Falls Prevention

Would it surprise you to know that 35 to 40% of people 65 years of age and older fall each year and that those that fall are 2-3 times more likely to fall again. A majority of these falls result in hip fractures and head injuries. Of those hospitalized for a hip fracture 40% never return home or live independently again. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and most common reason for emergency room trauma admissions.
Serious falls and fall related injuries impose a massive burden on individuals, their families, and the nation’s health care system.
By 2020, the estimated cost of fall-related injuries is projected at 43.8 billion dollars a year for people 65 years of age and older.
All aging programs are focusing on reducing falls and serious injuries through fall prevention and methods of obtaining emergency assistance when a fall occurs.
Philips Lifeline has established a checklist of fall prevention techniques. The Fall Prevention Brochure assists in recognizing fall risks and prevention.
Evidence strongly suggests that falls result from numerous factors that can be both natural to the individual’s health condition and within the safety of their home environment. Concerns are focused on the physical ability, home safety, medication management, and the environment or surroundings.
Medication management is another concern. Changes in concentration, dizziness or lightheadedness, balance, and alertness can all be side effects of medications or the mixture of medications if not taken properly. Review medications with your doctor or pharmacist. Some drugs, including over the counter drugs can make you drowsy and unsteady.
Methods to reduce falls in a home include, but are not limited to, installing grab bars in shower, tub, and toilet areas; remove clutter; check that wires/extension cords do not cross a walking area; proper lighting; paint edges of basement stairs; remove or tack all throw rugs; and store frequently used items where you can reach them easily.
Home environment and surroundings also contributes to the escalating number of falls. Uneven pavement or surfaces, tree roots, slippery walking surfaces, snow and ice can lead to serious injuries especially if the person is not found for some time and the weather is severe.
Now for some good news – Studies have confirmed that getting help quickly after a fall reduces the risk of hospitalization by 26% and death by 80%, “South Medical Journal.” A study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine found that preventing falls and the resulting injuries can reduce or delay the need to move to a long-term care facility.
Systems that enable seniors to summon help when a fall occurs are personal emergency response services. St. Clair Hospital Lifeline Program is one service that ensures subscribers immediate assistance in the event of an emergency. The waterproof, lightweight personal help button links the caller to Philips Lifeline Emergency Response Center. The monitor will contact family or police/paramedics based on the situation.
Although most of the subscribers live alone, there are still many who live with their spouse or other family members. Patients with medical histories of high blood pressure; stroke; congestive heart failure; cancer; diabetes; recent hip fracture; breathing problems; severe arthritis; MS; MD; ALS and other chronic diagnosis benefit from the early intervention and reassurance that Lifeline provides.

Additional Senior Fall Prevention Resources:
• Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers will provide home inspections for any senior in the Allegheny County Area. Contact them at (412) 687-6712.
• St. Clair Hospital Lifeline Program will upon request distribute Fall Prevention brochures. Contact them at (412) 942-2093.

As a special promotion for St. Clair Hospital Lifeline will be offering free installation which is a cost savings of $50.00 for the months of May and June 2008.(412) 942-2093

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Jennifer Antkowiak Offers Caregivers
Six Easy Steps to Keep Healthy
By April Terreri

