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Page 14, RURAL-URBAN RECORD, June 7, 2021

elderly patients. Though only 16 of those articles met the
researchers’ criteria, the analysis concluded that herbal sup-
plement usage is common among elderly patients, as was a
lack of dialogue about such supplements between medical
professionals and seniors. A concerted effort to initiate such
dialogue on the part of both patients and health care provid-
ers can help shed light on herbal medicines so people taking
them, including seniors, can learn more about what they’re
putting into their bodies.
What are herbal medicines?
The National Health Service of the United Kingdom, a
What seniors should know widely respected and publicly funded health care system,
describes herbal medicines as those with active ingredients
about herbal medicines made from plant parts like leaves, roots or flowers. Because
herbal medicines are made from plant parts, many people
A lifelong commitment to healthy living can improve life assume they’re safe to take without consulting a physician.
expectancy and quality of life while reducing a person’s risk However, the NHS urges people to treat herbal medicines
for various conditions and diseases, including cancer and with the same care and respect as they would more conven-
heart disease. tional medicines. Herbal medicines can affect the body in
Healthy lifestyle choices like eating a nutritious diet and various ways. A frank discussion with a physician can shed
exercising regularly can greatly reduce a person’s risk for light on the potential side effects of herbal medicines and NOW BUYING
various ailments, but such choices don’t eliminate that risk whether or not they’re safe.
entirely. As a result, even health-conscious men and women Why should seniors be concerned about herbal medi-
may need to rely on medication to stay healthy. That’s es- cines? • Pre 1964 Silver Coins
pecially true for seniors since age is a risk factor for various The NHS notes that seniors taking other medications • Gold nearing all-time highs
conditions. may experience problems if they begin taking herbal medi-
A 2014 analysis that appeared in the Archives of Ger- cines as well. The National Center for Complementary and • Sterling Silver
ontology and Geriatrics examined nearly 1,300 published Integrative Health, which is part of the U.S. Department of • Silverware
articles that focused on the use of herbal supplements by Health and Human Services, notes that more well-designed
studies are necessary to fully evaluate interactions between
herbal medicines and prescription drugs. However, the NC-
CIH notes that some evidence points to some harmful ef- Gift Certificates Available
440-355-4616 fects of mixing the two. For example, the NCCIH reports
Keystone Pointe Offers: that prolonged exposure to concentrated garlic extracts may “Now Offering 12 months Interest Free”
reduce the efficacy of some drugs. The potential for these
•Large Private Rooms types of interactions should be enough to compel seniors to
•5 Star Rating - Medicare’s Highest think twice before taking herbal medicines without first con-
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•Post Hospital & Long-term Care a list of various types of people for whom herbal medicines
may not be suitable, and that list includes the elderly. 705 Chestnut Commons Dr., Elyria
Seniors considering herbal medicines should discuss the (440) 322-0019
pros and cons of such products with their physicians prior www.elyriajewelers.com
383 Opportunity Way to taking anything.
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Near the intersection of 301 & 303

WHAT IS A DOWNSIZING CONSULTATION?
ARE YOU A CANDIDATE?

About 6 months ago I received a phone call from Mrs. Smith who said “I keep seeing your
downsizing consultation ad in the paper and I was wondering if we could talk? I am not
planning on selling anytime soon but I was wondering what the consultation is and what the
cost is?” I thanked Mrs. Smith for calling and explained that I don’t ever think it is to soon to
talk with a Realtor about your future plans whether they are to sell your home now or to age
in place.” I began to ask Mrs. Smith some simple questions starting with how many years she
has lived in her home? Mrs. Smith has lived in her home for about 35 years. When she and
her husband purchased the home in the 80’s they were raising their teenage children and had
always wanted a 2 story home. Now her children are grown and have children of their own and
they visit periodically although COVID had put a bit of a damper on their regular visits. You see
her children live a couple hours away so with places closed and their concern for their mother’s
safety, they’ve just been visiting from the front porch.
Mrs. Smith also mentioned she has been toying with updating her kitchen cabinets since
she’s been spending so much more time at home and maybe even updating her bathroom.
Her husband passed away about a year ago, so she isn’t sure who she would hire to help with
the updating if she decided to do it. Mrs. Smith also shared with me that she has been trying Fre
to work on her estate plan since her husband had recently passed and she wanted to have
everything in order for her children in case something happened and they had to sell her house IN-HOME CONSULTATIONS: i-hom
and liquidate her items. After hearing Mrs. Smith’s story I told her she is a perfect candidate sesions!
for a downsizing consultation. Mrs. Smith was even more relieved when I told her it was free DOWNSIZING
and we would even be able to check her home for radon.
I explained to Mrs. Smith that a downsizing consultation is exactly what she needed to
help her decide what to do and how to plan for her future. So we scheduled about an hour Now offering complimentary, one-hour,
appointment for a downsizing consultation. When I got to Mrs. Smith’s house I toured the in-home consultations! I will come to your
property with her. I looked over her house to see if putting the money into updating would be home and provide you with a value of what
a good investment. I helped her look at her home through the eyes of a home inspector and
to see if there are any major items that she may need to address sooner than later even if she your home is worth in today’s market. We will
doesn’t sell and she decided to stay in her home as long as she can. Mrs. Smith and I also discuss if your home is inspection ready, if you
talked about placing me as a Realtor contact for her family in her estate plan. I explained to can sell as is, and what you can do with all
her that I can make it easy because they just have to call me and I can help them deal with
what to do with Mrs. Smith’s stuff and cleaning out the house. Finally, Mrs. Smith and I got on your belongings. Call for your free downsizing
a conference call with her son so that she could introduce me to him and we could place a face guide today!
with a name in the future moving forward.
Here we are 6 months later and Mrs. Smith is still missing her family and is really hoping to
get closer to them. She realized with COVID that if she could move within a 15-30 minute drive CONTACT ME TO LEARN MORE!
it would be so much easier on everyone. Mrs. Smith and I are getting ready to take the next
steps to put her home on the market. It all started with a no obligation, easy, no pressure phone
call and meeting about a downsizing consultation. Jen Herron-Underwood
If you are in a similar situation as Mrs. Smith or just would like to talk about today’s real REALTOR & Senior Real Estate Specialist ®
®
estate market give Jennifer Herron-Underwood a call at 440-371-2862. You can also visit jenniferherron-underwood@howardhanna.com
www.downsizing411.com for important resources and a list of upcoming virtual seminars
and workshops. (440) 371-2862 | www.downsizing411.com