Ageing becomes a problem when the effect it has on our cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, digestive, muscular, skeletal, or neurological system starts affecting our daily routine, sometimes seriously. Familiarising yourself with the process of ageing will help you accept it and deal with it better.

Cardiovascular and respiratory systems

Hearty matters: As age advances, the elasticity of the lungs, blood vessels and heart valves may decrease, and the walls of the blood vessels may thicken due to fatty deposits. This could diminish the ability of the lungs to utilise oxygen and the ability of the heart to pump out blood normally, resulting in feeling fatigued and breathless.

If a clot develops in the coronary artery, it could reduce supply of blood to the heart causing a heart attack. Hence, you need to go for regular check ups and tests. If you are a smoker, quit smoking completely. Change your diet and increase physical activity, apart from medication. Those who have already suffered a heart attack, worry about having another one. At such a time, the affection of family and friends plays a big role in mitigating depression, loneliness and anxiety.

Pressure pains: Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries, each time your heart pumps blood. The systolic and diastolic pressures both are important and are written one above or before the other. If your blood pressure is the normal 120/80, 120 is systolic and 80 is diastolic pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension is indicated as systolic pressure—140 mmHg or more and the diastolic pressure—90 mmHg or more. If a patient has hypertension, doctors recommend lessening the salt intake. Having a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active helps keep pressure in check.

Muscles and bones

The gradual loss of muscle tone and strength results in decrease in your endurance and ability to perform certain tasks. Also common is the degenerative change in the skeletal system. Normally, everyone loses some bone mass with age. But for people with osteoporosis, their bones thin at a faster pace. There is a substantial loss of density and calcium in the bones [more pronounced in women]. They become porous and brittle making them prone to breakages and fractures. This is very painful and devastating.

Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis found among the elderly. The symptoms range from stiffness and mild pain to severe joint pain. Osteoarthritis affects hands, low back, neck, and weight-bearing joints such as knees, hips and feet.

Regular exercising, walking and cycling helps improve the strength of the muscles and the bones. Have a balanced diet. Consume a diet high in calcium and vitamin D to retard the degeneration of bones and joints. Start calcium and vitamin D supplements under medical supervision.

Metabolism and digestion

Age slows down the digestive system. The decreased production of digestive juices and enzymes results in indigestion and problems of elimination of body’s waste. There is a gradual decline in the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin. The thyroid gland slows down resulting in less utilisation of the fats and sugars to convert into energy. This may lead to increased body weight and blood sugar level leading to adult diabetes.

Diabetics must follow a meal plan to keep their blood glucose level under control. They should include foods that are low in fat, salt, and sugar and high in fibre, such as beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Try and stay at an ideal body weight. Regular exercise is a must.

Neurological system

With age, the time taken for the transmission of messages from the nerves to the muscles is longer. The muscles take longer to react too. There is a decrease in the perception of pain, hence a delay in the reaction to an injury. Do not put off going to the doctor for something that hurts; the injury or pain could be serious. There could also be a perceptible change in your wake-sleep cycle.

Brain disorders like Parkinson’s and Dementia occur in people above the age of 60. Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that affects the speech and physical movement of a person leading to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty walking, balancing and coordinating.

Dementia, on the other hand, affects the memory and reasoning skills of a person. People with dementia have trouble thinking and speaking clearly, remembering recent events, and learning new things. The most common cause is alzheimer’s disease. The first sign could be just forgetfulness. It could proceed to forgetting basic tasks like brushing teeth or combing hair. The patient then starts having problems while speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. In severe cases, individuals with alzheimer’s disease may become anxious, agitated or aggressive, or wander away from home. At this stage total care is needed.

Stroke [often termed as ‘brain attack’] is another probability in old age. It occurs when a clot halts the flow of blood to the brain. Stroke causes serious long-term disabilities like paralysis and difficulty in thinking and speaking.

The family’s role

Caring for a person with alzheimer’s is difficult, especially in severe cases. Continuous monitoring of the patient’s activities is important even at home. This can be taxing for the caregiver, more so if s/he is juggling nursing along with daily home chores. The caregiver should take outside help or delegate tasks to others members in the family.

Diseases affecting old people, be it osteoporosis, diabetes, heart attacks or alzheimer’s, can throw their normal life completely out of gear.

Change is the essence of ageing, and you have to understand that it is inevitable. Learn to accept these changes and welcome the golden years of life.

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TASTE

Often, we find elderly persons complaining about the food being unappetising or giving an unpleasant taste. This has got nothing to do with the cooking quality, [as others find the fare served perfectly tasty], but with the decline in taste sensitivity due to ageing.

How does this happen?

