Dr. Mauk’s Boomer Blog

Each week, Dr. Mauk shares thoughts relevant to Baby Boomers that are aimed to educate and amuse.

5 Ways Seniors Can Make Exercising Fun


By: Eric Daw

Lets be honest, exercising is not always fun.  It can create discomfort, make you sweaty, and take you away from some other pleasurable pastimes or methods of relaxation. However, research clearly shows that those who are active on a regular basis have better weight management, are more relaxed, have higher energy and typically experience a better quality of life.  For seniors, exercise is especially crucial since it has positive effects on memory, mood, balance, posture, strength and pretty much any issue involved in healthy aging.  For those that find it difficult to start or stick with an exercise program, here are 5 ways seniors can make exercising more fun. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any exercise regimen.

1. Find what you like to do. Do you enjoy playing golf, tennis or swimming? Have you considered taking long walks or gardening as pleasurable activities? Well if you enjoy any of the above activities, that is good news. All of these can be considered as some form of exercise.  Exercise doesn’t always have to mean going to the gym. Experts tell us that we can accumulate the positive effects of exercise throughout the day by doing such activities.

2. Make it social. For people who enjoy socializing, you can incorporate exercise to add to the experience.  Mall walking or group exercise programs have allowed people to interact and get in better shape in the process; just make sure you do as much exercising as you do talking.

3. Add music. Line dancing or Zumba, which are popular forms of exercising for seniors, use music to keep rhythm and add to the fun of the dance class. In these exercise classes, music helps weight management, muscle tone, balance and coordination. Whether you incorporate music during group exercise or during a long walk; music can give us energy, relax us and enhance exercise.

4. Add variety. Our minds and bodies typically love variety.  Physically, variety is good for our bodies because it allows the use of different muscles, preventing wear and tear on joints.  The body is also stimulated more when you do different exercises, which gives more health benefits from the activity.  For our minds, variety is good for the brain. When you do different activities it can prevent you from becoming bored of the same exercises continually.

5. Attach a reward. If achieving results is important for you, attaching fitness rewards can make exercising more fun.  Some examples of fitness rewards could be having a low calorie dessert if you’ve finished exercising that day, getting a pedicure, going shopping, or having a massage after exercising.  Positive reinforcement encourages us to exercise while knowing that if we do it, there is something good coming at the end.

About the Author: Eric Daw is an active aging specialist and the owner of Omni Fitt. Omni Fitt is dedicated to the wellbeing, health and quality of life of people aged 65 and over. Eric motivates and empowers the older adult population to take responsibility for their independence, health, and fitness through motivating and positive coaching experiences.

 

 

 

By |2025-06-05T16:25:31-05:00June 22nd, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off on 5 Ways Seniors Can Make Exercising Fun

Guest Blog: 5 Benefits For Therapy Dogs For Seniors

No matter the age, a dog will always remain the best friend of a man.

As a child, adult, or an old person, dogs are loyal and truthful to their friendship with humans for years.

Hence, dogs are the chosen ones who help senior citizens with their daily lives. Dogs are perfect for training and harder not to love. These dog qualities have made them the perfect animal that works as a therapist for a human.

Find yourself or anyone else struggling in their old age. You can get them a therapy dog that will make their survival much more manageable.

Here are 5 benefits that prove how therapy dogs work their magic in the lives of senior people.

Improves Mental Health

A man needs love. A man is born to receive and give love. And a dog fills this void perfectly.

A dog loves a man unconditionally as long as the man loves him back. The world of a dog revolves around his best man, and if you train a dog enough to also take care of you, then they turn into impeccable therapists, as well.

So if you have someone who eagerly waits for you till you come back home, licks your face in the morning, and stays with you for the rest of the day, then you have someone to love and support for the most of your life, and this is what you need to heal your mental health.

This results in remarkable improvement in depressions, anxiety, and other mental disorders that a human suffers from.

Most senior people get themselves a dog in the later years of their life, which they do to stay sane and happy.

Increases Ability To Socialize More

Therapy dogs encourage people to interact better.

When people don’t feel lonely, they feel better about themselves. This is how they are enabled to communicate better with others.

Therapy dogs support and teach seniors by urging them to go out more often. So when you go out to take your pooch for a walk, there are high chances you get to interact with other pet owners who would like to speak with you about your experiences with a dog.

Some might stop for the cute little furry friend you have and ask you things about them. Hence giving you the chance to talk with and who knows, even make friends with other people.

Boosts Self-esteem

With the unconditional love you receive from a dog, you will feel worthy of yourself. This is what makes a man feel better about themselves. It further improves a man’s self-esteem, who will now go out as a happy and confident person.

Improved self-esteem significantly improves the quality of life and mental health, as well. And a therapy dog can help you achieve all of this. They are trained to love and take care of you in ways where you feel relieved and supported.

