WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR APRIL 2023

LisaInArkansas wrote: »

I don't usually put links to studies here, because most of the time, in all honesty, they're not rigorous, and their numbers of people studied are far, far too low to make assessments. You can't study 25 people and correctly extrapolate to a large population--which they do all the time.

However, here's a link to the original sturdy report that included more than 350,000 people: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-32150-1#:~:text=Drawing on large-scale GWAS,cognitive functioning on physical activity.

The findings included the assessment that "Higher levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity lead to increased cognitive functioning." What's funny (OK, I find weird things funny) is that cognitive function levels did not have any affect on exercise. In other words, being smarter doesn't mean you're going to exercise more.

It also means something you already knew, Machka, that by getting Rowan up and moving, cycling, etc., you gave him the best possible chance to recover as much of his cognitive processes as was humanly possible. He is incredibly lucky to have you in his corner.

Later, y'all,
Love,
Lisa in AR

Machka9 wrote: »

GodMomKim wrote: »

Hi Gals,

some of this is just venting....

I know you just want to vent and aren't looking for advice. Vent away!

GodMomKim wrote: »

for those of you also dealing with older parents.... I know my mom is very limited in her hearing (especially without her hearing aids - which she hates to wear) and that she processes slower, but she will look at me with a completely blank look - give me no visual or verbal clue that she is participating in the conversation or even knows that I am talking to her, but when I ask what do you think, or did you hear me -- she says okay.... so I know at some level she is listening... It's hard to turn everything into an open ended question but has anyone come up with something to say to get feedback that is meaning full? I suggested that we deal with her taxes, at least call her tax person (who she will not tell me their name, company or phone number) But I think it is H&R Block - I told her I would like to know if she could move the appointment to an office closer to us, or do it in a way that we would not need two appointments. I know what town the tax person is in and it is 1- 1 1/2 hours drive away from me. She looked at me blankly - then I asked if she would like me to make the call - response was quit bugging me. So I don't know if just talking to her is bugging her, or taxes are bugging her or maybe to quote Lisa her cheese has just fallen off her cracker.

This happens a lot in my home. So much so that I took my husband to an audiologist to get his hearing checked. I was hopeful that is all it was. And I also got an appointment at the audiologist to get him to go. Turns out he's got perfect hearing - even hyper hearing - and I'm the one going deaf.

Unfortunately, that means the reason he doesn't hear me is because the processing is slow and easily distracted.

• If the TV is on and there is anything remotely interest on it ...
• If he's reading an online newspaper ...
• If he's thinking about something else ...
• If he's making dinner ...
• If he's doing something in the garden ...

He won't hear me.

Sometimes he won't even hear that I've made a noise. I can say a complete sentence in the same room with him, and he won't react at all. When I finally attract his attention, he won't have realised I said something.

If he does hear that I'm making noise, he won't know what I am saying, and he'll tell me that I don't speak loud enough.

Because of the brain injury, he has Aphasia (a brain disorder where a person has trouble speaking or understanding other people speaking), and connected with that, he also experiences Auditory Processing Disorder
https://www.acquiredbraininjury-education.scot.nhs.uk/impact-of-abi/communication-problems/auditory-processing-disorder/

Auditory processing difficulties:

• Impair the person’s ability to distinguish between letters of similar sounds and therefore distinguish between words which sound similar e.g. ‘key’/’tea’.
• Make it difficult for the person to understand connected speech. This is made even worse if the speech is rapid.
• Impair the person’s ability to follow and keep up with conversation, especially in situations where there may be overlap of speakers and rapid exchanges of conversation.
• Are exacerbated by background noise and any other competing auditory demands. This will have a significant impact on the person’s ability to process and understand speech.
• Cause the person additional difficulties in situations where sound quality is poor e.g. poor quality T.V., railway station announcements.
• May affect the person’s quality of life and reduce enjoyment of activities previously enjoyed e.g. music, theatre, T.V., socialising.
• Cause difficulty locating where sounds come from.
• May be confusing, upsetting and highly stressful.

So I often get the blank look ... and if I repeat myself, I get the irritated "Stop interrogating me! Leave me alone!"

This is what they recommend ...

How to Help the Person with Auditory Processing Disorder:

• Before speaking with the person with auditory processing disorder (APD), make sure you have their full attention, they are facing you and you are in good light.
• Slow speech down, use short sentences and give the person extra time to process what has been said.
• Give information in short chunks, one bit at a time.
• Repeat or rephrase information as necessary.
• Try to communicate in quieter environments when possible, reducing any background noise. Turn off radio, T.V., noisy equipment etc.
• Rooms with hard furnishings and an ‘echoing’ environment will present more challenges than a quieter room with softer furnishings to dampen down extraneous sound.
• Try to ensure, during conversations including several people, that speakers try to:

Avoid ‘overlapping’ each other’s speech.
Slow down the rate of conversational turn taking.
Keep sentences as short and simple as possible.

• Be sensitive to any difficulties the person with APD may be experiencing. Modify your communication style if they appear to be having difficulty.
• Writing down information/instructions can be helpful for some people. Advice on augmentative and alternative communication strategies to support verbal understanding may be helpful, especially if the person is also dysphasic.
• Some people may benefit from auditory training, seek advice from audiology services.

https://www.acquiredbraininjury-education.scot.nhs.uk/impact-of-abi/communication-problems/auditory-processing-disorder/how-to-help-the-person-with-auditory-processing-disorder/


I try to do those things most of the time, but I will admit that sometimes I get irritated.

GodMomKim wrote: »

This is day 15 and It has been hard, I cry every day. I feel so alone and a complete failure.

Kim in N. California

You are absolutely NOT a failure!!

dlfk202000 wrote: »

edit- one other thing, have you found that she is worse in the evenings(the blank stares and odd comments?).

My husband is worse in the evenings ... it's because he's tired/fatigued.

He's also worse if he is stressed.


Machka in Oz

grandmallie wrote: »

Heather glad you and Max had a nice time,
I didn't think when I went to Nashville that Tracy wouldn't get paid for her time off.Her pay ,pays for groceries and they are super low on everything..she gets paid tomorrow so im picking up after I leave here a gift card to a local homemade burger joint that they usually go to..
Also i swear i put a necklace in my jacket pocket to bring to Carmine to wear tonight
Its twisted leather with a pearlish thing on the front,very binary...
Miles only slept 2 hrs last night so Tracy is beat ,any of you have suggestions on how to get him to sleep through the night.
Kyle gets upset if he wakes him up,and im sure Carmine is the same so letting him cry himself to sleep i don't think is an option.