Message from Patricia ...  

Healthy Aging Month

September is healthy aging month. Here are some things to consider: 

1. Healthy Eating. Make a commitment to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. September is still harvest time in many areas. Seek out local farmers markets and buy local produce. Make it a point to try to make foods from scratch ... skip the processed foods as much as you can.
2. Explore. Your mind is like a muscle: use it or lose it. This month, choose a new activity that will sharpen your mental skills. What about taking piano lessons? It's never too late! Check out continuing education at your local community college, senior centers or YMCA for opportunities. Many offer one-day and one-evening courses to spark your imagination.
3. There's No Place Like Home. More and more people want to stay in their own homes and live independently. Tips for how to "age in place" can be found on Age in Place .  
4. Volunteer. By giving back, you help others, and in doing so, you'll feel good. It's a win-win. Volunteer opportunities abound in your community, church or synagogue.  
5. Get Up & Go. Get out and enjoy the American landscape! Fall is the perfect time to travel. Many hotels are offering great senior discounts.  
6. Go for Less. Sign up for a discount pass on a toll road; some regions, including the area covered by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, offer discounts.
7. Exercise. Exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day or walk 10,000 steps total. Don't delay. Find a friend and make a date to meet every day or every other day to walk. Choose fun places to walk, like the local park or shopping mall, or even do laps around the local school track. You will have fun and feel better about yourself immediately.
8. Get Social. Start your Facebook page or sign up for Twitter. Details: Facebook, Twitter.  
9. Get Some Money Sense. Plan for Medicare well before your 65th birthday. A good starting point is to go to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' website at www.medicare.gov and obtain a copy of the "Medicare and You" guide.  
10. Consider a New Career. With the uncertainty of the solvency of Social Security and discussions in Washington, D.C. to increase the age of retirement, you may be thinking "one more career." Several websites are catering to the demand for jobs. Learn more at WiserWorker.com and WorkForce50.

How Big a Problem Is Atrial Fibrillation?  

Atrial fibrillation, often referred to as "afib," is an irregular heartbeat, a rapid heartbeat, or a quivering of the upper chambers of the heart, called the atria. Atrial fibrillation is due to a malfunction in the heart's electrical system, and is the most common heart irregularity, or cardiac arrhythmia.

As we age, the incidence of atrial fibrillation increases. As Baby Boomers continue to age, we can expect to see the atrial fibrillation epidemic worsen. Today, afib impacts more than 5.1 million people in the United States, with expectations of 15.9 million by 2051. These numbers, from the Mayo Clinic, only reflect those with atrial fibrillation confirmed by an electrocardiogram, and don't include many more with symptoms but who cannot be confirmed. There are possibly also many more people who don't yet know they have it.

The increase in obesity and stress in our society can be expected to accelerate the incidence of atrial fibrillation as well.

Yoga Can Be a Boon to the Elderly

Although many of us feel that we should be taking it easy as we grow older, that is actually what we shouldn't do. Extended periods of sitting lead to muscular shortening, tightening and weakening. In addition, it can contribute to osteoporosis. Lack of movement and no stretching can lead to joint deterioration and loss of flexibility - both of which impact balance and mobility.

Lack of balance, which stems in part from sitting rather than standing, is often a concern. Yoga is one way for our senior population to improve balance. Loss of balance among people over the age of 65 frequently leads to falls, which in turn leads to a multitude of serious problems.

In light of our growing senior population and the health conditions associated with aging, researchers are beginning to take a closer look at the health concerns of this population and at how these issues can be addressed. Yoga is considered by many to be a tremendous tool for combating many problems presented by aging.

Why is Yoga One of the Best Exercises for the Elderly?

Yoga offers a number of benefits that make it one of the best exercises for the elderly. Yoga is a gentle form of exercise that does not strain the joints and muscles. This is especially important for older people.

The following list offers just a few of these benefits:

• Yoga helps to increase the flow of blood to the various organs and tissues of the body. This helps to ensure that the effects of aging are reduced.
• Yoga helps to restore and promote flexibility in the body.
• Yoga breathing techniques teach you to breathe properly and deeply so that the capacity of your lungs is properly utilized. This, in turn, ensures that all the cells of the body receive sufficient oxygen, and also retards the process of aging.
• The meditation techniques that are so integral to yoga help to improve concentration and sharpen memory. They also help to reduce loss of mental acuity due to old age.
• Yoga postures help to normalize blood pressure.
• Yoga is also one of the few forms of exercise that has a direct beneficial effect on the autonomic nervous system.

Energize Your Aging! with Dr. Wayne Phillips 

The Lifestyle Habits of
Successful Aging: Brawny Brains  

Dr. Wayne Phillips, Ph.D. FACSM, Intrinsic Coach

For the past several months, I have been writing about the concept of "Successful Aging," beginning with a brief overview of "9 Habits of Successful Aging." My subsequent columns have described and explained these habits in greater detail and suggested some avenues and options to more successfully include them in your lifestyle.  

Brawny Brains

As a wellness advocate, I particularly like to talk and write about the benefits of strength training for seniors. I was inspired to write this month's column because of the increasing attention being focused on brain function and the increasing market for games and activities specifically designed to increase brain function. Many of these items, by the way, though extremely well marketed, are often not so well supported by science. Here's a statement that is: Strength training is good for your brain! 

A recent study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found an improvement in brain "Executive Function" among elderly men and women who participated in a strength-and balance-based exercise program. Executive Function is how the brain deals with things that are essential to safe and effective everyday living, such as judgment, problem solving, decision making, planning and social conduct. These functions in turn depend on many of our cognitive abilities like attention, perception, memory and language. So it is pretty important to keep these functions up and running as efficiently as possible.

Impaired Executive Function is also associated with increased risk of falling - a major and often catastrophic event for older adults, even if the person survives the fall. I have a family experience of this. My grandmother was a vigorous active lady until she broke her hip in a fall. She spent the rest of her post-fall life not wanting to venture out of doors, and later took to her bed where she went rapidly downhill to her death. If she had spent time improving her strength, this study suggests, her fall risk would have been reduced and her life quality and length would perhaps have improved.

The study found that participants in the strength-based program scored much better on tests of brain function and physical function than participants who did no strength training. The strength training group also had more than 50% fewer falls after one year compared to the non-strength training group. The researchers concluded that the strength based program may reduce falls by improving cognitive performance.

Part of my purpose in life is to get the message out on how important strength training is to older adults - how much it can positively impact lifestyle - and how surprisingly easy it is to gain benefits from only two or three times a week for as little as 15 minutes per session! That's it!

Aging with Grace
Provider Profile: Arcadia Health Care 

Arcadia Health Care is a publicly held, national provider of home care, staffing and pharmaceutical services. Arcadia Health Care is a service mark of Arcadia Resources, Inc. (NYSE AMEX: KAD). The company, headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., has over 60 locations in 19 states. Arcadia Health Care's comprehensive solutions and business strategies support the company's vision of "Keeping People at Home and Healthier Longer."

Both skilled and non-skilled home care services are provided under the direct supervision of home care professionals. All caregivers are screened, bonded, insured and experienced, and must pass rigorous employment qualifications. Staffing needs are met by trained professionals with skills tailored to the specifications of the facilities and programs we serve. We are committed to quality care and customer satisfaction. To learn more, please visit www.arcadiaresourcesinc.com or call 248-352-7530.