Aging & Health

Instructions Step 1: Consult your parents’ physicians Consult with your parents’ physicians. Ask for home health-care suggestions. Step 2: Check internet Check the internet for information on organizations such as AARP, Seniorcorp, and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Check companies’ reputations and business practices with the Better Business Bureau. TIP: Support groups …

Instructions Step 1: Select the style Select a style that is designed specifically for men or women. Step 2: Look for tailored options Look for a brand that is tailored to your weight and waist measurements. Step 3: Know the level of protection Know the level of protection needed. TIP: Most brands give choices of …

Instructions Step 1: Replace knobs and faucets Replace standard doorknobs in the home with levers. Switch out hot and cold taps in the bathroom with a single lever faucet. Step 2: Stock the pantry Stock the pantry with easy-to-open foods that are easy to reheat. The microwave oven, cups, and utensils should be easy to …

Instructions : Consult your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen. Step 1: Determine calcium intake Determine how much calcium a person your age and gender needs daily. This information can be found by doing an internet search for “recommended calcium intake.” TIP: It is recommended that people between the ages of 19 and 50 receive …

Instructions Step 1: Sit correctly Sit ergonomically with your shoulders back, head straight, feet flat on the floor. and legs at a 90 degree angle from the spine. TIP: When sitting at a computer, the monitor should be 24 to 30 inches away and about 20 degrees below your line of sight. Position the keyboard …

Instructions Step 1: Eat the right foods Eat a Mediterranean diet: Lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes, and whole grains, with olive oil being the main source of fat. Moderate amounts of turmeric, the spice used in curry, seem to offer a protective benefit too. Avoid saturated fats, which have been indirectly linked with an …

Instructions Step 1: Visit U.S. Administration on Aging office Go to Eldercare.gov to find a local U.S. Administration on Aging office. Contact them for information on long-term care facilities in your area. Step 2: Ask around Ask a doctor, family members, and friends for recommendations. Ask a hospital’s discharge planner or social worker for a …

Instructions Step 1: Learn American Sign Language Learn American Sign Language if the individual is deaf. Step 2: Communicate face-to-face Communicate face-to-face, not across the room. Step 3: Listen to audio tapes Listen to audio tapes of simulated hearing loss. Step 4: Read articles Read articles about hearing loss and ways to communicate around it. …

Instructions Step 1: Visit, listen, discuss Visit often and talk with your parents. Address healthcare, financial, and housing issues for when they will require more care than you can provide. Step 2: Get support Ask a neighbor or sibling to check on your parents often in your absence. Educate the helper about any medication schedule. …

Instructions Step 1: Make a list Make a list of countries that you are interested in. Carefully research them by consulting books, magazines, and web sites. Step 2: Check visa requirements Find out about visa requirements. A few countries go out of their way to welcome U.S. retirees. Others won’t let U.S. citizens take up …

Instructions Step 1: Locate your Medicaid office Find your local Medicaid office by searching on the internet or by calling Medicare at 1-800-633-4227, and make an appointment. TIP: Not everyone qualifies for Medicaid. Make sure to clearly explain your situation when making an appointment. Step 2: Bring the necessary paperwork Bring your identification, Social Security …

Instructions : Always consult a physician before attempting to do any exercise or exercise plan. Step 1: Maintain a positive attitude Maintain a positive attitude about yourself and your surgical procedure. Thinking about wellness can have a dramatic affect on your recovery. Step 2: Ask questions Ask your doctor questions about what you can and …

Instructions Step 1: Notice tremors Take note of tremors, the most common and often earliest symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Tremors are a steady and rhythmic shaking of the hands or feet. Step 2: Test rigidity Test rigidity. Muscle stiffness is another common symptom. Stretch and move limbs to see if they feel heavy or weak. …

Instructions Step 1: Note memory lapses Note short-term memory lapses in your parents, such as confusion about where they are or when they arrived somewhere. Step 2: Pay attention to organization Notice if parents struggle with organizing information or keeping numbers straight. Step 3: Analyze sources of vision problem Take note of complaints about vision …

Instructions Step 1: Eat well Put down the burger and step away from the fries. People who eat mostly fruits, vegetables, and fish and fewer fats and sugars live longer. Colorful foods have more nutrients than their paler counterparts. Step 2: Exercise Get out there and move. Being physically active helps people live longer, largely …

Instructions Step 1: Eat blueberries and walnuts Eat blueberries and walnuts. Two Tufts University studies found that just a cup of blueberries or an ounce of walnuts a day can protect the body against age-related nerve damage that can affect thinking, motor skills, and coordination. TIP: Blue fruits in general–purple grapes, blackberries, plums, boysenberries, black …

Instructions Step 1: Ignore her wildly fluctuating moods Ignore her wildly fluctuating moods. Who cares if she’s laughing one minute, sobbing the next? Her hormones are in a state of tremendous flux, and calling her a psycho is not going to help. TIP: Repeat this mantra: ‘This is only a stage mom’s going through. It’s …

Instructions Step 1: Have sex Sex stimulates production of the human growth hormone, which reduces fatty tissue and increases lean muscle, leading to a more youthful appearance. In fact, research shows that people who have sex at least three times a week look ten years younger than those who don’t. Step 2: Take care of …