Daily Fruit Decreases Heart Disease and Death, Research Says

Eating fruit every day could reduce risk of cardiovascular disease by 25 to 40 percent, and the more fruit you eat the more this risk declines, suggests the results of a study of almost half a million people presented recently to the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Dr. Huaidong Du from Oxford, U.K., presented the findings from the seven-year follow-up study of nearly 0.5 million people in the China Kadoorie Biobank at the society meeting in Barcelona, Spain. The researchers also found that people who consumed fruit more often had significantly lower blood pressure (BP).

In a separate analysis, the researchers examined the association of fruit consumption with total mortality and cardiovascular mortality in more than 61,000 patients from the China Kadoorie Biobank who had cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure. They found that compared with those who never ate fruit, daily consumers of fruit cut their overall risk of death by 32 percent.

For additional details about the China Kadoorie Biobank study, visit http://www.ckbiobank.org/site/

Nearly Half of U.S. Seniors Need or Receive Help at Home

Nearly half of seniors in the U.S. – 18 million people – have difficulty with daily activities or get help managing them, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Michigan and the Urban Institute analyzed data from a national sample of older adults drawn from Medicare enrollment files. In all, 8,245 people were included in the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study.

“Although 51 percent reported having no difficulty in the previous month, 29 percent received help taking care of themselves or their households or getting around,” said U-M researcher Vicki Freedman, co-author of the report with the Urban Institute's Brenda Spillman.“And another 20 percent said they had difficulty carrying out these activities on their own. Among those receiving help, one in four lived in either a supportive care setting (15 percent) or a nursing home (10 percent).

Nearly all older adults had at least one potential informal care network member – family or household member, or close friend – and the average network size was four people. Older adults who lived in the community reported receiving an average of 164 hours of care a month from informal caregivers – more than five hours a day, on average. Older adults living in supportive care settings reported nearly 50 hours of informal care per month.

About 70 percent of those getting help received assistance from family, friends and other unpaid caregivers, while about 30 percent received paid care.

Visit http://ns.umich.edu/new/releases/22363-almost-half-of-older-adults-have-care-needs for more information about the study.

Sick from Grief? Research Reveals a Connection

A new study explains how stress hormones during periods of grief change as we age, putting seniors who are grieving at greater risk. Participants were studied while mourning the loss of a loved one; either a spouse or close family member, in this research from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, published in the journal Immunity and Ageing. 

Two stress hormones in particular appear to display different responses to loss as we age; cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS).

Janet Lord, Professor at the University of Birmingham, said: “Cortisol is known to suppress elements of the immune system during times of high stress, so having an unbalanced ratio of cortisol and DHEAS is going to affect how able we are to ward off illness and infection when grieving.”

Dr. Anna Phillips from the University of Birmingham noted, “The changing ratio is something we need to learn much more about, and need to test whether altering that balance artificially could be a short-term help at times of stress. However, there is, quite simply, no substitute for a strong support network of family and friends to help manage the risks during a period of grieving.”

Find out more about the study at http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2014/09/age-alters-our-immune-response-09-09-14.aspx.

Cognitive Issues Could be Stroke Risk, Research Says

New research published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke, says cognitive abilities, such as memory and attention, are not only important after a stroke but also before.

Researchers found:

·         Those with lower cognitive test scores before a stroke had a 61 percent higher chance of a stroke.

·         After stroke, cognitive function declined almost twice as fast compared to those before stroke.

·         Stroke coupled with cognitive decline increased the risk of death.

“From a care standpoint, cognitive decline is not only a strong marker for neurological deterioration and physical health in older adults, but also serves as a marker for stroke in old age,” said Kumar Rajan, Ph.D., lead author of the study and assistant professor of internal medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

“Being healthy and active through both physical and cognitive activities may help slow down cognitive decline,” Rajan said.

