What Is Respite or Short-Term Care and How Can It Help?

Maintaining good oral health is important at every age. Your teeth and gums play an integral part not just in your general health, but in your quality of life as well. Regular dental care can reduce the risk of harmful bacteria and infections in your mouth and enable you to continue eating foods you enjoy and speaking comfortably.Here are some common conditions that seniors may be faced with and ways that you can help manage them.Xerostomia (Dry Mouth)Your body naturally produces saliva that keeps your mouth moist and helps remove food particles as you swallow. But as you age, this saliva production can slow down leaving your mouth feeling dry. Certain medications can cause dry mouth as well. In turn, this can allow plaque and bacteria to build up on your teeth more easily and increase the risk of cavities and gum disease.Drinking water throughout the day, even small sips, can add moisture to your mouth. Try to avoid too much caffeine or alcohol which can have a dehydrating effect. You can also chew sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free candy to help stimulate increased saliva production. When selecting mouthwash, choose an alcohol-free formulation or a product designed specifically for dry mouth.Tooth DecayCavities are another issue that many seniors deal with, and this can be related to dry mouth. There is not enough moisture in your mouth to keep bacteria at bay and get rid of food particles that cling to your teeth. Poor brushing or flossing habits can also be a contributing factor.Make sure youre brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day. Using an electric toothbrush can remove plaque more effectively and be easier to handle than a manual toothbrush. Decreasing the amount of sugary or acidic foods you eat can help as well. Drinking water with your meal can help keep these foods from sticking to your teeth, but you still want to thoroughly brush as well.Gum DiseaseIts not just your teeth you need to care for pay attention to your gums, too. If your gums are inflamed, red, or bleed easily, that can be a sign of gum disease or periodontal disease. Another sign can be a receding gum line.As you brush, make sure youre focused on the area where your teeth and gums meet. You want to keep plaque and bacteria from going below the gum line. Rinsing with mouthwash can also reduce potentially harmful germs and bacteria.Tooth LossIf left untreated, tooth decay and gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Infections around the root of your teeth can contribute as well. Missing teeth can be uncomfortable, interfere with your speech, and make it more difficult to eat foods you enjoy.If you do have missing teeth, replacing them with bridges, partials, dentures, or dental implants can help restore your oral function. They can also keep remaining teeth from shifting out of place and causing further discomfort or damage.Denture-Related ProblemsDentures require regular care as well. They need to be cleaned daily and periodically refit. Your gums can shrink, and bone can resorb changing how your dentures fit. This can lead to rubbing, sore spots, and difficulty keeping your dentures in place.Schedule regular dental appointments to have your dentures checked along with your gums and the rest of your mouth. Your dentist can work with you to correct ill-fitting dentures so you can get back to eating and speaking more comfortably and confidently.Caring for Your Oral HealthYou should see your dentist every six months for regular checkups and cleanings, and more often if youre experiencing problems. Make daily brushing and flossing part of your routine, and if you have trouble doing these activities on your own, work with an in-home caregiver who can assist. A caregiver can also remind you of upcoming appointments and work with you to adjust your diet based on your oral health. Contact Always Best Care at 412-639-8339 to learn more about the benefits of in-home care and to schedule a free consultation!

Understanding and Caring for Memory Loss at Saint Alphonsus Memory Center The Saint Alphonsus Memory Center, located in the Treasure Valley, operates three outpatient multidisciplinary clinics dedicated to the prevention, early diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment of Alzheimers Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) and mild cognitive impairment. Our expert team includes geriatricians, a neurologist, advanced practice practitioners specializing in dementia, a geriatric psychiatrist, clinical pharmacists, social workers, a chaplain, and administrative assistants. Patients and caregivers can self-refer through our website, by phone at 208-302-5400, or via referral from their primary care providers. We welcome individuals at any stage of their journey with memory loss, offering support for prevention, early detection, and treatment, including for those with advanced dementia. For those in the early stages, our Brain Health Program focuses on optimizing cognitive function through lifestyle medicine. This program targets 14 modifiable risk factors for dementia, which account for around 45% of cases, including hypertension, obesity, hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, low educational attainment, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, depression, physical inactivity, social isolation, diabetes, high LDL, vision loss and air pollution. Our team helps patients identify their strengths and risk factors, setting SMART goals to significantly reduce dementia risk and improve brain health. We provide resources and regular follow-ups to support patients in their brain health journey. All patients receive a comprehensive evaluation from our dementia experts, with additional team members involved as needed. Even for those with a well-established diagnosis, our team can assist by explaining disease progression, connecting patients and caregivers to resources, optimizing health, supporting emotional and spiritual needs, and planning for the future. Editor's Note: This article was submitted by Dr. Kara Kuntz, Medical Director for the Saint Alphonsus Memory Center, who can be reached at 208-302-5400.  

