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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Family/Health
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 ANTIDOTE TO FRAILTY: DIET
AND EXERCISE--Linda P. Fried’s focus called the Cycle of Frailty bears
close scrutiny. Dr. Fried (geriatrics), at the Mailman School of Public Health,
Columbia University, is part of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network. She studied frailty in the elderly and discovered something quite important. Her
conclusions now are called the Frailty Syndrome. This is similar to the
Metabolic Syndrome of obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and high glucose
that, when present in middle age, accelerate a downslide in health.
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 BOOK
REVIEW--SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN HEALTHY AGING BRAIN--Some authors are so compelling, it’s worthwhile to give a
synopsis of their books and recommend them. Judith Horstman is a science writer who was asked by
Scientific American magazine to write one article on how our brains work. Her
article stretched into story after story and eventually compiled into a
book: The Scientific American Healthy Aging Brain.
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 THE
NORMAL AGING BRAIN: As we age, our brains need a rich environment to continue learning, a strong
social network and support from loved ones. We often develop an improved
vocabulary and communication skills, insight and compassion (the components of
aging wisdom) and what is called domain-specific knowledge. This simply means
that we have mastered what we have spent a lifetime honing, whether it’s
finance, gardening or teaching.
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 WELL-BEING,
A GUIDE TO HAPPINESS: We are social creatures, creative individuals
and supportive friends. And in following our instincts we set the
foundation for well being--with our families, friends and communities.
Happiness, or well-being,
contributes to a strong immune system at any time in our lives. Those who
describe themselves as happy live longer and healthier lives.
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 AGING
AND WOMEN'S HEALTH: Dr. Elizabeth Barrett-Connor is associated with the study of hormone
replacement therapy for mid-life women. She discovered through a longitudinal
study, the Women's Health Initiative, that long-term hormone replacement
therapy does not benefit women and has a
high correlation to stroke. We now know that hot flashes are heart healthy and
an important process of strengthening our cardiovascular system. She
has other recommendations, too, and often speaks on health issues as they relate to
women.
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 AGING
AND SLEEP LOSS: One of the most baffling changes that accompanies
aging is the alterations of sleep patterns. Dr. Sonja Ancoli-Israel
researches our sleepy brains and notes that sleep habits are directly
related to our age.
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 BOOK
REVIEW--A LONG, BRIGHT FUTURE: Laura L. Carstensen's book, A Long
Bright Future, sets out to debunk false assumptions right away. Aging people are happier, often healthier
and more engaged in their communities than younger people. She erases many of
the prejudices and myths of aging that continue to prevent a genuine
understanding of fundamental changes in our society. Carstensen is the founding
director of the Stanford Center on Longevity.
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 SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR WIDOWS
-- Michelle
Davison was making a cup of tea when a police car pulled in front of her
Niwot, Colorado, house. The officer's face was lined with sorrow, so her first instinct was
to ask about her children. "No, it's your husband," was his reply.
Michelle joined the more than half a million women in the United States that year widowed
under the age of 45. If you've been widowed or you're the friend of a widow,
this is essential reading.
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 Caring for
Aging Parents -- When you decide to move a parent:
assisted living may be the answer, also, understanding legal documents
will help your parents
should they become incapacitated.
How to investigate
a nursing home: the second part of a series. Many nursing homes are
ailing, which makes the decision to find the right one all the more difficult.
It's now
possible to search for facility ratings on the Internet. We'll give you
step-by-step instructions.
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