Monday Medical: Be aware of tobacco advertising tactics
It shouldn’t take a heart attack or lung cancer to shock a person into recognizing the reality of tobacco use.
Monday Medical: Vaccine helps protect against meningitis
Adolescence is marked by big steps and changes. While most changes are exciting, some, such as the transition into college, can increase teens’ risk for meningitis, a very dangerous illness.
Monday Medical: Commit to quit tobacco
The many reasons to quit tobacco can be summed up in one word — freedom. A person no longer addicted to nicotine is free from constant urges to smoke or chew and from coughing, hoarseness and shortness of breath. Lastly, they are free from the burden of knowing their habit is chipping away at their life and the even the lives of others around them.
Monday Medical: Give the gift of health
Holiday activity and expenses can distract us from one of the best gifts we can give to ourselves and loved ones: the gift of health.
Monday Medical: Hospice focuses on the present
Hospice clients frequently choose to float into rest to the calming sounds of Tom Litteral’s Native American flute. Surprisingly, one client didn’t want to simply listen to the flute — she wanted to learn to play.
Monday Medical: Flu, pertussis vaccines recommended
Every flu season there is a lot of talk about the importance of getting immunized to protect ourselves and others vulnerable to getting sick from the flu.
Monday Medical: Supporting friends with cancer
Reaching out to a friend with cancer can be as simple as sending a thoughtful card or calling to ask how he or she is doing. Unfortunately, cancer and fear go hand in hand.
Monday Medical: Give the gift of health
Holiday stress and winter’s short days and low temperatures can be tough on our bodies and states of mind. Luckily, many community resources are available to help us and those we love make positive changes and live healthier. The following are just a few ways to get 2012 off to a good start.
Monday Medical: Senior Health Fair is Friday
Event a chance to gauge health, learn about resources
Fall is a good time to take stock of our health and learn about services to help us stay on top of our game. This is particularly important for older adults, who are more likely to develop a chronic condition or complications from influenza and other illnesses as well as other health challenges as they age.
Aging Well: Aging Well says goodbye to page
Today is the final day the Aging Well page will appear in the Steamboat Today. The Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association introduced the page five years ago to promote its new Aging Well program, developed to improve the health of adults 50 and older in our region.
Aging Well: Popular wellness program journeys to new venue
Anyone who has visited or participated in Wellness Wednesdays in Craig can attest to the upbeat energy and enthusiasm that permeates nearly every activity of the day. Whether exercising, fine tuning writing or art techniques, chatting with a nurse or enjoying lunch with friends, participants clearly are excited and grateful to be out in the community and growing healthier in body, mind and spirit.
Aging Well: Instructors delight in sharing passions with others
his is part of a series of profiles about Aging Well fitness and wellness class instructors in Routt and Moffat counties. This feature appears once per month on the Aging Well page.
Aging Well: Pedaling for fitness and fun
The advantages of living in a biking community — with clubs and advocacy organizations, bike shops, health professionals and experienced riders eager to help — make the sport less intimidating and more accessible to beginners interested in biking toward better health.
Aging Well: More older adults stepping up, giving back
Every Wednesday, Virginia Elliott dons a pink button-down jacket and heads to The Memorial Hospital in Craig, where she takes flowers to patients, answers visitors’ questions and fills in where help is needed.
Aging Well: Prevent falls with simple changes
A dim hallway, a bit of frayed carpeting, a poorly placed piece of furniture: These details may present only small safety hazards in many households. But when a person has poor vision or balance or copes with other health challenges, the risk that seemingly harmless clutter or flaws within a home will cause that person to fall or injure themselves increases dramatically.
Aging Well: Simple practices can prevent foodborne illness
A group of 10 older adults brought plenty of cooking experience to the Haven Community Center during a lunchtime event. Even so, questions during “food safety bingo” stumped at least a few of them.
Aging Well: Community Health Resource center helps people find accurate information
The Community Health Resource Center, located in a small office in Yampa Valley Medical Center, exists to help people build knowledge and sift through information surrounding a health topic.
Aging Well: Conference highlights caregiver resources, support
Living in the Yampa Valley, we accept many things, including long winters, delayed springs and limited services to help us through difficult times. The challenges of living in geographically-isolated communities can be particularly hard on the elderly, people with health problems and, especially, family members who care for these individuals.
Aging Well: Doctor shares tai chi experience, benefits
It was only a matter of time before tai chi played a starring role in Pam Kircher’s life. A family physician, Kircher has spent much of her career exploring complementary medicine, such as herbal remedies, acupuncture and massage, that contribute to health and wellness. While working at Mercy Medical Center in Durango, Kircher had the opportunity to attend a weekend tai chi workshop with Dr. Paul Lam, an Australian doctor who developed a modified tai chi program for people with arthritis, balance problems and other health challenges.
