Why Your Knees Buckle

  Knee buckling — and even the feeling that one’s knee might buckle — is common among older adults. Studies show that nearly 12% of adults between 36 and 94 reported at least one episode of knee buckling within the last three months. Since the age range included in these studies was relatively large, the…

Read More

Do You Know the Facts about Flu Vaccines? Take Our Quiz and Find Out.

It’s flu season. See if you know what’s true and what’s false about the flu vaccine. 1.      You only need a flu shot once. False. Every year, a different strain of flu is dominant, and therefore every year the flu shot is different. You need to get the flu vaccine every year. 2.      Only people…

Read More

Best Treatments for Alzheimer’s-Related Agitation

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness month. We at Atlantic Coast Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center would like to use this opportunity to bring you information about an aspect of the disease that, while common, gets little press. Agitation is one of the most common symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s. It is not only an issue…

Read More

Midlife Hypertension Adds to Dementia Risk

Research studies have provided clear evidence that high blood pressure (hypertension) significantly increases an individual’s risk of developing dementia. And since nearly one-third of adults in the United States has high blood pressure, and 5 million Americans currently suffer from dementia, these studies have highlighted the importance of gaining a greater understanding of the relationship…

Read More

Aromatherapy Proven to Reduce Anxiety

In 2015, the World Health Organization estimated that anxiety disorders affect approximately 6.3% of individuals in the United States. This is an issue of special concern for seniors because anxiety affects a disproportionate percentage of elderly people, particularly those with Alzheimer’s disease. Anxiety disorders are treated with any of a variety of anti-anxiety drugs, benzodiazepines…

Read More

5 Ways the Effects of Medicines Change as You Age

If you’ve been taking medication for a chronic condition, you might find that once you pass age 65, it doesn’t work the same way it did when you first started it. You might also find that you suddenly  develop side effects from a medication that never gave you problems before. Why would this happen? The…

Read More

Blood Pressure and Dementia are Connected

People tend to categorize diseases by which of the bodies systems they affect: there are heart diseases, such as such as arrhythmias and coronary artery disease; there are cancers; there are cognitive diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. But the truth is that the body is a giant system, and a disease that seems to fall in…

Read More

Ulcerative Colitis in the Elderly

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the large intestine, also known as the colon. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease comprise Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). While most people with ulcerative colitis first have symptoms in their 20s, the second most common time to be diagnosed is between the ages of 50 and…

Read More

The Dangers of Polypharmacy

Polypharmacy is the use of five or more medications, and is associated with a number of health risks, including adverse drug reactions, falls, and poor compliance with medical advice. Polypharmacy is a special risk in the older population, since seniors account for a disproportionate use 3of prescription and over-the-counter medication. As people live longer, they…

Read More

Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: What’s the Difference?

Your heart rate, also known as your pulse, refers to the number of times your heart beats per minute. Your blood pressure, on the other hand, is a measure of how forcefully your blood flows through your veins. If you think these two measures are the same, you’re not alone. But you’re not correct, either.…

Read More