MESSENGER POST MEDIA

YOUR GUIDE TO

SeniorLife
today
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION to MESSENGER POST NEWSPAPERS for the week AUGUST 5, 2018

THE MANY BENEFITS OF

AQUATIC
EXERCISE
BY ANDREW LITTLE | DIRECTOR OF THE PIETERS FAMILY LIFE CENTER

A
s we enter our senior years, In addition to making you work a little
there are many challenges that harder, aquatics exercise is low impact.
we face that may prevent us The buoyancy that the water provides
from being physically active, allows you to put less weight on joints-
fit and free of injuries. opening up new opportunities for all
Aquatic exercise is a perfect solution to ages, and varying levels of fitness, to
this issue, especially if you live with a be active while not experiencing the
chronic health condition or chronic pain. pain or discomfort one might feel while
Of course, as with starting any new fitness moving on land. Many people who find it
program, make sure that you check in with difficult to move on land due to arthritis,
your healthcare professional to ensure osteoporosis, joint or back pain, can find
exercise is right for you. success in exercising due to the support
The benefits of aquatic exercises are not fostered.
the water provides. Additionally, those
There are many benefits for seniors with limited mobility or those with low all physical! Those who find success in More and more seniors are finding that
participating in aquatics exercise fitness levels find a supportive low impact aquatics exercise classes also tend to build daily exercise can boost mood, maintain
programs. First, as one ages, muscle loss environment, like a pool, to be a great confidence as they see their strength, cardiovascular health, promote strength
occurs which can decrease strength. The place to start an exercise regimen! endurance and flexibility improve. This and flexibility and help prevent falls. Many
natural resistance of water is great for confidence supports seniors in being more have found that aquatic exercise is a great
muscle and strength building. The water Being active in the water can also be much active outside of the pool, too! Seniors way to improve those areas.
provides more resistance than air, making safer than on land for many people. Many who are more active tend to be more
There are many great fitness facilities that
the moves you do in the pool work your seniors are concerned about their balance independent at home and have fewer
provide a wide range of aquatic exercise
entire body in a way that is difficult to or may be prone to falls. The water issues related to depression. Aquatic
classes and programs in your area. A good
achieve on land. The gentle resistance provides balance support and eliminates exercise programs are social in nature
way to find what is best for you is to speak
the water provides not only improves the risk of falls. This gives people the and many participants find that the social
to your medical professional and see what
strength, but also helps to improve heart confidence and encouragement to connections they make are important and
perform the necessary exercises with a motivating factor to stick with a class benefits your health insurance provides.
health, endurance, and flexibility.
fear of injury. because of the friendships that have been
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GRANDPARENTS RIGHTS
Expert advice on securing visitation
BY MELISSA ERICKSON | MORE CONTENT NOW
W
hen President Jimmy Carter designated the first
Sunday after Labor Day as Grandparents Day
in 1979, he said he hoped that younger people
could learn from the wisdom of an older generation and
that grandparents provide a link to our national heritage
and traditions. People who fight for grandparent rights are
fighting for the same things. A grandparent’s right to visit
a grandchild varies from state to state with the exception
of Florida, said family law attorney Richard S. Victor of
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. In all other states, grandparents
have a standing right to request visitation for a number of
reasons, including if a parent has died, parents are divorced
or separated, the child was born out of wedlock or the child
has been living in the home of the grandparent, said Victor,
founder and executive director of the national nonprofit
Grandparents Rights Organization.
Some states are more lenient in determining what’s in the
best interest of the child while others are more strict and
grandparents must show that harm will come to the child in
the current situation. “The standard courts use is a balancing
of the parents’ constitutional rights to rear their children
without interference and the child’s interests to have a
relationship with their grandparents. Ultimately, courts must
do what is in the best interest of the children,” said family law
attorney DaNece Day of Steven Titus & Associates in Gillette,
Wyoming. “Grandparents can be the connection to the past
for children and a conduit to ensure they have relationships
with extended family. Grandparents have many things to
share and teach, and courts recognize that grandparents
play a special role in their grandchildren’s lives.”
The child’s best interest
Grandparents suffer greatly when separated from grand-
children, but children also suffer, said Susan Hoffman,
director of Advocates For Grandparent Grandchild
Connection, a charitable nonprofit based in Newport Beach,
California. They feel frustration, helplessness and bereft of an
important part of their future. “There is a body of research
indicating that when children lose access to a loving adult
(such as a grandparent) with whom they have had an
established relationship, they suffer abandonment issues,
lower self-esteem, emotional disorders, acting-out behavior
or withdrawal,” Hoffman said.
A grandparent can be denied the opportunity to visit
a grandchild for any reason chosen by a parent, even
something as simple as treating them to forbidden fast
food, Victor said. Instead of anger and emotion, approach
the conversation calmly and logically. “The first thing to do
is open the lines of communication. Talk to each other. Ask,
‘What’s the problem?’ The last place you want to resolve
things is in court,” Victor said.
Losing the right of visitation often occurs after the death of
an adult child when the grandparent is not related to the
remaining parent. “Remember, you each have something
in common — love for the child,” Victor said. It may not be
easy, but remember that your place is as a grandparent,
not a parent. “Stress the importance of the parent. Never
badmouth the parent. It could lead to animosity and
emotional distress for everyone, including the grandchild,”
Victor said.
What to do
Here are some guidelines from Hoffmann’s book
Grand Wishes: Advocating to Preserve the
Grandparent Grandchild Bond.
• Change your behavior, not theirs. The only way to achieve
a different outcome is to change your own behavior.
• Assume the “you and me” rather than “you or me” position.
It’s easier to come to an agreement with someone when
you are on the same side.
• Learn how to go along in order to get along. Present oneself as
agreeable, rather than aggressive and domineering —
life is so much easier for everyone.
FREEPIK
• Recognize the red flags. Pay attention to subtle
behaviors, that have the potential to escalate.
• Take action to re-connect. Don’t just stand by
and do nothing if you find yourself suddenly
alienated from your grandchild.
• Remain neutral and non-threatening. Don’t give
advice, and keep opinions to yourself.
• Remove all expectations. Parents and kids are busy.
Don’t expect them to accommodate your schedule.
Instead be grateful for any time you are given.
• Don’t take things personally. When others
lash out it really has nothing to do with us.
• Adopt preventative measures. Respect parental
boundaries and follow their rules, which can
divert problems before they escalate.
• Focus on being happy rather than being right. You
will be much happier remaining connected to your
grandchild if you lose the need to always be in the right.
“If a grandparent has made reasonable and
civil requests to see their grandchild without
success, they should consult with a family law
attorney and prepare to file for visitation rights,”
Day said. “It will be important to keep records of
all efforts made to obtain visitation and create,
maintain or strengthen the relationship with the
child. It is also important to document the past
interactions and family traditions.”
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WATCH FOR THESE

