Posts Tagged ‘assisted living downers grove’

Some of us remember when elder grandparents lived in the same household with their children and grandchildren. It’s a rarity these days. Today, many families are scattered and separated by distances both great and small. The website GrandParenting.org says that no matter how far grandparents and grandchildren live from one another, there are two things working in their favor that can help to keep their bond alive and well:

First, young children have the ability to expand time. Remember when you were younger how time moved more slowly, and your house seemed enormous? This means the time you spend alone with your grandchild can nourish your grandchild for quite a while.

Second, technology is a marvelous asset in helping to encourage emotional connections over distance. True, technology can’t go fishing with a grandchild or help out a harried parent, but it can be a godsend to foster ongoing communication

In fact, communication is the most indispensable factor in keeping grandparent and grandchild as close as possible no matter how far apart they live. Today, there are lots of ways to communicate.

About.com reminds us that the “old” ways are still extremely meaningful: letters to an individual grandchild, letters with sketches or drawings, photos of yourself, greeting cards, a note with a stick of chewing gum, packages with several small items, or send something hand-made like a birdhouse or quilt. Young kids like the thought more than the content. Just the fact they receive a letter is more important than what is in it.

Technology has given everyone even more options. Lots of kids are computer literate, and now’s the time to have someone show you the ropes of email. There’s also videoconferencing (you can talk with your grandchild real-time, face-to-face). E-Mail, computer games, and the ability to send notes back and forth (or recipes, jokes,) can keep your contact loving and lively. You can even establish your own home page on the world-wide-web.

Faxes can be fun. One grandmother gave all of her grandchildren fax machines so they could keep in touch on a daily basis. Children can fax jokes, report cards, drawings etc. to their grandparents and vice versa. This grandma faxes her grandchildren individual notes several mornings a week.

Telephone contact is important, too. It’s a live voice. But make sure that you call your grandchild alone. Your grandchild wants to feel special and individual. It’s best to call at a regular time when your grandchild is not rushed or a parent is not harried about getting a meal on the table.

Some suggestions from GrandParentsToday.com:

• Videotape yourself reading a grandchild’s favorite story. If possible, have someone else record you and your spouse, especially on birthdays or other special occasions.
• Bake and send favorite cookies. Include the recipe, and videotape yourself making the cookies for a personal cooking lesson.
• For a far-away grandchild’s birthday, buy party hats, favors, balloons, etc. and send them to the grandchild to use at their party.
• Create a video family history using old slides and pictures. Narrate it or just set it to music. Or create a scrapbook with copies made from the original pictures.
• Watch a television show or rented movie “together.” For instance, at Christmas, plan to watch It’s a Wonderful Life and share your thoughts via a phone call, letter or e-mail.
• Have a prearranged time on New Year’s Eve for you and your children and grandchildren to each light a candle and make a special wish for the coming year.
• Make up a quiz about you and your spouse. It can be a fun way for your grandchildren to get to know you better.

Most importantly, be there when your grandchild is born and be there for the important events; graduations, religious passages, recitals, holidays, whatever events your family values highly. With a little time and ingenuity, connections can be strong and loving in spite of the miles between you.

People love to play Bingo, and it’s especially popular with seniors. This age group enjoys the game for entertainment and companionship, and added benefits are brain power and enhanced focus. And who isn’t excited to win? Most senior communities have Bingo as part of their weekly activities. Some feature Bingo every day.

Did you ever wonder who invented Bingo?

According to about.com, Bingo’s history can be traced back to 1530, to an Italian lottery game called “Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia.” Travelers brought the game across the Alps to France where it was called “Le Lotto.” The Germans also played a version of the game in the 1800s, but they used it primarily to help students learn lessons.

Fast forward to 1929 in America. A game called “Beano” was introduced at a carnival near Atlanta, Georgia. A pitchman selected numbered discs from a cigar box, and players would mark their cards with beans. When they completed a line of beans horizontally, vertically or diagonally, they yelled “Beano” and won a prize or money.

