Smart Senior

Independent Living: Mental Fitness-Is Loneliness Threatening Your Health and Happiness?

Some people enjoy their own company but others find happiness only when they are surrounded by others.  Regardless, loneliness is more common than you might imagine.  Brad Edmondson in a recent article for AARP magazine (Nov/Dec 2010), addressed survey results that spelled out how millions of older Americans are suffering from chronic loneliness.

Chronic loneliness, he goes on to say, has no respect for race, gender or level of education.  Loneliness not only makes you unhappy but threatens your health and well-being.  The end result is that you not only feel miserable but you shorten your lifespan considerably.

Our social networks are shrinking all of the time.  Even during your working years, when you were surrounded by people every day, the chances are pretty good that you didn’t really get to know your co-workers.  It is not uncommon for people to commute to work from far corners of the city, and busy careers afford little time for water cooler talks.  Your neighbors are busy too and they have lives of their own.  A wave as they drive off to work is often as close as you get to a relationship. On top of that, people of our generation left home as young adults and often never moved back.  A long distance family is never quite the same.  You may not have felt lonely when you were younger because you were busy and too tired to care. During those years of being busy you may have allowed yourself to become socially isolated.  Staying connected after you retire can thwart loneliness but, as with anything else, you need to work at it.  If you sit back and wait for the world to come to you, it could be a very long wait.

The worst part about loneliness is its link to serious medical problems.  People, dealing with obesity, illness, chronic pain or other disabilities are more apt to feel isolated and lonely than others.  Surveys indicate that social connections are critical when it comes to warding off loneliness.  People who make an effort to reach out, to meet people regularly and work together on a common cause are more apt to form meaningful relationships.

Make an effort.  The author suggests thinking about maintaining social relationships as being as important as taking your medicines.  It is that important.  A big part of being an independent senior is going to revolve around being able to establish a social network. Whether you reach out to your community or reestablish bonds with your own family is up to you.  There are no pills or established therapies for loneliness so it is going to be up to you to put yourself out there.

Senior Fitness: Are You Too Old To Enjoy Hiking?

Fall is a wonderful time to go for a walk in the country and taking on a hill is great exercise.  Terrie Heinrich Rizzo wrote a delightful article for Arthritis Today Magazine (Oct/Nov 2010) encouraging folks of all ages to head for the hills. With a few precautions, she tells us; even people with joint replacements can navigate modest hiking trails safely.  Walking up and down hills is a good way to build lower body strength, improve stamina, and burn more calories than skimming along on a flat surface.  If you think you are too old to enjoy hiking you are missing out on some wonderful experiences. You should never feel that you are too old to enjoy the feel of sunshine on your shoulders, the smell of pine needles underfoot, or the sight of an eagle soaring overhead.

As with any other form of exercise, there are a few things that you should do to make it safer and more fun.  Wear sturdy supportive shoes, get a walking stick, and don’t forget to warm up by walking along on level ground for awhile at first.  Stretch your legs (quads, hamstring, Achilles tendons and calf’s) before you set out.

Start out on an easy grade, especially if you have had joint replacements.  Shorten your stride slightly and keep your weight centered evenly.  Do not lean forward as you climb in order to avoid stressing your lower back.   Minimize strain by walking horizontally as in a zigzag pattern (switchback) rather than tackling something that climbs straight up.

Coming down the hill is often the hardest part.  You actually need to take more care coming down that going up.  It may seem like a breeze at first as gravity allows you to walk a little faster, but it won’t be long before you notice that you are actually putting more stress on your knees and ankles than when going up.  Bend your knees slightly and allow your stride to lengthen naturally, which helps distribute your weight evenly.  Keep your torso upright, with just a slight forward bend of the knees.  Watch out for slippery rocks and tree roots that are eager to trip you up.  Take your time and remember that you should stretch your muscles again before getting into the car.  Muscles stiffen up in a hurry and if you don’t stretch before getting into you car, you will be hobbling when you get home.

What about those walking sticks?  Harry Jackson Jr. wrote an article about walking sticks that I rather liked (St. Louis Post-Dispatch: St. Louis, Mo. September 5, 2010).  Walking sticks can be a great tool for balance, stamina, and core strength.   Walking sticks can be anything from a do-it-yourself homemade model to something “Hi-Tech”.  One size does not fit all though so just picking up a chunk of wood in the forest is not the best way to go.

