Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Estate Planning For Your Elderly Parents
Estate Planning For Your Elderly Parents
Many people will go out of their way to avoid talking about illness, death, and money where their aging parents are concerned. The reality is we all get older and eventually need help from others. The more prepared you are today, the easier it will be for everyone down the road. If you haven't had these discussions with your parents it may be time to start laying the groundwork.
What Important Estate Planning Documents Are Needed?
A Will - Decisions regarding your assets, how your estate will be managed, custody and care of minor children are some of the terms that need to be mapped out. Do-it-yourself kits are available, but if trusts, complex estates, or large amounts of money are involved, use a lawyer to draw up the Will.
Medical Care Documents - You need to appoint someone who you want to make decisions if your unable to do so. Similarly a Living Will tells doctors your wishes regarding which medical or life support procedures, you do or don't want.
How Do I Start This Estate Planning?
It's a good idea to know where your parents keep important documents. You will need to know locations for financial information, medical and life insurance policies, contact information for doctors, lawyers, and financial advisors, funeral and burial plans, real estate estate deeds, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and social security or social insurance cards.
Help The Estate Planning Along
Your goal should be helping your parents as much as they need and want to be helped. It can get very tricky if you overstep the boundaries - you don't want to take away their sense of independence and hurt their dignity. As always, you'll want to approach them with respect. And, be sensitive to their concerns and try to put yourself in their shoes - after all, you will be there someday.
Checking Your Own Estate Planning
Equally important as having these conversations with your parents, is doing your own estate planning and documenting your own financial and medical care preferences. Make sure that when the time comes that you are prepared for a smooth transition of your legacy, which you have prepared through your estate planning .
By: Ivon T. Hughes of the Hughes Trustco Group is a licensed Insurance Broker. Author of The Life Insurance Handbook. Get a FREE Copy TODAY! Email info@trustco.ca Web: www.hughestrustco.com
Many people will go out of their way to avoid talking about illness, death, and money where their aging parents are concerned. The reality is we all get older and eventually need help from others. The more prepared you are today, the easier it will be for everyone down the road. If you haven't had these discussions with your parents it may be time to start laying the groundwork.
What Important Estate Planning Documents Are Needed?
A Will - Decisions regarding your assets, how your estate will be managed, custody and care of minor children are some of the terms that need to be mapped out. Do-it-yourself kits are available, but if trusts, complex estates, or large amounts of money are involved, use a lawyer to draw up the Will.
Medical Care Documents - You need to appoint someone who you want to make decisions if your unable to do so. Similarly a Living Will tells doctors your wishes regarding which medical or life support procedures, you do or don't want.
How Do I Start This Estate Planning?
It's a good idea to know where your parents keep important documents. You will need to know locations for financial information, medical and life insurance policies, contact information for doctors, lawyers, and financial advisors, funeral and burial plans, real estate estate deeds, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and social security or social insurance cards.
Help The Estate Planning Along
Your goal should be helping your parents as much as they need and want to be helped. It can get very tricky if you overstep the boundaries - you don't want to take away their sense of independence and hurt their dignity. As always, you'll want to approach them with respect. And, be sensitive to their concerns and try to put yourself in their shoes - after all, you will be there someday.
Checking Your Own Estate Planning
Equally important as having these conversations with your parents, is doing your own estate planning and documenting your own financial and medical care preferences. Make sure that when the time comes that you are prepared for a smooth transition of your legacy, which you have prepared through your estate planning .
By: Ivon T. Hughes of the Hughes Trustco Group is a licensed Insurance Broker. Author of The Life Insurance Handbook. Get a FREE Copy TODAY! Email info@trustco.ca Web: www.hughestrustco.com
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Hide My Assets from Medicare
Hide My Assets from Medicare by Rocco Beatrice
In social functions, I always get asked about the new Medicare nursing home qualifications. Seniors become very anxious about having to spend-down their assets with no cap on the amount that they can keep. This unlimited drain on their funds is of major concern to the healthy spouse, and because the sick spouse can't do anything about getting sick, they become more and more depressed. These folks are of the World War II generation and the market crash of 1929 mentality. If you don't have the cash you don't buy it. Most of them got a credit card only because they had to pay their prescriptions over the mail.
Their health and well-being depends on knowing that they can tap into their resources to get what they need or when their grandkids come to visit they want to reward their visit with a few bucks. My mother is of this vintage, and I know that when my kids drop in for a visit, it makes her day. She wants to give them something in return, not because it's an enticement to come back, but she doesn't get out enough visits and she values their time, especially in this day of instant gratification with Ipods, Internet, cell phones, video, etc. and because they valued their grandmother more. So, how can I hide my assets from Medicare is relevant to their lives. My answer is that if they did not do something as far back as five years ago, chances are that trying to do something now, could very well be considered a fraudulent conveyance in order to defraud a potential creditor. For example, if they were to put their son or daughter on the deed of the house without adequate consideration, it would be considered a" fraudulent conveyance" because they did it for less than the fair market value, they received nothing back in return. Or, if they did recognize that they gave away the house to their children it was a taxable gift and taxes are due on the transferor (the person giving the gift has to pay the tax, the person receiving the gift is always after taxes). But like many people they don't think it through in terms of filing of a gift tax return or fraudulent conveyance. They just do it for their convenience.
The new Medicaid spend down provisions are very restrictive. The intention is that if you (the elderly) have assets, before you qualify for nursing home assistance, they want you to become a welfare recipient. And that's what seniors are afraid to become. Their generation never asked for assistance if they had a strong back, they worked for their dignity. They don't want to become "welfare recipients" it a very humiliating concept to them.
Most common mistakes committed by seniors when trying to hide their assets:
1. Naming their children as (Parent's name "and" Child 's name) (Parent name "or" Child's name) on their savings, checking, investment accounts, or near cash accounts. THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. Too much risk, what if child gets sued, or divorced, or worse dies. You open a new can of worms.
2. Give the house to the children. You name one or more of the children. Again not a good idea. What if the children get sued, divorced, or prematurely dies. There's too much risk.
3. Cash under the mattress, in between the walls, in the basement, etc. Well it works, but unless you tell someone the hiding place, then what? Or, leave the cash to lose interest or depreciate with inflation?
In God we Trust.
Trusts are the most common and useful legal devices. An "Irrevocable Trust" works best for hiding your assets. Your assets are RE-POSITIONED from you to an irrevocable trust. You "legally" no longer own the assets. This involves the actual transfer of assets to an independent trustee who will independently manage and actually own the assets for the benefit of all beneficiaries. This type of control over assets is not new, it goes back to medieval times when landlords went off to the crusades and left their lands in trust of monks for when they returned. There are specific laws and it's generally accepted by the judicial system as a legal, acceptable method of protecting one's assets for legal protection and tax minimization.
About the Author
Rocco Beatrice, CPA, MST, MBA, award-winning trust and estate-planning expert.
71 Commercial Street #150 Boston, MA 02109 tel: +1.508.429.0011 fax: +1.508.429.3034
In social functions, I always get asked about the new Medicare nursing home qualifications. Seniors become very anxious about having to spend-down their assets with no cap on the amount that they can keep. This unlimited drain on their funds is of major concern to the healthy spouse, and because the sick spouse can't do anything about getting sick, they become more and more depressed. These folks are of the World War II generation and the market crash of 1929 mentality. If you don't have the cash you don't buy it. Most of them got a credit card only because they had to pay their prescriptions over the mail.
Their health and well-being depends on knowing that they can tap into their resources to get what they need or when their grandkids come to visit they want to reward their visit with a few bucks. My mother is of this vintage, and I know that when my kids drop in for a visit, it makes her day. She wants to give them something in return, not because it's an enticement to come back, but she doesn't get out enough visits and she values their time, especially in this day of instant gratification with Ipods, Internet, cell phones, video, etc. and because they valued their grandmother more. So, how can I hide my assets from Medicare is relevant to their lives. My answer is that if they did not do something as far back as five years ago, chances are that trying to do something now, could very well be considered a fraudulent conveyance in order to defraud a potential creditor. For example, if they were to put their son or daughter on the deed of the house without adequate consideration, it would be considered a" fraudulent conveyance" because they did it for less than the fair market value, they received nothing back in return. Or, if they did recognize that they gave away the house to their children it was a taxable gift and taxes are due on the transferor (the person giving the gift has to pay the tax, the person receiving the gift is always after taxes). But like many people they don't think it through in terms of filing of a gift tax return or fraudulent conveyance. They just do it for their convenience.
The new Medicaid spend down provisions are very restrictive. The intention is that if you (the elderly) have assets, before you qualify for nursing home assistance, they want you to become a welfare recipient. And that's what seniors are afraid to become. Their generation never asked for assistance if they had a strong back, they worked for their dignity. They don't want to become "welfare recipients" it a very humiliating concept to them.
Most common mistakes committed by seniors when trying to hide their assets:
1. Naming their children as (Parent's name "and" Child 's name) (Parent name "or" Child's name) on their savings, checking, investment accounts, or near cash accounts. THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. Too much risk, what if child gets sued, or divorced, or worse dies. You open a new can of worms.
2. Give the house to the children. You name one or more of the children. Again not a good idea. What if the children get sued, divorced, or prematurely dies. There's too much risk.
3. Cash under the mattress, in between the walls, in the basement, etc. Well it works, but unless you tell someone the hiding place, then what? Or, leave the cash to lose interest or depreciate with inflation?
In God we Trust.
Trusts are the most common and useful legal devices. An "Irrevocable Trust" works best for hiding your assets. Your assets are RE-POSITIONED from you to an irrevocable trust. You "legally" no longer own the assets. This involves the actual transfer of assets to an independent trustee who will independently manage and actually own the assets for the benefit of all beneficiaries. This type of control over assets is not new, it goes back to medieval times when landlords went off to the crusades and left their lands in trust of monks for when they returned. There are specific laws and it's generally accepted by the judicial system as a legal, acceptable method of protecting one's assets for legal protection and tax minimization.
About the Author
Rocco Beatrice, CPA, MST, MBA, award-winning trust and estate-planning expert.
