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Karen M. Rider, M.A. crafts credible and compelling health content to better engage readers in their own health journey. With 16 years of health writing experience, Karen has worked with a variety of healthcare organizations, senior living services, and medical practitioners to develop content that elevates consumer health literacy.
Older adults can celebrate Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month by treating their senior sweetie to a heart-healthy treat: Dark chocolate.
More than just an indulgence, nutrients found in dark chocolate can support cardiovascular health, which is important for aging adults. But not just any ole’ dark chocolate; you want to indulge in dark chocolate with a high cacao content. What’s so special about cacao? Glad you asked!
Cacao: Raw Chocolate, Food of the Gods!
Considered by ancient Mayan culture to be the ‘food of the gods,’ cacao is cocoa (chocolate) in a raw, less-processed form. Cacao grows from trees called Theobroma cacao, which are native to South America and West Africa where more than half of the world’s cacao comes from. After harvesting, cacao is processed to make various chocolate products. The more cacao is processed, the more nutrients it loses. Less processing not only helps dark chocolate retain nutrient density, less additives are mixed-in, such as added sugars, palm oils, butters, and artificial flavoring.
To derive maximum health benefit from eating dark chocolate (in moderation) choose chocolate that contains 70-85% cacao (60% is the minimum cacao content).
Like most plants, cacao contains nutrients and plant compounds (known as polyphenols) that support health. Dark chocolate, that is minimally processed, contains several health-promoting compounds. When cacao-rich dark chocolate is eaten in moderation as part of an otherwise healthy diet for older adults, it is associated with the following heart-healthy benefits:
Knowing that dark chocolate can support heart health isn’t a free pass to eat bars of it every day. When nutritionists and healthcare providers suggest eating dark chocolate, they are talking about an ounce or two a couple of times a week. They also intend for you to reduce your intake of overprocessed sweets and snacks and replace those with cacao-rich dark chocolate. In a nutshell, dark chocolate should a part of an older adult’s healthy diet inclusive of veggies, fruits, lean meats, poultry, and plenty of water.
Check out these 12 healthy versions of dark chocoalte recipes – our favorite: The Dark Chocolate Fondue.
This Valentine’s Day, surprise your sweetie by making cacao-rich dark chocolate fondue and sharing dipped fruit together. Remember to use chocolate ingredients that is 60% or higher in cacao content.
Fun Flavor Fact: Raw cacao has a unique flavor profile! Depending on the cacao content, dark chocolate can be slightly to very bitter compared to its more processed chocolate cousin. This is why many high-cacao dark chocolate products are infused with other nutrient-dense ingredients, such as dried fruit (raspberry, acai berry, blueberry) or fruit extract (orange, berry) or nuts (walnut, cashew). These ingredients cut the bitterness and enhance the sweet, tangy flavor profile of dark chocolate.
There are many simple ways for an older adult to make, and keep, a New Year’s resolution. Whether you want to exercise more regularly, drink less soda, or learn how to draw, the following tips can help you be successful with your resolution for 2024.
First, kudos to you for recognizing it’s never too late to make a change, try something new, or otherwise enhance an area of your life.
Perhaps the most important thing to know is that change is a process. The more ready you make yourself for it, the easier it can be to follow through to successfully keeping your New Year’s resolution.
A few things to keep in mind:
Know Your Why. Write down why you want to make a particular change. Motivation is an important predictor of behavior, so be honest about your why. If your motivation for change isn’t important enough to you, you are less likely to stick with your 2024 resolution. Make note of how you want to feel when you achieve your resolution.
Grant Yourself Patience and Kindness. Whether you’re adding a healthy habit like eating more fruit throughout the day or trying to reduce a poor habit such as smoking or watching too much TV, making a change takes about 6 weeks before the behavior becomes routine for you. Be patient with yourself. If you slip-up, intentionally or on purpose, be kind to yourself. Every moment, every day, is a chance to begin again and do better. Berating yourself will only make you less motivated to stick with your resolution. Be kind to you!
Do Set Goals. Don’t Aim for Perfection. Of course, you’ll set goals to guide your process during those six weeks and beyond. It’s also important to understand that making a behavior change involves more than just good planning. There will be emotional ups and downs, progress and setbacks that will be different for each person. Plan for success and be realistic about challenges you may encounter. Try to anticipate how you will handle challenges that pop-up (our list below can help with this). If you are moving toward your goals 80% of the time, you are doing great!
