Traveling is such a wonderful way to entertain yourself, break up the boredom in one’s life and enjoy the company of your family or friends. Taking the trip also helps your make new friends who can become pen pals or travel companions.

In planning your trip there are numerous things that should be added to your travel list of DO NOT FORGETS.  No one wants to spoil the trip by forgetting an important item.   Your list of DO NOT FORGETS should include the following:

• Make sure you have all your medicines poured and placed in your carry on.  Always be sure to take at least 5 days additional medicine in case your return trip becomes delayed or extended.  You do not want to worry because you didn’t take enough medicine. Do make a list of your prescription information which will allow you to order more medicine if needed.
• Make you sure you include antacids, antibiotic lotions, cortisone lotion, bandaids, sun tan lotion, and any other personal items that you use regularly.
• Make sure that wherever you are going does not require you to have any special vaccinations.  Even modern countries can have outbreaks of disease occasionally.
• Make sure that your jewelry is costume and not heirlooms.  You don’t want to lose anything special which would put a damper on your trip.
• Make sure that you have a copy of the most recent medical record, your advance directives, power of attorney for medical and financial matters. This is important if you become ill while away.
• Make sure that your walking shoes are the most comfortable you can buy. Sore feet are not a good experience on vacation.
• Make sure that you consider your safety when planning side trips.  Take into your consideration your health limitations and be realistic about what you can accomplice. Breaking bones on your trip can be quite detrimental to the continuation of your trip.
• Make sure you have an extra pair of prescription glasses and sunglasses.  Losing eyeglasses or misplacing them while traveling is quite common. Numerous pairs of contact lenses are also necessary
• Make a list of your emergency numbers, your medicines, your hotel etc. and place in your wallet. You may need them.
• Make sure your passport stays in your room or in the hotel safe when touring.
• Make sure your wallet is kept in your front pocket or in an safe place when it can not be taken easily.
• Make sure your clothing is climate appropriate and allows for ease of movement and comfort.
• Make sure you bring a sun hat. If your head is not covered with much hair make sure it is covered with a hat.
• Make sure if you have serious allergies that you carry a card or wear a bracelet. Make sure you carry whatever medicine your doctor orders for an allergic reaction and keep it on you at all times.  Make sure you always inform your waiter of any food allergies and question what is contained in fancy foods.
• Make sure while on vacation you leave your computer at home and your blackberry.  Vacation is not an extension of work.
• Make sure you leave unnecessary credit cards at home.  Make sure you have the numbers of the card companies kept in your room.  If they are stolen or lost you can then report them immediately.

This is your seasoned traveler signing over and out.    Be sure to continue to look for more travel ideas for seniors in the future.

Brain Aerobics: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

One piece of excellent news in the past year was that brain health seems to be improving among older Americans. A large national survey from the University of Michigan found that over a 10–year-period ending in 2002, memory loss and thinking problems were down significantly among senior aged 70 and up, from 12.2 percent to 8.7 percent.  That’s a change that translates into hundreds of thousands of men and women, though Alzheimer’s is still a top concern for millions worldwide.

Researchers aren’t sure why the decrease in cognitive impairment is occurring, but they suspect that a better educated and more affluent older generation that is less likely to smoke and more likely to eat better and get regular exercise may be helping to keep the brain young.

Here is a list of wellness approaches and prevention facts that may help set the tone for a brain healthy year.

