Why Centenarians Are So Content

When 100-year-olds make the news, it’s usually in the human-interest pages. Last year Emma Hendrickson, 101, became the oldest person ever to compete in the U.S. Bowling Congress Women’s Championships, when she rolled a 318 series in Reno, Nev. Harriet Ames, 100, of Concord, N.H., earned her bachelor’s degree in January, then died the next day. Providence political operative Frank DiPaolo Jr., 103, still holds down his job as a doorman at the Rhode Island State House.

We’ll likely hear many more such stories in the coming years, because centenarians—people who have reached 100 years of age—are one of the fastest growing groups in the U.S. The number of triple-digit Americans zoomed from about 37,000 in 1990 to more than 84,000 in 2008, and is expected to reach 580,000 by 2040, according to the Census Bureau. But we should learn a lot from these stories too, because when it comes to independence, money and health, centenarians stand apart from younger seniors.

Read more: Why Centenarians Are So Content – Personal Finance – Retirement – SmartMoney.com

For information and assistance with elder care for an aging loved one in the Seattle and Bellevue WA areas, visit us at www.andelcare.com.

The month of May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month.  The National Osteoporosis Foundation is dedicated to promoting lifelong bone health and fighting osteoporosis.  This month is a great opportunity for all of us to learn more about this debilitating condition.  For information and assistance with an aging loved one in the Seattle and Bellevue WA areas, visit us at www.andelcare.com.

NOF celebrates National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month with the Healthy Bones, Build Them For Life® campaign

This month the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) will celebrate National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month in conjunction with a new campaign, called Healthy Bones, Build Them For Life®. As the nation’s leading voluntary health organization solely dedicated to promoting lifelong bone health and fighting osteoporosis, NOF’s goal is to reduce the widespread prevalence of osteoporosis and associated fractures and to find a cure for the disease through programs of awareness, education, advocacy and research. This exciting new campaign will give NOF a platform to continue to address the vital need for increased education for the awareness, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis while working to make bone health a reality and a priority for everyone.

Healthy Bones, Build Them For Life will help NOF increase awareness of osteoporosis and bone health among women and men of all ages and backgrounds and to address the vital need for increased education and for the awareness, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. This campaign will focus on educating the ENTIRE population on the importance of bone health and osteoporosis prevention, including nutrition, lifestyle choices and exercise. This year’s campaign will feature television Public Service Announcements about osteoporosis on ABC 7/WJLA-TV in the Washington, DC area, a live patient education webinar, special events, grassroots outreach and more.

Hosted on May 27, the live patient education webinar, titled How Strong Are Your Bones, offers a great new opportunity for those interested in osteoporosis and bone health to learn more. Participants will be able to listen to and view live presentations led by bone health experts. The May event is the first in a series of webinars that will cover a variety of osteoporosis-related topics including risk factors, testing, nutrition, exercise, treatment and more. To learn more or to register for the How Strong Are Your Bones webinar, visit www.nof.org.

“Bone health must become a priority for all Americans. Approximately one in two women and up to one in four men over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their remaining lifetime,” said Robert Recker, MD, president of the National Osteoporosis Foundation. “It is never too late or too early to talk to your healthcare professional about osteoporosis and your bone health and that is what this campaign stresses,” he continued.

“Through Healthy Bones, Build Them For Life – our hope is that the next generation of Americans will be armed with the necessary steps to keep their bones healthy and strong for a lifetime. Our hope is to increase awareness among the male population and educate them that osteoporosis is common among men,” said Amy Porter, National Osteoporosis Foundation Executive Director and CEO. “Our hope is to reach pre- and post-menopausal women and spread the message that osteoporosis is a disease that is preventable and treatable,” she continued.

NOF would also like to extend a special thank you to the foundation’s partners in prevention for this year’s campaign. Those partners include Amgen, Novartis, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Rheumatology, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research and The Endocrine Society.

About National Osteoporosis Foundation

Established in 1984, the National Osteoporosis Foundation is the leading consumer and community-focused health organization dedicated to the prevention of osteoporosis and broken bones, the promotion of strong bones for life and the reduction of human suffering through programs of public and clinician awareness, education, advocacy and research. For more information, visit www.nof.org or call 1 (800) 231-4222.

Original content HERE.

Learn how to prevent a stroke during Stroke Awareness Month.  Visit us at www.andelcare.com for help with an aging loved one in the area.

Your Health: Strokes can be prevented

Don’t have a stroke.

