Prime Time: A New Look At Aging

Negative stereotypes can cause problems

With a wave of baby boomers approaching retirement age, the force of numbers may one day develop positive views on aging, or at least temper pessimism about growing old. If so, a change in perspective will bring benefits.

Negative stereotypes can be physically harmful, researchers have discovered. Putdowns and insults hamper seniors’ memory and create stress, based on findings by psychologist Thomas Hess of North Carolina University in Raleigh. Exposure to words such as grumpy, feeble and senile evidently causes anxiety, he postulates. Study participants who were forewarned about the negative test aspects took the slurs in stride.

Becca Levy of Yale University determined that people with a positive attitude about growing old live on average seven and a half years longer than individuals with pessimistic points of view. The upbeat people are less likely to become frail, according to studies by Glenn Ostir of the University of Texas in Galveston.

Robert Butler, head of the International Longevity Center in New York City, invented the word “ageism” in 1974 to reflect society’s negative stereotyping of the elderly in movies, TV and the press. His organization has sponsored workshops for journalists about the science and lifestyle aspects of aging with the goal of reversing false assumptions.

Youngsters acquire the stereotypes early, says gerontologist Sandra McGuire of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. By the time children are about 11, their attitudes are set. “We have to get to these kids earlier,” she adds. “We take far too many kids to nursing homes and not enough to senior activity centers.”

Then there’s the school of thought that aging has benefits. For example, the things you couldn’t have when you were young you no longer desire.

 

Watch Aubrey deGrey talk about defeating 'aging'

Coping with heat-related problems

Hot weather poses risks for older folks, especially those with health problems. The National Institute on Aging reports that hypothermia can include heat stroke, heat fatigue, dizziness after exercising, and heat exhaustion. Factors that may exacerbate the problem include:

Poor blood circulation and inefficient sweat glands
Heart, lung and kidney diseases, as well as illnesses that cause weakness or fever
High blood pressure
An inability to perspire because of diuretics, sedatives and other drugs
Being overweight or underweight
Drinking alcoholic beverages
Being dehydrated.

Older adults, especially those with these risk factors, should stay indoors when it’s extremely hot. Those without air conditioning or fans should visit senior centers, shopping malls, libraries, or other cooling centers.

For victims of heat stroke, the institute recommends these steps:

Get the person out of the sun and into a cool place
Offer water, fruit or vegetable juices; avoid alcohol and caffeine
Encourage the person to shower, bathe or sponge off with cool water
Apply a cold, wet cloth to the wrists, neck, armpits, and groin—places where blood flows near the surface
Urge the person to lie down and rest in a cool place

For more information on the hypothermia topic, call 1-800-222-2225 or visit
http:///www.niapublications.org/agepages//hyperther.asp

Scam artists target seniors

While standing in line at the market, an older man was bumped by an attractive middle-aged woman, who apologized and insisted on making amends by running several errands for him. Soon she gained his confidence, then his entire savings, plus his house. It’s easy to see why this type of crime is called a sweetheart scam.

Older adults fall prey to such schemes in higher ratios. They are more trusting,  principled, and, let’s face it, more gullible. Seniors make up about 13 percent of the population but fall victim to more than half of the telemarketing schemes dreamed up by clever con artists.

Some reverse mortgage and estate trusts squeak under the legal wire while enticing seniors to pay more for unneeded contract features.

Then there are the Ponzi schemes. Charles Ponzi taught Bostonians a lesson 90 years ago. He claimed he’d discovered a way of acquiring international postal reply coupons in countries with anemic economies. By cashing them in here, he could make a profit of 10 percent or more. Like Tom Sawyer lining up kids to whitewash a fence, he created an image of a wealthy man.

Investors earned a 50 percent return in 90 days by investing in Ponzi’s new Security Exchange Company. As the cash flowed in, he lowered the payback period to 45 days. His sales agents received a 10 percent commission for investments they obtained, and they enlisted their own sub-agents who received 5 percent.

A Boston Globe story added to the stampede. More than 40,000 people invested about $15 million. Ponzi bought a mansion, two fine cars, and for his wife, Rose, fine jewelry. He also bought a bank. Postal investigators and the local gendarmes began investigating the dapper 5-foot, 2-inch tycoon. It turned out he’d purchased a grand total of $61 worth of postal reply coupons, and was merely paying off this month’s investors with money received 45 days earlier.

The Boston Globe did a critical follow-up story. Eventually his stamp scheme came unglued. A judge sentenced him to 11 years in prison. He was deported after his release, but by then his name had become synonymous with a grand scam.

Fail gracefully

In engineering there is a concept called 'failing gracefully.' It doesn't really have a precise definition, but it refers to the idea of minimising the consequences of failure. If a building collapses, graceful failure would mean it didn't knock over other buildings, and would do so slowly enough for people to escape. If an engine quits, it doesn't immediately stop what is powering it, allowing a glide to resting position.

One common view of aging is that it is a process of surrender, giving up abilities and activities that we may have practiced all our lives as our bodies are no longer able to perform or recover from them. While I'm not that big a fan of surrender as a philosophy, I am well aware that sometimes giving up is what ya gotta do.

But how many of us prepare for giving up, so that we 'fail gracefully?' If my vision is deteriorating gradually but steadily, doesn't it make sense for me to find a place to live that doesn't require my driving? If I do it well in advance, then I don't have to move at the same time I'm getting used to poorer vision. Pretty much the same is true if I know I'm going to require major surgery.

Although I generally look at modern communications technology as a 'done deal' that we should all be using unconsciously, these tools can help us plan. The internet can tell us what the likely outcome of our current conditions will be, and help us plan a strategy in advance. The tools certainly exist for us to adapt to reduced function, ranging from larger screens to call buttons to intelligent wheelchairs.

