Key points from today’s guests:
Barbara Bowman, 90 years old
- To stay healthy as she ages, Barbara swims daily and does yoga stretches.
- It is important to not only be active, but to LIKE to be active.
- She still uses an activity that she learned in Girl Scouts – head, shoulders, knees and toes.
Merle Lovell, 76 years old
- Merle usually works out three to four days a week with shadow boxing and hitting the heavy bag.
- He found that when he got into it, he really enjoyed it.
- It is exhausting in a good way, but it's so much fun and keeps him active and moving his muscles.
Dr. Jessica Kalender-Rich, geriatric medicine, The University of Kansas Health System
- When it comes to differences between men and women, generally speaking, we all just need to move we need to be flexible, we need to be strong.
- Women's bones tend to get weaker faster. And so for women it's particularly important to do some strength training which can be something as simple as taking cans out of the pantry and doing bicep curls with them or lifting them up above one's head.
- It’s important for everyone to move and maintain that strength and flexibility.
- We have to listen to our body and our body needs balance. It needs flexibility.
- It is important to prevent falls as we get older. We need to wear the right shoes, especially when the roads and the sidewalks are slick and really just thinking about how we're moving. The more strength and flexibility we can gain at home before we get out, the better off we are.
- Keeping your mind and body sharp is a package deal.
Dr. Janell Jones, geriatric medicine, The University of Kansas Health System
- Regular screenings are very important for staying healthy as you age.
- There's a great program called the LEAP program through the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and it's for people who want to prevent future cognitive decline, and it talks about six areas: keeping cognitively engaged, good sleep, exercise, good nutrition, good socialization and stress reduction.
- You can do the program on Zoom, or you could do it live.
- Landon's Center on Aging has a community component that includes exercise, so anyone over 65 can attend any program and they're free. We have cardio programs, we have stretching programs, and as of September 6, we're going to start Tai Chi.
- Diet and exercise are important in preventing cognitive decline.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention & control, The University of Kansas Health System
- There are 14 patients with COVID in the Health System this week
- West Niles Virus has been detected locally, but not in humans, only in horses.
- Continue to use bug spray with DEET to avoid mosquito bites, especially this Labor Day Weekend.
- Also, keep food safety in mind, cooking and storing foods at proper temperatures.
Tuesday, September 5 at 8 a.m. CT is the next Morning Medical Update. Meet the first patient in the U.S. to get treatment with a new type of drug that can find cancer and link it back to your immune cells.
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