Did you know today is National Doctor’s Day? Our goal at Senior Lifestyle is to provide the best possible experience for our residents and their families in our senior communities, and in order to meet that goal, we partner with local physicians as well as healthcare providers in our communities. In senior healthcare, family doctors are increasingly looked to as valued care partners and patient rights advocates. With an emphasis on maintaining optimum health for seniors, doctor/patient relationships have evolved into true partnerships, and as a leader in senior healthcare, Senior Lifestyle celebrates this evolving doctor/patient relationship along with our residents and families. Whether providing care for a loved one at home or searching for senior healthcare communities, families need trusted healthcare providers to help navigate the journey. We’re proud to share that journey with talented physicians who share our commitment to quality healthcare for seniors.

Doctor’s Day was first envisioned by Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles Almond, who felt that her husband and his fellow physicians deserved some recognition for the long hours they spent tending to the medical needs of their patients in rural Georgia in the early 1930’s. On March 30, 1933, Mrs. Almond, with the help of several other physicians’ wives, observed the first Doctor’s Day by hosting a luncheon for her husband and his colleagues, mailing greeting cards, and placing flowers on the graves of deceased doctors. She chose the date to coincide with the anniversary of the first use of ether as a surgical anesthesia, pioneered by Georgia physician Dr. Crawford Long in 1842. By all accounts, the event organized by Mrs. Almond to honor physicians was a success, growing over the years into the holiday we now celebrate. 85 years later, National Doctor’s Day is a federally recognized healthcare holiday, signed into law by George Bush in 1990, and we at Senior Lifestyle continue the yearly tradition of honoring doctors on March 30^th.

At Senior Lifestyle, we feel it is important to show appreciation for our fellow healthcare providers and care partners. While luncheons are still quite popular on National Doctor’s Day, there are many ways to celebrate the talented physicians who provide care. Many health organizations honor doctors with recognition ceremonies and some offer patients the opportunity to send personalized messages to their providers. With this in mind, we encourage you to join us in celebrating National Doctor’s Day on March 30^th, taking time to thank the physicians who work in our communities and share our commitment to those we serve. To learn more about our commitment to senior healthcare or to schedule a visit to a Senior Lifestyle community near you, please visit our website at www.seniorlifestyle.com.

March 27^th is American Diabetes Association Alert Day, a time to shed some light on the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes and encourage everyone to take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test, a free, anonymous test to assess personal risk factors for the disease. Every year, more than one million people are diagnosed with diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, the disease is the 7^th leading cause of death in America. Almost 85 million Americans aged 18 and older have prediabetes, and over 25% of seniors have the disease. The risk of type 2 diabetes increases with age

At Senior Lifestyle our goal is to help those we serve live healthy, full lives; with that in mind we’re sharing some basic tips from the American Diabetes Association’s Living Healthy With Diabetes guide to help control the disease and avoid complications. You can also download the entire Living Healthy With Diabetes guide for your use at home.

Weight Control

For diabetics, maintaining a healthy weight can help manage the disease. For those who are overweight, losing even 10 to 15 pounds can make a difference. The American Diabetes Association recommends the Plate Method as an aid to creating a healthy diet.

The Plate Method:

1. Imagine drawing a line down the middle of your dinner plate. Then on one side, cut it again so you will have 3 sections on your plate like the picture on your right.
2. Fill the largest section with non-starchy vegetables like salad, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes.
3. Now in one of the smaller sections, put starchy foods such as noodles, rice, corn, or potatoes.
4. The other small section is for meat, fish, chicken, eggs, or tofu.
5. Add an 8 oz glass of milk and one small piece of fruit or 1/2 cup of fruit salad and you’ve got a great meal. (If you don’t drink milk, you can add an extra piece of fruit, light yogurt, or a small roll.)

Physical Activity

Being active is another great way to help control the symptoms of diabetes and avoid complications. Be sure to speak to your doctor about what types of activity he recommends. Everyday activities like gardening, walking, raking leaves and carrying groceries can count toward your physical activity. Any physical activity can help lower your blood glucose; however, there are other benefits to maintaining a healthy habit of being physically active.

