Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and is increasing worldwide. It has been associated with increased mortality, although it has seen increased longevity after diagnosis due to improved therapies and improved treatment of comorbidites. AF has also been associated with stroke.
Women over the age of 80 were most likely to develop dementia in addition to other diseases such as stroke with Parkinson’s Disease. This accounts for both strokes and AF.
Treatment of AF is significantly associated with both stroke and dementia. Medical advancements for AF will slow the progression of stroke and dementia, making brain issues less of an issue.
I’ve had personal experience with this. My mother-in-law just recently retired (not of her own accord) at the age of 81. She had spent most of her life, and certainly her work life, staying up late at night, answering emails, and generally selling her insurance products. Part of the reason she has “let go” was working at home was a challenge during the pandemic. She forgot how to do basic things like how to answer emails, pay bills and use her cell phone. She has not been diagnosed yet, but it’s obvious she has symptoms of dementia. She can’t remember how to do the basic things she used to do all the time.
Sleep issues can result from sleep patterns starting in the 50’s and 60’s. It’s not just an “old-person” disease. According to the NIH, “…studies suggest that short sleep duration during midlife could increase the risk of developing dementia later life.”
What does this mean?
People should work on their sleep habits when they are younger.
Sleeping does more for your long-term health than previously thought.
Sleep apnea can cause a whole host of health problems.
Men don’t often visit the doctor’s office. Why? The answers vary, but most of the time it’s a combination of fear and not wanting to share their intimate details with another person.
But this is a fallacy.
Men are most likely to have medical concerns than women. This knowledge, coupled with men having more medical concerns, makes for a potential disaster.
Men who don’t go to the doctor are likely to experience issues with the heart, joint issues (such as knees or wrists), diabetes, stroke, and other issues. It’s important to visit your doctor on at least an annual basis to get out ahead of these things.
What Should You Talk About?
Things to discuss:
First things first, discuss any issues you are having. Anything that can be construed as a medical issue.
Discuss anything that could be an issue in the future.
Any sleep issues.
How is your blood pressure?
Any vaccines or boosters you may need.
Anything else you may consider an issue.
It’s important to have an honest talk with your doctor.
It’s important to have open and honest conversations with your doctor.
It’s also important to have a doctor you can talk to. Make sure your doctor is easy to talk with so that you have no excuses for not talking to them. And don’t forget to question your doctor if they suggest something you’re not comfortable with. Getting a second opinion means your invested in your health.
Talk to your doctor
Taking this one step with help you head off any issues before they become a serious health problem. Take it from me – it’s important to talk to your doctor before an issue arises, or you could be on medication the rest of your life.
Imagine having a stroke at 51. Much less MULTIPLE strokes. (Read my stroke story here.) I was having speech problems that alerted my doctors to the problem. And you add to that sky-high blood pressure, and I was doomed from the beginning. My father and grandmother had high blood pressure as well, so I had no choice. But strokes are not a death sentence – you can recover from them.
It all started several years ago
I’m still not convinced of this, but my wife is. About 4 years ago I had a bout of vertigo. This resulted in an inability to drive. I began seeing a chiropractor who diagnosed me with osteoarthritis in my upper back. I chalked my vertigo up to OA and lived my life. My wife drove me everywhere – especially to my doctor’s appointments. Driving made me dizzy.
Things changed
After I visited the hospital, something happened. After speaking with my parents, my speech improved. My driving improved. I had my energy back. I was able to take care of my kids. It was as if the strokes hadn’t happened. My balance is still off, but my energy is back and I’m able to drive. I can go to the store to get things for my family. My only issue is my allergies – much of what I suffer is will allergies that have increased tremendously.
Things have leveled off
In the meantime, things have leveled off. I can still drive (mostly), but my head has been dizzy. I got a new glasses prescription, and working with them has caused problems. This is supposed to help me drive, but it’s hit and miss.
Depression
Depression is a real problem for stroke victims. Coming this close to death can have an impact on your outlook on life. Depression is a real thing – it’s not just “feeling bad”. It can have an impact on your mood and your physical well-being. It can have an impact on your whole life, including your relationships and social standing. It can have an impact on your whole life.
