A leading cause of blindness is on the decline

"Age related macular degeneration" (AMD), a disease most prevalent in women over 60, is on the decline according to a study by the Archives of Ophthalmology.  The number of Americans who suffer from age-related macular degeneration is down by nearly a third.

Macular degeneration damages the middle of the retina, making it hard to see small details.  While scientists aren’t certain as to what causes the disease, they often refer to it as “Age Related Macular Degeneration” because people over 60 tend to develop the disease at a higher rate than other age groups. 

“"There have been a number of changes over time that might have a relationship to the findings in this paper. There's been less current smoking in the population. . . . [w]e need to examine these relationships and see if they explain this difference,” said Dr. Ronald Klein, author of the study. 

Risk factors for the disease, according to Google Health, are:

-         Heredity

-         Smoking

-         Diet (high fat)

-         Gender (female)

-         Race (Caucasian)

-         Health (obesity

“No treatment exists for dry macular degeneration. However, a combination of vitamins, antioxidants, and zinc may slow the progression of the disease,” (Source: Google Health)

For more reading on this news, read the CNN article here. 

Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Evan H. Farr on Google +

Nursing home patients under 65 on the rise

Undoubtedly a challenging transition at any age, the shift to a nursing home may be even more difficult for the more than 200,000 people living in such facilities under the age of 65. Nursing homes must come to terms with this reality, because this number is on the rise, and the mental health of residents is just as important as their physical needs.

"Young people in nursing homes" are a growing trend, a statistic that has increased 22 percent in just the last eight years, according to AOL (based on a statistical analysis from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services).

A recent AP article tells the story of a 26-year-old young man: A quadriplegic who feels lonely and out of place in his facility, even depressed at times.  “People die around you all the time. It starts to get really depressing because all you’re seeing is negative, negative, negative.”  Despite the fact that around 15% of nursing home residents are under 65, generational gaps make for unique challenges in addition to the already-difficult life circumstances that have led to placement in a nursing facility in the first place. “Nursing homes are not prepared in any way shape or form for young people,” said one social worker who spoke with AOL Health.

An Australian study entitled, Young people with brain injury in nursing homes: not the best option!, concludes that nursing homes are not suited for young people, especially young males. With more media attention and relevant studies, nursing homes that accommodate younger people ought to consider best efforts to instill requisite accommodations for their younger residents.  By taking into account not just the physical and rehabilitative needs, but the equally as important mental needs as well, the quality of life for young residents can be addressed.  

Evan H. Farr on Google +

Can seniors delay nursing home reality through strength training?

Over the course of the last several decades, strength training has gone from obsolete to mainstream.  It has gained its due recognition and is now considered an essential element to a well-rounded fitness regimen, along with cardio and stretching.  But is lifting for everyone?

As lifting becomes more mainstream, some senior citizens wonder if it is a safe activity for them.  The short answer is yes.  If exercises are performed properly, lifting can be a safe and beneficial way to decrease the risk of Osteoporosis, a disease that literally means “porous bones." .

On this issue, WebMD cited a study and noted “postmenopausal women who participated in a strength training program for a year saw significant increases in their bone density in the spine and hips, areas affected most by osteoporosis in older women.”

 

Healing Moves Doctors cited by Natural News say a main reason elders need nursing home care is because of a decline in muscle mass: "Age-related declines in muscle and bone mass … can lead to frailty and fracture -- the primary reason older adults wind up in nursing homes."

For more on weight lifting for women in general, this CNN report discusses the importance of strength training as part of a woman’s exercise routine. 

What steps can you take to start implementing strength training into your daily routine? 

The Livestrong article entitled, Exercise Equipment for Seniors, explains why hydraulic-engineered equipment is best for seniors.  “Treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers and press machines are all popular among seniors." Most gyms these days have a wide array of machinery.  Before you dive right in though, be sure to consult a personal trainer and your doctor. 

