Baby Boomers, Seniors Eating Soy to Age Well

by Chad Kimball

Baby Boomers, Seniors Eating Soy to Age Well - edamame

Recently, a trade report from Global Industry Analysts, Inc. (GIA), cited the aging populations as the driving factor in the global growth market for soy foods. As baby boomers and seniors turn to soy foods for the healthy benefits, hopefully the rest of the world will catch up to Okinawa and Japan in healthy longevity. We are woefully behind in life expectancy when compared to other industrialized nations.

At 95 You are a Senior

Baby Boomers, Seniors Eating Soy to Age Well - longevityIn Okinawa, they have a party when someone reaches 95. They are considered a senior at 95, unlike in the UK, where 65 is the norm. Seventy is still a youngster, eighty is an adult and at ninety, well, let’s just say you are a younger baby boomer. The Okinawa folks eat soy as their major source of protein; usually about two servings a day. Okinawa ranks number at the top of the average life expectancy charts.

 
Heart Rate Disease Low in Okinawa

The rates of heart disease in Okinawa is less than 20% of that in Western nations, as well as much lower rates of cancer. To put it clearly, if the same disease rates were in the Western world, we could close 80% of the coronary care units and 1/3 of the cancer wards as well as shutter many of our nursing homes because these folks just plain age well. Centenarians in Okinawa are normally slim with clear complexions, bright eyes and lithe movements.

Let’s Copy Them

The most sincere form of flattery is said to be copying so let’s see what soy can offer us in the form of tasty alternatives to the artery clogging animal proteins we are used to eating. Actually, many of the same meat-style meals can be made using the meat analogs in place of ground beef, so who’s to know? Just slip it into the spaghetti sauce and enjoy. Do not eat soy pills in the hopes of increasing longevity. Studies do not support any soy pill pushing advantages, so save your money.

Include Soy in Your Diet to Live Longer

Baby Boomers, Seniors Eating Soy to Age Well - soy and soy productsWe are talking real food here and there a plenty of money saving whole soy foods to choose from on the web, like roasted soy nuts, cereals like soy cereal, and meat analogs. The cereal is inexpensive and has 25 grams of protein and 9 grams of healthy fiber per 1/2cup serving. After all, it could be the health insurance on your plate. Mix it with your favorite brand, if you have one.

Our Soy is Their Soy

Baby Boomers, Seniors Eating Soy to Age Well - soybeans harvest

The United States raises almost 80% of the world’s soy and then ships most of it to Asian countries to consume and to live longer and healthier lives than we actually do. Ironically, the only group in the Western countries that can match the Asian’s longevity are the Seventh Day Adventists, who usually eat whole soy foods regularly. The proof of the healthy qualities of these simple little soybeans are not in the thousands of human clinical studies bearing them out, but are evidenced in the healthy longevity of the groups of people who eat soy every day as their main source of protein.

Become Proactive

It seems ridiculous that we would work so hard and then, when we are able to finally relax a little, take advantage of our social security and more lifestyle choices that we turn around and dig our graves with our spoons. Of course, anyone has the perfect right to die the way they want, but it seems pointless when the same basic meat-style meals can be eaten and enjoyed. After all, we can still eat that occasional steak if desired. Let’s hope we keep eating the soy now, maybe it will make us smarter, too.

Continue Reading

Making a Wise Choice About Where to Die

by Chad Kimball

Making a Wise Choice About Where to Die

In his book, The Good Death Guide, Michael Dunn states that a hundred years ago, most people died at home. As recently as the 1950s, twice as many people died at home compared to modern-day society. There are a number of reasons for these changes but as far as possible, people who are frail or have terminal sicknesses should be allowed a choice of where to die when their time comes.

The Decision to Die at Home

Making a Wise Choice About Where to Die - die at home

In past years, most people died at home. Family units were closer-knit and relatives were expected to look after each other. As signs of impending death showed, family and friends would gather to say goodbye and hold and touch the sick person. There was no fear in this and it was regarded as part of the process of life. The benefit to the dying one was the closeness and support of family and the comfort of being in familiar surroundings.

In recent years, there was a strong shift to transferring terminal patients to hospital if death was imminent. Nowadays there seems to be a reversal of this trend and many cancer patients request that they be allowed to die at home.

Dying in a Hospital

People often end up in hospital because their condition is life-threatening and family members may not have the time to care for their needs. While medical care is instantly available, there are disadvantages to dying in a hospital. These include the following:

  • Families and communities are shielded from the death process and may fear it.
  • Death changes from a natural event to a medical failure.
  • Many people die alone as loved ones are called too late.
  • Hospitals are generally cold and impersonal and offer little privacy.

Dying in a Hospice or a Residential Care Home

Making a Wise Choice About Where to Die - hospice

These are often home substitutes and although they may offer a higher level of compassion and emotional care than a hospital, they can still be impersonal. However, they can be a good substitute when it is impossible for a person to die at home. The staff are normally focused on helping the person and their loved ones through the lead-up to death and the grieving that follows. The rooms may be homey and the person is often allowed to bring familiar items with them.

