Blog

Read This Before Those Holiday Toasts

Dec 15, 2018 — The holidays are about friends, family, good food and fellowship. And for many people, “making spirits bright” involves spirits of a different kind! We pair our holiday dishes with fancy wines, gather around the fireplace for hot buttered rum, and of course there are those champagne toasts as we sing “Auld Lang Syne” at midnight... Read More

Dance Yourself to Better Brain Health

Oct 15, 2018 — Neurologists tell us that one of the best ways to protect our brains is to exercise our bodies. Exercise not only protects us from heart disease and other health conditions that damage the brain … but in its own right, it increases brain size and builds connections in the brain that keep us sharp. Anything... Read More

Inoculate Yourself Against Phony Flu Products

Oct 1, 2018 — Last year’s flu season was unusually severe. This year—which is incidentally the 100th anniversary of the devastating 1918 Spanish flu pandemic—it’s important to pay attention to the dangers of seasonal influenza. The flu can be a serious illness for people of every age, and older adults are at highest risk of dangerous, even fatal, complications.... Read More

The Benefit of Stretching: It’s More Than You Thought

Sep 15, 2018 — Most of us know we should do some stretches before exercising. Some people begin their routine by holding a series of poses; others use specific movements that stretch the muscles. Stretching helps warm up our muscles and limber our joints so we’ll be less likely to injure ourselves during our workout. Stretching after an exercise... Read More

Emergency Preparation When a Loved One Has Dementia

Sep 1, 2018 — September is National Preparedness Month. This year reminded us about the importance of emergency preparation, for individuals, communities and the nation. We just learned that the effects of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico took almost 3,000 lives. Volcanic activity in Hawaii and record-breaking wildfires in the west left many homeless. In our area, heavy snow... Read More

Protecting the Financial Well-Being of People With Memory Loss

Jun 15, 2018 — June 15 is World Elder Abuse Prevention Day. Each year, senior advocacy groups from around the world take this opportunity to raise awareness of crimes against elders. The World Health Organization says that one in six older people experiences some kind of abuse. It might be physical or psychological—and increasingly, financial abuse of elders is... Read More

Alzheimer’s Stigma Causes Isolation, Delays Diagnosis

Jun 1, 2018 — In March 2017, the Alzheimer’s Association released the results of a study that found that most people believe that if they were to develop Alzheimer’s, they would face discrimination. Said Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., who is the chief science officer for the Association, “The unfortunate stigma associated with Alzheimer’s may prevent people from getting the... Read More

FDA Recommends Four-Step Plan for Senior Medication Safety

Mar 15, 2018 — The medications we take help us manage a variety of health conditions that become more common as we grow older, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and sleep problems. Yet we might take so many medications that managing them is a health problem itself! Our bodies process substances differently as... Read More

“I’ll Sleep On It”: Seven Great Reasons to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Mar 1, 2018 — March 11 – 17, 2018 Is Sleep Awareness Week Sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation, this recognition week is a great time to learn more about the many health benefits of getting enough good quality sleep. Need some motivation? Here are several ways that adequate sleep keeps us healthier: Sleep may act as a “fountain... Read More

Warn Senior Loved Ones About “Free Trial” Offers

Feb 15, 2018 — Cheese samples at the supermarket, little packets of body care products at the makeup counter or that little tube of toothpaste your dentist gives you — marketers like to give away free samples in hopes that we’ll like their product and actually purchase it. Plenty of legitimate businesses are happy to let us try a... Read More