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BOOMERS Senior Living

Return to active lifestyle after hip, knee surgery by following a recovery plan

Submitted by OrthoIllinois

The virtue of patience rings true for many aspects of our daily lives, particularly when recovering from an injury.

Whether the injury was sudden, or pain built up over time, we want it fixed, and we want it fixed now. And we want to feel better quickly and return to our normal lives as soon as possible.

There is opportunity where our minds and bodies can meet in the middle. Patients who adhere to post-surgical recovery plans are the most successful. That means following your provider’s advice for resting and healing; physical therapy; and any additional exercising or strengthening to help your body recover.

The decision to have surgery often comes after patients have tried medications or various nonsurgical therapies. As technology has improved, OrthoIllinois has been able to offer more minimally invasive surgery options, which allow patients to recover faster and with less pain after making the big decision to have surgery.

For hip replacements, most patients today are good candidates for the direct anterior total hip replacement procedure, which is a minimally invasive surgery that minimizes muscle damage and doesn’t require muscles to be cut, resulting in a smaller incision, reduced pain and either return to home same day or a shorter hospital stay.

The anterior approach is a great example of improvements in treatment techniques that focus on getting patients better faster. With a traditional total hip replacement, patients are given restricted limitations on hip motion and flexing of the hip for six to eight weeks. Patients who qualify for the anterior approach can bend the hip freely and bear full weight as soon as they are comfortable doing so.

For many patients, hip and knee replacement surgeries can be performed as an outpatient procedure at an ambulatory surgery center. Other patients may stay in the hospital overnight. For hips, physical therapy often begins the same day as surgery to help with walking, strengthening and range of motion.

Here are a few more general tips that can help with your recovery. Prepare your home: Post-surgery, you will have some soreness and have limited range of motion. Be proactive about moving rugs

and arranging furniture at home so you can maneuver around safely and prevent injuries. That means also adjusting the bedroom and the bathroom for safer sitting and standing.

Follow instructions: Whether those instructions include restrictions on driving, crossing your legs or bearing weight on your hip or knee, follow the advice of your provider, and your body will have the time it needs to properly heal.

Work with your therapists: OrthoIllinois Rehabilitation specializes in many aspects of care, including physical and occupational therapy. With the surgery behind you, this is where the rubber meets the road. You will have an individualized plan to help you strengthen and rebuild your body over a period of weeks and months. That plan considers your goals, commitment and participation to improve your quality of life.

At OrthoIllinois, our goal is always to get patients back to their normal, everyday activities without pain. That reality can be achieved by sticking to a post-surgery recovery plan.

Frank Bohnenkamp,

John Daniels,

Michael

➤➤➤➤ Boomers

Changes that could arise from the “silver tsunami”

A report from the International Monetary Fund in the summer of 2023 indicated that a new challenge awaits the world in the coming years. The global population increased by one billion people between 2010 and 2022. That remarkable increase saw the world surpass the eight billion people mark in November of 2022.

Despite a sharp increase in the global population in such a short period of time, the IMF asserts that the population boom is not the most formidable demographic challenge facing the world. The IMF defines population aging as the most formidable challenge. Widely referred to as the “silver tsunami,” a term credited to the AARP, the increase in the number of individuals age 65 and older could lead to some unique changes in countries across the globe.

• Increased recreation spending: Sixty-five has traditionally been viewed as retirement age, and that remains an unofficial bar for individuals living in countries like the United States that have increased their official retirement age. Though an uptick in the aging population is often framed in terms of the challenges countries will face, that increase also could present some opportunities. For example, a recent AARP Longevity Economy Outlook report noted that people 50 and older account for the most spending on recreation and

culture of any demographic. That could prove beneficial to businesses and regions that cater to consumers interested in recreation.

• Employment opportunities: The AARP also noted the role the 50 and older population plays in supporting jobs. In 2020, the demographic of people 50 and older supported roughly one-third of the world’s jobs and generated $23 trillion in labor income with its spending on goods and services.

Estimates from the AARP indicate that individuals age 50 and older will support 1.5 billion jobs across the globe by 2050. The labor income impact by then will more than double to $53 billion.

