Dr. Mauk’s Boomer Blog
Each week, Dr. Kristen Mauk shares thoughts relevant to Baby Boomers that are aimed to educate and amuse.
Dr. Kristen L. Mauk, PhD, DNP, RN, CRRN, GCNS-BC, GNP-BC, FAAN

Guest Blog: 5 Signs of Mental Health Issues for Seniors
When you’ve started to notice changes in an elderly relative, you may wonder if a mental health issue is the cause. While it is important a mental health professional diagnoses these issues, some signs exist indicating that the time has come to make an appointment.
Depression
Depression can occur for a host of reasons. Elderly individuals may be suffering from the loss of a loved one, or they may feel alienated, isolated or otherwise separated from their friends or from their interests outside of the house. Individuals who seem filled with sadness and negative emotions or who are hinting about emotional turmoil may need outpatient or inpatient treatment for depression.
Anxiety Issues/Bipolar Disorder
You may also notice that your loved ones are having heightened periods of elevation followed by periods of deep sadness. They could be suffering from bipolar disorder. Serious anxieties could begin to manifest at this age too. For example, you may notice that your elderly relatives always seem to be thinking about their own death or about expected loss of other loved ones.
Memory Loss
As people age, you may think that it is a normal occurrence for them to forget information that they would have once remembered. However, these early slips could be signs of a more serious problem that is coming into fruition. Your loved ones might now be forgetting about certain dates or social events, but these struggles could turn into failures to take medication or complete other necessary medical tasks.
Personal Care
If you notice that your loved ones are not taking care of themselves as they used to, this situation could also be a sign of mental health issues. For example, you may have noticed that your relatives are no longer brushing their teeth or bathing on a regular basis. Seeking professional help can uncover the root of the issue so that a plan of treatment can be devised.
Social Withdrawal
Your loved ones might also seem to not want to participate in social activities anymore. Whether they are constantly declining invites to attend family functions or they do not want to participate in community activities any longer, these decisions could be signs that a mental health issue is present.
As your loved ones age, you may be the lookout for physical health issues. While addressing these problems is imperative, so is watching for signs of mental health struggles. May is mental health awareness month, get involved to help bring awareness to this important cause!
Guest Blog: Technological Solutions That Assist the Elderly
According to the Census Bureau, as of 2011, seniors make up 13.3 percent of the U.S. population. By 2060, seniors are expected to account for at least 20 percent of the population. For many centuries now, the needs of seniors have been taken care of accordingly.
They have doctors who look after them and a caregiver, nurse, or family member who helps ensure they can move around comfortably. However, seniors today are aging at the best time. Thanks to continued advancements in technology, staying healthier and more independent has never been easier.
Fortunately, technology help for seniors nowadays has never been better. For starters, the elderly now have access to a vast range of inspired and practical gadgets that are designed to meet their ever-evolving medical and emotional needs.
Fascinating Technological Solutions for the Elderly
Below are some of the fantastic technological innovations that have helped seniors live fulfilling, happier, and more active lives:
Intuition Robotics
Founded in 2016, this company aims to help older adults avoid feelings of social isolation and loneliness—issues that have been known to contribute to poor health. Their debut product is a robot called ElliQ, hailed as a “sidekick for happier aging.”
ElliQ is designed to initiate conversations that can help seniors engage in healthy behaviors (i.e., nudges to take medications), stay in touch with their friends and loved ones, and stay connected with the outside world.
ElliQ can also check the weather and can determine if it’s conducive for a walk. Loved ones and friends can also interact with ElliQ and can send photos through the app. The pre-order cost for the product is at $1,500 and the monthly fee is set at $30.
Neuro Rehab VR
Neuro Rehab VR was founded in 2017. Their primary goal is to provide a virtual reality experience for elderly patients that are undergoing physical therapy following a brain or spinal cord injury, stroke, and other degenerative diseases.
What makes the VR experience even more phenomenal is how targeted the technology is. By using machine learning, they tailor exercises based on the patient’s specific ability and therapy needs.
The bespoke virtual therapy exercises also record kinematic and physiological responses and quantify the patient’s progress with scores and metrics. Patients are also transported to a virtual world that covers a vast range of situations.
VitalTech
a cloud-based platform that specializes in patient wellness and health through connected care. Their latest offering, VitalBand, was launched in June of 2018. VitalBand is an emergency fall-detection and call-out watch.
VitalBand is also used to track vital signs like oxygen saturation, respiratory and heart rate, physical activity, and sleep quality. It also provides users with medication reminders.
If a fall is detected, an alert goes to a certified call center to dispatch emergency services. If the senior prefers that a loved one is notified first, the fall alert can be sent to up to five preconfigured family members through email or text.
Conclusion
With so many breakthrough technological innovations now designed to help the elderly, they can now look forward to a future where they can enjoy healthier, happier, and longer lives.
