Kendal at Home Blog

Everyone knows someone living with dementia. People with dementia can live fulfilling lives with the help of their communities and caregivers. But because not many people know how to spot the signs of dementia or how to make him or her feel included, people with dementia are often left feeling isolated.

To help communities throughout Ohio better understand dementia and improve the quality of life for those living with the disease, the staff of Kendal at Home have been trained as Dementia Champions.

According to new research, older adults can actually make their hearts younger through the power of exercise.

That’s pretty incredible, isn’t it?

More specifically, as people age, the heart naturally becomes less flexible and less efficient in processing oxygen, even in healthy adults. These signs of aging typically show up when people are in their 50s or 60s —and, for people who don’t exercise, these changes can happen even earlier. To provide a visual image of this change in heart muscles, an expert quoted on NPR.org compares a younger heart to a pliable rubber band. Twenty years later, that same rubber band may have become dry and brittle, and this evolution can serve as a metaphor for changes that occur in the human heart.

Have you ever spent a few minutes wandering around your house looking for your cell phone only to find the device in your hand? Perhaps you found yourself looking for your sunglasses that were sitting atop your head the whole time. Or maybe you misplaced your keys. 

These occurrences happen to most of us regardless of our age. But as we age, it’s natural to think common lapses in memory are the start of something more sinister, like Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is a disease of the brain that can cause a slow decline of memory, reasoning and thinking skills. Like many diseases, it comes with early warning signs. Thankfully, common memory issues — like forgetting where your glasses or keys are — are not a sign of Alzheimer’s or dementia, however these five signs are indicative of a problem. 

As you plan for your retirement, you may feel a sense of excitement as you look forward to reaching this significant milestone. Or, you might be trying to figure out what direction you want your life to take after you retire, whether that involves starting an encore career, spending more time with friends and family, or volunteering for a cause that matters. 

“Telehealth is the use of digital information and communication technologies, such as computers and mobile devices, to access health care services remotely and manage your health care. These may be technologies you use from home or that your doctor uses to improve or support health care services.” (Mayo Clinic)

For some older adults, traveling to the doctor’s office can be challenging, perhaps because of health problems or transportation difficulties. In previous generations, of course, their doctors might make house calls, but that doesn’t happen much any more—or does it?

After 71-year-old Duane Partain fell in his garden, he stopped spending time among his plants, fearful he’d fall again. Duane, like most older adults who experience falls, thought taking time away from his usual activities would reduce his risk of falling. However, the opposite is true. The lack of physical activity that comes from not doing your usual activities often results in declines in balance and strength, making you more likely to fall. 

When older adults don’t get enough vitamin D and calcium, bones can thin and weaken, which means they can fracture or break more easily. Vitamin D also helps to keep muscles strong; when yours aren’t as strong anymore, you’re more vulnerable to falls.

When 53-year-old Kimberly Montgomery began sweating profusely and feeling nauseous after a hot yoga class, she thought nothing of it. Maybe she just needed to cool off from class. Maybe she ate something bad yesterday, or maybe it was just symptoms of menopause, she thought.

A friend convinced her to go to urgent care, where they quickly put her in an ambulance for the hospital. There, a surgeon told her he was going to do cardiac catheterization because she had just had a heart attack.

Would you recognize the signs if you saw someone living with dementia? Dementia is a disease of the brain that can cause more than memory problems. Though it is not a normal part of aging, it is possible for someone with dementia to have a good quality of life, and that’s where you come in.

A 2018 study of more than 5,000 older adults led to the conclusion that excess belly fat is associated with cognitive decline. These findings add to the body of evidence that demonstrates how people who are overweight don’t perform as well on memory and visuospatial tests, with this particular study focusing specifically on excess belly fat and older adults. (Visuospatial tests measure a person’s ability to perceive similarities and differences among objects.)