Archives: Physical Health

Posts

Returning To the In-Person World

June 8, 2021/in News /

By Barbara Goll, BS, Community Education Liaison/Nutritionist

The COVID-19 pandemic brought pain, hardship and profound changes in the way we socialize and engage with each other. It made us feel like Bill Murray in the popular 90s movie Groundhog Day, in which his character lives the same day over and over. We unwillingly progressed to a new normal. For some, our pre-pandemic routines seem strange and anxiety creeps in as we now attempt to change our patterns yet again.

Isolation and enforced social distancing have affected our ability to interact with others, bringing loneliness to many. Loneliness has a harmful impact on mental and physical health. Research shows loneliness can cause depression, increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, a weakened immune system, anxiety and dementia. Addressing loneliness as the pandemic subsides is paramount to well-being.

Receiving the vaccination or having antibodies has given us hope to return to gatherings, travel and other social activities that bring us joy and comfort. But slow and steady is the key to rebuilding our social connections and in-person interactions.

Getting back out into the world may seem overwhelming at first. It’s important to gauge your comfort level to make the healthiest choices for you. Moving too quickly into activities you aren’t comfortable with, or that overwhelm your schedule, could bring on anxiety, panic and trouble sleeping.

The Power of Resilience

Psychologists define the word resilience as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress.” A recent study by the Gerontological Society of America revealed older adults (70 years and older) showed more resilience in facing life’s challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to younger counterparts. This age group may be uniquely able to cope given the life experiences and coping mechanisms that they learned over time. They have more emotional intelligence, personal fortitude, and resilience.

The study also found that age and emotional well-being tend to increase together even as mental acuity and physical health may diminish. Compared with young adults, people 50 and older score consistently more positive emotions, independent of income or education. This isn’t their first rodeo. Older adults have been through tough times before. They are survivors!

Ease Back into the Swing of Things

Before rushing off to experience a new, more hopeful, period of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to assess our personal feelings and what we feel comfortable with today.

Below are tips to help navigate a return to in-person activities:

Go easy on yourself. Welcome emotions of all kinds while being compassionate to yourself. All of your feelings are valid. Do not compare yourselves to others, or how they think you should feel, or how you think you should feel. We all recover and adjust at our own pace. After missing our in-person gatherings for so long, we may not be feeling overly excited inside about getting together again. There is no right or wrong. Do not add pressure to yourself by believing that you should feel a certain way.
Be mindful. Start on a slow journey to joy. Perhaps try a mindful walk in a park where you feel at peace, visit a painting that brings you joy, listen to your favorite music or eat outside at your favorite restaurant. Mindfulness allows you to savor life and focus on immediate surroundings and needs and not the unknown future or past.
Recognize your feelings. Feelings of fear and sadness are there for a reason – the world has gone through a real trauma. We have been on edge for so long and anxiety needs to subside slowly. Reactions of guilt, resentment, excitement and loss are normal. Time is needed to heal. Watch your pace. You may be more exhausted than you think by stimulation you have not had for over a year.
Understand we’ve changed. For many of us, interests and priorities have changed. We may take up new interests and leave others behind. It’s completely normal for things that used to bring joy to feel less satisfying or different. Perhaps you’ve been dreaming of returning to your favorite restaurant only to go there and feel like you prefer to be at home. Or perhaps you are eager to travel, but the idea of getting on a plane is overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to say no to things you are not yet comfortable doing. Listen to and speak respectfully to family and friends about what is reasonable and comfortable for travel and gatherings.
Realize self-indulgence is not overindulgence. A little pampering is vital for your well-being and for those around you. It can help you ease back into life. Many people have found comfort in classic TV shows that bring us back to a simpler time such as M*A*S*H, Happy Days, Andy Griffith and Lawrence Welk. Others have found comfort in simple pleasures such as premium chocolate (sales rose 21% during the pandemic!) or athletic leisurewear.
Minimize risk with lifestyle choices. The pandemic has taught us that being young doesn’t guarantee your health. Having two or more health concerns greatly increased your risk for fatal infection. Lifestyle choices matter. Take care to exercise regularly (in consultation with your physician), make healthy food choices, practice method to reduce stress, get proper sleep and make time for social interaction.
Technology is your friend. COVID-19 has increased adoption of online activities such as banking, grocery ordering, telehealth, shopping and connecting virtually with family and friends. Many of these things will remain in our lives as we continue to digitize and enjoy the convenience these online amenities provide.
Get Back to Nature. Spending time in nature can help you appreciate the world and boost your mood. Getting outside provides a positive perspective on nature’s beauty. If going outside isn’t possible, bring the outdoors in by watching nature videos or opening a window to listen to the soothing sounds of nature.

