Posted on December 3, 2020 - During 2020, prevention has been top of mind for many of us! Though we can and should be immunized against seasonal influenza (“the flu”), a vaccine for COVID-19 isn’t available yet. The tools at our disposal for lowering our risk include wearing a mask and practicing physical distancing. Many of us also are thinking of how we can keep our immune system in top shape—which is more challenging as we grow older.
Posted on December 1, 2020 - NPR reports on the connection between dementia risk and the quality of sleep. Bottom line, our brains clean up harmful substances during periods of deepest sleep.
Posted on November 26, 2020 - Seniors sometimes say that they don’t want to be a “burden”—and yet family caregivers, too, might express sentiments along those lines. The AARP offers some great tips for showing gratitude for family caregivers. National Family Caregiver Month is a November tradition right along with Thanksgiving!
Posted on November 24, 2020 - During November, we have been celebrating National Family Caregivers Month. The year 2020 has certainly been a challenging one for the many family members and friends who are providing care for an older or disabled loved one! Whether their loved one lives with them, or in a senior living community, or independently, the workload of family caregivers went up sharply this year—according to an AP-NORC poll, by 36%! Caregivers might also be holding down a job under difficult circumstances. Perhaps they even have school-age children at home, which this year can feel like a full-time job unto itself!
Posted on November 19, 2020 - How will you be celebrating Thanksgiving this year? For many Americans, the usual traditions will be replaced with alternative plans. To keep older loved ones safe, virtual visits might replace trips “over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house.” Celebrating in a smaller gathering, some cooks might be preparing their very first turkey dinner—and they might be trying to cook up all the traditional dishes, minus the traditional extra sets of hands in the kitchen! It’s likely to be stressful for many.