Some forms of art may seem like a juvenile way to occupy a senior, and sometimes this is the way families interpret art activities put on for seniors in residences for older adults or hospitals. But the reality is, by exposing Chicago seniors to art, these establishments aren’t trying to treat the older demographic like children; they are providing them with a vast number of benefits including:

1. Skill doesn’t matter – seniors may feel because they have no artistic talent specifically, they cannot receive the benefits from art. However, studies have shown that regardless of specific skills levels, practicing all forms of art can benefit social abilities as well as physical and mental health

2. Culture and community through art – the establishment of art programs in various communities can have specific cultural meaning to seniors and can also help establish culture in community settings

3. Arts help younger generations look at seniors differently – studies have shown that when art comes into play in senior care residences, staff and other members of younger demographics find themselves more appreciative of seniors and it can increase the personal connection

4. Art can lead to aging in place – art can give seniors a greater sense of independence and increase functioning, allowing them to remain in their homes for increased periods of time

5. Art as expression – all forms of art help seniors express themselves in some way and it helps them demonstrate and build their own sense of identity and independence

Image: kansassampler.org

Via: Arts and Aging

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Seniors today are finding that retirement just doesn’t come when it used to. Elderly citizens like Erma Paliani find that for a number of reasons they’re unable to walk away from their careers when they’d like, remaining in the workforce until their 70s, 80s or 90s for the following reasons:

• While the average age to claim Social Security Benefits is 63.9, many need additional income on top of it to be able to afford basic aspects of daily living, like housing and food

• Many seniors would love to retire and just focus on their family and relaxing, but based on the numbers of seniors aged 65 and older which are rising higher than ever before, this isn’t a reality for everyone. The number of older works, aged 80+ has had the most substantial increase at 67% to 500,000 Americans

• With people living longer, money doesn’t go as far as it used to, and as time goes on this might increase even more, keeping more and more seniors in the workforce longer than planned

• Government benefits, which were initially defined in 1940 certainly weren’t designed to support 30 or more years of retirement, which means seniors need a fairly substantial nest egg to make it through

Via: AARP

Image: elements4health.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

In our elder years we need to worry about our health and finances more than ever. With so much stress and uncertainty about what the future brings, we don’t need the place we live to cause more stress. When choosing a place to retire, look at the following factors to determine if it’s a stress-free choice:

1. Population and crowding – consider the population density in the area. The more populated it is, the more likely it becomes that there can be crime, petty problems between neighbors, and other factors that can influence your overall quality of life.

2. Employment – even in retirement, the level of unemployment in your area can affect your quality of life. You don’t need to be in the workforce for it to have an impact! Unemployment rates attest to the overall state of the economy.

3. Air quality and weather – the air quality can affect your overall health, which greatly impacts your quality of life, as well as your finances. Also choose a climate that brings you the most enjoyment.

4. Home values – with rising interest costs and decreasing home values, it can be a worry that you might lose your home in older adulthood or find it unaffordable. Low home values can also mean little equity when it comes time to sell. Choose a place to live where home values seem to be higher and holding strong.

Via: Yahoo! Real Estate

Image: money.aol.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Getting older no longer looks how it used to, and as the boomer generation approaches their senior years, we’ll need to adjust our perceptions on aging today even more. These changes come with both positive and negative aspects for the generations nearing older adulthood today, and for those of the future.  Here’s how aging today has changed from the structure we knew from watching generations past:

1. Seniors today are living longer – with the standard retirement age set at 65, seniors are spending more and more time in retirement than generations past. The seniors of today and those of the future will have to reconsider how they will survive financially, since social security might expire before they do

2. Changing career structure – while this might not apply today, it’s a shift we’ll certainly see in the future as living longer in retirement will come with increased financial burden. Instead of retiring at 65, we might just see seniors living into their 100s working into their 70s, 80s and 90s out of obligation

3. 60 as the new 40 – today’s seniors are more active than ever, and at 60 show few signs of slowing down, and to think, not so long ago we looked at 40 as “old”!

