Some Keys to Helping Your Loved One with Dementia Enjoy the Holidays

Celebrating the Holidays with someone who has dementia can be challenging and unpredictable. Many holidays are bound by tradition and, at times, our first inclination is to keep family traditions intact. However, in dealing with someone with dementia, this may need to be rethought. Your loved one is understandably confused and even slight changes in their regular routine can cause increased difficulties which may lead to behavioral changes such as: agitation, anger, or even apathy. Many times, they don’t understand what all the “fuss and excitement” of the holidays is about.

Below are some suggestions to help to ease the burden of caregiving and keep the holidays happy and memorable, for you and your family. Always keep in mind your loved one’s current level of functioning and adjust accordingly. An important part of caregiving for someone with dementia is learning how to let go of past expectations, living in the moment and simply celebrating those moments of joy you still share.

Keep the cheer in the holidays with these following suggestions:

· Avoid large crowds, or areas filled with lots of noise and confusion. Your loved one may have a hard time in these kinds of situations as they tend to provide too much stimulation for someone with dementia. Some signs of overstimulation are: frustration, anxiousness, aggressiveness, anger or withdrawal.

· Evaluate whether travel is really necessary, and never allow someone with dementia to travel alone. However, if do you choose to travel it is best to keep the following guidelines in mind.

Airport Transportation:
o Remain calm and don’t rush the person when in security areas.
o Use “family friendly” lanes where available.
o Stay together in airports at all times.
o Schedule flights for early in the day. Fly nonstop if possible.
o Don’t place medication in checked bags, in case your luggage is lost. Also pack a change of clothes, toiletry items, medical contact information and any legal documents such as Power of Attorney and Insurance information.
o Pack snacks and water for the trip and have your loved one use the restroom just prior to the flight if possible.
o Bring any items such as a puzzle book, photo album, knitting kit and playing cards to help keep them occupied.

Car Trips:
o Avoid long journeys by car.
o Stop often, but always remain with the person at gas stations and restaurants.
o Play the person’s favorite music or holiday classics in the car.
o In hotels, stay in one room with two beds instead of separate or adjoining rooms.


If your loved one lives in a long-term community, consider visiting them instead of bringing them to your home for the holidays. People with dementia like having a sense of security and routine. It may not always be in their best interest to take them out of their familiar and comfortable environment.

Here are some guidelines for visiting your loved one:
o Plan for a short visit.
o Participate in the facility’s holiday programs and events.
o Label all gifts with your loved ones’ name.
o Prepare out of town guests for changes in your loved one’s behavior and appearance.
o Limit the number of daily visitors to a few at a time and try not to have everyone visit on the same day.
o Inquire if the facility has a private dining room you can use and bring in your own food to enjoy.
o Never ask a person with dementia “Do you remember …?” or “Remember when….?”

If you are planning to bring your loved one home, consider the following guidelines:
o Try to preserve as much as possible the person’s daily routine regarding times for meals, exercise and activities.
o Try not to become too focused on what once was, but instead emphasize a few favorite traditions and let go of the rest.
o Adapt any longstanding traditions to the person’s current abilities. For example, if Mom always decorated the tree, help her attach ornaments to the tree, or if Dad always carved the turkey, let him sit in his customary seat and bring the turkey to the table already sliced and let him help fill everyone’s plate.
o Keep your loved one’s hands busy by decorating sugar cookies, kneading dough, sorting unbreakable ornaments, stringing popcorn or looking at holiday cards.
o Utilize sensory memories by filling the home with holiday music or familiar holiday smells.
o If there are many visitors at one time, designate someone to stay at your loved one’s side to provide calmness and to prevent wandering and confusion.
o Introduce those who approach the person with dementia, no matter how close a friend or relative may be. For example “…. And here is your grandson, Peter.”
o Safety-proof your home. Avoid candles (a fire hazard), artificial fruit (which may look real and become a choking hazard), blinking lights (which are disorienting) and garlands that obscure stairs (which may be a fall or trip hazard).
o Avoid shopping malls and stores that are crowded and noisy. Taking a quiet drive to observe holiday lights may be a better alternative.
o Monitor the person’s intake of alcohol.

