PEDICURE
4 Types of Exercise for Balance...
It’s one of those cliches that is true: exercise really is very good for your health. In fact, one expert in applied longevity wrote that: “Exercise is by far the most potent longevity ‘drug’. No other intervention does nearly as much to prolong our life span and preserve our cognitive and physical function.” — Peter
Why They Happen & What to...
Why do aging adults fall? To be honest, people don’t usually ask me this. Instead, they want to know things like “How do I keep my mother from falling?” or “What should I do? My grandfather’s been falling.” After all, falls are a scary thing. Most people know that falls are dangerous for older adults.
10 Types of Medication That May...
Have you been concerned about falls for yourself, or for an aging parent? If so, do you know if any of your medications might be increasing your risk for falls? In its Stay Independent brochure, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends older adults do the following four things to prevent falls: Ask your doctor
Leg Swelling in Aging: What to...
Swelling in the lower legs – known as “lower extremity edema” in medical terms – is a problem that often affects older adults. The good news is that most of the time, it’s annoying, but not terribly dangerous. However, in other cases, swelling in the feet, ankles, or lower legs can be the sign
What to Know & What to...
Here’s an upsetting situation that comes up a lot, and may have come up for you: is someone financially taking advantage of Mom or Dad? It’s a pretty legitimate concern to have. To begin with, most people know that there are plenty of “scammers” out there, phoning or mailing older adults with deceptive information designed
Urinary Incontinence in Aging: What to...
“I know where every bathroom is at the mall, and my wife rolls her eyes every time I have to visit one when we just arrived – even after I went before leaving the house! What can I expect? Most old guys are in the same boat!” If you opened this article, you probably relate
4 Common Types of Dementia in...
Are you dealing with a diagnosis of dementia? If so, you might be wondering what type of dementia you are dealing with. Or, perhaps you’ve heard someone say it’s important to find out what type of dementia it is. It’s true that there certainly are different types of dementia, and it’s often said that the
Symptoms, 10 Common Causes & What...
Have you ever been told that an older relative has anemia, and wondered about anemia symptoms? Or perhaps you noticed the red blood cell count flagged as “low” in the bloodwork report? Or noticed “low hemoglobin” in a doctor’s report? Anemia means having a red blood cell count that is lower than normal, and it’s
What to Know & What to...
Signs of cerebral small vessel disease. From Inzitari et al, BMJ. 2009 Jul 6;339:b2477. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b2477 This article is about the most common aging brain problem that you may have never heard of. While leading a fall prevention workshop a few years ago, I mentioned that an older person’s walking and balance problems might well
How to Manage 12 Cardiovascular Risk...
A while back, I wrote an article on cerebral small vessel disease, a very common condition in which the small blood vessels of the brain develop signs of damage. If you’re an older adult and you’ve had an MRI done of your brain, chances are pretty good that your scan showed signs of at least
