The ability to age in place is important to both baby boomers and seniors.  Key to aging in place is the ability to age safely and comfortably in one’s home.  Sometimes however, falls can prevent safely aging in place.

Tripping over items and falling on the stairs are the top two causes of falls in the home.  Also, as we age, we can develop arthritis and other conditions that make going up and down stairs more challenging.  This was the case for Karl Schwengel, a 79 year old retired business manager who lived in a two-story Capitol Hill townhouse.   As Karl got older, his health declined, resulting in difficulty getting up and down the 17 steps in his townhouse.  So two years ago, Karl decided to get a stair lift installed.

A survey by the National Association of Home Builders states that 79 percent of buyers 55 and older would prefer a one-story home.   However, census numbers indicate that most of the country’s homes are two or more stories.  So having to use stairs to access the home is common.  For some people in a two-story home, modifications can be made so that all necessities are on the main level.  However, this may not be an option for many people; in these cases people may have to consider the use of a stair lift or an elevator.

A stair lift that goes up one flight of stairs can cost anywhere between $3,000 to $10, 000 depending on if it’s a straight lift or if it has turns or needs further customization.  The plus to the lift is that it can be fairly reasonable to install. On the negative side,  some people consider stair lifts unattractive.  On the other hand, an elevator in the home can be more discrete but also more costly (a 3 stop elevator can cost between $20,000-$25,000).

If someone wants to age in their current home, planning ahead while you’re healthy is a crucial step in aging in place.  If you do have a two-or three story home, think ahead to what you may need to do to your home if you can’t access all floors.  Would a stair lift work for you, an elevator, or can you make modifications to the main level of your home that would allow you to live comfortably on that level if you had to?

Source:  The Washington Post

Picture Source:  Arthritis Supplies.com

People with limited grasps, such as people with arthritis, can struggle with everyday activities such as turning on a light switch.  Lamp Switch enlargers can fit over most lamp switches and can make it easier to turn lamps on.  They can be purchased online through stores such as Jansen Medical Supply and Arthritis Supplies.com They cost about $6.00.

Picture source:   Drug Supply Store.com

Carrying grocery bags can wear on your joints and cause you to make several trips to the car.  Protect your joints by using a rolling cart.  Using a push cart can make life easier.  Instead of making several trips and carrying your groceries inside your house, you can place them in your cart and simply roll it to your destination.  Prices for carts can start at $20 and can be purchased at online stores such as Target and Drug Supply Store.com.

Picture Source:  Tornado Body Dryer

After Shower Safety and Privacy

Finished showering? Individuals with arthritis pain, balancing issues, or limited mobility and dexterity find it a challenge to towel dry. Contorting to reach their back and legs is frustrating, painful and a safety hazard.  Those who submit to assistance, suffer the loss of privacy and dignity.

Don’t reach for a towel or ask for an assistant. Instead, stay in your warm shower and simply activate the Tornado Body Dryer to be wrapped in a blanket of soothing, swirling, warm air that gently and completely dries you from head to toe.

– Also great for those with ultra-sensitive skin –

Benefits

*Dry the hard-to-reach areas   * Reduce chance of falling   * No more damp/smelly towels

* Reduce condensation & mildew   * Green: 70% less energy compared to towel usage * Safe to use with a wheelchair

* See www.tornadobodydryer.com FAQ’s for more info!

The list price for the Tornado Body Dryer is $1,895.  For more information, click here

The following information is brought to you by The Arthritis Foundation

The Arthritis Foundation offers an entire range of exercise programs to help you get started. You can choose from all-around gentle exercises that increase joint flexibility, range of motion and muscle strength or aquatics that allow you to exercise without putting excess strain on your joints and muscles. There are also tai chi classes designed specifically for people with arthritis and a Walk with Ease program helping you take the first step toward developing a healthy walking habit. Find out more on exercise programs in your area.

How to Move and How Much to Move

When it comes to moving, the goal is to do it on a regular basis. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults do a minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (brisk walking, gardening) a week or 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of vigorous aerobic physical activity (jogging, aerobic dancing). Whether your activity is moderate or vigorous, keep moving.

