COMMON EYE DISORDERS AMONG THE ELDERLY

Getting older has its rewards: wisdom, and appreciation for life's journey, retirement, and time to spend with family. Yet it can also bring stress in matters related to your health. We know that as we age we need to take extra care of our bodies. Eye problems are a common health issue for those reaching their golden years. The most common eye disorders for senior citizens are presbyopia, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

• PRESBYOPIA: The name sounds technical but the condition itself is not scary. Presbyopia occurs when there is a loss of lens elasticity in the eyes. The symptoms can begin as early as 40 years old and usually revolve around farsightedness. So if you are holding your book at a distance to read it clearly, it is best to make an appointment with your eye doctor. Likely all you will need are a good pair of reading glasses.




• CATARACTS: Cataracts may develop slowly as you age. They are very common and symptoms include needing more light for reading and difficulty driving at night. When a person develops a cataract, the eye's natural lens becomes a frosted yellow. The operation to correct this is simple and safe, uses loc or topical anesthesia and has immediate effects. A doctor will remove the yellowed lens from the eye and replace it with a clear one. It is important to seek treatment because if left alone the cataract can become blinding. Ways to prevent cataracts are to wear UV protecting sunglasses and eat foods containing Vitamins A,C and E.




• AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION(AMD): This condition is the main cause of permanent vision loss in the elderly, so it is important to have it treated as soon as possible. The symptoms are central vision blurriness and difficulty doing daily tasks such as driving and reading. There are two types of AMD: dry and wet. Both involve the macula, a small area on the eye's retina. In dry AMD, the light-sensitive cells on the macula break down to cause blurriness. In wet AMD leakage or hemorrhage can occur. Treatments can include photodynamic therapy and antiangiocenic substances as well as high doses of anitoxidants and zinc. Since vision loss cannot be restored, it is imperative that you see an eye professional as soon as you experience a change in vision. Leading an active and healthy lifestyle including quitting smoking can help prevent AMD.




• GLAUCOMA: Glaucoma is another condition that if left untreated can result in permanent vision impairment. Glaucoma results when fluid pressure in the eye causes damage to the eye's optic nerve. A symptom can include losing side vision. Glaucoma is best treated when detected early. Your doctor may prescribe use of eye drops to lessen the pressure of the eye. As the risk increases once you hit 60, it's important to see your eye doctor regularly.

The main theme is to keep up to date on your eye appointments and see your doctor immediately if you have any change in vision. If caught early, many of these disorders are treatable and you can prevent any advancement. It is vital to take care of your body as you age: exercise, eat the right foods and lessen your stress. These will not only prevent many disease but will help keep your eyes young and strong.

source: www.bocahomecareservices.com/blog

TIPS FOR MAKING USE OF YOUR HOME HEALTH AIDE

Most home health agencies, like Harbor Health Home Care, have a minimum of hours per day or week required for a home health aide's services to commence. For many agencies, it is usually 3-4 hour shifts at least three times a week. This scheduling is most useful for insuring the same home health aide remains with the client. It is also practical from a scheduling point of view and results in building a relationship between the client and home health aide.

Home health aides perform many tasks for and with a client. Primarily they are there to assist, keep the client safe, keep company or provide respite time for the primary caregiver. An aide will help a client with personal care(ADLs) such as bathing, transferring, eating, toileting and dressing. Additionally they will assist with running of the household tasks(IADLs) such as meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping, companionship, driving to appointments, and shopping.

The key to making the best use of the aide's time and services is to have a routine or schedule. For example, one day can be for laundry, another day can be for shopping or other outdoor errands. Two meals can usually be prepared during a shift. Nutrition is very important and sometimes elderly clients do not shop often enough or prepare meals for themselves.

As safety is a major concern, having an aide assist the client with getting a drink, the mail, getting to the bathroom and such, helps prevent falls. One in three people over the age of 65 in the U.S. suffer a fall. Most often this is in the house.

Companionship helps to stave off depression which can be part of an illness an recuperation. Having someone there who you get to know can help motivate you with exercises and getting out of the house. Respite time for the spouse or primary caregiver is critical to their well being, either to take a nap, go out to socialize or to keep their own doctor appointments.

Making a good "match" between client and home health aide is part science and part art. Like in most relationships, communication is very important. When both parties are aware of the expectations and both people become acquainted, the magic of a good match becomes apparent.

SEVEN TIPS TO AVOID HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES THIS SUMMER FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES

Summer can be a great time to get in shape and enjoy the outdoors, but people with diabetes should take extra measures to avoid serious, heat-related illnesses. Diabetes can impair a person's ability to sweat, which means that hot, humid weather can dangerously reduce the body's capacity to regulate blood sugar levels. It is critical that people with this disease take proper precautions this summer to avoid potentially life-threatening conditions like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Here are seven simply safety precautions for summer:

• Check your blood sugar levels often. Many people tend to be more active in the summer months, and changes in activity and heat levels can affect the body's insulin needs.




