MATURE MARKET HEADLINES updated 8/11/2000
Body Tone-Up Tunes-Up Elder Self-Esteem
The symbiotic relationship between mind and body was established long ago. But that relationship was a bit one-sided. It was the mind that seemed to lead the body, as in, "If the mind is willing, the body will follow". But this time, the state of one's physical status determines one's mental status, or in this case, enhancing one's physical being increases one's self-esteem.
Exercise, whether it's body toning or aerobic activity, appears to increase an elder's self-esteem, according to research undertaken by the University of Illinois with the support of the National Institute on Aging. The study measured self-esteem changes in adults ages 60 to 75 years who took part in a supervised exercise program that involved either stretching / toning in a gym or brisk walking in an indoor shopping mall three times a week for six months.
"We found that participation in either a stretching / toning program or an aerobic exercise program can enhance self-esteem," said lead author Edward McAuley, PhD, of the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "However, gains made can erode over time, so it is important to support older adults in continuing physical activities after formal programs end."
Before beginning the program, all participants underwent a physiological assessment and completed
questionnaires measuring their initial self-esteem, physical self-perception, and self-efficacy. Six
months after completion of the exercise program, 116 of the original 174 participants returned for a
second physiological assessment, and 152 participants completed psychological questionnaires.
During the exercise programs, overall self-esteem increased in both the stretching / toning group and the aerobic walking group, although the stretching / toning group showed greater increases. Both groups showed increases in overall physical self-worth and self-esteem related specifically to body image, physical condition, and strength. The physical condition and strength aspects of self-esteem increased as exercise frequency increased.
The research also showed that six months after the exercise programs ended, self-esteem levels dropped somewhat in both groups but more so in the aerobic walking group. Seventy-five percent of the stretching / toning group and 51 percent of the walking group continued to exercise at the same levels as during the program.
The researchers suggested that monthly newsletters or reminders, telephone calls, follow-up exercise prescriptions, and "buddy groups" may help older adults to continue exercising and, in turn, maintain their levels of self-esteem. This was the first study to assess comprehensively the effects of exercise on self-esteem at multiple time points. The full text of the research report can be found in the current issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Just in case you're currently out-of-shape and wondering if these new research findings apply to you, here's an encouraging note. Apparently, it's never too late to get started .... on toning-up your body ... tuning-up your self-esteem ... or, as this study implies ... doing both at the same time. The participants in the University of Illinois study who had been sedentary before the program were overweight and ranked low on cardiovascular fitness. If they can do it, so can you.
So, drop that donut in your hand, and fill your fist with a phone, so you can call for an appointment at the nearest senior center or fitness boutique. You've got nothing to lose but the "blues" ... and a few pounds to boot. You might even get slender enough to see your shoes again. You do remember what they look like, don't you?
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Elder Fitness An Exercise in Self-Confidence
Volunteerism Boosts Energy and Esteem
Ageism Self-fulfilling Prophecy For Elders
America's Oldest Old Get Better With Age
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Brain Gymnastics Help Avoid Alzheimer's Disease
Here we go again. "Use it, or lose it". Your brain that is. It's no wonder that this common sense advice has passed the test of time. It's just flat-out true. Keeping active outside work, either physically or mentally, in the midlife years may help prevent Alzheimer's disease, say researchers at Case Western Reserve University.
Robert Friedland, professor of neurology, highlighted this research on Alzheimer's disease from CWRU's School of Medicine during one of two presentations he made at the American Academy of Neurology's 52nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.
Friedland's research team found that people with higher levels of non-occupational activities, such as playing a musical instrument, gardening, physical exercise or even playing board games, were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease later in life.
"People who were less active were more than three times more likely to have Alzheimer's disease as compared to those who were more active," said Friedland, a neurologist at University Hospitals of Cleveland and primary author of the study.
This is the first study of its kind to examine levels of activity from at least five years before Alzheimer's symptoms appeared. The researchers used a questionnaire to collect data about participation in 26 activities -- passive as well as intellectual and physical. The subjects were 193 people with Alzheimer's disease, with a mean age of 73, and 358 healthy people, with a mean age of 71.
Among the activities categorized as passive were watching television, participating in social activities, and attending church. Intellectual activities ranged from reading and painting to jigsaw puzzles, woodworking, and knitting, whereas physical activity ran the gamut from gardening to racquet sports.
The healthy participants had been more active between the ages of 40 and 60 than had the patients with Alzheimer's, even after the data was adjusted to take into account differences, such as age, income, gender and education. The study's findings also suggest that it is never too late to get started -- at least as far as intellectual activities are concerned.
