The Importance of Taking Care of Your Health as You Age

A recent article from Everyday Health Media states that once someone reaches 65 years of age, they can expect to live on average another 19.2 years.  While that sounds great, it still means that seniors need to carefully manage chronic health conditions and follow good health habits.  Jeanne Wei, MD, director of the Institute on Aging at the University of Arkansas Medical School, reports, “You need to be physically active and eat a healthy diet and also make healthy lifestyle choices, like quitting smoking and losing weight, to avoid senior health risks.”  The article also notes that if you see a geriatric doctor it can help you to be among the “76 percent of people over 65 who say their health is good or excellent.”

The Family.org published an article that reminds us it is never too late to start good health habits.  Even individuals who have never been physically active can benefit from exercising but please consult your doctor before you start.  Studies show that a moderate amount of exercise can make your bones and muscles stronger and help to prevent falls and broken bones down the road.  Furthermore, research indicates physical activity is also good for your brain.  What type of exercises should you do?  For seniors walking is an easy exercise and does not require any fancy equipment. 

Another suggestion in the article is to increase the fiber in your diet.  They recommend that men 50 years and older get 30 grams of fiber per day, and for women, 21 grams a day.  By increasing your fiber, it helps the colon to work better and reduce the risk of heart disease, type II diabetes and cancer as well as lower cholesterol.   

SYNERGY HomeCare’s wide range of in home care is designed to keep seniors living safely and comfortably in their own homes.  Our non-medical services are fully customizable and offer individuals solutions for living independently while getting the assistance they need.  Services include help with basic daily activities, meal preparation, transportation, light housekeeping, and grocery shopping right through to live-in care and more.      

**This is for informational purposes only.  Before you start any exercises, consult your health care provider**

SYNERGY HomeCare is one of the Greater Austin area’s most trusted agencies for non-medical home care.  We provide families with affordable, reliable and compassionate services that include everything from short term wellness visits to live-in care.  Please contact us to discuss the range of services we can provide for your loved one.  Our offices are conveniently located throughout Austin.    

Sources: everydayhealth.com/news/most-common-health-concerns-seniors/, familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/seniors/staying-healthy/good-health-habits-at-age-60-and-beyond.html

Tips to Help Seniors Drive Safely

The Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) state that in 2012 “more than 5,560 older adults were killed and more than 214,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes. This amounts to 15 older adults killed and 586 injured in crashes on average every day.”  While senior drivers can be safe drivers, there are a few considerations they need to take into account.

The CDC list several steps that seniors can take to help them be a safe driver.  One of the suggestions is to stay as active as possible because to drive well, you need to be flexible and have a good range of motion.  Drivers need to turn their head easily and be able to look over their shoulder.  They also say to talk to your health care provider regarding any side effects of prescription and over-the-counter medications you take to see if they can interfere with your ability to drive such as drowsiness.  Another one of their tips is to leave plenty of space between you and the car ahead as seniors’ reflexes are slower. 

The Mayo Clinic also cautions senior drivers to get regular eye exams.  Eye problems can cause blurred vision or difficulty with night vision.  In addition as we age our peripheral vision decreases.  Hearing problems can also affect a senior’s ability to safely drive as they interfere with hearing sirens or vehicles approaching.   

The Mayo Clinic’s other commonsense tips include planning your route before you go and to try to stay on familiar streets whenever possible.  Limit trips to places that are easy to drive to and close to home and avoid routes that require risky left-hand turns or busy freeway ramps.  Additionally elderly drivers should avoid driving at night or in poor weather conditions as well as when they are tired or stressed.  Finally always wear a seat belt and avoid distraction such as talking on the phone or listening to the radio. 

SYNERGY HomeCare provides a broad range of physical care services for individuals of all ages and for any ailments.  Along with personal daily care, meal preparation, light housekeeping, we also provide transportation services for things such as doctor appointments, running errands and grocery shopping.  Contact us to learn more.    

