Alcohol Abuse Among Seniors Skyrocketing

Teens get all the press for their heavy drinking while alcohol abuse among the elderly is swept under the rug. Unfortunately, excessive drinking by elder Americans is reaching epidemic levels.

"About one-sixth of U.S. adults over 60 drink too much," reports UPI health
correspondent Alex Cukan in a recent article, "and one-third of these are adults who had not overdone drinking until later in life, according to the Elder Law Journal."

Generally occurring quietly behind closed doors, overindulgence by the elderly often goes unnoticed. Many seniors seek solace in alcohol as an escape from solitary lives, limited social contact, depression, ill health, disability or loss of independence. Unfortunately, the decline in physical abilities that accompanies aging places drunken or tipsy seniors at considerable risk for injury. Mr. Cukan cites the tragic death of actor William Holden at 63 who bled to death after striking his head on a table when he fell while drunk. As he lived alone, Mr. Holden's death was not discovered for several days.

Combining alcohol with many of the medications commonly taken by seniors can create a deadly cocktail. Arthritis medication may cause stomach bleeding when mixed with alcohol. Drink can also worsen the symptoms of depression, insomnia and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Since alcohol acts as a blood thinner, it may lower the risk of heart disease when taken in moderation, but it raises the risk of stroke, not a particularly healthy trade-off. And moderation is the key, as in all things. Over-imbibing negates any potentially positive effects of alcohol leaving you with only a growing rate of risk. The effects of drunkenness may also mask symptoms of other serious medical conditions.

"Older women are more likely than older men to self-medicate with alcohol and
prescription drugs in order to deal with loneliness, financial insecurity or loss of a spouse, according to the book Women Under the Influence by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse," Mr. Cukan reports.

Symptoms of alcohol abuse include depression, memory loss, irritability, stomach upset and trouble sleeping. Often friends and families, even physicians, are shocked to find out gram or gramps is abusing alcohol and go through a period of rationalization or denial. If you suspect someone you love is abusing alcohol, don't hesitate to act. You could very well save their life.

Where Did I Leave My Glasses?

We all need a chuckle from time to time. I enjoyed this column by Hap LeCrone, a clinical psychologist and Cox New Service columnist; I hope you will too.

Age-Activated Attention-Deficit Disorder

I decide to wash my car.

As I start toward the garage, I notice there is mail on the hall table. I decide to check the mail first and lay my car keys on the table.

I put the junk mail in the trash can and notice that the can is full. So I decide to take out the trash first.

But, I think, I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash, so I will pay the bills first. There is only one check left, however. My extra checks are in my desk, where I find the Coke I had been drinking. The Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, I pass a vase of flowers that need to be watered.

I set the Coke down, and I discover my long-lost reading glasses. I set them on the counter, and while filling a container with water, I spot the TV remote on the kitchen table.

Tonight, when we want to watch, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it in the den. First, though, I water the flowers, but I spill water on the floor. So I put the remote on the table and wipe up the spill.

Then I try to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day, the car isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the flowers aren't watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

They I try to figure out why nothing got done today. I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.

The moral of the story: Laughing at yourself is therapeutic.

Thanks for the chuckle, Hap. Everyone has days like this. I had one yesterday and I'm still looking for my glasses!

New Study Finds Drugs More Effective than Angioplasty for Chest Pain

A new study has just found that drugs are more effective than angioplasty in unclogging arteries for non-emergency patients. The landmark study challenges one of the most common practices in heart care, according to an article by the Associated Press. Angioplasty is preformed on more than half a million non-critical patients a year who suffer chest pain. "The study found that angioplasty did not save lives or prevent heart attacks in non-emergency heart patients." Even more surprising, the procedure gave only slight relief from chest pain, the main reason it is performed.

"By five years, there was really no significant difference" in symptoms, said Dr. William Boden of Buffalo General Hospital in New York. "Few would have expected such results." Dr. Boden led the study and presented the results at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology.