Work is tough
I’m trying to work again but it’s hard to do. I was self-employed in the market research industry before getting sick. Much of my work involved writing, including surveys and analysis. Although the basics are still there, I find it hard to focus on writing, even basic stuff. Analyzing data is difficult to do, even on good days.
Where we are now
As of right now, things have not improved. I’m still depressed, and there is no work to be found. I struggle with my focus and in finding a job. Pray for me. I only hope things will get better as time moves on.
*******************************
Jeff Reynolds is principal of Reynolds Consulting LLC.
How smart businesses invest in product development market research now and reap the rewards later
How often do you ask friends or family for a referral to a plumber, electrician, gardener, whatever, so you can skip the part where they disappoint you and waste your time and money? There is a whole industry around matching you with the “right” contractor for your needs. Millennials use Yelp like the neighborhood in the past. Would you ever make an expensive decision without reading their reviews and speaking with referrals?
Then why would you send your new product or idea to the market without knowing if people would actually buy it? There are real costs associated with a new product or service: design, development, manufacturing, marketing, sales, support. Considering all this, it makes sense to pay it forward – spend some money at the beginning to validate hypotheses, refine your product, or set optimal pricing before you spend all that money on a product that might not be market ready yet or is not priced appropriately. Or, worst case, will not be adopted by your market in large enough quantities to make it a viable, profitable product or service.
Testing your hypotheses
You know your business, but there is always a measure of guessing when creating a new product or service. Will customers purchase it? What features are most important? What features need to be changed or added? How should I market it? What price should I charge? Does my new product warrant a premium, or will purchase likelihood drop off too far to increase the pricing?
The likelihood that you have made decisions that will resonate with current or prospective customers is higher if you are adding to your products or creating a line extension, but there are still decisions to be made that require validation. If you are expanding into a new industry or into a new product area, it’s even more important to test your hypotheses.
You can’t properly test your choices without asking current and prospective customers for their opinion. Challenge your assumptions – it’s the best way to keep from making an expensive, poor choice.
Don’t rely on anecdotal information
Many companies make expensive decisions based on the feedback of a few people. If you have an advisory council or you’ve heard from a few key customers, those are valuable pieces of information that could lead to hypotheses. Keep in mind, however, that you should be testing your hypotheses with larger audiences no matter where the hypotheses come from. Unless you only intend to market the product to this small group, you’ll need feedback from a representative audience to ensure you are doing the right thing.
For more established, larger businesses, this applies to anecdotes gathered by your sales staff. They want to make your customers happy – that’s their job – but the same rule applies. Feedback from a small group only applies to that small group. Integrate their feedback, create hypotheses, and test, test test!
Pricing is one of the most important features of a product
Pricing decisions can be difficult but is essential to explore. Making the wrong pricing decision is the difference between an “okay” product and one that excels. You don’t want to leave money on the table, and you don’t want to price yourself out of the market. Yet many companies make educated guesses when it comes to pricing by using their existing product as a starting point and add 15% – 25% for the “next” version.
How do you know if your new product is so much better it can command a higher price? Do your customers even want a “better” product that would command higher prices? Where is the dividing line that is most likely to drive purchase of a new entrant to the market? When can you increase the price when your product has gained traction?
Make the choice now to be a research-focused organization
The key is that this is not a one-off decision. Using this framework, customized for each product type or audience, throughout the product lifecycle is key to being properly informed. Testing your hypotheses among a representative group is key to limiting expensive product mistakes and maximizing your revenue. Companies that conduct proper market research are the most successful, minimize their risk stratification, and have the best reputations.
Brief Case Study: Professional Mobile App
I recently conducted a study for a professional in the healthcare industry. He has been a practicing entrepreneur in his field for some time and has a strong reputation as a practitioner. He noticed a gap in industry-specific software and created a framework for an idea that he thought would meet that need for himself and other professionals.