There are many different goals for exercise. You want to keep your weight down in order to lessen impact and pressure on joints. You also want to strengthen the muscles around certain joints. And you want to increase your range of motion. So, how do you do it all? Just make sure your workout is well-rounded!

The best way to do that is to slowly incorporate aerobic fitness, muscular fitness and flexibility into your routine.

Aerobic fitness – Getting your heart pounding and your lungs filled with oxygen rewards you with improved metabolism, a better mood, more energy, increased stamina and decreased inflammation. Try aquatics, walking, swimming and cycling.

Muscular fitness – Strength training makes your joints more stable and strong muscles keep your bones positioned properly, increasing bone density and decreasing your risk for osteoporosis and fractures. Try light resistant bands or tubing.

Flexibility – Stretching decreases daily joint stiffness, improves range of motion and minimizes muscle soreness after exercise. Try yoga and tai chi and other gentle stretches.

Remember, when beginning an exercise program, you should always consult with your doctor before starting out.

Movement Tools

Now that you know how important it is to exercise and how often you should do it, here are some tools to help you stay motivated to move.

• Set your exercise goals and get moving with the Let’s Move Together movement tracker.
• Get up and go with motivational podcasts that will psych you up to move.
• Follow along at home with exercise videos you can watch online.
  • Stay flexible with tai chi, yoga and stretching.
  • Work on muscular fitness with weight-bearing exercises.

Keep an exercise log to track your progress.

The following information is brought to you by The Arthritis Foundation

Want to fight your osteoarthritis? Get off the couch! Moving is the best medicine to fight osteoarthritis pain.

Regular, moderate exercise offers a whole host of benefits to people with arthritis. Mainly, exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness, builds strong muscle around the joints, and increases flexibility and endurance. It reduces inflammation from arthritis and related conditions and lowers the risk of other chronic conditions. It also helps promote overall health and fitness by giving you more energy, helping you sleep better, controlling your weight, decreasing depression, and giving you more self-esteem. Furthermore, exercise can help stave off other health problems such as osteoporosis and heart disease.

So, it’s obviously a no-brainer. You’ve got to move. But sometimes it’s not so easy to get started. When you’re achy and sore, the last thing you want to do is exercise.

Getting Started

Starting an exercise program can seem like a daunting proposition. The important thing to remember is to start slow and make it fun. It is always good to start with flexibility exercises, which are basically stretching exercises that will improve your range of motion and help you perform daily activities. (Watch these stretching exercise videos to get started.) Once you feel comfortable you can move on to weight training and endurance exercises such as bicycling.

Videos brought to you by Arthritis Today.

You may be reluctant to exercise because you are in such pain. If this is the case you may want to start with a water exercise program. In the water, your body’s buoyancy reduces stress on your hips, knees, and spine while building strength and increasing range of motion. There are many aquatic programs and exercises that are great for people with arthritis. Try water walking, for example. Water provides 12 times the resistance of air, so you’re getting a great workout without the wear and tear on your joints.

Join us next week as we talk about How to Move and How Much to Move

Home safety is vital to aging in place.  Aging in Place is defined by the National Aging in place Council as the ability to continue to live in one’s home safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level.  Being able to live safely at home can contribute to our sense of self worth, being part of a community and provides us as well as our family members with peace of mind.  Because of its importance in aging in place, The Aging Suite will be doing a series this month on Home Safety.

Home safety encompasses a wide variety of areas.  Our series will focus on the various aspects of fall prevention.

Fall Statistics:

• Falls occur more often among women who have one or more medical condition and live alone
• Falls are the leading cause of Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• In adults 65 and older, falls are the cause of an estimated 60.7% of TBIs
• Direct medical costs related to falls in the population age 65 and older  is over $16.4 billion annually
• The CDC projects that by 2020, annual spending as a result of falls is expected to reach $54.9 billion
• 77% of falls occur in the home

Risk Factors for falls:

Include those that occur inside the body like,

• arthritis
• muscle weakness
• hearing and vision impairments
• high/low blood pressure
• balance problems
• dizziness

Issues that are due to environmental factors include:

• home safety hazards
• poor lighting
• loose fitting clothing
• cluttered walking paths
• placing items on stairs

Simple things you can do to prevent falls include:

• Having a health care professional check your medications
• Exercising regularly to maintain agility by using techniques such as Tai Chi
• Getting your eyes checked
• Getting a thorough home assessment performed by a trained professional

Join us next week as we continue our discussion on home safety.

