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How Cold Weather Activities Can Impact Heart Health

Clearing sidewalks and driveways of snow may be essential to keep from being shut in, however, it’s important to use caution when picking up a shovel or starting the snowblower. Research shows many people face an increased risk of a heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest after shoveling heavy snow.

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(Family Features) Clearing sidewalks and driveways of snow may be essential to keep from being shut in, however, it’s important to use caution when picking up a shovel or starting the snowblower. Research shows many people face an increased risk of a heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest after shoveling heavy snow.

In fact, snow shoveling is among the physical activities that may place extra stress on the heart, especially among people who aren’t used to regular exercise, according to the American Heart Association’s scientific statement, “Exercise-Related Acute Cardiovascular Events and Potential Deleterious Adaptations Following Long-Term Exercise Training: Placing the Risks Into Perspective – an Update.” Numerous other scientific research studies over the years have also identified the dangers of shoveling snow for people with and without previously known heart disease.

“Shoveling a little snow off your sidewalk may not seem like hard work,” said Barry Franklin, Ph.D., FAHA, lead author of the scientific statement, long time American Heart Association volunteer and a professor of internal medicine at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. “However, the strain of heavy snow shoveling may be as, or even more, demanding on the heart than taking a treadmill stress test, according to research we’ve conducted. For example, after only 2 minutes of snow shoveling, study participants’ heart rates exceeded 85% of maximal heart rate, which is a level more commonly expected during intense aerobic exercise testing. The impact is hardest on those who are least fit.”

Franklin said winter weather in general can contribute to increased risks. Cold temperatures may increase blood pressure while simultaneously constricting the coronary arteries. Those factors, combined with higher heart rate from extra physical effort, may increase the risk for acute cardiac events. There are even studies showing an increased risk for heart attacks among people using snowblowers. Similar to the exertion of pushing a shovel, pushing a snowblower can raise the heart rate and blood pressure quickly.

“The impact of snow removal is especially concerning for people who already have cardiovascular risks like a sedentary lifestyle or obesity; being a current or former smoker; or having diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure; as well as people who have had a heart attack or stroke,” Franklin said. “People with these characteristics and those who have had bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty simply should not be shoveling snow.”

If you experience chest pain or pressure, lightheadedness, heart palpitations or irregular heart rhythms, stop the activity immediately. Call 911 if symptoms don’t subside shortly after you stop shoveling or snowblowing. If you see someone collapse while shoveling snow, call for help and start Hands-Only CPR if they are unresponsive with no pulse.

Learn more about cold weather and cardiovascular health at Heart.org.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images


SOURCE:
American Heart Association

Lifestyle

Empower Yourself with Nutrition Know-How

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leading by example and modeling healthy eating habits to help improve overall nutrition

(Family Features) Eating a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy and proteins is a crucial first step toward a healthy life.

Even with hectic schedules and convenience foods readily available, it’s important to incorporate habits like regular family meals and meal planning so you have a variety of better-for-you snacks and recipes on hand. Also important is leading by example and modeling healthy eating habits to help improve overall nutrition for you and your family members, especially children.

If you are looking for ways to make nutrition fun, the experts at Healthy Family Project, along with its fruit and vegetable partners, are offering an online nutrition resource center as part of Mission for Nutrition 2024.

Geared toward dietitians, nutrition professionals and anyone involved in nutrition education, the resource center is a one-stop shop to make nutrition education fun and inspiring, featuring more than 600 dietitian-approved recipes; tips to pick, prepare and store more than 50 fruits and vegetables during every season; a podcast, e-cookbook and monthly newsletter; and free downloadables, infographics, activities for kids and more.

Dietitians and nutrition professionals can sign up to receive this year’s Mission for Nutrition kit, which is full of resources to use in classrooms, in-store with customers or wherever they’re supporting nutrition education. Available by request only, the kit includes a roll of “I’m a Healthy Eater” stickers, seasonal counter cards, mini magazines, demo ideas, a Healthy Family Project spatula and additional resources and information from produce partners.

As part of the mission, the partner brands are making a donation to improve access to fresh produce in schools through the Foundation for Fresh Produce.

To find more resources, tips and recipes to encourage proper nutrition, visit HealthyFamilyProject.com.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock


SOURCE:
Healthy Family Project

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Health

Combatting Loneliness in Older Adults

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(Family Features) The bonds found in friendships and other relationships are an important factor in health and wellness – even science says so.

According to the American Psychological Association, forming and maintaining social connections at any age is one of the most reliable predictors of a healthy, happy and long life. Studies show having strong and supportive friendships can fend off depression and anxiety, lower blood pressure and heart rates in stressful situations and change the way people perceive daunting tasks.

However, statistics show approximately half of U.S. adults lack companionship and feel socially disconnected, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. In fact, 12% don’t have anyone they consider a close friend, per the Survey Center on American Life. This “epidemic of loneliness,” as coined by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, can take a severe toll on mental and physical health.

As people age, the risks of isolation increase. With America’s older population growing rapidly – the 65 and older population reached more than 55 million in 2020 – discussing how older adults can combat loneliness is relevant to public health and individual well-being.

Consider volunteering, which is one of the best and most rewarding ways to combat loneliness.

Volunteering Combats Loneliness
People often volunteer to find a sense of purpose, learn new skills, improve their communities or establish new routines after retiring or becoming empty nesters. For many, making friends through volunteer work is a welcome bonus. The act of volunteering provides proven benefits for older adults.

Forming connections can make all the difference in a person’s volunteer experience and sense of well-being. People who meet through volunteer work inherently share a common interest and something to bond over. These friendships can carry over outside of volunteer work and lead to bonding over other hobbies and interests.