Because he was early in his development process and this would be a novel product, we created an interview guide, recruited professionals, and conducted telephone interviews that explored the features of the new app, gathered their candid feedback, and created a targeted report for his internal use. The end result: the app was well received by most, but a key professional segment expressed significant pushback, allowing my client to focus marketing on only one segment rather than focusing on everyone. We also learned that, of the 8 secondary features, 3 of them were not important enough to include in the Minimum Viable Product. Resources can be targeted at the top 5 features, leaving the others for discretionary resources or exclusion. Lastly, primary messages were identified that varied slightly from the main message of the app, creating marketing messages that will apply to the most people.
Product development research does not have to be prohibitively expensive
Market research firms, including my former employer, does not want me to mention this: these activities do not have to cost a lot of money. The ROI can be very high if you choose a freelancer or consultant with product development research experience. They need to be experienced in testing hypotheses and making sampling decisions to ensure you are focusing on the right audience.
A word about sampling: It makes sense to limit your respondents to main groups that are likely to be interested (for example, if you make men’s razors, by all means focus on men), but if you want to understand your maximum available audience you need to dedicate at least part of your sample to address other groups. Only then can you fully understand who will buy your product, and how to garner as much of the market as you can.
The things we’ve discussed today add up to understanding the product features that will drive purchase, finding the optimal price and identifying marketing messages that will resonate best with your audience. Knowing these things can save you TONS of money and make you a lot more from your successful product launch. Find a market research freelancer or consultant to help you get these answers. Good luck!
********************************************
Jeff Reynolds is principal of Reynolds Consulting LLC.
It started with a visit to the doctor’s office. I don’t visit the doctor’s often – they make me unconformable. This visit will be no different. 253/109. That was my blood pressure. It was the highest he had ever seen. The doctor ran an EKG, sent me for labs (it was Kaiser), and sent me to the hospital. He was very worried about me. This set off a whirlwind of activities that affected my life completely.
MRIs are not fun.
I went to the hospital with my elevated blood pressure and settled in for an extended stay. My wife asked if my stuttering had anything to do with my blood pressure. An MRI revealed I had strokes, some of which were some time ago, some which were more recent. This rocked my world because, other than the stuttering, I had no idea. Stuttering was due to stress from the pandemic, wasn’t it?
More work revealed a cardiac problem.
My doctors conducted several other tests and identified several other problems including a cardiac problem. I had blockages in my arteries that required a stent (or 3). My doctors went through the procedures to place the stent and I was home in 2 days, with a regimen of 6 pills – 1 for cholesterol, 1 for cardiac purposes, and baby aspirin for good measure. I also had a heart monitor for 2 weeks.
Recovery is slow.
I’m in recovery. I take the 6 medications regularly. My biggest concern is my budget. I am receiving unemployment, but that won’t list forever. We qualify for disability insurance, but only for a few months. Some of the medications cause me to be “loopy” (aka light sensitivity). My body will slowly become accustomed to the medications, but I’m not sure when.
Strokes can ruin your life.
What they say about strokes are true. My brain does not work completely. My work has been spotty at best. I’ve tried to get some work done, but it has been tough at best.
Check your blood pressure. Whether using a home monitor, visiting the doctor’s office, or visiting a drug store, check your blood pressure. Knowing your blood pressure may well be the thing that you need to avoid strokes in the first place.
I consider myself lucky to have found Jeff to work with me on this project! He exceeded all of my expectations with the thoroughness of his research and the report that he produced. With that said, the thing that most impressed me was his passion for doing great work. I operate the same way, so I think that is why we connected. If I have another job of the same type, I will undoubtedly contact Jeff Reynolds!
Jeff has been a delight to work with. He started his contract with us by writing one rather difficult survey instrument and went on to help with multiple contracts. He has been fast to respond, thorough, and insightful. We really enjoyed working with him and if there is an opportunity to work again in the future, will be re-hiring him!
We hired Jeff to interview some of our clients to see how we’re doing and where we could improve. He did a great job and gave us a report full of really good feedback. We would absolutely hire him again.
