Older Americans and National Senior Health and Fitness

By Terry Orr

Older Americans Month

The Older Americans Act of 1965 (Pub.L. 89–73, 79 Stat. 218, July 14, 1965) was the first federal level initiative aimed at providing comprehensive services for older adults. It created the National Aging Network comprising the Administration on Aging on the federal level, State Units on Aging, and Area Agencies on Aging at the local level. The network provides funding - based primarily on the percentage of an area's population 60 and older - for nutrition and supportive home and community-based services, disease prevention/health promotion services, elder rights programs, the National Family Caregiver Support Program, and the Native American Caregiver Support Program. (Source: Wikipedia)

Programs created to support OAA (Source: Wikipedia):

• Administration on Aging (AoA) established under the Department of Health and Human Services as the federal level advocate for the aging population, and coordinator for service delivery to the elderly
• National Eldercare Locator Service a toll free hotline for identifying community resources
• Support Services to promote independence with regard to transportation, home care, legal aid, case management, and adult day care,
• Nutrition Programs including congregate and home delivered meals
• National Family Caregiver Support Program to provide respite services, education, training, and counseling to seniors providing kinship care, and to the caregivers of seniors
• Health Promotion providing educational services, counseling and consultation
• Aging and Disability Resource Centers to facilitate the dissemination of information on available resources
• The Community Service Senior Opportunities Act (OAA Title V) which works with the Department of Labor to provide employment opportunities for seniors
• Grants to Tribal Organizations
• The Long-term Care Ombudsman Program
• Elder Abuse, neglect, and exploitation public education services

National Senior Health and Fitness Day

National Senior Health & Fitness Day is honored on the last Wednesday of every May as part of Older Americans Month and National Physical Fitness and Sports Month activities.

The goal: To promote the importance of regular physical activity, and to showcase what local groups are doing to help improve the health of older adults in their communities.

Regular physical activity is essential for healthy aging. Adults aged 65 years and older gain substantial health benefits from regular physical activity, and these benefits continue to occur throughout their lives. Promoting physical activity for older adults is especially important because this population is the least physically active of any age group.

The benefits of physical activity include:

• Helping to maintain the ability to live independently and reduces the risk of falling and fracturing bones;
• Reducing the risk of dying from coronary heart disease and of developing high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes;
• Helping reduce blood pressure in some people with hypertension;
• Helping people with chronic, disabling conditions improve their stamina and muscle strength;
• Reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression and fosters improvements in mood and feelings of well-being;
• Helping maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints; and
• Helping control joint swelling and pain associated with arthritis.

In the meantime, here are some simple health tips from Healthfinder that will help keep you aging well:

• Keep your body and mind active
• Choose healthy foods
• Get regular checkups
• Take steps to prevent accidents

Always consult your doctor before starting an exercise program, or drastically changing your diet. It is also very important to take an active role in preventing sickness.

References and Links:

http://www.aarp.org

http://www.olderamericansmonth.acl.gov

http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/index.aspx

(Images from Google)

Understanding Senior Independence

(Google Image)

By Nurse Diane

From a teacher who asked her third grade to write how they spent their spring break holiday. One child wrote about visiting his Grandparents at their Retirement Home.

"We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa. They used to live here in a big brick house, but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Arizona. Now they live in a place with a lot of other retarded people.

"They live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like grass. They ride around on big tricycles and wear name tags because they don't know who they are anymore.

"They go to a building called a wrecked center, but they must have got it fixed, because it is all right now.

"They play games and do exercises there, but they don't do them very well. There is a swimming pool too, but they just jump up and down in it with their hats on. I guess they don't know how to swim.

"At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it. He watches all day so nobody can escape. Sometimes they sneak out. Then they go cruising in their golf carts.

"My Grandma used to bake cookies and stuff, but I guess she forgot how.

"Nobody there cooks, they just eat out. And they eat the same thing every night: 'Early Birds Dinners'.

"Some of the people can't get past the man in the doll house to go out. So, the ones who do get out bring food back to the wrecked center and call it pot luck.

"My Grandma says Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too. When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house.

"Then I will let people out so they can visit their grandchildren."

(Google Image)

This is National Senior Independence Month.  Senior Adults are living longer, and staying healthier.  Many adult children who have lost a parent have concerns about the remaining parent being alone, and being able to take care of themselves.  However there are many things that can ease their fears about living alone.

1.    They can check on them regularly, or call daily,

2.    Help with grocery shopping or contact Meals on Wheels if necessary.

3.    Keep check on medications, making sure they know when to take them and what they are being prescribed for.  Make sure they are able to open the bottles too.

4.    Make the home safe from falls or fires by removing throw rugs and checking to make sure electrical outlets aren't overloaded.

5.    Make sure there is plenty of space to move around the room freely without bumping into furniture.

6.    Make sure there are proper locks on doors and windows.

7.    Obtain a service to contact emergency assistance at the push of a button.

8.    Install handles in the bathroom

9.    Make sure there is proper lighting and working bulbs.  Have a flash light handy for when electricity goes out.

(Google Image)

Adults want to keep their independence for as long as possible.  My family has been fortunate, they have all been able to stay home during their lives, and have been able to take care of themselves with little assistance.  With a few precautionary measures, the senior adults in your life should be able to function at home without any difficulty, if they have no serious medical conditions that would prevent that.  Senior adults deserve our time, assistance and patience as well as our respect.   If you have any seniors in your life who are living independently, take some time this month to check on them and make sure they have the things they need to make their lives more comfortable.