as calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.

This version is not meant to replace the USDA MyPyramid, but to be used in addition to it.

More information and resources about the pyramid can be found on the Tufts University Website.

Dancetown

Dancetown combines the fun of arcade games with the benefits of dance and physical exercise, and applies it for the first time to the needs of mature adults. Dancetown is an exercise and fitness system designed for older adults. Players dance on a square platform called a dance pad. The dance pad has nine 12” x 12” squares, four of which are marked with arrows; forward, backward, left and right. The dance mat is connected to a personal computer, which drives a display device. The display device is generally a television but can also be a computer monitor or LCD projector.

Learn more about this innovative and fun to way exercise at: http://www.dancetown.us/

Hearing Aid Assistance Program

The Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation is well known for providing eyeglasses to many low-income residents of Georgia.  In November, the Foundation launched a new expanded program providing Georgians facing hearing loss with digital hearing aids. The program provides hearing aids to legal Georgia residents with household income below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.  The program provides new digital aid(s) with three year warranty and three to four appointments to a Hearing Care Professional to all qualified applicants. The applicant is responsible for the fees involved with the hearing test. The qualifications for approval are listed below:

Legal Georgia Resident 18 years of age and older

• Meet Household Income Eligibility Requirements
• Current Hearing Test (within the last six months)
• Recommendation from an Audiologist or Hearing Aid Dispenser
• Mail in Complete Application with Documentation to the Lighthouse Foundation
• Special consideration will be made for applicants under the age of 18 if they meet the eligibility requirements and have been denied by Medicaid, PeachCare, and Children Medical Services.

If approved, the applicant is responsible to pay the co-payment involved with this program. The co-payment is based on a sliding scale (based on household income and type of hearing aid recommended) and range from $60 to $205 per hearing aid.

All interested applicants must complete and mail in an application to the Lighthouse Foundation. Applications may be received by contacting the Lighthouse Foundation at 1-800-718-7483 or 404-325-3630 or downloaded at www.lionslighthouse.org. The application, brochure, and flyer is also attached to this announcement.

Application
Brochure
Informational Flyer

The Quick Guide to Health Literacy and Older Adults

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released a new health literacy tool for people who serve older adults. The Quick Guide to Health Literacy and Older Adults is designed to provide useful strategies and suggestions to professionals who work with older adults to help bridge the communication gap between professionals and older adults.

In a national assessment of health literacy, only three percent of the older adults surveyed were found to be proficient in health literacy. Persons with limited health literacy have more adverse health outcomes including less frequent use of preventive services, higher hospitalization rates, and more emergency room visits. For older Americans, difficulties with health literacy can complicate already challenging health problems since as many as 80 percent of older Americans have at least one chronic disease. For more information visit: http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/olderadults/default.htm.

Take Charge Tips
Folate for Health

Introduction

Folate is a B vitamin that is found naturally in foods.  The synthetic form is called folic acid and it is added to supplements and fortified foods. Folate is needed everyday for tissue repair and cell replacement. It is especially needed to make normal red blood cells and prevent anemia. Recent research is showing that folate may also play a role in preventing heart disease.

The recommended intake for adults age 19 and over is 400 mcg (micrograms) per day. There are no side-effects from consuming large amounts of folate from food, so including a variety of high folate foods in your diet is a great way to meet your daily needs.

Folate deficiencies can occur under special circumstances.  Older adults may be at risk if they suffer malabsorption, kidney disease or dialysis, liver disease, alcohol abuse, or certain anemias.  Also, certain medications may cause folate deficiency.  These include: anti-convulsant medications (such as dilantin, phenytoin and primidone), metformin (sometimes prescribed to control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes), sulfasalazine (used to control inflammation associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), triamterene (a diuretic), methotrexate (used for cancer and other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis), and barbiturates (used as sedatives).

Signs of folate deficiency may include diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Subtle signs may include a sore tongue, headaches, heart palpitations, irritability, forgetfulness, and behavioral disorders In these special cases, a person may need to take a folate supplement. It is best to talk with your doctor before taking a supplement. Taking over 1000 mcg of folate from supplements may cause serious side-effects.

Eat Healthy - Food sources of folate

Natural sources of folate are leafy green vegetables (like spinach and turnip greens), fruits (like citrus fruits and juices), and dried beans and peas. In 1996, laws were passed that required the addition of folic acid to enriched breads, cereals, flours, corn meals, pastas, rice, and other grain products. These foods are now good sources of folic acid.

Choose your favorite folate foods from the list below.

Selected Food Sources of Folate and Folic Acid

Food	Micrograms (μg)
*Breakfast cereals fortified with 100% of the DV, ¾ cup	400
Beef liver, cooked, braised, 3 ounces	185
Cowpeas (blackeyes), immature, cooked, boiled, ½ cup	105
*Breakfast cereals, fortified with 25% of the DV, ¾ cup	100
Spinach, frozen, cooked, boiled, ½ cup	100
Great Northern beans, boiled, ½ cup	90
Asparagus, boiled, 4 spears	85
*Rice, white, long-grain, parboiled, enriched, cooked, ½ cup	65
Vegetarian baked beans, canned, 1 cup	60
Spinach, raw, 1 cup	60
Green peas, frozen, boiled, ½ cup	50
Broccoli, chopped, frozen, cooked, ½ cup	50
*Egg noodles, cooked, enriched, ½ cup	50
Broccoli, raw, 2 spears (each 5 inches long)	45
Avocado, raw, all varieties, sliced, ½ cup sliced	45
Peanuts, all types, dry roasted, 1 ounce	40
Lettuce, Romaine, shredded, ½ cup	40
Wheat germ, crude, 2 Tablespoons	40
Tomato Juice, canned, 6 ounces	35
Orange juice, chilled, includes concentrate, ¾ cup	35
Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, boiled, ½ cup	30
Orange, all commercial varieties, fresh, 1 small	30
*Bread, white, 1 slice	25
*Bread, whole wheat, 1 slice	25
Egg, whole, raw, fresh, 1 large	25
Cantaloupe, raw, ¼ medium	25
Papaya, raw, ½ cup cubes	25
Banana, raw, 1 medium	20

* Items marked with an asterisk (*) are fortified with folic acid as part of the Folate Fortification Program.

Be Active - Fuel activity with folate

Folate is a B vitamin and is important during and after exercise. The B vitamins are needed to change the food that you eat into energy that can be used while you are exercising. Following exercise, B vitamins are needed to repair and rebuild muscle tissues. With adequate B vitamins like folate, you will have more energy to exercise and feel better afterwards.

Get Checked - Check in on folate

A simple blood test can determine if you have low blood folate levels. Under special circumstances when a deficiency is suspected, your doctor may order this test for you.

To learn mre about the folate blood test, visit: http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/vitamin_b12/test.html

Be Smoke Free - Protect folate

Smoking decreases folate levels. Even second-hand smoke decreases normal levels of folate by about 60% compared to first-hand smoking.

Start the New Year off with a healthy start - Be Smoke Free.

Be Positive - Folate and mental health

As scientists learn about folate, we all learn how important it is to overall health. When deficiency becomes very severe, common side-effects may include irritability, confusion, depression and/or paranoia.

Scientists cannot say that folate is always the cause of these symptoms but if a person has them, a blood test may be done to check for folate deficiency.

It is always important to let your doctor know if you experience depressive symptoms so that you can be properly helped.

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References:
Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Folate. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/folate.asp

Am J Clin Nutr 2006;83:835– 41. Printed in USA. © 2006 American Society for Nutrition. http://www.cfah.org/hbns/news/folate06-25-03.cfm

Medscape. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/431514_2