Each year, an alarming number of people over the age of 65 experience a fall. Research has shown that as many as one in four older people fall every year. Falling in their homes is a serious risk that seniors face when they are alone. Here are some tips to help prevent falls before they happen: *ensure you have adequate lighting in your home, *always take a cordless phone or cell phone with you if you are going downstairs and *try not to move around your home more than you need to after taking medication that can impair your balance.
Community News
Do You Feel Rested?
If you aren’t getting enough sleep, you may want to find out why. Most adults require seven to eight hours of sleep each night. According to the Mayo Clinic; Adequate, quality rest each night is essential for good health. Sleep provides the foundation for all our daily habits and decisions. A lack of quality sleep can negatively impact our mood as well as our ability to focus on daily tasks. Some suggestions for better sleep include moderate exercise, avoiding caffeine and consulting a Certified Body/Emotion Code Practitioner who can help you release any unprocessed negative (trapped) emotions that are disturbing your sleep.
The Power of Strength & Nutrition
As we age, taking care of our bodies becomes even more crucial. Strength and nutrition play vital roles in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise and a balanced diet can significantly improve our physical and mental well-being. Engaging in strength training exercises helps preserve muscle mass, increase bone density, and improve overall body strength. Simultaneously, proper nutrition provides the necessary nutrients and energy to support our body’s functions, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and enhance cognitive abilities. At Body Tempo Health and Fitness, we understand the importance of strength and nutrition as we age. Contact us to find out more.
Are You All In For Kids?
The cost of summer camps and after-school activities have become extras that many families can no longer afford. Yet the benefits of play are significant. Studies show that when kids participate in team sports and other physical activities when they are young, they are generally more resilient, experience less anxiety and develop a sense of belonging that can stay with them throughout their lives. To learn more about how you can help kids have less screen time and more play time, visit our website.
When It’s Not Just Aging
While it’s true that some health conditions are more common with age, there are some symptoms that should be discussed with your doctor. 1. Memory loss – this can sometimes be the result of medications, vitamin deficiencies and some disorders. 2. Vision problems – getting treatment early for certain vision problems like glaucoma can prevent serious damage. 3. Tooth loss – getting regular dental care can help seniors avoid tooth loss. 4. Depression – certain health conditions and medications can make depression symptoms worse. This problem can be treated professionally. 5. Weakness – a good exercise program can help prevent loss of muscle mass.
Raise Your Vibration
Clutter takes up space in your life. It’s time to declutter; time to open space physically and energetically. Decluttering works on the very human emotion and vibration of attachment, a dense vibration of need and lack. The job of commercialism in our society is to keep us buying on the premise that what we purchase will make us happy. Before we know it, our personal world is filled with clutter. As you remove clutter you set the stage for movement, clarity and possibility. You feel lighter as you release attachments. Your mind and heart receive open space for creativity, consciousness and contentment. You raise your Energy-Body vibration.
Think Before You Bet
Summer is upon us, so it’s time to enjoy ball season: Football and baseball are back in full swing. With watching our favourite sports comes the opportunity to wager on them as well. Know the lingo (money line, run line, over/under, point spread, parlays), keep a budget and plan ahead. With the advent of sportsbooks and in-game wagering options, it has become easy to place a bet while emotions run high. As our friends at GambleAware.org in the UK say: “Avoid Bet Regret: Think Before You Bet.” To learn more, check our website. We are here to help.
Do Hearing Aids Help Tinnitus?
Hearing is one of the most vital senses. As we age, however, we may experience difficulties in this area. While hearing loss is common and well-known in older adults, tinnitus is a sign of auditory disfunction that affects our ability to hear as well. It can present itself as an irritating and encompassing ringing, hissing, or buzzing noise that is seemingly impossible to eliminate. There are two main types, subjective and objective, where the former and most common type can only be heard by the patient and the latter may be detectable by a doctor. Tinnitus may only impact one ear or both, and its persistence can ebb and flow depending on the severity of the symptoms.
Chronic tinnitus may cause you to feel frequently disoriented. It can have an impact similar to hearing loss because you may find it difficult to understand and engage in conversations. Unfortunately, without proper treatment, some individuals may unnecessarily suffer for years while the condition goes untreated.
Living with tinnitus is possible. Although there is no cure, a proper diagnosis can lead to a specialized plan to allow those afflicted to live their lives more like they once did. In addition, recommendations from a hearing healthcare professional can help alleviate stress and ensure your symptoms are managed. With that in mind, do hearing aids help with tinnitus? Where does this condition come from? And when should you see a hearing healthcare professional? Read on to learn the answers to these questions. We’ll also provide a bit more information about tinnitus.
What Causes Tinnitus?
Sometimes, an exact cause cannot be found for someone’s tinnitus. However, lifestyle can be taken into account and may play a role in the severity of this condition. Risks can include overexposure to loud noises, aging, and certain health problems and diseases.
