Genes May Play a Big Role in Longevity

A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that genes may play a fairly large role in longevity. The study evaluated the health habits of nearly five hundred people with an average age of around ninety seven. This information was compared with the information of more than 3000 people born around the same time from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 1971-1974.

Researchers found that those who lived an exceptionally long life didn’t always have much better health habits than those who expired closer to the average life expectancy. The group who reached or exceeded the 100 year

Many healthcare providers recommend regular exercise to their patients for improving overall health and reducing the risk of disease. A new study performed by researchers at Columbia University and the University of Miami has revealed that the intensity of the activities performed may play a big role in stroke risk though.

Researchers had 1200 hundred people with average ages in their mid-sixties who had no history of stroke complete a detailed survey regarding their exercise and activity habits. After a six year follow up researchers concluded that the participants who performed

Most people know the tremendous health benefits that regular participation in a fitness routine will have for them, but that is still not motivation enough to keep them on track with their workouts.  If looking better, feeling better, increased mobility and the chance to ward off serious disease aren’t enough motivation to keep you moving, maybe you need to take a completely different approach to your fitness program.

Start by re-evaluating your choice of activities, part of your lack of enthusiasm for your workout may stem from the fact that you aren’t really enjoying what you are doing to get fit.  It doesn’t matter if your neighbor, your son or your favorite Hollywood star has told you that the activity that you are performing is the best for getting in shape – if you don’t enjoy it or can’t keep doing it, what those around you say doesn’t make very much difference.  Rather than picking an activity based on what has worked for someone else or what someone else enjoys, pick something that is fun for you and that will give you a much better chance of actually sticking to it.

If motivation still seems to be a bit of an issue once you’ve begun performing an activity that you enjoy, set up a goal and reward system for yourself.  Have your doctor or home nurse help you to set safe, realistic and achievable goals and once you’ve reached them, treat yourself to something that you enjoy.  If you reach your weight loss goal of eight pounds in a month, buy yourself a new top, a new DVD or a new book – just avoid rewards that might jeopardize your hard work, like indulgences in empty calories foods.

Achieving your health goals has a lot to do with staying motivated to stick to your plan. If you can figure out how to do that, odds are you’ll be successful in your workout endeavors.  Prior to starting a new fitness plan, be sure to consult your doctor or health care provider to be sure that your activity of choice is safe for your personal situation – once you’ve got clearance, get motivated and get moving.

A recent study by Dr. Joe Verghese has proven that YES, leisure activities can have quite an effect on brain health and can help prevent, if not slow, the process of decreasing brain function as a cause of dementia.

Specialty Care Services knows that dancing, in particular, is one the few activities that involves both sides of the brain. Marketing Liaison for the company, Felicia Pendorf, is also a Professional Ballroom Dance Instructor in Howard County. She has been offering Ballroom Dancing lessons and demonstrations in the area for free on behalf of our business. As a provider of personal care and skilled care, we have seen first hand the difference that’s made when leisure activities are made part of our clients’ everday schedule. Not only is there an almost immediate change in general mood, as we all experience when we are having fun, but also, according to this recent study, our CNAs and GNAs are keeping our clients’ brains healthy by engaging them in some of these leisure activities below.

“Dr. Joe Verghese and others at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in collaboration with Syracuse University studied 469 subjects older than 75 years of age…

The authors of the study concluded that participation in leisure activities is associated with a reduced risk of dementia. They suggested that further studies be done to determine the power of the “protective” effect of leisure activities that involve thinking on the risk of dementia.

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Joseph T. Coyle from Harvard Medical School noted that while more studies are needed to clarify the relative roles of genes vs. environmental factors, such as effortful mental activities, “seniors should be encouraged to read, play board games, and go ballroom dancing, because these activities, at the very least, enhance their quality of life, and they just might do more than that.” This editor cannot agree more. So, to the elderly, “dance on!”"

To arrange a Ballroom Dancing Activity for your facility, contact Felicia at fpendorf@specialtycareservices.com