It is normal for the family caregiver to feel guilty, frustrated or trapped, especially at this time of year. Hopefully these guidelines and suggestions will help to ease the burden of caregiving, and your holidays will be less stressful and filled with togetherness, laughter and shared memories.

Be Your Own Memory Keeper

Collecting memories and photos to create beautiful memory books has become a favorite hobby to many. But for some, holding on to your memories can be a challenge. The actual remembering is the problem. Statistics show that between the ages of 65 and 95 the increased risk of Alzheimer’s doubles every 5 years. That’s why the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America recommends all senior citizens take part in memory screenings and be your own Memory Keeper, to accurately track and diagnose any memory-related disease.

Participating in a memory screening is very different than having a physical or biopsy done. There are no stethoscopes or paper robes involved. Screenings test for the participant’s memory, language skills, thinking ability, and other intellectual functions. The screening is a series of memory tests and questions that will test the participant’s mental acuity, and for some accurately diagnose stages of dementia.

Early diagnosis of dementia and Alzheimer’s can help individuals obtain the medical treatment needed before the disease progresses. Along with treatment, getting an accurate diagnosis can help the patient’s family come up with a long-term plan and give the family ample time to obtain social services support and finances needed for future care.

Some signs that could indicate you or a relative may need to be screened:

Constantly forgetting things like events , time, people
Trouble concentrating and focusing
Difficulty performing daily tasks
Trouble remembering words and names in conversations
Becoming lost while driving or out walking
Misplacing things more frequently
Changes in mood and behavior

Participants in the memory screening are advised to bring their results to their annual checkup or next doctor’s appointment. Join Woodland Terrace on Tuesday, November 16th for National Memory Screening Day in cooperation with the Alzheimer’s Federation of America. Along with free, confidential screenings we will be handing out information and materials so RSVP today by calling (919) 465-0356.

The Importance of Community

When choosing a senior living community many factors come into play: environment, dining, and activities just to name a few. But most importantly, it’s the quality of the associates who work there. The bond between associates and residents is one of the most important things to look for when looking for the right senior community for you or a loved one.

We encourage you to tour a community and pay special attention to how the associates interact with the residents and how the residents interact with the associates. The associates and residents being on a first name basis with each other is a very important thing to look for in any community. Also look for associates having intimate knowledge of the resident’s health and dietary needs. This shows that the residents are not simply looked upon as a number but rather a friend or in some cases like a family member.

Great relationships are what generates a true sense of community. Take a look at what some of our Woodland Terrace residents have to say about an associate that has touched their life!

Ms. Sylvia Hart writes about how Associate Tom Gioeni made her feel at home when first moving to Woodland Terrace:

"Why do I appreciate Tom? Five months ago as a new resident, I was feeling strange and uncomfortable going to the dining room. It was scary, all these strange people staring at the new lady. Where to sit and with whom? Along comes Tom, my new dining room delight. He made me comfortable and sat me where I would enjoy myself. His smile made me feel that everything would not be so bad. Since then I have found him to be the most willing, going out of his way to make sure my wants are addressed. Tom is someone who will go out of his way to please everyone when there is a shortage of help. Tom is also the first to pitch in himself to do the work of whoever is not available at the time.Since we spend 4 hours a day in the dining room, it is wonderful to have someone care about my feelings and wants. In this day and age it is most unusual to find a person to who will go out of his way for the comfort and pleasure of those he is in charge of. Too often people like my friend are taken for granted and not taken notice of in direct fashion. Tom deserves more than accolades and thanks!"

Ms. Sylvia Hart

Ms. Nancy Serozi is the daughter of resident Ms. Jeanne Miller. She wrote to us to share her experience with Trudy, our Wellness Director.