"A relative increase in the amount of time devoted to intellectual activities from early adulthood (ages 20-39) to mid-adulthood (ages 40-60) was associated with a significant decrease in the probability of having Alzheimer's disease later in life," says Friedland. This study builds on previous work showing that people with Alzheimer's had been less physically active and had lower levels of educational and occupational achievement than people without the disease. This latest research, however, suggests that it doesn't take a doctorate to ward off Alzheimer's -- an intellectually or physically stimulating hobby will also be helpful.
The research suggests that the brain stimulation associated with intellectual and physical activities works against the neurodegeneration of diseases such as Alzheimer's. Although scientists cannot rule out the possibility that lower activity levels are themselves symptoms of the disease in its very early stages, Friedland believes that to be unlikely, because the study looked at levels of activity from at least five years before the onset of dementia.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Brain Booster
Double Your Brain Power, plus the Brain Quiz
Age-related Decline in Mental Function
Keeping Mature Minds Mentally Alert
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Nursing Homes Ignore Mentally ill Elders
Immediate and significant changes are needed in the way mental health services are delivered and paid for in U.S. nursing homes, according to more than 125 health and mental health professionals who gathered here this weekend for a consensus conference.
The conference, titled "Providing Optimal Mental Health Services in Long Term Care," brought together for the first time experts from a number of professions and organizations, including geriatric psychiatrists, psychologists, medical directors, nurses, pharmacists, administrators, consumer advocates and educators, to build an action plan for improving mental health services in long-term care.
"Our society is experiencing unprecedented growth in the elderly population, and in the number of people who require nursing home care. We are witnessing an epidemic of Alzheimer's disease, and we anticipate a substantial rise in other mental disorders associated with late life as the Baby Boom generation ages," said William E. Reichman, M.D., president of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP).
Major discussion topics at the conference included:
- A public policy strategy to increase funding for mental health treatment
and encourage reimbursement policies through Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payers that support high quality mental health services in long-term care.
- Nursing home environment improvements focused on increasing appropriate staffing
and providing training in recognizing and treating mental health disorders.
- A campaign to educate the public on what constitutes high quality long-term care
for their family members, friends and themselves.
- A comprehensive research agenda that defines best practices
and validates treatment methods (including behavioral, cognitive and drug therapies) specifically in the frail elderly and nursing home residents.
The conference steering committee pledges to continue the work initiated at the meeting. "Mental health care reforms in nursing homes are needed across the spectrum -- from access and availability to delivery and payment -- to ensure that our parents, spouses and friends receive high quality care," said Reichman, who is associate professor and vice chair of Psychiatry at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Piscataway.
The meeting was a collaboration between representatives from the AAGP, the American Geriatrics Society, the American College of Health Care Administrators, the American Medical Directors Association, the American Society for Consultant Pharmacists, and the National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration.
Nursing homes in this country care for more than 1.5 million people each year. More than half
suffer from some sort of cognitive impairment and as many as 80 percent have a diagnosable
psychiatric disorder.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Nurseless Nursing Homes Nursing Less
New Effort Improves Nursing Home Care
Nursing Homes Ignore Many Elders in Pain
Market Watch: Nursing Home Trends
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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How to Reduce Stress and Live Longer
What is the single factor that can most shorten your life expectancy? "Stress," says Phillip Mountrose, co-author of the newly-released book and tapes Getting Thru to Your Emotions with EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques).
EFT involves tapping on a series of points on the body to clear certain emotions and self-defeating patterns.
According to Mountrose, EFT maps out the following four keys to dealing with stress.
- Evaluate the circumstances that are creating stress.
Review the regular activities of your life and notice where the stress is coming from. Write a comprehensive list of the stressful situations you commonly find yourself in. This new awareness is where healing begins.
- Find ways to reduce outside pressures.
Use an approach like the stress-reducing Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) for a precise, easy-to-use way to balance your life.
- Develop new responses to circumstances that are to remain.
Relaxing music and a new attitude can work wonders. Just taking a few deep breaths and walking around a bit may make a big difference.
- Find more ways to incorporate relaxation and pleasure into your life.
This may include doing a regular relaxation process or meditation, walking in nature, taking an occasional bubble bath, having a relaxing massage, allowing an extra ten minutes to get where you need to go, and maybe taking a more scenic route.
Phillip Mountrose is also the author of "Getting Thru to Kids: Problem Solving with Children
Ages 6 to 18" and "Tips and Tools for Getting Thru to Kids". His newest book, co-authored with
his wife Jane, is "Getting Thru to Your Emotions with EFT: Tap into Your Hidden Potential
with the Emotional Freedom Techniques". The books are available at your local bookstore.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Reduce Caregiver Stress and Burnout
Older Husband Caregivers Report Stress
Faced With Stress, Men Drink and Women Think
Do the Write Thing to Reduce Stress
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Guide Helps Disabled Travel in Comfort
A new travel guide, "Anyone Can Travel" is an important new book that helps the elderly and disabled travel in comfort. The authors, Melba M. Rous and Eileen B. Ward take readers through every possible situation they may encounter while traveling.