Jeff assisted us throughout the completion of a marketing research project for one of our clients. He was easily accessible, professional and well-prepared at every step of the process. If we pursue another project similar to this one, Jeff will be the first person we call.
It all started Thanksgiving, 2016. It was the Sunday before the holiday and my parents had come to my house for holiday dinner. We have an average sized-family but we are all in the same part of the country, which means it’s impossible to figure schedules around holidays.
After a pleasant dinner with my family of five and my parents, I set to wash the dishes. As I worked on cleaning up at the sink, the room started to spin. I tried to shrug it off and walk my parents to the door, but the spinning made it too hard to remain upright. I did not know what was happening. As the room continued to spin, I made my way to the couch using the furniture as support. For about 2 hours, the room continued to spin and eventually I asked for a bowl to get sick in. I was able to make it upstairs to bed and tried hard to relax. This was the first and worst of my bouts with vertigo.
The Answer Was Hard to Fathom but Easy to Diagnose
As months passed, I had small vertigo bouts that went away quickly. It became difficult to go to work at my market research job. Any type of hard concentration or working at my computer (95% of my job) would cause nausea and headaches. After a few months I was not able to drive without getting dizzy. My wife picked up the slack and family helped where they could. I had been an independent person for my entire adult life. Having to rely on others for everything was a serious blow to my self-esteem.
Eventually I went to our chiropractor (after a few false starts because I was not feeling well), and she suggested getting an x-ray. The x-ray revealed a difficult diagnosis. I had degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) in my T-4 and T-5 thoracic vertebrae and a lack of curvature in my neck, commonly called “tech neck”. The doctor explained this was likely do my posture and amount of time I was in front of my computer with poor ergonomics. The DJD in my back affected the nerves in my neck, causing the vertigo.
It Had Been a Rough Couple Years
begun to get sick around the first of the year. We found out much later it was infectious mononucleosis giving him a stomach flu reaction. His body’s reaction to the virus was to attack his own peripheral verves called Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) that progressed quickly and took away his ability to breathe on his own (even before Covid). He was in various ICU’s and a sub-acute rehab facility (he needed advanced care because he was on a ventilator). He was away from our family for 6 months and came home with an inability to walk. Thankfully, he was able to get himself off the ventilator; however, we needed to use a lift to get him into and out of bed for the first while.
Along the way, he has seen some very helpful trainers who helped him begin to re-learn how to walk, but his legs and lack of balance still require a lot of help, including use of walkers and a wheelchair. He’s recovering; it is just taking a long time.
The 6 months he was gone took a toll on all of us. His brothers paid a price for the lack of attention from their mom and I. His mom and I went back and forth to a facility every day while we continued to work. I am convinced this time in our lives contributed to the back issues I suffer from by working on my laptop from my son’s hospital or rehab room for 6 months. It was definitely a tough time for us all. If it wasn’t for the help of family and friends, I don’t know how we would have made it.
Job Changes Suck
About a year after being diagnosed with DJD my employer, whom I had worked with for 16 years at the time, decided to fend off financial issues and have all employees work from home. At the time this was a dream come true! I could continue to contribute as his longest tenured employee without having to call out when I was not feeling well. We were connected via Microsoft Teams and we used Zoom before it took over the world. My back and neck continued to cause problems, but the chiropractic visits and self-care started to work.
This arrangement worked for almost 2 years until my boss decided to contract the business even further. I was without a job for the first time after 18 years at the same place. I immediately filed for unemployment and taught myself how to become a market research freelancer. I had several nice customers who took a flyer on me early on, and I developed a reputation for being thorough and an expert on all things market research. My nearly two decades in the market research business had given me the knowledge and experience needed to create a new business out of necessity. Life in 2019, although quite different and stressful, was good.
COVID-19 and WFH
Then all hell broke loose in March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic made working from home necessary for thousands in the US. People who had been working at an office suddenly had to rely on a home office, an environment that was not necessarily conducive to good work posture. This change in location, coupled with the added stress, have likely driven an increase in back and neck-related problems.