As we all know, taste buds are responsible for giving us the four main tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. A normal person has approximately 9000 taste buds. As ageing sets in – between the ages of 50-60 in men and 40-50 in women – the number of taste buds begin to decrease. This does not immediately lead to reduced taste sensitivity. But coupled with atrophy [degeneration] of the remaining taste buds, and reduced saliva production, it may induce a small loss of taste. However, the process is hastened if the senior has the habit of smoking, chewing tobacco, or is suffering from diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Potential problem and its possible solution

1. When a person loses his sensitivity to taste, there is every chance that he may lose interest in eating, leading to weakness and fatigue. A change in the way the meal is presented, or spices used in the preparation of the dish could help.
2. Decline in taste sensitivity can result in consumption of overcooked or stale food, leading to a dangerous situation of food poisoning. The only remedy is to supervise the cleaning out of refrigerators regularly and checking whether food has been hoarded.

SMELL

The aroma of a deliciously cooked meal increases your appetite. But decline in the sense of smell and inability to differentiate between odours can make an elderly person completely disinterested in food. The scent of flowers is a pleasurable experience and not being able to smell them can be distressing.

How does it happen?

The loss of smell is brought about by ageing, sometimes after the age of 70, and aggravated by habits such as smoking and continuous intake of medication. Declining sense of smell can have dire consequences.

Potential problem and its possible solution

Apart from loss of appetite, the person may not be able to sense danger in the form of gas leaks, smoke and fire, thereby increasing the risk of asphyxia [extreme condition caused by lack of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide in the blood]. Installing smoke detectors and visual gas detectors that change appearance when natural gas is present may be helpful.

TOUCH

Reduced sense of touch is common in senior citizens. It is not clear whether this is primarily due to ageing or due to medications for other disorders that commonly occur in the elderly.

How does it happen?

Our skin, muscles, tendons, joints, and internal organs have receptors that detect touch, temperature, or pain. The brain interprets the type of touch sensation as being hot, cold or neutral. Brain surgery, chronic diseases like diabetes, and nerve damage as a result of trauma, can make the brain not interpret the sensation of extreme heat or cold as bothersome.

Potential problem and possible solution

1. This is dangerous, as decreased temperature sensitivity could increase the chances of frostbite, burns or hypothermia. There is a gradual reduction of sensitivity to pain after the age of 50 in some persons, resulting in walking problems and pressure ulcers. Use water heaters that allow you to limit the maximum temperature of water. This will reduce the risk of burns.
2. If you live in a place that has extreme climatic variations, it is wise to dress in accordance with the ambient temperature reading in a thermometer.
3. Keep a constant watch on their skin, especially the hands and feet, for injuries. If you spot one, don’t ignore it, assuming that the pain is insignificant. Treat it immediately.
4. In some cases, we find elders having more sensitivity to light and heat because of the thin texture of their skin. This can also result in burns. Such elders should limit their exposure to sunlight and remain indoors during the afternoon hours.

FINALLY

Though the ageing process is unique for every individual, most persons will experience some alteration in their sensory organs. Some may have problems with communication and social interactions making him/her feel isolated. Hearing and vision changes are familiar, whereas the decline in other senses, though not so visibly dramatic, are equally debilitating. Whether these changes are induced by ageing or by the diseases common in aged persons, is immaterial. A proper understanding of the situation and timely remedies to be undertaken, and a caring attitude from the members of the family can greatly reduce the problems faced by the affected elderly.

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Prioritise and balance your responsibilities

Without doubt, anyone would like to be cared for by his kith and kin. And quite expectedly the primary caregivers are the sons, daughters or the daughters-in law. But, not everybody is attuned to being a caregiver. What happens when each of them in enmeshed in their own careers and families? They are torn between the twinge of their conscience — which needles them to devote maximum time and energy to the parent – and the realities of their own, spouse’s and children’s needs. The basic requirement for a caregiver is the right attitude, love and commitment to take care of your loved one. The role of a caregiver can be quite stressful, especially if you are thrown into it in case of a sudden illness, accident or even a particular family circumstance. Anger, frustration, and fear are some of the emotions associated with taking care of a sick parent or a beloved kin. Anger at not being able to spare the necessary time; frustration because we do not know how to balance the caregiving with the familial responsibilities; and fear of not knowing what to do and how to give the required care. Often we find elders not very co-operative. At these times we have to be firm, yet polite and respectful.

So how do we prepare for it?

