Help With Spine Pain Relief

Most seniors want to remain in their homes as long as possible.  For some, pain and/or soreness in the spine, especially after prolonged standing, make doing so harder.  Normal aging does have associated aches and pains, but is there any other way to treat these without prescription drugs?

There may well be another way.  UCLA researchers have discovered that a diet enriched with a popular omega-3 fatty acid and an ingredient in curry spice helps to preserve walking ability in rats that have experienced damage to their spinal cords.  The findings, published June 26, 2012 in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, suggest that these dietary supplements help repair nerve cells and maintain neurological function after degenerative damage to the neck.

“Normal aging often narrows the spinal canal, putting pressure on the spinal cord and injuring tissue,” said principal investigator Dr. Langston Holly, associate professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “While surgery can relieve the pressure and prevent further injury, it can’t repair damage to the cells and nerve fibers. We wanted to explore whether dietary supplementation could help the spinal cord heal itself.”

The studied simulated cervical myelopathy — a progressive disorder that often occurs in people with spine-weakening conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.   Cervical myelopathy is the most common spine-related walking problem for people over 55, and it can lead to disabling neurological symptoms, such as difficulty walking, neck and arm pain, hand numbness and weakness of the limbs.

 

What are these specific supplements? DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid shown to repair damage to cell membranes. Curcumin is a compound in turmeric, an Indian curry spice, and it is a strong antioxidant that previous studies have linked to tissue repair. Both reduce inflammation. “Our findings suggest that diet can help minimize disease-related changes and repair damage to the spinal cord,” Dr. Holly said.  The study did not suggest specific amounts of the supplements.

Ask your doctor about the possibility of taking these two dietary supplements.  Taking these supplements may offer millions of seniors some relief from cervical myelopathy and other spinal damage.

Rachel Carson is a Certified Senior Advisor and owner of Home Instead Senior Care, serving the Lowcountry since 1997.  

Home Is the Place to Be

As we age, if we plan to remain in our homes, we must prepare and anticipate possible needs. Besides mobility and safety issues, think about other problematic areas, i.e. how and where things should be stored or how to make food and meal preparation easier.  Small things that make life easier need to be considered. A Physical or Occupational therapist or Certified Aging in Place Specialist can help.  Here are some things to consider:

Bedroom:
Alarm Clock –One with large controls, big numbers or possibly projects on the ceiling.

Bed – Is there enough space to move around it easily? Height? 

Rugs –Avoid using area rugs or attach the rug to the floor. Avoid thick rugs.
Closet – Install bi-fold doors and place items at eye level.

Bathroom:
Bath/Shower – Use non-slip mat. Use bath products in easy-to-handle plastic containers.  Install a thermostat-controlled faucet and grab bars in bath and at toilet.   Use a bath/shower chair and a hand-held shower.
Floor – Use mats that have a non-skid backing.
Toilet – Install a “comfort” height (taller) toilet or use a raised toilet seat.

Kitchen:
Cupboards/ drawers – Place the most frequently used plates, cups, and cookware within easy reach or in drawers below counter level. Place heavy items at eye level or in a pull-out pantry. Use larger handles and knobs for cabinets and drawers.
Kitchen sink – Place a shock-absorbing rubber mat on the bottom. Install a mixer-tap with thermostat control.
Microwave – Choose a model that has touch-sensitive controls or soft-notched buttons.  A drawer model reduces the risk of injury.

Living room:
Armchairs –Chairs with firm cushions or an electric seat lift chair.

Remote control – Consider a universal remote that has large buttons; some are illuminated.
Lamps – Use lamps that won’t easily tip over. Touch-sensitive lamps are easier to use.

Telephone –Use a cordless, allowing unlimited movement and reducing trips.

Other:                                                                                                                                                         Stairs – Light the entire stairwell and clearly mark where stairs begin and end.  Bannisters should run the full length on both sides.
Hallways/corridors – Large, illuminated light switches or motion-detector lights. Install hand rails if needed.

Doors – Mark thresholds with a strip of brightly-colored tape or paint. Use standard lever handles on both interior and exterior doors.
Alarms – Use a personal emergency response system. Many home alarm systems also include this at no additional cost.  Home alarm systems should have a remote to activate/deactivate the system. Washing machine/dryer – Select front loading machines. Get models that have touch-sensitive control panels, or controls with large knobs.

Door – Use an electric garage door opener with remote control and wall switch.

Outdoors – Shubbery trimmed near doorway.  Level walkways.  Motion detector flood lights. Bannisters on both sides of steps.

Rachel Carson is the owner of Home Instead Senior Care and a retired Physical Therapist.

Avoiding Family Conflict When Caring for a Parent

Family caregiving can be stressful under any circumstances.  Family conflicts may occur when the parent and siblings have not discussed important things, such as the location of documents, i.e., wills, powers of attorney (financial and health care), insurance policies, stocks/bonds/other investments, financial information (banking institutions, types of accounts, loans) and end of life scenarios determining their wishes. It is desirable to have these discussions with your parent and jointly agreeing on the most desirable course of action before a time of crisis when they may be cognitively impaired or cannot make the decision themselves. Unfortunately when adult children have not spoken to their parent or each other before such an event, they may find themselves at odds when decisions must be made quickly. 

As a parent ages questions arise such as: Where will they live? Who will be the primary caregiver? How will the workload be divided?  What if several siblings live a distance away?  How can they share the responsibility?  Based on research done by Home Instead Senior Care and the Boomer Project, in 43% of U. S. families, the primary responsibility for providing most, or all, of the care falls on one sibling- most often a daughter in her 50’s living nearby.    

How can siblings better share the care?

First – talk and listen.  90% of seniors want to remain independent at home, so know your parent’s wishes. Ask the “what if” questions. Openly communicate your understanding of their needs and wishes. 

Second - research options.  Know the in-home care providers, care communities and agencies providing other senior services where they live.

Third – plan ahead before the need arises. You can rest assured that if all are in agreement regarding the decisions you are about to make, everyone will have peace of mind.

Forth- be flexible.  The needs of seniors change as they age. Siblings should recognize each other’s skills, interests and availability and decide the role of each.

Fifth - be honest.  If you’re the primary caregiver and it’s getting to be too much, ask your siblings for help!  Be specific in stating what your needs are and how they can help.  If they are unwilling, there are quality in-home care agencies that can.

For additional information about how to begin conversations with your parent (the 40/70 Rule) or with your siblings regarding sharing the care of a parent (the 50/50 rule), visit www.caregiverstress.com.