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Grief, Bereavement and Loss

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grief2Grief, Bereavement and Loss

A guide to coping with loss after the death of a loved one

Coping with the death of a loved one is a personal experience. There is no normal or perfect way to respond. 

It is our hope that this article will:

  • Help you understand your feelings of grief
  • Offer ways to cope with your grief
  • Give you information and resources you need

What does grief, mourning and bereavement mean?

  • Anticipatory grief is the feeling of grief that can happen before your loved one’s death.
  • Grief is the personal response to a loss
  • Mourning is a process of adapting to the death of your loved one
  • Bereavement is the time spent grieving after your loved one’s death

 

The person loved is no longer alive, but the memories will live on forever. That part of your whole being that loves him/her is embraced when you allow yourself the privilege of remembering.          Alan D. Wolfelt

 

What can grief feel like?

When someone you love dies, your emotions, health, social life and spiritual wellbeing can change. You may feel unusual and upset by these changes.

You may experience:

  • Feeling numb
  • In disbelief that your loved has died
  • Anxiety and distress
  • Loneliness
  • Anger
  • Guilt
  • Sadness
  • Depression
  • Confusion
  • Trouble focusing and making decisions
  • Crying or Sighing
  • Having lucid dreams about your loved one
  • Seeing images of your loved one
  • Feeling relieved
  • Aches and pains
  • Upset stomach
  • Loss of sleep and being tired
  • Changes in sleep and appetite

You may lose interest in:

  • Day-to-day routines
  • Sex or intimacy
  • Relationships

How long will I grieve?

Grieving is a process.       Everyone experiences grief differently. There is no right or wrong way for you to react to the death of a loved one.

Symptoms of grief will occur less often and fell less intense as time passes. As symptoms of grief lessen, you will feel able to return to day-to-day life.

People can have both good and bad days when they’re grieving. Grief can come in waves of strong emotional feelings caused by reminders of your loved one… sometimes for no apparent reason at all.

Feelings of grief can return or feel worse on special days like birthdays, anniversaries and holidays when your loved is especially missed. It is normal to revisit your grief throughout your life… even when you have moved on.

 

Mourning never really ends. Only as time goes on it erupts less frequently – Alan D. Wolfelt

 

How can I help myself?

Body
  • Take care of yourself
  • Talk to your family doctor about any physical concerns
  • Take part in activities you enjoy such as going for a walk, reading or exercising
Social
  • Talk with a friend, family member or a member of your faith community
  • Share memories, stories and photographs of your loved one
  • Join a group or do one-on-one counselling – This can be done in person, by phone or over the internet.
Emotional and Spiritual
  • Be patient – grieving takes time
  • Know that other people have responded in the same way
  • Let yourself experience the pain of grief
  • Know that it is alright to express your feeling
  • Write a letter to your loved one… express yourself and keep it safe
  • Use the resources of your faith and spirituality

 

There is help… Reach out!

Bereaved Families of Ontario:       416-595-9618 .     http://www.bereavedfamilies.net
  • Provides group, one-on-one and phone support for adults, teenagers and children

 

Canadian Virtual Hospice:          http://www.virtualhospice.ca
  • Information and support on palliative and end-of-life care, loss and grief.

 

Respite Services:               http://www.hospice.on.ca/hospiceontario.php
  • Has over 180 associate and individual members who provide free bereavement support across Ontario.

 

University Health Network Bereavement Support Group – 416-603-5836
  • Offers an 8 week bereavement group

 

Wellspring Cancer Support Network:     416-961-1228           http://www.wellspring.ca
  • Community-based cancer support centres that offer a variety of programs to individuals and family members

 

Other Resources:

  • Your faith or spiritual community
  • Your family doctor or health team
  • Your Funeral Home

Grief only becomes a tolerable and creative experience when love enables it to be shared with someone who really understands – Simon Stephens

 

 

The “C” Word

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cancer-image

 

Hearing the word “Cancer” strikes fear, anxiety, stress, grief, psychological trauma, a shift in mind set and suicide. Cancer in the minds of many is a death sentence. Please read a summary of top researchers… in concise everyday language.

