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How to Keep from Falling

Fall RiskOne out of three older adults (those aged 65 or older) falls each year, but less than half talk to their healthcare providers about it. If you have a fall or incident, you want to report it to your healthcare provider because it may be an indication of larger problems or issues. Many people who fall, even if they are not injured, develop a fear of falling. This fear may cause them to limit their activities, which leads to reduced mobility and loss of physical fitness, and in turn, increases their actual risk of falling.

There are many different causes that can contribute to a fall. There are muscular, external, and internal factors. Muscular factors that could contribute to a fall are, the muscles of the legs have become too weak or the muscles of the core aren’t strong enough for balance. Your trunk is the foundation for your posture, balance, and coordinated movement. External factors that can contribute to a fall could be any tripping hazards, distractions, or inadequate support tools such as, canes, walkers, wheelchairs, grab bars, and/or shoes. Internal factors that could contribute to a fall are your vestibular system (inner ear), blood sugar, blood pressure, dehydration, and vision.

Balance Classes at Kirby PinesThere are many ways to prevent falls from happening. Exercise regularly, it is important that the exercises focus on increasing leg strength and improving balance, and that they get more challenging over time. You want to ask your doctor/pharmacist to review your medications. They can identify what medicines may cause side effects such as dizziness or drowsiness. Making your home safer can reduce and tripping hazards. Be sure to add grab bars wherever needed, improve the lighting in your home, repair or remove lose carpets, and you want to be sure to rearrange any furniture and electrical cords that may be in walking paths. Lastly, you want to always take care of yourself and live a healthy lifestyle. You want to have regular vision and hearing checkups, get adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium, exercise regularly and eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Preventing falls can help you live a more independent life. If you can prevent a fall you are less likely to have an injury that can prevent you from carrying on your daily activities, such as bathing, cooking, shopping, or just going for a walk.

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Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!

Lift up a glass of ice cold lemonade and drink to a healthier summer. Hydration for seniors is so important, especially as the temperature rises.

As you age, your body’s fluid reserve becomes smaller, your ability to conserve water is reduced and your thirst sense becomes less acute. These problems can be compounded by chronic illnesses such as diabetes and dementia, and by the use of certain medications.

That normal level of hydration varies widely from person to person. Contrary to the mantra that everyone should drink eight glasses of water every day, Dr. Kenney says there is nothing scientific to back that up. “People misinterpreted that it had to be liquid and it had to be water,” he says.

A person’s diet can greatly affect hydration levels: fruits (especially watermelon), vegetables, and soups are mostly water-based.
In general, larger people need to drink more water, as do athletes and those who perspire heavily, but that may mean more or less than eight glasses a day. “There is no one-size-fits-all remedy,” he says.

Perhaps because of the difficulty in diagnosis, elderly dehydration is a frequent cause of hospitalization (one of the ten most frequent admitting diagnoses for Medicare hospitalizations, according to the Health Care Financing Administration), and it can be life-threatening if severe enough.

SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION may include:

  • Confusion
  • Difficulty walking
  • Dizziness or headaches
  • Dry mouth
  • Sunken eyes
  • Inability to sweat or produce tears
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Low blood pressure
  • Low urine output that may result in Urinary Tract Infections
  • Constipation
  • Leg cramps

If you suspect dehydration, you can check for a decrease in skin resilience by pulling up the skin on the back of the hand for a few seconds; if it does not return to normal almost immediately, the person is dehydrated.

PREVENTING DEHYDRATION

To avoid dehydration, a person should take in an adequate amount of fluids during the day; eat healthy, water-content foods such as fruit, vegetables and soups; checks that urine color is light and output adequate (dark urine or infrequency of urination is a classic sign of dehydration). Lemonade, flavored water, decaf coffee and specialty teas are enjoyable ways to add fluids to your diet.

Seniors should drink even when they’re not thirsty. Keeping a water bottle next to the bed or your favorite chair could help.

Mild dehydration can usually be treated by having the person take more fluids by mouth. Generally, it’s best to have the person drink something with some electrolytes, such as a commercial rehydration solution, a sports drink, juice, or even bouillon. But in most cases, even drinking water or tea will help.

