Senior Housing Connection

Thanks to Maty’s Health Products for giving me this article and Amanda Gardner for posting it.

Older people who consume a diet very high in calories may be increasing their risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the memory loss and mental-function problems that sometimes precede Alzheimer’s disease.

In a new study of more than 1,200 people in their 70s and 80s, Mayo Clinic researchers found that men and women who consumed at least 2,143 calories per day had more than double the odds of having MCI, compared with those who consumed 1,526 calories per day or less.
Preliminary findings from the study are slated to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in April. Unlike research published in medical journals, the study has not yet been thoroughly vetted by other experts in the field.

Health.com: 7 ways to protect your memory
The study does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between high-calorie diets and MCI, nor does it indicate a link between overeating and dementia. Some people with MCI do go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, but that does not happen in every case.
Lead researcher Yonas Geda, M.D., an associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, stresses that the results will need to be confirmed in future studies. At this point, he says, any conclusions about the observed link between calories and MCI remain “speculation.”

For instance, Geda says, the findings should not be construed as a recommendation for calorie intake. He and his colleagues divided the study participants into equal thirds according to their average intake (thus the oddly specific cutoff points) – an essentially “arbitrary” method that is commonly used in research but has little bearing on calorie targets for individuals, he says.

Health.com: Foods that may help save your memory
Federal health officials recommend that women over age 50 consume between 1,600 and 2,200 calories per day, depending on how physically active they are, and that men in the same age group aim for between 2,000 and 2,800 calories. But the guidelines emphasize the importance of balancing calorie intake and physical activity in order to maintain a healthy weight, not specific calorie amounts.

This emphasis on calorie balance points to a key limitation of the new study: Although Geda and his colleagues took into account extenuating factors such as body mass index, genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease, and medical history (including heart disease, strokes, and diabetes), they had no data on exercise and physical activity. Future studies will need to examine both sides of the calorie equation, Geda says.

The study participants, all of whom hailed from Olmsted County, Minnesota, filled out a detailed questionnaire about their typical diet over the previous year. They also underwent a series of memory and cognitive tests. None had dementia, but the researchers determined from the test results that 163 had MCI.

Health.com: 25 signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
MCI is “the gray zone between normal aging and dementia,” Geda says. “People with MCI are not demented [but] they are forgetful a little more than expected for their age.” This forgetfulness goes beyond senior moments (such as misplacing car keys), and might include forgetting airplane flights and other important appointments, he adds.
Although it remains to be proven, there is a plausible scientific explanation for how overeating might erode mental function. Consuming a high-calorie diet may spur production of harmful, oxygen-containing molecules, and these so-called oxidative radicals may accumulate in cells and cause neurons to break down, Geda says.
Copyright Health Magazine 2011

Post by: Amanda Gardner – Health.com
Filed under: Health.com • Healthy Eating • Mental Health

When: February 14th.

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love and lovers. The roots of Valentine’s Day goes back to ancient times, when people paid honor to the Roman God of Fertility. This was known as the Feast of Lupercalia, and was celebrated even then on February 14th.

The traditions of Valentine’s Day are broad and many. It is a time to exchange cards or small gifts. Chocolates and jewelry are the big hits of this holiday as is romantic dinners.

It is a romantic event for lovers and a fun event for kids and family. Many a couple become engaged or wed on this day. For others it is a day to fall in love.

Did you know? While 75% of chocolate purchases are made by women all year long, during the days and minutes before Valentine’s Day, 75% of the chocolate purchases are made by men. Over $1billion of chocolate is purchased for Valentine’s Day.

Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre During the “Roaring twenties(1920′s)”, mobs, crime and gangsters were at a height in many parts of the U.S. Alcohol was banned, spawning the rise of Bootlegging and mob activity. Chicago , Illinois experienced more than it’s share of mobs and gangsters. On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1929, four gangsters dressed up as policemen, massacred seven members of a rival gang.

Did you Know? February 14th was formerly thought to be the first day of bird’s mating for the season. This sparked the custom of sending valentines to each other.

