Hope For Seniors With Significant Hearing Loss

A group of people giving thumbs up to the camera.


Thanks to a cochlear implant (CI)—a surgically imbedded bionic ear, many seniors with significant hearing loss, some even deaf, have been able to regain their hearing after an operation which seems no less than a miracle.  Unfortunately, only 5-7% of those who could benefit from the surgery opt to get the surgery.  A scant 739K of them have been implanted worldwide.  That’s sad because loss of hearing can lead to other health issues such as cognitive decline.  The decisive factor in whether or not you will benefit from CI is that you have a healthy auditory nerve.  “Hearing is a major mode of communication,†J. Thomas Roland Jr., a surgeon and chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at NYU, told AARP Bulletin.  “If you give that back to someone, the brain is rocking again.  It is doing what it is supposed to do,†he said.

Tips For Insomniacs : Get Some Sleep!

An old woman with a bruised eye and hand on her face.


If you are having problems sleeping, AARP Bulletin (December 21, page 6) has some great ideas such as:

Test your pillow – The National Sleep Foundation recommends replacing your pillows every one to two years.  “Put your arm out straight and lay the pillow across it.  If it looks like a pair of old saddlebacks, it’s time for a new one,†says Michael Brues, a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist in Los Angeles.

Get at least an hour of sunlight each day – Morning sunlight is important for good sleep.  “It turns off the melatonin faucet in your brain, which helps relieve that groggy morning feeling,†Berues says.

Skip salty snacks before bed.  In a research study, 321 patients with high salt diets and sleep issues were studied for 12 weeks.  When people cut down on salt, their average bathroom trips decreased from twice per night to once.

Tackle your troubles before dinner – If you have grievances with your spouse, don’t wait until nighttime.  Arguments and discussing tough subjects can lead to a restless night.

Don’t Watch Scary Movies At Night – In a U.K. study, participants watched a scary movie and it raised the viewer’s heart rate by 24 beats per minute.  This can disrupt your sleep.

OTC Hearing Aides Will Hit The Market In 2022

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After a 90 day public comment period expires in the middle of January with the Food & Drug Administration regarding allowing hearing aids to be sold without a prescription, the FDA will write a final version of the rule that will be based, in part, on feedback from the public and industry groups.  This will serve as a guideline for manufacturers to start making the devices, which could be sold at Costco, CVS, Safeway and other retail outlets.  “I think the soonest these devices will be available would be the second half of next year,†Barbara Kelley, the executive director of the Hearing Loss Association of America, told AARP Bulletin December 2021 Edition, page 4).  This should lower the cost significantly from current prices of $2K to $6K per pair.

Alliance On Aging Expanding In Oldtown Salinas

A man helping an elderly person in a wheelchair get into the back of a car.


Starting in January, the Alliance on Aging will be expanding with new office space for its partners behind its current space at 236 Monterey Street.  Called “the HUB,†it will offer social activities and educational opportunities in their new Community Room and Conference Room.  They will also have an Internet Café where you can get a cup of coffee, a snack, and schedule one-on-one training on your laptop, iPad or cell phone.  They will also be partnering with the VNA to offer seniors vaccinations in January and February.

www.allianceonaging.org

Amazon Targeting Seniors And Their Caregivers With New Service

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Amazon.com has launched a new service including an urgent response option giving users access to a 24/7 emergency hotline, supporting fall detection response in partnership with 3rd party services.  It requires an Alexa-supported device such as an Amazon Echo speaker or the Echo Show and costs $19.99/month or $199/year after a free six-month trial.

Good Genes : Three Sisters, All Centenarians

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Frances Kompus recently celebrated her 100th birthday, one of three sisters who are all centenarians. Her sister Julia Kopriva turned 104 in November, and Lucy Pochop turned 102 in June.  With no brothers, the three girls would work on the farm to help their parents, butchering hogs, driving tractors, pulling a one-way disc plow or a rod weeder. “It was good on the farm,†Frances told USA Today.  “I had a few geese to play with and even had some roosters I made pets.â€Â  She credits eating well as one of her secrets to longevity.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/12/05/three-kansas-sisters-100-and-older/8836356002/

Apple Making Further Inroads Into Medical Devices

A pair of white earbuds with a case.


Apple Inc. is studying how it can morph its AirPods into some sort of a health device.  This could include having them double as hearing aides, an in-ear thermometer and even body posture warnings.  The tech-giant already dominates the global Bluetooth headset market, generating an estimated $12+billion in revenue from this market in 2020.  Apple has already made quite a splash in the health device market with its Apple Watch, and is also looking at using iPhones to help diagnose depression and cognitive decline.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-studying-potential-of-airpods-as-health-device-11634122800?mod=djemwhatsnews

One Of The Secrets To Longevity Is Getting The Proper Amount Of Exercise

Three older women are holding pink dumbbells.