71 Commercial Street #150 Boston, MA 02109 tel: +1.508.429.0011 fax: +1.508.429.3034
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Inheritance tax, a concise guide
Inheritance tax, a concise guide by Benedict Rohan
With ever-increasing property prices, more and more people's assets are now worth more than the inheritance tax threshold of £285,000, which has never been increased in proportion to the recent property boom. With a rate of 40% inheritance tax on any assets above the £285,000 threshold in the estate, this can really put a dent in what your heirs receive from your estate.
Inheritance tax is levied upon a person's death. Once all of their assets have been totaled up, anything over the threshold will have to be paid by the executors of their will.
It's becoming increasingly difficult to avoid inheritance tax, but there are some strategies that you can put in place to help minimize its impact. Inheritance tax is an extremely complicated subject, though, so you should never attempt to make any plans yourself without good professional advice, otherwise you may end up making your tax situation worse.
Make a will
First, make a will. This in itself won't help you to avoid inheritance tax, but it will make your intentions clear so that any inheritance tax planning you have put in place will come into effect.
Transfers between spouses
If you're married or in a civil partnership, both of you should attempt to use your full threshold separately.
Husbands and wives or civil partners can transfer assets (such as property) to each other without incurring inheritance tax. However, this will increase the value of the surviving partner's estate, which will be subject to tax when they die. If this brings it above the threshold, inheritance tax will then be due. Another possibility is to bequeath your estate to someone other than your spouse, for example your children. However, this has its own complications and is not always appropriate.
Gifts
If you want to give something away during your lifetime but still keep using it, the Inland Revenue may still consider it part of your estate for tax purposes when you die. Such gifts are regulated under the 'inheritance gift with reservation' rules. For example, if you sold your house to your children you may have to pay full market rent. Also, they could be liable to pay capital gains tax on it if it is a second property for them.
However, within certain guidelines you can give away some assets and gifts to friends and relatives, known as 'potentially exempt transfers'. These will not be subject to inheritance tax as long as they are given at least seven years before you die. If you die within seven years of giving a gift, tax will have to be paid on a sliding scale.
Some gifts are completely exempt from the inheritance tax rules. You can gift up to £3,000 in any tax year, plus up to £3,000 in unused allowance from the previous year. Unused allowance can only be carried forward from one previous year. There's also an allowance for wedding gifts to children (up to £5,000 for each child) and grandchildren (up to £2,500 per grandchild) and other friends and relatives (up to £1,000). A small gift allowance of £250 per recipient per year is also permitted.
Some gifts, however, may be subject to capital gains tax if any income is made from them, e.g. if they are invested in stocks and shares.
Gifts to charities
Gifts to registered charities and political parties are always exempt from inheritance tax.
Trust funds
In some circumstances, it's possible to set up a trust fund. However, the rules regarding trust funds were changed in the 2006 budget to restrict inheritance tax avoidance in this way so it's not always a feasible option. Most money held in trust for children will be subject to inheritance tax after they reach 18 unless they are disabled.
Life policies
Certain types of life policy are exempt from your estate under inheritance tax rules. So, it may be possible to pay regular sums into such a policy, either towards a trust or towards your children, in the hope that it will make enough money to pay some or all of the inheritance tax bill at the same time as reducing the size of your taxable estate.
About the Author
Benedict Rohan Website: http://www.mortgagenation.co.uk Benedict Rohan works as a freelance finance writer. Commercial Mortgage, Homeowner Loans, Remortgages
With ever-increasing property prices, more and more people's assets are now worth more than the inheritance tax threshold of £285,000, which has never been increased in proportion to the recent property boom. With a rate of 40% inheritance tax on any assets above the £285,000 threshold in the estate, this can really put a dent in what your heirs receive from your estate.
Inheritance tax is levied upon a person's death. Once all of their assets have been totaled up, anything over the threshold will have to be paid by the executors of their will.
It's becoming increasingly difficult to avoid inheritance tax, but there are some strategies that you can put in place to help minimize its impact. Inheritance tax is an extremely complicated subject, though, so you should never attempt to make any plans yourself without good professional advice, otherwise you may end up making your tax situation worse.
Make a will
First, make a will. This in itself won't help you to avoid inheritance tax, but it will make your intentions clear so that any inheritance tax planning you have put in place will come into effect.
Transfers between spouses
If you're married or in a civil partnership, both of you should attempt to use your full threshold separately.
Husbands and wives or civil partners can transfer assets (such as property) to each other without incurring inheritance tax. However, this will increase the value of the surviving partner's estate, which will be subject to tax when they die. If this brings it above the threshold, inheritance tax will then be due. Another possibility is to bequeath your estate to someone other than your spouse, for example your children. However, this has its own complications and is not always appropriate.
Gifts
If you want to give something away during your lifetime but still keep using it, the Inland Revenue may still consider it part of your estate for tax purposes when you die. Such gifts are regulated under the 'inheritance gift with reservation' rules. For example, if you sold your house to your children you may have to pay full market rent. Also, they could be liable to pay capital gains tax on it if it is a second property for them.
However, within certain guidelines you can give away some assets and gifts to friends and relatives, known as 'potentially exempt transfers'. These will not be subject to inheritance tax as long as they are given at least seven years before you die. If you die within seven years of giving a gift, tax will have to be paid on a sliding scale.
Some gifts are completely exempt from the inheritance tax rules. You can gift up to £3,000 in any tax year, plus up to £3,000 in unused allowance from the previous year. Unused allowance can only be carried forward from one previous year. There's also an allowance for wedding gifts to children (up to £5,000 for each child) and grandchildren (up to £2,500 per grandchild) and other friends and relatives (up to £1,000). A small gift allowance of £250 per recipient per year is also permitted.
Some gifts, however, may be subject to capital gains tax if any income is made from them, e.g. if they are invested in stocks and shares.
Gifts to charities
Gifts to registered charities and political parties are always exempt from inheritance tax.
Trust funds
In some circumstances, it's possible to set up a trust fund. However, the rules regarding trust funds were changed in the 2006 budget to restrict inheritance tax avoidance in this way so it's not always a feasible option. Most money held in trust for children will be subject to inheritance tax after they reach 18 unless they are disabled.
Life policies
Certain types of life policy are exempt from your estate under inheritance tax rules. So, it may be possible to pay regular sums into such a policy, either towards a trust or towards your children, in the hope that it will make enough money to pay some or all of the inheritance tax bill at the same time as reducing the size of your taxable estate.
About the Author
Benedict Rohan Website: http://www.mortgagenation.co.uk Benedict Rohan works as a freelance finance writer. Commercial Mortgage, Homeowner Loans, Remortgages
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Estate Planning: Avoiding Probate
Estate Planning: Avoiding Probate - by Robert Valentine
When Elvis Presley died, his estate was worth over $10 million dollars1. Then it went through probate.
After appraisal costs, legal fees, executor's fees, and estate taxes, "The King's" estate was left with only $3 million2. Because of improper estate planning, a whopping 73% of Elvis' estate was wiped out. So what did all that money pay for? And how can you avoid some of the same mistakes? Let's find out.
Probate is the (usually lengthy) process of proving if a will is valid, clearing your estate of any debt, and making sure that no one challenges it. All of this takes place in court, which adds to the costliness. Will or no will, an estate must go through probate.
But there are ways to reduce or eliminate costs associated with the complicated legal process. One of the most efficient includes establishing a trust. Assets and property within a properly drafted trust don't have to pass through probate. On top of that, upon death, assets are passed on relatively quickly, especially when compared with probate. Your assets are also more protected from creditors when placed in a trust.
But trusts aren't your only option. If you choose not to establish a trust, there are several ways you can help reduce costs. One of the best and easiest ways is to be prepared. If you have a 401(k), an IRA, a life insurance policy, or all three, then you have three separate beneficiaries to name. By routinely updating your beneficiary designation, you avoid unwanted inheritances and ensure that your wishes are carried out. Any assets that pass through beneficiary designations aren't subject to probate, which makes their accuracy even more crucial.
You can also choose to own assets jointly with someone else. From stocks to houses, if you own something jointly, that property is passed onto the survivor automatically. Also, many brokerage houses and banks allow you to name a beneficiary on your personal accounts by establishing a TOD (Transfer on Death) account. It's one more way that your assets will pass relatively quickly and easily to whomever you wish. Upon death, your accounts and their contents will be passed to whomever you've named.
One other option is to gift your assets to family or friends before you pass away. By gifting the maximum tax-free amount each year ($11,000 in 2005), you reduce the amount of your estate, which, in turn usually reduces the amount of probate costs, which are usually based on the total estate value.
By properly planning your estate with a financial professional and an estate planning attorney, you can increase your chances of decreasing probate costs and avoiding costly mistakes. While not many people like to discuss their own mortality, the thought of family, friends, or charity losing large percentages of their inheritance and your estate to costs, fees, and taxes, should be enough for anyone to start planning.
While Elvis' estate may have been improperly managed early-on, since being bought out by his former wife, Priscilla and their daughter, Lisa Marie, it has become a major success story. With the proper management it has grown from a paltry $3 million, to over $250 million.3
The lesson to be learned lies in the stark contrast between proper and improper estate management, and shows how important an estate plan is, whether you're "the King," or not.
1 Back Room Technician, "Estates of Famous People" chart
2 Stevens, Sue. June 30, 2005. Avoid the Estate Planning Blunders of Marilyn and Elvis. Morningstar. com http://news.morningstar.com/doc/article/0%2C1%2C137725%2C00.html?asection=archive
3 Floyd, Elaine. March 16, 2001. Elvis Lives! Or His Estate, at Least, Is Very Healthy. Horsesmouth.com http://www.horsesmouth.com/hm.asp?r=0%2E2326471
This article was submitted by Robert Valentine of Financial and Retirement Management. Robert (CA Insurance Lic #0C23496) is a Registered Representative of and offers securities through Securities America, Inc., a Registered Broker/Dealer, Member NASD/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Financial and Retirement Management, a Registered Investment Advisory firm.
About the Author
Robert Valentine is a well-known expert in the matters concerning investors. His articles on financial planning matters that concern investors have been published by several publications throughout the United States. Please visit his website, www.themoneyalert.com to view some of his most popular articles.
When Elvis Presley died, his estate was worth over $10 million dollars1. Then it went through probate.
