Author: Keri Pollock
This is the second article in a series that explores the 14 modifiable lifestyle factors identified by the Lancet Commission that could reduce your risk of dementia. Click here to read about how physical activity benefits your brain (and heart).
Two frequently overlooked conditions – vision loss and hearing loss – are risk factors for dementia that are common, easy to screen for, and potentially treatable. …
PLEASE NOTE: We use pseudonyms and other narrative elements in our stories and case examples to safeguard the identities and privacy of our clients.
September is Healthy Aging Month – a time to celebrate the joys and possibilities that come with growing older. It’s also an opportunity to discover ways to support well-being at every stage of life.
Healthy aging is about more than our physical health. It includes nurturing our mental, intellectual, creative, and social well-being.
September is also Aging Wisdom’s 23rd birthday!
We have learned a lot from our clients over the years; they are our best teachers. We’d like to share so of the valuable lessons we’ve gathered from them, supported by research, about how to Live Well, Care Well, and Age Well in celebration of Health Aging Month and our birthday. …
September is Healthy Aging Month (and Aging Wisdom’s Birthday)Read More »
We still don’t know what causes many dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, but studies continue to provide evidence of modifiable risk factors across the lifespan that could potentially prevent or delay the progress of nearly half of dementia cases.
Non-modifiable risk factors are age, genetics, and family history. Modifiable risk factors include lifestyle, certain health conditions, environmental exposure, and social elements.
In 2024, the Lancet Commission released an encouraging report addressing 14 specific modifiable risk factors, providing evidence-based findings about prevention, intervention, and care. Nearly half of all dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed by addressing these 14 modifiable risk factors. …
Neither age nor health should keep you from going on a vacation. With some thoughtful planning, a trip with family and friends or to visit specific destinations can be a joy.
As Aging Life Care Professionals®, we can assist individuals and families in planning for travel success and use our experience to help clients anticipate and address potential obstacles. …
Travel Tips for Older Adults with Health ConsiderationsRead More »
Acronyms and abbreviations are abundant in Aging Life Care. Whether you are an older adult or a family care partner, it’s helpful to become familiar with and understand these terms. In this article we look at two that are used frequently: ADLs and IADLs. …
Sarah never learned to downhill ski, but now that she’s retired, she felt it was time. Her grandkids are avid skiers, and they’ve been asking her for years to enjoy the sport with them. Of course, Sarah’s grands are hitting more advanced ski runs while she’s mastering the snowplow and other skills on the bunny hill. But eventually, with patience, planning, and practice, she knows she’ll be able to join them.
Sarah applied a similar approach to planning for her own aging. Having barely survived the “nightmare,” as she calls it, of trying to navigate her parents aging journey without the benefit of planning, she wanted to avoid a similar trajectory with her own family.
At the encouragement of a friend, Sarah engaged Aging Wisdom for a Proactive Planning consultation. …
What is your role at Aging Wisdom? Director of Marketing and Communications
What made you want to work in the field of aging? …
My friend Betsy Fitzgerald, care partner to a lung transplant survivor with metastatic cancer, recently shared an update: “I’ve been mending my life, Kintsugi, patching broken pieces together. It is not easy; some pieces are sharp edged, some not quite fitting, some missing. We do the best we can.”
Her role as a care partner comes with recognizing the need for self-care. And part of self-care has been acknowledging her need for “patching,” hence the Kintsugi reference.
Kintsugi is a Japanese art form that teaches us to repair the broken pieces, making us stronger and more resilient than before. It can symbolize hope, healing, and lead to a new kind of beauty. How might we apply the art of Kintsugi to the caregiver journey? …
It’s Falls Prevention Week, an opportunity to refresh our knowledge of falls risk and how best to prevent them.
Why is this important? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the most common reason for visits to the emergency department (ED), as well as the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older Americans. More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls.
This should give us all pause. …
Falls Prevention: Prioritize exercise, vision, and honest conversationsRead More »
Tai Chi. Spanish conversation. Tie-dye workshop. Forest therapy guided walks. Community dining. Line dancing. Haircuts. Social media class. Needle arts. Memory loss program. Zumba. Scrabble. Song Circle. Jewelry making. Caregivers support group. Computer lab. Watercolor painting. Pinochle. Foot care. Yoga. Men’s Group. Medicare counseling. Mah Jongg. Dental hygiene clinic. Improv. Ukelele song group. Book club. Acupuncture…and more!
Where are all these programs, activities, events, and services happening? At your local senior center!
September is National Senior Center Month, an invitation to challenge outdated perceptions of aging and senior centers and explore this year’s theme of Powering Possibilities: Flip the Script. …