Personal « The Professional Geriatric Care Manager’s Blog

The Myth of Multitasking

February 17, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Memory, Personal, Study, Tips

We live in a very hectic environment where everyone wants tasks accomplished quickly. Our lives are busy and we often find ourselves trying to cope by doing several things at the same time. We talk on the phone while driving, we watch the evening news while cooking, or we text or email while walking. These are examples of multitasking, trying to do more than one thing at the same time. We are all guilty of trying to accomplish multiple tasks simultaneously and thinking that we are doing a good job at it. Research states otherwise. When you multitask your brain is shifting attention from one task to another which makes it difficult to focus on either task. We simply cannot focus on more than one thing at a time. One of the reasons for this is that similar tasks compete to use the same part of the brain. Studies have shown that we actually lose time when we try to multitask. Researchers state we go through two stages, goal shifting and rule activation, when we multitask and this uses significant time, particularly if we switch back and forth between tasks many times. You may think you are saving time and being more efficient, but you are actually taking more time in the end to complete a task. There is actually a lag of several tenths of a second each time your brain handles a switch. We overestimate our ability to handle multiple tasks.

New research also shows that multitasking may take a toll on our memory. Individuals who learned something new while multitasking were less likely to recall what they learned later on. This is particularly true of older adults. Studies are showing that multitasking takes a significantly greater toll on the memories of older adults, and they have more difficulty remembering tasks after experiencing a brief interruption.

One of the best things you can do to improve your memory is to pay attention to the things you want to remember. Multitasking causes you to pay less attention to what you are doing or learning, and you do not learn as well as if you had paid attention. While this probably won’t stop any of us from multitasking, remember that if you are trying to learn something new that you definitely want to remember, don’t multitask!

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283. 145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446 45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

National Nutrition Month

February 16, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Amy Shein, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Diet, Health, Personal

This March will mark the 32nd annual campaign for National Nutrition Month®.

National Nutrition Month® was first started by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) in 1973 as only a weeklong event. In 1980, it expanded to include the entire month of March. Each year the theme is different for National Nutrition Month®.

When I worked in the dietary department of a local hospital, I remember National Nutrition Month(R) very well. I use to love promoting this wonderful month-long event. The ADA provided us with so many useful and educational materials to hand out to the hospital staff and patients. The themes are always based on up to date information on food and exercise. This month is dedicated to Americans becoming well educated and more aware of healthy food choices, dietary guidelines and prevention of many disease that are attributed towards poor eating habits.

This year’s theme for March 2012 is “Get Your Plate in Shape.” Hospitals, schools and large corporations all get involved and try to promote National Nutrition Month® to the general public. The more people who can be reached, the better educated we all can be about what is placed into our bodies and promote better and longer lives be reached.

Most fast food restaurants over the last few years have openly posted the caloric intake of their foods to their consumers. This has helped the public make better informed choices to lowering their fat and cholesterol in their diets. Recently, I have read that they will also be offering smaller portion sizes at many of our nation’s fast food restaurants. No more “Biggie Sizes” for you!

I also want to mention that they also notice the Registered Dietitian on their own day during National Nutrition Month®. March 14th is Registered Dietitian Day. The purpose of this day is to bring the awareness and importance of the Registered Dietitian. They are advocates and experts on the proper way to eat and gain adequate nutrition in ones diet.

So, please make this March, 2012 a happy and healthy month.

Statins for Women

February 10, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Alzheimer's Disease, Gender, Health, Life, Personal, Prevention, Safety, Support

Friday, February 3, 2012 was National Wear Red Day to raise awareness for Women’s Heart Health. Although heart disease is often thought of as a problem for men, more women die of heart disease each year. The rise of heart disease in women increases with age. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in women over 40 years old. This is a result of changes in the walls of blood vessels, making it more likely for plaque and blood clots to form; changes in the level of fats in the blood, where the LDL or bad cholesterol increases and the HDL or good cholesterol decreases; and increases in fibrinogen levels, a substance in the blood that helps blood clot.

Women and their health care providers need to take the risk of heart disease in women seriously and take measures to reduce that risk. In the past the benefit of statins for women to reduce cardiovascular events has been questioned. Recent studies have proved otherwise. Statin therapy has been shown to cut cardiovascular events in both men and women, and statins should be prescribed in appropriate individuals regardless of gender. Individuals at risk taking statin drugs are less likely to have a heart attack or stroke, be hospitalized for chest pain, or require a cardiac procedure to restore blood flow to the heart. Women can reduce their risk for heart disease by quitting smoking; losing weight; exercising; following a diet low in saturated fats, high in fiber, whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables and fish; and treating and controlling medical conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Cholesterol lowering statin medications also continue to be studied for their potential preventive or therapeutic effect on Alzheimer’s disease. Lowering cholesterol levels may reduce production of beta-amyloid or improve blood vessel functioning in the brain. Statins also have an anti-inflammatory effect, which may target the brain inflammation associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies have suggested people who take a statin to lower LDL levels have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

If you are a women with at least one risk factor for heart disease such as age, hypertension, high cholesterol levels or especially a family history, it is important to talk to your doctor about your heart disease risk and start statin therapy to help reduce your risk!

Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283.

145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446

45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Realistic Resolutions 2012

January 23, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Pat Linard, PR | Leave a comment
Tags: Education, Health, Life, Personal, Seminar, Tips

After many months of preparing for Realistic Resolutions 2012, previously billed as the Ridgewood Health Fair, I can sit back and relax. The event was a hit! There were lots of vendors offering many services: blood pressure screening, chiropractic screenings, body mass index analysis, Reiki, chair massage, and lots of up-to-date information on all kinds of timely topics, such as wealth planning and elder law, sugar consumption and organic cosmetics. Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management had their nurse care managers on hand to offer advice on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and demonstrated a light box. There were healthy snacks, such as green vegetable smoothies, and not so healthy snacks, like fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies. We can all indulge in moderation sometimes! Representatives from assisted living facilities and nursing homes were on hand, as well as home health agencies and hospitals, fitness and exercise centers.

Our guest speaker, Amanda Arlauskas, Runner-up from NBC’s Season 8 The Biggest Loser gave a very motivating presentation on the her diet and fitness regime. You would hardly believe that she once weighed 270 pounds! She was an inspiration to us all. Hopefully she will enable a few attendees to keep their New Year’s Resolution, too.

We’re already planning for next year. It’s nice to have a speaker from Bergen County – Amanda hailed from Butler, NJ. We’re open for ideas if anyone has them.

Too Much Sugar in Our Diet!

January 19, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Amy Shein, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Diet, Education, Health, Life, Personal, Tips

At first I was not sure what I wanted to blog about for this week, but then I went to a great event last night and it hit me there. I went with my fellow co-workers from Distinctive Care to a wonderful health fair over at the Ridgewood YMCA/YWCA. The keynote speaker was Amanda Arlauskas from NBC’S Biggest Loser Season 8. She did an amazing job speaking about her weight loss venture as a participant on the trendiest show on TV today. She said that she had to make huge changes in her diet and behavior in order to lose her weight and regain her health. She said the hardest part was in the very beginning when she needed to give up some of her favorite foods. She said it was a shock to her body to give up the junk food, which mainly consisted of high amounts of sugar. I thought that would be a great topic of interest for some of my elder clients.

Since many of my clients tend to have high sugar or high simple carbohydrates in their diets, I have been working with clients in the home, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. I observe what they eat and what they crave most. It is the high sugar foods that many of them really want. We have one gentleman that goes through at least one bag of candy per day. Another client would refuse to eat any of her protein or vegetables from her tray and would just rather eat her dessert first and then would not touch anything else afterwards.

I can only think that the reason so many older adults prefer and like sweets is that much of their taste is altered from the medications that they take. But, maybe they just like the comfort of the refined sugar or sweets they just know and love over the many years? Most older adults need to be careful of developing Type 2 Diabetes, elevated triglyceride levels which leads to coronary artery disease and risk of stroke.

It is recommended that on a 1,600-2,000 a day calorie diet, that one should only be consuming 5-8 teaspoons of sugar per day, or no more than 50 grams of carbohydrate in the form of sugar (one teaspoon of sugar provides 4 grams of carbohydrates). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends limiting sugar to 6 to 10% of calories from sugar. This is based on weight maintenance and not for weight loss. To give you an example of how much sugar we consume, I will provide you with a list of high sugar foods/beverages and their sugar content;

12oz can of Coca Cola= 39 grams (10 teaspoons of sugar) 140 calories

2 Fig Newton’s = 12 grams (3 teaspoons of sugar) 90 calories

½ c. of Vanilla Ice Cream=21 grams of sugar (5 ½ teaspoons of sugar) 270 calories

8oz. Cranberry Juice Cocktail=30 grams (7 teaspoons of sugar) 120 calorie

1 Piece of Hard Candy=3.8 grams(1 teaspoon) 24 calories

If you want to learn more about sugar content of some of your favorite foods, take a look at this site, but after you review this website you they might not be your favorites anymore!

After completing some of this research and learning about sugar content on some of these foods, it really gave me a wakeup call. No matter if we are young or old, we need to be aware of what we are putting into our body at all times.