4. Embracing life – today’s seniors are adventurous and have a zest for life, but society still fits these seniors into stereotypes, thinking that 70 year old grandmother’s should be in their rockers with their knitting, not going out skydiving or hiking

Via: About.com

Image:medical.philips.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Every birthday is met with a groan, more often than not, when it comes to getting older during the senior years. For most seniors, another year means more things to go wrong, body and mind. But it’s time we stop dreading aging, and take advantage of the benefits it brings, even to our minds. According to Dr. Gene Cohen, author of “Mature Minds”, getting older opens the opportunity for development, creativity and learning:

1. The Midlife Re-evaluation Stage - this stage is about exploration and transition. At this period in your life, start thinking about what you’ll want from your retirement. This is a good time to start dreaming about the future!

2. The Liberation stage - at the beginning of your retirement, once you enter this stage, let go of your inhibitions and start exploring and creating. This is a great time to take on new hobbies, envision what you want for yourself and your life during you retirement, and to make it happen!

3. The Summing up Stage – this stage occurs in the 60s, 70s and 80s and are about reflection and resolution, which is so important at a time when seniors need to accept the changes the aging process brings, and overcome it to ensure that they are successful and happy through the remainder of their lives. It’s also a great time to find new activities that help you to cope, so you have an outlet for the emotional trials you’re dealing with

4. The Encore Stage – it’s not the end, but a new beginning; the perfect time to cope and prepare for what might be ahead and be grateful for what you have

Via: Examiner

Image: guardian.co.uk

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Everyone wants to be healthy into older adulthood, and regardless of your health today, with some simple tips you can ensure that you treat your body and mind right, so that it rewards you with health in your senior years.

1. Combine fiber with water –a diet of fiber with water can help with the digestive process and put limited pressure on the intestines. Fiber and water can also help you to feel full so you don’t overeat. Choose vegetables, whole grains, oats, beans and fiber-filled cereals

2. Sweat it out – don’t be afraid to sweat, the harder you’re working the better the favor you’re doing for your cardiovascular health. Walk everyday for at least 30 minutes, but try to break a real sweat for at least an hour a week

3. Focus on calcium – most older adults require additional calcium in their diets for strong bones and great health. Choose calcium rich foods, but also take chewable calcium supplements

4. Improve balance – to prevent falls, work on improving your balance. Lift dumbbells or try activities like yoga to help build strength and improve posture and balance

5. Step back – time to relax is so important. Take a few minutes, sit back and breathe, whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or not

Via: Real Age

Image: jupiterimages.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

If you’ve lived this long, you probably already know that you need to eat fruits and vegetables to maintain your health. But did you know that the colored vegetables that you choose can make a difference when it comes to maintaining your health because they each have different benefit? Well, if you didn’t, here’s what you need to know to help make healthy food choices.

• Go green – choosing green vegetables can help fend of mascular degeneration which can cause blindness (Lutein, found in hearty greens such as kale, chard, and romaine lettuce can have this result), and prevent cancer through antioxidants found in Vitamin C in greens (i.e. Bell peppers, broccoli, and brussel sprouts). Other green vegetables and fruits that are a great source of nutrition include avocados, green peppers, celery, kiwi fruits, cucumbers, asparagus, and even green apples

• Try orange or yellow produce – Beta-carotene and Vitamin C appear in yellow and orange produce. Choose carrot, sweet potatoes, mangos, apricots, and cantaloupe for beta-carotene which can help prevent Vitamin A deficiency and increase antioxidant intake. Vitamin C is especially present in ripe fruits like papaya, grapefruit, oranges, pineapple, and cantaloupes. Even lemon and lime contain great sources of Vitamin C!

• Choose red for cancer prevention – red and pinkish vegetables can help to prevent cancer with the nutrient lycopene that is present. In addition to preventing cancer lycopene also can slow the hardening of arteries and slow tumor growth. Tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit are great sources of lycopene

• Go dark – darker fruits and vegetables, like shades of blue and purple are a great source of anthocyanin which helps support and improve the vascular system and can help to fight cancer. Many of these fruits and vegetables are also high in fiber. Look for blackberries, blueberries, figs, plums, prunes, eggplants, and raisins.