The Golden Years can be a time of adventurous change for many older adults—and the New Year is the perfect time to embark on a specific change for yourself… check out these ideas:
Resources
Young, S. “Healthy Behavior Change in Practical Settings.” Perm J (2014, Fall) 18:4: 89-92. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4206177
NIH.gov “Changing Your Habits for Better Health.”
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diet-nutrition/changing-habits-better-health
Medium.com “10 Science-backed Tips to Making a Health Behavior Change that Sticks.” Posted by Paige Brown Jarreua;https://medium.com/lifeomic/10-science-backed-tips-to-making-a-health-behavior-change-that-sticks-8655c3bbde50
APA.org “Making Lifestyle Changes that Last”https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/lifestyle-changes.aspx
Finding the time for holiday shopping, selecting the right gift for each person at the best price – it's enough to stress out even the jolliest of shoppers. When you have a loved one in assisted living, it can be difficult to know what to gift that person. To help you avoid defaulting to baked goods and gift cards, try the suggestions on our list: “Mindful Gift Giving for Loved Ones in Assisted Living”.
A mindful approach to gift giving can ease your shopping stress, help you find greater joy in the giving process, and provide your loved one in assisted care with a more meaningful holiday experience.
To give mindfully, you must give some thought to what you know about your loved one in assisted care and pay attention to what is important to them or needed by them. Mindful gift-giving also requires that you slow down and give thought to why you are giving the gift. You can discern this by engaging in the following simple, pre-shopping exercises:
The gift of presence. If you recognize that your loved one is lonely – missing their significant other who has passed, or not socializing much at their care facility, give the gift of being there with them. Bake holiday treats together, put on holiday classic music from their generation, and stream a few holiday movies. Play games or make holiday crafts, together.
The gift of skill or talent. Maybe someone needs your unique skills. If you draw, paint, take pictures, offer to do a portrait of the person – make them feel like a model for a day; then hang the portrait when it is ready. If you are an excellent cook, plan a time to create a few day’s worth of healthy meals or snacks (*aligned with their dietary needs). Then, sit down to enjoy one of those meals, together. Or, teach the person your craft or skill.
The gift of memories. Write a note, a poem, or create a collage of photos and captions of special and everyday experiences that you’ve shared with your loved one or that they’ve shared with others across their lifetime. Reminding them of these special times and giving a memento such as this is a wonderful way to give a gift that keeps on giving.
The gift of helping hands. If you noticed they have an old radio with poor reception, update it. Or, if they are still tech savvy, gift them a digital music player and teach them how to use it. (preload it with tunes they will enjoy). Are there repairs to be done around their assisted living apartment that the on-site maintenance doesn’t take care of? Step-up and help out with that.
If there are grandkids around, all of these mindful approaches provide an opportunity to create lasting memories, and to share in one another’s life experiences.
With this mindful gifting approach, you can add joy and meaning to the holidays for yourself and your loved one.
If you need more ideas, check out this article from Harvard Health. If you still want to go to a traditional route with gift, have a conversation with your loved ones CNA or other on-site care provider before you purchase something that either don’t need or can’t have in their assisted living space.
Everbrook Creates Home for Seniors at Every Level of Care
Everbrook Senior Living embraces the unique needs and qualities of each of our residents. Muchmore than just a place to live, it is our goal to provide a home for every resident. We are involved in every aspect of the design of exceptional, elegant, and affordable residences from independent living to assisted living and hospice care. We offer first-in-class health and wellness programs that are backed by the latest research. Our team of professionals are thoroughly assessed and bring to their work a devotion to the care of older adults, a willingness to learn from them, and the ability to their interests, personal needs, and sense of community.
Come see for yourself: schedule a visit, today.
Caregiving for a family member who has a chronic health condition is taxing for even the most resilient individuals. If you are a family caregiver, it is essential for you to take steps to support and maintain your own wellbeing.
With the aging of the U.S. population, more people find themselves in the role of caregiver for an older adult who has a chronic health condition such as dementia, physical disability, cancer, and other serious illnesses. Consistently, those in a caregiving role report high levels of stress. This stress is compounded for those individuals who have careers and families of their own.