• Avoid sunburn. Wear plenty of sunblock to avoid sunburn, which can tax your body and cause blood glucose levels to rise.




• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, which will place further stress on your body and affect glucose levels.




• Stay cool. If possible, take breaks from the heat in air-conditioned areas or designated cooling centers. Make sure to exercise in an air-conditioned place.




• Avoid caffeine and alcohol in high temperatures. Alcohol and caffeine can increase the risk of dehydration for people with diabetes.




• Keep medication and supplies as cool as possible, and away from direct sunlight. Extreme temperatures can affect insulin and other supplies, and can cause them to break down or become less potent.




• Be alert for signs of heat exhaustion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists these signals as common signs of heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, and/or fainting.

source: http://www.marketwatch.com/

HOW TO RECOGNIZE OVARIAN CANCER SYMPTOMS

Understanding ovarian cancer symptoms can improve a woman's chances of successfully treating this condition. Women who receive an early ovarian cancer diagnosis have an almost 93 percent chance of surviving for five years after their diagnosis, according to the American Cancer Society. Early detection is made possible when women are aware of the ovarian symptoms. It can be challenging to detect ovarian cancer because some of the symptoms are similar to other conditions. One way to distinguish ovarian cancer symptoms is to pay attention to see if they are persistent.

• Notice if you are experiencing pain in your stomach area. This may include pressure in you abdomen, or pain in your pelvis. Ovarian cancer symptoms can also include a feeling of stomach fullness or bloating.





• Pay attention to unexpected changes in your bladder or bowels. Constipation or the frequent urge to urinate can both be ovarian symptoms.





• See if you are having difficulties with your reproductive organs. Prior to receiving an ovarian cancer diagnosis, some women will experience pain during intercourse. They may also notice changes in their menstrual cycle, or experience bleeding after menopause.





• Observe the way your body handles digestion. Chronic gas, nausea, or indigestion can be ovarian symptoms.





• Know when to get medical help. If you are experiencing symptoms that last for more than a few weeks, see a physician. This is especially necessary if you are experiencing pain or bloating in you abdomen. Getting an early ovarian cancer diagnosis can dramatically increase survival rates.

source: http://www.ehow.com/

FATHER'S DAY - 2011





Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, special dinners to fathers, and family-oriented activities. It took many years to make the holiday official. In spite of support from the YWCA, the YMCA, and churches, Father's Day ran the risk of disappearing from the calendar. Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon made the day a national holiday. This year Father's Day is June 19th.

MEN'S HEALTH CONCERNS: BLADDER ISSUES

However confident you are in your personal life, it's sometimes difficult to cope with symptoms relating to your bladder. Knowing about the symptoms and learning strategies to cope can be effective and empowering.

The prostate is a walnut sized gland sitting just beneath the bladder and wrapped around the urethra which carries urine to the penis. As you get older it enlarges, a condition called Benign Prostate Hyperplasia(BPH). Another issue is prostate cancer, often a slow growing tumor which can need surgical treatment.

Bladder Issues:

• An enlarged prostate - BPH - is very common over age 50, and increases with age.






• By 60, around six out of ten men are affected, rising to nine out of ten by age 85.






• It can cause lower urinary tract symptomw, or LUTS.






• These can affect bladder control, ranging from dribbling, needing to go urgently and at night, to starting and stopping.






• If you experience any of these symptoms, it is worth visiting a health professional, you may need simple tests to see if you have BPH or something more serious.






• The tests involve a blood test to measure your Prostate Specific Antigen(PSA) and possibly a digital examination of the prostate via the rectum.






• If a diagnosis is made, there are lots of ways to improve symptoms, including pelvic floor exercises, bladder retraining, altering fluid intake and eating a high-fiber health diet.






• There are also medicines such as Alpha-blockers can help imporve urine flow quickly and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can reduce prostate growth.






• Specially designed absorbency products for men can halp with leaking and accidents.