After appraisal costs, legal fees, executor's fees, and estate taxes, "The King's" estate was left with only $3 million2. Because of improper estate planning, a whopping 73% of Elvis' estate was wiped out. So what did all that money pay for? And how can you avoid some of the same mistakes? Let's find out.
Probate is the (usually lengthy) process of proving if a will is valid, clearing your estate of any debt, and making sure that no one challenges it. All of this takes place in court, which adds to the costliness. Will or no will, an estate must go through probate.
But there are ways to reduce or eliminate costs associated with the complicated legal process. One of the most efficient includes establishing a trust. Assets and property within a properly drafted trust don't have to pass through probate. On top of that, upon death, assets are passed on relatively quickly, especially when compared with probate. Your assets are also more protected from creditors when placed in a trust.
But trusts aren't your only option. If you choose not to establish a trust, there are several ways you can help reduce costs. One of the best and easiest ways is to be prepared. If you have a 401(k), an IRA, a life insurance policy, or all three, then you have three separate beneficiaries to name. By routinely updating your beneficiary designation, you avoid unwanted inheritances and ensure that your wishes are carried out. Any assets that pass through beneficiary designations aren't subject to probate, which makes their accuracy even more crucial.
You can also choose to own assets jointly with someone else. From stocks to houses, if you own something jointly, that property is passed onto the survivor automatically. Also, many brokerage houses and banks allow you to name a beneficiary on your personal accounts by establishing a TOD (Transfer on Death) account. It's one more way that your assets will pass relatively quickly and easily to whomever you wish. Upon death, your accounts and their contents will be passed to whomever you've named.
One other option is to gift your assets to family or friends before you pass away. By gifting the maximum tax-free amount each year ($11,000 in 2005), you reduce the amount of your estate, which, in turn usually reduces the amount of probate costs, which are usually based on the total estate value.
By properly planning your estate with a financial professional and an estate planning attorney, you can increase your chances of decreasing probate costs and avoiding costly mistakes. While not many people like to discuss their own mortality, the thought of family, friends, or charity losing large percentages of their inheritance and your estate to costs, fees, and taxes, should be enough for anyone to start planning.
While Elvis' estate may have been improperly managed early-on, since being bought out by his former wife, Priscilla and their daughter, Lisa Marie, it has become a major success story. With the proper management it has grown from a paltry $3 million, to over $250 million.3
The lesson to be learned lies in the stark contrast between proper and improper estate management, and shows how important an estate plan is, whether you're "the King," or not.
1 Back Room Technician, "Estates of Famous People" chart
2 Stevens, Sue. June 30, 2005. Avoid the Estate Planning Blunders of Marilyn and Elvis. Morningstar. com http://news.morningstar.com/doc/article/0%2C1%2C137725%2C00.html?asection=archive
3 Floyd, Elaine. March 16, 2001. Elvis Lives! Or His Estate, at Least, Is Very Healthy. Horsesmouth.com http://www.horsesmouth.com/hm.asp?r=0%2E2326471
This article was submitted by Robert Valentine of Financial and Retirement Management. Robert (CA Insurance Lic #0C23496) is a Registered Representative of and offers securities through Securities America, Inc., a Registered Broker/Dealer, Member NASD/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Financial and Retirement Management, a Registered Investment Advisory firm.
About the Author
Robert Valentine is a well-known expert in the matters concerning investors. His articles on financial planning matters that concern investors have been published by several publications throughout the United States. Please visit his website, www.themoneyalert.com to view some of his most popular articles.
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Being A Primary Caregiver For A Relative With Alzheimer’s Disease – The Long Goodbye
Editor's Note: Another important topic for folks our age is Elder Care. It's important for us to think about for ourselves, but also more and more of our own parents are becoming either mentally or physically incapacitated by age-related problems. I hope this article and articles I'll be adding over coming days are helpful.
Being A Primary Caregiver For A Relative With Alzheimer’s Disease – The Long Goodbye
“I am a Caregiver”. There you go, “straight off the bat” as they say, I write this article (the first in a series) in my role as a Primary Carer first and author second. At present I am the primary carer for my elderly mother who is suffering from the advance stages of Alzheimer’s disease. It is desperately cruel disease (most are, I know) in that it robs people (by and large) of their dignity and their independence at a stage in life when they need it most.
In the United Kingdom, the Alzheimer’s Society claimed in a recent survey that over 750,000 people suffered from Alzheimer’s and related dementia problems. In the United States it is calculated that an estimated 4.5 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s and that this figure has doubled since 1980.
Further alarming statistics highlight the fact that it is possible that in the US alone, the number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s could more than double to between 11.5 and 13 million sufferers by 2050.
Alzheimer’s disease is what is described as a progressive disorder of the brain that gradually destroys a persons’ memory, ability to learn, reason, make judgements, communicate and carry out daily activities. As the disease progresses, sufferers may also experience changes in their personality and display such behavioural changes ranging from anxiety, agitation or suspicion right up to and / or including delusions and hallucinations
Although there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, new treatments are on the horizon as a result of accelerating insight into the biology of the disease. Research has also shown that effective care and support can improve quality of life for individuals and their caregivers over the course of the disease from diagnosis to the end of life.
Considering the long term implications for Alzheimer’s sufferers, the hidden sociological impact will in reality be born on the shoulders of those who will be caring for the sufferers for it is indeed a bittersweet irony that those who care for the sufferers in reality suffer more than the sufferers do themselves.
This fact in itself has been largely responsible for another survey finding recently and that was the fact that Americans are equally afraid of caring for someone who has Alzheimer’s as much as they are of developing the disease themselves. Approximately 1 in 2 American adults are more apprehensive of caring for partner or loved one who has developed Alzheimer’s. Just less than 1 in 5 American adults have indicated that they are more afraid of getting the disease themselves (17%).
The real problem from a carer’s perspective is that no two people experience Alzheimer’s disease in the same way. As a result, there's no one approach to care giving. Your care giving responsibilities can range from making financial decisions, managing changes in behaviour, to helping a loved one get dressed in the morning.
Handling these duties is hard work. But by learning care giving skills, you can make sure that your loved one feels supported and is living a full life. You can also ensure that you are taking steps to preserve your own well-being.
Caring for someone who has Alzheimer's disease or another illness involving dementia can be very difficult, time-consuming, and stressful – (serious understatement here). Here are some more things a care giver can do to help the person with Alzheimer's disease while also reducing the substantial burden that comes with care giving:
* Stay Informed - Knowledge equals power. The more you know about Alzheimer's disease or any other signs of dementia, the better you can prepare yourself to deal with problems that may arise.
* Share concerns with the person - A person who is mildly to moderately impaired can assist in his/her own care. Memory aides and other strategies can be created by the person with dementia and the caregiver together. This is easier said than done I know but you have to give it a try. But, and this is a big but (no laughs here please) it is essential that you realise that you are probably dealing with a person who if they have any cognisance at all, will be in denial.
* Solve problems one at a time - A multitude of problems may occur that may seem insurmountable at the time. Work on one specific problem at a time -- you do not have to solve every problem all at once. As the saying goes “Success by the inch is a cinch, by the yard it’s hard” and in this case this has never been more true.
* Use your imagination - One of the keys to handling this disease is your ability to adapt. If something can't be done one way, try another. For example, if the person only uses his or her fingers for eating, do not keep fighting; just serve as many finger foods as possible!
* Establish an environment that encourages freedom and activity within limits Try to create a stable, balanced schedule for meals, medication, etc. but also encourage activities that the patient can handle such as taking a walk or visiting an old friend. Remember, the person with AD is not the only one whose needs must be taken into consideration. You as a caregiver have needs and desires that must also be met. First, try and find some time for yourself. Even though this suggestion may seem like an impossibility, find some time during the week where you can have someone else watch the patient -- be it a relative, friend, or neighbour -- and do something for yourself.
* Avoid social isolation - Keep up contacts with friends and relatives. It’s easy to get burned out when it seems like you have no one to turn to. Another way to establish contacts is by joining the Alzheimer's Association or other such support groups. Talking with other families who share many of the very same problems can be reassuring as it helps you know you are not alone in your round-the-clock struggles.
By: Stephen Morgan
Stephen is the principal advisor for Connecting Carers, an independent advisory organisation in Primary Caring. www.connectingcarers.com, www.stressrelief.ws & www.stressdiaries.com
Being A Primary Caregiver For A Relative With Alzheimer’s Disease – The Long Goodbye
“I am a Caregiver”. There you go, “straight off the bat” as they say, I write this article (the first in a series) in my role as a Primary Carer first and author second. At present I am the primary carer for my elderly mother who is suffering from the advance stages of Alzheimer’s disease. It is desperately cruel disease (most are, I know) in that it robs people (by and large) of their dignity and their independence at a stage in life when they need it most.
In the United Kingdom, the Alzheimer’s Society claimed in a recent survey that over 750,000 people suffered from Alzheimer’s and related dementia problems. In the United States it is calculated that an estimated 4.5 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s and that this figure has doubled since 1980.
Further alarming statistics highlight the fact that it is possible that in the US alone, the number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s could more than double to between 11.5 and 13 million sufferers by 2050.
Alzheimer’s disease is what is described as a progressive disorder of the brain that gradually destroys a persons’ memory, ability to learn, reason, make judgements, communicate and carry out daily activities. As the disease progresses, sufferers may also experience changes in their personality and display such behavioural changes ranging from anxiety, agitation or suspicion right up to and / or including delusions and hallucinations
Although there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, new treatments are on the horizon as a result of accelerating insight into the biology of the disease. Research has also shown that effective care and support can improve quality of life for individuals and their caregivers over the course of the disease from diagnosis to the end of life.
Considering the long term implications for Alzheimer’s sufferers, the hidden sociological impact will in reality be born on the shoulders of those who will be caring for the sufferers for it is indeed a bittersweet irony that those who care for the sufferers in reality suffer more than the sufferers do themselves.
This fact in itself has been largely responsible for another survey finding recently and that was the fact that Americans are equally afraid of caring for someone who has Alzheimer’s as much as they are of developing the disease themselves. Approximately 1 in 2 American adults are more apprehensive of caring for partner or loved one who has developed Alzheimer’s. Just less than 1 in 5 American adults have indicated that they are more afraid of getting the disease themselves (17%).
