Joy in the golden years

Posted on November 20, 2009 by comm5775

Story and photo by Jenna Cannon

What is the key to being happy in life’s later years? Riches? Career? Health? These are some of society’s theories about happiness. Clyde and Nancy Neilson have a different outlook on the subject.

Clyde and Nancy Neilson spend time with each other at their home in Cottonwood Heights.

“Feeling like you have a purpose and being needed by the ones you love is what makes you happy,” Clyde Neilson said.

Elderly people often become depressed when they realize they are nearing the end of their lives, said Kenneth Poulsen, gerontology care manager at the Magna Senior Center in Magna, Utah. But those who have meaningful relationships have a more positive outlook on life, he said.

“Relationships and social connections appear to be the key to aging well,” said Scott D. Wright, director of the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Program Center on Aging at the University of Utah.

These relationships can be found in friends, family members, a spouse or a neighbor. “Studies have shown that having someone to spend time with improves the quality of life for the elderly,” Poulsen said.

The Neilsons say their relationship is a positive influence in their lives. They have been happily married for 54 years. Although they have trials and problems they say they find joy in the little things.

At the age of 79, Clyde’s face holds a youthful expression of wonder rather than that of worry that so often comes with age. His wife said she long ago gave up trying to tame his hair. It sticks up in various places as though he’s a young boy who has been outside playing.

Nancy Neilson is 72. Unlike her husband, she reveals some worry in her face. But with a word or two her husband can crack her nervous exterior and have her giggling like a teenage girl.

The Neilsons give off the distinct impression that they really care for one another. “It makes me feel special when I can do something that brings my husband joy,” Nancy said.

“I’ve seen many couples that love each other, but are too concerned with themselves to make it work. Some people don’t understand that you have to put your spouse’s needs first and vice versa to truly be happy,” said Carol Washburn, a psychologist of marriage and family relationships.

The Neilsons said they try to look out for one another in every aspect of their lives, from work, to family, to health.

Both have fairly good physical health, but Nancy’s mind is slowly ebbing. “She has trouble remembering things all the time,” Clyde said. Because of her memory loss, he takes her to work with him at Miller’s Honey Company at least once a week to stimulate her mind.

Clyde retired many years ago, but he still works because he finds it entertaining. He laughed at the idea of retiring.

“The best part of retirement is the anticipation. When it actually gets here it’s not that fun,” he said.

He also likes to work because he can bring in extra money for things like vacations and an inheritance for his four children, he said. They make him feel needed.

“I think it’s important for us to have enough money to leave to our kids when we’re gone,” he said.

Nancy expressed concern that her husband does more for her than she does for him. With this assessment she anxiously began picking at her nails. With a loving smile, Clyde reached across the table and held his wife’s hand gently in his callused fingers.

“You do more for me than I could ever dream of,” he told her genuinely.

These small acts of charity illustrate the importance of having someone to care about and care for you in return.

“When the elderly people at the senior center have the opportunity to help one another, the joy on their faces is truly memorable,” Poulsen said.

Another couple in their late 60s said doing little things for one another keeps them happy. Jim and Connie Carter like to surprise one another to maintain the youthful joy in their relationship.

“Jim knows I love cupcakes from Backer’s so he brings me home a delicious chocolate cupcake every once in a while,” said Connie. “It’s a welcome surprise that I will never tire of.”

The Carters also try to spend plenty of time with one another. They recently started doing financial consulting together.

“The time we spend working together has become a real treat in our lives,” Jim said.

Many elderly people have lost their spouse but are still content and happy with their lives. Washburn attributed this to the other relationships they maintain.

“Surrounding yourself with family members or other people you love is an ideal move towards happiness,” she said.

Grace Pace, an 86-year-old widow, said when she starts feeling lonely she remembers her children. With the click of a button she can call a family member to ease the burden of loneliness.

“It’s been hard ever since my husband passed, but having my family around keeps me upbeat. Sharing my life with my family truly makes me happy,” she said.

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Planning for death in life

Posted on November 20, 2009 by comm5775

by Gillian King

Couples often delight in planning for new babies, anniversaries, birthdays and their children’s weddings. They set aside money for their children’s college fund and for their own retirement. They make plans to buy a new house or travel around the world. One thing that couples may not look forward to planning, however, is their own funerals.  The desire to not leave a burden for their children is pushing many seniors to do so, though.

