Visiting Angels is the nation's leading, nationally respected network of non-medical, private duty home care agencies providing senior care, elder care, personal care, respite care and companion care to help the elderly and adults continue to live in their homes across America.

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We are an independently owned and operated franchise of Visiting Angels®, a nationwide corporation, providing non-medical home care services which allow people to maintain the independence of their daily routines in their own homes or familiar surroundings. We serve many locations around Tampa Bay Florida including, Tampa, New Tampa, Lutz, Oldsmar, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Land O' Lakes, Wesley Chapel, New Port Richey, Port Richey, Holiday, Tarpon Springs, Trinity, and Hudson.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Breast Cancer in Older Women

Cancer is a nasty word that draws gasps from everyone who hears it, yet even with the many advances we have found over the last 20 years in both diagnosis and treatment of this often deadly disease, controversy still rules the roost when it comes to question of should we or shouldn't we perform certain tests. For example, although 40,000 cases of breast cancer are detected annually in women over the age of 75, treatments in older women tend to be less aggressive (possibly because of their life expectancy or possibly due to the costs/benefit ratios or even doctor bias).

Even though study after study indicate that early diagnosis and subsequent treatment of breast cancer in women over the age 85 reduces the rate of death due to cancer (researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in their study from 1980 – 2007 found that "rate of breast cancer death decreased only 1.1 percent in women over age 75," a slower rate of increase than in early aged women), breast cancer treatment is still lagging behind that of younger women. Most doctors tend to see the benefits vs. the risks from tests for breast cancer as leaning towards the risk side of the equation. For example, older women may be less tolerant of chemotherapy for various reasons and this same age group of women may not be eligible for many clinical trials due to their age alone, thus putting into question the value of beginning a potentially long battle with breast cancer in the elderly patient. So, the possible success of treatment of breast cancer in younger women vs. that same possibility of success of treatment in older patients may move doctors away from prescribing the same level of diagnostics for older patients.
The question then comes down to one of morality: do we as a society place more value on the future life span of a younger woman than the pure quality of life of a woman at any age? Should diagnostic tests (i.e., mammograms) proven to find cancer in a women's breasts and offer life saving or life extending opportunities be performed selectively simply due to a women's age?
Medical advances have greatly reduced the death rates caused by breast cancer at all age levels of women. Should those advances in successful treatments be put aside so that more and more younger women have the focus of these medical benefits? Or, do we simply acknowledge that life is valuable at any age and performing these diagnostic tests can save lives (regardless of the age of the patient)? Maybe we should do everything possible to save every life that needs medical intervention and not consider the age of the person; unless of course that particular patient refuses that test or treatment.
Clearly, more medical research needs to be conducted to find better diagnostic tests and more successful treatments at any age and for any cancer, whether the patient is female or male. But until those breakthroughs occur, we are stuck with a system that forces us to make difficult choices for our loved ones, or even for ourselves.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012


Losses for Our Elderly

According to a study commissioned by Clarity and The Fear Foundation, entitled Aging in Place in America, "Senior citizens fear moving into a nursing home and losing their independence more than they fear death." For example, "Death was cited as the greatest fear for just 3% of seniors."

When we consider our elderly citizens we often think they can handle nearly anything, primarily due to the fact that they have lived so long and experienced so much. Well, to some degree, part of that statement is true – they have experienced so much loss. Yet, that wealth of experience, even though offering much learning, also presents a very real amount of loss that our elderly often find overwhelming; especially when it comes to grief and depression.
Kathleen C. Buckwalter, Professor of Nursing at the University of Iowa College of Nursing, states "The elderly are less likely to cope as well as young people because of the added years of meaning behind the loss, and the fewer years with which to move on."
As we age, all those life experiences and the many, many years of living, offer little hope for successfully coping with the most recent losses, such as the death of a spouse or close friend, the voluntary or involuntary nullification of one's driver's license, moving from one's primary home, etc.
Again, as we age, significant life changes are more and more likely to occur – just part of life. With those life changes come greater opportunities to experience grief and depression. This doesn't mean all older citizens will be depressed or experience significant grief at some point in their later years, however it does offer a greater potential for grief and depression.
The aging process, in general, works at preparing us for loss by exposing us to issues that involve our social, physical, and psychological make-up. For example, www.helpguide.org in a recent article entitled Depression in Older Adults and the Elderly, lists the following causes and risk factors that could lead to depression/grief in older adults:
  • Health problems – illness and disability, chronic or severe pain, cognitive decline, damage to body image due to surgery or disease
  • Loneliness and isolation – living alone, a dwindling social circle due to deaths or relocation, decreased mobility due to illness or loss of driving privileges
  • Reduced sense of purpose – feelings of purposelessness or loss of identity due to retirement or physical limitations on activities
  • Fears – fear of death or dying, anxiety over financial problems or health issues
  • Recent bereavement – death of friends, family members, and pets; the loss of a spouse or partner