Tips to be an efficient caregiver

Here are some tips that will surely help you when it’s your turn to be a caregiver:

1. Understand that this is a transition period for both, you and the person you are to take care of, and take things on a day to day basis.
2. Adjustment is necessary from both sides. It would be so nice if elderly people understand that the caregiver has emotional needs too, and strive to adjust as far as possible. There are times when you, as a caregiver, will feel the need for space. Do not hesitate to ask for help from the other family members.
3. Don’t be overenthusiastic in providing help either. Unintentionally, you may be doing the person more harm than good by reducing his capability to perform.
4. Prepare yourself for medical emergencies by keeping some ready cash in the house. This can only be achieved by timely foresighted savings. Medical insurance is another absolute necessity.
5. Make your home safe. Hand rails, slip mats, and adjustable shower heads may be helpful in the bathroom. Night lamps can help in illuminating the hallway, and passages to the bathroom. If you have hardwood or tiled floors, they tend to be slippery after cleaning. So maybe you should use a no-frills carpet to reduce the chance of your beloved elder tripping and hurting themselves.
6. It is not necessary that the person you are taking care of is ill. In that case, it would be wise to allow him/her to perform all their usual activities, along with maybe small workouts. This will encourage them to be independent and fit for as long as possible. Most seniors love to be socially active. So, if you can initiate them into some social activity, it will not only keep them occupied but also give them the feeling that they are being useful in some way. Many elderly people work part time, travel, and study the things in life they missed out during the years they worked, and experience the best part of their lives in these golden years. Encourage them.
7. If by chance, the person is sick, [elders are especially prone to Alzheimer’s and Dementia], then you should take the trouble of learning about their illness, their medications and the precautionary measures necessary to keep them safe. You may have to deal with all aspects of personal hygiene and feeding, as well as try to continue to maintain normalcy in your own personal life. If we look around, we find that a person who willingly takes on the responsibility is generally hoisted with more, or even expected to shoulder it single-handedly, draining him/her – physically and emotionally. This is where the caregiver should give a thought to his/her own requirements and take the help of a paid care giving assistant for at least some of the chores. This will allow him/her to spare more time for his own commitments while ensuring that the parent is being taken care of properly. However, it has to be done subtly and tactfully without making the elder feel that he is being sidelined. Again, when you are appointing a part time care assistant, you have to check his credentials and his basic attitude towards care giving. However trivial the task, you are, after all, leaving your loved one in their care.

And finally, even if you are not a caregiver at this particular time, it may be wise to invest some thought into the role, as we never know when we will be put in this situation. We will not be caught off-guard then, and can be the best caregiver ever.

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Safeguard your child’s health

The impact of television is felt right from the pre-school age. The moving image on TV is sure to catch the eye of a toddler. Interestingly, we find more and more parents treating the television as a sort of an escape route trying to distract the toddler from his mischievous antics while they get on with their chores. However it is pertinent to note that according to the American Association of Physicians [AAP] guidelines, children under the age of two should have no “screen time” at all, as this is the most important time for the development of the brain. TV can negate their interaction with parents and others and come in the way of their cognitive, physical, social and emotional growth.

Obesity

There are various research studies which relate excessive TV viewing to obesity. This is especially true for school-going children. Don’t we often see children lounging in front of their favourite programme and snacking away oily wafers and chips or sipping a soft drink? Is the obesity problem due to physical inactivity or the overdose of commercials which promote these unhealthy food items with famous personalities as models? Or is it a combination of both? Even long hours of educational TV viewing can be detrimental because it results in physical inactivity. However well-designed the programme, watching TV puts children in a passive role. It stimulates only vision and hearing, denying space for active thinking and interaction. There are studies to prove that decreasing the hours of TV viewing in kids led to less weight gain and lower body mass index.

Commercials

Children below the age of eight are not able to differentiate between commercials and reality. The deluge of advertisements right from baby food, apparel to unhealthy snacks, and cool drinks lure the child to try them out. Even older children have to be reminded that the commercial is aimed at marketing a product and that the product need not be as good as it looks. Advertisement of tobacco products and alcoholic drinks are banned in some countries or they come with the mandatory statutory warning, but a teenager feels it is cool to smoke or consume alcoholic drinks, when it is shown in the advertisement to be used by a favourite actor or sportsman.

Violence and Aggression

The increase in violent and aggressive behaviour of teenagers is a widely debated topic. The overdose of violence in television serials and movies — and recently even in some video games — have had an adverse effect on the minds of children. Younger children are traumatised by the sight of violence especially if a child is the victim. Even news items depicting natural disasters or child victimisation can trigger trauma in kids below eight years of age. Older children are sometimes induced to copy violent acts of retaliation.

What is the solution?

The solution to this problem is not simple and foolproof. But yes, there are ways in which parents can keep a subtle watch over the TV viewing habits of their children.

