National Family Caregiver's Month

November is National Family Caregiver's Month!   There is a lot of information out there for Caregivers; check out the following:

Parkinson's Foundation Caregiver's Month

National Family Caregiver's Association

Nationa Alliance for Caregiving

Family Caregiver Alliance

American Society on Aging

Signs of Heart Attack in Women

Signs of heart attacks in women may be very different from the signs men experience.

 

Every 90 seconds, a woman in the United States has a heart attack, according to the womenshealth.gov website. Sadly, many women don't recognize these typical symptoms:

• Having chest pain or discomfort.
• Feeling a strange sense of upper-body discomfort.
• Feeling short of breath.
• Suddenly breaking out in a cold sweat.
• Having an unusual sense of fatigue.
• Feeling light-headed or sudden dizziness.
• Feeling nauseated.

HealthDay

By Diana Kohnle Monday, October 22, 2012

Senior Humor

Parkinson's Disease Foundation Receives Highest Charity Rating

For the fifth consecutive year, PDF has received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, meaning it "exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its Cause." The ranking reflects Charity Navigator's assessment of PDF's financial health, and our accountability and transparency.

This news also makes PDF the only Parkinson's organization to have been awarded both a four-star rating and the Charity Seal of Approval from the Wise Giving Alliance of the Better Business Bureau.

Parkinson's Disease Foundation

Newly Identified Protein May Help Damaged Dopamine Neurons Recover in Parkinson’s Disease

Scientists supported by the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) have shown that in mice, a newly identified protein can help damaged dopamine neurons to recover and resume their work, which could one day provide a new strategy for treating Parkinson’s disease (PD). The results appear in the August 15, 2012 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

Scientists are beginning to understand that substances called trophic factors help adult brain cells (also known as neurons) to stay alive. But exactly how trophic factors and the proteins they activate are able to help neurons, like the ones lost in Parkinson’s, is not well understood.

Brain Scan Could Predict Course of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Disease Foundation report

A special type of brain scan could allow doctors to predict the course of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in people newly diagnosed, according to a study published in the September 15 issue of the journal Movement Disorders. Identifying people at risk for severe disease might enable better management and treatment of their symptoms.

What this means:

Some people with PD develop more debilitating symptoms than others, but doctors can’t currently predict the clinical course, or prognosis, of a person’s disease at the time of diagnosis. Being able to do so may help doctors better anticipate and treat severe symptoms such as falling, cognitive impairment and psychosis. In addition, such knowledge could help doctors design more informative clinical trials. For example, in some clinical trials, it might be useful to assign study volunteers into groups of people with similar predicted disease progression.

To read more go to:  Parkinson's Disease Foundation

Neil Armstrong

By Robert Ariail - August 27, 2012

Electric Three Wheel Bicycle for Adults

Feel safe and secure riding your electric three wheel bike

This sturdy electric three wheel adult trike is a fun way for you to stay active. It comes with a comfortable seat, a high backrest, a large rear basket with a top and a smaller basket securely attached to the handlebar. The front and rear baskets provide plenty of storage for carrying groceries, tools, packages and other items.
In addition, the three wheel design and the seat with high backrest offer people with balancing or neurological disabilities a safe way to exercise, improve circulation and enjoy the great outdoors!

In addition, the three wheel design and the seat with high backrest offer people with balancing or neurological disabilities a safe way to exercise, improve circulation and enjoy the great outdoors!

Caring Voice Community

Caring Voice Community is a new quarterly publication from the Caring Voice Coalition.

Alex Withrow, Editor in Chief explained the purpose of Caring Voice Community.  "From the onset, the purpose of Caring Voice Community has been to educate.  Educate our patients on the diseases they have, educate physicians and pharmacies about the diseases we support, and educate the general public about what it means to live with a chronic illness."

"Caring Voice Coalition empowers patients who live with a life threatening chronic disease through comprehensive outreach programs and services aimed at financial, emotional and educational support. With a steadfast dedication to the organization’s set of core values, their knowledgeable, caring staff maintains their solid reputation as a dependable, responsive organization with a unique, holistic approach to improving the lives of our patients." from their website:  www.caringvoice.org

The Diseases Caring Voice Coalition Support:

Alpha-1 Antirypsin Deficiency
Chromic Granulomatous Disease
Complex Partial Seizures
Confenital Factor XIII Deficiency
Huntington's Disease
Infantile Spasms
Narcolepsy
Pulmonary Fibrosis
Pulmonary Hypertension

Untreated Heartburn May Raise Risk for Esophageal Cancer

We've heard from many of our readers who suffer from GERD.  Take a moment to read the results of the study on heartburn it may save your health or your life.


WEDNESDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Rates of esophageal cancer have surged due to a lack of awareness about what causes the disease and how it can be prevented, experts say.

The esophagus is the muscular tube that carries food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach. There were six times as many cases of esophageal cancer in 2001 as there were in 1975, according to a team from the University of California, Los Angeles. The researchers noted that one key way people can reduce their risk for the disease is by managing heartburn and acid reflux, often called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.
"Obesity and poor diet have spiked the numbers suffering from acid reflux," Dr. V. Raman Muthusamy, associate clinical professor of medicine and endoscopy director at the UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders, said in a university news release.
If left untreated, GERD can cause stomach acid to wash repeatedly into the esophagus, causing changes in the tissue lining. This condition is called Barrett's esophagus, and people diagnosed with Barrett's may be up to 40 times more likely to develop esophageal cancer, the UCLA experts explained.
Complicating matters, people with esophageal cancer may not experience any symptoms other than heartburn, which could prevent early detection of the disease, said Muthusamy and his colleague Dr. Kevin Ghassemi, clinical programs director at the UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders.

Exercise Can Shield the Aging Brain, Studies Show

Weight training, walking helped older adults' memory, according to new studies at Alzheimer's meet

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_127256.html(*this news item will not be available after 10/14/2012)

Monday, July 16, 2012

Related MedlinePlus Pages

• Alzheimer's Disease [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html]
• Exercise for Seniors [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseforseniors.html]

SUNDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Evidence is mounting that exercise provides some protection from memory loss and Alzheimer's disease, with three new studies showing that a variety of physical activities are associated with healthier brains in older adults.
One study found that normally sedentary older adults who walked at a moderate pace three times a week for a year boosted the size of the brain region involved with memory.
A second study found that twice-weekly resistance (weight) training helped women with mild signs of mental decline improve their scores on thinking and memory tests. And the third showed that exercise done for strength and balance also improved memory.

Signs of Heart Disease from the American Heart Association

More than one in three adults have one or more of the damaging conditions associated with heart disease. Many of these conditions are related to plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, which makes it harder for blood to flow and creating a risk for heart attack or stroke.

Things to Look Out For

• Sudden chest pain could be a sign of a heart attack, but there are other warning signs as well. You might also feel pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. Or you might have shortness of breath, a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
  
  And, although in the movies it’s typically an overweight man having a heart attack, heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, too. As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women may also experience other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back or jaw pain.

• Chest pain during exercise or other physical exertion, called angina, is a common symptom of chronic coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  If you are experiencing heart palpitations or angina, make an appointment to speak to your doctor, Dr. Fuster said. However, if you are unsure of whether you could be having one of these problems or a heart attack, play it safe and call 9-1-1 right away. If you are having a heart attack, it’s important to “get to the hospital within minutes,” Dr. Fuster said.

• Excessive, acute shortness of breath that is persistent is a heart attack warning sign, but it could indicate other heart problems. Such breathlessness during exercise or other physical exertion may point to problem with the heart valves. When the heart valves aren’t working properly, either not opening wide enough (stenosis), or not closing properly (mitral valve prolapse), they can prevent the heart from pumping efficiently and can create a risk for infection. Shortness of breath may also be caused when the heart muscle becomes inflamed and weakened, and doesn’t contract well – called cardiomyopathy.

Reading Glasses

Washable and Reusable Underpad with Handles

Washable bed pads for incontinence have handles for positioning and transferring

Washable and reusable high quality underpads with positioning handles. Layered and quilted for durability. Non slip bottom layer, abasorbent inner layer and breathable smooth top layer. Available in two sizes 34x36" and 34x54"

Several intriguing new studies about Parkinson's Disease

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) --

Some of the newer antidepressants can help treat depression in people with Parkinson's disease without aggravating other disease symptoms such as tremor or rigidity, researchers have found.

Nearly 1 million people in the United States are living with Parkinson's disease, a progressive movement disorder marked by tremor, slowness and/or rigidity. Parkinson's disease and depression tend to travel together, and there has been concern that some of the medications used to treat depression may worsen motor symptoms.

