by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Dec 16, 2014 | Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Most adults know the value of receiving an annual flu shot. For seniors, however, an interesting study conducted by University of Lincoln and The University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom revealed what might be one more reason to get your vaccine. They found that people who received an influenza shot early in the fall were 24% less likely to experience a stroke during that year’s flu season.
Investigating the Potential Link between Flu Shots and Reduced Risk of Stroke
Here is a quick overview of the research:
- The records of over 47,000 people who had a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were reviewed between 2001 and 2009.
- Researchers looked at those who had a flu vaccine, as well as those who received a pneumonia vaccine.
- Actual cases of stroke were compared against ‘control’ patients so research could be adjusted for other factors that might explain the differences in risk.
- Their research showed the flu vaccination was associated with a 24% reduction in risk of stroke.
- Those patients who had their vaccine early in flu season had the strongest incidence of reduced rate of stroke.
- The flu vaccine showed no statistically significant reduction in risk for a TIA.
- Receiving the pneumococcal vaccination did not appear to reduce the risk for a stroke or a TIA.
In 2010, this same research group also found a link between flu vaccines and decreased risk for heart attacks. Their previous trial showed people who received an early flu vaccination (between September and mid-November) had a 21% greater reduction in the rate of heart attacks compared with receiving flu shot late in the season where there was only a 12% reduction.
To read more about these trials and other flu shot research, visit Science Daily online.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Dec 10, 2014 | Caregiving, Dear Donna, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
I will be heading home at Christmas to visit my 91-year old mother who lives in northern Michigan. I live in California so I usually only make it home once or twice a year to see her in person.
Early this summer when my kids and I went to visit, I thought she seemed a little frailer. We use Skype to chat on a regular basis and it looks to me like she’s lost weight. She keeps telling me that she is doing fine on her own and I know she has good neighbors and friends who look after her.
My mom has always seemed younger than her age because she has taken good care of herself. Because of that, I’m trying to figure out what are normal signs of aging and what aren’t. Can you give me a few suggestions on what to look for on my holiday visit home this month?
Darlene
Dear Darlene:
We receive a lot of emails and phone calls from adult children asking this same question every holiday season! Parents often know how busy their adult children are with their own families and careers. They don’t want to “worry” them with what they perceive to be small problems.
What you want to look for on your visit are signs of change. To assess how an aging parent really is when you visit this holiday season, you should specifically watch for and pay attention to:
- Unintentional weight gain or weight loss
- Change in how well they are managing personal care
- Bumps and bruises on their arms, legs and head that could indicate falls
- Trouble carrying on a conversation
- Forgetfulness or confusion
- Change in their disposition or personality
- Difference in how much or how little they sleep
- Condition of their house such as odors or trash piled up
- Problems managing finances such as unpaid bills on the counter or calls from creditors
These are just a few of the signs that may indicate your mother needs a little extra help. It might be a good idea to ask her if she has had a wellness visit with her primary care physician this year. If she hasn’t, encourage her to schedule one for the time when you are home so you can go with her.
It might also benefit you to learn more about senior care and the options available for your mother. Our Resource Center and our Blog both contain helpful information for adult children of an aging loved one.
Please let me know if you have any more questions, Darlene. I hope you and your family enjoy a happy holiday together in northern Michigan!
Donna
Our newest independent living community located in Holland, Michigan is open! The Village at Appledorn West welcomed our first new residents in October, and 70% of the apartments are already spoken for. Please stop by or call us at (616) 846-4700 to arrange for a tour.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Nov 28, 2014 | Caregiving, Dear Donna, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
For the first time this year I will be helping my father with his Medicare Open Enrollment. My mother passed away unexpectedly last year and it is something she always did for both of them. I know it is an important process, but I’m not quite sure how to help him. I’m not yet eligible for Medicare myself so I don’t really understand what is covered, what isn’t and why he might need to make changes.
Can you help?
Doris in Holland, Michigan
Dear Doris:
First off, please accept my condolences. I’m sure this has been a tough year for you and your Dad.
It isn’t uncommon for adult children to find themselves struggling to help a parent with Medicare Open Enrollment. Like you, many have not yet reached the age when they are eligible for the benefit. So the alphabet soup of Medicare A, B, C and D can be very confusing. Here is just a quick overview of what each part of Medicare covers:
- Medicare Part A:
- Inpatient hospital care
- Short-term skilled nursing and rehab (if qualifying conditions are met)
- Hospice care
- Home health care (if qualifying conditions are met)
- Medicare Part B:
- Physicians & other health care providers
- Outpatient rehab (up to a pre-determined limit)
- Some medical equipment
- Ambulance services for an emergency
- Some preventative services and screenings
- Medicare Part D:
Equally important is understanding what is NOT covered by your father’s Medicare benefit:
- Long-term care in a nursing home or assisted living
- Routine dental care and eye care
- Hearing aids & exams
- Routine foot care
- In-home care
Medicare has a brochure you may find helpful in getting started. Yearly Medicare Plan Review is a free download that has important dates and resources to assist you with Medicare Open Enrollment.
