Experts predict that Kaatsu could become the fitness technique of choice for elderly over the next year. The training technique is less stressful on joints, ligaments and muscles, which makes it likely to become a weight-training hit for older people and athletes.

Kaatsu is an exercise method involving compressing the vasculature proximal to the exercising muscles to reduce blood flow to the limb. There is mounting evidence that this training modality serves as a stimulator of muscle growth even when performed at relatively low intensities.

According to the International Journal of Kaatsu Training Research, the fitness method can be used for a wide variety of conditions including orthopaedic diseases, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and respiratory ailments.

You can find out more on the Kaatsu website: http://kaatsu.jp/english/

A new guide to enable older people with sensory loss to get the support and help they need launched by Counsel and Care.

Around a million older people in the UK are affected by sight loss and many also have hearing loss and many need help to find resources that may help them, according to Counsel and Care.

To ensure that all older people who experience sensory loss can get the services, support and equipment they are entitled to, Counsel and Care has joined forces with Thomas Pocklington Trust and Sense to produce a new guide for older people with hearing, sight and dual-sensory loss. The guide is launched today (28 October 2008) by Counsel and Care, the national charity getting the best care and support for older people, their families and carers.

Stephen Burke, the charity’s chief executive said: ‘This new guide is a significant addition to Counsel and Care’s comprehensive range of information for older people, their families and carers.

‘It is crucial that older people experiencing sensory loss, their families and carers have access to the right information and advice at the right time so that they know what their options are and can manage their changing needs and its impact on their lives.

‘This guide provides advice and tips on how to make the most of a person’s sight and hearing so that they can continue to lead as fulfilling and enjoyable a life as possible whatever their age.’

Counsel and Care is a national charity getting the best care and support for older people, their families and carers. Advice on issues affecting older people can be obtained by calling 0845 300 7585 or emailing advice@counselandcare.org.uk.

Find out more at the Counsel and Care website

Giving elderly people age 65 and older a dose four times larger than the standard flu vaccine boosts the amount of antibodies in their blood to levels considered protective against the flu, more so than the standard flu vaccine does. The higher dose of vaccine generally resulted in approximately 30 percent to 80 percent more antibodies against flu, long considered a good measure of protection.

The immune system generally weakens as we get older, not only leaving people more vulnerable to infection but also reducing their ability to respond to vaccination. While some studies have questioned the effectiveness of the flu vaccine in older adults, the nation’s leading public health experts stress that it’s a worthwhile, even life-saving, measure. About 90 percent of the estimated 36,000 people who die from flu-related causes in the United States each year are 65 and older.

The conventional flu vaccine is a combination of three circulating strains of flu, with each component consisting of 15 micrograms of material designed to evoke an immune response to protect a person against a particular type of flu. In the study headed by Falsey and conducted at 30 sites around the country in fall 2006, physicians compared the immune response brought about from a traditional flu vaccine compared to that from a vaccine shot containing four times as much material – 60 micrograms of material known as hemagglutinin for each of the three components.

In the study of people age 65 and older, the larger dose was given to 2,575 participants, while 1,262 subjects received the standard dose. Scientists checked the level of antibodies in the blood of the participants one month later. Generally, the large-dose vaccine increased the number of flu antibodies in study participants on average from about 30 to 80 percent. The level of such antibodies in the blood has long been considered a good gauge of how protected people are against the flu.

A greater percentage of people who received the high-dose vaccine had the typical side effects associated with the flu shot, including redness, swelling, and pain at the site of the injection, but the symptoms generally did not last longer than three days.

“These are the people at the highest risk for becoming very sick from influenza, and we saw significant improvement in the immune response in many of these people,” said Falsey. “This is very encouraging.”

Read the full article here

With everyone living longer and better medical facilities and practices available, it seems that getting old doesn’t mean the same as it did just a few years ago.

And the first people to tell you that are the “elderly” themselves! Very few 60 year olds would describe themselves as elderly - that term is now left to their parents, the 90 - 100 year olds. The statistics and a cultural shift in attitudes towards growing old back up this view. The large numbers from the Baby Boomer generation who are living longer and healthier lives and tending to keep healthy and take notice of diet and the idea of keeping the body and mind active.

For many people hitting 60 the outlook is rosy. They’re retiring at just the right time: the house is paid for, the pension is coming in and they have the time to devote to their hobbies and past-times that they haven’t had for the last 40 years due to work.

So if 60 is the new 40 - what’s the new 60? and what can we now class as elderly?

When travelling abroad with your medication there are some sensible precautions to take and with the current high level of security checks around the world you can’t be too careful!

If you have a lot of prescribed medication you will have to start thinking quite far in advance. In the UK you may need to get a special prescription from your doctor to get more than one month’s supply of your drugs.

From the NHS Direct site:

First, visit your GP and discuss your travel plans, they will be able to inform you of any special arrangements you need to make. It is also a good idea to ask your GP to write a statement explaining your medication and what it is for - this could come in very useful if you experience any problems with customs. It might even be worth having the statement translated into the language of your destination country, to avoid any further confusion.

