It’s extremely important to take care of your skin – after all, it’s your body’s largest organ. Dr. Ferraro, President and CEO of Comprehensive Surgical Wound Care Consultants (CSWCC), recently shared tips for skin care as you age during an informative talk at Rose Lane Nursing and Rehabilitation. If you missed his presentation, don’t worry – we have the information for you!
Your skin plays a large role in the function of your body, as it offers protection to your internal organs, regulates your body temperature, communicates sensation, and balances your fluids and electrolytes.
As you age, you may notice a difference in the appearance of your skin; however, there’s more going on than cosmetic changes. Underneath the surface, more serious changes take place over time, including:
- Loss of dermal thickness – Your skin gets thinner and is more prone to tears.
- Decrease in fatty layer underneath skin – Your body can’t hold in heat as well.
- A lesser amount of collagen fibers – This affects the elasticity of your skin.
- Decline in the number and function of sweat glands – Not enough sweat causes dry skin.
- Changes in blood vessels – Your skin has a lower blood supply, which causes decreased healing properties.
Skin care tips
How can you take care of your skin and combat these changes as you age? Most people already know to use moisturizing cream and avoid exposure from the sun to keep your skin healthy. However, here are some tips from Dr. Ferraro you may not already know:
- Avoid baths: A prolonged period of soak time is not good for your skin, as it drains your oil glands and causes dry skin.
- Avoid lotions with lanolin for daily use: Lanolin is an ingredient in some lotions that can build up actually cause breakdown of skin, if used daily.
- Do not use band aids: Seniors should avoid using band aids, or any other adhesive on your skin, as this can cause tearing. Consult your doctor on how to properly dress a wound.
Foot care tips
When taking care of your skin, you should pay extra attention to your feet. Your feet are very vulnerable to injury, which can be high risk for seniors. With a decreased blood supply to your feet as you age, the healing properties are diminished and a simple foot ulcer can lead to amputation and even death. Older adults are also at risk of Neuropathy, which can cause loss of feeling or weakness in hands and feet. This is a common cause of foot injury.
We want to help you keep your feet in top shape and injury-free. Follow these tips for taking care of your feet:
- Inspect your feet daily: Everyone should inspect their feet as they get older on a daily basis – especially people diagnosed with diabetes. When inspecting your feet, check for any discoloration. This could mean there is a deep tissue injury from pressure. Consult your doctor if you see any discoloration or any other wounds.
- Choose the correct type of shoes: Choose comfortable shoes made of soft leather or athletic material. You should never wear a new pair of shoes for more than two hours at a time and you should always inspect your feet after wearing a new pair of shoes. Take extra precautions when wearing sandals or open toed shoes.
- Choose the correct socks: You should always wear socks with your shoes. When choosing socks, avoid synthetic materials and wear cotton or nonirritating blends. Additionally, pay attention to the fit of the top of your socks. Tight fitting socks can cause pressure ulcers on your ankles or legs.
Visit your doctor regularly and ask what you can do to care for your skin. Seniors should have their feet checked each time they visit their doctor. See your doctor right away if you develop an area of skin with poor color, a blister, a callus or a sore.
Dr. Ferraro provides wound care at three of our Sprenger Health Care communities: Rose Lane Nursing and Rehabilitation, Grande Village Retirement Village, and Heather Knoll Nursing and Rehabilitation.
By: Phyllis J. Molnar, R.D., L.D.
Reducing the pain from osteoarthritis in our knees and preventing falls are two important concerns for seniors. Research indicates that vitamin D may help with both.
Arthritis pain
In a recent study, adults with low blood levels of vitamin D were shown to have significantly more osteoarthritis knee pain than adults with healthy vitamin D levels.
Aging and carrying extra weight are prime factors in knee osteoarthritis pain. When researchers increased the study participants’ vitamin D levels to normal, they experienced significantly less osteoarthritis knee pain—in spite of the fact that they were older and overweight.
Those with higher vitamin D levels were also better able to walk, had better balance and had an easier time getting up from a chair than participants with low vitamin D levels.
Preventing falls
Falls are the major cause of injury mortality in Americans over 65 years of age.
