Posts Tagged ‘health’
GANS Lunch and Learn video available online
The first video from this spring’s series of Lunch and Learns isnow available for online viewing. this video features Dr. Paige Moorhouse’s lecture on the new Palliative and Therapeutic Harmonization Clinic, which offers resources and skills for chronically ill older adult to assist them in dealing with their current and future medical issues/wishes.
The video is in four parts, due to its length, and can be viewed at the following links:
For more information about the PATH Clinic, you can contact peggyhobbs@cdha.nshealth.ca
Thanks to the Geriatric Medicine Research Unit for hosting these videos on their YouTube channel! There are other videos there on topics such as driving and dementia, frailty, and more.
No Comments »
The Personal Directives Act – GANS Lunch and Learn March 26
On April 01, 2010, the Personal Directives Act will come into force in Nova Scotia and bring changes to the way personal care decisions are made. These changes will expand protection for individuals creating the personal directive, families of that individual as well a health care professionals delivering services.
To find out more about what this may mean for you, your loved ones or your patients, come to the GANS Lunch and Learn, where Lori-Anne Jones from Capital District Health will shed a bit of light on the new processes and procedures, and answer questions you may have.
GANS Lunch and Learns are aimed at professionals in the field of aging, but are open to any members of the public who wish to come.
Please feel free to bring your lunch and learn along with us!
TIME: 12-1 p.m
DATE: Friday, March 26, 2010
LOCATION: Royal Bank Theatre, 1st floor Halifax Infirmary, Summer St. Entrance.
No Comments »
Elderly people have the greatest risk for major depression.
Medical News Today reports that researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center have unveiled results from a study that they say has pinpointed the identifying factors in who, among those 65+, will be at greatest risk for major depression. 
The researchers studied data from over 600 people aged 65+, who had no active diagnosis of depression. The subjects were given follow up interviews over a period of four years. Approximately 5 percent of the patients had an episode of major depression during that time.
The article reports report: “People with low-level depressive symptoms, who perceive that they have poor quality social support from other people, and with a past history of depression, were at particularly high risk to develop major depression within the one-to-four year time period of the study,” Lyness said. “This is good news, as we in the field are just learning how to prevent depression in particular high-risk groups. Future work will be able to test whether any of a variety of treatments – perhaps psychotherapy, perhaps medication, perhaps other things such as exercise – will help to prevent depression in persons suffering from the risks we identified in this study.”
Read the full article here.
No Comments »
Use of acid-reducing stomach drugs is soaring in seniors.
The Globe and Mail reports on soaring use of proton-pump inhibiting drugs among seniors - the percentage of seniors using these drugs to ease gastrointestinal problems has rocketed up by 60% over the past five years.
Nexium (esomeprazole_magnesium) pills
Proton-pump inhibitors are the most potent inhibitors of gastric acid available today.
The article notes:
“Laura Targownik, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, said the use of PPIs – which work by decreasing the amount of acid the stomach produces – has increased because they are effective and generally safe. “We don’t have a lot of other medications for these conditions,” she said. In recent years, there have been a number of safety concerns raised in relation to PPIs. Their use, and long-term use in particular, has been associated with a higher risk of hip fractures, heart attacks and infections such as Clostridium difficile and pneumonia. Dr. Targownik, who specializes in gastroenterology, said those risks must be kept in perspective and balanced against the benefits of the drug. What is essential for patients and physicians alike, she said, is to ensure that use is appropriate, particularly long-term use…“If there is a valid indication, then continue using PPIs. So I advise their use – with caution,” Dr. Targownik said.”
No Comments »
New technology helps older patients monitor condition at home.
An article in today’s Washington Post describes some innovative programs designed to help seniors or those with chronic conditions monitor themselves at home – reducing travel and time in hospital as well as costs.
Juanita Wood transmits her blood pressure readings to a clinic at her retirement community where she lives. Her husband, Arthur, seen in the mirror, uses a similar device, though he also keeps a written tally. Photo: Washington Post
“Every morning at 10 a.m. sharp, Juanita Wood, 87, taps “okay” on a screen to start up a device that takes her blood pressure and transmits the information to her medical clinic. At 10:30 a.m., her husband, Arthur, 91, touch-starts his own device, neatly lined up next to hers. The machine calculates his blood pressure and weight and sends them off, along with a blood sugar count that he enters by hand.
The Woods, of Catonsville, Md., are participants in one of several pilot projects that home health-care providers, retirement communities and others are conducting to see if high-tech but simple devices can help doctors closely monitor aging patients at home in a way that will help control problems before they escalate and cut back on the need for costly long-term care and hospital admissions — especially repeat hospital visits for chronic conditions.”
Programs such as these are not designed for diagnosis – there is not doctor remotely assessing you. Instead, they are designed to help elderly patients stay on top of their own medical condition, and be alert to changes that could indicate a more serious problem.
Read the full article here.
No Comments »
Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia hosts annual corporate luncheon.
The Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia (ASNS) will host its annual corporate luncheon on December 3. 2009 at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront. This year’s guest speaker is Micheal Decter.