A number of facts come into play when considering how our elder folks view their aging world (from www.marketingcharts.com, November 12, 2007):
  • 89% of seniors want to age in place
  • 53% are concerned about their ability to do so
  • Half of seniors are open to some sort of new technology to enable more independence

With so many seniors wanting to remain at home and deal with their losses in familiar surroundings, Professor Buckwalter suggests the following general ideas to assist our elders in coping with these inevitable losses:
  • Give them a sense of choice and mastery over their environment and lives
  • Offer pre-retirement counseling, activity planning, and volunteer work to reduce the potential for identity crisis
  • Help the adjustments to losses go more smoothly by asking your elder how they feel about the loss (listening can offer comfort and support)

Developing strong relationships with our elder folks is a good beginning to helping them get through the losses that will eventually come their way. Life doesn't get easier as we age, but it doesn't have to more difficult. You can make a difference!


   
 
 



 

Friday, July 27, 2012

When is Old Too Old?

It seems simple and clear cut regarding when you can obtain a driver’s license – you reach a certain age, pass a test or two, and viola, you’re now licensed by your state to drive a 4,000 lbs. speeding machine down a highway towards a destination in hopes of not hitting anything on your way. Well, as simple as it is to obtain that privilege, it is equally difficult to have any type of regulation that says it is now time for you to give up that right to drive.

Nearly 20% of all drivers are elderly, as per recent government statistics. That's one heck of a lot of drivers! And, as we also know, not all old drivers are bad drivers, just as not all younger drivers are good drivers. The difficulty comes in when we need to decide who should be behind the wheel and who should not.
It may be labeled a form of ageism to require Motor Vehicle Administrations to have mandatory testing at certain ages, though mandatory testing is required of young folks to obtain their licenses; but not again unless they move to another state. And yet, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety keeps hoards of stats that indicate that elders clearly do have difficulty with certain aspects of normal, everyday driving, (ex., managing intersections).
Certain aspects of aging do obviously come into play: diminishing eyesight, increase in confusion (ex., driving the wrong way down one-way streets), and slowing of reflexes. Certain tests might help to monitor those areas, yet as that saying goes, "on any given day..."
It seems the controversy is not going to be resolved anytime soon. With that in mind, below are 20 things to look for in elder drivers that might be a warning that it is time to consider hanging up the keys:
  • Decrease in confidence while driving.
  • Difficulty turning to see when backing up.
  • Easily distracted while driving.
  • Other drivers often honk horns.
  • Hitting curbs.
  • Scrapes or dents on the car, mailbox or garage.
  • Increased agitation or irritation when driving.
  • Failure to notice traffic signs or important activity on the side of the road.
  • Trouble navigating turns.
  • Driving at inappropriate speeds.
  • Uses a "copilot."
  • Bad judgment making turns.
  • Delayed response to unexpected situations.
  • Moving into wrong lane or difficulty maintaining lane position.
  • Confusion at exits.
  • Ticketed moving violations or warnings.
  • Getting lost in familiar places.
  • Car accident.
  • Failure to stop at stop sign or red light.
  • Stopping in traffic for no apparent reason.

Knowing when to hang up the keys is a tough decision and, oftentimes, one that requires the help of a loved-one. Help your loved-ones stay safe when the time comes.
(Reference: www.aol.com/article/when-are-you-tto-old-to-drive-a-car/)

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

How to Handle Chronic Complainers

"Life ain't easy!" And with this sentiment comes permission to complain ... and complain we do ... about everything from the weather to our weight. The issue is not that we have the right to complain and that life is not always fair, but that some of us (and I think we are all guilty of this from time-to-time) complain constantly with no apparent understanding of how our complaining is affecting those around us. Sometimes life isn't fair, and yes, sometimes we come across people who are simply unhappy in life, yet the question here is how best do we handle those situations? Let's take a look at some solutions to dealing with chronic complainers ...
It is important to understand the nature, or motivation if you will, of a chronic complainer. Some people can be identified as either pessimists or optimists; however, chronic complainers are neither. Rather, they are folks who, generally speaking, are seeking validation for their situations or their emotions.
As Guy Winch, Ph.D. puts it in his article, The Squeaky Wheel, on www.psychologytoday.com, July 15, 2011: "Optimists see a glass half full – pessimists see a glass half empty – a chronic complainer sees a glass that is slightly chipped holding water that isn't cold enough, probably because its tap water when I asked for bottled water and wait, there's a smudge on the rim too, which means the glass wasn't cleaned properly and now I'll probably end up with some kind of virus – why do these things always happen to me?!"
Dr. Winch offers three suggestions:
  1. Try not to convince the chronic complainer that things are not as bad as they think, as this will only conjure up multiple other complaints
  2. Validate the chronic complainer's feelings
  3. Don't offer advice.