MAYBE NOT

Private long-term care insurance can be an important tool to protect against the risk of needing costly personal assistance in old age. But two respected financial economists conclude it is very expensive relative to the benefits it provides and may not be appropriate for many buyers. At the same time, a new consumer brief from the Society of Actuaries suggests how much wealth you should have for coverage to make sense.
The research paper from economists Jeff Brown and Amy Finkelstein describes many reasons why so few people buy long-term care coverage. They focus on two important issues: the effect of Medicaid’s long-term care benefit on people’s decision to buy private insurance, and the pricing and value of those policies. Their paper, in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, concludes that it does not make a lot of sense for people with few assets and little income to buy insurance, since they’ll be covered by Medicaid anyway–a phenomenon economists call “crowd-out.”
But they also find that private LTC insurance is very expensive relative to its benefits. For instance, Jeff and Amy found that 65-year-old buyers of a typical policy would get back only 68 cents for every dollar they pay in premiums. By comparison, the same buyer of a life annuity would get 75 cents to 85 cents. It is also important to note that long-term care insurance is a much better deal for women, who get back 87 cents for every dollar in premium they pay, than for men–who get only 45 cents.
I have questioned how much this calculation effect matters to real people, who often have no idea that Medicaid provides a long-term care benefit. And those who do, understand how restrictive Medicaid rules are and how poor the benefit often is. Medicaid is no bargain.
And that helps explain why the report from the Society of Actuaries suggests that those with savings of less than $250,000 may not want to buy private insurance, while those with assets exceeding $2 million may not need to.
These are by no means hard and fast rules. For instance, wealthier people may still want to purchase insurance to preserve assets for their heirs. But, unless they face an unusually long period of care, they are probably able to self insure. Other research suggests that only 5 percent of those 65 and older will incur long-term care costs that exceed $250,000.
When it comes to long-term care insurance, I am often asked the same question: Should I buy? As these two reports suggest, the right answer is: It depends.

By
Howard Gleckman

Your health may be at risk

Everyone has an occasional sleepless night, and this is not a problem for most people. Conversely, it is often true that less may mean more. Do you have trouble getting quality sleep? Well, I for one may have to literally add getting more sleep to my “to-do-list” because it has been shown that having a good night’s sleep is one of the smartest health priorities that we can set for ourselves. It is not just drowsiness during the daytime that you risk when shortchanging yourself on your seven to eight hours. There are also many possible health consequences when you get too little or poor sleep that involve the cardiovascular, immune and endocrine and nervous systems.
In addition to letting “life” get in the way of a good night’s sleep, between 50-70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorder, also known as insomnia, or sleep apnea that affects their daily functioning and intrudes on their health. Here are some reasons why you should schedule sleep like any other daily activity:

1. According to a recent study by the Institute of Medicine Report, people who sleep under seven hours a night, the fewer zzzz’s they get, the more obese they tend to be. This may relate to the discovery that with insufficient sleep, hunger hormones may be triggered and

Senior Care Consultation is offered to the Greater Rochester Community through services at Parkwood Heights.
During the senior years, there are many transitions to manage. With decades of experience, we are providing our knowledge and expertise, free of charge, to help you make informed decisions on senior care, with which you are comfortable.
Our Executive Director, Sharon Weinel, is a seasoned Case Manager who will meet with you to answer yours and your family’s questions and provide information. During this conversation, together we will begin identifying the next steps to take access services and resources necessary to address your needs and desires.
Our ultimate goal is to make this transitional period as simple and stress-free as possible. Regardless of whether you chose Parkwood Heights as your future residence, we will always be available as a resource and support system for every stage of this process.

Call for your consultation at 585.223.7595 or 315.986.9100 or visit our website at www.parkwoodheights.com

If you have ever seen weight lifters you have most likely seen the reverse curl and overhead press.
This is a great exercise for reaching high and working the shoulders and upper back.
My variation includes some breathing exercise and suggests you make each movement as slowly as you can so that you feel the muscles as they move through each phase.
The idea is to work the muscles and not rely on momentum to carry you through the motions.
You can use some imagination with this exercise and pretend you are lifting a weight heavier than you think you area able to, and when you press overhead give it a slow solid press, with just a little “extra” push, reaching as high overhead as you can. Try keeping your back straight and moving your arms evenly through the entire sequence.
Try following the suggestions below:
• Start with arms by your side, fingers curled into soft fists, back of hands facing forward.
• Slowly curls your hands to your chest by bending your elbows and lifing from your wrists (not lifting from the shoulders)
• Slowly press your hands overhead moving your hands first with your fists pulling your arms up behind them.
• Relax your shoulders and slowly lower your arms back to your chest, than back to the starting position.
Once you are comfortable with the exericise you can add in breathing. The slower you inhale and exhale, the slower you will move through the exercise motions.
The breathing squence is:
• Inhale as you bring your arms to your chest
• Exhale on the push overheal
• Inhale as your relax your shoulders and lower your arms
• Exhale back to the starting position
by Stan Cohen, Founder of ChiForLiving

