Archive for March, 2009
March 24th, 2009
With so many baby boomers joining the “senior citizen” age group, it begs the question: just who IS a senior citizen? When I hear that term, I immediately think of my elderly grandparents, sitting on the couch in the 1970’s. When I think of my current friends who are over 50, I envision a totally different version of my grandparents’ senior population: today’s senior seems so much more active, vibrant and youthful. While most dictionaries define a senior is someone who is “of relatively advanced age,” the label more often refers to people who are over a certain age to qualify for services or discounts. AARP serves anyone over 50; locally, Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging (NIAAA) serves adults age 60 and older; restaurants and movies usually provide discounts to those who are over 55 years old.
People are living longer, with a higher quality of life. The average life span now averages almost 80 years old. What to do with all that time? Keep active: body, mind and spirit. After the okay from the doctor, engage in physical activites, whether it be running a marathon or gardening in the back yard. Do creative things such as making art, playing an instrument or writing a story. Learn something new: build computer skills, take up golf, figure out how to do Suduko puzzles, go back to school. Do something social, such as joining a club, volunteering in the community, enjoying the company of good friends, attending a local play or concert, going to church. Eating a balanced diet can maintain or even improve overall functioning, so eat those veggies and dark chocolate! Managing the level of stress can make a big difference in overall health; try yoga, meditation or any healthy activity that helps you relax. Work with your doctor to address medical concerns. Seek help when digging through all the paperwork involved with Medicare, Medicaid, taxes, utilities and all those other stressful things in life. Many services exist for the taking: Lifescape Community Services, NIAAA, Alzheimer’s Association, Visiting Nurses Association are just a few of the providers in the community who are waiting to serve you, often for free or minimal cost. Believe it or not, brushing and flossing your teeth is a great way to maintain overall health. Don’t forget enjoy yourself. There’s no time like the present to take advantage of being a senior citizen. Put those senior discounts to use! From a discounted cup of coffee at the Golden Arches to money saved on a vacation, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the perks of being defined as a senior in today’s community.
March 19th, 2009
After listening to President Obama’s speech to Congress, it appears that we will all be hearing more about prevention as a way of improving health and lowering health care costs. As a primary care physician, I embrace prevention but do wonder if both physicians and patient expectations are realistic? In some ways prevention may be both oversold and undersold. Dr. Alfred Berg, a former head of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, says, “We need to look at the data carefully so we do things that make sense and use our resources wisely.”
For example, many women regularly see their physicians to get an annual mammogram. While recommended, women tend to overate their risk from breast cancer and vastly underrate their risk from heart disease, which is by far the leading cause of death among woman, or from the flu, which kills many women each year. The point is that sometimes very effective interventions such as influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation can be overlooked. This is one reason that I feel it is so important to have a personal doctor who can discuss these issues with you and to tailor preventive recommendations. In addition, by taking a good medical history, learning about your family history and conducting a thorough examination, your doctor might make recommendations for you that would not be suitable for someone else.
A common preventive visit for a woman is for a pap smear. During that visit, I strongly encourage a woman to ask her doctor what other type of preventive measures he or she can recommend and what is their philosophy about prevention. I asked one of our obstetrician/gynecologist specialists, Dr. Teddy Bachawaty how he approaches prevention during an annual exam.
He said, “While most women are coming to see me for a cancer check up, I feel that the visit is a valuable opportunity for me to discuss other recommended preventive measures for someone in the patient’s age group. To guide me in this discussion, I use recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstfix.htm) and those made by my specialty society, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. If the patient has her own primary care physician it gives me a chance to either reinforce their recommendations or to encourage the patient to make an appointment. For a woman who wants comprehensive care from me, I consider four general areas including immunizations, cancer prevention, cardiovascular disease and chemoprophylaxis. Chemoprophylaxis is the use of medication to prevent disease or infection.
For example, during a preventive health care visit, I make sure that my patients are up to date on their vaccinations – including an annual flu shot. For cancer screening, in addition to a Pap smear, I arrange for a mammogram or colon cancer screening if indicated. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for woman so I check blood pressure, see if the patient has had a recent lipid profile, check the body mass index and counsel about maintaining a health lifestyle. Many people may overlook chemoprevention, but making sure that a patient is getting adequate calcium and supplementation, if needed, is critically important. However, the thing I really like to do is work with my patients to tailor their recommendations to their personal health, their personal risk factors and to partner with them if they need to make life style changes. Like all of us, I know how hard it is to always eat right and get plenty of exercise, especially since I have a new baby at home.”
I think Teddy has an approach similar to mine and one that I think builds better health in the long run. If any woman has questions about preventive issues, please feel free to e-mail Dr. Bachawaty at bachawat@uic.edu or contact Women’s and Children’s Health Center at 815.637.0000 to schedule an appointment.
