BY KATE KELLAND, HEALTH AND SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT, REUTERS MAY 19, 2010
It's clear that the simple fact of growing older - chronological ageing - is relentless and unstoppable. But experts studying the science of ageing say it's time for a fresh look at the biological process.
LONDON -- Is ageing a disease?
It's clear that the simple fact of growing older - chronological ageing - is relentless and unstoppable. But experts studying the science of ageing say it's time for a fresh look at the biological process - one which recognises it as a condition that can be manipulated, treated and delayed.
Taking this new approach would turn the search for drugs to fight age-related diseases on its head, they say, and could speed the path to market of drugs that treat multiple illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer's at the same time.
"If ageing is seen as a disease, it changes how we respond to it. For example, it becomes the duty of doctors to treat it," say something as general as ageing.
"Because ageing is not viewed as a disease, the whole process of
bringing drugs to market can't be applied to drugs that treat ageing. This creates a disincentive to pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs to treat it," said Gems.
The ability of humans to live longer and longer lives is being demonstrated in abundance across the world.
Average life expectancies extended by as much as 30 years in developed countries during the 20th century and experts expect the same or more to happen again in this century.
A study published last year by Danish researchers estimated that more than half of all babies born in wealthy nations since the year 2000 will live to see their 100th birthdays.
"THERE'S ONE THING WE'RE ALL MISSING"
But with greater age comes a heavier burden of age-related disease.
Cases of dementia and Alzheimer's, incurable brain-wasting conditions, are expected to almost double every 20 years to around 66 million in 2030 and over 115 million in 2050.
Diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and the cost of coping with them in ageing populations, are also set to rise dramatically in coming decades in rich and poor countries alike.
Nir Barzilai of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University in New York, says one way of trying to face down this enormous burden of disease is to look at the biggest risk factor common to all of them - ageing.
"There's one thing everybody is missing," he said. "Ageing is common for all of these diseases - and yet we're not investigating the common mechanism for all of them. We are just looking at the specific diseases."
To try to reverse that, Barzilai and many other scientists around the world are studying the genes of the very old and starting to find the genetic mechanisms, or pathways, that help them beat off the dementias, cancers, heart diseases and other age-related illnesses that bring down others who die younger.
By finding the genes thought to help determine longevity, scientists think they may be able to mimic their action to not only extend life span, but, crucially, extend health span.
It is ... looking increasingly likely that pharmacological manipulation of these ... pathways could form the basis of new preventative medicines for diseases ageing, and ageing itself," said Andrew Dillin of the Salk Institute in California and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Gems says institutional and ideological barriers are standing in the way - and a major one is the longstanding traditional view that ageing is not a disease, but a natural, benign process that should not be interfered with.
CHANGING ATTITUDES?
All three experts say, however, that the ground is shifting in their direction.
There is now a "groundswell" of specialists in ageing, says Dillin, who are lobbying the world's biggest drug regulator, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to consider redefining ageing as a disease in its own right.
Major scientific research bodies like the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Medical Research Council in Britain are also under pressure to put more emphasis - and funding - into studying how ageing increases disease risk.
For biogerontologis‰s, as scientists who study the biology of ageing are known, the struggle is to convince people that their goal in unpicking the science behind ageing is no longer life, but healthier life.
"The whole reason that we study the ageing process is not actually to make people live a lot longer, it's to get people to have a more healthy lifespan," said Dillin.
He sees it as a matter of re-educating the public and health authorities to see biological ageing in a new light.
"When we are in the public arena we tell people we're working on the ageing process, the first thing they think is that we want to make a a 100-year-old person live to be 250 - and that's actually the furthest from the truth," he said.
"What I want is for a 60-year-old person who is predisposed to have Alzheimer's to be able to delay that, live to be 80, and get to know their grandchildren."
© Copyright (c) Reuters
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Moms in the middle: 'Sandwich Generation' mothers manage life on overload
BY DEBBIE SWARTZ •DSWARTZ@GANNETT.COM • MAY 8, 2010, 8:35 PM
While they've always been known for making boo-boos better with a kiss, tucking tired children into their beds at night and staying up until the wee hours to bake cupcakes for a party at school, many mothers are finding themselves with another labor of love; caring for their ill or elderly mothers.
For moms like Roxanne St. Ives of Port Crane, taking care of her two children, Thomas, 14, and Penny 12, along with her mother Lucille, is a conscious choice to keep her family together.
"I know she's not being watched by a stranger," St. Ives said. "Plus, she gets to watch the children grow."
Kathee Shaff of Lansing, Joan Mandell of Elmira and dozens of other women across Central New York and the Southern Tier have made similar decisions.
Known as the Sandwich Generation, more and more individuals -- nearly 20 million according to published statistics -- are finding themselves taking care of their children as well as their parents.
The requirements for the job of taking care of ones' children and their ailing mother can be daunting: Superb time management and listening skills, basic first aid training -- and in some cases nursing training -- the ability to feed hungry bellies, administer medication, help with homework, chauffer to appointments, and somehow try find time for their own needs. Continue reading athttp://www.pressconnects.com/article/20100508/NEWS01/5080388/1112/NEWS01/Moms-in-the-middle-Sandwich-Generation-mothers-manage-life-on-overload
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
While they've always been known for making boo-boos better with a kiss, tucking tired children into their beds at night and staying up until the wee hours to bake cupcakes for a party at school, many mothers are finding themselves with another labor of love; caring for their ill or elderly mothers.
