Healthy ageing - stay involved

Humans are social animals who need contact and intimacy with others to feel good about life. This is even more important after retirement, when the social contact that comes with being in the workforce is gone.

Factors such as low income, reduced physical mobility due to illness, or lack of access to transport can leave some people at home alone with nothing much to do. If this is the case, retirement may lead to social isolation, loneliness and depression. But there are lots of ways to stay involved in the wider community.

Ways to stay involved
Reach out to the immediate world around you for fun, a sense of achievement, social contact and mental stimulation. Some suggestions include:

• Improve your health
• Widen your circle of friends
• Volunteer in the classroom, community centre or organisation
• Become a mentor
• Get computer savvy
• Increase your physical activity.

Improve your health
For some seniors, health problems are a barrier to participation in the wider community. Suggestions include:

• Control existing health issues in close consultation with your doctor. Ask for self-help suggestions to better manage your condition.
• Maintain an appropriate and regular exercise routine. Walk or do strength training or water aerobics. Exercise improves physical health and boosts cognitive abilities such as memory and logic.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Don’t smoke.
• Limit your alcohol intake.
• Turn off the television. Sitting in front of the TV for long periods every day tends to ‘sedate’ the body and mind.
• Stimulate your brain with activities such as reading, crossword puzzles or ‘thinking’ games such as Scrabble, Sudoku or Trivial Pursuit.
• Lively conversation is effective and fun exercise for the brain. Make an effort to be more sociable; for example, regularly invite family or friends over for a cup of tea and a chat.
• If you are feeling persistently depressed or sad, see your doctor.

Health checks for men

Men must have daily health checks. See your doctor for regular medical check-ups to help you keep on healthy and to pick up early on warning signs of disease or illness. Cardiovascular (heart) disease, diabetes and some cancers can often be picked up in their early stages, when treatment may be more successful.

While you have a health check, your doctor will speak to you about your medical history, your family’s history of disease and your lifestyle. Your diet, your weight, how much you exercise and whether or not you smoke will also is discussed.

If you have ‘high risk’ factors, for example a family history of a disease, it may be more likely that you will develop a particular disease. Regular check-ups may help your doctor pick up early warning signs. Other early warning signs of disease include high blood pressure.

Health care at home

Health checks and staying well should be part of your regular routine. This will help you stay healthy and pick up potential problems early. Things you can do at home include:

• Skin checks – you should check your skin every three months for unusual moles or freckles. See your doctor if you notice anything unusual. Men at high risk need regular examination by their doctor or dermatologist.
• Dental care – you can reduce your risk of tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss if you clean your teeth regularly, eat a low sugar diet and visit the dentist at least once a year.
• Testicle checks – from puberty onwards you should check regularly for unusual thickenings or lumps in the testicles. See your doctor if you are concerned.

Heart health checks

Health checks for heart disease may include:

• Blood pressure – have your blood pressure checked every two years if your blood pressure is normal and there is no family history of high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is on the high side or you have a personal or family history of high blood pressure, stroke or heart attack, it’s best to have it checked more frequently. Be advised by your doctor.
• Blood tests – these check cholesterol levels and blood triglycerides. High levels may indicate an increased risk of various health problems including heart disease. If you’re over 45, you should have these blood tests once every five years. If you’re at high risk of cardiovascular disease and have a family history, you should be tested every year from age 40.
• Obesity tests – being overweight is a significant risk factor in many health conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Ask your doctor to check your body mass index (BMI) and waist measurement every two years.

Diabetes
Tests for diabetes include the fasting blood sugar level test. This involves measuring the amount of glucose in the blood after you haven’t eaten for a while. Depending on your risk level, you will need to be tested annually or once every three years. Men at higher risk of type 2 diabetes include:

• Those over 45 years who are obese or have high blood pressure
• Those who have had angina, a heart attack or stroke
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men aged over 35 years
• Pacific Islander men
• Those with a family history of diabetes, who should be checked every year after they turn 40.

Prostate cancer
There are still some disagreements among experts on some elements of prostate cancer screening, so discuss the pros and cons with your doctor. If you’re over 50, an annual digital prostate examination may be recommended. This means the doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into your anus to feel for changes to the prostate gland.

The prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test is not recommended as a screening test for the general population. A positive PSA blood test must be confirmed with the digital test and other tests including a biopsy of the prostate.

If you have a family history of any type of cancer, including prostate cancer, you may need to have a PSA and digital test regularly after you turn 40. Ask your doctor for advice.

Bowel cancer
The faecal occult blood test (FOBT) uses chemicals to check a stool sample for blood. If you’re over 50 you should have this test once every two years or after you turn 40 if you have a family history.

Men at high risk of bowel cancer may need a colonoscopy every five years. During this test, the doctor inserts a slender instrument called a colonoscope through the anus to visually check the rectum and large bowel for any abnormalities.

