Health and Wellness

LA FRONTERA Arizona / EMPACT - SUICIDE PREVENTION CENTER

EMPACT – Suicide Prevention Center

“Your Partner for a Safe, Strong, and Healthy Community”

La Frontera Arizona / EMPACT – Suicide Prevention Center offers comprehensive crisis and community behavioral health services to children, adults, and families. Services are provided in the home or at one of our offices located in metro Phoenix, San Tan Valley, and the City of Maricopa."

"In addition to providing direct services, EMPACT is an active in our communities providing prevention programs, training, outreach, and advocacy. We partner with police, fire, schools, places of worship, legal systems, and other agencies and organizations seeking to promote safe, healthy, and resilient individuals, families, and communities."

Check out LA FRONTERA's website to learn about all the services offered.

NOTICE TO PATIENTS

This practice serves all patients regardless of ability to pay. No one will be denied access to services due to inability to pay. We have a discounted/sliding fee schedule available based on family size and income. Please enquire at the reception desk to apply.

AVISO PARA PACIENTES

Los centros de salud ofrecen servicios sin considerar la capacidad para pagar. Los cargos generados por servicios de salud son calculados de acuerdo al nivel de ingreso del paciente. Pacientes pueden aplicar con la recepcionista. Gracias.

Staying Mentally and Physically Fit in Retirement

"When planning for retirement, most people focus on financial matters. But how you spend your retirement, including how you take care of yourself, is just as important.

The transition to retirement life can be hard. Your days may lack structure and you’ll need to get accustomed to this new lifestyle.

But one of the best ways to overcome the uneasiness of not working is to create a new daily schedule that focuses on staying physically and mentally healthy."

This blog article comes from Wildpine Residence in Ottawa, Canada. Although the source is Canada-based, it still applies to most retirees. The Wildpine site has an excellent list of resources addressing retirement living.

AARP Staying Sharp

"AARP Staying Sharp, an online program that shows you how to build habits that support your brain health — and have fun doing it!"

"How you spend your day can have a big impact on brain health, research shows. Eat well, move often, see friends, get good sleep, manage stress, keep learning. We'll share the whys and the how-tos."

What Do I Get?

"Take the Cognitive Assessment and other tests to see how your memory and attention are working today, then learn strategies to support brain health as you age. We've also got games for a fun distraction."

Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins

Knowledge is power. Take some time to understand your cognitive skills. Thirteen tests in all to help you think about what strategies to practice for your brain health.

Make Brain Health a Habit

AARP's Global Council on Brain Health reviewed the latest research to offer the best advice. The result is the six pillars of brain health. Learn how to build habits around all six.

Choose Your Path

An extensive menu of interactive challenges and activities plus meditations, exercise demos and TED videos. Need a healthy recipe? We've got you covered.

PLEASE NOTE: AARP offers a free version of these tools and an expanded version with AARP membership. Check it out!

Simple Tips and Strategies to Aging Well

"Navigating the aging process can be challenging, and it’s not always easy to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this ebook. It includes valuable information, insightful ideas, and practical tips to help you make the most of your later years."

This helpful guide is available for download from Neighbors Who Care in Sun Lakes. Click the link below to get your own copy. While on their website check out all of the other valuable resources available from Neighbors Who Care.

How to get Financial Assistance for Adjustable Beds

"Adjustable beds typically start at $500 in smaller sizes and can easily cross the $2,000 threshold for split designs, making them a significant financial investment for most buyers. Using Medicare or Medicaid can lower your out-of-pocket payments. That said, there are a few stipulations with both of these programs to consider."

This editorial from the Sleep Doctor was written by Garen Glazer in February 2024 explains how you can receive financial assistance from Medicare or Medicaid to lower out-of-pocket costs for an adjustable bed. Check the following link: Financial Assistance for Adjustable Beds: Medicare, Medicaid, and More (sleepdoctor.com)

Where and How to Dispose of Unused Medicines

Is your medicine cabinet full of expired drugs or medications you no longer use? Your medicine is for you. What’s safe for you might be harmful for someone else. The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a drug take back program — or you can do it at home.

Use the link below to access valuable information from the FDA on the best practices.

Currently, in the City of Maricopa, the best location to dispose of expired drugs is the Pharmacy at CVS on the corner of Smith-Enke and John Wayne Parkway during the hours that the pharmacy is open.

AARP - How Can I Convince My Father That He Shouldn’t Be Driving?

What to do when it may be time to take away the car keys . . .

"I’m scared to drive with my father because there have been so many close calls lately. How do I convince him to give up the car keys?

This is a huge issue for plenty of older people. Driving means independence, and giving it up is a tough milestone. When you discuss the possibility with your dad, he will probably be resistant, maybe even get angry. But no matter how the conversation goes, try not to get confrontational."

This August 2024 article from AARP provides some insight on what to do when that difficult time arrives. Click on the link below.

What to Know About ADLs and IADLS

"Essential Tasks Needed to Sustain Survival and Well-Being"

"If you spend time in a healthcare facility, you may hear the term "ADL" used by staff. ADL is medical shorthand for "Activities of Daily Living." Learning this shorthand and what it entails can help you advocate that your basic needs are addressed in a medical situation.

