Senior Health
Midnight Sun Home Care’s collection of articles about Senior Health.
3 Things NOT to Say to Someone Experiencing a Health Crisis
Learn what commonly used sentiments are better left unsaid when a loved one is facing a health crisis.
Have you ever walked in to the office or a get-together with friends or family and had a person say to you with great concern, “You really look tired today!” Even though you may have been feeling… Continue reading
Sounding the Alarm Regarding Dementia and Firearms
Dementia and guns: Learn more about this important issue in this article.
With an impassioned level of debate rivaling the Hatfields and McCoys, it appears insurmountable to arrive at a resolution on the issue of gun control. Yet in spite of which side of the issue you are on, there’s one little-discussed situation that should cause us all to take pause: the alarming combination of dementia and firearms.
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Wake Up to the Dangers of Sleeping Drugs for Older Adults
Sleeping drugs double the risk of falls and fractures in seniors, due to the increased dizziness and disorientation they could cause.
Is there anything better than getting up well rested after a great night’s sleep, completely energized and ready to face your day? For most older adults – as much as a third of them – getting enough sleep only occurs inside their dreams. And sadly, it is a common assumption that inadequate sleep is just something to be accepted within our later years – a misconception that Preeti Malani, M.D., chief health officer and professor of medicine at the University of Michigan really wants to dispel. Continue reading
The Radical New Thinking in Alzheimer’s Disease: What Researchers Have Been Missing
Our homecare team is highly trained and experienced in properly managing a few of the more difficult components of Alzheimer’s disease.
Today, Thomas Edison’s words ring true in the race to obtain both the main cause and a cure for Alzheimer’s disease: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Every day tends to bring hopeful news of still another clinical trial, followed soon after by the disappointing news that results failed to meet expectations – and so the pattern carries on. Continue reading
Is It Just a Case of Senior Blues? Or Could It Be an Elderly Mental Health Concern?
For many, there’s a stigma linked with admitting to and pursuing help for mental and emotional concerns.
They’re common concerns in older years: fatigue, sleeping problems, lack of appetite. And often, they’re written off as just that. Yet for nearly 8 million elders over age 65, these signs and symptoms are indicative of something significantly more than normal aging – they’re signs and symptoms of elderly mental health problems. And only a small number are obtaining the available treatment that could substantially boost their overall quality of life. Continue reading
Solo Agers: Do You Have a Designated Senior Planner?
Baby boomers without children, or solo agers, have to consider different options for their later years than those with children.
If you are a baby boomer without children, the new term “solo ager” applies to you. This strong and self-reliant group faces some distinct concerns in aging, chiefly who to designate as guardian and decision-maker in the event that they become unable to do so themselves. Inside her book, Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers, author Sara Zeff Geber, Ph.D. defines several senior planner options to consider: Continue reading
Know the Risks Before Trying Alternative Supplements for Alzheimer’s Disease
Always get the doctor’s approval before trying anything new.
As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That could very well pertain to the recent influx of corporations touting alternative supplements, dietary programs, and herbal concoctions in order to cure, or at the very least minimize, the ramifications of Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association would like to advise us, however, to go forward with caution when looking into treatment ideas for a loved one with dementia – and always get the doctor’s approval before trying anything new. Continue reading
Can Surgeries Lead to Cognitive Impairment in Seniors?
POCD takes place in more than 25% of seniors in the days and even weeks just after non-cardiac surgery.
Undergoing surgery for seniors always involves some inherent risks, but there is a little-known effect impacting a significant number of seniors following surgery that we all must be aware of: POCD (postoperative cognitive dysfunction). POCD takes place in more than 25% of seniors in the days and even weeks just after non-cardiac surgery, and may present with a variety of symptoms, several of which can be almost indiscernible: forgetfulness, loss in concentration and focus, along with other kinds of cognitive impairment that affect quality of life. Continue reading
Making sure your important papers are in order
Get Your Important Papers in Order
What happens after you die, and end of life care conversations are never fun to have, but they’re very important. It doesn’t matter how old you are – there are certain documents you need to have in place. Without these documents, your family may not carry out your wishes… Continue reading
How to Spot Senior Abuse and What to Do
Over 28 million Americans become victims of fraud annually, and 30 percent are seniors. Criminals target seniors for many reasons including they may be more trusting, have savings and weren’t raised in an era of cyber scams. According to the National Adult Protective Services Association, “financial exploitation is a fast-growing form of abuse of seniors… Continue reading
Sleep awareness week – the health benefits, how to do it
Your Day Begins With Sleep
A cup of coffee, a hot shower or a morning workout – most people have something that helps jumpstart the day. However, your day really begins with sleep. That’s the focus of the National Sleep Foundation’s 2018 Sleep Awareness Week.
Sleep is one of the most important things you can… Continue reading
Be Heart Healthy This Month
February is the month of love. In addition to showing some love for the people in your life, consider showing your heart some love this month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the U.S. The American Heart Association suggests these four tips for improving your heart health:
Eat… Continue reading
Earthquake Safety for Seniors | Anchorage, Alaska
On January 23, 2018, thousands of Alaskans were shaking in their beds when a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck in the Gulf of Alaska. The earthquake triggered tsunami warnings, sending people to higher ground and shelters. Luckily, there were no reports of damage from the earthquake and the tsunami warning was cancelled without incident. However, cases… Continue reading
Improving Senior Financial Literacy
In 2004, the American Society on Aging sponsored a study to evaluate the financial knowledge of Americans age 50 and older, which included a survey of three simple yes/no questions that assessed the knowledge of the respondents on concepts such as inflation, risk diversification and interest rates.* A
t that time only one third of… Continue reading
Glaucoma Awareness Month
January marks Glaucoma Awareness Month, a sight-stealing disease affecting more than 3 million people. Glaucoma damages the eye’s optic nerve and for the millions of people sufferi
ng from glaucoma, its effects often sneak up on them. As much as 40 percent of a person’s vision can be lost without
a person noticing, giving the… Continue reading