For moms like Roxanne St. Ives of Port Crane, taking care of her two children, Thomas, 14, and Penny 12, along with her mother Lucille, is a conscious choice to keep her family together.
"I know she's not being watched by a stranger," St. Ives said. "Plus, she gets to watch the children grow."
Kathee Shaff of Lansing, Joan Mandell of Elmira and dozens of other women across Central New York and the Southern Tier have made similar decisions.
Known as the Sandwich Generation, more and more individuals -- nearly 20 million according to published statistics -- are finding themselves taking care of their children as well as their parents.
The requirements for the job of taking care of ones' children and their ailing mother can be daunting: Superb time management and listening skills, basic first aid training -- and in some cases nursing training -- the ability to feed hungry bellies, administer medication, help with homework, chauffer to appointments, and somehow try find time for their own needs. Continue reading athttp://www.pressconnects.com/article/20100508/NEWS01/5080388/1112/NEWS01/Moms-in-the-middle-Sandwich-Generation-mothers-manage-life-on-overload
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
Saturday, April 24, 2010
A Graying Population, a Graying Work Force
Mary-Lou O’Neill, 73, has been helping Grace Jackson, 101, for four years. “It’s developed into a friendship,” Ms. Jackson said.
By JOHN LELAND
Published: April 24, 2010
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — One recent morning Antonia Antonaccio, a home care aide, got a call to help an elderly couple whose regular aide could not make it. The regular aide, who is 68 years old, had thrown out her back.
Related
Antonia Antonaccio, 73, provides home care for Carmine Spino, 89, and his wife, Mary, 88.
Ms. Antonaccio said she empathized. Sometimes her legs hurt from going up and down stairs. “But it’s nothing I pay attention to,” she said. “I don’t have the time.”
Ms. Antonaccio is 73.
In an aging population, the elderly are increasingly being taken care of by the elderly. Professional caregivers — almost all of them women — are one of the fastest-growing segments of the American work force, and also one of the grayest.
A recent study by PHI National, a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of caregivers, found that in 2008, 28 percent of home care aides were over age 55, compared with 18 percent of women in the overall work force.
The organization projects that from 2008 to 2018, the number of direct care workers, which includes those in nursing homes, will grow to 4.3 million from 3.2 million. The percentage of older caregivers is projected to grow to 30 percent from 22 percent.
The average caregiver in Rhode Island from Home Instead Senior Care, the private agency that employs Ms. Antonaccio, is about 60, said Valerie Topp, chief operating officer for the state franchise. Younger aides often do not work out, Ms. Topp said, adding that clients frequently ask that the agency not send over someone too young.
“The older ones came to us after being family caregivers, so they understood the stresses that families were under,” Ms. Topp said. “They came with respect for age. They didn’t see age as a disability.”
Carmine Spino, 89, and his wife, Mary, 88, who are hoping to live out their lives without moving to a nursing home, are two of Ms. Antonaccio’s clients. She often shares stories about growing up in Italy during World War II; Mr. Spino served in the war — a common ground. They know the same music, share the same cultural reference points.
And as Mrs. Spino, who was always quiet, has become more withdrawn with the onset of dementia, Mr. Spino relies on their caregivers for conversation.
“We talk about our experiences,” he said of Ms. Antonaccio. “I don’t look at her as a stranger.”
Caregivers often nurse their own aches and pains, or manage their medications, as they tend to those of their clients, said Dorie Seavey, director of policy research for PHI National. Clients who have to be lifted may not be suited to some older workers, she said.
Linnette Hutchinson, 71, of Tucson, said she often had the same complaints as her clients. “Your eyes are going, and the aches and pains,” she said. “Your back, your legs, your teeth. The aging process sets in.” Ms. Hutchinson has had spinal surgery but still works four hours a day.
For Mara Torres-Rullan, 74, also of Tucson, the big challenge is pain. She started work as a caregiver in 1987 after a divorce; in recent years she has cut her hours because of arthritis.
“My last lady, I had to put pantyhose on her,” Ms. Torres-Rullan said. “I thought my back was going to break in half.”
She continues to work because she needs the money, but she refuses any clients who want vacuuming done because the work is too painful.
In Plymouth, Mass., Judy Brueggeman, 68, felt increasingly fatigued last year and had a stress test on her heart. “After three to five seconds on the treadmill, the doctor shut it off and told me to lie down and be quiet,” she said. She had triple bypass surgery in September.
But even so, she is now back on the job, putting in 12-hour weeks. “This is perfect for me,” she said. “I love my clients, and I love my work.” In some ways, Ms. Brueggeman said, the work has gotten easier because she is better at it than when she started, in 1991. “I learned a lot from my clients, especially not to talk too much,” she said. “They want to do the talking.”