Whether the caregiving role is one you’ve prepared for and willingly taken on or is something that comes as a surprise addition in an already busy life, the stress of caregiving is very real. Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent caregiver burnout and support your own wellbeing, including
1. Create a Support Network
It’s essential to build your support network early in your caregiving role. Look for support groups offered through local hospitals, libraries, area agencies on aging, senior centers, and mental health advocacy organizations. Through these groups, you will find helpful resources, guidance for dealing with difficult situations, and the invaluable insights of those who have already navigated caregiving challenges.
2. Ask for Help
Knowing where to find, and having access to support is not the same as asking for help. If you are overwhelmed, showing signs of caregiver stress (see below), then you must put ego aside and ask for the help you need. Your loved one’s medical provider or patient advocate froma local hospital or support group is a good place to start.
3. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is not only for people who meditate. You can learn to bring mindfulness strategies into daily life—from folding laundry to walking the dog. You can also cultivate a formal mindfulness practice, which has been shown to significantly reduce stress, chronic pain, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Many community programs such has yoga studios, parks and recreation, YMCA/YWCA offer mindfulness groups or look for a mindfulness-based stress reduction program for caregivers offered through a local hospital or medical arts organization.
Also, see the Zen Caregiving website for resources.
4. Self-care is Essential for Caregivers
There are three things caregivers can focus on to maintain their own wellbeing: sleep, balanced nourishment, and daily physical movement.
Sleep is essential to overall health and wellbeing. During sleep, the body recovers, heals, and develops innate resources to support how we live, work and play during waking hours. One sure sign that you are getting sufficient sleep is waking-up feeling refreshed and restored. If you don’t awake most mornings feeling this way, then you may want to create a sleep routine. A healthy sleep routine includes going to bed and waking the same time each day; using room darkening curtains; lowering the room temperature; and not using digital devices in the bedroom with the hour before going to sleep.
Balanced nourishment means including a variety of real, whole foods in your diet—and enjoying sweets and treats in moderation If you eat mostly packaged and boxed foods, your body is not taking in the vitamins and minerals and fuel nutrients (carbs, protein, healthy fats) that it needs for optimal function. Without a balanced diet, you will feel the effects of stress more sharply and you are likely to throw-off your sleep routine, which compounds stress. If you need some guidance on healthy eating to support your caregiver role, local hospitals and wellness centers usually offer nutrition workshops.
Physical Movement – While vigorous physical activity a few times a week is ideal, it may not be realistic for you as a caregiver, to get 3 or 4 workouts in a week. Instead, aim for daily physical movement that gets your heart rate up for 30 minutes. This can be a walk, bike ride, working in a garden, yoga, taking a fitness class, or turning on music and dancing in your living room. Movement releases hormones that help support a positive mood, strengthens and tones the body, and helps relieve stress. Find something you enjoy and move every day!
5. Know the Warning Signs of Caregiver Stress
The stress of caregiving puts the caregiver at risk for health problems such as burnout, anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, headache, sleep disturbances, and relationship tension. Warning signs of caregiver stress and burnout can include:
If you are experiencing symptoms such as these, it is imperative to seek support and medical guidance so that you can recover your wellbeing and continue to be of support for your loved one.
These are just a few of the many approaches to self-care for caregivers. Additional resources can be found at Mayo Clinic and the Caregivers Actions Network.
If you find the caregiver role has become more burdensome than you can manager and still maintain your health and wellbeing, it may be time to consider other options for your frail loved one. Everbrook Senior Living offers support in helping you make this decision along with the resources and options necessary for placing an elderly older adult in assisted living care.
When it comes to Halloween, you’re never too old to pretend to be something or somebody else! Older adults, and their caregivers, can enjoy a safe, fun, and memorable Halloween through a variety of activities.
The Halloween activities we’ve chosen for older adults are not only fun, they provide several benefits including:
Taken together, these benefits support an older adult’s social-emotional and physical well-being, can provide moments of meaningfulness, and foster a sense of belonging.
The activities on our list are easy enough for you to bring to your older adult family member at their home, or set-up as a group activity at a senior living community or local senior center.
