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Common Senior illnesses “Geriatrics Syndrome”
A new guild developed by the American Geriatric Society Foundation tells us about “geriatric syndromes” or illnesses common to older people that can lead to more serious problems. Some of these problems are caused by medications or combinations of meds. Others are caused by physical changes. Caregivers and loved ones shoud be alert for the…
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Senior Illness
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease control, by 2030, the number of Americans aged 65 and older will more than double to 71 million older Americans, comprising roughly 20 percent of the US population. The nation’s health care spending is projected to increase by 25%. Today, eighty-eight percent of those over 65 years of…
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Creativity Strengthens Old Minds
During the last few years, researchers in neuroscience have discovered that the connections between neurons in our brains (called dendrites) grow and develop when we are exercising creativity and when we are learning new and difficult things. One of the pioneers in this field was Dr. Gene Cohen, a physician, gerontologist, and research director at…
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Senior Pro Rodeo
My friend Joan and her husband Terry participate in the Senior Pro Rodeo both as rodeo organizers and as competitors. I last rode a horse more than fifty years ago so I’m exploring this rodeo business with limited experience. I’m relying on Joan and Terry to guide me through. One of the first things I…
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Grief And Memory Loss
Grief and emotional trauma can cause memory loss. Usually, as the person recovers, memory returns. Grief from bereavement is especially painful but there are other causes of grief. In our lives, we have other losses. We can lose our hearing, our vision, and our mobility. Circumstances can require a move away from home and we…
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Older People Are Quiet Alcoholics
A couple of my friends recently went on a tour of Eastern Europe. Two women pals, sharing accommodations and exploring the world. Both in their late 70s, active and curious. One of them told me that her friend brought a very large plastic container of Gin in her suitcase. Each evening, the Gin-owner would have…
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Drugs With MCI As A Side Effect
Dr. Leo Galland is an author and award-winning physician who really believes we need to know what is in the meds we are taking. He says, “numerous drungs have been shown to produce mild cognitive impairment (MCI). They may create or aggravate Alzheimer’s-type symptoms.” Dr. Galland writes that most of the drugs that cause memory…
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Beers List by Panel of Experts
The Beers List (or Beers Criteria) contains medications that cause side effects in the elderly due to changes in our bodies as we grow older. The list was originally created by geriatrician Mark H. Beers, but is now managed by a panel of experts and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. It was last…
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Some OTC Meds Can Hurt Elderly
Most Over-the-Counter drugs have special dosage recommendations for children. The reason is that child is smaller and has a different metabolism than an adult. Elderly people are often smaller and have different metabolisms too but there are no special recommendations for them. So we need to be careful. Older people account for more than 40% of…
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