• In severe cases an operation to remove some prostate tissue can improve urine flow.

source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

U.S. FLAG DAY









In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.





source: http://www.wikipedia.com/

HEALTHY EATING PYRAMID OUT, PLATE IN


The US government has ditched its two-decade old pyramid model for healthy eating and introduced a new plate symbol half filled with fruits and vegetables to urge better eating habits. The colorful design, called MyPlate, was unveiled by first lady Michelle Obama. The plate icon is sectioned into four parts, with fruit and vegetables making up one half and grains and proteins filling the other half. A dairy drink is included alongside. The graphic replaces the food pyramid, released in 1992, which showed that fats and oils were located at the upper tip and should be used sparingly, while whole grains made up the base of the diet with six to 11 servings daily. But critics maintained the pyramid design was too hard for the general public to understand. A total of 26.7 percent of the US population is obese, and no single state hs been able to meet the 15 percent obesity limit set by the US government, according to 2009 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A White House task force found lst year that close to one-third of children in America are overweight or obese, and obesity rates among youths have tripled since 1980. Mrs. Obama said the MyPlate icon would be useful inthe fight against childhood obesity, but would not be limited to that age group. "It's an image that can be reinforced and practiced at breakfast, lunch, and at dinner, no matter how old we are,"Mrs. Obama said.





source: http://www.smh.com/

JUNE IS MEN'S HEALTH MONTH

June is Men's Health Month and a great opportunity to look at how men can lower their risk factors for preventable diseases such as heart disease and cancer, as well as address male-specific problems such as low testosterone and erectile dysfunction.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: Heart disease remains the number one killer of men in the US, according to the CDC. Heart disease is often asymptomatic. Until there is an event of some sort, such as a heart attack, angina or an arrhythmia, people don't know they are sick. The following are the top 5 risk factors for heart disease:

1. High blood pressure

2. High cholesterol

3. Strong family history

4. Smoking

5. Diabetes

Many of these factors can be controlled, but men are often averse to changing their lifestyle.

PROSTRATE CANCER: Prostrate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men. Unfortunately, medical experts disagree on the importance of prostate cancer screening since treatment for prostate cancer can cause serious side effects, and this slow-growing cancer may never develop to a point where it affects a man's lifestyle. That said, prostrate screening saves lives. It is recommended that men begin getting screened at age 40, rather than age 50.

LOW TESTOSTERONE AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION: Men naturally experience a drop in testosterone levels that starts at age 30 and continues throughout the rest of their lives, but levels should never be below normal. Symptoms of testosterone deficiency are depressed mood, lethargy, reduced energy level and lack of sexual desire. Blood tests can ascertain whether a man is suffering from testosterone deficiency, and the condition is treatable with hormone replacement therapy in the form of testosterone injections, patches or gels. Erectile dysfunction also increases with age, and by age 80 about 60 percent of men will experience it. One third of men reporting erectile dysfunction will also have a heart problem or hypertension, so the two are linked.

A prostate healthy diet is a heart healthy diet. If you eat right for your prostate, you are eating right for your heart. It is recommended that men take a one-a-day vitamin, extra Vitamin D, and calcium. Pay attention to your body, do what you should, and if you have a symptom, don't be macho, get it checked out!

WAY TO GO...SABRINA SMITH IS THE WINNER OF OUR EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION CONTEST THIS MONTH! CONGRATULATIONS!

OSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION

After the age of about of 30, bone thinning is a natural process and cannot be stopped completely. Whether you develop osteoporosis depends not only on the thickness of your bones early in life but also on your health, diet, and physical activity later in life. The thicker your bones, the less likely the bones are to become thin enough to break. Young women in particular need to be aware of their risk for developing osteoporosis and take steps early to slow its progess and prevent complications. Plentiful physical activity during the preteen and teen years increases bone mass and greatly reduces the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood. If you eat a diet adequate in calcium and vitamin D and exercise regularly early in life and then continue with these healthy habits, you may be able to delay or avoid osteoporosis.

• Eat a nutritious diet that includes adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D. Both are necessary for building healthy, strong bones. The recommended daily calcium intake for adults up to age 50 is 1,000 mg a day. Men and women age 50 and older need 1,200 mg of calcium each day. The recommended daily intake for vitamin D is 400 to 800 IU a day for adults up to age 50. If you are age 50 or older, the recommended amount is 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D a day. The best source of vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is vital for calcium absorption in bones and to imporve muscle strength.




• Take supplements if you are not getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Most doctors suggest daily vitamin D supplements for children and teens, starting by age 2 months.




• Get regular exercise. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or weight lifting, keep bones healthy by working the muscles and bones against gravity.




• Don't drink more than 2 alcohol drinks a day if you are a man, or 1 alcohol drink a day if you are a woman. Drinking more than this puts you at a higher risk for osteoporosis.




• Don't smoke. Smoking puts you at a higher risk for developing osteoporosis and increases the rate of bone thinning after it starts.

After osteoporosis develops, getting enough calcium and vitamin D, along with other healthy habits, can slow the process and reduce the chances of bones breaking. It's common for a person's diet to supply only half the calcium the bones need, so you probably need to take supplements. Your bones need vitamin D to absorb calcium.

source: www.webmd.com/osteoporosis