Month: September 2018

Long toenails and associated issues

Long toenails and associated issues

Recently I visited an elderly gentleman in his home. After talking to him for a few minutes, I was just taking my leave when I noticed his toenails. They were long and uncut.

I pointed them out to him and requested him to cut them down to size. Apparently he had been wanting to do that for a long time, but because he was unable to bend, he had not gotten around to doing them for a while. He also seemed very reluctant to ask family members for help. I asked him to bring his nail clipper, thinking I would do his toenails. He brought a pair that turned out to be useless against his thick and long toenails.

I am sending across a toenail clipper to him today. Additionally, I am looking for a salon/spa that provides pedicure and grooming services at home for elders. Believe me, it seems to be easier finding grooming services for pets than for the elders. Such is the state of affairs here!

Anyway, coming back to the topic, here are some of the reasons why you should ensure that the elders in your house have their toenails trimmed regularly.

  1. Long toenails can curl up and cut unto the skin.
    2. Thickened toenails can become hard and difficult to cut.
    3. Toenails harbour a lot of bacteria and other harmful germs. If one were to scratch oneself with their toenails, chances of infection are high. These infections can lead to complications and in some cases even septicemia and death.
    4. Long toenails can cause people to trip or stub their toes more often.
    5. They are unsightly.

As they say, a stitch in time saves nine. So arrange a pedicure today.

The importance of (not) sitting

The importance of (not) sittingI read an article recently where it states that sitting for long periods is the new smoking.

Till recently, say till about 2 generations ago, people were more actively involved in manual work involving standing, walking and running. However, with more work moving to the desk, we are finding most people spending at least 9 hours a day sitting at their desk.

These prolonged periods of inactivity, according to health experts, can lead to obesity, heart diseases, muscular issues including back problems, as well as dementia. The WHO has identified lack of physical activity as one of the biggest killers on this planet.

While most of these articles and TED talks are focused on the young, this is true for the ageing population as well. Especially because many elders spend even longer hours sitting. So, if you notice that you are sitting for long periods of time, please change your life style as soon as possible. Go for short walks more often, join an elder yoga class, stand around for longer periods or join a gym. This should help keep at least some of the problems at bay.

Having said that, there is at least one time when sitting is of paramount importance. And that is when you are trying to put on your underwear and trousers. Most of us, especially the men, do this while standing. As your flexibility decreases, the chances of your foot getting caught inside and making you trip increases quite rapidly. So, always, always sit down before your wear your clothes.

Now, if you are in the habit of wearing your clothes in the bathroom, the situation is even more dangerous. Yes, I know, you have been doing it for several years, practically since you started dressing yourself. Nevertheless, times have changed and you have become older.

Get a shower bench or shower chair for your bathroom. After you wipe yourself, quickly wipe the showerchair as well and then sit on it to wear your clothes safely.

Remember, a fall can lead to a lot of complications and additional dependency on others.

Sometimes, sitting is good.

Are we any close to a cure for Parkinson’s?

There is an article in Wired about 23AndMe’s quest for Parkinson’s.  23AndMe, as you know is a company that is decoding the human genome in search for patterns to help us understand diseases.

Parkinson'sParkinson’s is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that affects 1 million Americans. The biggest risk factor is age, but certain genetic mutations can increase risk too. 23andMe reports two of them to its customers, which each increase the chance of developing Parkinson’s between about 30 and 75 percent. (Sergey Brin, the Google cofounder and ex-husband of 23andMe founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki, carries one of those mutations, called LRRK2.)

But scientists don’t know how the disease works or even how much genetics play a role in its development and progression. Unlike Huntington’s or hemophilia, there’s no single genetic signal for Parkinson’s. 23andMe is betting that through brute-force pattern matching, it can map the constellation of genetic causes—and potentially inform new treatments.

To read the entire article go here.( https://www.wired.com/story/23andme-is-digging-through-your-data-for-a-parkinsons-cure/)