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Fat Politics: The Real Story behind America’s Obesity Epidemic

It seems almost daily we read newspaper articles and watch news reports exposing the growing epidemic of obesity in America. Our government tells us we are experiencing a major health crisis, with sixty percent of Americans classified as overweight, and one in four as obese. But how valid are these claims? In Fat Politics, J. Eric Oliver shows how a handful of doctors, government bureaucrats, and health researchers, with financial backing from the drug and weight-loss industries, have campaigned

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Q: I hate Alzheimer’s disease, not only has it robbed me of my husband, but it has taken my life too! I feel like all of my friends have disappeared. I am lonely, and that makes me feel guilty. Help!
A: What you are describing is very typical for caregivers. No one seems to understand! Your world seems to get smaller and smaller as you care for your loved one.
In order for you to continue caring for your husband you need to get some rest and take care of yourself, and more importantly reach out to others. I know, I know easier said than done.
There are many options for you. The key is to pick something and do it.
Do something for yourself. It is very easy to give all of your attention to the person whom you are providing care for and neglect your needs.

1. Get a manicure
2. Go see a movie
3. Go for a walk alone
4. Try to take a nap, when your loved one is sleeping. Even though it takes up time you have to get other things done.
5. Buy yourself a magazine
6. Take a bubble bath
7. Go to a spa

If you are lonely you should avoid isolating yourself. Perhaps your friends have left because they didn’t know what to do to help, simply because you didn’t ask them. If you feel uncomfortable asking for support start with small things and work up to bigger ones.

1. Try inviting a friend to coffee or tea
2. Ask a friend to stay for an hour while you take a bath, read a magazine, or go for a walk alone.
3. Call a local senior daycare program and arrange for your loved one to go there once a week. There are programs available in almost every city.
4. Contact a local Alzheimer’s support group in your area. These people do know what you are going through.

If you are truly burnt out and at the end of your rope, you should check into long term care for your husband. If you cannot continue to give him quality care, or if your health is deteriorating you may need to look at some alternatives.

Renee “Dutchy” Reeves is an Elder Care Consultant with over 10 years of working with the elderly and their families. Her online advice column, “Ask Dutchy” provides practical ideas and advice for assisting the elderly with Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, Parkinson’s, disability, and those needing long term care.

Home modifications are changes made to adapt living spaces to meet the needs of people with physical limitations so that they can continue to live independently and safely. These modifications may include adding assistive technology (see the fact sheet on Assistive Technology for details) or making structural changes to a home. Modifications can range from something as simple as replacing cabinet doorknobs with pull handles to full-scale construction projects that require installing wheelchair ramps and widening doorways.
• Other examples of home modifications include:
• Grab bars in the bathroom (including by the bathtub, shower, and toilet)
• Handheld, flexible shower heads
• Handrails on both sides of staircases and for outside steps
• Lever-operated faucets that are easy to turn on and off
• Sliding or revolving shelves for cabinets in the kitchen
• Walk-in showers
WHY DO SENIORS NEED HOME MODIFCATIONS?
The main benefit of making home modifications is that they promote independence and prevent accidents. According to a recent AARP housing survey, “83% of older Americans want to stay in their current homes for the rest of their lives,” but other studies show that most homes are not designed to accommodate the needs of people over age 65
Most older people live in homes that are more than 20 years old. As these buildings get older along with their residents, they may become harder to live in or maintain. A house that was perfectly suitable for a senior at age 55, for example, may have too many stairs or slippery surfaces for a person who is 70 or 80. Research by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that home modifications and repairs may prevent 30% to 50% of all home accidents among seniors, including falls that take place in these older homes.
HOW CAN I TELL WHAT HOME MODIFCATIONS ARE RIGHT FOR ME?
The best way to begin planning for home modifications is by defining the basic terms used and asking some simple questions. According to the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), home modifications should improve the following features of a home:
• Accessibility. Improving accessibility means making doorways wider, clearing spaces to make sure a wheelchair can pass through, lowering countertop heights for sinks and kitchen cabinets, installing grab bars, and placing light switches and electrical outlets at heights that can be reached easily. This remodeling must comply with the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines, and American National Standards Institute regulations for accessibility. The work must also conform to state and local building codes.
• Adaptability. Adaptability features are changes that can be made quickly to accommodate the needs of seniors or disabled individuals without having to completely redesign the home or use different materials for essential fixtures. Examples include installing grab bars in bathroom walls and movable cabinets under the sink so that the space can be used by someone in a wheelchair.
• Universal Design. Universal design features are usually built into a home when the first blueprints or architectural plans are drawn. These features include appliances, fixtures, and floor plans that are easy for all people to use, flexible enough so that they can be adapted for special needs, sturdy and reliable, and functional with a minimum of effort and understanding of the mechanisms involved.
• Visitability. Visitability features include home modifications for seniors who may want to entertain disabled guests or who wish to plan ahead for the day when they may require some extra help in getting around their own homes. For example, installing a ramp to the front door of a house and remodeling the hallways and rooms to allow wheelchair access would make a home easier to visit for disabled family members or friends. Such changes may also give seniors a head start on home modifications they may need later in their lives.

