The National Osteoporosis Foundation uses the month of May to spread awareness about osteoporosis. The disease is often preventable and manageable, and information is the first step towards ensuring good bone health.

Although lifestyle changes can often prevent osteoporosis, it is still a common disease. Estimates suggest that half of all women and up to one in four men older than 50 will eventually break a bone because of osteoporosis. Breaking a bone, especially when you’re older, is serious and can be very painful.

Detecting osteoporosis is difficult without a bone density test. It is important, once you’re older, to have your bone density tested every few years, or more often if your tests score low in density.

Luckily, osteoporosis prevention has much in common with many things we consider important to our general health. Getting enough calcium, vitamin D and regular exercise is important for your bones. Eating fruits and vegetables, in addition to having many other health benefits, can also help prevent osteoporosis. Treatment for osteoporosis can vary based on sex and age, but medication and nutritional intervention have both been shown to be effective.

Bone health is important, no matter your age. This May, speak with the seniors in your life about the importance of good nutrition and bone density scans, and make sure to examine your own health habits to see how you can further prevent osteoporosis.

At AlmaVia of San Rafael, we provide residents in our Assisted Living program with reminders and transportation so they are able to keep their regular doctor’s appointments—critical to maintaining good health.  For more information on our Assisted Living program, please call us at (415) 491-1900 or by email at info@almaviaofsanrafael.org.

The holiday was proclaimed by the U.S. Congress in 1908, and has since become a widely celebrated occasion. In the U.S., Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year to dine out at a restaurant, and more long-distance phone calls are made than any other day. Traditions include the gifting of flowers, cards and handmade presents.

Mother figures feature significantly in both history and fiction across the human experience, so to celebrate Mother’s Day and honor mothers, here’s a look at a few of the most famous—and infamous—mothers. Try and match these notable mothers to their descriptions!

1) Sometime in the 17th century, the image of this woman, an imaginary author of a collection of fairy tales and nursery rhymes, was popularized.

2) The image of this woman, also known as Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1, is set on canvas by James McNeill Whistler. The portrait, one of the most famous paintings by an American artist, captures the image of the painters’ mother sitting in profile.

3) This woman, the quintessential 1950s housewife from “Leave It to Beaver,” is one of television’s most enduring images of motherhood, and was long seen as an ideal image of motherhood and female accomplishment.

4) Both an adoptive and biological mother, this woman is the mother of several children. She adopted two of her children as a single mother, and has become an international figure of adoptive motherhood.

a) June Cleaver
b) Angelina Jolie
c) Mother Goose
d) Whistler’s Mother

(Answers: 1c, 2d, 3a, 4b)

Additionally, many famous women are not only scientists, authors and politicians, but mothers as well! Marie Curie, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sandra Day O’Connor and Alice Walker, among countless others, are women who count motherhood among their accomplishments.

This year, celebrate motherhood by thanking and remembering the women in your life: mothers, daughters, aunts, grandmothers, nieces and friends. Happy Mother’s Day!

Maintaining an ideal body weight is essential to preventing arthritis—plus it can help with pre-existing arthritis by lessening the stress put upon joints. A good diet can also help build strong muscles, which will help prevent joints from rubbing against each other.

Movement is one of the best treatment options for arthritis. In most cases, staying active can help prevent the onset of arthritis completely. Particularly for those with osteoarthritis, movement exercises can help ease pain. If the senior in your life has arthritis, meet with them and their doctor to discuss how movement can help ease their pain.

One of the most difficult aspects of arthritis is the chronic pain. Many people find alternative therapies helpful, including using gentle warmth to relax muscles, listening to music, taking vitamin D and meditating.

There are plenty of arthritis-friendly products out there. If the special senior in your life is struggling with routine tasks like removing the top of a medicine bottle or holding a pen, know that there is probably an affordable version of the product you’re looking for that’s actually earned the Arthritis Foundation Ease of Use commendation.

This May, spread the word about arthritis. If the special senior in your life struggles with arthritis, speak with them about ways to improve their comfort and lessen their arthritis pain. Often, the best way to brighten someone’s day when they’re struggling with arthritis is just to spend some time with them!

For more information about arthritis and what you can do to spread the word about prevention and treatment, visit arthritis.org.

Foot health is a concern for a surprising number of people of all ages. 72 percent of Americans say they do not exercise because foot pain prevents them from doing so, according to a recent APMA survey, and 47 percent of Americans suffer from a foot ailment. Seniors have more foot concerns than any other age group, with 87 percent of older adults having at least one foot problem.

Luckily, many foot ailments are easily preventable. Examining your feet regularly, wearing comfortable shoes that fit, washing your feet daily with soap and lukewarm water and trimming your toenails straight across and not too short can prevent blisters, cracks, ingrown nails and fungal infections.

