Seniors Can Find Confidence and Flow in Yoga Practice

Can your elderly loved one touch their toes?
If they're anything like 91-year-old Bernice Bates, they can. Of course, Bates has been practicing yoga for half a century and was recently named the "World's Oldest Yoga Teacher," by the World Academy of Records and the Guinness World Records.
According to the Associated Press, Bates admits that there must be older instructors out there. But, the fact remains, yoga has been a central part of Bates' life for decades—while prescriptions and trips to the doctor's office have not.
 
Flowing (and aging) with grace
There's no doubt that physical activity is good for people no matter what their age. But sometimes, certain limitations prevent a senior from engaging in more commonplace forms of exercise such as walking, spinning, or lifting weights.
Nathan Wei, MD, a rheumatologist with over 30 years of experience says there are three key components to a good workout for seniors: low impact cardio, resistance training, and stretching.
He says that yoga has the potential to cover all three of these bases, but, people who are getting older should give serious thought to which yoga program they choose to adopt. Certain forms of yoga may be too strenuous, or require so much flexibility that a senior could easily hurt themselves by pushing too far.
Lucy Lomax, a certified Ansuara Yoga instructor and founder of the Serenity Bay yoga studio in Annapolis, Maryland, says that Anusara yoga is a therapeutic practice, focused on proper body alignment—perfect for seniors with physical limitations.
Anusara yoga is a style of yoga that is focused on honoring and accepting the whole individual—aches, pains, and weaknesses included. Translated, the word "Anusara" means "following your heart" or "flowing with grace." Classes generally have unifying themes and are always conducted with a relaxed, non-competitive atmosphere.
This focus on flow is especially important for seniors as, according to Lomax, people's bodies become less fluid as they age. She says a good yoga practice can help, "oil the joints" of an elderly person by increasing the amount of fluid in between the bones. 
 
A senior's confidence builder
An improved sense of body awareness is also often seen in people who practice yoga regularly.
For a senior, this enhanced awareness can translate into an increased confidence in their ability to get around without falling. "Balance is one of the first things we start losing as we age," Lomax says. This is why she has some of the seniors who come to her classes use chairs or a wall to help steady them in certain poses.
Confidence is gradually built in Anusara classes as students, under the direction of their teachers, slowly work up to more complicated versions of poses.
For instance, a senior might start off doing a forward bend by only bending down halfway and holding onto a chair for balance. As they become more comfortable in that position, the instructor may encourage them to let go of the chair and put their hands on a piece of yoga equipment called a block. The block will be lower than the chair, but will still give the elderly person something to help stabilize them. Finally, the senior may be able to bend all the way over and touch their toes without any assistance.
Some people won't be able to progress to the advanced form of every pose, but that's perfectly acceptable. Anusara yoga is all about the honoring the individual and their unique journey.

Communication is key
After working with seniors for about ten years, Lomax encourages caregivers to tell an elderly person's yoga instructor about any physical or mental ailments that may affect their ability to do certain movements. It may also be a good idea to let the teacher know what kind of mood the senior is in.
An instructor will be able to use this information to help them, "feel the energy of the class," and adapt the practice accordingly.
Wei upholds the instructor as a senior's guard against injury. He says that a teacher who is aware of a person's physical capabilities will be able to modify poses so an elderly person doesn't get injured or become frustrated.

Scientifically-backed benefits
Research on yoga is still in its infancy, but some promising results regarding the benefits of practicing the discipline have been published.
Yoga has been shown to:

• Improve sleep quality and improve depression
• Reduce stress
• Help control blood sugar in people with diabetes
• Enhance respiratory function
• Help alleviate arthritis pain
• Increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis
• Improve balance
• Moderate chronic pain

Better together?
Yoga is also something that an older person and their caregiver may want to do together.
Lomax says that practicing partner yoga may help form or solidify the bond between a caregiver and their elderly loved one —it's just not something that's very common in the yoga community currently.
Differences in ability levels will have to be taken into account of course. Depending on their age and health, your elderly loved one may not be able to do the poses the way that you can. It's best to consult with a certified yoga instructor before embarking on a partner yoga practice with a senior.

