Bradenton.com: Senior Living

Best Defense Against Wrinkles and Sags is Prevention, But Help May Be On the Way

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:23 EDT

Best defense against wrinkles and sags is prevention, but help may be on the way
Wrinkles are like kids once you've got 'em, they're yours forever. Unless you have them surgically removed the wrinkles not the kids.
Face it, wrinkles are a natural part of aging. As you grow older, your skin gets thinner, drier, less elastic, and less able to protect itself from damage. As a result, wrinkles, lines and creases form. Although genetics are the most important determiner of skin texture, a major contributor to wrinkles is spending too much time in the sun.
A recent report from the University of Michigan Health System appears to give hope to those who would like to reduce or eliminate wrinkles through non-surgical means.
Flip through a fashion magazine and somewhere in the ads and articles the following words will pop out at you: Retinoids, exfoliants, antioxidants, peptides, cell plumpers, fillers and skin brighteners. Magic in a jar that supposedly will help you return to younger looking, wrinkle-free skin. The hyperboles follow in ad after ad placed there by cosmetic companies which spend millions on packaging and advertising aimed at convincing you they have the magical ingredient that will grant your wish to turn back the clock to when not a single wrinkle creased any part of your face.
Despite all the hype there is no one magical ingredient that can make your skin look 20 again. It's true that some of today's wrinkle treatments might smooth out your skin, but the results won't be permanent. New wrinkles will appear and sun exposure and smoking may hasten their development. You can't turn back the hands of time, but you can take steps to protect your skin from further damage.
The battle among the makers of anti-wrinkle products received an injection of scientific understanding with the release of the University of Michigan Health System study.
The study is the first to report that Restylane, the brand name of one of the fillers used to reduce the appearance of creases and wrinkles on the lower part of the face, works by stretching fibroblasts, the cells in the skin that make collagen, in a way that causes the skin to create new collagen, which could contribute to the reduction of the appearance of creases and wrinkles. The study also shows that the product seems to inhibit the breakdown of existing collagen.
The fibroblasts are in the dermis, the layer of skin below the epidermis (outer layer). In young people, fibroblasts are stretched, and this produces enough collagen to make the skin appear relative smooth. As people age, the fibroblasts become relaxed and do not stretch as easily, and therefore do not release as much collagen, causing creases and wrinkles to appear.
Another factor is that in older skin, an enzyme called collagenase breaks down the collagen in the skin. The research found that injection of Restalyn inhibits the breakdown of collagen by collagenase.
Nothing we know today stops the aging process of skin, but there are things you can do to make your skin look and be healthier, firmer and better looking. One of the best things you can do for your skin is to never go out without first applying sunscreen to the exposed skin. Never!
The wrinkles and brown spots associated with aging appear first and most prominently on skin exposed to the sun. Skin not exposed to the sun also ages but less dramatically. It loses its youthful appearance by becoming thinner, laxer and more finely wrinkled.
Wrinkles come in two categories: fine surface lines and deep furrows. Most wrinkles appear on the parts of the body where sun exposure is greatest, the face, neck, the backs of the hands, and the tops of the forearms. Wrinkle treatments in cream or lotion may be, in general, more effective for fine lines. Deeper creases may require more aggressive techniques such as filler injections.
Prescription creams such as Retinoids may be able to reduce fine wrinkles and skin roughness. Derived from vitamin A, these are prescription creams and their use needs to be monitored by a dermatologist. Applying vitamin A to the skin seems to improve wrinkles and may help to promote the production of skin-building compounds.
The effectiveness of non-prescription, over-the-counter, anti-wrinkle creams depends in part on the active ingredient(s). Retinol, alpha hydroxyl acids, kinetin, coenzyme Q10, copper peptides and antioxidants may result in slight to modest improvements in wrinkles. However, non-prescription wrinkle creams contain lower concentrations of active ingredients than do prescription creams. Therefore results, if any, are limited and usually short-lived.
Some people consider their wrinkles a roadmap of their life and don't mind having them. Laugh lines and frown lines they illustrate a life lived with joy and grief alike. They are a natural part of having lived.
Others cringe at the sight of each wrinkle as it appears and would rather do without. If your wrinkles are bothering you, you have more options than ever, topical and surgical, in a wide variety of price ranges, to help eliminate or at least diminish their appearance.