Cook-up a Scare: Shrunken Head Apples & Apple Tart Pie
Any cooking experience involves a variety of mental and physical tasks. First, there’s thinking that goes into planning and preparing the recipe. Some recipes require a little physical stamina and dexterity during preparation (ex: standing to cut, chop, mix, and serve).
We chose Shrunken Head Apples because this is a non-edible cooking experience that results in Halloween memento that will last up to a few years! It’s perfect for creating memories with friends, family, and especially with the grandkids. It has many steps involved and is ideal for the kitchen in a senior living center or your home. For an edible favorite, that’s healthy too, check out this Shrunken Head Apple Tart Pie recipe.
Deck the Haunted Halls with DIY Halloween Decorations
One doesn’t have to be an artiste to enjoy making Halloween decorations. From simple paper bat garland to no-carve face-painted pumpkins and wickedly simple-to-make door decorations, there are many safe and fun decorations for older adults to make. Once you have a great selection of decorations, put them up around the house--or deck the haunted halls of the senior living community!
Halloween Trivia & Scary Movie Night
This is perfect for those who don’t enjoy crafting, but want to revel in the spirit of All Hallows Eve. The tv shows movies listed range from horrifying classics to humorously haunting…something for every taste and every age.
For older adults who don’t enjoy scary-movie marathon, break out the trivia games. Always fun, always entertaining, trivia games tend to bring everyone out of the dungeon to play! Play can be set-up for individuals going head-to-head or competition between teams (be sure to have some fun, and funny, prizes for the winners).
There are many haunted trivia games on the market that you can adapt to suit your audience and game format. Search online for more info on these (or other) games: The Halloween Game Trivia Book, Trivial Pursuit: Halloween Edition, and even some of the Halloween trivia sets made for teachers of school-age kids or this spooky trivia set from the Today Show.
Halloween Costume Ideas for Older Adults
Last, but not least, is to dress-up in a Halloween costume that is safe and fun for an older adult. The ideas we share here are easy to put together from clothing seniors already own, or can modify, or can be found with a little savvy shopping.
If these ideas don’t fit your vision for your haunted alter-ego, by all means bring out the horns, fangs, and broomsticks for a more traditional Halloween costume!
Ahh…Autumn in New England. It’s the perfect time of year to fall into the pages of a good story.
What’s your reading pleasure? Is it a heart-pounding thriller or a poignant romance? A perilous adventure story or a hilarious whodunnit? Maybe you’re one for historical fiction or true crime?
No matter the genre, stories are a powerful vehicle for transporting you out of real time and into imaginative places and encounters. But there’s more power in reading than just spurring the imagination: Older adults who are avid book readers are doing a lot to support their health—and they may live longer lives as a result!
Spoiler alert: Don’t miss the book list—featuring dynamic older adult characters, provided at the end of this post!
Book Reading Supports Good Mental and Physical Health
Reading books can enhance both the mental and physical health of older adults in a variety of ways. The benefits presented in the list below come from research that focused on reading books. Magazines and newspapers are a different type of reading experience; while that type of reading has its own benefits, it is not necessarily the same as when reading books. In fact, when comparing people who read books to non-book readers studies show something very interesting: Book-readers have a 20% lower risk of mortality compared to non-book readers. Essentially, book reading adds years to your life span! Here are some of the other important ways reading supports older adult health:
Reading Books as Therapy: Bibliotherapy
You might have heard from someone, or even stated yourself that reading is therapeutic. Now, there is research to back-up the therapeutic value of book reading.
Bibliotherapy is a creative arts therapy devoted to helping an adult or child move through challenging emotional and life experiences. Using books, primarily, but also poetry and picture books; fiction and non-fiction alike, bibliotherapy provides therapeutic, educational, and developmental support with the goal to improve wellbeing, both overall, and in specific situations (school, work, home, social situations, etc.). It can be used when people are recovering from illness, surgery, a traumatic event, as well as when learning to cope with changes to emotional or physical health.
Five Types of Bibliotherapy
You might find yourself engaged in informal bibliotherapy upon learning about a new medical diagnosis, or if you are part of a support group for a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease, or if you are part of a reading group or other type of interest group in your community.