The key requirement is to abandon denial as a frame of mind and think of graceful failure as a sign of superior intelligence. And since you're reading this, we already know you have that.

Helping with assisted living

I am quite confident that governments, hospitals and non-profits will begin helping to make assisted living easier and more attractive--it's a big money saver for them, and it's what we all want. Kind of a no-brainer, actually.

Some of the things in this video may not be relevant--but some are, and the conversation about how governments need to make it possible for companies to succeed by meeting our needs is particularly interesting.

What you can try for your next headache

Avoid abrupt changes in your daily routine, and eliminate, if you can, causes of emotional stress.
 
These are two ways of avoiding or lessening the pain of tension or migraine headaches, according to a Better Homes & Gardens magazine article quoting Dr. Robert Kaniecki, director of The Headache Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
 
Lesser causes include food sensitivities, sensory overload, allergies, and changes in the weather, he said.
 
Nearly one-half of U.S. women will experience migraines due, in part, to hormonal changes. Dr. Kaniecki recommends that they continue their daily routines such as the  exercise program and arising at the usual hour. Good methods of helpful relaxing include meditation, yoga, prayer, and reading.
 
It’s best to avoid processed food if you are prone to headaches. Some folks are affected by alcohol, especially red wine. Others may suffer because of chocolate, aged cheeses, artificial sweeteners, MSG, and too much caffeine. Try reconfiguring the computer display control panel to refresh images, and be aware that older monitors often emit a flicker that causes some people problems.
 
Keep allergies in check by taking prescribed medications. Most people gain some headache relief with aspirin, Tylenol or Excedrin, but over-use may lead to rebound headaches.

Ladies, E. V. Lucas offers this advice: "Never have a headache on the same day as your husband; but if you do, be sure to mention it first."

Technology for Caregivers

Again, another short post meant to help those of you who are looking out for a senior. The Family Caregiver Alliance (found here) has a good section on how to find and choose the right tools to help make your life, as well as the life of the person you're caring for, a lot easier. Click here to go to their section on Assistive Technology.

Lifted from their website: "The area of assistive technology has grown tremendously in recent years, and many manufacturers now provide a wide range of products and devices. It can be confusing, however, to determine which products might be right for your loved one. Here are a few basic tips to help you in this task:

• Focus on the actual tasks your loved one wants or needs to do when choosing devices. While this might seem obvious, it’s easy to get drawn into buying a product that looks good but doesn’t really address your loved one’s needs.
• Generally, it is best to pick the simplest product available to meet the need. Simpler devices are often easier to use, less expensive, and easier to repair and maintain than more complex devices. For example, if someone does not have difficulty remembering to take their medications, but gets confused about which pills to take at which times, a weekly pill organizer that can be filled by a caregiver would solve the problem. Purchasing an automated pill dispenser with alarms to remind the person to take medications would be more complicated than necessary and would certainly be more expensive than the simpler pill organizer.
• Ask experts that provide care to your loved one, like rehabilitation specialists or physical and occupational therapists, about which type of technology might be best.
• Ask other people with disabilities what products they have found to be helpful.
• Ask to use the device on a trial basis to see if it is truly going to meet your loved one’s needs.
• Ultimately, your loved one’s opinion about a certain piece of AT is the most important. The device needs to be comfortable, attractive, and simple to use.

Foods that give seniors a boost

Blood flow and circulation help maintain good health in later years, according to Health magazine’s July issue. Boost your level 6.2 percent by increasing your fruit or vegetable intake by one serving a day. Or double that improvement with two servings.

The recommended Vitamin D level for older adults has been 1,000 IU. “But many experts now agree that most of us need more—up to 2,000 IU a day—to raise our levels high enough to fight disease,” the magazine states. It recommends that women especially ask their doctors for a  “serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D” test.

For adequate Vitamin D amounts, Health magazine suggests oily fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna a few times a week. Look for D in milk, orange juice, and other fruity juices; soy milk; butter substitutes; and some cereals and yogurts. A supplement with at least 400 IU could be taken daily, and sun exposure for just 5 to 10 minutes each day also helps.

Dr. Andrew Weill suggests five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day to reduce pain caused by arthritis. Eliminate polyunsaturated vegetable oils found in many margarines, vegetable shortenings, and processed foods with fats the promote inflammation. Season meals with ginger and turmeric as often as possible, he says.

Three cups of coffee a day will lower your risk of developing dementia by up to 70 percent, reports the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. A Mayo Clinic study indicates that a healthy diet of reading decreases the risk of developing mild memory loss by 30 to 50 percent.

 

Worries about aging

Insurance companies get rich because we don't understand risk--we take the bad end of most bets.

As an example, what do you think your risks are of getting Alzheimer's disease? 10%? 20%? According to Assistive Technology and Aging, the risk for someone between the ages of 60 and 64 is 1%. If you're between 65 and 74, that creeps up to 3%. Alzheimer's becomes a significant risk only for those over age 85, most likely because you've survived the other risks that got the person next to you in line.

The average age at diagnosis for all cancer is 69. In fact, according to the National Cancer Institute, growing old is the first risk listed. But up to 70% of all cancers are related to decisions we make about what we eat, smoke, drink, and how we behave. So you are not condemned to passively waiting for a death sentence. And for most cancers, adopting better habits has benefits even if you have waited a very long time to see the light--and that even goes for smoking.

Technology is improving in the treatment of all conditions, and it is improving quick enough to possibly help you and me. 

But the biggest risk factor of all, and not ever mentioned by insurance companies, is the quality of healthcare you receive. That's what they're fighting about in Washington right now.