Techniques for skin repair and improvement

Fri, 23 May 2008 13:26 EDT

Adapting to a Fixed Income Essential to Enjoying Retirement

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:22 EDT

A bill currently in the Senate Finance Committee will trigger the largest reform of nursing home care in more than 20 years if it becomes law.
Targeted primarily at for-profit homes, the Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act (S2641) would require nursing homes to clearly state ownership, standardize complaint forms, improve reporting on staffing information and replace some self-reported information with that gathered by independent audit. The bill seeks to make it easier for those looking for an appropriate nursing home for themselves or a family member to compare nursing homes.
Introduced by Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Herb Kohl (D-WI) the legislation is aimed at requiring nursing homes to provide more information for consumers. It would require stiffer penalties for serious quality deficiencies and greater accountability and transparency about who owns and operates nursing homes. To improve nursing home care, Grassley said in releasing notice of the bill, requires more transparency, enforcement, and staff training. According to Senator Kohl the federal government now spends $75 billion annually on nursing homes through Medicare and Medicaid, and spending is projected to rise. Grassley is ranking member and former chairman of the Committee on Finance, with jurisdiction over the federal health care programs that cover nursing home care. Kohl is chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, a standing committee that conducts oversight of issues related to the health, safety, and financial well being of older Americans.
The bill would enable nursing home residents, their families and the government to know who actually owns the nursing home, something not always easily determined as private investment groups have bought up nursing homes and made them part of larger legal structures. Transparency could enable consumers to identify which homes have a solid enforcement track record, which are well-staffed, and which homes are owned by a chain with a good reputation for providing excellent service. Information would be posted on the federal government's website Nursing Home Compare.
The bill would also provide enforcement officers better tools. The bill's sponsors maintain that penalties should be more than merely the cost of doing business; they should be collected in a reasonable timeframe, and should not be rescinded easily. Changes outlined in the bill, they say, would help prod the industry's substandard providers to get their act together or get out of the business. The bill would also strengthen training requirements for nursing staff by including dementia and abuse prevention training as part of pre-employment training. Further, in the event a nursing home is to be closed, the bill would require that states and facilities provide a secure and orderly process when relocating residents.
According to the senators there are more than 1.7 million elderly and disabled individuals in roughly 17,000 nursing home facilities. As the baby boom generation ages, this number is expected to rise considerably. While many people are turning to the use of alternative methods of care, such as home care or community-based care, nursing homes are expected to remain a critical option for elderly and disabled populations.
The last time a major law dictating federal standards for quality, data reporting and enforcement was passed was in 1987.

Protecting Your Eyesight for Your Lifetime

Fri, 23 May 2008 13:21 EDT

Despite some age-related vision changes that are inevitable, you may be able to keep your eyes healthy for a lifetime. A healthy diet and wise lifestyle choices are your best natural defenses against vision loss as you age.

Take a Bike Ride Inside

Fri, 23 May 2008 13:15 EDT

Older, frail people can get a free gym pass and still benefit from activities that are not as taxing as physical fitness, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Low-level activities, such as playing cards and shopping, can provide the life-lengthening benefits as exercise, according to a 13-year study of 2,800 people age 65 and older.

The Magic Touch

Fri, 23 May 2008 12:59 EDT

Lorence Ruderman has more than a green thumb she has the magic touch. Her home in east Manatee
County looks like something out of a gardening magazine, with pergolas, lush beds and secret gardens of gorgeous plants, vines, flowers, trees and palms. This creative gardener's serene tropical paradise began when she fell in love with Florida's endless variety of plants and non-stop growing season.
When we moved here six years ago from suburban Philadelphia, I knew nothing of this kind of gardening, says Florence, who was knowledgeable about Northern plants from her job managing a shop of unusual gifts and plants.
Florida gardening is totally different. It's my passion a whole new beginning for me, she says. It's such a miracle to discover buds or berries that weren't there yesterday. She spends several hours a day tending to her orchids, ferns and other plants, including gardenias that bloom yes! year round.
Florence also volunteers at Southeastern Guide Dogs twice a week, including managing the gift shop. Her husband Gill, a retired Army Colonel, is active in several veterans' organizations, one of which raises money for Southeastern's Paws for Patriots, which gives guide dogs to wounded veterans.
The Rudermans are well-traveled, even taking their children and grandchildren with them on a cruise later this year to celebrate their 10th anniversary. But Florence's favorite place is at home surrounded by her beautiful plants and the couple's four lively Shih Tzus.
Why would I want to travel to some exotic island? When I get up in the morning and come outside this is paradise!

Florida gardening is totally different. It's my passion a whole new beginning for me. It's such a miracle to discover buds or berries that weren't there yesterday.

The Benefits of Brain Games

Fri, 23 May 2008 12:33 EDT

The Art of Summer

Fri, 23 May 2008 12:16 EDT

I use summers to recharge. During the school year I don't have much time for creative hobbies. Her roomy studio is ready and waiting with projects to fill her summer hours.

Welcome:

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49 EST

While we enjoy the last of winter's chilly days and nights, this is a good time for a good readÉand this issue of Senior Living has it all. We've gathered a kaleidoscope of stories about amazing seniors, fun things to do, health, romance and foodÑin short, something for everyone!

Win her with dinner

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:16 EST

Honeymoon havens for the mature adult

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:06 EST

Minimally invasive heart procedures a boon for patients

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49 EST

Consider potential tax benefits of long-term care insurance

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49 EST

A timeless wedding gown

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:47 EST

Lance & Pam Scott wed on anna maria island

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49 EST

John & Lyda Arimond, celebrate their love

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49 EST

Seniors take the controls in virtual reality

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49 EST

Sissy quinn, executive administrator, anna maria island historical society

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49 EST

The ups and downs of high and low blood pressure

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49 EST

WHO HAS HIGH .BLOOD PRESSURE?

Growing Fragrant Roses

Fri, 23 May 2008 14:14 EDT

Growing Fragrant Roses

Nursing Home Reform Bill the First Major Industry Reform in Twenty Years

Fri, 23 May 2008 13:37 EDT

The 85/15 Diet

Thu, 29 May 2008 17:52 EDT

When it comes to eating, baby boomer Jesse Ziff Cool is good, very good.
But when she's bad, she's still slim.