Edwin S. Lowe, owner of a very small New York toy company (two employees), had a sales call near Atlanta. As he drove down the road, he happened upon the bright lights of the carnival. He was early for his appointment, so he stopped. There was a huge crowd filled with people wanting a turn at a game called Beano. Lowe knew his games, and he had never heard of it.

While he was waiting for a seat (which he never got), he noticed that the players seemed addicted to the game. The pitchman wanted to close up, but every time he announced the last game, nobody moved. The game finally shut down at 3 a.m. After locking up, the pitchman told Lowe that he had run across a game called Lotto while traveling with a carnival in Germany the previous year. He thought it would make a good tent or carnival game. He called it Beano.

Returning to his home in New York, Lowe bought some dried beans, a rubber numbering stamp and some cardboard. Friends were invited to his apartment, and Lowe assumed the pitchman’s duties. Soon his friends were playing Beano with the same tension and excitement as he had seen at the carnival. During one session Lowe noticed that one of his guests was close to winning. She got more excited as each bean was added to her card. Finally there was one number left – and it was called. The woman jumped up, became tongue tied, and instead of shouting “Beano,” stuttered “B-B-B-BINGO!” The name stuck.

Lowe realized the game’s potential and started to market it. He hired a math professor to help him increase the number of combinations in bingo cards. By 1930, Dr. Carl Leffler had invented 6,000 different Bingo cards. It is said that Leffler then went insane. Who can blame him?

By 1934 there were an estimated 10,000 Bingo games a week, and Ed Lowe’s firm had 1,000 employees frantically trying to keep up with demand. The company took up nine entire floors of its New York office space, and 64 presses printed 24 hours a day.

According to Wikipedia, the Lowe Bingo Game had two versions; the first a 12-card set for $1, the second a $2 set with 24 cards. Bingo was a huge success. By the 1940s Bingo games were all over the country. Lowe had many competitors, and all he asked was that they pay $1 a year to conduct the games and to use the name Bingo.

Bingo was off to a fast start, and at the same time, it had reserved itself next to baseball and apple pie – thanks to Ed Lowe and the loss of Professor Leffler’s sanity.

Then, a Catholic priest from Pennsylvania approached Lowe about using Bingo as a means of raising church funds. It caught on like wildfire.

The rest, as they say, is history.

It’s an old stereotype – You will lose all your teeth as you age, and all seniors have dentures. Not so!  Teeth are never too old to be repaired or replaced, and dentures aren’t the only game in town. Dental implants are a new option that many older adults are choosing. 

But let’s not talk about repairing or replacing. Let’s talk about keeping the mouth healthy in the first place.
According to WebMD, daily brushing and flossing of natural teeth is essential to keeping them in good oral health.

It’s important for all individuals – regardless of age -to:

• Brush at least twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste.
• Floss at least once a day.
• Visit the dentist on a regular schedule for cleaning and an oral exam.

The Mayo Clinic says the state of oral health can offer lots of clues about a person’s overall health.

The mouth is normally teeming with bacteria. Brushing and flossing can keep these bacteria under control. Saliva also is a key defense against bacteria and viruses, because it contains enzymes that destroy bacteria in different ways.

But harmful bacteria can sometimes grow out of control and lead to periodontitis, a serious gum infection. This disease is caused by bacteria in dental plaque, which if not removed through daily tooth brushing and flossing, results in red or swollen gums that bleed easily. And, if plaque remains on teeth too long, a hard deposit called tarter or calculus forms. This deposit is removed by a dental hygienist or dentist when the teeth are professionally cleaned.

Left untreated, periodontal disease can destroy the gum tissues and bone around teeth, and eventually teeth can be lost. Periodontitis also may provide bacteria a port of entry into the bloodstream. Medications or treatments that reduce saliva flow or disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in the mouth also may lead to oral changes.

To summarize, oral health is connected to many other health conditions beyond the mouth. Sometimes the first sign of a disease shows up in the mouth. Simply said, oral health is important for overall health and vice versa.