Your foot health can also be a clue for your overall health. Stiffness in the joints of your feet might be a sign of arthritis, and tingling or numbness could mean diabetes, which often causes a loss of feeling in the feet. Swelling in the feet can be a sign of kidney disease, heart disease or high blood pressure.

Your foot health isn’t only a sign for the rest of your health. Since your feet are your mode of getting around, it’s no surprise that your foot health can also affect your health at large. For seniors, getting treatment for foot pain can improve balance, which greatly reduces the risk of falling. Healthy feet makes exercising—even short walks—easier, which can have immense benefits for your health.

For people of any age, treatment for your foot ailment is very important. See a doctor or foot specialist right away if you notice:

- a sore on your foot that doesn’t heal or gets infected
- pain when you walk that stops when you rest
- unusual coldness, cramps, numbness or tingling
- diminished sensitivity to foot pain, hot or cold
- the skin on your feet or legs changes color
- a change in the shape or structure of your foot

Spend April developing good habits in your foot health. Happy feet make a happier you!

Take a few steps to help you or your loved on get some relief from spring allergies. Find your triggers. Do certain budding trees or flowers make your allergies worse? Maybe hot, windy days are more problematic than cooler, breezy days. Pay attention to what aggravates your allergies and avoid triggers. Also, try to stay inside during the mornings. Between 5 and 10 a.m., pollen counts are higher than during any other time of day.

Allergies aren’t just an outdoor problem, however. Studies show that the levels of indoor pollution in U.S. homes exceed the levels of outdoor pollution by 2 to 100 times. Make sure your air conditioning systems have the proper air filters. Regularly dusting and cleaning carpets and upholstered furniture can help rid your living environment of pollutants. Leaving windows open allows pollen to drift in on the breeze. If you go outside and come back in, you’re bringing in allergens with you. If you’re sensitive to pollen, changing clothes or taking a shower after being outside can help cut allergies short.

Remember, there’s no reason to suffer from allergies. Check with your doctor to see if over-the-counter remedies like nasal sprays or antihistamines are safe for you to use. If your allergies are more severe, your primary care doctor should be able to administer a simple allergy test to see what’s causing the problem.

Don’t let allergies keep you or your loved ones from enjoying the spring weather. Get outside and take advantage of the sunshine!

While you enjoy the sunny afternoons, don’t let the sun catch you or the special senior in your life with your guard down. Protecting yourself from the sun is incredibly important. Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, and overexposure to sunlight can increase your risk of developing cataracts. Even milder sun ailments like sunburn and dehydration can be unpleasant. Remember these tips to protect yourself and your loved ones from the sun and heat.

- Wear sunscreen and lip balm with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher that protects against UVA and UVB rays. As we age, our skin’s ability to repair sun damage declines, so this is incredibly important. Try to apply sunscreen about an hour before going out, and reapply every two hours.
- Cover your skin with hats and long sleeves. A hat with a broad brim and clothing that is closely-woven provides you with your own portable bit of shade.
- Wear sunglasses that have at least 99 percent UV absorption. This will protect your eyes from bright light and wind, in addition to protecting you from increased risk of developing cataracts. Sunglasses that wrap around protect your eyes from all angles.
- Protect yourself from the sun even on cloudy days. The sun doesn’t feel as hot when its cloudy, but the UVA and UVB rays still shine down and get absorbed by your skin.
- If you’re particularly sensitive to heat, avoid going outside during the hottest hours of the day, and seek out air-conditioned environments.
- Remember to drink plenty of water. Feeling thirsty isn’t actually a reliable indicator of dehydration—by the time your brain signals thirst, your body may already be dangerously dehydrated. Eating fresh fruit and vegetables can help you keep hydrated.

As long as you take protective measures, spending time in the sun can be a blast. Enjoy the warm weather!

Celebrating National Poetry Month might be a way to enjoy a lifelong pleasure, or a way to discover something new. Here are just a few ways to celebrate National Poetry Month. The Academy of American Poets has listed more ideas here.

- Select a poem you love and carry it with you. Share it with the people you encounter.
- Play a game with a group of friends, where each player adds another line or word, until you’ve made a poem.
- Put a poem in a letter. April is also National Card and Letter Writing Month! Receiving and sending mail is always lovely, and the experience is made even more special by including a poem.
- Visit your local library and select a book of poetry to read. It can be by a poet you already know and love, or a poet you’ve never even heard of before.
- Write a poem yourself!

Poetry is a companion for every occasion, from joy to grief and everywhere between. America has a rich and complex history of poetry, but literally every country and culture in the world has poetry to offer.