By definition, ADLs are the essential tasks that each person needs to perform, on a regular basis, to sustain basic survival and well-being. The term helps healthcare professionals quickly communicate the level of assistance an individual might need or how their health is impacting their day-to-day life."

What Are IADLS?

"You may look at the list about and think that even if you could safely do those nine items, there are still quite a few things that contribute to your quality of life. Don't worry, there is an extension to the list.

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLS) refer to activities that support daily life and are oriented toward interacting with your environment. IADLs are typically more complex than ADLs. They are important components of home and community life but can be easily delegated to another person."

For more information check the website for this article written by Sarah Lyon, OTR/L for Verywell Health in February 2023.

How Couples Can Avoid Annoying Each Other in Retirement

Tips for creating separate spaces and respecting alone time

"Before retirement, most couples focus on big planning issues, such as finances, where to live and how to spend their time.

​It’s harder to anticipate the smaller irritations of retired life that can fester if left unresolved, like household noise, chore division, too much time together or not enough personal space.​"

A June 2023 article from AARP dealing with couples' relationships in retirement. Deals with common retirement conflicts.

NIH - What Do We Know About Healthy Aging?

"Many factors influence healthy aging. Some of these, such as genetics, are not in our control. Others — like exercise, a healthy diet, going to the doctor regularly, and taking care of our mental health — are within our reach. Research supported by NIA and others has identified actions you can take to help manage your health, live as independently as possible, and maintain your quality of life as you age."

Read more from this research backed data from the NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA). See the link below and consider signing up for their newsletters.

10 Steps for Healthy Aging

Living a healthy lifestyle becomes even more important for better aging. The things we do to keep body and heart healthy—nutritious diet, physical activity, and social connections – also can help promote brain health and wellness. Here are 10 steps for successful aging:

Silver Sneakers at Copper Sky Recreation Complex

Available at no cost for adults 65+ through select Medicare plans.

Specialized classes designed to keep seniors active and healthy. These workouts include fall prevention drills and exercises to improve strength and endurance. A chair and handheld weights or tubing are generally recommended as aids.

NIH - Diabetes

"Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause other health problems such as heart disease, nerve damage, eye problems, and kidney disease. You can take steps to prevent or manage diabetes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Diabetes Statistics Report, an estimated 38.4 million people in the United States, or 11.6% of the population, have diabetes. About 1 in 5 adults with diabetes don’t know they have the disease. An estimated 97.6 million American adults have prediabetes, which means their blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes."

For a comprehensive source of information regarding diabetes, this compendium from the National Institute on Health will provide extensive information on the subject.

7 Ways Exercise Can Boost Your Mental Health

"Studies find exercise improves your mood, helps depression and eases anxiety."

"For all the focus on looking and feeling fit, it would be easy to miss how much of a boon exercise is for mental health.

Besides increasing muscle tone and endurance, cardio and strength training can, quite literally, change your mind. Research finds that regular physical activity can essentially make your brain more nimble, even enhancing the organ’s ability to form neural connections so you’re better able to handle everything coming at you."

For more information on this subject see this August 2023 article from AARP.

Living Retirement to its Fullest - Tips for Creating a Bucket List

"When you retire, you often reflect on everything you accomplished during your life, along with the things you never had the chance to do.

And now, with all this free time on your hands, you can focus on doing the things you’ve always wanted but didn’t have the time for.

So, to help you live retirement life to the fullest, here are some tips for creating a bucket list along with inspiration for goals to add to it."

Check this blog article from the Wildpine Residence in Ottawa Canada. It's a great tool for helping to structure your personal bucket list.

Many birthday cards mock getting older. These artists are painting a different picture.

CNN — Originally published at the Arizona Center on Aging

From the introduction . . .

Birthday cards calling someone “over the hill” or making fun of them for getting older are so common that many people don’t think twice about them. But Sara Breindel is hoping you will.

Breindel is co-director of a Denver-based anti-ageism campaign dubbed Changing the Narrative. And when it comes to how we talk about getting older, she’s been trying to do just that.

Dismayed by “the racks of birthday card options that mock older adults as weak, deaf, forgetful and crabby,” the group created a contest asking artists to design birthday cards with a more “age-positive” approach.

Breindel says the winning designs, and others like them, are sending a powerful and critically important message.

Birthday cards may sound innocuous, but Breindel says they’ve become a prominent example of harmful messaging that can have significant health consequences.

“The way we think about aging affects how we age,” she says, pointing to research showing that negative views on aging can affect physical and mental health and even decrease someone’s lifespan, while “age-positive views” can help people live longer.

From Ron Smith:

This article was written by Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN and published on December 18th, 2023. It addresses how we see ourselves as we age and how the greeting card industry has reinforced the negative views often expressed in ageism in their designs and products. This article hits at the heart of the negative aspects of ageism and how we reinforce those ideas through the greeting cards that we select! This is a refreshing take on how we allow ourselves to be pigeonholed into these negative characterizations. and how we can flip the scenario!