The real problem from a carer’s perspective is that no two people experience Alzheimer’s disease in the same way. As a result, there's no one approach to care giving. Your care giving responsibilities can range from making financial decisions, managing changes in behaviour, to helping a loved one get dressed in the morning.
Handling these duties is hard work. But by learning care giving skills, you can make sure that your loved one feels supported and is living a full life. You can also ensure that you are taking steps to preserve your own well-being.
Caring for someone who has Alzheimer's disease or another illness involving dementia can be very difficult, time-consuming, and stressful – (serious understatement here). Here are some more things a care giver can do to help the person with Alzheimer's disease while also reducing the substantial burden that comes with care giving:
* Stay Informed - Knowledge equals power. The more you know about Alzheimer's disease or any other signs of dementia, the better you can prepare yourself to deal with problems that may arise.
* Share concerns with the person - A person who is mildly to moderately impaired can assist in his/her own care. Memory aides and other strategies can be created by the person with dementia and the caregiver together. This is easier said than done I know but you have to give it a try. But, and this is a big but (no laughs here please) it is essential that you realise that you are probably dealing with a person who if they have any cognisance at all, will be in denial.
* Solve problems one at a time - A multitude of problems may occur that may seem insurmountable at the time. Work on one specific problem at a time -- you do not have to solve every problem all at once. As the saying goes “Success by the inch is a cinch, by the yard it’s hard” and in this case this has never been more true.
* Use your imagination - One of the keys to handling this disease is your ability to adapt. If something can't be done one way, try another. For example, if the person only uses his or her fingers for eating, do not keep fighting; just serve as many finger foods as possible!
* Establish an environment that encourages freedom and activity within limits Try to create a stable, balanced schedule for meals, medication, etc. but also encourage activities that the patient can handle such as taking a walk or visiting an old friend. Remember, the person with AD is not the only one whose needs must be taken into consideration. You as a caregiver have needs and desires that must also be met. First, try and find some time for yourself. Even though this suggestion may seem like an impossibility, find some time during the week where you can have someone else watch the patient -- be it a relative, friend, or neighbour -- and do something for yourself.
* Avoid social isolation - Keep up contacts with friends and relatives. It’s easy to get burned out when it seems like you have no one to turn to. Another way to establish contacts is by joining the Alzheimer's Association or other such support groups. Talking with other families who share many of the very same problems can be reassuring as it helps you know you are not alone in your round-the-clock struggles.
By: Stephen Morgan
Stephen is the principal advisor for Connecting Carers, an independent advisory organisation in Primary Caring. www.connectingcarers.com, www.stressrelief.ws & www.stressdiaries.com
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Thursday, November 16, 2006
How can an estate plan help me?
How can an estate plan help me?
Do you know how your life will be divided after your death? Who will your estate go to Who will look after your children? With an estate plan you decide. You are in control of your family’s security in the event that something tragic should happen. Now perhaps you are a little foggy with some of the fundamental ideas associated with estate planning. Let’s start at the beginning.
According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law estate planning is:
The arranging for the disposition and management of one's estate at death through the use of wills, trusts, insurance policies, and other device
Your estate is everything you own, your assets and liabilities. This includes things such as your house, account in your name, your insurance policies, and vehicles. The problem with dying without an effective estate plan is that even if your property is distributed to the proper people, a process known as “probate court” may cost your heirs up to 10% of your assets net value. Also you must take any children that you are the legal guardian of into consideration. If you do not have an estate plan it may be probate court that decides who looks after them after them after you are gone.
You don’t want to let this happen to you and your family. You need an estate plan. Now, in order to start estate planning you are going to need to look into the following options: living wills, revocable living trusts.
A living will is a document in which you can spell out where all of your assets will be going. You may also modify this document at anytime. You are the one in control. This is a great way to avoid probate court.
A living trust allows you to name a person who will handle all of your legal affairs after you pass away. Your trust may either be revocable or irrevocable. Revocable means that, just like a living will, you can modify it at any time. However, in an irrevocable living trust you do not have the ability to change it.
Having an estate plan can help your family avoid many hardships after your passing. Don’t let your whole life fall into the wrong hands. Take control. Make an estate plan today.
By: Aaron Grey
For more information please visit www.my-estate-plan.com
Do you know how your life will be divided after your death? Who will your estate go to Who will look after your children? With an estate plan you decide. You are in control of your family’s security in the event that something tragic should happen. Now perhaps you are a little foggy with some of the fundamental ideas associated with estate planning. Let’s start at the beginning.
According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law estate planning is:
The arranging for the disposition and management of one's estate at death through the use of wills, trusts, insurance policies, and other device
Your estate is everything you own, your assets and liabilities. This includes things such as your house, account in your name, your insurance policies, and vehicles. The problem with dying without an effective estate plan is that even if your property is distributed to the proper people, a process known as “probate court” may cost your heirs up to 10% of your assets net value. Also you must take any children that you are the legal guardian of into consideration. If you do not have an estate plan it may be probate court that decides who looks after them after them after you are gone.
You don’t want to let this happen to you and your family. You need an estate plan. Now, in order to start estate planning you are going to need to look into the following options: living wills, revocable living trusts.
A living will is a document in which you can spell out where all of your assets will be going. You may also modify this document at anytime. You are the one in control. This is a great way to avoid probate court.
A living trust allows you to name a person who will handle all of your legal affairs after you pass away. Your trust may either be revocable or irrevocable. Revocable means that, just like a living will, you can modify it at any time. However, in an irrevocable living trust you do not have the ability to change it.
Having an estate plan can help your family avoid many hardships after your passing. Don’t let your whole life fall into the wrong hands. Take control. Make an estate plan today.
By: Aaron Grey
For more information please visit www.my-estate-plan.com
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
What To Do When Someone Dies: Tips On Organising A Funeral
What To Do When Someone Dies: Tips On Organising A Funeral
When loved ones pass away, you'll want to make sure that they have the funeral they deserve. Here are the main aspects you need to consider when planning a funeral.
1. Viewing
When someone dies, family members and friend may wish to view the body of their loved one. Viewing can assist with the resolution of grief. It can help people accept that death has occurred. Each family member's viewpoint on visitation or viewing may be different, and this is a very personal decision. The best option in most cases is to leave the option of visitation open to an individual's own emotional needs. Before or shortly after death some people may be adamant that they do not wish to view the deceased, then change their mind a short time later. By presenting the option of visitation, all family members' individual emotional needs can be met.
2. Flowers, notices and memorials
In many communities it is traditional that friends and family pay their respects by sending flowers or making a donation to charity. Your local funeral director can organise flowers for you. They can also collect, record and distribute donations to charity on your behalf.
The obituary notice in a local, national or other publication announces the death and funeral details and can also become a tribute to the person who has died, by perhaps containing a verse. Some people like to place acknowledgement notices in the newspaper after the funeral, thanking people who have supported them. Some people also like to compile a book of compliments, reflections and memories about the person who has died, written by family and friends attending the service or afterwards.
You don't have to decide whether to put a memorial on the grave or on the site of the burial of ashes until after the funeral. The regulations about what kind of memorial can be put up, and when, vary considerably from place to place. Your funeral director can advise you on this and make any arrangements on your behalf.
3. Transport
You'll need to decide on the size and makeup of the cortege (the hearse and the cars following it). Other questions to consider include:
Will it be a standard, motorbike or horse-drawn hearse?
How many cars will be needed?
Where will the cortege leave from?
Will it take a special route?
Will you require wheelchairs for elderly or disabled mourners?
Where will you return to afterwards?
4. Bearing the coffin
Some families decide that they would like to bear the coffin themselves at the ceremony, instead of the funeral director's staff. Bearers may be friends, family members or colleagues of the person who has died.
5. Music
Many people now ask for specific pieces of music to be played at the service. Your Funeral Director will be able to advise you on this and make the appropriate arrangements for you.
6. Eulogies
A eulogy is when someone pays tribute to a person's life by saying a few words that will help remember that person at the service. You can prepare a speech yourself for this, or you may prefer to read a favourite poem or passage.
7. Catering
You may wish to offer guests refreshments after the funeral. You will need to decide who will provide the catering and where it will be provided. You may prefer to offer refreshments at your home or at a location close to where the service has been held.
8. Burial or cremation?
If there is no grave in existence and a new grave is required, this can be arranged directly with the cemetery or through the funeral director. New graves are expensive and the costs can increase significantly in some areas if the deceased lived outside the cemetery authority's boundary. The family organising the purchase of a new grave should know what costs are before finalising the funeral arrangements. Burials in churchyards are subject to rules and regulations of the church authority concerned. These rules are often very strict in relation to the type of headstone or memorial that can be placed on the grave following the funeral. The restrictions can also extend to what is written on the headstone. Those responsible for the funeral arrangements should be aware of what memorial restrictions are enforced before the interment takes place to avoid any unnecessary distress later on.
If you opt for cremation, this will take place shortly after the funeral committal service is over in the crematorium chapel. Each coffin is cremated individually and after each cremation the ashes are removed and kept separately so that each family receives the remains of their relative. If required these are usually available for collection the next working day and can be placed in the Garden of Remembrance at the crematorium. The ashes can also be kept by the relatives, interred in a new or existing family grave, or scattered in a place deemed as appropriate by the family or as requested by the deceased prior to death.
This is an option that will have been specified in someone's Will or prepaid funeral plan.
So these are the usual options to consider. Other possibilities can be discussed with your funeral director or funeral plan provider.
By: Sharon Hurley Hall
Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor. For more information on prepaid funeral plans, visit www.silverbirchsolutions.co.uk or contact Sharon at www.doublehdesign.com/ Submitted with Article Distributor.
When loved ones pass away, you'll want to make sure that they have the funeral they deserve. Here are the main aspects you need to consider when planning a funeral.
1. Viewing
When someone dies, family members and friend may wish to view the body of their loved one. Viewing can assist with the resolution of grief. It can help people accept that death has occurred. Each family member's viewpoint on visitation or viewing may be different, and this is a very personal decision. The best option in most cases is to leave the option of visitation open to an individual's own emotional needs. Before or shortly after death some people may be adamant that they do not wish to view the deceased, then change their mind a short time later. By presenting the option of visitation, all family members' individual emotional needs can be met.
