Angel News
August 2009
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In This Issue
The Secret to Long Life
Rising Numbers Get Health Info Online
Track Shoes For Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's Patients Planning Future
Alzheimer's Documentary Available Now



The Alzheimer's Project features a four-part documentary series, 15 short supplemental films, a robust Web site, and a nationwide community-based information and outreach campaign. View the HBO Alzheimer's Project videos now online for free here.

Get in the Driver's Seat Before You Take the Keys Away



Billed as the world's first senior driving simulator, Liberty Mutual has a brand new Flash-based video game called "Driver Seat." This game allows players to experience the physical and cognitive limitations that older drivers may experience.

Check out the game here.
Age Information for Retirement Milestones



Ever wonder about the exact ages mandated for retirement and Medicare benefits? Now you can easily read the recap of everything from 401(K) plan contribution/withdrawal/penalties to taking IRAs and getting Social Security.

Access a complete Retirement Timeline here.

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Greetings!

Think you're ready to retire? Want to learn the secret to long life? Have you heard about GPS footwear? At Visiting Angels of Central Burlington & Mercer Counties, we believe that in order to stay at the top of our game, we need to be informed of the latest studies, newest technologies, and most recent trends in the elder care spectrum. In a spirit of sharing and community, we hope you will find the included news informative and beneficial as well.

Thank you,

Visiting Angels of Central Burlington & Mercer Counties
Fountain of Youth in Okinawa?

The long-running Okinawa Centenarian Study which began in 1975 reports that residents of this island show 90 percent less coronary artery disease than in the wider world, and a third less incidence of cancer. Breast cancer is virtually unheard of. So what is the secret?

Okinawan elders in the largely agrarian society stay active through their old age, take a sparing approach to food, have a strong sense of purpose and have no word in their vocabulary for "retirement." They also have a joie de vivre, don't dwell on problems and tend to just let things bounce off their backs.

It may be time for Americans to practice the same philosophy in aging. Estimates put the U.S. centenarian population at nearly 80,000 today with a projection that by 2050, as many as 600,000 people will live beyond 100 years. 

Read the entire story here.

Access more information on the Okinawa Research Center for Longevity Science (ORCLS) here.
Health Information 2009: Google It, BING It, or Tweet It

The latest Pew Internet/California HealthCare Foundation survey shows that 61% of American adults look online for health information. In the past, someone might have called a health professional, Mom, or a good friend first. Now people are more likely to read blogs, listen to podcasts, update their social network profile, or post comments. Once they find health information online, the majority of people talk with someone about it offline.

The survey found that technology is not an end, but a means to assist in the information discovery, widen social networks, and sharpen the questions someone might ask when he or she does get to talk to a health professional. Plus, mobile devices are making the access to information more immediate and accessible.

Read more here.
Alzheimer's Update
Track...ing Shoes Use GPS for Wandering Alzheimer's Patients

Currently in development is a shoe which can house a GPS device to help track down "wandering" seniors suffering from Alzheimer's disease. A shoemaker (Aetrex Worldwide) and a technology company (GTX Corp., which makes miniaturized Global Positioning Satellite tracking and location-transmitting technology) have teamed up to develop this specialty footwear.

Read the full article here.

Early Alzheimer's Diagnosis is Key to Planning Future

A doctor's positive attitude to Alzheimer's diagnosis and a trusting, personal relationship with local dementia support service providers makes for powerful enablers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's.

The latest International Alzheimer's conference reports that while there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's, early detection and diagnosis are critical to ensuring that people living with Alzheimer's have the power to plan their own healthcare and future. Opportunities to make key decisions about treatment, care and future planning are missed if the diagnosis is made late in the progression of the disease.

The researchers recommend that doctors should be educated to have a higher level of suspicion for symptoms of cognitive decline, especially in caregivers and people with complex, multi-system diseases, and that GPs should offer referrals to support services on multiple occasions for people with dementia and their caregivers.

Read about ICAD 2009 and more findings here.

Visiting Angels of Central Burlington & Mercer Counties:
About Our Care

Visiting Angels of Central Burlington & Mercer Counties is a New Jersey-licensed, non-medical home care company committed to going well beyond the "industry standard" to provide an exceptional level of security, comfort and peace of mind to our clients and their loved ones. Our "Angels", all certified home health professionals, are ready to provide compassionate and dependable assistance with the activities of everyday living to seniors, the disabled, those recovering from surgery and to those who are simply frail. Our services include such simple tasks as light housekeeping, meal preparation, errands and shopping to more personal tasks such as hygiene assistance, bathing, dressing and grooming.
 
Visiting Angels' in-home care helps make it possible for seniors and adults with special needs to continue to live at home and maintain the independence of their daily routines and familiar surroundings, for as long as they can do so safely. We truly understand how challenging and alien the entire home care selection process can be ... and we are experienced in working with families; with loved ones "resistant" to receiving care; and with third-parties payors (such as insurance companies and the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs) to help insure that the best interests of the family and their loved ones are met. Visiting Angels' services help families spend more mutually-rewarding and meaningful time with their loved ones and also helps provide comfort and peace of mind to those who face the challenge of long-distance caregiving.
 
For more information, please visit our website, www.VisitingAngels.com/Burling-Mercer; call us at 609-883-8188; or contact us by email at [email protected].