Survey Shows People Feel Better As They Age

A senior couple sitting and doing a workout with dumbbells

Surprisingly, a recent AARP/Interloq study of people ages 50 to 79 found that as people age, they feel better about both their physical and mental health.  Of those surveyed in the 50-59 year old age group that rated their health as good, very good or excellent, the results were 71% in physical health and 79% for mental health.  This rose to 77% and 88%, respectively, for those in the 60-69 year old group and up to 81% and 94% for those in the 70-79 age bracket.  “As people get older, their attitudes about aging become more positive because they realize, ‘It’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” said Manfred Diehl, a researcher in the psychology and attitudes about aging as a professor at Colorado State University.  The biggest fear of those in the survey was losing their mental or physical faculties, becoming a burden to their families and having to give up their independence.  Ironically, most people were more concerned about physical discomfort than life-threatening diseases.  High on the list of concerns was weight gain, joint pain, loss of mobility and high blood pressure.

Monterey, CA CHOMP Holding Online Lecture About Mental Health On May 19

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Logo

Montage Health’s Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) is holding an online lecture called “Breaking the silence, A stigma-free approach to mental health for those suffering and those providing support.”  Hosted by Karen Egu, PsyD, Psychologist and Danielle Genora Dollinger, PsyD, Psychologist (both from Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Behavioral Health Services) you will learn:

How to bring mental health awareness to everyday life;

Ways to reduce stigma;

How sleep, diet, and physical activity contribute to mental health resilience; and

What resources are available.

Registration at www.montagehealth.org/lecture Is required for the lecture which will be held on Thursday, May 19, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.  A link to the meeting will be emailed the day before the lecture.

Health Tip : Floss Your Teeth At Least Once Per Day!

A dentist checking the client’s teeth

Staying healthy and having a good diet is one area to focus on, but another is oral health.  Not taking good care of your teeth can result in infection, gum disease, and other issues which can have a negative impact on your health.  According to the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study, untreated oral diseases caused people ages 50-74 worldwide to suffer a collective 8 million years of life “with disability” in 2019.

Monterey, CA Seniors Without A Regular Exercise Routine Should Walk More

A senior couple sitting and doing a workout with dumbbells

At Family inHome Caregiving, we stress that seniors should get the proper amount of exercise, plenty of social interaction, and eat a healthy diet.  Many of our clients are in their 90’s and some even over 100 and most have led very healthy lives which lead to their longevity.  It’s difficult at that age to develop an exercise routine, but if you don’t have the energy, try going for long walks.  You can go to the beach, many of our public parks, or just walk around the neighborhood.  You might even make some new friends.  Being sedentary, with low overall fitness, raises your mortality risk as much as or more than smoking, high blood pressure and heart disease.  An analysis of studies on people ages 54 to 65 found that binge-watching TV for four plus hours per day may make you 35% more likely to develop blood clots in the thigh and lower leg.

Poll : Health Care Workers Still Love Their Job

A Hospice Nurse visiting an Elderly male patient

It’s hard to believe, but that was the headline of a recent USA Today story which, to me, was shocking.  They are under so much stress right now with the number of COVID-19 cases and staffing at the bare minimum, I would have thought that they would be extremely unhappy.  But 75% of them say that they still love their jobs, according to a USA TODAY/Ipsos Poll of doctors, nurses, paramedics, therapists and others in the health care industry.  “The pandemic has actually made me realize how important this career is, and how I really do make a difference,” Christina Rosa, a 33-year-old mental health counselor told USA Today, despite the fact that she had to close her office and serve clients remotely.  About half of the poll respondents described themselves as burned out and 20% said they were feeling angry.

 

AARP Finding Solutions To Live Longer In A Healthy Manner

Four old people giving a thumbs up

It’s important to increase longevity only if we can find ways to do so in excellent health.  When the United Nations declared the years 2021 to 2030 the “Decade of Healthy Aging,” it noted that there is a growing gap between how long someone will live and how many healthy years of life he or she can expect. AARP recently convened an international panel of experts for its Global Conference on Redefining Health : New Approaches for How We Live And Age.”  The focus is on ensuring access to health care services for all older adults, strengthening the availability of long-term care, supporting aging in place and caring for older people in crisis conditions.  They have made significant progress.  Just one example is the U.S. hospital-at-home program which works to reduce strain on the health care system by offering us quality care in our own homes.  This has been particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has many hospitals overloaded.  The program has been so successful in the U.S. that its’ been expanded into Asia, Australia and Europe.

Montage Health To Hold Advance Planning Health Care Directive Workshop January 10

Join Joy Smith, a Registered Nurse and a member of the Palliative Medicine Service team at Montage Health Care on January 10 for an Advance Planning Health Care Directive Workshop on January 10 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Ryan Ranch location of Montage Medical Group in the Hazen Education Center.  At the meeting, you either start or update your Advance Health Care Directive and other important documents, and then submit your paperwork to Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP).  For more information, call 625-4977.

https://www.montagehealth.org/classes-events/search-results-detail/?eventId=b7650967-b63d-ec11-a843-000d3a611ea2

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

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

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

Four old people giving a thumbs up

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

Nutrition Important To Seniors

vegetables in small buckets with a farmer's market board

At Family inHome Caregiving, we always stress the importance of getting the proper amount of exercise, plenty of social interaction (even if it is on zoom!) and a nutritional diet,  A study done at Rush University Medical Center found that those who ate just one serving of leafy greens per day had a slower cognitive decline.  The Mediterranean Diet has also shown a significant impact on longevity.  And if you have a problem getting exercise regularly, make a date with a food friend where you do two hours of aerobic exercise a week.  Exercisers are 45% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease according to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation.