Posts Tagged ‘retirement community’

It’s sneaky and it’s subtle. It’s referred to as “…the silent thief of sight.” “It” is glaucoma. Most types of glaucoma cause no pain and produce no symptoms. What glaucoma does do, however, is cause damage to the optic nerve. The main function of the optic nerve is sending electrical transmissions to the brain. Damage to it can lead to serious problems with vision that eventually lead to blindness.

Glaucoma is caused by increased pressure in the eye. This pressure is from a buildup of fluid, called aqueous humor, in the front of the eye. The elevated pressure is often extremely subtle with no symptoms until the disease has already caused significant damage.

In the U.S., approximately 2.2 million people age 40 and older have glaucoma, and of these, as many as 120,000 are blind, according to the American Health Assistance Foundation. An estimated 3.3 million of Americans could have glaucoma by the year 2020.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness among African Americans and Hispanics in the U.S. Three times as many African Americans have glaucoma than Caucasians, and four times as many are blind. Between the ages of 45 and 64, glaucoma is fifteen times more likely to cause blindness in African Americans than in Caucasians.

Because people may not know they have glaucoma, a simple and painless glaucoma test, performed by an ophthalmologist, is vital. These tests allow the doctor to measure pressure in the eye, examine the optic nerve, check the visual field and determine the fluid drainage angle in the eye.

According to seniormag.com, there are actually two major types of glaucoma – open angle and closed angle. Typically open angle glaucoma has no symptoms in its early stages and vision remains normal. As the optic nerve becomes more damaged, blank spots begin to appear in one’s vision, but such spots can be unnoticeable at first. If the optic nerve is significantly damaged, these spots become large. If all the optic nerve fibers die, blindness results.

Some eyes are formed with the iris too close to the drainage angle. In these eyes, which are often small and farsighted, the iris can be sucked into the drainage angle and block it completely. This is called closed-angle glaucoma. Since the fluid cannot exit the eye, pressure inside the eye builds rapidly and causes an acute closed-angle attack. Symptoms that occur suddenly can include blurry vision, halos around lights, eye pain, nausea and vomiting. Medical attention should be immediate.

Early detection is key

Early detection through eye exams, visual field tests and optic nerve imaging, and management through medications and laser treatments (to relieve eye pressure) are keys to preventing optic nerve damage and blindness from glaucoma.

Be aware

• Everyone older than age 60 is at increased risk.
• For certain population groups such as African-Americans, the risk is much higher, and they should have eye pressure monitored before age 30. Hispanic, Asian and Japanese Americans also face an increased risk. The reasons for these differences aren’t clear.
• If there’s a family history of glaucoma, there is a much greater risk of developing it. A form of juvenile open-angle glaucoma has been clearly linked to genetic abnormalities.
• Diabetes increases the risk of developing glaucoma. A history of high blood pressure, heart disease, or hypothyroidism can increase risk as well.
• Severe eye injuries can result in increased eye pressure. Injury can also dislocate the lens, closing the drainage angle. Other risk factors include retinal detachment, eye tumors or eye inflammations.
• Being nearsighted, which generally means that objects in the distance look fuzzy without glasses or contacts, increases the risk of developing glaucoma.
• Using corticosteroids for prolonged periods of time appears to increase the risk of getting secondary glaucoma. This is especially true if someone uses corticosteroid eye drops.

The commercial, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up,” is no joke. For seniors, falling rarely just happens but rather results from multiple causes that occur over time. As people age, their muscles and bones can weaken, balance can be affected, and certain medications and medical conditions can make falling and fractures more likely. Seniors who are also more prone to diseases like osteoporosis are more susceptible to experiencing a fall.

According to SeniorAdvice.com, every year more than 1.6 million older adults go to the emergency department for fall related injuries. Falls are the main cause of fractures, loss of independence, hospital admissions and death.

Hip fractures are the most common and serious type fall related injuries. After such a fall, only half of older adults hospitalized with hip fractures can return home and live on their own. About 80 percent of hip fractures occur in women. Women lose bone density at a faster rate than men do. The drop in estrogen levels that occurs with menopause accelerates bone loss, increasing the risk of hip fractures as a woman moves beyond menopause. However, men also can develop dangerously low levels of bone density.

