Q. As an 80-year-old widow who still lives in my own home, I’m always looking for ways to maintain my health and independence. What’s the latest news about what other older adults are doing to promote healthy aging?
The latest on the topic of health comes from the spiritual realm rather than the medical field. Praying for better health dramatically increased among American adults over the past three decades, rising 36 percent between 1999 and 2007, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association. The study focused on new data comparing 2002 to 2007 that found senior citizens are by far more likely to turn to prayer in coping with health issues than younger people.
Not surprisingly, too, seniors had a smaller percentage increase in those saying they prayed recently, because their numbers were already so high. One suggestion from the researchers is that a previous study found that as pain becomes more chronic, people are more likely to turn to prayer.
Some key findings:
• A significantly greater proportion of women prayed compared with men; 51 percent of women reported praying in 2002 and 56 percent in 2007, in contrast with 34 percent and 40 percent, respectively, among men.
• African-Americans were more likely to pray for their health than Caucasians, with 61 percent of African-Americans reporting having done so in 2002 and 67 percent in 2007, compared with 40 percent and 45 percent for Caucasians during the same periods.
• People who were married, educated beyond high school or had experienced a change in health for better or worse within the last 12 months were also more likely to pray about health concerns, the study found.
The study did not reveal the type of prayer people used, or which occurred first – prayer or the health issue.
The support of a professional caregiver can be of help as well, particularly if you need assistance around the house. CAREGivers from your local Home Instead Senior Care® office can help take some of the fear from the issues of aging and growing older by providing a variety of non-medical and companionship services. CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627.1. To learn more about the research, visit http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2011/05/praying-health.aspx.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Research Says Coffee Drinking Cuts Risk of Breast and Prostate Cancers
It appears that your parents are doing at least one good thing for themselves: drinking coffee. The results of two recent studies reveal a link between lower risks of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women among coffee drinkers.
Men who regularly drink coffee appear to have a lower risk of developing a lethal form of prostate cancer, according to the new study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers. What's more, the lower risk was evident among men who drank either regular or decaffeinated coffee.
The researchers chose to study coffee because it contains many beneficial compounds that act as antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and regulate insulin, all of which may influence prostate cancer.
Among the findings:
• Men who consumed the most coffee (six or more cups daily) had nearly a 20 percent lower risk of developing any form of prostate cancer.
• The inverse association with coffee was even stronger for aggressive prostate cancer. Men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of developing lethal prostate cancer.
• The reduction in risk was seen whether the men drank decaffeinated or regular coffee, and does not appear to be due to caffeine.
In another study, researchers from Sweden compared lifestyle factors and coffee consumption between women with breast cancer and age-matched women without. They found that heavy coffee drinkers had a lower incidence of ER–negative breast cancer than women who rarely drank coffee.
Women who drank five cups of coffee a day had a 33 to 57 percent lower risk for this cancer than did women who drank less than a cup a day. Once they had adjusted their data to account for these other factors they found that the protective effect of coffee on breast cancer was only measurable for ER-negative breast cancer.
Encourage your parents to get regular exercise and visit their doctors as scheduled. Remind them to discuss a healthy diet with their doctor or a nutritionist. If they need help around the house, a Home Instead CAREGiver could assist. CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured, and provide a variety of companionship and home helper services.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627.1. For more about the studies, go to http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsid.2655/news_detail.asp and http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-05/bc-crb050911.php.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Home Health Costs Flat While Nursing Homes, ALFs Increase
Q. We’re looking for an affordable care option for my senior parents. What is the best deal out there? Where do most seniors want to live?
As it turns out, keeping your parents in their own home could be the best deal, according to a recent Genworth study. The cost of a private room in a nursing home jumped 3.4 percent in the last year to a staggering $77,745 a year, according to Genworth’s 2011 Cost of Care Survey. Not far behind is a 2.4 percent jump in the cost of assisted living facilities, which is $39,135 a year. The bright light was on home health care, which held steady cost-wise.
At $18 per hour for homemaker services and $19 an hour for home health aide services, the national median hourly cost to receive care in the home remained flat over the past 12 months. “Understanding local caregiving expenses is an essential first step for families faced with rising care costs,” said Buck Stinson, president, U.S. Life Insurance Products at Genworth.
For consumers interested in learning more about the cost of care in their local market, Genworth offers an interactive map of long term care costs in 437 regions across all 50 states at www.Genworth.com/CostofCare. The site offers a range of resources:
• Find specific cost information that matters to your family – by state and type of care setting for 437 cities and regions across the country
• Compare costs across up to three locations including where your senior lives currently
• Calculate the cost of care 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years out so you can plan well for your own future
• Download the full survey report, complete with executive summary, and overviews of long term care services and financing options, or just download a specific state’s data
Industry surveys typically reveal that most seniors prefer to age in the comfort of their own homes. Surveys conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network show the preference at nearly 90 percent.
And with home care costs so affordable, families can now consider that option to be one of the best. For more information, contact your Carroll County Home Instead Senior Care office to find out how a CAREGiver could help your senior loved ones.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627.1.