"Trudy’s qualities:

Approachable

Gives me her full attention

Responds to my requests with action and follow-up

Professional yet compassionate

Strives for excellence

Works long hours

Creative

Thorough

Reasonable

Listens well

Welcomes feedback from me

Valuable asset for Woodland Terrace

Understands the needs of residents with Alzheimer’s disease

Extra help story: As I was leaving Woodland Terrace one afternoon, Trudy spoke to me and asked how things were going. I shared with her that getting my mom to do necessary daily hygiene was becoming an uncomfortable battle. Her response was simple. “Nancy, talk to ComforCare and hire some help.” She said it with such conviction that I immediately did. Unfortunately, getting my mom to accept help was not simple. I called upon Trudy again and told her that I had followed her advice but now needed more advice. Trudy had a group of associates in her office for a weekly meeting when I phoned, however she gave me her full attention and asked for some time to come up with a plan. She started by speaking with the ComforCare staff to find out exactly how mom was reacting to a new person coming to her room. Then Trudy asked Hokey Wiley, the Assisted Living Director, to evaluate my mom. She asked that Hokey call me to share her findings. In addition, she made a phone call to Nancy Broadwell with the Alzheimer’s Association and suggested I use her as a resource.It has taken several weeks for my mom to allow a ComforCare employee to make sure she is remembering to take care of herself. However, having this extra help has let me stay in the daughter role. This has reduced strife in our relationship. I honestly don’t think without prompting from Trudy that I would have hired more help, feeling that I should be able to handle it. Now I am handling it with the help of a trained health care worker."

Ms. Nancy Serozi

Woodland Terrace's associates will be sharing some love from their kitchen at our Chili Cook-Off this Friday, November 5th from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Several of our staff memebers will be preparing their own award-winning chili recipes to be judged by the crowd! Feel free to invite a friend a RSVP by calling (919) 465-0356.

Keeping the Road in Your View – Driving Tips for Seniors

There’s nothing like a beautiful sunshine day, the wind in your hair and miles of highway ahead. As Willie Nelson sings it, “On the road again…I just can’t wait to get on the road again.” The fun and thrill of driving is something most of us take pleasure in for a large part of our lives. As we age, driving to the grocery store, mall, or a relative’s house continues to give us a sense of independence and mobility. However, our vision, judgment, and mobility needed to drive may diminish over time. While utilizing public transportation and ride services help seniors get around, having the ability to drive alone is something most would like to enjoy for as long as possible. Here is some advice on how to maintain your driver’s license while staying safe on the road:

1) Have your annual eye exam. One of the primary reasons of senior license suspension is the inability to see clearly when driving. Making sure you can pass the DMV driving tests is one of the ways to maintain a license. If your bifocals or contacts are not good enough to read the eye chart clearly, it is important you see your optometrist to find better correction. Memorizing the eye chart is not going to help with maintaining your license. Getting correction for you visual problems will.

2) Take a driving course. Many driving schools offer courses on refresher topics like - how to deal with pedestrian traffic and right-of-way protocol. You shouldn’t be embarrassed to take one of these courses because knowing traffic rules can only work to your advantage. You can also take a few online courses that will help. Because we take a comprehensive driving test only a few times, refreshing our memory helps us to stay cognitive and alert on the road.

3) Drive smart. Being smart about your driving decisions means avoiding accident-prone situations. For example, if you have difficulty focusing at night, try to avoid driving at night. If you have trouble with reading your dashboard, try and adjust your dashboard so that you can see everything clearly. Avoiding crowded highways and parking away from high traffic areas of a parking lot can help avoid accidents.

Making these smart decisions can help you retain your license and keep you driving longer. Keep in mind community shuttle services can take the stress and hassle out of driving. You may want to consider driving yourself on short distance trips and take alternate forms of transportation for longer distances.

In an effort to help keep you on the road, Woodland Terrace will be hosting a “Drive Safe” program starting November. To RSVP, call (919) 465-0356.

Growing Your Body and Soul – the Way Mother Nature Intended

Spending time with nature can bring peace to the body and the soul. From hiking to gardening, interacting with nature can release stress, improve concentration, and combat depression. There are copious opportunities to actively enjoy mother nature.

Just being outdoors can benefit your health! Taking a 30 minute walk not only lowers the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure but also provides your daily dose of vitamin D. As we age, we need higher amounts of vitamin D which helps prevent osteoporosis and various cancers. If mobility is an issue taking a walk can be substituted for sitting in the garden to enjoy the sun and observe nature.