Image: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Evan H. Farr on Google +

Walking speed may be used for predicting health, survival for elderly

Could walking speed analysis, also referred to as "gait speed," be a worthy tool for predicting remaining years of life? Inexpensive and simplistic, gait speed is being touted in a recent study that suggests there is a correlation between gait speed and longevity. The study recently appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Some seniors are accustomed to routine analysis of their blood pressure, BMI, consumption habits, genetic factors, and more. If the study is correct, then some seniors may want to consider monitoring their own walking speed. After all, it’d be a much less intrusive, costly, or bothersome method…with immediate feedback!

The usefulness of assessing gait speed is intuitive in nature: “[L]ife expectancy based on age and sex alone provides limited information because survival is also influenced by health and functional abilities," noted the JAMA study.

The question that comes to mind is: can “health and functional abilities” be accurately measured by gait speed?

The University of Pittsburgh conducted the study “to assess the association of gait speed with survival in older adults and to determine the degree to which gait speed explains variability in survival after accounting for age and sex,” reported by Senior Journal. This was not just a run-of-the-mill study, as it included a combined pool of 9 smaller studies and a whopping 34,485 participants. “Gait speeds of 1.0 meter (3.3 feet)/second or higher consistently demonstrated survival that was longer than expected by age and sex alone."

The most conclusive data corresponded to older individuals, but the researchers are quick to point out that gait speed is connected to likelihood of survival at all ages and in both sexes.

The gist of the study is that gait speeds correlate to survival rates which were longer than otherwise predicted by analysis of merely age and sex as the sole factors.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Evan H. Farr on Google +

Three Keys To Planning For Long-Term Care

Baby-Boomers and Seniors 2011 Legal Report

I want to dispel two huge myths that routinely produce false security for senior citizens and their adult children: First, a revocable living trust does not protect your assets from nursing home costs or other long-term care expenses. Second, Medicaid is not just for the “poor.”

“Is it time to start thinking about my parent’s long-term care options?”

This question alone may be the most difficult decisions that baby-boomer’s are faced with in 2011. Baby-boomers have been referred to as “the Sandwich Generation” because they often must take on health-related responsibilities for both their own children and their aging parents. Planning for the future should be the #1 New Year’s resolution for baby-boomers and senior citizens.

Key #1: Plan in Advance

The sooner that you or your parents explore and understand the benefits of senior-focused asset protection planning, the better equipped everyone involved will be towards reaching the goal of maintaining your parents’ highest quality of life.

Proper planning can ease anxieties for baby-boomers by removing stressful decision-making and feelings of guilt. Likewise, a senior-focused asset protection plan can ensure that a senior citizen doesn’t feel as if he or she is a “burden” on thefamily.

Key #2: Get on the Same Page

Bringing up the need for long-term planning to an aging parent can be difficult.  But if you understand that the primary goal of this type of planning is maintaining your parents’ highest quality of life for as long as possible, you should be able to effectively communicate that proper advanced planning is in your parents’ best interests.

Just as good parents want what is best for their children, adult children should likewise seek what is best for their parents. The protection, peace of mind, and elimination of uncertainty brought about by proper planning at an early stage is always in the best interests of senior citizens.

Key #3: Select the Right Attorney

Medicaid eligibility rules and veterans’ benefits rules are the most complex areas of law in existence, and it is essential that the attorney your parents work with for their long-term planning has a comprehensive understanding of these laws. The easy way to ensure that an elder law attorney has the requisite knowledge of these laws is to look for the Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) designation, which is approved by the American Bar Association.  There are over 5,000 attorneys in the US who practice elder law, but less than 500 of these have passed the full-day exam required to become a CELA.

Evan H. Farr on Google +

Dolphins and dogs may help soldiers with PTSD decrease heart disease risk

According to Health.com, Veterans who struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be at an increased risk for heart disease and early death.

“[PTSD] is a disorder that occurs after a life-threatening event, such as personal assault, natural disaster, or military combat…affects can be debilitating with symptoms ranging from severe nightmares and flashbacks to insomnia and increasing social isolation,” explains the PTSD Support reference section on Military.com.

