There's an APP for that, too!

From previous blogs, you may know that I'm a big fan of pedometers. They are generally the least expensive piece of exercise equipment that you can purchase. I love that they give instant positive feedback, and that people of all fitness levels can use them. If you are very overweight and the thought of an exercise plan overwhelms you, get a pedometer and start with "a single step". Simply put it on, and measure your baseline steps today. Tomorrow, add on 100 steps and make that your new goal. Continue this each day until you reach a final goal of 10,000 steps per day!

Pedometers come in all shapes, sizes and prices. I prefer ones that clip on to my waistband, but obviously, that necessitates wearing clothing with a waistband! If you prefer dresses, you'll need to find a different style. They now make pedometers that look like a credit card, and you slip them into your pocket- how cool is that?

When I realized I had forgotten to bring a pedometer on my vacation, but wanted to be able to measure the distance of our hikes, my friend pulled out her iPhone and simply downloaded an APP! (Go Pedometer) Before you knew it, we were happily hiking and able to track our distance. Is it accurate? Honestly, not at first. There was some user-error, where we entered in her height incorrectly. (Okay, I'm OCD enough that I measured it against my bike odometer and even against the car odometer to be sure- but I wanted to confirm it before I recommended it!) Ultimately, it worked perfectly on me but did not accurately count her steps, though we could not figure out why.

However, the main point is not so much that you need to know exactly how far you've gone (get a GPS-based one for better accuracy on hikes), but that you need to have accurate step counts so you can appreciate how your activity is IMPROVING each day. And wear it ALL DAY, not just when you are exercising, if you are simply trying to increase your overall fitness!
BOTTOM LINE: Check out all different kinds of pedometers, including the apps for your i-everythings!

Great Family Game!

Okay, after dealing with more serious issues all week, how about a fun one? Summer is a wonderful time to focus on your family, without the constant stress of homework and packed schedules. Breaking out a deck of cards or a traditional board game can be a terrific break from the electronic world we all live in. Our family is, well, a touch competitive- yes, including the adults ;0) So, we were thrilled to find a game a that allows us all to compete equally, yet on our own level: BANANAGRAMS.

The game comes in a cute little bag shaped like a banana. It consists of alphabet tiles like those in a Scrabble game. How it works is that each person creates their own crossword-type puzzle (again, a la Scrabble). Points do not matter, however- it's all about being the first person to finish your own puzzle, using up all of the tiles. The cool thing is that one player may use simple words (DOG, GO, MAD) while another is using SAT-prep words; it makes no difference!

Our family discovered this game a few years ago, and we actually have one we keep in the car for any restaurant trips. We typically play the condensed version which means that play starts once we've ordered our drinks and stops when the waiter arrives with the food. By the way, we purchased our first game in a local bookstore, and have since seen Bananagrams in numerous retail stores and on line. I have no financial ties to this product, though from the number of games we purchased for ourselves and friends, perhaps I should!

BOTTOM LINE: Find games to play with your friends and family that engage players of all levels, and sit back and ENJOY!

I would LOVE to hear from you about your family's favorite games!

Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully

This week, I've been talking about seniors, driving and maintaining independence. This topic is incredibly difficult to bring up with family members and friends. What role should the primary care physician play in this situation? Well, frankly, I'm sure we need to be playing a far more active role than most of do. In fairness, often it is difficult to squeeze in all the pure medical issues that an elderly patient has into a routine office visit. Many seniors have multiple chronic issues (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or thyroid disease) and simply addressing the ongoing concerns with these problems more than fills the appointment time.

However, I do think that at least addressing driving issues should be a routine part of annual physicals for our aging patients. There is a wonderful booklet, developed by the USAA Educational Foundation, AARP, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that outlines the physical effects of aging, as well as tips on coping with them so that people remain a safe driver as long as they can. The booklet is called "Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully" Take a look at this booklet, and print it out (in large print) for the senior you are concerned about. Additionally, if you have concerns about a family member's driving, let their physician know. A simple note with specific concerns ("Mom has had several fender-benders in the last year" or "I'm scared for my kids to ride with my father because he darts out into traffic, or drives 40 mph in a 65 mph fast lane") will help direct your parent's physician.