“Mr. Decter is President and Chief Executive Officer of the investment management firm, LDIC Inc. where his primary focus is value investing in individual companies. He is a Harvard trained economist and author of three financial books, Michael Decter’s Million Dollar Strategy, The DRIP Strategy and his latest, Ten Good Reasons to Invest in Canada.
As a former Deputy Minister of Health for Ontario, Michael is a leading Canadian expert on health systems and has a wealth of experience speaking around the world. He is a highly acclaimed negotiator and facilitator and has represented governments, corporations and hospitals.”
For more information on the Corporate Luncheon please call Beth Jackson, Coordinator, Community Giving for the ASNS at 422-7961 ext 228.
Social Vulnerability in Elderly People
Recent work at the Geriatric Medicine Research Unit has shed light on the link between social vulnerability and mortality. 
Dr. Melissa Andrew, a geriatrician working at the research unit, describes social vulnerability as a variety of factors that make people susceptible to illness, disease, decline in their ability to do things for themselves, or even death. The factors can include low education, low income, lack of family supports, social isolation, not being able to participate in community activities, living in a community with high unemployment and having few opportunities for socializing.
This work on social vulnerability is of vital importance as it has shown that for each additional social vulnerability factor a person had, the likelihood of death increased 5-8%. Working with data from 7000+ Canadian over the age of 65, she has also shown that the older a person is, the higher their level of social vulnerability. Click here to read the work of Dr. Andrew and her colleagues at the open journal PLoS ONE.
The research unit has invested in a series of videos to explain the importance and impact of their work in areas such as social vulnerability, dementia, and frailty. You can see all the videos here.
No Comments »
Tai Chi – an exercise option for elderly adults with many benefits.
Recent studies from Tufts University have shown that the traditional Chinese martial art Tai Chi, known in western countries for its soft, flowing movements, is not only a good exercise option for older adults and the frail, but can benefit heart health and osteoarthritis. 
A report from the Tufts University Program in Evidence-Based Complimentary and Alternative Medicine reports that “studies suggest that Tai Chi is a safe exercise, even for frail elders, and may be beneficial to various aspects of cardiovascular health. It requires no specialized equipment, is relatively inexpensive and can be taught/learned in a group setting. Tai Chi appears to elicit a cardiovascular response equivalent to that associated with moderate intensity exercise, and as such meets the American College of Sports Medicine, American Heart Association, and Centers for Disease Control recommendations for daily performance of low- to moderate-intensity activities.”
And in the November issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology, researchers reported “that patients over 65 years of age with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who engage in regular Tai Chi exercise improve physical function and experience less pain. Tai Chi (Chuan) is a traditional style of Chinese martial arts that features slow, rhythmic movements to induce mental relaxation and enhance balance, strength, flexibility, and self-efficacy.”
If you would like to learn more about Tai Chi, or even give it a try, you can check out the website of the International Taoist Tai Chi Society – Atlantic Region. Here you will find information on classes all over Nova Scotia.
No Comments »
H1N1 information for seniors.
With much information (and misinformation) swirling about seasonal flu and H1N1 flu, the Public Health Agency of Canada has some very useful guidelines. On their site, the offer two easy charts – the first shows common and less common symptoms of both seasonal and H1N1 flu:
Both H1N1 and seasonal flu can show the following symptoms:
| Almost Always: | Common: | Sometimes: |
Sudden onset of:
|
|
|
Their recommendation for the above is thus:
“Early treatment can help to reduce the risk of complications if you or someone you care for develops the flu. If you or someone you care for develops flu symptoms, keep them at home until their fever is gone and they are back to their normal activity level, usually within one week. Give them plenty of fluids, and if they have a fever use fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.”
The second chart shows the symptoms of severe H1N1:
H1N1 Flu Virus: Signs of Severe Illness
| If you or someone you care for develops the following symptoms, seek immediate medical care: | |
|
|
In the case of any of these developing in yourself or someone you are caring for, please seek immediate medical attention.
The website also has tips for staying healthy and information about the benefits and risks of any treatment for H1N1.
No Comments »
Aerobic exercise benefits for older adults.
Dr. Kenneth Madden, speaking at the 2009 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, has unveiled new research that demonstrates the benefits of aerobic exercise for older adults. Dr. Madden’s work studied a group of adults between the ages of 65-83 with controlled Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol. Three months of exercise resulted in an improvement in the elasticity of the arteries of the group that performed the activity compared to those who didn’t exercise.
“The subjects were divided into two groups to either receive three months of vigorous physical activity (one hour, three times per week) or to get no aerobic exercise at all. Subjects were classified as sedentary at the beginning of the study but gradually increased their fitness levels until they were working at 70 per cent of their maximum heart rate, using treadmills and cycling machines. They were supervised by a certified exercise trainer.”
While some may worry about the high level of activity engaged in by the participants, Dr Madden says “There seems to be a knee-jerk reluctance to getting these older adults to exercise yet we used a vigorous level of activity and didn’t have any trouble keeping participants in our study. They enjoyed the activity. People always underestimate what older adults can do.”
He also notes, however, that many people need a kick start to motivate them into a regular fitness program. In aid of this, you can visit the Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection’s Senior section here, and find your local YMCA here. You can visit the Canadian Cardiovascular Society’s website here.
No Comments »