Sources:  The Effect of Tai Chi on Health Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Conditions A Systematic Review

Fight arthritis pain.org, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Disability, Aging and Long Term Care Policy, and ABT Associates CDC

Last week we talked about Osteoarthritis (OA) being the most common type of arthritis.  As we mentioned, there is a strong link between osteoarthritis and inactivity.  Also, more than half of adults with diabetes or heart disease have arthritis, and these numbers are expected to rise as rates of osteoarthritis increase.

Being Active can help

Physical activity can help decrease the pain and disability of osteoarthritis.  Tai Chi is a great form of exercise for people with arthritis.  Tai Chi is a traditional form of Chinese martial arts that has been practiced in China for centuries.  Its benefits and forms have spread throughout the world.

Tai Chi is also a low intensity exercise; its movements are smooth, non-jarring, slow, and work joints through their full range of motion, making it beneficial for people with arthritis.   It is believed to have many health benefits including helping to reduce fall risks in older adults and improving flexibility, both of which are important in helping to age in place.  Other believed benefits of Tai Chi include:

• Improved balance, flexibility, and strength of knee extension and reduced the occurrence of falling in community-dwelling elders

• Reduced the risk of multiple falls

• Lowered blood pressure

• Increased core stability and control

• Improved flexibility and cardiovascular fitness in older adults

• Improved mobility in older adults with osteoarthritis

• Lower levels of depression

• Reduced stress and anxiety

Tai Chi is a great form of exercise for all ages.  It can be particularly beneficial for older people as it works joints through their full range of motion, improves balance, involves slow and smooth movements, is low impact, and has many additional health benefits. Click here and here to find out more about Tai Chi

Source:  The Effect of Tai Chi on Health Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Conditions A Systematic Review

Fight arthritis pain.org

May is Arthritis awareness month.  Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis and currently affects nearly 27 million people in the U.S.  However, there are simple steps everyone can take to prevent and decrease the pain and disability of osteoarthritis.

About osteoarthritis

Expanding waistlines, inactivity and an aging population are contributing toward an arthritis epidemic that will impact the lives and wallets of all Americans. Already the nation’s most common cause of disability, the impact of the disease is yet to be realized. Nearly one in five U.S. adults (46 million people) has arthritis and an estimated 67 million people will be affected by 2030.

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common type of arthritis, currently affects nearly 27 million people in the U.S.  Moreover, because of the link between osteoarthritis and inactivity, more than half of adults with diabetes or heart disease also have arthritis, and these numbers are expected to increase as rates of osteoarthritis skyrocket.

DID YOU KNOW:

• Arthritis is not only a disease that affects the elderly. Symptoms of osteoarthritis can begin as early as age 40 and progress slowly.
• Being overweight and physically inactive can increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis by two-thirds in your lifetime.
• Even small amounts of weight loss and physical activity can decrease the pain and disability of osteoarthritis.
• For every one pound of weight loss, there is a four-pound reduction in the load exerted on each knee.
• Physical activity keeps joints flexible and maintains or improves muscle strength.
• Osteoarthritis typically affects only certain joints, such as the hips, hands, knees, low back and neck.

To learn more about arthritis and how you can get involved in local programs in your area, click here

Source:  Fight arthritis pain.org

This week’s tip of the week was about an energy conservation tip.  Our technology in the suite this week also talks about an important way to conserve your energy.  Do you get tired while washing dishes or preparing meals?  Consider using a kitchen stool.  Kitchen stools are great tools for many individuals including those with arthritis and people who may have decreased endurance and balance problems such as individuals with Parkinson’s disease.