Senior Advocacy: Empowering Seniors to Raise Their Voices

Falling temperatures mean illnesses such as the common cold, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, are starting to spread. Combined with the still-present COVID-19 virus, these illnesses can lead to hospitalization for older adults, especially in those already diagnosed with heart and lung conditions or who are otherwise immunocompromised. This means its time to think about how these people will protect their health this winter. Getting the flu shot is one of the best ways to do so.It is important for vulnerable seniors to receive their flu shot as soon as possible.Ive seen patients for more than 20 years and have heard a variety of concerns about the flu vaccine. The most common worry Ive encountered is that the shot will give you the flu. While there can be mild side effects from the flu shot such as fever, aches or fatigue, the vaccine itself will not give you the flu. In fact, adults who get the flu shot are much less likely to get the flu.Although no vaccine prevents illness 100% of the time, if you are vaccinated and still get the flu, you are much more likely to have a mild case of the illness. Last years data showed that the flu vaccination significantly reduced flu-related hospitalization among adults.Of course, you should talk with your personal primary care doctor about how the vaccine fits into your care plan. If you are over 60 years old and on Medicare, ArchWell Health providers are available to answer questions about the flu shot and other health concerns specific to older adults.If you are a senior with a respiratory or heart condition such as COPD, asthma or a heart condition, or are actively receiving cancer treatments that make you immunocompromised, your doctor may also suggest you receive the RSV vaccine. For the first time, the RSV vaccine is available to older adults to protect them against this viral illness that can lead to pneumonia and hospitalization.Many local pharmacies make it easy and affordable to get your yearly vaccines and may offer the latest COVID-19 booster.Keeping our communities healthy this winter is a communal effort. Getting the annual flu shot and other important vaccines is a great way to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Does it take a little more time to find the word you're looking for, or to remember someone's name? Has multitasking become a challenge? If so, you're not alone these are common brain changes for older adults, and they may be nothing to worry about.But how do you know what's normal and what's not? And how can you boost brain health as you get older? Keep reading to find out.The Aging Brain: What's Normal, What's NotWhile the following issues can be irksome, they're associated with normal aging:Recalling names and numbers: Strategic memory starts to decline at age 20, making this type of recall more challenging.Remembering appointments: Your brain may keep this information locked away until it's triggered by a cue like a reminder phone call or calendar notification.Multitasking: As you age, it can be difficult to do more than one thing at a time.Learning something new: Senior brain aging means it may take longer to commit new information to memory.These issues, on the other hand, are not part of the normal aging process:Asking the same questions repeatedlyGetting lost in places you know wellHaving trouble following recipes or directionsBecoming more confused about time, people and placesEating poorly, not bathing or behaving unsafelyIf you're experiencing any of the latter issues, talk to your ArchWell Health team to get to the bottom of it.A Closer Look at Brain HealthTo better understand the normal aging process, it helps to know that your brain changes throughout your life, which impacts cognitive function. The brain starts to shrink in middle age, and the rate of shrinkage increases by age 60. Consider this: A typical 90-year-old brain weighs 1,100 to 1,200 grams at least 100 grams less than a typical 40-year-old brain.Other common changes in the aging brain include:Declining levels of neurotransmitters, which play a key role in thinking, learning and memoryDecreased blood flow, which can affect speech, movement and memoryIncreased inflammation, which can contribute to cognitive declineBut while these changes can affect brain function in healthy older people, they don't have the final say. Many older adults have larger vocabularies, deeper understanding of the meaning of words and greater knowledge than younger adults do. In fact, verbal abilities and abstract reasoning actually improve as we age. Older adults can also form new memories and learn new skills even if it takes a little extra time. The aging brain can adapt and change, giving you the opportunity to rise to new challenges in your golden years.Understanding Cognitive DeclineKeep in mind that while some degree of cognitive decline is a normal part of aging, dementia is not. Dementia involves a loss of cognitive function that interferes with your everyday activities and quality of life. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia in people over age 65.There are three stages of Alzheimer's disease: mild, moderate and severe:Mild: The first stage of Alzheimer's involves memory loss and potential issues such as wandering, trouble paying bills and taking longer than normal to complete daily tasks.Moderate: In this stage, the person may have trouble with language, reasoning, conscious thought and sensory processing.Severe: In the third stage of Alzheimer's, brain tissue has shrunk to a degree that the person cannot communicate and is completely dependent on others for care.The causes of Alzheimer's disease likely include a combination of age-related changes in the brain, along with genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. But several strategies may help reduce the speed of cognitive decline, including engaging in mentally stimulating activities, maintaining social connections and prioritizing physical activity.Cognitive Exercises for Older AdultsYou've probably heard of the use it or lose it" principle. When applied to senior brain aging, it's a reminder that if you don't use an area of your brain for a while, you can lose that cognitive function altogether.Don't let that happen to you! There are many cognitive exercises to help boost your brain health and improve memory. Here are some to consider.Brain-training gamesOne large study found that doing just 15 minutes of brain-training activities at least five days a week improved brain function, including working memory, short-term memory and problem-solving skills. Researchers used activities from the free site Lumosity that focus on the ability to recall details and quickly memorize patterns.Many sites and apps offer these types of brain games. If you're an AARP member, you can take advantage of free access to Staying Sharp, an award-winning digital program that includes a variety of engaging games that test your focus, recall and word skills.If physical games like bridge, chess or Scrabble are more your speed, you can still reap mental rewards. Just call a few friends, break out the game box and get ready for a good time (while simultaneously benefiting your brain).Your local ArchWell Health center also hosts bingo, card game events and more. And you don't have to be a member to join these fun classes and activities.Physical activityYour whole body is interconnected, which is why physical exercise directly impacts your brain health. Regular exercise reduces the risk of age-related decline and protects the brain against degeneration. It can also improve your memory, cognition and motor coordination.Try one of these simple and fun aerobic activities to strengthen your body and your mind:chair yoga at ArchWell Healthwalkingrunningzumba classes at ArchWell Healthhikingswimmingdancingcross-country skiingBonus: You can easily do these activities with a friend, which enhances the brain benefits a recent study showed that people who had more frequent social contact had a lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia.A Word from ArchWell HealthRemember, dementia doesn't go hand in hand with aging. Consider the case of cognitive super agers. These 80-and-over marvels boast memory performance comparable to people 20 to 30 years younger. Enriching experiences as well as plenty of social engagement may contribute to their successful senior brain aging.So don't let cognitive changes have the last word. You have the power to boost your brain health! Reach out to your ArchWell Health care team to help you create your healthy aging plan today.

If your medicine cabinet is overflowing, youre not alone. Nearly a quarter of older adults are on five or more prescription medications, while half take at least two nonprescription drugs or supplements.1To keep up with everything youre on medication management is the fancy term you have to take each medication at the right time, refill each prescription when it runs low and look out for side effects and drug interactions. Some of these can be life-threatening; adverse drug events lead to 1.3 million emergency room visits each year.2Thats a lot to keep up with! Fortunately, you dont have to go it alone. Here are eight tips to help older adults manage their medications.1. Sign up for mail-order deliveryThese days, we order everything from gifts to groceries online. Prescription drugs are different. Less than 10% of prescriptions in the US are filled by online or mail-order pharmacies, although interest is growing.3Mail-order pharmacy services offer several benefits:Cost savings  Many insurance plans charge lower co-pays for mail-order prescriptions. And you wont pay a delivery fee.Call centers  Pharmacists are available to answer your questions any time of the day or night. Theres no waiting in line at the store (or waiting for the store to open).Convenience  Prescription delivery ensures you never miss a refill, which helps you stay on track with your medication. And you dont have to travel anywhere, a big plus if you have mobility or transportation