With warm weather here, it is time to think “Drink More Water!”

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It’s Father’s Day at Kirby Pines

Just as in May, this month we take time to honor another person who greatly influenced who we are today, our dads. Unlike Mother’s Day, which was legislated by Congress in 1914, Father’s Day was not assured an official day until 1972. Regardless of why it took longer to formally recognize a day to honor our fathers in the United States, we at Kirby Pines want to make sure these fine gentlemen are honored on their special day.

In 1972 father’s alone planned for their family’s future needs, but in the last forty years, more and more children have found themselves involved with these plans. As a result, the children of aging parents have often not had a discussion about living wills, advanced care directives, the selection of a general power of attorney, health care power of attorney, financial power of attorney or their parent’s financial footing.

Some parents have in fact taken the initiative to include their children in their planning, but many have not. It’s not uncommon for a child to ask us if we have a copy of a will, or life insurance policy, or information about what bank their parents use. Of course, we can only share this information if given the written authorization to do so. So this Father’s Day, consider reviewing those plans you made years ago with your children. Who knows, the plan you developed over the years, my influence their plans for the future.
Happy Father’s Day!

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The Will of God?

Bible We have all made choices and decisions that didn’t give us what we thought should happen. Sometimes this has been our fault, sometimes it has been the fault of others, sometimes its simply been the fault of circumstances. But one thing can always be counted on! When we are allowing God to be our source of direction we can surely know it is the right choice.

Rebekah Nolt has illustrated this beautifully in a special way:

The will of God will never take you,
Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,
Where the power of God cannot endow you.
The will of God will never take you,
Where the spirit of God cannot work through you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.
The will of God will never take you,
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule you.
The will of God will never take you,
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

I have found this true in so many ways in my life.
Here are some scriptures that can truly inspire us to know
how God wants us to live, not only in our senior moments, but
always:

“I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living”
– Psalm 116:9

“This is the way, walk in it”
– Isaiah 30:21

“What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”
– Micah 6:8

“Just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to
please God”
– I Thessalonians 4:1

“Walk in love”
– Ephesians 5:2

“Walk in the Spirit”
– Galatians 5:16

Never question God or His Will. It will be fabulously great for
all of us, all the time.

Walk in Love

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2019 Mother’s Day Cookout

On Saturday, May 11, 2019, Kirby Pines held it’s Annual Mother’s Day Cookout, and despite the rain, a great time was had by all! Check it out!

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Meet Our New Executive Chef Sam Sciara

EXECUTIVE CHEF, SAM SCIARA

Please join us in welcoming Sam Sciara, Executive Chef, to Kirby Pines LifeCare Community. A 30-year culinary professional, Sam is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Immediately prior to joining the Kirby Pines family, Sam worked at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center in Fort Peirce, Florida. Throughout his culinary career, Sam has alternated his work between Memphis and Florida. In Florida Sam worked as an Executive Chef for America Cruise Lines, Bent Tree Country Club, and was an instructor at The Florida Culinary Institute at West Palm Beach; In Memphis, Sam has worked as the Executive Chef at Shaw’s Crab House and was owner/executive chef of Café’ Max for more than a decade. His extensive culinary background will be an added asset to our already exceptional staff.

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Resident Spotlight: Betty Moore

Modesty with a Splash of Humor

Betty Jane Gaia was born June 24, 1925 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father, Louis Leo Gaia, worked in the grocery business until the Depression, when they lost everything. He eventually gained employment with the Illinois Central Railroad as a switch-man and got the family back on their feet.

Her mother, Bettye Chambliss Gaia, raised her and her brother, Herbert, until the start of WWII, when she became “Rosie the Riveter” working on airplanes and eventually became a practical nurse.

Betty attended grade school at Immaculate Conception in midtown Memphis, then transferred to Southside High School. She worked for an ice cream parlor her junior and senior year and was active in several sports and clubs, but her real talent was showing up the boys as a member of the Rifle Team. According to Betty, she can still hit her mark!