It’s excellent advice, given that stroke is the nation’s third-leading killer and a major cause of serious, long-term disability in adults. And it’s advice you can act on today, even as scientists continue to study the reasons why nearly 800,000 in the USA have “brain attacks” each year.

Read more from www.usatoday.com….

May is Mental Health Month: Live Your Life Well

Mental Health America is proud to continue its tradition of celebrating “May is Mental Health Month,” which began in 1949. This year, our theme “Live Your Life Well,” challenges us to promote health and wellness in homes, communities, schools, and inform on how to attain it. Every day, Americans are affected by the myriad challenges, stresses and demands on their lives. And every day, they seek help in responding to them. The good news is there are tested and effective tools that are readily available and free that anyone can use to help them cope better and improve their well-being.

This Mental Health Month, Mental Health America is encouraging Americans to use these tools, which form the Live Your Life Well™campaign. Live Your Life Well™ is a national public education campaign dedicated to helping people better cope with stress and enhancing their well-being. Stress can take a huge toll on a person’s health, mood, productivity and relationships, but specific, evidence-based tools can help counterbalance these effects.

Mental Health America created Live Your Life Well™ to increase the number of people who take action to protect their mental health, both in the face of ongoing stress and in times of great personal challenge.

The heart of the program is the Live Your Life Well™ website—www.liveyourlifewell.org—that provides 10 research-based, straightforward tools and ways to apply them in everyday life. From relaxation techniques to journaling exercises to simple ways to get better sleep and improve eating habits, the materials offer a wide range of resources to build resiliency and well-being.

Visit us at www.andelcare.com for information and assistance regarding home care for an aging loved one in the Seattle and Bellevue, WA area.

7th Annual Conference on Philanthropic and Legacy Planning for Professional Advisors sponsored by Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Monday, 5/10 and Tuesday, 5/11 from 8 am – 5 pm at Bell Harbor International Conference Center, located on Seattle’s Waterfront, 2211 Alaska Way, Pier 66, Seattle 98121. Register at http://secure.seattlechldrens.org/seminar by May 6.

Marla and Karen Treiger, attorney, will be speaking on Tuesday at 1:00 pm on “Legal and Practical Solutions for the Vulnerable Elderly Client”

Greater Seattle Chamber Annual Tradeshow

Wednesday, 5/12 from 3 – 7 pm at Qwest Field West Plaza.

Andelcare will have an exhibitor booth.  If you are interested in attending please let us know (e-mail info@andelcare.com) and we can register you for a free ticket.

Puget Sound Business Journal Corporate Citizenship Luncheon

Thursday, May 13, from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at The Hyatt Regency Bellevue.  Register for event at events.bizjournals.com/18891 before May 7.

Andelcare is honored to be named one of the top 75 corporate philanthropists in Puget Sound.

Women’s Business Exchange (WBE) Monthly Breakfast Event

May 13 from 7:00 am – 9 am at the Washington Athletic Club, Seattle

Andelcare is the sponsor of the May breakfast.

Guest Speaker: Senator Lisa Brown. Senator Brown is the Washington State Senate Majority Leader and an Associate Professor in the Master’s of Organizational Leadership program at Gonzaga University.

Free Community Workshop

Thursday, May 13, from 2 – 3:30 pm at Northshore Senior Center Lunchroom

Join a panel of experts in the senior industry (including Marla)  to learn how to navigate the future of our aging population. Information on warning signs of physical or mental changes, financial planning and a variety of living options will be discussed.  Presented by The Bothell Neighborhood Community Resource Council. Andelcare is a member of this Council which includes a wide spectrum of area vendors related to senior care who are interested in providing services and being resources to our clients, their families and the surrounding senior community.

To register please contact Maureen Manley at 425-487-3245 or Maureen.Manley@AegisLiving.com

Here is a great article for anyone who is struggling with hearing loss.  For help with an aging loved one in the Seattle or Bellevue WA areas, visit www.andelcare.com.

Not your father’s hearing aid: the new generation is small, sleek and super high-tech

(ARA) – “If you think hearing aids are synonymous with getting old or becoming less capable, think again,” says Dr. Kathy Landau Goodman, chairperson of the Audiology Awareness Campaign. Most individuals experiencing hearing loss are younger than 65, and hearing loss is significantly affecting their lives at work and home. Fortunately, with today’s wealth of discreet and stylish hearing aid options it has become easier than ever to address a hearing loss.

