Learn to Fall Like a Skydiver
A recent study by the University of Michigan's College of Engineering found that how you position your body in mid-air before you hit the ground can dramatically reduce the risk of fracturing your hip by up to 70 percent. Parachutists are trained to fall in a crouching position and then lean so that the outside of their lower leg hits the ground first followed by rolling onto their backside. If you land this way, the researchers discovered that the hip only receives 25 percent of the force necessary to break it. With over 300,000 people suffering hip fractures a year, learning the technique is a pretty smart thing to do.

But a fall happens so fast, so how can you possibly think about how you're going to land? Experts say you have seven-tenths of a second from stumble to impact when falling on a non-slippery surface. According to Dr. Ashton-Miller lead researcher of the study, the “typical reaction time is two-tenths of a second leaving five-tenths of a second to put the fall strategy into practice.” And that's plenty of time to position your body for a fall, claims Miller, who has learned this first hand as an avid skier. But it means you need to train your brain to fall in skydiver fashion. One way to do this is by repeatedly visualizing your self falling the way I described earlier and shown in this video clip.

My Food Pyramid for Older Adults by Tufts University
Most older people don't realize that their sense of smell, taste and thirst decrease as they age and so does their metabolism. This has a profound effect on their health and well being: most adults over sixty-five have chronic illnesses that are made worse by a poor diet, one in five feels depressed causing a loss of appetite and many take medications that either dehydrate them or are not effective because of their diet. In response, the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has created a food pyramid for adults over 70 years. See the pyramid and learn how to eat smart for an older body.
Visit the Tufts University website.

This chart developed by CURE Today -- a cancer magazine identifies nine major cancer drugs and provides examples of interactions between them and medications taken for other common age-related diseases. See a copy of the chart by clicking here.

In 1993, Congress passed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Employers with 50 or more employees must allow their workers at least 12 weeks of unpaid leave for a family member who is seriously ill. The law defines family members as the worker's spouse, parent or child. If you are caring for your in-law or grandparent, the law does not apply. To qualify, you must have worked for the company an average of 24 hours or more per week for at least one year. Your company must give you full health benefits during your leave and you are entitled to get your old job back or another position with equivalent duties, same salary and benefits.

The Department of Labor web site provides you with details on the law and what your rights are under the Family Medical Leave Act.

Don't accept "medicalese" from your doctor or nurse as a form of language when they speak to you. Their job is to help interpret medical information for you, not impress or confuse you with fancy terms . So, don't be afraid to ask whoever is giving you information to "please explain this to me in terms that I'll understand." All too often, our parents don't want to act like they don't know what's going on, so they don't ask. Or because of hearing difficulties, they won't pursue the conversation. Many just find it easier to do "whatever the doctor says." Problem is -- they don't know what the doctor just said.

I've created a "cheat sheet" to help you get through doctor's appointments and hospital visits. Since you won't be tested and the nuns aren't looking over your shoulder (yes, I'm a product of parochial schools) then I'm sure we won't get into trouble using it. Feel free to print this and take with you. If you want the equivalent of a textbook on medical terms then pick up the Webster's New World Medical Dictionary or go online to explore terms and their meaning at www.medicinenet.com. Both will also offer you explanations of medical tests and procedures.

For a printable copy of the "Medical Terms Cheat Sheet" click here.