Eye conditions

Eyesight tends to deteriorate with age. It’s recommended that:

• Men aged between 50 and 65 years should have a general eye examination every five years.
• Men aged over 65 years should have an eye examination once a year.
• Every man over 40 years should have regular eye examinations. One condition that an optometrist can test for is glaucoma. This is a serious eye condition characterised by high fluid pressure within the eyeball. Men at increased risk should be tested for glaucoma at an earlier age. Risk factors include family history, diabetes, prior eye injury, high blood pressure or use of steroids.

Bone density

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes thinning of the bones. Osteoporosis can affect men as well as women. Advancing age is a significant risk factor. A bone density test helps to determine the health of your bones. Bone density testing is most often used when people have:

• Osteoporosis or concerns about osteoporosis
• A vertebral (spinal) deformity
• Osteopaenia (decreased bone density)
• A previous fracture.

Other tests
You may need other regular tests not listed here depending on your personal or family medical history. Ask your doctor for further information.

Where to get help

• Your doctor
• Dentist
• Eye specialist

Things to remember

• Men should see their doctor for regular medical check-ups.
• Screening tests help doctors to detect many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers in their early stages.
• A man at high risk of a particular disease should be regularly tested regardless of his age.

Homeless Health Concerns

Poor health can contribute to being homeless, and being homeless can lead to poor health. Limited access to health care can make it worse. That's why the health of homeless people in the United States is worse than that of the general population. Common health problems include

* Mental health problems
* Substance abuse problems
* Bronchitis and pneumonia
* Problems caused by being outdoors
* Wound and skin infections

Many homeless women are victims of domestic or sexual abuse. Homeless children have high rates of emotional and behavioral problems, often from having witnessed abuse.

Mental and emotional signs of abuse and addiction

Abuse and addiction also affect mood, as drugs are abused for the temporary good feelings they provide. These feelings can vary depending on the drug used. Some mental and emotional signs include:

* Cycles of being unusually talkative, “up” and cheerful, with seemingly boundless energy.
* Increased irritability, agitation and anger
* Unusual calmness, unresponsiveness or looking “spaced out”
* Apathy and depression
* Paranoia, delusions
* Temporary psychosis, hallucinations
* Lowered threshold for violence

Drug Specific Symptoms

Marijuana:
Glassy, red eyes; loud talking and inappropriate laughter followed by sleepiness; a sweet burnt scent; loss of interest, motivation; weight gain or loss.

Alcohol:
Clumsiness; difficulty walking; slurred speech; sleepiness; poor judgment; dilated pupils; possession of a false ID card.

Depressants:
(including barbiturates and tranquilizers) Seems drunk as if from alcohol but without the associated odor of alcohol; difficulty concentrating; clumsiness; poor judgment; slurred speech; sleepiness; and contracted pupils.

Stimulants:
Hyperactivity; euphoria; irritability; anxiety; excessive talking followed by depression or excessive sleeping at odd times; may go long periods of time without eating or sleeping; dilated pupils; weight loss; dry mouth and nose.

Inhalants:
(Glues, aerosols, and vapors ) Watery eyes; impaired vision, memory and thought; secretions from the nose or rashes around the nose and mouth; headaches and nausea; appearance of intoxication; drowsiness; poor muscle control; changes in appetite; anxiety; irritability; an unusual number of spray cans in the trash.

Hallucinogens:
Dilated pupils; bizarre and irrational behavior including paranoia, aggression, hallucinations; mood swings; detachment from people; absorption with self or other objects, slurred speech; confusion.

Heroin:
Needle marks; sleeping at unusual times; sweating; vomiting; coughing and sniffling; twitching; loss of appetite; contracted pupils; no response of pupils to light.

Tobacco/Nicotine:
Smell of tobacco; stained fingers or teeth.

Drugs

Drug in injections
































Cocaine and Crack














Cocaine Powder

Renal disease

Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fists. They are located near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. Inside each kidney about a million tiny structures called nephrons filter blood. They remove waste products and extra water, which become urine. The urine flows through tubes called ureters to your bladder, which stores the urine until you go to the bathroom.

Damage to the nephrons results in kidney disease. This damage may leave kidneys unable to remove wastes. Usually the damage occurs slowly over years. There are no obvious symptoms, so you don't know it is happening.

Many things can cause kidney disease. You are at risk if you have

* Diabetes
* High blood pressure
* A close family member with kidney disease

Virtual private network (VPN)

A virtual private network (VPN) is a computer network in which some of the links between nodes are carried by open connections or virtual circuits in some larger network (e.g., the Internet) instead of by physical wires. The link-layer protocols of the virtual network are said to be tunneled through the larger network when this is the case.