Geraldean Densley, 81, and her husband, Fred, think it is important to make sure they have as much planned as possible so their children will not have to try to guess what the couple’s wishes are.  They also want to make sure their children do not have to worry about paying for funeral expenses.

“We have money in savings for that,” Geraldean said, “and my husband says it will be enough.”

Many couples worry about leaving a burden for surviving family members and so have set aside money to lessen the burden. Noel Taylor, 78, and his wife are among those individuals who have made the necessary financial arrangements.  Taylor is not shy about what his wishes are either, and he makes sure he discusses them with his family. “It’s something that needs to be talked about,” Taylor said.

Taylor also said he does not believe in spending a lot of money on funerals, and would like his own to remain as low-cost as possible. He does have one specific request, though.

“I’ve been looking into green funerals,” Taylor said.  A green funeral would mean that his body would not be embalmed and the use of a special casket would be required. He believes it is important to be environmentally friendly even in death. Taylor has already begun shopping around for his casket so that his family will have one less thing to worry about.

Buying things such as caskets pre-need, or before an individual dies, can make the actual funeral arranging much easier for surviving family members. This is why more people are buying what they can while they can.

“We already have our plots in Riverton,” Geraldean Densley said. “We bought those about 20 years ago.” The decision of where to buy their plots was not made randomly. “Riverton is home,” she said. Densley added that it would not seem right to be buried somewhere else since they have thought of Riverton as their home for most of their married lives.

Taylor has also already acquired plots for himself and his wife. Much like the Densleys, he wanted to pick somewhere that would feel like home.

“We have plots in Pleasant Grove, where my parents are buried,” Taylor said.

He chose to have his plots in the same cemetery because he wanted to be able to be near family. His children are scattered among several states and two countries, so being buried near them would be impossible. He decided being near his parents would be the best option.

But not everyone plans things ahead of time. Genean Warner, 70, and her husband still have a lot of things to figure out.

“We’re one of them procrastinators,” Warner said. “We haven’t planned anything yet. We’ve talked about it, but we haven’t done anything.”

Like Taylor and Densley, however, Warner does know where she wants to be buried. She would like to have plots for her and her husband in Murray, where they live.

Not having formalized plans or designated funds for funeral expenses can present difficulties for surviving spouses or other family members. The average funeral costs around $10,000. Not everyone is able to come up with that amount in short notice either. Social Security can help a little. According to the Social Security Web site, surviving spouses can receive a one-time payment of $255. It may not seem like very much, but every bit helps.

With all the emotions that family members may be feeling upon the death of a loved one, worry is one feeling that Densley does not want her family to have to feel. Anxiety about where the money will come from to fund a funeral or how to carry out her wishes is something she wants to spare her family. There will be enough going on that she does not want her family to have to wonder what she would want or how to accomplish it.

“We have a living will so the kids will know exactly what to do,” she said.

Densley is not the only one trying to reduce confusion. Along with setting up funeral funds and arranging for plots and caskets, Taylor and his wife also took the time to draw up their will.

No matter how much time is taken in planning, there always seems to be more to do, though.

“I keep thinking we should get our headstone, but we haven’t yet,” Densley said.

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Diagnosing memory loss

Posted on November 20, 2009 by comm5775

by Kelli Coomes

Imagine standing in your entry hall, keys in hand. You can’t remember where you need to go, only that you have some place to be. A few minutes later, you still can’t remember why you’re standing there.

Brian Fisher, an in-home certified nursing assistant, woke at 6 a.m. to find the 85-year-old man he cares for up and ready for work. Since Arvel hasn’t worked for more than 20 years, Fisher took him to McDonald’s instead. Arvel doesn’t care where they’re going, as long as he’s going somewhere.

Later that day, Fisher drove his patient to the doctor’s office. Arvel’s family was having him tested again for Alzheimer’s. Despite previous tests that showed he does not have the disease, his family keeps sending him to the doctor for further testing.

Arvel knows where he is and who the people around him are. He can understand most things that are told him, Fisher said. But what worries his family is that he cannot remember a lot of the little things. Arvel forgets he doesn’t work, so he gets ready when he wakes. He can’t remember where some things in the house are.

