It's Never too Late to Start Thinking Positive

Exercising goes hand-in-hand with maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle and being a healthy ager. And if you're like 65% of the world, it was probably one of your New Year Resolutions to do a little more of it. 

It’s quite apparent that in order to step (pun intended) into the habit of jumping jacks, squats, and running, your mind must be set on a healthy fitness regime. What is not easy is maintain that positive mindset during your proverbial climb.

One might not think that keeping positive would play an important role in wellness, but it really does. Studies by the Society of Nuclear Medicine revealed that depression is linked to a lower flow of blood to your brain. "Individuals in a depressed emotional state have impaired cerebral (brain) blood flow,” explained Omer Bonne, head of inpatient psychiatry and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel.

“Currently, clinical psychiatry is based almost solely on subjective observer-based judgment. Our findings suggest that objective imaging evaluations could support subjective clinical decisions.”€ he said. 

It may take practice to see the glass as half-full.  

Take small steps to start off. For example, before the end of each day pick one thing about that day that you are thankful for or that made you happy. To get negative thoughts or feelings out, write them out in a privet journal that they "stay in" and therefore "stay out" of you. Remember, it takes more muscles to frown (which may lead to more wrinkles) than to smile!

References:

Amen DG, Trujillo M, Newberg A, et al. Brain SPECT Imaging in Complex Psychiatric Cases: An Evidence-Based, Underutilized Tool. Open Neuroimag J. (5), 40-48.

Elder Depression: Know the Signs

All of us have 'blue' days from time to time. We can be affected by the weather, stress, change, physical factors, too little sleep and so on. It is just part of the ebb and flow of life. But luckily, for most of us, these days are occasional and come and go without a lot of effort on our part.

Just try, for a moment, to walk in the shoes of a senior. Most are retired and have a different financial reality. Some have good health and a lot do not. Many seniors have experienced the loss of their spouse or partner and consequently have changed their living accommodations.

Inherent in all of these life altering situations is a huge potential for depression. Our life's work, although all consuming, does define us, giving us a sense of purpose and a grounding through routine. We long for retirement, but then when it comes, it often leaves a void and causes a dip in self esteem.

Declining health, vitality and mobility is a huge change to accept gracefully and without emotional backlash. It's funny how, as we age, we do not see ourselves differently. Mentally, we live in our "I can do anything' years, and then when we hit a physical roadblock, unable to do something that we always did with great facility, we are shocked and disappointed. As this decline progresses pain medication and surgery often become necessary.

Certainly not the least of the challenges facing seniors, is the loss of key people on their lives. Even the most stalwart among us, those that we have all depended on all our lives, can falter with these enormous losses. Loneliness can be devastating and a change of residence, leaving a home that they have lived in for decades and loved can lead to enormous grief.

Now the picture painted above is certainly heavy and cheerless, and in all honesty, does not represent all seniors. But it is very important that we realize the potential for depression in our elders, for it can be the best of times or the worst of times for them.

What are some of the key symptoms to look for? It can be tricky, because as we age we do slow down, and our days can look radically different. As well, some seniors can hide depression behind a smiling face. Realizing that, some of the behaviour that we must be vigilant for is: 

• Ongoing sadness, and anxiety 
• Tiredness, lack of energy
• Loss of interest or pleasure in everyday activities 
• Sleep issues-- very early morning waking, and sleeping too much 
• Eating more or less than usual 
• Crying too often or too much 
• Aches and pains that don't go away when treated 
• Difficulty focusing, remembering, or making decisions 
• Feeling guilty, helpless, worthless, or hopeless 
• Being irritable 
• Thoughts of death or suicide 

If you suspect that your senior has depression there is plenty of professional help of help for all of you. As a caregiver you need information and as a senior with depression they need treatment and counseling.

Growing old is not for the faint of heart.  As a nurse, I can not believe the changes one needs to cope with as the decades slip by.

My best advice to children, friends and caregivers of seniors is to be present. Make your visits more frequent, even if short. Be aware of change in behavior and habits. Do not be afraid to talk about these things with your senior. We must reconcile, as we grow older, that it is not a sign of weakness but rather one of strength, to recognize a need and to ask for help
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A Cry for Help

I received permission to share this story of a friend who is currently going through a family crisis. Names have been changed to protect their identity. Here is her recollection of what happened:

I was getting ready for bed at 11:30pm when my phone rang. The name on the screen was my Uncle Bill. We had become close over the years since his wife passed, however we still only talked maybe 2-3 times a month. For him to be calling this late was unusual. I picked up-"Emily? Emily, can you hear me?"

