Blog

Mental Abilities

improvingeldercare

25 Aug, 2021

One common notion that has been widely accepted is our mental abilities decline as we age. Recent research performed at Georgetown University Medical Center, John Verssimo, et. al. showed that some mental abilities can actually improve as we age. In the article “Evidence that ageing yields improvements as well as declines across attention and executive functions” the investigators looked at brain networks involving alerting, orienting and executive inhibition. The study showed that orienting and executive inhibition actually improved with age.

Explaining this study in a simplified form. The investigators defined the three brain networks studied to include Alerting, Orienting and Executive Inhibition. Alerting is the brain network that allows us to “enhance vigilance and preparedness” for incoming information. The authors suggest this network would be activated for example, “as you approach an intersection while driving”. Orienting involves enhancing the networks involved in attention to a particular location in space. The executive network allows us to minimize incoming information which may distract us from the task at hand. The study included 702 participants aged 58 to 98 years old.

The results showed that orienting and inhibition can improve with aging which they suggest is because these skills can be practiced throughout life. The alerting abilities did show decline with age but the author suggests this decline can be offset with the improvement in orienting and inhibition. The authors suggest Alerting abilities decline because “vigilance and preparedness” cannot be practiced or further developed.

The good news is that some of our mental abilities can improve as we age. This information is important because further research may lead to clinical improvements in “mental abilities” which decline as a result of aging disorders.

Journal Reference:

John Verssimo, Paul Verhaeghen, Noreen Goldman, Maxine Weinstein, Michael T. Ullman, Evidence that ageing yields improvements as well as declines across attention and excutive functions. Nature Human Behavior, 2021.

This is very technical information.

What questions do you have about this information?

Have you noted other mental abilities you believe have improved as you age?

Do you perform any activities or practice mental skills with an expectation to improve mental skills?

Palliative Care

improvingeldercare

21 Aug, 2021

This is an excerpt from the online Merriam-Webster dictionary when I searched for the meaning of palliative care.

: medical and related care provided to a patient with a serious, life-threatening, or terminal illness that is not intended to provide curative treatment but rather to manage symptoms, relieve pain and discomfort, improve quality of life, and meet the emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the patient.

“Many still believe palliative care is appropriate only when nothing more can be done to treat a patient’s disease and prolong life. But unlike hospice, palliative care can and should be delivered while patients continue treatment for their diseases.”— Jane E. Brody, The New York Times, 3 Dec. 2013

My thoughts on Palliative Care are:

Many times individuals believe Palliative Care and Hospice are synonymous. They are related in the specialty of Hospice and Palliative Care but are quite different. Palliative care involves helping an individual with symptoms of a disease which affect a person’s quality of life. Hospice is focused on managing the dying process. One must have a life expectancy of less than six months to qualify for the Hospice benefit. Anyone with ongoing symptoms which significantly impact an individuals’ wellbeing can benefit from palliative care. Palliative care is a concept of medicine where the focus is enabling an individual to experience the best possible quality of life by managing symptoms such as, pain, persistent nausea and/or vomiting, shortness of breath, as well as other distressing symptoms caused by an ongoing disease process. Palliative care also provide support for individuals to help with emotional, social and spiritual needs which have a significant role in an individuals quality of life.

What are your thoughts about Palliative care?

What experience do you have with palliative care?

Do you have any positive or negative experiences while receiving palliative care?

Social Interactions

improvingeldercare

17 Aug, 2021

Humans are social beings. Most everyone enjoys spending time with others. There are numerous health benefits believed to be associated with social interaction. One difficulty as we age is experiencing loss. Included in these are death of friends and family, relocation and new environments, limited involvement in activities and events, as well as others. In a recent article written by Judith Graham she discusses the importance of what she refers to as “weak ties”. Typically these are individuals that one knows casually such as the mailman, club members, and people you may see once or cross paths with them often. These “weak ties” are important to give you a sense of belonging, a sense of community. In this article entitled “Restoring a Sense of Belonging: The Unsung Importance of Casual Relationships for Older Adults” individuals share personally the importance of these “weak ties” in their life.

