Animal lovers know how heartwarming it is to see your favorite furry friend wag their tail in delight when they see you throughout the day. And studies have shown that owning or having regular contact with animals can actually improve our overall attitude and outlook towards life. Research published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society in 1999 indicated that seniors that own or have contact with animals tend to be more physically and emotionally healthy than those that do not.

There are many theories for how animals contribute to our well being. One of the most commonly discussed reasons is that they require daily care and commitment from their owner. The act of taking a dog on a walk everyday is good physical exercise for the owner as well, and encourages them to get out of the house and enjoy fresh air. While cats don’t necessarily require regular outdoor activity, they do need social interaction and playtime to keep them amused, which requires effort on the part of their owner.

Establishing this kind of routine is especially beneficial for seniors who would otherwise have very little to do throughout the day. Boredom and lack of contact with others can quickly develop into depression and a reduced quality of life. Even small responsibilities such as feeding, brushing, and petting an animal are significant enough to make a difference in the quality of a person’s day.

Another theory on how animals improve our lives is the simple act of having physical contact and company during the day. Studies have show medical benefits such as lower blood pressure, temperature, and heart rate associated with seniors that interact regularly with animals. Having a sense of companionship and unconditional love are very simple ways of leading a more physically and emotionally sound lifestyle.

Even those that don’t have their own live-in furry companions benefit from having animals in their lives, even in rare instances. Occasional visits from therapy dogs and cats can be enough to impact the overall attitude of an individual. Those that don’t have the means or ability to own an animal can also benefit from visits to local animal shelters or adoption events to enjoy some supervised time around the animals.

Though there is no substitution for human contact, animals can often help to supplement that void by providing company and unconditional love.

When in comes to oral health, older Americans are just as likely, if not more likely, to develop problems with their teeth and gums. The connection between our mouth and the rest of our body is important as dental disease can lead to more serious problems such as heart, liver, and kidney disease.

Visiting a Dentist

Regular dental exams and cleanings are still highly recommended for seniors to monitor the condition of their teeth and gums. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), senior patients are advised to provide their dentists with a list of the following information:

• Information on your primary healthcare providers, including their phone number
• A list of current medications being taken, including vitamins and supplements
• A list of any current medical conditions
• Emergency contact information

Certain medications and medical conditions can aid in the development of dental disease. Conditions such as dry mouth can often be related to the use of specific medications. If these problems can be rectified by altering medications and dosages, your dentist can work with the general practitioner to make the necessary changes.

Brushing

Good oral hygiene starts with diligent home-care. Brushing twice a day with toothpaste approved by the ADA and flossing regularly helps to prevent tooth decay and bacteria from building up in the mouth. Even individuals will few or no teeth left should still brush the gums, palate, and tongue to keep the tissues healthy.

Dentures

Just like real teeth, dentures require regular cleaning and care. Full and partial dentures can trap bacteria in the mouth and should be soaked in specialized cleaning agents daily. Dentists recommend removing dentures at least 4 hours per day to allow the gums to rest and rejuvenate. Ideally, dentures should be removed every night before going to sleep.

For more information on the care and use of dentures, visit the ADA website.

Tobacco Use

Smoking and other forms of tobacco use are extremely harmful for the overall health of the body; especially the mouth. Smoking can lead to tooth decay, tooth loss, and gum disease, amongst other things. Discontinuing the use of tobacco products reduces the chances of developing these problems as well as certain forms of oral cancer.

Preserving the health of our oral cavity is essential for many reasons. The teeth are not only important for chewing food, but also for speaking, and maintaining the appearance and construct of our face. When good oral hygiene is not practiced it is very likely to loose some or all of our teeth, suffer painful gum disease, and look older than we should.

Visiting the dentist regularly, good brushing and flossing habits, and good nutrition are all ways to maintain good oral hygiene into our golden years.

For more information on dental health, as well as a list of dental healthcare providers in your area, visit the ADA website.

As a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s disease it often falls on you to ask the right questions and gather information when a diagnosis of this magnitude is handed down.