 

Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells. Normally, human cells grow and divide to form new cells, as the body needs them. When cells grow old or become damaged, they die, and new cells take their place.

When cancer develops, however, this orderly process breaks down. As cells become more and more abnormal, old or damaged cells survive when they should die, and new cells form when they are not needed. These extra cells can divide without stopping and may form growths called tumours.

Many cancers form solid tumors, which are masses of tissue. Cancers of the blood, such as leukemias, generally do not form solid tumours.

Cancerous tumours are malignant, which means they can spread into, or invade, nearby tissues. In addition, as these tumours grow, some cancer cells can break off and travel to distant places in the body through the blood or the lymph system and form new tumours far from the original tumour.

Unlike malignant tumours, benign tumours do not spread into, or invade, nearby tissues. Benign tumours can sometimes be quite large, however. When removed, they usually don’t grow back, whereas malignant tumours sometimes do. Unlike most benign tumours elsewhere in the body, benign brain tumours can be life threatening.

Characteristics of Cancer Cells

There are more than 100 types of cancer. Types of cancer are usually named for the organs or tissues where the cancers form. For example, lung cancer starts in cells of the lung, and brain cancer starts in cells of the brain. Cancers, also may be described by the type of cell that formed them, such as an epithelial cell or a squamous cell.

 

 

Here are some categories of cancers that begin in specific types of cells:

Carcinoma

Carcinomas are the most common type of cancer. They are formed by epithelial cells, which are the cells that cover the inside and outside surfaces of the body. There are many types of epithelial cells, which often have a column-like shape when viewed under a microscope. Carcinomas that begin in different epithelial cell types have specific names:

Adenocarcinoma is a cancer that forms in epithelial cells that produce fluids or mucus. Tissues with this type of epithelial cell are sometimes called glandular tissues. Most cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate are adenocarcinomas.

Basal cell carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the lower or basal (base) layer of the epidermis, which is a person’s outer layer of skin.

Squamous cell carcinoma is a cancer that forms in squamous cells, which are epithelial cells that lie just beneath the outer surface of the skin. Squamous cells also line many other organs, including the stomach, intestines, lungs, bladder, and kidneys. Squamous cells look flat, like fish scales, when viewed under a microscope. Squamous cell carcinomas are sometimes called epidermoid carcinomas.

Transitional cell carcinoma is a cancer that forms in a type of epithelial tissue called transitional epithelium, or urothelium. This tissue, which is made up of many layers of epithelial cells that can get bigger and smaller, is found in the linings of the bladder, ureters, and part of the kidneys (renal pelvis), and a few other organs. Some cancers of the bladder, ureters, and kidneys are transitional cell carcinomas.

Sarcoma

Sarcomas are cancers that form in bone and soft tissues, including muscle, fat, blood vessels, lymph vessels, and fibrous tissue (such as tendons and ligaments).

Osteosarcoma is the most common cancer of bone. The most common types of soft tissue sarcoma are leiomyosarcoma, Kaposi sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, liposarcoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.

Leukemia

Cancers that begin in the blood-forming tissue of the bone marrow are called leukemias. These cancers do not form solid tumors. Instead, large numbers of abnormal white blood cells (leukemia cells and leukemic blast cells) build up in the blood and bone marrow, crowding out normal blood cells. The low level of normal blood cells can make it harder for the body to get oxygen to its tissues, control bleeding, or fight infections.

There are four common types of leukemia, which are grouped based on how quickly the disease gets worse (acute or chronic) and on the type of blood cell the cancer starts in (lymphoblastic or myeloid).

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is cancer that begins in lymphocytes (T cells or B cells). These are disease-fighting white blood cells that are part of the immune system. In lymphoma, abnormal lymphocytes build up in lymph nodes and lymph vessels, as well as in other organs of the body.