One common application is secure communications through the public Internet, but a VPN need not have explicit security features, such as authentication or content encryption. VPNs, for example, can be used to separate the traffic of different user communities over an underlying network with strong security features.

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web (commonly abbreviated as "the Web") is a very large set of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. With a Web browser, one can view Web pages that may contain text, images, videos, and other multimedia and navigate between them using hyperlinks. Using concepts from earlier hypertext systems, the World Wide Web was begun in 1992 by the English physicist Sir Tim Berners-Lee, now the Director of the World Wide Web Consortium, and Robert Cailliau, a Belgian computer scientist, while both were working at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland.

In 1990, they proposed building a "web of nodes" storing "hypertext pages" viewed by "browsers" on a network, and released that web in 1992. Connected by the existing Internet, other websites were created, around the world, adding international standards for domain names & the HTML language. Since then, Berners-Lee has played an active role in guiding the development of Web standards (such as the markup languages in which Web pages are composed), and in recent years has advocated his vision of a Semantic Web. Cailliau went on early retirement in January 2005 and left CERN in January 2007.

Acinetobacter Baumannii

The body louse has been demonstrated to be the vector of three human pathogens: Rickettsia prowazekii, the agent of epidemic typhus, Bartonella quintana, the agent of trench fever and Borrelia recurrentis, the agent of louseborne.

While we were isolating Bartonella quintana from body lice, 40 Acinetobacter baumannii strains were also isolated and genotyped. One clone was unique and the other was ampicillin susceptible. A. baumannii DNA was later detected in 21% of 622 lice collected worldwide. These findings show an A. baumannii epidemic in human body lice.

OSI Layers

The OSI, or Open System Interconnection, model defines a networking framework for implementing protocols in seven layers. Control is passed from one layer to the next, starting at the application layer in one station, proceeding to the bottom layer, over the channel to the next station and back up the hierarchy.

* Application layer supports application and end-user processes. Telnet and FTP are applications that exist entirely in the application level. Tiered application architectures are part of this layer.

* Presentation layer provides independence from differences in data representation (e.g., encryption) by translating from application to network format, and vice versa.

* Session layer establishes, manages and terminates connections between applications. The session layer sets up, coordinates, and terminates conversations, exchanges, and dialogues between the applications at each end.

* Transport layer provides transparent transfer of data between end systems, or hosts, and is responsible for end-to-end error recovery and flow control. It ensures complete data transfer.

* Network layer provides switching and routing technologies, creating logical paths, known as virtual circuits, for transmitting data from node to node.

* Data Link layer, data packets are encoded and decoded into bits. It furnishes transmission protocol knowledge and management and handles errors in the physical layer, flow control and frame synchronization.

* Physical layer conveys the bit stream - electrical impulse, light or radio signal through the network at the electrical and mechanical level.

Aortic Aneurysm

Most aneurysms -- abnormal bulges or "ballooning" in the wall of an artery -- occur in the aorta. The aorta is the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

There are two types of aortic aneurysm:

* Thoracic aortic aneurysms occur in the part of the aorta running through the chest.
* Abdominal aortic aneurysms occur in the part of the aorta running through the abdomen.

Because aneurysms can develop and become large before causing any symptoms, it is important to look for them in people who are at high risk. Ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms is recommended for men who have ever smoked and are between the ages of 65 and 75. Medicines and surgery are the two main treatments for aneurysms.

An aneurysm is a bulge or "ballooning" in the wall of an artery. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to other parts of the body. If an aneurysm grows large, it can burst and cause dangerous bleeding or even death.

Most aneurysms occur in the aorta, the main artery traveling from the heart through the chest and abdomen. Aneurysms also can happen in arteries in the brain, heart and other parts of the body. If an aneurysm in the brain bursts, it causes a stroke.

Herniated Disk

Also called: Bulging disk, Compressed disk, Herniated intervertebral disk, Herniated nucleus pulposus, Prolapsed disk, Ruptured disk, Slipped disk

Your backbone, or spine, is made up of 26 bones called vertebrae. In between them are soft disks filled with a jelly-like substance. These disks cushion the vertebrae and keep them in place. A herniated disk is a disk that slips out of place or ruptures. If it presses on a nerve, it can cause back pain or sciatica.

Symptoms include

* Back pain that spreads to the buttocks and legs, when the herniated disk is in your lower back
* Neck pain that spreads to the shoulders and upper arms, when the herniated disk is in your upper back
* Tingling or numbness
* Muscle spasms or weakness

With treatment, most people recover. It can take a long time. Treatments include rest, pain and anti-inflammatory medicines, physical therapy and sometimes surgery. Losing weight can help, too.

Web page

A web page or webpage is a resource of information that is suitable for the World Wide Web and can be accessed through a web browser. This information is usually in HTML or XHTML format, and may provide navigation to other web pages via hypertext links.