All you need is someone to stick to you through the worst, and pups do that without judgments.

Gives A Meaning And Purpose In Life

Taking care of a furry companion is not only fun but therapeutic. Having something meaningful to do adds a purpose to your life. And taking care of a dog and feeding them good dog food is just the purpose you should consider in later stages of life.

Not only will it structure and refine your schedule, but it will also keep you busy for most of the day to keep you away from boredom and loneliness. Because boredom and loneliness make a man succumb to the darkest part of life and leave them with nothing but harmful thoughts.

Alleviates Symptoms Of Dementia

Therapy dogs have proven to improve the mental health of the man to such an extent that they also help alleviate the symptoms of dementia. These include improving a man’s cognitive skills, giving them a reason to become a better version of themselves, and significantly improving their memory.

Dementia is a chronic disorder that can’t be reversed but can indeed be stopped from progressing. Thus, petting a dog at the right time is the best you can do for the disease and prevent it from worsening.

Apart from the medications, having a dog is of great help against dementia.

Last Thoughts

Therapy dogs are trained to help a senior person live a quality life. They help, support, care, and love a person without expecting anything in return. Also, who can avoid beautiful creatures like dogs? They are angels that blessed the world and were sent down to rescue humans.

Now that more people are becoming aware of the benefits of having a therapy dog, many people have become livelier and cheerful as adults. This trend probably wouldn’t come to a halt, so why not get a dog for yourself, too?

If you want to know more about dog’s love and care, visit Dog Food Desire.

 

By |2025-06-05T16:25:17-05:00June 20th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off on Guest Blog: 5 Benefits For Therapy Dogs For Seniors

Guest Blog: Age With Grace- The Proven Diets That Help Relieve Back Pain

Many foods in your diet have been shown to reduce or increase inflammation. Inflammation is the cause of the back pain you experience, typically as you age older. Inflammation can cause all kinds of problems, including low-back pain. Hence, creating a diet with foods rich in anti-inflammatory properties is how to keep a healthy back as you grow older and maintain good nutrition. For example, there are certain solutions that Talk Kratom can provide.

Some specific causes of back or knee pain can include injuries, incorrect posture, a sudden jerk, or lack of exercise. This can last you for up to a day or more extended periods. Although maintaining a proper fitness regime is an excellent idea to ensure your health, your diet is another way to enhance your body’s strength. This article will introduce diets that will help relieve and ultimately reduce back pain.

Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is rich in properties that help reduce inflammation. It also contains oleocanthal which has a similar effect as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen. However, avoid heating the olive oil to a temperature of about 410 degrees because it will kill some beneficial properties. At lower temperatures, it makes an excellent base for sautéing vegetables. You can even switch out unhealthy butter usage with extra virgin olive oil.

Calcium

Calcium is the most prominent known vitamin to improve bone strength and is essential for the health of your bones in general. Calcium helps maintain the required level of bone mass throughout the lifespan of a human being, especially older aged individuals. An adequate calcium intake will prevent the development of osteoporosis. This disorder is characterized by weak, brittle bones and can result in painful vertebral fractures in the spine. However, calcium alone will not do the job of ensuring your bones remain strong. It would be best if you balanced it with other synergistic nutrients. Calcium is found in foods like dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, some types of fish, and many more.

Vegetables

Vegetables are rich in calcium, as stated above. They are also a good source of vitamins A, C, and K. This includes leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and spinach. They also offer a natural compound called sulforaphane, which is known to block the enzyme that causes joint pain and inflammation.

Green leafy vegetables are fibrous and should be incorporated into your daily diet plan to help your body maintain a healthy life. Other vegetables that come under root vegetables (beets, pumpkin, and carrots) have beta-carotene. It is a powerful antioxidant that significantly reduces knee and back pain.

Fruits

Another food rich in antioxidants and can help your back pain is fruits. Especially the juicy variants of fruits should be a part of your everyday diet. Fruits like oranges, apples, berries, pineapples, and grapes all contain flavonoids and antioxidants. They work in tandem to ease inflammation caused by back pain.

Regular consumption of tomatoes is highly recommended since it contains lycopene. It is an extremely potent antioxidant and prevents ligament cells from perennial damage. It also works towards repairing inflamed tissues in the body.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral required for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. When blood magnesium levels drop, magnesium is pulled from the bones. Magnesium deficiency is not uncommon as you may think, and supplements are needed to maintain your bone density to prevent further back problems. The nutrients help greatly relax and contract muscles to ensure that your muscles are strengthened enough to support the spine.

You can find magnesium in green leafy vegetables, beans, fish, nuts, seeds, whole grains, yogurt, bananas, avocados, and even dark chocolate with 70% or higher amounts of cocoa.