There are two main types of lymphoma:

Hodgkin lymphoma – People with this disease have abnormal lymphocytes that are called Reed-Sternberg cells. These cells usually form from B cells.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma – This is a large group of cancers that start in lymphocytes. The cancers can grow quickly or slowly and can form from B cells or T cells.

Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is cancer that begins in plasma cells, another type of immune cell. The abnormal plasma cells, called myeloma cells, build up in the bone marrow and form tumors in bones all through the body. Multiple myeloma is also called plasma cell myeloma and Kahler disease.

Melanoma

Melanoma is cancer that begins in cells that become melanocytes, which are specialized cells that make melanin (the pigment that gives skin its color). Most melanomas form on the skin, but melanomas can also form in other pigmented tissues, such as the eye.

Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors

There are different types of brain and spinal cord tumors. These tumors are named based on the type of cell in which they formed and where the tumor first formed in the central nervous system. For example, an astrocytic tumor begins in star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes, which help keep nerve cells healthy. Brain tumors can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer).

Other Types of Tumours

Germ Cell Tumors

Germ cell tumours are a type of tumor that begins in the cells that give rise to sperm or eggs. These tumors can occur almost anywhere in the body and can be either benign or malignant.

Neuroendocrine Tumors

Neuroendocrine tumors form from cells that release hormones into the blood in response to a signal from the nervous system. These tumors, which may make higher-than-normal amounts of hormones, can cause many different symptoms. Neuroendocrine tumors may be benign or malignant.

Carcinoid Tumors

Carcinoid tumors are a type of neuroendocrine tumor. They are slow-growing tumors that are usually found in the gastrointestinal system (most often in the rectum and small intestine). Carcinoid tumors may spread to the liver or other sites in the body, and they may secrete substances such as serotonin or prostaglandins, causing carcinoid syndrome.

You can read more on A-Z type of cancers: http://www.cancer.gov/types

Will I get Cancer?

  1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
  1. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.
  1. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.
  1. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
  1. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
  1. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
  1. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
  1. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
  1. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
  1. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
  1. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. 

What is Known – Cancer cells feed on:

  • Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.
  • Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. Cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk, cancer cells are starved.
  • Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
  • A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
  • Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
  1. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.
  1. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
  1. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
  1. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
  1. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

This is not meant to self diagnose and or recommend a self-administering care plan. See you doctor, have regular check-ups and request for routine screening to catch anything as early as possible. Early detection is often the best was to treat and eradicate cancer.

Living Longer, Healthier & Happier

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Women Wearing Colorful Bathing CapsPrepare Yourself – To live longer, healthier and happier

“If I’d known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” So said Eubie Blake, the great ragtime composer and pianist who was still performing at the age of 99, the year before his death. Let’s face it: old age is what lies ahead. If you’re 40 or 50 or even 60, you might not give much thought to the health challenges of aging. But just as planning for future financial needs is important, so is planning for optimum health in our later years.

 

What should you prepare for, and how?

Medical experts express about the major health issues that may lie ahead. While some diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and certain cancers, continue to confound researchers, a great number can be prevented, forestalled, or minimized with a healthy lifestyle and regular health screenings. Sharon Brangman, MD, AGSF, spokeswoman for the American Geriatrics Society, says, “The more you do in middle age to prepare yourself for successful aging, the better.”

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

About three-fourths of adults aged 60 and older are overweight or obese. Obesity is related to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast and colon cancer, gall bladder disease, and high blood pressure.

More than 40% of adults 60 and older have a combination of risk factors known as metabolic syndrome, which puts people at increased risk for developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. It is characterized by:

  • Waist measurement greater than 40 inches in men, 35 inches in women (apple-shaped body)
  • Triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher
  • HDL “good” cholesterol level less than 40mg/dL in men, 50 mg/dL in women
  • Blood pressure of 130/85 or higher
  • Fasting glucose level of 110 mg/dL or higher

“Women in, and post-menopausal stages tend to accumulate fat around the waist and hips, and men get the gut,” says Brangman. “The best way to fight it is with increasing exercise, reducing alcohol intake — because a lot of alcohol calories go right to the gut — and reducing calorie intake. Also, increase your healthy fat intake — omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats. And eliminate trans fats completely because there’s no safe amount of those.” She also advises avoiding foods sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. The common sweetener is found in everything from sodas to breakfast cereal to low-fat yogurt. “In middle age, we should eat foods as close to naturally prepared as possible.”

