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.