RETIREMENT
SAVINGS
PITFALLS
BY MELISSA ERICKSON | MORE CONTENT NOW

The biggest threats to your financial insurers offer them. If you can’t open a
security in retirement include health-care health savings account, tax-advantaged
costs, outliving your savings, the death of retirement plans like IRAs, Roth IRAs and
a spouse and subsequent loss of Social 401(k)s are generally the next best places
Security or pension income and inflation, to turn for saving for health-care costs.
said Thomas Walsh, certified financial From two incomes to one
planner with Palisades Hudson Financial
Group, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based The premature loss of a spouse can
planning firm and investment manager. damage the other’s financial future
Being well-prepared means anticipating through the loss of Social Security or
these threats and addressing them early, pension income, Walsh said. The solution
Walsh said. is planning, communication and perhaps
life insurance, which can be can be used
Save for health expenses to make up for the loss of a spouse’s
Between dentistry, vision correction, pension.
hearing aids and prescription drug Both spouses should understand
coverage, health-care costs quickly how income is generated and what
add up. A recent estimate by Fidelity will happen when one spouse dies. If
Investments found that a couple retiring one spouse is more financially savvy,
today could need about $280,000 to communication with the other is crucial.
cover health and medical expenses Maintain a list of all checking, savings,
through retirement, not including long- investment and credit card accounts,
term care costs. as well as an estimate of each account
An unexpected major medical issue will balance, Walsh said.
cut into savings at a much faster pace than There are ways to boost your Social
expected. Many clients unintentionally Security benefit. Check out ssa.gov’s tools
lowball estimated medical costs in to help access how benefits can change
retirement because they’re in perfect due to the death of a spouse, Walsh said.
health at 55, but health can change
quickly. Inflation
One way to plan for medical expenses is A diversified investment portfolio can
to open a health savings account, which protect against inflation, said Walsh,
allows a person to receive a tax deduction who advised investing a portion of
for contributions but does not require your portfolio in stock mutual funds
income tax on withdrawals for qualified and exchange-traded funds. The right
medical expenses, Walsh said. To qualify, percentage varies with each individual’s
you must have a high-deductible health risk tolerance. Once retired, most people
plan and not be enrolled in Medicare. The ease up on equities but Walsh advised
minimum annual deductible is $1,300 for not abandoning them altogether.
“Being too conservative with your
self-only coverage and $2,600 for family
coverage. investments during retirement is a
These savings plans are often part of mistake. If you have all of your savings
an employer’s health care package, but in low-yielding investments like bonds
any qualifying individual can open a or CDs, it will be difficult to keep up with
health savings account. Some banks and inflation,” he said in a statement.
 PAGE 5 • SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION to MESSENGER POST NEWSPAPERS for the week of AUGUST 5, 2018