Arthritis

Arthritis affects nearly half the elderly population and is a leading cause of disability. “Old injuries from playing weekend warrior or high school football, and years of wearing high-heeled shoes catch up with us,” says Brangman. “And arthritis in the knees is the price we pay for walking upright on two legs.” The keys to prevention: avoid overuse, do steady, regular exercise rather than in weekend spurts, and stop if you feel pain. “The adage, ‘no pain, no gain,’ is not true.” And managing your weight is just as essential for joint health as cardiovascular health. The Framingham osteoarthritis study showed that a weight loss of just 11 pounds could reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knees by 50%.

Osteoporosis and Falls

Osteoporosis and low bone mass affects almost 44 million adults age 50 and older, most predominantly affecting women. According to the National Osteoporosis Association, osteoporosis is not part of normal aging. Healthy behaviours and treatment, when appropriate, can prevent or minimize the condition.

In a given year, more than one-third of adults, age 65 and older experience a fall. Twenty percent to 30% of those who fall suffer injuries that decrease mobility and independence; falls are the leading cause of death from injury in this age group.

“Stop smoking, watch your alcohol intake, get plenty of calcium, and limit foods with high acidic content,” says Brangman. “Avoid sodas. They encourage loss of calcium. Our bodies always maintain calcium, and when there’s not enough coming in from our diet, it comes out from our bones. One reason women are especially at risk for osteoporosis is that if they’ve had children; it takes a whole lot of calcium to develop a baby, and that calcium is taken from the mother’s bones if she’s not getting enough in her diet.” Adults in middle age need 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily.

Vitamin D, “the sunshine vitamin,” is also important. Using sunscreens to protect against harmful UV rays is wise, but sunscreens also blocks the same ultraviolet rays the body needs to make vitamin D.

Furthermore, with age our bodies become less efficient at making vitamin D from sunlight. There is a move to get the FDA to increase the minimum requirement for vitamin D to at least 800, or maybe even 1,000 units. Most multiple vitamins contain 400 units. Make sure you’re getting enough from low-fat dairy products, or take a supplement.”

Weight-bearing exercise also helps to keep bones healthy. “If you’re not exercising, starting at any age is beneficial. It’s never too late, but the sooner the better.

Cancer

Risk for developing most types of cancer increases with age.

As women age, the rate of cervical cancer decreases, and endometrial cancer increases. Sometimes women slack off gynecological exams after their childbearing years, but I still think it’s important for women to get regular exams.”

The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, and black men have a higher rate than white men. Screening should start in your 40s, and at the very least should involve a digital rectal examination.

Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer combined. “Stop smoking.”

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

Younger baby boomers take heed: cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects more than one-third of men and women in the 45- to 54-year age group, and the incidence increases with age. Cardiovascular diseases, which are diseases of the heart or blood vessels, are the leading cause of death in the U.S. and Canada. They include arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, hypertension, orthostatic hypotension, stroke, and congenital heart disease.

A healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 80%, according to data from the Nurses’ Health Study, an extensive research effort that followed more than 120,000 women aged 30 to 55 starting in 1976. Looking at data over 14 years, the researchers showed that women who were not overweight, did not smoke, consumed about one alcoholic drink per day, exercised vigorously for 30 minutes or more per day, and ate a low-fat, high-fibre diet had the lowest risk for heart disease.

If you have high blood pressure, get it under control. It reduces the rate of stroke and heart attacks. People say the medicines have bad side effects, but there are enough medications to choose from that you and your physician should be able to find one that’s right for you.

Prepared foods are loaded with salt. Limit salt intake to control high blood pressure. The minute food comes out of a can or frozen food package or from a fast-food environment you lose control of the ingredients. This is another reason to eat foods as close to naturally prepared as possible.