Dementia disclaimer
For those seniors who have Alzheimer's, or another form of dementia, yoga may or may not be helpful.
Depending on how advanced the disease is in an elderly loved one, remembering the poses and alignments essential to a yoga practice might simply be too difficult.
Lomax's advice for those who wish to experiment with yoga for a senior who has dementia: begin with one-on-one sessions with a certified instructor.
An instructor will be better able to individualize a practice and keep an eye on the elder in case they forget what to do. The caregiver should also probably sit in on these sessions to help manage outbursts and provide a (somewhat) familiar presence for the senior.

Credit: Aging Care 

Urinary Incontinence is a Major Concern for Elderly

Old age brings much cherished wisdom, but it also entails weakening of a person’s ability to lead a normal daily life. Apart from such concerns as arthritis, weak bones, loss of cognition, major secondary health disorders that afflict a large number of elderly include bed sores and urinary incontinence.
The discomfort and embarrassment associated with old age health disorders forces people to restrict their daily activities, often restricting them to bed. Consequently, they end up suffering from additional problems like bed sores, which are open wounds on skin that causes immense pain. Severe bed sores penetrate deep into the skin affecting the multiples layers of tissue, including muscle and bone.  The sight is grotesque making it difficult for dear ones to help in coping with the issue.
Apart from bed sores urinary incontinence is another factor that becomes problematic for senior people. It is condition where the patient has a sudden and urgent to urinate with every cough or sneeze.
Keeping these two specific needs of elderly patients in mind, leading home health service provider Healthcare at Home today organized a large scale training session for its nursing staff to train and equip them in dealing with these concerns in the best and most sensitive manner.
Bed sores and urinary incontinence are two major factors that drive the need for home nursing staff for the bed ridden elderly patients. These concerns and how to deal with them effectively, however, are often not given due importance.
Healthcare at Home considers the treatment and care of patients a comprehensive process. Although, the nursing staffs are well trained to serve the patients with complete love, care and knowledge, less knowledge is imparted in terms of curing bed sores, skin rashes or handling UI patients.
Taking into account the increase in number of people opting for healthcare services at home, Healthcare at Home (HCAH) has taken the initiative to conduct an educational session for its physiotherapy staff and nurses on use of diapers for adults, as well as preventing and managing bed sores in bed ridden patients.
In a healthy individual, the brain sends messages to the bladder to turn urination on and off. However, in some instances this regulation goes awry, creating problems of loss of control over the bladder. Considering the humiliation that the condition accompanies with it, people shy away from talking about it or seeking medical guidance for its cure.
“UI is an embarrassing condition. However, it should not be neglected. UI is another major factor that has given boost to the home health care services. Most of the elderly people are bed ridden dependent on others for their works. While the dear ones gets used to managing the bed sores over the time, managing UI becomes problematic. Therefore, it has become important for us to train our home care nurses and staff about UI and it management. The session is an effort towards the same and a step to provide better services to patient dealing with the issue. We believe there is increasing need for nursing staff to be trained in UI management techniques that make life easier for the elderly,” said Vivek Srivastava, CEO, Health Care at Home (HCAH).
Conditions of UI is tough to tackle for the home nurses/ staff and equally embarrassing for the patient. Therefore, it is important for the nurse to have proper knowledge about the condition and guidance of tackling the condition. While many may believe that UI is a natural condition of old age, it may not be necessarily so. Ranging from causes like loss of higher control of micturition, which normally controls urination to set of neurological conditions such as SCI, MS, PD and Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity (NDO), the reason for urinary incontinence may vary from person to person.
Medical conditions and some medications can cause involuntary loss of urine. Women generally suffer incontinence due to weakened pelvic muscles. Enlarged prostate glands are often the cause of incontinence for men. Factors such as alcohol and caffeine also contribute to cause UI in later years. Sometimes there occurs a need to insert temporary, disposable devices in the urethra to stop involuntary urine flow. Additionally, use of adult incontinence diapers or briefs can also help the patient resume to normal and uninterrupted lifestyles.