Caregivers today in the U.S. number about 50 million. A stressed healthcare system and shorter hospital stays mean family caregivers are expected to do what healthcare professionals once did – and they are expected to do this without the training. While the act of caring for the health of your family member can give you a good feeling, the truth is you could be forgetting about your own health, putting yourself at risk for a number of serious diseases.
Jennifer Antkowiak knows a bit about this syndrome, having cared for her mother, mother-in-law, and father-in-law at different points in time. The TV star and mother of five children regularly speaks throughout the region on this and other critically important topics ensuring good physical and mental health. “People need to know that being a caregiver puts you at increased risk for physical and mental diseases,” she says. These include stress, colds and flu, heart problems, diabetes, cancer, and depression.
Whether you are caring for someone requiring short-term rehabilitation medical care or long-term critical medical care, you are investing a lot of effort and energy into care giving. But caregivers often put last caring for their own health and well-being. “People need to understand that taking the time to care for themselves is not a selfish thing, and they need to do this or they will not have the energy they need to care for everyone and everything they need to during these times.”
Six Steps to a Healthier You
Antkowiak suggests the following easy and effective 10-minute activities that fit easily into any busy schedule.
1. Exercise
We need a minimum of 30 minutes a day of exercise to keep our bodies and minds healthy, Antkowiak says. “This doesn’t mean it has to be high intensity or all in one chunk of time. It can be done in 10-minute chunks throughout the day. For instance, a few minutes of walking or walking in place will get your circulation going, boosting your metabolism and releasing endorphins to your brain to make you feel better. Soon you and others will notice the results and this will feed into your self-esteem.”
2. Don’t forget to Breathe!
Being rushed and stressed during our busy days means we overlook something as fundamental as our own breathing patterns, which are usually shallow. This can deprive our bodies of oxygen and can hinder the elimination of carbon dioxide, resulting in a feeling of sluggishness in our brains and bodies. When you are ready to focus on deep breathing, Antkowiak suggests not doing too much too fast. “Your goal should be to gradually increase your lung capacity. Pay special attention to your form when working on deep breathing. Taking a deep breath should not make your shoulders go up, or your back arch, or your chest go out. Practice focusing on breathing from the stomach, keeping your shoulders and chest still. First concentrate on breathing in for a count of four, holding that breath while you count to two or three, then blowing it out for another count of four. The exhale is just as important as the inhale. Increase counts for each step as you are able. But remember not to do too much too fast.
3. Positive Visualization
This activity requires mental strength, says Antkowiak. “When we are caring for someone we love who is sick and suffering it is depressing. We are with them as they go in and out of hospitals and we see them and others in the hospital in painful and debilitating conditions. This can wear on your mind, trapping you into being unable to see anything positive in your life. I like to suggest choosing one thing on your body that is working – like your little finger – and celebrate the little things that are working.”
To enhance this activity use the breathing exercises and close your eyes, suggests Antkowiak. “Psychologists say if you put your fingertips together, it helps to connect your left and right brain, thereby bringing instant balance to you. If you are having a day where things seem very negative and out of control – and you can’t find focus – find a quiet place to just sit for a moment and touch your fingertips together, close your eyes and think of something positive.”
Antkowiak admits this can be difficult and that you might have to ‘fake this’ at first because of the degree of your stress. “But remember that we do have the ability to recondition our brains and turn things around into a positive light. But it takes mental focus.”
4. Up-to-date Immunizations
Make sure you get your annual physical and flu shot. Renew your tetanus booster every 10 years. Get the recommended screenings that relate to your age and to your family health history. Tell your doctor you are a caregiver to alert him or her to the risk factors that should be monitored. If you feel depressed or you are having a hard time getting out of bed, tell your doctor. If you don’t enjoy things that used to give you joy, or if you begin to exhibit behaviors uncommon to you – like being late or forgetting things – make sure to tell your doctor.
5. Prayer
If you believe there is something bigger than you that is protecting you and guiding you, it offers a tremendous amount of support, says Antkowiak.
6. Create your own Network of Support
Find a person or persons to whom you can let out your frustrations, fears, and joys, suggests Antkowiak. “People commonly feel they are not doing things right when they are caregivers. I don’t have a medical degree, and neither do so many caregivers out there. But that doesn’t matter. What really matters is that you are holding the hand of your loved one and you are caring about them and you are there for them as they go through this very scary time.”
Antkowiak is currently finishing a book entitled ‘How to Take Care of Yourself While You are Taking Care of Others.’ Check for information updates on the book’s availability at www.jennifertvshow.com.
Care giving is really the domain of most of us, says Antkowiak. “Although I am a mother of five healthy children, I still consider myself a caregiver.” By caring first for our own physical and mental health, we will have the strength we need to be able to offer the quality of care we want to give to those who really need us.