As the economic crisis continues, some seniors may believe it’s reasonable to skip their annual eye exam. But for the older population, it’s critically important to keep tabs on the silent stealers of sight – cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and macular degeneration. According to the National Eye Institute, by age 65, one-in-three Americans have some form of vision-impairing eye disease.

Often there are no warning signs, so most people don’t know it, or they assume that poor sight is a natural part of aging. It is not. By detecting and treating eye disease early through annual, comprehensive dilated exams, seniors can do so much to preserve their sight.

Let’s focus on just one of the sight-steeling diseases – age-related macular degeneration. The American Health Assistance Foundation tells us it is a common eye disease that causes deterioration of the macula, the central area of the retina, a paper-thin tissue at the back of the eye where light sensitive cells send visual signals to the brain. The macular processes sharp, clear, straight-ahead vision, color and fine detail, and damage to this area results in blind spots and blurred or distorted vision.

Age-related macular degeneration is a major cause of visual impairment in the United States. In fact, it is the leading cause of blindness among Caucasians over age 65. Almost 1.75 million Americans 40 years and older have advanced age-related macular degeneration, and another 7.3 million people with intermediate age-related macular degeneration are at substantial risk for vision loss. It is estimated that by 2020 there will be 2.95 million people with advanced age-related macular degeneration.

There are two forms of macular degeneration: dry and wet. Neither causes pain. The dry form of macular degeneration, in which the light sensitive cells of the macula slowly break down, is the most common type, accounting for 90 percent of diagnosed cases.

Wet macular degeneration accounts for approximately 10 percent of cases but results in 90 percent of legal blindness. It is considered advanced macular degeneration (there is no early or intermediate stage of wet macular degeneration). Wet macular degeneration is always preceded by the dry form of the disease.

To help diagnose macular degeneration, an ophthalmologist will perform a dilated eye exam, and it is imperative for older adults to visit their eye doctor at least once yearly.

Mayo Clinic lists the following risk factors for macular degeneration:

• Age – The number one risk factor is age.
• Smoking – Smoking increases an individual’s chances of developing age-related macular degeneration by two to five-fold.
• Family history of macular degeneration – An individual is more likely to be affected by age-related macular degeneration if someone in his or her immediate family has been affected.
• Gender – Females are more likely to be affected by age-related macular degeneration than males. This may be due to the fact that females live longer than males, and thus have more time to develop the disease.
• Race - Caucasians are more likely to be affected age-related macular degeneration than other races. This may be due to differences in genetic background or pigmentation.
• Prolonged sun exposure – Ultra-violet (UV) light damages retinal tissue directly and can also lead to the accumulation of products that are harmful to the retina.
• A high fat diet, and/or one that is low in nutrients and antioxidants – Individuals with diets high in fat, cholesterol and sugar, and low in antioxidants are more likely to be affected by age-related macular degeneration.
• Obesity - Overweight individuals are more likely to be affected by age-related macular degeneration.
• High blood pressure – High blood pressure, like smoking, leads to a constriction, or narrowing, of the blood vessels that nourish the retina, negatively affecting its health.
• Eye color – Individuals with light-colored eyes are more likely to be affected by dry age-related macular degeneration. This may be due to the fact that light-pigmented eyes offer less protection from damaging UV light.
• Inactivity – Individuals who do not follow a regular exercise routine are more likely to be affected by age-related macular degeneration.

Currently, there is no treatment or cure for advanced dry macular degeneration. However, ongoing research is hopeful. New treatment strategies are being investigated including retinal cell transplants, drugs to prevent or slow disease progress, radiation therapy, gene therapies, a computer chip implanted in the retina that may help simulate vision, and agents that will prevent new blood vessel growth under the macula.

Until an effective treatment is found, a healthy lifestyle may reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration. The following are recommended by Mayo Clinic: eat foods containing antioxidants, take antioxidant and zinc supplements (check first with your doctor), eat fish, stop smoking, get regular eye exams, manage other diseases by taking prescribed medications, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight.

