Independence is important for older adults. There are practical steps seniors can take to support their own independence. There are also things caregivers and family members can do to encourage their loved ones’ independence. Tips to Encourage Independence for Older Adults February is National Senior Independence Month.  That makes this the perfect opportunity to learn … Continued

Independence is a central element of life at every stage.  Toddlers are trying to learn the basics of independence, like talking, eating, and walking. Fast forward, and teenagers are fighting to get as much independence as possible. Then we spend our adult lives trying to do everything ourselves, frequently afraid to ask for help. Then, … Continued

February in Ohio means we’re deep into the winter months, with the hope of spring on the horizon. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means we’ve got 6 more weeks of winter to go. Whether it’s fewer hours of daylight, colder temperatures, or the snow and ice that can keep us trapped indoors, winter is … Continued

The heart is an important part of our bodies’ functioning and our overall wellbeing.  It’s no wonder there’s an entire month dedicated to it!  February is American Heart Month, a time to celebrate the heart and learn more about how it works and when it might be in danger.  Our hearts change as we age, … Continued

Assisted living is one of the most common types of senior living.  But it’s also one of the most misunderstood.  It’s a lot to take in and can be easy to get confused.  That’s why we’re breaking it down to help you understand the ins and outs.  From what it is to how to pay … Continued

Life enrichment is a core element of senior living, but it’s often misunderstood.  If you look at senior living communities, you may see some advertise life enrichment while others refer to activities, events, or resident engagement.  No matter what it’s called, the life enrichment department is who’s responsible for planning the activities and events residents … Continued

Our eyes play a big role in our daily lives, but it can be easy to overlook them.  Eye health should be a concern throughout our lives.  But, as we get older, there are additional things to look for when it comes to our eye health.  January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, which makes this … Continued

A new year brings a fresh slate. A chance to reflect on the previous year while thinking about the year to come. Many of us may set resolutions for the new year, or a list of goals we want to accomplish. The idea of new year’s resolutions isn’t new. It can be traced all the … Continued

In just a few short days, Christmas will be here. It’s an exciting time for families, and a wonderful time to enjoy holiday traditions with those closest to us. Traditions don’t have to always stay the same, and creating new traditions with family is a fun way to bring everyone together this holiday season. Below … Continued

Turkey Day is done, and it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Have you made your holiday shopping list and checked it twice? Now that it is time to go shopping for the special people on your list, it is also the ideal time to brush up on your shopping safety habits. Older adults … Continued

  Now that the kids have finished Trick or Treat, costumes are put away, and everyone has eaten way too much candy, everyone is making their holiday plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s time to buy Christmas cards, plan your holiday dinners using family recipes and make that big decision—does the Christmas … Continued

  Keep Healthy and Happy This Holiday Season This year is flying by.  It’s hard to believe that 2024 is nearing an end.  The holiday season will be here before we know it.  Many people are already planning their Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas celebration and how to ring in the New Year. Regardless of your age, … Continued

  Future Planning and Safety for Early Dementia Care Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with early stage dementia?  Do you worry about how you or your loved one will manage to live alone with this new diagnosis? There are things you can do to help manage the changes you’re experiencing in memory and … Continued

  Turning the Tables: Making Care Decisions for Your Aging Parents For much of your life, you have been the son or daughter in the family dynamics, with your parents making decisions for you. Now the tables are turned, and you are needing to make decisions for your parents about their care. You will experience … Continued

  Senior Living Essentials: Understanding Long-Term Care Insurance Have you ever heard the term “long-term care insurance?”  Some people will tell you they have never heard of it.  Does it have something to do with my home insurance?  Others may tell you they have heard of it but thought that it was only for older … Continued

  The Perfect Season for Family Fun Fall is a wonderful time of year. The temperatures are getting cooler, and the leaves are turning beautiful shades of red and orange. The kids are excited for Halloween and before you know it, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be following close behind.  The fall season brings families together … Continued

  Senior Care Solutions Until You’re Ready for Senior Living A fact of life is that all people age. There are times when aging and the life changes that come along with it can be stressful. Frequently older adults or their adult children need to make decisions about care options as their needs change. Should … Continued

  The Paw-sitive Impact of Pets on Senior Adults Let’s take a moment and think back to childhood and remember your first pet. You simply knew that you wanted a pet, whether it was a cat or dog, you just wanted a pet.  Your parents reminded you of the responsibilities of pet ownership. You had … Continued

  Simplifying Your Transition to Your New Home People move for many reasons. Possibly a new job, or military reassignment.  Sometimes people move into a larger home when they are growing their family or as people retire they are choosing to downsize into a condo or move to a retirement community. Regardless of the type … Continued

  Exploring Care Levels in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) You deserve to live in a place that sees you as an individual with your own unique circumstances, requirements, preferences and desires. But before you get too far along your path to senior living, it’s important to understand what care levels are available and … Continued