But the industry does not have career paths for workers as they get older, putting a strain on them to continue with the most physically demanding aspects of the job, Ms. Seavey said. “If you look at older women as an asset, to train younger workers, they can be valuable,” she said. Ms. Antonaccio worked in the jewelry industry for 40 years before retiring, then went to work as a caregiver after her husband’s death, drawn by the flexible hours. She did not need health benefits because she was eligible for Medicare. She did need a sense of purpose.
“At 65, I felt my life was ending,” she said. “I took care of my mother, then my mother-in-law, then my husband, then I went into this. And I don’t have any intention to stop.”
Home Instead pays her roughly half the $19.25 an hour it charges clients in Rhode Island.
Her age, she said, makes her more sympathetic to the needs of her clients.
“They need someone to understand them,” she said. “When I first came, Carmine was in the hospital” — Mr. Spino was having respiratory problems — “and Mary was scared. She didn’t understand what was going on. She woke up and her husband wasn’t there. She wanted to call him every five minutes. I had to say he needs his sleep.”
Grace Jackson, who is 101, said she never wanted a helper at home and resented Mary-Lou O’Neill, 73, when she arrived four years ago at Ms. Jackson’s daughters’ insistence. But as their relationship has grown, “It’s developed into a friendship,” Ms. Jackson said, adding that friends who had younger aides were often offended by their manners or language.
Ms. O’Neill worked as a nurse until she was 66, then found herself restless in retirement. Now, she is one of the large number of Americans in their 70s who are still active and robust, without physical pain or limitations. She works only for Ms. Jackson.
“She’s a role model to me,” Ms. O’Neill said. “When she has physical problems, she doesn’t complain.”
Ms. Jackson said she appreciated having a companion with a wealth of life experiences. Last spring, after hip surgery, she complained in the rehabilitation center that she wanted to die.
“‘O.K.,” Ms. O’Neill told her, “if you want to die, get better and die at home.”
Ms. Jackson got better. From a younger aide, Ms. Jackson said, she would not have accepted such a challenge.
“Not that I don’t get along well with younger people,” she said. “But I’m not always pleased, I don’t like the way they talk. Maybe that’s what keeps you alive — not accepting everything.”
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
By JOHN LELAND
Published: April 24, 2010
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — One recent morning Antonia Antonaccio, a home care aide, got a call to help an elderly couple whose regular aide could not make it. The regular aide, who is 68 years old, had thrown out her back.
Related
Antonia Antonaccio, 73, provides home care for Carmine Spino, 89, and his wife, Mary, 88.
Ms. Antonaccio said she empathized. Sometimes her legs hurt from going up and down stairs. “But it’s nothing I pay attention to,” she said. “I don’t have the time.”
Ms. Antonaccio is 73.
In an aging population, the elderly are increasingly being taken care of by the elderly. Professional caregivers — almost all of them women — are one of the fastest-growing segments of the American work force, and also one of the grayest.
A recent study by PHI National, a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of caregivers, found that in 2008, 28 percent of home care aides were over age 55, compared with 18 percent of women in the overall work force.
The organization projects that from 2008 to 2018, the number of direct care workers, which includes those in nursing homes, will grow to 4.3 million from 3.2 million. The percentage of older caregivers is projected to grow to 30 percent from 22 percent.
The average caregiver in Rhode Island from Home Instead Senior Care, the private agency that employs Ms. Antonaccio, is about 60, said Valerie Topp, chief operating officer for the state franchise. Younger aides often do not work out, Ms. Topp said, adding that clients frequently ask that the agency not send over someone too young.
“The older ones came to us after being family caregivers, so they understood the stresses that families were under,” Ms. Topp said. “They came with respect for age. They didn’t see age as a disability.”
Carmine Spino, 89, and his wife, Mary, 88, who are hoping to live out their lives without moving to a nursing home, are two of Ms. Antonaccio’s clients. She often shares stories about growing up in Italy during World War II; Mr. Spino served in the war — a common ground. They know the same music, share the same cultural reference points.
And as Mrs. Spino, who was always quiet, has become more withdrawn with the onset of dementia, Mr. Spino relies on their caregivers for conversation.
“We talk about our experiences,” he said of Ms. Antonaccio. “I don’t look at her as a stranger.”
Caregivers often nurse their own aches and pains, or manage their medications, as they tend to those of their clients, said Dorie Seavey, director of policy research for PHI National. Clients who have to be lifted may not be suited to some older workers, she said.
Linnette Hutchinson, 71, of Tucson, said she often had the same complaints as her clients. “Your eyes are going, and the aches and pains,” she said. “Your back, your legs, your teeth. The aging process sets in.” Ms. Hutchinson has had spinal surgery but still works four hours a day.
For Mara Torres-Rullan, 74, also of Tucson, the big challenge is pain. She started work as a caregiver in 1987 after a divorce; in recent years she has cut her hours because of arthritis.
“My last lady, I had to put pantyhose on her,” Ms. Torres-Rullan said. “I thought my back was going to break in half.”
She continues to work because she needs the money, but she refuses any clients who want vacuuming done because the work is too painful.
In Plymouth, Mass., Judy Brueggeman, 68, felt increasingly fatigued last year and had a stress test on her heart. “After three to five seconds on the treadmill, the doctor shut it off and told me to lie down and be quiet,” she said. She had triple bypass surgery in September.