Returning to in-person activities won’t look the same or feel the same to any two people – and that’s okay. Think positive and, in time, you will get there! And remember, you are not alone on this journey. If you find yourself struggling to get back in in-person life, seek guidance from a trusted family member, friend or professional.

Aging-in-Place – We Got This

August 12, 2020/in News /

By Barbara Goll, Community Liaison Educator and Nutritionist

Despite 90% of Americans saying they would like to age-in-place, only 20% end up doing so. Why are our wishes not being fulfilled and what steps can we take to ensure they are? The answer lies in a few lifestyle changes.

The goal of aging-in-place is to live in our home until our very last breath. Having to leave our home means leaving behind a comfortable setting, familiar community and many memories. Our home provides us with a sense of control and security leading to feelings of quality of life, dignity and independence. Current statistics indicate that life expectancy for women is 86.7 and for men 84.3. We all would like these additional “Golden” years to be enjoyable, not weakened to where we are dependent on others or unable to safely live in our home. Lifestyle choices are an important area of our lives we can tackle now to increase our ability to age-in-place safely.

We may not have control over the normal aging process or our genetic make-up, but we do have control over our lifestyles and the environment in which we choose to live. The following four lifestyle choices can greatly increase our chance of a healthy strong body as well as decrease our risk for disease and dementia:

Exercise and movement –All exercise and movement is a positive change that can effect overall health and help keep bones and muscles strong. Create habits and increase movement in your life with hobbies, chores and walking or other exercise programs. Be sure to discuss with your physician first.
Nutrition – Studies suggest a combination of the DASH and Mediterranean diets (called the Mind Diet) leads to a reduction in inflammation and decrease risk for chronic disease and dementia. This diet is largely plant-based with colorful varieties of fruits and vegetables, seafood and lean meats. Information on this way of eating can be found here at Healthline.com – Nutrition
Social interaction – Quality communication between family and friends and interaction with groups such as senior and community centers, book clubs, hobby clubs, and churches offer a few social interaction suggestions. Studies have shown that social interaction creates meaning and purpose to life leading to healthy lifestyle choices.
Brain and cognitive activity – Keeping your mind active by using it in new and challenging ways helps create new pathways in the brain and improve cognition. Choose activities that you enjoy but will also challenge your brain. Activities like learning a new language or instrument, playing chess, putting together a difficult puzzle, reading an educational book, learning a new hobby or taking an interesting adult education course.

It is never too early or too late to make changes that promote physical, mental and emotional well-being. Having a healthy and strong mind and body will decrease risk for falls, chronic conditions, and dementia as well as give you quality of life and independence to age-in-place gracefully. You got this!

Barbara Goll is a Community Education Liaison and Nutritionist for Homeland at Home. Her passion is educating and helping people attain a higher quality of life while aging in place. Goll is a valued member of Homeland’s community outreach team offering a variety of short talks on nutrition and age-related issues, including her “My Reflections” workshop to help you to think through many end-of-life care decisions. She has presented at 50 Plus Expo’s, civic organizations, community support groups, senior centers, aging forums and more.

Combating Loneliness in Seniors

July 14, 2020/in News /

By Barbara Goll, Community Liaison Educator and Nutritionist

Loneliness affects more than 42 million older Americans according to the American Psychological Association. While living alone does not inevitably lead to loneliness, it can be a contributing factor. Social contact typically decreases with age due to retirement, spouse and friends dying or moving away, lack of mobility and physical limitations. When an entire peer group is experiencing these naturally occurring changes it is easy to see why there is a decline in the number and quality of relationships as we age.

Loneliness is a very personal experience.

Loneliness comes with different causes and implications for every individual. This makes addressing the problem complex. Loneliness is a negative emotion defined by the quality and quantity of relationships that we have versus those we long to have. It is based on an individual’s values, needs, wishes and feelings. Loneliness can create a persistent loop of negative thoughts and feelings that can wear us down and push others away. “Loneliness is tricky because someone has to tell you their negative emotions,” says Kerstin Gerst Emerson from the Institute of Gerontology. “Diagnosis depends on asking questions, not a blood test or MRI.” It is a subjective feeling of social separation. When one does not feel they have value, self-worth or a purpose to their lives, it can lead to loneliness and depression. Loneliness can be defining and devastating to the lives of the elderly.

