Research is showing that challenging your brain as you get older can help prevent cognitive decline. One recommendation is to learn something new, like a different language. For older adults who are not electronically inclined, playing video games is like mastering a whole new medium. If you have children or grandchildren, especially boys who play […]
For many retirees, working part-time is the best of both worlds because it brings in some income while allowing time for leisure activities. Plus, having a job keeps you involved in the world, which research on aging has shown keeps you sharp and happy. Surveys indicate that many Americans plan on working in retirement, for […]
“Laughter has really changed my life. I feel happier and more focused about things that make me happy. It has changed me from being a serious person to a much lighter person. I also use laughter as my personal stress management therapy to keep my stress levels low, as I have a very stressful job.” […]
Families who are dealing with a senior loved one’s chronic care needs are constantly tested in their resolve. It takes a special person to continuously provide care and find resources for support while also managing their own responsibilities. Often it is an adult child who is charged with this task and often that adult child […]
There’s a housing crisis looming for seniors. With baby boomers entering their retirement years at a rapid rate, most housing is not keeping up with their needs. Most older adults say they want to stay in their homes as they age, but most homes are not designed for older bodies that have a hard time […]
You’ve finally been able to sit down with your healthcare provider at an anxiously awaited appointment to discuss a worrisome health problem. But all too soon it’s over, and you realize you didn’t quite understand the diagnosis and treatment, you have more questions and you feel like you weren’t heard. Perhaps the doctor stared at […]
The headlines tell the story: “Pair targets elderly in home-repair scam,” ”Dallas police arrest man in home-repair scams targeting the elderly” and “He lost more than $60,000 in home improvement scam.” In one case, an elderly woman in Lincoln County, Missouri, was approached by a man who said he had done work for her late […]
The U.S. Government Accounting Office predicts that by 2020 the number of older Americans living alone with no living children or siblings will be 1.2 million. That figure for “solo agers,” or “elder orphans,” is almost double the reported figure in 1990. Because family members provide 70 to 80 percent of eldercare, those without family […]
As soon as the Medicare open enrollment period starts, scammers begin their efforts to steal your identity. The National Council on Aging (July 17, 2015) offers five tips to avoid the most common Medicare scams. Know how identity theft works. Someone pretending to work for Medicare may contact you and tell you they need your […]
Have you ever wondered what exactly makes A-positive blood different from O-negative blood? Here is a quick tutorial on blood types. All blood contains the same elements, but not all blood is the same. Human blood has red blood cells to carry oxygen. Plasma is the watery stuff that allows blood to flow. Blood also […]