But even so, she is now back on the job, putting in 12-hour weeks. “This is perfect for me,” she said. “I love my clients, and I love my work.” In some ways, Ms. Brueggeman said, the work has gotten easier because she is better at it than when she started, in 1991. “I learned a lot from my clients, especially not to talk too much,” she said. “They want to do the talking.”
But the industry does not have career paths for workers as they get older, putting a strain on them to continue with the most physically demanding aspects of the job, Ms. Seavey said. “If you look at older women as an asset, to train younger workers, they can be valuable,” she said. Ms. Antonaccio worked in the jewelry industry for 40 years before retiring, then went to work as a caregiver after her husband’s death, drawn by the flexible hours. She did not need health benefits because she was eligible for Medicare. She did need a sense of purpose.
“At 65, I felt my life was ending,” she said. “I took care of my mother, then my mother-in-law, then my husband, then I went into this. And I don’t have any intention to stop.”
Home Instead pays her roughly half the $19.25 an hour it charges clients in Rhode Island.
Her age, she said, makes her more sympathetic to the needs of her clients.
“They need someone to understand them,” she said. “When I first came, Carmine was in the hospital” — Mr. Spino was having respiratory problems — “and Mary was scared. She didn’t understand what was going on. She woke up and her husband wasn’t there. She wanted to call him every five minutes. I had to say he needs his sleep.”
Grace Jackson, who is 101, said she never wanted a helper at home and resented Mary-Lou O’Neill, 73, when she arrived four years ago at Ms. Jackson’s daughters’ insistence. But as their relationship has grown, “It’s developed into a friendship,” Ms. Jackson said, adding that friends who had younger aides were often offended by their manners or language.
Ms. O’Neill worked as a nurse until she was 66, then found herself restless in retirement. Now, she is one of the large number of Americans in their 70s who are still active and robust, without physical pain or limitations. She works only for Ms. Jackson.
“She’s a role model to me,” Ms. O’Neill said. “When she has physical problems, she doesn’t complain.”
Ms. Jackson said she appreciated having a companion with a wealth of life experiences. Last spring, after hip surgery, she complained in the rehabilitation center that she wanted to die.
“‘O.K.,” Ms. O’Neill told her, “if you want to die, get better and die at home.”
Ms. Jackson got better. From a younger aide, Ms. Jackson said, she would not have accepted such a challenge.
“Not that I don’t get along well with younger people,” she said. “But I’m not always pleased, I don’t like the way they talk. Maybe that’s what keeps you alive — not accepting everything.”
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Cataracts, Presbyopia, and More: Aging and Eyesight
Aging doesn't just affect your joints and skin. Your vision is also at risk. Here's what you need to know about cataracts, presbyopia, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration.
By Katherine Lee
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH
It’s an inevitable fact of life: Your eyes change as you get older. For one thing, your risk of eye diseases such as macular degeneration increases with age. And, as those in their forties can tell you, reading and seeing things up close becomes a problem because of a condition called presbyopia.
Here’s an overview of how your eyes change with age and what you can do to help your eyes stay healthy.
Aging: How Vision Is Affected
Presbyopia is the most common effect of age on vision. “As we age, the lens of the eye becomes less flexible,” says James Salz, a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmologists. When the eye lens becomes more rigid, people have trouble focusing on close objects.
The following are some other ways in which aging can affect vision:
Lighting. As our eyes age, we need more light to see well, especially when we read or do other close-range tasks.
Glare. Age-related changes to the lens cause light entering the eye to be scattered instead of focused mostly on the retina — the light-sensing layer of cells at the back of the eye — producing glare and adding to vision problems.
Colors. The lenses in your eyes can become discolored — for example, by cataracts — making it more difficult to distinguish colors.
Tear production. The tear glands in the eyes make fewer tears with age, leading to dry, irritated eyes, particularly among postmenopausal women.
Vision Problems in Older Eyes
Age also increases your risk for eye diseases. In people age 40 and over, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, and cataracts are the most common eye problems.
Age-related macular degeneration. Macular degeneration, which affects the part of the retina crucial for sharp and clear vision, is the leading cause of blindness in Caucasian people over age 65.
Glaucoma. Glaucoma is actually a group of eye diseases that affect pressure inside the eye. Increased pressure affects the optic nerve, which carries images to the brain. People over age 60 are at increased risk for glaucoma.
Cataracts. A cataract is a clouding of the eye, commonly caused by aging. In age-related cataracts, the center of the lens gradually becomes hard and cloudy; it eventually becomes difficult for a person to see things at a distance and even to distinguish colors.
Symptoms and Warning Signs
Some age-related eye diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, may cause few or no symptoms until the disease is at an advanced stage. For this reason, it’s important to see a doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms:
Double vision in one eye, a possible symptom of cataracts
Reduced ability to see at night, a possible symptom of cataracts
Colors appearing faded or tinted with yellow, a possible symptom of cataracts
Sensitivity to light or glare, a possible symptom of cataracts
Distorted vision that makes straight lines look blurred or results in a blind spot appearing in the center of your vision, a possible symptom of macular degeneration
Blurry vision, a symptom of a number of potential eye problems, such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and, in diabetics, a condition known as diabetic retinopathy
Any fluctuations in vision, a possible sign of a systemic disorder such as diabetes or high blood pressure
Appearance of floaters or flashes; occasional floaters are normal, but if you see a noticeable increase in floaters, especially if accompanied by flashes of light, you could be at risk for retinal detachment, which requires immediate treatment to prevent blindness
Eye pain, a possible symptom of glaucoma
Caring for Aging Eyes
Annual eye exams for anyone age 65 and older are essential for preventing and getting early treatment for eye diseases.
