Eating can be challenging for many seniors, with taste, lifestyle and physical difficulties making it harder to focus on nutrition. But a proper diet is crucial to keeping energy levels up, health in check, and making it possible for seniors to live out their every whim and dream during their retirement. If you make your diet a priority, and consider the following tips, you can make the most out of older adulthood:

1. Eat raw foods – some nutrients can be best digested when in raw form and they are rich in fiber. Make sure that at least one of your daily servings of vegetables are consumed raw either on their own or in a salad

2. Choose whole grain carbs – unprocessed carbs that are whole grain provide energy , choose brown rice, and whole grain breads and pasta. White carbohydrates are starchy and can make you feel tired and bloated

3. Stick to lean proteins – limit red meat and instead go with lean sources of protein like poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts which will give you the fuel to get through you day and are also very health conscious

4. Incorporate low fat dairy items into your diet – calcium is crucial for senior health so drink low fat milk, and make sure you stock up on yogurt and cheese

5. Don’t avoid all fat – there are some good fats that should be part of your diet; make sure you get the positive benefits of healthy fats and oils through olive oil, avocados and nuts

6. Stay hydrated – remember to drink plenty of water and choose foods that have a lot of water content

Via: HelpGuide

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228

A breast cancer diagnosis can be worse than fighting the disease itself for many seniors. As friends and family, you can provide support throughout the process and the emotional and physical changes that your loved one will undergo in the following 6 ways:

1. Just listen – you don’t need to try and provide advice, especially if you haven’t lived a similar experience.  Just listen, lend them your presence and your ear so they feel they have the support of someone

2. Support with facts – instead of giving advice, do some research about the disease and provide the facts about treatment options, support groups that are available and other resources that could help

3. Support their decisions – no matter what your loved one decides through the treatment and coping process with breast cancer, support it

4. Don’t play a role – not knowing how to deal with someone with breast cancer sometimes causes people to act unusually. Simply be yourself, you’ll appear more genuine than if you try to play a role

5. Make a support network – have other friends and family members come together to extend their support so your loved one with breast cancer knows there are others there for her

6. Laugh and have fun – there might be a grieving process after a breast cancer diagnosis, but keep up the fun activities. Laughter really is the best medicine, so create enjoyable and memorable situations

Sources:

1. SheKnows.com

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228

Many seniors dream of cruising the high seas later on in life, and while some may get a vacation in here or there, it’s not reality for them to do it full time. Floating Retirement Cities like the Alegria, which has a permanent home in Cape Canaveral, Florida, offers seniors an affordable way to travel, and live in luxury! Some of the main features are outlined below:

• 100 staterooms are available on the ship that are between 160 and 340 square feet and come fully furnished like a typical cruise ship

• The cost is between $159,000 and $399,000 for each room, plus a monthly maintenance fee, just like at a land-based condo

• The maintenance fee covers weekly housekeeping, all meals on the ship, a local country club membership, port fees, and a shuttle

• Each month the ship takes a trip to another vacation destination. On a monthly basis it travels to closer areas like the Bahamas, and once a year ventures farther out to sea to Central America or into the Caribbean

• 12 guest rooms are available to guests of the residents, at no cost and include all meals

Tell us what you think; would taking up permanent residence on a cruise ship be too much of a good thing?

Sources:

1. Let Life In

2. Homes for NH

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228

Once the children have left home to begun lives of their own, many older adults find themselves wondering what’s next. As parents, we go through decades where our daily existence is focused upon the well-being of the children, and filling the void once they’re gone is necessary to avoid empty nester’s syndrome:

1. Take time to yourself – while your life might have been about everyone else previously while caring for children, a spouse and a household, as an empty nester, appreciate and take advantage of the quiet. Enjoy the time you have to yourself instead of allowing it to remind you what you no longer have

2. Make new connections – finding yourself with an empty nest can feel lonely, so fill the void by reconnecting with family members and friends, and making new ones by joining social groups and activities available in Phoenix

3. Renew marriage vows – it might feel like your life has been all about the children for decades, but reconnect with your loved one and renew your  vows to remind each other what brought you together in the first place!

4. Do something meaningful – being a parent is one of the most meaningful jobs , and finding a way to fill that void after the children have left home is a challenge. Do something else that makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something important; volunteer somewhere you can make a difference!

5. Get out there – with new found time on your hands, achieve the things you never had time to in the past. You can travel or take on a new hobby.

Via: Let Life In

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228

No one looks forward to their mammograms, and there’s a part of every single one of us who would rather not know if we have a disease that can be life threatening. But breast cancer screening is crucial to the health of our bodies and our minds, and since October is breast cancer awareness month, there’s no better time than now to have a mammogram done if you haven’t already.

If you’re a senior who has never had their breast cancer screening completed, here’s what you can expect from the process:

1. When dressing the day of the mammogram, avoid applying deodorant, talcum powder, or any other heavily scented items that can be irritating to others, or that could affect the imaging. Also wear a 2 piece outfit.