Today’s advanced technology digital hearing aids offer features and sound processing systems that offer wearers major advantages over older analog instruments. These features include superior sound quality, improved clarity of speech in noisy conditions, and reduction in hearing aid feedback or whistle. Some hearing aids now connect wirelessly and seamlessly to cell phones, TVs, computers, mp3 players, radios, landline phones and other electronic devices. Audio sounds are streamed directly into the hearing device using bluetooth technology.

“The first step is to have your hearing evaluated by an audiologist to determine the type and degree of your hearing loss and its impact on your ability to communicate,” says Dr. Landau Goodman. If you are able to benefit from hearing aids, the audiologist will then discuss the various types of hearing aid styles, latest technologies, and what to expect from wearing hearing instruments.

Together, you and the audiologist will select the most appropriate hearing aids to improve communication with others and to fit your lifestyle needs. To receive maximum benefit from your hearing aids, the audiologist will adjust the aids to maximize sound quality, comfort and clarity. Follow-up evaluations are necessary to get the maximum benefit from hearing instruments.

“A hearing loss does not need to restrict recreational, family or work related activities,” says Dr. Landau Goodman. Properly fitted and programmed hearing aids, as well as instruction on effective communication strategies by an audiologist, can help improve communication in most listening situations and help you stay connected to friends and family.

To coincide with Better Hearing Month in May, the AAC has partnered with GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare to bring free hearing screenings to communities around the country so that people can have their hearing checked by audiologists who specialize in evaluating and treating hearing loss. National hearing screening week, called “Listen Up America Week,” is sponsored by AAC and runs May 10 to 14.

“By offering free hearing screenings throughout the United States, we have the ability to reach many Americans who might otherwise not have access to licensed audiologists. Now these individuals will have access to audiologists who can evaluate their hearing, determine whether they have hearing loss, and then make appropriate recommendations for treating their hearing problems,” says Dr. Landau Goodman.

To find an audiologist in your area conducting free hearing screenings May 10-14, as part of “Listen Up America Week,” visit the AAC website, www.audiologyawareness.com or call the AAC hotline at (888) 833-EARS. All family members, regardless of age, are encouraged to have a free hearing screening.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

7th Annual Conference on Philanthropic and Legacy Planning for Professional Advisors sponsored by Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Monday, 5/10 and Tuesday, 5/11 from 8 am – 5 pm at Bell Harbor International Conference Center, located on Seattle’s Waterfront, 2211 Alaska Way, Pier 66, Seattle 98121. Register at http://secure.seattlechldrens.org/seminar by May 6.

Marla and Karen Treiger, attorney, will be speaking on Tuesday at 1:00 pm on “Legal and Practical Solutions for the Vulnerable Elderly Client”

Greater Seattle Chamber Annual Tradeshow

Wednesday, 5/12 from 3 – 7 pm at Qwest Field West Plaza.

Andelcare will have an exhibitor booth.  If you are interested in attending please let us know (e-mail info@andelcare.com) and we can register you for a free ticket.

Puget Sound Business Journal Corporate Citizenship Luncheon

Thursday, May 13, from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at The Hyatt Regency Bellevue.  Register for event at events.bizjournals.com/18891 before May 7.

Andelcare is honored to be named one of the top 75 corporate philanthropists in Puget Sound. 

Women’s Business Exchange (WBE) Monthly Breakfast Event

May 13 from 7:00 am – 9 am at the Washington Athletic Club, Seattle

Andelcare is the sponsor of the May breakfast.

Guest Speaker: Senator Lisa Brown. Senator Brown is the Washington State Senate Majority Leader and an Associate Professor in the Master’s of Organizational Leadership program at Gonzaga University.

Free Community Workshop

Thursday, May 13, from 2 – 3:30 pm at Northshore Senior Center Lunchroom

Join a panel of experts in the senior industry (including Marla)  to learn how to navigate the future of our aging population. Information on warning signs of physical or mental changes, financial planning and a variety of living options will be discussed.  Presented by The Bothell Neighborhood Community Resource Council. Andelcare is a member of this Council which includes a wide spectrum of area vendors related to senior care who are interested in providing services and being resources to our clients, their families and the surrounding senior community.

To register please contact Maureen Manley at 425-487-3245 or Maureen.Manley@AegisLiving.com

May is Stroke Awareness Month.  This is a great article with steps on how to prevent a stroke.  Visit us at www.andelcare.com for help with an aging loved one.