Web pages may be retrieved from a local computer or from a remote web server. The web server may restrict access only to a private network, e.g. a corporate intranet, or it may publish pages on the World Wide Web. Web pages are requested and served from web servers using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

Web pages may consist of files of static text stored within the web server's file system (static web pages), or the web server may construct the (X)HTML for each web page when it is requested by a browser (dynamic web pages). Client-side scripting can make web pages more responsive to user input once in the client browser

Reye Syndrome

Reye syndrome is a rare illness that can affect the blood, liver and brain of someone who recently had a viral infection. It always follows another illness. Although it mostly affects children and teens, anyone can get it. It can develop quickly and without warning. It is most common during flu season. Symptoms include

* Nausea and vomiting
* Listlessness
* Personality change - such as irritability, combativeness or confusion
* Delirium
* Convulsions
* Loss of consciousness

If these symptoms occur soon after a viral illness, seek medical attention immediately. Reye syndrome can lead to a coma and brain death, so quick diagnosis and treatment are critical. Treatment focuses on preventing brain damage. There is no cure.

The cause of Reye syndrome is unknown. However, studies have shown that taking aspirin increases the risk of getting it. Because of that, health care professionals now recommend other pain relievers for young patients.

Syndrome

Rett syndrome is a rare inherited disease that causes developmental and nervous system problems, mostly in girls. It's related to autism. Babies with Rett syndrome seem to grow and develop normally at first. Between 3 months and 3 years of age, though, they stop developing and even lose some skills. Symptoms include

* Loss of speech
* Loss of hand movements such as grasping
* Compulsive movements such as hand wringing
* Balance problems
* Breathing problems
* Behavior problems
* Learning problems or mental retardation

Rett syndrome has no cure. You can treat some of the symptoms with medicines, surgery, and physical and speech therapy. Most people with Rett syndrome live into middle age and beyond. They will usually need care throughout their lives.

Arthritis

If you feel pain and stiffness in your body or have trouble moving around, you might have arthritis. Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Over time, a swollen joint can become severely damaged. Some kinds of arthritis can also cause problems in your organs, such as your eyes or skin.

One type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, is often related to aging or to an injury. Other types occur when your immune system, which normally protects your body from infection, attacks your body's own tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of this kind of arthritis. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a form of the disease that happens in children.

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis of the spine. It causes swelling between your vertebrae, which are the disks that make up your spine, and in the joints between your spine and pelvis. Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune disease. This means your immune system, which normally protects your body from infection, attacks your body's own tissues. The disease is more common and more severe in men. It often runs in families.

Early symptoms include back pain and stiffness. These problems often start in late adolescence or early adulthood. Over time, ankylosing spondylitis can fuse your vertebrae together, limiting movement. Symptoms can worsen or improve or stop altogether. The disease has no cure, but medicines can relieve the pain, swelling and other symptoms. Exercise can also help.

Restless Legs

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) causes a powerful urge to move your legs. Your legs become uncomfortable when you are lying down or sitting. Some people describe it as a creeping, crawling, tingling or burning sensation. Moving makes your legs feel better, but not for long.

In most cases, there is no known cause for RLS. In other cases, RLS is caused by a disease or condition, such as anemia or pregnancy. Some medicines can also cause temporary RLS. Caffeine, tobacco and alcohol may make symptoms worse.
Lifestyle changes, such as regular sleep habits, relaxation techniques and moderate exercise during the day can help. If those don't work, medicines may reduce the symptoms of RLS.

Rashes

A rash is an area of irritated or swollen skin. It might be red and itchy, bumpy, scaly, crusty or blistered. Rashes are a symptom of many different medical conditions. Things that can cause a rash include other diseases, irritating substances, allergies and your genetic makeup.

Contact dermatitis is a common cause of rashes. It causes redness, itching and burning where you have touched an irritant, such as a chemical, or something you are allergic to, like poison ivy.
Some rashes develop immediately. Others form over several days. If you scratch your rash, it might take longer to heal. The treatment for a rash usually depends on its cause. Options include moisturizers, lotions, baths, cortisone creams that relieve swelling, and antihistamines, which relieve itching.

Refractive Errors

Your cornea is the clear front part of your eye. It is like a window that controls and focuses the light coming into the eye. If your cornea has an irregular shape, the light does not focus properly. Everything looks blurry. This is a refractive error.
Four common refractive errors are
* Myopia, or nearsightedness - clear vision close up but blurry in the distance
* Hyperopia, or farsightedness - clear vision in the distance but blurry close up
* Presbyopia - inability to focus close up as a result of aging
* Astigmatism - focus problems caused by the cornea
Glasses or contact lenses can usually correct refractive errors. Laser eye surgery may also be a possibility.