Credit: First Report

Problems of the elderly

One wonders whether the phrase "May you live to a ripe old age" is a blessing or a curse. Old age cannot be avoided. It is a phase of life, which will arrive and stay till death takes its toll. Problems of old age come in two forms: emotional and physical. Many studies have proved that the two are actually interconnected. No precautionary measures can avoid these problems; senior citizens just have to face them bravely.

Old age is feared in recent times; however. This was not the case in the olden times. In the good old days, life was not so complicated and family values were given more importance. Hence, the older generations held a very important position in the family tree and in society. They were the epitomes of wisdom. The younger ones benefitted from their profound knowledge and experiences.

The scenario is changing nowadays with senior citizens being considered as "non-productive" and. They are thought to be a social and economic burden. In urban areas, the entire responsibility is on the male child with whom the aging parent resides. Due to the nuclear family system, the aged people tend to feel neglected as all the others remain busy with their own schedule. The experiences of the old are considered primitive in this advanced ‘techno’ world and no one wants to pay heed to what they have to say.

Many are forced to sell off their property as a result of some dispute within the family or for their children’s career, making them solely dependent on their children later. After a certain age, their health starts deteriorating and their mental faculties begin to diminish. Sometimes, these people cannot recognize their own family members. In such situations, these people are considered to be a burden and are thrown out.

Those who can afford, try to reduce their guilt by sending their old parents to the home for the aged. But seldom do they realize that although their parents or grandparents may get physical care in these institutions, their emotional needs of affection and love by their own near and dear ones remain unfulfilled. What the youngsters of today fail to realize is that they will get old too some day and may have to meet a similar fate, because history is bound to repeat itself and a person reaps what he sows.

What is Diverticulitis?

Diverticulitis is a disorder that comes from diverticulosis, which is characterized by small, bulging pouches in the digestive tract.

These pouches are called diverticula, and they are common in the U.S. Over half of the population older than 60 years of age have them. The pouches don't always cause problems and people often don't even know they are there.

However, the pouches sometimes can become inflamed or infected. This can cause pain in the abdomen, fever, nausea, and changes in bowel habits. Diverticulitis is present when the diverticula become infected. Cases can range from mild to severe, and the milder cases can be treated with rest, diet alterations and antibiotic medications. The more serious cases can require surgery to remove the affected part of the colon.

The good news is that most people with diverticulosis do not develop diverticulitis. The condition can be prevented by eating a well-balanced diet, including foods that are high in fiber.

Symptoms that are common of diverticulitis include:

Pain in the abdomen and lower right side

Tenderness.

Fever.

Nausea.

Diarrhea and constipation.

Other signs considered less common are:

Vomiting.

Bloating.

Rectal bleeding.

Frequent urination.

Pain while urinating.

Tender abdomen.

But what causes the diverticula to appear in the first place?

Usually, diverticula are formed when there are weak places in the colon that give way under pressure. Then, the pouches, about the size of a marble, protrude through the colon wall. Pressure in the colon can lead to infection of the diverticula.

Nutrition Information for seniors

Nutrient deficiencies appear to increase with age. Some colleagues at the University of Iowa looked at over 400 Iowans 79 and older living independently in rural areas and found that 80 percent reported consuming inadequate amounts of four or more nutrients.

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When declining energy requirements are not matched by decreased caloric intake then total body fat increases. The Atkins diet leaves your body shy on some important nutrients, such as vitamin B, and also is negative for vitamins A, C and D, anti-oxidants that slow the effects of aging and calcium. Once again the lack of exercise has to enter into the equation also.

