The Flu Shot is the Best Way for Older Adults to Protect Their Health This Winter

Be Kind to Your Future Self Its always tempting to live in the momentto think about today rather than plan for tomorrow. But thats a recipe for disappointment when it comes to preparing for our older years. Experts have developed many innovative experiments to encourage younger people to plan ahead for the changes of aging. There are aging suits that use technology to simulate the muscular, visual and thinking changes we might face. Facial aging apps can give young people a glimpse at how they might appear in their later yearsin a sense, allowing them to meet their older selves. A good way to motivate ourselves to prepare for our later years is to consider ourselves in a continuum of ages, each stage influencing the well-being of the next. And consider this: At every age, and in the face of any challenges, you will still be you! Your priorities may change, but in general youll           Treasure your independence.         Want to do things you enjoy.         Want to be free to be you! Fortunately, today we have lots of information on raising the odds well get those wishes. Have you heard of cohort studies? This research observes large groups of people over a long period of time. Looking at the data allows experts to provide us with a road map for making choices when were young for which our older selves will thank us! Take care of your overall health. Thats a pretty tall order. But there are a lot of things we can do when were young that raise our odds of independence when were older. When were healthy and young, regular health care appointments might not seem like a priority. But an individualized health plan, as well as prompt attention to any problems that arise, can have long-term positive effects. Stay active. We might say, Well, Im too busy now. Ill start working out when I retire. But science tells us that exercising when were young is an important head start in preventing disease and frailty. People who have been active their whole lives are stronger when theyre older. Building a foundation of strong muscle and bone early on creates reserves for when its harder to stay fit. And dont forget that the heart is a muscle, too. Find activities you enjoy and make time for them. Make good lifestyle choices. Bad habits also have a lifetime effect. Experts from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University looked at data from a number of cohort studies and said, Maintaining five healthy habitseating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, keeping a healthy body weight, not drinking too much alcohol, and not smokingat middle age may increase years lived free of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Think safety. Theres a stereotype that younger people like to take chancesis that true of you? Consider that some activities could have consequences that last well into our later years. An automobile accident, a climbing fall or skateboard wipeout could create disabling injuries that continue to affect us as we age. For example, cohort studies show that head injuries increase the risk of Alzheimers disease. Wear your seatbelt, get a bike helmet, and practice sports safety. Prioritize brain health. Its impossible to look at brain health separately from overall health. All the factors above protect the brain from injury and shrinkage. But we also need to give our brains a good workoutand the earlier, the better. Much important brain development happens when were young. Luckily, most beneficial activities are funincluding studying a musical instrument and learning a language. And the brain needs sleep: Several recent, large cohort studies show that over time, getting fewer than six hours of sleep per night raises the risk of Alzheimers by 30%. Make future-oriented financial decisions. Heres another area where planning ahead will really pay offliterally. Its hard for most younger people to save money, but even a small savings plan allows time to work its magic. If your employer offers a retirement savings plan, take advantage of it. Do your homework and talk to an independent financial advisor, even early on. Picture your older self enjoying the benefits of what might feel like a sacrifice now. Think about where to live. If youre considering settling down in a forever home, consider whether it could continue to meet your needs even if you were living with disabilities. Or would you have to move, thereby giving up years of established social ties and your familiar spaces? Maybe youre planning a big remodel. If youre investing in a new kitchen or bathroom, think ahead and install doors wide enough for a wheelchair, and an accessible shower and kitchen counters. Educate yourself about senior support services. Younger people who are providing care for aging parents or other loved ones may be getting these lessons already! Even if this isnt you, its good to know about assistance you will (and wont) be able to access down the road. Some older people decide to live in a retirement community or supported living environment. Those who value staying in their own homes can hire professional in-home care to preserve their independence and help them do things they want to do, despite their age or health challenges. Cultivate a beneficial attitude about aging. Yes, it seems to be a pattern that the younger generation makes disparaging remarks about their elders. Were certainly seeing it these days with slurs against the baby boomerswho themselves lived under the slogans of never trust anyone over 30 and hope I die before I get old. But consider that a definition of ageism might be prejudice against your future self. Numerous cohort studies reveal that young people with a negative attitude about older adults are less likely to experience healthy, happy later years. Its time to retire the term anti-aging. People do grow older and, as the old saying goes, consider the alternative! Instead, the goal is to promote healthy aging as best you can, while being prepared for health challenges, so your older self can look back at the you of today and say, Good job!  Right at Home offers in-home care to seniors and adults with disabilities who want to live independently. Contact Right at Home with locations in Daphne and Mobile, Alabama at 251-459-8671 or at RAHsouth.com for more information.