I realized the devastation of loneliness when my mother made a comment after a holiday family gathering stating that she felt alone and not a part of conversations. She also felt that what she might have to say was not important and that the conversations she had with others were just small talk. At the nursing home where I worked, I saw the pain on residents faces as they told me how lonely they were feeling, even though they were participating in a group activity at the time. Loneliness is personal and these feelings are all valid.

Loneliness has a harmful impact on mental and physical health.

When loneliness becomes a lifestyle, research shows it can cause depression, risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, weakened immune system, anxiety and dementia. These are not issues to be ignored. The Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience suggests that the connections with loneliness and health risks lie in harmful lifestyle choices such as eating poorly, inactivity and smoking.

What can be done to combat loneliness in seniors?

As family, caregivers and community members we can help our seniors become less lonely, more engaged. Here are some helpful suggestions:

Encourage seniors to express themselves while being a good listener. Ask them to tell you more about past interests and activities. Try to rekindle and adapt past interests and hobbies to fit their current abilities.
Use information learned from inquiring conversations to create an individual plan to decrease loneliness. Be creative with ideas, things offered in your community, clubs, and groups. Be prepared to nudge a little bit outside of their comfort zone.
Foster relationships between generations through visits and technology such as email and Facetime or Skype. Help grandchildren learn wisdom, childhood stories and family history from grandparents. Have them show grandparents how to use their cell phone or computer more easily or help them correspond with friends and distant family.
Visit as often as possible and engage in meaningful conversation. Give your full attention and really listen and hear what they have to say. Take a walk, read, sing or listen to favorite songs or play a board game. If unable to visit often you can write, call or use technology.
Seek out and attend activities of interest with the senior, especially for the first few times. Local senior centers and Area Agency on Aging are a good place to start.
Let seniors teach you something. When a former art professor moved into the nursing home where I was working, I empowered him to teach a basic sketch class to the residents. This brought worth and value to his life as well as the other residents lives who learned how to draw. Older individuals love to pass on knowledge.
Take seniors out to restaurants, Sunday church service, a movie, to visit with a friend, shopping or a drive around the neighborhood or out into the country. Fresh air and a change of scenery can do wonders.
Help facilitate connections with old friends that may not be able to visit anymore through letters, in-person visits, or emails.
Encourage seniors to volunteer. Volunteering can be very rewarding and seniors have a lot of skills and wisdom to contribute to their community. This is a great social connection and adds purpose, worth and fulfillment to their lives. Volunteer search sites include: volunteermatch.org, rsvpcapreg.org and createthegood.aarp.org
Take a class such as exercise, computer or other educational topic of interest. Many community colleges offer free lifetime learning classes for seniors. It is a great way to create new connections.
Community planners and local authorities must take action and create policy that places emphasis on healthy aging. Allow communities to support our older adults and the aging process as well as those living with dementia. Dementia Friendly America and Age Friendly Cities are initiatives that focus on communities working together to support our older Americans.

Reducing loneliness in all generations is derived from strong and loving relationships we have with others. Let’s try to help our seniors create and preserve these relationships throughout their lives and show them how valuable they truly are.

Healthy Choices, Healthy Brains

June 17, 2020/in News /

By Barbara Goll, Community Education Liaison and Nutritionist

For most of us, Alzheimer’s disease is not a topic we like to think about or discuss. We fear the word and diagnosis when we hear it. This doesn’t have to be our perception of the illness. June is Alzheimer’s disease and Brain Awareness Month. It’s perfect time to better understand how eating for a healthy life impacts brain health. Eating for your brain will help you achieve peak performance in every part of your life.

Most individuals worry they have Alzheimer’s disease the moment they notice problems with their memory. Like any disease, cognitive impairment develops over years, with lifestyle choices directly impacting our brain. Our brain becomes a product of what we eat, how we move and manage stress, our quality of sleep, social connections and how we challenge our memory.