issues.If you want to sign up for mail-order pharmacy services, talk with your ArchWell Health provider or call ArchWell Healths 24/7 care line. Once youve registered for mail-order delivery, your provider will send your prescriptions to the new pharmacy, and youll be all set.If a local pharmacy is more your style, no problem. Many pharmacies offer free auto-refill services, meaning you never have to remember to request a refill.2. Read the instructionsWe get it; drug labels arent much fun to read. However, they do contain some important information, like whether you should take a drug with food or whether you should avoid certain foods. For example, grapefruit juice can cause problems with some common cholesterol medications, including Zocor (simvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin).4So take the time to read whats on the bottle, plus the printed materials that come with each prescription. If you have questions, talk with your pharmacist or ArchWell Health doctor. Our doctors and pharmacists are experts at interpreting all the fine print on drug labels and packages, and they can explain about side effects, drug interactions and drug schedules for older adults.3. Make a list and check it twiceYour ArchWell Health care team and pharmacist can serve you better if they know everything you take (even if its just on an as-needed basis). That includes prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and supplements. Remember to bring your pill bottles or a list to your primary care visits. Be sure to share it with your caregiver, too.Heres what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends you include in your medication management list:What youre taking (generic or brand name)What it looks like (shape, color, size)What the dosage is (mg, mL, drops)How you take it (with food, crushed, split)When you take it (morning, afternoon, evening)Start/stop datesWhy youre taking itWho told you to take itTo help you get started, the FDA has created a handy My Medicine Record form that you or your caregiver can print and fill out.4. Stick with one pharmacyResist the temptation to shop around to save a few dollars. The computer systems pharmacies use are programmed to spot drug interactions that could affect your health. They should raise a red flag if, for example, youre taking a blood thinner like Coumadin (warfarin) and an antibiotic like Amoxil (amoxicillin) that increases your risk of bleeding.55. Buy a beefed-up pill organizerThose free pill organizers at the pharmacy counter work fine if you only take a few medications once a day. They arent so helpful when you take two pills at breakfast, three at dinner and one more at bedtime.For $10 or less, you can pick up an organizer with two, three or four compartments per day. By filling it each week, youll stay on track with your medication management and know when youre running low. Or, if you have several free pill organizers lying around your home, label them Breakfast, Bedtime, etc.6. Schedule a comprehensive medication reviewAll Medicare Advantage plans must offer a Medication Therapy Management benefit to members who have multiple chronic conditions and take multiple medications.6 This benefit is a comprehensive review of all seniors' medications, both prescription and otherwise, to spot potential problems.Another way to make sure your medications are up to date and working well together is to bring your prescription list and all your pill bottles to your next doctor visit to review in person.A medication review is a part of every new member appointment at ArchWell Health. We want you to start out on the right foot and keep moving forward medication management is an important part of that.7. Get your caregiver involvedYour caregiver is an important part of your healthcare team. Ask yours to help you fill out your medication management list or bring them along to your next doctor appointment. That second set of eyes and ears can make a big difference.8. Rely on ArchWell HealthPrescription drugs are a big part of healthcare. In fact, nearly 72% of doctor visits involve drug therapy.7At ArchWell Health, we want you to get the most benefit possible from the medications you take. Were happy to give you all the time you need, in person or on the phone, to answer your questions. We dont want you to feel rushed; we want you to feel better!Sources1: https://www.healthyagingpoll.org/reports-more/report/older-adults-experiences-comprehensive-medication-reviews2: https://www.cdc.gov/medicationsafety/adult_adversedrugevents.html3: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/meeting-changing-consumer-needs-the-us-retail-pharmacy-of-the-future4: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/grapefruit-juice-and-some-drugs-dont-mix5: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10455514/6: https://www.medicare.gov/drug-coverage-part-d/what-medicare-part-d-drug-plans-cover/medication-therapy-management-programs-for-complex-health-needs7: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/drug-use-therapeutic.htm