145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446

45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Come to the Ridgewood Health Fair

January 9, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Pat Linard, PR | Leave a comment
Tags: Health, Help, Life, News, Personal

It’s hard to believe that the health fair that I have been so busily involved in is almost here. I’ve been very involved as co-chair of the committee and I think it will be a real success! I am hoping lots of people will take advantage of all that is being offered by so many in the community. Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management has always had a policy of giving back to the community and volunteer activities like this are all part of our Distinctive Touch program.

The former Ridgewood Health Fair, now called Realistic Resolutions 2012, is being held on Thursday, January 19 from 5 to 8PM at the YMCA/YWCA of Bergen County at 112 Oak St. in Ridgewood. Amanda Arlauskas, runner-up from Season 8 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser will be the Keynote Speaker. Amanda will also be on hand to sign books and planners. I have heard Amanda speak before and I know how inspiring she can be. Maybe I too will be inspired to lose those couple of pounds that are making my pants tight!

This is a free event and will feature other happenings such as food demos and samplings from Whole Foods, chair massages, health screenings such as blood pressure, body fat analysis, reflexology and more from more than 40 exhibitors. Door prizes and giveaways will be abundant.

Of the many screenings that are being offered, Distinctive Care wanted to offer something that would be of real service to the attendees. Being in the middle of winter and knowing how many people suffer from depression, we thought it would be a good idea to offer screenings and advice for Seasonal Affective Disorder. We have written many blogs about this and now we are able to work directly with individuals to help them through what is a difficult time for many older adults and people of all ages. Two of our nurse care managers will be on hand to do this timely screening.

It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Clutter

December 30, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Health, Help, Life, Personal, Support, Tips

It’s a new year and many of us make New Year’s resolutions. For many of us, maybe our New Year’s resolution should be to “declutter.” Some of us have drawers and closets stuffed with items. Every nook and cranny of our living space may be piled high with newspapers, magazines, paperwork, canned goods or that one item we are afraid to be without.

Lots of people lead a messy lifestyle and hoard certain objects. These individuals may acquire things that they don’t need, but they are still able to continue to function. Hoarding becomes a problem when an individual may no longer be able to cook meals, live safely in their home or when their hoarding becomes a threat to others. Hoarding can put one’s health and others at risk. Individuals hoard for many reasons. They may hoard because of an intense emotional attachment they have developed to certain objects. Throwing these objects away results in a sense of loss. Others hoard because they feel the item may be useful to them or someone else in the future. We accumulate too much if we are afraid we won’t be able to get more of it when we need it, or that it may be discontinued.

Most people who hoard will not seek help on their own. It is usually a friend or family member who pressures the individual to control their hoarding. Solutions are usually not simple, quick or long-lasting. Extreme hoarders will require professional therapy.

For others dealing with clutter, here are some helpful tips.

Take just one project at a time and stick with it until it is complete. Start with an easy project and gradually move onto more challenging ones.
Schedule time for decluttering.
Make three piles for items being decluttered. Keep, donate, discard. Do not make a fourth pile labeled undecided. Remove the discard and donate piles as soon as possible.
Bring nothing new into your home unless you have a proper place for it.
Sales and bargains may cause you to over buy. Remember that food, over the counter medications and beauty products all have expiration dates and buying too many could be wasteful.

Parting with the objects you have collected can trigger anxiety. If an individual becomes anxious during decluttering, having them sit down and do something fun or relaxing until the feeling passes may be helpful. Hoarders need to realize they may be causing others and their community harm and stress. The goal is to help an individual see their objects in a new light and to change their hoarding behaviors. Pairing a health professional with an organizer can be helpful. Together they can guide the individual toward understanding the benefits of changing their hoarding behavior and setting goals to clean up the mess!

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation in our Ramsey or Ridgewood offices.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

December 26, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Pat Linard, PR | Leave a comment
Tags: Health, Life, Personal

If you, like me, suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as SAD, there is good news. The shortest day of the year is behind us. It occurred on December 21 this year, 2011, as it ushered in the winter season. For those who do suffer from SAD, there is help as outlined in our blog (A Week in the Life of a Geriatric Care Manager) from Christine Clark.

I took a walk this morning and felt my lethargy lifting as I walked out the door into the morning light. The other good news is that the exercise is good for me, too. So far we have been lucky in the New Jersey/New York area in that our only snow came and went on October 29. Like so many of our elderly clients who are living at home or in assisted living facilities and nursing homes, I’m hoping for a mild winter.

I know that I also have to be cognizant of those things that help me beat the “winter blues” when the weather throws me curve balls. The same advice that is helpful for our older adults is also helpful for the younger people, too! The information in Christine’s blog is so helpful, I felt that I had to highlight it again.