The National Institute of Aging offers a list of tips for making the transition of caring for an Alzheimer’s patient as easy as possible on all those involved.

Immediately after diagnosis:

• Consult with your loved-one’s physician and ask any questions you have regarding the severity and progression of the disease.
• Get into contact with organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association for information on classes in your community centered around being a caregiver and any additional information you may need about the disease itself.
• If needed, look into support groups to deal with any concerns or needs you may have as a caregiver. Many groups offer a safe place to discuss fears regarding the disease and can be a resource for help in the future.

Establishing a routine:

• Structure and routine are known to be helpful for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. Certain times of the day may prove to be better for the patient in terms of being less confused or irritable. Establishing a working routine may make the day run more smoothly for both of you.
• If the demands of 24 hour care become overwhelming, contact a day nursing service to relieve you for a few hours a day. This will allow for some separation and enable you to get things throughout the day that are otherwise difficult to accomplish, while still knowing your loved-one is safe.

Communication Tips:

• Using simple short sentences is often most effective when speaking to an Alzheimer’s patient. However, avoid talking to them as though they are small children.
• Allow enough time for them to process your question and formulate an answer. Don’t interrupt.
• If they are struggling to come up with a word, gently offer a word to assist them. Patients and understanding is key in keeping communication open.

Long term thoughts:

• It is import to establish legal and financial requests while your loved one is still able to. This will ensure that their wishes are respected later on. Contacting a financial and legal expert can help make this process easier.
• If being a caregiver becomes too much, there is no shame is seeking professional assistance. Many assisting living facilities are equipped with specially trained staff and equipment to offer the safest environment  possible for their residents. Utilizing these resources may be better long term for both of you. Never be afraid to ask for help.

For more tips on being a successful caregiver to someone with Alzheimer’s, please visit the National Institute on Aging’s website.

In 1980, there were 720,000 people aged 90 and older in the United States. In 2010, there were 1.9 million people aged 90 and older; by 2050, the ranks of people 90 and older may reach 9 million, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau, commissioned by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health.

The report describes this rapidly growing segment of the population which suggests that the designation of oldest-old should be changed from 85 to 90 years. The report, 90+ in the United States: 2006–2008, details the demographic, health and economic status of America’s oldest adults.

“With the aging boom it is critical to develop demographic data providing as detailed a picture as possible of our oldest population,” said NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D. “The information on a variety of factors—income, health status, disabilities and living arrangements—will be particularly useful to researchers, planners and policymakers.”

Based on the American Community Survey, the 27-page report describes in detail this rapidly growing population and states that a majority of the 90-plus population are widowed white women who live alone or in a nursing home. Most of them are high school graduates. Social Security provides almost half of their personal income, and almost all of them have health insurance coverage through Medicare and/or Medicaid. The vast majority say they have one or more types of disability.

The report says:

• An average person who has lived to 90 years of age has a life expectancy today of 4.6 more years (versus 3.2 years in 1929–1931), while those who pass the century mark are projected to live another 2.3 years.
• The majority (84.7 percent) of those 90 years and older reported having one or more limitations in physical function. Some 66 percent had difficulty in mobility-related activities such as walking or climbing stairs.
• An older person’s likelihood of living in a nursing home increases sharply with age. About 1 percent of what are called the young elderly (aged 65–69) live in a nursing home. The proportion rises to 3 percent for ages 75–79, 11.2 percent for ages 85–89, 19.8 percent at ages 90–94, 31.0 percent at ages 95–99 and up to 38.2 percent among centenarians.
• Women aged 90 years and older outnumber men nearly 3 to 1; 74.1 percent of the total population aged 90 and older in 2006–2008 were women.
• Whites represent 88.1 percent of the total 90-and-older population. Blacks make up 7.6 percent, Hispanics 4 percent and Asians 2.2 percent.
• The annual median income for people 90 and older was $14,760. Men had a higher income than women: $20,133 vs. $13,580. Social Security represents 47.9 percent of total personal income.

“Because of increasing numbers of older people and increases in life expectancy at older ages, the oldest segments of the older population are growing the fastest,” said Richard Suzman, Ph.D., director of NIA’s Division of Behavioral and Social Research, which supported the report. “A key issue for this population will be whether disability rates can be reduced.

