Senior Ice

Ice Your Muscle Pain Away

Muscle problems tend to accompany endocrine issues, especially adrenal glands that can’t or won’t keep up.

Of course, they also tend to accompany life as a jock or a do-it-yourselfer. But with endocrine people, muscles act up without a cause. As the song says, that’s life.

Our muscles get inflamed and “knotted up,” worse on some days than others.

Accupressure massage helps, but few physical therapists do it right. Several therapists have had at my back. Some seemed to be tickling me; some bruised my muscles, leaving me sore for days. Only one, Glenn Kippes, the therapist who treated me when I lived in Tucson, made a real difference. He’s a massage magician. But what to do without Glenn?

Doctors usually advise hot baths–the exact wrong thing to do. Heat just inflames muscles all the more.

I know, I know. Heat feels really good. Problem is, all the while it’s feeling good, it's making things worse.

Answer me this: A half hour or so after you get out of a hot bath or the Jacuzzi, are your muscles better or worse? And how much progress have you made with your muscle pain since you started treating yourself with heat?

A lot of people, especially men and senior citizens for some reason, won’t even consider giving up hot soaks, fully persuaded that some day they’ll work, and all the pain will disappear. It reminds me of when my kid brother was very young and liked to watch the same movie over and over–in case the ending changed.

The answer? Ice. Sheesh! Even in the Phoenix summer, lying on ice packs doesn’t make me burst into song. It’s more in the a-girl’s-gotta-do-what-a-girl’s-gotta-do category than the oh-yippee-it’s-time-for-my-ice category.

Several years ago, a man veered out of his lane and hit my car–right next to where I sat–at about 50 mph. Seat belt or no, my body parts flew in all directions, most of which God never intended. Besides a concussion and whiplash, I hurt in places I didn’t know I had places.

Doctors poked, prodded and x-rayed, then pronounced me fit as a fiddle. Good as new. And every muscle in my body said, “You’re kidding, right?” Well, no, they weren’t.

But I could hardly move. And wincing from the pain was giving me crow’s feet, which wasn’t a look to which I aspired.

So Glenn went to work. He told me I would get better, faster results if I went to bed each night on ice packs. He gave me three 10" X 13" packs so I could start right away.

So every night for months, I lined up my three ice packs–which went from my neck to my tukus–covered them with a towel, and eased into bed. Ever so slowly, my muscles healed.

I keep my ice packs in the freezer, ready for duty, to this day. If I’ve overdone it, or twisted something–somehow done something to make my muscles unhappy–out come the ice packs.

If my arms hurt, I ice the area where my neck meets my spine. If my legs hurt, I ice my lower back. If the pain s general, I line up the three amigos and park myself on them.

Life goes better with ice packs.

A closing word: Muscles that scream at top volume can’t always take the full power and glory of ice packs at first. Cover the packs with two or three towels to tone down the effect. You’ll build tolerance for full power over time–as you heal.

About the Author

Bette Dowdell is not a doctor, nor does she purport to be one. She's a patient who's been studying the endocrine system and successfully handling her own endocrine problems for more than 30 years. Now she wants to share her years of knowledge with you. Bette offers a free e-zine on endocrine health topics, more-in-depth teleseminars and an as-deep-as-it-gets 12-month subscription program, "Moving to Health." She explains how the endocrine system works-or doesn't, discusses what things in the environment-food, cosmetics, water, etc.-damage the endocrine system, suggests vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs and super foods that help, and answers questions. Subscribe to her free e-zine at http://TooPoopedToParticipate.com

Kappa Kappa Gramma: Senior Housing on College Campuses Attracting Lifelong Learners

The popularity of senior housing nestled alongside golf course fairways is being challenged by seniors’-oriented apartments and condominiums within walking distance of college and university campuses. Called "university based retirement communities," or UBRCs, these properties offer college coursework and a host of attractions and activities that many seniors find especially desirable.

Andrew Carle, an assistant professor and founding director of the program in Assisted Living/Senior Housing Administration at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, explains the phenomenon. "Boomers came of age in the dorms. They still go to the games, wear the sweatshirts, and love the idea of continuing education. People feel younger when they are surrounded by 20-year-olds. And they want the perks that come with college life: theater, classes, guest speakers, the library, even hanging out. This is the only model community that is intergenerational by definition. To me, it's the future of senior housing."

Numbers alone seem to support Carle’s opinion. Although AARP surveys have found that the vast majority of Baby Boomers don’t plan to move out of their homes or away from their communities when they retire, 10 percent of those aged sixty-plus actually do so. Considering the fact that there are 78 million Boomers, perhaps as many as eight million of them would consider a different lifestyle—including UBRCs.

Noting that there are more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the U. S., Professor Carle concludes that college- and university-affiliated housing "has the potential to be literally the future of senior housing in this country."

Some of these properties offer assisted living housing, although most, according to AARP, are senior apartments or continuing care retirement communities. The appeal, of course, is the availability of college coursework, as well as such campus amenities as computer labs, fitness facilities, sporting events, and medical and dental services.

Here’s an example. Oak Hammock is a 270-unit independent living senior project situated on 136 acres at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Residents are issued campus identification cards that allow them unlimited use of campus facilities and activities. Oak Hammock’s Institute of Learning, a cooperative venture that involves the university and Elderhostel, provides continuing education coursework taught by university professors and experts in particular fields of study. Classes are held on the project campus, and are free to residents. Gainesville residents aged 55 and older are also eligible to attend.

The Institute of Learning offers classes in art and music appreciation, literature, creative writing, current events, philosophy, and many others, all of which have no prerequisites, tests or grades—even homework is optional. "The Role of the Media in the 21st Century," "Ancient Peoples of the Western Hemisphere," "Why Mathematics Really Does Count,’" "Energy for the Future," and "Africa: A Continent in Change" are representative courses.

The 22,000-square foot, state-of-the-art, health club is outfitted with two heated pools, massage and physical therapy facilities, and is staffed by graduate students who serve as instructors and personal trainers. Wellness programs are available at the facility as well. There’s a 70,000-square foot Commons Area that features a theater venue, auditorium, art studios, and a business and computer center.

Oak Hammock boasts about its elegant dining, which is available in formal and casual settings. There’s also a sports bar and grill, and an ice cream parlor. There’s a pet park and an on-site veterinary clinic that provides routing checkups and pet-sitting. Transportation services and customized group travel packages and programs are provided. There are walking trails, gardens and lakes. Housekeeping services are available, and 24-hour security is provided, with gate-controlled community access.

In addition, the project offers a "Life Care" guarantee, which is a lifetime contract that provides unlimited access to assisted living, skilled nursing and memory support as these services become necessary. The Life Care program includes on-site wellness clinics and a rehabilitation center, all designed to help residents remain independent as long as possible.

College students also benefit by working on-site at UBRCs, or by serving in internships. Universities provide the communities with one-on-one training conducted by computer science majors, for instance, or ceramics or painting workshops taught by art students.

George Mason’s Carle, an unabashed fan of these projects, sums up the appeal of university-based retirement centers. "Schools find additional employment and work-related experiences for their students and maintain that connection between alumni and faculty," he said. "Residents get an intergenerational, active, intellectually stimulating environment. It's a win-win."

About the Author

About the author: Laurence Harmon writes for Great Places. For more information on senior apartments, assisted living, go to Great Places!