Everything Elderly is on Saturday mornings at 8:30, on 1290 am WLBY, sponsored by Senior Helpers. This past weekend we had good discussions about nutrition and supplements and about seniors and computing.

Our first guest was Steve Bebber, the owner of Health Pro, a company he’s had for 10 years, that deals in all sorts of health and wellness areas. Steve helps people improve their quality of life, to feel better and be healthier.

The need for vitamin and mineral supplements has been documented through independent research. Food today is just not sufficient nutritionally to fully provide what adults need. Fruit and vegetables get picked too early, before they are completely ripened and before they are optimally nutritious.

Many seniors have issues with vitamin D deficiency, which can cause bone loss. Insufficient Omega 3 can contribute to memory loss and dementia. Vitamin B deficiency is another potential area of concern, causing lack of energy.

When shopping for supplements, consumers need to read labels. There are lots of products marketed to the elderly, “silver this and silver that”. A lot of supplements out there are not well absorbed by the body. Supplements that are organic based, especially “certified organic,” are the best bet. These can be found in stores that specialize in organic foods or through companies like Health Pro.

A good diet should reduce the amount of carbohydrates and limit the amount fast food, chips, and refined white sugar. It’s much better to eat food that is multi-colored, like fruits and vegetables.

To get in touch with Steve or Health Pro, please call 734-646-1232, or go to the website annarborhealthpro.com. If you’d like to listen to the full 12-minute segment click the audio link below:

Jeff Morris, the owner of Call Your Help Desk, joined our discussion next. Jeff helps people with computers, whether at a business or a residential customer at home. He stated that seniors use computers as much as any demographic.

The internet opens up a lot of opportunities for the elderly — tools to keep in touch, games and research. Seniors are increasingly getting into social media applications like Facebook, to stay connected to family and friends.

For seniors, Jeff recommends a desktop computer rather than a laptop. A desktop is easier to leave set up, and laptops can be heavy to tote around.

Security is very important; you need to keep your identity safe. Jeff advocates using strong passwords, a combination of numbers and letters, upper and lower case. Seniors also need to be wary of scams, for example emails that indicate your bank account has been closed and telling you to immediately contact your bank online (where you’ll be asked for your confidential data). Banks don’t ever ask for personal information in emails or over the phone. If there’s a real problem, a bank will ask you to come into the office.

Jeff suggested off-site storage (back-up) of your computer files using your internet connection and a service like Carbonite or services offered through manufacturers like Dell. Jeff also stressed that users should be very discriminating when downloading applications off the internet. The application may be useful, but check it out first; look up the application name on Google and see if there’s evidence of fraud or scam. If you would like to contact Jeff Morris or Call Your Help Desk, please call 734-621-2093, or you may go to callyourhelpdesk.com. To listen to the full 12-minute discussion click the audio link below:

Alan Caldwell is the owner of Senior Helpers, providing in-home care services, primarily to the elderly. He can be contacted at acaldwell@seniorhelpers.com, or at 734-927-3111.