If a person is dying from cancer or another terminal disease, it is a good idea to ask them where they would prefer to spend their last days. In some cases, it may be possible to hire a nurse to help at home and administer medications. If a hospice is an option, ask for recommendations and visit several before making a decision. It is important that the wishes of the dying person be considered and adhered to as closely as possible.

Continue Reading

The Move into Senior Care

by Chad Kimball

The Move into Senior Care

Working in a care environment for a number of years has given us the opportunity to meet many fascinating people from all walks of life. A senior care home is a huge melting pot of personalities, each with their own history and stories to boot. Often the only common denominator is that the people have met at this stage of life by living in the same place. Every resident of a care home has a personal reason for living there. Although the stories are similar in some aspects, it has done me well to remember that each decision is as individual as the person making it.

There are a number of questions one will need to answer before making the leap of moving. The most important is, “Am I ready?”

Why do people move into a care environment?

There are many reasons a person may move into a care home. Some of the more common reasons are:

  • Loneliness
  • Recent fall or hospitalisation
  • Recent death of a spouse or partner
  • Memory impairment or onset of dementia
  • Person not wishing to be a burden on their family
  • Family made the decision for them
  • Continuing health concerns that need nursing or full-time care
  • Difficulty maintaining their home
  • Fear of rising crime rates in the area
  • Of course the decision may not be one of necessity. Many people make the move simply because they would like to make new friends or enjoy the facilities the residential care home has to offer.

Am I ready?

The Move into Senior Care - Am I Ready

The idea of moving into a care home is for many simply out of the question!

Let’s face it, the reputation of care homes over the years has, more often than not, been a bad one. For most, the thought of moving into a care home meant the threat of living in a cold dark and damp room, with no one to speak to for hours on end. We also need to look at the “social stigma” and our own prejudgments of what a care home would be like. Many of us try to compartmentalise our lives into childhood, going to school, getting a job, making a family, retiring, going to a care home and then…?

A lot of residents have told us about the fears they faced when moving in to a care environment, many of which are very similar:

  • “What do I do with myself now?”
  • “Am I just waiting for god?”
  • “How long until my family forgets me?”
  • “What time will I have to go to bed?”
  • “How will the staff treat me?”

All of these fears are very real for some, and, unfortunately, don’t have simple answers. Thankfully, however, today’s residential care homes are far more focused on the resident’s individual needs. As the need for senior care increases, so does the competition amongst care providers to offer more in the way of comfort and stimulation. Many modern care homes often look more like hotels and offer private rooms that can be decorated to suit the resident. More and more homes are allowing residents to bring their pets and furnishings; a lot can be said for sleeping in your own bed, especially in a new environment. The idea that people move into a care home to die is quickly becoming an old-fashioned notion. Providers are now a lot more focused on the idea that residents move in to “keep on living!”

Before deciding if you are ready or not, it would be beneficial to talk it through with family or close friends. Do they have any suggestions that may help your decision? There are also ways of staying in your own home more comfortably. Domiciliary care may be another option for you to look at before leaving your own home. Agencies provide services that range from reminding you to take medication, assistance with washing, dressing, using the bathroom, shopping and housework to full live-in care.

What do I look for in a care home?

The Move into Senior Care - What to Look For in a Home

As with most things in life, personal preference is the key. After all, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. But there are some other important points one would be wise to consider:

  • Does the care home offer everything you need in the way of health care?

Not all care environments offer nursing care. Though not necessarily something you need at the moment, it may potentially be something you may need in the future. If the care home is a distance from where you currently live, you may need to sign up to a new doctor’s surgery. Some care homes work directly with a particular surgery, which will take a lot of the stress out of signing up as a new patient.

  • What can I afford?

Before deciding on a particular care home, take a look at what you will be able to pay. Remember this will possibly be one of the biggest moves of your life, a move that will potentially come with lots of feelings and emotion. Chances are you won’t want to be moving again very soon, so think about how much your finances will cover. Even though a particular care home has a big price tag, it doesn’t make it the best! Shop around and visit as many as you can before you decide which new home is the best for you.

  • Check inspection reports.

To give yourself and loved ones peace of mind, it would be of huge benefit to check the homes last inspection report. The majority of homes have this information on their websites. Reports are also be readily available from the local governing body. A care home may look and feel like what you’re looking for, and the chances are it will be, but it always pays to scratch the surface a little.

  • Do they allow pets?

The majority of modern care homes accept animals, but be mindful that not all do. You may have already made alternative plans for your pet to go to a good home. This is, however, a make-or-break deal for a lot of people. Having your fury or feathered companion with you can make the move a whole lot easier.

The Move into Senior Care - What to Look For in a Home - Do they allow pets?

Continue Reading