2. Flowers, notices and memorials
In many communities it is traditional that friends and family pay their respects by sending flowers or making a donation to charity. Your local funeral director can organise flowers for you. They can also collect, record and distribute donations to charity on your behalf.
The obituary notice in a local, national or other publication announces the death and funeral details and can also become a tribute to the person who has died, by perhaps containing a verse. Some people like to place acknowledgement notices in the newspaper after the funeral, thanking people who have supported them. Some people also like to compile a book of compliments, reflections and memories about the person who has died, written by family and friends attending the service or afterwards.
You don't have to decide whether to put a memorial on the grave or on the site of the burial of ashes until after the funeral. The regulations about what kind of memorial can be put up, and when, vary considerably from place to place. Your funeral director can advise you on this and make any arrangements on your behalf.
3. Transport
You'll need to decide on the size and makeup of the cortege (the hearse and the cars following it). Other questions to consider include:
Will it be a standard, motorbike or horse-drawn hearse?
How many cars will be needed?
Where will the cortege leave from?
Will it take a special route?
Will you require wheelchairs for elderly or disabled mourners?
Where will you return to afterwards?
4. Bearing the coffin
Some families decide that they would like to bear the coffin themselves at the ceremony, instead of the funeral director's staff. Bearers may be friends, family members or colleagues of the person who has died.
5. Music
Many people now ask for specific pieces of music to be played at the service. Your Funeral Director will be able to advise you on this and make the appropriate arrangements for you.
6. Eulogies
A eulogy is when someone pays tribute to a person's life by saying a few words that will help remember that person at the service. You can prepare a speech yourself for this, or you may prefer to read a favourite poem or passage.
7. Catering
You may wish to offer guests refreshments after the funeral. You will need to decide who will provide the catering and where it will be provided. You may prefer to offer refreshments at your home or at a location close to where the service has been held.
8. Burial or cremation?
If there is no grave in existence and a new grave is required, this can be arranged directly with the cemetery or through the funeral director. New graves are expensive and the costs can increase significantly in some areas if the deceased lived outside the cemetery authority's boundary. The family organising the purchase of a new grave should know what costs are before finalising the funeral arrangements. Burials in churchyards are subject to rules and regulations of the church authority concerned. These rules are often very strict in relation to the type of headstone or memorial that can be placed on the grave following the funeral. The restrictions can also extend to what is written on the headstone. Those responsible for the funeral arrangements should be aware of what memorial restrictions are enforced before the interment takes place to avoid any unnecessary distress later on.
If you opt for cremation, this will take place shortly after the funeral committal service is over in the crematorium chapel. Each coffin is cremated individually and after each cremation the ashes are removed and kept separately so that each family receives the remains of their relative. If required these are usually available for collection the next working day and can be placed in the Garden of Remembrance at the crematorium. The ashes can also be kept by the relatives, interred in a new or existing family grave, or scattered in a place deemed as appropriate by the family or as requested by the deceased prior to death.
This is an option that will have been specified in someone's Will or prepaid funeral plan.
So these are the usual options to consider. Other possibilities can be discussed with your funeral director or funeral plan provider.
By: Sharon Hurley Hall
Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor. For more information on prepaid funeral plans, visit www.silverbirchsolutions.co.uk or contact Sharon at www.doublehdesign.com/ Submitted with Article Distributor.
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Sunday, November 12, 2006
An Easy Way Out: Eight Reasons Why You Should Pre-Plan Your Funeral
Editor's note: As morbid as it is, another important topic for us older folks is estate planning so my next few entries will relate to that subject. My wife died intestate. She also didn't have any living will or anything like that set up. When you die intestate, it's a big hassle, not to mention costly from a tax perspective. When you're dying in the hospital, your loved ones are going through enough without having to think about and make decisions about what you'd have wanted. For their sake, make a will and a living will. It's very easy to do and takes very little time. I also think everyone should do their own death planning - pay for your burial or other arrangements in advance. Not only will you then be sure that you'll get what you want, but you'll save your grieving loved ones a lot of, well...grief.
An Easy Way Out: Eight Reasons Why You Should Pre-Plan Your Funeral
Most people want to put off thinking about their funerals. However, you can save your loved ones a good deal of hassle by doing some of the planning in advance. Here are eight reasons why it's a good idea to have a prepaid funeral plan.
1. Your wishes will be carried out.
What you want to happen will take place. This is vitally important to most people.
2. The Funeral Director's costs are fixed from the outset so your family will be spared financial obligations - nothing hidden!
You'll know that your funeral director will not be able to increase their fees agreed with you by contract.
3.You can choose the plan you want and you can specify your own 'extras'.
You can plan your pre-paid funeral plan to your own satisfaction.
4. You spare your family from difficult decisions
Who really wants to make those decisions apart from the person themselves?
5.Your own finances may be improved
You may be entitled to benefits form local authorities if your total finances are below certain levels.
6. You won't worry about the safety of your money - it will be held in trust
You can't pay money directly to the plan provider's bank account.
7. Another family member may need the plan before you
You can transfer the plan to another family member if their need arrives before your own. Some couples buy just one plan and use it for whoever dies first and then buy a second plan, but it's more cost effective to buy two at the start to save money from inflation.
8. Those you leave behind will remember your thoughtfulness
This is very important to most people. When we leave this life we like to think that others thought well of us.
By: Sharon Hurley Hall
Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor. For more information on prepaid funeral plans, visit www.silverbirchsolutions.co.uk or contact Sharon at www.doublehdesign.com/
An Easy Way Out: Eight Reasons Why You Should Pre-Plan Your Funeral
Most people want to put off thinking about their funerals. However, you can save your loved ones a good deal of hassle by doing some of the planning in advance. Here are eight reasons why it's a good idea to have a prepaid funeral plan.
1. Your wishes will be carried out.
What you want to happen will take place. This is vitally important to most people.
2. The Funeral Director's costs are fixed from the outset so your family will be spared financial obligations - nothing hidden!
You'll know that your funeral director will not be able to increase their fees agreed with you by contract.
3.You can choose the plan you want and you can specify your own 'extras'.
You can plan your pre-paid funeral plan to your own satisfaction.
4. You spare your family from difficult decisions
Who really wants to make those decisions apart from the person themselves?
5.Your own finances may be improved
You may be entitled to benefits form local authorities if your total finances are below certain levels.
6. You won't worry about the safety of your money - it will be held in trust
You can't pay money directly to the plan provider's bank account.
7. Another family member may need the plan before you
You can transfer the plan to another family member if their need arrives before your own. Some couples buy just one plan and use it for whoever dies first and then buy a second plan, but it's more cost effective to buy two at the start to save money from inflation.
8. Those you leave behind will remember your thoughtfulness
This is very important to most people. When we leave this life we like to think that others thought well of us.
By: Sharon Hurley Hall
Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor. For more information on prepaid funeral plans, visit www.silverbirchsolutions.co.uk or contact Sharon at www.doublehdesign.com/
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Super Foods for Prostate Health
Super Foods for Prostate Health
Prostate cancer is a very scary thought for most men. The idea that every single man, if unencumbered by other diseases, will in his lifetime eventually have either an enlarged prostate or suffer varying degrees of prostate cancer is no secret any more.
The difference now is, we've become a nutritionally advanced culture who has learned more and more about natural supplements and products that can help us achieve and maintain health much longer than we used to, as well as to eat the right foods that will make our organs function at peak levels well into late ages.
Prostate health is no different. There are foods that you can eat that will help keep your walnut-sized prostate gland functioning at peak performance, and in healthy condition for a longer time than if you had a nutritionally lacking diet.
The foods that a man can eat to support the health of your prostate actually have multiple health benefits in addition to prostate health. This is because they are mostly classed into a coined group of foods dubbed "super foods" for their healing and health promoting properties, as well as therapeutic uses.
What are these "super foods" for prostate health you ask? Well, the first one may be a bit surprising for a guy to hear, because this nutrient rich food is usually reserved for female health. It's soy.
The compound derived from the common soybean, which is so many time suggested as a benefit to women's health. Well, some research has shown that soy derived products can also support a man's prostate health as well. Soy is a common ingredient in vegetarian and vegan dishes.
It is used because it is so versatile, and easily absorbs the flavors of other foods, and can easily emulate these foods as well. Soy burgers, soy cheese, and other soy products that taste like meat and poultry have a lot of soy in them, but it's actually best when you get it in the form of the actual soybean or in tofu, because it is not so radically processed at this point.
You can also buy powdered soy genistein, which is actually the active chemical in soy products (not all though) that can be an excellent cancer thwarting agent.
Another good food for prostate health is fruit. This may seem like common sense, but there is a slightly more complex reason that fruits may be good for your prostate. Fruits contain a natural sugar in them which has been found to have a protective effect on the male prostate gland. There is another natural chemical compound in some fruits called lycopene, which has been shown to have very beneficial effects.
This natural nutritionally powerful compound gives fruits and veggies a deep red color, so the deeper the red, the more lycopene it is likely to have. Men who were studied and had diets high in fruits and vegetable rich in lycopene were also found to have less incidence of prostate cancer.
Saw palmetto, an herb that is fairly inexpensive to come by, has long been thought to provide great benefit to men with an enlarged prostate, and to help continue prostate health. Some have refuted this, but nonetheless there is some anecdotal proof out there that men may not want to bypass the likelihood this herb still has great benefit to overall male health, especially prostate health.
As far as foods to avoid to keep the prostate gland in good shape and functioning properly and efficiently, milk has been found to be a possible deterrent to maintaining the health of this important gland.
Perhaps just limiting the consumption of milk or dairy in general would be prudent, especially for men in their older age where every little bit might help. Another possibility would be to replace milk with a milk substitute such as soy milk (kill two birds with one stone).
As long as you maintain a quality diet with a variety of color, less red meats and more fruits and veggies, you can rest assured you are doing all you can to promote a long, healthy and complication free life for your prostate gland. Not only that, these foods will benefit other areas of your health as well, making it well worth your while to pay attention to what you put in your body.
Danna Schneider is the founder of Men's Health and Enhancement , an online magazine about innovations and news in mens health, and also contributes to Herbal and Alternative Health , where various supplements and alternative treatments can be found.
Prostate cancer is a very scary thought for most men. The idea that every single man, if unencumbered by other diseases, will in his lifetime eventually have either an enlarged prostate or suffer varying degrees of prostate cancer is no secret any more.