Vision and Hearing Loss

Age-related eye diseases — macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma — affect 119 million people aged 40 and older, according to the 2000 census. And that number is expected to double within the next three decades.

“Eating foods with high antioxidant content may be helpful in reducing vision loss due to macular degeneration,” says Brangman. “And taking vitamin supplements for eye health may help. A lot of my geriatric patients are taking them now, which may not be as helpful as taking them when you’re younger.”

It also appears that smokers are at higher risk for macular degeneration, so that’s another reason to stop smoking. Regular eye exams should include screening for glaucoma, which is called “the sneak thief of sight” for the fact that the first symptom is vision loss. The disease can be arrested, but vision lost to glaucoma cannot be restored.

The incidence of hearing loss increases with age. Twenty-nine percent of those with hearing loss are 45-65; 43% of those with hearing loss are 65 or older.

Hearing loss takes a toll on the quality of life and can lead to depression and withdrawal from social activities. Although hearing aids can help, only one out of four people use them.

High-frequency hearing loss is common in old age and made worse by a lifestyle that includes exposure to loud sounds. The 40- and 50-year-olds who went to the rock concerts that were so loud they were pulsating in their chests are starting to pay. Another factor is working or having worked in a noisy environment, such as airports or factories.”

Her advice to people at any age: Don’t use earbuds! Any source of sound that fits in the ear canal, such as using Walkmans or iPods, really puts your hearing at risk. If you’re going to use an iPod, don’t put it directly in your ear, and lower the volume.”

She says hearing aids are not an ideal solution for hearing loss. “My patients complain that they magnify the wrong sounds. They keep their $3,000 or $4,000 hearing aids in the nightstand.”

Teeth

The good news is that you’ll probably keep your own teeth, and implants and bleaching can make your teeth look years younger than the rest of your body. Only about 25% of people over age 60 wear dentures today.That’s because of a lifetime of good dental health and diet. Unfortunately, the people who haven’t had a lifetime of good health care and healthy practices are at risk for losing their teeth.The US and Canadian Dental Associations advises brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, flossing daily to remove plaque, and visiting your dentist regularly.

Mental Health: Memory and Emotional Well-being

Forget what you think you know about memory loss and old age. It is not inevitable. So why do so many people say, “My memory isn’t what it used to be,” or “I’m having a senior moment?” Stress, anxiety, and mental overload are most likely responsible. “Stop multitasking,” says Brangman, who is professor and division chief and geriatric medicine director at the Central New York Alzheimer’s Disease Centre, SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y. “Our brains are made for us to do one thing at a time. Multitasking overloads the brain so people aren’t remembering things and get concerned they’re having memory problems.”

Doing the things that keep your heart healthy will also keep your brain healthy. The same blood vessels that go to the heart branch off and go to the brain. Exercise, control your blood pressure, quit smoking, and if you have diabetes, keep it under control.

Staying mentally active is as important as staying physically active. Join a book club, stay up on current events, engage in stimulating conversations, and do crossword puzzles. “The new rage is Sudoku puzzles. They’re absorbing and require a tremendous amount of concentration, and there’s a lot of satisfaction in getting it right.”

One of the perplexing problems of aging is Alzheimer’s disease. About 3% of men and women aged 65 to 74 have Alzheimer’s disease, and nearly half of those aged 85 and older may have the disease. We’re not aware of anything people can do to prevent Alzheimer’s or dementia, but we’re learning new things about the brain every day.

Among all age groups, depression is often an under-diagnosed and untreated condition. Many people mistakenly believe that depression is a natural condition of old age. Of the nearly 35 million Americans aged 65 and older, an estimated 2 million have a depressive illness and 5 million more may have depressive symptoms that fall short of meeting full diagnostic criteria.

When you get older, you’re dealing with life-change issues. Kids leaving home, health problems, loss of parents & friends, and advanced ageing related issues (financial, caregiver arrangements, physical challenges, etc). We notice that all the basketball players are younger than us, and the music and ads are for a younger demographic. He advises anticipating and preparing for the changes to come.