Angioplasty is still the best treatment for people who are actually having a heart attack or who are hospitalized with worsening symptoms. But most angioplasties are done on non-emergency patients to relieve the chest pain caused by clogged arteries. For those patients, drugs should be used first, experts are now saying. In the study, only one-third of the patients whose chest pain symptoms were treated with drugs ultimately needed angioplasty or a bypass.

Alzheimer's On The Rise

The number of Americans living with Alzheimer's disease has increased 10% in the past five years. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that more than 5 million Americans now suffer from the memory-robbing disease. In people 65 and older, 1 in 8 has the mind-destroying illness; for those over 85, the numbers are 1 in 2. Those numbers are projected to go through the roof when baby boomers reach 65 in 2011. By 2030, 7.7 million people are expected to have Alzheimer's disease, increasing to 16 million by 2050.

"Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person's memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities," according to information on the Alzheimer's Association website. Patients may suffer personality changes, anxiety, feelings of persecution, delusions, even hallucinations. For families, the most devastating symptom is the person's loss of recognition and shared memories. It is painful to watch someone you love gradually draw away from a family he or she no longer knows. To learn more about Alzheimer's disease and how to live with it, visit the Alzheimer's Association website.

Unraveling the Wandering Mind

Does your mind wander? You're not alone. Most people have derailed, disjointed thoughts -- and fairly frequently, according to a recent Associated Press article. On average, we're not thinking about what we're doing about 30% to 40% of the time, says Michael Kane a psychologist at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

New studies are beginning to shed some light on the common mental hiccup. Most of the time mind-wandering is harmless, like thinking about work while you're eating lunch. But it can be dangerous when it distracts you from something you should be paying attention to, like changing lanes on the freeway. Research may some day help students focus better on their studies, help drivers stay alert, even help those with ADHD learn to focus.

In experiments at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, Johnathan Schooler found that people's minds start to wander even before they realize it. "The mind is always trying to wander, every chance it gets," Schooler explains. This happens, he thinks, because the mind has multiple goals and tasks it is constantly working toward -- some immediate and in our present realm of consciousness -- others simmering just outside our awareness like planning for the future, working out everyday problems, and understanding oneself. Sometimes, the unconscious goals hijack our attention and our brain goes wandering off on a tangent.

Researchers are trying to determine why the brain wanders to begin with. "Mind-wandering is probably more often helpful than harmful," Kane says. "A lot of human daily life is autopilot. There's a whole lot of what we need to do that we can do without thinking about it, from driving to eating. . . . We do occasionally miss that turn on the way home, but we get through the day pretty well."

How can you minimize mind-wandering? Try these tips for increasing concentration:

• Avoid windows with a tempting view.
• Take short, scheduled breaks. Stretch, stand, walk around, get a drink of water.
• Create mental pictures from the material you're reading.
• When using a computer, shut off e-mail and messaging programs.
• Shift your body position.
• If something is distracting you, take action, even if you just take the first step toward a solution, it will help you focus. Making a list of things to do can also help unclutter your mind.

Survey Asks: How Old Is Old?

When you're 10, 20 seems ancient; but when you're 50, 60 seems young. As we age we keep pushing back the definition of "old." In 2005 MetLife Mature Market Institute surveyed Americans asking: What age do you think is "old"? and How old do you wish you were? The results were fascinating. (Click the post title to read the full report.)

How old is old? Survey respondents in the 18-29 age range thought 61-70 was old. Those 30-49 pushed old age back a decade to 71-80, the age also considered old by 50-64-year-olds. Americans 65 and older generally agreed with their younger peers but a nearly equal number felt old age didn't begin until 81-90. The consensus? You're old when you reach 71-80.