The difference now is, we've become a nutritionally advanced culture who has learned more and more about natural supplements and products that can help us achieve and maintain health much longer than we used to, as well as to eat the right foods that will make our organs function at peak levels well into late ages.
Prostate health is no different. There are foods that you can eat that will help keep your walnut-sized prostate gland functioning at peak performance, and in healthy condition for a longer time than if you had a nutritionally lacking diet.
The foods that a man can eat to support the health of your prostate actually have multiple health benefits in addition to prostate health. This is because they are mostly classed into a coined group of foods dubbed "super foods" for their healing and health promoting properties, as well as therapeutic uses.
What are these "super foods" for prostate health you ask? Well, the first one may be a bit surprising for a guy to hear, because this nutrient rich food is usually reserved for female health. It's soy.
The compound derived from the common soybean, which is so many time suggested as a benefit to women's health. Well, some research has shown that soy derived products can also support a man's prostate health as well. Soy is a common ingredient in vegetarian and vegan dishes.
It is used because it is so versatile, and easily absorbs the flavors of other foods, and can easily emulate these foods as well. Soy burgers, soy cheese, and other soy products that taste like meat and poultry have a lot of soy in them, but it's actually best when you get it in the form of the actual soybean or in tofu, because it is not so radically processed at this point.
You can also buy powdered soy genistein, which is actually the active chemical in soy products (not all though) that can be an excellent cancer thwarting agent.
Another good food for prostate health is fruit. This may seem like common sense, but there is a slightly more complex reason that fruits may be good for your prostate. Fruits contain a natural sugar in them which has been found to have a protective effect on the male prostate gland. There is another natural chemical compound in some fruits called lycopene, which has been shown to have very beneficial effects.
This natural nutritionally powerful compound gives fruits and veggies a deep red color, so the deeper the red, the more lycopene it is likely to have. Men who were studied and had diets high in fruits and vegetable rich in lycopene were also found to have less incidence of prostate cancer.
Saw palmetto, an herb that is fairly inexpensive to come by, has long been thought to provide great benefit to men with an enlarged prostate, and to help continue prostate health. Some have refuted this, but nonetheless there is some anecdotal proof out there that men may not want to bypass the likelihood this herb still has great benefit to overall male health, especially prostate health.
As far as foods to avoid to keep the prostate gland in good shape and functioning properly and efficiently, milk has been found to be a possible deterrent to maintaining the health of this important gland.
Perhaps just limiting the consumption of milk or dairy in general would be prudent, especially for men in their older age where every little bit might help. Another possibility would be to replace milk with a milk substitute such as soy milk (kill two birds with one stone).
As long as you maintain a quality diet with a variety of color, less red meats and more fruits and veggies, you can rest assured you are doing all you can to promote a long, healthy and complication free life for your prostate gland. Not only that, these foods will benefit other areas of your health as well, making it well worth your while to pay attention to what you put in your body.
Danna Schneider is the founder of Men's Health and Enhancement , an online magazine about innovations and news in mens health, and also contributes to Herbal and Alternative Health , where various supplements and alternative treatments can be found.
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Prostate Cancer Treatment Options
Prostate Cancer Treatment Options
Proceeding strategy in patients with the prostate cancer depends on the degree of histological malignancy, the degree of local stage of development, coexisting diseases and age of a patient. There are many controversies as far as the choice of treatment is concerned. Radical treatment is possible in T1, T2 and N0 and Mo stages. In advanced cases (T3, T4, N-+, M-+), the procedure is restricted to delay the cancer progression and mitigate its effects (palliative treatment).
Surgery treatment - radical prostatectomy
The surgery consists in the prostate gland removal together with spermatic vesicles and adjacent tissues. Surgery is done through retropubic, transcoccgeal, perineal approach or through laparoscopy. Lymphadenectomy constitutes an integral part of the surgery. If the approach makes it impossible to remove the gland and lymph nodes (perineal approach) at the same time, a separate surgery is carried out. It precedes the operation proper. It is believed that cancerous cells found in the removed lymph nodes are the reason why prostatectomy cannot be performed. Invasion of lymph nodes to a certain extent suggests PSA level over 40ng/ml together with grade >7 in Gleason’s scale.
Recommendations for surgery:
1) cancer limited to the prostate gland (T1BN0M0Gx - T2N0M0Gx, T1AN0M0G3) 2) predictable life span over 10 years 3) consent of a patient If positive chirurgical margins, capsule infiltration or cancerous changes in the removed lymph nodes are found in postoperative microscopic assessment, the prognosis is worse – such patients are qualified for palliative treatment. The death rate in the postoperative period does not exceed 5%. Intraoperative complications first of all include: bleeding from Santorini’s plexus, damage of rectum wall, underpinning of ureter. Early complications after surgery: thrombotic and embolic complications (phlebothrombosis 3-12%, lung embolism 2-5%) and lymphocele. Late postoperative complications after prostatectomy include: urinary incontinence, erection disorders and narrowing of urethro-vesicular junction).
Radiotherapy
Apart from radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy is an effective method of treatment for patients with regional advanced prostate cancer. In radical treatment, the most frequently done using radiation from external sources, the dose of 50-70 Gy in fractions continuing over 5-7 weeks are given. T1ABC - T2ABCG1 and T1ABCG2 stages require radiation limited to the prostate. In other cases, area that is radiated includes adjacent lymph nodes as well. In recent years, multidimensional imaging with CT (3D conformal radiotherapy) is used in the treatment planning.
Brachytherapy constitutes another method that is used.
Recommendations for radical radiotherapy of the prostate:
1) prostate cancer confined with the organ 2) sufficiently long predictable survival span 3) no disorders in lower urinary tract 4) no disorders in rectum and colon 5) consent of patient to carry out treatment 6) early complications of radiation energy treatment (30% of patients) include dysuria, haematuria, diarrhoea, rectal tenesmus, inflammation of large intestine and rectum. Among later complications (11% of patients) chronic diarrhea, ulceration of rectum, bladder neck stenosis and intestinal fistula stenosis are observed.
Control of patients after radical prostatectomy and radical radiotherapy:
- per rectum test, PSA level in blood serum each 3 months. PSA level should be lower than 1 ng/ml (after radical prostatectomy it should be near to 0). Increase over 0.5 ng/ml within a year means failure of radiotherapy. Hormonotherapy
Hormonal therapy is mainly used as palliative treatment in advanced prostate cancer. It makes it possible to stop symptoms of the disease for some time and then, further progression of the disease takes place. Nowadays, the use of therapy in pulsation system is considered as it delays the development of hormone-resistant cell clones.
Ways of hormonal treatment include: 1) surgery castration (orchidectomy) 2) anti-androgens a) non-steroid b) steroid 3) analogues LH-RH 4) oestrogens, progestogens, inhibitors of androgens synthetase Hormonotherapy by analogues LH-RH is also recommended before planned radical radiotherapy. In the case of hormone-resistant cancer, treatment with combined cytoctatic and hormone (estramustine), however without significant effects.
PROGNOSIS
Prognosis depends on the development stage, degree of differentiation and PSA level (see: prognostic factors).
In T1A, B stage prognosis is good. 10-years survival 35-80%, death rate of the cancer 7-30%. In T2 stage, overall survival equals 34-85%, death rate equals 8-26%. In T3 stage, among patients who undergo non-invasive treatment for 9 years, overall death rate equalled 63%, from cancer – 30%. Depending on the degree of cancer differentiation, 10-year survival of patients is the following: for cells well differentiated - 81%, for cells moderately differentiated - 58% and for cells poorly differentiated - 26%.
By: Radoslaw Pilarski
Radoslaw Pilarski is a PhD candidate working on anticancer properties of Uncaria tomentosa - www.uncariatomentosa.com - at PAS, Poland. mLingua Worldwide Translations, Ltd. - mlingua.pl - provides professional language translations.
Copyright 2006 Radoslaw Pilarski
Proceeding strategy in patients with the prostate cancer depends on the degree of histological malignancy, the degree of local stage of development, coexisting diseases and age of a patient. There are many controversies as far as the choice of treatment is concerned. Radical treatment is possible in T1, T2 and N0 and Mo stages. In advanced cases (T3, T4, N-+, M-+), the procedure is restricted to delay the cancer progression and mitigate its effects (palliative treatment).
Surgery treatment - radical prostatectomy
The surgery consists in the prostate gland removal together with spermatic vesicles and adjacent tissues. Surgery is done through retropubic, transcoccgeal, perineal approach or through laparoscopy. Lymphadenectomy constitutes an integral part of the surgery. If the approach makes it impossible to remove the gland and lymph nodes (perineal approach) at the same time, a separate surgery is carried out. It precedes the operation proper. It is believed that cancerous cells found in the removed lymph nodes are the reason why prostatectomy cannot be performed. Invasion of lymph nodes to a certain extent suggests PSA level over 40ng/ml together with grade >7 in Gleason’s scale.
Recommendations for surgery:
1) cancer limited to the prostate gland (T1BN0M0Gx - T2N0M0Gx, T1AN0M0G3) 2) predictable life span over 10 years 3) consent of a patient If positive chirurgical margins, capsule infiltration or cancerous changes in the removed lymph nodes are found in postoperative microscopic assessment, the prognosis is worse – such patients are qualified for palliative treatment. The death rate in the postoperative period does not exceed 5%. Intraoperative complications first of all include: bleeding from Santorini’s plexus, damage of rectum wall, underpinning of ureter. Early complications after surgery: thrombotic and embolic complications (phlebothrombosis 3-12%, lung embolism 2-5%) and lymphocele. Late postoperative complications after prostatectomy include: urinary incontinence, erection disorders and narrowing of urethro-vesicular junction).
Radiotherapy
Apart from radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy is an effective method of treatment for patients with regional advanced prostate cancer. In radical treatment, the most frequently done using radiation from external sources, the dose of 50-70 Gy in fractions continuing over 5-7 weeks are given. T1ABC - T2ABCG1 and T1ABCG2 stages require radiation limited to the prostate. In other cases, area that is radiated includes adjacent lymph nodes as well. In recent years, multidimensional imaging with CT (3D conformal radiotherapy) is used in the treatment planning.