March 17th, 2009
You’re sitting with your dad during dinner. He’s been complaining about a headache throughout the meal but keeps eating. He puts down his fork, mumbling about having trouble seeing and feeling a bit numb on one side. Suddenly, he seems very confused and you can’t understand what he’s trying to say to you. Time to act FAST!
FAST stands for: Face, Arms, Speech and Time. Signs of a stroke can include numbness of face, arms, legs (usually on one side of the body); confusion and trouble speaking; trouble seeing; sudden dizziness or trouble walking; and, severe headache. Someone having a stroke may not present with any or all warning signs. Use the acronym FAST to remember the classic warning signs of a stroke. FACE: Ask the person to smile. See if the person is unable to smile or one side of the smile droops. You can also ask the person to stick out the tongue to see if the person can control the tongue. ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms at the same time; notice if the person can raise both arms. SPEECH: Ask the person to say a simple sentence. The person should be able to say the sentence clearly and without difficulty. TIME: Note the time the symptoms begin.
Time is of the essence. Even if you’re not sure the person has signs of a stroke, call 9-1-1. There’s no need to repeatedly check the signs–let the professionals figure it out. Seek medical attention even if the symptoms go away, as a stroke is indeed a very serious medical emergency.
You don’t have to be elderly to have a stroke. Factors that might lead to a stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, age, diabetes, history of blod clots, illicit drug use and even smoking. Taking care of medical issues is a good way to lower risk of having a stroke.
March 10th, 2009
March is “March for Meals” month, as sponsored by Meals on Wheels Association of America!
I don’t know about you, but I love to eat. I have money to pay for food, I have transportation to & from the grocery store. I get nourishment from what I eat. My teeth are good, my taste buds are still firing, I have a healthy appetite, I cook my own meals. I have no major medical issues that require modification to my diet. As we age, eating may become more of a chore than anything else: the elderly might find it gets harder to get to the store. They may find that it takes too much energy to cook or that nothing tastes good anymore. Seniors struggling with money issues might have to limit food purchases; others might find dental issues interfere with the ability to chew. Some seniors complain their appetite decreases, making it harder to meet nutritional needs. Senior Citizens living in poverty or without transportation may find themselves unable to secure or pay for food. Those with dementia might literally forget to eat or think they have already eaten their meal.
Getting an affordable, hot meal & a friendly smile can go a long wayfor someone who can’t get out of the house or cook anymore. Home-bound seniors & seniors who are unable to purchase nutritionally-balanced meals can get food delivered right to their door via “Meals onWheels.” This service is available across the country, including in the Rockford area. While food is the spotlight, direct interaction with the person delivering the meal is another benefit. “Meals on Wheels” can help seniors remain as independent in their own homes while meeting nutritional needs. A minimal donation and/or sliding-scale is utilized to cover a fraction of the program’s costs; however, most programs do not turn away anyone due to inability to pay.
For more information on “meals on wheels,” or nutritional needs of
senior citizens, go to the web! Check out links such as
www.mypyramid.gov; www.mowaa.org;
www.lifescapeservices.org/nutrition-services; www.aarp.org;
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors; www.nia.nih.gov
March 5th, 2009
As a dog lover and dog owner, I’m a firm believer in the use of pet therapy for seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Unless you’re not a dog person, you understand the beauty of unconditional love from a dog. No matter what kind of day I’ve had, my two dogs greet me with wagging tails and make me feel like the most important person on the planet. Who can’t use more of that? One of my two dogs is a retired therapy dog; thus, I’ve seen the joy a visiting therapy dog can bring to those who can no longer have a pet of their own. As the director at a local Adult Day Services, I’ve had many conversations with participants about pets from their past and how much those animals meant to them.
To find out a little more about the use of pet therapy with persons diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I contacted a Certified Pet Dog Trainer. Jan Carlson, CPDT, has experience using dogs as therapy on a professional and personal level; she owns dogs, trains dogs, owns a kennel and has family history of a loved one with Alzheimer’s. Jan concurs that pet therapy can have much benefit for those in various stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia. She’s been involved in taking dogs to area nursing homes and has seen how residents’ demeanor change for the positive when the therapy dogs arrive. Just sitting and petting a dog can have a positive effect on the resident; some feel calmer, others enjoy talking about their own beloved pets, others like watching the dogs do tricks. For those who love dogs but can no longer own one, having a few minutes with a therapy dog can do wonders. If you’d like more information on therapy dogs or dog training in general, give Jan a call (815-235-1500).
Of course, therapy dogs don’t just show up at nursing homes or at programs designed for those with Alzheimer’s; they have to be invited! In addition, the dogs are usually required to be certified as therapy dogs. Not everyone enjoys dogs (some are downright afraid), so knowing the dogs are going to be on the site is very important for many residents. Ask your loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s about his or her interest in a visit from a therapy dog. Chances are you’ll get a positive response, both from the person and from the visit.