About the Author
Melissa Andrews is the Content Marketing Strategist for Paradise Living Centers, an assisted living center for seniors with locations in Paradise Valley and Phoenix, Arizona. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and going on hiking trips with her siblings and cousins.
Guest Blog: 5 Simple Ways for Seniors to Combat Hip Pain
Almost one-fourth (23.9 percent) of seniors between the ages of 60 and 90 suffer from frequent hip pain.
Whether it’s the result of a bad fall or is brought on by a combination of poor mechanics and old age, it’s important for seniors to know that they’re not doomed to suffer from hip pain for the rest of their lives.
Read on to learn some simple tips to help seniors combat hip pain.
1. Do Hip Bridges
A hip bridge is one of the best exercises you can do to combat hip pain.
To do this exercise, simply lie on your back with your feet hip-distance apart and planted on the ground. Press into the ground and lift your hips in the air, trying to form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees (don’t arch your back).
Hold for 3-5 seconds, then return to the beginning. Complete ten repetitions.
2. Use Ice Daily
Icing your hip can work wonders for relieving pain and inflammation, especially if your hip pain is brought on by bursitis or arthritis. Depending on your pain level, you can ice your hip up to 4-5 times per day in 10-15-minute increments.
3. Raise the Seat
Many seniors find that their hip pain is aggravated when they try to lower themselves onto and raise themselves up from a chair, sofa, or even a toilet. Devices like a chairlift or a raised toilet seat can help reduce hip strain for seniors as they stand up and sit down.
4. Stretch Consistently
Consistent stretching is also important for relieving pain and improving hip mobility. The figure 4 stretch is one of the best for hip pain.
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent. Lift the leg that’s bothering you and cross it over your other leg so that your ankle is resting on your opposite thigh. Pull the bent leg in toward your chest, clasping your hands around the back of your thigh if possible. Hold for 10-15 seconds, then release and switch sides.
5. Use Natural Anti-Inflammatories
Finally, instead of using over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, which can cause serious issues for seniors, try using a natural anti-inflammatory like curcumin (found in turmeric). Turmeric is safe for most people, and research shows it works just as well as ibuprofen for improving joint pain and function.
Four Most Effective Ways to Treat Bone Spurs
Bone spurs, which are small projections that develop on the edges of bones, are a highly common ailment that affects about 2 percent of the U.S. population.
People of any age can develop bone spurs, but they’re especially common in senior citizens since they are often associated with osteoarthritis-related joint damage.
Bone spurs don’t always require medical treatment, but, depending on their location, they can contribute to joint inflammation, pain, and stiffness that limit mobility. Bone spurs along the spine are particularly problematic, as are ones that develop in the knee or ankle joints.
For seniors who are struggling with bone spurs, there are lots of different treatment options available, including the four listed below.
1. Weight Loss
Weight loss is one of the most effective treatments for managing bone spurs, especially spinal bone spurs.
Changing your diet will is, generally speaking, the most effective weight loss tool. Focus on limiting your caloric intake and cutting out greasy fast food and highly processed snacks. Replace them with high-quality protein, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats like avocados and olive oil.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can also help lubricate the joints and relieve inflammation.
2. Lifestyle Aids
There are lots of tools out there as well that can help relieve pain caused by bone spurs. Some good options to invest in include:
Supportive shoes that cushion the feet and avoid putting extra strain on the joints
Orthotic inserts to provide extra support
A shoe horn to help you avoid bending over and aggravating your back while getting dressed
3. Regular Exercise
Exercise releases natural painkillers in the form of endorphins. It also strengthens the muscles to help support the joints and relieve pressure placed on them.
Resistance training, walking, and swimming are all good exercise options for people struggling with bone spurs. Work with a trainer or physical therapist to make sure you’re practicing proper form and not doing anything to aggravate your condition.
4. Minimally Invasive Surgery
Finally, some people require minimally invasive surgery to get rid of their bone spurs. When you undergo surgery, a doctor will use state-of-the-art equipment to identify the spur and extract it.
This is typically an outpatient procedure, and the recovery time only lasts a few hours — you’ll be up and walking shortly after and won’t have to deal with an extended hospital stay.
Guest Blog: 5 Ways to Deal with Weight Gain
Putting on a bit of weight – a pound or two – each year as you grow older is fairly normal, but weight gain is not always inevitable. Many people simply assume that everyone gains a little weight as they get older. They tend to accept it as a part of growing old. You don’t have to do that.
We do put on weight as we age because we become more sedentary, move around less frequently, and eat more calories even when our metabolism has begun to slow down. But, there are ways to deal with weight gain.
Here in this post, we will discuss the top five ways to deal with weight gain as you grow older. Read on.