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Alzheimer’s Disease
What we know 100 years after its discovery
By Andrea L. Zrimsek

HEAD-HEART CONNECTION
Some of the strongest research links brain health to heart health. The brain is nourished by one of the body’s richest networks of blood vessels. Every heartbeat pumps about 20 to 25 percent of your blood to your head, where brain cells use at least 20 percent of the food and oxygen your blood carries.
The risk of developing Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia appears to be increased by many conditions that damage the heart or blood vessels. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high cholesterol. Living an active lifestyle and eating a healthy diet can reduce your risks of both heart problems and brain problems.
Keeping your brain active can also contribute to prevention of Alzheimer’s, though there are no guarantees. The one thing about Alzheimer’s that is difficult for many to grasp is that it does not respect anyone. Much as a marathon runner in peak physical condition can die of a sudden heart attack, a healthy, active, mentally engaged adult can be stricken with Alzheimer’s.
Sadly, DeKosky says, many people do not get to a doctor for an Alzheimer’s evaluation because they don’t want to receive the diagnosis. Yet that same patient would more often than not seek out an expert opinion if they were having chest pains or joint problems.

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Whether you are just entering the workforce, peaking in your career or contemplating retirement, periodic cleaning will help keep your financial house in order. So roll up your sleeves and get to work on this checklist of financial chores.
Straighten your financial paperwork
Are you hording copies of bank statements, cancelled checks and other financial miscellany? It may be time to purge. Check into current guidelines on retaining financial records and shred excess documents that aren’t required. Then date and store records you need to keep in a safe and private location.
Check your credit score
Every year you are entitled to a free credit report from three main credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. If you haven’t done so already, request a report from one of these agencies. Not only will you be able to see where you stand, you can also monitor your credit for suspicious activity.
Analyze and adjust your budget
Take a close look at where your money is going each month and if you’re working within your budget. Do you need to tighten your financial belt? This task often reveals opportunities for trimming expenses and may help you free dollars for other activities you enjoy.
Revisit your retirement savings strategy
Spring is the perfect time to air out concerns about your retirement plan and reinvigorate efforts to save for your future. If you’re maxing out your annual 401(k) contributions as recommended, consider supplemental savings options to grow your nest egg.
Monitor your healthcare spending
With healthcare costs rising, you need to kick into high gear and become a smart consumer regarding your healthcare spending. Use your health savings account and take advantage of your Medicare drug benefit if you are eligible.
Assess your protection
Review your policies to ensure you have sufficient life, auto and homeowner’s insurance. You could find that you are paying for too much insurance. Contact your provider to inquire if you qualify for a good driver discount or other savings opportunities. Look for further ways to save by consolidating your business with one provider. Make sure your beneficiaries are correct on your policies.
Review your personal financial goals
Where do you want to be next year? In five years? Consult a financial professional to review your finances and develop a plan to help you work toward your goals. If you have a plan in place, check to see if it still makes sense for you. Putting goals and action steps on paper may be the first step to making your dreams a reality.
For more information, contact John M. Pojeta, CRPC, Senior Financial Advisor, Ameriprise Financial, Inc., at (412) 319-2000 ext. 259.

This column is provided for informational purposes only. The information is intended to be generic in nature and should not be applied or relied upon in any particular situation without the advice of your tax, legal and/or your financial advisor. Neither Ameriprise Financial nor its advisors or representatives provide tax or legal advice. The views expressed may not be suitable for every situation. Consult with qualified tax and legal advisors concerning your own situation. Financial planning services and investments offered through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA & SIPC. ©2008 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Your HEARING LOSS shows much more than a hearing aid. Did you know that frequently saying, “What?” and asking others to repeat themselves can be an early sign of hearing loss. Research shows untreated hearing loss can negatively affect your Relationships, your income, and your life. But there’s help available.
Recent scientific breakthroughs have made it possible to produce high-tech hearing instruments that are comfortable, discreet, and fully automatic. It’s called nFusionTM, and it’s available through TRINITY Hearing Aid.
This remarkable hearing aid, the first ever to be build with nanotechnology, is small, powerful, and equipped with the very best sound quality and feedback control in hearing aid history. nFusionTM has revolutionized hearing care, and it can significantly improve your life.
Hearing loss affects not only your and your life, but the lives of your family and loved ones. Seeking help not only makes sense for you, but you’ll also notice how it improves your relationships with everyone around you.
If hearing loss is discovered and it’s determined that you will benefit from amplification, we will have many price incentives on hearing aids. Our goal is to educate you about your hearing and assist you with your hearing needs.
Dr. George H. Fyke is an Audiologist, FAAA, at TRINITY Hearing Aid. For more information, call (412) 351-9190 or visit www.trinityhearingaid.com