Brachytherapy constitutes another method that is used.
Recommendations for radical radiotherapy of the prostate:
1) prostate cancer confined with the organ 2) sufficiently long predictable survival span 3) no disorders in lower urinary tract 4) no disorders in rectum and colon 5) consent of patient to carry out treatment 6) early complications of radiation energy treatment (30% of patients) include dysuria, haematuria, diarrhoea, rectal tenesmus, inflammation of large intestine and rectum. Among later complications (11% of patients) chronic diarrhea, ulceration of rectum, bladder neck stenosis and intestinal fistula stenosis are observed.
Control of patients after radical prostatectomy and radical radiotherapy:
- per rectum test, PSA level in blood serum each 3 months. PSA level should be lower than 1 ng/ml (after radical prostatectomy it should be near to 0). Increase over 0.5 ng/ml within a year means failure of radiotherapy. Hormonotherapy
Hormonal therapy is mainly used as palliative treatment in advanced prostate cancer. It makes it possible to stop symptoms of the disease for some time and then, further progression of the disease takes place. Nowadays, the use of therapy in pulsation system is considered as it delays the development of hormone-resistant cell clones.
Ways of hormonal treatment include: 1) surgery castration (orchidectomy) 2) anti-androgens a) non-steroid b) steroid 3) analogues LH-RH 4) oestrogens, progestogens, inhibitors of androgens synthetase Hormonotherapy by analogues LH-RH is also recommended before planned radical radiotherapy. In the case of hormone-resistant cancer, treatment with combined cytoctatic and hormone (estramustine), however without significant effects.
PROGNOSIS
Prognosis depends on the development stage, degree of differentiation and PSA level (see: prognostic factors).
In T1A, B stage prognosis is good. 10-years survival 35-80%, death rate of the cancer 7-30%. In T2 stage, overall survival equals 34-85%, death rate equals 8-26%. In T3 stage, among patients who undergo non-invasive treatment for 9 years, overall death rate equalled 63%, from cancer – 30%. Depending on the degree of cancer differentiation, 10-year survival of patients is the following: for cells well differentiated - 81%, for cells moderately differentiated - 58% and for cells poorly differentiated - 26%.
By: Radoslaw Pilarski
Radoslaw Pilarski is a PhD candidate working on anticancer properties of Uncaria tomentosa - www.uncariatomentosa.com - at PAS, Poland. mLingua Worldwide Translations, Ltd. - mlingua.pl - provides professional language translations.
Copyright 2006 Radoslaw Pilarski
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Warning Signs and Testing for Prostate Cancer
Warning Signs and Testing for Prostate Cancer by Dan Ho
Prostate cancer warning signs...
Every man should be concerned about their prostate's health.
Indeed, for men not paying attention to it, it can be deadly as prostate cancer comes second only to lung cancer with respect to cancer-caused deaths for American men...and is near the top for Canadian men as well.
Prostate cancer is also the most common type of cancer for men in the United States. Tens of thousands of new cases are diagnosed yearly.
Although there is most likely a hereditary component to your chances of getting prostate cancer, like many things in life, a lot of it comes down to choices you make, such as taking quality prostate health promoting supplements and eating food for good prostate health.
Prostate cancer warning signs
Although the aforementioned prostate statistics don't seem to be good, the truth of the matter is that if prostate cancer is detected early, treatments are often very successful and chances of surviving are very high.
Therefore, one of the best things you can do other than take the necessary supplement and dietary steps to promote good prostate health is to have what is called a PSA test (prostate specific antigen tests) done every year. It doesn't take long and it's not painful so don't put it off.
The drawback of the PSA test is that it isn't perfect in what it reveals.
Now, what about prostate cancer warning signs?
Well, unfortunately, prostate cancer does not really give off any warning signs.
In addition, another confusing aspect is that most of the possible warning signs, if they appear, are also the same signs for other prostate health problems that are non-cancerous in nature, such as BPH, which is called an enlarged prostate gland.
However, these signs are still worth mentioning.
The following are some potential prostate cancer warning signs or signs of BPH:
1. Incomplete emptying of the bladder
2. Dribbling
3. Difficulty starting urination
4. Reduced force of the stream
5. Frequent urination of small amounts
6. Pain with urination
7. Ejaculation pain
8. Blood in the urine
Dietary and Supplement Protocols
Although saw palmetto is touted as the best herb to take for prostate health, it actually isn't. Something called Beta sitosterol is much better. Here's why:
Even the best Saw Palmetto supplements are comprised of 99% fatty acids and 1% sterols. The sterol component is where the therapeutic benefit lies (hence the name Beta Sitosterol).
In short, by taking Beta Sitosterol, you will be getting only the active component of Saw Palmetto that is responsible for its medicinal properties. Beta sitosterol is literally thousands of times more powerful than saw palmetto.
Other beneficial nutrients and supplements include: lycopene, pygeum, stinging nettle, and cornsilk.
With respect to food for good prostate health, recent research by the authoritative US National Cancer Institute revealed that men who consumed more than 1/3rd of an ounce of onions, scallions, garlic, chives per day were much less likely to have prostate cancer.
In conclusion, don't wait for prostate cancer warning signs or signs of other prostate problems to show up before you do anything about it.
On the other hand, if you are already experiencing possible signs of prostate problems, don't panic.
This is a very treatable condition if caught in its early stages. Just make sure you take appropriate action and talk to your doctor about it right away so you don't become a statistic.
About the Author
Get more info on prostate cancer warning signs and supplements to consider using to promote prostate health at: http://www.nutritional-supplement-info.com/prostate-herbs.html
Prostate cancer warning signs...
Every man should be concerned about their prostate's health.
Indeed, for men not paying attention to it, it can be deadly as prostate cancer comes second only to lung cancer with respect to cancer-caused deaths for American men...and is near the top for Canadian men as well.
Prostate cancer is also the most common type of cancer for men in the United States. Tens of thousands of new cases are diagnosed yearly.
Although there is most likely a hereditary component to your chances of getting prostate cancer, like many things in life, a lot of it comes down to choices you make, such as taking quality prostate health promoting supplements and eating food for good prostate health.
Prostate cancer warning signs
Although the aforementioned prostate statistics don't seem to be good, the truth of the matter is that if prostate cancer is detected early, treatments are often very successful and chances of surviving are very high.
Therefore, one of the best things you can do other than take the necessary supplement and dietary steps to promote good prostate health is to have what is called a PSA test (prostate specific antigen tests) done every year. It doesn't take long and it's not painful so don't put it off.
The drawback of the PSA test is that it isn't perfect in what it reveals.
Now, what about prostate cancer warning signs?
Well, unfortunately, prostate cancer does not really give off any warning signs.
In addition, another confusing aspect is that most of the possible warning signs, if they appear, are also the same signs for other prostate health problems that are non-cancerous in nature, such as BPH, which is called an enlarged prostate gland.
However, these signs are still worth mentioning.
The following are some potential prostate cancer warning signs or signs of BPH:
1. Incomplete emptying of the bladder
2. Dribbling
3. Difficulty starting urination
4. Reduced force of the stream
5. Frequent urination of small amounts
6. Pain with urination
7. Ejaculation pain
8. Blood in the urine
Dietary and Supplement Protocols
Although saw palmetto is touted as the best herb to take for prostate health, it actually isn't. Something called Beta sitosterol is much better. Here's why:
Even the best Saw Palmetto supplements are comprised of 99% fatty acids and 1% sterols. The sterol component is where the therapeutic benefit lies (hence the name Beta Sitosterol).
In short, by taking Beta Sitosterol, you will be getting only the active component of Saw Palmetto that is responsible for its medicinal properties. Beta sitosterol is literally thousands of times more powerful than saw palmetto.
Other beneficial nutrients and supplements include: lycopene, pygeum, stinging nettle, and cornsilk.
With respect to food for good prostate health, recent research by the authoritative US National Cancer Institute revealed that men who consumed more than 1/3rd of an ounce of onions, scallions, garlic, chives per day were much less likely to have prostate cancer.
In conclusion, don't wait for prostate cancer warning signs or signs of other prostate problems to show up before you do anything about it.
On the other hand, if you are already experiencing possible signs of prostate problems, don't panic.
This is a very treatable condition if caught in its early stages. Just make sure you take appropriate action and talk to your doctor about it right away so you don't become a statistic.
About the Author
Get more info on prostate cancer warning signs and supplements to consider using to promote prostate health at: http://www.nutritional-supplement-info.com/prostate-herbs.html
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Monday, November 06, 2006
Prostate Cancer Survival Rates
Editor's Note: I've been hearing more and more about prostate cancer lately, and this seemed as good a topic as any to start us off here. Today I'll post a general article about the disease. In coming days, I'll post follow up articles on getting tested, treatment options and maintaining prostate health.
A couple of months ago, a very good friend told me he had been diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer. He urged me to get tested (ie. scared the bejeesus out of me) and I went ahead and did. It was fairly quick and painless. I picked up a pamphlet at the doctor's office that day poked around online to learn a little more. As it turns out nearly all of us (meaning men) will get prostate cancer at some point if we live long enough. In past generations, most men got prostate cancer but didn't live long enough to find out they had it, much less for it to kill them as they generally died of something else first. However, with men living longer, fuller lives than ever before, more of us are getting the cancer when we're not only still alive, but still active with plenty of life left. So what I'm saying is that it's not really a matter of "if" you get it, it's a matter of "when". Please get yourself tested.
Prostate Cancer Survival Rates
There are approximately 25,000 men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the United Kingdom. For these men the risk of dying from their prostate cancer depends on a number of risk factors. For example if the cancer is confined to the prostate gland at diagnosis the chance of surviving to 5 years is 70%. If the cancer has already spread e.g. to the bones then only 20% of men will survive to five years. Of all the men who currently have prostate cancer in the UK approximately 10,000 will die of the disease each year. The prostate cancer survival rate is much higher in the developed world - unsurprisingly.
When a man is first diagnosed with prostate cancer then the doctor who has found the cancer (most often a “urologist” – a surgeon who specialises in looking after problems to do with the kidneys, prostate and bladder) will arrange a series of tests to help assess the risk for that individual patient. The results of these tests will in turn help the doctor and patient to decide the best treatment for that patient.