There are several types of smell disorders depending on how the sense of smell is affected. People who have smell disorders experience either a loss in their ability to smell or changes in the way they perceive odors.
Some people have hyposmia, which occurs when their ability to detect odor is reduced. This smell disorder is common in people who have upper respiratory infections or nasal congestion. This is usually temporary and goes away when the infection clears up.
Other people can’t detect odor at all, which is called anosmia. This type of smell disorder is sometimes the result of head trauma, usually from an automobile accident. It can sometimes be caused by aging. In rare cases, anosmia is inherited.
Sometimes a loss of smell can be accompanied by a change in the perception of odors. This type of smell disorder is called dysosmia. Familiar odors may become distorted, or an odor that usually smells pleasant instead smells foul. Sometimes people with this type of smell disorder also experience headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, or anxiety.
Still others may perceive a smell that isn’t present at all, which is called phantosmia.
If you think you have a problem with your sense of smell, try to identify and record the circumstances surrounding it. Ask yourself the following questions:
• When did I first become aware of it?
• Did I have a cold or the flu?
• Did I have a head injury?
Ask yourself these questions:
• Was I exposed to air pollutants, pollens, danders, or dust to which I might be allergic?
• Is this a recurring problem?
• Does it come at any special time, like during the hayfever season?
Bring this information with you when you visit your physician. Also, be prepared to tell him about your general health and any medications you are taking. The correct diagnosis by a trained health professional can provide reassurance that your problem with smell is not imaginary.
Your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist, or specialist in diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. After a complete medical history and physical examination, your doctor may run special tests to determine the extent and nature of your smell disorder.
Some tests measure the smallest amount of odor you can detect. You also may receive an easily administered “scratch and sniff” test — that is commercially available to doctors — to determine how well you can identify various odors from a list of possibilities.
Your doctor may ask you to compare the smells of different chemicals, or to indicate how much the intensity of the smell grows when its chemical concentration is increased. By using these tests, your doctor can determine if you have hyposmia, anosmia, or another type of smell disorder.
In some cases, your doctor may need to perform a nasal examination with a nasal endoscope, an instrument which illuminates and magnifies the areas of the nose where the problem may exist. This test can help identify the area and extent of the problem and help your doctor select the right treatment.
If your doctor suspects that the nerves of smell or other parts of the nose and head that can’t be seen by an endoscope are involved, he or she may order an X-ray, usually a CAT scan, to look further into the nose and sinuses.
If you think you have a smell disorder, see your doctor. Diagnosis of a smell disorder is important because once the cause is found, your doctor may be able to treat your smell disorder. Many types of smell problems are reversible, but if they are not, counseling and self-help techniques may help you cope.
Source: National Institutes of Health
Read more about resources for smell disorders

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