1. Make TV viewing a joint family activity. Even though you may not be very inclined to watch the programmes they watch, give your children company at least in the first few minutes. This allows you to monitor what they are viewing.
2. You can try treating TV as a privilege that your child needs to earn – not a right to which he or she is entitled. This could also get them to complete their daily chores in double fast time.
3. Take time-off from your daily routine to preview their favourite shows in their absence. This gives you an idea of what sort of shows they like and maybe you could view and rate some more quality viewing of their own taste.
4. Use the V-chip [V is for “violence”]. This technology enables you to block television serials and movies which you feel could have harmful effects on your child.
5. Explain that commercials are not real and are meant for marketing a product really that may not be good.
6. It may be wise to have a family discussion on contentious reality shows and issues. This will allow you to voice your opinion on the contents of the TV programmes, especially when you find them to be detrimental.
7. Probably you could try the concept of a weekly off for TV viewing by organising a family outing.
8. Be a role model for your child and restrict your own television viewing time. [Also read Preach and practise]

Innovate ideas

There are ways in which a child can be weaned away from TV viewing. Parents are becoming innovative holiday planners. They plan at least a short weekend getaway with their children. They induct them into the planning area by giving them tourist brochures of various destinations and allowing them to make a choice and list the tour schedule.

Another way to limit their hours of viewing is by subtly introducing them to some hobby which interests them. Drawing, painting, clay modelling, craft, solving quiz and crosswords, are the usual things that parents entice their children with. You can also give them pots and introduce them to gardening. The thrill of seeing a flower bloom in the plant, that the child has nurtured himself, is unique. Music and dance have become popular recently, and children love to join along with a group of friends. If you are able to get your child join a circulating library with a friend or two in tow, you will be surprised at the ease with which he or she takes to books. Age-specific story books ranging from pictorial tales to fairy tales to adventures, mysteries etc. are available at every library or book stall.

Encourage them to play outdoor games like cricket or tennis. Maybe you could a basketball net on your backyard or you could buy a bicycle for your child. During vacation, most schools come up with coaching camps for cricket, football, hockey, tennis or badminton. Children would enjoy joining these camps. An hour of outdoor sporting activity can offset their hours of passive television viewing and decrease the tendency to obesity.

Television in moderation can be an excellent tool for your kids education and entertainment. But the key word here is moderation and the value of the programmes that the child watches.

The post Encourage play, not TV appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Physiotherapy is recommended for children with congenital problems, teenagers with postural deficiencies, sport injuries in children and adults and those in their twilight years who experience joint pains and other degenerative conditions. “The science of healing and the art of caring,” is how the American Association of Physical Therapists [APTA] describes physiotherapy. For people who suffer from some disability or chronic illness, it is the key to restoring physical function to a level that will permit them to live a near normal life.

How it helps

When a person seeks the services of a physiotherapist, the therapist will make a complete assessment of the health condition, including history, pain and movement patterns, strength and reflexes of joints, sensation and cardio-respiratory status. Based on this data, he/she establishes a diagnosis and prepares a treatment programme. The treatment may also include breathing and physical exercises and stretches, electrotherapy, mobilisation, acupuncture, ergonomic assessment and advice, ultrasound imaging analysis and rehabilitation with EMG biofeedback, depending on the condition of the patient.

Musculosketal [Orthopaedic] physiotherapy deals with muscles, bones and joints. Patients include those with neck pain and headaches, low back pain, sciatica, arthritis and knee pain, sports-related injuries or post-surgical rehabilitation. In this, the line of treatment that may be followed by the physiotherapist would most likely include massage, joint mobilisation, manipulation, stretches, electrotherapy [ultrasound, interferential, shortwave, microwave, laser], heat and cold, correction of posture and lifting techniques, and hydrotherapy.

Cardiothoracic physiotherapy deals with the function of the heart and respiratory system. Patients with chronic respiratory disorders like emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, as also patients who have undergone any type of cardiac or thoracic surgery and patients in the ICU come under the care of a cardiothoracic physiotherapist. Apart from exercise programmes, breathing techniques either to reduce shortness of breath or increase lung expansion, oxygen therapy, use of mechanical ventilators, sputum clearance with vibrations, coughing, deep breathing and suction and mobilising are used for treatment.

Neurological physiotherapy deals with nervous system disorders. The physiotherapist who has specialised in neurology is involved in the assessment and treatment of patients suffering from conditions like acquired brain injuries/head injuries, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, balance disorders or spinal cord injuries.

Who will benefit?

