Embedded Files
Dates: Tuesday, February 3rd OR Thursday, February 5th
Location: See your e-mail for the Zoom link!
Website: https://www.caregivercenter.org/
care everywhere
care everywhere
The Southern Caregiver Resource Center offers services to family caregivers of adults with chronic and disabling conditions or diseases. With a team of highly-qualified, professional staff, SCRC supports families through a full range of programs and services.
To be eligible for services, a client must be caring for an adult with a cognitive-impairing condition that occurred after the age of 18 (for example: dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease), or someone age 60 years and older in need of assistance with daily living activities. Services are for residents of San Diego and Imperial counties.
All services come at no cost to the family caregiver, with the exception of the Together Care Respite Program. Both home and office visits are available by appointment. Below, I am including some brochures they provided to me to learn more about them and in case you are interested in their services after the presentation.
This week, we will hear from this very important program. For this week's website lesson, we'll build a foundational understanding of what makes for healthy living, particularly when it comes to what we choose to eat. Balancing our diets can prove rather tricky. To start, the National Institute of Aging has some helpful resources to guide you on your health journey.
Healthy foods and where to start
Healthy foods and where to start
With our endless options of food in our local grocery stores, restaurants, and even our own pantries, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to choosing the healthier kind. But making small changes now can lead to the biggest and most long-lasting benefits in your daily life. It can be as simple as adding more of a certain food group you may not eat as frequently, like vegetables or protein, or cutting out sugary drinks and or salty snacks.
Writing down what you eat in a food diary can also be a good way to get the whole picture of the food you eat over a period of time. By taking some time to take note of what you eat, you are making it easier to understand your overall health. A food diary can also be highly customizable to your nutrition goals. You might track what times of day you usually feel hungry, which foods give you energy, or which might make you feel sluggish. This can be a great thing to take to your doctor, or a nutritionist, to better discuss your health.
Also note the table at the bottom right of the infographic. It can give you an idea of how many calories you might need in a day after the age of 60.
Let's take a closer look!
If you're wondering how food really plays a part in how your body ages, take a look at this informational video presented by The Alliance for Aging Research. (6 minutes)
Common Challenges to Eating Healthy
Most of this advice sounds straightforward, right? But there can be obstacles that make the right diet for you harder to maintain, such as cost and disability considerations. Here are a few ways to mitigate these difficulties:
Cost
Cooking can often be less money than going out. There are even cookbooks and websites that have recipes that factor in cost. One of these websites you might find helpful is called Spend Smart Eat Smart (put together by Iowa State University). They have printable recipes (from crockpot dinners to dessert) that are low cost and calculates how much you would spend per serving. If you are interested, you can click on the link and check it out: https://spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu/
Another option might sound familiar. Coupons and senior discounts may be available at your local grocery stores. Be sure to ask about them on your next trip!
Mobility and Disability Challenges
Check in with your local grocery stores and see if they allow for driver's-side pickup of groceries. Many groceries added this service during the 2020 pandemic and can lessen the load of carrying heavy bags of food to your car.
Getting food delivered to your door is easier now than ever, especially pre-prepped or pre-made meals. You can look into meal delivery services such as Hello Fresh, Factor, or Blue Apron to see what kind of meals might fit both your budget and cooking ability. Many of these services have ready made meals that only need to be heated up to enjoy!
Meals on Wheels is a well-known non-profit and another way to get meals delivered to your doorstep. Both easy and cost effective, you can see if you qualify for any of their services here: https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/find-meals-and-services/
Food effects more than just your stomach
Food effects more than just your stomach
Like your Brain...
Like your Brain...
This video breaks down how your brain processes food at the molecular level, discussing the roles of fats, sugars, and amino acids, and what that means for your mood, energy, and overall brain health. It also explains why food can be connected to a decrease in cognitive function. (~5 min)
Your Bones...
Your Bones...
This video breaks down how your brain processes food at the molecular level, discussing the roles of fats, sugars, and amino acids, and what that means for your mood, energy, and overall brain health. It also explains why food can be connected to a decrease in cognitive function. (~5 min)
And your Heart!
And your Heart!
This video produced by the Mayo Clinic talks about how preparing meals yourself can have benefits for your heart health! (1 min)
Now, if you'd like some ideas on what to cook to encourage a healthy heart, this video from Fox 5 San Diego has got you covered. From heart healthy foods examples, meal prep ideas, the Mediterranean diet, and desserts, there are a lot of ideas to try here. (4 min)
In this video from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), we'll take a look at what healthy eating may look like with diabetes in mind. (4 min):
We have all had struggles with food overindulgence during the holidays and special events. This is another video from the NIDDK that provides specific strategies for handling the different kinds of foods one can find at a celebration, and how to enjoy oneself without compromising the healthy lifestyle you're trying to maintain. (2 min)
The Active Lifestyle
The Active Lifestyle
Eating right is not the only thing you can do to maintain good health! Movement is healing and incredibly beneficial to your body and energy levels. This can be anything from a walk around your neighborhood, following an at-home exercise video (which we'll have examples of in the next section), or putting on some music to dance to. Exercise can look like a lot of things, and there is no one way that works for everyone.
