Author: healthprofessionalradio

It’s a fact that while most seniors claim that they would prefer to age in their own homes, living alone can lead to loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Our seniors account for more than a quarter of the population, and it’s up to all of us, especially family members, to ensure that they are well cared for and living their best golden years.

Depression and loneliness in seniors are real problems. Many seniors that live alone have gone through the devastating loss of their spouses and dealing with family members that have moved away from the area. This leaves many seniors on their own most of the time and in desperate need of companionship and purpose.

As we age, our circle of family and friends often shrinks, leaving us fewer opportunities to connect with the ones that we love. Finding purposeful activities that can help seniors to maintain an active social life, like keeping a weekly appointment at a favorite salon like Lux Hair Lounge, is essential. Let’s take a closer look at a few ways we can help seniors fight loneliness.

Regular Appointments

Having a consistent schedule of appointments to look forward to can be helpful in keeping seniors feeling purposeful. Adding regular meetings, classes, hair appointments, or gathering with friends to a weekly calendar can help seniors to set goals and plan their time with enthusiasm.

Mentoring

The wisdom and experience of our seniors are not something that we should take for granted. Our seniors have a vast amount of knowledge and skills that can be usefully passed on to the next generation. Many seniors are willing to share their expertise through mentoring programs. Sharing knowledge or training doesn’t have to take on a formal arrangement to be a healthy outlet for seniors. Whether seniors want to volunteer to share their skills or simply pass on their knowledge to a junior family member, becoming a mentor can be very satisfying for everyone involved.

Volunteering

Seniors have time to give to others. One of the best ways for seniors to connect with others and feel useful is by volunteering their time and effort on behalf of others. Countless organizations are always looking for volunteers. Setting up a volunteering schedule for your senior family members can help them stay motivated, give them a chance to connect regularly with others, and give them time to help others.

Education

You are never too old to learn something new. Seniors have plenty of time to dedicate to learning and expanding their education. Educational institutes have special tuition rates and class arrangements for senior students who wish to broaden their education.

Community

Most towns have a community center with programs that are specifically designed for seniors. Daily and weekly programs are an excellent way for seniors to gather with their friends, learn something new, and stay connected to their community. Talk to your community center about their senior program schedule.

Isolation and loneliness are real problems that are facing our seniors. Follow some of these tips to help your family seniors stay connected, engaged, and happy.

Joe Landolina is CEO and co-founder of Cresilon, a Brooklyn-based biotechnology company that develops, manufactures, and markets hemostatic medical devices utilizing the company’s proprietary gel technology. The company’s technology has revolutionized the current standard of care in hemostasis and wound treatment with product lines targeting both the human and animal health markets. Cresilon’s mission is to save lives.

Dr. Hamid Khoja, Chief Scientific Officer at FibroBiologics, a regenerative medicine company developing treatment for chronic diseases using fibroblasts, talks about what fibroblasts are and how it could replace stem cell technology.  The company’s indication of focus is multiple sclerosis and their fibroblast technology has demonstrated the ability to remyelinate nerve cells in pre-clinical studies. Small human efficacy studies have thus far demonstrated that treatment with fibroblasts helps improve the cognition and finger dexterity of MS patients. 

Anthony “Sully” Sullivan has made a living selling products first at county fairs and then on television as the “OxiClean Guy” and more, but his life took a detour from his television career when his daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder and needed an alternative to prescription medication which robbed her of her personality. MONTKUSH was born out of Sully’s want and need to find alternatives to drugs for his young daughter. He has learned how to farm CBD and CBDA, the non-intoxicating chemical in the cannabis plant and MONTKUSH has received both USDA organic certification and Vermont’s organic certification. Sully began administering CBD for his daughter’s symptoms and her seizures are under control. Her weight and personality came back. He also talks about the Oregon State University study (January 2022) noting “CBDA and CBGA blocked the action of emerging variants of the virus that causes Covid-19.” Sully, in essence, has accidentally stumbled upon a natural remedy for COVID-19 with the CBDA produced at MONTKUSH. While others use high heat, chemicals, and solvents that can destroy the CBDA, MONTKUSH uses only warmth and pressure and works in concert with nature to get the best CBDA.

Everett Knight, Executive Vice President for Corporate Development and Capital Markets for The Valens Company discusses the latest developments in analytical testing, product development, manufacturing, and distribution of cannabis products. He talks about identifying the cleanest methods of cannabis ingestion, tailoring the cannabis extraction process, and what to expect from the cannabis industry in 2022.

Brook West, Chief Commercial Officer at Carrum Health discusses why telehealth is not enough to save providers, health plans, and employers from a backlog of 1 million MSK surgeries delayed due to COVID-19, and how to effectively implement surgical appropriateness through value-based Centers of Excellence as part of the solution – delivering quality, less expensive care. 

David Hunt, Founder and President at Cosán discusses the company’s mission in supporting successful aging in place for older adults through preventative care management services and technology-enabled services. Cosan’s chronic care management and behavioral health integration platforms, including voiceBOTs able to recognize voice anomalies signaling signs of depression and bed sensors that monitor heart rate, allow care teams to keep patients well, and in the home, while avoiding negative events that lead to hospitalization. Cosán’s chronic care management suite includes these remote technologies as well as a dedicated team of hybrid care coordinators that simplify the aging process. 

Dr. Nadeem Dhanani, MD, MPH, Medical Director of Urology at Modernizing Medicine ® discusses their platform, telehealth, and how it can be used to improve certain practice aspects. He talks about all-in-one systems and how they can streamline workflow and efficacy, improve patient engagement, especially among younger patients, and use the power of data to identify appropriate people for clinical studies, population health, etc. 

Dr. Jonathan Chen, MD, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Cardiac Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) discusses congenital heart disease (CHD) and the advances in prenatal diagnosis and imaging that have allowed for early treatment for babies with birth defects like CHD. He covers several options that are improving treatment for children with heart disease and how, now, innovations in prosthetic valve repair and replacement can also provide less invasive treatment options.