• Don’t underestimate light produce – shades of tan, brown and yellow may not be as eye-catching, but they play a role in a well-balanced diet. Bananas increase potassium and help prevent calcium loss, ginger boosts the immune system and garlic inhibits cancer

Via: Body and Health

Image: naturalskincaresecrets.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

If you could find out today how long you will live into older adulthood, based on the course of nature, would you want to know? There is no scientifically accurate way to make these predictions today, but there is a quiz that can estimate how long you’ll live based on your current lifestyle, genetic factors and your overall health today.

Everyone hopes for a long, healthy and happy life, but is there such thing as living for too long? After taking the test, a couple of us from Carebuzz believe that in fact, there’s such thing as too long. Our results showed that not only would we live to 100, we’d live past that huge milestone age, and we’re not so sure we want to. It might come from personal experience, having seen loved ones struggle through their 80’s and 90’s; and while we definitely want good health during our senior years, we’d rather it doesn’t result in living quite so long. We haven’t quite settled on the age we would like to make it to, but we’re sure that 100 and beyond isn’t it.

If you took the quiz, tell us how long it predicts that you’re going to live and how you feel about that number. Do you think there’s such thing as living too long into older adulthood?

Source:

livingto100.com

Image: jupiterimages.com

When needing help with aging parents or older adults living in the Chicago area please contact one of our offices -  Home Care Chicago North Side (773) 784-4024, Home Care Chicago Gold Coast and Lincoln Park (773) 463-3500, or Home Care Chicago Downtown, Near West, South Side (312) 348-7238.

Starting next year, Chicago seniors living on a limited, fixed income will find themselves having to watch their budget and spending more than ever because their checks will start getting smaller. For the first time in decades, cost of living adjustments will not be increased, and as premiums for the Medicare Prescription Drug Program will be increased slightly, this means Social Security Benefit checks will get smaller. To survive this reduction on a limited income, seniors need to watch their spending by implementing the following tips:

1. Set a budget: know how much money you have available to spend on a weekly basis, and keep a record of your spending so you ensure that you’re never overspending. Pay in cash, and then deposit any remaining money at the end of the week into a savings account

2. Smart shopping – create a shopping list and buy only what you need. Plan meals around items that are in season, and try out generic brand products over name brands for the savings

3. Think all unnecessary purchases over – instead of buying things you don’t need impulsively, wait 24 hours and think it over. More often than not, you will find that the temptation passes

4. Discounts – clip coupons or shop at stores that offer more discounts. Also be aware of places that offer discounts to senior citizens, like movie theaters, museums, and even grocery and retail stores

Sources:

1. MSNBC

2. Associated Content

Image: jupiterimages.com

Since the Swine Flu pandemic found itself with a number of infected cases over the past months, I’ve become increasingly worried about every cough or sniffle, because as a caregiver, I don’t want to contract a virus like Swine Flu and pass it onto my elderly clients. Speaking to my doctor about my concerns recently, I was made aware that there will be a vaccine available approaching the height of flu season. These details that I was provided certainly helped to ease my mind, and I’m sharing them because I know that like me, other caregivers are thinking about what they can do to protect themselves and their senior care recipients from H1N1:

• Availability – the H1N1 vaccine should be available in fall of 2009 in order to combat formal flu season. Specific dates have not yet been released as they are based on manufacturing

• Production – a Swine Flu vaccine is currently in production, and before being offered to the public, will be involved in clinical trials

• Combined vaccines – the Swine Flu vaccine will be separate from the seasonal flu vaccine. It can be administered at the same time, although since the H1N1 vaccine is likely to be available later in the season, Chicago seniors are encouraged to get the seasonal flu vaccine first

• Age for priority vaccinations – studies have shown that H1N1 is more likely to affect people aged 25 to 64, or those with compromised immune systems due to health issues. The vaccine will be available to these people initially, and older adults over 65 can receive the vaccine after

• Locations – the Swine Flu vaccine will be available in locations that aren’t just your doctor’s office. Vaccination programs will take place in offices, schools, pharmacies, and other private settings

• The 1976 vaccine – the Swine Flu pandemic of 1976 also had a vaccine developed to fight the spread of illness, however, even those vaccinated then should receive the new H1N1 vaccine as the disease is not likely the same

Via: Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Image Source: H1N1 Flu Vaccine