Lets Get Heart Smart  February Is American Heart MonthBy the time you read this, the reported deaths from COVID-19 and its variants in the U.S. will be close to 900,000. As staggering as that statistic is, its 400,000 short of the number of Americans killed by Heart Disease in the same time period. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women of most racial and ethnic groups.Lets not allow the topic to overwhelm the fact theres a miracle inside your chest. Weighing about as much as a grapefruit, the heart is a powerful pump that drives five to six quarts of blood to every microscopic part of your body every second. And if it fails for even a second, the body is very unforgiving. Even though its the one piece of machinery driven by the brain, we tend to treat the heart like a kitchen appliance that we take for granted. Rarely serviced, rarely cleaned, and overworked until it burns out. Although heart bypass and transplant have become routine since the pioneering operations in the 1960s, its not like replacing the coffee maker you neglected too long.One Thing at a TimeThe better way to treat your heart with the respect it deserves is to start with changing just small habits. That way, youll avoid the relapse from trying to change everything at once and falling back to unhealthy heart habits inside of a month. The most obvious: if youre a smoker or heavy drinker, work on that first. Imagine a small team of remodelers arriving at your heart to do a makeover. The first thing theyre going to say is, Well, we cant do anything with the plumbing until we clear the smoke.Look for Help During Heart MonthQuitting smoking and reducing alcohol is never easy, but this is probably as good a time as any during the year to start a cessation program with help. February is American Heart Month, so youre likely to be reminded frequently of heart health and offered tips on modifying your routine to help your heart and prolong a happy life. If you only look to one place, trust the American Heart Association www.heart.org. Prediabetes and Heart DiseaseWhats your blood sugar level? If you dont know, you should find out from your doctor if youre not already monitoring it yourself. You could be pre-diabetic without knowing it or showing any symptoms. Theres a good chance you could avoid becoming diabetic and reverse your pre-diabetic blood sugar to normal with relatively little change to your diet and a slight increase inyour activity. Diabetes has long been linked to heart disease, but recent studies suggest that reversing prediabetes is also linked to fewer heart attacks and strokes. [Reversing Prediabetes linked to fewer heart attacks, strokes, heart.org, Jan. 26, 2021.]While youre at it, get your cholesterol tested and routinely monitor your blood pressure.If youre worried you might be at risk for heart disease, ask your doctor to perform a simple cholesterol test to let you know if youre at risk and should adjust your diet. Home blood pressure monitors are not expensive, theyre digital, and theyre easy to use. Blood pressure stations are common in supermarkets now, and you can also check your weight and pulse.Womens Heart HealthWhy the emphasis on womens heart health? The American Heart Association tells us that cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year about one woman every minute. They devote an entire website to womens heart health: Go Red for Women (www.goredforwomen.org). Here are just a few of the common misconceptions about womens heart health:Myth: Heart disease is for men, and cancer is the real threat for womenFact: Heart disease is a killer that strikes more women than men and is more deadly than all cancer forms combined. While one in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, heart disease is the cause of one out of every three deaths.Myth: Heart disease is for old peopleFact: Heart disease affects women of all ages. For younger women, the combination of birth control pills and smoking boosts heart disease risks by 20 percent. Heart defects are more common than you might think: 1.3 million Americans alive today have some form of congenital heart defect and at least nine of every 1,000 infants born each year have a heart defect. Even if you live a completely healthy lifestyle, being born with an underlying heart condition can be a risk factor.Myth: I run marathons no way I could be at risk.Fact: Factors like cholesterol, eating habits, and smoking can counterbalance your other healthy habits. You can be thin and have high cholesterol. The American Heart Association says to start getting your cholesterol checked at age 20. Earlier, if your family has a history of heart disease.Age and Heart HealthMany things, like wine and most people, grow better with age. The heart, however, takes more tending than a glass of fine wine. Avoid things that weaken your heart beyond the normal aging process. These are the usual suspects: smoking and tobacco use, lack of exercise, diet, alcohol, overeating, and stress. Some preexisting conditions you cant control: irregular heartbeat, congenital (inherited) heart defects, sleep apnea (although this may be a product of obesity or alcohol consumption).Viruses and MyocarditisMyocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle mostly caused by a virus, including COVID-19, and can lead to left-sided heart failure. The left ventricle of the heart is the part that pumps oxygen-rich blood back to the body. This valve tends to stiffen with age. Thats one of the many reasons why age combined with a preexisting condition puts you at greater