Balance Problems Could Be Warning Sign

A new study that finds seniors – average age 67 – who have trouble balancing on one leg for at least 20 seconds may have increased risk of small blood vessel damage in the brain – stroke – and reduced cognitive ability. The research included healthy older people with no clinical symptoms, according to the report in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke.

 

“Our study found that the ability to balance on one leg is an important test for brain health,” said Yasuharu Tabara, Ph.D., lead study author and associate professor at the Center for Genomic Medicine at Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine in Kyoto, Japan. “Individuals showing poor balance on one leg should receive increased attention, as this may indicate an increased risk for brain disease and cognitive decline.” 

The study consisted of 841 women and 546 men. To measure one-leg standing time, participants stood with their eyes open and raised one leg. The maximum time for keeping the leg raised was 60 seconds.

Participants performed this examination twice and the better of the two times was used in the study analysis. Cerebral small vessel disease was evaluated using brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Researchers found that the inability to balance on one leg for longer than 20 seconds was associated with cerebral small vessel disease and the potential for strokes. 

To reduce your risk of falls, be sure your home is not a safety trap. Go to MakingHomeSaferforSeniors.com for a home safety tour and checklist that can alert you to the potential safety hazards in your home.

 

For more about the study, visit http://blog.heart.org/ability-balance-one-leg-may-reflect-brain-health-stroke-risk/.

More Than Just a Job...

Being a Home Instead CAREGiver is more than just a job, 

it's a rewarding career that nurtures your soul.

Because our services are non-medical, no special degree is required. We provide you with the training and tools necessary to help seniors in our community age safely at home.

It's a fantastic source of supplemental income for retirees and stay-at-home moms!

Call us today to learn more about being a caregiver or visit our website: HomeInstead.com/NEPA

Caregiving a Promising Job Option for Seniors

Whether it’s good genes or healthy living, more people are living longer. Life expectancy at birth for the U.S. population reached a record high of 78.8 years in 2012, according to a new report from the National Vital Statistics System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2012, life expectancy was 81.2 years for females and 76.4 for males. Life expectancy for females was consistently higher than that for males. Outliving your money is a common concern. Polling in 2013 by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, for example, found that only 13 percent of American workers were very confident that they would have enough money for a comfortable retirement, with 38 percent saying they are somewhat confident, 21 percent not too confident and 28 percent not at all confident. 

The percentage of respondents answering not at all confident was the highest in the 23-year history of the survey, and the percentage that was either not too confident or not at all confident remains nearly unchanged from the record-high levels reached in 2011.

Employment of personal care aides is projected to grow 49 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. As the Baby Boom population ages, the number of individuals requiring assistance or companionship will increase. Personal aides help individuals – primarily seniors – with self-care and everyday tasks, and provide companionship. 

Why not learn more about this profession by contacting us today! We employ CAREGivers- many of whom are seniors themselves – to help keep other older adults independent. Call today to learn more!

To learn more about Home Instead Senior Care^®, contact 570-586-3135 or go to HomeInstead.com/NEPA. For more information about the CDC report, visit http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db168.htm.