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How to Prevent & Treat Joint Pain Most of us never think about our joints until they start to hurt. As we age, we lose strength and flexibility in our tendons and ligaments. As our joints get tighter, it may become harder to move. The cartilage between our bones of the joints also starts to break down; this leads to inflammation and osteoarthritis, the most common joint disorder. Taking care of your joints can help reduce joint pain and stiffness. Five Tips to Keep Your Joints Healthy  1.      Stay at a healthy weight. Carrying extra body weight puts strain on thejoints, especially the knees. On the flip side, being underweight can lead to a lackof muscle, which helps keep your joints strong and stable. Aim for a healthy weightbased on your height and body type. 2.      Exercise every day and make sure to warm up before and cool down after.You may think it's better to limit exercise if your joints are hurting, but regularmovement and exercise is one of the best ways to prevent and help joint pain.Exercise strengthens the muscles around joints, helping to take pressure off them.If you have joint pain, stick to low-impact activities like biking, swimming,and walking. The more you move, the more likely youll keep moving without painand stiffness as you age. It's also important to stretch before and after you exercise to loweryour risk of straining joints and muscles. Just five minutes of stretching beforeexercise to warm up your joints and five minutes after to cool down will helpprevent workout injuries. 3.      Add anti-inflammatory foods to your diet. A Mediterranean diet richin fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and healthy fats reduces joint pain. Addthese other anti-inflammatory foods to your grocery list:         Tomatoes         Olive oil         Green leafy vegetables, like spinach, kale, and collards         Nuts like almonds and walnuts         Fatty fish, like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines         Fruits, like strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges 4.      Make sure you're drinking enough water. Your bodys cartilage thatcushions your joints is made up of 80% water. When you get dehydrated, yourbody starts pulling water from other sources, including cartilage. This leads to jointpain and a greater risk of injury. 5.      If you smoke, it's time to quit! Smoking is a risk factor for everything, fromheart and lung problems to cancer and joint pain. Smoking increases inflammationthroughout the body. This makes it harder for your body to heal if you injure yourjoints. To quit smoking, seek support and a treatment plan from your Primary CareProvider. His or her phone number is on the back of your Viva Medicare ID card.  Contact Viva Health to find out more about Medicare Plans in the Alabama area.  Call 800-633-8472 to find out more!

Chronic pain is a significant challenge for many seniors, affecting up to 75% of those over 65. This persistent discomfort can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which in turn may contribute to depression, mood swings, and decreased strength and mobility. As a result, daily activities and cherished hobbies can become difficult to enjoy.  However, research shows that exercise can be an effective self-management strategy for chronic pain. Studies indicate that seniors who engage in at least two hours of weekly exercise may experience up to 25% less joint and muscle pain compared to their inactive peers. This is particularly relevant for those with conditions like osteoporosis or arthritis.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that older adults aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week, along with some strength training. This could involve several half-hour walks or a few morning jogs. Resistance training is also beneficial for improving strength, flexibility, and balance, which can help reduce the risk of falls and fractures.For seniors dealing with chronic lower back pain, joint osteoarthritis, or diabetes-related pain, these goals might seem daunting. However, any movement that transitions from sedentary to active can help manage pain. Staying still often worsens chronic pain symptoms, while increased physical activity can significantly reduce ongoing discomfort and help the body adapt to common pain triggers.Regular exercise offers numerous benefits for seniors, including:Maintaining functional joint movementIncreasing mobility and flexibilityImproving cardiovascular health and staminaPreventing the breakdown of bone and cartilage tissueIt's important to remember that physical activity doesn't have to mean intense workouts. For seniors, any form of body movement is beneficial. Here are some tips for staying active:Make exercise social: Invite a friend for a walk, join a community dance class, or incorporate movement into family visits.Keep it fun: Find enjoyable activities that incorporate strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility.Set short-term goals and track progress: This can boost motivation and consistency.Many senior living communities, like those operated by Priority Life Care, offer daily exercise classes and social events to keep residents active. These classes can be modified to accommodate various fitness levels, making them accessible to all. They also provide opportunities to find workout buddies for added motivation.By embracing regular physical activity, seniors can gain confidence in managing their pain and improve their overall well-being. The key is to remain as active as current abilities allow, gradually building strength and endurance over time. With persistence and the right approach, chronic pain doesn't have to be a barrier to an active, fulfilling lifestyle in the golden years.FITNESS AND SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIESPriority Life Care Senior Living Communities offer daily exercise classes as well as social events that can keep you moving. Classes are easily modified to accommodate any level of fitness. Its a great way to keep active and find a fitness buddy to keep you motivated. If you are looking to do a specific type of exercise that is not offered, let the Life Enrichment Director know! We often find if one person is asking for something specific, there are other like-minded individuals who will also participate. Visit a Priority Life Care community today to see what is available for you.

