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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 Can You Do When You Think Your Elderly Loved One is Having Cognitive Issues?

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Home Health Care Tamarac FL

Home Health Care Tamarac FLWhen you first start to notice your loved one having difficulty processing information, it’s scary. The situation can be scary for your elderly loved one, too, because cognitive issues can often mean that she’s about to lose some of her independence.

Talk to Her Doctor Right Away

The first step is to talk with your loved one’s doctor right away. He can run tests to determine just how much your loved one’s cognitive abilities are being affected. Your loved one may have issues due to a health condition, such as Alzheimer’s disease or even depression, or there may be other factors. Starting out at your loved one’s doctor give him a chance to narrow down those causes.

Look at Environmental Causes

Sometimes other factors are at play when your loved one seems to be having cognitive issues. She may not be getting enough nutrition from her food, for instance, which can cause her brain to work in odd ways. If your loved one isn’t getting enough sleep, she may start to experience cognitive issues, too. These environmental causes may be something that you can pick up on yourself or your loved one’s doctor may ask about them.

Stick to the Care Plan

Once you have a plan of action in place from your loved one’s doctor, it’s important to adhere to that plan. In cases where there is an illness, such as depression, your loved one may be prescribed medication. In the case of other causes, such as not enough sleep, your loved one’s doctor may prescribe an exercise plan or changing up your loved one’s sleep hygiene to one that is more effective for her. No matter what, you’ll need to follow the plan in order to start seeing results.

Get Extra Help Now

You may need to go ahead now and start getting extra help, either in the form of other family members or even senior home health care providers. This can especially be the case if your loved one has an illness such as Alzheimer’s disease that is likely to worsen over time. Having extra help in place now will really benefit you as your loved one’s situation worsens.

As your loved one adapts to her new care plan, keep in mind that you may need to adjust it over time to accommodate her changing needs.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Health Care Services in Tamarac 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.