Other interesting findings:

• More men than women thought any age under 60 was old. Four times as many men as women thought 31-40 was old and twice as many felt 41-50 was old. At the other end of the spectrum, twice as many women as men didn't think you were old until you reached 81-90 or even 90-100.
• Singles chose a younger age than their married peers as "old." For singles it was 41-50 whereas married couples didn't think old age arrived until 90-100.
• Whites thought they aged fastest, choosing a somewhat younger age as "old" than African Americans or Hispanics.
• Republicans thought old age started sooner than did Democrats or independents.
• There were surprising regional differences in the concept of old age. Respondents in the West said you're old at 71-80; in the South, 61-70; in the East, 41-60; and in the Midwest, 90-100.

How old do you wish you were? Overwhelmingly, the golden age for all age groups from 18-64 was 21-30. Those aged 18-29 were happiest living in the present moment. It's not until age 50-64 that Americans were willing to consider being post-30 desirable. A slightly lower percentage of respondents in the 50-64 age range chose 31-40 over 21-30 as the optimal age and a nearly equal number selected 51-60. Interestingly, the most desirable age was fairly spread across the age ranges for those 65 and older. An equal number of Americans over 65 (13%) chose 21-30, 31-40 and 41-50 as their favorite age range. An only slightly larger number (15%) delighted in being 61-70 and 71-80.

Other interesting findings:

• An overwhelming number of men wished they were under age 30. One in five women found 31-40 to be the ideal age, and twice as many women as men liked being 51-60.
• More parents than non-parents were satisfied with their present age.
• Singles more than marrieds wished to be younger, with half wanting to be 31-40.
• Fully 50% of Hispanics wanted to be 21-30. Only 34% of Whites thought that was the golden age, followed by 29% of African Americans. African Americans were most likely to find older ages (51-60) acceptable.
• Independents wished to be younger (21-30) than their Democratic and Republican brethren, both of which chose 41-50 as their favorite age.
• Regional differences were again noticeable. Westerners most wished to be 21-30; Southerners, under 21; Easterners, 31-40; Midwesterners ran the gamut from 21-40.

Everyone has an age when they felt most alive, most challenged and stimulated by life. There's a lot of truth to the old adage, "You're only as old as you feel." The trick to enjoying life is to continually expose yourself to new ideas, new people and new experiences, to continually rejuvenate your life as you move through it. In other words, as you grow old, live young!

Easy and Delicious, Salmon Dinner Is Healthy Too

Fish is a popular -- and healthy -- Lenten favorite. For a real powerhouse combination, this easy, elegant dinner combines the brain-boosting, heart-protecting omega-3 fat of salmon with the healthy antioxidants of spinach.

Salmon on Spinach
with Lemon Champagne Sauce

2 extra-large eggs, separated
4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup dry white champagne
or sparkling wine
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
Salt & pepper to taste
4 5-oz. salmon fillets
2 10-oz. bags fresh baby spinach
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Whisk in yolks and lemon juice. Transfer to a small pan and slowly add champagne, stirring constantly. Turn on low heat; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in dill, salt and pepper. Makes 1 cup.

Coat fleshy side of fillet with black pepper and grill or pan-fry until done, turning once. Remove skin.

Steam spinach in a large pot or in the microwave until tender. Stir in oil.

On each of four plates, place a bed of spinach. Top with a Salmon fillet. Drizzle fillet with 1/4 cup sauce. Serve.

Serves 4. Per serving: 332 calories, 39g protein, 7g carbohydrates, 16g fat (3g saturated) 203mg cholesterol, 3g fiber, 258mg sodium.

FAST Action Can Minimize Stroke Damage

My dad had a stroke last week. At 83 he's becoming frail and old age has been taking a toll for some years now. He has a host of medical problems, not the least of which is diabetes and accompanying peripheral neuropathy. It makes him very unsteady on his feet, even with a walker, and it's easy for him to overbalance and fall. He fell on the way back from the bathroom in the middle of the night last week.

At first mom thought it was just a balance fall, especially since he wasn't complaining of anything. But the next night his speech was slurred more than usual and he couldn't always think of the right words when he was talking. He dragged his right foot more than normal, but he does sometimes when he's tired at the end of the day. Still not expecting that this was an emergency, mom called his doctor the next morning. Dad spoke to him and was lucid and reasonably clear, leading the doctor to believe things were OK. He fell again that day and started having trouble getting out of his chair that afternoon. Finally, he couldn't get out of his chair at all and mom called 911. At the hospital they said he had had a TIA, a little stroke, maybe more than one.

