Category Archives for Health & Wellness

The Best of…Lifestyle Change is Effective Way to Fight Cancer

Published October 22, 2001

           Although cancer deaths in Rhode Island are among the highest in the nation, we ultimately do have control to reduce the incidence of this devastating disease, say state health experts.

           According to John Fulton, associate director of the Rhode Island’s Department of Health, cancer-related deaths last year in the Ocean State topped 2,500.  With its urban setting, Rhode Island’s listing as one of the top 10 states for cancer death was not a surprising to Fulton.  In an urban setting, he says a person’s lifestyle might include an unbalanced diet, little physical exercise, use of tobacco and a heavier use of alcohol, all contributing factors to the state having the higher incidence of cancer.

          Seniors can take more control of their health and well-being to reduce the probability of being afflicted with cancer.  By just avoiding many of the high-risk factors for cancer and by living a healthier lifestyle, or through early detection by screening and treatment, Rhode Islanders of all ages can stave off or successfully survive cancer’s devastating effects, says Fulton.

          He recommends all older persons schedule a check up every year with their primary care physician. Balanced diets are important, too, he says especially with meals including large portions of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Don’t forget regular physical activity, such as walking for at least 20 to 30 minutes.  At annual checkups, always ask your physician if it’s time for your mammogram, pap test, or sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.  Finally, do not use any type of tobacco because it causes at least four out of 10 cancers in Rhode Island.

           Being diagnosed with cancer does not always translate into a death sentence, says Dr. Arvin S. Glicksman, who serves as the executive director of the Rhode Island Cancer Council.  The private nonprofit group, funded by the Rhode Island General Assembly, serves as an information and referral source for those needing cancer-related information, along with providing educational programming to the public and health care professionals.

         “Breast cancer incidence is much higher for women age 65 and over than for younger women,” he states. “While 80 percent of women of all ages get      mammograms, less than 50 percent of those age 65 and over have regular mammograms.”

         “When detected earl breast cancer is over 90 percent curable,” Glicksman says.  But somehow older woman do not avail themselves of this important test, even with Medicare paying  for the annual mammograms in women age 65 and over and with 45 mammography centers located throughout the state, he adds.

       According to Dr. Glicksman, colorectal cancer kills more men and women in Rhode Island than either breast cancer or prostate cancer.  Again, preventative screening is important because even if early cancer has already developed , it is 90 percent curable too, if caught early,” he adds.

       “With testing we do for cervix cancer and colon rectum cancer we can actually detect the problems before the cells become cancerous,” Dr. Glicksman says.  “In these cancers we are actually preventing the cancer before it even starts by removing precancerous lesions.”

          Meanwhile, only a few of the 39 municipalities in Rhode Island have created Cancer Task Forces to bring cancer-related educational, screening programs and activities to their residents.

          “The City of Pawtucket has the most well-developed program,” Glicksman says.  Recognizing the important of early preventative screenings, he notes that the city allowed all full-time employees up to four hours of paid time away from work for one preventative cancer screening appointment performed by a licensed physician.  Those requiring additional time for cancer screenings are allowed to use their sick time for this purpose.

         No miraculous wonder drugs or startling medical techniques are necessary to combat cancer, Dr. Glicksman states.  The cancer care rate can rise to more than 75 percent by using the medical techniques, treatments and medications now available, combined with early prevention screenings and lifestyle changes.

        Herb Weiss is a Pawtucket-based  freelance writer covering aging, health care and medical issues. The article was published in the October 22, 2001 issue of the Pawtucket Times.  He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.

The Best of…Sexuality Continues Throughout Life

Published August 21, 2001, Pawtucket Times

          Many seniors consider sexuality a very private matter.

          But just after the wonder pill Viagra hit the pharmacy shelves across the nation in the late 1990s, sexuality in later life became literally the talk of the town.

          From articles in daily newspapers to late night talk show monologues, to conversations with family and friends — we talked openly about sex, may be just joking about the miraculous powers of the little blue pill with the intent to relieve our own personal discomfort of the taboo topic.  But Viagra was not a joke to tens of thousands of older persons who were able to become sexually active again.

