August is National Wellness month. I tend to focus many of my blog posts on various forms of wellness. I believe that it is never too late to introduce healthy living options into our lives. When families come to us seeking help for their loved ones, they are most likely already experiencing a severe decline in their health and are looking to us to assist them with their challenges. We are happy to do so, but why not encourage changes...
Many older adults eventually need some help from others—only a few transition from being fully independent to deceased, with no period of needing assistance. When the elderly do start to need help, it often falls on family members to step in. Sometimes providing support can be pretty straightforward, but family members often have to take on quite a lot. Consider the following situations which might contribute to the need for assistance: A diagnosis of Dementia/Alzheimer’s Advanced Chronic illness Sudden disability...
Summer is the best time to take a vacation. Traveling can be stressful for any of us but is especially difficult with the elderly. I want to share tips to make traveling easier with your elderly loved one. Car Travel. Seniors need to stretch often. Plan stops along the way. If possible, map out points of interest along your route so that your stops can be enjoyable. When packing your car, keep assistive devices such as canes, walkers, and wheelchairs accessible....
As our loved ones age, admitting the need for help is difficult. So, how will you know when it is time to provide some assistance for your aging parent? One thing is for sure, Mom and Dad will not be the ones to tell you that it’s the time! We all have a strong desire to remain independent and control our lives. When daily living tasks become more challenging, we tend to downplay or hide any issues from those that...
Exactly How Full is Your Glass? Picture a giant glass goblet filled to the halfway mark with water. How do you see it – half-full or half-empty? Consistently finding the glass half-empty and the world as a difficult place is a hallmark of negativity. Research has found that a negative outlook can contribute to everything from depression to heart disease to lowered immune system function. It can affect sleep, weight maintenance, the quality of your relationships, your social life, and...
Spring is in the air! Last week's warmer weather got me thinking about what a great time of year it is to take our clients out to enjoy the outdoors! In addition to the physical benefits of natural sunlight and fresh air, being outside provides mental and emotional benefits. Experiencing the outdoors increases socialization and provides opportunities for us to interact with children and animals. In this week's column, I'd like to share some of my favorite "senior-friendly" activities: Catch a...
You're Retired. Now What? By: Peggy Hayes Executive Director, The Helm at the Boll Life Center So you’ve reached that stage in life where the R-word is beginning to sneak in. Should I retire? When? What will I do? It takes planning to retire successfully. Obviously, financial considerations are first and foremost in the decision to retire. Beyond that, you need to look at what you will do in retirement to keep your days full and purposeful. The Helm can help with that!...
We often kick off the New Year with goals to “change our lives.” Whether we want to lose weight, exercise regularly, or organize our homes, we jump in and give it all we’ve got. By the time spring arrives, many of us have abandoned the effort for achieving our goals - however, as our name implies, we have hope! Obtaining your goals does not have to be an all-or-nothing prospect and you may just need a change of perspective relative to your goal setting. Making small changes...
As I wrote in last week's column, March is National Nutrition Month. In discussing nutrition, I emphasized that it is more than what you eat - it's also how you treat your body, mind, and spirit. In that theme, I'd like to introduce a new (to some of you) concept: Primary vs. Secondary food. When you think of "food," you likely think of what you put in your mouth - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, The Institute for Integrative Nutrition actually considers the food you eat your...
As we continue through Heart Health month, I'd like to do a deeper dive into stress management and how it can affect your heart. When discussing heart health, we tend to focus on food and fitness – however, there are other major players in the health game when it comes to your heart: stress and sleep. There is growing evidence that stress can contribute to heart disease. Sometimes it’s difficult to recognize the impact daily stress has on our lives – we become accustomed...
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