Dr. Edward Zamrini is the director of clinical trials at the Center for Alzheimer’s Care, Imaging and Research. Alzheimer’s Disease isn’t just about memory loss, but how much the loss progresses, Zamrini said. Doctors at the clinic look at how frequently a problem occurs and the loss by degrees, such as remembering where one’s keys are to where one’s car is located.

“To lose one’s memory is the ultimate loss,” said Scott D. Wright, director of the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Center at the University of Utah. “It’s like they’re dying twice.”

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of memory loss in roughly 50 percent of cases. But it isn’t the only reason for memory loss.

“We jump to it too soon,” Wright said. There are about 25 other factors that can cause memory loss that are ruled out first. These include diet, diseases, stress and medications.

Zamrini said some health issues that cause memory loss include Lewy body disease and dementias like frontotemporal dementia.

Lewy body disease is a disease that is commonly mistaken for Alzheimer’s. Johns Hopkins Medicine states that like Alzheimer’s, Lewy body patients have memory loss, but there are other symptoms that distinguish it such as trouble with attention, hallucinations and symptoms that are similar to Parkinson’s disease. There are often problems with sleeping, falling and depression.

According to the Mayo Clinic, dementia describes a group of symptoms, both social and intellectual, that interfere with daily life.

Dementia, after several tests, can be diagnosed with complete accuracy about 90 percent of the time. However, dementia can lead to and be a symptom of Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s can only be diagnosed with complete accuracy after death. According to the Mayo Clinic, a microscopic exam of the brain is the only way to accurately diagnose the disease. A brain with Alzheimer’s has plaques and tangles that are visible only with a microscope.

One form of dementia that can be tested accurately is frontotemporal dementia. The Mayo Clinic notes that it is commonly mistaken for Alzheimer’s, but it occurs at a much younger age.

The starting age for Alzheimer’s is roughly 65, with incidents increasing every five years. By age 85, people are 40 percent to 50 percent likely to develop it.

Frontotemporal dementia typically develops between the ages of 40 and 70.
Symptoms of frontotemporal dementia vary according to what part of the brain is affected. The term is used for disorders that affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain that are associated with personalities, behaviors and language.

Depression is another cause of memory loss. Zamrini said depression often causes forgetfulness. As people get older, they tend to lose their loved ones. Friends and family members die. This can create or add to depression. Often they stop caring about memories, or forget them because they become too painful. Often the memory loss is self-inflicted.

The hardest part for the families of Alzheimer’s patients, Zamrini said, is that they’re physically fit but not mentally well. This distinction is what’s helping doctors re-diagnose patients. Alzheimer’s only affects memory, Zamrini said. Diseases like Lewy body and dementia have some physical symptoms.

The testing for the other diseases is progressing and better diagnoses between them are increasing. Early detection helps with all these issues, Zamrini said.

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Nursing homes leave wrong impression on youth

Posted on November 20, 2009 by comm5775

by Paige Fieldsted

  • A look at aging as an athlete through the eyes of John Percival.

Odors of decay, urine, cafeteria food and musky perfume waft down the hallways, assaulting anyone and everyone who enters the building.
A peek into the dimly lit rooms reveals wrinkled men and women snoring in wheelchairs; others are unable to get out of bed.

The scene described above can be found in many nursing homes across the nation. And the underlying message creates fear in the younger population.

“We’re convinced kids walk away thinking, ‘Well, this is it.’ The impression is this is where you do end up at inevitably, ultimately,” said Scott Wright, the director of Gerontology at the University of Utah.

Wright said too often younger people are leaving nursing homes with the fear and misconception that the residents there are a representation of what aging is; that incontinence and immobility are what awaits them with age.

Lonnie Kay Percival has experienced a grandparent, a parent and a father-in-law dying in nursing homes. She says she understands how nursing homes can leave fear in children.

“The smell of old people, plus urine and cafeteria food and I don’t know what else, would be overwhelming,” said Percival, 69. “And there are so many old people all at once. I mean everywhere you look there are old people. I think it is a scary thing.”

Although Wright said it is a common belief among young people that all old people end up in nursing homes, statistics from the 2000 U.S. census illustrate that is not the case.

In 2000, 12 percent of the population was 65 years and older, but only 4.5 percent of the 35 million seniors were living in nursing homes. This number has decreased steadily since the 1990 census.

USA Today reported more than 1.8 million people are currently residing in nursing homes. Despite what seems like a high number, the number of residents in nursing homes is declining.

Even though such a small percentage of the population lives in nursing homes, youth who visit nursing homes and receive no other education are left with the wrong impression about what it means to grow old.

“We always cringe when the preschool or elementary school teachers gather the kids and say, ‘Okay we’re going to go to the nursing home on a field trip,’” Wright said. “You know it’s good for the older adults in the nursing home but (the kids) walk away thinking, ‘Well this is what aging is.’ It’s a very impressionable age and we want younger people to realize that is not necessarily all that aging is.”

Across the nation, education programs are becoming available to better inform the general population about what it means to age.

At the University of Utah, an entire department is dedicated to the study of older people and aging. In Salt Lake City, resources are available for those wanting to learn about aging. An entire section of Utah.gov is dedicated to seniors and information about them.

Percival said education has to be at a more personal level in order to dispel fear.

“I think we just have to organize our service project hours with the young people so that they get to know that they’re not just a wrinkled old person but that inside there is an interesting person,” Percival said. “Because inside they’ve lived a good life and an exciting life and they can share a lot of wisdom with the youth.”

Connecting on a more personal level could help overcome many of the attitudes that people have about aging. Assumptions like getting old means losing the mental and physical capacity to take care of ourselves, and to interact with others.

Wright said changing attitudes about growing old is an important step in changing behaviors now that will affect how we age in the future.

“It’s not just about behavior,” Wright said. “We have to change attitudes about aging.”

While many public school programs are working to changing the attitudes of younger people, Percival believes the change has to begin at home.

“It comes back to some parenting skills. Parents have to explain to children and talk to them,” Percival said. “I don’t know if you can turn that over to the schools and have it be successful.”

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Learning is a lifelong process

Posted on November 20, 2009 by comm5775

by Alicia Williams

Everyone’s heard them, probably even said them on occasion: timeless age-related jokes correlating one’s ability to learn with being young.

When it comes to learning, we now know the theory “you can’t teach old dogs new tricks” has been officially replaced with “use it or lose it.”

For the last 53 years, the Seattle Longitudinal Study of Adult Intelligence has been tracking more than 5,000 participants who’ve had mental and physical testing every seven years since 1956. The study has found that intellectual decline in older people’s mental performance is often due to disuse, and it’s reversible.

Not only did two-thirds of participants show improvement, but 40 percent of declining participants returned to pre-declined knowledge levels and have maintained the training effects for more than 14 years. The brain is truly like a muscle that will deteriorate when it isn’t flexed, and just like a muscle, it needs quality stimulation to help it grow and stay strong.

Scott Wright, associate professor and director of the University of Utah’s Gerontology Interdisciplinary Program, said the “age tsunami” has already hit America. During the next several years, 76 million baby boomers will begin to retire.

Every month, 35,000 people are turning 65. Wright said they should be optimistic because they have great potential for the second half of their lives. He said the fastest growing student population will be older than average students, and continuing education is the key to a long, healthy life.

“When I went through grad school, 21 (years old) was actually promoted as the peak of IQ for adult intelligence and that it would decline for forever after that,” Wright said. “Our studies now show intelligence stays about the same across the entire life course.”

Both mental and physical exercise will help the brain stay in peak performance. According to Resources for Science Learning at the Franklin Institute, continually challenging the brain by learning new things, reading and playing games helps to improve function no matter how old one is. Passive observation is not enough; we must interact with different environments to create a challenge for our brains.

The fact is, we’re all aging. The difference is how we choose to age. Cathy House, program director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Continuing Education at the U, said the ability to keep our minds strong and sharp is a reality that only comes from making a commitment to lifelong learning at an early age. Deciding to never stop learning will not only keep the brain healthy, said House, but it will also help to make the aging journey fun and interesting.

House said one of the biggest obstacles to achieving this commitment is youth itself. When we’re young, we’re often required to learn in order to attain something. It isn’t until we’re older that we recognize the desire to learn just for the pleasure of it.