But perhaps a common misconception  is that veterans who suffer from PTSD only experience mental anguish, anxiety, and depression.  “The disorder may damage blood vessels and increase the risk of dying early,” however, reported Health.com after the latest meeting of the American Heart Association.

Just as alarming as the flashbacks and nightmares may be the reported increased risk of heart disease.  “If a vet has PTSD, they need to be under surveillance for cardiovascular disease as they age,” notes Joseph Boscarino in the recent CNN article, an expert on the association between stress and physical manifestations of illness.  According to research, veterans with PTSD tend to have more calcium build-up in their arteries, which can lead to atherosclerosis, a condition of the arteries that has been connected to heart attacks.

The study yielded surprising results.  Of the nearly 300,000 veterans studied, those with PTSD were more than twice as likely to die during the course of the 10-year study.  Specifically, just fewer than 30% of the PTSD diagnosed veterans died during the study, whereas just 8% of the non-PTSD veterans passed during that same time frame.

Non-conventional treatments have been gaining popularity: Dolphins and puppy’s have been used to help soldiers cope with stress.  Check out the CNN video report below entitled, Dolphins help veterans overcome PTSD stress. Such unconventional methods may be successful because stress is known to be a contributing factor to heart disease.

Dolphins are great, but we can’t skip this story about man’s best friend, entitled, Puppies helping veterans.

For an explanation on the treatment options for PTSD, that information is available to vets via the PTSD guides located on the United States Department of Veterans Affairs website.  According to them, “Cognitive behavioral therapy” is a suggested treatment option.

What can veterans do to combat the physical risks of PTSD?  Since heart disease has been indirectly linked to PTSD, vets should understand the risk factors  that can be controlled.  The American Heart Association suggests the following for limiting heart attack and stroke risks:

-         Avoid tobacco

-         Exercise

-         Eat complex carbohydrates, avoid trans fat

-         Maintain a healthy BMI – (check your BMI here, courtesy of the Department of Health and Human Services)

-         Do not drink alcohol excessively

VA Benefits Eligibility:  Military.com explains, “[e]ligibility for most VA benefits is based on discharge from active military service under other than dishonorable conditions.”  Whether a vet is entitled to benefits is something he or should may consider speaking to a lawyer who specializes Veteran Benefits filing.  For more information in the meantime, you can view the "Veteran's Benefits FAQ" provided by Military.com.   

Image: Bill Longshaw / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Evan H. Farr on Google +

Obama signs bill to benefit 9/11 survivors and first responders; but beware of other settlements

President Obama has signed a bill that will provide benefits for survivors of the September 11th, 2001 terror attacks, including Ground Zero first responders.

In August 2009, the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine published an article entitled,  Multiple Myeloma in World Trade Center Responders: A Case Series.  The study concluded by noting, "[we observed] an unusual number of [Multiple Myleoma] cases in WTC responders under 45 years. This finding underscores the importance of maintaining surveillance for cancer and other emerging diseases in this highly exposed population."

"I believe this is a critical step for those who continue to bear the physical scars of [the 9/11 attacks]" said Obama.  The Act – The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act – is named after a New York police officer who passed away as a result of a disease he contracted from Ground Zero.

Congress passed the Act after some expected bargaining on cost. The final version of the Act will come with a $4.2 to $4.3 billion price tag.  FOX reported that this money will be raised by a fee charged to foreign companies that receive certain contracts from the U.S. government.   

The Bill took a long time…some workers have waited nine years for this assistance.  But there is a small catch to this measure.  The New York Post reports that thousands could potentially lose the benefits from the Act if they choose to become involved in a settlement between the Port Authority and private businesses that were involved with cleanup.  This choice stems from one of the requirements to receive benefits under the Act; recipients can’t accept payments from other sources.

Image: thephotoholic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Evan H. Farr on Google +