Boost Your Health with a Dose of Gratitude

December 23, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Health, Life, Love, Personal, Stress, Tips

The holiday season is upon us. It typically starts with Thanksgiving and lasts through to New Year’s Day. Giving thanks or possessing the “attitude of gratitude” is linked to and celebrated during the holiday season. Studies have shown that a positive emotion such as gratitude can guarantee better health. Gratitude has been linked to better health, sounder sleep, less anxiety and depression, increased satisfaction with life, and kinder behavior towards others. Individuals who perceive gratitude as a permanent trait have been shown to take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet, and regular physical examinations.

Stress can make us sick, particularly when we can not deal with it. Stress is linked to several diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Gratitude can help us better manage stress. Research suggests that feelings of thankfulness have tremendous positive value in helping people cope with daily problems and stress. Grateful people are more optimistic, a trait which may boost the immune system. Optimism has also been shown to have a positive health impact on people with compromised health. Studies of patients preparing to undergo surgery had better health outcomes when they had attitudes of optimism.

Some people always manage to feel grateful, even when challenged by life circumstances. Others are not the grateful sort and sink into despair. If you are not the grateful kind, here are some ways to get into the grateful spirit.

Maintain a grateful journal. Write down things which you feel grateful for once a week. They may include a friend’s generosity, something new they have learned, or a beautiful sunny day. Research discovered that people who kept grateful journals were more optimistic and felt happier. They experienced fewer physical symptoms and felt better about their lives as a whole. They slept better and were more optimistic about the future. Counting blessings worked better than counting sheep.
Create a list of benefits in your life. Many of us take many things for granted. Making a visual list of some of the benefits we have, such as the freedoms we enjoy, will be a reminder.
Try a gratitude visit. Begin with writing a letter to someone who changed your life for the better. Deliver the letter in person and read it to that person.
Share the feeling. Do one small thoughtful or generous thing for a friend or a member of your family. As a result, that person will not only realize how much you matter to them, but are more likely to help someone else.

Trying these simple gratitude-enhancing strategies can improve your health and well-being. Gratitude is the best approach to life!

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation.

Slowing Cognitive Decline with B12

December 16, 2011 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Diet, Education, Health, Life, Personal, Tips, Vitamins

As we age, our ability to absorb B12 from the foods we eat declines. We also tend to consume less foods rich in B12 as we get older. As a result, an individual can develop a B12 deficiency without warning. A B12 deficiency can lead to an individual having increased symptoms of confusion and possibly being misdiagnosed. These symptoms may even be thought to just be a part of aging.

B12 is an essential vitamin. Having a vitamin B12 deficiency means your body does not have enough of this vitamin. You need B12 for the development and maintenance of a healthy nervous system, the production of DNA, and the formation of red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body and not having enough B12 can lead to anemia, where you feel weak and tired. Other symptoms of a B12 deficiency include muscle weakness, fatigue, shakiness, unsteady gait, incontinence, low blood pressure, depression, and cognitive problems like poor memory. An individual with a B12 deficiency may also have pale skin, bleeding gums, weight loss and numbness and tingling of fingers and toes.

The recommended daily amount of vitamin B12 depends on your age. The recommended daily amount of vitamin B12 for individuals 14 years and older is 2.4 mcq daily. This level is obtained by eating a well-balanced diet with foods containing vitamin B12. B12 is found in foods from animal protein, such as meat, seafood, milk products, poultry and eggs. Other foods, like cereals, are fortified with B12.

Plant sources of food are low in B12 and the vitamin is poorly absorbed from them. Vegetarians should consume supplements to get adequate amounts of vitamin B12.

Normally, B12 is absorbed by your digestive system. A deficiency will occur when the digestive system is unable to absorb the vitamin. This can occur with chronic users of acid suppressing drugs, like Prilosec and Nexium; individuals who have had stomach surgery for weight loss; heavy drinkers of alcohol; individuals with digestive diseases, like Crohn’s disease; and older adults, since stomach acid levels decline with age. Older adults may lack sufficient stomach acid to absorb adequate amounts of B12 from natural food sources. In this situation, regular consumption of fortified foods or a B12 supplement is recommended.

A simple blood test can check if your body has enough vitamin B12. If your B12 level is low, you will probably be prescribed a B12 supplement, given by either pills or shots. You can also improve your health and B12 levels by eating a varied diet that includes meat, milk, cheese and eggs, which are all good sources of vitamin B12. Eating plenty of foods that contain folic acid, another type of vitamin B, is also helpful. They include leafy, green vegetables, citrus fruits, and fortified breads and cereals.

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation.

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