• Employment challenges: Though the silver

tsunami could help to maintain existing jobs and create plenty of new ones, employers might find it difficult to fill those positions. As more of the global population reaches retirement age, it bears noting that more workers will retire. Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute note that the manufacturing sector will need to fill 2.5 million job openings related to retirements between 2020 and 2030. That could prove a sizable challenge, as the aging population is increasing at a time when the young population is decreasing.

The aging population is increasing, which could lead to a number of opportunities and challenges in the decades to come.

Just who lives at The Garlands?

dogs & their humans

Boomers

GONE SWIMMING!

At the crack of dawn almost every Saturday morning, Garlands member Steve Bromet leaves a “gone swimming” sticky note on the bathroom counter for his wife before he quietly slips out the front door and into The Garlands lap pool.

The morning light pours in from the aquatic center’s atrium skylights as the heated water supports and comforts. Clouds gently drift by, and the occasional bird or airplane floats in and out of his view as Steve methodically glides throughout the hour-long, strenuous, yet peaceful, disciplined exercise.

For Steve, swimming three-quarters of a mile multiple times a week offers plenty of time for reflection about a life well-lived, highlights of which include a 59-year happy marriage to his high school sweetheart Bev, a successful military career, an MBA, and subsequent C-level management positions, fantastic international travels, and a nearby, lovely family, including seven grandchildren.

Prior to moving to The Garlands, Steve had just one regret: he had never learned to swim. Then, a small blurb in The Garlands Gazette newsletter caught his eye — an open invitation for swimming lessons from a certified instructor, former Garlands activity lifestyles coordinator, Nate. The two met weekly for over a year and a half, and Nate expertly taught Steve freestyle swimming, the sidestroke, and Steve’s favorite, the backstroke.

“Nate swam competitively and was a great teacher,” recalls a grateful Steve. “He took the time to work with me, and we developed quite a relationship. I truly appreciated it.”

An avid golfer who also participates in Garlands group exercise classes, Steve says indoor swimming is the perfect exercise, especially during Midwest winters.

Now, when the grandkids come to visit him at The Garlands, Steve hops in the pool with them for a friendly intergenerational competition. “I still end up dead last, but thanks to Nate, after 82 years, I’m in the water and swimming!”

Health and wellness advocates Steve and Bev Bromet previously trained together with a former Navy Seal — they are serious when it comes to fitness!

Now, the Bromets marvel at all the fitness options The Garlands has to offer, from group classes to up-to-date equipment to the amenities like the pool, hot tub, steam rooms, and saunas.

They say, “We visited a few senior living communities before selecting the Garlands, and none compared.”

In addition to Steve’s athletic pursuits, Bev, a retired U.S. History teacher, is at Zumba class at 9:00 am, Karaoke Balance Class (yes, she sings while exercising!) at 10:30 am, Yoga at 11:00 am, and Bring Your Sexy Back (a toning class) at 11:30 am multiple days a week.

On top of a good workout, they both value the sense of community they gain from being active — in and outside the fitness center — with their Garlands neighbors.

“It is easy to make friends at The Garlands,” says Bev. “We have fun neighbors on our floor, and we have a lot of friends throughout The Garlands, many of whom we initially met while exercising.”

A cataract is a clouding of the naturally transparent lens of the eye that can occur as one ages. Natural proteins in the lens clump together and can cloud the eye. The National Eye Institute says most cataracts develop with age, as more than half of all Americans age 80 or older either have cataracts or have had surgery to remove them. But cataracts can occur for other reasons, such as after an eye injury or after surgery for another vision problem. The American Academy of Opthalmology says cataracts can make it seem like a person is looking through a foggy or dusty car windshield. Everything is hazy, blurry or less colorful. Additional vision changes associated with cataracts include extra light sensitivity; seeing bright colors as faded or yellowed; seeing double or a ghosted image; and difficulty seeing at night. Using brighter lights at home or getting a new eyeglasses prescription can help manage cataracts in their early stages. An eye doctor may suggest surgery if cataracts are getting in the way of daily activities. Surgery removes the clouded lens and replaces it with a new, artificial lens.