MatureAging Blog

We call it stress but it could be fear or anxiety or other forms of psychological distress.  This mental pain can manifest itself into real physical pain such as an increase of arthritic pain and general aches and pains.

We all want respect. Yet somehow we get less of it as we get older.   Is it our imagination? Is it something we said? It must be just us? The young dislike us for getting old, reminding them that one day (if they are lucky) they too may become feeble, forgetful, and appear frozen – and that’s just the f’s. Most social scientists would agree that much of it is cultural. Americans are not as respectful of he elderly as they are in other cultures.

I wake up frequently at night.   Before I head for the bathroom, I look at the watch on my bed stand.   The quick glance is not to tell me how long it has been since my last journey, but how much more time must elapse before I get to drink my first cup of coffee of the day.   My day always begins with a cup of coffee.   An hour later, I am ready to have a second cup. My third is consumed by mid-day – if not sooner. I always believed that drinking coffee was bad for me.   First and foremost, there were the tedious trips to the bathroom.   The embarrassing urge to relieve yourself always comes at the worst possible time, when the only bathroom on the outing is under lock or during a   meal with a (much younger) date that you desperately want to impress with your health status.   I figured, that coffee – at least in laboratory mice – increased the muscles in the diaphragm (which allows us to breathe) and in the legs (which need to...

We have all seen advertisements for mobile devices that allow you to call emergency personnel.   They are useful, especially if you live alone. Such technological gadgets should certainly be something that you or your caretaker should review.   There are also an increasing number of mobile devices that allow the consumer to keep track of vital medical issues.   It may be advantageous to rank such devices using six parameters before making a thoughtful purchasing decision. ·          Health Concerns o    The first issue is why do you want to get the device?   Some just want to know the number of steps they have taken, a form of exercise stimulant.   Others, want to keep a diary of their nutritional intake. Then there are those that wish to track their mental health, such as feelings of depression.   Finally, there are those want a device only to keep track of their medications.   If ...

For the first time since 1993 the average life expectancy in the U.S. fell.   This metric, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC as it is known) whose headquarters is in Atlanta, made the national headlines.    The last time this important figure showed a downward slope was at the height of the AIDS epidemic. This national measure is carefully monitored since it portrays the medical benefits afforded to its citizens.   Going up on the life expectancy scale and staying near the top when compared to other nations has been a   priority of the health industry.   It should be.   It is not only our military might or our GNP that makes us great and ranks us on top. Life expectancy figures are infinitely more valuable to seniors than winning the most gold medals at the Olympics – though no one is prouder of our athletes who return home from overseas sports competitions bearing medals. That is why the sudden change in the up...

Most of us would like to end our lives in our homes.   An overwhelming majority of seniors are reluctant to move out of their homes to another type of living arrangement.   This phenomenon is not exclusive to the elderly; no one likes to make life-changing transitions.   Least of all those for whom learning the “ins and outs” of their new neighborhood, making new friends and navigating through a new topography is a difficult task.   The move seems a hurdle that may not be overcome.   It is like asking me to dunk a basketball on a regular court.   I can see myself doing it - but only in my mind. On the other hand, statistics tells us that seniors who live alone are more prone to a gamut of cognitive maladies, not least of which are Alzheimer’s and the onset of dementia.   Humans are social animals; we depend on other people for company and support.   When that comfort blanket is stripped away from us, we frequently fall apart.   ...

The first thing that has to be noted is that politicians are not known to keep their election promises.  President Donald Trump is now – whether he likes it or not – a politician.  So, we have to assume that he will be motivated less by what he wrote and said in the past than by political expediency.   The second thing that has to be noted is the lack of attention given to this important issue during the election campaign.  At the time, both contenders - Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton - realized the divisiveness of this issue and the serious clout of the senior population.  It’s a hot potato issue that even debate moderators were afraid to broach.  On Mr. Trump's website there was a list of more than a dozen topics that he offers his solution. Missing is – try to guess - any reference to social security.  Nada. Gornisht.  Bubkes.  Social Security is, ...

Using MRI scans, researchers at MIT have been able to analyze the brain’s auditory cortex.  What they found was startling: it has dedicated parts that deal with music, apart from the sector that deals with speech or other auditory functions.  There are still questions that remain unsolved.  For example, is this portion of the brain that is reserved for music innate (we are genetically born with this feature) or does these segments of the brain develop as we age listening and appreciating music? But unless you are a cognitive scientist, that and the other remaining issues are irrelevant.   The important message, for the average layperson, is that music is appreciated even after we may lose the ability to speak or to recognize people.  This is great news for patients who may suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s.  They can still be reached (and do enjoy life) through music. There are many additional benefits to listening to music: Many el...