Protection against home falls is one of the areas where Life Alert shines; the medical alarm service gets immediate help to its members after a fall, even if they can’t reach a phone
A recent story in USA TODAY discussed home falls and their risks, noting that a few famous folks have recently suffered such accidents. Unfortunately, these falls often require a trip to the hospital. Experts note that falls can happen to anyone, regardless of age, income or gender.
While anyone, anywhere, can indeed suffer a fall, it is also true that the older we get, the more susceptible we become to falls. One of the risks after a fall is not being able to reach a phone to call for help, especially if one lives at home alone. Many people don’t carry cellphones on their person while at home - and even if they do, it may not be able to get a signal, or it may be impossible to use, depending on how one falls and the severity of any injuries one suffers. In short, people (especially senior citizens) need a better solution.
The optimal answer for many seniors is Life Alert, which provides protection in the event of falls in the home. For over 20 years, this personal medical alarm company has been protecting its members from the dangers of home falls, as well as other emergencies. The company’s spokesman (former United States Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop) has pointed out that accidental injury in the home is the main danger faced by Americans 65 and older. In addition, here are some facts about falls from the CDC (the Center for Disease Control): (1) Of the 35 million Americans over age 65, roughly one in three will fall in any given year; (2) Senior citizens are hospitalized for fall-related injuries five times more often than they are for injuries from all other causes; (3) Falls are the leading cause of accidental death for seniors.
This obvious need for protection -- no matter where you fall in your home, no matter what hour a fall occurs -- is at the heart of Life Alert’s protection service, and one of the reasons we often talk about Life Alert on this Seniors Blog. We are impressed with the fact that Life Alert handles over a million calls a year, and on average saves a life every 38 minutes, saving over 13,000 lives in 2007 alone. For many seniors, Life Alert is an essential part of their lives.
Showing posts with label seniors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seniors. Show all posts
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
BARBARA HILLARY, FIRST FEMALE AFRICAN AMERICAN TO TREK TO NORTH POLE, BECOMES LIFE ALERT MEMBER
Barbara Hillary, a very active senior indeed, recently trekked to the North Pole, becoming the first African American woman to do so. After her return, she signed up with Life Alert, showing a trend that Life Alert reports is more and more common: active mature adults signing up for their service, in addition to the elderly and home-bound seniors who are most often associated with the medical alarm company.
Ms. Hillary is basking in much media attention, but she is not resting on her laurels. In fact, she is not really resting at all, since she now plans to trek to that other hot spot of cold climes: the SOUTH Pole!
Ms. Hillary is basking in much media attention, but she is not resting on her laurels. In fact, she is not really resting at all, since she now plans to trek to that other hot spot of cold climes: the SOUTH Pole!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Senior Health Costs Could Rise 25 Percent by 2030
By Fred White
(an article reprinted from ThomasNet.com Industrial Market Trends, a comprehensive, daily industrial blog)
In 2006, almost 500 million people worldwide were 65 and older, and by 2030, that total is projected to increase to one billion. The world's workforce depends on this population. If older adults take the advice provided by the health care provider community, and motivate themselves, they can achieve two goals: live healthier and perhaps longer, and reduce health care costs.
By 2030, the number of Americans aged 65 and older will more than double to 71 million, equaling about 20 percent of the U.S. population, noted the report. Of course, older Americans will not be the only aged around the globe. “We are aging — not just as individuals or communities but as a world. In 2006, almost 500 million people worldwide were 65 and older,” according to a report entitled Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective, which was presented earlier this month at the State Summit on Global Aging presented. By 2030, that total is projected to increase to one billion — one in every eight of the earth’s inhabitants. Significantly, the most rapid increases in the 65+ population are occurring in developing countries, “which will see a jump of 140 percent by 2030,” reports Senior Journal.
The health of the age group coming up behind the 65+ people may also be questionable.
Beth Soldo, a University of Pennsylvania sociologist, and her colleagues studied data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study and found that people in “their early to mid-50s were reporting more health problems than people that age had described previously,” writes Gary Rotstein at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. This deserves to be taken with some skepticism, however, because “the federal data are not correlated with any actual health evaluations.” A health care provider would refer to these “evaluations” as scientifically valid observations.
One possibility for the higher reporting of poor health may result from more stress and obesity. Or baby boomers may have higher definition of what constitutes good health. Also, more awareness of effective treatments and medications may lead people to feel less inclined to report their health as good.
Kenneth Manton, research professor at Duke University, said he “sees no basis for such fears and nothing in Soldo’s study to change his mind,” the article quotes Manton as having said.
Older Americans can minimize this cost, though, if improving and preserving older adults’ health is more actively addressed, according to an updated report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Merck Co. Foundation. The CDC report presents information and recommendations to help older Americans live not just longer but better lives.
Three preventable behaviors — smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity — were the root causes of almost 35 percent of U.S. deaths in 2000. These behaviors represent risk factors that often lead to society’s leading chronic killers: heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. The report indicates that if people can live healthier and go to regular screenings, they can reduce the risk for many chronic diseases and help lower heath care costs.
The challenge is to better apply (i.e., more broadly) what we already know about helping to ensure that added years are healthy years, according to the report.
A closer look at some resources for helping older adults reduce the risk factors can help us all. For many people, physical inactivity may be the hardest challenge. The CDC provides quite a bit of resourceful information to generate motivation and become active.
If older adults take the advice provided by the health care provider community, and motivate themselves, they can achieve two goals: live healthier and perhaps longer, and reduce health care costs.
NOTE: Stay with us when we report the latest developments in the medical device industry and health care in this week’s IMT e-newsletter.
# # #
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 1.0 Generic license. You are free to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work under the following conditions: Attribution - You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work); No Derivative Works - You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work. For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this web page. Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder. Nothing in this license impairs or restricts the author's moral rights.
(an article reprinted from ThomasNet.com Industrial Market Trends, a comprehensive, daily industrial blog)
In 2006, almost 500 million people worldwide were 65 and older, and by 2030, that total is projected to increase to one billion. The world's workforce depends on this population. If older adults take the advice provided by the health care provider community, and motivate themselves, they can achieve two goals: live healthier and perhaps longer, and reduce health care costs.
By 2030, the number of Americans aged 65 and older will more than double to 71 million, equaling about 20 percent of the U.S. population, noted the report. Of course, older Americans will not be the only aged around the globe. “We are aging — not just as individuals or communities but as a world. In 2006, almost 500 million people worldwide were 65 and older,” according to a report entitled Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective, which was presented earlier this month at the State Summit on Global Aging presented. By 2030, that total is projected to increase to one billion — one in every eight of the earth’s inhabitants. Significantly, the most rapid increases in the 65+ population are occurring in developing countries, “which will see a jump of 140 percent by 2030,” reports Senior Journal.
The health of the age group coming up behind the 65+ people may also be questionable.
Beth Soldo, a University of Pennsylvania sociologist, and her colleagues studied data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study and found that people in “their early to mid-50s were reporting more health problems than people that age had described previously,” writes Gary Rotstein at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. This deserves to be taken with some skepticism, however, because “the federal data are not correlated with any actual health evaluations.” A health care provider would refer to these “evaluations” as scientifically valid observations.
One possibility for the higher reporting of poor health may result from more stress and obesity. Or baby boomers may have higher definition of what constitutes good health. Also, more awareness of effective treatments and medications may lead people to feel less inclined to report their health as good.
Kenneth Manton, research professor at Duke University, said he “sees no basis for such fears and nothing in Soldo’s study to change his mind,” the article quotes Manton as having said.
Older Americans can minimize this cost, though, if improving and preserving older adults’ health is more actively addressed, according to an updated report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Merck Co. Foundation. The CDC report presents information and recommendations to help older Americans live not just longer but better lives.
Three preventable behaviors — smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity — were the root causes of almost 35 percent of U.S. deaths in 2000. These behaviors represent risk factors that often lead to society’s leading chronic killers: heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. The report indicates that if people can live healthier and go to regular screenings, they can reduce the risk for many chronic diseases and help lower heath care costs.
The challenge is to better apply (i.e., more broadly) what we already know about helping to ensure that added years are healthy years, according to the report.
A closer look at some resources for helping older adults reduce the risk factors can help us all. For many people, physical inactivity may be the hardest challenge. The CDC provides quite a bit of resourceful information to generate motivation and become active.
If older adults take the advice provided by the health care provider community, and motivate themselves, they can achieve two goals: live healthier and perhaps longer, and reduce health care costs.
NOTE: Stay with us when we report the latest developments in the medical device industry and health care in this week’s IMT e-newsletter.
