Tag: fitness

Senior College, Senior College Class

Home and Driving Safety for Seniors

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From the SHERIFF’S Desk

Home and Driving Safety for Seniors

Sheriff Jason Trundy, Waldo County Sheriff



Recent U.S. Census data estimate that approximately 24% of Waldo County residents are over 65 years of age. The Sheriff’s Office recognizes that our senior population faces various challenges. This article focuses on two important challenges. One is being able to live safely in your home and the other is motor safety. Due to these reasons, among others, we have remained actively engaged with organizations such as Aging Well in Waldo County and Waldo County Triad.

 The Center for Disease Control and Prevention includes “Unintentional Injury” as one of the top 10 risk factors for seniors. This category includes falls and motor vehicle crashes. CDC data indicates that approximately 36 million falls occur each year involving persons over 65 years of age.

 According to the National Institute on Aging, the risk of falls can be reduced by remaining physically active through exercise and balance programs such as, yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and other offerings through local organizations such as our YMCA.

Another preventative measure is to make your home  “fall proof”. Several ways to accomplish this goal are to ensure that handrails are installed along both sides of any stairway and that there is good lighting along the entire stairwell. Consider installing motion activated lighting in commonly traveled hall and stairways. It is critical to keep all walking areas tidy, making sure there are no items that may cause tripping, including loose rugs. 

Installing grab bars in bathrooms around toilets, tubs and showers, and using non-skid mats on surfaces that become wet are ways to prevent falls. Using nightlights throughout your home, and keeping a flashlight near your bed in case of the loss of power are important for nighttime safety. Keep outdoor pathways clear of debris and well lighted. During winter months make sure you have ice-melting products available. Carrying a small container of sand can be valuable for those unexpected incidents where you encounter icy conditions.
 
Motor vehicle crashes also carry increased risk for our senior community members. In 2019 there were more than 46 million licensed drivers in the U.S. over 65 years of age. This represents over a 60% increase since 2000. There are approximately 1.6 million motor vehicle crashes each year in the U.S. involving drivers over 65 years of age. 



More seniors are enjoying the freedom and independence associated with being able to drive their own vehicles. In a rural state, such as Maine, as well as in other states, independence is of prime important! 

Following simple steps can reduce the risk factors associated with seniors behind the wheel.

  • First, check with your doctor and eye care professionals to ensure that your health and eyesight are optimal for driving.
  • Plan your route in advance of your trip and share this information with a loved one before leaving.
  • Before you leave your house, especially for long trips (and short ones, as well), double-check that windows are locked, appliances, such as your stove and dryer are off, keep a light on, or use a timer, install a photo-sensitive light so you’ll be able to clearly see your door and garage when you return, and make certain that your doors are locked and keep blinds closed at night.
  • Apple Watches detect falls and will alert someone for help if you don’t respond, and various apps can check your door if someone is approaching. In many places in Maine and other rural areas, many of these precautions sound too cumbersome and are not things “we’ve had to do before”, such as locking the house door, taking the key out of the car’s ignition, etc. However, whether you are living in a rural area, in a town or city, your personal safety needs to be a top priority in this day and age.
  • Arrange to have your mail held at your local post office, or have a trusted individual pick up your daily mail.
  • Choose the safest route, and try planning your driving during daylight hours, if possible. If you must travel after dark, utilize well-lighted roads.
  • Identify areas where parking is easiest and avoid areas that require parallel parking or where there are significant blind spots.
  • While traveling, leave a large space between you and the car ahead, providing you with ample time to respond in case of emergencies.
  • Always avoid distractions in your vehicle such as, loud music, talking, texting, phoning, eating things that will distract you from driving, and, of course, drinking–even alcoholic beverages labeled as “light” still contain alcohol.
  • If possible have a road assistance plan, such as AAA; you never know when a car emergency happens.

Lastly, falling and driving are only two risks to consider as we age. Another important precaution is to not open your door to anyone you don’t know, and beware of scams on your computer or phone. If the offer sounds too good to be true, then it is highly likely that it is. Don’t respond; delete.

Waldo County operates a Friendly Caller Program through our Dispatch Center. Call Dispatch at the general line number at (207) 338-2040 to learn more about the program.

