Steps to Healthy Living for Caring Grandparents

Focus on the Caregiver

Source: AARP.org |  | June 28, 2006

The best way to take care of your grandchildren is to take care of yourself. It’s not hard, really. It means eating right, staying active, reducing stress, and seeing a doctor at least once a year. Take these simple steps—now—and you’ll soon find it easier to keep up with your energetic grandchildren.

Step #1: Change your habits.

Want to hear some great news? You’re in charge! You have more control over your health than you think. For instance:

You can watch what you eat. Americans are fat and getting fatter. That is putting more of us at risk for a host of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Changing your eating habits will help. Cut back on the amount of food you eat. Drink plenty of water. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. And stay away from processed food and fast food restaurants.

You can stay active. Physical activity can add years to your life. It can also help you avoid heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. You don’t have to become a fitness nut. The U.S. Surgeon General says you just need to get 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Taking a brisk walk each day would be a great start!

You can manage your stress. Stress doesn’t just feel bad. It can be bad for your heart. Get control of your stress by naming the things that stress you out. Then think of how you can change some of those things. Here’s one idea: learn how to say “no” to things you can’t or don’t want to do.

Step #2: Get Your Vaccinations.

Shots aren’t just for kids and pets. You need them too. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends these vaccinations for people over age 65:

Vaccination	How often
Flu	Yearly
Pneumonia	Every 5 years
Tetanus/Diphtheria	Every 10 years

Your doctor may also want you to be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); chicken pox; meningitis; and hepatitis A and B.

Step #3: Get Screened.

Help prevent serious health problems by getting regular screenings for heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Even if you do develop one of these illnesses, detecting them early will make your illness easier to treat. Leading health experts recommend these screenings for people over age 50:

Women Only:

Men Only:

Men and Women:

Step #4: Understand the Health Conditions You Can Prevent.

The older you get, the more important your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels will become.

 

Cholesterol

is a soft, waxy substance found in your blood and cells. It's an important part of a healthy body. But too much cholesterol can put you at risk for heart disease. A simple blood test can tell you how many milligrams (mg) of cholesterol you have in a deciliter (dL) of your blood. Here’s a general guide:

 

If your total cholesterol is:	Your risk of heart attack is:
Less than 200 mg/dL	Low.
200–239 mg/dL	Borderline or high risk.
240 mg/dL and over	High.

Your total cholesterol doesn’t tell the whole story about your heart health. Your LDL and HDL levels are also important. You want to have a low LDL count—100 mg/dL is good. You also want to have a high HDL count—higher than 40 mg/dL is best.

 

Blood Pressure

measures the force that your blood exerts against the walls of your arteries. A blood pressure reading is made up of two numbers. Let’s say your blood pressure is 120/80. The “top” number—120—measures the pressure when your heart pumps blood into your arteries. The “bottom” number—80—measures the pressure when the heart relaxes between beats. How high is too high? Here’s a guide:

 

 

Diabetes

occurs when your body has trouble converting sugar, starches and other foods into the energy you need. A simple blood test called the Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG) can tell you how many milligrams (mg) of glucose you have in each deciliter (dL) of your blood. The doctor takes your blood after you have fasted for 12 to 14 hours.

 

A fasting glucose level of:	Signals:
Below 100 mg/dL	A normal glucose level.
Between 100-125 mg/dL	Pre-diabetes. Take action now and you may never get the disease.
126 mg/dL or higher	Diabetes. Get treatment now so you can avoid damage to your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

 

Step #5: Think of Good Health as Your Gift to Grandchildren.

A healthy you is a great gift for your grandchildren. When you’re feeling good, you’re a lot more fun to be around. You have more energy to play. You can go on trips and share adventures. And, most important, you can look forward to sharing many years with your grandchildren.       

There’s one more bonus. Healthy grandparents are great role models for their grandchildren. By eating right, exercising and getting regular check-ups, you can show your grandchildren what they need to do to protect their own health and prevent illness. It’s a gift that doesn’t cost anything—but it may be the most important gift you ever give them.

AARP Resources

AARP Health Guide
Check out this new health information service, which provides reliable, easy-to-use information designed to help you take charge of your health.

How to Talk to Your Doctor
Get the most out of doctor visits.

Eating Right
What does it mean to eat right? AARP offers some guidelines.

Walk Your Way to Better Health
Learn the health benefits of walking—and get started on a walking routine.

 

Other Resources

Bound for Your Good Health
The National Institute on Aging presents a host of information on “Common Health Concerns,” “Staying Healthy,” “Getting Good Health Care,” and “Staying Safe and Planning Ahead.”

Healthy Restaurant Eating
Learn how to eat wisely even when you’re on the go.

Healthy Aging: Healthy Habits
You’re never too old to adopt some healthier habits.

 

Books

Find these books online at Borders.com.

“The RealAge Makeover: Take Years Off Your Looks and Add Them to Your Life”
Michael F. Roizen, HarperCollins Publishers, April 2004

“Stretching for 50+: A Customized Program for Increasing Flexibility, Avoiding Injury, and Enjoying an Active Lifestyle”
Karl Knoph, Ulysses Press, April 2005

“Doctors Book of Food Remedies: The Newest Discoveries in the Power of Food to Cure and Prevent Health Problems--from Aging and Diabetes to Ulcers and Yeast Infections”
Selene Yeager, Prevention Health Books for Women Staff, Rodale Press, Incorporated, May 2000.