Also, the following tips can help you protect aging eyes:
Take supplements with lutein, which can help reduce the risk of chronic eye disorders
Always wear sunglasses outdoors to help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration
Eat a nutritious diet that includes dark, leafy green vegetables and orange foods such as carrots, which contain lutein
While presbyopia and increased risk for macular degeneration and other eye conditions are an inevitable part of aging, you can take steps — no matter what your age — to ensure that your eyes stay healthy.
Last Updated: 01/20/2010
This section created and produced exclusively by the editorial staff of EverydayHealth.com. © 2010 EverydayHealth.com; all rights reserved.
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
By Katherine Lee
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH
It’s an inevitable fact of life: Your eyes change as you get older. For one thing, your risk of eye diseases such as macular degeneration increases with age. And, as those in their forties can tell you, reading and seeing things up close becomes a problem because of a condition called presbyopia.
Here’s an overview of how your eyes change with age and what you can do to help your eyes stay healthy.
Aging: How Vision Is Affected
Presbyopia is the most common effect of age on vision. “As we age, the lens of the eye becomes less flexible,” says James Salz, a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmologists. When the eye lens becomes more rigid, people have trouble focusing on close objects.
The following are some other ways in which aging can affect vision:
Lighting. As our eyes age, we need more light to see well, especially when we read or do other close-range tasks.
Glare. Age-related changes to the lens cause light entering the eye to be scattered instead of focused mostly on the retina — the light-sensing layer of cells at the back of the eye — producing glare and adding to vision problems.
Colors. The lenses in your eyes can become discolored — for example, by cataracts — making it more difficult to distinguish colors.
Tear production. The tear glands in the eyes make fewer tears with age, leading to dry, irritated eyes, particularly among postmenopausal women.
Vision Problems in Older Eyes
Age also increases your risk for eye diseases. In people age 40 and over, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, and cataracts are the most common eye problems.
Age-related macular degeneration. Macular degeneration, which affects the part of the retina crucial for sharp and clear vision, is the leading cause of blindness in Caucasian people over age 65.
Glaucoma. Glaucoma is actually a group of eye diseases that affect pressure inside the eye. Increased pressure affects the optic nerve, which carries images to the brain. People over age 60 are at increased risk for glaucoma.
Cataracts. A cataract is a clouding of the eye, commonly caused by aging. In age-related cataracts, the center of the lens gradually becomes hard and cloudy; it eventually becomes difficult for a person to see things at a distance and even to distinguish colors.
Symptoms and Warning Signs
Some age-related eye diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, may cause few or no symptoms until the disease is at an advanced stage. For this reason, it’s important to see a doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms:
Double vision in one eye, a possible symptom of cataracts
Reduced ability to see at night, a possible symptom of cataracts
Colors appearing faded or tinted with yellow, a possible symptom of cataracts
Sensitivity to light or glare, a possible symptom of cataracts
Distorted vision that makes straight lines look blurred or results in a blind spot appearing in the center of your vision, a possible symptom of macular degeneration
Blurry vision, a symptom of a number of potential eye problems, such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and, in diabetics, a condition known as diabetic retinopathy
Any fluctuations in vision, a possible sign of a systemic disorder such as diabetes or high blood pressure
Appearance of floaters or flashes; occasional floaters are normal, but if you see a noticeable increase in floaters, especially if accompanied by flashes of light, you could be at risk for retinal detachment, which requires immediate treatment to prevent blindness
Eye pain, a possible symptom of glaucoma
Caring for Aging Eyes
Annual eye exams for anyone age 65 and older are essential for preventing and getting early treatment for eye diseases.
Also, the following tips can help you protect aging eyes:
Take supplements with lutein, which can help reduce the risk of chronic eye disorders
Always wear sunglasses outdoors to help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration
Eat a nutritious diet that includes dark, leafy green vegetables and orange foods such as carrots, which contain lutein
While presbyopia and increased risk for macular degeneration and other eye conditions are an inevitable part of aging, you can take steps — no matter what your age — to ensure that your eyes stay healthy.
Last Updated: 01/20/2010
This section created and produced exclusively by the editorial staff of EverydayHealth.com. © 2010 EverydayHealth.com; all rights reserved.
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sense of Home Important Is in Residential Care for the Elderly
ScienceDaily (Apr. 4, 2010) — Many elderly people in residential care feel insecure during relocation or renovation work -- but there are ways of handling the situation. Those who manage to create a sense of home where they live are in a better position to cope with the stresses that go with change, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy.
Going into residential care means that elderly people have to adapt to an environment that differs in many ways to what they are used to.