Other benefits of physical activity include:

• Improving your A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol
• Having more energy
• Relieving stress
• Burning calories to help you lose or maintain your weight
• Keeping your joints flexible
• Increasing your strength
• Improving your balance to prevent falls
• Lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke

Medication Management

If you have other conditions in addition to diabetes, you may be taking several different medications to manage those conditions as well as your diabetes. It is important to take each medication as prescribed and discuss any changes with your doctor. In order to stay on top of your medication schedule, the Living Healthy With Diabetes guide suggests the following:

• Keep an updated list of your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, dietary supplements including vitamins, and herbal remedies). Record important information about each medicine.
• Take all of your medicines exactly as your doctor tells you.
• Use one pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions if possible.
• Keep medicines in a cool, dry place.
• Use a pill organizer.
• Use a reminder timer, an alarm clock, or your mobile phone alarm to remind you when to take medicine.
• Link pill-taking to something in your daily routine (for example, take your medicine right after you brush your teeth).
• Use a chart or dry erase board to keep track of your pill-taking.

At Senior Lifestyle, we encourage you to observe American Diabetes Association Alert Day, take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test, and if you do find yourself at an elevated risk for the disease, speak with your physician about what you can do to lessen your risk of diabetes. Many of the tips we’ve noted above are helpful in avoiding diabetes as well as living with it. To learn more about what we do to stay healthy and active at a Senior Lifestyle community near you, please visit our website at www.seniorlifestyle.com.

Sleep. It’s one of the few things we absolutely can’t live without, but also something most of us rarely think about and rarely get enough of. According to the National Sleep Foundation, at least 40 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders. These disorders have a myriad of causes, from environmental factors to physical and emotional ailments, but all have one thing in common: they are detrimental to our health and well being. Sleep is important not only for rest, but also for repair, as many body systems undergo a period of restoration during normal sleep. March is National Sleep Awareness Month, the perfect time to implement healthy sleep habits and think about what you can do to get a good night’s rest.

At Senior Lifestyle we know that for seniors, good sleep is especially important. Quality sleep is essential for health, but unfortunately for many seniors, it is difficult to attain. The myth that seniors need less sleep than younger adults is untrue; they simply have more trouble getting the necessary 7 to 9 hours of rest nightly that all adults require to maintain good health. Seniors tend to have more trouble achieving restful sleep, with less deep sleep, more nighttime trips to the bathroom, and a tendency to wake often during the night. Seniors also tend to become drowsy earlier in the evening and wake earlier in the morning than younger adults, a change in sleep pattern that many find difficult to manage.

Several factors contribute to these interruptions of sleep for older adults, most notably the following:

• Health Conditions
  • Chronic and acute illnesses that develop with age can affect the quality of sleep. Disease like arthritis can cause pain that interrupts sleep, while conditions such as diabetes make nighttime bathroom trips more frequent. Good management of health conditions can minimize their effect on quality sleep.
• Medications
  • Medications often accompany the medical conditions experienced by seniors. Older adults are more likely to be taking several medications concurrently, and drugs such as those used to control high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression and anxiety can interfere with quality sleep. Physicians can often mitigate this situation by changing dosage times or even substituting medications for others that don’t cause a lack of sleep.
• Hormones
  • Melatonin and growth hormone both important sleep hormones, and unfortunately, as we age, we secrete less of both. Growth hormone causes deep sleep and melatonin regulates the sleep cycle. Without adequate amounts of both hormones, it is more difficult for seniors to fall deeply asleep and stay asleep long enough to reap the benefits of a period of rest. The hormonal changes that accompany menopause also often result in interrupted sleep.

During National Sleep Awareness Month, focus on not only getting enough sleep, but getting quality sleep. If you think lack of sleep is becoming a problem for you, make sure to speak to your physician about what you can do to get the rest you need in order to stay healthy and active. At Senior Lifestyle we know that getting older doesn’t have to mean being tired all the time, and your doctor can often recommend simple lifestyle changes and pre-bedtime routines that will improve your sleep habits as well as your overall sense of well being.