After high school, she went to the Miller Hawkins Business College to study secretarial administration. She went to work for Campbell Clinic as a doctor’s assistant. One of those doctors, Dr. George Higley, opened his own practice and brought Betty with him. She assisted with everything from taking appointments to helping with X-rays, all of which she enjoyed very much.

During this time, Betty was a member of Boulevard Baptist Church where a young man named James Alvin Moore caught her eye. James, better known as Jimmy, had returned to Memphis after being stationed in Attu Island, Alaska. He was a Navy Sea-bee, building runways for two years – he did not enjoy it and was never one to hide that fact, even years later, Betty chuckles.

While Betty joined her friends at a party, Jimmy was singing in a trio. According to Betty, he wasn’t much of a singer, but he sure was cute. He asked her out and two years later, they were married – February 24, 1950.

The newlyweds moved in with Betty’s parents while Jimmy attended Med School at Memphis State, to save money. He went to work for a doctor who worked out of a duplex on South Lauderdale, and when that doctor decided to give up his practice, Jimmy took over and they moved into the other side of the house to start a family.

Jimmy and Betty Moore, 1952

When Betty became pregnant with their first child she quit her job to become a homemaker. Their daughter Connie was born in 1953, son Barry in 1956 and then Glenn in 1957. Eventually, Jimmy moved his practice, as well as moving the family to a house on East McKellar. He partnered with Dr. Bill Metzger to start the Family Physicians Group on Winchester Road.

When the kids were grown, Betty decided to get her LPN and attended St. Joseph’s Nursing School in 1970. She worked a couple of years in Coronary Care at St. Joe, where she received her RN and was her class salutatorian. She then decided to go to Memphis State where she studied every “ology” she could get her hands on. She finally finished school in 1975.

While Jimmy’s practice was going strong, Betty volunteered at Methodist South for 14 years and then at Baptist Collierville the last 20. She still goes every Tuesday, stationed at the front desk, where her role is to make you feel comfortable and at ease – a job for which Betty feels she was made to do.

Throughout the years, the Moore’s did their share of traveling, taking ski trips to Winter Park, Colorado and visiting the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. Betty and Jimmy were even invited to London, England with the Memphis Cheerleaders, as Jimmy acted as their attending physician. Betty also went to the Smokies every year with the ladies from her church.

Jimmy developed Alzheimer’s and retired at 80 years old. He went to Page Robbins Adult Day Center in Collierville. Betty said it was a wonderful place and speaks very highly of the center. He passed away in 2009, and Betty remained in their house for several years until a bout of vertigo scared her enough to make a change. Her youngest son, Glenn, looked all over the area and in 2016, Betty moved to Kirby Pines.

Betty says she keeps to herself, but is a member of the Kirby Pines Photo Club and is taking Mahjong Classes with Jody Sosh. She is also joined at Kirby by her sister-in-law, Lou Moore, who lives in a Garden Home and her niece, Cheryl, is the Life Enhancement Director. She also plays Scrabble with friends on the computer and says she “holds her own” – even though she didn’t want me to print that – a little inside joke between us.

If you have yet to meet Betty, despite her self-described shyness, she is simply a delight with a wonderful sense of humor and a kindness she tries to hide. So, thank you, Glenn, for helping your Mom join our Kirby Pines family.

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Symptoms of A Stroke

Symptoms of a stroke Knowing the signs of a stroke is the first step in stroke prevention. A stroke is sometimes called a “brain attack”, it occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off. The brain cells become deprived of the oxygen and glucose needed to survive which causes them to die.

There are two types of strokes, ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic stroke is similar to a heart attack, except it occurs in the blood vessels of the brain. Clots can form in the brain’s blood vessels, in blood vessels leading to the brain, or even in blood vessels elsewhere in the body and then travel to the brain. These clots block blood flow to the brain’s cells. Ischemic stroke can also occur when too much plaque clogs the brain’s blood vessels. Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain breaks or ruptures. The result is blood seeping into the brain tissue, causing damage to brain cells. The most common causes of hemorrhagic stroke are high blood pressure and brain aneurysms. An aneurysm is a weakness or thinness in the blood vessel wall.