Always make sure you have emergency numbers available on your person. In an emergency, call the County’s 911 emergency dispatch center. If you need to reach the Sheriff’s Office for a non-emergency related issue you can call the general line number at (207) 338-2040 or 1-800-660-3398.

All of us at the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office wish you a happy, healthy, and accident-free year.

Senior College, Senior College Class

Get Exercise!

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Carol Kuhn, M.D.

Jack LaLanne (in moderation) was way ahead of his/our

time….

2020 rings in a new year and a new decade and perhaps renewed interest in

self-improvement including our health issues/concerns. “Regular Exercise” is

often at the top of the list of resolutions/commitments and for good reasons.

There is overwhelming evidence to show the benefit of exercise in all age

groups, but especially in older adults. In particular the key benefits of increasing

physical activity include improved strength, flexibility, mobility, and fitness.

These can all improve daily function, help to maintain independence, and

reduce risk of falls. In addition, exercise can reduce depressive symptoms, and

group exercise programs can provide social engagement (reduce social

isolation).

It is never too late to become physically active. Even individuals who

have been “sedentary” but start exercise in their 80s show a survival benefit

compared with their peers who remain sedentary. Improved fitness and

strength with exercise is noted among very frail older adults and nursing home

residents.

There are four recommended categories of physical activity:

Aerobic exercise, muscle strengthening, flexibility, and balance.2/4/2020 AWWC Village Wise

1. Aerobic exercise involves large muscles that stimulate and strengthen

the heart and lungs. Examples are: brisk walking, jogging,

swimming, water aerobics, tennis, golf without use of a cart,

exercise classes, dancing (try this in your kitchen), bicycle

riding, and use of “cardio” equipment elliptical, stair climbing

machines, stationary bikes, and treadmills. This equipment is

NOT meant to be used as clothes racks! Activities can be accumulated

throughout the day e.g. 10-20 minutes at a time. Short walks a few

times/day may be all we need or can do! Guidelines for older adults

suggest a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-

intensity aerobic activity (30 minutes on five days each week)

or a minimum of 60 minutes per week of vigorous activity. (20

minutes on 3 days each week) or some combination of the two.

Wow! Let’s get moving! Caution! A good rule of thumb for moderate to

vigorous aerobic intensity is that we should be able to carry on a

conversation during activity. If you can’t chat or LAUGH, you

should slow down (& ENJOY)!

2. Muscle strengthening exercise includes weight training,

calisthenics, or resistance training. Strength and muscle endurance is

progressive and requires gradual increases in resistance over time. Pop

Quiz: who remembers The Jack LaLanne show? His TV show

started in 1951 and he died in 2011. Muscle strengthening for older adults

helps us limit age-related loss of muscle mass and bone density. It

improves function and reduces risk of falls and disability from chronic

diseases. Ideally, strengthening exercises are done 2x/week, but

even 1x/week is effective. Low weights: 1-5# are often sufficient.

3. Flexibility is essential to good physical health and necessary to perform

daily life activities such as putting on shoes, reaching for overhead

objects, or turning around to back a car out of a driveway.

Flexibility/stretching exercises should be done 2x/week for at least 10

minutes. Remember that when you stretch muscles you should

hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds & you should feel a slight

pull but not stretch to the point of pain.

4. Balance Training improves stability and may prevent falls. Tai Chi

classes have improved balance and reduce falls risk. These classes are

offered at Waldo County YMCA. Physical Therapy referrals to

enhance strength, balance, and falls prevention are usually covered by

Medicare and are very effective.

Summary: Onward and Upward in 2020; let’s get moving! I am still2/4/2020 AWWC Village Wise

looking for my Mother’s Jack LaLanne blue jump suit. As Jack LaLanne is

quoted: “You eat every day, you sleep every day, and your body was

made to exercise every day.”

Disclaimer: There are many special populations with special health

conditions which may require special consideration: functionally

limited or frail adults or with specific arthritis conditions,

osteoporosis, chronic pain for whom these recommendations may

not be appropriate. It is recommended that you contact your primary care

provider re: recommendations/concerns.

