Many seniors generally require a milder form of exercise and even chair yoga can have a BIG impact! This article written by Lori Deschene, which appeared in caring.com, provides us with good reasons to add enrolling in a yoga class to our 2016 resolution list! Yoga and Dementia How Yoga Can Significantly Reduce the Risks of Dementia By Lori Deschene…
Exercise offers so many benefits for seniors and people of every age that it might be called a miracle drug! Many people don’t realize that exercise protects our brain health—but indeed, physical activity is one of the top ways to delay cognitive decline. Brain exercise is also of value, so take a coffee break and try your hand at…
Last year's January issue of the Assisting Hands "Hand in Hand" newsletter urged readers to make exercise one of their New Year's resolutions. How did that go for you? If your exercise program fell by the wayside, let’s reboot for 2016! Like most Americans, you’re probably aware that physical activity is important to one’s overall health and well-being. And,…
The National Diabetes Education Program says holiday family gatherings are a good time for the older and younger generations to share information that can help us lower the risk. Diabetes might not seem like the ideal topic of conversation during holiday visits—yet in many ways, this is a very good time to raise the subject. It’s a time when…
"Mom, we'd all feel a lot better if we knew you had some help." One of the great joys of the holidays is reconnecting with family who may live far away. But sometimes when adult children visit their elderly loved ones, they find that their parents are no longer as healthy as they remembered. Or they might see signs Mom…
We Can Keep Learning "Overthinking is the biggest cause of unhappiness. Keep your mind occupied. Keep your mind off things that don't help you. Be optimistic.” I ran across this quote recently and it really rang true for me. I had been obsessing about a situation that I didn’t have any control over, and a lightbulb in my brain…
"On the Go" Wordfind It doesn’t take a car to be active and engaged in our community. This month’s puzzle contains 20 words all having to do with alternate transportation available for seniors who can no longer drive, or just don’t like to! Print out your copy of the puzzle and find all the words. (Maybe you could do…
There are things we can do to protect our skin, but we won’t find most of them in a fancy jar. Those miraculous “before” and “after” photos in skin care ads? All the “miracles” usually come from photo editing. FDA Cracks Down on "Miracle" Skin Products Last year, the Assisting Hands “Hand in Hand” newsletter reported on the proliferation…
Five Myths About Senior Drivers A recent article in Bloomberg exploded the myth that Americans stick to their trusty old clunkers upon retirement; apparently, plenty of the 36 million senior drivers today are leaving the showroom with a snazzy new set of wheels! Today’s seniors have their roots firmly in the age of driving. Driving equals independence in the minds…
Many Seniors Affected By Anxiety Disorders When an older loved one seems to worry all the time, this could be a sign of a troubling but treatable condition. Mom was always the carefree ringleader of family fun. Yet lately, the family has noticed that she always seems worried about things. She wonders if she left the stove on. She…