You may experience tinnitus due to an ear infection or canal blockage. An ear infection is caused by a virus or bacteria that creates fluid buildup in the eardrum. As a result, you’ll experience pain and swelling, sometimes causing permanent damage in the process. Similarly, your ears could also be blocked by excessive wax, dirt, or other debris. All of these possibilities will result in increased pressure in this confined area.
If you have recently been in a car accident or another incident that leads to some kind of head or neck trauma, the force of the impact can cause tinnitus. This is because the condition is linked to the brain in addition to the ears. Therefore, any strain on that area of the body could change its normal functionality and thus cause ripple effects to your senses.
In addition, medications like antibiotics may also cause tinnitus or worsen its symptoms. The unwanted ringing may sometimes dissipate when the drug is stopped. However, halting a prescription without consulting your doctor can be dangerous, so ensure you discuss with them first if you think a medication may be causing your tinnitus.
How Can a Hearing Aid Help?
You may be wondering, do hearing aids help with tinnitus? Or can a hearing aid stop tinnitus? In many cases, wearing one of these devices can reduce the symptoms of this condition and can sometimes eliminate the unwanted sound completely. Hearing aids are capable of controlling several elements of your hearing, thanks to innovations in hearing aid technology, an industry that is always evolving to suit the needs of individuals better. With various brands and styles, a solution from your hearing healthcare professional is likely available to those suffering from tinnitus symptoms.
Another improvement is due to an increase in background noise. Hearing cars driving by, drops of rain, and footsteps more clearly can help filter out or even cover up the ringing or buzzing. Some hearing aids also have Bluetooth capabilities or white noise options, so you can listen to some kind of sound no matter the time of day. With your brain stimulated by these noises, it can help reteach your mind which signals to deliver and which ones to ignore.
One of the main complications of living with tinnitus is stress, which can cause your condition to flare up, becoming increasingly difficult to manage. As a result, you’ll likely be left frustrated and fatigued. With hearing aids, you can reduce your stress levels, thereby feeling more in control of your sensory experience.
Since tinnitus can also affect your sleep because the sound you hear may be increasingly difficult to ignore at night, learning to live day-to-day with hearing aids may help lessen its impact in the evening. It is recommended you remove your hearing aids before going to bed for safety purposes, but your brain may learn to quiet these noises since its ability to do is being stretched and flexed during the daytime. You’ll also likely be more engaged in everyday activities, enjoy a profound sense of calmness, and may notice sounds you have not experienced in a long time.
It is important to note that hearing aids are not a cure for tinnitus. They can only provide auditory stimulation to help with the uncomfortable symptoms of this condition.
Should I Schedule an Appointment with a Hearing Professional?
Once your hearing has impacted your ability to accomplish and engage in everyday tasks, you should make an appointment with a hearing healthcare professional. This is especially true if your tinnitus has affected your ability to walk, causing you bouts of dizziness or leaving you uncoordinated.
A hearing care professional can be available to listen to your symptoms, perform important tests, and offer you a thorough diagnosis that can be explained in terms you can understand.
Auditory health is a part of your overall well-being. When one of your senses struggles to perform as it once did, it can be challenging to understand what is happening or how to move forward with the things you enjoy doing. Everyone’s hearing needs are unique and require a personalized approach for effective management. By understanding your unique circumstances, a HearingLife hearing professional can develop a comprehensive plan that addresses your specific needs and goals.
Take the first step towards better hearing by booking a free hearing test at any HearingLife clinic near you.
New Short-Term Respite Care
Respite care is part of the long-term care continuum, yet publicly funded respite care beds are limited in their availability and demand for them is growing. For this reason, Providence Living is exploring how to provide short-term, private-pay respite services at The Views at St. Joseph’s in Comox. This service will address the care gap for families who need respite for a loved one but don’t qualify for a publicly funded bed. The short-term respite program launched on June 05, 2023. This private room has its own sink and toilet, and the daily fee includes all meals, 24-hour nursing care, activities, outings, and much more.
Stay Safe This Summer
The weather is getting hot and it’s not likely to get cool again anytime soon. Make sure to drink plenty of water; it’s very easy to get dehydrated which can cause fatigue, dizziness and the potential to fall. Wear sunscreen; a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 50 is recommended and it should be re-applied every two hours while outdoors. With the heat comes smoke from wildfires; on days when you smell or see smoke, be sure to stay inside as much as possible. If you must venture outside, consider wearing a face mask. Stay cool!
Senior Summer Safety Tips
Skin cancer is one of the most common and preventable forms of cancer. Apply SPF of at least 30 to 50—every two to four hours you are outdoors or riding in a car. Routinely wearing a quality pair of sunglasses protects the eyes from cataracts, a condition common among older adults. Look for a pair with a label showing they block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. As we grow older, the body doesn’t adjust to changes in temperature and humidity as quickly as in younger days. This puts seniors at higher risk for dehydration and sun-related illnesses, like heat stroke – so make sure to keep hydrated!