Senior College, Senior College Class

Wearable Technologies

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Wearable Technologies   In this article, three senior citizens who each wear a different wearable technology write from their personal experience. We feature three such technologies: the Oura Ring, the Apple Watch, and the Fit Bit. Each one helps their wearers be more healthy and safe.
The Oura Ring
Wendy C. Kasten

My husband and I enjoy watching classes on varied topics from The Great Courses program. We recently viewed “The Scientific Guide to Health and Happiness.” The professor/lecturer was Dr. Robin Miller, a physician of integrated medicine from the northwest. She mentioned the Oura ring she was wearing. I was intrigued with what she said about the ring, so I was delighted that my husband gave me one for my birthday. I was immediately drawn to the value of understanding my sleep issues and monitoring my pulse and breathing (I have asthma). Since a first-degree relative, close in age, had three cardiac medical events, I was further motivated to monitor the data the Oura ring provided.

An Oura ring (ouraring.com) is available in multiple finishes and is worn around the clock, even when swimming and showering. It collects vital signs and transmits them to an APP on your smartphone. It looks like a slightly bulky man’s ring and can be worn on any finger. When you place a preliminary order, Oura sends a kit of plastic rings identical in size and shape to an actual ring to try out sizes on different fingers to decide what will be most comfortable. Oura encourages the potential buyer to wear the plastic rings on different fingers for at least 24 hours before completing the purchase. When you begin wearing Oura, it “gets to know” you and monitors body temperature, breathing, pulse, activity, and sleep. The company may offer updates to include additional functions. The ring provides a graph of sleep, separating light sleep, from deep sleep, and REM sleep. It recommends the time to go to bed and when it’s best to take it easy for the day. And it warns you if you’re coming down with something, recommending you rest and take it easy.

The prices are currently between $275. -$575.00 depending on the finish the buyer selects (gold is the highest priced). Following that time period, there is a monthly charge of approximately $5.00 per month. The Oura ring needs to be charged approximately every 3 days. The charger is included and is easy to use. Customer support is text-based only; the company is located in Finland.

So far, I have learned I have been staying up too late, that my activity is on the light side, and that my heart takes most of the night to get to a “resting heart rate.” I plan to discuss this and other data with my primary care physician. The Oura ring might be a tool for someone with irregular heart rhythms or someone with sleep issues. Those are issues to discuss with the company. Lastly, I enjoy the embedded library of recordings to help relax and fall asleep. Oura rings are sold online and at Best Buy(ouraraing.com). More recently, new features have been added. Oura now gives you oxygen sensing, and VO2MAX (a measure of overall cardiovascular health). It also sends you a warning if something is “straining your body” which usually means you are about to become ill. In these instances, I cancel all plans and got to bed to try and avert something serious.

I believe this smart tool can be helpful in understanding many aspects related to living a healthy life.
 
                        

  Apple Watch      by Martha Stamp

I am over 70 and live alone. My sister is five years younger, also living alone and a techie.  Six years ago she purchased one of the early Apple Watches. She considered it better than other alert devises for elderly people because it is worn on the wrist and can activate a 911 call vocally. A sudden movement will automatically activate it unless the wearer stops it. The Apple Watch can also be connected to the wearer’s cell phone. This is helpful for me as I often walk alone on the beach and could quickly access help if needed. It also has a nice feature of locating your phone if it is misplaced.

I have always worn a watch so it was natural for me to try an Apple Watch. It is a bit larger than the watch I usually wear, and there are a variety of bands from which to select. The Apple Watch holds a charge for a day and comes with a charger. The watch serves more purposes than only as a safety device. There are different apps you can have on it. For example, I use the exercise app that monitors my steps and offers incentives.  I also access the weather. Because it is linked with my Apple Phone, I can talk on it (Think Dick Tracy!) and am notified when I receive a text. There are other apps offering health options, but I haven’t explored all of them.  It is like wearing an Apple Phone on your wrist.

An Apple Watch can be purchased through many carriers, such as US Cellular and Verizon.  These watches can also be purchased through Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. The prices vary from approximately $152 for a refurbished one to $746 for the newest models. Not all will connect with the your specific carrier, so be careful to check the specs.  I strongly recommend checking with your carrier first to see if they offer that service.  I have found that feature to be invaluable when traveling.  I love my watch and don’t know how I got along without it!
Fitbit Motivation  by Joyce Ray

We all know we need to keep moving to stay healthy, but sometimes I lack motivation to get out and walk. I know vaguely how far it is down to the pond and back, and some days I manage to make the circuit and pat myself on the back. But not often enough, until I bought my Fitbit. This little wristband device provides the motivation I need to get moving!