2. When arriving at the imaging office, you will be asked for copies of previous mammograms, if they do not have them already, and will also ask you to fill out a form with your medical records

3. Upon going into have the mammogram done, you will be asked to remove jewellery and clothing that can interfere with the procedure, including your shirt and bra, and any other clothing you have on above the waist

4. To prepare for the mammogram itself, one breast at a time will be placed on an imaging cassette and will be compressed with a paddle so that the maximum amount of breast tissue is visible on the image

5. The image will be taken and then the process will be repeated with the other breast

6. The images will be examined, not for results but to ensure they are effective. Typically, you will be allowed to get dressed and wait to find out if you are able to leave, or if more images are needed

7. The images and results will be returned for your doctor for review

Sources:

1. About.com 

2. Imaginis 

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228

What could be better than waking up every day in a new, beautiful destination somewhere in the world? If this sounds like your dream retirement, it can be a reality. That is, if you’ve got $2 to $10 million to invest in a suite on board a ship like the Residential Cruise Line. Living onboard a ship can take some adjusting, but with these tips, you can enjoy your dream retirement!

1. Pack products for seasickness – although large cruise ships do offer stability, be prepared for rough seas and before going aboard, talk to your doctor about medications or products that can help with sea sickness.

2. Pack wisely – remember, you might not have as much space for your wardrobe, so choose key items for your cruise ship suite, and make sure you have something for every occasion.

3. Think about how much you’ll be there – you can purchase a property that’s just for you on a floating community or choose one that’s shared if you still intend on staying at a primary residence for part of the year.

4. If it seems pricey, think about what you’d spend on travel – if you plan on taking trips annually, those costs can add up. Think about what you’ll spend annually, and remember, by investing in a property like this, your travel costs are virtually always covered and it tours the high seas worldwide.

Via: TrendHunter 

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228

Young children don’t necessarily know how to express their support when someone they love is struggling with breast cancer, but a great way to do it is with a product that supports breast cancer awareness. Simply giving a grandparent a gift that represents the appreciation for their fight can mean the most, and act as a reminder everyday as to how much they’re loved. Here are some ideas for breast cancer awareness gifts for grandparents.

1. Breast cancer awareness t-shirts: you don’t need to participate in an event with giveaways to receive a breast cancer awareness t-shirt. Buy one for a friend or loved one to honor their fight against breast cancer. T-shirts are available that take a light-hearted perspective to the disease and others are sentimental. Choose something that you know will mean the most to the recipient, although the gesture in itself will have the greatest meaning

2. Ribbon magnets – buying a magnet for someone who has survived breast cancer can allow them to put it on their fridge and be reminded everyday that their fight against the disease is appreciated by the people who love them. Even those who are still going through the fight will fight harder to survive if they know they are supported

3. Coffee Cups for breast cancer awareness – coffee cups can be used year-round, and like magnets, can remind recipients about the fight they’ve undergone and let them know that there’s someone to help them contribute to awareness and support towards a cure

4. Lapel pin – unlike other clothing items for breast cancer awareness, a lapel pin can be worn with any dress code, including office wear. If you purchase a lapel pin for someone who has gone through the fight against breast cancer, they can wear the accessory to show their support everywhere they go

Via: Associated Content

Image: giftsforyounow.com

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228

Some experts in the field of art therapy claim that seniors can only benefit from creative activities when they’re lead by trained specialists. Art is art no matter where or how it’s done, and whether or not the benefits to the body and mind are as extensive when the creative process takes place at home with the assistance of a family member or caregiver, the benefits still exist. Follow these tips to bring art therapy home to your senior:

1. Choose activities suitable to the senior’s level of mobility – although skill really doesn’t play a role in the benefits of artistic expression and seniors, you don’t want to make the experience frustrating for them. Keep a senior’s physical abilities in mind when choosing an activity.

2. Make activities challenging – age doesn’t mean seniors are less capable of creation. Don’t choose activities that are too simple, like those you’d give to a child.

3. Create a quiet environment – to receive the best possible benefits from a creative activity, seniors need a quiet environment where they can simply focus on creating. An area free from distraction will help set the tone for the creative process

4. Think about long-term projects – a quick craft that can be finished in a couple of hours won’t have the same benefits as one that extends over a period of time. Choosing an activity that seniors can think about and go back to day after day will really get the creative juices flowing

5. Work together – remember, even if you’re working on an art project together, don’t take over and don’t try to lead; it’s not about the end result of the creation, it’s about the journey along the way

Sources:

1. Washington Post

2. My Optum Health

3. Associated Content

Image: castrell.com

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228

How Seniors Find Success Living in the Suburbs

The suburbs, a place for young families walking babies in strollers, playing soccer in the park, and playing fetch with their dogs…and grandma sitting on her rocker on the front porch with a cup of tea? Okay, so that’s playing a little bit into a senior stereotype, but the bottom line is that while you might not expect to see seniors living independently in the suburbs, however today seniors 75 and older make up about half of the population. Surviving in the suburbs as a senior does take some adaptation, when communities are typically designed for young families, but with these tips, all seniors can find success living in the suburbs:

1. Address financial restraints – consider a reverse mortgage to fund any additional financial needs of the home like maintenance, renovations, or any remaining amount on a mortgage loan

2. Make the home safe – suburban homes aren’t necessarily designed for senior living. They are often 2 stories, and are not compatible with those who need to use wheel chairs or other assistive devices. To make the home accessible and safe, install safety bars and hand-rails, improve the lighting in the home, and have ramps or other assistive devices incorporated into the home as needed

3. Get help – for older adults, keeping up with the routine maintenance of a home can be challenging, but that doesn’t need to be a reason to give it up. Hire services to clean and keep up with the yard work, or get an in-home caregiver to cook and provide basic assistance with other tasks as needed

4. Look into transportation – walking to get to shops and other areas in the suburbs may not be convenient. Seniors who don’t drive can use transportation services available, or hire a caregiver that can help them get around

Via: CSA Connections

Image: seniorcarehomesmidwest.com

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228