Good morning and welcome to agebuzz… Headlining today’s topics:

-Follow This Wisdom: The Value Of  Yoga For Older Women

-Comfort Care: Understanding Palliative And Hospice Care

-Facts And Figures: The Statistics For Older Americans Month

-At A Discount: Discovering Price Cuts While Growing Older

-Talking Sense: Lisa Genova Tells You How To Protect Your Brain

-Moving All The Time: A Gymnastic Star At 92

-The Last Word

Follow This Wisdom: The Value Of  Yoga For Older Women: For the uninitiated, yoga can seem like a mysterious undertaking with unknown benefits and difficult physical poses. But for those who practice yoga, its value as both a form of physical exercise and relaxation is clear. And now, there is research to show that in older women, practicing yoga may also help the body better utilize protein, thus helping to maintain muscle mass. Researchers out of the University of Connecticut followed women ages 50-65 who practiced Vinyasa yoga for at least 2 years and a control group who did no yoga or exercise. The women who practiced yoga had lower body fat and higher muscle mass, and they burned more fat at rest. Given that yoga poses are less stressful on joints than other forms of exercise, and that it’s associated with other health benefits, it may be time for you to summon your inner voice and pursue this ancient endeavor. Read more about the research Here. And listen to 105-year-old yoga follower Eileen Ash, who started yoga at age 85, explain her yoga devotion Here.

Comfort Care: Understanding Palliative And Hospice Care: As we age and realize the quality of our lives is as important as the quantity of days left, we often shift our goals and focus on what’s really important. A similar shift can also be present when it comes to health care. Rather than aggressively pursuing every option and test, we can shift to an approach that prioritizes quality over quantity, and comfort and pain relief, rather than intervention overload. That is the domain of palliative care and hospice care. The problem is, not many patients really understand hospice and palliative care, and are under the impression that these systems of care are only to be used during the last few days of life. Nothing could be further from the truth. The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine has created a new website, PalliativeDoctors.org, to help patients and families better understand the benefits and value of palliative care, or turning to hospice care, while still enjoying life and engaging in meaningful activity. So bookmark this valuable resource, and find out more Here.

Facts And Figures: The Statistics For Older Americans Month: Did you know that since the time of President Kennedy, May has been the month to celebrate older Americans? In recognition of this event, the US Census Bureau has put together a compilation of important data that show demographic trends and changes as our population continues to grow older. In the areas of work, education, marriage and military service, among other areas, the numbers keep shifting as our population ages. So take out your party hats, slice up the cake, and celebrate aging America by Clicking Here.

At A Discount: Discovering Price Cuts While Growing Older: Much as we may hate to admit we are getting on in years, there is one upside: senior discounts! While we may not always want to admit to being a “senior,” in fact, many discounts on dining, retail and travel kick in as young as age 50 (though most tend to begin closer to age 60). Many of these discounts are modest at best, but over time, they can add up to real savings. There is even a website devoted to these discounts, which lists them by category and city and state. To find your savings opportunities, Click Here. 

Talking Sense: Lisa Genova Tells You How To Protect Your Brain: You may know her as the writer who penned the best selling novel, Still Alice, about a Harvard linguist who develops Alzheimer’s at a young age, and for which actress Julianne Moore won the Academy Award in the movie version of the novel. However, Lisa Genova, the writer of this novel, is also an esteemed neuroscientist, with a Ph.D. from Harvard, and a special ability to take complex medical issues and make them accessible and understandable through her fictional writing. Recently, Dr. Genova gave a TED talk (the influential public lectures in which experts share their ideas) regarding Alzheimer’s and how genetics may not be your destiny, even if you are at genetic risk.  Specifically, Dr. Genova outlines how lifestyle choices have a strong impact on whether, and how, you ultimately succumb to the ravages of Alzheimer’s. It’s a thought-provoking and positive talk on what you can do to take control of your future. So take a look Here.

Moving All The Time: A Gymnastic Star At 92: While world-class athletes are currently training for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Seoul, there is one athlete on the world stage who deserves our immediate attention. Meet 92-year-old German gymnast Johanna Quaas. Having already won the Guinness Book world record for being the oldest gymnast when she was 87, Quaas continues to compete around the world, and dazzle her audiences, at age 92. Whether on the parallel bars, or doing cartwheels, Quaas has amazing balance and strength and has vowed to continue her sport until her life comes to an end. This great-grandmother began her love of gymnastics at a very young age, but because of the war, and her marriage and children, put it aside until she took up training again in earnest at age 57. There is a Facebook page for her devoted fans, and two years ago, at age 90, a short, artistic video was made to celebrate this amazing woman. Watch that video Here, and listen to her describe her lifelong love of gymnastics in a recent video interview Here.

THE LAST WORD: “I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars.  I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.”  Warren Buffet