by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Apr 2, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
60 million Americans suffer from insomnia, the nightly struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep. Research has already shown insomnia can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s. What scientists at several universities are exploring is whether chronic insomnia may actually be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease or if it is only the result of it.
Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and Insomnia
There are a variety of research projects that have explored the possible link between sleep problems and Alzheimer’s. Several are especially interesting.
- Johns Hopkins Sleep and Alzheimer’s Research
Researchers from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at The Johns Hopkins University examined the sleep patterns of adults aged 70 and older. They found that older adults who slept fewer hours and had a poor quality of sleep also had higher levels of the brain plaque, Beta amyloid. This plaque has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
The team at Johns Hopkins is continuing to research whether or not treating older adult’s sleep problems might help to prevent Alzheimer’s.
- Washington University Sleep Loss and Alzheimer’s Findings
Another study conducted at the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Washington University also delved in to this issue. In their trial, 145 volunteers who were all considered to have normal cognitive function and were between the ages of 45 and 75 were recruited. 32 of the volunteers showed signs of preclinical Alzheimer’s but did not yet have any cognitive impairment.
Participants in the two-week long trial documented their sleep habits including naps. Each volunteer wore a sensor that allowed scientists to track their movement and probable quality of sleep. What they found was participants who were the worst sleepers were five times more likely to have preclinical Alzheimer’s disease than good sleepers.
Tips for Getting a Better Night’s Rest
If you are a Michigan senior or the caregiver of one and you know you fall in to the poor sleeper category, there are a few steps you can take that may help.
- Get 30 minutes of exercise during the day. Try to work out early in the day. Exercising too close to bedtime can actually make your insomnia worse.
- Have a consistent wake up and bed time each day, including weekends.
- If you don’t already know how, learn to practice meditation, Pilates or some form of yoga. Each of these help you develop better breathing techniques which can help lower stress and improve sleep quality.
- Make your bedroom a haven for rest and relaxation. That means keeping mobile devices stored in another room. Also keep the temperature cool. Experts typically recommend setting the thermostat to between 60 and 70 degrees.
- Try to avoid eating or drinking anything with caffeine in it past noon. Caffeine can disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle.
Our final recommendation is to talk with your primary care physician if nothing helps you get a good night’s sleep. You may have a health condition like sleep apnea that may require professional intervention and treatment.
Photo Courtesy http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/man-sleeping-in-bed-and-holding-a-tablet-computer-photo-p308659
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Mar 26, 2015 | Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Last summer we shared information on gardening for Michigan seniors. We know many older adults in the Great Lake state enjoy gardening as a hobby. It provides many benefits for older adults ranging from helping relieve the pain and symptoms associated with arthritis to improving core strength and balance. As we head in to spring and back to the garden, we wanted to share a few tools we have found that can help seniors stay safe while enjoying a favorite pastime.
Tools for the Older Michigan Gardener in the Family
- Garden Rocker Kneeler Bench: This tool makes kneeling to plant or prune in the garden easier on aging joints. You can rest your knees on the bench and use the hand rails on each side to assist you in getting safely back on your feet.
- Garden Kneeler and Tool Pouch: A combination of seat and kneeler, this tool also has a pouch you can add to store tools in. That eliminates having to get up and down to search for tools while you are gardening.
- Coiled Garden Hose: One challenge older adults face in gardening is dragging heavy hoses around the yard. Coiled hoses make watering the garden easier. They are lighter in weight and made to stretch further.
- Ergo-Friendly Garden Tools: Friskars has a line of ergonomic garden tools that are senior-friendly. From weeding tools to pruners, they are easier on older hands.
- Garden Scoot: This heavy-duty garden scoot lets you work in your yard from a seated position. It also comes with pneumatic tires and a swivel seat to make it even easier to navigate through the yard.
- No Bend Weed Puller: Weeding is another task that can be more difficult for older adults. This no bending required tool allows you to weed the yard from a standing position making it easier and safer for older gardeners.
- Easi-Grip Tools: Another line of senior-friendly tools, the easi-grips allow hands to remain in a more natural position while gardening. That makes it easier for arthritic hands to maintain their grip.
We hope these tools help you and your senior loved ones safely enjoy another spring and summer in your Michigan garden!