        But even today, this writer still hears snickers from some readers who believe that seniors are asexual, and that six is of no interest to them in the twilight years of their lives.  It’s a myth, experts say, their observations supported by two nationally released research studies that indicate that sexual intimacy between seniors is alive and well in the United States and still important to those in their later years.

       Don’t believe in the misconceptions and stereotypes that older people are asexual beings and that a person’s sexual needs quickly evaporate after they reach age 50, says Tamara Kreinin, president of the New York-based Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.

       “People are sexual beings throughout their lives,” Kreinin stated, adding that sexuality is a natural and healthy part of a person’s life.

        Seniors do enjoy sex in their later years and it can enhance a relationship and bring couples closer, Kreinin noted.  “You must not view sexuality as just intercourse,” she warns, because it has a wide-range of behaviors.

       For Instance, touch can be an important part of a person’s life.  Sexuality can also range from an embrace, a kiss, to intercourse, Kreinin added.

       Adds Kreinin, today’s culture is focused on youth and sexuality but for many older people their sexual pleasure has increased over the years because they have become more comfortable with themselves and their intimate relationships.

      According to Dr. David Kroessler, a geriatric psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor at Brown University in Providence, one’s sexuality is an integral part of human behavior.

       “Sexuality activity does not stop after you’re 50,” Dr. Kroessler says, noting that this can sometimes be news to a low of people. “Younger people tend to think that sex is just for the young and they just can’t imagine their grandparents in their early 80s having sex.  It’s not expected,” he noted, adding that many seniors in their later years, especially males, still have a strong sex drive.

     “If someone is asexual as a younger person, they don’t develop into a more sexually promiscuous person when they become older,” Dr. Kroessler said.  A person’s style of sexual behavior tends to remain constant throughout the life span, he says.  “If sex is not frequent when you’re younger, it will definitely be less frequent when you are older.”

      What does the national research tell us about sexuality and seniors?

      According to 1 1998 National Council on Aging (NCOA) research study, half of Americans age 60 and older report that they are sexuality active, while four in ten want sex more frequently.  The random NCOA survey of 1,300 older Americans was conducted by Roper Sarch Worldwide.

       The NCOA study also found that men and women in their 60s are more sexually active than Americans in the 70s (71 percent of men vs. 51 percent of women in their 60s, 57 percent of men vs. 30 percent of their women in their 70s).

        The survey results revealed that more older men than  women said they are sexually active: 61 percent of men and 37 percent of women. This gap results, in large part, from the longer life expectancy of women, the researchers say.  Older women are more likely to be widowed and no longer have a partner.  The higher ratio of women to men increases with age.

      Meanwhile, the researchers said that sexual activity continues to play an important role in relationships among older men and women.

       Among those respondents who said they are sexually active, 79 percent of older men and 66 percent of older women said that maintaining an active sex life is an important aspect of  their relationship with their partner.  When asked about the emotional satisfaction they get from their sex life, 74 percent of the sexually active men and 70 percent of the active women said they are as satisfied or even more satisfied than they were in their 40s.

        While more than half of all respondents said they engaged in sexual activity less than once a month, 54 percent of these men and 26 percent of the women said they would like to have sex more often.

        While sex is viewed as important, so is romance, researchers say.  Nine out of 10 respondents identified a high moral character, a pleasant personality, a good sense of humor, and intelligence as important qualities in a partner.

       In addition, a 1999  AARP Modern Maturity survey revealed that Americans age 45-plus have not lost that “loving feeling.”

       The mail survey was sent to 1,384 adults aged 45 and older in March of 1999 by National Family Opinion Research (NFO), Inc.  This was the first time that the national publication had devoted virtually an entire issue to sex and relationships.  The AARP study also dispels the myth that seniors are not interested in sexual intimacy.

        In terms of frequency, among those with sexual partners, the researchers found that more than 62 percent of men ages 45-59 and 64 percent of women ages 45-54 reported that they engage in sexual intercourse once a week or more, as do more than a quarter of those 75 and older (26 percent for men and 24 percent of women).