Women of all ages, right from adolescence when they sometimes suffer from severe menstrual pain and cramps, to pregnancy and childbirth, and later menopausal discomfort, will benefit from physiotherapy. Simple breathing and exercise techniques help the adolescent to control the pain. Prenatal exercises take into account the safety of the foetus, and include low-impact aerobics, muscle strengthening and relaxation exercises. After childbirth, you are put back on track with postnatal exercises. After evaluating you for postural problems or abdominal weakness, a programme is designed to gradually strengthen your muscles. The programme may include pelvic floor exercises to prevent incontinence [difficulty in bladder control]. Women who have undergone hysterectomy or mastectomy are put on specific exercise programmes with emphasis on complete recovery.

Athletes and sportspersons require a complete fitness programme as they are prone to injury. While recovering from an injury, specific physiotherapy treatment is given for recovery and strengthening of the injured bone or muscle.

Aging brings along a host of ailments including osteoporosis [bones that were once strong, become fragile due to depletion of calcium], osteoarthritis [an inflammation of the joints due to aging, wear and tear, or injury], and urinary incontinence. Physiotherapy helps in the treatment of incontinence as it strengthens pelvic floor muscles, which may prevent the onset of incontinence or help to reverse the process. A physiotherapist can help reduce pain, prevent fractures, and help strengthen your bones through a programme of exercise designed to improve your posture and enhance sense of balance.

In war affected zones, the role of the physiotherapist is extremely important. Injuries on the battlefield, may sometimes call for amputation. In most cases, where the amputation is done on the leg, the amputee will be learning to balance all over again. Whether the amputation is done on the hand or the leg, overcoming phantom pains [pains where the limb used to be] or gradually getting the patient accustomed to using a prosthetic limb, requires the patient to have the benefit of an individualistic approach to the rehabilitation plan, that only a physiotherapist will be able to give him.

Physiotherapy could be called a health profession which deals with enhancing the quality of life by using clinical diagnosis and reasoning to deliver the apt treatment for an injury or condition. However, it would be wise to remember that the progress in the recovery would be possible only with the active involvement of the patient. If the patient has the will power and the determination to improve, the physiotherapist can work wonders to increase his independence, making him fit and free to actively function at home or at the workplace.

The post PHYSIOTHERAPY: The Art of Caring appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Problems faced by seniors

The number of senior citizens in India stands at a ratio of 1:12. Over eight million people are aged above 80, over 25 million above 70 and 77 million above 60. Over 20 million of them are ill and require daily care. Statistics don’t lie, and these tell the tale of millions of aged Indian men and women who experience the agony of dependency after a lifetime of caring for their families.

To compound this agony, a majority of elders experience communication problems due to depleted hearing ability caused by changes to the peripheral sensory organ [cochlea]. Some of them suffer a double whammy due to age-related changes to cognitive skills. The combined loss [partial or total] of hearing and memory retention impacts communication. There are cases where a person cannot follow what is being said and suffers a communication breakdown in noisy surroundings. Reduced vision is another handicap.

Hearing impairment

Obviously, a person with impaired hearing will find it difficult to communicate as he will not be able to clearly hear what the other person is saying. It is the most common sensory impairment in adults above the age of 65. Because of the communication difficulties it creates, loss of hearing can lead to withdrawal from family, friends and society. Hearing loss is a disability that frequently goes unnoticed. The signs exist but have to be recognised.

Speaking louder than necessary in a conversation, constantly asking for words to be repeated, not being able to follow telephonic conversations, straining to hear with one ear, turning the television or radio up louder than usual, complaining that others are mumbling, all these are indications that the person is not able to hear clearly.

Aging makes an elderly person’s voice sometimes sound tremulous, weak, hoarse and higher- or lower-pitched than it was before. This makes it difficult for the listener to follow the speech and could result in the affected person withdrawing into a shell.

Visual problems

A general deterioration of vision is noticed in most elders. This will impact reading of books and newspapers, the popular pastime of most elderly persons.

Progressive disorders

Progressive diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s strike seniors, especially if they have suffered a stroke. Imagine sitting in front of the television and not being able to understand what you hear and see. Worse still, being unable to say what you want or even remember what you want to say. Alzheimer dementia patients generally experience difficulty in finding the right words to express themselves. Some of them have trouble understanding what others are saying.

Community factors

Elderly people crave for love and tender care. They want to be heard and respected. They want to be visible and play a constructive role in society. But since they are retired, they are often termed as “unproductive”, as there is not much financial input expected from them. This gives rise to a social problem. “Who is going to take care of us?” is their constant worry.

How does one tackle such a situation?

Elders, don’t despair if you think you have hearing loss. Consult your family doctor and ask for reference to an audiologist. A thorough hearing evaluation is important to determine the type and degree of hearing loss, and what treatment or hearing aid options may be available.