For additional details about the study, visit http://newsroom.heart.org/news/slowing-brain-functions-linked-to-increased-risk-of-stroke-death.

Heat Takes a Toll on Seniors

Nobody likes extreme and prolonged heat, but such conditions can be very dangerous and potentially deadly for seniors. 

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States. On average, excessive heat claims more lives each year than tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and lightning combined (http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/heat.php).

“The elderly are often the most vulnerable to severe heat,” said Bob Vielee, local owner of Home Instead Senior Care^® franchise office serving Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike, Wayne and Wyoming counties. “Their bodies do not adjust as well as young people to sudden changes in temperature, they are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that changes normal body responses to heat and they are often on a prescription medicine that impairs the body's ability to regulate its temperature or that inhibits perspiration,” he continued.

Following are tips from the local Home Instead Senior Care office, to help seniors combat the heat:

• Keep a glass of water in every room to quickly and easily access fluids. Drink plenty of fluids, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

• Go through the closet and remove all heavy materials, long sleeves and dark colors. Instead look for short sleeves, lightweight rayons or cottons, and light-colored clothing that reflect the heat.

• Stay out of the sun during the hottest times of the day. Sunburn makes the job of heat dissipation that much more difficult.

• Save household chores, particularly washing and drying clothes and operating the dishwasher, for evenings when the weather is cooler.

• Relax indoors during high heat times – between 3 and 5 p.m. in the afternoon.

• Keep shades down and blinds pulled during the heat of the day.

• Keep the house tightly closed, so it is more energy efficient.

• Take cool showers or baths to cool down.

• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Foods with a lot of protein increase metabolic heat production which can, in turn, increase water loss.

• If increased use of a central air conditioning system causes higher utility bills that are a problem for your budget, consider purchasing a fan or small window unit that can cool down a home at a lower cost. However, do not rely on a fan as the primary cooling device during an extreme heat event.

• Seek medical care immediately if your senior shows symptoms of heat-related illness like muscle cramps, headaches, nausea or vomiting.  

For more information about the heat, visit the National Weather Service Web site at http://www.noaa.gov and the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site at www.fema.gov. Or, to learn more about Home Instead Senior Care, log on to www.homeinstead.com/nepa

Five Fixes Under $500

Home Instead Senior Care and Dan Bawden, founder of the Certified Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS) designation for the National Association of Home Builders, offer the following safety suggestions for budget-conscious families:

Fix #1: Install Grab Bars on Walls Near the Shower or Tub

Seniors could be tempted to grab onto an unsecured towel bar or shower curtain and put themselves at risk for falls. Cost: typically $30 to $60 for a good quality bar. With a pro's help, cost could reach $175 to $200 per bar parts and labor. 

Fix #2: Convert to Lever Handle Faucets

Water flow and temperature could be easier for arthritic fingers to control with a lever faucet. Cost: usually between $170 and $250. Add approximately $150 to $200 for a plumber to install. 

Fix #3: Add Lighting to Closets and Pantries

Dark closets cannot only be safety hazards, they could make dressing more difficult for seniors. With attic access, a qualified technician could install a light for around $250. Cost to add a battery-operated light: typically less than $25. 

Fix #4: Add Swing Clear Hinges

Narrow doorways could be difficult for walkers and wheelchairs to navigate. Replacing standard hinges with "swing clear hinges" allows the door to swing completely clear of the door opening. Cost of a handyman or trim carpenter: approximately $150. A pair of these hinges generally costs between $20 and $30. 

Fix #5: Replace Wall-Mount Shower Heads with Handheld Showerheads on a Hose

Handheld showerheads are both convenient and safe because a senior can use the device as a fixed showerhead- adjustable to the proper height- or convert it to a hand-held one. Cost: generally less than $100. With a plumber's help, costs could be up to $175 to $200.

Check out more CAPS resources at http://www.nahb.org/category.aspx?sectionID=686

For more about home safety, visit MakingHomeSaferForSeniors.com