Cancer Patients Can Fight Fatigue…One Step at a Time

Researchers in Philadelphia affirmed recently that cancer patients can literally take a step-by-step approach to combat fatigue – even seniors who are battling cancer. The National Cancer Institute reports that chronic fatigue affects up to 96 percent of people being treated for cancer.

Research leader Dr. Theresa P. Yeo recommends starting out slowly by walking only three minutes and working up to more time.

The goal was to increase walking time 90 to 150 minutes each week by the end of the three-month program.

“The beauty of this program is that we’re not asking for high intensity aerobics or a target heart rate,” Yeo said. 

If you are caring for a senior recovering from cancer you should know that a Home Instead CAREGiver™ could be a big encourager to keep motivating older adults struggling with serious illness.

May is Older Americans Month!

May is Older Americans Month, a good time to highlight how seniors can make a difference in our community.  This year’s theme for Older Americans Month, “Never Too Old to Play,” celebrates the accomplishments of older Americans and encourages them to find even more ways to stay engaged.

 

May 7-11, 2012, is also Senior Corps Week, which recognizes the service of the more than 300,000 Senior Corps volunteers.

 

Also this month, the Home Instead Senior Care® network will be honoring 50 state Salute to Senior Service volunteer winners and a national honoree. Their stories can be found at www.SalutetoSeniorService.com

 

In his proclamation about Older Americans Month, President Barack Obama said this: “Our seniors have devoted their entire lives to building the future their children and grandchildren deserve. During Older Americans Month, we celebrate their successes and recommit to supporting them as they shape America’s next great generation.”

 

For more about Older Americans Month, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/01/presidential-proclamation-older-americans-month-2012.

Alzheimer’s Drug May Be First to Prevent Disease’s Progression

Q. Both of my 78-year-old mother’s parents died of Alzheimer’s disease, and I am beginning to wonder if Mom will start to show symptoms and go down that same heartbreaking road. I know my life will change forever if it happens – and for that matter, so will the lives of my children if I live long enough. Is there any kind of cure for Alzheimer’s on the horizon?

A. There is potentially good news in the research for combating the incurable disease that affects as many as 5.4 million Americans. A new drug candidate may be the first capable of halting the devastating mental decline of Alzheimer’s disease, based on the findings of a study by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif.

When given to mice with Alzheimer’s, the drug – known as J147 – improved memory and prevented brain damage caused by the incurable disease. The new compound could be tested for treatment of the disease in humans in the near future, according to researchers.

“J147 enhances memory in both normal and Alzheimer’s mice and also protects the brain from the loss of synaptic connections,” said David Schubert, the head of Salk’s Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, whose team developed the new drug. “No drugs on the market for Alzheimer’s have both of these properties.”

Although it is unknown whether the compound will prove to be safe and effective in humans, the Salk researchers said their results suggest the drug may hold potential for treatment of people with Alzheimer’s. Because of the broad ability of J147 to protect nerve cells, the researchers believe that it also may be effective for treating other neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease,
Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), as well as stroke.

The potential for a groundbreaking Alzheimer’s medication is providing a glint of sunlight in the otherwise gloomy outlook for those who have the incurable dementia.

Until the time when Alzheimer’s can be cured, Home Instead Senior Care® stands ready to help. Home Instead CAREGiversSM are trained to assist clients with these conditions through the Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias CARE: Changing Aging Through Research and EducationSM Program. The program teaches skills for keeping seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia home longer. To learn more about the program, which includes free Family Caregiver Training, contact our Fort Smith, Arkansas, office or go to HelpforAlzheimersFamilies.com.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care®, contact Jonathan Fry at 479.434.6960 or go to www.homeinstead.com for more information.

Health Costs Most Significant Factor in Seniors’ Well-Being

Q. I’m curious; what are the biggest challenges that today’s seniors face and what can we older adults – particularly those like me who are living alone – do about it?

Senior citizens in America are enjoying longer lives, better health and better economic security, but the cost of health care for the elderly has risen dramatically, according to Older Americans 2010: Key Indicators of Well-Being, which was released in June by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics.

Here’s the evidence:

• After adjustment for inflation, health care costs increased significantly among older Americans from $9,224 in 1992 to $15,081 in 2006.

• From 1977 to 2006, the percentage of household income that people age 65 and over allocated to out-of-pocket spending for health care services increased among those in the poor/near poor income category from 12 percent to 28 percent.

• The number of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part D prescription drug plans increased from 18.2 million (51 percent of beneficiaries) in June 2006 to 22.2 million (57 percent of beneficiaries) in December 2009.

Sadly, there was no significant change in the percentage of people age 65 and over reporting physical activity between 1997 and 2008.

The best way to keep health care costs under control is to do all within your power to stay healthy, which includes following a nutritious diet and exercising. Many older adults lose their spouses and begin a downward spiral into poor health, sometimes just because they are lonely.

If you find yourself in this circumstance, please consider a professional caregiving service. The Fort Smith office of the Home Instead Senior Care® network hires CAREGivers to go into the homes and care communities of older adults to help them with a variety of services and, oftentimes, just to provide companionship.

CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. Many of these CAREGivers are older adults who share common interests with other seniors. So ensuring that you have adequate help including companionship is one way that seniors can reduce their risks of falls and other issues that could impact their health.

For more information about the Fort Smith office of Home Instead Senior Care® , contact Jonathan Fry at 479.434.6960 or visit www.homeinstead.com/665. For more information about this report, log on to http://www.agingstats.gov/agingstatsdotnet/Main_Site/Data/2010_Documents/Docs/OA_2010.pdf.

SENIORS NOT COMBATING MUSCLE LOSS

Seniors Not Combating Muscle Loss
Nearly nine in 10 people think feeling weaker is one of the worst parts of aging, but few Americans over the age of 45 are taking steps to prevent muscle loss, a new study finds.

The survey, commissioned by Abbott and developed in conjunction with the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging, found that nearly 90 percent of Americans older than 45 are not making daily exercise and proper nutrition part of their daily routines to protect their muscles as they age.

“Muscle loss is a serious issue that can lead to severe health and lifestyle consequences, yet building and maintaining muscle isn’t top of mind for most adults,” said Evelyn Granieri, M.D., M.P.H., MSEd., of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. “Especially with an aging baby boomer population, it’s important that people take charge of their health and take action now so that they can continue doing the things they enjoy in the future.”

According to Medical News Today, clinical research shows that starting at age 40, a person can lose 8 percent of muscle per decade, which can lead to loss of strength, mobility and the freedom to enjoy life.

Granieri said that talking to one’s doctor or dietician is a great way to identify small steps to take to protect muscle health today for a more active future. CAREGivers also are in a position to help clients protect against muscle loss by encouraging them to exercise and making sure they are eating nutritious meals.

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