The Village of Appledorn West in Holland is now open! If you or a senior loved one would like to tour our independent living apartments or learn more about our assisted living community that will be opening this spring, please stop by or call us at (616) 846-4700
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Feb 26, 2015 | Dear Donna, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
My great aunt lives in a rural community near Grand Haven, Michigan. We made it up to see her during the holidays and I’ve been worried about her since we left. Physically she seems to be doing well. She is managing her medications on her own, is able to safely drive herself to the grocery store and necessary appointments, and prepare her own meals. But she doesn’t really do much else.
It feels like she is very isolated and lonely. While she was happy having our family around for a few days, my fear is that she is depressed. I think she needs to be around people more. She was always a very social person. My husband and I aren’t sure what to do to help her.
Calista in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Dear Calista:
You are probably right to be concerned about your great aunt’s well-being. In recent years, isolation among older adults has been proven to contribute to a variety of issues ranging from earlier mortality to malnutrition. Being isolated and lonely can also put a senior loved one at greater risk for becoming the victim of a fraud, especially door-to-door home repair scams.
If you are confident your great aunt is safe driving, you might want to begin by encouraging her to become involved in volunteer work. There is an organization called Volunteer Match you might want to explore on her behalf. The site allows you to search for volunteer opportunities by zip code and interest. If your aunt is a nature lover or children, for example, you can look for organizations near her who are seeking volunteers.
Senior centers are another great avenue for older adults to connect with their peers. You can find the one closest to her by visiting Michigan Association of Senior Centers. Members have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of events each month including Valentine’s Day luncheons, tax preparation workshops, and Chair Yoga. Most are free or relatively inexpensive.
A move to an independent living community might be another avenue to explore. Residents have their own private apartment or cottage, but still have friendship and support nearby. It gives older adults the opportunity to enjoy life enrichment activities, wellness programs, and transportation services. All without the worries about home repairs or maintenance tasks!
I hope this gives you a few ideas for helping your great aunt become more active and engaged with life.
Best regards,
Donna
Our newest community, The Village of Appledorn West in Holland, is open! If you or an older loved one would like to tour our independent living apartments or learn more about our assisted living community that will open in the spring of 2015, please stop by or call us at (616) 846-4700
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Feb 18, 2015 | Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Keeping the relationship between the older generation and the younger one strong is important. It helps kids develop healthy attitudes about aging and to appreciate the positive contributions older adults can play in their lives. For the senior generation, having children and young adults in their lives can elevate mood and decrease rates of depression. Finding ways to help foster those bonds can sometimes be challenging. Because of that, we have pulled together a list of ideas to help you get started.
Creating Meaningful Inter-generational Activities
The winter weather in Michigan may limit inter-generational activities to just those that can take place indoors. Here are a few suggestions:
- Wii Games: Invest in a Wii for your senior loved one to keep in their home. The two generations can use it to work out or play games together. You can even set up some Wii challenges among the three generations of your family.
- Puzzles: Purchase a puzzle that the two generations can work on over the winter. Store it on a small card table in a corner between visits. Puzzles are available for every age group and in a variety of sizes and themes. The time spent trying to assemble the puzzle will gives the two generations a chance for small talk and bonding.
- Magic Kit: Another fun project can be to learn how to perform a few magic tricks together. Most hobby and toy stores have magic kits and supplies you can purchase relatively inexpensively.
- Karaoke: Having a regular karaoke night might be another activity the two generations would enjoy. You can often find used ones at good prices on local community garage sale sites on Facebook.
- Game Night: Board games or card games are usually a hit with both generations. Depending upon the age of the children, they can play anything from Go Fish to Monopoly together. This Best Seller List might give you a few ideas for new winter games.
- Scrapbooking: This continues to be a favorite hobby for all generations. Scrapbooking is especially easy to do if your children or senior loved one has a smart phone with a camera. They can take pictures of their daily activities and outings to add to and decorate in their scrapbook.
- Watching Wild. If your senior loved one’s home has a window where they can see wildlife, another idea might be for them to volunteer for the Watch the Wild Volunteers of all ages track wildlife they see in their own backyard and submit it to Nature Abounds. The information is used to help detect changes in our eco-system.
Finally, never underestimate the fun of an old-fashioned movie marathon. Grandparents.com has a variety of reviews to make it easier to select DVDs that both generations will enjoy.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Feb 10, 2015 | Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Every year, the month of February is designated as Heart Month. The goal of Heart Month is to raise awareness about heart disease and the controllable risk factors behind it. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in Michigan. Across the state, 27% of the deaths in 2010 were due to cardiac-related diseases. Despite a higher percentage of adults with health insurance and a greater number of people who exercise regularly, Michigan ranks as the state with 10th highest heart disease death rate in the country. Smoking and obesity rates are both higher than the national averages and likely contribute to these frightening statistics.
