With nine out of ten adults over the age of 65 taking some form of daily medication, and more than half taking four or more, seniors have plenty of opportunity to get to know their local pharmacist. With their knowledge of prescription and over the counter drugs, as well as how they can affect and interact with one another, there are several ways pharmacists can play a role in a senior’s health care plan.
The holidays are a joyous and celebratory time of the year, with lots of cheer, family fun, and plenty of activity to keep busy. But for many people, the end of the holidays can be a dark, lonely and depressing time. As many as 64% of people have reported feeling what can be described as the post-holiday blues. Oftentimes, the exhilarating feeling of stress, thrill, and excitement from the holidays can translate to a period of feeling sad, tired, and depressed once that excitement is no longer present.
While 80% of resolutions are abandoned by February, that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to do. Goal setting is an important part of success with resolutions, and can help improve your mental health.
Decreasing an aging loved one’s risk of contracting a deadly disease like Covid-19, influenza, or pneumonia can be as simple as getting a quick shot.
As we begin to enter the third year of the Coronavirus being an all-encompassing fact of life, it is important to remember the various lengths and measures needed to stay safe. While getting the vaccine, and taking the booster shots if able are of course a wonderful idea, that’s still unfortunately not the end-all be-all of protection from Covid-19.
Medications are prescribed to counteract health conditions in the body, and when prescribed and taken correctly, they are wonderful at this job. However, when medications are taken incorrectly, either with skipped doses or erroneously repeated doses, it can cause a major health setback, up to and including death.
There are two ways that diabetes can hurt the largest organ of the human body, the skin. When blood glucose levels are high, it causes the body to lose fluid. As fluid leaves the body, skin can become dry, and itchy
The kitchen is commonly regarded as the heart of the home. But unfortunately, it can also be a dangerous place. According to FEMA, people over the age of 65 have a chance of dying in a kitchen fire that is 2.5 times greater than that of the general population. Cooking accidents are one of the leading causes of fires in the home, accounting for thousands of preventable injuries and deaths each year. But just because your senior loved one has lost some mobility or mental capacity doesn’t mean they have to give up their love of cooking. The key is to provide a safe kitchen for them to use.
An ischemic stroke is an urgent health condition that occurs when an artery supplying the brain with oxygenated blood becomes blocked, which suddenly stops or sharply decreases blood flow, which ultimately causes a brain infarction, or in layman’s terms, tissue death. Ischemic strokes account for 80% of all strokes.
Many people worry about losing mental faculties as they get older, and perhaps think there’s nothing they can do to prevent the inevitable development of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. It’s no wonder, our minds are, quite literally, who we are, and the idea of either forgetting huge parts of our lives, or becoming unable to form new memories are frightening prospects. But many of the preconceptions people have about older brains aren’t necessarily true, and there’s a whole litany of myths out there that can cause undue stress and mental anguish to people as they age. Read on to hear some of these common beliefs, and the reality that refutes them.
When your job or time revolves around caring for another, one of the things that’s easy to let fall by the wayside is your own personal well-being. Exercise is incredibly important for not only physical health, but mental as well. Follow these tips for how to better find time for yourself to keep yourself active, and healthy.
Throughout the United States, over forty million people suffer from at least one of the over one hundred various types of arthritis. No matter the specific type of arthritis one might be afflicted with, they all share the common symptom of painful joint inflammation and stiffness. And while there is no cure for arthritis in many of its forms, there are always options for treatments and strategies, to lessen the severity of the symptoms, allowing a person suffering from the condition to return to a normal life and routine.
While many people with varicose veins are more concerned with the physical appearance of them on their legs. Because the veins are perceived as unattractive, they may not want to wear clothing that shows their legs. However, varicose veins can be more than an aesthetic issue, and can sometimes be more indicative of a more serious medical problem.
Bathroom safety is one of the most important things for an elderly person living in their home, as the multiple slippery surfaces and stepping required makes for a potentially dangerous situation. Falls are one of the biggest dangers to older adults, with many hospitalizations and deaths sadly caused by them every year. And for many seniors, injuries from a nasty fall can be the beginning of a physical decline that leads to a reduced quality of life and lifespan.
Many seniors have difficulty eating enough, due to changing senses of taste and smell as they age, side effects of medications reducing hunger, difficulty chewing or swallowing, or any other number of reasons. One thing caregivers can do to combat malnutrition and make sure your loved one is eating enough is to keep plenty of small, nutritious, ready to eat snacks on hand.
Most of us have heard the word obesity before, but may not be familiar with the actual definition, or what it means for us to actually have it applied to us. How does the condition of obesity affect a person’s life, and what can an older adult do about it to manage their weight and promote healthy living?
Hoarding is an issue that has only recently come into public consciousness, mostly due to TV shows sensationalizing the lives and homes of those suffering from it. It is a real, and serious issue, and one that frequently affects aging people, making it a point of concern for those caring for their elderly relatives and loved ones. Not only does hoarding cause significant mental duress related to the possessions in the hoard, it poses a major health and safety risk as well.
While the idea of living to the age of 100 and beyond may seem like a faraway science fiction dream for many, with the majority of people measuring their lifespans in double digits, and the majority of those who do reach 100 or beyond becoming stories worth noting, the fact is that worldwide the number of centenarians, the term for people aged 100 to 110, is expected to increase sharply.
Seniors are unfortunately one of the most vulnerable segments of our population, frequently the victims of crimes, scams, or abuse. As a large portion of seniors suffer from either physical ailments or cognitive decline, their lack of ability to defend or advocate for themselves makes them an easy and tempting target to the unscrupulous.
While some amount of forgetfulness, memory loss, and trouble thinking is normal with aging, what isn’t normal is suffering from Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Less than 15% of the population aged 71 or older suffers from a degenerative dementia disorder, meaning that it’s certainly not guaranteed that you’ll get it as you get older.
As the fall season progresses along towards winter, one thing everyone surely notices is the sun rising later each day, and going down earlier each evening. Come November, it’s only going to get worse when Daylight Savings ends, making the sun set even earlier each day. For many of us, less light and more cold can have a debilitating effect on our daily lives, and our emotional and mental health. Our internal clocks are calibrated by exposure to sunlight, so for many of us shorter days are a disruption that can be hard to shake ourselves free of.
While many people look forward to Autumn for the many wonderful changes the season brings, there is one yearly visitor that there is no cause to be happy about. I’m talking about the return of the influenza virus for flu season. For younger adults and children, the flu is usually just a few days of unpleasantness, but for many seniors and older adults, it can be more serious. With complications such as pneumonia more likely, seniors account for as many as 85 percent of the deaths from influenza.
With many seniors suffering from malnourishment, whether due to cognitive decline, physical impairment, chronic illnesses, or a whole host of other issues, coming up with strategies to combat undernutrition in older adults, to ensure proper intake of calories, vitamins, and minerals is important. And like with anything else, keeping the strategies simple and easy to follow will give you the greatest chance of success.
People are living longer than ever these days, which naturally means the amount of their lives they’ll need care will increase. An estimated 70 percent of older Americans will need care and assistance at some point in their twilight years. 9 out of 10 older Americans as well plan on staying in their home as long as possible, known as “aging in place”. This has become the ultimate retirement goal of the Boomer generation.
Strokes are the fifth largest killer of Americans today, with sadly over 800,000 Americans experiencing a stroke annually. While the statistics are unnerving, there are plenty of ways to make lifestyle changes that reduce your risk of stroke, possibly preventing one altogether.