To sum up

Some specific diets and foods can help relieve back pain. Extra virgin olive oil contains oleocanthal which has a similar effect as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Therefore, use some in your salads and as a substitute for butter. Calcium is prominently known to increase bone strength, and you can find calcium in dairy products, dark leafy green vegetables, and some fish. Similarly, vegetables are versatile and contain vitamins C, E, or K. They offer a natural compound that blocks the enzyme that causes joint pain and inflammation. Another on the list of foods high in antioxidants is fruits. Magnesium consumption in the form of some foods is also necessary to maintain bone density to relieve and prevent any back problems in the future.

We hope this article has been informative and helps you discover a diet that aids you in relieving back pain. Thank you for reading!

By |2025-06-05T16:24:55-05:00June 18th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off on Guest Blog: Age With Grace- The Proven Diets That Help Relieve Back Pain

Guest Blog: When Should Seniors Stop Driving?

On a list of the greatest fears many seniors have, failing health, hearing loss, and falling often rise to the top. One major fear that few actually talk to their families and doctors about though is losing the ability to drive. In fact, a new AAA study found that over 80 percent of older drivers never discuss their safe driving ability at all with their care networks or medical professionals.

For many seniors, driving is the hallmark characteristic that defines independence. Being able to drive allows seniors to travel, to run their own errands, to get out of their house and socialize. Losing that ability to drive doesn’t just strip those things away, but it also requires seniors to ask for help and coordinate transportation, all of which can leave them feeling like a burden on their caregivers.

What is the danger then? Well not only do older drivers who have outlived their ability to safely drive a vehicle endanger their passengers and other drivers on the road, they put themselves at increased risk for injury and even death. Because older adults typically have more fragile bones and higher rates of chronic illness that can complicate an injury recovery, they are more likely to get hurt or even die in a car crash than younger adults.

Talking About Driving with Your Aging Parent

The bottom line is that simply conducting a dialogue about driving doesn’t mean a senior will lose their license or be held back from driving. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Just as using a cane for walking empowers a senior with mobility limitations to keep moving, talking about safe driving can empower seniors to take helpful steps that keep them safe on the road.

For example, the Senior Driving division of AAA offers loads of helpful resources, tools, and information that connect seniors with local refresher courses on defensive road wise driving, help them understand how medicine can affect safe driving, and much more.

If you need to have a conversation with your aging parent about safe driving, experts recommend approaching it from a place of compassion and empathy. Instead of accusing them of being an unsafe driver, confess the concerns you feel about their safety on the road and ask them about their own perspective. Discuss helpful driving tools, safe driving refresher classes, and even consider attending a senior driving expo together.

By |2025-06-05T16:24:31-05:00June 16th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off on Guest Blog: When Should Seniors Stop Driving?

Stroke Warning Signs and Risk Factors

Portrait of Worried Senior Couple

Background

Stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or brain attack, is an interruption of the blood supply to the brain that may result in devastating neurological damage, disability, or death. Approximately 795,000 people in the United States have a new or recurrent stroke each year (American Stroke Association [ASA], 2012a). Stroke accounts for 1 in 18 deaths, making it the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. A death from stroke occurs every 4 minutes and the cost of stroke treatment and disability was over $73 billion dollars in 2010. Death from stroke is generally higher among females, with higher rates in Black males (67.7/100,000) and females (57.0/100,000) than in Caucasians (ASA, 2012a). In Canada, stroke is the fourth leading cause of death, affecting 50,000 people each year (Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 20059).
There are two major types of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic. The vast majority of strokes are caused by ischemia (87%), usually from a thrombus or embolus (ASA, 2012a). The symptoms and damage seen depend on which vessels in the brain are blocked. Carotid artery occlusion is also a common cause of stroke related to stenosis

Risk Factors

Some risk factors for stroke are controllable and others are not. The most significant risk factor for stroke is hypertension. Controlling high blood pressure is an important way to reduce stroke risk. Those with a blood pressure of less than 120/80 have half the lifetime risk of stroke as those with hypertension (ASA, 2012a). Smoking 40 or more cigarettes per day (heavy smoking) increases the stroke risk to twice that of light smokers. If a person quits smoking, their risk after 5 years mirrors that of a nonsmoker, so older adults should be particularly encouraged to stop smoking.

