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.”

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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?

You’ve probably heard about how effective massage therapy for elderlies is by now, but you probably don’t know why it is considered so beneficial. Well, although massage therapy has been practiced for a long time, the general public has only recently started to open their minds and hearts to this technique in recent years. It is now known, and proven, that touch therapy and massage helps reduce stress in elderlies - someone who is given the massage and touch therapy sleeps deeper and longer.

Massage therapy provides elderlies with a very nurturing feeling and it is especially helpful for adults with medical or physical problems. The more times they experience your touch, the calmer they will become. The calmer they are, the better they are able to deal with the medical interventions that they have to go through at their old age!

Massage therapy and touch therapy have a lot in common because they have a lot to do with motion of the hands over various parts of the body. The technique involves a lot of touching, stroking, and massaging of body parts. Massage therapy might even be a little bit on the painful side - but for elderlies, this is not the case.

Some nursing professionals offer massage therapy services to elderlies they deliver. Professional nurses who offer these services will provide the technique to critically or seriously ill elderlies. These nurses work closely with the elderly’s doctor and other nurses to ensure that the persons health is in no way endangered at all.

Elderlies who are not medically challenged will also benefit from massage therapy. It has been shown that elderlies who are given massage therapy from an early age tend to age more alert, smarter, and healthier in general.

No need to feel disabled any longer. Advanced mobility electric scooters can provide independence for the handicapped, disabled or elderly.

There has been much advancement in the field of wheelchairs, specifically mobility wheelchairs. But now there is something even more versatile, mobility electric scooters. When it comes to the elderly or handicapped mobility scooters may be the best thing since sliced bread.

In the past disabled persons would lose out on many uplifting activities. But with the innovations in mobility scooters, the elderly and handicapped are not feeling quite as old or as feeble as they once were. Why? When you can get around almost as well as active healthy people you can return to being a part of the family or community. Independence is once again your ally. The ability to get around the house or out in public once again can be a major boost in a persons self worth. No more dependence on others to perform common everyday tasks.

Motorized electric scooters for people with a handicap are fast becoming the way of the future. With technological advances being made with regard to electric mobility scooters it’s no wonder they have taken the disabled world by storm. It’s a thrill seeing a 90 year old man walking his dog with the help of a mobility electric scooter, something that he wouldn’t have been possible just a few short years ago. But now there is practically nowhere a person can’t go with the help of an electric motor scooter.

There are gas motor scooters and electric motorized scooters, but for the handicapped gas scooters are out and electric is in. No need for gas, just plug it in for a recharge and then off you go with full independence once again. These wonderful scooters are getting faster and lighter. Plus, the scooter batteries have drastically improved, allowing much longer periods of driving without the need for a recharge. Wouldn’t it be nice being able to scoot around all day without the need for a charge?

Another advantage of mobility electric motor scooters is the cost. They are not only becoming increasingly less expensive, but if a person is disabled or handicapped it may even be possible to have Medicare or other medical insurance pick up some or all of the tab.

When purchasing an electric scooter be sure to take it for a test drive before buying. The most important thing is making sure that your motorized scooter is comfortable. By purchasing a comfortable scooter it’ll be a pleasant drive anywhere you go. Another consideration is the cost. If at all possible have your health insurance company pay for part of the price. But even if you have no insurance it is well worth the price. No price can be put on being independent and mobile, especially if you’ve been laid up for awhile.

One of the many options available in mobile electric scooters is their number of wheels. There are models that have either 3 wheels or 4 wheels. The 3 wheel scooters are typically lighter in weight. The 4 wheel models are typically heavier, but may be a little better balanced when going quickly around a turn. Two wheels in the front make for a more stable vehicle around sharp corners. Once again, it is wise to test drive before buying.

There are many different options including colors, sizes, weights, number of wheels, battery capacity and the types of seats. If chosen carefully an electric scooter can become one of the best purchases ever made for the handicapped, disabled or elderly.

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.

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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.

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