"A sense of belonging where you live is important for your sense of self and identity, which, in turn, strengthens a person's ability to deal with the changes that impaired function and institutionalisation can bring," says Hanna Falk, nurse and doctoral student at the Institute of Health and Care Sciences.
The thesis also examines how the elderly define the concept of "a sense of home," and found that it covers far more than just a pleasant physical environment.
"There are other factors that come into play, for example that the elderly furnish their rooms exactly as they did when they lived at home, or that they make new friends who contribute to a greater sense of home," says Falk, stating that actual attachment to the institution is vital if it is to be viewed as home.
She also found that renovations designed to help create a more home-like and supportive environment in residential care have little impact on how the elderly perceive the atmosphere. Furthermore, relocation and renovations -- and the problems that they bring -- can negatively affect the quality of life and wellbeing of the elderly.
"The vulnerability of the elderly in connection with changes to their environment must be given greater consideration in the context of extensive renovations than is currently the case in the care of the elderly," says Falk. "There's still plenty of work to be done, for example the development of action plans to handle relocations and renovations so that the elderly and the staff are in the best possible position to cope with the situation."
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
Going into residential care means that elderly people have to adapt to an environment that differs in many ways to what they are used to.
"A sense of belonging where you live is important for your sense of self and identity, which, in turn, strengthens a person's ability to deal with the changes that impaired function and institutionalisation can bring," says Hanna Falk, nurse and doctoral student at the Institute of Health and Care Sciences.
The thesis also examines how the elderly define the concept of "a sense of home," and found that it covers far more than just a pleasant physical environment.
"There are other factors that come into play, for example that the elderly furnish their rooms exactly as they did when they lived at home, or that they make new friends who contribute to a greater sense of home," says Falk, stating that actual attachment to the institution is vital if it is to be viewed as home.
She also found that renovations designed to help create a more home-like and supportive environment in residential care have little impact on how the elderly perceive the atmosphere. Furthermore, relocation and renovations -- and the problems that they bring -- can negatively affect the quality of life and wellbeing of the elderly.
"The vulnerability of the elderly in connection with changes to their environment must be given greater consideration in the context of extensive renovations than is currently the case in the care of the elderly," says Falk. "There's still plenty of work to be done, for example the development of action plans to handle relocations and renovations so that the elderly and the staff are in the best possible position to cope with the situation."
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Men and Women Respond Differently to Stress
ScienceDaily (Mar. 23, 2010) — Age and gender play a major role in how people respond to stress, according to a new study on 20-to-64-year-olds. Published in the journal Psychophysiology, the investigation was led by scientists from the Université de Montréal and the Montreal Heart Institute in collaboration with colleagues from the Université du Québec à Montréal and McGill University.
"Our findings suggest that women who are more defensive are at increased cardiovascular risk, whereas low defensiveness appears to damage the health of older men," says Bianca D'Antono, a professor at the Université de Montréal Department of Psychiatry and a Montreal Heart Institute researcher.
Defensiveness is a trait characterized by avoidance, denial or repression of information perceived as threatening. In women, a strong defensive reaction to judgment from others or a threat to self-esteem will result in high blood pressure and heart rate. Contrarily, older men with low defensive reactions have a higher cardiovascular rates.
The study was conducted on 81 healthy working men and 118 women. According to Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif a Université de Montréal professor and Montreal Heart Institute researcher, the physiological response to stress in women and older men is linked to this desire of maintaining self-esteem and securing social bonds.
"The sense of belonging is a basic human need," says D'Antono. "Our findings suggest that socialization is innate and that belonging to a group contributed to the survival of our ancestors. Today, it is possible that most people view social exclusion as a threat to their existence. A strong defensive reaction is useful to maintain one's self-esteem faced with this potential threat."
As part of the experiment, participants completed four tasks of varying stress levels. The first task involved reading a neutral text on Antarctica's geography before a person of the same sex. The second and third tasks involved role-playing in which participants followed a script where they were sometimes agreeable and sometimes aggressive. The final task involved a non-scripted debate on abortion.
Heart rate and blood pressure were measured during each of these tasks as was the level of cortisol in saliva. Results showed that women and older men had elevated cardiovascular, autonomic and endocrine responses to stress -- all potentially damaging to their health. The research team cautions, however, that more studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of defensiveness and its association to stress response patterns in disease development.
This study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec.
:
Story Source:
Adapted from materials provided by University of Montreal.
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
"Our findings suggest that women who are more defensive are at increased cardiovascular risk, whereas low defensiveness appears to damage the health of older men," says Bianca D'Antono, a professor at the Université de Montréal Department of Psychiatry and a Montreal Heart Institute researcher.
Defensiveness is a trait characterized by avoidance, denial or repression of information perceived as threatening. In women, a strong defensive reaction to judgment from others or a threat to self-esteem will result in high blood pressure and heart rate. Contrarily, older men with low defensive reactions have a higher cardiovascular rates.
The study was conducted on 81 healthy working men and 118 women. According to Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif a Université de Montréal professor and Montreal Heart Institute researcher, the physiological response to stress in women and older men is linked to this desire of maintaining self-esteem and securing social bonds.