       More than seven-in-10 of those with partners (72 percent for men and 75 percent for women) stated that they engaged in intercourse at least once a month.

       Additionally, the AARP study found that older persons are finding their partners more physically attractive over time.  Going against the popular “youth-oriented” culture, the number of people who view their partners as romantic and-or physically attractive does not decline with age.  It may actually increase, the study said. Sixty percent of men aged 45-59 gave their partners the highest possible ratings for physical attractiveness.

       With the graying of America’s population, it is now time to bring senior sexuality out of the closet.  We must accept the fact that sexuality continues throughout the human life-span, and encompasses more than just intimate sexual intercourse.  It also includes cuddling, a tender kiss, a light touch on the shoulder, or holding hands.

      A well-known song, “As Time Goes By,” reminds us sexuality is to be experienced by both young and old. “You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh, the fundamental things apply, as time goes by.”

      For a bibliography list on sexuality and aging go to www.siecus.org.

      Herb Weiss is a Pawtucket-based freelance writer covering aging, health care and medical issues.   This article was published in the August 21, 2001 issue of the Pawtucket Times.

Senior must beware of heat, humidity

Published in Pawtucket Times on August 13, 2001

Temperatures reaching the mid-90s, combined with high humidity represent a serious health hazard for seniors.  But many seniors are heeding the advice of experts, gleaned from radio and newspaper articles, about how to cope with the scorching summer heat.

As to the heat wave, “we can’t control it but we certainly can deal with it,” says Pawtucket resident Paul Audette, who notes he has learned how to cope by listening to health experts.

The 71-year old senior staff manager at Pawtucket-based Providence Metalizing has consciously slowed down his activities, is drinking plenty of liquids and is staying out of the hot sun.

During the heat wave, Audette relaxed in the afternoon and goes out later in the evening when it becomes cooler.

Rep. Mabel Anderson, (District 77) also heeds the advice of health experts on radio programs and is coping well with the intense summer heat.

“I stay quiet, avoid going outside to run errands,” says the Pawtucket resident, noting that she drinks plenty of water to keep from becoming dehydrated. 

Anderson’s son, Jon, has also installed an air conditioner in her bedroom.  With three overhead fans in other rooms, Anderson keeps cool and comfortable.

Seniors, small children and the mentally ill are the most susceptible to health problems from the searing summer heat wavers, according to Dr. Patricia Nolan, director of Rhode Island’s Department of Health.

According the Nolan, the early systems of heat-related illnesses include muscle cramps in arms, hands, abdomen and legs.  Muscle cramps are a result of dehydration and salt loss, this being one of the primary problems associated with heat stress.

Additionally, Nolan says that fainting in the heat is another early symptom.

A person who has fainted due to heat should be taken to a cool place and refreshed using a wet cool cloth.  Nolan recommends, “You want to sponge people down and fan them to reduce their body heat,” she says.

Heat exhaustion or heat stroke is a more serious problem related to dehydration caused from high temperatures, Nolan stated.  Feelings of complete exhaustion, confusion, nausea or vomiting are real danger signs, she said.  Treatment involves bringing down the victim’s body temperature by adding fluids through intravenous methods.

To successfully beat the heat, Nola recommends that seniors cut back on outside physical activity and drink plenty of water.

While water is the best fluid to drink on a hot day fruit juice can be considered a viable substitute.  “Cooling off with a cold beer is not the best plan, “Nolan says, because alcohol, coffee tea and soda, loaded with caffeine, can dehydrate you.

Nolan warns that with temperatures in the mid-90s, staying indoors in an uncooled house or apartment is not the best thing for seniors to do.

“Go to an air-conditioned shopping mall, see a movie, visit a restaurant, or get yourself into an air-conditioned space.” She recommends. “If you can do this for an hour on a really hot day you can protect yourself from serious heat-related problems”.

Sometimes seniors get into trouble during days with high temperatures because they just don’t realize the danger, Nolan notes.

During these days it becomes important to monitor your elderly parent or older friends, she says, “Call on them every day to make sure they are coping with the heat.  Take them out to a cool place, like shopping mall, a library or a restaurant to let them cool off.”