The benefits of bibliotherapy go beyond the benefits of book reading, in general, including but not limited to: helping to reduce clinical symptoms, improve social functioning, reduce loneliness/isolation, instill hope, foster creativity and problem solving, and support recovery.
Books Featuring Older Adult Characters
Having the opportunity to read books that feature characters similar to ourselves as well as those with life experience different from our own is one of the unique features of the reading experience. We asked a few librarians, and we discovered some terrific online resources, to curate this book list—all featuring older adult protagonists, villains, and sidekicks.
Romance
An unlikely friendship—and something more—blossoms between the retired Major, a proper Englishman and Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. But can it survive village gossip and the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition? NY Times Book Review
Mrs. Bertrice Martin—a widow, some seventy-three years young—has kept her youthful-ish appearance with the most powerful of home remedies: daily doses of spite, regular baths in man-tears, and refusing to give so much as a single damn about her Terrible Nephew. Then proper, correct Miss Violetta Beauchamps, a sprightly young thing of 96 (ahem, “nine and six”), crashes into her life. When you’re of a certain age, your take on life looks a lot different and Mrs. Martin is going to have the adventure of a lifetime doing things and exploring relationships on her own terms. Author’s Website
Comedic
In this series, Oceans 8 meets The Golden Girls! The Senior League—five residents of the Diamond Retirement Home—Martha, The Genius, The Rake, Christina and Anna-Greta—turn to a life of crime. You’ll be laughing all the way to the end as you follow this cracker-jack gals through three books in the series. Learn More
Suspense
As the story in this book opens, there’s a retirement-community caper in process. A missing neighbor. A shiny, mysterious object left in place. A photograph that goes viral and an identity long kept hidden faces risk of being exposed. And the dead body pops-up eventually. Things are not always as they seem, and this story quickly evolves into a deceptively dark mystery.
More at Foreward Indie Book Reviews
Horror
Written by one of the masters of the genre, this gothic-horror tale centers around a single question asked by the four elderly men of the Chowder Society: “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?” The question drives the men as they meet to share intensely chilling ghost stories and consume expensive cocktails. But are these stories more than fiction? A chain of mysterious events and death hangs over the Chowder Society. But whose to blame for the suicides and “accidental” deaths that surround them…is something sinister at work? Or is the past finally catching up with the men of the Chowder Society? More books like this at Nightfire
Mystery
There’s no other way to describe this book of connected stories than to repeat what Kirkus Reviews wrote: “Five connected stories about a murderous old Swedish lady.” Each tale of main character, 88-year old Maud’s misdeeds (murder, even!) doles out a dose of “senior justice”.
Dick and Dora Zimmerman from are sixty-something crime solvers, specially those of the murderous type. You know, like when a dead body body turns up in an ice box with a note that says, "contents rotten." The Zimmermans are lovable characters with the time, money, wit, and "chutzpa” to get involved despite warnings from police and criminals to stay away. There’s a cast of characters-- residents of the condos where the Zimmermans live in Manhattan and Vegas, who all to eagerly seek Dick and Dora's help whenever foul-play is suspected. *adapted from the author’s website)
Resources for Finding Books with Older Adult Characters
We were impressed that across these lists there were very few duplicate books, So if you haven’t found a book you love among our resources, be sure to talk to the staff at Everbrook Senior Living Community about their book resources, book clubs, and special interest groups.
25 Books with Older Adult Protagonists. This list encompasses books written by authors from various backgrounds and featuring different cultural settings, storylines, and genres. You’re bound to find a few to suit your interest.
Midlife BookList on Facebook. Books that show what makes older adults get fired-up, ticked-off, and maintain their sest for life. These books (and there are a lot) reveal the many perspectives that seniors have on the second half of life—their hopes, fears and challenges, and all of it is weaved into a wide variety of storylines, settings, and dilemmas. From humorous to horrific, from all-to-close to real life to purely fantastical, there is something for everyone in this book list.
Must Read Books Featuring Mature Characters. This list features heroes and heroines having incredible adventures that will make you want to celebrate and empathize with them as you reflect on your own life’s journey. From feisty senior ladies and gents to salty old dogs and timeless romantics…there’s a character in these stories for everyone to love!