One of the biggest life changes is retirement. Many people have their sense of worth tied up with work. In retirement, depression and suicide rates rise.

Prepare for retirement by thinking about what some call “the second act”. What would you have wanted to do if you hadn’t done your career? Jimmy Carter is a perfect example. After his presidency, he went on to become a humanitarian, working on behalf of international human rights and Habitat for Humanity.”

Recognize that some physical abilities will decline, but giving up sports altogether isn’t the answer. People who are active in sports such as basketball or football should think ahead to activities such as golf or water polo that put less stress on the joints.

Also recognize in your 40s and 50s that parents and grandparents won’t be around forever. In anticipation of their getting old and dying, making contact and tying up loose ends can be useful.

Nurturing your spiritual side may be in order as you get older and face mortality. For many people who have drifted away from religion or spiritual practice, it’s sometimes comforting to reassess that. Do I need to connect with my religion or spend time becoming the spiritual person I want to become? Pay attention to it if it’s important to you.

Finally, just the way you figure out your finances, figure out what you need to make you happy, and if you have a medical problem or mental health problem, how will you deal with it. Make some strategic decisions about how you want to live your life.

Do Your Part

according to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC)Much of the illness, disability, and deaths associated with chronic disease are avoidable through known prevention measures, including a healthy lifestyle, early detection of diseases, immunizations, injury prevention, and programs to teach techniques to self-manage conditions such as pain and chronic diseases . While the future will undoubtedly bring medical advances in treatments and cures… but if you can keep all your parts original, they are the best.

Of course, this is not a road that you must commute alone. You can benefit through a service partnerships with In Our Care – Home Care Services to maximize your independence, mobility, safety and engagement in social and community events.

Please contact us today, to discuss any challenges you may be facing and how our services can help you remain independent, protected, safe, and in you home / community.

You got questions, we have answers: (905) 785-2341 or email us at 

 

 

The Most Common Age Related Issues

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The Most Common Age Related Issues

Healthy Aging

Thanks to new medications and surgical techniques, people are living longer. However, the body we had at 55 will be a very different body than the one we have at 75. Many issues, both genetic and environmental, affect how we age. The most widespread condition affecting those 65 and older is coronary heart disease, followed by stroke, cancer, pneumonia and the flu. Accidents, especially falls that result in hip fractures, are also unfortunately common among the elderly population. Numbers and statistics are climbing as the aging population continues to escalate.

 

Many of our elders are coping with at least one of the following conditions, and many are dealing with two or more of the following

 

  • Heart conditions (hypertension, vascular disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease)
  • Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
  • Depression
  • Incontinence (urine and stool)
  • Arthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Diabetes
  • Breathing problems
  • Frequent falls, which can lead to fractures
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Cancer
  • Eye problems (cataracts, glaucoma, Macular Degeneration)

As our body changes, other things to be aware of are:

  • A slowed reaction time, which is especially important when judging if a person can drive.
  • Thinner skin, which can lead to breakdowns and wounds that don’t heal quickly
  • A weakened immune system, which can make fighting off viruses, bacteria and diseases difficult
  • Diminished sense of taste or smell, especially for smokers, which can lead to diminished appetite and dehydration

The list can seem daunting. However, with proper care, elders have a life filled with joy.

Please browse our many other articles relating to specific topics.

Our aim is to ensure that seniors are protected, kept safe and well cared for. For those individuals who wish to continue living in their own homes, we offer a variety of services to support that very goal and serve you in ways you did not think possible: For example, we also offer a complete home maintenance plan so that you or your loved never has to deal directly with contractor in order to access services. We take care of that and minimized any risk of fraud or sub-standard services. Your golden years are your to enjoy and we want to ensure you do.

Please contact us today, to discuss any of the above mentioned challenges you may be facing and how our services can help you remain independent, protected, safe, and in you home / community.

You got questions, we have answers: (905) 785-2341 or email us at