Walking speed, so it seems, can be a predictor of a person’s life expectancy. Much like vital signs such as pulse and blood pressure. Or how much a person weighs and how much alcohol they drink or exercise they do. Last year, medical scientists labelled loneliness as a useful predictor of a person’s health and …
Continue reading “Walking speed predicts seniors’ life expectancy”
We need to have a conversation about COVID-19 and social isolation. People talk more about COVID-19 than they do about any other topic these days except, perhaps, toilet paper, which may be even worse. That’s why you may well say, ‘Oh, no! Not another article about the virus!’ But stay with me.
I urge everyone over 50 to vaccinate against shingles. Zostavax vaccine, which helps to prevent the viral illness known as shingles, has been available since 2016. In Australia, it is offered free to people between the ages of 70 and 79. Others can be vaccinated by their general practitioner at their own expense.
Walk on the beach. What a good idea. But not today, thank you. That’s been my standard response to invitations to walk on the beach for the past few years.
Sex in aged-care facilities made headlines in the West Australian Newspaper this week. Well, not exactly, but the headline grabbed my attention.
Aged care advertising scares me. Like much else about aged care services in Australia, some advertisements stereotype residents. At least, that’s one conclusion I came to when a series of ads appeared in the newspaper my husband buys.
Bed-rest for a week, I thought before I’d opened my eyes. My nose streamed, my head ached and my throat rasped. I sneezed, coughed and reached for the tissues. A second cold virus in a month. Bummer!
Why don’t we talk about falling over, especially as we age? The subject is taboo, as if it’s a disgrace to trip and fall. Everyone falls, but as we get older, unless we need medical attention, we mostly keep our mishaps secret.
We should refuse to have falls. Such language implies we are old, decrepit and way past our prime even if we are active, creative and energetic seniors.
Elder abuse is never OK. June is recognised world-wide as Elder Abuse Awareness Month. And 15th June was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. I am passionate about defending human rights and preventing all forms of abuse. I am especially passionate about defending the rights of older people.
