For residents and family members in senior living communities that are served by LifeSource.
With this spring issue, we’ve included some aspects of cardiology, advance care planning (ACP), wound care, and home health. As always, our goal is to provide information you will find helpful and useful. We would love for these newsletters to start a conversation about what matters most to you. After all, “Geriatric care is a team sport.” And you’re part of the team.
What’s the Buzz About the MIND Diet?
People cringe when they hear the word diet. They tend to think they can’t eat anything they like, they’ll starve, or nothing will taste very good. While this is true for some diets, it doesn’t pertain to the MIND Diet. MIND stands for Mediterranean Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It’s a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets.
Benefits
The MIND Diet focuses on brain health and can decrease your chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. [1]
Although they don’t know for sure, scientists believe the MIND Diet may reduce oxidative stress, a risk for brain damage, and inflammation, which can contribute to chronic diseases. [2]
Basically, the MIND Diet recommends brain-healthy foods like vegetables, nuts, beans, berries, poultry, olive oil, and whole grains. It categorizes five foods as unhealthy. They should be limited or avoided: pastries and sweets, red meat, cheese and fried foods, and butter. [3]
This diet features a recommended number of servings for various foods, either daily or weekly, but doesn’t refer to portion sizes. [2]
Probably because proper portion sizes depend on a person’s age, gender, and activity level. Even if you follow the MIND Diet to a moderate degree, research has shown you’d still benefit from a reduced risk of cognitive impairment. [2]
The MIND Diet doesn’t only support brain health. It’s believed to also reduce hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, conditions that are addressed with the Mediterranean and DASH diets. In reality, all three diets are very similar.
Mediterranean Diet
Because many people living in countries around the Mediterranean Sea have experienced greater than average longevity and low rates of chronic disease, some of the credit has gone to their diet.
This diet also focuses on plant-based foods: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, herbs, spices, and olive oil. [4]
The preferred animal proteins are fish and seafood; although, other animal proteins can be eaten in smaller quantities. [4]
Water is the daily beverage with some wine with meals. [4]
Portion sizes and specific amounts of food are not given.
It’s believed the variety of foods make the plan successful. It provides satiety and lots of flavor.
A research study showed that “nearly 26,000 women found that those who followed this type of diet had 25% less risk of developing cardiovascular disease over the course of 12 years.” [4]
DASH Diet
When researchers saw that people following a plant-based diet had less of a chance for getting high blood pressure, the DASH Diet was created. [5]
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
The DASH Diet recommends specific servings rather than specific foods.
However, the food groups to choose from include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, lean meat, nuts, beans, seeds, and vegetable oils. [5][6]
While you can have some added sugars, they’re kept to a minimum. [5]
All three diets either eliminate or minimize the amount of saturated fat you can have.
Whole, natural foods are preferred over refined, processed foods.
The Love-Hate Relationship with Food
People tend to have a love-hate relationship with food. You likely favor some foods over others. Not many people want to be obese or to get sick, though.
With all the mixed information about how to eat healthy, you have to eat intentionally to make good choices. For instance, most restaurants serve giant portion sizes. A person could think those are normal portions.
But they’re not.
While a very active athlete can eat more food, someone who is sedentary needs less. Yet, if they go to the same restaurant, they each get the same portion size. So, you have to be mindful of how much your body really needs and perhaps take a doggie bag for leftovers.
Better yet, have a discussion about food and how it impacts you with your doctor or a nutritionist.
Keep in mind that exercise and physical activity like housecleaning, gardening, woodworking, and the like will affect how much food you need.
All three of these diets were designed to give you choices about the foods you eat.
All three also benefit your health.
[1] https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/what-to-know-about-mind-diet
[2] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mind-diet
[3] https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mind-diet
[4] https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mediterranean-diet
[5] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dash-diet
[6] https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan
Glad You Asked
If you have any questions you want answered in future issues of The LifeSource Telegram, you can email those to AskLifeSource@LifeSourceProvider.com.
What are the worst foods for high LDL cholesterol?
Fried foods, processed meats, baked goods, fatty meats, fast food, saturated fat, and coconut oil, to name a few. For a more comprehensive look at the worst foods for high cholesterol, check out this article by Romit Bhattacharya, MD: Worst Foods for High Cholesterol | Mass General Brigham.
https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/worst-foods-for-high-cholesterol
What are pressure injuries?
Because skin changes as you age, it is not uncommon to get pressure injuries, otherwise known as ulcers. It’s very common for older adults to get pressure injuries in the calves, ankles, or feet.
The epidermis (outer layer) and dermis (fat layer) tend to flatten out and get thinner.
