HEALTH & WELLNESS S P E C I A L S E C T I O N
and judgment, and visual perception. At least two of the
aforementioned symptoms must be severely impaired to
indicate signs of dementia. Usually the signs and symptoms
are progressive and get worse over time. If caught early by
a health care professional, some symptoms can be treated.
One of the most common types of dementia is Alzheimer’s
disease.
Alzheimer’s accounts for 60 to 80 percent of all dementia
cases. It causes severe problems with daily tasks that involve
memory, thinking and behavior. It is not a normal part of
aging, but the greatest known risk factor is increasing age
since the disease is progressive. While it is most common
in people over the age of 65, younger-onset Alzheimer’s is
found in five percent of people as young as their 40s.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, evidence shows
that incorporating the following habits will keep you fit both
physically and mentally:
• Heart Health – Obesity, high blood pressure and
diabetes—all risk factors for cardiovascular disease—
negatively impact your cognitive health. Cardiovascular
activity increases blood flow to the brain and body,
reducing the risk of cognitive decline.
• Helmet Up! – Brain injury is one of the leading causes of
dementia and cognitive decline. Play it smart and always
wear a helmet to protect from brain injury.
• Sleep Tight – Have you ever stayed up late, only to find
you’re forgetful and mentally lethargic the next day? Not
getting enough sleep can result in lower brain function,
affecting memory and thinking.
• Be a Social Butterfly – Staying active with friends and
loved ones may support brain health as well. A recent
study from the Women’s Healthy Aging Project found
that babysitting grandchildren could lower the risk of
Alzheimer’s.
• Challenge Yourself – Enjoy crossword puzzles or
painting? Keep your brain challenged by doing something
new each day, whether it is learning a new language, doing
a jigsaw puzzle or reading a book!
Eye and Ear Health
Hearing and vision are two essential parts of our everyday
lives. Yet there are many individuals who let ear and eye
problems go unattended. Ear and eye health is equally as
important as taking care of the rest of the body and should be
well maintained to ensure many years of seeing and hearing
the things you love.
Eye Health
It is important to visit your eye care professional once a
year for a comprehensive eye exam. Although you may think
you are seeing fine, issues may be lurking without any warning
signs. During a yearly visit, your pupils will be dilated, or
widened, so that your eye care professional can examine the
back of the eye for damage or disease. It is important to know
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angle of the eye, evaluating the health of the optic nerve and
testing the visual field of each eye. Depending on the type
and severity of the disease, glaucoma can be treated through
eye drops, medication or surgery.
• Cataracts: A cataract affects vision by clouding the lens of the
eye. Chances of cataracts increase greatly with age, with more
than half of all Americans either having a cataract or having
had cataract surgery by the age of 80. People in their 40s and
50s can have cataracts, but they are typically small and do not
affect vision. Cataracts are detected by blurred vision, faded
colors, glare from headlights or lamps, poor night vision,
double vision, or frequent prescription changes in eyeglasses
or contact lenses. Early detection can improve cataracts
through new eyeglasses, anti-glare sunglasses or brighter
lighting. Surgery can also be done to remove the cloudy lens
and replace it with an artificial lens.
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): One of the
common but lesser known eye conditions is AMD. A leading
cause of vision loss among people 50 years of age and older,
AMD affects the macula, the millions of light-sensing cells
that provide your eye with sharp, central vision. Age is a major
risk factor for developing AMD, with most cases occurring
after the age of 60. Genetics, race, and smoking can also
affect risk for AMD. A comprehensive eye exam can detect
it through dilation and testing. Your eye care professional
will look for yellow deposits beneath the retina to determine
whether you have AMD. Intermediate and late AMD can be
treated with daily intake of vitamins and minerals that can
slow the progression of the disease. Therapy and surgery can
also be considered for types of advanced neovascular AMD,
which typically results in severe vision loss, to stop further
progression.
Hearing Loss and Prevention
It is common for hearing loss to occur as you age. According to
the Mayo Clinic, about 25 percent of people in the United States
between the ages of 55 and 64 have some degree of hearing loss,
increasing to one in two people by age 65 and older. Chronic
exposure to loud noises and aging are the two main causes of
hearing loss, resulting in the perception of muffled speech from
others, difficulty understanding words, frequent requests for
others to repeat themselves, loud volume on the television or
radio, and avoidance of social settings.
Hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear,
infection in the ear, or ruptured eardrum. Damage to the inner
ear can happen with age, or constant exposure to loud noises
over an extended period of time. These cause wear on the nerve
cells in the cochlea that send sound to the brain. When they
are damaged, signals aren’t transmitted as effectively, causing
loss of hearing. Heredity, aging, occupational and recreational
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your family’s eye health history as well, since some conditions
are hereditary. Some of the most common eye diseases include
diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, and age-related macular
degeneration (AMD).
• Diabetic Retinopathy: This type 1 or type 2 diabetes
complication is caused by damage to blood vessels in the
retina, the light-sensitive tissues in the back of the eye. If
left untreated, diabetic retinopathy could cause blindness.
Early stages of this condition may go unnoticed if an eye care
professional is not visited yearly. As the condition progresses,
symptoms may include blurred vision, impaired color vision,
floaters, and/or dark areas in your vision. Symptoms may
occur if there is too much sugar in your blood, which can cause
a blockage in the blood vessels that lead to the retina. Proper
management of diabetes is the best way to prevent vision loss.
• Glaucoma: The second leading cause of blindness, glaucoma
is a group of diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve. The
risk of developing glaucoma increases with age and if parents
or siblings have the disease. During an eye exam, glaucoma can
be detected by measuring eye pressure, inspecting the drainage
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