A new study published online April 11 and in the April 17 print issue of Neurology shows that this is not the case, at least when it comes to the antidepressants Paxil (paroxetine) and Effexor (venlafaxine).

Elderly Noises

Essential Tremor in the News

Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological condition that causes shaking of the head, hands, and voice. Since it affects nearly 10 million people in the U.S., it's not surprising to see ET pop up in news media, blogs, video, and other sources.

Below are some recent stories about people with ET. For more, visit http://www.essentialtremor.org/Essential-Tremor-in-the-News which is updated regularly with new links.


The Shaky Side of Stillness
From Mind Body Green: Your Guide to Wellness
Who hasn’t occasionally felt a bit shaky in practice? Normal, yes? I always do. Literally. I cannot be physically still. I have a hereditary condition called an essential tremor. My hands shake, the right more so than the left, my head shakes slightly, too, and my voice can tremble. A full cup of anything is an accident waiting to happen. Balancing poses take on an entirely new look when I’m in them, if I can get there.
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4467/The-Shaky-Side-of-Stillness.html

Essential Tremor Sufferer Welcomes Calm Moments
Daily News-Sun, Sun City, AZ
Bob Kortright often struggles with the simplest of tasks, such as carrying a hot cup of coffee around his Sun City home or inserting a key into a car door.

“I’m dangerous with a screwdriver,” the 89-year-old Kortright said with a laugh.

He suffers from essential tremor, a neurological disorder that causes hands, heads and voices to shake.
http://www.yourwestvalley.com/topstory/article_32d87bf2-7dad-11e1-8f96-001a4bcf887a.html


Essential Tremor Awareness
Terry Hopkins of Blackfoot was 20 when she started to notice the tremor in her right hand. At first she didn’t think much of it until it started to affect her handwriting. Lines that used to be straight and crisp became wavy and jagged.

After seeing a neurologist, Terry found out she has a little-known neurological disorder known as Essential Tremor, or “ET.” Last year, former U.S. Representative Dennis Moore of Kansas helped push a measure through Congress establishing March as Essential Tremor Awareness Month.
http://www.binghammemorial.org/blog/2012/03/30/essential-tremor-awareness/

Baby Boomer Statistics

When World War II came to an end and soldiers returned home to the United States, an enormous number of babies were born. This population explosion, coined the Baby Boom by sociologists, lasted from 1946 to 1964.

• In 1957, there were 4,300,000 babies born setting a record for the highest number of births ever recorded.
• In the first year of the Baby Boom, 1946, there were 3,411,000 recorded births.
• The Baby Boom ended in 1964 with 4,027,000 recorded births.
• In 1964, Baby Boomers represented 40 percent of the population. Today, they make up 28 percent of the total population of the United States.
• Of the total population of Baby Boomers, women make up 51 percent.
• A Baby Boomer turns 50 every 8.5 seconds.

The Aging of Baby Boomers

• On January 1, 2006, the first Baby Boomer turned 60.
• Women who are currently 50 have a life expectancy of 82.5.
• Men who are currently 50 have a life expectancy of 78.5.
• In 1965, 36 percent of the population of the United States was under the age of 18.
• Currently, only 18 percent of the population is under the age of 18.

Essential Tremor Webinars

ET Webinars

The IETF has developed a series of webinars on essential tremor narrated by movement disorder specialists who are leaders in the field. Click on the link below to launch the presentation. Viewers can click on any section of the topic to begin at specific points.

 

This webinar series was made possible by an educational grant from St. Jude Medical. DVDs of these presentations are not available at this time.

View the webinars at http://www.essentialtremor.org/ET-Webinars.

 

Free Essential Tremor Publications

The International Essential Tremor Foundation provides a range of free education publications about essential tremor (ET). The publications can be viewed online, downloaded, and printed. 

http://www.essentialtremor.org/free-et-publications

Learn facts about ET, coping tips, medications, considerations for children with ET, and much more.

Or contact the IETF at 888.387.3667 to order a free information packet about ET.

The Difference Between Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Disease

Essential Tremor vs. Parkinson's Disease: How Do They Differ?
 

Members of the IETF Medical Advisory Board created a simple reference guide that lists basic distinctions between ET and PD signs and symptoms. Click the link above for a free PDF that can be downloaded and printed.

