Take Small Steps to Improve Heart Health

By Leslee Jaquette, guest blogger

Just taking baby steps toward heart health is a big step toward better overall health, says the American Heart Association (AHA) website. Kari Richie, health and fitness director at Springmoor, a senior living community in Raleigh, N.C., echoes that sentiment with an example.

“A 93-year-old resident scores off the charts for fitness because she is always walking and participating in cardio-aqua and walking with weights classes,” says Kari. “In the Up & Go test (stand up and walk 10-feet around a cone) she scored 5.4 seconds – that’s in the 90th percentile for her age!”

While not all of us can be poster athletes for our age group, we can improve our heart health by taking certain measures, including building up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise every day.

Skin Health: Top 10 Tips Seniors Should Follow

By Anne Gill, guest blogger

Polar vortex, artic blasts, plunging temps—it’s enough to make your skin crawl and certainly dry out. For seniors, colder weather combined with a loss of elasticity and fat in the skin and a decrease in oil and sweat production can spell trouble.

Wayne Xue, M.D., board certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon, sees more patients with dry, itchy skin during winter. “Cold weather and less humidity can lead to dry skin and subsequently lead to dermatitis or eczema,” cautions Dr. Xue. On the bright side, winter months can be a time for pampering. To keep your skin in top-notch condition, check out these 10 ways to fight winter’s harsh effects.

Avoiding the Blues in the Season of Red and Green

By Nicole Jovel, guest blogger

Ann Burnside Love’s Top 10 list to help seniors beat the winter blues

It’s wintertime and though some might call it “the most wonderful time of the year,” many seniors experience some level of winter blues. Fewer hours of sunshine, longer hours of darkness, and the potential for snow and ice can leave people in hibernation mode. When you find yourself more lethargic than usual or experience a general drop in mood, turn to Ann’s list of tips for beating the winter blues:

A Senior’s Guide to Battling Holiday Bulge

By Leslee Jaquette, guest blogger

I recently lost control at the first Thanksgiving buffet, gorging myself on turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy as well as three kinds of berry pie with real, whipped cream!

After my first holiday celebration, I –a personal trainer with credentials in senior fitness -- am already sporting the proverbial one to five pounds many people gain (and never lose) as a result of seasonal stuffing!

But now with one food overdose under my belt, I’m going to use some common sense ideas to maintain my weight. Nhayomee Perez, fitness expert with Future Fitness, a partner with Cadbury Senior Lifestyles, Cherry Hill, will also share tips she uses to coach participants through the holidays at the Cherry Hill, New Jersey, continuing care retirement community.

From “For Sale” to “Sold” — Selling Your Home in Winter

By Sarah Koons, guest blogger

It’s almost winter and the weather outside is frightful, but living in a senior community is so delightful! If you are considering moving into a retirement community, but own a home, don’t let Jack Frost deter you from proceeding with your plans. With the help of experienced retirement community professionals, realtors and supportive family members, the process of selling your home in winter can become not only doable, but mark the beginning of a new chapter of your life. Fortunately, there are many things senior homeowners can do to increase the salability of their home in the winter months.

Passing Thanks: When to Give Your Possessions to Loved Ones

By Anne Gill, guest blogger

We all know Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and gather with friends and family. For seniors looking to downsize, it’s also a perfect time to pass on meaningful possessions or purge unwanted paraphernalia.

“Many of us live in homes with an attic, basement and one-to-two levels of living space, not to mention a shed in the backyard,” says Margit Novack, president of Moving Solutions, a senior move management company. Tack on 40 years of living in one dwelling, and the thought of excavating these spaces becomes overwhelming.

Budgeting Your Time (and Energy) for the Holidays

By Nicole Jovel, guest blogger

“My head could just buzz with all the things I’d like to do for my family,” said Ann Burnside Love as she thought about the upcoming holiday season. But Ann, founder and chair of Love & Company and resident of a suburban Maryland retirement community, has a plan. “Holidays require lead time and pacing,” she said. Her plan is to think ahead, review her calendar, and pencil in down time to counterbalance the hustle and bustle of the season. “I occasionally have ‘crash days’ where I don’t get dressed, catch up on the newspaper and listen to music all day. I might read a book with my feet up and order in the wonderful food they have on hand in my community so I don’t have to go anywhere,” Ann said.