BOTTOM LINE: Don't wait for a serious accident to address issues with seniors driving, and PHYSICIANS- remember to ASK about driving and recommend the booklet Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully.

More on Senior Driving

How else can you talk with a parent or loved one about whether or not it is time to stop driving? Well, for many seniors, they have realized that they are not as comfortable driving as they used to be. Perhaps they have already self-limited their driving: no driving at night, or in the rain, or maybe no driving on busy highways any more. Often, they have narrowed it down to a weekly grocery trip, often doubling up with their same weekly trip to church. At this point, they are most likely spending more money on car insurance, car maintenance and gas then they would spend on a car service!

If they feel uncomfortable with "a stranger" and using public transportation, perhaps you could consider paying a responsible family member or friend to set aside a couple hours per week to run errands. Frankly, in this economy, there are many people happy to make an extra $100 per month for a couple hours work per week! Relying on friends and family members for favors is fine for the occasional event, but making a real business arrangement- even at a minimum wage plus gas type fee-helps all parties be more consistent and helps the senior feel more empowered (as opposed to feeling like a "charity case" or that they are imposing on someone to ask for a ride.)

BOTTOM LINE: Consider the financial bottom line as a legitimate talking point when deciding whether or not to stop driving.

Senior Independence

One of the most challenging issues with an aging family member is whether or not they should drive. As we age, most of have significant decreases in hearing and vision, as well as delayed reflexes. As I argued with my own father, if you complain that you can't see and you can't hear, why are you still driving? Of course, his answer was that if we took away the car, we were taking away his independence.

So, what can you do? First of all, I encourage people to start using public transportation BEFORE they "have to". Now, in many parts of the country, this is no big deal, but in others (such as Texas) we tend to rely on our own cars. Public transportation can be buses or trains, but don't forget about the cabs! Using a debit card (or a gift card- hint, hint) for a taxi service gives many people the independence they want to preserve without be limited by a set schedule or need to get to a specific bus stop or station. Often, regular clients form a working friendship with a specific driver, which creates the feeling of having a personal driver more than "having to take a cab".

BOTTOM LINE: Giving up driving does NOT have to mean giving up your independence!

Happy Independence Day!

July 4th is a wonderful day in America, filled with family celebrations, picnics and fireworks. We are so fortunate to live in a country that allows us so many freedoms! In our family, this day has additional significance, as today marks the 6th anniversary of my mother's independence from Alzheimer's Disease. As we visited her grave today, surrounded by the incredible beauty of the wildflowers and the snow-capped mountains, I looked around the cemetery and wondered how many other lives represented there were affected by this disease.

Did you know we have over 5.3 million Americans living with Alzheimer's? Chances are good that you either have a family member or friend affected. We have medications that can slow down the progression of dementia, but none yet that can stop or cure it. With our aging population, it is clear that this disease alone will consume a progressively larger chunk of our healthcare dollars.
Check out the Alzheimer Association website, and consider participating in a local Memory Walk or other fundraiser.

BOTTOM LINE: Let's celebrate our country's independence today by thinking about the future of our aging population, and pro-actively working towards a cure for Alzheimer's.

Don't be a Donor-cyclist!

What's a "donor-cyclist"? Anyone who rides a bike- motorcycle or 10-speed- WITHOUT a helmet. Everyone in medicine, especially ER staff, all refer to these as "donor-cycles" because without a helmet to protect their heads, these folks become organ donors after major accidents. Last week, there were two serious auto-bicycle accidents in my Austin neighborhood. Yesterday, while driving in Houston, I saw a man sprawled on the ground in front of a car, his motorcycle tossed to the side (and ambulance fast-approaching.) The most recent statistics (from 2008) showed that there were over 52,000 traffic accidents involving pedaling cyclists, and 716 deaths. Add motorized bikes and the numbers skyrocket.

I am not writing to discourage people from riding- quite the contrary. I simply want to reiterate that HELMETS save BRAINS and save LIVES. PLEASE WEAR THEM! Bikers- wear reflective or at least brightly colored shirts. Be aware that drivers have more distractions than ever as they zip down the road. If you are driving, put away that cell phone and watch out for our fellow travelers on two wheels. They can easily slip in and out of our blind spots, especially at dawn and dusk.

BOTTOM LINE: If you're riding on two wheels, make sure a helmet is protecting your head!