According to the National Pain Foundation, pain among older adults is too frequently left undiagnosed and untreated. Statistics show that as high as 65 percent of older adults living on their own or with family, and up to 80 percent of seniors in long-term care facilities, have pain. Conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease further complicate an older adult’s ability to seek and receive adequate care for his or her pain.

As the baby boomers age, this could become even more of an issue, so the problem of pain in older adults needs to be addressed.

There are many reasons why seniors may suffer pain, from chronic disease to infection to joint and bone conditions. Here at the 10 common reasons why seniors have pain:

1. Falls/trauma – Falling from lack of balance or weakness can end up a nightmare of pain. Safety proofing the environment is a must.
2. Arthritis – While there are more than 100 types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common affecting 80 percent of older adults. Other diseases and conditions that cause joint pain include rheumatoid arthritis, gout and fibromyalgia. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States.
3. Pain after surgery – While most people seem to bounce back after surgery once the worst of the pain is over, many times seniors don’t have that ability. This can result in long-lasting chronic pain.
4. Osteoporosis – Thinning of the bones causes fractures. The fractures may not be obvious like hip or arm breaks; they can be in the spine, causing chronic and severe back and neck pain.
5. Shingles – Shingles are an outbreak of rash or blisters on the skin that is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chicken pox. The pain associated with shingles can be intense and is often described as “unrelenting.” Approximately 20 percent of shingles patients develop post-herpetic neuralgia, a chronic pain condition that affects the nerve fibers and skin.
6.  Face pain – This condition may include severe headaches, jaw tenderness and aching, muscle spasms and strain, dry mouth and toothaches.
7. Back and neck pain – Back and neck pain can be caused by spinal stenosis, sprain or strain, past fractures, swollen or herniated disks, sciatica or arthritis.
8. Abdominal pain – Causes include gallstones, appendicitis, bowel obstruction, peptic ulcer disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, or gastroenteritis. Another reason may be constipation.
9. Circulatory problems – Symptoms include muscle cramps, fatigue and aching, chest pain, leg pain, itchy skin, vein pain or varicose veins, and sores that heal slowly or not at all. Circulation issues frequently affect those with diabetes, a condition that affects nearly one out of five Americans over the age of 60.
10. Cancer – Pain is one of the most common symptoms of all types of cancer. It is usually classified as one of two types: nociceptive pain, which is described as sharp, aching and throbbing and neuropathic pain, which is described as a burning or numb sensation.

According to About.com, It makes sense that older adults with chronic pain tend to have higher levels of depression and anxiety than those who don’t suffer from chronic pain.

Seniors may already feel a sense of loss, as they gradually lose the ability to function as they previously did. Decreased eyesight may keep them from driving. They may no longer be able to walk through the grocery store. They may resent having to use assistive devices such a walker or a cane. A perceived loss of independence can lead to feelings of depression and despair. These feelings are intensified by the presence of a chronic pain condition.

Chronic pain is not something anyone should go through alone. Seniors are more vulnerable to aches and pains than the average adult, and often these aches and pains do not go away with time. No one needs to suffer quietly.

It is vital to talk with the doctor, and complete honesty is a must. The doctor can help diagnose the reason for the pain and guide an individual toward a treatment that brings relief.

In 2005, the Social Security Administration redesigned its life expectancy tables to extend to age 119. That says something, doesn’t it?

The New England Centenarian Study (NECS) is the largest comprehensive study of centenarians in the world. Initially this study was a collaboration between Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Now it is under the auspices of Boston University Medical Center.

The study found that Centenarians are the fastest growing segment of our population. The second fastest is the age group 85+. Currently, there are about 40,000 centenarians in the United States; 85% of them are women, 15% are men.

More and more people are now able to achieve their individual life expectancy potentials. This is a dramatic change from the turn of the 20th century, when many people died prematurely especially in infancy. The average life expectancy was 46 years. Families on average would lose a quarter of their children to infectious diseases.

