Posts by hunterswoods-admin
Can Vaccinations Save Your Brain?
As autumn comes around, so do the placards and public service announcements alerting us to get our flu shots, update our COVID-19 vaccines and generally get on top of the inoculations we need as we get older. New research offers one more good reason to stay current on your vaccinations: The shots also might decrease the risk of age-related…
Read MoreKeep Your Vision Healthy: Understanding Eye Tests and Diagnoses
It can be easy to dismiss changes to your eyesight as an inevitable fact of getting older. However, these changes can sometimes signify serious eye conditions that can lead to vision loss or even blindness, as well as reveal potentially dangerous health issues unrelated to sight. Getting regular eye exams can help to preserve your…
Read More5 Reasons to Eat Less Meat
When Andrea Krenek was growing up in Texas, her meals frequently centered around thick cuts of steak, hearty barbecues and sandwiches. But as Krenek learned more about nutrition and crystallized her own values, her diet evolved. Now a registered dietitian, chef and postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University School of Medicine, Krenek avoids meat entirely.“ There…
Read More10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to remember that any memory loss that disrupts daily life may be a symptom of Alzheimer’s or other dementia. Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. There are 10 warning signs and symptoms. If you notice any of…
Read MoreWhat Are the Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease?
In the modern medical world, when someone is diagnosed with a disease, the usual first step is to be prescribed a well-proven medicine (or two) as a remedy. For dementia and one of its most common causes, Alzheimer’s disease, therapies that stop the disease have been elusive. But the outlook may be changing, at least…
Read MoreHow to Identify and Avoid Common Social Security Scams
Social Security numbers are the skeleton keys to identity theft. And what better way to get someone’s Social Security number than by pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA)? With the announcement that there are new login requirements for those who created My Social Security online accounts before Sept. 18, 2021, experts warn that scammers may take advantage…
Read MoreHigh Blood Pressure Treatment and Prevention
Many older Americans see blood pressure levels start to creep up, especially after age 60 when nearly three-quarters of people reach the level of hypertension, putting them at high risk for stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, cognitive impairment and even eye problems. So, if your doctor starts talking to you about getting your numbers under…
Read MoreHealthy Lifestyle Linked with Better Cognitive Function in Older Adults
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may be associated with better cognitive function in older adults, even for those with signs of dementia in their brains, according to an NIA-funded study. The findings, published in JAMA Neurology, suggest that healthy lifestyle factors may provide protection against dementia. Researchers from the Rush University Medical Center and Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center…
Read MoreHere’s What It’s Really Like to Date in Your 80s
Eleven years ago, after a 50-year marriage, I entered a new chapter of life with a very different title. No longer a wife; I became a widow. I was 74 at the time and still playing tennis. I had energy. I had spunk. On a trip to the Cayman Islands with my children and grandchildren, I…
Read MoreHaving an Estate Plan Can Help Split Assets Without Dividing Siblings
Linda Rice Thorup and Lisa Rice Hayes grew up on a large rural family plot near Albany, New York. When both parents passed, they had the difficult task of dividing and divesting their lifelong family home. How to sell the land and respect their parents’ desires about conservation and development? How to handle a lifetime of…
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