Depending on the length of stay you may need a larger supply of medication than normal. In Europe there is an agreement that a person may carry up to three months supply of drugs but for a longer time you will need a special licence. To find out if you need a licence, contact the Home Office, Drugs Branch or visit their website.

Outside of Europe things can get quite complicated. Many countries, including India, Pakistan, Turkey and some Middle Eastern countries, for instance, have lists of medicines that are not allowed to be brought into the country. It may be wise to contact the relevant embassy well before you leave. Then you can be sure that there will be no problems taking the medicine you need.

From personal experience I would always carry about double the drugs I expect to need - half in my hand luggage, half in my main baggage. Although this might not be feasible for trips more than a couple of weeks!

For more information check out the NHS Direct website - Travelling with Medicines

You might also find a tablet organiser helpful for the journey and when you arrive, this one is probably one of the best and it has enough space for a week:

• Simple to use with seven clearly marked boxes for each day of the week.
• Each box contains four adjustable, labelled compartments.
• The blue velcro fastening case is discreet.
• It includes a patient record card and a sleeve to house one day’s supply.

Price £9.44

You can buy this here: Medidos Tablet Dispenser

View the complete inventory of tablet dispensers at Medisave.co.uk

Sleeping problems in the elderly may involve a number of factors such as: decreased energy output as a result of retirement,the age of the person, their state of health, and any prescription drugs they may be taking for health problems.

Illness disrupts sleeping patterns in the elderly, and may result in increased awakenings due to physical discomfort, caused by urinary urgency,cramps, angina, chronic obstructive airways disease, and left ventricular failure, these may be some of the many illnesses which cause sleeping problems in the elderly.

An elderly person may become very anxious about a change in their sleeping pattern, however, it will be necessary to thoroughly investigate the problem in order to ascertain if this perceived sleeping problem, causes dysfunction in their waking activities. If the elderly person has a carer, or lives with family then the problem may be easier to assess, for what appears to be a problem may only be a normal change in sleeping pattern for the age.

The most frequently occurring sleeping problem in the elderly is sleep latency, the person may spend some hours in bed before sleep occurs. The elderly person may view this as a problem and request sleeping pills, whereas, all that is needed is to teach them how to reorganize their lives to cope with the changes in sleeping patterns they are experiencing.

Reduced energy output as a result of retirement with an increased opportunity to take naps, either as a result of boredom or just plain exhaustion, may contribute to reduced quality of night-time sleep.

The pressure of a normal working day has been taken away, so the energy output is considerably less, while this may be offered as a possible reason for sleep latency, many others factors may be involved.

There may be much confusion about sleep latency, the difficulty may be exaggerated because the person who experiences it may be convinced that unless they have 8 hours of quality sleep, they will become ill. Sometimes it is difficult to convince an elderly person that they no longer require 8 hours of unbroken sleep, but may be better served by a shorter night time sleep supplemented with day time naps.

So how can sleeping problems in the elderly be resolved? Firstly it is necessary to provide a warm comfortable noise free environment, if this is available then the addition of regular exercise, combined with a healthy diet may be all that is needed to resolve the sleeping problem. However, if the previous measures fail to help, many other modalities are available to help the person .

Reflexology offers a very gentle and effective aid to sleep , and aromatherapy has proven to be very successful to assist relaxation and sleep in the elderly. Both of these modalities have been used in nursing homes and have been found to assist not only sleep, but the general well-being of the patients.

Sleeping problems in the elderly should be thoroughly investigated before any medications are prescribed. Unfortunately this is not always the procedure that is adopted, for often a script is written for what has been described as insomnia by the elderly person, however, such is mostly not the case, but rather it’s a normal progression or a resetting of the circadian rhythms as people age which requires education, not medication.

Provided that there is no evidence of disease of the central nervous system, such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic brain damage, and chronic pain, then sleeping problems in the elderly are far better managed conservatively.

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The body composition of humans is always in a dynamic state and hence keeps changing, especially in old age. This affects the nutritional requirements of the body and hence healthy eating can be a challenge particularly for the elderly. Also, in old age the hormones start losing their activity, thereby making the body lose muscles and bones and gain fat. There are some factors, which if kept in check, can help all of us lead a healthy life.

In elderly people, the intake of fat should be limited. This can be achieved by making small changes in your diet like choosing lean meats, low fat dairy products and cutting out fried food. It is important to note that fats should not be totally eliminated from the diet. Since at this age the body starts to lose muscles, proteins become a crucial part of the diet plan. It also helps in building up a healthy immune system.

High quality proteins like eggs, poultry and fish should be included in the diet. Carbohydrates are a major source of energy. However, it is important that older people choose carbohydrates that are high in fiber since it will also help in preventing constipation.

Another major part of our diet is water, which normally gets neglected. As we grow old, the body starts to lose water and hence dehydration becomes a common problem. It is recommended to drink at least 1 ounce of water per 2.2 pounds of body weight.

Micronutrients like minerals and vitamins are also important. Iron deficiency is very common in old people. It gets aggravated by the fact that the elderly tend to lose appetite and hence eat less food that results in less intake of iron. This can be avoided by incorporating lean red meat and breakfast cereals in the diet.

