June is Dairy Month

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Are you increasingly concerned about your bone health?  You should be.  It is estimated that 10 million Americans currently suffer from osteoporosis, a debilitating condition that commonly results in weakened bone tissue, hip fractures and compression fractures of the spine.  Due to hormonal changes that occur during menopause, women are much more susceptible to osteoporosis.  In fact, 8 out of 10 of those who have osteoporosis are women.  But males are not immune.

Bone mass and strength are predominantly established during our teen and young-adult years and are largely determined by our genes.  However, there are several lifestyle factors which can help older adults prevent bone loss and avoid the complications that come with osteoporosis.

dairyOur first line of defense against osteoporosis is to maintain an adequate dietary intake of foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, along with other nutrients that support bone health.  These include vitamins A, C and K, the minerals magnesium and zinc, and protein.  It is generally best to get these nutrients from foods that are naturally rich in other vitamins and minerals.  In many instances, the nutrients from food work in combination to support bone health and, in all instances, they work together to support total health.

Meeting the recommended calcium requirement is critically important for aging adults.  The recommended intake for men and women over 51 years of age is 1200 mg per day.  This is nearly as high as the calcium recommendation for adolescents whose bones are working at their highest capacity to acquire as much mineral as possible before reaching peak bone density in young adulthood.  For many of us, however, our intake falls short because the aging process makes it hard for us to obtain and absorb enough calcium.

Several factors increase our need for calcium as we age:

  • Our bodies don’t absorb calcium as efficiently as they once did.
  • Decreased production of hydrochloric acid in our stomachs makes it harder for our bodies to digest calcium.
  • Symptoms of lactose intolerance deter many older adults from consuming foods made from milk, putting us at risk for inadequate intakes of calcium and vitamin D.

For most Americans, dairy foods – including milk, yogurt and cheeses – and recipes high in milk, such as puddings, are the main dietary calcium sources.

During June Dairy Month take advantage of all the wonderful dairy products available to us and benefit by improving your bone health.

Senior LinkAge Line® LogoIf you would like more information about “June is Dairy Month” call the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433.  The Senior LinkAge Line®: A One Stop Shop for Minnesota Seniors is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging.  Specialists provide one-to-one assistance with helping older adults age well and live well.  Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm or chat with a specialist online during these hours at www.MinnesotaHelp.info®.

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Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

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Some change in memory is normal as we grow older, but the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are more than simple lapses in memory.  People with Alzheimer’s experience difficulties in communicating, learning, thinking and reasoning – problems severe enough to have an impact on an individual’s work, social activities and family life.

The Alzheimer’s Association believes that it is critical for people with dementia and their families to receive information, care and support as early as possible.  To help family members and health care professionals recognize the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, the Association had developed a list of common symptoms.

Memory Loss:  One of the most common early signs of dementia is forgetting recently learned information.  While it is normal to forget appointments, names or telephone numbers, those with dementia will forget such things more often and not remember them later.

Difficulty Performing Familiar Tasks:  People with dementia often find it hard to complete everyday tasks that are so familiar we usually do not think about how to do them.  A person with Alzheimer’s may not know the steps for preparing a meal, using a household appliance or participating in a lifelong hobby.

Problems with Language:  Everyone has trouble finding the right word sometimes, but a person with Alzheimer’s often forgets simple words or substitutes unusual words, making his or her speech or writing hard to understand.  If a person with Alzheimer’s is unable to find his or her toothbrush, for example, the individual may ask for “that thing for my mouth.”

Disorientation to Time and Place:  It’s normal to forget the day of the week or where you are going.  But people with Alzheimer’s disease can become lost on their own street.  They may forget where they are and how they got there, and may not know how to get back home.

Poor or Decreased Judgment:  No one has perfect judgment all of the time.  Those with Alzheimer’s may dress without regard to the weather, wearing several shirts on a warm day or very little clothing in cold weather.  Those with dementia often show poor judgment about money, giving away large sums to telemarketers or paying for home repairs or products they don’t need.

Problems with Abstract Thinking:  Balancing a checkbook is a task that can be challenging for some.  But a person with Alzheimer’s may forget what the numbers represent and what needs to be done with them.

Misplacing Things:  Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or a key.  A person with Alzheimer’s disease may put things in unusual places like an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.

