New Year, New You

Happy New Year! We are ringing in 2013 and all the memories of 2012 are now behind us. As always, the New Year is a traditional time for “starting fresh.” Making changes or improving on what we already have changed; setting goals and planning on how you will see those goals through. One of the most popular life changes has to do with health and fitness.

It’s not an exact statistic, but it seems like more than half of North America makes a resolution to start living healthier. Whether it is a diet adjustment or more exercise, many of us strive to make these changes that will help us lead happier and healthier lives. It isn’t always easy, but what we have to remember is to set realistic goals.

Want to know how I think you can do it?

First thing’s first: start small. Set a goal that you feel will be easier to achieve, and with time you will be able to set bigger resolutions. For example: If you want to lose weight, and are trying to go from one extreme to the other, it can be fairly detrimental to your point of view if you expect to see results right away. The fact is that losing weight takes time, but when you do it right, it gives you results. Like I said, start small, aim for a five-pound weight loss and track your progression. How long did it take you to do it? What activities did you participate in? What did you eat? These are all factors that you can monitor that will help you achieve your overall goal!

What’s more important to note is that implementing an activity into your day doesn’t have to be strenuous, and you don’t have to go at it alone. Ask a friend to join you on a walk. Participate in swim classes or take up beginners Yoga. Get your brain working and start playing challenging brainteasers. There is an abundance of activities out there for aging adults to take up!

Shelley Scott, the executive director of Flamborough Information and Community Services, suggests five resolutions that are recommended to older adults each year:

• Participate in cognitive health activities. Mental health is an important aspect of health that we tend to overlook as we extol the benefits of staying physically fit. Keep your mind engaged and stimulated through a language class, book club or by playing brain games and trivia on the computer. 
• Exercise or start a new physical activity. Exercise doesn’t have to be exhausting, and it certainly doesn’t have to feel like work. Older adults are increasingly looking to classes such as Yoga and Tai Chi to increase physical health, meet people and widen their social circles.
• Eat more fresh foods. Processed foods are easy to throw together for a meal, but they come with a host of health issues and concerns, and frankly, they’re not worth the hassle. Make a promise to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and you’ll see a noticeable difference in the way you look and feel – and it takes very little work on your end.
• Make your home safer. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three adults over the age of 65 falls each year. Many of these falls are preventable, especially if home safety tips are implemented, including moving cords out of walkways, having good lighting near beds and taping down edges of carpets and rugs.
• Go for checkups regularly. Unfortunately, with age, comes an increased risk of illness and other complications such as high blood pressure and osteoporosis. Making sure that you schedule an annual checkup can help in early detection and prevention.

Whatever resolution you choose to tackle, it’s important to ensure that it benefits you in the long run, and that it brings you a happy and healthy new year!

This year is also SERC’s 10 year anniversary- stay tuned for exciting things to come throughout 2013!

Which vehicle is the right vehicle?

Last Friday evening, the first batch of snow fell from the sky. It was such a pretty sight- a sight that I watched for an hour and a half while stuck in traffic on the typically 12-minute drive home. Although it was a frustrating experience, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like for an older adult who suffered from arthritis or diminished vision.

Driving is a luxury that gives individuals the ability to get from point A to point B. Not only is it a source of transportation that enables travel through the city, but it is also, in large part, a source of independence. It grants flexibility, reliability and freedom.

However, many aging adults that fill the 65 and up generation could be struggling with this. As we grow older, it’s normal to have the expected signs of aging, but we don’t always consider the symptoms, such as failing eye site and discomfort in joints. What’s even more telling, is that although these are recognized symptoms that can be tended to with medication, it more often than not goes unrecognized how these symptoms can affect daily living, and that includes driving.

According to Autos.ca, with data gathered from a recent AAA survey, “only one in 10 senior drivers with aging health issues are driving a vehicle that has features like keyless car entry and larger dashboard controls that can assist with conditions.” AAA aims to assist the ‘silver tsunami’ by addressing this issue and providing older adults with a list of vehicle features that can enable a safer and more comfortable driving experience.

Some of the recommendations from AAA’s Smart Features for Older Drivers include:

·      “Drivers suffering from hip or leg pain, decreased leg strength or limited knee range of motion should look for vehicles with six-way adjustable power seats and seat heights that come between the driver’s mid-thigh and lower buttocks. These features can make it easier for drivers to enter and exit a vehicle.”

