Lifestyle

There’s no doubt a smartphone can be a useful device for just about anyone, and that includes the elderly. Caregivers may wince at the notion of their elderly loved one learning how to work a smartphone, but if they keep a few things in mind when shopping for the phone, they can have their senior up and running in no time.

Many seniors have cell phones so they can stay in constant contact with their caregivers and loved ones, and it’s definitely useful for caregivers to be able to call or send texts to seniors at any time. With the ability to install applications, caregivers can expand the utility of a senior’s phone to include things like GPS capabilities, so the caregiver can always know where the senior is. This is especially useful for Alzheimer’s care patients who tend to wander.

Seniors may be quickly overwhelmed by the numerous features offered by a smartphone, but it’s important for caregivers to remember that a smartphone can be as simple or complex as one wants it to be. Many of the major wireless providers are phasing out old phones in favor of smartphones, and this can be frustrating to someone who simply wants to call and text. If a caregiver feels their senior should keep it simple, they can remove or hide apps from the home screen so the senior isn’t quickly overwhelmed.

There are several design features caregivers should keep in mind when buying for the elderly, PCAdvisior.co.uk reports. A simple interface, large icons and intuitive controls are all key to allowing seniors to get comfortable using a phone. Apple’s iPhones are famed for their usability and simple design, but they may be a bit outside the price range of some shoppers. A wave of cheaper Android phones have hit stores, although they may not be as usable outside of the box. Since the Android operating system is open source, however, it can be customized to just about any type of interface, including senior-friendly ones.

Those shopping for seniors may want to look into specialty models as well. Some companies have recognized the need for seniors to have an easy-to-use phone and stepped up to the challenge. These phones are often quite loud, with big buttons and simple controls that make it easy to use even for seniors who have impaired vision or hearing.

Of course, a smartphone is only as good as its apps. Once you’ve settled on a phone, be sure to do some research into apps that may be useful both for the senior and the yourself. The aforementioned GPS tracker can be very useful, and there are a number of specific apps designed for senior care, including ones from AARP.

This summer, check your medications before you head out into the sun. Many common drugs, including some over-the-counter painkillers and allergy medicines, will increase your susceptibility to painful sunburns and other skin problems or up your risk of heatstroke.

“We see this a lot; it’s very common,” emergency room physician Robert Glatter says of sun-related side effects. “People need to read the side effect profiles as regards the environment when they are taking certain medications.”

Glatter, who practices at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, says several antibiotics are a frequent cause of summertime trips to the ER.

“People will take them and then go to the beach, and we’ll see them come in beet red with a head-to-toe sunburn,” Glatter says. “This is what’s called a phototoxic reaction.”

“The majority of these drugs give you an exaggerated sunburn, but others might give you immediate burning,” says dermatologist Lorraine Young, cochief of dermatology clinical services and a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Your sunburn will be redder, more painful, more widespread—a worse sunburn, as if you were out in the sun longer than you actually were.”

In addition to sunburns, some medications can cause allergic reactions—rashes, itching, blistering—to sunlight, sometimes several days after you were outside, says Kirby Lee, an associate professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco.

Many drugs also up your risk of heatstroke, a dangerous condition that requires immediate medical attention. They do this by reducing your body’s ability to sweat, increasing the amount that you urinate, and decreasing your thirst so that you’re less likely to drink an adequate amount of fluids, says Lee, who specializes in geriatrics and dementia. “Heatstroke symptoms can come on quite rapidly, especially in older adults, who often take more than one medication that raises their risk of overheating.”

The following list is not comprehensive, but it does include the most common culprits. These drugs up your risk of sunburn, heatstroke or, in many cases, both:

• Antibiotics, including tetracycline (Wesmycin), doxycycline (Vibramycin), fluoroquinolones (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin) and sulfonamides (Bactrim, Septra)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin) and naproxen (Alleve)
• Diuretics such as furosemide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex) and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, Microzide)
• Beta-blocker medications such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), atenolol (Tenormin), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate) and carvedilol (Coreg)
• Cardiac or blood pressure medications such as amiodarone (Cordarone) and quinidine; calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine (Procardia) and diltiazem (Cardizem); and ACE inhibitors such as enalapril
• Tricyclic antidepressants, including amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), doxepin (Sinequan) and imipramine (Tofranil)
• Antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
• Anticholinergic drugs, such as Vesicare, that treat incontinence, overactive bladder and many other conditions
• Antipsychotic drugs like haloperidol (Haldol), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel) and risperidone (Risperdal)
• Stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and dextroamphetamine (Adderall)
• Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine (Sudafed)
• Diabetes drugs such as glyburide (DiaBeta)
• Cancer chemotherapy drugs such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), vinblastine (Velban, Velsar) and dacarbazine (DTIC-Dome)
• Supplements such as St.-John’s-wort and ginkgo

Fortunately, you can reduce the risk of sun-sensitive side effects that accompany these drugs.

Learn and label

Review your current medications with your doctor or pharmacist to learn which, if any, put you at risk. Investigate alternative drugs at the same time. To easily keep track of which of your medications may cause problems, Glatter recommends that you mark each label with a sun symbol so that you see it every time you pick up the container.

Consider substitutes

You may be able to avoid or lower your risk of sun and heat complications by switching to a different medication. Instead of ibuprofen, for example, choose acetaminophen (Tylenol), Lee says. Benadryl can be replaced with Claritin or Zyrtec, though both should only be taken as needed and in the smallest effective dose. Check with your doctor before you switch to a new medication. Sometimes, though, you won’t have a choice, Lee says: “In such cases, you will need to change how you live within your environment.”

Many seniors gain a great sense of enjoyment and accomplishment from playing an instrument, but the hobby may be more beneficial than they thought. Musicians between the ages of 60 and 80 may have a lower risk of memory decline and cognitive aging than individuals who never practiced or learned music, according to a new study from Emory University School of Medicine’s Department of Neurology.

That study confirms findings from 2011 that showed musicians with at least 10 years of instrumental musical training had sharp cognitive abilities well into their senior years. Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, the clinical neuropsychologist who published the study, said “a range of cognitive benefits” were maintained by seniors if they played for at least 10 years throughout their lives. This particular finding indicates that the advantages are not lost if the musical skills are not continuously used throughout life.

That said, optimal results occurred if the senior started playing before age 9 – this was associated with enhanced verbal and memory functions. However, it’s never too late to start playing an instrument again. The study found that sustained musical activity over age 60 was associated with other, nonverbal cognitive benefits.

Even if the senior is not playing the music him or herself, music can be beneficial in Alzheimer’s care, according to AARP. Music has been found to lower stress levels of individuals with the disease and help them bond with their family members.