People all over the world have improved their lifestyle by using assistive devices such as hearing aids to improve the volume of sound in the particular pitches they miss hearing. Generally, a binaural system, a hearing aid in each ear, provides better directionality, better clarity and better ability to separate sounds in noise. As regards change in voice texture, this is natural and one should not feel discouraged to talk and communicate.

The Indian scenario was rosy till a few years back, when the joint family system was in vogue. Caring for elders was never a chore then. It was just part of day-to-day life. The advice and opinion of the elders was sought and respected.

However, with the slow disintegration of the joint family, elders are increasingly left to care for themselves or are being forced to ask for help from their children. Depending on their health condition, seniors can devise a few strategies to be independent, especially in decisions regarding readjustment due to disability.

Adult children and youngsters can work wonders by adopting a few strategies in dealing with their beloved parents and grandparents.

• Stand close to them and lean forward. This shows that you are interested in what they are saying.
• Maintain eye contact. This allows them to read your expression.
• Minimise noise in the background. If the music system or television is on, lower the volume so that they do not strain unnecessarily to hear you.
• You can act as an unnoticed watchdog. Make sure that their hearing aids and reading glasses are on when they are conversing.
• Slow down to their pace whenever you can. This makes them receive your message easily.
• If a family member is suffering from Alzheimer’s, learn to be patient. It is not their fault that they are unable to follow you or remember things. Try to communicate with them as often as you can. This will slow down the deterioration process.
• Never patronise. This puts them off and they will withdraw further into their shell.
• Show them you care by occasionally holding their hands or touching them.

Finally, it would be pertinent to note that there is no institution that can replace the family in caring for the old and infirm. They need your love and reassurance. Give it to them wholeheartedly.

The post Easing communication with elders appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

While planning

If elders are travelling alone, it would be wise to opt for trips organised exclusively for senior citizens. Try and make a thorough check of the geography of the place of visit. This is absolutely essential, as you could pack the gear according to the climatic conditions. Make sure to check about the medical facilities available, so that if there is need for some medical attention, you know where to get it. If the travel destination requires compulsory vaccinations, inoculate the senior well in advance, so that he/she doesn’t experience unpleasant reactions during the tour.

Also, give attention to details like organising travel insurance with cover for pre-existent medical conditions and asking for wheelchair arrangements at airports, if necessary. If seniors are travelling with family, one of the youngsters can take care of these matters.

Have a complete medical check-up done

Once the holiday venue has been finalised and tickets, visas, hotel bookings and so on have been arranged, the next step would obviously be a medical check-up. This is especially essential if seniors have problems like coronary heart disease, hypertension, or any other chronic condition, or if they have recently undergone surgery. A diabetic person will need medical advice on how to safely stagger their medications to fit a different time zone. In case of seniors, it is also imperative that they make a visit to the dentist and the optometrist. Any person with a regular intake of medicines for a specific ailment would need a letter of explanation from the doctor to be carried along with the medicines.

Pack your bags with care

A difficult assignment indeed. The haphazard way of packing some essentials for a trip may have been alright when one was young, but packing for a senior citizen requires some thought. First of all, pick a bag with wheels to reduce the strain on their back. Clothes, warm woollens or cool cottons, and footwear should be packed after taking into consideration the climatic condition of the place. It would be wise to pack an extra pair of spectacles. A separate hand baggage should contain all the items that they may need on flight. It should also include a small medical kit with regular medications, painkillers, antacids and band-aids. Keep a list of telephone numbers of your closest kith and kin, doctor, travel agent, and the Indian Embassy [if you are travelling abroad]. This will facilitate quick action in case of emergencies.

On-flight precautions

Any passenger on a long flight with a pre-existent medical condition, which may require on-board medical attention is advised to inform the airline authorities before boarding the aircraft. Even in case of healthy seniors, certain necessary precautions should be taken, in order to avoid the risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis [DVT]. Researchers believe that along with obesity and coronary heart disease, sitting still for an extended period of time could contribute to the formation of blood clots in the leg veins. They suggest that one should wear loose, comfortable clothing, completely avoid alcoholic drinks, smoking and even coffee, drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration, have a walk down the aisle once every hour if you are on a long flight and avoid crossing your legs while seated.

If you are prone to motion sickness, recline your seat and keep your head back. The reclining position usually helps in combating motion sickness. Many travellers complain of ear pain during take-off and landing. The pain is generally caused by the delay in equalisation of pressure between the middle ear and the atmosphere. The pain is more likely to occur in passengers who suffer from cold. Inflammation of the mucous membrane could block the Eustachian tube which connects the middle ear to the throat. This pain can be reduced by chewing gum, chocolates, swallowing, or even yawning, as these actions force air into the Eustachian tube. Using inhalers or nasal decongestants could also help to a certain degree.