Gardening gives the grower a hands-on opportunity to work with nature.
It is also a good form of low impact exercise and can be enjoyable for people of different mobility levels and living situations. A balcony or patio garden can become a peaceful retreat with a few window boxes and hanging planters.

Another great way to enjoy nature is to go on a short hike or walk on a local trail. Hiking is a great activity that appeals to people of all fitness levels. It’s easy to get started, just choose a scenic beginner’s trail near you and gather a group of friends. You can research easy beginner’s trails on http://www.trails.com. Other outdoor activities like bird watching and fishing give the feeling of being a part of the natural environment. The key is to choose an activity best suited for you and incorporate nature.

Providing an opportunity to appreciate nature, Woodland Terrace invites you to join our trip to Sylan Heights Waterfowl Park on Friday, October 29th. Did you know Sylan Heights has the world’s largest collection of waterfowl? RSVP to bird watch with us and see for yourself!

Understanding the Wonders and Worries of Alzheimer's

While Alzheimer’s greatly impacts the physical and mental wellbeing of those affected, it’s also important to recognize it’s impact on the family and friends supporting them. Support groups, forums, and care giving guides can help in understanding how to cope with seeing their loved one change with the disease.

The primary responsibility of care giving for someone with Alzheimer’s will often times fall upon a sole family member. Remember - the responsibility does not have to fall on you alone. If you find yourself in this situation, write down a list of your responsibilities and see which ones you can hire someone else to do. Consider hiring a part-time caregiver to help with some of the cleaning, shopping, and maintenance. Reducing your task list can keep you from burning out quickly and will reduce the mental stress and clutter that comes with care giving responsibilities.
When you do have time for yourself, take that time to sleep, exercise, meditate, or write in a journal. Processing your experiences is extremely important to preserve mental health. Also be realistic with the capabilities of home care. Assisted living facilities are able to provide the 24-hour attention and care needed for those who are in Alzheimer’s early to mid stages.

Making sure family and friends understand the effects of Alzheimer’s is crucial to creating a supportive environment. Joining a support group can help affected families manage the stress from care giving and coping with the changes in their loved one.

Woodland Terrace in conjunction with Horizons Grief Center will be conducting “Wonders and Worries” - a six-week support group for children and teens who have a family member with Alzheimer’s or dementia related diagnosis. All Wonders & Worries services are provided by Certified Child Life Specialists and other counseling professionals who are specially trained to help children and their families.

The support group helps to:
• Giving an age-appropriate understanding of the illness, its treatments and side effects
• Facilitating expressions of feelings related to the changes in the family
• Identifying individual coping skills to help ease feelings of sadness, anger, and fear

“Wonder and Worries” first meeting is 6:30 – 7:30 PM on Tuesday, October 26th. To join us and learn more call (919) 465-0356.

The Portrait of Wellness is Ageless

Releasing your inner artist is not only invigorating, but good for your well-being. Engaging in the arts has shown to increase mental and physical health. Painting pictures, making crafts, and taking a trip to a museum keeps the mind active and stimulates the senses.

Art brings emotional benefits to the individual artist. Creating and viewing art has been known to lower stress and blood pressure levels. The sense of accomplishment that accompanies a finished art project is a definite mood-booster. Working on art projects with friends and family provides a creative space for bonding and sharing with one another.

Our upcoming “Art is Ageless” Art Show features paintings created in our popular art class taught by Courtney Ramsey-Coleman. Courtney brought in pictures of flowers for our residents to work from. Each resident created a personal rendition of the flower they liked with acrylics on a piece of canvas.
Estelle Sabath has been with us since July 2001. The pink flower she painted is gorgeous!

Grace’s beautiful white flower. Grace Thompson has been with us since March 2009.

Jacques Moryoussef has been exercising his creative juices with us since May 2000. Great color and brilliance!

Lamar Earp shows her detailed portrait of a gardenia. Lamar has been with us since November 2009.

Regina Schubel, with us since December 2008, shows us her masterpiece.

These painted squares will eventually become a wall hanging to be displayed in our Arboretum – a memory care community on our Woodland Terrace campus. The artists painted additional pieces that will be made into another Arboretum wall exhibit. Our amazing residents further demonstrated their talents by creating miniature pieces with chalks and paints to be made into note cards and sold as part of a fundraiser for Alzheimers-North Carolina.