There are several common symptoms of a stroke that if they are experienced by anyone, 911 needs to be called. The symptoms are weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body, loss of vision or dimming in one or both eyes, loss of speech, difficulty speaking, or understanding what others are saying, sudden severe headache with no known cause, and loss of balance or unstable walking, usually combined with another symptom. Immediate treatment can save one’s life or increase chances of full recovery.

Up to 50% of all strokes are preventable. Many risk factors can be controlled before they cause problems. The controllable risk factors consist of high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, uncontrolled diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, obesity, carotid or coronary artery disease. The uncontrollable risk factors are age- anyone 65 or older, gender- men have more strokes, but women have deadlier strokes, race- African-Americans are at increased risk, and family history of stroke.

Your doctor can evaluate your risk for stroke and help you control your risk factors. Sometimes, people experience warning signs before a stroke occurs. These warning signs are called transient ischemic attacks (TIA or mini-stroke) and they are short, brief episodes of the stroke symptoms. Some people have no symptoms warning them prior to a stroke or symptoms are so mild they are not noticeable. Regular check-ups are important in catching problems before they become serious. Remember to report any symptoms or risk factors to your doctor.

The Signs of Stroke - FAST

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May is Arthritis Awareness Month

May is Arthritis Awareness Month

It’s odd to say Arthritis Awareness, because if you have one of the over 100 medical conditions that fall under the diagnosis of Arthritis you are probably aware of arthritis every day and every night. While no cure for arthritis has been developed yet, with much research, medical science has improved its understanding for the causes of arthritis and better treatments including new medications for pain and inflammation relief have been developed. Exercise that emphasizes stretching, strengthening, and cardiovascular has an important role in the improvement and continuing function of daily activities. The Arthritis Foundation sponsors research, educational programs, exercise programs, public awareness and advocacy efforts in Congress. Through their bimonthly magazine Arthritis Today, they keep people informed on new products, diet, exercise and medications.

Arthritis affects over 50 million people in the US and two-thirds are under the age of 65. Over 300,000 families deal with arthritis in children under the age of 16. The Arthritis Foundation has been fighting juvenile arthritis and supporting families for more than 60 years. Every year they invest more than $4.5 million in outreach and research that advances treatments and will lead to a cure. Four of our exercise classes are sponsored through the Arthritis Foundation: Tai Chi Mondays @ 2 in the PAC, Basic Water Aerobics on Tuesday/Thursdays at 9:30, Sit and Stand Class Tuesday/Thursdays in the PAC at 11 and our Walk with Ease Class offered twice a year. Interest in the Arthritis Foundation exercise programs brought Mary Hand to teach classes at Kirby Pines seven years ago. Kirby Pines has since become a flagship organization for the Arthritis Foundation.

In support of the Arthritis Foundation, we are planning a Bake sale on May 15 from 9 to 2 and our own Walk to Cure here at Kirby Pines on May 22 at 10:30. We need your help. Baked goods for the sale, volunteers to run the sale, and customers to purchase our delicious offerings. Then on the day of our walk we will need volunteers to help at our registration table and walkers to participate. We will have a course marked for around the lake and another course for inside walkers. Everyone who participates will be eligible for Door prizes, surprises, and refreshments. Please join with our family at Kirby Pines to support the Arthritis Foundation with financial gifts and physical support. This year we have a special invitation to join the Regional Walk to Cure Arthritis at the Redbird Stadium on May 18th at 9 am for a 1 or 2 mile walk, educational arthritis-related exhibits and refreshments. A bus will leave at 8:15 for AutoZone Park.

Last year we raised over $1000 for the Arthritis Foundation. We can make a difference when we team up to Walk to Cure Arthritis. Let’s show our support physically and financially.

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National Day of Prayer in May

The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observance held on the first Thursday in May, designated by the US Congress to encourage people to turn to God in prayer and meditation. This years employment of this day is Thursday, May 2, 2019. For all at Kirby Pines two prayer services will be held. Chaplain Don Johnson will host the first session at 11:00 am in the Chapel. Dr. Buck Morton will host an evening prayer session at 6:30 pm in the PAC.