"The sense of belonging is a basic human need," says D'Antono. "Our findings suggest that socialization is innate and that belonging to a group contributed to the survival of our ancestors. Today, it is possible that most people view social exclusion as a threat to their existence. A strong defensive reaction is useful to maintain one's self-esteem faced with this potential threat."
As part of the experiment, participants completed four tasks of varying stress levels. The first task involved reading a neutral text on Antarctica's geography before a person of the same sex. The second and third tasks involved role-playing in which participants followed a script where they were sometimes agreeable and sometimes aggressive. The final task involved a non-scripted debate on abortion.
Heart rate and blood pressure were measured during each of these tasks as was the level of cortisol in saliva. Results showed that women and older men had elevated cardiovascular, autonomic and endocrine responses to stress -- all potentially damaging to their health. The research team cautions, however, that more studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of defensiveness and its association to stress response patterns in disease development.
This study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec.
:
Story Source:
Adapted from materials provided by University of Montreal.
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
Friday, March 19, 2010
Cat Care: Pets for Senior Citizens by the American Animal Hospital Association
You've probably noticed that when you pet a soft, warm cat or play fetch with a dog whose tail won't stop wagging, you relax and your heart feels a little warmer.
Scientists have noticed the same thing, and they've started to explore the complex way animals affect human emotions and physiology. The resulting studies have shown that owning and handling animals significantly benefits health, and not just for the young. In fact, pets may help elderly owners live longer, healthier, and more enjoyable lives.
A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in May of 1999 demonstrated that independently living seniors that have pets tend to have better physical health and mental wellbeing than those that don't. They're more active, cope better with stress, and have better overall health. A 1997 study showed that elderly pet owners had significantly lower blood pressure overall than their contemporaries without pets. In fact, an experimental residential home for the elderly called the Eden Alternative, which is filled with over 100 birds, dogs, and cats and has an outside environment with rabbits and chickens, has experienced a 15 percent lower mortality rate than traditional nursing homes over the past five years.
How do they do it?
There are a number of explanations for exactly how pets accomplish all these health benefits. First of all, pets need walking, feeding, grooming, fresh water, and fresh kitty litter, and they encourage lots of playing and petting. All of these activities require some action from owners. Even if it's just getting up to let a dog out a few times a day or brushing a cat, any activity can benefit the cardiovascular system and help keep joints limber and flexible. Consistently performing this kind of minor exercise can keep pet owners able to carry out the normal activities of daily living. Pets may also aid seniors simply by providing some physical contact. Studies have shown that when people pet animals, their blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature decrease.
Many benefits of pet ownership are less tangible, though. Pets are an excellent source of companionship, for example. They can act as a support system for older people who don't have any family or close friends nearby to act as a support system. The JAGS study showed that people with pets were better able to remain emotionally stable during crises than those without. Pets can also work as a buffer against social isolation. Often the elderly have trouble leaving home, so they don't have a chance to see many people. Pets give them a chance to interact. This can help combat depression, one of the most common medical problems facing seniors today. The responsibility of caring for an animal may also give the elderly a sense of purpose, a reason to get up in the morning. Pets also help seniors stick to regular routines of getting up in the morning, buying groceries, and going outside, which help motivate them to eat and sleep regularly and well.
Pets in residence
Many nursing homes have taken this information to heart. For years, organizations like Pets on Wheels and Therapy Dogs International have been bringing thoroughly vaccinated, groomed, and behavior-tested animals into hospitals, hospices, and assisted living homes to give seniors a chance to pet and play with them. The residents get to have some therapeutic physical contact and a fun activity to break up their day. More recently, some resident homes have even begun letting animals live in the home full time. The Stanton Health Center in Stanton, Nebraska, a residential nursing home, has had dogs for its Alzheimer wing and now has an aviary and cats that live in the center's common area.
"The animals help patients keep their mind off their problems," says Jean S. Uehl, the center's director of nurses. "The love the patients get from the animals is unconditional." One particular stroke patient was withdrawn and rarely smiled, until she began to play with the resident cat. The patient and the cat became closely bonded to each other, and when the cat had kittens, "they became like the patient's babies," according to Uehl. The kittens played and slept on a tray on the resident's wheelchair and slept in a chair near her bed whenever they could. The kittens brought the resident out of her shell and she began to talk and smile. "The kittens in particular get all the residents' attention," says Uehl. "Everyone always wants to know where they're at and what they're doing." When there are kittens in the building, a number of residents stay busy all day, following them, playing with them, and keeping an eye on them.
Finding that furry friend
If there are older people in your life that you think might benefit from having a pet at home, be sure to talk to them before you pick one out. Make sure that they want the responsibility of a new pet, as well as the noise and the messes that may come along with it. Talk to them about whether they feel capable of feeding, watering, grooming, exercising, and cleaning up after an animal. If they decide they're willing to accept that responsibility, take your elderly friend or family member out with you to the humane society or the breeder to pick out a new furry friend. They may fall in love with a dog or cat that might never have caught your eye.
Finally, before you encourage an older person to adopt a pet, consider whether you could take care of the animal if its owner is no longer able. Often, if seniors reach the point where they have to leave their homes and move into assisted-living facilities, they also have to give up their pets. The number of nursing homes and other types of housing for the elderly that will accept animals is growing, but the vast majority still don't allow pets. Seniors can plan ahead and find a pet-friendly nursing facility, just in case they need to use it someday. They may also want to consider planning for their pet in their estate.