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For a person who is about to leave their home of possibly 30 or more years, it may seem all the same – adapting to a new environment. But when an individual or an individual’s family decides that it’s time to increase the level of care that an older adult receives, be careful to pay attention to the details.
There are two primary options for older adults who need to change their current living arrangements - Assisted Living Facilities (ALF) and Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF). The level of care needed often determines which type of facility is most appropriate for that individual.
ALFs are for people needing assistance with aspects of daily living, but wishing to live as independently as possible - for as long as possible. Assisted living serves to bridge the gap between independent living and SNFs. Residents in ALFs are not able to live by themselves, but do not require constant care either. ALFs offer help with activities such as eating, bathing, dressing, and assistance with medications, yet do not offer care as extensive as those individuals in SNFs. The idea is that the help is there if needed, yet independence is encouraged. The key to understanding assisted living is that it is not an alternative to SNFs, but an intermediate level of care.
In many instances, ALFs team with outside healthcare organizations, such as Celtic Healthcare, to provide integrated care services. Through Medicare and insurance-covered home healthcare services, these healthcare organizations enhance ALF residents’ health and well-being significantly by bringing their expertise in geriatric care. Together, the ALF and healthcare provider create a service plan for each individual resident upon admission. The service plan details the personalized services guaranteed by the facility. The plan is updated regularly to assure that the resident receives the appropriate care as his or her condition changes.
The explanation of an ALF already introduced some of the characteristics of a SNF. SNFs, also known as nursing homes, provide a living option where 24-hour medical care is available. In addition to long-term care, residents may be there temporarily for rehabilitation before returning to either an assisted living facility or their independent living. Skilled nursing facilities are regulated by the state, which defines the services that an SNF must provide.

For more information about the differences between ALFs and SNFs and/or Celtic Healthcare, please visit www.celtichealthcare.com
call 800-355-8894 or e-mail info@celtichealthcare.com.

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“The 40-70 Rule”
Local Company Launches Campaign to Get Seniors and Their Families Talking

Home Instead Senior Care, a company serving Greater Pittsburgh has launched a public education campaign to help adult children talk to their senior loved ones about difficult topics. This campaign, called the ‘40-70 Rule,’ tackles such sensitive issues as driving, finances, independence and even romance. “The ‘40-70 Rule’ means that if you are 40, or your parents are 70, it’s time to start the conversation about some of these difficult topics,” said Tim Lyon of Home Instead Senior Care.
The campaign is based on research conducted in the U.S. and Canada by Home Instead Senior Care, which revealed that nearly one-third of adults in the U.S. have a major communication obstacle with their parents that stems from continuation of the parent-child role.* In other words, it can be difficult to get the conversation going because the child is still in a child rather than adult role with their aging loved one.
At the center of the “40-70 Rule” campaign is a guide of conversation starters for sensitive senior-care subjects, which is available free from the local Home Instead Senior Care office. The guide was compiled with the assistance of Jake Harwood, Ph.D., national author and communication professor from the University of Arizona who is the former director of that school’s Graduate Program in Gerontology.
In general, the Home Instead Senior Care survey found that Boomers have the most difficulty talking with their parents about independence issues, such as continuing to live in their own home, and that their parent’s desire to remain independent makes it challenging to address such sensitive issues as health and money. The fact that many of these families are still in a parent-child rather than a peer-to-peer role makes the conversations even more difficult.
Good communication is vital to helping families know when it’s time to seek additional resources. “Oftentimes both adult children and their loved ones can benefit from outside help, such as a professional caregiver,” said Lyon. “But the only way that will happen is if they can talk about it.”

*Survey Methodology: 1,000 telephone interviews were completed in the U.S. (sampling error of +/-3.1 percent at a 95 percent confidence level) and 500 interviews were completed in Canada, excluding Quebec (sampling error of +/-4.4 percent at a 95 percent confidence level). Data analysis was performed by the Boomer Project of Richmond, Virginia: www.boomerproject.com.