·      “Drivers with arthritic hands, painful or stiff fingers or diminished fine motor skills benefit from four-door models, thick steering wheels, keyless entry and ignition, power mirrors and seats and larger dashboard controls with buttons. These features reduce the amount of grip strength needed and reduce pain associated with turning or twisting motions.”

·      “Drivers with diminished vision or problems with high-low contrast will find vehicles with auto-dimming mirrors, large audio and climate controls and displays with contrasting text helpful. These features can reduce blinding glare and make controls and displays easier to see.”

In one of our previous posts, Can technology help you on the road?, we addressed how technology is being used to assist researchers who are trying to help keep older drivers on the road longer. Sometimes, it isn’t just about the newest gadget installed in the car, but what can provide comfort and stability that will instill confidence in its driver. Safe driving during the winter weather everyone. Vroom vroom!

Yoga your mind, body and soul

Breathe in deep. Hold it. Exhale slowly. Repeat. Deep breath, hold it and let it out slowly. How do you feel? If your body suddenly seems a little more at ease, then you have just introduced yourself to a trivial part of a calming exercise: yoga.

As we age, our bodies don’t necessarily recover as easily from our day-to-day activities as they used to. Sometimes, without realizing it, we become susceptible to symptoms of aging that we had either hoped to avoid or didn’t see coming. We may slow down, become a little less mobile, and as a result, our bodies suffer more than we think they do.

“As you get older you become more susceptible to the ailments that you get with aging,” says Kelly O’Connell. “And most of the aches and pains that older adults feel are from stiff muscles or week muscles, and yoga addresses both of those.” Not only is it a weight-bearing exercise, O’Connell, from Yoga One, says that this kind of activity helps to increase your ability to balance, which is a commonality in aging.

According to Mary Larsen, “Yoga has been shown to help alleviate or reduce many health challenges, making it an increasingly popular exercise choice for the older adult population.”

There have been many health concerns that have been linked to the sedentary lifestyle. These can include:

•     Reduced joint flexibility

•     Arthritis/bursitis

•     High blood pressure

•     Increased body fat and decreased lean body tissue

•     Osteoporosis

•     Low back pain

•     Breathing difficulties

•     Poor blood circulation

•     Vision problems

•     Chronic pain

•     Stress-related symptoms

•     Inability to sleep peacefully

If you are wary about getting started, and seem intimidated by the different poses that yoga contains, you need not worry. Many facilities offer yoga for beginners and practice the importance of your pattern of breathing. Instructors walk you through many simple steps that can help you improve not only your balance, but also your overall health.

Now, one more time:Breathe in deep. Hold it. Exhale slowly. Repeat. Deep breath, hold it and let it out slowly. How do you feel?

Yoga exercises for seniors

Four Health Signs that could Change Your Life

Photo provided by LifeHealth

Many of us are concerned about our health. Whether or not our heart beat maintains a proper rhythm, if our airflow is normal or are we short of breath, is my cough really something more than just the common cold? We have these few signs or symptoms that encourage us to call the doctor in order to have them checked out, maybe get a diagnosis.

Now, according to The Toronto Star, there are four new signs that can help aging adults determine whether or not they are at risk for contracting heart disease or even having a heart attack. These four symptoms include: Earlobe creases, hairline receding at the temples, baldness at the crown of the head and yellow fat deposits around the eyelids.

These findings, presented at the American Heart Association meeting, showed "that patches of fatty bumps around the eyes were the strongest single predictor of cardiovascular illness among the four traits."

At the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, researchers discovered that "people with at least three of these characteristics had a 57 per cent greater risk for a heart attack and a 39 per cent higher chance of heart disease," said The Star.

These recent discoveries are not only stipulated as signs of aging, but that it is aging in an unhealthy manner. Although there are more studies that are expected to delve into the matter, one of the more commonly known risk factors that could cause a heart disease or attack is high cholesterol.

Regardless of our health symptoms, what's important is taking care of them. If you are feeling weary or concerned about something, there is no harm in asking to have it looked at. It's important to ensure that your body is "fully tuned" and in working order.