“For the students, if you’re targeting undergrads, it’s a long way until they are 50,” House said. “It’s one of the things I value most about being over the age of 50. It’s just to look back on my life and think about the things I’ve learned. At this stage of my life, I’ve figured out I can learn just about anything that I have an interest in. And that’s pretty cool to know. When I was younger I didn’t really know that.”

The U has an extensive continuing education program that bridges the span of youth to lifelong learners. The Osher program specifically caters to adults older than 50. All of the classes are noncredit: no tests, no grades. Current students range in age from 50 to 90-plus years old.

“Learning is the spice of life; it can add dimensions to your life that you cannot get any other way,” House said. “It’s a way to enhance life, to make it much more interesting.”

The Franklin Institute’s Resources of Science Learning describes the brain as a thinking organ that learns and grows at all ages when it interacts with the world through perception and action. Because research shows that age-related memory loss is a direct result of disuse, mental exercise and stimulation are encouraged. You’ve got to use your brain so you don’t lose it.

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EnhanceFitness program targets seniors

Posted on October 22, 2009 by comm5775

by Jessica Gonzales

From popular TV shows such as “The Biggest Loser” to magazines showing you how to “flatten that tummy,” it isn’t hard to miss all the attention people are paying to the advantages of physical fitness. Doctors say the benefits of exercise are enormous, particularly for the elderly who suffer from increased health problems such as diabetes and joint problems and arthritis.

Dr. Scott Wright, director of the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Center at the University of Utah, says exercise and fitness of all levels is key to maintaining a healthy and wholesome lifestyle.

“The fountain of youth is being active, it’s not a secret formula,” Wright said. “It’s being mentally and physically active.”

For many adults, attending fitness classes at a health gym is a popular way to stay in shape as well as socialize with others in a community. But for those with certain health and physical needs, such as the elderly, available programs that accommodate the aging population have been few and far between in the fitness industry.

That is, until an alternative known as EnhanceFitness came onto the scene. It is an exercise program that caters specifically to older adults and is located in senior centers across the United States. It was originally developed in Seattle in the 1990s by a nonprofit agency called Senior Services and became a popular fitness trend for the aging population in the Northwest. Since then, the program has expanded to 28 different states nationwide while promoting and endorsing fitness among those 65 and older.

For the past year and a half, Michaelene Waters, the health educator at the Salt Lake County Aging Services, has pushed for the implementation of EnhanceFitness in local senior centers. In January 2009, she brought the program to the Salt Lake Valley and now two senior centers offer it to participants.

“It’s a new program and it’s different,” Waters said. “People are starting to recognize that it’s a huge market and that it’s really an important thing to focus on.”

According to the National Institute for Aging, exercises focusing on endurance, strength, balance and flexibility are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle for adults over 65. Instructors of EnhanceFitness classes are specially trained to adapt to participants’ needs by utilizing weight training, cardiovascular activities and balancing exercises. By focusing on those three aspects during routines, Waters says she has seen a wide array of benefits and personal gains among participants.

“The biggest advantage people are seeing is their activities of daily living improve,” Waters said. “They can get out of their chairs easier and they can walk a little quicker than they used to.”

Not only are there physical benefits to fitness, but also emotional benefits. According to a recent Gallup poll conducted in May 2009, researchers found those who participate in forms of physical activity at least twice a week experience more happiness and less stress in their daily lives.

Jerry Urlacher, director of the 10th East Senior Center, has noticed the valuable emotional and social characteristics that participants can gain from group fitness. The center features the class three times a week. About 15 people with different levels of fitness and ability attend each session.

“It takes some dedication and I think it makes a difference, it’s a lot of fun,” Urlacher said. “People do it at their own pace and it’s designed to be interactive.”

With the help of grants and Salt Lake County funding, the EnhanceFitness program has expanded to seven additional senior centers. Waters said she hopes to see fitness and physical activity among the aging community become more prominent on a local scale, such as at local recreation centers and gyms. With the benefits and qualities of physical fitness, Waters hopes to see the EnhanceFitness program and other programs targeting the aging population thrive.

“People are being able to age in place, in their homes and have a good quality of life,” Waters said, “and I believe that physical activity enhances that.”

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