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When was the last time you touched your toes? Climbed a ladder without feeling shaky? Tried something new? As you get older, some of these things are harder to do.  But there are steps you can take to age well and enjoy a better quality of life. Here are six:

  1. Talk to your healthcare team.

Your doctors and nurses are not only there to diagnose and advise, but also to listen. “The more we can talk about what matters to you — really matters — the better we can support you in reaching your goals, and the better your care will be,” says Dr. Matt Handley, a family physician, whose practice is at Kaiser Permanente’s Capitol Hill campus in Seattle.

Make notes before your doctor visit so you don’t forget any questions. Be as open as possible with your questions — including issues around sexual health.

“As we age, it’s important that patients and doctors are open and ready to discuss this,” says Dr. Jane Dimer, chief of women’s health for Kaiser Permanente Washington. “After all, this is an important component of a good, intimate relationship.”

  1. Even a little exercise helps a lot

No doubt your doctor has told you how important it is to exercise. If you’re not exercising regularly, a good first step is to figure out why, and then develop a strategy to overcome that barrier. Here are some common problems and solutions:

  • Do you have a hard time maintaining an exercise program? Then try to work exercise into your daily routine. When possible, walk or bike to your destination rather than drive. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Meet a friend for a walk rather than lunch.
  • Chronic pain. Talk to your doctor about pain relief, but also focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t. Gentle yoga, a walk in the fresh air, or an easy-on-the-joints water exercise class may be right for you when a round of golf or running a 10K isn’t.
  • Exercise can improve your balance and keep you from falling. Until you’re stronger, try swimming, riding a stationary bike, or using walking poles while on a hike.
  • Fear of injury or making a chronic condition worse. Talk with your doctor about what you can do safely.
  1. Make yourself a priority

Eat well. Our bodies change as we age, and that means how much we eat, what we eat, and what tastes good may change, too. The Mediterranean diet, which includes healthy fats such as olive and nut oils, is recommended for all ages. Depending on your health status, you may need to eat more of some things — like food with fiber — and less of others, like food high in sodium and animal fats.

Limit alcohol. Drinking can affect nutrition, balance, judgment, and reflexes. Heavy drinking can also cause dementia. Doctors recommend that women don’t exceed one drink a day, and that men don’t exceed two. What’s a “drink”? Six ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, one ounce of liquor.

Break your tobacco habit. If you’re still smoking or chewing, it’s time to quit. Quit for Life, a program available to Kaiser Permanente Washington members, is one of the most effective programs around.

Sleep well. Your doctor has probably already mentioned this: All adults need six to eight hours of sleep a night for their best health. “Lack of sleep depresses our immune system, can increase confusion, affects our mood and concentration, and can lead to falls,” says Dr. David Lewis, a pulmonary specialist in sleep medicine.

 

  1. Improve your outlook

Even if you usually see the glass as half full, sometimes life can get you down. A positive outlook, however, is important to well-being. Easier said than done? Maybe, but acting on these tips will help put you on an upbeat path:

  • Socialize and connect. Join a friend for lunch, do some volunteer work, take a class at a community center, or gather with a group for morning coffee.
  • Lower your stress. Exercise, meditation, laughter, and listening to music will help keep stress in check.
  • Get help managing chronic pain.
  • Replace negative thoughts with optimistic or realistic ones. Instead of “I’ll never be able to do that,” say, “I’ll try to do that. What do I have to lose?”
  • Talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing anxiety or depression. They are not an inevitable part of aging; they can be effectively treated.
  1. Take control of incontinence issues

If you have a bladder control issue, you may be embarrassed to discuss it with your doctor. Take heart, because there are solutions.

Whether you have stress incontinence (leakage when you sneeze, laugh or exercise), urge incontinence (an urgent need to urinate), or some other form of bladder control problem, keep a journal of symptoms. Talk about your symptoms when your doctor asks, or bring them up yourself. And describe all your symptoms including discomfort, irritation, pattern, and frequency. Solutions will vary depending on what type of bladder issue you’re experiencing but can include exercises, medication, or surgery.

 

 

  1. Stand on your own two feet

Changes in muscle tone from lack of use may affect your balance. Poor balance and muscle tone can lead to falling, broken bones, sprains, or other injuries. These tips will help prevent falls and the injuries that come with them:

  • Improve your balance with exercises.
  • Make sure home lighting is adequate indoors and outdoors. Install handrails along stairs and in the shower and bath. Remove loose carpets or other materials that may cause you to trip. Place non-slip mats in the bathroom.
  • Wear sturdy shoes with non-slip soles.
  • If you feel unsteady, or your doctor recommends it, use a walking aid until your muscle tone has improved.

    Whether it’s jogging, walking or whatever, regular exercise is one of the keys to healthy aging.

Source: Kaiser Permanente, a provider of healthcare and health plans.

Contributing Author by — August 21, 2018 in Spotlight

Say “annual checkup” and most people imagine waiting at the doctor’s office. But there’s another type of checkup that can give you a sense of wellness without even leaving home. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov to conduct your own Social Security annual checkup.

Their Social Security statement is available online any time to everyone who has a mySocialSecurity account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Creating your account gives you 24/7 access to your personal information and makes it impossible for someone else to set up an account in your name. We still send paper statements to those who are 60 and older who don’t have an account and aren’t receiving Social Security benefits. Your statement provides information about work credits (you need 40 credits to be entitled to a Social Security retirement benefit), estimates for retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, plus a history of your earnings.