To get your free guide on the 40-70 conversation starters, call your local Home Instead Senior Care office: Allegheny County: Central (412) 731-0733, Northwest (412) 264-4700, Southwest (412) 276-2400, Southeast (412) 884-6122 and Northeast (412) 457-0066, Beaver and Butler Counties (724) 452-6691, Washington County (724) 222-7700 and Westmoreland County (724) 836-5795.
Also, you may go to www.4070talk.com to download the 40-70 guide or do an online assessment. To get more information on Home Instead Senior Care services, please call any of our local offices or visit our website at www.homeinstead.com

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Positive Attitude is One Secret to a Long
and Happy Life, Says Irene Braddock
By April Terreri

Irene Braddock’s active life might describe that of a much younger person. Irene, who will turn 94 on June 30, is a lot younger in spirit and mind than her chronological age would suggest. She is also a cancer survivor who beat the disease for over 50 years beyond the day she discovered she had breast cancer.
Irene is the oldest breast cancer survivor who recently walked in the Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh Race for the Cure held in Schenley Park. “This is a benefit to raise donations for cancer research,” explains Irene. “People walked in the race in memory of women who died from the disease.”
Irene wanted to participate in the race because she and her daughter Eleanor Sero are survivors of breast cancer. She and Eleanor entered the race in memory of Irene Fryer, Irene’s eldest daughter, who died at the age of 63 from breast cancer. “Promoting breast cancer awareness is very important to me,” says Irene. She says when she discovered she had breast cancer 39 years ago, it was a Friday and the following Monday she underwent a mastectomy.
Irene has a sparkle of enthusiasm and positive thinking that is infectious. She talks with a lot of pride about the days she used to work as a singing waitress at Dutch Henry’s, a restaurant popular in the nightlife on Forbes Avenue several decades ago. “It was just a few doors away from the casino and the burlesque theatre,” she says with a chuckle. She worked there for about six years, before meeting her future husband, Karl, who is now deceased.
Today Irene lives at The Residence on Fifth, where she’s lived for the past two years. “My daughter Eleanor thought it would be a good place for me to live, as I am hard of hearing and I have asthma and macular degeneration,” says Irene.
She has already made a lot of friends here, where she keeps busy exercising, walking, cooking, and baking. “I love to cook,” she says. “I am of Hungarian descent, so I cook a lot of stuffed cabbage dishes and kielbasa. I also make Hungarian pirogues which are stuffed with prunes and rolled in buttered breadcrumbs.” Lindsay Painter, an administrator at The Residence, adds that Irene really shines when The Residence has its monthly women’s cook-off.
Lindsay notes that Irene often leads the exercise group “because she knows the ropes and she is able to keep everyone in line. She’s a real leader. When we have sing-a-longs here, Irene always leads them, as she knows all the words to all the songs.” Irene’s experience as a singing waitress probably plays a big role here.
Another pastime Irene enjoys is feeding and watching the birds. “You can always find her out on our patio feeding the birds when the weather is nice,” says Lindsay. “When it’s cold out, she always finds someone to take breadcrumbs out to the birds.”
Irene’s faith is very important to her. “I am a devout Roman Catholic and I am a member of All Saints Church in Millvale,” she says. She goes to church with her daughter Eleanor and Eleanor’s husband every Saturday evening. “They come here to pick me up and then we go to St. Paul’s together.” When she returns home, she makes her own dinner in her kitchenette.
Ask Irene what her secret to a long and happy life is and she will quickly respond by saying with a chuckle: “First pick the right parents. Then surround yourself with happy people and make sure you eat properly. And always make sure you have a positive attitude.”
For more information about The Residence at Fifth, contact Lindsey Painter at (412) 621-0900.

