Category: Health in Aging

Remembering Maya Angelou

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We at the Health in Aging Foundation are saddened by the loss of Maya Angelou today.  In 2002, we presented Ms. Angelou with the Lifetime of Caring Award for her embodiment of graceful aging.  It was a festive occasion that included Ms. Angelou charming the crowd with a few lines of “This Little Light of Mine” and leading a standing ovation for the Girls Choir of Harlem.  In her remarks she reminded us to live a full, rich life and not take its everyday gifts for granted.  She closed with a few lines from her poem, On Aging.

On Aging

When you see me sitting quietly, like a sack upon a shelf,
Don’t think I need your chattering.  I’m listening to myself.
Hold! Stop! Don’t pity me!  Hold!  Stop your sympathy!
Understanding if you got it, otherwise I’ll do without it!

When my bones are stiff and aching and my feet won’t climb the stair,
I will only ask one favor:  Don’t bring me no rocking chair.
When you see me walking, stumbling, don’t study and get it wrong.
‘Cause tired don’t mean lazy and every goodbye ain’t gone.

I’m the same person I was back then, a little less hair, a little less chin,
A lot less lungs and much less wind.
But ain’t I lucky I can still breathe in.

Safe Today. Healthy Tomorrow.

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Cleveland, MaryJo 4x6

Maryjo L. Cleveland, MD
Medical Director, Post Acute & Senior Services
Chief, Division of Geriatric Medicine
Summa Health System
Akron, Ohio

May is Older Americans Month and this month the Health in Aging Foundation is focusing on injury prevention with the theme “Safe Today. Healthy Tomorrow”. For this reason, we are going to take a slight detour from our “It’s Not Normal” series and go into more detail on how seniors can keep free from injury. In a sense, it is a continuation of last month’s entry on preventing falls.

 

So, what do you think of when you hear the phrase “Safe Today”? Here are the 5 things that came to my mind first.

1.  Wear seatbelts! Most seniors will continue to drive into their 80’s and want to be safe drivers. The single most important thing you can do to prevent injury or death in the event of an accident is to wear seatbelts. The National Safety Council estimates that wearing your seatbelt will reduce your chance of injury by 50%! Yes, sometimes they are uncomfortable and wrinkle our clothes. Wear them anyway. And while you’re at it, require that everyone else in the car wear theirs too.

2. Don’t wear high heels! (Gentlemen, you can skip this paragraph.) I have no data to present here; this is purely an anecdotal observation. I have seen beautifully dressed, well-made-up women totter precariously into my office in 2-3 inch heels complaining of balance problems! They are clearly setting themselves up for trouble. Appropriate footwear is key to comfort and safety. Fortunately, ballet-style shoes are popular and tennis shoes are now made in every color imaginable. So, set a new fashion trend by putting a stable gait ahead of vanity and wear sneakers with your skirts.

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It’s Not Normal: Falls

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Cleveland, MaryJo 4x6Maryjo L. Cleveland, MD
Medical Director, Post Acute & Senior Services
Chief, Division of Geriatric Medicine
Summa Health System
Akron, Ohio 

It is the middle of winter here in Cleveland and we have experienced an unusual amount of snow, sleet and ice. In fact, if you live anywhere with winter, I’ll bet this weather has been challenging. One problem that we see more of in the winter is falls. I ask all of my patients if they have experienced a fall.  Can you  guess the most common answer I get? It isn’t “no”— it’s “not yet.”  Isn’t that interesting? That answer means that they expect to fall sometime. In other words, they think it’s normal. But we are here to find out otherwise!

Falls are certainly common. Most people can tell you about friends or family members who have fallen and suffered a serious injury from a fall, such as a broken hip. Most people also tell me that falling is one of the things they fear the most. The good news is that while falls are common, they are not inevitable. There are well defined risk factors that make it more likely for someone to fall.   And there are also recommendations on how to prevent falls. These recommendations will require you and your healthcare professional to work closely together.

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Caregiving for an Older Adult: Stressing and a Blessing

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Clare WohlgemuthClare M. Wohlgemuth, RN, GCNS-BC
Nursing Director, Geriatric Services
Boston Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts

 If you are helping a family member or friend over age 50 with things such as dressing, bathing, housework, or taking medicine on a regular basis, then you are a caregiver. You are not alone—there are close to 50 million Americans involved in caregiving. Caregivers spend an average of 20 hours each week caring for one (or more) older adults. About one in four of caregivers have been giving care for more than five years. About three in four caregivers work a paying job and spend up to $5000 out of pocket each year to help with caregiving costs.

Caregiving has been a part of community life for a long time. These days, the amount and types of help provided by family caregivers has increased a great deal. This has also raised the costs of caregiving—both economic and psychological. Now, loved ones often come home from the hospital earlier and with more complicated conditions. This means that caregivers often take on many roles in addition to providing companionship and emotional support. Caregivers may give medications, find and coordinate services, and perform basic nursing. They also communicate with healthcare providers, coordinate care during transitions from hospital to home, and advocate for their loved ones during visits with healthcare providers and hospital stays.

Caregivers are at higher risk for symptoms of anxiety and depression because of the burden of these many roles. Their physical health may also suffer. It is normal for caregivers to feel alone and overwhelmed. Caregivers may also feel unable to communicate well with the person receiving care and/or other family members. They also report needing information on how to keep their loved ones safe at home and to find activities to do with them. And caregivers also need resources to help them manage their own stress and make time for themselves.

In our recent study of geriatrics health providers who are also caregivers, we found all of these challenges. Even those most prepared to handle all the different caregiving tasks found it very difficult. If you are a caregiver AND a healthcare professional, you may face additional burdens—and will also benefit from support. [You can click here to read the full study.]

What You Can Do
In order to cope with the demands of caregiving, all caregivers need to get help. It is good to ask questions, and to ask for help! If you are not happy with the answers you are getting, it’s important to keep asking. Also keep looking for the information and support that you need, perhaps from other resources. There are many places you can look to for help: hospitals, your community, and online resources.

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