Senior Health Blog by Shell Point Retirement Community

Defining Asthma and Allergies

shellpointrc — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:47:30 +0000

Do allergies cause asthma? The answer to this question is: yes and no. Asthma and allergies often go hand-in-hand. People who have certain kinds of allergies may be more prone to asthma. The types of allergies that are often linked to asthma are usually those that affect your nose and eyes, causing a runny nose or red, itchy eyes.

Things that cause allergic reactions, such as pollen or dust mites, can also trigger symptoms of asthma. But, not everyone who has allergies develops asthma and not all cases of asthma are related to allergies.

Asthma is a disease of the branches of the windpipe (bronchial tubes), which carry air in and out of the lungs. About 23 million people in the United States have asthma. Of these, about 70% have an allergy to something. Common allergens include dust mites, mold, pollen, and animal dander.

What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Asthma?

Air is normally taken into the body through the nose and windpipe and into the bronchial tubes. At the end of the tubes are tiny air sacs called alveoli that deliver fresh air (oxygen) to the blood. During normal breathing, the bands of muscle surrounding the airways are relaxed. But during an asthma episode, or “attack,” there are changes that stop air from moving freely into the airways, making breathing more difficult. The bands of muscle that surround the airways tighten, causing “bronchospasm.” The airways also become swollen or inflamed, and the airways produce a thick mucus. As a result, people with asthma feel they cannot get enough air.

Some people can go a long time between episodes while others have symptoms every day. Not every person with asthma has the same symptoms, and symptoms may vary during episodes. Common symptoms of asthma include:

· Frequent cough, especially at night

· Shortness of breath

· Wheezing

· Chest tightness, pain, or pressure

If you have asthma, it’s wise to determine whether allergies may be triggering your symptoms. Limiting your exposure to allergens may be key to controlling your asthma. If you can’t completely limit your exposure to an allergen, your doctor may recommend a visit to an allergist or recommend allergy shots.

As always, if you have concerns or questions, talk with your doctor.

Stacey Daniels, RN

Is Snoring Normal?

shellpointrc — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:36:26 +0000

Over the last couple of years, researchers have discovered a wealth of information about snoring and its potential consequences and complications. Snoring is caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is now known to be the most common culprit behind daytime sleepiness, or somnolence.

“Often people will come into my office complaining of loud snoring. Further examination usually yields sleep apnea,” said Roger Hirchak, VP of Medical Services at Shell Point Retirement Community.

An overnight sleep study can establish the diagnosis and also categorize the severity. The elongated palate in the upper airway (the tissue that hangs down in the back of your throat) typically causes disturbed sleep patterns. As a result, OSA can present headaches, drowsiness, and daytime fatigue. Some patients frequently awaken with shortness of breath or a sense of suffocation. Most often the patient is unable to get a good night’s sleep because of frequent episodes of upper airway obstruction.

“The good news is that there are a number of different treatments solutions that include tonsillectomy, weight loss, or even changing your sleeping position. Often lying on your back will induce periods of apnea and lying on your stomach will make that disappear,” said Dr. Hirchak.

OSA is most prevalent between the ages of 40 and 65 years of age and may affect up to 10 percent of men over the age of 40. Some of the risk factors that make this more common include obesity, various facial anomalies or an underactive thyroid. If you feel extremely tired during the day or have a history of loud snoring, you should mention it to your primary care physician.

Better Communication with the Hard of Hearing

shellpointrc — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:14:04 +0000

What Did You Say?
6 Tips for Better Communication with the Hard of Hearing (Round Two)

Hearing loss is a natural part of the aging process. Here are a few easy tips that will troubleshoot your communication style and help you better meet the needs of a listener with hearing loss.

Lower the pitch of your voice.
Avoid abrupt changes of subject or interjecting small talk into your conversation, as the listener will likely use context to comprehend what you are saying.
If you are having trouble getting your point across, find another way to say the same thing, rather than repeating the original words again and again.
If the person wears a hearing aid, make sure it has batteries, the batteries work, the hearing aid is switched “ON” and that the hearing aid is clean and free of earwax.
Recognize that hard of hearing people often hear and understand less well when they are tired or ill.
If all else fails, keep a notepad handy and write your words.