More free publications about essential tremor are available here: http://www.essentialtremor.org/Free-ET-Publications

March is National Essential Tremor Awareness Month

In December 2010, Congress passed a House resolution that officially designates March as "National Essential Tremor Awareness Month."

National Essential Tremor Awareness Month provides people with ET and the International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF) with a key platform to educate the public about the condition, as well as raise much needed research funds. While 10 million people in the United States have essential tremor, the public still has very little awareness of ET. Because the condition can be treated in many cases, it is important for people to seek help early if they exhibit symptoms. With your assistance, we can reach more people this year.

Visit this link to learn more about how to raise awareness of ET.

2012 National ET Awareness Month Media Mentions and Fundraising/Awareness Events

Free ET Publications for download and printing.

ElderStore is a finalist in the Best of the Web competition!

New Study Finds Hearing Loss Triples the Risk of Falling

HealthDay News is reporting the results of a new study by Johns Hopkins researchers connecting hearing loss to a higher risk of incidents of falling.

Johns Hopkins researchers analyzed data from more than 2,000 people ages 40 to 69 who took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2004. The participants had their hearing tested and answered questions about whether they had had a fall in the past year.

Senior's Valentine!

Essential Tremor and Parkinson's disease: What's the Difference?

ElderStore kindly invited the International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF) to contribute guest posts to this blog. The organization appreciates the opportunity to share information about essential tremor and to reach this audience. 

ElderStore's motto - Aging with Grace and Dignity - is both apt and important to keep in mind as we grow older and tend to our needs as human beings. The IETF will certainly honor that motto in our posts.  

To begin, I'd like to share basic information about essential tremor (ET), a neurological condition that causes shaking of the head, hands, and voice. Also known as familial tremor, benign essential tremor or hereditary tremor, ET is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease (PD) and dystonia.

Actually, ET is eight times more common than PD and affects 10 million people in the United States. It is the most common movement disorder; however, because of stereotypes and a lack of awareness, many people with ET never seek medical care though most would benefit from treatment.

  

How does ET differ from PD? Members of the IETF Medical Advisory Board created a simple reference guide that lists basic distinctions between ET and PD signs and symptoms. 

Visit this link to learn more:  Essential Tremor and Parkinson's disease - How do they differ from each other?

To learn more about ET, visit our website or call us toll-free at 888.387.3667 for information about the condition, treatment, support groups, research and more.

Pete Dulin
Editor
International Essential Tremor Foundation

http://www.essentialtremor.org/

Old as the Dinosaurs!

Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer's

Report published in the Archives of Neurology suggests that staying cognitively active over a lifetime may reduce your risk of Alzheimer's Disease.

According to study author Susan Landau, a research scientist at the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute at UC Berkeley, "we think that cognitive activity is probably one of a variety of lifestyle practices -- occupational, recreational and social activities -- that may be important."

In the United States, more than 5 million people have Alzheimer's disease, and it is now the sixth-leading killer in the country, according to the researchers. No cure exists for the neurodegenerative condition, but a draft of the first-ever National Alzheimer's Plan released last week laid out plans by the federal government to have effective treatment by 2025.

International Essential Tremor Foundation

ElderStore recently became a member of the International Essential Tremor Foundation.  If you or a loved one have tremors, check out their website, it is full of helpful information.  Membership provides newsletters, reports and brochures with up to date information on Essential Tremors.

Panache Laundry Cart

NEW at ElderStore - Lightweight, folding, rolling laundry cart!

ElderStore has been searching for a folding laundry cart for quite some time. And now we finally have the Panache Laundry Trolley.

Easy as One, Two Three - unfold your laundry cart, set your laundry basket inside and roll to the laundry room - no more carrying laundry baskets!

Easy rolling laundry cart holds the basket at just the right height.  The high quality, lightweight, laundry cart is designed to hold most square, oval and round laundry baskets.

The cart weighs just a bit over 8 pounds. The laundry cart folds flat (except for the wheels) for easy storage when not in use.

You can purchase this cart here or here.

Why Some People Live to 110 or Longer

HealthDay News reported on a new study by a team of U.S. researchers who found that people who live to 110 or loonger have as many disease related genes as everyone, but they may also have genetically inherited protective genes as well that help them live long lives.

The team of U.S. scientists noted that supercentenarians, as they are called, are extremely rare, with only one per 5 million people in developed nations. There is growing evidence that genetics play a major role in living to such an old age.