Also, check out the greeting cards now available from Age-Friendly Vibes. These are uplifting messages that celebrate the beauty and wisdom of aging.

Enjoy

Age-Friendly Vibes: Age-Friendly Vibes

Cleveland Clinic - Diabetes

"Diabetes is a common condition that affects people of all ages. There are several forms of diabetes. Type 2 is the most common. A combination of treatment strategies can help you manage the condition to live a healthy life and prevent complications."

This article from the Cleveland Clinic addresses the symptoms, causes, the diagnosis, management and treatment of diabetes. It also addresses both the prevention of and the prognosis of living with diabetes.

Food Safety - Being Careful in the Kitchen

"The best place to be as a child was in Grandma’s kitchen, especially when she’s taking a fresh tray of cookies out of the oven. Sneaking a bite of cookie dough was a must for any youngster. Grandma may have thought nothing of it then, but today, the risks of eating raw eggs are well known. For seniors, these stakes are even higher. A caregiver may be today’s gateway to good health for their loved one, starting at the basic knowledge of food safety."

This article from Today's Caregiver talks about food safety risks for seniors and how to deal with some of the risks.

Why Seniors Don't Eat: It's Complicated

"More than half of older adults who visit emergency departments are either malnourished or at risk for malnutrition, but not because of lack of access to health care, critical illness or dementia. Despite clear signs of malnutrition or risk of malnutrition, more than three-quarters had never previously been diagnosed with malnutrition, according to the results of a study published online in Annals of Emergency Medicine (“Malnutrition Among Cognitively Intact, Non-Critically Ill Older Adults in the Emergency Department”)"

To learn more about this issue, check the link to this article from Today's Caregiver magazine.

Mayo Clinic - Healthy Aging: What to Expect

Wonder what's considered a normal part of the aging process? Here's what to expect as you get older — and what to do about it.

"You know that aging will likely cause wrinkles and gray hair. But do you know how aging will affect your teeth, heart and sexuality? Find out what changes to expect as you continue aging — and how to promote good health at any age."

Check this article from the Mayo Clinic staff to better understand what you can expect.

Mayo Clinic - Diabetes

"Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how the body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is an important source of energy for the cells that make up the muscles and tissues. It's also the brain's main source of fuel.

The main cause of diabetes varies by type. But no matter what type of diabetes you have, it can lead to excess sugar in the blood. Too much sugar in the blood can lead to serious health problems.

Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes and gestational diabetes. Prediabetes happens when blood sugar levels are higher than normal. But the blood sugar levels aren't high enough to be called diabetes. And prediabetes can lead to diabetes unless steps are taken to prevent it. Gestational diabetes happens during pregnancy. But it may go away after the baby is born."

Mayo Clinic addresses diabetes the symptoms, causes, risk factors, complications and the prevention of diabetes.

Diabetes in Older People

"Diabetes is a serious disease that affects many older adults. Diabetes occurs when a person’s blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. The good news is that you can take steps to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of the disease to develop in older adults. If you already have diabetes, there are ways to manage the condition and help prevent diabetes-related health problems."

What is diabetes?

Glucose is the body’s main source of energy. Our bodies can make glucose, and glucose also comes from the food we eat. To use glucose as energy, the body needs insulin, a hormone that helps glucose get into cells. If you have diabetes, your body may not make enough insulin, use insulin in the right way, or both. That can cause too much glucose to stay in the blood, which can cause health problems over time.

A comprehensive introduction into diabetes provided by NIH's National Institute on Aging. If you are not very familiar with diabetes, this is an excellent resource to better help you understand this life changing disease.

The Early Signs of Diabetes You Can’t Ignore

Nearly a quarter of Americans with diabetes are undiagnosed. Are you one of them?

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 37.3 million people in the United States have diabetes, but nearly a quarter of them (8.5 million) are undiagnosed.

What’s more, over a third of U.S. adults (96 million) have prediabetes, including 26.4 million people over the age of 65. Prediabetes is a condition that can lead to diabetes.

Untreated diabetes is associated with serious complications like heart disease, nerve damage, and eye problems (including blindness).

That’s why it’s so important to know the risk factors and warning signs of type 2 diabetes—and to get screened."

This June 2024 article from SilverSneakers describes some of the early signs of diabetes that shouldn't be ignored.

How to Stay Healthy Longer

"It's not just about extending your life—it's also about how to continue feeling good in the years ahead. Here, the head-to-toe tune-up that will help"

"Well past ages 80 and 90, some people still haven’t slowed down.

They’re publishing books, entering bodybuilding competitions, earning degrees, racing boats, and socializing with family and friends who are decades younger.

While that used to be almost unthinkable, it’s becoming more common. Much of what we’ve learned about thriving in one’s later years is relatively recent knowledge. That’s because today, life expectancy is 26 years longer than it was in the 1950s."

"This guide will help you understand what typically happens in six important systems, how they may change with age, what you can do bolster them, and how to keep yourself in top shape for many years to come."

This August 2023 article from Consumer Reports discusses the importance of major body systems in extending your lifespan.