Keeping it Simple (KISBYTO): Healthy Aging

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Healthy Aging 2013 Follow-up

By Terry Orr

Establishing and maintaining good healthy habits early in life provide significant dividends later in life – annual checkups, monitoring your vitals and weight, keeping track of medications taken and for what, and staying current with new medical, dental and mental advancements.

Prior to each visit to my healthcare team, the following information is updated, printed provided to them – very handy paper.

*Medication*	*Dosage*	*Frequency*	*When*	*Refills*	*Date*
Coreg	80mg	Daily	Breakfast	2	8/1/13
Ecotrin	325mg	Daily	Bedtime	N/A
Fish Oil	1000mg	2 x Daily	Break/Dinner	N/A
Diovan	320mg	Daily	Lunch	3	7/17/13
Singular	10mg	Daily	Dinner	2	8/15/13

*Date*	*Time*	*Glucose*	*Time*	BP	*Time*	*Weight*
7/17/13	0700	118	0730	120/80/72	0715	180
	2100	131
8/15/13	0645	121	0700	121/78/70	0710	179

Notes for Doctor:

8/27/13 – 9/4/13 Sinus infection with low-grade fever: Sinus rinse twice daily; Tylenol; and Mucinex DM maximum strength.

8/22-23/13 Stress test: two parts – reported results were good.

Upcoming Healthcare Appointments:

10/24/13 Eye Doctor (Annual)

11/12/13 Primary Care (Quarterly Checkup)

12/10/13 Dermatology (Checkup)

1/14/14 Foot & Ankle (Semi-annual)

2/10/14 Dentist (Teeth cleaning and annual checkup)

Still looking for a single app that will do most of this tracking and other items – while there are some apps that provide most of it –you generally need two or more apps.

Our two previous post on aging can be found:

http://kisbyto.blogspot.com/2011/09/celebrating-healthy-aging-month.html

http://kisbyto.blogspot.com/2012/09/healthy-aging-month-update.html

Myths About Healthy Aging (from www.helpguide.org )

MYTH: Aging means declining health and/or disability.

Fact: There are some diseases that become more common as we age. However, getting older does not automatically mean poor health or that you will be confined to a walker or wheelchair. Plenty of older adults enjoy vigorous health, often better than many younger people. Preventive measures like healthy eating, exercising, and managing stress can help reduce the risk of chronic disease or injuries later in life.

MYTH: Memory loss is an inevitable part of aging.

Fact: As you age, you may eventually notice you don’t remember things as easily as in the past, or memories may start to take a little longer to retrieve. However, significant memory loss is not an inevitable result of aging. Brain training and new learning can occur at any age and there are many things you can do to keep your memory sharp. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll reap the benefits.

MYTH: You can’t teach ‘an old dog new tricks’.

Fact: One of the more damaging myths of aging is that after a certain age, you just won’t be able to try anything new or contribute things anymore. The opposite is true. Middle aged and older adults are just as capable of learning new things and thriving in new environments, plus they have the wisdom that comes with life experience. If you believe in and have confidence in yourself, you are setting up a positive environment for change no matter what your age.

A wonderful and informative health website is WebMD! Found this neat guide while researching this article. Do yourself a favor and bookmark this site.

WebMD’s 50 and Over Guide

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/default.htm

Staying Healthy

Eating Right

Good Nutrition for Aging

Slideshow: Avoiding Problem Foods as You Age

Slideshow: Eating for a Long Life

Menopause, Weight Gain, and Exercise Tips

Slideshow: Brain Foods That Help You Concentrate

Staying Active

Getting Fit for Life

Over 40, Fit, and Ready to Bare Arms

Video: Repairing Boomer Athletes

Looking Good

Video: Make Hands Look Young

Premature Graying

The Effects of Aging on Skin

Wrinkles

Natural Beauty Tips for Women Over 50

Women's Hair Loss Slideshow: Thinning Hair Causes and Solutions

Men's Hair Loss: Treatments and Solutions

Healthy Sleep

Sleep and Aging

Prevention

Health Check: What Is Your Cancer Risk?

Preventing Hearing Loss

Preventing Slips and Falls

Genes vs. Lifestyle: What Matters Most for Health?