risk of death from COVID-19. Even survivors of the novel coronavirus infection can sustain permanent heart damage. All people must protect themselves and others from COVID-19 by observing precautions, not just because of its immediate lethality but also because of its impact on the heart, known and unknown.How to Start with Your HeartThe factors involved in heart health and the onset of heart disease are many, varied, and complicated. But the common preventions (listed here, from the Mayo Clinic) are simple. You probably already know them by heart, so to speak:Not smokingControlling certain conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetesStaying physically activeEating healthy foodsMaintaining a healthy weightReducing and managing stressThose may seem like six significant challenges, especially if you take on all six. But you should notice something else about them. Almost every one of them can affect the other five. So, if you pick one, youll find it easier to take on the next one. People who quit smoking usually discover that they have more energy within the first week, and exercise becomes easier. A little exercise and switching out one unhealthy food will help with weight, stress, blood pressure, and diabetes. Easy does it, especially if youre 65 and older. Youve spent a whole life learning one way. You can take your time. Learn to enjoy your healthier heart. But start today.First, Get a Checkup!Most of the questions this article has raised in your mind (Whats my blood sugar level? Whats my blood pressure? I used to smoke am I at risk?) can all be answered in a single doctors visit with simple lab work done a few days before. Schedule it now, before you start a program of exercise and diet. And schedule a regular exam per your doctors recommendation. Relieving the stress of not knowing will be a good start on your way to a healthier heart.

We all know that exercise is important for our bodies to stay healthy and happy, especially as we age. However, finding a good exercise routine that is gentle enough for seniors, but keeps your body healthy and moving, can be a real challenge. Below are six morning exercises for seniors that are easy to mix into your morning routine. Regular exercise and stretching can improve range of motion, stability, and all around mental health.Why Exercise For Older Adults is ImportantExercising helps to slow the progression of many diseases and can even slow the aging process. Studies have shown that older adults, those age 55+, who have been active for most of their lives actually have the similar aerobic fitness of people 30 years younger than them.For older adults who have not been able to stay active their whole life, its not too late to start.  Starting now will help not just in the long-term, but there are also plenty of short-term benefits to exercises for seniors.Exercise is essential in managing many long-term health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or back or joint pain. For example, exercise can help improve high blood pressure and can lower your risk of heart disease progression.Daily Exercises for SeniorsThis exercise routine is meant to be versatile and flexible. Do the exercises that feel the best for you and your unique needs. As you make the routine your own, be sure to start slowly and stop if there is any bad pain.Make sure you have a clear space with plenty of room to move your arms and legs. A chair, water bottle, and towel may also be helpful to have close to you.Also, always start with some nice stretches to get you going.Sit to StandThe sit-to-stand exercise is among one of the best exercises for seniors. It strengthens your lower body and can improve general mobility, and helps make standing up from a chair easier. Eventually, as your strength improves, the goal is to do the sit-to-stand exercise without using your hands.It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or discomfort as you do this exercise, but you should stop right away if you feel pain.How to do the exercise: Sit on a sturdy chair. Your knees should be bent and your feet should be flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart. Place your hands lightly on each side of the seat. Keep your back and neck as straight as possible, with your chest slightly forward. Breathe in slowly. Lean forward and slightly shift your weight to the front of your feet. Breathe out as you slowly stand up. Try to use as little support from your hands as possible. Stand and pause for a full breath in and out. Breathe in as you sit down slowly. Tighten your core and abdominal muscles to control your lowering as much as possible. Breathe out slowly. Rest for 1 minute, then do another set of 5-8 repetitions. Repeat for a total of 3 sets if comfortable. Knee ExtensionsKnee extension exercises are used to strengthen thigh muscles. These are big muscles in our body and improving thigh muscle strength can improve mobility, reduce knee injury risk, and rehabilitate knee injuries.How to do the exercise: Sitting up tall with your shoulders back and down. Lifting one leg up, extending at the knee. Hold briefly at the top of the movement, squeezing the muscles at the front of the thigh before lowering your leg back down. Ensure the movement is slow and controlled. Alternate legs, ensuring full knee extension (leg completely straight). Rest for 1 minute, then do another set of 5-8 repetitions. Repeat for a total of 3 sets if comfortable. Core twistsCores twists are a fantastic exercise that not only improve the strength of your trunk muscles, including back and ad