SYNERGY HomeCare is one of the most respected agencies in Central Texas for non-medical home care.  With three offices located in the greater Austin area, we provide senior care, recovery assistance and respite for family caregivers as well as assist clients dealing with dementia, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, Parkinson’s and more. Please contact us to discuss our range of options for providing your family peace of mind with professional home health care.

Sources:cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/older_adult_drivers/,mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/senior-health/art-20046397?pg=2

Respite Care is Important for Caregivers

While a labor of love, the role of a family caregiver is extremely demanding and no one should expend that amount of time and energy without the temporary relief of respite care.  By taking a break from caregiving duties, you will have the chance to rest, recharge, and put your physical and emotional health needs ahead of others for a period of time. 

Caregiver Action Network (CAN), the nation’s leading organization committed to working to improve the quality of life for family caregivers, has a list of helpful tips for caregivers.  One of their first suggestions is to seek out support from other caregivers as it is helpful to know you are not alone.  Support groups provide an opportunity to share caregiving experiences and to get advice from others.  Organizations such as CAN will help you find a group that meets your needs.  The next tip is to remember to take care of your own health so you are able to care for your loved one.  Also they want caregivers to accept offers of help from others and to be specific in how they can help. 

Another thing the Network suggests is to learn how to communicate effectively with your loved one’s doctors and they provide links to tips that show you how.  In addition they recommend that caregivers take respite breaks often.  And if they are feeling depressed, they need to seek help from a professional immediately.   

CAN’s other suggestions include being open to new technologies that may be helpful to your family member.  Also they state the importance of organizing and maintaining medical records as well as keeping legal documents up-to-date.  Finally they remind caregivers to give themselves credit for doing one of the toughest jobs there is. 

At San Antonio’s SYNERGY HomeCare, we make it possible to take some much-needed time for yourself while still meeting the needs of your loved one with our professional respite care services.  We customize care to meet your family’s needs and our team of compassionate caregivers is trained to care for individuals of all ages and any ailment whether it is for a few hours every so often or on a regular basis. 

As one of the most respected agencies for home care in the Greater San Antonio area, SYNERGY HomeCare offers families affordable and compassionate services for all ages, from expectant mothers to seniors.  We work with you to create a customized CarePlan for in home care for yourself or a loved one.  Please contact us to learn more about our range of services for professional in home care.   

 Sources: caregiveraction.org/resources/ten-tips/

Exercises to Improve Balance

Balance exercises are a good way to enhance coordination and to help prevent falls.  They are especially important for seniors as every year over one-third of people 65 years or older experience a fall.  Furthermore, fall-related injuries seriously affect seniors and are often the contributing factor to limiting activities and losing the ability to live independently. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that 90 percent of hip fractures are caused by falls, and 20 to 30 percent of falls cause moderate to severe injuries as well as increased risk of early death.   Some common health issues associated with growing old can adversely affect balance such as vision problems, inner ear problems, decreased muscle mass, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, low and high blood pressure, heart disease, infections, and some medications.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends that seniors integrate balance exercises along with certain strength exercises to improve “your ability to control and maintain your body's position, whether you are moving or still.”  They recommend five simple exercises that can be done daily in your own home and do not require any special equipment.  To get started you just need to position yourself near a wall, chair, or counter to hold on to if needed.  The balance exercises include:  standing on one foot, walking heel to toe, balance walk, back leg raises, and side leg raises.   

The exercises only take a matter of minutes to do and you will find detailed explanations and videos showing you how to do each exercise on their website.  The NIH also adds the following safety tips: Have a sturdy chair or a person nearby to hold on to if you feel unsteady and to talk to your doctor if you are unsure about doing a particular exercise. 

* This blog is for informational purposes only.  Before starting any exercises, consult your health care provider.

SYNERGY HomeCare is one of the most respected agencies in the Greater Austin area for non-medical home care.  Our affordable, reliable and compassionate services provide families with everything from live-in care to short term wellness visits.  Please contact us to discuss our range of options for providing your family peace of mind with professional home care in the Austin area.    

Sources:nihseniorhealth.gov/exerciseandphysicalactivityexercisestotry/balanceexercises/01.html

agingcare.com/Articles/balance-exercises-for-seniors-151016.htm