By taking steps to be more active, you may see some beneficial changes to your blood pressure numbers, your bone density, your muscle gain, and your overall mood, as some of our resources below will talk about. This is also one of the most effective ways to maintain a healthy body weight.
When making the choice to move more, be mindful of your own limitations and always listen to your body. Balancing activity with regular periods of rest is also essential for your health. Also, talk to your primary healthcare provider before starting any new diets or exercise regiments. They can help guide you and make sure you are implementing these changes in a healthy, incremental manner.
Let's hear Dr. Kristen Unger, with her expertise in physical therapy, talk about some of the benefits of exercise. She also gives some helpful tips on where to start when becoming more active. (3 min).
There are also some helpful links to Cone Health that are mentioned here. Both have useful articles and support for senior health services. We'll list them below for easy access.
As you can see from the infographic above, you have a lot of options for action. Exercise, nutrition, and seeing a healthcare provider are only a few of the many possibilities.
Notice how they emphasize socializing as a part of a healthy life? Keeping your social circles strong will also help you maintain a support system that can help you with these tasks and activities. In addition, spending time with others and creating meaningful connections can support your mental health, which is just as important as your physical health.
Being a part of this class and participating in field trips can be considered a part of your health journey. You get your steps in when on a tour, and you can make new friends (or see old ones) while you do! It can be that easy!
sample exercises
sample exercises
Want some easy exercise routines to help get you started? Here are some examples that can be done easily at home!
Exercises for Seniors with Osteoporosis (Silver Sneakers)
Exercises for Seniors with Osteoporosis (Silver Sneakers)
This workout made by Silver Sneakers focuses on exercises that aid with bone density. It is one of the most accessible routines out of the ones here because no equipment is needed (though there is an option to use weights if you choose to). (14 min)
Silver sneakers has many more exercise routines like this on their YouTube channel, as well as their website linked here: SilverSneakers | Live & On‑Demand Fitness Classes for Seniors
Extra brain fitness activity: There's a dog that appears in this video. Can you find it?
15 Minute Workout (National Institute on Aging)
15 Minute Workout (National Institute on Aging)
This workout is from the National Institute of aging, and goes through a full workout in as little as fifteen minutes. They go over warming up, a bit of cardio, strength training, and stretching! There are also modified versions of these stretches shown as well, so those with knee troubles can also participate safely. Overall, a great way to get your whole body moving. (15 min)
Note: There is equipment recommended in this one, but many of these items can be found in your home, like a sturdy chair, water bottles, and towels. Watch the video first before beginning and see what you might be able to use without going to the store and buying equipment.
Seated Exercises (Dartmouth Health)
Seated Exercises (Dartmouth Health)
This video from Dartmouth Health has fully seated exercises that you can use to strengthen various muscle groups. In this example, you find exercises that target your legs, hips, and back. (9 min):
Note: The last two exercises suggest using what is called a Theraband. You might have one of these if you have been to physical therapy before. If not, you can modify these exercises for your needs.
Desk Stretches with Richard Simmons
Desk Stretches with Richard Simmons
A blast from the past! You might remember Richard Simmons from those Sweatin' to the Oldies VHS tapes. Here, he'll take you through a few stretches that are helpful after you've been sitting at a desk for a long time. (6 min)
These might help you during and after online zoom classes, both this one and others!
If you'd like to read more in depth about an overall healthier life as an older adult, you may appreciate this article by the National Institute of Aging called "What Do We Know About Healthy Aging?". It discusses and explains health benefits of not only diet and exercise but also sleep and hobbies! : https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-aging/what-do-we-know-about-healthy-aging
Conclusion
Conclusion
Nutrition and an active lifestyle can help improve your overall health, and you can have a lot of fun when tailoring these aspects of your life to fit your needs. We'll get to learn more about how these changes, particularly food choices, affects your body, as well as conditions like diabetes and dementia. Stay tuned for class, where you'll get more tips from our guest speaker from the Southern Caregiver Resource Center!
Here is their website as well, if you are interested in learning more about them: Programs & Services | Southern Caregiver Resource Center | San Diego
works cited
works cited
Google Sites
Report abuse