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Keeping people at home and healthier longer.

February 22, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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Link Found Between Bone Thinning and Heart Failure

Nearly 5.8 million Americans currently live with heart failure, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Because this problem is so vast, finding new causes of the illness or new ways of helping people live better with the disorder is important.

According to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, a new link has been found between bone thinning, commonly caused by osteoporosis and heart failure.

To come to this conclusion, researchers from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, conducted a cohort study involving 45,509 people who were going in for bone mineral density testing for the first time. These participants then took part in a follow up study 10 years later. During the span of the 10 years, 1,841 people developed recent-onset heart failure. Scientists addressed possible osteoporosis risk factors for the development of heart failure and found that 30 percent of the 1,841 people also had bone thinning.

“Our study demonstrates for the first time that heart failure and thinning of bones go hand in hand,” said Sumit Majumdar, MD, lead author of the study. “Understanding the mechanism between heart failure and osteoporosis might lead to new treatments for both conditions.”

Learning more about these conditions might make it easier for doctors to educate family elder care providers on the disease or to come up with new treatment plans that will work to reduce both factors. In the future, people diagnosed with heart failure may also be told to include more calcium into their diets to help ward off osteoporosis, while people with osteoporosis may be advised to try and reduce their high blood pressure.

It may also prompt doctors to run certain tests when a patient comes in for one of the conditions, to see if they may be at risk for developing the other.

“Part of screening for osteoporosis should involve looking at chest x-rays of patients with heart failure,” said Majumdar. “Heart failure patients get a lot of x-rays and they often incidentally show many fractures of the spine that would automatically provide an indication of severe osteoporosis and need for treatment.”

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February 21, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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Swimming Found to be a Top Exercise for Seniors

Florida Today reports that swimming can really do seniors some good, especially those affected by age-related issues such as arthritis that can make it difficult to workout.

According to the source, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked over numerous studies on the effects of swimming at various levels and concluded that for people with hip and joint problems, the act is best over many other options.

“People report enjoying water-based exercise more than exercising on land,” members of the CDC wrote in the findings. “They can also exercise longer in water than on land without increased effort or joint or muscle pain.”

One study the CDC looked at was conducted by researchers at the University of South Carolina in 2009. Researchers used the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study that took place over the course of 32 years. The study reviewed thousands of participants physical exams and looked into how many people did certain exercises. From the results, scientists found people who swim had a 50 percent reduced risk of dying compared to runners, walkers and people who didn’t regularly exercise.

“Swimming has two things going for it: buoyancy and resistance,” Dr. Bruce Milburn told the publication. “When you’re running or biking in air, there’s usually no resistance. In the water, there is always resistance. So swimming is excellent for building muscle, for bones and for flexibility. You are exercising all the muscle groups, plus it’s soothing. Swimming probably is the most fun you can have while exercising.”

Family members with elder care responsibilities for a loved one might want to start bringing them to the local pool to get in much needed exercise. Here, seniors can freely move and work their muscles without fear of injury to joints or other complications.

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February 20, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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Heart Failure may be Associated with Cognitive Loss, Study Finds

According to a recent study published in European Heart Journal, heart failure (HF) might be associated with the loss of brain cells. Researchers found that people with a declined mental process and loss of grey matter may be more susceptible to suffering heart failure.

To test this, researchers from the University of Western Australia conducted cognitive tests on 35 patients with HF, 56 patients with ischaemic heart disease and 64 healthy participants without either condition. All people in the study also had MRIs conducted to mark the volume of grey matter they had in different sections of their brains.

From the results, scientists found that people with HF had worse short and long-term memory than healthy participants. HF patients also had changes in their brain regions that correlate to cognitive and emotional processing.

Scientists believe that these new findings may require new methods for providing HF patients with treatment options. Patients might need to bring family members with elder care responsibilities into visits in order to make sure sufferers follow certain important orders.

“Our findings indicate that diseases that affect the heart affect the brain as well, and that the changes in organ function and blood circulation associated with HF seem to compound these effects in the brain,” said lead author Osvaldo Almeida. “For these reasons, primary and secondary prevention are essential to minimize the impact of heart disease on brain structure and function. They are also consistent with the possibility that patients with HF may have trouble following complex management strategies, and, therefore, treatment messages should be simple and clear. Health professionals and patients need to be aware that problems caused by heart disease are not limited to the heart.”

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute reports that nearly 5.8 million people in the U.S. currently have HF.

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February 19, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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Getting a Little More Help for Mom’s Dog

Older parents often need a little assistance getting around the house as they age at home, but families are often baffled when they have to start taking Mom’s dog out for walks, too. Balancing pet care duties along with all the other caregiving responsibilities can be a burden, but there are ways to make sure that an elderly still has the company of a furry friend.

Safety should be one major consideration, however. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost 90,000 Americans fall each year, because they trip over a pet or accessories for a pet, according to FloridaToday.com.

Still, the health benefits may outweigh the potential hazards. Owning pets encourages seniors to take them outside and go on walks more often. Animals also offer companionship throughout the day.

If families are struggling to juggle the needs of a pet with a loved one, it may be time to hire some help. Home care assistants can provide both pet and senior care, while also driving older adults to doctor’s appointments, grocery stories and other amenities. These experienced professionals also help around the house with food preparation and cleaning.

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February 18, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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Seminars Help Seniors in More Ways Than One

Senior centers around the country are tuning in to the new guidelines for keeping elders healthy by promoting activities aimed at getting seniors exercising and eating well, The Sentinel reports.