What do you think about the importance of casual relationships for older adults?

What have you done to maintain these relationships in your life?

What advice can you share about ensuring ongoing casual relationships as we age?

Communication

improvingeldercare

17 Aug, 2021

Understanding your Physician :: Your Physician Understands You.

I read this story on LinkedIn the other day. It has some humor yet communication can be a serious problem when you need to be hospitalized. The hospital setting is often fast paced, disorganized and complicated. This can be detrimental to older adults.

A sweet grandmother telephoned St. Joseph’s Hospital. She timidly asked, “Is it possible to speak to someone who can tell me how a patient is doing?”

The operator said, “I’ll be glad to help, dear. What’s the name and room number of the patient?”

The grandmother in her weak, tremulous voice said, Norma Findlay, Room 302.”
The operator replied, “Let me put you on hold while I check with the nurse’s station for that room.”

After a few minutes, the operator returned to the phone and said,
“I have good news. Her nurse just told me that Norma is doing well. Her
blood pressure is fine; her blood work just came back normal and her
Physician, Dr. Cohen, has scheduled her to be discharged tomorrow.”
The grandmother said, “Thank you. That’s wonderful. I was so worried. God bless you for the good News.”

The operator replied, “You’re more than welcome. Is Norma your daughter?”

The grandmother said, “No, I’m Norma Findlay in Room 302. No one tells me shit.”

This is a true story.  Often our relatives know more about our condition in the hospital or elsewhere.

On a more serious note this quote is a great illustration to the importance of Physician to Patient communication.

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.

George Bernard Shaw

Do you have an experience or story about poor communication with your physician?

Do you have an experience where you had a great communication experience with your physician?

What advice can you share about improving communication in the health care settings?

The Caregiver Role

improvingeldercare

17 Aug, 2021

The caregiver role is often not chosen but given by default. Planning and preparation to take on the caregiver role is ideal yet it is often a surprise undertaking. The caregiver role comes with a multitude of responsibilities. These may be some you are quite familiar with yet many are new and can often be daunting. There are great rewards for being a caregiver to family, friends or new acquaintances. You may be hired and reimbursed for the time you provide to these individuals. Often it is a volunteer/voluntold responsibility without any monetary compensation.

What have you encountered as a caretaker?

What are some of the rewards you have found being a caretaker.

What are some of the challenges or surprises you encountered when taking on the caregiver role?

Share your thoughts and stories so we all can learn together and help each other.

One resource you may choose:

Today’s Caregiver www.caregiver.com

Covid 19

improvingeldercare

10 Aug, 2021

Isolation and it’s impact on Older Adults.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we live. We have altered our lifestyle to protect our health and adapted to new ways of carrying out our daily lives. We have more options like having our groceries delivered to working from home. This places many at risk for limited social interactions and avoiding important social gatherings to avoid the risk of contracting Covid 19. Older adults are at increased risk of feeling isolated even before this pandemic. Lack of social interaction can adversely impact the health of older adults. The National Academy of Sciences reports “Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely”. It is also reported, “A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk factor for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity”.

Have you experienced social isolation as a result of Covid 19?

What have you done to limit the potential adverse affects of isolation or loneliness?

How are you staying involved in the lives of others while limiting social contact with them?

What advice would you give to help others keep in touch with the older loved ones in their lives?

Successful Aging

improvingeldercare

5 Aug, 2021

I believe one aspect of successful aging is having a sense of accomplishment. Being able to look back on your life and see that you have achieved some of your goals and dreams. Success itself looks different for each individual. We often don’t spend enough time analyzing what success means for us personally. It’s often said you can’t hit a target if you don’t know where to aim. It’s never too late to consider what success means to you.

What are your thoughts on what it means to be successful?

Hello world!

improvingeldercare

30 Jul, 2021

What do you think successful aging looks like?

Share some ideas.

Ask questions.

Let’s explore how to Age in Style!