Show your support by attending our “Art is Ageless” Art Show on Thursday, October 14th at 6:30 pm. Art pieces shown will be transformed into note cards, mouse pads, mugs and other products which can be purchased. Money from these products will be donated to Alzheimers-North Carolina. Alzheimers-North Carolina provides family support for those afflicted by the disease as well as community education, public awareness, and research support for finding a cure. RSVP today! Call us at (919) 465-0356.

Preventing Falls and Walking Towards Wellness – It’s All A Matter of Balance

Accidental falls can happen anytime. When we get out of bed, trip on the stairs, or slip in the shower. Unfortunately these minor falls can be extreme and debilitating for seniors.

Falls are a health risk for seniors and are experienced by one-third of people 65 years and older. With two-thirds of these individuals, experiencing another fall within six months of their first incident, it is important for seniors to take measures and reduce their risk. Falling can lead to fractures, resulting in a long recovery period and loss of independence, and in the worse cases can be fatal.

A measure every senior should take includes balance exercises. These exercises can reduce the risk of falling and eliminate the day-to-day fear of an accident. This low-impact exercise works on strengthening muscles as well as increasing agility and strength. Seniors also gain confidence and a feeling of independence from their progress. The exercises can also be a fun, social activity incorporating water, weights, and partners.

“A Matter of Balance” at Woodland Terrace is a comprehensive program that teaches participants about the risk of falling in conjunction with balance exercises offered. Our “A Matter of Balance” class is a part of the Wake Tech Community College’s Plus 50 program which promotes lifelong learning for seniors through classes and programs.

Come try our “A Matter of Balance” program every Tuesday morning starting October 5th from 10AM-12PM. Everyone is welcome! To reserve a spot give us a call at 919-465-0356. You can also view our wellness program schedule on our Facebook Page at: www.facebook.com/woodlandterrace

Seeing is Believing

When we think of active aging most of us think about exercise and eating right. But what may be overlooked is taking care of your vision which is an extremely important part of active aging.

Cataracts and glaucoma are two of the main causes of vision loss among adults 65+. The progression of these diseases can take away your ability to do everyday activities.
Seniors are more susceptible to falls and accidents and may be unable to drive, read, or watch TV. Loss of these daily activities may cause depression, withdrawal, even anger.

Seniors often experience signs of these diseases years before they are diagnosed. Symptoms such as blurry vision, inability to see in dim lighting, and trouble driving are seen as a “normal” part of the aging process but could be indicators of cataract and glaucoma progression.

The best way to prevent this is by getting an annual eye exam. Your local optometrist can accurately diagnose whether you have cataracts or glaucoma and refer you to a specialist if needed. It is especially important adults 55+ have annual eye exams because cataract can grow unnoticed and quickly become vision-impairing. Individuals only begin to experience symptoms when the growth is in their field of vision, but catching the growth prior to this stage can be advantageous.

Glaucoma affects the visual field and is not noticed until advanced stages as well. Be aware this disease can be genetic, so tell your optometrist if your mother or father suffered from glaucoma. Your doctor can then perform tests and give you advice on treatment.

Treatment for cataracts and glaucoma is a quick ocular surgery, which takes less than 30 minutes. Many seniors are revitalized after their procedure and rediscover activities they were unable to do before like golfing, swimming and reading. So take care of your vision and see your eye doctor…seeing is believing!

The iPad and Kindle – The Latest Technology Perfect for Seniors

Within the last decade, technology has dramatically changed the way we read, write, and communicate. Apple’s iPad and Amazon’s Kindle are at the forefront of those changes by making their technology more accessible to a wide spectrum of people, especially seniors. With easy to use, large interfaces, seniors are now more inclined to read, write, and go online.

Cataracts and Glaucoma are two common vision ailments affecting seniors and their lifestyle. Unfortunately the joy of reading books or using the computer becomes a chore due to the dificulty in reading small type and images. With both the iPad and the Kindle, you can easily enlarge things so readers can clearly see the display. This function also makes it easier for seniors to surf the Internet, buy products online, and watch videos.