I bought the basic Inspire Fitbit, no bells and whistles, three years ago, and it’s still going strong. It tracks my steps, my heart rate, calories burned, distance walked, and how many minutes of activity I log each day. It also tracks my hours of sleep, recording light, deep, and REM sleep. This is all I need, but I could log in my water intake and even the food I consume. It’s shower and swim proof, but I haven’t tested it.

My Fitbit vibrates and launches firework graphics when I attain the step goal I set. For me, it’s very satisfying to reach my goal, knowing that I’m doing my best to stay healthy and fit. My winter goal was 5,000 steps (about two miles), but now that the weather is warmer, I’m increasing my goal by small increments. Most days, I check my step status an hour before bedtime, and if I’m lacking several hundred steps, I go for it- up and down stairs, in and out of rooms! The steps are logged, and I can check my weekly or monthly averages on my smartphone to see how diligent I’ve been. I can honestly say that I am more active with the Fitbit than without it.

The device tells me the time and the date, so I could give up my wristwatch, but I haven’t. If I turn on Alerts, Bluetooth syncs it with my smartphone. The Fitbit can remind me of appointments, calls, texts, and probably lots of other things. However, I have definite opinions about being too tied to devices!

The Fitbit Inspire sells for about $100 from fitbit.com, but there are 20% off spring sales, and competitive pricing may be found at a local Walmart, Best Buy, etc. My battery needs charging about every five days, but the new Inspire 2 advertises a 10-day battery life. A charger cord is included with purchase. Wristband color choices are black or white for the basic price, but other colors are available at additional cost.

There is no maintenance fee. A one-year free Premium trial comes with purchase of a new Fitbit Inspire 2. Premium gives you personalized insights about your activity, all level workouts and step-by-step programs. This free offer was not available to me, and I have not subscribed to it. I’m satisfied with the information I receive. I recommend a Fitbit to anyone who needs motivation to get moving to maintain health.
 
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SILVER SNEAKERS!

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Do you know about SILVER SNEAKERS?

People aged 65 and over who have selected Medicare plans are eligible for Silver Sneakers for free. This widespread program to encourage exercise among senior citizens is available throughout the country in two ways. First, some fitness centers are designated as “Silver Sneaker” locations. What that means is, you check your eligibility on the website (silversneakers.com). If you are eligible, you can also print your membership card from the website and start going to the fitness center nearest you. For free. Yes, for free. At a Silver Sneakers location, you will find a way to sign in which looks like a tablet and scan your card. The management may want you to fill out a form with basic information as part of “joining” except that in this case “joining” has no fees attached. The fitness center is reimbursed by your Medicare.

There are currently no locations of fitness centers accepting Silver Sneakers in Waldo County Maine.

But, Don’t despair. Go to SilverSneakers.com and use your Medicare card to check your eligibility. If you are eligible, there are more than 40 classes a day delivered over ZOOM. You can take as many as you like. For free.

Some selections include line dancing, circuit, yoga, TaiChi, Walk Strong, Stronger Now, Get Fit and more. Some classes are 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, or 45 minutes. Some classes use common equipment such as light to moderate weights, exercise bands with handles, and a nine-inch ball. Some advise useing a nearby chair for balance. Yoga classes use a floor mat.

Experienced instructors are experienced and all well prepared for their senior citizen audience. They always caution members to dial up or down on intensity to suit their ability. Special instructions are provided for seniors who must sit throughout the session. Safety and caution are always priorities.

At the beginning and end of each class, the “chat” is open for participants who would like to introduce themselves, and at the end for feedback. Questions are invited over the Q & A feature. Classes sometimes are being taken by hundreds of seniors from all over the United States. Overall, the instructors are superb (and many are senior citizens, too!)

Even if you are not eligible for Silver Sneakers, nearly all Medicare plans encourage exercise. Call the number on the back of your card and inquire. It is common to be reimbursed up to $400 for a gym membership. But you have to make that call and ask.

There is no easier way to exercise! No driving in bad weather. No gym bag to pack. No concerns about what to wear or how you look.

Check your eligibility! And Get Fit having fun.