If you have earned 40 work credits, your statement will show estimates for retirement, disability, and survivors benefits. If you don’t have 40 work credits, the statement shows how many you have and how many you still need to qualify for benefits.

Review your history of earnings year by year to make sure each year is correct. This is important because Social Security benefits are based on your lifetime earnings. If any years are incorrect or missing, you may not receive all the benefits you are entitled to in the future. If you need to correct your earnings, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please have your W-2 or paystubs when you call.

Review the section titled “Your Estimated Benefits.” Be sure to review not only your retirement estimate, but your disability and survivors estimates. No one likes to think about disability, but a 20-year-old worker has a one-in-four chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age, underscoring the importance of disability benefits. Since the value of the survivors insurance you have under Social Security may be more than your individual life insurance, be sure to check your survivors estimates also.

You can use our Retirement Estimator to compute future Social Security benefits by changing variables such as retirement dates and future earnings. If you want to project what future earnings could add to your benefit, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

Each year, make a date with yourself to review the most recently posted year of earnings on your statement. By checking your record every year, you can be certain when you retire that Social Security will have a correct record of earnings to use when computing benefits for you or your family members.

Social Security helps you secure your today and tomorrow by providing information to make your financial planning easier. Social Security is more than retirement; it is a family protection plan.

For more information about benefits, visit us at www.socialsecurity.gov.

 

Kirk Larson, who wrote this article, is a public affairs specialist in Washington for Social Security.

Contributing Author by — August 21, 2018 in Personal Finance/Consumers

The body’s core is literally the center of everything, and is comprised of the back, abdominal area, hip, and pelvic muscles. A strong core is essential to overall health, including the following benefits:

  • It supports the spine, in turn keeping you balanced and stable to walk, go to the bathroom, etc. Core exercises also improves the sense of your center of gravity, which leads to more stable movement.
  • As age advances, it is harder to heal from an injury than avoid one. That being said, and while accidents can and do arise, core and overall strength can lessen the risk of falls and other injuries.
  • A majority of older adults suffer from lower-back pain. Core exercises help stretch and strengthen the muscles that support the lower back, subsequently reducing such pain.
  • A weak core can make performing day-to-day tasks difficult, and even potentially dangerous. Maintaining core strength makes performing daily tasks much more manageable, ultimately keeping seniors independent for as long as possible.

Before starting any sort of exercise regimen to strengthen your core, it’s always important to consult with your primary care provider to lower the risk of injury. Following approval from a healthcare professional, these core strength exercises have shown to be highly beneficial:

Leg lifts. Start by lying flat on your back with legs flat and feet relaxed. Slowly lift one leg about five inches off the floor, all while contracting the abdominal muscles. Hold the position and count to three, lower the leg, and repeat with the other. Aim for 10 repetitions per leg. For a modified variation, sit in a chair, then slowly bring up both knees, return to the starting position, and complete three sets of 10 reps.

Seated twists. Sit on a sturdy chair, place feet firmly on the ground in front of you, place your arms across your chest, and lean back as far as you comfortably can. While engaging your core muscles, twist your torso to the left, return to the starting position, and twist to the right. Complete three sets of 15 repetitions each, or work to that number.

Side bends. Start in the standing position with your feet flat on the floor and chest facing straight ahead. Place one hand behind your head and the other stretched to the side. With the stretched arm, lean over as if you are reaching toward the floor. While contracting your oblique muscles, return to the starting position. Repeat five times on each side for a total of two to three sets, and feel free to sit down in a chair as needed.

Wood chops. Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width, then clasp hands in front of the body. Pull up your arms to one side of the body and diagonally “chop” and squat down toward the opposite side. Keep the core tight, along with the knees slightly bent. Repeat for 10 reps, then move to the next side for a total of two to three sets.

Yoga and Pilates. Yoga and Pilates promotes stability and flexibility, along with targeting and activating the core muscles. There are a number of low-impact movements for seniors who are looking for a gentler form of exercise. Along with attending classes, Pilates and yoga instructional videos can be viewed in the comfort of your own home. If the rep ranges and sets are too simple or difficult to complete, simply modify to a more comfortable, yet challenging number to ensure both effectiveness and safety.

Yoga, with its low-impact movements, promotes physical stability and flexibility.

Source: BistroMD, whose services and products for senior nutrition include the Silver Cuisine line of home-delivered meals.

Contributing Author by — August 16, 2018 in Health & Fitness

It’s a year-long celebration of flavor and beauty as we honor and grow the beet. The National Garden Bureau (NGB) has declared 2018 the year of this garden mainstay.

Dress up your dinner table with the NGB’s Edible of the Year.  Not only are beets tasty and pretty, but they’re also good for you.  These small vegetables are high in fiber, vitamins A and C, have more iron than most vegetables, and are rich in antioxidants, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and folic acid.

Use beet greens in salads and roast, and cook or juice the colorful roots. Change things up with yellow and gold beets like Touchstone Gold. Its vibrant orange-red exterior and golden center will add something special to any dish. Entice those reluctant to eat beets to the table with All-America Selections winner Avalanche. The snow-white root has all the sweet flavor of the beet without any bitterness or earthy flavor that may have discouraged them in the past.

Visit NGB’s website (ngb.org) for creative ideas for adding beets to your meals.

 

Melinda Myers (melindamyers.com) wrote this article. She is a gardening expert and author.

 

Beets – tasty, pretty and good for you – are the National Garden Bureau’s Edible of the Year for 2018. They include the snow-white Avalanche.
(National Garden Bureau)
Contributing Author by — August 16, 2018 in Food, People