Pump Up the Volume: Gadgets for Improving Your Hearing

By Yelena Sapin

Problem: Trouble Hearing
As you add another candle to your birthday cake, you might begin to notice that your hearing isn’t as sharp as it once was. It might be brought to your attention by loved ones complaining that the TV or radio is too loud, or you might find it increasingly difficult to follow conversations in noisy rooms or restaurants. Dr. Ingrid Edwards, the audiology team leader at Heuser Hearing Institute, suggests two types of products that can help whether or not you wear a hearing aid. But regardless of your hearing needs, remember to use earplugs or protective ear gear when engaged in any noisy activity, and consult a hearing specialist before inserting any device in your ear.

Eye-Opening Ideas for Better Vision

By Yelena Sapin


Is your vision prescription up to date but your eyes still don’t feel good? Worried that it’s something serious? Most likely technology use is the source of your problems.

Be Strong: How to Regain Physical Strength

By Yelena Sapin

Problem: Loss of Strength
When it comes to having the physical strength to take care of yourself and perform the daily tasks of life, the “use it or lose it” adage rings true. But even the most dedicated athletes aren’t immune to age-related muscle loss that begins in our 30s. “We lose 2 to 5 percent of muscle mass per decade as we age,” says Dee Fairfield, senior healthy living director of Northeast Family YMCA. A sedentary lifestyle or an immobilizing injury speeds up the rate of muscle loss, but it’s never too late to start working out to regain and maintain your strength.

Find Your Cool Zone

By Yelena Sapin

Problem: Hot Flashes
As women approach the end of their reproductive years, many experience sudden bursts of heat, either all over or just from the neck up. According to Dr. Rebecca Booth, OB/GYN and director of Women First of Louisville and author of The Venus Week, hot flashes are thought to be caused by adrenaline surges that occur as the body struggles to cope with loss of estrogen, a hormone the brain has become accustomed to since puberty and that plummets when the ovaries enter retirement. Night sweats, heart palpitations, racing thoughts, and feelings of anxiety can be accompanying symptoms.

Two Solutions to Help You See Better at Night

By Yelena Sapin

Trouble seeing at night, especially while driving, is most often the first symptom of age-related eye diseases like cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma, says Louisville ophthalmologist Rishi Kumar, MD, of Kumar Eye Institute. The problem can also be caused by dry eyes, a condition that tends to become worse toward the end of the day. Changes in the eye’s ability to focus as we age can also make it more difficult to see in dim lighting. “The pupil dilates when it’s dark,” says Kumar, “and that can induce a bit of nearsightedness at night.”

2 solutions for dry winter skin

By Yelena Sapin

Cooler weather means turning on the heat, cozying up to a crackling fire, and lingering under the spray of a hot shower. It also means the start of dry skin season. Lower outdoor humidity and drier indoor air are major contributors to the problem. And while those hot showers certainly feel good, they strip your skin of natural protective oils. Left untreated, dry skin can crack and bleed, creating an entry for bacteria that can lead to infection, says Nina Scott, RN, BSN, president and owner of DS Research.

Read on for two easy solutions for dry winter skin:

2 ways to improve forgetfulness

By Yelena Sapin

We all have those “senior moments” when we forget what we wanted to say or why we walked into a room. We may have trouble recalling a conversation, a name, the plot of a movie we watched, or whether we took our medicine. Some memory lapses and a general decline in sharpness can be a normal part of aging, but it can also signal that something more serious is going on mentally or physically. “A red flag is if you’re seeing your daily functioning negatively impacted or disrupted by forgetfulness or confusion,” says psychologist and neuropsychologist Dr. Jacquelyn Graven.

Read on for two simple solutions to help solve problems of forgetfulness.

How to soothe an itchy scalp

Many people get itchy scalp, often accompanied by dandruff, and we don’t really know the cause of that, says Dr. Joseph Fowler, a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Louisville. There might be some genetic factors, and people with other skin conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema are especially prone to it. Contrary to popular belief, an itchy, flaky scalp is not necessarily a sign of dryness. “The scalp is loaded with oil glands, and what people sometimes think of as dry scalp is actually inflammation from the dermatitis, which produces the scaling and flakiness,” Dr. Fowler says.

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Solutions for missing teeth

Whether lost to trauma, tooth decay, or periodontal disease, missing teeth can alter not only your appearance, but also your abilities to speak clearly and to properly chew your food. “Removable partial dentures are a really great restoration option for people looking to replace those missing teeth,” says Dr. Mary Shields of Triple Crown Dentistry. Used to fill in the gaps in the upper and/or lower teeth, “partials” are created to match your existing teeth and surrounding tissues. Partials also keep your other teeth in their proper position.

Two solutions for smelly feet

It can be embarrassing, but foot odor is something we all get on occasion. The main cause of the offense is sweat. Or more precisely, the by-product of bacteria feeding off the sweat that is released from your feet and soaks into your shoes. In some cases, persistent foot odor can be a symptom of a skin infection or of an open wound, says Louisville podiatrist Dr. Fred Preuss. Diabetes sufferers who experience a loss of sensation in the feet are especially vulnerable to infections and should see their doctor if they notice any odor.

How to Treat Macular Degeneration

Located in the center of the retina — the tissue at the back of the eye that turns light into signals the brain interprets as “seeing” — the macula is the area responsible for clear central vision. With age, the macula can begin to break down, causing central vision to become blurry or grayed out, to have missing spots, or for straight lines to appear wavy, says Dr. Thomas Stone of Retina Associates of Kentucky. AMD is classified as either of the “dry” or “wet” type.

Stop Inner Ear/Balance Problems

The inner ear houses the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and proper orientation in space. Over time, normal wear-and-tear in this system can lead to dizziness and balance problems. According to Dr. Steven Shotts of Advanced ENT and Allergy, the most common vestibular disorder for older adults is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), a spinning sensation brought on by sudden changes in head position. Caused by the migration of tiny calcium crystals known as “ear rocks” from their normal place in the inner ear, BPPV is a significant cause of falls among the elderly.