With the advent of clean water and other public health measures, much of this high childhood mortality disappeared resulting in an average life expectancy of 64 years by 1960. Then with marked improvements in medical prevention and intervention for diseases that befall adults, such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, heart failure and coronary artery disease, life expectancy has climbed to almost 78 years.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20^th century are:

1. Immunizations and vaccines
2. Motor vehicle safety
3. Workplace safety
4. Control of infectious diseases
5. Heart and stroke mortality reduction
6. Safer, healthier foods
7. Protection of mothers and babies
8. Family planning
9. Fluoridation of drinking water
10. Recognition of tobacco as a health hazard

Life span is the maximum age obtainable for the species, and it is defined by the age of the oldest living individual. In the case of humans, that individual was Madame Jeanne Calment of Arles, France, who was born Feb. 21, 1875 and died on Aug. 4, 1997 at the age of 122.

Madame Calment once said: “I have an enormous will to live and a good appetite, especially for sweets.” (Oh, if only it were that easy…just a daily stop at Fannie Mae)

The New England Centenarian Study found that most centenarians are uncommonly healthy, have emotional resilience, a good sense of humor, self-sufficiency, good longevity genes, resistance to stress (good coping skills), strong connections with other people, low blood pressure, religious beliefs, a zest for life, and an appreciation of simple pleasures and experiences. In addition few are obese, and a substantial smoking history is rare. 

“The average person is born with strong enough longevity genes to live to 85 and maybe longer,” said Thomas T. Perls MD, MPH, director of the New England Centenarian Study. “People who take appropriate preventive steps may add as many as ten quality years to that.”

We have great potential to extend our lives, researchers say, if we just take care of ourselves: reduce stress, stay connected with others, cultivate optimism, watch the diet, exercise, increase cognitive capacity by doing crossword puzzles, playing bridge, or experiencing the new and unfamiliar and floss teeth. (That’s right. Flossing may help prevent heart disease. There is preliminary evidence that inflamed gums release substances into the bloodstream that cause clogged arteries.)

On a final note, life expectancy changes as one gets older. By the time a child reaches their first year, their chances of living longer increase. By the time of late adulthood, ones chances of survival to a very old age are quite good. For example, although the life expectancy from birth for all people in the United States is 77.7 years, those who live to age 65 will have an average of almost 18 additional years left to live, making their life expectancy almost 83 years.

And here’s the final proof. Hallmark Cards sold 85,000 100th birthday cards last year.

Puppy love. Young love. Mature love. It never really ends, does it? All people have the desire for companionship and intimacy, and that does not exclude people in their 70s, 80s or 90s. In affairs of the heart, age hardly matters.

Single seniors enjoy making sociable connections just as the younger generation. Now, do these seniors want to go to bars and rock concerts? – Probably not, but there are many activities to enjoy. Some seniors are looking for meaningful friendships and not necessarily marriage. Others definitely are seeking marriage.

According to Ruth Purple, relatioinship coach,  in her article, “Single Seniors – Never Too Old for Romance,” common obstacles are adult children who can be unforgiving if the widowed parent moves on after a separation, especially after a parent’s death. Others find it difficult to understand that their parents have the same feelings and needs as they do, while some react out of a need to protect their parent from being taken advantage of.

“However, it is still the seniors’ prerogative whether it is the right time for them to move on or not,” Purple said.

A vast number of seniors date for companionship and to fill emptiness in their lives. This is normal, and should be respected. Seniors have as much rights as the younger individuals when it comes to dating.

Making some interesting points is Helen E. Fisher, PhD, biological anthropologist and a member of the Center for Human Evolutionary Studies in the anthropology department of Rutgers University:

“Senior dating is often a good deal like junior dating—full of excitement, angst, euphoria when it goes well, and despair when things fail,” Dr. Fisher said. “Perhaps the most interesting thing about senior dating is that now, people are living long enough to do it. Additionally, they aren’t living with their children and grandchildren, so they have the opportunity to do it.”