Aging Well: Understanding Medicare prescription drug coverage
Costs of medications can pile up quickly; correct information and good choices are vital
Prescription medicine is a routine part of many older adults’ lives, and the costs of these medications add up quickly. Understanding Medicare prescription drug coverage can help older adults make the right choices and choose plans that will save them the most money. The following information outlines important points about Medicare Part D for prescription drug coverage.
Aging Well: Make fruits and vegetables a priority
The message from health organizations about eating fruits and vegetables is straightforward: More, more, more. Americans are not getting enough nutrient and fiber-rich produce, according to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Aging Well: Caregivers help with nonmedical needs
An illness, injury or disability can seriously affect a person’s emotional well-being. While contending with challenges of daily living, they often grieve loss of independence and fear moving into a long-term care facility. Regular visits from a compassionate helper and friend can make all the difference for a person in this situation.
Aging Well: Instructors set example of lifelong fitness
This is part of a series of profiles about Aging Well fitness and wellness class instructors in Routt and Moffat counties. This feature appears once per month on the Aging Well page.
Aging Well: Centennial seniors tell timeless stories
As a child, Anna Wichern would gather with other children outside the swinging doors of a New York City saloon to steal a peek at the patrons. That is, before a policeman tapped their little shoes with his baton and told them to skedaddle. Childhood memories shine bright for Wichern, who will celebrate her 100th birthday in June. Wichern fondly recalls her happy upbringing and close-knit family, which eventually brought her to Steamboat Springs.
Aging Well: Exercise improves Parkinson’s symptoms
There are many unanswered questions about Parkinson’s disease. Some, such as what causes the condition in the first place, are troubling. Others, such as why exercise improves lives of people coping with the disease, are more optimistic.
Aging Well: Be responsible by preparing for emergencies
Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes — hardly a month goes by without news of catastrophic events pummeling their way into people’s everyday lives. Being prepared for an evacuation or emergency situation is practical, but knowing how to prepare isn’t quite so straightforward.
Aging Well: Tai Chi for Osteoporosis targets balance, strength
People come through the doors for different reasons. Some have fallen and hope tai chi will make them stronger. Others are looking for a renewed sense of calm through life’s trials. Whatever the reason, Susan Shoemaker is glad to see them in her Aging Well Tai Chi for Health class.
Aging Well: Medicare — Know the basics
Understanding Medicare is like tackling a Colorado fourteener: Taking the process step by step is easier than analyzing the whole mountain at once. Medicare is a health insurance program mostly for adults ages 65 and older. Having a firm grasp of program basics will make it easier for a person to take advantage of benefits when they are eligible, avoid penalties and adjust their Medicare options.
Aging Well: Music benefits older adults as therapy, entertainment
Music’s ability to reach us on a deep, emotional level has long fascinated scientists. Some therapies use music to help individuals experiencing or recovering from challenges including autism, Alzheimer’s disease, grief, chronic pain, stroke and depression.
Aging Well: Grandparents’ support important to kids with autism
When Lu Etta Loeber’s grandson Henry was diagnosed with severe autism 12 years ago, her initial shock ebbed into fear, worry and denial. Today, Loeber is a strong advocate for her grandson and other families of people with autism and, with time, patience and dedication, she has forged a bond with Henry that, though not typical, is no less special.
Aging Well: Smiles and success highlight instructors’ experience
This is part of an ongoing series of profiles about Aging Well fitness and wellness class instructors in Routt and Moffat counties. This feature appears monthly on the Aging Well page
Aging Well: Help available for sleep struggles
It’s easy to take sleep for granted, that is, until zzzzz’s are replaced with restlessness, tossing and turning and daytime exhaustion. While the occasional poor night’s sleep is inconvenient, chronic sleep disruption can significantly affect people’s quality of life, making it difficult for them to concentrate and cope with stress, increasing their risk of accidents and illness and exacerbating underlying health conditions.
Aging Well: Strengthening grandparent-grandchild bonds
Flowers, candy and marketing aside, Valentine’s Day is a time to think about those we love and, perhaps, relationships we’d like to make stronger. The bond between a grandchild and their grandparent is one that, with time and attention, rewards the child and adult.
Aging Well: Use common sense, detective work to be sugar smart
It happens every year. Just as we recover from the holidays’ sugary excess, we are bombarded with Valentine’s Day and sweet temptations. Most of us will indulge in a handful or two of candy hearts and chocolates. Little treats here and there can add bright spots to our days, especially in the depths of winter.
Aging Well: Doing better when stress hits
Identifying and reducing burdens while making positive, long-term choices essential
In the story of the three little pigs, one pig builds an abode strong enough to resist the wolf’s wrath. The pig’s willingness to look at the problem wolf and prepare makes the difference in the story and, as it turns out, can make a difference in our lives when it comes to stress. Stress management “is the extent to which we are able to identify what real demands we are likely to face and if we are willing to start developing resources for that,” said Tom Traynor, a Steamboat Springs psychologist who conducts stress management workshops.