In addition to Dr. Winch's suggestions, Sherri Kruger in her www.excelle.monster.com article, "How to Handle Chronic Complainers," suggests:
  1. Think before you speak. Don't complain to hear yourself complain. Rather, understand why you need to tell others about your situation and determine, before you speak, if the situation is truly unique or are you simply complaining.
  2. Have a plan. Complaining can be legitimate and not necessarily for selfish reasons. However, if it is legit, how will it get resolved? Make a plan to fix the situation.
  3. Change your perspective. Learn to be empathetic towards others' situations (those you may be complaining about) rather than complaining about that person or their actions.
  4. Be grateful. Learn to enjoy where you are in life and not get caught up in the "I need to have more than my neighbor syndrome."

Chronic complainers can be a pain in the "you know what!" Yet, with some forethought and careful dialogue, you can probably diffuse most negative situations and, although not totally change the person, you should be able to handle any discomfort you are feeling when you are around the chronic complainer.


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Effects of Stress on Memory in Older Adults


  Studies suggest that stress—both short-term and chronic—play a negative role
  in the memory performance of older adults. Moderate amounts of stress, such
  as driving to an unfamiliar location to take a memory test, can produce test
  results similar to those of a patient with Alzheimer’s. A recent study
  carried out by Sophia Lupien’s team at the Centre for Studies on Human Stress
  (CSHS) of the Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, in affiliation with Université de
  Montréal, demonstrates that when seniors are tested under stressful
  circumstances, the release of stress hormones (cortisol) causes a rapid
  decline in memory performance. In the study, seniors took memory tests in
  both inconvenient locations, and familiar locations. Interestingly, when
  these same exams took place in familiar locations, their memory performance
  rivaled that of young adults. 

  Long-term stress can have a negative impact on memory performance, and may
  play a role in the development of age-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s. 
  During stressful periods, the adrenal glands secrete cortisol, which travels
  to the memory and learning centers of the brain (hippocampus) and to the
  amygdala (emotional gateway for memory). Exposure to high levels of
  glucocorticoids (the main class of stress hormones) throughout life can damage
  brain cells. As we age, our biological systems slow, causing cortisol levels
  to remain higher longer, and the effects of stress to last longer. Recent
  studies by Finnish researchers have found that the long-term effects of stress
  may be the biggest cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Those with both high blood
  pressure and high cortisol levels are more than three times as likely to
  develop Alzheimer’s as older adults without those symptoms.   

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

MEDITATION - Anit-Aging Medication

A Natural Healer

March 19, 2012

Let's hope you're reading this in the middle of the day so that you've had many good things happen to you already, and that after read this you have time to readjust to a happier mood by night time. The rather blunt fact is that every day we are getting older and from a physiological perspective, that means our bodies are deteriorating every single minute; especially if we are over the age of 30 (which many of us are). There's no stopping this process and there's no denying it . . . In the vernacular of today's world: "It is what it is!"
So why keep reading, especially with such a doomsday intro? Well, there is a light at the end of this tunnel and one that is easy to achieve at no cost to you other than a little bit of time on your part.
I'm talking about MEDITATION. Meditation originated from the Sanskrit time and means "becoming" or "being." That's right, we've all heard the endless jokes about "being one with yourself," but there really is some truth and value to that statement. Of course, our image is of some scantily glad, skinny, frizzy long-haired, man from India sitting crossed-legged and chanting mantras. Well, ok, there is some truth to that image, but for different reasons than you might suspect.
Let's explore the healing nature of meditation.
As we age, our bodies visually become older (no need to remind us all of the physical signs of aging as we see them everyday in the mirror). Yet, what we don't readily acknowledge is the unseen, internal signs of aging – "cardiac, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, and brain functions are also declining as you become older. The primary reason we deteriorate as we age is due to the degeneration of the endocrine system." Examples of this can be detected through the reduction in the growth hormone HGH (very important in retaining our energy and youthful immunity; the decline of the pineal gland "which produces the sleep hormone melatonin," and the decline of DHEA, which "helps protect the body from stress." The hypothalamus, which helps to balance our system, also becomes far less effective in its work causing many of the functions of the endocrine system to function improperly. It clearly becomes a vicious circle of decline for our body's functions, or more commonly known as "the aging process."
"Meditation is the true anti-aging medicine because it activates our body's own natural anti-aging healing force. Medical meditation directly rejuvenates the hypothalamus, the pituitary, the pineal, and other endocrine glands. Medical meditation is the single most effective counter measure against stress."
Below are just a few of the benefits from meditation:
  • Reduction of anxiety
  • Reduction of chronic pain
  • Lowered levels of cortisone
  • Increase cognitive function
  • Reduction of substance abuse
  • Lowered blood pressure
  • Improvements in post traumatic stress syndrome
  • Reduction in the use of medical care and hospitalizations
Many of us are aware that our mind exists in different states of consciousness: wake state, sleep state, and dream state. Those who are true believers in the healing powers of meditation also believe there is a fourth mind state: healing state. This is a state where the anti-aging effects of meditation begin and where your life can develop a healthier and happier existence. Some of you must be saying to yourself, Jeffrey clearly has too much time on his hands, or, Jeffrey is becoming a bit of a freaky recluse . . . well, maybe, yet with time comes the availability to read and study and what better to study than becoming a happier person before we leave this world.
I think meditation is a safe and personally rewarding compliment to our western medicine. This is not the place to be going into a lengthy step-by-step rendition of the latest meditation process, but more a forum to let you know that although you can't completely stop the aging process, you can lead a healthier and happier life And believe it or not, it doesn't require a drastic lifestyle change on your part – just 15-30 minutes per day of some quiet time where you allow yourself to re-balance your system, where you can re-boot your personal/internal computer, and where life's worries gain perspective. Relax. Try it. Meditate about it.
(Source: Meditation As Anti-aging Medicine; Turn Back The Clock Naturally by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D.)

