The Importance of Exercise

It’s already February 3rd, but it’s not too late for New Year’s resolutions! Actually, as the lines for treadmills start to wane and people lose their resolve, now is a great time to start that exercise regimen you have been thinking about for a while. Seniors should pay special attention to this, for more and more, it is becoming clear that things such as senior independence, health, and mobility can be seen as a direct result of exercise.

Recently, in the Boston Globe, in an article titled “For Elders, Fitness Can’t be Beat,” Kay Lazar wrote “Dr. Jonathan Bean, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and a researcher at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, is tracking about 350 older adults, including [Dolores] Selenkow, and has found that building core -- also known as abdomen -- strength, and leg speed are vital to keeping elders active and independent.” This research matches that of many other experts on senior health. Many injuries in seniors can be tracked to falls, and these falls can be directly traced to a lack of balance or a lack of muscle mass. Additionally, a lack of mobility reduces independence for self-evident reasons. When somebody cannot walk for longer than five minutes, it becomes infinitely more difficult to socialize and to take care of yourself. Therefore, if you are a senior – or know a senior – who wants to maintain independence, it is essential that you follow Dr. Bean’s advice and build core strength and leg speed.

Lazar continues, in her article, “Another study, the largest and longest-running trial of its kind, found that regular physical activity in older adults measurably reduced mobility problems.” Optimally, you want to exercise for 30 minutes, five times a week. If this is too much at first, that is fine. Experts urge to go at your own pace and try to build up to that number. It is important to rest and not push yourself. Walking is one way to exercise. If you are looking for alternate ways, or you just got bombarded by snow in the Northeast, here are some videos a simple search on youtube.com brings up: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=elderly+exercises. Youtube.com is a great resource, as you can tailor exercise videos for things such as balance, core, or cardio. Another resource that may be helpful is your local senior center and ask them to see if they offer fitness classes, walking clubs, or other services. If you need help locating a local center, you can look in the phone book, or you can locate it at the National Institute of Senior Centers web site: http://www.ncoa.org/national-institute-of-senior-centers/. You may also call them at 571-527-3900. Again, there are many resources out there for you. The most important thing to do is to start exercising. The health benefits of exercise are endless, and they will help anyone maintain mobility, strength, and – most importantly – independence. If you have any questions for us, do not hesitate to email or call.

Vacationing with your Elderly Loved Ones

With all of the major holidays over, it’s likely that you’ll be traveling with your elderly loved ones. Traveling with the elderly can seem like a daunting task, but there are two things to remember: plan ahead and allow yourself extra time.

Plan ahead! Call the airport, train station, or bus station before you and your elderly depart. Find out what information they’ll need to get through security, what things they can and can’t bring with them, and any additional physician documentation you may need. Don’t wait until the last minute to pack, and set up a packing scheduling for your elderly loved ones. It’s never a good idea to rush through packing.

Secondly, figure out how much time you think it will take you and your elderly loved one to get from your home to your seats on the plane, train or bus. Now, take that number, and add at least an hour. Chances are, you will hit some sort of obstacle. There may be a large line at the airport, you could forget your tickets and have to get them reprinted, or there may just be traffic getting to your location. Rushing will only make your traveling experience more stressful, so give yourself a break with extra time.

Here are some great resources for you to look at before setting out on your journey:

AgingCare.com: Traveling with the Elderly

New York Times: Flying Tips for Older Passengers

USA Today: Travel Tips for the Elderly

Elder Care Information

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the American Time Use Survey this past week, and there are some incredible figures regarding family caregivers.

According to The New York Times, this survey was started in 2003, and the numbers are based on the minute by minute activities of Americans during a specific 24-hour period. This is the first year that elder care data was collected, and here is what they found:

39.8 million people over the age of 15 acted as unpaid caregivers to someone over 65.

22.3 million ( or 56%) of these caregivers were women.

 23% of these caregivers were between the ages of 45 to 54.

22% of these caregivers were between the ages of 55 to 65.

16% of these caregivers were 65 and older.

23% of these caregivers were part of the sandwich generation, and cared for a child under 18 in addition to fulfilling their elder care duties.

This data was taken in 2011. With the first baby boomers beginning to retire, it will be interesting to see which areas increase during the next year. What do you think this means for the future of caregiving? What surprise you most about this data?

You can find the New York Times article here, and more statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics here.

Caregivers and Mother's Day

As we’ve mentioned, caring for an aging parent is one of the most challenging tasks a caregiver can face. Caregiving is incredibly stressful and it is even more difficult for women caring for their mothers.  They can face frustration, anger and depression, and with all of the daily tasks, medications and doctor’s appointments it’s easy to forget about the person being cared for.

Mother’s Day is a wonderful opportunity for caregivers caring for their mothers to reconnect and to spend time remembering their childhood. If you are a caregiver caring for your mother, here are some ideas for a more meaningful Mother’s Day:

- Spend time together talking about your childhood, and what it was like when you were growing up.

- Look at old pictures together and see what stories the photographs inspire.

- Ask about your mother’s mother, and spend time talking about her family and experience growing up.

- Talk about your mother’s favorite activities when she was young. Did she like baking? Playing tennis? What did she do with her free time?

- Ask your mother about her favorite things – favorite memory, favorite vacation, favorite song.

Happy Mother's Day!