Managing Anxiety

shellpointrc — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:05:39 +0000

Worry Much?

Anxiety is one of the most common emotional challenges of aging and is often associated with depression according to Dr. Chris Votolato, Director of Behavioral Health at Shell Point Retirement Community. Anxiety induces a physiological state that is very similar to fear, and affects one’s entire wellbeing; however, it does not have a specific, concrete, external object as does fear. For example, we are not afraid of a rattlesnake in our living room, but we are anxious about an upcoming talk we have to give. Anxiety is produced by a vague, distant, or unrecognized danger. You feel anxious about “losing control,” or feel that “something bad will happen.”

What can you do? Managing anxiety is, in principle, easy. First, anxiety is treated by reducing physiological reactivity, eliminating avoidance behavior, and changing what we say to ourselves or how we think about events/situations. Here are a few ideas to manage anxiety that involve distraction and may induce relaxation, which can reduce the physiological components of anxiety.
1.       Exercise, which includes walking, bicycle riding, canoeing, exercise classes
2.       Leisure activities such as reading, gardening, music, poetry, journal writing, drawing, crafts or painting
3.       Invite a friend to a local attraction such as a nature preserve, swamp tour, out to lunch, shopping, or a special scenic trip
4.       Volunteer, treat yourself to a massage at the spa, flowers, or an enrichment class
5.       Invest time in your spiritual growth through prayer, meditation or church activities

Treatment of disorders of anxiety may involve not only self-help, but also professional consultation. If you feel that you cannot manage your anxiety or if you have tried to go it alone without good success, contact your personal physician or a behavioral health specialist.

Aching Joints

shellpointrc — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:55:31 +0000

Degenerative joint disease, medically known as osteoarthritis, is the most common form of joint disease, and spares no age, race or geographic area. By the age of 40, ninety percent of all adults have radiographic findings of osteoarthritis in their weight-bearing joints – which is about 20 million adults in the United States at any given time. Heredity and mechanical factors play a big role in the development of this potentially debilitating disease, and as we age, the symptoms of osteoarthritis increase.

Osteoarthritis is normally divided into two types: primary and secondary. The primary type most commonly affects the fingers, hands, hips, the knees, bones in the foot and the joints of the big toe, along with the neck and the lumbar spine. The secondary types of degenerative joint disease usually refer to bone surfaces that are injured or bones in joints that may be broken or fractured. Occupational overuse of a joint and certain neurological or metabolic diseases typically fall into this second category.

Weight reduction, especially in women, has been shown to reduce the risk of developing symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Estrogen replacement therapy has been shown to reduce the risk of knee and hip osteoarthritis in many patients. Other studies have shown that maintaining normal vitamin D levels may also reduce the occurrence and progression of osteoarthritis. For many patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints, a supervised walking program may result in clinical improvement. Weight loss always improves the symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knees.
In conclusion, if your joints hurt and your mobility decreases, please do not automatically assume it is part of the aging process. Pain is the body’s way of telling us that there is something wrong.

A physician or nurse practitioner should be consulted before accumulative damage is done to the joint.

Improve Quality of Life through Pain Management

shellpointrc — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:22:05 +0000

When you hear the phrase, “hospice care,” you generally think of end-of-life services; however, hospice care also includes palliative care, which is centered on pain management and symptom relief. Palliative care versus curative care is important to understand: the hospice philosophy focuses more on the palliative or comfort care, while traditional curative care focuses on curing a disease. Palliative care promotes the individuals’ right to self-determination and decision-making. Pain management can be a priority for patients seeking hospice care, as they deal with the physical, psychological, social and spiritual components of pain. An interdisciplinary hospice team is made up of physicians, nurses, nurse assistants, chaplains, social workers, pharmacists, dietitians, and a number of different therapies to promote peace while dealing with a life-threatening illness or chronic disease. Hospice is not just for those at end-of-life, but rather also serves those who want to better their life during the time they have to live it.