# # #
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 1.0 Generic license. You are free to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work under the following conditions: Attribution - You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work); No Derivative Works - You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work. For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this web page. Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder. Nothing in this license impairs or restricts the author's moral rights.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
HEALTH-TECH GADGETS on MARTHASTEWART.COM
Here is a link to the page that talks about four devices that can benefit seniors' health (Life Alert, GPS-enabled sneakers, a mouse with built-in heart monitor, and Glow Caps that signal when one forgets to take one's pills):
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=34cff941122a7110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=ts_Homepage_Homepage
The webpage linked to above gives descriptions of the products (in the case of Life Alert, their device is part of a home protection service), and gives the basics of how they work.
Also note: the TV segment on which this webpage is based (which featured the 4 products) was schedule to air yesterday, Jan. 23, 2008, on "The Martha Stewart Show." Check their website soon for video of that segment (at the webpage listed above).
For these and other segments related to health and/or seniors, visit www.marthastewart.com .
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=34cff941122a7110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=ts_Homepage_Homepage
The webpage linked to above gives descriptions of the products (in the case of Life Alert, their device is part of a home protection service), and gives the basics of how they work.
Also note: the TV segment on which this webpage is based (which featured the 4 products) was schedule to air yesterday, Jan. 23, 2008, on "The Martha Stewart Show." Check their website soon for video of that segment (at the webpage listed above).
For these and other segments related to health and/or seniors, visit www.marthastewart.com .
Friday, January 12, 2007
Six Ways to Exorcise Exercise Excuses
Press Release -- Courtesy of PRWEB.com
Introduction by Dr. Don Rose
--
Life Alert is known nationwide for providing personal protection in case of falls, home intrusion, medical emergencies or other dangerous scenarios, sending help fast in order to prevent injury or even death. But, as Exercise Physiologist and Fitness Consultant Joey Atlas points out, fitness and weight loss excuses can (eventually) kill you as well. One can conclude from Atlas’s views that we need to provide our bodies with a kind of “fitness protection” by exercising regularly and maintaining optimal weight. While fear of fitness and weight loss failure are major contributors to obesity around the world, Atlas provides a message of hope, encouraging the use of simple home workouts that can help fight fat and improve poor fitness levels. –Don Rose
--
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (PRWEB) November 7, 2006 — According to official figures from a 2006 report compiled by The Trust for America’s Health, the adult obesity rate rose from 15 percent in 1980 to 32 percent in 2004. Combine that with the number of Americans who are overweight but not obese, and the figure stands at 64 percent. And the childhood obesity rate more than tripled between 1980 and 2004, from 5 percent to 17 percent.
“I don’t have enough time for exercise.” “I’m too out of shape to workout.” “I don’t know what to do.” “I’m too afraid to ask the fitness instructors.” “The gym is too crowded.” “The health club members are rude.” “I don’t have the willpower.” These are some of the top excuses revealed by a 2004 survey conducted by the American Council on Exercise of San Diego.
“For the general population, excuses are just excuses. They are not valid reasons for poor levels of fitness and health. That being said, I can understand why so many people use these excuses. They just don’t know any better,” said Exercise Physiologist and Fitness Consultant Joey Atlas. “There is so much fitness and weight loss information out there. It’s hard for people to make sense out of it and see how or if it applies to them,” according to Atlas.
Atlas offers these six tips to put an end to your fitness excuses:
1) Develop this mindset: Fitness is not a leisure pursuit. It’s an obligation and a means for you to protect the gift of life you have been given.
2) Create a simple home gym with a little bit of space and a floor mat for core exercises.
3) Learn compound leg exercises, such as the touch-down, that do not require fitness equipment.
4) Perform daily flexibility and stretching exercises for increasing energy and injury prevention.
5) Use the floor mat for abdominal exercises and thigh exercises that provide a smart foundation for a more advanced fitness program.
6) Incorporate butt exercises and stomach exercises that do not require weights or exercise machines.
“There is so much that can be done with little or no fitness equipment. There is no need to be a member of a health club to be in great shape and healthy,” says Atlas. “I have some of my best workouts on the local playground. A ten-minute ab workout, a quick leg exercise series, a simple core workout and eight minutes of stretching for flexibility will give you a good sweat in less than thirty minutes.”
Atlas offers five free exercises, with photos and instructions via his main website, www.JoeyAtlas.com.
—
Joey Atlas, M.S. - Exercise Physiology, is a fitness consumer advocate, professional trainer and fitness writer. He has been in the fitness industry since the late 80’s. Atlas is a contributing writer for OnFitness Magazine. Joey Atlas Fitness Resources provides fitness consulting services and products to individuals, families and companies all over the world.
The information provided is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable and accurate. However, while The Rose Review always strives to provide true, precise and consistent information, we cannot guarantee 100 percent accuracy. Readers are encouraged to gather more information before drawing conclusions and making decisions.
Dr. Don Rose writes books, papers and articles on many topics, including computers, the Internet, artificial intelligence, science and technology, and issues related to seniors.
Article Sponsor: Life Alert. More information about its emergency response services and other benefits for seniors nationwide is available at http://www.lifealert.com, http://www.seniorprotection.com and http://www.911seniors.com.
Introduction by Dr. Don Rose
--
Life Alert is known nationwide for providing personal protection in case of falls, home intrusion, medical emergencies or other dangerous scenarios, sending help fast in order to prevent injury or even death. But, as Exercise Physiologist and Fitness Consultant Joey Atlas points out, fitness and weight loss excuses can (eventually) kill you as well. One can conclude from Atlas’s views that we need to provide our bodies with a kind of “fitness protection” by exercising regularly and maintaining optimal weight. While fear of fitness and weight loss failure are major contributors to obesity around the world, Atlas provides a message of hope, encouraging the use of simple home workouts that can help fight fat and improve poor fitness levels. –Don Rose
--
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (PRWEB) November 7, 2006 — According to official figures from a 2006 report compiled by The Trust for America’s Health, the adult obesity rate rose from 15 percent in 1980 to 32 percent in 2004. Combine that with the number of Americans who are overweight but not obese, and the figure stands at 64 percent. And the childhood obesity rate more than tripled between 1980 and 2004, from 5 percent to 17 percent.
“I don’t have enough time for exercise.” “I’m too out of shape to workout.” “I don’t know what to do.” “I’m too afraid to ask the fitness instructors.” “The gym is too crowded.” “The health club members are rude.” “I don’t have the willpower.” These are some of the top excuses revealed by a 2004 survey conducted by the American Council on Exercise of San Diego.
“For the general population, excuses are just excuses. They are not valid reasons for poor levels of fitness and health. That being said, I can understand why so many people use these excuses. They just don’t know any better,” said Exercise Physiologist and Fitness Consultant Joey Atlas. “There is so much fitness and weight loss information out there. It’s hard for people to make sense out of it and see how or if it applies to them,” according to Atlas.
Atlas offers these six tips to put an end to your fitness excuses:
1) Develop this mindset: Fitness is not a leisure pursuit. It’s an obligation and a means for you to protect the gift of life you have been given.
2) Create a simple home gym with a little bit of space and a floor mat for core exercises.
3) Learn compound leg exercises, such as the touch-down, that do not require fitness equipment.
4) Perform daily flexibility and stretching exercises for increasing energy and injury prevention.
5) Use the floor mat for abdominal exercises and thigh exercises that provide a smart foundation for a more advanced fitness program.
6) Incorporate butt exercises and stomach exercises that do not require weights or exercise machines.
“There is so much that can be done with little or no fitness equipment. There is no need to be a member of a health club to be in great shape and healthy,” says Atlas. “I have some of my best workouts on the local playground. A ten-minute ab workout, a quick leg exercise series, a simple core workout and eight minutes of stretching for flexibility will give you a good sweat in less than thirty minutes.”
Atlas offers five free exercises, with photos and instructions via his main website, www.JoeyAtlas.com.
—
Joey Atlas, M.S. - Exercise Physiology, is a fitness consumer advocate, professional trainer and fitness writer. He has been in the fitness industry since the late 80’s. Atlas is a contributing writer for OnFitness Magazine. Joey Atlas Fitness Resources provides fitness consulting services and products to individuals, families and companies all over the world.
The information provided is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable and accurate. However, while The Rose Review always strives to provide true, precise and consistent information, we cannot guarantee 100 percent accuracy. Readers are encouraged to gather more information before drawing conclusions and making decisions.
Dr. Don Rose writes books, papers and articles on many topics, including computers, the Internet, artificial intelligence, science and technology, and issues related to seniors.
Article Sponsor: Life Alert. More information about its emergency response services and other benefits for seniors nationwide is available at http://www.lifealert.com, http://www.seniorprotection.com and http://www.911seniors.com.
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