Prevent a stroke in 5 simple steps

(ARA) – Did you know that 80 percent of all strokes are preventable? That figure, from the National Stroke Association, illustrates just how important it is that you know the steps necessary to prevent a stroke from affecting your life. What might surprise you is that many of those steps are lifestyle suggestions you’ve heard before – they just have the added benefit of helping to ward off a stroke.

In honor of May being Stroke Awareness Month, Life Line Screening wants to share the list of lifestyle changes that can help aid in stroke prevention and to remind you that a preventive stroke screening can help you identify your particular risk factors. Knowing exactly how you can protect yourself from a stroke – which affects approximately 800,000 Americans each year – may inspire you to take action.

Many people are taking the steps to improve the quality of their lives. Even though the modifications can be difficult, the life-saving benefits they can offer are worth the effort. Only you can make the decision to take control of your wellness. Start with these simple steps:

Step 1. Don’t smoke. If you smoke, quitting is one of the most important things you can do to decrease your chances of a stroke. Puffing on tobacco sets the stage for a stroke in the following ways:

Why it’s important:

* Smoking is linked to an accumulation of plaque in your carotid arteries, which supply blood to your brain. Blockage in these arteries, including plaque, is the leading cause of stroke.

Carbon monoxide from smoking lowers the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry to your brain and makes your blood more likely to clot. Blood clots in an artery that supplies blood to your brain can trigger a stroke.

* Nicotine in the tobacco raises your blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to stroke.

If you smoke, talk to your doctor about medications and programs that can help you stop.

Step 2. Trim down. Being overweight is associated with many factors that raise your risk for a stroke.

Why it’s important:

* You’re more likely to have high cholesterol, which is an ingredient in plaque that can block your arteries. Blocked arteries are a risk factor for stroke.

* You’re more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. The elevated levels of blood glucose, high cholesterol and increased blood pressure associated with diabetes can cause a stroke.

* You’re more likely to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to stroke.

Doctors typically determine whether patients are too heavy by their body mass index (BMI), which uses a formula combining your height and weight. Ideally, your BMI should be less than 25. Calculate your BMI online by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at: www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/index.htm.

Step 3. Get moving. If you don’t do much physical activity, you can develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, all of which increases your chance for a stroke.

Why it’s important:

* If you’re at a healthy weight, it’s still important to exercise regularly.

* If you’re overweight, exercising regularly will help you shed the extra pounds.

Exercising regularly means at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days. If you can’t do it all at once, it’s OK to break up your activity into smaller chunks.

Step 4. Prevent or control diabetes. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in your brain and elsewhere in your body. Besides being at a very high risk for a stroke, most people with diabetes die of some form of cardiovascular disease.

Why it’s important:

* If you have diabetes, maintaining your blood sugar levels through weight loss, physical activity and possibly by taking medications can help reduce your risk of stroke.

* If you don’t have diabetes, regular physical activity and keeping a healthy weight will help you avoid it. By getting a preventive health screening for diabetes, you can find out what your risks are for the disease.

Step 5. Eat a healthy diet. Loading up your plate with fruits, vegetables and grains and cutting down on foods high in sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat, is also an important component in a stroke-preventing lifestyle. As a rule, avoid fatty meats, full-fat dairy and baked snack foods containing partially hydrogenated oils. Keep your sodium consumption below 2,400 milligrams (or 1 teaspoon) per day. This daily amount includes all salt and sodium in your foods, not just salt you add.

Why it’s important:

* Following this type of diet will help you maintain a healthier blood pressure and lower cholesterol, which is necessary for stroke prevention.

Life Line Screening, the nation’s leading provider of preventive health screenings, encourages you to take a closer look at exactly how making these changes can help you prevent a stroke and live a healthier lifestyle for overall wellness.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Here is a great article for anyone who is caring for an aging loved one with Alzheimer’s .  Visit us at www.andelcare.com for help with a loved one in the area.

Many Alzheimer’s Patients Find Comfort in Books

Familiar music can engage those with Alzheimer’s when almost nothing else can, researchers have shown. Now it appears that books written for these patients may have a similar effect.

Researchers have found in a number of studies that reading can improve a patient’s quality of life. The meanings of written sentences can be understood by — and prompt cogent responses from — even those who have difficulty handling verbal exchanges.

Caregivers may be surprised to learn that reading ability is not always destroyed by Alzheimer’s.

Read more…

Omega-3 fatty acids are key to a healthier life

Research shows they promote heart health and reduce pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis. They also may help treat autism, bipolar disorder, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD and prostate cancer.

Read more…

For information and assistance with home care available in the Seattle and Bellevue WA areas, visit www.andelcare.com.