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Eat Yourself Smart!

Brain Boosting Foods

 
My subscription to Eating Well is up for renewal and it crossed my mind, “Is this worth the money and do I really use it?” I went back to a few old copies to reread them and see if I did indeed truly use any of those delicious looking (and sounding) recipes. Well, fortunately for me, I did find that I have used many of the ideas from that magazine, especially those that relate to brain and heart healthy eating. As a result, today’s Weekly Message topic: Brain Boosting Foods (and for the record, if any of you think you don’t need these types of foods, think again).
We all know that eating the right foods can be good for your heart health (i.e., reduced high blood pressure, lowering of bad cholesterol, etc.), yet you may not think about food for your brain. That’s right, certain foods can actually aid in the positive functioning of our brain, or, in short, develop brain power. Many of the foods that are good for your heart are also good for your brain, yet some of the foods on the list below may come as a total surprise.
Read on and incorporate into your life style … it will do your body and your brain a lot of good. As always, if there is any question as to whether you can eat certain foods, check with your physician and consume foods of any type in moderation.
Brain Healthy foods (from a CNN Health article, 10 Foods To Help Boost Your Brain Power, by Karen Anzel, Sept. 8, 2011):
  • Blackberries: These delightful little berries allow our brain cells to talk to each other by offering up antioxidants which reduce inflammation.
  • Coffee: A Finnish study revealed that folks who sipped 3-5 cups of coffee per day, and who were in their 40’s and 50’s, “reduced their odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 65 percent.”
  • Apples: Apples contain quercetin, “an antioxidant plant chemical that keeps your mental juices flowing by protecting your brain cells.” Quercetin fight off free radicals which can damage the outer lining of your neurons and “eventually leading to cognitive decline.”
  • Chocolate: You have all probably heard that dark chocolate can help with maintaining good blood pressure, well, as little as one third of one ounce of chocolate can help with increasing blood flow to the brain, essential to a healthy brain.
  • Cinnamon: Research has found that two compounds in cinnamon can counteract certain proteins (tau protein) that may have much to do with Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Spinach: Dark, leafy greens are wonderful for all sorts of heart healthy reasons, yet they can also help prevent dementia through the ingestion of vitamin E and Vitamin K, both found in abundance in spinach.
  • Extra virgin olive oil (as Rachael Ray would say, “EVOO!”): ADDL’s are proteins that attach to brain cells and make them unable to communicate with each other, those causing brain function to deteriorate (i.e., dementia). EVOO contains olecanthal which disables ADDL’s.
  • Salmon: My favorite fish, rich in omega-3 fats which are good for your heart, but also vitamin D. Both components help to fight off cognitive disease.
  • Curry: Mmmmmm. One of the main spices in curry is curcumin, found to fight brain inflammation associated with Alzheimer’s, but it also works at lowering cholesterol.
  • Concord grape juice: Red wine lovers have know for years that a moderate amount of red wine consumed regularly is good for your heart, well it seems those same grapes offer your brain some needed help in the form of improved “spatial memory and verbal learning skills.”
Of course there are many more foods that we could add to this list, however, if you were to slide these few foods into your diet on a regular basis you would be improving your chances of living a healthier life – what do you have to lose?