Make Your Changes Now Before It’s Too Late
The most important way to avoid the pain of osteoarthritis is to avoid developing it in the first place, otherwise you will have it for the rest of your life. Take care of your workspace. Practice good ergonomics before age-related issues become a problem. I was in my early 30’s when I started my job. It took a lot of poor choices and a feeling of invincibility to bring me where I am today. Limit cell phone use. Assess how your back and neck look when you are using your phone. It can be devastating.
My Key Takeaways for You
Here some key takeaways to keep in mind whether about your back or your life, no matter where you work:
Check the ergonomics of your desk / workspace. If you start off correctly with good posture, this will help a lot.
Take a break every 30 minutes or so. Get up, walk around, use the bathroom. Whatever, as long as you remove yourself from our desk.
Use an actual desk and chair, not a laptop on the couch. That is not conducive for good posture.
Consider using a stand-up desk. Changing your posture from sitting to standing part of the day makes for a positive impact.
If someone you love has a serious medical issue, seek a second opinion. If we had sought a second opinion, they may have found the virus and avoided the whole GBS issue altogether.
Start a side hustle or freelancing business now before it becomes a necessity. Take control of your income now.
Exercise daily (have you ever tried chair yoga?).
Drink plenty of water.
Find a good chiropractor who can help you navigate changes now to avoid a tough future.
********************
Jeff Reynolds is the principal of Reynolds Consulting LLC.
Osteoarthritis is a common cause of disability and ongoing health issues in the US. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a health challenge for over 30 million in the US. This number continues to grow as computer and cell phone usage climbs in the US. How can we lessen the risk of developing osteoarthritis given the changes in our lifestyle?
Improve Your Ergonomics
The COVID-19 pandemic, outside of over half a million losing their lives, has increased the risk of developing OA. One of the bi-products of working from home is an increase in poor ergonomics. We have a tendency not to take how we sit as seriously when we are not at work. Some quick tips:
Support your arms. Your neck and shoulders take the brunt of the weight if your arms aren’t supported correctly.
Watch your head position. This was my issue. Make sure your head is supported by your neck without leaning forward or craning.
Keep your posture upright. A posture that leans to the side or toward your monitor puts too much pressure on your vertebrae, causing OA symptoms over time.
Keep your monitor at eye level. Make sure you don’t repetitively look up down or side to side.
Make sure you can see your monitor. Plan on arm’s length distance away to minimize eye strain.
Minimize monitor glare. Don’t place in front of a window or bright background.
Use a headset on the phone, don’t prop it between your ear and neck.
Keep your mouse and keyboard within reach. Having to regularly reach for either will put a strain on your back, contributing to OA.
Rest your eyes regularly to give them a break.
Make sure your chair is the right height. This might be hard if your workplace is on your bed or couch. Use a regular desk and office chair so your feet rest comfortably on the floor.
Improving your ergonomics can help you lessen the chances of getting OA in the first place.
Increase Your Activity
Most OA Low impact activities movement helps your body by giving gentle movement that will not create additional OA pain. Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program. Experts suggest walking, biking, and swimming as positive low-impact activities. I’ve found chair yoga on YouTube. “Standard” yoga proved to be too much when I started. Chair yoga has allowed me to keep moving while not hurting myself.
Lose Weight
Your joints, in this case, your back, are tied to the weight they are supporting. In addition to the overall health benefits of losing weight, there is also a correlation between losing weight and decreased pressure on those joints. Losing weight relieves some of the pressure off the joints, keeping osteoarthritis at bay.
See a Professional
The best way to ensure you are doing the right thing is to see a professional. Most see their doctor, but that is not always the best way. According to Abraham Maslow, “if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Doctors have their place, but other professionals such as chiropractors, are more skilled at holistic methods of dealing with OA symptoms. Chiropractors are also more skilled at helping you make good decisions and fend off OA over time.
Plan Ahead for Your Health
Changes you make now planning ahead, can help you keep OA at bay. OA symptoms can be managed, but if you already have it you are stuck.
*************************************
What plans can you implement today? How can you make changes today that will help you down the road? Contact me today and let me know what you are working on.