Take care of yourself

Jet lag is a common occurrence and one has to keep aside a day or two to recover from it. So, plan your sightseeing schedules after the day of rest. One can try and get rid of jet lag with a few pre-departure measures.

• Set your wristwatch to your destination time two days before your flight.
• Try and sleep only when it will be night at the place where you disembark. This will help attune your body to the new sleeping hours.
• Eat light. It doesn’t matter if you miss some meals on flight but have lots of water and fluids to prevent dehydration.
• Drinking only bottled mineral water and avoiding street food during your vacation can go a long way in preventing travellers’ diarrhoea.
• Don’t plan a hectic schedule. This may result in you getting exhausted to such an extent that you may miss out on a couple of good trips.

And finally, travel as light as possible. Do not ever leave any baggage unattended at the airport. In case you lose some baggage, a delightful tour could turn out to be a nightmare, especially if that particular bag contains your travel documents.

The post When Seniors want to Travel appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

The reason is simple. Ask yourself the following questions.

Do you worry too much? Do you lean into the computer, or hunch over your desk for long periods of time? Do you drive long distances? If your answer is yes, to any of them, it may mean that you are inviting pain in the neck.

Your neck has bones, joints, tendons, muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Its job is to hold your head up. Overuse or strain, or injury, to any of these parts of your neck can lead to neck pain.

More often than not, when we present ourselves at the clinic with neck pain, the diagnosis turns out to be cervical spondylosis.

Cervical spondylosis

Many of us know that the cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae, each one resting on the other to form the spinal column, which protects the spinal cord running through it. The vertebrae are separated from each other by cartilages called discs. Each disc has a central fluid part called the nucleus and an annular ring of cartilage around it called the annulus. The disc can change its shape depending on the stress applied on it and act like a shock absorber. The vertebrae and the discs are linked together by a series of joints held together by muscles and ligaments.

Spondylosis is a condition where there are degenerative changes in the inter-vertebral joints between the body of the vertebra and the disc. It occurs in persons above the age of 30. The degenerative changes that occur are due to aging, or continuous wear and tear. The annulus becomes coarse and the nucleus loses its fluid and becomes fibrous; the disc loses its height and the inter-vertebral space becomes narrow. The discs in your neck also can herniate. This means that the inner gelatinous material of a disc protrudes through its tough covering, irritating the nearby nerves. Other tissues and bony growths also can press on your nerves as they exit your spinal cord. This can cause pain.

Most patients suffering from neck pain have one of the following precipitating factors.

• Sleeping in awkward position
• Sitting for prolonged periods of time in front of the computer, or work-desk
• Pursuing hobbies such as knitting, or painting, which requires high levels of concentration and a bent position of the head
• Driving long distances without halts
• Talking on the phone with the instrument cradled between the shoulder and the head.

Once the factor, or factors, causing the neck pain is identified, treatment can be aimed to stop it so that it does not recur to the extent possible

Easing the pain

One simple solution is to take a break, in-between long sessions. Rest, anti-inflammatory drugs and physiotherapy are helpful in relieving the pain. Physiotherapy modalities like short wave therapy, or interferential therapy and ultrasound, along with cold or heat, are useful in relieving pain.

Traction [the act of drawing, or pulling] has been found useful to relieve nerve root pressure. Some simple measures also help. Wearing the cervical collar is useful in acute cases. It is recommended by doctors to keep the neck in correct alignment. The collar provides passive support; the length of time it has to be worn, of course, depends on the severity of the problem.

Preventing neck pain

Most neck pains are associated with poor posture. So, postural education plays an important part in the prevention of recurrent neck pain.

The goal, of course, is to keep your head centered over your spine, so gravity works with your neck instead of against it.

Some simple changes in your daily routine may also help.

If one gets pain after sleep, then the best thing would be to check your mattress and pillow. Ideally, your pillow should support the natural curve of the neck so that the muscles are relaxed. Feather pillows are generally preferred to foam because they conform easily to the shape of the neck. Also, remember that pillows don’t last forever. After a year or two, feather pillows tend to “collapse” and may need to be replaced.

In addition, a bed that doesn’t offer enough back support can also be a source of neck discomfort. Avoid sleeping on your stomach because this position leads to stress on your neck. Even when lying on the side, you can choose to keep a pillow to support your top arm. While sitting, it is advisable to sit straight and keep a small cushion to support your lower back. Supporting your lower back and sitting will ensure that the cervical spine gets aligned.

If you work for long hours on the computer, adjust your desk, chair and computer so that the monitor is at eye level. Your knees should be slightly lower than the hips. Use your chair’s armrests. While driving long distances, take frequent breaks. Keep your head back, over your spine, to reduce neck strain. While driving the car, adjust the seat to bring you close enough to the pedals so that you don’t have to extend your neck forward.

