In general, senior citizens are less distracted while behind the wheel than younger adults. In fact, more senior citizens wear their seat belts (as drivers and passengers), drive slower and in better weather condition, and do not drive after drinking. With all of those good driving habits, one would think that accidents among with senior citizens would be rare, but…
A Senior Journal story related the fact that more than half of older Americans – those age 45 through 75 – take an aspirin every day, even though this use is not recommended by the Food and Drug Administration for most people who have not yet had a heart attack or stroke. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine quotes a…
In the old days, seniors who were suffering from arthritis were advised to take it easy. Sit down most of the day so as not to stress your joints, well-meaning doctors would say. Sit in a rocking chair for easy, soothing motion, at the most. Rest your joints. If it hurts, don’t do it. We know now that this was…
By Richard Ueberfluss More than 50 percent of women and 25 percent of men over fifty will suffer from an osteoporosis-related fracture. Osteoporosis occurs when bone breaks down faster than it is replenished, leaving the skeleton porous and brittle. Women lose bone density more rapidly during menopause, so they are more susceptible to osteoporosis than men. Multiple medications, poor vision…
By Richard Ueberfluss Clinical depression in the elderly is common. That doesn’t mean it’s normal. Late-life depression affects about 6 million Americans age 65 and older. But only 10% receive treatment for depression. The likely reason is that the elderly often display symptoms of depression differently. Depression in the elderly is also frequently confused with the effects of multiple illnesses…
By Richard Ueberfluss There is a new study out that suggests that 12 percent of drugs doctors prescribe are for uses other than those approved by regulators. These are known as “off-label” since they are not prescribed for certain conditions for which they are being prescribed. While this doesn’t always mean a negative outcome, patients should be encouraged to ask…
Overuse of antibiotics can interfere with treatment of certain heath conditions Antibiotics have played a critical role in treating a variety of diseases. But new research has found that overuse of antibiotics is creating a rise in drug-resistant infections, especially in nursing homes where urinary tract infections (UTI) are an ongoing problem. The issue is that overuse of antibiotics…
Physical therapy is just one of the many pain control options offered by specialists today. Although older adults are more likely to experience pain, it is not a “symptom” of aging, and it should not be accepted as inevitable. Unfortunately, pain has often been undertreated in older adults, but pain relief is an essential part of good healthcare. Untreated pain…
A PharmaTimes story revealed that the stress associated with providing unpaid care for a sick or disabled adult is leading to a 29 percent greater use of anti-anxiety medicines among such caregivers, compared those who do not provide such care, according to research from pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) Express Scripts.. An estimated 42 million Americans serve as a caregiver to…
One of our primary responsibilities as home aides is to prevent loved ones from requiring hospitalization. Hospitalizations add great stress and discomfort to seniors, and now there is new evidence that the risk of infection rises when a senior requires hospitalization. In fact, roughly 45 percent of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are in patients older than 65, according to Thomas File,…
