More important than the finished products, the process of creating art helps us to express unresolved emotions and relieve accumulated stress. For some seniors, art can play an integral role in addressing mental and physical health. The benefits of art therapy range from a decrease in anxiety and the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to an increase in brain stimulation among dementia patients.Unfortunately, not all senior … [Read more...]

Over 20 percent of Americans suffer from ragweed and mold spore allergies during the fall season. Elderly residents of senior living communities are among those who suffer from the sneezing, watery eyes, and stuffy noses that accompany allergies. However, seniors must take a more cautious approach to treating their symptoms, since they often have to deal with complicating factors such as respiratory problems, chronic diseases, and cardiovascular … [Read more...]

With people living much longer now than they did generations ago, the retirement phase of life continues to lengthen in duration, making it even more important for seniors to have a happy and fulfilling retirement. Even for those in senior living communities, self-satisfaction and fulfillment come from striving for goals and continuously bettering themselves. September is National Self-Improvement Month, which provides the perfect opportunity for … [Read more...]

Perhaps the scent of soil and freshly cut grass brings back memories of childhood or the hour of sunshine lifts one’s spirits. Whatever the cause, gardening has always been a go-to activity for residents of senior living communities.According to social horticulturist Dr. Angela O’Callaghan, “Specially maintained gardening facilities that help people remain connected with nature provide benefits for a wide variety of people who are ill or … [Read more...]

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 70 percent of people over the age of sixty-five will require some form of long-term care in their lifetime, but many fail to adequately prepare for the cost of that care. When it comes time for them to move into an Assisted Living or Independent Living community, many seniors turn to financing methods such as life insurance, Medicaid, and reverse mortgages to … [Read more...]

This is not your grandmother’s ideal retirement community.Or … is it? It is if your grandmother is really into yoga and hiking, and she doesn’t give a hoot for pickleball or badminton.That’s straight from the findings of After55.com’s survey of more than 700 people between the ages of 50 and 89. We asked our respondents, in a voluntary survey conducted online May 10-31, 2016, what activities they want in a senior living community – and … [Read more...]