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Articles by Keri Pollock
Untreated Vision and Hearing Loss: Modifiable Lifestyle Factors That Could Reduce Your Risk of Dementia
This is the second article in a series that explores the 14 modifiable lifestyle factors identified by the Lancet Commission that could reduce your risk of dementia. Click here to read about how physical activity benefits your brain (and heart). Two frequently overlooked conditions – vision loss and hearing loss – are risk factors for dementia that are common, easy to screen for, and potentially treatable.
Physical Inactivity: A Modifiable Lifestyle Factor That Could Reduce Your Risk of Dementia
As we grow older, dementia is often one of the primary health concerns people have. Research shows that dementia has surpassed cancer as the most feared condition. We still don’t know what causes many dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, but studies continue to provide evidence of modifiable risk factors across the lifespan that could potentially prevent or delay the progress of nearly half of dementia cases.
Say No to New Year’s Resolutions: Try This Instead
Does this sound familiar? It’s a new year. You sit down and thoughtfully write a list of resolutions: Lose 20 pounds by June. Go vegan. Take yoga classes twice a week. Organize the garage. Reserve one hour each day for reading. Stop cussing! I love lists Lists keep me focused. Lists help me prioritize projects and meet deadlines. They keep me on budget when I shop for groceries. My lists are lifesavers. The one list that doesn’t help, however, is my annual list of New Year’s resolutions.
Caregiving, Burnout, and the Art of Repair
November is National Family Caregivers Month My friend Betsy Fitzgerald, care partner to a lung transplant survivor with metastatic cancer, recently shared an update: “I’ve been mending my life, Kintsugi, patching broken pieces together. It is not easy; some pieces are sharp edged, some not quite fitting, some missing. We do the best we can.” Her role as a care partner comes with recognizing the need for self-care.
Medication Safety Tips
Using medications and supplements appropriately optimizes their efficacy. Taking them as prescribed also helps avoid unwanted side effects and interactions. Whether you’re managing prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, or herbal remedies for yourself or an older adult in your care, these four tips will help you manage medications properly and optimize safety. Why is attention to medication safety so important as we get older?
Prioritize exercise, vision, and honest conversations
It's Falls Prevention Week, an opportunity to refresh our knowledge of falls risk and how best to prevent them. Why is this important? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the most common reason for visits to the emergency department (ED), as well as the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older Americans. More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls. This should give us all pause.
Senior Centers are More Relevant than Ever
Tai Chi. Spanish conversation. Tie-dye workshop. Forest therapy guided walks. Community dining. Line dancing. Haircuts. Social media class. Needle arts. Memory loss program. Zumba. Scrabble. Song Circle. Jewelry making. Caregivers support group. Computer lab. Watercolor painting. Pinochle. Foot care. Yoga. Men's Group. Medicare counseling. Mah Jongg. Dental hygiene clinic. Improv. Ukelele song group. Book club. Acupuncture...and more! Where are all these programs, activities, events, and services happening?
Thriving in Later Life
Based on writings by Dr. Kerry Burnight for The Guardian and Nancy K. Schlossberg for USA Today (Burnight's piece is adapted from her book Joyspan, Worthy Books/Hachette Book Group. Schlossberg is author of Revitalizing Retirement, published by the American Psychological Association.) Aging is inevitable, but how we experience it is anything but uniform. Dr. Kerry Burnight and Dr. Nancy K.
The Village Movement
"When we decide to ask for help, it doesn't mean we no longer play a role in our own well-being. Getting the help we need allows us to do what we can without being at risk. It means we have created new networks of connection and relationship. It might well mean we discover creative and other outlets for ourselves when we no longer have to worry about doing the things we no longer can, or want to, do ourselves." -Rebecca Crichton, Executive Director of the Northwest Center for Creative Aging.
Father's Day and the Power of Story
It's unlikely the name Sonora Smart Dodd rings any bells, but she is credited with the founding of Father's Day. As a result of her work, the first Father's Day was held on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington. On Father's Day we can celebrate all dads, be they biological dads, stepdads, uncles, brothers, adopted dads, mentors, coaches, and other important people in our lives. One of my favorite ways to celebrate and honor those who have made an impact is through story.
Why Words Matter
"The first myth is that old age is a disease, a terrible disease that you never admit you've got, so you lie about your age. Well, it's not a disease-it's a triumph. Because you've survived. Failure, disappointment, sickness, loss-you're still here."- Gray Panthers founder Maggie Kuhn Words have power. They influence how we think and act. They can create labels, misperceptions, and misrepresentations. They can also shape our understanding in meaningful and positive ways.
It's no joke, laughter is good medicine
"I was greatly elated by the discovery that there is a physiologic basis for the ancient theory that laughter is good medicine," wrote Norman Cousins. A life bereft of humor and laughter is inconceivable to me. Through ups, downs, and the day to day, I find comfort, insight, and resilience through humor. I'm drawn to laughter.
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