Warning Signs

Several warning signs are common. These include:
SUDDEN numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg – especially on one side of the body.
SUDDEN confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
SUDDEN trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
SUDDEN trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
SUDDEN severe headache with no known cause (National Stroke Association, 2013)

Diagnosis

There are several tools for assessing for signs and symptoms of stroke. One easy acronym is FAST:
F stands for facial droop. Ask the person to smile and see if drooping is present.
A stands for arm. Have the person lift both arms straight out in front of him. If one is arm is drifting lower than the other, it is a sign that weakness is present.
S stands for speech. Ask the person to say a short phrase such as “light, tight, dynamite” and check for slurring or other abnormal speech.
T stands for time. If the first F-A-S checks are not normal, then one is to remember F-A-S-T that Time is important and the emergency medical system should be activated (National Stroke Association, 2012).
Older adults experiencing the warning signs of stroke should note the time on the clock and seek immediate treatment by activating the emergency response system in their area calling 911 (American Stroke Association, 2012). Transport to an emergency medical facility for evaluation is essential for the best array of treatment options. A history and neurological exam, vital signs, as well as diagnostic tests including electrocardiogram (ECG), chest Xx-ray, platelets, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), electrolytes, and glucose are routinely ordered. Diagnostic testing imaging may include computed tomography (CT) without contrast, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), arteriography, or ultrasonography to determine the type and location of the stroke. The CT or MRI should ideally be done within 90 minutes so that appropriate emergency measures may be initiated to prevent further brain damage.

Treatment

The first step in treatment is to determine the cause or type of stroke. A CT scan or MRI must first be done to rule out hemorrhagic stroke. Hemorrhagic stroke treatment often requires surgery to evacuate blood and stop the bleeding.
The gold standard at present for treatment of ischemic stroke is t-PA (tissue plasminogen activator). At this time, t-PA must be given within 3 hours after the onset of stroke symptoms. This is why it is essential that older adults seek treatment immediately when symptoms begin. Only about 3 – 5% of people reach the hospital in time to be considered for this treatment (ASA, 2012d). t-PA may be effective for a select group of patients after the 3-hour window (up to 4.5 ½ hours), and this treatment window has been approved in Canada (Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 2009). The major side effect of t-PA is bleeding. t-PA is not effective for all patients, but may reduce or eliminate symptoms in over 40% of those who receive it at the appropriate time (Higashida, 2005). Other, much less common procedures such as angioplasty, laser emulsification, and mechanical clot retrieval may be options for treatment of acute ischemic stroke.
To prevent recurrence of thromboembolic stroke, medications such as aspirin, ticlopidine (Ticlid), clopidogrel (Plavix), dipyridamole (Persantine), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and enoxaparin (Lovenox) may be used to prevent clot formation. Once the stroke survivor has stabilized, the long process of rehabilitation begins. Each stroke is different depending on location and severity, so persons may recover with little or no residual deficits or an entire array of devastating consequences.
The effects of stroke vary, and some persons may recover with no residual effects. But more often, stroke survivors may have problems that include hemiplegia or hemiparesis (paralysis or weakness on one side of the body), visual and perceptual deficits, language deficits, emotional changes, swallowing dysfunction, and bowel and bladder problems. Ninety percent of all dysphagia (swallowing problems) results from stroke (White, O’Rourke, Ong, Cordato, & Chan, 2008).

Poststroke Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation after a stroke focuses on several key principles. These include maximizing functional ability, preventing complications, promoting quality of life, encouraging adaptation, and enhancing independence. Rehabilitation emphasizes the survivor’s abilities, not disabilities, and helps him or her to work with what he or she has while acknowledging what was lost.
Stroke survivors go through a unique recovery process. This model shows the process of stroke recovery where forward progress after stroke lead to acceptance and adaptation:

If significant functional impairments are present, evaluation for transfer to an intensive acute inpatient rehabilitation program is recommended. Inpatient rehabilitation units offer the survivor the best opportunity to maximize recovery, including functional return. An interdisciplinary team of experienced experts, including nurses, therapists, physicians, social workers, and psychologists, will help the survivor and the family to adapt to the changes resulting from the stroke. Outcomes for geriatric stroke survivors are enhanced by intensive rehabilitation programs, whether offered in rehabilitation units or in skilled nursing facilities (Duraski, Denby, Danzy & Sullivan, 2012; Jett, Warren, & Wirtalla, 2005).
A large amount of teaching is often done by stroke rehabilitation nurses who work with older survivors and their families. These include knowing the warning signs of stroke and how to activate the emergency response system in their neighborhood, managing high blood pressure, understanding what medications are ordered as well as how often to take them and why, the importance of regular doctor visits, preventing falls and making the home environment safe, available community education and support groups, and the necessity of maintaining a therapeutic regimen and lifestyle to decrease the risk of complications and recurrent stroke. All survivors will need assistance in re-integrating into the community. This is generally begun in the rehabilitation setting.

For more information on Stroke, visit American Stroke Association at:
http://www.strokeassociation.org/

 

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By |2025-06-05T16:23:55-05:00June 12th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off on Stroke Warning Signs and Risk Factors
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