Connection-Focused Volunteer Opportunities
In addition to making friends with fellow volunteers, many older adults also form relationships with the people they’re serving, especially if those recipients are their peers.

For example, AmeriCorps Seniors is the national service and volunteerism program in the federal agency of AmeriCorps that connects adults aged 55 and up to local service opportunities that match their interests. Its Senior Companion Program pairs volunteers with other older adults or those with disabilities who need companionship or assistance. Volunteers may help with tasks such as paying bills, shopping or getting companions to appointments. In some cases, volunteers may also provide support and respite for family members caring for loved ones with chronic illnesses.

“We often think of volunteering as ‘giving back,’ but we’ve seen firsthand that it often becomes so much more than that,” said Atalaya Sergi, director of AmeriCorps Seniors. “By spending a few hours each week with another older adult in need of support, our volunteers are not only giving back to others, but they’re adding meaning to their own lives and establishing new connections. They’re helping to fight the loneliness epidemic one visit at a time.”

Growing older can come with challenges, but some of those can be minimized with a positive mindset and commitment to remaining connected and engaged – whether with friends, relatives or fellow community members. Fostering relationships is a key ingredient to a healthier and more fulfilling life.

For more information and to find volunteer opportunities near you, visit AmeriCorps.gov/YourMoment.

Meet Friends Who Connected Through Service

Ray Maestas felt unfulfilled post-retirement and began volunteering with the AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program. He was connected with Bob Finnerty, a man with blindness looking for assistance a few days each week. They quickly struck up a routine of errands, reading and conversation that’s since become a friendship they both cherish.

“The Senior Companion Program has provided an avenue to enrich the lives of not only the participants but the people who are volunteering,” Maestas said. “Bob and I have gotten to the point where he’s a very important part of my life.”

Finnerty echoed those sentiments and shared his own appreciation for Maestas’ friendship.

“I’ve always relished my independence and I feel Ray is not just a person who reads for me – he’s a friend,” Finnerty said.

In the last few years, Maestas moved and now serves with a different chapter of the Senior Companion Program. He and Finnerty keep in touch. Maestas said they talk about every third day.


SOURCE:
AmeriCorps Seniors

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Health

Grey Tsumani is coming – seniors 65+ to make up 1/4 of the population by 2030. Northern Ontario’s Canadore College is leading the way to healthier aging.

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NORTH BAY, ON /CNW/ – The metaphor “grey tsunami” refers to the demographic shift being caused by the growing number of older adults in society, led by the baby boomer generation. Canadore College recognizes seniors need to age better and healthier, be more productive and engaged with their community, and it’s using The Village to help make that a reality.

Students from Canadore College receive experiential learning working with older adults on campus (CNW Group/Canadore College)

Seniors aging better, and healthier thanks to The Village at Canadore College.

The only model of its kind in Canada, The Village is focused on collaborative, interprofessional education and the integration of Indigenous, Eastern, and Western healing and wellness practices.  A world-class health, wellness, and education facility located at Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario, it is home to the College’s schools of Indigenous Studies, Human Care, Health Science and Social Services, and Sport and Recreation. Students learn in The Village’s comprehensive suite of student-run clinics, modern classrooms, and cultural spaces.

“This model is about leveraging learning to benefit the community and the community supporting our learners,” said Micheline Demers, The Village Collective Impact Project Manager. “Canadore College is a place the community feels they belong. In turn, the community is invested in and supports every aspect of the students’ learning. Together, we are solving issues facing our country by coming together inter-generationally, inter-professionally, and inter-culturally. The lessons learned on our campuses are brought to the workplace. This improves the lives of seniors and supports healthy aging.”

“As a student, the Village provides a learning experience like no other by giving us an opportunity to work directly alongside members of the community within a setting that we are already familiar with,” said Jenna Faulkner, a student in the Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physical Therapist Assistant Intensive program. “I value these experiences as the interaction and feedback from community members allows me to develop interpersonal skills that are not otherwise developed in a standard classroom setting. The experience gained through my participation in student-led programs in The Village will prepare me well for my career.”

The Village Collective Impact Project (CIP) is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.  In 2019, the CIP received nearly $2 million dollars in funding to distribute to seniors’ organizations to get programming up and running. The project is making a difference in the lives of adults aged 60 and older in the districts of Nipissing and Parry Sound in Northern Ontario. Its offerings include daily exercise classes and walking groups, digital literacy seminars, and a weekly pickleball game. The CIP’s goal is to reduce the risk of social isolation and increase social participation among adults 60+. The project is working collaboratively with seniors, including Indigenous seniors, their caregivers and families, stakeholders, regional community organizations, and agencies, to develop models of healthy aging and inclusion to improve the health outcomes of seniors living in the Nipissing-Parry Sound districts.

“Research has shown us social isolation can be as harmful to one’s health as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and Canadore wants to provide better care for the older adults in the communities we serve,” said George Burton President and CEO. “We saw a need to bring seniors together to stay healthy and enjoy their lives, and we have done that through The Village Collective Impact Project.”

The Village CIP is hitting its targets, and the data is impressive. It has created a network of 87 organizations across Nipissing and Parry Sound. The most recent statistics, from Fall 2023, for the 50 partner organizations that have received CIP funding, support more than 30,000 seniors from Nipissing and Parry Sound. Canadore College, through The Village programming, has supported more than 5300 seniors since launching in 2019, 750 participants came through the program every month last fall. That is more than the CIP projected when it launched four years ago.

Since the inception of the project, almost 1600 students have provided more than 87,000 hours of on-campus support.

Canadore College is planning for the expansion of The Village into intergenerational living opportunities for seniors and more hands-on learning experiences for the students.  The long-term care facility will provide healthcare, assisted living, respite care, transitional beds, and affordable housing options.

SOURCE Canadore College

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