This wasn't my name, but I could hear that something was different in his voice and there were a lot of voices and rumbling in the background. I chose to tell the truth; "No Uncle Bill, this-"

Either he wasn't interested or he was distracted, and he cut me off mid sentence; "Well tell ya what Emily, I may have drank too much er somethin' but they're takin' me in the ambulance now. I think I fell...or...right fellows?" The noise in the background become clear as a man said, "Yes sir, we're taking you to the hospital." My uncle came back on the line, his words sliding together, "Yeah, they're takin' me somewhere....I'm fine."

This was not fine. I asked to speak to the paramedic, who updated me on the events of the evening. A breathalyzer revealed levels greater than .2, three times the legal limit. One the way to his car, my uncle slipped on ice and hit the back of his head. "You may want to come over and sign his papers. He can't legally sign anything," explained the paramedic.

And so, at midnight on a Tuesday evening I was sitting in the hospital next to my Uncle. He was upset at first that "they" called his niece, not remembering much of that evening, but glad that someone was there to take him home after he was cleared from the doctors. A miracle if you ask me, considering that he hit his head on pavement.

That evening was more than just an unusual chapter in the relationship of my Uncle Bill and I.  This is why I came to Leah Korkis for guidance.

 
If your loved one is displaying unusual behavior or has an incident like the one above, it is a monstrous red flag regarding their emotional and mental well-being. Be sure to speak to a professional and/or a doctor on what you can do to keep this family member safe from harm and into the right hands. 

What would you do in this situation? Have you ever been in a similar situation? 

Old age is no place for sissies.

Here is a list of the 5 most common problems I hear about as a nurse from those 55 and better, and how you can prevent, overcome, or manage them. 

1. Memory Loss 

"Senior moments" can happen to anyone. As one women I know in her sixties said, "People lose their keys when they are my age and they think it's their age. Even though, plenty of teenagers lose their keys, and when they do, they just say they lost their keys." Until recently, scientist thought this was due to information overload, however now they have started to truly pull apart the differences between the start of dementia verses just regular, well, forgetfulness. The adult brain actually may function better in some ways, because it knows how to ignore what it deems as unimportant. Did you catch that? What IT deems as unimportant. So when you're on your way to the kitchen and--you get there with a blank stare completely forgetting what you went there for. Don't fret. Your brain just ranked "it" lower on the importance scale. This particularly applies to the 50 and 60-something's. The best thing to do to keep your neurons in gear is the following: Stop smoking if you do, exercise if you don't already, and keep your mind active with things including playing puzzles like crosswords or sudoku, learning new things, and reading.


2. Depression
The good news is that the majority of older adults aren't depressed. The bad news is, it's on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "major depression in older people living in the community range from less than 1% to about 5% but rise to 13.5% in those who require home healthcare and to 11.5% in older hospital patients." Depression can especially come to those who have multiple multiple illnesses (like heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure, ect.) or those who have lost multiple loved ones. There are means of getting help if you see yourself or someone else going in this direction. There are medications available (prescription and non-prescription). Studies have also shows that simply increasing physical activity, increasing the amount of time spent doing enjoyable activities, and spending time with others (whether volunteering or simply spending more time with friends/family) may also improve mood.  Read more from the CDC by clicking here. 


3. Visual impairment
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 65 % of all people who are visually impaired are aged 50 and up. The biggest culprit: Macular degeneration.  Macular degeneration results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the macular) due to damage to the light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye (the retina). As a result, the center of your vision is lost making it difficult to read or recognize faces. The peripheral vision remains however. (See image to the right; top image is normal vision, bottom image is what would be seen with macular degeneration.)  To help prevent macular degeneration, wear sunglasses when in direct sunlight, manage high blood pressure, and do not smoke.


4. Joint pain
First, the bad news. With age, joints do become stiffer and less flexible. The fluid-filled sacs that once served as soft cushions between cartilage or bone may have less fluid in them or non at all. This causes cartilage to rub together and erode. Minerals may deposit in and around some joints ( referred to as calcification). This is especially common in the joints of the shoulders. Hip and knee joints may begin to lose joint cartilage due to degenerative changes. However some joints, such as the ankle, typically change very little with aging. The good news is that exercise will actually help maintain bone mass. Also, a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D (which helps absorb calcium) will also do you good. Likewise, there are prescription and non-prescription means of preventing bone loss and maintaining joint health. 


5. Hearing problems
Hearing loss can be difficult for the individual affected, as well as their loved ones. Doctors do not know why age-related hearing loss happens, but it seems to run in families. Another reason for hearing loss may be exposure to too much loud noise. Less commonly it can occur due to a virus or bacteria, heart conditions or stroke, head injuries, tumors, and certain medicines. Here is a link to an infographic that outline the degrees of sound that effect our ears: Via facebook or Blog. The best thing to do if you start to notice hearing loss is to speak with your doctor about what is causing the loss. From there, they will help you find the best route of management.