Archives for Exercise

Simple Tricks for Seniors to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

Simple Tricks for Seniors to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

November 25, 2013 | No Comments

Holidays should be a time of togetherness and celebration with family and friends.  Unfortunately, all too often the season becomes a time of injury or illness, particularly with seniors.  Along with the cold weather come opportunities to catch the flu, fall on the ice, and gain extra weight.   Stay healthy this holiday season by following these tips:  1.  Avoid illness. Fall and winter are the two times of year that you are most likely to get sick. Why?  The lack of moisture in the air allows germs to travel much further than they otherwise would.  That means that someone
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3 Reasons to Dance The Night Away

3 Reasons to Dance The Night Away

August 27, 2013 | No Comments

Do you love to dance?  Are you a whiz at disco?  Are your jazz moves legendary?  If so, you’re on your way to some healthy senior years. Everyone knows that physical activity is essential for a healthy life, but it seems that dancing has some added health benefits.  Doctors and researchers are finding new reasons every year to get down and boogie.  Here are a few specific reasons to tie on your dancin’ shoes. It fights dementia.  Studies show that if a senior dances (or, in the case of the study, waltzes) at least twice a week, he is much
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Leading Elderly Parents By Example

Leading Elderly Parents By Example

August 16, 2013 | No Comments

No one likes to see their elderly parents with unhealthy habits such as eating too much junk food or smoking cigarettes.  Their children most likely worry that those habits will lead to chronic health conditions.  However,  no one likes to be told to eat better or put down the cigarettes.  Oftentimes the discussion between an adult and their elderly parent turns negative and ends in frustration. So how does a child encourage his or her elderly parents pick up healthier habits? The best way is to lead by example.  When the parent sees you making simple healthy choices, it may encourage
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Summer Health and Safety Tips for Seniors

Summer Health and Safety Tips for Seniors

July 22, 2013 | No Comments

Summer is an excellent time to go outside and enjoy the warmth.  Yet it can also be an especially dangerous time for seniors.  Sometimes it can be especially difficult for a senior to tell if she is getting dehydrated or overheated.  Here are some summer health tips for planning time outside but still staying safe:  1. Consider the time.  In most areas of the country, it is warmest between 10a.m. and 3p.m.  It is also the time when the sun is at its brightest, making it easier to get sunburned.  Try avoiding these times by going outside in the early morning
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Functional Fitness for Seniors

Functional Fitness for Seniors

July 17, 2013 | No Comments

According to seniorjournal.com, many gyms are jumping on a new trend:  functional fitness for seniors.  Functional fitness focuses on endurance, core strength, flexibility, and balance – all essential for seniors to keep up with their activities of daily living.  The fitness centers usually offer these trainer-run programs in the late morning or early afternoon when most others will be working or busy with children.  Many older adults enjoy these classes not only for the physical benefits, but also for the social ones.  Functional fitness classes are becoming more popular all of the time with seniors wishing to keep independent and mobile. The
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Online Tool Created to Help Manage Dementia

Online Tool Created to Help Manage Dementia

July 8, 2013 | No Comments

Family caregivers to seniors with dementia often feel overwhelmed.  Although memory loss and cognitive problems are most commonly associated with the condition, dementia can often include drastic and disruptive changes in behavior.  Sometimes the behavioral symptoms are treated with antipsychotics, but they have severe side effects and often don’t work.  These changes can sometimes become too much for the family caregiver and the senior often ends up in a nursing home and heavily medicated. Researchers from the University of Michigan saw this problem and are in the process of finding a solution to help caregivers manage dementia.  They are creating an
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Avoiding a Healthcare Crisis

Avoiding a Healthcare Crisis

July 3, 2013 | No Comments

As more baby boomers pass 65, a healthcare crisis is beginning to appear.  With medical advancements, seniors today will be living longer than their parents or grandparents.  They will also be living sicker for longer. According to surveys, 8 out of 10 seniors have chronic conditions, with half having two or more.  According to the CDC, seniors will spend three to five times more money on healthcare than everyone under 65.  This will put a heavy burden on seniors and their families. What can seniors do to prepare? Make small changes to improve health.  Many of these chronic diseases, such
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Seniors Star in New Video Game

Seniors Star in New Video Game

June 28, 2013 | No Comments

One of the biggest fears of a senior is falling and getting injured.  One video game company saw this problem and set out to find a solution.  Now the company Blue Marble Game Co. has created a game they are confident will revolutionize fall prevention. The best way to minimize falls is through balance and strength exercise.  If the muscles are strong, they will prevent the fall.  So Blue Marble created a video game called Zoezi Park that will help the senior exercise specifically aiming at building the muscles to maintain balance. This fun and educational game takes place in a virtual
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4 Tips on Getting Better Sleep

4 Tips on Getting Better Sleep

June 18, 2013 | Comments Off on 4 Tips on Getting Better Sleep

Have you had too many nights when you are awake at 3 a.m., staring at your ceiling fan?  Well, you’re not alone.  Nearly 30% of the population has some form of insomnia.  But don’t pop a sleeping pill just yet.  Here are some suggestions to help you get a full, restful night of sleep. 1.   Catch a catnap.  Are you afraid that if you nap during the day you will have a harder time falling asleep that night?  Not so, say sleep specialists.  Taking a 20-40 minute nap during the day will make you ready for sleep come nighttime.  However, a nap longer than 40 minutes will have
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Food for Thought…and Memory

Food for Thought…and Memory

June 13, 2013 | No Comments

Many seniors are reading and doing crossword puzzles to fight off Alzheimer’s disease.  But is it enough?  A recent study showed links to healthy behaviors and good memory, no matter the age of the participant.  This study, done via telephone survey by UCLA, examined how eating, exercising, and smoking affected memory. The first result was that healthy eating positively affected memory in all age groups.  Although it clearly helped the younger participants, it was most dramatic among the seniors in the study.  Those older participants who did not eat well were much more likely to report memory loss. Also, although
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