by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Dec 23, 2013 | Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Finding healthy holiday food choices can be tough on our waistline. Health experts say that the average American gains from ten to twelve pounds between Thanksgiving and the New Year. For older adults with a health condition like high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes, that amount of weight gain can spell trouble.
How can you enjoy the season’s festivities without packing on the pounds?
Here are few tips to help you separate foods that are naughty from those that are nice:
- Choose lean poultry and seafood over beef when you have a choice of entrees.
- Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and a great alternative to fat laden mashed potatoes and gravy.
- Cranberries are a power food rich in antioxidants and fiber.
- Always go for the leafy greens like spinach, romaine and kale. They are full of fiber and vitamins ranging from A – K.
- Pumpkin pie is a much better choice for dessert than pecan pie in terms of fat, fiber and vitamin A.
- Wines and wine spritzers are much better than drinks made with liqueurs.
- Skip the eggnog and spiced cider and instead order hot cocoa.
- If you are heading for the fresh vegies, choose hummus to dip them in not ranch or dill dips that are usually made with sour cream.
- If you can’t resist the bowl of nuts, choose almonds, cashews, pistachios or walnuts over pecans and macadamia nuts.
Also make sure that you don’t overlook the basics of a healthy lifestyle just because you are busy enjoying the holiday season. It is a dangerous mistake older adults often make. Be sure you remember to:
- Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water each day
- Get 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week
- Take your blood pressure as often as recommended by your physician
- Limit your alcohol consumption
- Monitor blood-sugar levels as directed
- Take all medications as prescribed
What is the hardest healthy lifestyle choice for you to maintain during the holidays? Is it food selections? Exercise? Monitoring blood pressure or blood-sugar?
Should you have questions about senior living, we encourage you to call the Heritage community nearest you. We’ll be happy to help!
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Nov 15, 2013 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Like it or not, old man winter is making his way to Michigan. For older adults in colder climates like ours, winter creates additional risk factors. The aging experts from the Heritage Senior Communities offer these 3 winter safety reminders for seniors in Michigan:
Home Heating Sources
Rarely does a winter pass in Michigan that we don’t we hear about a family who loses their home or even their lives because of problems stemming from a heating source. Older adults that live on a fixed income may try to cut expenses and that makes them even more vulnerable.
- Be sure your aging loved one has their furnace inspected each year in the early fall.
- You also want to be certain their smoke detector is working and has good batteries.
- A carbon monoxide detector is a must in all homes.
- Space heaters can be a hazard. While they are great for warming up drafty rooms, fire safety experts say nothing should be placed within three feet of a space heater. Also make sure the heater has an automatic off in case it tips over.
Auto Safety
Winter can be tough on our vehicles. If the older adult in your life is still driving, remind them to schedule a winter tune-up. Specifically ask them to check tires and tire pressure, window wipers, and the battery. Don’t forget anti-freeze and wiper fluid.
Fall Prevention
Icy walkways and porches create fall risks for seniors in the winter. If a landscape service to clear sidewalks is out of the budget, there are a few ways to help keep seniors safe:
- Non-skid shoes and boots are a must. You can even add non-skids pads to your loved one’s everyday shoes and boots.
- If your older loved one still shovels their own walkways, consider investing in a shovel on a wheel. Sounds strange but it not only helps to maintain balance while shoveling, it can also prevent back strain.
- Call your local agency on aging. Many have budget-friendly programs to help seniors with snow removal.
Are you a Michigan caregiver for a senior loved one who lives alone?
What is your biggest worry for them in the winter months?
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Oct 18, 2013 | Dear Donna, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
I am trying to persuade my 80-year old mother who lives alone in Traverse City, Michigan to move to an independent living community. We live almost 6 hours away from her and worry about her safety in the cold and snowy northern Michigan winters. She is very active and involved in her community. She even spends 4 or 5 hours a week volunteering. My mother somehow has the idea the senior living is just “a bunch of old people playing bingo.” What can I do to help her get a true picture of independent living?
Tammy in Toledo
Dear Tammy:
The out-of-date stereotypes of “homes” are still alive in the minds of many older adults. While we do play Bingo, independent living communities have so much more to offer. Here are a couple of suggestions that might help:
- You could start by talking with her about two of the main reasons older adults choose to move to independent living: to be free of the maintenance and upkeep of a home and for the life enrichment and socialization that happens every day. Most residents of an independent living community are a lot like your mother!
- Have a few of your local senior living communities mail you their monthly activity calendar. You could share those with your mother so she could see the wide range of programs that are offered. For example, at The Village at Bay Ridge in Traverse City life enrichment programs include book clubs, trips to the casino, quilting and theater outings. If she finds an activity that sounds interesting, most communities would happily invite her to join them.
- Visit a few communities without your mother along. You probably know her likes and dislikes well enough to determine if it might be a good fit. Then try to start with just having her visit for lunch and/or a tour. Agree ahead of time that she will be under no obligation to go again if she doesn’t like it.
I think once your mother can see for herself how active independent living residents really are, you will have a better chance at convincing her to make a move.
Good luck, Tammy!