Nutritional status may be further compromised by other problems in conjunction with the illness, such as trauma, surgery, infection drug therapy which alter nutrient requirements. This makes recovery even more difficult. Each one of the above nutrients is needed to keep an aged body in good health. Elderly individuals should try to strive for a well-balanced diet and stay active. Adequate dietary fiber, as opposed to increased use of laxatives, will maintain regular bowel function and not interfere with the digestion and absorption of nutrients, as occurs with laxative use or abuse.

Some of the factors described above, like changes in the digestive system, as well as health concerns like the increased risk of fragile bones, means that nutritional needs change as you age. Periodic review of your diet is always helpful, particularly if you have specific medical conditions.

Taste and smell changes, as well as feelings of loneliness and depression, contribute to decreased appetite, while many elderly people may eat less because of chewing difficulties, fatigue, and social reasons. Another statistic for the elderly being the need for more nutrition because of disease or injury.

Cutting back on sleep could harm blood vessel function and breathing control, a new study has found.

A bevy of research has shown a link between sleep deprivation and cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and obesity.

However, it''s been unclear why sleep loss might lead to these effects. Several studies have tested the effects of total sleep deprivation, but this model isn''t a good fit for the way most people lose sleep, with a few hours here and there.

In a new study by Keith Pugh, Shahrad Taheri, and George Balanos, all of the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, researchers test the effects of partial sleep deprivation on blood vessels and breathing control.

They find that reducing sleep length over two consecutive nights leads to less healthy vascular function and impaired breathing control.

Following the first two nights of restricted sleep, the researchers found a significant reduction in vascular function compared to following the nights of normal sleep. However, after the third night of sleep restriction, vascular function returned to baseline, possibly an adaptive response to acute sleep loss, study leader Pugh explained.

In other tests, the researchers exposed subjects to moderately high levels of carbon dioxide, which normally increases the depth and rate of breathing. However, breathing control was substantially reduced after the volunteers lost sleep.

The researchers later had these volunteers sleep 10 hours a night for five nights. After completing the same tests, results showed that vascular function and breathing control had improved.

Pugh noted that the results could suggest a mechanism behind the connection between sleep loss and cardiovascular disease.

"If acute sleep loss occurs repetitively over a long period of time, then vascular health could be compromised further and eventually mediate the development of cardiovascular disease," he said.

Similarly, the loss of breathing control that the researchers observed could play a role in the development of sleep apnea, which has also been linked with cardiovascular disease.

Pugh added that some populations who tend to report sleeping shorter periods, such as the elderly, could be at an even higher risk of these adverse health effects.

The team will discuss the abstract of their study at the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting, being held April 20-24, 2013 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Boston, Mass.

Asthma Drugs May Boost Cataract Risk for Elderly

Elderly patients taking anti-asthmatic medications to treat their asthma or lung disease may be more likely to develop cataracts, a new study finds.

A Canadian research team studied data compiled over 14 years from more than 100,000 patients with either asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The data came from a provincial health database and included diagnosis and prescription information for each patient.

"We found that people over the age of 65 who take a cortisone-like medication called inhaled corticosteroids to lower their risk of asthma or COPD attacks are actually raising their risk of developing cataracts," study author Dr. Samy Suissa, an epidemiologist at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, said in a prepared statement. "This important information to physicians and patients will help in the management of patients using these drugs."

For patients who took an inhaled corticosteroid each day, researchers found that their risk of developing cataracts was 24 percent higher than patients who did not use the drugs. Researchers also noted an increase in patients who took half the typical daily dose of a prescribed inhaled corticosteroid. Of all the patients studied, over 10,000 of them developed severe cataracts.

"We recommend that elderly asthma sufferers keep using these very effective medications, but make efforts to reduce the dose of inhaled corticosteroids as much as possible," Suissa said.

If patients are prescribed an inhaled corticosteroid, Suissa recommends a long-acting bronchodilator or anti-leukotriene combination therapy to reduce the risk of cataracts.