Heretofore, the biggest obstacle to senior dating is the misconception that dating is only for the younger generation. It’s as if “society” frowns on the very notion and considers seniors just too old to even think of romance.

The internet is changing all that. There are senior dating sites that make the process much, much easier. In addition, senior groups hold charity events, dances and other activities at which like-minded people can meet and enjoy good times while getting to know each other. Churches also have singles groups for specific age ranges with activities based on age and interests.

“The world of dating and marriage has changed more in the past 50 years than in the past 5,000, due largely to the entry of women into the paid labor force,” Dr. Fisher said. “We are returning to a social life style that is very similar to life as it was in hunting and gathering societies, before people settled down on the farm and marriage codes became much more rigid.”

One thing’s for sure. Mature dating is much more a state of mind than a date of birth.

Many things change as people age. That’s a given. But how does nutrition change over a lifetime. Each year over age 40, a person’s metabolism slows down resulting in fewer burned calories. Add a reluctance to exercise, and it’s a recipe for weight gain and its complications.

On the other hand, scientists estimate that anywhere from 15 percent to 50 percent of American seniors over the age of 65 consume too few calories, proteins or essential vitamins and minerals for good health. According to Dr. Jeffrey B. Blumberg, associate director of the Human Nutrition Center on Aging at Tufts University, national and regional surveys over the last decade have found close to 50 percent of elderly Americans consuming insufficient levels of calories or of such micronutrients as calcium, iron, B vitamins or vitamin C.

In 1992, the United States Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services published the Food Guide Pyramid for healthy eating. Seven years later in 1992, scientists at the USDA’s Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston released the “Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults” which was specially designed to meet the nutritional needs of people over age seventy.

First, the modified pyramid is based on eight 8-oz. glasses of water or other nonalcoholic, caffeine-free beverages per day. Moving up, the next level of the pyramid suggests that a senior’s diet include six or more servings a day of fiber-rich bread, cereal, rice, or pasta.

Above that, there should be three or more servings of vegetables and two or more servings of fruit. The fruits and vegetables with the richest colors (dark green, orange, yellow, and red) have the greatest quantities of nutrients. Then comes the protein level which suggests three or more servings of milk, yogurt, and cheese, and two or more servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts. Dairy choices should be of the low-fat variety.

In the meat category, include fish, which may reduce cardiac risk, dried beans, which have lots of fiber, and lean meat and poultry. Protein is important in maintaining muscle mass, boosting immunity, and aiding in wound healing. And finally, the tiny tip of the pyramid recommends using fats, oils, and sweets sparingly.

Good nutrition should and can be part of every senior’s life in order to keep the immune system strong and to have energy and a positive outlook.

Some helpful tips include:

• Good carbs. Opt for whole grain nutrition (brown rice, whole wheat bread), not refined “white” products such as white bread, white rice, or products made with white flour.
• Raw veggies. Aim to eat at least one daily serving of your fruits and vegetables raw. This not only preserves their nutritional value, it’s an easy way to avoid constipation. Raw fruits and veggies are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes to aid digestion. Plus, there’s no preparation involved. If you have difficulty biting or chewing, cut your apple or carrot into bite-sized pieces. Or try a green salad with grated zucchini.
• Steaming is the best way to cook vegetables; it preserves nutrients.
• Protein. Fish, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts and tofu all count as protein. So does skinless turkey or chicken, or fish, baked, broiled, grilled, steamed or poached. Go easy on red meats which contain saturated fat and on salty meats such as bacon or ham.
• Calcium. All dairy products are not created equal. Milk, cheese and yogurt retain their calcium content; cream cheese, cream and butter do not. As part of a healthy senior diet, choose fat-free or low fat dairy products. If lactose-intolerance is an issue, there are lactose-free and lower-lactose products such as hard cheeses and yogurt. A calcium supplement might insure enough calcium. Ask the doctor. 
• Fats. Good fats come from olive oil and sunflower oil, avocados and avocado oil, nuts and seeds.
• H2O. Drink enough water each day and eat foods with a high water content such as melons, grapes, cucumbers, onions, apples, cabbage, and soup. Staying well hydrated flushes toxins from the body, relieves constipation, helps keep joints flexible. Don’t wait until thirst happens because some people don’t feel thirst, but their bodies need lots of water anyway.