REI experts have a few tips for making sure your walking stick is adding to your sense of comfort rather than hampering it.  Stand tall.  Your forearm and upper arm should be at a 90 degree angle as you grip your stick. You want something that can catch your weight if you stumble but study enough to be used as a crutch or a splint if the need should arise.  Your walking stick should feel comfortable and useful, not something that you have to worry about tripping over.  If it is too heavy it will drag behind you, but if it too light weight it will flip ahead.  If it is too tall it will fight your wrist and if it is too short you will feel unbalanced.  The experts recommend hi-tech poles that are designed especially for hiking.  They are fitted with shock absorbers, ergonomic grips and even have interchangeable tips for use on different surfaces.  They can be used by arthritic hands, large hands or small hands.   If you are creative and have the perfect piece of wood you can find instructions for making your own.

Are you ready to take that hike now?  There are hiking groups for all ages and all abilities so consider joining if you can’t find a kindred spirit to exercise with.

 

 

Never Too Late: Seniors Need To Set Goals

You still need to set goals.  Goals can be set at any stage and at any age.  Your goal may be something as simple as being able to dress yourself each morning, and it could expand to mean that you want to be totally independent.   An article by Vandanaa Belgaonkar: (DNA: Daily News & Analysis. Mumbai: September 30, 2010) focuses on the importance of setting timely goals in order to realize your dream life.  I am thinking that your dream life has nothing to do with being dependent on others for your activities of daily living. 

You may think you are too old to have dreams or set goals, but goal setting could very well mean the difference between being independent or not. Think about it, and form a mental picture of what you want the rest of your life to be like.  Goal setting is what makes life interesting.  Goal setting is what gives you that little extra push to achieve. 

Most people do not set goals because they are afraid of failure.  Instead of figuring our how to make their goals a reality, they either downsize their dreams or stop dreaming altogether.

Time is still at hand.  You can start today to set goals and strive to achieve.  Set your goals and write them down.  Break the goal up into manageable segments and count each success as a victory.  Maybe today you are striving to get your clothes on, tomorrow your shoes, and the next day fixing your own breakfast.  Is that too basic?  How about that exercise program?  A walk around the block today can morph into a stronger body tomorrow and this all leads to independent living.

The author further discusses goals.  What is a goal anyway?  A goal is a dream with a deadline.  The goal is very specific.  Use the acronym SMART to think about this: 

• S stands for a specific achievement
• M is for making it something measurable
• A means that it must be something that is actually achievable
• R means it must be simple and it must be realistic
• T gives it a time frame

A goal minus action is just a dream and will always be just a dream.  You don’t just say something like “I want to lose weight.”  You say that you want to lose 2 pounds in 2 weeks by means of a diet and exercise plan.

Goal statements should be positive and they should be realistic.  You aren’t just saving money, you are saving x amount of money out of each pay check.  Your goals can be personal, professional, family oriented, financial, social, physical, mental or spiritual.

 

 

Seniors Reading Books: Traditional or Electronic- Let Reading Be Fun Again!

Winter is a great time for reading, well any time is a great time for reading, but bookstores are pushing new books and electronic readers in time for the holidays.   It is too nasty to go outside but thoughts of curling up in front of a fireplace with a good book should put a smile on your face.

We grew up before television and movies made there way into our homes.  Trips to town and to the library were the highlights of the week.  I remember going to town on Friday night.  I would spend my .25 cents a week allowance on penny candy and came home with stacks of books from the library.  I was in heaven. I still haunt bookstores and libraries and it is good to know that reading comes under the category of stimulating the mind, and how great is that!  Studies show that you can strengthen your brain power well into old age (and hopefully ward off dementia while you are doing it) if you keep your brain active.

Last summer, while vacationing in a rather remote area (by remote I mean no television and no internet access), I ran out of reading material.  I had to resort to scrounging around the cabin for reading material.  I was lucky and found some old editions of The Reader’s Digest Condensed books. Remember those?   One of them was a 1977 edition and I found a delightful book by Robert Kimmel Smith called “Sadie Shapiro in Miami.”  The story made me laugh and I am determined to find the out of print sequels.  Sadie is the perfect role model and the kind of little old lady that I want to be when I grow.  She was 76 and full of plans, ideas, and down home wisdom or as she put it “it’s not your years, nor the words you say, but how you live your life that matters.  Of course it helps if you jog a little.”  Picture this.  A lone jogger causing a traffic jam as drivers stopped to ogle her in her bright pink sweat suit.  Sadie with her methodical, short, choppy stride was oblivious to stares.  Train the body, she chanted, as she zipped along at her brisk two miles an hour.

