Have you thought of going back to school? Probably not; maybe you dont see any reason or benefit to getting more education. After all, youre not looking for job advancement, a new career, or getting a college degree. School is for young people anyway. You figure if you made it this far in life youre pretty smart to have attained your age. Well, senior citizen, school is not just for those seeking education for the above reasons. School for us is called Lifelong Learning, and provides mental and physical benefits as we age. Much research has been done to document benefits of cognitive stimulation in seniors. Specific information can be read at http://www.memory-key.com . You will find research results that show how mental and physical stimulation, and social interaction with other seniors, lessens your risk of dementia and improves cognitive abilities such as thinking, reasoning, remembering, imagining, or learning words. In other words, its healthy. A web search for this topic will provide hundreds of links that will provide hours of reading and learning. If you dont have a computer, visit your local library and use theirs. Someone will likely show you how to use it if youre not familiar with computers. Bring your reading glasses, a notebook, and be prepared to open the door to a world of information.Southeast Mississippi provides many opportunities for lifelong learning. Call a local college or university, and look at the Education listings in this Seniors Blue Book. Questions? Call us, well help (228-396-4602).

Did you know that a senior citizen mental, or behavioral, health has positive or negative effects on their physical health? Whether its pain issues, cardiovascular health or some other medical conditions, maintaining good behavioral health can significantly improve recovery time from illness and continued well-being. Specific mental health programs are designed for seniors; it's important to get the appropriate type of treatment for geriatric behavioral health.Sometimes a seniors behavioral health issues may be treated on an outpatient basis by doctors' orders and may base on group therapy. During group therapy, licensed health professionals lead the group by setting appropriate topics for group discussion and encourage members of the group to participate.Group interaction helps the senior to talk and socialize with other seniors who may have similar experiences. The senior may also receive individual, family or marital therapy if ordered by the doctor. If behavioral health needs cannot be met on an outpatient basis, more intensive services such as acute geriatric behavioral health treatment in a hospital are available. A senior may need this type of treatment due to thoughts of self-harm, not wanting to live, severe depression, anxiety, or medication management issues.How does someone go about requesting behavioral health care? The first step is a phone call to a geriatric behavioral health provider, and an assessment by a healthcare professional. Strict laws regarding rights to privacy protect all conversations and treatment, and confidentiality is protected by law. If you think that you or a loved one may benefit from these services, please call today.Ed. Note: for further information contact Daybreak Behavioral Health (affiliated with Singing River Hospital), 228-818-9015

If you are an elderly mom or dad, or an adult son or daughter of an elderly parent and you live far apart from one another, you may like to know about a Geriatric Care Manager (GCM). A GCM is a professional with specific training and knowledge in caring for the elderly. Caring involves understanding the need for and application of social work, psychology, nursing, medical care, home safety and security, and home assistance. A GCM can assess an elderly persons condition and needs, recommend services, and be an advocate for wellness and independence while aging at home. Recently, a friend of mine received a call that his father fell in the bathtub and was being placed in an ambulance for a trip to the hospital. The call did not come from his mother, but from a professional care manager he hired to see after his parents who lived 525 miles away in a suburb of Chicago. His mother pressed her life alert button, the service called her, called an ambulance, then called her care manager who was there in less than 15 minutes. Our friend, her son, was assured his dad was being cared for and the care manager would keep him posted on dads condition. GCMs may be nurses, social workers, or geriatric specialists that are qualified in planning for aging and referring services for the elderly. Youve heard the term plan ahead to avoid problems ahead. Maybe its time to give attention to these things since aging, absent early death, is inevitable. One of these two things will happen and its better to be prepared either way. The website www.caremississippi.org can lead you in the right direction.

More than 30 million Americans of all ages suffer from hearing loss. Early detection of hearing loss allows for more effective intervention. In some cases, hearing loss can be corrected medically; In other cases, hearing loss cannot be cured but can be successfully managed with the use of hearing instruments.Because hearing loss is often a gradual and cumulative process it can easily develop into a significant handicap before it is diagnosed. Take this simple quiz to find out if you may have a hearing loss.1. Do you frequently ask for words or sentences to be repeated?2. Do you strain to understand conversations?3. Do you often turn up the television or radio louder than others would prefer?4. Do people often sound as though they are mumbling or speaking too softly?5. When you are socializing, does background noise bother you?6. Do you misunderstand what others are saying or answer questions inappropriately?7. Do you remove yourself from conversations or social situations because it is difficult to hear what is being said?8. Do you need to ask others about details of a meeting that you just attended?9. Do you have difficulty hearing the doorbell or telephone?10. Has someone close to you mentioned that you might have a problem with your hearing?If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, you may have a hearing problem and should have your hearing evaluated by a professional audiologist. Early detection of hearing loss, followed by proper treatment, allows for the most effective solutions to many hearing problems. New technology provides much more than simple amplification, such as adjustments for volume, background noise, directionality and different frequencies of sound. Also, youd have a difficult time noticing the new instruments in someones ear, as some instruments are very small, with shapes and colors to blend-in.The most important message here is early detection and proper treatment lead to the most effective solutions. Consult a professional audiologist if this applies to you or someone you care for.For additional information call Charlene Taylor, Au.D., Gulf Coast Audiology, 228-328-0085 .Author:Charlene Taylor