Reduced costs: These include a 59% reduction of musculoskeletal disorders, a 75% average reduction in lost workdays, and another 50%+ reduction in restricted days. Worker’s compensation costs decrease by almost 70% and a 4 in 10 reduction in cost per claim.
Improved productivity: Proper ergonomics improve productivity by removing excessive movement and encourage movement. The average increase in productivity is 25%.
Improved quality: Workers who a required to perform activities that can be painful are more likely to perform, resulting in higher quality work.
Improved employee engagement: Workers who are not fatigued or in pain demonstrate reduced turnover, decrease absenteeism, and improved engagement. 5 in 10 reduced employee turnover and 6 in 10 reduced absenteeism.
Employee-focused safety culture: The core value of commitment to safety and health leads to a more positive environment. This is difficult to quantify, but the feeling is unmistakable.
OSHA wrote about how ergonomics can impact your well-being. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD – issues that affect muscles, nerves, ligaments, and tendons) are “among the most frequently reported causes of loss of restricted work time.” In 2013, MSD cases accounted for 33% of all worker injury and illness cases. In addition to affecting your health, not paying attention to work-related ergonomics affects performance. How can ergonomics be used to protect your health and keep OA from being a part of your world?
Who Regulates Ergonomics When You Work from Home?
The ergonomic process was developed to help “high-risk” employers from health challenges they are likely to experience at work. This includes those who lift heavy items, bend, reach overhead, push and pull heavy items, work in awkward body postures and perform the same or similar tasks repetitively. We will talk about posture here, especially posture that includes repetitive tasks.
Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for all workers. This especially includes those that are not in active locations. This makes sense. The problems arise when workers work from home. Employers cannot be held responsible for monitoring the ergonomics of home offices. Companies that truly care about the ergonomics of their workers will demonstrate and encourage appropriate home office alterations that will go a long way to alleviating and lessening the impact of poor ergonomics on their workers.
The Steps Needed to Create an Effective Ergonomic Program
Employers are encouraged to take specific steps to implement a successful ergonomic process. These include:
Management support: Defined clear goals and objectives.
Management support: Defined clear goals and objectives.
Involving workers: This is key in a positive program. Identifying issues and sharing suggestions will help the program run smoothly.
Provide training: An important element is teaching employees to be aware and making strategic changes, especially if “work” is at a home office.
Be proactive: Identifying problems before they result in injury is very important.
Encourage early reporting of injuries: Part of being proactive, employees should be open to reporting issues before a bigger problem develops.
Implement solutions: Reduction, control or elimination are the goals here.
Evaluate progress: Create processes to evaluating how your program is working.
Implementing an or all of these steps will benefit your workers and, by extension, your business.
Business Benefits
Let’s face it, an ergonomics program will have limited value to your employer if there are not any benefits to the company. These benefits include:
Reduced costs: These include a 59% reduction of musculoskeletal disorders, a 75% average reduction in lost workdays, and another 50%+ reduction in restricted days. Worker’s compensation costs decrease by almost 70% and a 4 in 10 reduction in cost per claim.
Improved productivity: Proper ergonomics improve productivity by removing excessive movement and encourage movement. The average increase in productivity is 25%.
Improved quality: Workers who a required to perform activities that can be painful are more likely to perform, resulting in higher quality work.
Improved employee engagement: Workers who are not fatigued or in pain demonstrate reduced turnover, decrease absenteeism, and improved engagement. 5 in 10 reduced employee turnover and 6 in 10 reduced absenteeism.
Employee-focused safety culture: The core value of commitment to safety and health leads to a more positive environment. This is difficult to quantify, but the feeling is unmistakable.
Conclusion
Employees who experience the type of support described in this article are likely to perform better than their counterparts at other companies. This benefit, along with fewer health challenges, is a positive outcome for both employees and the companies that employ them. Look for your next employer who demonstrates a commitment to ergonomics and you will lessen the risk of developing osteoarthritis.
******************************************
Are you looking for a company that looks out for you? How can you make changes today that will help you down the road? Contact me today and let me know how your search is going.