1. Keep socially engaged. Make sure you are going out regularly and keeping up with your family either through e-mail, letters, phone calls and planned reunions. Your friends also need the same attention. Giving attention certainly helps you receive in kind.
2. Eat healthy food, fruits, vegetables, proteins. Practice good nutrition. Understand what is best for your brain. Eat plenty of fish, vegetables and avoid fatty and friend foods. Clogging those veins prevents adequate blood supply to your brain.
3. Keep your immune system healthy. Treat yourself well, get at least 8 hours of sleep daily, and recognize any depression and deal with it with your physician, eat healthy.
4. Lower your blood pressure. Work on taking your BP medicine daily, eat less salt, lose weight if necessary, and exercise regularly.
5. Do brain health and memory activities. Find word puzzles and do them frequently. Play word games such as Scrabble, puzzles, play memory word games, and matching pictures.
6. Physical activity—at least 30 minutes each day. This can be walking, cleaning house, sweeping the carpet, walking the steps, and chair exercises. These 30 minutes can be divided into 10 minute increments.
7. Treat Depression. Prolonged depression and untreated depression places a burden on your brain. It causes memory impairment.
8. Treat pain and chronic pain. Remember medications can cause forgetfulness and problems with ambulation.
9. Play card games. Fish, bridge, matching colors, solitaire and hearts. Play trivia, and how something is the same and different.
10. Establish good relationships that consist of a give and take. Allow yourself time with your friends.
11. Practice being happy and laugh frequently. Read the comics, get books that you enjoy and bring laughter into your life.
12. Stay mentally challenged. Attend adult education classes. Renew your interest in old hobbies. Learn how to do new things. All of these activities demonstrate help you prevent memory loss. Formal lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s.
13. Practice good weight management. Having a thicker middle increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s’ disease. Belly fat in particular may be bad for the brain.
14. Work at a job which keeps your mind sharp into old age. The more complex the job, the better the memory and thinking skills held up after retirement. Retirement may not be for everyone.
15. Avoid a routine that keeps everything the same. For instance, Drive different ways to the market, friend’s houses’ and the malls.
16. Keep your Cholesterol in check. Keeps TRACK of the numbers. High numbers can create and does increase clogging of veins in the brain.
17. Pass the fish. If you like fish such as tuna, salmon and other types of oily fish may help to lower the risk of memory decline and stroke. Avoid fried fish.
18. Learn the computer. Surf the web for new information and ways of doing new games etc.This helps your brain to be involved in decision –making and complex reasoning.
19. Ask you primary physician to check vitamin levels—Vitamin D and B12, Check your Thyroid functioning.
20. Keep important phone numbers in your memory and on occasion test yourself. Change your pass codes monthly and memorize them and do always keep a cheat sheet.
21. Avoid falls and hitting your head as you age. Make sure your balance is okay and your house is safe. This includes throw rugs being picked up, having grab bars in the bathroom, good lighting and using it. Watch the steps-Highlight with red and yellow tape at the start and finish of the steps. Do not carry too much at one time.
22. Remember memory impairment is not part of normal aging. See your physician and tell him what is going on.
23. Keeping your heart healthy will keep your brain healthy. What is good for the heart is good for the brain.
24. Managing risk factors may delay or prevent cognitive problems later in life.
25. Keep your wellness program going with your physician. Make sure he checks your Vitamin D, B12, Folic Acid, and Thyroid functioning. Dysfunction in any of these areas can cause memory problems.

Elderly Driving

Awareness of age -related changes and compensation for them can keep you driving safely.

Accidents increase with age.  From 60 to 70 the accidents increase the more that elderly drivers are on the road.  This statistic gets higher after the age of 75 according to the American Geriatric Society.  The functions essential to safe driving deteriorate with age, such as visual acuity, hearing, and reaction time.  This does not mean that all senior citizen drivers should hand in the keys.

Keep in mind that medical conditions and the numbers of medications taken can both increase the risks for accidents for the senior driver.  But, you can remain safe on the road by understanding how age-related changes effect your driving abilities.  And of course,  do not use alcohol prior to driving.

The following strategies can help the senior cope with the challenges of driving as he/or she ages.

1.  Be aware of your own limitations. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

2. Get yearly visual and hearing screenings. Wearing the corrective devices will increase the seniors safety and others on the roadways.

3.  Pay Attention to other risks such as snow storms and other poor weather conditions.  These include fog, ice,  eating, drinking  or use of a cell phone. Seniors need to focus their full attention on the road.

4. Always Drive the posted speed limit.  Driving to fast or slow is dangerous.

5. Do take a refresher driver safety class.  Know the rules of the road.

Following these simple steps can go a long way in making elderly driving much safer for everyone on the road, and keeping senior citizens behind the wheel while maintaining independent living.