“Previous seminal work on demography designated age 85 as the cutoff for what we termed the oldest-old,” Suzman added. “With a rapidly growing percentage of the older population projected to be 90 and above in 2050, this report provides data for the consideration of moving that yardstick up to 90. Can 90 be the new 85?”

90+ in the United States: 2006–2008 was written by Wan He and Mark N. Muenchrath, both of the U.S. Census Bureau. Copies of the report are available at www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/acs-17.pdf (##K).

The NIA leads the federal government effort conducting and supporting research on aging and the health and well-being of older people. The Institute’s broad scientific program seeks to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. For more information on research, aging, and health, go to www.nia.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Source: Barbara Cire, NIH/NIA

Signs of depression can be easily overlooked in senior citizens. We often attribute slowing down and losing interest in things with the natural progression of aging. However, experts say that these symptoms are not normal signs of getting older and failure to recognize them can lead to a dramatically reduced quality of life.

Many seniors have a difficult time adjusting to a slower paced lifestyle after retirement. A lack of routine and spending more time alone can lead to feelings of uselessness and boredom.

There are several common causes of depression amongst older adults including: fear, loneliness and isolation, loss of friends and family, deteriorating health, and lack of purpose.

Typical symptoms of depression can present as lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities, fatigue, insomnia, inability to perform daily activities, lack of appetite and weight loss, social withdrawal, and sadness.

It can be difficult at times to differentiate depression from other conditions such as dementia and grief. In addition, certain medications prescribed to treat common illnesses can contribute to depression. Because of this, it is important to watch for changes in behavior when starting new medications.

Two ways to help combat depression are regular exercise and maintaining personal relationships. Studies have shown that the endorphins released during physical exercise have powerful mood-boosting effects that are just as successful in helping with depression as prescription anti-depressants. In addition, having regular contact with friends and family keep loneliness at bay. Even indirect contact such as phone calls and email can be enough.

If you or a loved one is showing symptoms of depression it is important to consult with a medical professional to determine the best course of action.

At Park Place Assisted Living we take pride in the quality of care we provide to our residents.

We have established ourselves as Reno’s premier assisted living facility with a grade A by the state of Nevada for our efforts. However, we never stop brainstorming about how we can improve our community for the benefit of our residents.

The following are just a few ways that Park Place Assisted Living has been said to stand out from the rest:

1. We have our own professional chef. Our residents dine on a variety of well balanced cuisine three meals a day. They also have access to snacks throughout the course of the day to satisfy those midday cravings. We are happy to make adjustments to our menu to meet any special needs our residents may have and we take pride in the quality of food we provide.

2. We take safety to a new level. The safety of our residents is our highest priority. In addition to being a gated community, each cottage is equipped with state-of-the-art smoke and fire detection devices. While we respect and support our residents in maintaining their independence, our staff can be reached at the push of a button when their assistance is needed. We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Now that’s piece of mind.

3. We know how to have a good time. Our community is constantly filled with laughs, music, and dancing. We are lucky to play host to many local musicians who come out every month to perform for our residents. We also enjoy events such as our pizza and poker parties, brats and beer gatherings, and most recently, a manicure party for the ladies!

4. We make your family part of ours. It is always a pleasure to get to spend time with our residents and their family members. Throughout the year we get the opportunity to play host to the people that matter most to us by opening up our community for important holiday celebrations. What can you expect at these gatherings? Great food, entertainment, good company, and fun for the entire family. We even welcome the four-legged members of your family for certain events!

5. Nothing is more important than the happiness of our residents. When we say our residents are like family, we mean it. We hire only the most caring and competent individuals to care for these important members of our Park Place family. Most importantly, we are constantly looking to improve and perfect our community to make their stay with us as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

We understand that choosing a community to care for your senior loved ones can be stressful and confusing. It is our goal to make the process as easy as possible on everyone involved. We encourage you to take a look around our website to learn more about why Park Place Assisted Living is head and shoulders above the rest.