With that in mind, we have assembled a list of things you can do to decrease your risk for heart disease.
Heart Health Plan for Adults in Michigan
Decreasing your risk for developing most types of cardiovascular diseases means adopting a heart healthy lifestyle. Here are nine tips for getting started:
- Start Small: One reason New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and exercise fail more often than they succeed is people try to change everything in their life all at once. Instead, focus on making smaller changes over a longer period of time. For example, start by giving up soda. Then two weeks later add walking three times a week to your schedule. Continue making healthy improvements every few weeks. You will be more likely to stick with your goals when you slowly but consistently make changes.
- Schedule a Physical Exam: If you don’t already do so, make a habit of scheduling a yearly physical with your primary care physician. Medicare will pay for one Wellness Visit each year, and so will most insurance companies. The appointment gives your physician the time they need to check your blood pressure, cholesterol and evaluate you for other risk factors.
- Eat Your Veggies. Your fruits, too. The advice from most health professionals is that adults should consume five to eight servings each day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a helpful tool you can use to determine just how many fruits and vegetables you should eat. The Nutrition for Everyone calculator uses your age and activity level to make their recommendation.
- Exercise: Set a goal of getting thirty minutes of exercise each day. It might help make it easier to reach that goal if you break exercise down in to two fifteen-minute workouts each day. Maybe ride your stationary exercise bike for fifteen minutes in the morning and then take a brisk fifteen minute walk in the evening. As is true with any new form of exercise, talk with your primary care physician before beginning.
- Pump Iron: Another important part of staying fit and preventing heart disease is to keep your muscles strong and healthy. The Go4Life initiative from the National Institutes of Health has videos and guides that can show you how to work strength training in to your weekly fitness program.
- Stop Smoking: It is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the United States including those from heart disease. gov was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The site contains a variety of free tools and resources to help you kick the habit.
- Reduce Sodium Intake: Salt and sodium contribute to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Reducing your intake can help you cut your odds for heart disease. The CDC has a free publication Sodium Reduction Tips that can help you learn how to do that.
- Limit Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol can lead to an increase in blood pressure. The empty calories can also lead to malnutrition and weight gain.
- Develop Stress Management Skills: Stress contributes to high blood pressure and hypertension. Finding ways to better management it is an important part of living a healthy life. Hobbies such as yoga, swimming and gardening can all help. Meditating for even ten to fifteen minutes a day can teach you better breathing techniques that are proven to lower blood pressure and decrease heart rate.
To learn more about heart health, sign up to follow the Million Hearts Initiative. You will receive messages and tips all year long to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and decrease your risk for heart disease.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jan 18, 2015 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
The post-holiday blues combined with the cold and snowy Michigan winter can leave caregivers feeling a little down. Exercise is one of the best ways to regain a sense of well-being. Fitness programs like yoga and Pilates can be ideal. They build core strength, while improving balance and flexibility. In addition, the breathing techniques used can help to improve oxygen intake and decrease stress. Both can help to boost your mood. For caregivers, Chair Yoga can be an easy way to get started.
Benefits of Chair Yoga for Caregivers
Chair Yoga is a modified form of yoga that allows participants to work out from a seated position. Caregivers receive the majority of the rewards of yoga while working around any physical limitations they may have.
Some of the benefits of yoga include:
- Helping with weight control and weight management
- Decreasing the pain of osteoarthritis by building muscle strength
- Promoting relaxation which helps to improve heart health
- Managing depression by improving the stress response and promoting better breathing techniques
Chair Yoga Resources
If you are looking for resources to help you get started, these might help:
- Get Fit While You Sit: This organization can help you find an instructor in your area. They also have DVDs you can order online.
- Seated Yoga Sequence: A helpful visual aid you can use to get started, the sequence consists of six yoga poses that can be done from a seated position.
- Arthritis Foundation Chair Yoga: The Arthritis Foundation also recommends several DVDs on their website. Each of them can be performed while seated in an armless chair.
- Energizing Chair Yoga: YouTube also has a variety of free videos you can watch to learn how to practice chair yoga. This is one that earns high marks from viewers.
As a reminder, be sure to check with your family physician before beginning any new form of exercise.
The Village of Appledorn West in Holland is now open! If you or a senior loved one would like to tour our independent living apartments or learn more about our assisted living community that will open in the spring of 2015, please stop by or call us at (616) 846-4700
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