The fear of falling causes older adults to avoid physical activities, such as walking and exercise. But the truth is physical activity can help prevent falls. Some seniors who are concerned with falling go to physical therapy which can help improve balance, maintain physical health and prevent falls.

Bone fractures in senior citizens are not only traumatic but can lead to more serious problems later on, but there are some ways to decrease the probability of falling by following some simple guidelines.

Preventive Measures from the National Institute on Aging:

• The doctor can perform a bone mineral density test that measures bone strength. Some medications can increase bone strength which can prevent likelihood for falling.
• Take part in healthy amounts of physical activity which will improve balance, muscle tone, joint flexibility, or even slow osteoporosis.
• Test vision and hearing since defects in sensory functioning can make one less stable overall.
• Be aware of the side effects of medications which can affect balance and coordination.
• Limit the amount of alcohol consumed which can also affect balance and coordination.
• Use a cane or walking stick if needed, and always be careful when walking on unstable or slippery surfaces
• Wear the right footwear that has rubber soles or low heels.
• Hold the handrails when going up and down stairs and only hold items in one hand so that you can keep a hand on the rail at all times
• Use good judgment – stay away from situations that could cause a fall such as a freshly washed floor, trying to reach something that is too high.
• Research home monitoring systems that will allow for access to help after experiencing a fracture
• Install good lighting with light switch access both at the top and bottom of staircases.
• Keep areas where you walk clear.
• Be sure that carpets are firmly fixed to the floor or apply no-slip strips to slippier surfaces such as wood and tile.
• Install handrails on both sides of the stairs or inside the bathroom.
• Place non-skid mats and strips on surfaces that get wet within the bathroom.
• Keep night lights for easy navigation in the dark in hallways, near the bed, and in the bathroom.
• Keep a telephone near the bed.
• Keep electric cords and wires near the wall and out of paths of travel.
• Tack down carpets and rugs firmly to the floor.
• Be careful!

It’s sad but true. There are bad people are out there. While crimes committed against senior citizens are not as common as crimes committed against younger adults, it is every bit, if not more, disturbing. It’s hard to fathom someone hurting or scamming an older person, but it happens.

Below are some suggestions about safety and staying safe from cons. Those who provide elder care should inform seniors of these guidelines.

Tips to Keep Safe from SeniorAdvice.com:

• Be sure that all doors, locks, and windows are strong and cannot be broken.
• Keep all doors and windows locked especially when out of the house.
• Make a list of valuable belongings, with pictures if desired, and keep track of this list by keeping it in a safe place.
• Ask the local police department to mark valuable property with an I.D. number.
• When strangers are at the door, check through a peephole or ask for identity before opening the door.
• Do not keep large amounts of money at home.
• Know your neighbors. You can watch out for each other.
• Stay alert in public places.
• If you drive, lock the doors at all times.
• Do not open car door or roll down windows for strangers – ever.
• Park in well-lit parking areas.
• Carry your purse close to your body when walking outdoors with the strap over the shoulder and across the chest.
• If you are in the process of being robbed, do not resist and hand over belongings to avoid getting hurt.
• Avoid a regular banking routine that involved transporting money on the same day of the week during the same times. Note, social security checks and pension can be directly deposited into your bank account.
• Never carry large amounts of cash on your person, and put credit cards or wallets within inside pockets.
• Do not keep credit cards and checkbooks together so as to prevent signature forging if the two are stolen together.

Avoiding Cons
Senior citizens can be taken advantage of through telephone, internet, insurance, or home repair scams. Sometimes older adults are taken advantage of by people they know and think they can trust. Here are some tips for avoiding possible cons:

• Do not feel hesitant to hang up on telemarketers to protect yourself from possible bullying, suggestiveness, or false information.
• Never give personal information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, or bank account numbers over the phone.
• Do not take money out of your account when instructed to by a stranger. A common scam involves strangers pretending to be bank tellers and asking people to take money out of their accounts. Real banks never use these methods.
• Be cautious of deals that sound too good to be true or involve presenting large amounts of money up front with promises of receiving money later.
• Checking with the local Better Business Bureau for more information about the validity of companies.
• Be cautious of people going door to door and offering home repair services. They may not be properly trained and can overcharge for services. If you employ someone for this kind of work, check references, get an agreement in writing for the services, and never pay in advance.