Cataract Prevention

Preventing Vision Problems

Memory & Staying Sharp

Memory

Emotional and Mental Vitality

Forgetfulness: It's Not Always What You Think

Midlife Crisis

Make a Midlife Crisis Work for You

Coping With Changes

Empty Nest: Launching Adult Children

Life Stages: Retirement

Stress Management

Depression After Age 65

Transportation and Driving

Family & Friends

Sex and Relationships

Sex and Aging

Sexual Vitality

Sexuality and Physical Changes With Aging in Men

Caregiving

Caregiving Assessment

Financial Planning for Caregivers

Helping Older Adults Manage the Outside World

Caregiving and Your Loved One's Health

Legal Issues of Caregiving

Seven Tips for New Caregivers

Caring for Parents: Routine Care

Starting Your Role As Caregiver

Health Care 101

Medical Tests

Milestone Medical Tests in Your 50s

Medical Tests for Your 60s and Up

Your Health Care

Dos and Don'ts of Drug Safety

Tool: Find a Doctor

Buyer Beware: Health Scams

Generic Drugs: Answers to Common Questions

Live Longer

Video: Longevity Clues in DNA

Slideshow: 18 Secrets for a Longer Life

Planning for the Future

Independent Living

What Is Assisted Living?

Video: 'Smart' House for Aging

Video: Seniorizing Your Home

Life Choices

Advance Directives

Support & Resources

Resources

Aging Better: Resources

Friday, September 7, 2012

Healthy Aging Month - Update

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By Terry Orr

Take charge of your health by being proactive!

Healthy Aging Month was created to give seniors and those soon-to-be seniors encouragement in taking little steps that can greatly affect quality their quality of life into the future.

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You can take charge of our own health by taking a few simple but important proactive steps (from Bay Health):

See your doctor! Whether you are trying to resolve that ache in your abdomen or just have an important question, maintaining a relationship with your doctor allows your physician to help you manage existing health issues and prevent future health disparities.
Get your screenings! Screenings help detect potential health issues in the earliest, most treatable stages. Whether it’s a mammogram for women over age 40, or a prostate screening for a man over age 50, these screenings are literally lifesavers!
Educate yourself about your health. In today’s cyber age, an infinite array of health information is available at your computer. Pick up a book from the library or attend one of the myriad of free health seminars available in your community.

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WebMD has an excellent section dedicated to healthy aging (see link below) “50+: Live Better, Longer”. Good basic and advance information for those of us 50 and over and for caregivers.

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The National Council of Aging (NCOA) is another interesting web site that provides a wealth of good information. An example is their summary of Chronic Disease - About 91% of older adults have a least one chronic condition, and 73% have at least two. Chronic conditions – such as diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, and lung disease – seriously compromise the quality of life of older adults, often forcing them to give up their independence too soon.

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Another helpful and informative website is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Senior Health. I encourage everyone to spend a few minutes at each of these sites, take a good look at what is available and bookmark them for future reference.

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10 Tips for Re-Inventing Yourself during September is Healthy Aging Month (from Healthy Aging):

JOB HUNTING? YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO BE AN INTERN.
BACK TO SCHOOL. Go get that additional education you have been dreaming about.
TAKE A VOLUNTEER VACATION. Visit New Places, Connect, and Give Back. Many travelers today are opting out of the self-indulgent vacation and opting in for the chance to “give back” through a volunteer vacation
DANCE LIKE THERE’S NO TOMORROW. Older adults getting regular physical exercise are 60% less likely to get dementia. Exercise increases oxygen to the brain and releases a protein that strengthens cells and neurons. Dance involves all of the above plus the cerebral activity present in learning and memory.
HIT THE ROAD. Travel is one of the top picks when people are asked what they would do if they had more time. Sometimes the money factor makes that dream fall apart.
BECOME A ROCK N ROLL STAR. For a weekend anyway. Here’s a good one for the buck list. Check out Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp (www.RockCamp.com), where mere mortals jam with rock legends, write/record an original song and play live on stage at a major concert venue.
Learn to paint a landscape or still life. Complete A Landscape, seascape, floral or still life painting in one class. No painting experience necessary.
FOLLOW YOUR PASSION. Try a new sport or pick up on one you left behind in your early days.
EAT FRESH. Make a commitment to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. September is still harvest time in many areas so seek out local farmers markets and buy local produce.
RE-INVENT YOURSELF IN NAPA VALLEY. Travel to the famed wine country this Fall and take a wine tasting course or cooking course.

For me, it has been working this blog site and I am truly thankful for the support and assistance in making this a reality and a labor of love.

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From WebMD the Magazine – Feature by Matt McMillen offers the following:

Get moving. Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy body and brain.
Stay social. Take a class, volunteer, play games, see old friends, and make new ones.
Bulk up. Eat beans and other high-fiber foods for digestive and heart health.
Add some spice. Add herbs and spices to your meals if medications dull your taste buds.
Stay balanced. Practice yoga or tai chi to improve agility and prevent falls.
Take a hike. Brisk daily walks this September can bolster both your heart and lungs.
Sleep well. Talk to a sleep specialist if you don’t sleep soundly through the night.
Beat the blues. If you’ve been down for a while, see a doctor. Depression can be treated.
Don’t forget. To aid your memory, make lists, follow routines, slow down, and organize.