I love books.  I love the yellowing pages and the faint smell of ink and glue when I open a new book, but I am enthralled by new fangled gadgets too.  If finding all of the books that you want to read in a large print version, or if those books are too heavy for painful hands, think about the new electronic books.  I never travel anywhere without a book in my bag but books are often too large and too heavy (not to mention that pulling 5 full size books in your luggage is frowned upon by the airline industry these days).  Thanks to electronic books you can carry a zillion books around without needing a chiropractor.  Electronic books are light, convenient, and you might even be able to read it in the bathtub without dropping it.  With the ability to enlarge text as needed they are a boon to folks whose eyesight isn’t what it used to be, and they hold a whole library worth of books and magazines and articles.  You can also order new books immediately no matter where you are.

On that note I am going to encourage you to visit libraries and bookstores everywhere.  Browse the deli paperback sections or scrounge around cabins and reintroduce yourself to the world of reading.  Have fun, stimulate your brain a little and enjoy curling up in front of the fireplace.  Next year I am going to have an electronic book tucked in my bag, how about you?

 

 

Senior Living: How Important Are Social Connections To You?

 Nearly 2/3 of people over age 75 live alone. Social connections are important at any age, but seniors have fewer opportunities to make social connections than most, and they may not feel comfortable asking for help.    Sensory impairments could very well be part of the problem.  Symptoms of sensory deprivation are gradual and may not be noticed unless you are looking for them.   Social withdrawal could easily be interpreted as memory loss or dementia, when it fact it could be caused by vision or hearing changes.   If your senior is becoming withdrawn and acting depressed it could be that they don’t see or hear what is going on around them. 

Without sensory stimulation an older person might begin to lose mental alertness and responsiveness.  Your parent might want not to admit that they do not see or hear well because it is an admission of old age.  Be vigilant and do not accept poor vision or decreased hearing as normal.   It is okay for you to take the role of a therapist by encouraging them to express how they feel about what is going on in their lives.  If you don’t ask, you will never know.

Adults over 65 should have an eye examination at least every other year and a hearing test every five years unless problems crop up that need to be addressed sooner.

Encourage social stimulation as well.  Dozing in front of the television is not good enough.  Take mom out for lunch at the senior center, do a knitting class together, play cards or go to a movie, and don’t just assume that mom is too old to be introduced to a computer.  Take a computer class at the senior center with her if she is too shy to do it alone.   

An article by Stephanie Clifford (The Globe and Mall: Toronto, Ont.: June 3, 2009) introduces the concept of computer groups and Facebook friends.  More and more seniors find that on-line communication skills are opening a new world to them.  Boredom is problem a problem for seniors who are homebound.

Seniors are faced with many loses. Loss of social connection is even more devastating than the lost of health.  The new future for older adults is staying connected, and technology is going be a big part of that.  It provides new ways to make connections, make new friends, and gives them a sense of purpose.   Via the internet friends can interact without having to ask friends or family members to take them places.  Online communication is a vehicle for making new friends and sharing lives.

Seniors Care: Can You Help Put Food On One Table?

There is no age limit on caring about others.  The other day a lady complained to an advice columnist that she felt pressured and resentful because a co-worker was collecting donations for people laid off from their department.  A lot of people are caught in similar situations and I was sad that she felt the request was such an imposition.   

The holidays are hard enough, but harder than ever on those who are having trouble putting food on the table.  Local food banks are pleading for volunteers and donations.  You may feel that you can’t afford a generous donation of time or money this year so why bother, but don’t sell yourself short. The number of hours or the dollar size of the donation isn’t everything.  Caring about others is what really matters.   When your local grocery store has canned vegetables or soups on a coupon special for .33 or .50 cents  a can or 10 lbs of potatoes for .99 cents, buy one extra item and put it in the food collection bin.

 I think you will agree that you could contribute one small item to the local food bank collection without bankrupting yourself.  Remember the kid’s story about “stone soup”? No donation is too small.  If everyone would contribute one item every time they went to the store, just think about how wonderful that soup could be.

 

 

 

Senior Health and Fitness: Should You Be Using A Walker?

The rising rate of obesity means that more people are using walkers and other assistive devices at a younger age.  It is important that you find the right appliance, whether you are looking for a shower seat, a grab bar, a raised toilet seat, a cane, or a walker.   See your doctor and a physical therapist before deciding on a mobility device.  Using a device like a walker may serve to reduce lower body function even further so it important that you explore all other options before making this very big decision. 

Loss of mobility is one of the biggest fears when you get older because it can signify a loss of independence.  Physical challenges tend to rob people of their mobility, but your mental state is as much of a deterrent as the physical problem.   A lot of it has to do with the fear of falling.  Fear of falling means that you are not getting around, you are not exercising, you are not getting out and about and you are not thriving.  A walker can make your life easier but it is not to be used to replace initiative and exercise.