Donna
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Oct 14, 2013 | Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
If you are part of the 83% of Americans who drink coffee every day, you’ve probably wondered what the real facts about its risks and health benefits are. We hear conflicting reports almost daily. Older adults are often warned that the risks are even greater for them. According to the National Coffee Association, the average American coffee drinker chugs down three cups per day. How do you know what you can believe about your morning cup o’ joe? We took a look at the latest research from sources ranging from the Mayo Clinic to the Journal of Vascular Medicine
Here is what we found:
- The risk between heart disease and coffee consumption occurs when you have a particular gene mutation that slows the breakdown of caffeine in your body. The Mayo Clinic experts warn that the gene mutation is a fairly common one.
- If you are concerned about neurodegenerative disorders, some studies show coffee can decrease your risks. For Alzheimer’s disease and dementia coffee may reduce the risk by as much as 60%. It may also decrease the risk of Parkinson’s by 32% to 60%.
- Newer research indicates that the high antioxidant levels in coffee may help protect you from type 2 diabetes and liver cancer.
- If you are physically active or trying to lose weight, coffee consumption might help. Because caffeine is a stimulant, coffee may help to improve physical performance and aide in burning more calories.
- Consuming large amounts of unfiltered coffee can lead to moderate increases in bad cholesterol.
- Heavy coffee consumption is linked to sleeplessness, agitation, and anxiety. All can contribute to or worsen hypertension.
- Watch what you put in to your coffee. Sugars, creamers and high fructose flavorings can be an overlooked source of fat and calories, especially if you drink more than one cup of coffee a day.
So what is the bottom line on our friend Joe? As with most things, moderation seems to be the key. Two cups of coffee per day is generally believed to be the maximum for benefits.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Sep 24, 2013 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
The physical toll the role of caregiver takes is well documented. Caregivers have weaker immune systems, increased risk of heart disease, and a greater chance of developing high blood pressure. All of these factors can lead to a stressed out, unhealthy caregiver. Maintaining a balanced diet is one of the keys to keeping our Michigan caregivers healthy. And recent studies indicate the Mediterranean Diet may help.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The underlying premise of the Mediterranean Diet is very simple. It focuses on eating very little processed foods and opting instead for a diet rich in fruits, lentils, fish and vegetables. Olive oil is one of the main components of the diet. Breads are multi-grain and low in carbohydrates. Dairy should be consumed in moderation. And the best news is that the diet includes a glass of wine or two each day.
When researchers at The University of Louisiana evaluated people who had adopted the Mediterranean Diet they discovered the following:
- A reduction in bad cholesterol. Believed to be the result of reducing fat and carbohydrates and increasing foods rich in soluble and insoluble fiber.
- Improved brain activity. They attributed this to the benefits of olive oil and omega 3 fatty acids in the fish.
- Lower risk of cancer. Researchers credited consuming lower red meat and animal fats to the decreased risk of cancer.
- Decreased risk of stroke and heart disease. Blood pressure was also reduced.
- Lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Experts agree that antioxidants are probably the reason. They help to decrease inflammation that is believed to contribute to decreased cognition.
If you are wondering how to get started, this Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid might be of help.
Have you adopted the Mediterranean Diet? What benefits have you experienced?
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Sep 16, 2013 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), people over the age of 65 are 2.5 times more likely to be injured or die from a kitchen fire than the general population. That is a pretty frightening statistic if you are an adult child of an aging parent who lives alone. So why is the risk so much higher for seniors?
There are five areas where seniors get in to trouble in the kitchen:
- Not having a working smoke detector in the house. As important as that life-saving alarm is known to be, estimates are that between 10 – 15% of our nation’s seniors either don’t have a smoke detector or the one they have doesn’t work. That allows kitchen fires to get out of control before the senior may even realize there is a problem.
- Along the same lines is not having a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Many older adults reach for a kitchen towel to try to extinguish a stove top flame. That can actually make the fire worse and put them in greater danger.
- Dementia can make seniors more forgetful. They may leave soup simmering on the stove or a casserole cooking in the oven then walk away and forget about it.
- Older equipment that isn’t safe. This is especially true of an older kitchen range. Many of them have on/off dials that are located at the back of the stove top. This forces seniors to reach over burners to turn them off. Loose sleeves can easily drop against the flame or burner and ignite.
- Chronic health conditions can cause physical impairments that may make it more difficult for seniors to spot trouble and react quickly. This includes tremors from Parkinson’s disease or loss of dexterity in fingers and hands caused by Osteoarthritis.
What can adult children do to decrease the risk of a kitchen fire for aging parents?
- Make sure they have working smoke detectors on every level of their home and a small, easy-to-use fire extinguisher in their kitchen. Review with them how to operate both. Make sure to test the smoke alarm batteries when you visit.
- Remind them not to wear clothing with loose sleeves while cooking, but to instead wear short sleeves or keep long-sleeves tightly rolled up.
- Consider replacing their stove if they have to reach across burners to turn temperature controls on and off. Most newer ranges have the dials on the front of the stove.
- New to the consumer safety market but gaining in popularity are stove alarms and stove guards. They use sensors to sound an alarm when a pan is left on the stove or in the oven too long.
Are you an adult child of an elderly parent?
Have they had a close call with a kitchen fire?
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