Learn More about the Health Benefits of Reading
Why Reading Books Makes You a Better Person, According to Science. Inc Magazine
Benefits of Reading Books: How It Can Positively Affect Your Life
Recently, one of our Everbrook Senior Living team members shared a unique encounter she had had while vacationing in southwest Florida. It’s a story we want to share in celebration of National Senior Citizens Day, which has been observed on August 21 every year since 1988 when then President Ronald Regan signed Proclamation 5847 to salute “older people have achieved much for our families, our communities, and our country… throughout their lives and for all they continue to accomplish…” as citizens of the United States.
Upon exiting the beach, she encountered a group of a dozen or so people surrounding an older woman who was telling stories from under the shower, rinsing sand from her silvery hair. She was so animated, it was impossible to just walk past. The 78-year-old shared stories of her youth: She was born in the Philippines and her family of origin hailed from Japan, Hawaii, and other island nations (places where she had lived as a girl and young woman). What caught our staff member’s attention was not only the way this spry older woman spoke about her history and her life now, but the rapt attention from the onlookers. There was a reverence and admiration for her as she spoke about:
Her “big collection of thousands of shark teeth” found while snorkeling off the coast. Of growing pineapples and tangerines in her backyard; of competing across Florida as a senior champion pickleball player. Of sharing hardships and adventures with her now 80-year-old husband “who I force to retire 15 years ago, or he work both of us to the grave!” Most days, she started her day “playing pickleball for 2 hours before the sun rose to bake the courts” then cooled-off in the Gulf of Mexico followed by bringing treats from her garden to the lifeguards. The rest of the day was for making time to mingle with tourists and locals around the beach town and “doing good deeds.” Fondly known as ‘Granny Kau’i’ (ka-OO-ey), she is living life true to the meaning of her Hawaiian name: ‘the youthful one.’
Thinking Differently About Aging
Kau’i is enjoying a ‘second youth’ in the prime of what we Americans typically refer to as the Golden Years. It’s a time in life that, as one astute teenager in the sandy-toed group observed, “Usually, people my age just ignore older people. Most older folks I know aren’t active like you. You don’t act old. You’ve made me think differently about what being older looks like and can be.” Many of the adults in the group, who hailed from various parts of the U.S., Europe, and Canada nodded agreement and shared similar sentiments.
Sadly, she’s right; phrases like “old man” and “granny” aren’t titles of respect and love in many societies. Instead, they conjure images of older adults who don’t engage much once careers come to an end. This can be for several reasons:
Social & Cultural Factors Behind National Senior Citizen’s Day
Another crucial factor affecting how older adults function in society has to do with social and cultural biases on aging: what it means to grow older and to be a senior citizen. One of President Regan’s intentions with declaring National Senior Citizen’s Day was to combat such misperceptions of older adults and the aging process in our youth-centric American society.
Regan understood two things about aging and society:
National Senior Citizen Day served as a way to draw attention to these issues and to ensure that “our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older — places in which older people can participate to the fullest and can find the encouragement, acceptance, assistance, and services they need to continue to lead lives of independence and dignity.”
From this proclamation, came the growth of organizations, services, and living options (and more legislation) to address the evolving needs of older adults. Since 1988, many more older Americans, like Granny Kau’i, are able to live their best lives in ways that suit their interests, health status, financial resources, and personal preferences. This is the quality of living every older adult deserves and which we, at Everbrook Senior Living, devote ourselves to providing for our residents every day, 365 days a year.
Bringing the Best Solution to Seniors in Later Life.
From your first contact with one of our senior living advisors, you are considered family. We understand that every older adult has unique needs and our living arrangements, programs, and health services are intentionally designed to support those needs from active, independent living to various levels of assisted care.
Each of the Everbrook Senior Living communities is nestled within a community that affords residents the opportunity to take life at the pace they desire…
Everbrook Senior Living embraces the unique needs and qualities of each of our residents. We are involved in every aspect of the design of exceptional, elegant, and affordable residences. We offer first-in-class recreation and wellness programs that are backed by the latest research. And we have a carefully selected team of professionals who are devoted to older adults, seek to learn from them, and nurture their interests, personal needs, and sense of community.
