Month: June 2024
This month as we celebrate Pride, we at Aging Wisdom want to highlight some meaningful moments our Creative Engagement Specialists have had connecting with our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) older adult clients through tailored, personalized engagement. …
What is stress? A common definition is “physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension.” Another popular definition is “a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” (For more information, visit The American Institute of Stress).
Stress is a ubiquitous part of life, impacting each of us differently. It’s the body’s normal response to change or a threat. Too much stress, especially if chronic, can impact mental health and overall well-being. …
Do you feel defensive when your kids visit? Notice them exchanging knowing glances when you don’t recall a date or name?
Perhaps you feel reluctant to approach them when you do have concerns, because they overreact. So you keep your distance. That isn’t good, either.
It’s a fine line between feeling that your adult children love you and want to protect you, and feeling smothered or even invalidated by them in terms of your competence and self-sufficiency.
Noted geriatrician and author Atul Gawande, MD, observes that while adult children worry most about safety, older adults worry about autonomy and independence. Put another way: Adult children think in terms of “caring for.” Older adults prefer to be “cared about.”
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Research supports how small, manageable lifestyle changes can be powerful, lasting ways to improve brain health and reduce your risk of developing dementia. It is never too late to start.
You have likely adopted many of these healthy habits already. Congratulations and keep up the good work! Any change you make to positively impact brain health will also benefit your physical, emotional, mental, and cognitive health. And who doesn’t want to feel better? …