Being independent requires a lot of work on your part.  You need more than a prescription for a mobility device.  Please ask questions and ask for a complete physical and a balance assessment before making any decisions.  Being able to walk and take care of yourself is a big issue and not to be taken lightly. A cane, a walker or a scooter is not a cure-all. Once again, I am asking you to step up and approach this decision carefully and make sure it is the best thing for you to do.  Medical professions will look for other options, such as physical therapy before making snap decisions.

I have worked with and had friends who have taken the notion of obtaining and using a walker into their own hands.  Many people borrow their first cane or walker from a relative or friend. This is not a good idea.  I would often see them walking slouched over, or with their walker pushed too far out in front of them, or hanging on for dear life.  It didn’t surprise me when I read that more people use their walkers inappropriately than not. An article by Tom Roebuck (Washington Jewish Week: October 7, 2010) reinforced the importance of finding the right device to maintain your mobility.

Determining the need for a walking device is only the first step.  The next step is to decide which cane or walker is the one for you.  A therapist will help you sort out all of the options available to you and will teach you how to use them safely.  You don’t just get a walker because you are unsteady.  You need to know which kind is best for you.  Some walkers have become quite sophisticated.  We laughing called them the “Cadillac’s” of walkers, as more and more seniors opted for the large rolling walkers. They are more like the new jogging baby strollers and I laughed and said that I would like one to hang on to when I skated. These walkers have wheels on their legs and use bicycle style handgrips.  However if you have hand issues you may not have the strength to grip a run-away walker.  The latest innovation, as discussed by Jeffrey Winters (Mechanical Engineering: October 2010) discusses a touch activated system that is easier for people with limited hand strength and more reliable in the case of a slip.  The new system does away with the levers and uses an electronic sensor to controls the brake.

Choosing the right walker, having it adjusted for you, learning how to use it, and heeding safety precautions are all equally important.

 

 

Senior Living: Why Are You Afraid To Ask For Help?

Do you sometimes need help but are afraid to ask for it?  You may feel that the idea of being independent and the idea of accepting help contradict each other, but that isn’t necessarily true.  Yes, there is a growing emphasis on promoting independence and self reliance in old age, but living independently does not mean that you should not accept help. Many people equate independence with being able to do manage on their own. But if you look at the history of mankind you will come to realize that very few of us can manage on our own, which is why we have families and communities of people living and working together.

As people age, many become less able to manage on their own, and it is here where they may run the risk of avoiding legitimate help.  Some seniors become quite hostile when it is suggested that they might need a little help. As you can well imagine, the outcome is never good. Accepting help is important.  Letting other people into your lives is important from both a physical and a social standpoint.  According to an article by Mary Breheny and Christine Stephens for Ageing and Society: (Cambridge: November 2009), older people will often opt to refuse assistance if they are unable to reciprocate. Rid yourself of the notion that you are a burden. Let your families help you or allow a caregiver into your home.  Reciprocity should be understood as a balance of giving and receiving help over time.

 If it bothers you that you might reach the point where you can’t reciprocate, now would be a good time to help others so that you can feel good about yourself and help someone else at the same time.  Decide today, while you are still healthy, what to do today in exchange for transportation to a doctors appointment tomorrow.  Reciprocity is good.  My mother is gone now but I would happily do anything, in exchange for a plate of her homemade cookies.  Little things are important.

An article by Heidi Smith Luedtke in Arthritis Today Magazine (January/February 2009) touched on our reluctance to ask for help.  You may fear rejection or feel that you are a burden on others.   People are often perceived as being so busy that it makes others timid about asking for favors, and so you talk yourself out of asking.   However, studies show that people actually underestimate the likelihood that others will say yes.  From a social standpoint, people want to be perceived as helpful and kind.  As long as you aren’t putting some one on the spot you needn’t feel guilty about asking.  Don’t feel offended if they have to say no, even if they can’t help you they may be able to help you problem solve.   The article also suggests that you ask the right person for the task.  If you need help walking your dog ask a dog lover.  If you need a few groceries ask someone who lives nearby and who shops regularly anyway.  Be direct, don’t drop hints and wait for someone to volunteer. Make your specific requests known.  Friends would most likely volunteer help unasked if they knew specifically what you needed. 