Studies have shown that persons with low serum (blood) levels of vitamin D of less than 30 ng/mL (75nmol/L) have increased balance problems, more muscle weakness and an increased rate of falling.
Whereas, participants having an average vitamin D level greater than 30 ng/mL (75nmol/L) experienced significantly fewer falls and bone fractures.
Source of information: The American Geriatrics Society’s 2014 consensus statement, “Vitamin D for Prevention of Falls and Their Consequence in Older Adults.”
Vitamin D sources
Achieving a vitamin D level greater than 30 ng/mL (75nmol/L) can be difficult without taking a vitamin D supplement –especially for seniors.
Foods alone cannot provide sufficient vitamin D. Sunshine is the best source of vitamin D. Studies have found that persons who spend most of their day indoors have low levels of vitamin D.
And as we age, our skin cannot produce vitamin D as efficiently from the sunlight and our kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form.
Therefore, most seniors need a vitamin D supplement to achieve optimal vitamin D blood levels.
Vitamin D supplements
Only your doctor can determine the correct dose of vitamin D for you based on your current vitamin D level, daily sun exposure, age, weight, medical conditions and medications.
Obesity increases the amount of vitamin D needed. Persons with malabsorption conditions such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis and other inflammatory bowel diseases need larger doses of vitamin D. Medications that block fat absorption, such as cholestyramine and others, also increase the need for vitamin D.
Increasing vitamin D absorption
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, so we need fat to help absorb it. Studies have shown that taking a vitamin D supplement with a meal containing significant fat or oil increases its absorption by 32 percent.
Many people take their vitamins with breakfast. A breakfast of cereal, fruit and milk contains little fat. Thus, little vitamin D will be absorbed. Instead, take a vitamin D supplement with a meal containing more fat such as supper or lunch. Never take vitamin D with water between meals.
Facts about Vitamin D
- In northern Ohio, we can only make vitamin D from the sun during the late spring, summer and early fall.
- Vitamin D is made from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) B rays.
- Complete cloud cover reduces UVB exposure by 50 percent.
- Shade (including that produced by severe air pollution) reduces it by 60 percent.
- UVB rays do not penetrate through clothing, glass windows or sunscreens with a sun protection of 8 or more.
- The skin may produce approximately 20,000 IU vitamin D in response to 20 to 30 minutes of unobstructed summer sun exposure. The body can store vitamin D.
- You cannot get too much vitamin D from excessive sun exposure. Sustained heat on the skin degrades (breaks down) vitamin D.
- Persons who are obese typically have lower blood vitamin D since vitamin D gets trapped in body fat and is unavailable for use.
- One 8 ounce glass of milk contains only 100 IU of added vitamin D.
- Yogurts and most cheeses are made with milk which is not fortified with vitamin D.
- Few foods naturally contain vitamin D, with the exception of canned salmon (processing with heat removes some water, concentrating the vitamin D).
Salmon Tetrazzini
4 ounces spaghetti
1 can (14.75 ounces) salmon
Low-fat milk (about 1 ½ cups)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. flour
¼ tsp. salt
Dash of pepper and nutmeg
2 Tbsp. red wine
Sliced mushrooms (1 small can or 4 fresh), optional
Topping:
2 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs mixed with 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions and drain. Set aside.
Drain canned salmon reserving liquid in a 2 cup measuring cup.
Add enough milk to make 2 cups of liquid.
In a bowl, break up salmon into large pieces and crush bones. (Do not discard bones)
In a large saucepan, heat oil. Using a whisk, stir in flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Add salmon-milk liquid all at once.
Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens and is bubbly.
Add 2 Tbsp. wine. Stir in cooked spaghetti, mushrooms and salmon.
Pour into 1 quart casserole dish. Top with bread crumb-Parmesan cheese mixture.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Nutrition note: Fresh fish is significantly lower in vitamin D. During the heating process of canning, water is evaporated, concentrating the amount of vitamin D per serving in the fish.
By Phyllis J. Molnar, R.D., L.D.
Registered Dietitian
Elyria City Health District