Being a caregiver is a full time job and being able to be there for an aging loved one is important to many. However, seniors still relish the time they spend with others their own age, and signing them up to go to a senior center one-day-a-week or more is a way to help ensure they still know they’re independent.

A senior center in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, recently began a set of weekly meetings aimed at showing seniors new forms of exercise – Pilates and even playing ping-pong, as well as what foods to eat to combat certain issues that are common with aging.

“Exercise classes help with strengthening, balance and overall good health.” “Obesity and depression can set in by not moving,” Ann Hinkle, the center’s director told the news outlet. “Everything is to promote healthy living.”

During the program, seniors are able to enjoy learning about new methods of exercising, better eating habits and each others company.

“I think it’s great,” Pat Thomas of Shippensburg told the news source. “It’s just what us older people need.”

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February 17, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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Michigan’s Dependency Ratio Surges with Latest Census Figures

The dependency ratio, as recorded by the Census, compares the number of children under the age of 18 and adults 65 and over to the amount of working people in each state. The residents between these two categories generally account for taxes, support and overall labor contributions toward the economy. 

However, as the United States experiences an unprecedented graying in the coming years, many states are seeing their dependency ratios drastically grow. This is particularly the case when it comes to senior citizens and working people.

The Detroit Free Press reports that the number of elderly residents went up from fewer than 20 per 100 working people to 22 in the span of two years. This is a hint that home care agencies will soon have their hands full, as they help adult children take care of aging parents.

The tightening ratio "portends a profound change in Michigan, sharper on both ends than the nation will see, and a trend that will likely do more to shape the immediate future of this state than all of Gov. Rick Snyder's reinvention plans," according to the news source.  

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February 16, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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Seniors Continue to Stay in Their Homes for the Long Haul

With seniors staying more active as they age, many are choosing to continue to age in place rather than move to a senior living facility. This seems to be true as the recent State of the Nation's Housing 2011 report, compiled by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, found senior home ownership is on the rise.

Because of the stay at home trend, the report also showed that seniors are the leaders in home renovations, as they "will choose to stay in their current homes or age in place, which may involve remodeling to make their living spaces more senior-friendly," said writers from the Joint Center report.

Such remodels could be in the kitchen to lower countertops or even redoing stairs in the home to make them wider or to add more lighting.

A second group of boomers and seniors are choosing to sell their large, family-raising homes for more modest smaller or one-level homes that are easier for them to navigate through. The report found that between 2010 and 2020, there will be an increase by 10.2 million of households headed by individuals between the ages of 55 and 74.

A caregiver can assist their parents in updating or moving into a new home by installing hand rails in their bathrooms and keeping clutter around their home at bay to avoid falls. 

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February 15, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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Fibromyalgia Sufferers may Benefit from Daily Exercise

People suffering from fibromyalgia must deal with living in constant pain that can lead to fatigue and cognitive problems as a result. In an attempt to combat these problems as a whole, researchers from the Fibromyalgia Evaluation and Research Center at Georgetown University Medical Center recently conducted a study to test the effect exercise had on the condition.

Scientists looked at nine women with the disorder who had MRI scans taking during the initial meeting. They also had their memory tested, and researchers recorded how much pain they were in. After the initial testing, participants were taken off of their medication and instead began a six-week aerobics program for 30 minutes three times a week.

From the data, researchers found that participants memory skills went down during the first week of the program, but memory later improved as the pain lessened over the course of the study.

Although researchers pointed out that not all sufferers are able to exercise, those providing elder care to someone with the disorder may want to see if working out could reduce their loved ones side effects.

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February 14, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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Financial Factors for those Suffering from Dementia

Finding out that a loved one is starting to show signs of dementia or Alzheimer's disease can be a difficult time for children. Noticing that Mom or Dad is starting to forget to bring in the mail, take a shower or pay the bills are sure signs that something may be going on, according to Hernando Today.

After noticing that a senior is unable to balance a checkbook or has been making large purchases on their credit card, it may be time for you to step in and start to ease your way into taking control of the finances.

The news outlet suggests adult children talk with their parents about giving them more power in a calm and conversational way. By informing them that they're only looking out for them, they may be more apt to listen. Caregivers could also help by going shopping with their senior to make sure they make prudent decisions.

If conditions worsen, caregivers could consider re-routing their parents mail to go to their house first, so they won't be tempted to give money or buy unnecessary items out of free catalogs. Switching them to prepaid credit cards could be another solution so those suffering from dementia won't get themselves into debt.

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February 13, 2012
by Arcadia Health Care
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The Internet is Used by Boomers, Seniors

A new study introduced at the 53rd annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology found that seniors over the age of 64 are willing and able to use the internet.

Researchers of the study were looking to find out if patients with cancer would be more apt to answer treatment related questionnaires through email rather than through standard mail or during check-ups.

To test this, from September 2008 to December 2009, researchers emailed 49 prostate cancer patients the surveys. They found that even six months after treatment, those who recieved questions through the internet responded 90 percent of the time, while those who got surveys through the mail only sent them back 52 percent of the time.

Not only does this prove that the internet is a valuable way to get in contact with older generations, it also helped make improvements to treatment as getting more responses allowed doctors and nurses to adjust what people overwhelmingly didn't like.

Teaching a parent how to use the internet as a caregiver can help them reconnect with old friends or stay in touch with family members who live far away as well as improving their relationship with their doctors.

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