Monday, October 25, 2010

Anti-Aging Tips for a Youthful Mind, Body, Spirit in Montgomery County PA

Anti-aging is a common term that attracts a lot of attention.  I found this good article on Inside Elder Care that has some good anti-aging tips for you.  Here is an excerpt below, to read the full article Click Here.

By: Ryan Malone


Anti-Aging Tips for a Youthful Mind, Body, Spirit

The desire for youthful energy never leaves and is capable of staying with you well until your later years. Boomers are, however, faced with the old adage, “use it or lose it.” It’s no wonder boomers are keen to put passion back into their lives and fight the effects of aging. True we are living in a society with an obesity epidemic and what a better motivator than living an independent life well into ones retirement with an increased zest and ability to perform activities of daily living with greater ease and function.

How do function and aging co-exist and blend with fitness? They are a twin-ship, even if we don’t see them that way. No one wants to feel and look old before their time. Much of what we blame on aging: weakness, decreased range of motion and obesity can be reversed in 30 days. How do we look and feel younger in 30 days? Through a blissful discipline called Functional Fitness.

Americans are getting older every minute and life expectancy is ever-increasing. People leading full productive lives after the age of retirement are no longer a “wow.” Most baby boomers want to live active lives and learn how to enjoy a fulfilling active life. You’re as fit as your body is functional. Contrary to popular opinion, not even all young people are limber, for keeping flexibility relies on regular stretching. However flexibility, one of the three primary components of physical fitness, is extremely important to attaining a healthy life. Without flexibility, simple activities, such as reaching and bending become painful.

Continue reading by Clicking Here.

For more information on Elder Care in the Montgomery County PA area visit our website at http://www.family-caregivers.com/.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Cancer Survivors May Be at Risk for Memory Problems in Montgomery County PA

If you or an aging loved one is a cancer survivior, the article that I found on Health Day News, is a must read.  Read the full article below.

Cancer Survivors May Be at Risk for Memory Problems


HealthDay News) -- Memory problems are common among people who have a history of cancer, new research reveals.

In fact, cancer survivors are 40 percent more likely than those who haven't had cancer to experience the kind of memory impairment -- called "cancer-related cognitive dysfunction" -- that compromises their ability to function on a daily basis, the study authors reported.

"One of the most important parts of cancer treatment is management of symptoms, such as impairments in attention, memory and fatigue, in order to improve a patient's quality of life," Pascal Jean-Pierre, an assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, said in a news release from the American Association for Cancer Research.

"This study suggests these memory issues are more common than had been recognized before, and should be assessed in all patients with a history of cancer," he added.

Jean-Pierre stressed that the findings, drawn from a nationwide sampling of cancer patients, suggest "that memory impairment in cancer patients is a national problem that we must pay special attention to."

Jean-Pierre and his associates were scheduled to present their observations Friday at the American Association for Cancer Research Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities, in Miami.

To assess a possible memory-cancer connection, the study authors analyzed data taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which was conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From the more than 9,800 Americans polled, just over 1,300 (all 40 years of age and up) said they had a history of battling cancer.

To read the original article Click Here.
Remember for the best in Home Care in the Allentown, PA area visit our website at http://www.family-caregivers.com/.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Is Your Parent Depressed in Montgomery County PA ?

We don't typically think of our aging loved one as going through depression, however it is a lot more common than you would think.  I found this article on Prevention.com that explains depression in seniors.  Here is an excerpt below, to read the full article Click Here.

Is Your Parent Depressed?


7 million Americans over age 65 suffer from the disease, and many are not getting the help they need. Here's how to make sure your mom or dad isn't one of them.

By Trisha Gura, PhD

Amy Caldwell first sensed that her mother was depressed during a phone call last September. "My life is miserable," said the 77-year-old widow, who lives in Tempe, AZ, and suffers from asthma. "I don't want to live any longer."

Caldwell's heart sank. Was this a genuine suicide threat? Caldwell, 43, who lives in Boston, decided not to take a chance and flew out to see her mom.

She set up appointments with a family physician and pulmonologist, who put her mother on a new regimen that eased her breathing problems for a couple of months. But then her mother suffered another attack and, during a dispiriting phone conversation with Caldwell's brother, dropped another bomb: "I should just get a razor, slit my wrists, and get this over with already."

This time, Caldwell's brother hopped on a plane, while Caldwell contemplated the inescapable truth: In addition to the physical ailments her mother suffered from, she was very likely depressed.

That put her mom in the company of 2 million other Americans over age 65 who suffer from depression, as well as another 5 million who struggle with some but not all symptoms of the crippling disease. Their plight is one of the great hushed-up scandals of American health care:

As many as 90% of people suffering from depression in late life are not getting the care they need. The suicide rate in adults age 75 and older is a shocking 1 1/2 times the average--higher than that of any other group, including teenagers.

Elderly people receiving home care are twice as likely to suffer major depression as those in nursing homes. A whopping 78% of them receive no treatment at all. Patients diagnosed with major depression spend almost twice as much money on their health care as patients who don't have the disease.

Read more from Prevention.com by clicking HERE.

Remember for the best in Home Care in the Allentown, PA area visit our website at http://www.family-caregivers.com/.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

More Than 3M Seniors may Have to Switch Drug Plans in Allentown, PA

With all of the changes to healthcare many seniors who have Medicare will be required to switch drup plans.  I found this article on The Associated Press that explains this change being made within Medicare.  Read the full article below.

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR (AP)


WASHINGTON — A plan by Medicare to try to make it simpler for consumers to pick drug coverage could force 3 million seniors to switch plans next year whether they like it or not, says an independent analysis.

That risks undercutting President Barack Obama's promise that people can keep their health plans if they like them.

And it could be an unwelcome surprise for many seniors who hadn't intended to make a change during Medicare's open enrollment season this fall.

The analysis by Avalere Health, a leading private research firm, estimated that more than 3 million beneficiaries will see their prescription plan eliminated as part of a new effort by Medicare to winnow down duplicative coverage and offer consumers more meaningful choices.

Seniors would not lose coverage, but they could see changes in their premiums and copayments.

Medicare officials dismissed the Avalere estimate without offering their own number. "Anybody who is producing that kind of analysis is simply guessing," said Jonathan Blum, deputy administrator for Medicare.

But Bonnie Washington, a senior analyst with Avalere, said the company's analysis used Medicare's specifications.

For example, Medicare has already notified insurers they will no longer be able to offer more than one "basic" drug plan in any given location. Several major prescription plans, including CVS-Caremark and AARP, offered two basic options throughout the country this year, Washington said. Eliminating that particular form of duplication among the top plans would force 2.75 million beneficiaries to find new coverage, according to Avalere's estimate.

When other changes are taken into account, as many as 3.7 million Medicare recipients may have to switch, the analysis concluded. That amounts to about 20 percent of the 17.5 million enrolled in stand-alone drug plans.

Avalere serves industry and government clients with in-depth research on Medicare and Medicaid. The company's president was a health care budget analyst in the Clinton White House.

Former Medicare administrator Leslie Norwalk said the change might make things easier for people signing up for Medicare but harder for those already in the program.

"If you're in a plan that you like and you have to change it, it will be disruptive," said Norwalk, acting administrator under President George W. Bush. "It depends on how (Medicare) handles it to try to make it as seamless as possible."

Found: Associated Press

To read the original article Click Here.

Remember to visit our website at http://www.family-caregivers.com/ for the best in Home Care.