One of the greatest senior-friendly aspects of the iPad and Kindle is its size. They are larger than a phone but smaller than most laptop computers making them easy to keep track of. They are also very mobile and can be brought with you on trips to the doctor or used on car and bus rides to pass the time and keep you informed and entertained. Additionally senior-friendly applications are on the rise and include helpful tools for everything from medication tracking to diabetes monitoring.

With the iPad and Kindle, seniors are now free to read their favorite books, daily news, enjoy emails and photos from family members and stay as connected as they want to be.

To learn more take a look these websites:

www.apple.com/ipad/
www.amazon.com/kindle

Lifelong Learning: It's Not Too Late to Learn a New Language!

These days it is quite common to see parents seeking out preschool and elementary schools that offer foreign language programs for their budding geniuses. Well known among the parenting community, foreign languages have been proven to benefit the brain’s health by promoting cognition growth and development.

Studies show learning a foreign language also benefits the maturing population. Actively learning a new language at an older age can improve cognition, memory and acuity. While learning any new subject can benefit the mind, learning a language specifically forces an individual to remember and associate vocabulary with everyday objects and activity.

Learning a new language does not have to be intensive or take place in a classroom with a teacher. There are many online resources that can help language beginners. Memorization techniques and learning aids can also help with remembering vocabulary. A good way to remember vocabulary is to use a Post-it, write a word on it, and stick it to the corresponding object. Watching TV shows or movies in the language you are learning along with English subtitles works to enhance oral comprehension.

Language learning can be a fun, social activity for seniors. Forming language conversation tables at communities brings a social element to learning. Having residents partner with native speakers at their community will not only facilitate a one-on-one learning experience, but also promote the exchange of cultural ideas and customs. Residents will find they can experience another country without leaving home!

Some tips to start the learning process: for native English speakers it is easier to learn related language such as Spanish, German, or Italian. Languages that use an alphabetical system can be easier for learners as opposed to learning languages without a system – such as Chinese.

Some resources to get started online:

Spanish: http://www.studyspanish.com/ - a comprehensive and informative guide
http://spanish-word-a-day.com/ - you can bookmark this site and learn one word and an example sentence everyday
Italian: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/italian/ - a fun and helpful guide to Italian
http://italian.about.com/library/word/blwordofday1027.htm - word of the day site for Italian
German: http://www.deutsch-lernen.com/ - online guide to German
http://german.about.com/library/blworttag.htm - German word-a-day

Water Exercise for Seniors

The pool is not just a cool refuge from the summer heat wave. At Woodland Terrace we utilize our pool for fun, water-based exercises that get our residents energized and in shape!

Water exercise differs from traditional exercise in that it softens physical impact on the joints and body structure. Wear-and-tear is greatly reduced when substituting traditional exercise with water exercise. Risk of injury is greatly reduced due to the buoyancy and cushioning of the water. Water also gives seniors a therapeutic form of exercise by massaging and supporting the body.

In addition, pool exercise offers many creative options. Accessories like noodles, balls, and even light weights can sufficiently stretch and tone the body. Group pool exercises give residents a chance to socialize while learning to strengthen the body. Woodland Terrace features the following aquatic exercise classes at our community pool:

Water Walking: Monday and Fridays at 10:00 AM

This low-impact exercise combines the benefits of walking with the added buoyancy of water. Water walking provides a greater level of resistance than walking on land; hence it works to reduce stress on joints while strengthening and building muscle tissue. The “push-pull” of water also works to improve overall flexibility and aids in balance.

Aqua Arthritis: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:00 PM

These gentle, joint-friendly exercises maintain and improve flexibility and range of motion, while reducing the pain of arthritis.

Aquatic Circuit Training (A.C.T): Wednesdays at 10:00 AM

This exciting class combines resistance and cardiovascular conditioning in an alternating (circuit) format.

We invite you to be our guest for any of our aquatic classes so call today to reserve a spot. Contact us at (919) 465-0356

Pool Class with our lovely residents

Maxine swimming in style

Kit

Joyce

Betty enjoying her time in the pool

All ages welcome!

