Senior Living Fall 2018

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4 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP SENIOR LIVING FALL 2018 Your best age for everything By Lori Borgman TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE A chart titled “The Age You Peak at Everything,” published by Business Insider, was sent my way and was an enjoyable read — if you enjoy waves of uneasiness that roll your stomach. Lest I sound somewhat despondent, which is possible since, according to the chart, my last Life Satisfaction Peak was at age 23 and my next one will not occur until age 69, the selling point of the chart is that growing older comes with benchmarks of contentment. One can only hope. Of course, there is a lot of ground to cover between youth and age with numerous peaks along the way, some of which you have probably already missed. The peak age to learn a foreign language? Age 7. Yep, that ship has sailed; bon voyage. In other bad news, your brain processing power peaks around age 18. A moment for reflection on that one. If brain processors peak at age 18, but greater life satisfaction lies beyond 18, could it be that contentment is tied to lower brain capacity? Just asking. Muscle strength tends to peak at age 25, followed by the peak likelihood of finding a marriage partner, which occurs around age 26. The sequencing of those two — peak strength followed by marriage — is entirely logical as marriage takes strength. Oh, does marriage take strength. Right, honey? Honey just shouted, “Yes!” The peak for bone mass is age 30, for playing chess, age 31, and for remembering faces, age 32. Your best age for the ability to focus is 43. Where was I? Let’s be honest; we all know what follows peaks. Valleys. The chart does not note valleys, but it should. The chart uses a straight line marked with dots for peaks, but realistically, life often looks more like a wild EKG. Out of the blue, age 69 pops up as when many experience life satisfaction — again — 46 years after the first satisfied life peak. For an upswing on the EKG, your arithmetic skills peak at 50. Apparently, the multiplication tables take far longer to gel than previously thought. Peak points appear increasingly sparse as the timeline progresses. There is a near dearth of activity between ages 52 and 68. If that’s where you are and it feels like a long, dry stretch, it probably is. Out of the blue, age 69 pops up as when many experience life satisfaction — again — 46 years after the first satisfied life peak. The two remaining peaks are significant. Wisdom really may come with age. Psychologists gave groups of people a conflict and asked for insights, responses and possible outcomes. The oldest age group — those in the 69-90 age range — did better than the other ages on almost every count. The final peak comes at age 82 and is for psychological well-being. The 82- to 85-year-old age group gave the highest average number, which was 7 on a scale of 10. Not a bad crescendo. Not bad at all. Repeat after me: The best may be yet to come, the best may be yet to come. Quinn on Nutrition: Nourishing healthy hair By Barbara Quinn THE MONTEREY COUNTY HERALD A reader writes: “I am a 70+ woman who is losing her hair! I’m not on radiation or chemotherapy and am in generally good health. A couple of years ago, I noticed my hair falling out, and now as it tentatively grows back very slowly, it is even thinner and finer than before (and continues to shed). I began taking biotin at my (doctor’s) advice. It doesn’t seem to have done anything to correct the loss. Can you give me any advice about supplements other than biotin, or any foods I might be missing for hair growth? My nails are very thin and subject to splitting as well. Both my parents died with hair on their heads, but I’m not sure I will!” — Linda K. Dear Linda, You did right to consult your doctor on this, since he or she hopefully knows your total health history. Nutrition experts say a deficiency of biotin is extremely rare. That said, a deficiency can cause a gradual thinning and loss of hair all over the body, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Other symptoms of biotin deficiency can include skin rashes and brittle nails. By the way, there PHOTO | TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE Nutrition experts say a deficiency of biotin is extremely rare, but a deficiency can cause a gradual thinning and loss of hair all over the body. is more evidence that biotin supplements may help brittle nails than there is about their effect on hair loss. A woman your age needs about 30 micrograms of biotin a day, according to the latest recommendations. Good sources include eggs, fish, pork, beef, sunflower seeds and sweet potatoes. And steer clear of too much alcohol; it can interfere with the absorption of biotin. Nutritionally, our hair follicles — the cells in our skin that grow hair — use a variety of nutrients to produce healthy hair. A deficiency of one or more key nutrients can affect the structure as well as the growth of hair, say experts. Nutrients that can literally make your hair fall out if they are deficient in the diet include iron, protein, niacin and zinc. Foods that possess all of these nutrients include fish, poultry, lean meat, eggs and legumes. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, flax and walnuts are also essential to shiny, healthy hair. I like that you asked about foods — not just supplements — that may benefit hair growth. Concentrated doses of some nutrients, such as you find in some dietary supplements, can backfire if you take too much.
SENIOR LIVING FALL 2018 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 5 CUFFE-McGINN FUNERAL HOME By JoNel Aleccia KAISER HEALTH NEWS Of all the indignities that come with aging, excessive earwax may be the most insidious. Don’t laugh. That greasy, often gross, buildup occurs more often in older ears than those of the young, experts say. And when it goes unrecognized, it can pose serious problems, especially for the 2.2 million people who live in U.S. nursing homes and assisted living centers. “The excessive amount (of earwax) can cause hearing loss or ringing in your ears. Some people experience vertigo, which increases the risk of falling,” said Jackie Clark, a board-certified audiologist who is president of the American Academy of Audiology. “Right now, we see some correlation between hearing loss and cognitive decline.” Earwax — which is not really wax at all, but a substance called cerumen that binds with dirt, dust and debris — is normally produced by the body as a way to clean and protect the ears. In most people, the self-cleaning process works fine. But in others — including about 10 percent of young children, 20 percent of adults and more than 30 percent of elderly and developmentally disabled people — the wax collects to the point PHOTO | TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE Janie York examines the ear of Elaine Martin at the SilverRidge Assisted Living facility in Gretna, Neb. Earwax, of all things, poses a risk in long-term care where it can completely block the ear canal. Up to two-thirds of people in nursing homes may suffer from that condition, known as impaction, according to 2017 guidelines for removal of impacted earwax issued by the American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. In 2016, federal Medicare recipients logged nearly 1.7 million earwax removal services at a cost of more than $51 million, according to payment records analyzed by Kaiser Health News. “In elderly patients, it’s fairly common,” said Dr. Seth Schwartz, a Seattle otolaryngologist who led the most recent update of the guidelines. “It seems like such a basic thing, but it’s one of the most common reasons people present for hearing-related problems.” It’s so bad that Janie York, of Omaha, Neb., started Hear Now mobile hearing solutions, one of a growing number of businesses devoted to cleaning hearing aids and checking the ears of elderly people living in residential care settings. “It’s epidemic,” said York, whose clients now include 10 local centers. “About 3 in 5 people I see have some degree of impaction and most are completely impacted.” 781-599-3901 157 Maple St., Lynn | cuffemcginn.com 781-334-2520 700 SUMMER STREET LYNNFIELD LIFE WELL CELEBRATED Serving the community since 1934 Proud member of the Dignity Memorial network JOHN KOZLAUSKA D.M.D. • All phases of general dentistry with emphasis on prevention • Tufts Dental Clinical Instructor for 8 years • Readers #1 Choice • Affordable treatment options • Complimentary consultation • Senior discounts • Call now!
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Senior Living Fall 2018

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