Search

There are a few simple ways to encourage healthy aging that can translate to an improved quality of life. Here are some expert tips.  What does healthy aging mean to you? If you’re like most people, you’re looking forward to removing the negative from your life — negative energy, thoughts, people and activities that don’t contribute to your best life.  And while that’s a noble goal, too often we forget about ways to strengthen the positive parts of our lives. Expert Herbert “Buddy” Coard III, Ed.D, psychologist with Renown Behavioral Health, provides us with five positive behaviors to focus on to improve happiness and life satisfaction. Healthy Aging in 5 Easy Steps: 1. Connect – Make connections with friends, family, colleagues and neighbors. When you build strong connections, they can help enrich your life with new experiences and opportunities. Besides, having a support system to call upon when you need a favor is valuable as you age. 2. Be Active – Make time to get moving and work those muscles. Being active can include walking, practicing yoga, playing a game of pickleball or dancing. Exercise makes you feel good and keeps you health. Pick a physical activity that you enjoy, and don’t make excuses. Not only will being active help you build stronger muscles, it also helps you build strong connections with others. If you need a workout buddy, Meetup is a great resource to find like-minded people that share common exercise goals. 3. Take Notice – Be mindful and become more curious. Like a child, see the wonder and beauty of the world. Notice the things around you — the weather, the landscape, the mood and feelings of the people around you. By taking notice, it’s easier to learn to appreciate the things that matter. 4. Keep Learning – We never stop learning. Keep trying something new — a new course you’ve always wanted to try or a more challenging task someone has solicited for your help. Challenges keep us on our toes and increase our confidence and excitement in our day. OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Nevada, Reno), brings diverse educational and social opportunities to active older adult learners (50+). EPIC (Educational Programs Inspiring the Community), offers a divers curriculum ranging from art classes to Accelerated training certificate courses. 5. Give – Be generous with your time, your knowledge and your talents by giving to friends, family and even strangers. Some easy ways to give is to show thankfulness, smile at people and volunteer. Sharing of yourself to a wider audience gives you a greater reward than just doing things for yourself. Nevada Volunteers Volunteer at Renown Health Practice these five tips to improve happiness and quality of life at any age.

Read More About Healthy Aging 5 Tips to Improve Happiness and Quality of Life

Due to the stubborn nature of this year’s flu season, Hometown Health and Renown Health are adding additional flu shot events. Learn more about being protected and how to weather this year’s cold and flu season. Typical for this time of year, Renown is currently seeing a rise in patients with flu-like symptoms and other winter illnesses. To help protect the community, flu shots will be offered at the dates and times listed below: Friday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Feb. 28, 5-7 p.m. Both flu shot events will be held at in the Hometown Health building located at 10315 Professional Circle, Reno NV 89521. These are walk-in flu shot events — no appointment required. No out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries (Part B), Senior Care Plus members and Hometown Health fully insured HMO and PPO plans. Please bring your insurance card and current ID. Without a qualifying plan, the individual cost is $35. If you have questions regarding these flu shot events, please contact Hometown Health Wellness Services at 775-982-5433. And to help you weather the intense cold and flu season this year, we asked Kathleen Burns, an advance practice registered nurse at Renown Health, about flu prevention and how to know the difference between the flu virus and the common cold. How do you prevent the seasonal flu? The annual flu vaccine is truly the best form of protection to help prevent the spread of the flu. Even if you do get the flu after being vaccinated, your symptoms will be lessened. Flu vaccines are still available in the community, including health providers at Renown Medical Group. Call 775-982-5000 to make an appointment. Although they are not substitutes for the flu vaccine, simple preventative actions can do a lot to help slow the spread of the virus, including: Covering your mouth when coughing and staying away from people who are coughing. Washing your hands often. If you have the flu, stay home. If you have the flu and need to go out, including a visit to the doctor’s office, wear a protective mask. Other precautionary measures include cleaning shared spaces and avoiding shared utensils and drinks. Who should get the flu shot? Almost everyone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against influenza. Different flu shots are approved for people of different ages, but there are flu shots that are approved for use in people as young as 6 months of age and up. Flu shots are approved for use in pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions. Bottom line: Your best chance of avoiding the flu this season is to get your flu vaccine. How do you know if it’s the flu or a cold? The flu and the common cold have similar symptoms and it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two. Your healthcare provider can give you a test within the first few days of your illness to determine whether or not you have the flu. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold. Symptoms such as fever, body aches, fatigue and cough are more common and intense with the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms include: A 100 degree or higher fever or feeling feverish (not everyone with the flu has a fever) A cough and/or sore throat A runny or stuffy nose Headaches and/or body aches Chills Fatigue Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea (most common in children) Does washing your hands really help prevent sickness like cold and flu? Yes. Again, the single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year, but good health habits like washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent illnesses like the cold and flu. The proper way to wash your hands is to wet them with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap. Lather your hands by rubbing them together. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. If you need a timer, hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice. Rinse your hands well and dry them using a clean towel or air dry them. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol to clean hands. Other good health habits include covering your cough; avoiding close contact with people who are sick; staying home when you are sick; and practicing a healthy lifestyle by getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, drinking plenty of fluids and eating nutritious food.

Read More About Cold and Flu 101: What You Need to Know