Get TSH done in an elderly if…………….

Unexplained high cholesterol:  High cholesterol is sometimes the only evidence of an underactive thyroid in an older person.

Heart failure: Reduced blood volume, weaker contractions of the heart muscle, and a slower heart rate due to low thyroid hormone can contribute to heart failure.

Bowel movement changes: Hypothyroidism can present with constipation because stool moves more slowly through the bowels.

Joint or muscle pain: Vague joint pain is a classic hypothyroidism symptom. It sometimes is the only symptom of hypothyroidism in an older person. Many people experience general muscle aches, particularly in large muscle groups like those in the legs.

Psychiatric problems: Clinical depression can affect older people with the condition. In older people it can be the only hypothyroidism symptom.

Dementia: Debilitating memory loss can also be the lone symptom of hypothyroidism.

Balance problems: Hypothyroidism can lead to abnormalities in the cerebellum and cause problems with walking in older people. (Source Harvard Newsletter).

For elderly driving is a symbol of independence

There is no set age when older people should stop driving. It depends on many factors. It is true that older drivers can still be safe drivers. But it is also true that, besides teens, older drivers are involved in more deadly car crashes than any other age group.

There are people who are 40 years old that shouldnt be driving and people who have good reflexes and all, and are alert and vision is good they could drive when theyre 90. Deciding when to give up the keys is a personal matter that experts say should not be taken lightly.

You can drive irrespective of age if….

• You have no dementia

• Have taken a driving test

• Have normal whisper test: In this test, one ear is occluded and the older patient is asked to repeat the words or numbers whispered softly by the clinician standing one to two feet away, usually to the back of the patient. The whispered words or numbers used for the test should be those with equally accented syllables, such as baseball or twenty-two

• Have normal grip test: The general rule is that 35 pounds of strength in the dominant hand is necessary for safe driving.

• You can read a newspaper or magazine held 14 inches (at arm’s length) from the eyes.

• If you can rise from a chair, walk 10 feet, turn around, walk back, and then sit down in the chair in less than 15 seconds

Medicinal use of bhang based drugs

Cannabis leaves have been found effective in alleviating pain in cancer patients post chemotherapy and radiotherapy, according to a study conducted by Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences in collaboration with the Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar on patients undergoing treatment at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai.

A large-scale study will also be conducted at AIIMS to examine and validate the efficacy of cannabis in reducing side-effects in patients suffering from breast and cervix cancer.

Research to develop cost-effective cannabis-based drugs for treatment of pain in cancer, epilepsy and sickle cell anaemia is also being conducted by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine in collaboration with Bombay Hemp Company.  (Indian Express).