muscle, but they also help with twisting mobility.How to do the exercise: Grab a medicine ball (or similar object). Sit comfortably in the chair toward the edge of the seat for extra room. Keep the core (abs and lumbar) tight. Stick the chest out. Both hands should be in front of the body gripping the sides of the medicine ball, with elbows bent. Lift the ball a couple inches off the lap then rotate the upper body to the right, keeping the ball in front of the body. Rotate to the middle of the body then rotate to the left, finish by rotating back to the middle. Each rep is one full rotation. Rest for 1 minute, then do another set of 5-8 repetitions. Repeat for a total of 3 sets if comfortable. Seated Shoulder PressThis exercise will help to increase strength and mobility of the shoulders. Please be cautious with this exercise if you have any shoulder contraindications, and/or consult with your physician.How to do this exercise: Choose a pair of low weight dumbbells or do without weights. Sit comfortably in the chair with the hips as far back as possible. Ensure that the back is firm to the backrest of the chair. Keep your core tight. Start with both elbows spread to the sides of the body and align them under the shoulders. Stick the chest out. Face the body straight, palms forward, gripping the dumbbells. Extend the arms up, reaching above the head until theyre fully extended (or get to a range that feels most comfortable). Dont touch the hands together and keep both arms parallel to each other. Once the arms extension limit has been reached, slowly bring the hands down to the starting position, keeping the elbows spread. Dont tuck the elbows toward the middle of the body, extend them out till the top of the back feels a pinching sensation (not hurting) at the shoulder blades. Seated Knee LiftsKnee lifts exercise and strengthen the hip flexors, and quads. Each is an important muscle for sitting and standing.How to do the exercise: Sit on a sturdy chair, keeping the back straight and holding the sides for support if needed. Avoid leaning back. Slowly lift the right knee slowly towards your chest, then back to the beginning position with control. Repeat the motion using the left leg. Alternate the legs. Remember to keep your back straight and avoid leaning back to gain new heights. Seated Chest PressThe seated chest press will exercise your chest muscles, shoulders, and triceps.How to do the exercise:This exercise can be done with a resistance band, dumbells or with no weight all. Choose the option that best meets your fitness level. Place the resistance band/weights/or empty fists at a point on the chair where its directly behind the back just under where the shoulder blades would be. Ensure that the resistance band isnt able to move on the back of the chair; moving it during the exercise can result in injury or target the wrong muscle groups. Sit comfortably in the chair with the hips as far back as possible. Ensure that the back is firm to the backrest of the chair. Keep the core muscles tight. Stick your chest out. Keep both palms down, elbows bent and parallel to the shoulders. Both hands should be positioned just outside of shoulder width. Push the resistance band forward until the arms are fully extended in front of the body (dont touch hands together). Slowly reverse the movement back to starting position. Some General TipsRemember, starting a new exercise routine will take some practice and getting used to. Dont get discouraged if you cant do an exercise or can only do a few repetitions.Here are few things that are normal when starting a new exercise regimen. Its normal to: feel tired when starting an exercise routine. have muscle soreness that lasts a few days. As you get stronger, you may not feel muscle soreness. Here are some tips that can help make your new exercise journey easier: Use smooth, steady movements. Do not hold your breath during strength exercises. This can cause unsafe changes in your blood pressure. Breathe in slowly through your nose, and breathe out slowly through your mouth. Most importantly, Always consult with a physician before beginning any exercise program.Keeping Seniors in Their Homes, Its What We Do.At Senior LIFE, we focus on taking care of the whole person so that they can maintain their independence for as long as possible.  We offer various types of therapy for members. Depending on members individual care plans, they may receive any or all of the therapies we offer. Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy Speech/Language Therapy Recreational Therapy We are committed to keeping members independent as long as possible. There are no limits on rehabilitation or the amount of therapy services a member can receive.Our care offerings dont stop at therapies.  We also offer all the medical and supportive services our members need. These services can include physicians and specialists, nursing care, physical, occupational and speech therapies, personal and home care, medications, meals and nutritional counseling, eye, dental and foot care, durable medical equipment and other medically necessary services.The LIFE Program is a Medicare and Medicaid approved long-term care program that provides complete medical care and supportive services for persons 55 years and older so that they can remain living in their home. The LIFE Program is an alternative to nursing and personal care homes. https://seniorlifepa.com/aboutTo learn more about the LIFE Program, or to see if its the right fit for you and your loved ones, contact us today! https://seniorlifepa.com/contact