Prostate Cancer Tests to Help Predict Survival
1. Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA
2. Digital Rectal Examination or DRE
3. Trans-rectal Ultrasound and Biopsy
4. CT or MRI Scan
5. Bone Scan
PSA
This is a protein made by the prostate gland which can be measured on a sample of your blood i.e. a blood test. The PSA level can be raised by non cancerous problems with the prostate gland i.e. not all men who have a raised PSA have prostate cancer. Also some men who have prostate cancer will not have a raised PSA. However PSA does tend to increase as prostate cancers grow, invade and spread so PSA can be used to monitor how a prostate cancer is progressing or how it is responding to treatments.
DRE
This is where a doctor feels the prostate gland through the back passage. It tells the doctor how big the prostate gland is, whether the cancer is able to be felt easily and whether it has invaded the area near by.
Tran-Rectal Ultrasound and Biopsy
For this test you need to lie on your side with your knees brought up into the chest (same position as for a DRE). An ultrasound probe is then inserted into the back passage. This enables the doctor to see on a screen the outline of the prostate gland. There is no radiation involved. The image on the screen then allows the doctor to insert a needle safely into the prostate gland to take some samples of the prostate tissue. Usually several samples are taken from each area of the prostate gland. These samples are then sent to a laboratory to be looked at under a microscope. This allows confirmation that there is prostate cancer present and tells us how aggressive the cancer looks. Sometimes a local anaesthetic is used to help make the procedure more comfortable.
CT or MRI Scan
This is usually carried out in an x-ray department and involves lying still on a thin couch which moves through either a big donut (CT) or into a long tunnel (MRI). This is not painful in any way. The pictures gained from this test helps the doctors to see whether the prostate cancer is still within the prostate gland or whether it had started to invade out of the gland into other surrounding structures. This tells the doctor what “stage” the prostate cancer is.
Bone Scan
This requires you to have an injection and then to lie on a special table where a camera scans the whole body. It shows up whether any of the bones in the body have been affected by the prostate cancer i.e. whether the prostate cancer has spread to the bones.
Prostate Cancer Stage and Survival
The stage of prostate cancer describes how far the cancer has grown and spread. It is assessed by a mixture of DRE and CT/MRI scans.
T1 Stage
This is very early prostate cancer which can only be seen under a microscope. At this stage the cancer would not cause any symptoms. Men with this stage are at low risk from their disease may not need any treatment but surveillance. The original cause of a prostate cancer problem can be difficult to diagnose.
T2 Stage
This is early prostate cancer but is now big enough to be felt by a doctor on DRE. This may still not have caused any symptoms. This is most often cured if treatment is undertaken at this stage and about 70% of men are still alive after 5 years i.e. average length of survival from diagnosis is well over 5 years.
T3 Stage
This is locally advanced prostate cancer which has started to extend and invade outside of the prostate gland. This stage would often cause bladder symptoms in men. By this stage in the disease the chance of cure with treatments is reduced however survival is often around five years.
T4 Stage
This is more advanced prostate cancer which invades the structures around the gland. At this stage there are often already secondaries e.g. bone metastases. If the disease has spread it is usually incurable but may be controlled for some time. The average survival is between 1 and 3 years.
Predicting Survival in Prostate Cancer
Doctors use a combination of risk factors to predict the behaviour of prostate cancer but cancers do not always act as expected. The factors they consider include the cancer stage (see above), the age of the patient, the PSA level and how quickly it is rising, and the Gleason Score. The Gleason score is a marker of how aggressive the cancer looks under the microscope and how much of the gland is affected by cancer.
By: OnlyTopResults
Adrian Jones has a personal interest in promoting awareness and self-help in dealing with several forms of cancer. This article is from his website at http://www.justabout-prostatecancer.com/ dealing with prostate cancer and prostate cancer treatments. He writes on other forms of cancer, including colon cancer. This article is available for reprint for your website and/or newsletter, provided that you maintain its copyright integrity and include this resource box information.
A couple of months ago, a very good friend told me he had been diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer. He urged me to get tested (ie. scared the bejeesus out of me) and I went ahead and did. It was fairly quick and painless. I picked up a pamphlet at the doctor's office that day poked around online to learn a little more. As it turns out nearly all of us (meaning men) will get prostate cancer at some point if we live long enough. In past generations, most men got prostate cancer but didn't live long enough to find out they had it, much less for it to kill them as they generally died of something else first. However, with men living longer, fuller lives than ever before, more of us are getting the cancer when we're not only still alive, but still active with plenty of life left. So what I'm saying is that it's not really a matter of "if" you get it, it's a matter of "when". Please get yourself tested.
Prostate Cancer Survival Rates
There are approximately 25,000 men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the United Kingdom. For these men the risk of dying from their prostate cancer depends on a number of risk factors. For example if the cancer is confined to the prostate gland at diagnosis the chance of surviving to 5 years is 70%. If the cancer has already spread e.g. to the bones then only 20% of men will survive to five years. Of all the men who currently have prostate cancer in the UK approximately 10,000 will die of the disease each year. The prostate cancer survival rate is much higher in the developed world - unsurprisingly.
When a man is first diagnosed with prostate cancer then the doctor who has found the cancer (most often a “urologist” – a surgeon who specialises in looking after problems to do with the kidneys, prostate and bladder) will arrange a series of tests to help assess the risk for that individual patient. The results of these tests will in turn help the doctor and patient to decide the best treatment for that patient.
Prostate Cancer Tests to Help Predict Survival
1. Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA
2. Digital Rectal Examination or DRE
3. Trans-rectal Ultrasound and Biopsy
4. CT or MRI Scan
5. Bone Scan
PSA
This is a protein made by the prostate gland which can be measured on a sample of your blood i.e. a blood test. The PSA level can be raised by non cancerous problems with the prostate gland i.e. not all men who have a raised PSA have prostate cancer. Also some men who have prostate cancer will not have a raised PSA. However PSA does tend to increase as prostate cancers grow, invade and spread so PSA can be used to monitor how a prostate cancer is progressing or how it is responding to treatments.
DRE
This is where a doctor feels the prostate gland through the back passage. It tells the doctor how big the prostate gland is, whether the cancer is able to be felt easily and whether it has invaded the area near by.
Tran-Rectal Ultrasound and Biopsy
For this test you need to lie on your side with your knees brought up into the chest (same position as for a DRE). An ultrasound probe is then inserted into the back passage. This enables the doctor to see on a screen the outline of the prostate gland. There is no radiation involved. The image on the screen then allows the doctor to insert a needle safely into the prostate gland to take some samples of the prostate tissue. Usually several samples are taken from each area of the prostate gland. These samples are then sent to a laboratory to be looked at under a microscope. This allows confirmation that there is prostate cancer present and tells us how aggressive the cancer looks. Sometimes a local anaesthetic is used to help make the procedure more comfortable.
CT or MRI Scan
This is usually carried out in an x-ray department and involves lying still on a thin couch which moves through either a big donut (CT) or into a long tunnel (MRI). This is not painful in any way. The pictures gained from this test helps the doctors to see whether the prostate cancer is still within the prostate gland or whether it had started to invade out of the gland into other surrounding structures. This tells the doctor what “stage” the prostate cancer is.
Bone Scan
This requires you to have an injection and then to lie on a special table where a camera scans the whole body. It shows up whether any of the bones in the body have been affected by the prostate cancer i.e. whether the prostate cancer has spread to the bones.
Prostate Cancer Stage and Survival
The stage of prostate cancer describes how far the cancer has grown and spread. It is assessed by a mixture of DRE and CT/MRI scans.
T1 Stage
This is very early prostate cancer which can only be seen under a microscope. At this stage the cancer would not cause any symptoms. Men with this stage are at low risk from their disease may not need any treatment but surveillance. The original cause of a prostate cancer problem can be difficult to diagnose.
T2 Stage
This is early prostate cancer but is now big enough to be felt by a doctor on DRE. This may still not have caused any symptoms. This is most often cured if treatment is undertaken at this stage and about 70% of men are still alive after 5 years i.e. average length of survival from diagnosis is well over 5 years.
T3 Stage
This is locally advanced prostate cancer which has started to extend and invade outside of the prostate gland. This stage would often cause bladder symptoms in men. By this stage in the disease the chance of cure with treatments is reduced however survival is often around five years.
T4 Stage
This is more advanced prostate cancer which invades the structures around the gland. At this stage there are often already secondaries e.g. bone metastases. If the disease has spread it is usually incurable but may be controlled for some time. The average survival is between 1 and 3 years.
Predicting Survival in Prostate Cancer
Doctors use a combination of risk factors to predict the behaviour of prostate cancer but cancers do not always act as expected. The factors they consider include the cancer stage (see above), the age of the patient, the PSA level and how quickly it is rising, and the Gleason Score. The Gleason score is a marker of how aggressive the cancer looks under the microscope and how much of the gland is affected by cancer.
By: OnlyTopResults
Adrian Jones has a personal interest in promoting awareness and self-help in dealing with several forms of cancer. This article is from his website at http://www.justabout-prostatecancer.com/ dealing with prostate cancer and prostate cancer treatments. He writes on other forms of cancer, including colon cancer. This article is available for reprint for your website and/or newsletter, provided that you maintain its copyright integrity and include this resource box information.
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Help I'm Getting Older!
I'm not sure who is reading this, but probably no one yet. Anyway, I turned 50 today! It's kinda scary, and I'm a little freaked out. I just realized, hey, I'm really getting older now. So I decided to start this blog and create a page in that Myspace thing to talk about all the weird things that happen to us older folks.
I'll try to update this regularly, and intend to discuss topics like widowhood, dating, losing eyesight (yes, I picked this Blog tmeplate for the large font), midlife crisis, exercise, estate planning, paying for kids college, alzheimers anxiety, recreational activities, hair growing out of our ears, menopause (for the ladies) and anything else that we older folks have to go through.
I'll try to update this regularly, and intend to discuss topics like widowhood, dating, losing eyesight (yes, I picked this Blog tmeplate for the large font), midlife crisis, exercise, estate planning, paying for kids college, alzheimers anxiety, recreational activities, hair growing out of our ears, menopause (for the ladies) and anything else that we older folks have to go through.
technorati tags: anti-aging, longevity, midlife, aging, retirement