Therefore, your skin has less insulation and can bruise and tear more easily.
When skin, especially around bony areas, has continued pressure, like from medical devices, you can get pressure injuries.
This is why it’s recommended to re-position yourself occasionally, if you’ve been lying down for an extended period of time.
Pressure injuries can be of three different types:
- Venous ulcers (most common)
- Neuropathic ulcers
- Ischemic or arterial ulcers [7]
All these ulcers can have more than one cause.
Frequently, neuropathic ulcers can result from having diabetes.
“Risk factors for developing pressure injuries, in general, include immobility, reduced perfusion, malnutrition, and sensory loss.” [8]
Perfusion refers to the blood flow’s ability to transport oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste products from an area.
What you can do
Re-positioning, compression stockings, and leg and foot elevation can help to reduce pressure injuries.
But consult with your healthcare professional to ensure you get a proper diagnosis and treatment.
You can find more information about pressure injuries at these links:
Why is an Advance Directive important?
Even if your loved ones have heard your wishes a zillion times, they still may not be sure about everything you want.
In one study, 1 in 3 people guessed wrong about what their loved one wanted. [9]
Did you know that “over 60% of adults don’t have their wishes for care at end of life adequately documented?” [10]
When you do document your wishes, you’ll want to not only tell your doctor about your plans, but tell a trusted friend or family member where they can find those documents. [11]
You don’t have to use a lawyer to create an Advance Directive either.
It doesn’t even have to be in writing. You could do an audio version.
Here are some resources you can use for worksheets and guides in filling out an Advance Directive:
Advance Care Planning Worksheets | National Institute on Aging
Why Advance Care Planning Offers Peace of Mind
Step-by-Step Guide to Advance Care Planning | NIH News in Health
Advance care plan: A checklist for the future | NIH MedlinePlus Magazine
If you have any questions you want answered in future issues of The LifeSource Telegram, you can email those to AskLifeSource@LifeSourceProvider.com.
BP and SDOH Tips
What you should know when taking your blood pressure at home…
The #1 cause of death in older adults is heart disease. [12]
For seniors over 75, hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the most prevalent heart condition. [12]
For obese people who have had long-term high blood pressure, they have a greater risk of heart failure. [13]
Since so many conditions are predicated on the systolic (upper) and diastolic (lower) numbers of blood pressure readings, you’d want those readings to be accurate, right?
But don’t only rely on readings taken at doctors’ visits.
Take regular BP readings at home to double check those numbers for accuracy. [14]
If you want, you can even take your equipment to a doctor’s visit and inquire as to whether you’re using it properly.
Tips for taking your BP at home
Make sure you’ve emptied your bladder before you start. [14]
Have both feet uncrossed on the floor with your back supported by the back of a chair.
Rest for 5 minutes before the first measurement. Thereafter, take a couple more readings with 1-minute intervals between readings.
The American Heart Association recommends you don’t take your blood pressure over clothes, regardless of how thin the material is. [14]
You’ll also want to rest your arm on a desk or at heart level. [15][16]
Do not talk during the process.
Be consistent as to when you take your BP reading.
Realize that it’s natural to have some elevation in your BP reading at a doctor’s office—called white-coat hypertension, so your home readings may not align exactly with those at the doctor’s office. [17]
If you have any questions, consult your healthcare professional.
Why the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are assessed…
It is said social engagement is a greater predictor of whether a senior can stay in their home or move to a community with more care.
Social engagement means interactions with family and friends as well as those with vendors and store clerks.
To address this, many organizations have created a SDOH assessment. [18]
The Social Needs Screening Tool developed by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) asks about the following categories: housing, food, transportation, utilities, child care, assistance, education, employment, finances, and personal safety.
You can find their form in this article: Screening and Addressing Social Determinants of Health | odphp.health.gov
Citations:
- [12] Older Adults and Heart Disease | CardioSmart – American College of Cardiology
- [13] Heart Health and Aging | National Institute on Aging
- [14] https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings/monitoring-your-blood-pressure-at-home
- [15] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2807853
- [16] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2824754
- [17] https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.113.01275?utm_version=158325314
LifeSource Offers...
- Personalized Care Conferences for Families/Residents
- Board Certified Consulting Physician
- Collaborative, Customized, Integrated Care
- On-Site, Consistent Clinician Visits
- Care that Reduces Hospitalizations/ER Visits
- Comprehensive Care to Address Physical and Emotional Needs
Word Search
You can access the word search puzzle through this link: https://wordsearchlabs.com/view/783192
After you click on this link, you will find the puzzle as well as a button you can press to display the answers. The puzzle uses words you will find throughout this spring 2025 newsletter.