At Everbrook, you live among like-minded peers, experience new adventures, and enjoy the simple luxuries of an active, independent ‘second youth’. Come see for yourself: schedule a visit, today.
Free from the obligations of work and raising a family, older adulthood can be a time to celebrate independence. Let’s explore essential tips to help you (or a loved one) maintain—and celebrate independence in older adulthood.
For some people, the ‘golden years’ present the opportunity to take life at as fast or slow of a pace as one desires. It can be a time to explore hobbies, travel to exciting destinations, rekindle or create new friendships, and spend quality time with beloved family. Maintaining independence throughout older adulthood does take some focus and effort, if one is to stay physically able-bodied and mentally sharp.
Tips for Supporting Older Adult Independence
Stay Socially Connected
Preventing social isolation is crucial for older adults’ physical and emotional wellbeing. As we get older, our social ties can decline because of changes to our health, relocation, and death. It’s important to keep renewing our social connections, which can protect our social emotional health, particularly from depression, anxiety, and memory-loss related conditions such as dementia. Social connections for older adults are kept strong through mutually rewarding activities and interests such as:
Living in a senior living community, such as Everbrook Senior Living, makes it simple for older adults to stay young-at-heart. These communities often provide on-site wellness programs, trips, dining clubs, and maintenance-free living so you have the time to enjoy your free time.
The Game is Afoot!
Games are a wonderful way for older adults to keep the mind sharp, connect with others, and have fun with a significant other, grandkids/ family, old friend, or to make new friends. Board games or card game clubs can be found through your local library, senior center, YMCA, or JCC. Such clubs are also present at most senior living communities, and often are peer-led by residents of the community, making it easy to make new friends. Check out these crafts and games designed to celebrate senior independence on Independence Day.
Stay in Motion
Exercising in older adulthood helps to maintain physical strength, stamina, coordination, emotional wellbeing, and mental sharpness. When you feel strong and capable, that supports independence. If you were an athlete earlier in life, you may very well be able to maintain vigorous activity during older adulthood. For other folks, being physically active in older adulthood means changing the intensity or type of activity—if your knees aren’t up for running, switch to power walking or swimming, for example. There are so many types of exercise routines that can be modified for an older adult’s needs, from weight training to yoga. Just check with your doctor before starting an exercise program or switching to a new activity.
Elegance and Independence at Everbrook Senior Living
When you reside at an Everbrook Senior Living community, you’ll have access to the Wellnes 4 Later Life Program, which addresses all of your physical, social, and emotional needs. You’ll work with an on-site exercise physiologist and have access to physicians to assess and monitor your health. At Everbrook, you can live among like-minded peers, experience new adventures, and enjoy the simple luxuries of active, independent living in your golden years.
Give us a call today to learn more about all that we have to offer.
When you were a kid, did you have a hobby? Whether you collected stamps, dolls, or comic books, repaired bikes or dabbled in model cars, you can probably recall your hobby ‘getting you in the zone’. Being so fully immersed in what you were doing that it was hard to break away to even eat dinner. When your former hobby comes to mind, it may bring up feelings of joy, satisfaction, and accomplishment. No matter your age, the positive feelings that arise from being engaged in a hobby contribute to emotional and physical well-being. Even if you haven’t had a hobby for many years, it’s never too late to find a new hobby and experience the health benefits.
Hobbies are a simple yet profound way to support an older adult’s health and happiness. A hobby can provide an outlet for creativity, an intellectual challenge, pure fun, and social engagement. When engaged in a hobby, we are immersed in a state of pleasure and detachment from the drama of daily life.
Some of the ways hobbies contribute to an older adult’s well-being include:
Now that you know hobbies are good for your health—what if you haven’t engaged in a hobby in a while—where do you begin? There are some very simple ways older adults can discover a new hobby. Before we tell you how to find a new hobby, let’s talk about your mindset with starting something new: The key is to not be afraid to experiment or to try new things. Step outside your comfort zone. For example, if you tend to be a homebody, consider a book club to get you out of your home and engaged with new people who share a common interest. Additionally, keep an open mind. Don’t give up after one try—remember that a hobby should be about the process, not the outcome or product (that would make a hobby feel like work!) Finally, don’t put pressure on yourself; give yourself permission to fail, and to start over again. Give it the good ole "college try" before you walk away from a hobby that just doesn’t feel like a good fit for you.