Calcium is another mineral that is normally deficient in the elderly. The recommended intake is about 1500 mg per day. Elderly normally avoid milk, a rich source of calcium, thinking that it will cause stomach upset. There are other rich sources of calcium like low fat cheese, yogurt, broccoli etc. Another option is to use low fat powdered milk as a substitute for milk.

Zinc intake has been found to be less in the case of older people. Also, it does not get absorbed well in the body. The answer to tackling zinc deficiency is by incorporating meat, poultry and fish in the diet plan.

Vitamin B12 is another critical micronutrient that is commonly deficient in the elderly, more so since it needs an intrinsic factor for it to be absorbed by the body. Our stomach produces this intrinsic factor. Most of the elderly suffer from a condition called atrophic gastritis, which causes stomach inflammation and bacterial overgrowth. This results in less production of the intrinsic factor and hence less absorption of Vitamin B12.

The key to a healthy life as a senior citizen is in staying active and eating a balanced diet. With adequate care and required nutrition, you can ensure that your retirement years become a boon and not a bane.

Written by the experts in first aid, the Red Cross, and specifically with the elderly in mind, this new and unique series offers an easy and engaging way to learn first aid that is relevant to you. It is structured in five-minute, easily digestible chunks that will ensure that the reader gains all the essential knowledge as well as the confidence needed to save a life. The personal, friendly tone and engaging features of the book, such as the self-testers and key skill sections make reading enjoyable and the information easy to absorb.

Five-Minute First Aid for Older People will provide any older person and their family, friends and carers with invaluable information and advice, from mobility problems, trips and falls and common illnesses, to bleeding, using common medicines and emergency resuscitation.

Price £6.57

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We’ve all been there, sorting out the pills and tablets for the week, trying to remember which pills have been taken today - which tablets to take next!

Luckily there are very simple solutions to keep everything in order - tablet dispensers quickly become part of the medicine routine. Just fill them up once a week, or month, and you’ll soon stop worrying about your medication.

One of the best dispensers I’ve found is the Medidos Tablet Dispenser, it has several useful features:

• Simple to use with seven clearly marked boxes for each day of the week.
• Each box contains four adjustable, labelled compartments.
• The blue velcro fastening case is discreet.
• It includes a patient record card and a sleeve to house one day’s supply.

Price £9.44

You can buy this here: Medidos Tablet Dispenser

View the complete inventory of tablet dispensers at Medisave.co.uk

Now I’ve got my weekly supply sorted out, I just need to find a pocket sized pill holder that I can take out in the evening for easy, discreet access to my medication! Any ideas?

Today’s full time workers have a lot on their plate. They work a full workweek, often including overtime hours. They head home and concentrate on family life, spending time with spouses, children and other family activities. And now more than ever, they spend time at their parents’ homes taking care of daily chores they can’t attend to themselves.

Baby boomers today are now in their 40’s and 50’s, with a wide range of responsibilities. Because their parents are in their 70’s, 80’s and beyond, they are also facing the facts of making decisions for their parents; a responsibility that is often difficult and time consuming. It’s also having a huge impact on businesses, and employee productivity.

According to The MetLife Caregiving Costs Study: Productivity Losses to U.S. Business, produced jointly between MetLife Mature Market Institute and the National Alliance for Caregiving, U.S. businesses lose between $17.1 billion to $33.6 billion per year on employees taking time off to care for elderly family members. This is an increase of $4 billion in each category up from 10 years previously. And as baby boomers continue to age, this number will also continue to rise proportionately.

Today’s caregivers make up about 21 percent of the working population. They spend time shuffling their elderly loved ones to appointments, or spending time caring for their needs. Because of the changes in insurance and pension options, caregivers are opting to take on more responsibility, and bypassing the traditional elderly care options.

Increasingly men are also taking on the role of caregiver. Currently about 39 percent of caregivers are men assuming the primary caregiver position. Not only are they assuming this caregiver role, but they are also tackling it while holding down a full time managerial or executive position.

All of this is helping change the way businesses are handling employee relations. With these statistics, it’s easy to see why employers need to being making concessions for today’s caregivers, and take a proactive approach to care giving in the future.

To start, an employer needs to move beyond awareness, and create programs to help their employees through different stages of life.

Education can begin in the workplace. Many employers offer brown bag lunch seminars, or other resources to offer ideas and solutions to their employees. In many cases, just knowing about resources and help in your community can take some of the burden off day-to-day chores.

Human resource departments are also beginning to hire geriatric managers that can help an employee assess their situation, and make recommendations based on the needs of the employee and his or her family.

Flexible work hours are also becoming more acceptable. Because of a variety of family needs, being able to come in early, or work later into the evening can be a big benefit. Telecommuting is also becoming an option with the high tech options available to employers.

Above all, being open to ideas and possibilities will be key in the future. As the needs of the elderly continue to increase, only time will tell how well employers can handle their needs. To be successful in the future will demand a variety of options, and the ability to change.