The human body is amazingly complex. With nearly a dozen systems working in symphony with one another, each is vitally important to a persons overall health. The skeletal system is comprised of 206 bones and performs six major functions in the body: support, movement, protection, production of blood cells, storage of minerals, and endocrine regulation.Osteoporosis is a disease that can impact the skeletal system, causing bones to become weak or brittle, putting people at risk for fractures. Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced. When a person is young, bone is made faster than it is broken down. As people age, this process slows and bone mass is lost faster than its created. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone is unable to keep up with the loss of old bone.At American, Advocate and Whitsyms In-Home Care, we know that keeping bones healthy is an important part of helping older adults live independently. To better understand the risk factors, as well as osteoporosis prevention strategies, we share the following helpful information.Who Is at Risk for Osteoporosis?Osteoporosis can affect both women and men, and while it can develop at any age, the risk factors increase as a person ages. In women, the disease may begin to develop a year or two prior to menopause. Although most common in non-Hispanic white and Asian women, osteoporosis can develop in men and in African American and Hispanic individuals of both sexes. Additional risk factors include:Body frame size. Women and men who have small body frames are typically at higher risk as they have less bone mass to draw from as they age.Family history. Having a parent or sibling with osteoporosis puts an individual at greater risk.Thyroid issues. Too much thyroid hormone can cause bone loss. This can occur if a persons thyroid is overactive or if too much thyroid hormone medication is taken to treat an underactive thyroid.Sex hormones. Lowered sex hormone levels can be a strong contributing factor for osteoporosis. Decreased estrogen levels following menopause, treatments for prostate cancer that reduce testosterone levels in men, and treatments for breast cancer that reduce estrogen levels in women are likely to accelerate bone loss.Low calcium intake. Long-term lack of calcium in a persons diet plays a role in the development of osteoporosis and can contribute to diminished bone density, early bone loss, and an increased risk of fractures.Steroids and other medications. Long-term use of oral or injected corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone and cortisone, interferes with the bone-rebuilding process. Additionally, medications for gastric reflux, transplant rejection, and seizures can increase bone loss and the risk for osteoporosis.Sedentary lifestyle. People who spend large amounts of time sitting have a higher risk of osteoporosis than individuals who are more active.Tobacco use. While the exact role tobacco plays in osteoporosis is not clear, it has been shown to contribute to weak bones.Chronic heavy drinking. Long-term consumption of more than two alcoholic drinks per day increases the risk of osteoporosis.Osteoporosis PreventionWhile a number of osteoporosis risk factors are out of a persons control, lifestyle changes can help maintain bone health.Calcium.Men and women between the ages of 18 and 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. This daily amount increases to 1,200 milligrams when women turn 50 and men turn 70. To increase calcium intake, consider including these foods as part of a well-rounded diet:Calcium-fortified cereals and orange juiceLow-fat dairy productsDark green leafy vegetablesCanned salmon or sardines with bonesSoy products, such as tofuIf it is difficult to reach the recommended daily intake of calcium through diet alone, speak with your physician about including an over-the-counter calcium supplement.Vitamin D.Vitamin D helps improve the body's ability to absorb calcium. People can get vitamin D from sunlight; however, the use of sunscreen reduces the amount of vitamin D absorbed this way. It is recommended that people get at least 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day. After a person turns 70 years old, that recommendation increases to 800 IU per day. Vitamin D can be found in:Trout, salmon, tuna and swordfishOrange juice fortified with vitamin DDairy and plant milks fortified with vitamin DEgg yolksFortified cerealsIf you have trouble getting enough vitamin D in your diet, speak with your health care provider to determine the type and amount of vitamin D supplements you should take.Exercise.Exercise helps build strong bones and slow bone loss, and provides benefits no matter when you start. For maximum benefits, combine strength training exercises with weight-bearing and balance exercises.Strength training helps strengthen muscles and bones in the arms and upper spine.Weight-bearing exercises such as walking or jogging strengthen the bones in the legs, hips and lower spine.Balance exercises such as tai chi help to reduce the risk of falling.At American, Advocate and Whitsyms In-Home Care, our referred care providers help older adults make healthy lifestyle choices by encouraging regular, physician-approved exercise, healthy eating habits and much more. These care providers can work with each client to offer a variety of in-home care services that enhance independence and safety, while helping to monitor conditions such as osteoporosis and other chronic health conditions.Contact us today at the location nearest you and let us help find the perfect care provider to meet your needs. American In-Home Care  Serving North, Central, and West Coast of FloridaAdvocate In-Home Care  Serving Southeast and Southwest FloridaWhitsyms In-Home Care  Serving Southeast and Southwest FloridaState of Florida License and Registration Numbers: 30211518, 30211651, 30211295, 30211390, 30210978, 30211293, 30211382, 30211504, 30211733, 30211535, 30211531, 30211710, 30211709, 30211045, 5661