It is not always easy for older people to ask for help.  The pride and generational attitude of being able to take care of oneself wages a constant battle.   You hate to ask for help but what can you do.  Very likely the need for help may go beyond what neighbors and family can do, but don’t be shy about allowing someone to help you, it can make a difference. The Department of Health and Human Services Agency on Aging makes a point of helping seniors navigate the system and will continue to do so.  The economy has impacted everybody so money isn’t as readily available but the one thing everyone can give is time and kindness.

 

Senior Fitness: Handwriting and Brain Activity

Yesterday we talked about the lost art of letter writing.  We also talked about how to make writing easier if your fingers are stiff and sore.  Would the idea of hand writing a letter to put in with your Christmas cards sound more palatable if I mentioned that handwriting stimulates brain activity?

We have all been caught up with the idea that exercising the brain, as well as the rest of the body, is a good way to retard dementia.  An article by Gwendolyn Bounds (The Wall Street Journal, October 5, 2010) explores how the forming of letters becomes a key to learning, memory, and thinking.

Writing by hand is more than just another way to communicate.  Writing by hand engages the brain in learning.  Something goes on in the brain when you manually draw out letter forms.  Putting pencil to paper somehow creates stronger images.  You might remember how writing out your notes when you were in school helped imprint the material to your brain.

There is something personal about the written word.  Handwriting says a lot about a person’s personality.  Graphologist’s study hand writing and can actually identify unique personality traits through handwritten words.

Retraining people in handwriting skills could be a useful cognitive exercise.  Even messy handwriting has certain ramifications.  People judge the quality of your ideas based on your handwriting.  I can remember having classes in penmanship.  We used lined papers and were taught how to form our letters carefully. We lost a lot of that perfect form when we started writing faster.  We scribbled in an effort to keep up with rapidly escalating thoughts.  Pretty soon we had a hard time reading other peoples hand writing or even our own.  It distresses me when I get to the grocery store and can’t read my handwritten list. 

As we get older we lose a certain amount of manual dexterity.  The fingers become stiff and sore and if we grip the pen too hard our fingers get cramped.  We write too quickly and our letters are too small and writing is no longer a pleasurable activity.  Let’s start over again.  Let’s slow down and try to dredge up some of those basic skills. Let’s slow down and put some of our thoughts on paper.  Remember how to relax the hand, draw the letters carefully, and learn how to communicate all over again.  Carefully write a few sentences.  Tell someone that you love them today.

Writing: Has The Handwritten Note Become A Lost Art?

The holiday season is rapidly approaching and like you, I love every minute of it.  The very nicest tradition of all is the exchange of Christmas letters.  You will notice that I said letter, not just cards and nothing electronic.

Electronic cards and phone conversations have become norm, but there is nothing as satisfying as the written word.  There are some folks that I only hear from once or twice a year, but oh how I look forward to this opportunity to catch up.  A handwritten note isn’t just something that you read once and delete. 

We have a lot of excuses for not writing any more.  We are too busy, or we think our lives are too boring or our handwriting isn’t legible enough, but is that reason enough to stop keeping in touch?  The written word touches the heart in a way that no other form of communication can do.  Please don’t just send a card this year.  If that is all you can muster up, you might as well save the stamp and save the tree. 

Make Christmas a time to renew acquaintances (much more personal than Face Book) and write a note from the heart.  Sometimes I succumb to typing because of tendonitis in my thumbs, but even if you do that (using a cursive font of course) try to add a line or two at the bottom in your very own handwriting.  Typing is a bit easier on the thumbs but I miss sitting down with a clean piece of paper and a pencil.

Gone are the days when people wrote emotional notes to one and all.  Years ago, fine penmanship meant a lot to people, but we’ve forgotten how to write.  What would you do if you had a friend or relative living in a faraway place without an internet connection?  Would you break off ties with them because picking up a pen was too much work for you? The very best thing about a handwritten letter is that you save it and reread it whenever you re missing that person.  I still have a box of letters from my daughter that she wrote when she was in the military.  Would I throw them away?  Not for all the e-mails in the world.

A brief article by Heather Larson (Arthritis Today magazine: November/December 2010) gave suggestions on how to send greetings if you have painful hands and this applies to many of us.  Start early; don’t leave all of your Christmas mailings until the last minute.  Believe me; your friends would be happy getting your Christmas letter even if it arrives in July.   Consider pre-printed envelopes, custom rubber stamps, making your own cards, using self-adhesive stickers to seal envelopes or ask someone to do the writing or envelope stuffing for you.  Use a bulkier pen that easier to grip.  Make Christmas mail fun! 

Oh, you are sure to get replies if you write early enough.  If opening envelopes is difficult for you can find letter openers with large handles, or even a one-handed envelope opener to ease the burden.  Merry Christmas to you!