“There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.” ~Vicki Baum.

Ms. Baum is right. Dancing also can be a short-cut to health – both physically and mentally. According to Brain Fitness For Seniors.com, dancing is a boon to health because it stimulates different areas of the brain. How? Well, it often requires learning new steps, and it keeps seniors connected to others. It involves balance, coordination, listening, rhythm, motion, emotions, and physical touch.

Present day seniors grew up dancing. There were grand, lavish ballrooms, and people in cities took the streetcars to dance the night away. Ballroom dancing was a popular choice for a date. Big Band orchestras under the batons of Tommy Dorsey or Harry James toured the country playing in these wonderful ballrooms.

Today’s seniors are still dancing. Seniors’ dances are everywhere, and there are even exercise classes of “seated” dancing. If an entertainer performs the “old favorites” at a senior center or assisted living community, the audience instantly responds with toe-tapping and probably a rush of memories.

Health-wise, a dance routine for older adults can improve fitness in a low-impact way. More specifically, the physical benefits of dance from Ehow.com include:

• Improves cardiovascular fitness – Even light dancing will increase the heart rate and give the heart a good workout.
• Builds muscles – Through dance, seniors work their muscles and help to combat the effects of age.
• Improves social outlook – By joining a dance class—no matter what type of dance—they can enjoy the company of being with other dancers.
• Increases balance and control – The improved balance that comes from dancing helps prevent slips and falls.
• Increases bone mass – Both men and women begin to lose bone mass as they age, leading to more broken bones when they fall.
• Improves flexibility – A good dance workout will include stretching time which can help senior citizens increase flexibility and reduce muscle aches.

Again, from Brain Fitness For Seniors.com, by improving the social interactivity of seniors, dancing increases social harmony, understanding and tolerance in the community which is important because aging requires people of sometimes diverse backgrounds to live closer together in retirement homes and communities.

Music and rhythm have measurable effects on the brain and are the subject of multiple studies of brain-fitness benefits in both the young and old. Listening to music itself can have clear effects on the brain, stimulating different areas, changing brainwave patterns, and relieving stress.

Some believe that just watching dance stimulates the brain – mental stimulation that may be almost as powerful as performing the activity first hand. Even seniors who are too physically restricted to move freely can still participate and gain brain fitness benefits from social dance groups.

In summary, the lyrics of country music star Lee Ann Womack’s signature song say it all:

“I hope you still feel small when you stand behind the ocean.
I hope whenever one door closes, another opens.
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…
I Hope You Dance.”

Chicago actor Lance Brown will present his show, “Will Rogers, Now!” at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 8, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The public is warmly welcome to this free show.

In addition the day features The Oak Park Arms’ open house and pancake breakfast from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The public is warmly welcome to enjoy pancakes, oatmeal, specialty drinks, and to listen to the music of the Farmer’s Market musicians.

Pancake breakfast and open house guests won’t want to miss the Will Rogers show. Rogers was born in 1879, in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). His diverse talents and humanitarian work kept him in the public eye most of his life. He wrote a column for the New York Times, was a radio and film personality, humorist, and a grass-roots philosopher. Rogers’ direct, straightforward attitudes about life, politics, and the world reflect the values of the cowboy culture in which he was raised.

Lance Brown’s performance of “Will Rogers, Now!” takes an entertaining and insightful look at the cowboy’s life and values. As Will Rogers, Brown speaks on subjects ranging from leadership and teamwork to human folly and today’s headlines. He uses Rogers’ famous trick roping and playful humor to bring America’s most loved citizen to life. He points up the irony of how many of Will Rogers’ comments apply directly to what is happening today.

Brown, 60, has done extensive research at the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore, OK, having authored the book, “On the Road with Will Rogers.” He has spent more than 16 years touring the country performing his theatrical production, “Lance Brown’s Tribute to Will Rogers.”

The universal quality of Will Rogers’ humor still holds true today, some 68 years after his death. It was Will Rogers who was quick to point out “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” Or looking on the bright side of taxes, he quipped, “Thank God we don’t get as much government as we’re payin’ for.”

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

There is no cost to attend the breakfast, open house, or “Will Rogers, Now!” show. For more information, call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.