The heart is an incredibly hard-working machine, beating more than 100,000 times per day. The organ pumps 2,000 gallons of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels in just 24 hours. After many years of service to your body, the heart tends to become less elastic, less responsive and its walls thicken.

As a result of these physiological changes, older adults are more susceptible to various cardiovascular diseases. In spite of this, there are many things people can do to live long after their hearts have exhibited the signs of age.

Hypertension

High blood pressure is an extremely common condition, especially in the elderly. This disease is linked to stroke, kidney disease, heart attack and heart failure. Those whose blood pressure measures above 130/80 mm Hg, should seek treatment including:

• • Diet modification
• • Moderate exercise
• • Giving up smoking
• • Weight loss
• • Medication

Coronary Heart Disease

Half of all heart attack victims are over 65, and women are most at risk for a heart attack after menopause.

Treatment varies for heart attack sufferers depending on physical limitations, history of heart disease and other factors. However, some form of medication is traditionally prescribed.

Heart Valve Disorders

There are several common heart valve disorders present in older adults, the most common being aortic valve disease. Valve disorders cause heart failure, chest pain and fainting in most patients as valves thicken and stiffen. Many patients are treated successfully through a valve replacement surgery.

Rhythm Disorders

People of any age but predominantly older adults may experience problems with rhythm abnormalities. They may experience slow or missed beats, dizziness and fainting. However, at times, sufferers may not experience an indication of any rhythmic problem at all. Doctors often prescribe pace makers to resolve this problem.

Overall, lifestyle changes make a large difference in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. To minimize your risks, follow a regular exercise regime, eat a low-fat diet and do not smoke. Also, visit your doctor on a regular basis to check your heart health. (Print pdf)

More than half of adults in the United States will experience mental illness—which refers to a variety of conditions that affect one’s mood, behavior, feelings or thinking—at some point in their life. Mental illnesses can occur occasionally, while others are chronic. Common mental illnesses include anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Mental Health Awareness Month, observed every May, is a time to raise awareness about mental health, break the stigma and support people with mental illness.

Each condition has its own unique symptoms, but common signs of mental illness include the following:

• Feeling sad, irritable or angry for an extended time
• Feeling excessively paranoid, worried or anxious
• Experiencing extreme mood swings
• Avoiding friends and social activities
• Changing eating habits due to increased hunger or lack of appetite
• Having trouble sleeping or making dramatic sleeping pattern changes

• One or two of these symptoms alone can’t predict a mental illness, but they may indicate a need for further evaluation.

  Taking Care of Yourself

  One way to improve your mental health is through self-care. Self-care looks different for every person since it involves doing things that you enjoy or need.

  Here are some ideas for how to practice self-care:

  • • Live healthy by eating well, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly.
  • • Connect regularly with friends and family who encourage and support you.
  • • Pamper yourself by watching your favorite TV show, taking a bath, applying a face mask, getting a massage or reading a book.
  • • Find ways to relax, including meditating, practicing , going on a nature walk or baking.

  The goal is to try to do something you enjoy every day. If you have concerns about a loved one’s or your mental health, contact a doctor or mental health professional. Read More

As an organization’s needs accelerate and evolve, it’s also important that their employees have the necessary skills to succeed. By leveraging technology in learning and development efforts, employers can take steps to address these skills gaps—and even improve employee engagement.

Whether employees are working on-site, remotely or a mix of both, technology can help streamline learning and development, and bring consistency to workplace initiatives and processes.

Consider the following key types of training programs and how technology could improve the employee experience:

• Whenever new products or capabilities are introduced, training can be done to ensure employees are aware and educated. Learning management systems (LMSs) could be leveraged to store e-learning content and other helpful product information.
• If a skill requires hands-on training, consider how virtual or simulated training could increase both employee accessibility and engagement. Today’s workforce needs to be agile, and technology can help speed up this learning process.
• Guidance on soft skills such as communication, leadership, time management and conflict resolution can help develop employees overall. LMSs and mobile apps may be impactful for soft skills training by offering a self learning pace. Additionally, online coaching can be offered as a professional development opportunity for employees to grow such skills, regardless of location.

Summary

Skill training and development are essential in every organization. Employers can consider online or technology supported training as an investment to both their employees and organization.

Contact Deutsch & Associates, LLC today to learn more about learning and development. Read More