LifeQuest

By Christine Stone, RN, BSN

As if we need another reason to go kicking and screaming into our older years…….

Our sense of balance is affected as we age which can increase our risk for falls and fractured bones. Yikes!   Why does this happen and what can we do about it?   Read on…..

Think about it – – our vision diminishes as we age and we don’t see things as clearly as we once did.   We have more problems with night vision and depth perception – driving at night is especially challenging.   The loss of these visual cues can affect our balance and increase the risk of a trip and fall.

The inner ear has a very complex system (called “vestibular”) which helps us sense where the body is in space: Are we standing upright or lying down or bending over?   The vestibular system is connected to parts of our brain which also help regulate our balance.   When working properly it helps us correct our position if we feel ourselves falling over or losing balance.   As we age, cells in the vestibular system diminish. This in turn affects our ability to self-correct our balance quickly enough.

Changes in blood pressure (BP) – especially dips when we suddenly stand up can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, blurry vision, and even fainting.

We lose muscle mass and strength, and our reflexes and coordination slow as we age. This can cause stumbling and decreased reaction time.

Some health conditions can cause problems with balance.   They include, but not limited to, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, arthritis and multiple sclerosis.  Medications can cause blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, or could damage the inner ear – triggering balance issues.

What can we do to minimize problems with balance?

• Always wear glasses or have corrective vision or cataract surgery.
• Stand up slowly from a sitting position.
• Sit on the edge of the bed for a minute or two before standing up from a lying down position.
• Keep your home free of clutter to minimize the chance of trip and fall accidents.
• Exercise to rebuild muscles strength and power.   If you start to trip/fall, muscle strength and power will help you react faster.   You don’t need to go to a gym. Talk to your health care provider for a list of exercises you can do right in the comfort of your home.

Written by Chris Stone, RN

Do you feel overwhelmed when you visit your doctor? Do you forget what you wanted to ask about, or forget the names of your medications?   A lot of people feel rushed and get flustered at the appointments.  They forget what the doctor said or are confused by the instructions they were given.   Don’t despair!   There are things you can do to make every doctor visit count.

Prepare for the visit:  

• Write down a list of your questions. Things to consider are:
• What is the reason for your visit?
• Do you have a new medical problem, or is this a follow-up appointment?
• Refer to your list during your time with the doctor to make sure all your questions are answered and nothing is overlooked.
• Don’t be shy or embarrassed to share all your symptoms or health concerns. The more the doctor knows, the better he/she can help.
• Write down the complete list of the medications you are taking – even medications prescribed by specialists. Be sure to include vitamins, herbal supplements, and over-the-counter (non-prescription) medications.

When you are at the appointment:

• Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if there’s something you don’t understand.   If you want to know why a medication is being prescribed, just ask. You have the right to understand all decisions that affect your health.
• Bring an adult family member or friend to the appointment.   An extra set of ears can pick up on information that you might have missed. It’s okay for that person to take notes while you talk with the doctor.
• Before leaving, get a recap of the appointment.   Ask the doctor or nurse to repeat the instructions. Write down what you need to remember.  Some offices now give a written summary of the appointment – make sure you understand the information on that summary.
• Were you given prescriptions? Make sure you have the paper copy of the prescription before you leave your appointment.   Some offices now send prescriptions directly to your pharmacy.
• If you still have questions about your prescriptions, the pharmacist is always a source of
• And while we’re talking about prescriptions – ALWAYS use the same pharmacy – this will eliminate any chance of medication errors.

By Elise Adler

No matter how much you walk, work your core and lift weights, you might not be doing enough to avoid some of the issues we can start to experience as we age – issues like hunched shoulders, shuffling feet and weak hands.

Working large muscle groups and performing cardiorespiratory exercise doesn’t get at the small muscles we need for performing everyday activities. Generally there’s a lot of emphasis on walking and lifting weights, while very little attention is paid to functional stretches and exercise.

Five neglected body parts in particular are crucial to how happily and safely we age: the neck, the shoulders, the shins, the hands and the hips.M They’re all easy to work on. Try some simple stretches and strength moves to keep your whole body fit and functioning well.

Shoulders
Seniors hunch over for many reasons, among them osteoporosis or arthritis. Sometimes, though, it’s simply because of a combination of strong pectoral (chest) muscles and weak rhomboids (the muscles in between the shoulder blades). This imbalance pulls the shoulders forward in a hunch, also called “pronation,” which in turn shortens the muscles connecting the pectorals to the shoulder joint. How to avoid or correct it? Try two things: strengthen the rhomboids – the muscles primarily responsible for good posture – and stretch those connecting muscles.

Hip Flexors
Most people will experience low back pain in their lifetime. Sometimes this problem is serious and needs medical attention, while at other times the problem is simply tight hip flexors. Your hip flexor muscles are a group that keep your leg in the hip joint, among other functions. The largest one, the psoas, attaches to the lowest vertebrae and low back muscles on the opposite side (right psoas attaches to left low back muscles, and vice versa). So if the psoas is tight, it pulls on the lower back, causing pain. Tight hip flexors can also result in poor posture by tilting the pelvis back, forcing the upper body to lean forward. If you are exercising often, your hip flexors need extra attention.

Neck
As we age, driving becomes more dangerous due to weakening eyesight and slower reaction times. But there’s another reason that most of us fail to factor in: decreased neck mobility. Over time, our joints become less flexible due to bone thinning and cartilage loss, making turning the head more difficult. Even walking along a busy sidewalk requires looking to your right and left.

Shins
Once you start to sense that you’re not picking up your feet the way you used to, you know your body is aging. Shuffling the feet is a health hazard – shuffling makes you more likely to trip and fall. Exercising your shins can help you stop the shuffle from developing down the road. We mostly focus on the large muscles of the legs when we work out (e.g.: glutes, quads and hamstrings) and neglect the small muscles, like the tibialis anterior. This muscle is located at the front exterior of the shin and makes possible what’s known as “dorsiflexion of the ankle,” or lifting the toes up toward the leg. When you’re walking, this action clears your toes as you swing your leg and encourages you to put your heel down first. Keep this muscle strong and flexible to balance out the calf, and you’ll be able to walk with confidence.

Hands
Is it getting hard to open pickle jars? That’s not the only problem you’ll run into if you lack hand and forearm strength. Turning door handles, using a can opener and holding a toothbrush require strength in the upper extremities. You might think you can just squeeze a squishy ball and have it covered – but that only strengthens the muscles on the underside of the forearm. You need to keep the top of the hand and forearm strong as well.