According to 2020 statistics, eight million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease. One in ten people age 65 and over have Alzheimer’s disease, and it is the sixth leading cause of death in the US. There is currently no cure for this progressive disease, and medications approved by the FDA do not slow down the disease but only offer some temporary help with symptoms.

Scientists believe lifestyle changes and nutritional therapy offer the best hope to decrease the risk for Alzheimer’s and many other chronic diseases. Lifestyle changes, known as functional medicine, delve into the root causes of health problems instead of offering prescriptions to mask the systems.

The brain is home to some of the hungriest cells in our body and uses approximately 20 percent (420) of the calories we consume daily. One reason we are both undernourished and overfed is our consumption of the wrong foods for fuel. As Americans, our standard diet puts us in a constant state of inflammation leading to cell dysfunction, destruction, and ultimately disease.

The good news is you can reverse this course at any age and with any diagnosis to sharpen brain function and avoid memory loss. Key to the change is the consumption of nutrient-dense food.

These foods include:

Deep green leafy vegetables – at least 1 cup/day
Rainbow colored vegetables – at least 3 cups per day
Seafood – (2) 5 ounce servings/week (wild caught, cold water)
Healthy oils – extra virgin olive, avocado and nut oils (first cold pressing on label)
Nuts – 1 to 2 ounces daily (peanuts not included)
Avocados – ½ per day
Beans – ½ cup per day (black, navy, pinto, kidney, cannellini)
Berries – ½ to 1 cup per day (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)
Dark chocolate/cocoa powder – at least 70% cocoa on label, 1 ounce or 2 Tbs. per day
Herbs and spices – fresh or dried
Red wine – (1-2) 5-ounce glasses per day

It is important to note the brain damaging foods you should avoid.

These foods include:

Saturated fats
Trans fat
Sugar and refined carbohydrates
Processed foods

Bon appétit!

Barbara Goll, Community Liaison Educator and Nutritionist for Homeland at Home, offers group presentation on brain nutrition as well as many other topics on aging well, end of life decisions, as well as providing a broad overview of our Hospice, HomeHealth and HomeCare services.

To learn more, contact Barbara by emailing or call 717-221-7890.

Blood Pressure Check: First Step for Every HomeHealth Visit

May 27, 2020/in News /

In the United States, nearly 68 million people have hypertension, which is commonly called high blood pressure. If not treated, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and kidney disease. With one in three people impacted by this disease, understanding its causes and treatment is critical to personal wellness.

May is designated as high blood pressure education month to bring awareness to this treatable illness, which can be controlled through diet, exercise and reduction in alcohol consumption.

For the team at Homeland HomeHealth, monitoring and treating high blood pressure is an important part of their work. Homeland HomeHealth includes medical professionals who provide knowledge and expertise in wound care, cardiac care, palliative care, fall prevention, rehabilitation services, intravenous therapy and more.

“Checking a patient’s blood pressure is the first step of every visit,” says Debra L. Weigel, BSN, RN, CHHCM for Homeland HomeHealth. “Each reading reveals critical information about an individual’s wellness.”

For those struggling with high blood pressure, regular readings show if the patient is taking medications as prescribed, adhering to a healthy diet and exercising. Timely alterations can be made to ensure an individual’s blood pressure doesn’t get out of control and cause further illness.

Homeland also offers telehealth. Patients are educated to take their own vitals to include their weight, blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels in their blood using a pulse oximeter. The information is transmitted to Homeland for daily review. This step provides current information about a patient’s wellness in-between visits.

For most of us, understanding how to manage a healthy lifestyle regardless of age can prevent high blood pressure or reverse the effects of it in our lives.

“Diet and exercise are critical to managing blood pressure,” Debra says. “Even small changes can make a big difference.”

Homeland’s dietician helps educate high blood pressure patients about the importance of a healthy diet through meal plans and important tips to empower individuals to make smart choices.

For Debra, sharing the message of healthy eating and exercise is more than a part of her job; it’s personal. Debra’s brother battled high blood pressure for many years and was on several medications to treat the disease. Her brother took control of his diet and is now off all medications.

“My brother is proof that change is possible,” Debra adds, “I’m proud of his progress and believe the same transformation is achievable for many of our patients.”

Homeland HomeHealth is certified by Medicare and accredited by Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP). To learn more about Homeland HomeHealth, call (717) 412-0166.

For more information on the treatment of high blood pressure, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Gratitude and Optimism!

