Cheers to 11 years! Engage Wellness is the medically-based way to get and stay healthier
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Engage Wellness is the medically-based
way to get and stay healthier
Cheers to 11 years!
Engage Wellness is celebrating our 11th birthday on February 4th. Whether you are new
to Engage, or have been here since the beginning, we are so glad you are part of our
Engage Wellness family! Here’s to many more years thanks to your continued support.
February 4-20
February 2022 Newsletter
How Your Heart Changes with Age
People age 65 and older are much more likely than younger people to
suffer a heart attack, to have a stroke, or to develop coronary heart disease (commonly
called heart disease) and heart failure. Heart disease is also a major cause of disability,
limiting the activity and eroding the quality of life of millions of older people.
Aging can cause changes in the heart and blood vessels. For example, as you get
older, your heart can't beat as fast during physical activity or times of stress as it did
when you were younger. However, the number of heartbeats per minute (heart rate) at
rest does not change significantly with normal aging.
Changes that happen with age may increase a person's risk of heart disease. A major cause of heart disease is
the buildup of fatty deposits in the walls of arteries over many years. The good news is there are things you can do
to delay, lower, or possibly avoid or reverse your risk.
The most common aging change is increased stiffness of the large arteries, called arteriosclerosis (ahr-teer-ee-o-
skluh-roh-sis), or hardening of the arteries. This causes high blood pressure, or hypertension, which becomes
more common as we age.
High blood pressure and other risk factors, including advancing age, increase the risk of developing
atherosclerosis (ath-uh-roh-skluh-roh-sis). Because there are several modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis, it
is not necessarily a normal part of aging. Plaque builds up inside the walls of your arteries and, over time, hardens
and narrows your arteries, which limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body.
Oxygen and blood nutrients are supplied to the heart muscle through the coronary arteries. Heart disease
develops when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to your heart muscle. Over time, the
heart muscle can become weakened and/or damaged, resulting in heart failure. Heart damage can be caused
by heart attacks, long-standing hypertension and diabetes, and chronic heavy alcohol use.
Age can cause other changes to the heart:
There are age-related changes in the electrical system that can lead to arrhythmias—a rapid, slowed, or
irregular heartbeat—and/or the need for a pacemaker. Valves—the one-way, door-like parts that open and
close to control blood flow between the chambers of your heart—may become thicker and stiffer. Stiffer valves
can limit the flow of blood out of the heart and become leaky, both of which can cause fluid to build up in the
lungs or in the body (legs, feet, and
abdomen).
The chambers of your heart may increase
in size. The heart wall thickens, so the
amount of blood that a chamber can hold What can I do to prevent heart disease?
may decrease despite the increased overall
heart size. The heart may fill more slowly. If you smoke, quit! It’s never too late to get some
Long-standing hypertension is the main benefit from quitting.
cause of increased thickness of the heart
Manage stress. Deep breathing exercises can help.
wall, which can increase the risk of atrial
fibrillation, a common heart rhythm problem Follow a heart-healthy diet. Choose foods that are low
in older people.
in trans and saturated fats, added sugars, and salt.
With increasing age, people become more
sensitive to salt, which may cause an Try to be more physically active. If possible, aim to get
increase in blood pressure and/or ankle or at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week.
foot swelling (edema).
Don't drink a lot of alcohol. Men should not have more
Other factors, such as thyroid disease or than two drinks a day and women only one.
chemotherapy, may also weaken the heart
muscle. Things you can't control, like your Keep your diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or high
family history, might increase your risk of heart cholesterol under control.
disease. But, leading a heart-healthy lifestyle
might help you avoid or delay serious illness.
Heart Health and Aging | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
Engage Wellness Updates:
Group Movement Classes - no changes to the schedule this month.
No need to register for classes right now, so join us anytime you
can make it. If you need assistance figuring out how to view group
classes from home on Facebook, please let us know!
Mask Reminder - we are required to wear either medical
masks (multi-layer and pleated) or N-95 masks at all
times while at Engage Wellness. Cloth masks are not Linda L. 2/1
allowed at this time. Please be sure your mask covers Eva O. 2/2
both your nose & mouth, and that your mask is on before
entering the building. Thanks for your understanding! Andy K. 2/3
Linda P. 2/3
Guest Policy - you are welcome to bring a guest with you anytime!
Guests are allowed one visit free of charge, and will need to fil out James W. 2/4
a waiver at the front desk. Jeff H. 2/5
Joe W. 2/7
Mike H. 2/9
Liz F. 2/9
Ron B. 2/10
Georgia W. 2/10
Rose N. 2/11
Diana K. 2/13
Dana T. 2/14
Cookie S. 2/14
Kathy K. 2/17
Mollie F. 2/19
Judy N. 2/20
Karen G. 2/25
Barb G. 2/25
Paul M. 2/26
Answers on page 4!
A warm welcome to new participants The following participants achieved special
that joined our Engage Wellness attendance milestones in December 2021:
family in the month of January:
Bob C. Cherie F. — 700 Becky S.— 300
Del S. Judy T.— 700 Patty B.— 200
Ingrid S.
Holly A. Linda P.— 500 Rebecca S.— 100
Joy H.
Hanna E.— 400 Kathleen W.— 100
Thank you for choosing us to be
part of your wellness journey!
Crossword Puzzle Answers: HOURS OF OPERATION:
Across: Down: MONDAY – THURSDAY 7:00am – 6:00pm
3. Chest Pain 1. Heart failure
7. History 2. Blood pressure FRIDAY 7:00am – 4:00pm
8. Young 4. Artery
9. Cholesterol 5. Arrhythmia SATURDAY TEMPORARILY CLOSED
10. Exercise 6. Diabetes
Engage Wellness Staff
Elisha Buster, B.S. Chelsea Lewis, M.S. Libby Guenther, M.S.
Manager Wellness Specialist Wellness Specialist
402-552-7228 402-552-7227 402-552-3218
Sara Huebert, B.S. Greg Jones, M.S. Lesley Wadhams, M.Ed.
Wellness Specialist Wellness Specialist Operations Assistant
402-552-7229 402-552-7229 402-552-7210
Visit us online!
www.unmc.edu/engage
Volume 11, Issue 2 February 2022
You can also read