As last century’s legendary bank robber, Willie Sutton, said: the fraudsters usually go “where the money is.” That means that fraudsters target citizens who are retired or who are about to retire, as well as baby boomers who have been accumulating a big sum of money through their 401(k) retirement plans and their personal bank accounts.
The reality is that we are all at risk. Nevertheless, you can help protect your family and friends by recognizing how financial fraudsters work and by reporting fraudulent investment sales pitches or a real scam to the authorities. The key is to recognize an investment offer that sounds “too good to be true.” Fraudsters are masters of persuasion and adapt their pitches to the economic profiles of their victims. They may ask their victims casual questions about their health, family, political beliefs, hobbies, or previous employments. Once they identify a victim’s weak points, they will overwhelm them with an array of tactics that would leave even the most astute person confused. Some of the most common tactics are:
• The “phantom riches” tactic: This tactic tries to persuade you that with “this investment” you will obtain something you want but cannot have. For example, a fraudster might guarantee you that “the oil wells (in X, Y place) will produce an income of $6,800 monthly, guaranteed!”
• The “credibility source” tactic: This tactic tries to achieve credibility by means of claiming to belong to a prestigious firm or having a “certain” experience or special connection. For example, a fraudster might say, “Believe me, being the vice president of X,Y firm I would not sell an investment that would not yield earnings.”
• The “social consensus” tactic: This tactic tries to lead you to believe that other wise investors have invested already. For example, a fraudster might say, “This is how So-and-So started. I know it is a lot of money but I am investing also, as well as my mom, half of her church, and it is worth every penny.”
• The “reciprocity” tactic: This tactic tries to trick you by offering to do you a small and simple favor in exchange of a “great” favor. For example, a fraudster may say, “If you buy right now, I will lower my commission to half.”
Do you recognize some of this tactics? Here are a few strategies to counteract them:
• Finish the conversation: Practice saying “no.” Simply say to the “investor” that called you: “Sorry, but I am not interested. Thank you for calling, good-bye.” Or say, “Sorry, but I do not make decisions without consulting ____.” Fill in the blank with whomever you wish, your partner, son, lawyer, or financial consultant.
• Take control and ask the questions: A legal investment agent must have a license, and they must be registered with FINRA, SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), or with a state securities regulator, depending on the type of business that the agent conducts. Verify the answers by calling for free at (800) 289-9999 or visiting FINRA’s website.
FINRA Investor Education Foundation
The FINRA Investor Education Foundation, established in 2003 by FINRA, supports innovative research and educational projects that give underserved Americans the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary for financial success throughout life. For details about grant programs and other FINRA Foundation initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.

Most of us enjoy spending time with others. But is socializing just a pleasant way to pass a few hours?
Research shows that socializing plays a vital health role throughout life, no matter what a person’s age or condition. Gerontologists tell us that maintaining human relationships promotes healthy ageing in many ways you may not have considered:
• Strengthens the immune system
• Lowers blood pressure
• Improves cardiac health
• Promotes brain health and memory
• Encourages physical fitness
• Lessens depression
• Improves sleep
• Motivates good nutrition
• Reduces the perception of pain.
People experiencing loneliness also have higher levels of stress hormones. Being lonely is hard on a person’s health.
Unfortunately, seniors are more likely to experience loneliness. Retirement, mobility problems, health challenges, giving up the car keys, and the loss of spouse and or close friends all remove familiar occasions for socializing.
When elders are living with health problems, family caregivers do what they can to prevent their loved one from being alone too much of the time. However, many are dealing with busy lives already, full of responsibilities for work and other family duties. Senior Living communities, like Parkwood Heights Senior Living Campus, can be a great way to decrease loneliness and increase social opportunities for senior loved ones! The trained professionals at senior living communities and the friendly residents provide Activities and opportunities to be as active and social as desired.
Companionship. Spending hours alone at home can have such a negative impact on seniors! The presence of other residents and staff in your community every day provides the stimulation and comfort and security we need.
Transportation. Senior Living communities take the burden from family for medical trips, grocery shopping, and visiting loved ones.
Confidence. Seniors dealing with the effects of arthritis, osteoporosis, stroke or other health conditions may feel apprehensive going out and about—or entertaining at home. As one daughter noted, “Mom was always so proud of her spotless house. After her stroke, it was hard to clean, so she didn’t have friends over very often. Living at a senior community Mom doesn’t need to worry about housekeeping.”
Dementia support. Spending meaningful time with others benefits people who have memory loss. The caring staff know the challenges of the memory loss can provide patient, non-judgmental company, and the appropriate supervision for activities and socialization.
Improved family relationships. With the assistance for personal care and housekeeping, transportation, meals etc., family members are free to spend more quality time with their loved one, doing things they truly enjoy. Research shows that seniors have a better relationship with family when they spend time with other people as well.
It is true that as we grow older it takes more effort and planning to stay engaged in life, but the rewards are great.