Changes in Mood or Behavior:  Everyone can become sad or moody from time to time.  Someone with Alzheimer’s disease can show rapid mood swings – from calm to tears to anger – for no apparent reason.

Changes in Personality:  Personalities ordinarily change somewhat with age.  But a person with Alzheimer’s can change dramatically, becoming extremely confused, suspicious, fearful or dependent on a family member.

Loss of Initiative:  It is normal to tire of housework, business activities or social obligations at times.  The person with Alzheimer’s disease may become very passive, sitting in front of the television for hours, sleeping more than usual or not wanting to do usual activities.

If you recognize any of these warning signs in yourself or a loved one, the Alzheimer’s Association recommends consulting a physician.  Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other disorders causing dementia is an important step to getting appropriate treatment, care and support services.

Senior LinkAge Line® LogoIf you would like more information about “Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease” call the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433.  The Senior LinkAge Line®: A One Stop Shop for Minnesota Seniors is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging.  Specialists provide one-to-one assistance with helping older adults age well and live well.  Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm or chat with a specialist online during these hours at www.MinnesotaHelp.info®.

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Exercise for Better Brain Function

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Older people who exercise regularly are more likely to maintain brain function used for everyday tasks like following a recipe and keeping the pills they take straight.

A study by Ohio State University examined the exercise habits of 28 people with chronic lung problems for more than a year found that routine workouts help stave off not only the physical effects of aging, but also the decline in cognitive abilities or brain function.  Participants who exercised for a period and then stopped lost the benefits they gained.  Health care experts said that findings bolster the need to encourage the elderly to follow exercise routines and to create more rehabilitation programs for people recovering from illness or injury.

The effects of aging were more pronounced in the test subjects, whose average age was 65, because they suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a blanket term including emphysema or bronchitis.

For ten weeks, participants gathered at a wellness center for an aerobic routine lasting about an hour.  It included walking, stationary bike riding, pool aerobics and weight training.  For the first five weeks, they exercised daily then cut back to three times a week.  At the beginning and the end of the ten-week period, researchers put the subjects through a battery of emotional, physical, and cognitive tests.  As researchers predicted, the scores improved after the exercise.  They gave participants instructions on how to maintain their routines at home.  Researchers said it was follow-up tests a year later that surprised them.

A year later, the same battery of tests was administered.  Researchers had expected the people who kept exercising to show continued improvement in the tests.  Instead, testing indicated exercise was needed just to maintain the same levels of performance.  The people who continued to exercise remained stable, but the people who stopped exercising or exercised irregularly showed a decline.

The study concluded that exercising could help older people, both sick and healthy, maintain the mental functioning ability needed to interpret information without being distracted.  This type of thought is involved in complicated tasks, such as following directions to a house that a person has never visited.  Cognitive function is also essential for older people to continue to live independently.

If you would like more information about “Exercise for Better Brain Function” call the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433.  The Senior LinkAge Line®: A One Stop Shop for Minnesota Seniors is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging.  Specialists provide one-to-one assistance with helping older adults age well and live well.  Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm or chat with a specialist online during these hours at www.MinnesotaHelp.info®.

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Lower Prescription Drug Costs

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Three Ways to Lower Your Prescription Costs

 

Consider Switching to Generics or Other Lower-Cost Medications
You may wish to talk to your doctor about the medications you are currently taking to find out if there are generic or less expensive brand-name medications that would work just as well as the ones you’re taking now.  According to Consumers Union, switching to lower-cost medications is often enough to help avoid the coverage gap, and can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.

Look into Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs
Many of the major pharmaceutical manufacturers offer patient assistance programs; some even for people enrolled in Medicare Part D.  You can contact the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433 to see if there is a program that would help you pay for your medications.

Apply for Extra Help
If you have Medicare and have limited income and resources you may qualify for extra help paying for your prescriptions.  If you qualify, you can significantly lower your out-of-pocket costs.  Contact the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433 for more information.

The Senior LinkAge Line®: One Stop Shop for Minnesota Seniors is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging.  Specialists provide one-to-one assistance with helping older adults age well and live well.  The Senior LinkAge Line® is the federally-designated State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for Minnesota and is the place to call for Medicare and health insurance issues. Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance or go to www.MinnesotaHelp.info® to chat live with a Senior LinkAge Line® specialist.

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