Pets and the elderly have a lot to give to each other. Research and experience has shown that animals and older people can share their time and affection, and ultimately, full and happy lives. Though pets can't replace human relationships for seniors, they can certainly augment them, and they can fill an older person's life with years of constant, unconditional love.
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
Scientists have noticed the same thing, and they've started to explore the complex way animals affect human emotions and physiology. The resulting studies have shown that owning and handling animals significantly benefits health, and not just for the young. In fact, pets may help elderly owners live longer, healthier, and more enjoyable lives.
A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in May of 1999 demonstrated that independently living seniors that have pets tend to have better physical health and mental wellbeing than those that don't. They're more active, cope better with stress, and have better overall health. A 1997 study showed that elderly pet owners had significantly lower blood pressure overall than their contemporaries without pets. In fact, an experimental residential home for the elderly called the Eden Alternative, which is filled with over 100 birds, dogs, and cats and has an outside environment with rabbits and chickens, has experienced a 15 percent lower mortality rate than traditional nursing homes over the past five years.
How do they do it?
There are a number of explanations for exactly how pets accomplish all these health benefits. First of all, pets need walking, feeding, grooming, fresh water, and fresh kitty litter, and they encourage lots of playing and petting. All of these activities require some action from owners. Even if it's just getting up to let a dog out a few times a day or brushing a cat, any activity can benefit the cardiovascular system and help keep joints limber and flexible. Consistently performing this kind of minor exercise can keep pet owners able to carry out the normal activities of daily living. Pets may also aid seniors simply by providing some physical contact. Studies have shown that when people pet animals, their blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature decrease.
Many benefits of pet ownership are less tangible, though. Pets are an excellent source of companionship, for example. They can act as a support system for older people who don't have any family or close friends nearby to act as a support system. The JAGS study showed that people with pets were better able to remain emotionally stable during crises than those without. Pets can also work as a buffer against social isolation. Often the elderly have trouble leaving home, so they don't have a chance to see many people. Pets give them a chance to interact. This can help combat depression, one of the most common medical problems facing seniors today. The responsibility of caring for an animal may also give the elderly a sense of purpose, a reason to get up in the morning. Pets also help seniors stick to regular routines of getting up in the morning, buying groceries, and going outside, which help motivate them to eat and sleep regularly and well.
Pets in residence
Many nursing homes have taken this information to heart. For years, organizations like Pets on Wheels and Therapy Dogs International have been bringing thoroughly vaccinated, groomed, and behavior-tested animals into hospitals, hospices, and assisted living homes to give seniors a chance to pet and play with them. The residents get to have some therapeutic physical contact and a fun activity to break up their day. More recently, some resident homes have even begun letting animals live in the home full time. The Stanton Health Center in Stanton, Nebraska, a residential nursing home, has had dogs for its Alzheimer wing and now has an aviary and cats that live in the center's common area.
"The animals help patients keep their mind off their problems," says Jean S. Uehl, the center's director of nurses. "The love the patients get from the animals is unconditional." One particular stroke patient was withdrawn and rarely smiled, until she began to play with the resident cat. The patient and the cat became closely bonded to each other, and when the cat had kittens, "they became like the patient's babies," according to Uehl. The kittens played and slept on a tray on the resident's wheelchair and slept in a chair near her bed whenever they could. The kittens brought the resident out of her shell and she began to talk and smile. "The kittens in particular get all the residents' attention," says Uehl. "Everyone always wants to know where they're at and what they're doing." When there are kittens in the building, a number of residents stay busy all day, following them, playing with them, and keeping an eye on them.
Finding that furry friend
If there are older people in your life that you think might benefit from having a pet at home, be sure to talk to them before you pick one out. Make sure that they want the responsibility of a new pet, as well as the noise and the messes that may come along with it. Talk to them about whether they feel capable of feeding, watering, grooming, exercising, and cleaning up after an animal. If they decide they're willing to accept that responsibility, take your elderly friend or family member out with you to the humane society or the breeder to pick out a new furry friend. They may fall in love with a dog or cat that might never have caught your eye.
Finally, before you encourage an older person to adopt a pet, consider whether you could take care of the animal if its owner is no longer able. Often, if seniors reach the point where they have to leave their homes and move into assisted-living facilities, they also have to give up their pets. The number of nursing homes and other types of housing for the elderly that will accept animals is growing, but the vast majority still don't allow pets. Seniors can plan ahead and find a pet-friendly nursing facility, just in case they need to use it someday. They may also want to consider planning for their pet in their estate.
Pets and the elderly have a lot to give to each other. Research and experience has shown that animals and older people can share their time and affection, and ultimately, full and happy lives. Though pets can't replace human relationships for seniors, they can certainly augment them, and they can fill an older person's life with years of constant, unconditional love.
Verlia Caldwell, Pres.
Visit us at http://www.icareforyouhomecare.com if you need home care in Charlotte, N.C..
I Care For You Home Care, L.L.C.
1(800) 383-0520
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