MEMORY LOSS
When it isn’t Alzheimer’s, it can be treated easily
BY MELISSA ERICKSON | MORE CONTENT NOW

I
s it Alzheimer’s when you forgot where you put your car keys, can’t find the right
word or simply don’t remember what time you agreed to meet up with friends?
Memory loss is a big concern for people who are aging, but it’s a pretty big jump
from not being able to remember an acquaintance’s name to Alzheimer’s, said Dr.
David Merrill, an associate professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the
University of California Los Angeles’s Semel Institute.
If you’re concerned about memory loss, it warrants slowing down, taking a deep
breath and considering what’s going on. It’s not necessarily Alzheimer’s, Merrill said.
Multiple treatable conditions can mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, including
hypertension, substance abuse and psychiatric disorders, Merrill said.
High blood pressure can lead to a slowdown in information processing, but it can
be treated with changes in lifestyle and medications, Merrill said. Overindulging in
alcohol can cause memory loss, but the symptoms of substance abuse can be relieved
when a person stops using alcohol, he said. Mental illnesses such as depression and
bipolar disorder can also impair memory, but can be treated with medication and an
increase in physical activity.

FREEPIK.COM
No direct diagnosis
Accurately diagnosing dementia is possible by a skilled medical professional;
Alzheimer’s, on the other hand, is a diagnosis of exclusion, Merrill said. When
doctors determine that a condition is not anything else, what’s left is that it might be
Alzheimer’s.
Only after death though an autopsy can Alzheimer’s be accurately diagnosed by
looking at “the plaques and tangles in the brain,” Merrill said.
In the past decade scientists have made advances using technology to scan the brain
and examine the size and formation of the hippocampus, the area involved in verbal
memory and learning, Merrill said.
“A brain scan can quantify size, it’s noninvasive and relatively inexpensive,” Merrill
said.
A healthy older person will lose 1 to 2 percent volume of the hippocampus per year,
but a person with Alzheimer’s will lose 4 to 5 percent a year, Merrill said.
Researchers are testing new methods to identify other conditions that are mistaken
for Alzheimer’s. In a recent, unpublished study of 22 patients at University of
California Los Angeles Cognitive Health Clinic, scientists used software designed to
measure the volume of multiple brain regions and tests to evaluate the participants’
brains. Only five of the 22 people with memory loss showed brain shrinkage patterns
characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. The remaining cases were a combination of
causes from vascular disease, depression, head trauma and substance abuse.
Better health overall
Regular exercise can help change the brain in positive ways to improve memory and
thinking skills, Merrill said.
“One reason to improve general health is because that can help improve brain health.
Being proactive and more physically active can help grow new connections between
the brain synapsis,” Merrill said.
So not only does working out help your body become healthier, it helps boost the
size of the hippocampus for a better brain, he said.
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MAKE
HEALTHY CHOICES
AT RESTAURANTS
BY MELISSA ERICKSON | MORE CONTENT NOW
A
mericans love to dine out. We spend
nearly a third of every food dollar at
restaurants, and in 2015 the National
Restaurant Association reported that
Americans spent more at restaurants than at
grocery stores. Eating out may be enjoyable,
but it can lead to an expanding waistline. Here
are some expert tips for health-conscious
foodies who like to eat out:
Find good options
“Don’t hesitate to inquire to your server to
explain cooking methods and ingredients,” said
Blair Kidwell, assistant professor of marketing
in the College of Business Administration at
Florida International University. “Frozen or
fresh, farm-raised or wild-caught, made in-
house or shipped. There are great gems out
there — you just have to find them.”
According to Eat This, Not That!, typically
local foods are fresher and more nutritious
than those shipped or frozen, and there’s
much debate about the benefits of farm-
raised versus wild fish. Read up on facts and
buzzwords before you head out.
Order creatively
consider sharing an entrée, or ask for a to-go box immediately and put half of
“Consider ordering a healthy appetizer of the entrée in the box so you are not tempted to eat the entire dish, she said.
salad before your entrée. Ask for low-fat or
lower-calorie salad dressing,” said Denise You’re No. 1
Holston-West, instructor in the School of “When it comes to ordering, go first! I have noticed that if I order last, after
Nutrition and Food Sciences at Louisiana discovering my friends have opted for cheese fries and nachos, I am likely to
State University. Order a side salad and switch my meal to a less healthy option,” said registered dietitian nutritionist Anja
appetizer rather than an entire entrée, Grommons, graduate teaching assistant at Western Michigan University.
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