Remember to choose foods that are simple to prepare, flavorful, and easy to chew, swallow and digest. Another good guide to check out is Healthy Eating: New Food Pyramids and Tips for a Healthy Diet.

Before any changes in diet are made, it is wise to consult a health care professional who can evaluate specific nutritional needs based on medical history.

Bon appétit!

Assisted living and retirement communities typically have long range planning in place. If executive directors see ahead as far as 25 years, they are bracing for a tremendous surge in residents with diabetes.

According to a new study from researchers at the University of Chicago, if the current trend continues, the number of diabetes cases will nearly double in the next 25 years, rising from the current 23.7 million to 44.1 million in 2034. The cost of treating this many people will triple, rising from $113 billion $336 billion.

If and when that happens, it’s a massive impact on senior care that will, in turn, have a bearing on an incalculable number of facilities, physicians, nurses, hospitals, etc. Medicare spending on diabetes will skyrocket from $45 billion to $171 billion. It’s the domino effect for sure.

The predicted surge is driven by aging Baby Boomers or those born between 1946 and 1964. Presently the oldest boomer is 64, a senior citizen perhaps for admission to the movies, but a good 10 or 15 years away from assisted living arrangements. But decades can pass very quickly.

Luckily, there are a few things that can prevent such appalling numbers.  A recent 10-year trial called the Diabetes Prevention Program showed that overweight people with elevated blood sugar levels who lost a modest amount of weight, lowered their risk of developing diabetes by at least a third. People age 60 and over saw even more dramatic results, cutting their risk of diabetes during the study period by about half.

If everyone would take three easy steps, the surge in diabetes might be better controlled:

• Lose weight
• Eat right (low fat, lower calories) most of the time
• Take a walk (or exercise) 30 minutes five days of the week.

Prevention is the first step. Soon-to-be seniors still have time to change these dire predictions. The Mayo Clinic has an excellent website about diabetes prevention.

We would all agree that volunteering is good, but research from the past two decades has found that volunteering is also good for you. For seniors, donating time is especially beneficial, because there is a convincing relationship between volunteering and health: those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer.

Also, comparisons of the health benefits of volunteering for different age groups have shown that older volunteers are the most likely to receive greater benefits from volunteering. It seems volunteering provides them with physical and social activity and a sense of purpose at a time when their social roles are changing.

According to a report from Corporation for National and Community Service titled The Health Benefits Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research:

• a study of adults age 65 and older found that the positive effect of volunteering on physical and mental health is due to the personal sense of accomplishment an individual gains from his or her volunteer activities;
• another study found that volunteering led to lower rates of depression in individuals 65 and older;
• a Duke study found that individuals who volunteered after experiencing heart attacks reported reductions in despair and depression – two factors that that have been linked to mortality in post-coronary artery disease patients;
• an analysis of longitudinal data found that individuals over 70 who volunteered approximately 100 hours per year had less of a decline in self-reported health and functioning levels, experienced lower levels of depression, and had more longevity;

“This is good news for people who volunteer,” said Robert Grimm, Director of the Corporation’s Office of Research and Policy Development and Senior Counselor to the CEO. “This research is particularly relevant to Baby Boomers, who are receiving as well as giving when they help others. Just two hours of volunteering a week can bring meaningful benefits to a person’s body and mind.”

Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health. It increases self-confidence and provides a natural sense of accomplishment. It gives a senior pride and identity. Reducing the risk of depression is another important benefit of volunteering. A key risk factor for depression is social isolation.

Volunteering keeps a senior in regular contact with others and helps develop a solid support system, which in turn protects against stress and depression when going through challenging times. In addition, volunteering has also been shown to lessen symptoms of chronic pain or heart disease.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best: It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life – that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.