Aging Well: Downsizing doesn’t have to be daunting
Downsizing is a process we undertake, to various degrees, throughout our lives. Still, as we age, we seem to accumulate more stuff while growing more attached to items that have accompanied us throughout the years. Inevitably, a person must dramatically pare down all belongings to accommodate smaller, more convenient living quarters or a simpler lifestyle.
Aging Well: Community spelling bee to highlight senior programs
Event to benefit Routt County Council on Aging, city senior programs and Aging Well
It’s nice to know that some things hardly change. Long ago, neighbors held spelling contests to pass the time and test their intellects. Americans today may have spell check (and a lot of distractions), but their fever for linguistic smarts continues to take root in old-fashioned spelling bees held regularly in schools and communities.
Aging Well: Instructors help pave way for better health
Nancy Smith, Mary Morris starting classes to help treat chronic conditions
This is part of a series of profiles about Aging Well fitness and wellness class instructors in Routt and Moffat counties. This feature includes Healthier Living Colorado instructors Nancy Smith in Routt County and Mary Morris in Moffat County.
Aging Well: Easy gift ideas for older family, friends
Older relatives and friends may present a challenge when it comes to buying gifts. After all, most have downsized to smaller living spaces and typically don’t need more things. Often, the best gift a person can give an older adult is to spend time with that person. Still, families and friends like to bring tokens of their affection when they visit, or to send a little something to let someone know they are in their thoughts. Like anyone, older adults appreciate items that are useful, engaging or meaningful.
Aging Well: Calendar Journal offers motivation for all
It was a windy spring day when Nancy Smith and two of her Tai Chi students practiced their art barefoot in the park as traffic whizzed nearby. It wasn’t an ideal setting for Tai Chi, but in a sense, that was the point — for the women to break out of their comfort zone just a bit while still enjoying themselves in the process.
Aging Well: Dedicated instructors help older adults get fit
Fischer and Ritchie improving seniors’ strength, flexibility, mobility in local classes
his is the first in a series of profiles about Aging Well fitness and wellness class instructors in Routt and Moffat counties. The series will continue monthly on the Aging Well page.
Aging Well: Program empowers spirit during loss, change
Creative Expressions uses artistic activities to help individuals through tough times
Everywhere we go, we carry beliefs that help us navigate the twists and turns of everyday life. Sometimes, however, our unconscious beliefs actually inhibit our ability to grow through adversity. During times of loss, grief and change, especially, embedded assumptions can build a conceptual jail around us, preventing us from exploring the difficulty of change in a way that also helps us see hope and possibilities in the future.
Aging Well: Finding peace in family gatherings, strained relationships
Thanksgiving is approaching, and families soon will be gathering in warm settings — content, at peace and immersed in the joy of the occasion. Unfortunately, this is not reality for most families. Whether it’s squabbles or sarcasm, feigned happiness or empty seats at the dinner table, Thanksgiving and the holidays often highlight tension and conflicts.
Aging Well: Aging field offers growing career options
Increasing number of seniors fuels demand for wellness teachers, social workers and more
Many people assume working with older adults means having medical experience. Although there is an increasing need for health care professionals skilled in aging issues, the growing number of adults ages 50 and older also is fueling demand for people to work with, or on behalf of, older adults in many other settings and roles.
Aging Well: CDC: Nearly everyone should get flu vaccine
Last year, flu vaccination guidelines were muddled and confusing. This year, the process is much clearer. There is just one vaccine, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges everyone ages 6 months and older to get it.
Aging Well: Program provides free help with Medicare
If Betsy Packer wore a Halloween costume, it might be that of a super hero with a large “M” emblazoned on the cape. Packer is the Northwest Colorado coordinator for SHIP — the Colorado Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program. She provides free counseling to older adults overwhelmed and confused by Medicare.
Aging Well: Health fair offers array of services
So you forgot to sign up for the early blood draw and can’t make it to the Community Health Fair later this month. Or you prefer to avoid crowds. Whatever the reason, if you’re 60 or older, there is another opportunity for you to take advantage of low cost blood tests and other services and information for older adults.
Aging Well: Programs help pay for mammograms, treatment costs
Most of us are guilty of putting off important health screenings or procedures. Often, that resistance has more to do with cost than laziness.
Aging Well: Medications — Blurring line between helpful and harmful
Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications greatly can improve a person’s quality of life, but misuse quickly can blur the line between feeling better and feeling worse.
Aging Well: Make fruits and vegetables a priority
The message from health organizations about eating fruits and vegetables is straightforward: more, more, more. Americans are not getting enough nutrient and fiber-rich produce, according to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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