Hospice Care Puts the Patient in Charge

shellpointrc — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:21:27 +0000

Caring for the terminally ill requires accepting and planning for the eventuality of death, while creating an atmosphere that provides comfort and compassion to both the patient and their family. Hospice care recognizes the patient’s right to self-determination and decision-making. Hospice program goals are: (1) Self-determined life closure — anticipating death, mentally competent residents will have autonomy to make decisions about how the remainder of their life is spent, within the allowances of law. (2) Safe and comfortable dying — the resident will die free of distressing symptoms in an environment that does not aggravate or hasten dying. (3) Effective grieving — the expression of grief by family members eventually supports the individuals to adjust to their environment without the deceased and regain the ability to invest in other activities and relationships.

Depression

shellpointrc — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:20:06 +0000

According to Dr. Chris Votolato, Director of Behavioral Health at Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, Florida, depression is generally believed to be the most common emotional challenge of the elderly and is often referred to as the “common cold” of mental health. Self-rating scales suggest that 15-20 percent of those over the age of 65 and living independently report depressive symptoms – as many as six million people in the United States. Additionally, a recent study suggested that 50 percent of patients in primary care practices who had depressive symptoms are undiagnosed.
Depression can be associated with increased life stress and daily hassles (for example, being a caregiver for long periods of time, decreased frequency of social contacts, poor self-esteem, decreased comfort in interpersonal events, and diminished enjoyment of pleasant activities). Additionally, there is a clear association between pain, physical illness and depression, with increased severity of illness and pain contributing to increased severity of depression. Medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease/treatment also contribute to depression. Although we are often very resilient following loss, as many as 25 percent of the elderly experience clinical depression during the first year of bereavement.

Symptoms of depression vary from person to person, but often include changes in emotion (sadness, guilt, anxiety), behavior (withdrawal from others, tearfulness), physiology (changes in sleep, changes in appetite, fatigue), and thought patterns (e.g., loss of pleasure, feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness). In some cases, a person may not “feel” depressed but the depression is manifested by other symptoms.

What can you do? First, you may wish to discuss these feelings with your primary care physician or call for a consultation with a behavioral healthcare specialist. Depression is a manageable bump in the road of life. Simple interventions and/or medication strategies can overcome most episodes of depression. Take the first step by reaching out for help today.

The Creative Age

shellpointrc — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:07:48 +0000

If you ask a group of first graders, how many of them are artists, the entire group of children will raise their hands. If you ask the same question to a group of say, fifth graders, only a select few will have the nerve to raise their hands. Somehow, most of us begin to feel at an early age that we are not creative. However, this myth is being rejected as more and more people who have entered their 60s, 70s, and even 80s are realizing an awakened potential in the area of creativity.

Marilyn Fowler - Shell Point Resident and Artist

In his book, The Creative Age, Gene D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., has identified the opportunities for exploring our creative potential as we age. “We are ready to talk about what is possible, not despite aging, but because of it. There is no denying the problems that accompany aging. But what has been universally denied [in the past] is the potential. The ultimate expression of that potential is creativity. Creativity always has been there with aging, but many have not recognized it… We are in a creative age. The focus on creativity and the use of the term is entering more and more the spheres of our lives.”

At Shell Point Retirement Community it has long been understood that exploring one’s creativity is an integral part of a satisfying retirement. Thus, Shell Point has instituted a number of creative outlets and opportunities through the years both for residents who live in the community and seniors from throughout the surrounding region.

Finding Hope in Hospice

shellpointrc — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:11:50 +0000

As individuals age, they are faced with the reality of lingering questions that come with growing older: questions about the future; questions about health and independence; and questions about dignity. “We celebrate life every day here at Shell Point,” said Dr. Roger Hirchak, Vice President of Medical Services, “but we are aware of the reality of death and when it comes, we look at it squarely in the eye, without glancing away. That is why Shell Point partners with Hope Hospice to provide care for terminally ill residents. The hospice program provides state-of-the-art palliative and supportive care to individuals at the end of their lives. We understand that quality at the end of one’s life is unique to each individual.”

Through its hospice program, Shell Point provides support and care for residents in the last phase of their lives, so they may live as fully and comfortably as possible. The Hospice philosophy exists in the belief that, through appropriate care and sensitivity to the dying patient’s needs, individuals and their families may be free to attain a degree of comfort in preparation for death, while recognizing and supporting their unique experiences. Hospice services recognize that human growth and development can be a lifelong process and even during the individual’s last phase of life, there remains an inherent potential for self-discovery.