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Learn How Aging Muscles Can Benefit from High-Intensity Training

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aging musclesIt’s so easy to fall into a more sedentary lifestyle in our later years, especially if aches and pains from aging muscles and chronic conditions such as arthritis are a factor. But new research shows that even short bursts of high-intensity exercise – less than 15-minute intervals – can make a significant difference on the health and wellbeing of older adults.

Case in point: a recent study of adults over age 55 involved briskly walking for three minutes, followed by slower walking for another three, resulting in better blood pressure and stronger endurance levels than walking at a steady, moderate pace for the same duration.

Testing on frail, sedentary laboratory mice equivalent in age to 65-year-old humans showed that a program of high-intensity interval exercise on a treadmill, three times weekly over a period of four months (equivalent to eight human years) were stronger, had greater muscle mass and endurance, and were more active than their sedentary counterparts.

Dr. Bruce Troen, professor of medicine and head of the division of geriatrics at the University of Buffalo and conductor of the study, found most impressive that “the animals had tolerated the high-intensity training very well, despite their advanced ages.”

Responsive Home Care’s Florida senior care services team urges seniors to check with their physicians for approval to begin a high-intensity exercise program, or other activities to enhance health and wellbeing and improve the condition of aging muscles. And our care team is happy to help implement and provide the encouragement to enable seniors to stay on track and reap the rewards. Contact us at 954-486-6440 for assistance!

What Are the Best Ways to Help Your Loved One Keep Her Mouth Healthy?

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Home Health Care Hollywood FL

Home Health Care Hollywood FL

Keeping your loved one’s mouth healthy can help her to stay healthy overall and continue to enjoy her life. If she’s having dental problems or pain, she might not want to eat, she might stop socializing, and her overall quality of life is greatly affected.

Brush and Floss Daily
Brushing and flossing has probably been a regular part of your loved one’s daily routine for a long time now. But health changes and potential memory issues could mean that she needs reminders now when she never did in the past. Your loved one might also stop brushing or flossing if she’s experiencing pain in her mouth. If you suspect that’s the case, you should check with her dentist right away.

Choose the Right Tools
The key to brushing and flossing being effective is to use the right tools. Make sure that your loved one has a soft-bristled brush that you replace every couple of months. Dental floss or other flossing tools are also essential. If your loved one has dentures or partial dentures, make sure that you keep cleaning products made for those appliances on hand.

Keep Regular Dental Appointments
Your loved one might feel as if now that she’s gotten to a certain stage of life, she doesn’t need to go to her dentist anymore. This belief is particularly strong with people who have dentures. The truth is that your loved one definitely still needs to see her dentist to make sure that there aren’t any health surprises in her mouth. Regular appointments also ensure that her dentures and partial dentures are still properly fitted.

Talk to Her Doctor about Medication Side Effects
Some medications can have side effects that impact your loved one’s oral health. They might cause dry mouth or problems with your loved one’s gums. It’s a good idea to talk to your loved one’s doctor about potential side effects with new medications before your loved one starts taking the medication. If you notice changes in her oral health, double check with her doctor about potential medication connections.

Deal with Changes Quickly
If you do notice changes to your loved one’s mouth, gums, and teeth, make sure that you address them quickly. Make an appointment with her dentist right away so that you can determine if there are other problems you need to know about.

Let your loved one’s elderly care providers know what her oral and dental care routines are in case they need to help her with them.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Health Care Services in Hollywood  FL to provide companionship, compassion and motivation, please contact the caring staff at Responsive Home Care. Call today 954-486-6440.

CAN INJECTIONS OF YOUNG BLOOD REVERSE AGING?

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It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie: injecting blood from a young person into an aging, Alzheimer’s patient, and watching as renewed youth is awakened. But that’s exactly the outcome realized in studies of mice, which showed astounding brain cell growth in the area of the brain critical to memory and learning—the hippocampus. Perhaps just as incredible was the effect on the brains of the younger mice who received injections of older mouse blood, resulting in stunted neuron growth.

The first human trial is already underway on Alzheimer’s patients, led by Tony Wyss-Coray, neurology professor at the Stanford School of Medicine, with results expected by the end of the year. But what will the impact be if the study proves that young blood does reverse aging in humans? Practical applications may involve short periods of infusions to help older patients heal faster after a surgery, but there are many fears about the unknown impact of interfering with the body’s natural aging process.

Learn more by listening to Wyss-Coray at a recent TED conference.

IBUPROFEN AND NAPROXEN ALERT: FDA ISSUES ELEVATED WARNING FOR HEART ATTACK AND STROKE RISK

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The latest findings from the FDA are in, and should make every one of us stand up and take notice: ibuprofen and naproxen, those seemingly harmless over-the-counter medications that we reach for so often for every ache and pain (Advil, Motrin, Aleve), have a confirmed hidden danger.

Although the FDA has long warned that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could potentially increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, the wording of this warning is being revised to reflect a more serious nature, as it’s been proven that NSAIDs, in fact, DO increase that risk. And the danger applies to even short-term use, increasing when taken over an extended period of time.

What does this mean for the average consumer who occasionally takes ibuprofen or naproxen? According to Dr. Steven Nissen, a cardiologist with the Cleveland Clinic, “If you are someone with a low risk of heart disease, and you have back pain or arthritis pain and need these drugs to function, it’s reasonable to take them.” Basically, the FDA’s recommendation is to take the least possible amount of the medication for the least possible amount of time.

Those who should be concerned about their use of NSAIDs include patients with a history of heart disease, heart attack, heart surgery, high blood pressure, or chronic pain—particularly those older than 65. The risks are estimated to generally increase when taking ibuprofen or naproxen as follows:

  • Over-the-counter dose: about 10% higher risk
  • Prescription medication low dose: about 20% higher risk
  • Prescription medication higher dose: as much as 50% higher risk

As with any medical concern, talk with your physician before starting, stopping or modifying any prescribed medication regimen.