Mom didn't know what the symptoms of a stroke are. She didn't know that every minute counts when someone has a stroke, that the faster help is given, the greater the chance of avoiding damage. She knows now and I want to share that information with you. If you think your loved one may be experiencing a stroke, don't delay. Call 911 immediately.

Stroke symptoms:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in adults. About 600,000 new strokes are reported each year in the U.S. A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, depriving brain cells of necessary oxygen and nutrients and causing them to die. Strokes are most commonly caused by a blood clot (ischemic stroke) but may also be caused by a broken blood vessel bleeding into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). If treatment is received within 60 minutes, the risk of damage and disability is greatly reduced. If you suspect someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T.

• Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
• Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?
• Time: If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important. Call 911 or get to the hospital fast. Brain cells are dying!

Add Fiber to Your Diet for Good Health

Studies show that diets that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can improve blood glucose control, lower cholesterol and delay the onset of vision problems in people with type 2 diabetes. A high fiber diet is good for your diabetes, your heart and your eyes.

The American Dietetic Association recommends a diet that includes 20 to 35 grams of total fiber daily. Five to 10 grams of that should be soluble fiber. The best sources of soluble fiber are oats, particularly oat bran, barley, dried beans, soybeans, sweet and white potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, carrots, apples, pears, citrus fruits, berries, bananas, almonds, psyllium and flax seeds. Insoluble fiber (roughage) is found in most fruits and vegetables, beans, grains and nuts.

May foods that are high in soluble fiber are also high in carbohydrates, so talk to your doctor before adding these foods to your diet.

Shingles Vaccine Now Available

Remember having chicken pox when you were a kid? As miserable as it was to be covered with itchy red bumps, when the last scab healed you thought you were "cured" forever. Never again would you have to deal with the itching and scratching and misery of chicken pox. Well, think again. If you're over 60, the chicken pox virus (varicella virus) which has lain dormant, hiding in the nerves of your spinal chord all these decades, can become active again, triggering a painful case of shingles. One in five Americans over the age of 60 contracts shingles every year. While researchers don't know what triggers the virus, the normal weakening of the immune system that accompanies aging is a significant factor.

Shingles makes the chicken pox seem like a walk in the park. As the virus travels to the body's surface, it causes numbness, tingling, itching and severe pain. A very painful, blistering rash occurs along nerve paths, often on one side of the body. For some people the pain is so excruciating that even the light pressure of loose clothing is unbearable. While drugs are available to treat the symptoms and shorten the course of the disease, some sufferers experience debilitating, chronic pain for the rest of their lives.

A new drug offers hope for many at risk seniors. Zostavax produced by Merck & Co., Inc. was recently approved by the FDA as a vaccination against shingles. Given as a single shot in the arm, Zostavax provides protection for up to four years and is reserved for seniors age 60 and up. While expensive, the $150 shot is covered under Medicare Part D. Pricing and coverage may vary; check with your health care provider or insurance carrier. If you have a weakened immune system, you may not qualify to receive the new vaccine. Check with your doctor first, particularly if you have had cancer, an organ transplant, or HIV/AIDS.

Visit this blog often for helpful information affecting your long-term health. When you work with Allison Warner of AM Warner Insurance, you gain a friend who cares about you and your health care needs. "We treat you like part of our family," Allison promises. At AM Warner Insurance we offer you honest guidance and will only bring to your attention products you need. We'll never pressure you to make a selection.

AM Warner Insurance offers long-term care insurance, medicare supplements and life insurance to clients in the greater Louisville and surrounding Kentucky area and in Southern Indiana. Visit our website for helpful information and details about the products we offer. Contact Allison if you have any questions or would like to discuss your personal insurance needs. At AM Warner Insurance we insure your independence.