  Breaking Down the 6 Major Types of Memory Issues With so much information floating around about Alzheimer’s and dementia, it can be hard to know where to turn. Many people don’t understand the difference between the two and believe that Alzheimer’s and dementia are either the same thing or only two memory issues. Actually, … Continued

  Quality Senior Adult Care is Always the Goal Five-star quality is always the goal.  You’ve probably experienced how hard it is to find these days.  Quality is especially important when it comes to senior living.  If you’ve ever looked at senior living, a nursing home, or a short-term rehabilitation, you may have been overwhelmed … Continued

Building a Strong Financial Future Starts Early What do you think when you hear the word retirement? It means so many things to different people. Some may think of traveling while others may want to take new classes or spend more time at home. Maybe you want to spend time with the grandkids or do … Continued

Balancing Caregiving and Personal Well-Being Taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do as a caregiver. Caregiving is not easy — not for the caregiver and not for the person receiving care. It requires sacrifices and adjustments for everyone. Often, family caregivers must juggle work and family life to … Continued

Boosting Senior Adult Independence and Confidence with Assistive Devices What are assistive devices?  Some common devices that might come to mind are canes or walkers, but there is so much more. Assistive devices are adaptive tools designed to help bridge the gaps in mobility and ability to perform activities of daily living , such as dressing and … Continued

Keeping Your Summer Vacation Stress-free and Safe Here we are in the middle of summer and there’s still time to take that special vacation.  Whether traveling alone or with your extended family, for a weekend or longer, the excitement starts with the planning. Planning a stress-free, delightful experience, requires some thoughtful preparation to ensure it’s … Continued

Understanding Dementia-Related Behaviors Behavior is a powerful form of communication and is one of the main ways people with dementia communicate their needs and feelings as the ability to use language is lost. Some of these behavior changes can present real challenges for caregivers to understand manage. As a caregiver it is important to join … Continued

It’s Time to Get Active! Are there days when you wake up, look at everything that you need to do and wonder how exercising will fit into your day? For your health, it is important to make exercise a priority in your life, regardless of your age. A recent study found that physical activity was … Continued

What is Medicare and Medicaid? During your lifetime you have probably had several different companies that provided you medical insurance. If your insurance was provided by your employer, often they determined what insurance policies you had with limited options. Fast forward to your retirement years and now you have to determine what type of a … Continued

Senior Living Communities in the Modern Age Most of us have our own ideas about what senior living communities are like. Many believe that a senior living community is interchangeable with the term nursing home, but they are in fact two very different options for older adults. While many leading senior living communities do provide higher level healthcare services … Continued

Staying Safe from the Heat This Summer While we all enjoy the warm weather summer brings, too much heat exposure is not safe for anyone! It is even riskier if you are older or have health problems. It is important to be cautious and get relief quickly when you are overheated. Otherwise, you might start … Continued

Ensuring Independence with Comprehensive Care Have you ever heard the acronym CCRC and wondered what people were talking about? CCRC stands for continuing care retirement community. A CCRC provides older adults the opportunity to “age in place” or live in one location for as long as they need. This allows families and residents peace of … Continued

The Importance of Nurturing Brain Health For anyone who’s had to search their mind for a word or a detail, it may be a surprise to hear that, according to brain health experts, memory isn’t everything. So why is it the first or only thing we worry about? “People don’t really care about performing better on … Continued

You’re Ready. Now It’s Time to Talk to the Family More often than not, families tend to stall conversations about moving to a senior living community. It’s understandable — the topic brings up other more difficult ones like selling a childhood home or acknowledging that we are all growing older. The reality is that while … Continued

From Sale to Sold: Less Stress and More Success Are you an older adult who’s ready to sell your house — but your house may not be quite ready to be sold? Or maybe you’re ready for the possibilities of a more carefree future at a senior living community — but you’re not quite ready to let go of … Continued

It’s Time to Take a Tour Finding the right senior living community is a big decision, and the touring process can be overwhelming. Transitioning to a senior living community is a big move that requires thorough planning. The best way to ensure you find the perfect fit is to conduct research and schedule visits to … Continued

Taking Care of Yourself and Preventing Burnout Taking on the caregiver role for a loved one is not easy. Over 54 million people provide care for an aging loved one. The ongoing demands of taking care of someone else can strain even the most resilient person. That’s why it’s critical for caregivers to ask for help … Continued

Blue Zones: Embracing the Power 9® for a Vibrant Life If you are asking yourself what Blue Zones are, you are not alone. The term “blue zones” was first introduced by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Explorer, Fellow, and journalist, during an exploratory project in 2004. After an expedition to Okinawa, Japan in 2000 to … Continued

Let’s Get Downsizing Downsizing your home can be overwhelming. Sorting through your belongings and deciding what to keep and what to part with is a time-consuming task that many of us avoid. However, downsizing before a big event like a move will help you feel more organized and make the unpacking process so much easier! … Continued