Traveling with disabilities can be a disheartening, often frustrating experience. Being an elderly traveler can be difficult and often painful. But it doesn't have to be that way, say the authors. Rous and Ward, both nurses who write under the by-line of Health Ideas, have extensive health care experience and have traveled widely. They currently live in Manitoba.
For seniors and people with disabilities, ANYONE CAN TRAVEL shows the way to travel easily and very comfortably, and shows what to expect and to make sure all the special needs are met. For people with health problems, ANYONE CAN TRAVEL gives the necessary steps for healthy, safe and enjoyable travel. Sections on Alzheimer's, arthritis, asthma, colostomies, diabetes, dialysis, heart disease and pacemakers are included.
There are also useful tips for the regular traveler, including tips on insurance, passports and visas, and government help when abroad. With easy-to-read type and a coil-bound format, the book is accessible
and easy-to-carry. The Canadian Automobile Association of Manitoba calls the book "nothing short of remarkable," while the Winnipeg Free Press says "ANYONE CAN TRAVEL is a boon to senior travellers."
"Anyone Can Travel: The Essential Guide for Seniors, People With Disabilities, Health Problems and All Travellers" by Health Ideas.
286 pages. Coil-bound. $22.95 CDN (approx. $14.91 US)
Published by Trafford Publishing, ISBN 1-55212-386-3.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Prudential Healthcare Travel Tips
Have Gumption, Will Travel
Tips for Mature Travelers
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Consumer Centers Fight Medicare Fraud
Jeanette C. Takamura, Assistant Secretary for Aging, today announced that the Administration on Aging (AoA)
will award four “National Consumer Protection Technical Assistance Resource Centers Grants” to disseminate
educational materials and replicate best practice strategies for promoting consumer awareness regarding waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid.
The Resource Centers will support the work of AoA’s 48 Senior Medicare Patrol Project grants which teach volunteer retired professionals such as doctors, nurses, accountants, investigators, law enforcement personnel, attorneys, teachers and others to work with Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Volunteers work in their own communities and in local senior centers to help older Americans be better health care consumers and to help identify and prevent fraudulent health care practices.
“Unlike the vast majority of doctors and health care professionals who are honest, once unscrupulous individuals obtain a Medicare number, these career criminals steal the money for which they bill Medicare while providing inferior, or no services at all, to elderly Americans,” said Assistant Secretary Takamura.
“A report released by the General Accounting Office (GAO) this week reveals disturbing evidence of career criminals and unscrupulous providers with no background in health care looking to exploit the Medicare and Medicaid systems,” said Takamura. “The GAO has consequently designated health care fraud as a ‘high-risk area’.”
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General estimates that in fiscal year 1999 alone the Medicare system paid out an estimated $13.5 billion in erroneous payments. “We know that by expanding effective outreach strategies to isolated and vulnerable older Americans in their communities,
tens of thousands of honest health care providers and volunteers will join together to prevent older persons from being victimized by these scams,” said Assistant Secretary Takamura.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Keys to Fraudulent Health Claims
Feds Fix Fraud Fretting Home Health Future
Consumer Reports Give Non-Profit HMOs Highest Marks
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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AARP Campaigns for Better Drug Coverage
As a full-time resident of Florida, I often find myself standing in a long line at the prescription counter in the local drug store. Waiting in line is frustrating enough, but the "sticker shock" of the prescription medication is even worse. But that's not the worst part of my drug store experience. The worst part is watching the pleading eyes of an elderly man or woman as they haggle about the enormous drug prices they must pay just to stay reasonably healthy.
You know darn well, if these elders can't afford the medication, they just go without. And when they "just go without", the condition they are trying to treat only gets worse. And when their condition gets worse, they often require hospitalization, an even more costly episode. If Congress has the resources to put a man on the moon (and, hey, we're shooting for the planet Mars, now) then why are we continuing to pursue the lunacy of not allowing seniors to get the prescription drugs they need to stay well? Why doesn't someone do something about this? Well, someone is trying.
Prescription coverage in Medicare could bring your drug costs down, says the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). In order to translate that thought into action, AARP has embarked on a campaign to promote
the idea among those most affected, America's seniors. Read on to learn more about this issue, and what seniors can do about it.