1. More Physical Activity
To prevent weight gain, it is important to add regular movement to your day. This is the MOST important advice that you shouldn’t ignore at any cost.
You can go on morning/evening walks more often, take the stairs at work, or hit the gym a few times each week.
You need to move around.
The chief reason why we lose muscle mass as we grow old, which in turn lowers metabolism, is that we spend too much time without any physical movement. After the age of 40, we lose around 8% of lean muscle mass with each passing decade.
When you are physically active, it will be much easier to preserve muscle mass and maintain a healthy metabolic rate. Activities such as regular exercise, lifting weights, etc. will also increase bone density. You can also try doing yoga at home or at a local fitness training center.
Remember, every little bit counts when you are dealing with weight gain.
If you are on medication, have an existing health condition or are recovering from an injury, be sure to speak with your doctor before you start with a new exercise routine.
2. Get More Protein
Taking more protein at each meal/snack not only helps in building and repairing muscle mass, but it also helps control the appetite.
The best way to use protein-rich foods to reverse the weight-gain cycle is to choose the leanest sources. You need to eat foods that are high in protein but low in fats.
Some of the leanest sources include non-fat dairy products, seafood, egg white, poultry breast, lean pieces of red meat, beans, tofu, lentils, etc.
Your high-protein breakfast for weight management can include skim-milk with some lean sources such as low-fat yogurt and an egg.
Your high-protein lunch/dinner for weight management can include 2-3 ounces of lean meat. You can have some skim milk during lunch and dinner as well.
3. Watch What You Eat
Bid adieu to foods (e.g. junk food) and drinks (e.g. soda) that provide little or no nutrient value.
Limit your carbohydrate intake as much as possible.
You can limit both the size and the type of carbohydrate you are consuming on a daily basis.
Carbs from whole gain, for instance, can be helpful in dealing with weight gain.
Each time you are hungry, try to eat something that’s low on calories and makes you feel fuller.
Many vegetables and whole fruits, for instance, provide a wide range of nutrients (along with fiber and water) for a comparatively small number of calories.
4. Be Realistic
As you grow older, you will need more time to lose weight. Someone 10 years younger than you can deal with weight gain more easily.
So, you must focus on the process instead of getting worried about weight gain. You need to eat right and keep yourself physically active. Your body will respond to these two major lifestyle changes in its own time.
5. Maintain a Diary
Do not let yourself believe that you cannot stop gaining weight simply because you are getting older.
You can keep a daily journal to keep yourself motivated. You can write things like – how much weight you lost or gained in a week, how much time you spent exercising/strength-training, and how much water/healthy-drinks you consumed each week.
You can monitor the progress you are making each week.
This way, it is easier to stay the course.
Author Bio
Sarah Remmington is one of the founders of Garcinia Cambogia 100 Pure supplements based out of Southern California with several other locations throughout the US. Sarah’s company has become a global brand and now a household name with the success of her most popular dietary supplement which has been featured on many different media channels.
Seniors: How to Cope and Manage Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a disability that affects over 36 million American adults; 30 percent of those afflicted are 65-74 years old and 47 percent are 75 or older.
The Hearing Loss Association of America cites three types of hearing loss:
1. Conductive hearing loss is due to ear canal, ear drum, or middle ear problems. Most causes of conductive hearing loss can be treated with surgery or hearing aids, particularly bone conductive hearing aids.
2. Censorial hearing loss (nerve-related hearing loss) is due to inner ear problems. Depending upon the cause, treatments include medications or, in some cases, surgery.
3. Mixed hearing loss is when there is damage in the outer or middle ear as well as the inner ear or auditory nerve. The conductive hearing loss is usually treated first, then the censorial.
Hearing loss can have a profound impact on our work and social interactions. People with this disability may experience depression and as a result, anger at others or withdrawal from occasions where their hearing loss will be noticeable. Unfortunately, there is no cure to hearing loss, although, there are effective ways to manage it and be proactive. Learn about your disability and seek assistance to help cope.
- Hearing aids –Purchase your hearing aids from an auditory or medical professional who specializes in hearing, not someone who specializes in selling hearing aids. Hearing Denial suggests booking with ones that are able to offer evaluations and custom hearing aid fittings all within one supplier.
- Cochlear implants – You will need an evaluation by an audiologist and an implant-affiliated physician to determine if you are eligible for cochlear implants.
- Hearing Assistive Technology is available at most performing arts venues, including most movie theaters. Amplified and captioned phone systems, smoke detectors and doorbells are also available.
Responding to Others
Communication is still a two-way. There are ways you can help maintain your end of communication with others. Some suggestions include:
- Do your best to focus and concentrate.
- Admit it when you don’t understand.
- Watch for visual clues and ask for written clues if necessary.
- Maintain your sense of humor and positive attitude.