I hope this information makes the process go more smoothly for you and your father, Doris!
Sandy
Heritage Senior Communities is pleased to announce that our newest community is opening soon in Holland, Michigan. The Village at Appledorn West will offer adults over the age of 55 one- and two-bedroom independent living apartments. The campus will also be expanded to include assisted living in the spring of 2015.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Nov 20, 2014 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Uncategorized
November is designated as National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. As our population grows older, the number of people in the state of Michigan living with Alzheimer’s climbs higher. So while a person living in the U.S. has a lower chance of developing Alzheimer’s than they would have 30 years ago, the sheer number of older adults in our country is what is driving the increase in the number of people with the disease.
According to the Greater Michigan Chapter of The Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 130,000 people in Michigan live with Alzheimer’s disease.
The Statistics on Alzheimer’s Disease
As one of the leading providers of Alzheimer’s care in Michigan, we thought it was important to share some of the statistics on this growing epidemic.
- Someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s every 68 seconds. By 2050, estimates are that number will increase to every 33 seconds.
- More than 5.2 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease. 200,000 of those people are considered to have early onset Alzheimer’s because they are under the age of 65.
- Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.
- One in three older adults in the U.S. dies from Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia.
- This year alone 450,000 people will die from Alzheimer’s disease.
- In this last decade, the number of deaths caused by Alzheimer’s disease has increased by 68%. This is in stark contrast to a decrease in deaths for nearly every other major disease in the U.S.
- 4 million people provide for a family member or a friend with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia.
- Unpaid family caregivers provide 17.5 billion hours of unpaid care each year. If families had to pay for that care, it would total more than $216 billion a year.
- By 2050, the U.S. will spend an estimated $1.2 trillion providing care for Alzheimer’s patients.
- The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that Medicare paid $107 billion for care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and Medicaid paid $35 billion in 2013.
- Almost 15% of caregivers provide care long distance. Their expenses for caregiving are two times higher than those of local caregivers.
We hope you will share this information with leaders in your local Michigan communities who can help in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
Heritage Senior Communities is pleased to announce that our newest community in Holland, Michigan. The Village at Appledorn West offers adults over the age of 55 one- and two-bedroom independent living apartments. The campus will also be expanded to include assisted living in the spring of 2015.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Nov 14, 2014 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
If you’ve watched the evening news anytime in the past few months, you know that the flu virus made its way across Michigan early this year. Some areas of the state have been especially hard hit. As is always the case, children, seniors and those living with chronic health conditions and weakened immune systems are at increased risk for contracting the virus. Now that the busy holiday season is upon us, we thought it was important to take a few minutes to remind Michigan’s family caregivers how they can best avoid getting bitten by the bug this year.
6 Ways to Avoid the Flu over the Holidays
Most of us spend more time interacting with others during the holidays than almost any other time of year. From holiday shopping to office parties, it isn’t easy to avoid coming in to contact with people who may have the flu. But there are a few things you can do to keep from getting it.
- Get your flu shot. The vaccine is the best way to shoo the flu. If you haven’t had yours for the year, make it a priority.
- Care for the caregiver. During the holidays, already busy caregivers feel even more overwhelmed. A lack of sleep and poor diet are often the result. Both lead to a rundown immune system that makes you more susceptible to the virus. Try to increase the amount of foods you eat that are rich in vitamins A, E, and C, and to take at least a 20 to 30 minute walk each day.
- No hugs or handshakes in public. While avoiding friendly contact can be difficult during the holidays, it can help prevent you from getting the flu. The virus is highly contagious and easily transmitted. Getting a hug or a handshake from a friend or colleague who may not be aware they have the flu can expose you to it.
- Soap and warm water. Washing your hands with warm, soapy water can help kill any viruses you may have been exposed to at work or when you are out in public. Health experts say you should wash your hands long enough to be able to sing a chorus of Yankee Doodle Dandy. Keep hand sanitizers with you for the times you won’t have access to soap and water.
- Stay home when you are ill. Calling in sick to work is something most people hesitate to do. But it is the fastest way for you to rest and recover, and the best way to prevent the virus from spreading.
- Antiviral medications help. If you are one of the unlucky ones who come down with the flu, call your doctor for an appointment as soon as you notice the first symptom. Experts from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) say prescription antiviral medications can keep the flu from progressing and shorten the length of time you are sick.
To help consumers learn more about this year’s influenza virus and provide more prevention tips, The Department of Health and Human Services has developed flu.gov. Topics range from flu shot questions to risk factors.
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