As it turns out, keeping your parents in their own home could be the best deal, according to a recent Genworth study. The cost of a private room in a nursing home jumped 3.4 percent in the last year to a staggering $77,745 a year, according to Genworth’s 2011 Cost of Care Survey. Not far behind is a 2.4 percent jump in the cost of assisted living facilities, which is $39,135 a year. The bright light was on home health care, which held steady cost-wise.
At $18 per hour for homemaker services and $19 an hour for home health aide services, the national median hourly cost to receive care in the home remained flat over the past 12 months. “Understanding local caregiving expenses is an essential first step for families faced with rising care costs,” said Buck Stinson, president, U.S. Life Insurance Products at Genworth.
For consumers interested in learning more about the cost of care in their local market, Genworth offers an interactive map of long term care costs in 437 regions across all 50 states at www.Genworth.com/CostofCare. The site offers a range of resources:
• Find specific cost information that matters to your family – by state and type of care setting for 437 cities and regions across the country
• Compare costs across up to three locations including where your senior lives currently
• Calculate the cost of care 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years out so you can plan well for your own future
• Download the full survey report, complete with executive summary, and overviews of long term care services and financing options, or just download a specific state’s data
Industry surveys typically reveal that most seniors prefer to age in the comfort of their own homes. Surveys conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network show the preference at nearly 90 percent.
And with home care costs so affordable, families can now consider that option to be one of the best. For more information, contact your Carroll County Home Instead Senior Care office to find out how a CAREGiver could help your senior loved ones.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627.1.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Fat-to-Fit Program Can Help Seniors Lose Weight
"For the past 10 years I have had a terrible time losing weight and now, at age 70, I’ve all but given up. Boredom has set in and I seem to be eating more now and exercising less since my husband died. Help!"
Sound familiar? There is help available. Fitness expert and author Carole Carson lost more than 60 pounds at age 60. She now works with AARP, which recently launched the third annual “Fat-to-Fit Summer Weight Loss Challenge,” an online program challenging and supporting people to make positive, permanent life changes to improve their health.
Studies show people are more likely to stick to exercise plans when they have support. The Fat-to-Fit program focuses on personal interaction with both Carson and other participants through the Fat-to-Fit online community of more than 18,000 members.
Challengers will be able to access free diet and fitness tips, Carson’s columns and blogs, videos, recipes and more. They are urged to post frequent updates and to exchange ideas, encouragement, recipes and moral support.
And registrants have a chance to win $2,000. Official registration, rules and details are available at www.aarp.org/fat2fit.
“Most of us know what we need to do, but we need help making lifestyle changes,” Carson said. “The Fat-to-Fit community will help you make new friends as you learn how to incorporate exercise into your schedule. You’ll find an exercise that fits your specific needs and cuts calories, leading to a longer, healthier life.”
The challenge runs through July 9, 2011, and visitors to AARP’s Website (www.aarp.org) can register to join throughout the duration of the challenge.
Carson will select weekly small-prize winners and, at the end of the program, she will select three overall winners. Winners will be chosen based on three criteria: serving as a role model for the entire community, facing and overcoming challenges, and demonstrating the principles of the Fat-to-Fit program.
You mention being bored. That could be why you are overeating. Perhaps you can help others while helping yourself. Why not consider a career in caregiving? Seniors such as you serve as caregivers for other older adults providing such services as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and shopping. Contact your Carroll County Home Instead Senior Care® office today to learn more.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627.1. For more about the program, visit www.aarp.org/fat2fit
Sound familiar? There is help available. Fitness expert and author Carole Carson lost more than 60 pounds at age 60. She now works with AARP, which recently launched the third annual “Fat-to-Fit Summer Weight Loss Challenge,” an online program challenging and supporting people to make positive, permanent life changes to improve their health.
Studies show people are more likely to stick to exercise plans when they have support. The Fat-to-Fit program focuses on personal interaction with both Carson and other participants through the Fat-to-Fit online community of more than 18,000 members.
Challengers will be able to access free diet and fitness tips, Carson’s columns and blogs, videos, recipes and more. They are urged to post frequent updates and to exchange ideas, encouragement, recipes and moral support.
And registrants have a chance to win $2,000. Official registration, rules and details are available at www.aarp.org/fat2fit.
“Most of us know what we need to do, but we need help making lifestyle changes,” Carson said. “The Fat-to-Fit community will help you make new friends as you learn how to incorporate exercise into your schedule. You’ll find an exercise that fits your specific needs and cuts calories, leading to a longer, healthier life.”
The challenge runs through July 9, 2011, and visitors to AARP’s Website (www.aarp.org) can register to join throughout the duration of the challenge.
Carson will select weekly small-prize winners and, at the end of the program, she will select three overall winners. Winners will be chosen based on three criteria: serving as a role model for the entire community, facing and overcoming challenges, and demonstrating the principles of the Fat-to-Fit program.
You mention being bored. That could be why you are overeating. Perhaps you can help others while helping yourself. Why not consider a career in caregiving? Seniors such as you serve as caregivers for other older adults providing such services as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, errands and shopping. Contact your Carroll County Home Instead Senior Care® office today to learn more.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, go to www.homeinstead.com/627.1. For more about the program, visit www.aarp.org/fat2fit
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