Seniors, in particular, have much to offer to the realm of poetry. Poetry is an excellent way to share experience and memory. Many famous poets didn’t begin writing until late in life. Wallace Stevens, a famous American poet who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1955, for instance, didn’t publish his canonical works until he was well into his 50s. Many poets continue writing through their 80s and beyond, and several states name Senior Poet Laureates.

Enjoy this year’s National Poetry Month, try writing your own poems, and read some good poetry, whether it’s an old favorite or brand new to you.

Advance directives are legal documents that enable anyone over the age of 18 to establish their decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time. They can give you and your loved ones peace of mind by eliminating confusion and ensuring their wishes are communicated. Advance directives are also sometimes known as living wills, although California calls them “Advance Health Care Directives.”

One form that California uses is called a POLST, or a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment. It’s a bright pink form that both the patient and the physician sign, and it makes clear statements about what kind of medical treatment patients want toward the end of their lives. The POLST can be used to either allow or refuse treatment such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the administration of antibiotics and IV fluids, using a ventilator for breathing, or providing artificial nutrition by tube. The POLST form complements an Advance Directive and is not intended to replace that document.

Advance directives give seniors the opportunity to address how they feel about care intended to sustain life. In an advance directive, they can accept or refuse medical care and address issues such as dialysis and organ and tissue donation. A health care proxy, or a specific person trusted to make health decisions, can also be named.

Completing an advance directive is important for anyone over the age of 18, but seniors and their loved ones might find it especially helpful to establish clear communication about end-of-life health care. Take the time to discuss advance health care directives with your loved ones. It can make a world of difference when it comes to peace of mind and dignity for both you and the special senior in your life.

For more information, visit the California Office of the Attorney General’s website for Advance Directives, at http://www.ag.ca.gov/consumers/general/adv_hc_dir.htm.

This March, let’s honor some senior women in our history. These women accomplished incredible things, and were recognized for their contributions to society—and they were all at least 60 years old when they started.

Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the celebrated Little House series of books, didn’t publish her first story, Little House in the Big Woods until she was 64. She went on to become a beloved childrens’ author, and won multiple Newbury medals. Her stories are still cherished by readers around the world.

Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses, better known to the world as Grandma Moses, didn’t begin to paint her beloved folk images until the age of 76. LIFE magazine put her on the cover for her 100th birthday, and exhibitions of her American folk art were so popular that they broke attendance records all over the world. Today, she is known as one of America’s most famous female painters, and her work is studied and celebrated as an excellent example of native folk art.

Mary Harris “Mother” Jones, a prominent Irish-American labor and community organizer, co-founded the Industrial Workers of the World. At 60 years of age, she adopted the moniker Mother Jones, and was soon known as “the most dangerous woman in America” for her success in organizing mine workers in their fight for better working conditions. Today, she is still upheld as an icon of union support, and the IWW is still an active, international union.

Take the time this month to celebrate the women in your life. Discuss the women who have inspired you, from historical figures to family members. For more on the National Women’s History Month, visit http://nwhp.org.

By better understanding how brain research benefits people of all ages, we can make the connection between improving public health and supporting research. Continuing brain research is especially important in learning more about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Nothing is more essential to learning how to treat and prevent memory loss than brain research.

The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives is a nonprofit organization of more than 300 leading neuroscientists, including 10 Nobel laureates. Together, they put together the basics of good brain health as we age.

Physical activity is strongly linked with brain health, no matter your age. Moderate activity, such as walking, can sharpen memory skills. Next time you spend time with the senior in your life, suggest going for a stroll.

Mental exercise, such as trying to learn new things or pursuing intellectual stimulation, strengthens brain-cell networks. Completing mind puzzles, games, and reading in new subjects is enjoyable for everyone, and can be a fun shared activity.

Longer formal education is associated with mental sharpness among older people. Even if this isn’t an option for the senior in your life, see if there are some community activities or classes in which seniors can participate. Learning something new can be incredibly rewarding.

Self-efficacy, or the sense that we exert some control over our own lives, can help prevent cognitive decline. The reasons aren’t clear, but some brain experts believe that self-efficacy is linked with greater resilience against stress. That’s why it’s important to let seniors make decisions for themselves, whenever possible.

Social interaction is important for healthy brain aging. How social interaction benefits the brain is not well understood, but one theory is that a strong social network may facilitate new learning and engage people in mental and physical activity.

In our community, seniors can achieve many of the above brain-health basics in a safe, supportive atmosphere, particularly when it comes to helping them establish a strong and loving group of friends and peers. For more information on AlmaVia of San Rafael, please call 415-491-1900.