Also, avoid tucking the phone between your ear and shoulder when you talk. If you use the phone a lot this way, get a headset.

Simple exercise

A small and simple exercise can ease your neck muscles when you are sitting at your desk.

• Shrug your shoulders up and down
• Pull your shoulder blades together and then relax
• Pull your shoulders down while leaning your head to each side to stretch your neck muscles.

Neck extension exercises, like looking up at the ceiling and then retracting the head, i.e., pulling the chin into the neck to form a double chin, can also help.

The post Blame it on posture appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

It was a chance meeting with a general practitioner friend that let me into this best- kept secret.

Gardening is a wonderful hobby with the bonus of having fresh flowers in your drawing room, and fresh fruits and vegetables on your salad trays. In addition, it is a moderate, and sometimes strenuous, exercise that incorporates many important elements of accepted exercise regimes, such as stretching and stance, repetition and movement, and even resistance principles similar to weight training.

An hour of gardening could have you expending about 300 calories. According to experts, regular gardening of around 30 minutes can help lower blood sugar levels, control cholesterol and prevent high blood pressure and heart disease. It can also prevent the onset of osteoporosis. Again, if you’re looking to lose a few inches around your waistline, or simply maintain your weight, gardening is a wise choice.

It’s fun, relaxing, and enriching and happens to be healthy when done regularly.

However, you need to delve into what it takes to embark upon this activity as an exercise.

For a fresher, it is advisable to start with just 10 minutes activity and gradually increase it to 30 minutes per day for 4-5 days a week.

Here are a few simple guidelines that you can follow if you want to pursue gardening – a fun exercise that will ensure you enjoy and achieve maximum health benefits:

Warm-up

Begin with warm-up exercises before you start active gardening. You could warm-up with some stretching and pull-ups or a brisk walk for 10 minutes. It would be wise to start your gardening activity with working the upper body by raking leaves, turning compost, or pulling weeds with hands. Remember to take a little time between the jobs. Even better would be to alternate heavy with light jobs. Take care: because, repetitive work could lead to injuries, e.g., tennis elbow.

Posture

The importance of right posture cannot be over-emphasised. Backache is one of the most common complaints of avid gardeners. It can be easily avoided if one uses the right posture. Don’t bend from the back as you rake, or hoe. Bend from the knees and use your legs, shoulders and arms in a rocking motion. Also, alternate your stance – from right-handed to left-handed. Alternating stance balances the muscles used. This one change could render you free from backaches from gardening activity. While digging, keep one foot in front pointing towards your right [direction], and turn your body instead of twisting your back. These techniques require time and practice, but after a few sessions they will become a natural part of your gardening routine.

Lifting and Handling Techniques

These techniques are critical for your wellbeing. While lifting a wheel barrow, or a heavy pot, keep the knees flexed together, hold the object close to your body and lift. Exhale as you lift a heavy load and inhale when you place it down.

Sunburn and dehydration

Thanks to our tropical climate, hobby gardeners are required to keep a close watch on their skin. Sunburn is quite common. Wearing a sunscreen is a must if you are outside for more than 20 minutes.

Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before you go out and re-apply after two hours. Avoid outdoor activity between 10 am and 4 pm. Dehydration is another thing which one has to guard against. It can occur due to heat and exercise; progressive dehydration can sometimes be hazardous. Drink plenty of water, or sports drinks, before, during, and after gardening, to ensure fluid replacement.

Ergonomic tools

Choose the right tools for you and your garden. Remember, you have to use them, so invest in the right ergonomic tools readily available in the market. They have to be lightweight, but strong.

Tools with extended handles, handles with padding, handles that are soft, comfortable and easy-to-grip, make gardening a pleasure. The benches you use for potting plants should be at a comfortable height.

Consider using a tool box, or a special apron containing pockets for keeping essential tools at hand. In case you have a big garden, which is a rarity in cities like Mumbai, consider having a lawn mower and wheel barrow to carry raked out weeds.

Gardening gear

This is something that requires special care and attention.

• Wear a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays
• Wear comfortable loose cotton clothes
• You can choose to wear a sensible wide-brimmed hat to protect and shade your neck and face
• Since most gardeners suffer from bruises, blisters and cuts in their palms, it would be advisable to wear a pair of gardening gloves
• Wear a pair of comfortable shoes to protect your feet from stone, thorn and insects.

The joy, satisfaction, and the sense of achievement you derive from plucking flowers from your own garden is something unique. It’s a great way to exercise and keep fit too.

Happy gardening!

The post GARDENING: World’s Best-Kept Exercise Secret appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.