If you happen to live in an older adult community such as Everbrook Senior Living—or if you are thinking of moving to such a community—you’ll be glad to know there are many resources available to help you discover a new hobby in later life. From board game clubs to yoga classes, art studio to music or film appreciation... you’ll be amazed at the opportunities offered by a senior living community. And, as a bonus, if you’re already proficient with a particular hobby then make sharing your skill your next hobby! Many senior living communities love to have a resident volunteer to introduce and teach a skill to other residents with the same interest.
Are you looking for a senior living community with a robust social community, wellness program, and affordable luxury? Come visit Everbrook Senior Living to see all that we offer—and the sense of belonging our residents experience as they live, play, and thrive in our older adult communities across Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Resources
National Institutes of Health: Participate in Activities You Enjoy As You Age
Penn State University, “Social Trends”: How Hobbies Boosty Your Health
Widespread loneliness in the U.S. poses health risks as deadly as smoking, according to new information from the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy. According to the report, 50% of U.S. adults are experiencing loneliness that interferes with or otherwise affects their wellbeing. The ill-effects of loneliness can be even more detrimental for older adults.
The social and emotional health effects of loneliness have been well documented. These effects were exacerbated during the isolation periods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, new information shows the ill-effects of loneliness carry over to a person’s physical health.
According to the Surgeon General’s report, the “epidemic of loneliness threatens public health”:
Murthy’s report indicated the increased risk of premature death associated with social disconnection is comparable to smoking. However, the report did not provide any data that illustrates how many people die directly from loneliness or isolation.
Loneliness Prevalent Among Elderly
Among older adults over age 60, 50% are at risk of social isolation and one-third will experience some degree of loneliness in later life. Older adults who self-isolate or who experience loneliness as a result of loss of significant relationships have a heightened risk to their mental and physical health.
Social circles among the elderly tend to shrink due to loss of functional abilities, illness, and death of significant friends and partners. Therefore, it is imperative for older adults to have healthy outlets for connecting with others and maintaining a sense of meaning and purpose for their lives.
Stay Active. Whether it’s a walking buddy or group, participating in aqua-exercise classes, or trying chair yoga, physical movement is as good for the mind as it is for the body. For older adults, appropriate intensity exercise boosts mood, strengthens the mind-body connection, and keeps the body physically strong. Physical activity with a partner or group reduces social isolation and reduces risk for mental distress and depression.
Keep Good Company. The old saying is ‘misery loves company’, but the same can be said of positivity! It’s well-known that laughter is good medicine. Choose to spend time with others who make you laugh or whom you make laugh. For those who are home-bound, be sure they have frequent visitors—or consider the benefits of animatronic pet therapy to help an older adult cope with loneliness.
Keep the Mind Sharp. Engage in intellectual activities with others who share the same interest such as chess club, book club, arts and crafts club, board game groups, maybe something more intellectual. Not sure about your interests…be adventurous, try something new… it’s a great way to find a new hobby and new friends!
Do Good For Others. Helping others through volunteer work is a great way to build and maintain social connections. Plus, doing good for others through volunteerism has lasting beneficial effects on health and wellbeing for older adults. Older adults who volunteer experience better physical health, less depression and anxiety, and have a brighter outlook and sense of purpose for their life.
Senior Living Programs to Reduce Loneliness
Every resident at Everbrook Senior Living Communities has access to the Wellness 4 Later Life programming, which helps older adults maintain good health, independence, connection with like-minded others. Our holistic approach is personalized to the needs of each resident to best support their emotional, social, and physical wellbeing. From individualized movement and fitness programs to movie nights and special interest clubs, our residents are inspired as they engage in activities that support living, learning, and laughing throughout the golden years.
We invite you to come see for yourself all that Everbrook Senior Living has to offer. Call today to schedule a tour.
Further Reading
Healthy Intimacy is Important for Older Adult Wellbeing. https://everbrookseniorliving.com/blog/itemlist/tag/senior%20friendships
Older Adult ‘Holiday Blues versus Depression: What’s the Difference? https://everbrookseniorliving.com/blog/item/22-is-your-elder-family-member-experiencing-more-than-the-holiday-blues