Two studies now agree that the secret to longevity is getting in about 7,000 to 8,000 daily steps per day, which equates to only 30-45 minutes of walking per day!  An alternative to walking is getting into a sport like tennis, cycling, swimming, jogging or badminton for about 2.5 hours per week.  The two studies followed more than 10K men and women for decades, and found that this type of physical activity reduces the risk of premature  death by as much as 70%.   The study also said there may actually be an upper limit to the longevity benefits of being active, and pushing beyond that is unlikely to add years to your life span, and, in extreme cases might even be detrimental

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/well/move/exercise-daily-steps-recommended.html?campaign_id=34&emc=edit_sc_20210921&instance_id=40921&nl=science-times&regi_id=52105769&segment_id=69484&te=1&user_id=7052b81671c57203c64c377c7522baa7

Santa Cruz, CA Caregivers Looking For Relief For Clients With Arthritis Or Osteoporosis Might Want To Turn To Vibration Therapy Or Light Therapy

Three older women are holding pink dumbbells.


With the opioid crisis, it has becoming increasingly difficult to get doctors to embrace any kind of pain medication therapy for those struggling with debilitating and painful diseases which impact the muscle and bone.  Amplitude Vibration Therapy is now getting a lot of buzz in the medical community, providing relief for a number of ailments without having to turn to prescription drugs.  It works by stimulating muscles and ligaments, which increases blood circulation and can reduce pain and inflammation, promote immune response and improve joint strength as well as more flexibility.  A recent study by the National Institutes of Health and researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa found that those living with rheumatoid arthritis showed improvements in functionality and decreased pain after using vibration therapy over three months, and an even better response after six months.

 

https://www.homecaremag.com/june-2021/buzz-vibration-therapy

 

Best of all, vibration therapy doesn’t bring the feeling of electric shock that is commonly associated with some other therapies.  Clinical studies suggest vibration therapy may offer benefits for patients with arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and other ailments. It is also a trendy workout recovery option due to ease of use. A study completed earlier this year indicates that five minutes of low-level vibration therapy was as effective as a 15-minute massage at reducing muscle soreness and improving recovery time after strenuous exercise.

Potential Benefits of Vibration Therapy:

  • Increased blood and lymphatic circulation
  • Reduced pain and inflammation
  • A boosted immune response
  • Additional joint strength and flexibility
  • Increased healing of fractures, strains and sprains
  • Decreased stress and increased energy levels
  • Assistance in detoxification and removal of wastes from the body
  • Safe and effective

Source : www.brownmed.com

Locally, Sol Santa Cruz provides a number of different therapy programs for those in pain, including exercises like Pilates, Active Relief and Light Therapy.

https://solsantacruz.net/about-us/featured-services/a-perfect-light/

Commonly Treated Conditions

  • Back pain
  • Ligament injuries
  • Muscle strains
  • Contusions and bruising
  • Arthritis
  • Muscular atrophy
  • Chronic pain conditions
  • Muscle aches and pains
  • Tendinitis

Source : Sol Santa Cruz

 

Experiment with these traditional and non-traditional treatments and see what is best for you.  You may be surprised at how your body reacts.  My chiropractor has evolved over the years to combining massage therapy, ultrasound, laser therapy and other services which are sued to relieve chronic pain along with traditional chiropractic treatments.  I’ve been very pleased with the results.

 

https://drbarkalow.com/services/

Monterey County Gains Another Centenarian As Stanley Weiss Celebrates 100th Birthday In Pacific Grove

A group of people giving thumbs up to the camera.


Former Monterey High football coach celebrated his 100th birthday.  He first came to the Peninsula in 1952 where he landed a job as the varsity football coach for Monterey Union High School.  At a young age, he lettered in football, basketball and track in high school before going on to play at Ohio State.  He served in the Army Air Force during World War II before going on to get a Masters Degree in Education from UCLA.

https://www.montereyherald.com/2021/09/14/former-monterey-high-football-coach-celebrates-100th-birthday/?utm_email=7404B4F5358244C5647B14D271&g2i_eui=B5dv00xjia5jtX%2fZFTuOn45qYHnjNzVq&g2i_source=newsletter&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.montereyherald.com%2f2021%2f09%2f14%2fformer-monterey-high-football-coach-celebrates-100th-birthday%2f&utm_campaign=norcal-monterey-morning-report&utm_content=automated