… use adult portable bed rails?

Thousands of adult portable bed rails have been recalled  recently due to risk of entrapment “that could lead to serious injury or even death”. There are ten specific models that have been deemed unsafe by the Consumer Product Safety Commission after three reported deaths between 2006 and 2013. The CPSC has warned consumers about bed rails that were manufactured and sold by two companies: Mobility Transfer Systems Inc. between 1992 and 2021, and Metal Tubing USA Inc. in 2021 and 2022. These rails were sold online by Walmart, Amazon, MTSMedicalSupply, VitalityMedical, and Alimed, as well as secondhand sites such as Ebay.

However, not all bed rails are dangerous. Excluding the specific models mentioned above, adult bed rails do indeed facilitate independent living and reduce the risk for falls. Check out the section for Balance, Mobility and Avoiding Falls in our collection on Common Issues in Later Life, and the section for Caring for Someone With Mobility Problems in our collection on Caregiving, for more information on reducing the risk of a fall, and on tools and technology to assist mobility.

… watch out for heatstroke if I’m taking antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications?

Absolutely yes, especially during a heat wave! Some of the most commonly-prescribed drugs for depression, anxiety, or mood stabilization also make people less able to tolerate high temperatures. These include Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs), Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs), Antipsychotic Drugs (ACDs), and drugs that help reduce anxiety like benzodiazepines. They interfere with the activity of the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that helps regulate temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and thirst. Check to see if you are on any of these medications, take steps to protect yourself from overheating, and know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (en Español aquí).

… take fiber supplements to improve my cholesterol levels?

These supplements don’t benefit everyone worried about high cholesterol. Fiber supplements are a big business; sales of inulin, psyllium, pectin, methylcellulose, and other soluble and insoluble fibers are booming. But the scientific evidence on which one(s) affect LDL levels suggests that individual responses to supplements vary too much to be able to make a blanket recommendation. Instead, it’s always wiser to up our intake of fiber in the foods we eat (en Español aquí) instead of taking extra pills, and to consult our health care team before adding supplements to our diet on a regular basis.

… be concerned about ongoing health problems if I’ve already recovered from COVID?

For seniors who have been infected by and since recovered from COVID, experiencing new or persisting symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, shortness of breath, or sleeping problems should not be merely brushed off as regular signs of aging. If these nonspecific symptoms occur at least four weeks after infection, you may be experiencing something known as Long COVID, which is especially prevalent in adults aged 65 and older. Long COVID can directly negatively affect one’s quality of life, ability to work, and participation in day-to-day activities. These symptoms may be especially hard to recognize among seniors, as they are frequently dismissed by peers and even doctors as minor, regular effects of aging. However, it is critical to stay vigilant of persisting symptoms post-COVID, and to address them before their effects grow out of hand. 

Recent longitudinal research has begun looking into the persisting neurological symptoms of COVID regarding memory, sleep, and concentration. In extreme cases, COVID cases in older patients may lead to dementia—important and helpful resources are addressed further in our In-Depth section.  

…look to natural methods to boost my immune system?

While a lot is still left to be discovered about the complexities of the human immune system, “general healthy-living strategies” can come with a lot of benefits. Researchers are still studying the effects of exercise, diet, psychological stress, age and other factors on the immune response. Researchers at  UC Davis found that while the immune response weakens with age, healthy choices still can make a positive impact on our immune systems. 

Both Harvard Health and UC Davis recommend healthy activities such as eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercising, managing stress and getting plenty of sleep, to name a few. MedlinePlus has shared some nutritious recipes that can help you develop a “healthy eating pattern.” They even prepared gluten-sensitive, vegetarian and dairy free recipes. MedlinePlus also has resources that guide you through regular exercise routines. Learn about the four types of exercise and how much time you should put in. 

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, a month that seeks to spread knowledge about Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia, as well as honor the 55 million people living with dementia, the 15.7 million caregivers that support them, and the countless individuals who have lost their lives in the battle. 

The National Institute on Aging has planned a wide range of Facebook resources, with each week in June highlighting a different aspect of awareness along with personal caregiver stories. Check out their Facebook page to learn more! The Alzheimer’s Association is also promoting “Go Purple” to raise awareness, as well as the usage of #ENDALZ to spread stories and personal tales. 

Be sure to check out PlaneTree’s section in our collection on Common Issues in Later Life that focuses on handling memory and cognition loss. Our collection for caregivers also has an informative section on caring for someone with dementia.  

Additional resources include: 

• The CDC’s Healthy Brain Resource Center
• The CDC’s Communications Center under Health and Aging Matters consisting of informative podcasts, infographics, and publications
• The Alzheimer’s Association Local Resource Finder
• The NIA’s Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center 
• Eldercare Locator
• Obtener ayuda para cuidar a la persona con Alzheimer

Our understanding of traumatic stress is closely linked to gun violence. The concept arose from what was called shell-shock, battle fatigue, traumatic shock, or neurasthenia in the 19th century and into the 20th; the term “post-traumatic shock” or PTSD wasn’t common usage until after the Vietnam War. The extended mass trauma of WWI marked a turning point in attitudes towards the aftereffects of violence, but now PTSD includes trauma from many different causes, not just military combat. MedlinePlus’s medical encyclopedia states that it can happen at any age “after you have gone through an extreme emotional trauma that involved the threat of injury or death” from events like:

• Assault 
• Car accidents
• Domestic abuse 
• Natural disasters (the impact of climate change)
• Prison stay 
• Sexual assault 
• Terrorism, or 
• War (both military personnel and civilians)

That said, high rates of gun violence in the U.S. (compared to similar nations) creates high levels of ptsd, anxiety, acute stress reactions, depression and fear - not just to those directly wounded by a gun, but also to their families, friends, and communities. 

Of the 45,222 people killed by gun violence in the U.S. in 2020, more than half were suicides. Whether by their own hands or another’s, the grief from those losses is huge. “People mourning loved ones lost to violent deaths” are more likely to be afflicted by “complicated grief — a persistent and pervasive sense of loss accompanied by other emotional problems” and physical problems (cardiovascular issues, even dementia in later life) as well.  

Survivors face “lasting emotional, physical, legal, and financial impacts”, as do the loved ones of survivors and those who did not. “In addition to coping with the long-term functional limitations resulting from their injuries … survivors are at increased risk of chronic pain, psychiatric disorders, and substance abuse — and their families were also more likely to face challenges to their mental health”.

Communities, too, can be traumatized. For example, studies of children exposed to gun violence show that even living in the same neighborhood as a shooting results in more visits to the emergency department within just two weeks after the event. Workers who respond to gun violence, or care for survivors and those impacted by shootings - first responders, health care workers, educators, school or store personnel, parents of school-age children - struggle with vicarious trauma.

The mental health effects of gun violence can ripple out past those who have first-hand experience, to make us all fearful, anxious, depressed. As one therapist put it; ““Every time a mass shooting hits a community, the general public becomes more terrified. Anytime fear drives a community, people tend to react with retraction, regression, and isolation which are all the things that spike mental illness.” It’s really important to point out that gun violence is almost never caused by mental illness. Instead, gun violence itself is a threat to general mental health and well-being.

What’s to be done? As one social worker explained, “Addressing the trauma caused by gun violence requires a two-pronged approach of helping people who have experienced trauma while also working to reduce gun violence.” Increased awareness of the far-reaching effects of gun violence, of treatments and resources for ptsd recovery, and of the value of mental health care (including working to remove stigma from seeking help) form the main part of that first prong; awareness of the factors that fuel gun violence, including easy access to guns, are main parts of the second.