April 20, 2020/in News /

By “Dr. Rox” — Roxane E. Hearn, PhD
Homeland’s Employee Wellness Program Coordinator, Health & Wellness Psychologist and Personal Health Coach

Greetings from a place of gratitude and optimism!

Until we can see normalcy on the horizon, it is important that we do not allow our health and well-being to be set aside. More than ever, this is the time to cultivate a healthy mindset!

YOUR HEALTH & THE CURRENT COVID-19 SITUATION

The current state of affairs has created elevated levels of anxiety, increased blood pressure, and levels of sadness which can spiral downward into depression. Unfortunately, many are also adopting or slipping back into unhealthy habits. All of which will not only weaken your immune system, but also leave you with poor health outcomes and a deep regret once our lives return to “normal.”

No-one knows how long this situation will last. There is however one certainty. This. Will. End.

But until then, we cannot continue to operate from a place of anxiety and fear and not expect our health and well-being to be impacted negatively.

CULTIVATING HEALTHY MINDSETS

As a Health Psychologist and Certified Health Coach, Dr. Rox helps people cultivate healthy mindsets, so they can create healthier and happier lives by taking better care of themselves and connecting with their values; no matter their current circumstances.

Homeland employees are offered wellness consults on a regular and ongoing basis, but the COVID-19 situation presents a unique challenge. Rest assured wellness consults are a huge help in keeping Homeland’s staff be healthy and happy.

Most people find they benefit from someone who helps them look objectively at their fears, look ahead and consider the bigger picture, live their values, set goals to become healthier, and create a silver lining to all these clouds.

Living our values, demonstrating gratitude for what we do have, no matter our circumstances, could be the single most important thing any of us can do right now.

“May we all be healthy, may we all be safe, may we all live with ease and well-being.” ~ Dr. Rox

To learn more about Dr. Rox, please visit www.MyDrRox.com

Stressed Out and Eating Too Much?

March 31, 2020/in News /

By Barb Goll, Community Education Liaison and Nutritionist

If stress drives you to eat, you are not alone. These past few weeks have been challenging for all! Eating for emotional reasons instead of hunger isn’t really about food at all. You may not even realize you are doing it until the scale shows otherwise. If you eat until you are uncomfortable and stuffed it is a definite sign that something is going on. We need healthier ways to deal with our emotions. Here are some of the differences between emotional and physical hunger.

Emotional Hunger

Comes on suddenly
Wants instant satisfaction
Craves specific comfort foods
Isn’t satisfied with a full stomach
Triggers feelings of guilt and shame

Physical Hunger

Comes on gradually
Can wait
Open to healthy choices
Stops when you are full
Doesn’t make you feel bad about yourself

A few tips for the emotional eater:

Have COMPASSION for yourself. Thinking negatively about yourself only intensifies the problem. Now that you are aware of the problem you can choose to focus on the thoughts leading up to stress eating.
Write down things that cause you stress so you can make a plan on how to deal with the problems. Some causes of stress will be in your control to change and some will not, however, you are always in control of how you REACT to the stress.
Try a quick burst of ACTIVITY or movement to replace the urge to eat. Just a few minutes can refresh and reduce stress.
Try WAITING at least 10 minutes before grabbing for what you want to eat. Tell yourself, “I can choose to eat this in 10 minutes after I give myself time to think about why I have this urge.” This may help you to not follow the urge, and even if you do, you may feel you are more in control for waiting the 10 minutes.
LAUGHTER has many positive benefits to lighten you mental load. It can increase your intake of oxygen, activate and relieve your stress response, and soothe tension. In the long run it can improve your immune system, relieve pain and improve your mood. Laughter can be very distracting and keep you from stress eating. A four year old laughs on average 300 times each day and a 40 year old laughs on average 4 times a day. What happened? If you think you are lacking humor or a sense of humor it can be learned.
- Seek humor through TV sitcoms, funny videos or social media or family photos
- Laugh about your own situations and remember, laugh and the world laughs with you
- Surround yourself with friends that make you laugh and/or lighten your spirit
- Be aware of what is not funny or may be at the expense of others.

Taking care of yourself during these trying times doesn’t mean “me first,” it means “me too!”

Archives: Physical Health

Posts

Greetings from a place of gratitude and optimism!

Get Event Updates and Inspiring Stories

Get Event Updates
and Inspiring Stories