Pebble Beach, CA Retinal Implants To Restore Sight In Macular Degeneration Patients Shows Promise


A treatment where surgeons implant a tiny device in the retinas of patients which contain stem cells looks extremely promising for those with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  Although it has only been done with 15 patients, many participants have passed the one-year mark with improving vision.  One woman who had the treatment said, “Shortly after the surgery, I turned to my husband while we were watching TV and said, ‘I can see all of their faces!’â€Â  Doctors say FDA approval is about five years away.  To see local specialists in macular degeneration, see links below.

https://news.usc.edu/trojan-family/stem-cell-therapy-macular-degeneration-usc-clinical-trial/

https://www.montereyeye.com/our-services/retinal-care
https://www.peninsulaeyecarecenters.com/low-vision.html

http://vantageeye.com/services-macular.html

Salinas, CA Seniors Need A Solid Exercise Routine

Three older women are holding pink dumbbells.


At Family inHome Caregiving we emphasize to our clients the importance of a healthy diet, the proper amount of social interaction—difficult during the pandemic—and the right amount of exercise.  Most seniors put walking into their routine but experts say they need to add strength training.  As you age, loss of muscle strength and power leads to declining activity, increased frailty and functional dependence, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.  Resistance training is an easy way to add strength training to a daily regimen.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that seniors participate in activities at least two weeks that strengthen muscles along with a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking.  We enjoy taking our clients for a walk on Carmel Beach or downtown Pacific Grove, which is not very crowded with very few tourists in town.

Monterey County Elder Justice Summit Will Be Held On June 30

A group of people giving thumbs up to the camera.


Don’t miss out on this year’s Elder Justice Summit which will be held on Wednesday, June 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The Keynote Speaker is Ashton Applewhite, author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism. Click on the link below to register for this event which is sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging, amongst others.

https://montereycty.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Qhst8E2gS6yM-evmOl6pnw

 

Aegism And Hostility Towards Seniors Most Prevalent In Southeast, But California Also Is High On The List

A man and woman standing next to each other.


A recent study from all 50 states found that implicit bias—a subconscious negative attitude—against older people was most prevalent in the country’s southeastern states, including New Jersey, the Carolinas and Florida.  The findings were based on responses of 803K people ages 15-94 who completed a test involving photos of young and old people and words associated with those images.  Unfortunately, California didn’t score well, scoring two out of five on a 1-5 scale where 1 is the most biased. Authors of another study which was published in November found that survey respondents who were more hostile toward older people and considered them to be a drain on the economy and health-care system washed their hands less and didn’t believe in social distancing.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/worried-about-ageism-where-you-live-matters-11612198542

Life Expectancy Expectations Take Another Dive : By Derek Baine

An older woman holding a pink string in her hand.


Recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics showed that the average life expectancy dropped a full year in the first half of 2020, from 78.8 years in the first half of 2019 to 77.8 years in the first half of 2020.  The average life expectancy for a Black person dropped by 2.7 years from 74.7 years in the first half of 2019 to just 72.0 years in the first six months of 2020.  Some of the reduction is due to COVID-19 but researchers say drug overdoses have taken their toll on the average life expectancy (AARP Bulletin April 2021, page 4).

Start Up Cleerly Aims To Shake Up Heart Disease Treatment In The U.S. : By Derek Baine

A stethoscope and heart on the table.


650K Americans will die from heart disease this year, and more than half of them—roughly 490K—won’t have seen it coming.  That’s because about 60% of people who have a heart attack have no prior symptoms.  Dr. James Min, a cardiologist, is hoping to change these statistics at his start-up Cleerly, which will use machine learning to help doctors personalize heart disease treatment plans before patients end up in the ER.  He calls his company’s approach â€precision prevention.â€Â  Dr Min says that the market opportunity is massive, with more than 100 million Americans at risk of having a heart attack.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiejennings/2021/06/21/this-ai-startup-raised-43-million-to-save-lives-and-money-by-treating-heart-disease-earlier/?cdlcid=607e1442fe2c195e916f3bb4&utm_campaign=dailydozen&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&sh=2f1977e859bd

 

Monterey County Elder Justice Summit Will Be Held On June 30

A group of people giving thumbs up to the camera.


Don’t miss out on this year’s Elder Justice Summit which will be held on Wednesday, June 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The Keynote Speaker is Ashton Applewhite, author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism. Click on the link below to register for this event which is sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging, amongst others.

https://montereycty.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Qhst8E2gS6yM-evmOl6pnw

 

Carmel, CA Keep Your Immune System Strong With A Mediterranean Diet

A farmers market with fresh vegetables and fruits.


With coronavirus keeping many people from being active, keeping your immune system healthy is critical.  There are a number of things you can do such as getting enough exercise, not smoking, staying hydrated, having quality sleep time and eating a healthy diet.  Sticking to a Mediterranean diet is a good way of keeping your good health, and it’s delicious.  A study published in the journal Frontiers of Physiology found that healthy people aged 65-79 who ate a Mediterranean diet and took 10 micrograms of Vitamin D daily for a year were able to help offset age-related declines in immunity.  The Mediterranean diet involves eating a lot of vegetables, fruit, nuts, whole grains and one ounce of food daily.  Stay away from red meats and instead eat salmon and other fish, with modest portions of egg.  Olive oil is the fat of choice, and a glass or two of red wine each night tops of the meal.  Check out the local farmers market here in Monterey—they will even deliver!

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/boosting-your-immune-system.html

Healthy Heart Tips For Seniors From AARP : By Derek Baine

A doctor and patient looking at a book


AARP.org has some great tips for keeping your heart healthy, starting with the simple advice to brush and floss regularly.  Swollen or bleeding gums can lead to microorganisms traveling into the bloodstream, which can cause inflammation and heart damage.  Older adults who skimped on oral hygiene were 20 to 35 percent more likely to die during a 17-year study done by  University of Southern California researchers.  Also, doing 10 minutes of resistance training each morning can go a long way.  In a study which was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, women (average age of 62) who did just 20 to 59 minutes of muscle-strengthening exercises each week were 29% less likely to die during a 12-year study than those who did none.  There are also simple alterations that you can do to your diet which will help a lot.  For instance, try replacing half the butter in your baking recipes with mashed avocado.  Replacing saturated fats with MUFAs can help lower LDL (bad cholesterol).  Try eating more bananas!  A diet rich in potassium can help offset some of sodium’s harmful effects on blood pressure.  (AARP Bulletin Volume 62, Number 4, Page 13).

Salinas, CA Tip For Diabetics : By Derek Baine

An older woman with a gray hair sitting in front of trees.


If your job requires you to do a lot of sitting, make sure you take frequent breaks especially if you are diabetic.  The ADA’s 2020 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes recommends doing a light activity for every 30 minutes of uninterrupted sitting.  Sitting increases insulin resistance, and it also increases blood pressure and impedes blood flow.  Try taking a walk around the block!  To get more information on diabetes, visit Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, CHOMP’s, Diabetes and Nutrition website.  You will find useful information about support groups, classes and more.

https://www.chomp.org/locations/location-profile/diabetes-and-nutrition-therapy/#.X9F3p9hKjcs

Another useful resource is Community Health Innovations.  A full 45% of Monterey County residents have Diabetes or pre-Diabetes!