Page 17 - Mid Valley Times 1-6-22 E-Edition

Thursday, January 6, 2022 | A17 | Mid Valley TiMes
He
Happy New Year:
What Seniors can expect in 2022
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ealth &Fitne
ealth &Fitn
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By Jim Dueck
The world has changed in the past two years primarily because of the pan- demic. There have been shortages in goods and staffing, mandates and mask- ing requirements and far too many busi- ness closures. A new phrase today is, “Pre- pandemic, we use to ........” and you can
fill in the blanks.
Work from home has exploded result- ing in less in person interaction and more technology-based communication such as face time and zoom. So how has all of this impacted seniors and what will the new normal be going forward?
Have you heard of “Hospital at Home”? This is being touted as a better alternative to actually going to the hospital in some situ- ations. Telehealth is another new technol-
ogy to replace in per- son doctor visits and many of us have al- ready experienced this when local doctor’s offices were closed because of mandates.
Over the past two years, I have had per- sonal experience with seniors who are trying to navigate Telehealth from their computers. This can work fine for individuals who are technology savvy and have good fine mo- tor skills but for many seniors with hearing loss or cognition is- sues and who are not so good on the com-
puter, it can be very frustrating at best and impossible at worst.
I helped one senior on a weekly basis last year whose computer would lock up, get stuck in a program and basically become unusable on a daily basis. This was a se- nior in her late 70’s who actually used the computer daily. She wanted to use tele- health, especially since it was the only way for her to connect to Kaiser at the time, but it became impossible for her without help from someone who
could get her comput- er working again.
This is only one of many examples where I have seen seniors
be unable to effec- tively use technology for their health care needs because of a variety of age-related health issues. I am so glad seniors living at Palm Village have an RN and other nurs- ing staff available to help them with any
of their health care needs and who can advocate for them with doctors, hospitals and insurance compa- nies in this new age of
technology.
For 2022 and the years ahead, commu- nication with doctors, hospitals and insur- ance companies will be more and more technology based and this will be difficult
to impossible for many seniors. Having health care advocates for seniors will be- come more and more important in the years to come to help them navigate the maze of electronic communi- cation that is replac- ing in person commu- nication.
The Senior STreTch
Stretching regularly can help alleviate pain, protect joints, prevent injury and maintain mobility as we age. Incorporating stretching sessions into your daily or weekly routine is a simple and effective way to enhance your health and well-being; after all, you can do it anywhere, anytime, without the need for any equipment. Here are a few tips to help seniors – or anyone – stretch safely:
• Warm up your muscles before stretching by walking or moving around for at least five minutes.
• Stretch gently and slowly, taking in a deep breath and exhaling as you stretch.
• Hold stretches for about 30 seconds, allowing muscles time to relax.
• Avoid bouncing while stretching, and never stretch to the point of pain.
Health & Fitness
runs the first week of each month
Let Your Equity Fund Your Retirement
With home sales hitting record highs, now is a great time to sell your home and move to Palm Village Retirement Community
Our
5 Levels of Care
allow you to age in the right place
We are licensed not-for-profit 501 􏰃􏰂􏰁􏰃􏰀􏰁 • COA #170 Lic.#100404809 We do Business in Accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Law
To learn more about retirement living, please visit our website
palmvillage.com, or contact
Jim Dueck at 559.638-6933
and arrange a tour of our retirement community.
Your family's health care partner.
Developing a relationship with a health care provider is the best thing you can do for your family’s long term health.
Call, text, or click to schedule an appointment:
877.960.3426 fhcn.org/providers
Call Janie Lucio to advertise
FREE Covered California enrollment help! Enroll or renew with our Certified Enrollment Counselors at:
638-2244
559.741.4366
008157
006956