It is a sad commentary on our current cultural worldview that sunlight is widely perceived to be harmful, a cancer-causing threat. But what does the research actually say? And does this research affect older adults differently than other people?Spectrum: For starters, we should understand that sunlight is a complex combination of photons, with different wavelengths and properties. The sun is the original full-spectrum illumination, while both incandescent and LED lights emit, as one might expect, mostly visible-spectrum light.Intensity: The other important variable is the intensity of light, measured in LUX units (a foot away from one candle): direct sun comes in at 100,000; a cloudy day at 1,000; a kitchen or office measures 500; and a living room only 50. Thats why you need to get outside.UV: At one extreme is ultraviolet light (UV), whose wavelength is slightly shorter than visible violet. With regard to our health, UV is a mixed bag.It does cause sunburns, damages DNA, and triggers the aging of skin. It is also statistically associated with malignant melanoma, although, curiously, not with increased deaths from melanoma (because these cancers are mostly treatable).On the other hand, there are numerous health benefits: UV lowers the risk of hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), blood inflammation, and COVID infections. UV also stimulates Vitamin D synthesis in the skin. A large-scale study of 500,000 Brits, with a 12-year follow-up, found that frequent UV exposure lowered all-cause mortality by 14%, with cardiovascular deaths down 21% and total cancer mortality decreased by 13%. It gives one pause to reconsider the vast sums spent on sunscreen lotions. Just wearing light summer clothing blocks 80% of UV.IR: UV radiation represents only about 3% of the sunlight that strikes the surface of the earth, while about 50% is infrared (IR), whose lightwaves are just beyond (longer) than visible reds. IR radiation is more predominant at the beginning and end of days, while UV is strongest when the sun is overhead. A thick cloud cover reduces IR significantly more than UV. In a recent superb Huberman Lab podcast, Dr. Roger Seheult touted the many benefits of IR radiation. Most severe and chronic diseases also involve mitochondrial dysfunction (mitochondria are the small organelles within a cell that produce the energy-generating chemical ATP). One aspect of aging is that we lose 70% of our mitochondrial functioning after age 40. Unlike UV, IR radiation passes through light clothing and the surface of the skin to penetrate deep into body tissues, where it significantly stimulates mitochondrial ATP synthesis.Effects: The effects of improved mitochondrial functioning are pervasive, correlated empirically with sun exposure. Dr. Seheult cited statistics demonstrating that the greatest number of all-cause mortality comes soon after the shortest day of the year, and the lowest number of deaths occurs close to the longest days.People who live far north or south of the equator where days are particularly short in winter have higher overall mortality rates, particularly in mid-winter. In a study of almost 30,000 Swedish women, avoidance of sun exposure carried the same risk of premature death, as did smoking.There is well-replicated rigorous research that moderate IR exposure lowers the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and it reduces blood lipids and chronic inflammation. IR increases immune system response to infections, such as influenza, COVID and pre-cancerous cells.On a sunny day, just 15 minutes outside can make a big difference. If youre in a green space with lots of grasses, leaves, bushes, and trees, you can receive two to three times the IR dose because plants reflect much of the IR that strikes them (notice that most leaves dont get hot in the sun because of these reflective properties).Red Light Therapy: There are many red-light therapy devices now available if you are considering them, be sure to carefully research IR wavelengths, dosage, safety, and therapeutic benefit. One study, utilizing an IR desk unit shining only on face, neck, and hands, proved to be quite therapeutic.Forest Bathing? Dr. Seheult delighted in reminding us of the wisdom of the ancient beliefs that sunlight and fresh air promote convalescence. Forest bathing has become a thing the air around trees is infused with phytoncides that defend plants from bacteria, fungi, and insects. When inhaled by humans, they up- regulate immune functioning and lower stress levels, and reduce stress hormones. The beauty and serenity of such an environment further enhances these benefits, some of which are detectable by lab tests a month later. Furthermore, getting up with the sun (and out from behind the filtering effects of plate glass windows) helps to set your circadian rhythm, which can improve sleep patterns. Take home message: forests, parks and even golf courses soothe the soul, and the body. And early morning and late afternoon may be particularly beneficial.Sweat Benefits: Dr. Seheult is a pulmonologist who treats many respiratory infections he also reminded us about how previous generations treated patients with hot baths and hot packs, as if to sweat out infections. Its been recently discovered that body temperatures a little over 100 degrees Fahrenheit actually accelerate the production of interferon, a powerful anti-viral protein. Maybe weve been a little too quick to reduce our fevers with aspirin, Tylenol, and Advil. And maybe the saunas so favored by Scandinavians and Russians are more therapeutic than weve realized.Conclusion: As spring has sprung, we encourage everyone to get away from your screens, go outside and enjoy the benefits of the sunshine that so amply surrounds us. Residents at Kavod Senior Life have a myriad of ways to get outside, whether it be on the sunlit patio areas, in the resident gardens, on the nearby walking paths in Cherry Creek or on the many benches and sitting areas surrounding the campus. Come for a visit and see for yourself!Ben and Scott  https://theagingwiselyproject.com/