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SENIOR MATTERS:
Marveling…
By Jim Mooney

I sometimes regard these “Golden Years” as a time for marveling. I don’t mean simply marveling at the fact that after all this time I’m still here to marvel. I mean that sometimes at night when sleep is slow to come, I find myself marveling over all the changes that have occurred during my lifetime. All I have to do is pick a category and think a bit.
Transportation: I remember, as a kid, standing on the running board of our family car helping my sister fasten in place the isinglass curtains-the windows-because it was threatening rain, or watching my father with the hand crank trying to start the engine. Today I sit in my air conditioned, push-button-operated auto complaining only of the traffic and gasoline prices. And I remember playing ball on the street as a kid and having the game interrupted when one of the boys stopped, pointed skyward and shouted, “Airplane! Airplane!” Today, I look up on a crisp fall morning and see the blue sky scarred with contrails crisscrossing in all directions.
Communications: I remember listening on the radio to the Pirates playing in St. Louis and Rosey Rosewell broadcasting the game from Pittsburgh. I could hear the clacking of the telegraph as the plays were relayed in to him by wire. Today, thanks to television, I go “live” to the World Series, the Super Bowl, the Olympics, or a concert in Vienna, a theater in London, anything imaginable. I can picture my grandmother turning the hand crank on the telephone mounted on the kitchen wall and shouting because it was long distance. I compare that memory to the teenagers I see in the Mall today, each equipped with a cell phone that seemingly puts them in touch with every other teenager in the world-or better still an iPod that does everything but brush their teeth.
Medicine: I still have a scar on my neck from “a poultice of hot oatmeal” tied round my neck when I was a kid as a treatment for “swollen glands.” So as I sit here today with a heart that must resemble Medusa’s head with its profusion of grafts from bypass surgery, I know I wouldn’t be here to be writing this if it weren’t for the miracles of modern medicine.
Word Processing: The first “mechanical” device I used in writing was my sister’s primitive portable typewriter. What I lacked in technique I made up for in powerful strike-overs or paper-destroying erasures. By the time I’d finished college, I’d learned the keyboard, so when I began working for a large corporation after WWII, I was ready to attack my Remington standard with vigor, if not improved accuracy. Although I was hired as a writer-photographer-or perhaps a “photojournalist”- I didn’t get to use a computer, a PC, until I retired. Now I have instant “erasures”, spell check, grammar check, etc.
Photography: I got my first camera when I was six that took out of focus, underexposed pictures. I had graduated to a 35 mm camera by high school. I had my own darkroom at home. I was unhappy at leaving the darkroom behind when we moved to the retirement community at Sherwood Oaks. True, I now have a digital camera, but what would I do with all the slides and negatives I’d accumulated? Today, beside my computer, sits a flatbed scanner that can do almost everything my darkroom could and do it better. With that “darkroom in a box,” I can make prints from b&w or color negatives, color slides, photographs.
This rundown only scratches the surface of the things I marvel at, but I stop at the mention of computers. I can’t even begin to imagine all the ways in which computers have affected my life. It’s too vast a Pandora’s Box to open when I’m lying there trying to get to sleep.

Jim Mooney is a resident of Sherwood Oaks Retirement Community in Cranberry, PA.
This article appeared in the September 2007 issue of North Hills Monthly Magazine.

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Reflections on Aging
The Success Stories of Life
By Katherine Vojtko, MA, MPH

There are some people I work with who are simply exceptional. Some older people I work with are lively, really intelligent and wonderfully wise. I sometimes think of these residents as the success stories of life. By this, I mean that they are not just survivors (having outlived the actuaries’ expectations), but that they have achieved this feat while at the same time finding enjoyment in life. Other attributes of the “success stories” include having close and loving marriages, and highly successful vocations.
So, it was especially troubling for me one day to learn that one of these special people had been sick. She is quite elderly. A simple head cold, that I could have trudged through with just a little wear and tear, was not at all simple for her. The illness had kept her at home and in bed for some time. When I saw her next I was disheartened to see her so pale. But, this woman did not get to be her age for nothing. She knew how to take careful and purposeful steps to get her strength back, and she did.
I am so happy that she is still going strong. She is a success story of life.

Katherine Vojtko, MA, MPH, vice president at Sherwood Oaks Retirement Community, Cranberry Twp., can be reached at vojtko@sherwood-oaks.com.

For more articles, download the Summer '08 issue (PDF)