Our Associates like to join in on the fun too!

Wii-Habilitation: How Technology Ties in with Wellness

The rise of the Wii as an all-in-one entertainment console is not unprecedented. With its simple design and easy user interface, it’s no surprise that an estimated 30% of US households will own a Wii by 2011. What is surprising however, is the trend in the growing popularity of the Wii amongst seniors. In senior communities across the country, Wii game tournaments are becoming very popular with the bowling and boxing games ranking as crowd favorites.

Wii’s easy to use design combined with its low impact activity has made it an ideal form of exercise and a great source of wellness for seniors. Wii bowling, tennis, and boxing are great ways for seniors to work on dexterity and agility in their hands and upper body. The Wii translates exercise into a fun and social activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities.

The Wii is a great compliment to Kisco Senior Living’s award winning wellness program called The Art of Living Wellsm because of its physical benefits and its ability to help seniors socialize and stimulate their brains. Many senior communities have started Wii bowling teams to compete in nation-wide tournaments. One of the biggest competitions is held annually by the National Senior League (NSL). Seniors form teams of 6 to 8 players and play one match a week against other senior communities across the country with the goal of reaching the playoffs in October and being crowned the Senior Wii Bowling Champions! The matches generate a sense of excitement and community amongst all participants and the social benefits have even been known to combat senior depression.

If you are interested in forming a team or just want to learn more, you can view NSL’s website at: http://www.nslgames.com/

Home Care versus Senior Communities: Which one fits best?

When looking into assistance for a loved one there are plenty of options to choose from – but which is the best fit? One of the biggest decisions is moving to a senior living community instead of having a caretaking agency visit your loved one. Both home care and senior living have their positives but there are many differences when choosing between the two. Keep in mind that unless you are considering a 24-hr caregiver, home care does not provide assistance more than an allotted amount of time each day. Senior living communities have around-the-clock personnel to help residents in case of a health emergency or urgent need. In most senior communities, the apartment has an emergency response system that can easily be reached when residents are in need of aid. Some home care services have an alert system as well, but these alert systems are linked to an outside call center. Response time is generally quicker in a senior living community.

Senior living communities are not only meant to provide the basic means of care for the residents but are also geared to provide residents with a positive, social atmosphere to thrive in. While home care gives loved ones the ability to stay in the comfort of their own home, socialization is left up to the individual. Also, a majority of senior living facilities have wellness programs that incorporate fitness, nutrition, and spiritual well-being into their community activity. Caregivers are able to provide seniors with individualized attention, but the overall benefits of a senior living community far outweigh those of home care. If your loved one is open to making the move, a senior community has more people, services and amenities to provide a full spectrum of resources and opportunities essential to whole person wellness.

For more information, take a look at http://www.gilbertguide.com/ and http://www.kiscoseniorliving.com/.

The Internet is Not Just for Teenagers

In an age where Facebook's population outnumbers the US population - it is apparent that the Internet is growing rapidly to include the 50+ user. It's important to understand that the Internet is not only community-specific for the younger generation, but also provides wonderful resources for the "mature" population as well. Sites that give tips on how to retire to tips on dating after divorce are all available at the click of a mouse. But to make it even easier for you to access the best of these sites, we've compiled a group of links for you to get started.


http://www.fifty-plus.net/ : This website is a great resource for lifestyle, money, and travel tips - 50+ also has a great Facebook page you can become a fan of to get the website's latest updates.


http://www.aarp.org/ : A great site with in-depth articles about caregiving, Social Security, and life after retirement. AARP also has an extensive "Relationship" section as well.

http://seniors-site.com/ : A blog site with interesting articles on how to take care of oneself after surgery and dietary tips.


http://www.eons.com/ : Eons is similar to Facebook but offers activities specifically for the "boomer" age set with discussion groups and games such as Sudoku.

Video channels are also a great way to learn new lifestyle tips. Here is a playlist of at-home exercises you can do to keep healthy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8aTEjHB1GI&feature=PlayList&p=F77712337A2453DB&playnext=1&index=16

There are plenty more websites that can cater to your interests - just use a search engine to specify exactly what you need.