Latest news with #OlderAdults
Health Line
2 days ago
- Health
- Health Line
A Guide to Gait Training Exercises for Older Adults
Gait training is a form of physical therapy that helps improve your walking ability. It may involve exercises for balance, strength, and coordination. This may be helpful for older adults who have recently experienced a fall. A healthcare professional may recommend gait training if you have recently experienced an illness or injury that affects your ability to walk. This type of physical therapy can be useful in helping you regain independence in walking, even if you may still require a walking aid. Gait training can help: strengthen muscles and joints improve balance and posture develop muscle memory build endurance retrain your legs for repetitive motion reduce your risk of falls increase mobility There are various types of exercises that may help improve your gait. Important considerations Consult a physical therapist or healthcare professional before beginning any new exercises, especially if you have underlying health conditions or mobility issues. Start slowly and gradually increase the duration and intensity of each exercise as your strength and balance improve. Listen to your body and stop an exercise if you feel pain. Ensure you are doing exercises in a safe environment with proper support and supervision if needed. Balance exercises Balance exercises can help reduce your risk of falls and improve your mobility. You may want to do these exercises near a wall or sturdy chair for extra help with balance. Heel-to-toe walk Stand upright. Place your right heel on the floor directly in front of your left toe. Repeat with the other side, placing your left heel in front of your right toe. Keep looking forward at all times and place your fingers against a wall if you need extra stability. Aim for at least 5 steps. As you feel stronger and more balanced, move away from the wall. One-leg stand Stand facing a wall with your arms outstretched. Touch your fingertips to the wall. Lift your left leg, keeping your hips level. Keep a slight bend in the opposite knee. Hold the lift for 5 to 10 seconds. Gently place your foot back on the floor. Repeat with the other leg. Try to perform 3 lifts on each side. Simple grapevine This exercise involves walking sideways by crossing one foot over the other. Rest your fingers against a wall while you do this exercise if you need extra stability. Stand upright. Cross your right foot over your left. Bring your left to join your right. Aim for 5 cross-steps on each side. »Learn more: Balance exercises for older adults Strength exercises Repetition vs. set A repetition is one complete movement of an exercise, such as lifting a weight or doing a sit-up. You should aim for 8 to 12 repetitions, which counts as one set. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that older adults get 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week. It also recommends that older adults add at least 2 days of strength training. Strength training exercises can help you to strengthen your muscles and joints. They can also help improve your balance, reducing your risk of falls and improving mobility. Heel raises Stand up straight with your feet slightly apart, toes facing forward, and your weight evenly distributed. Hold onto a firm and stable surface like a kitchen counter or stable chair for support. Slowly lift both your heels off the floor while keeping your back and knees straight. Slowly lower your heels back to the floor. Repeat this exercise 8 to 15 times. If needed, you can do this exercise sitting down: Sit in a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lift your heels off the floor by raising and lowering your knees. Sit to stand Sit upright in a sturdy chair, leaning slightly forward so you are not resting against the back. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart and your knees are bent about 90 degrees. Stand up slowly and then gradually sit back down. Repeat this exercise 8 to 15 times. If you need a bit of extra support, you can place your hands on your thighs or on armrests if your chair has them. As you begin to feel stronger, you can do this exercise without the use of your hands. Side leg lifts Stand upright with your feet together and your toes facing forward. Hold onto a firm surface like a countertop or sturdy chair for extra support, or put your hands on your hips if it makes you feel more balanced. Lift one leg off the floor and out to the side, no more than 30 degrees. Keep your leg straight. Slowly bring your leg back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 8 to 15 times on each leg. Coordination and walking exercises Coordination exercises can help improve balance and strength. Some of them can also help improve cardiovascular health. Marching in place Stand tall or sit upright in a chair. Lift your feet alternately in a marching motion. Be sure to keep your back straight throughout. Try not to stomp your feet but make sure your foot goes fully back on the ground each time Try to march in place for 20 to 30 seconds. Sideways walking Stand upright with your feet together and knees slightly bent. In a slow and controlled motion, step sideways with one foot. Move your other foot to join it. Avoid dropping your hips as you step. Try to perform 10 steps each way. Stepping over objects Place a few small to medium soft objects on the floor a short distance apart, or have someone help you place objects on the floor Make sure the objects are placed at a distance where it feels natural to step over them with each foot Step over each object several times You can also practice side-stepping over the objects by lifting your foot and stepping sideways over each one a few times.
Zawya
7 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Uber launches new features for specific customers in MENA region
Uber has introduced a new feature in the MENA region that is designed to make the Uber app easier and more accessible for older adults, according to a press release. The new product, under the name Senior Accounts of the app's Family Profile, aims to help the older adults move around with greater ease. In addition, Uber launched the Simple Mode feature which can be switched on via the app's accessibility settings for older adults not added to a Family Profile, offering full account control. Both products are currently rolling out across the MENA region in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Lebanon. Senior Accounts present a streamlined version of the Uber app, featuring larger text, simplified screens, and the option for a trusted family member to offer remote support. Riders in the MENA region can save favorite places, use flexible payment options, and let loved ones track trips in real time while family members can book or manage rides remotely, making travel more accessible for older adults. It is worth noting that the MENA region launch of Senior Accounts follows rollouts in the US, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. All Rights Reserved - Mubasher Info © 2005 - 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Medscape
23-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Fact or Fiction: Noncolorectal Gastrointestinal Cancer
Noncolorectal gastrointestinal (GI) cancers present unique challenges in diagnosis, management, and prognosis. Knowledge of risk factors, presenting features, and contemporary treatment guidelines is essential for timely recognition and effective care. Pancreatic cancer is primarily diagnosed among older adults. Nearly 90% of cases occur in individuals older than 55 years. Besides age, additional risk factors include smoking, diabetes, and obesity. Learn more about pancreatic cancer epidemiology. Due to nonspecific symptoms, most patients with gastric cancer present with advanced disease, contributing to a worldwide 5-year survival rate of approximately 10%. Further, a study of patients with gastric cancer younger than 50 years found that 87% were symptomatic at diagnosis. Learn more about gastric cancer presentation. The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in the US rose dramatically from the 1970s until 2006, then leveled off, and it is also continuing to increase in other countries due to certain lifestyle factors. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data from 2012-2022 show that incidence rates have remained steady at about 5.0-5.1 per 100,000 in males and 0.6-0.8 per 100,000 in females. Although rising obesity and metabolic syndrome rates probably contributed to prior increases, this does not fully explain the subsequent plateau. Learn more about esophageal cancer epidemiology. Current National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines recommend adjuvant chemotherapy after resection of biliary tract cancer; capecitabine is the preferred regimen. American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines also recommend that patients should undergo adjuvant chemotherapy with capecitabine for 6 months after biliary tract cancer resection. Adjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation has been shown to improve survival in patients with biliary tract cancer, with the benefit being particularly notable among those with lymph node involvement. Learn more about biliary tract cancer treatment protocols. Studies have shown that the combination of an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, rather than a TKI plus cytotoxic chemotherapy, is associated with favorable survival outcomes and has recently become the standard initial treatment for advanced HCC. Although TKI may still be used as systemic therapy, c urrent NCCN guidelines recommend atezolizumab (an ICI) plus bevacizumab (a VEGF inhibitor) as one of the preferred initial systemic therapy regimens for advanced HCC; tremelimumab-actl plus durvalumab (both monoclonal antibody therapies) is another preferred initial option. Learn more about HCC treatments. Editor's Note: This article was created using several editorial tools, including generative AI models, as part of the process. Human review and editing of this content were performed prior to publication.