Medicare already provides healthinsurance to more than 34 million Americans over 65, as well as 5 million younger people with disabilities. If drug coverage were available through Medicare, the participation of so many people could bring down their prescription costs. It's called group purchasing power. In fact, Medicare provides much more than purchasing power; you can count on Medicare's protections which include never having your coverage dropped and never being charged a higher premium if you become sick. Your rights are set in law.
AARP believes it's time that those who use Medicare most Americans over 65, get the kind of drug coverage and volume discounts most other Americans with health insurance take for granted. And, AARP is offering seniors an opportunity to voice their concerns on this issue.
Seniors can weigh-in on the prescription drug issue by taking the following pledge.
"I want an affordable prescription drug benefit in Medicare. I am one of the millions of Americans who believe Medicare should offer prescription drug coverage. Even better, I'm one of millions of Americans who can use my voting power to make sure that happens." For those who would like to visit the AARP web site and e-mail their
support for the pledge, click on the link below:
Take the Pledge for Affordable Prescription Drugs
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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How To Talk About End-Of-Life Concerns
This article, authored by Joanne Lynn, M.D., Americans for Better Care of the Dying, is one of the topics discussed in a major PBS series from Bill Moyers that will be on television September 10-13 at 9 PM ET each evening. The series is called "On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying."
Dr. Lynn offers the following strategies for talking about the difficult topics of dying, death, and bereavement.
- First, push yourself to take the openings that come up.
When Dad says, "I think the doctor thinks things are not going well," the family member is prone to say, "Don't talk that way. Everything is going to be fine." Instead, try, "Really? Why do you think that?" or try "What do you think the doctor is trying to say?"
- Second, you should talk naturally about a time when the person will no longer be alive,
even if at first you talk about some unreasonably long time into the future. "Mom, is there something that you want your granddaughter to have on her wedding day?" Very often, a very sick person will take the lead gratefully and say something like, "I wish I could see that, but I don't think I'll even see her at Christmas this year. I hope she finds someone half as good as your father. I wonder--if I could find that apron that my grandmother gave me when we married, would you keep it and give it to her then?" Obviously, that opens the gates to all sorts of conversations over the ensuing hours and days.
- Third, talk about the patient's current hopes and fears.
Ask something like, "Do you think this pain will get worse?" or "What do you think will happen as time goes on?" When you and the patient are not sure what you face, set up a way to find out (like letting the physician know that you want to discuss this at the next visit).
- You need not use blunt or cold terms.
Many Biblical phrases, poetry, songs, and metaphors deal with dying. And you need not talk of
death most of the time. You can also reminisce, talk about daily life, and talk about plans and hopes. How can you start? First, recognize that you or your loved one is still living and has a past, a present, and a future.
- Talk some about the past
Share stories about what is important or what shaped this particular person or family.
- Talk some about the present
what is going well and what is going badly for patient and family.
- Talk about the future
What hopes and dreams lie there, what practical problems, and how long the patient may live. In addition, you might find it useful to consider a list of important issues that are usually appropriate to consider.
The above strategies, authored by Dr. Lynn, are from the "On Our Own Terms" Discussion Guide, copyright (c) 2000, Educational Broadcasting Corporation and Public Affairs Television, Inc. Used by permission.
Don't miss Bill Moyers' four-part program, "On Our Own Terms". The following is a run-down on the four part program.
- Program 1: Living with Dying (September 10, 2000)
The premier of ON OUR OWN TERMS will explore America's search for new ways of thinking about death. It will focus on people, patients and caregivers, who are finding ways to overcome the fear and denial that dominate mainstream American culture and open conversations that help us live with dying. 9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. ET (check local listings)
- Program 2: A Different Kind of Care (September 11, 2000)
The evolution of palliative care, otherwise known as comfort care. Leaders in this movement emphasize pain management, and the need for doctors to address a patient's psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being, as well as his or her physical condition. 9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. ET (check local listings)
- Program 3: A Death of One's Own (September 12, 2000)
Dying well, to many, means a matter of control over choices to be made as we die. We fear dying in pain; we fear that too much will be done to keep us alive, or not enough. The third program will look at the issues surrounding efforts to control the circumstances of our death and the implications for families, institutions and communities. 9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. ET (check local listings)
- Program 4: A Time to Change (September 13, 2000)
Crusading individuals who offer palliative care to the working poor and the uninsured. Through their work with terminally ill patients who otherwise would risk falling between the cracks of the U.S. healthcare system,these doctors and nurses are creating models for change. 9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. ET (check local listings)
Funding for this landmark PBS series and the companion outreach campaign is provided by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; The Fetzer Institute; The Nathan Cummings Foundation; The Kohlberg Foundation, Inc.; The Laurance S. Rockefeller Fund; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and Mutual of America
Life Insurance Company.
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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