National Senior Citizens Day, August 21, is the day to let seniors know how much you care and it’s an opportunity to recognize their accomplishments. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed this holiday to raise awareness about issues that affect senior citizens and their quality of life. The Administration for Community Living for 2023 is Aging…
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. However, it’s important to respect the heat and take precautions. Sun and heat exposure can be particularly dangerous for seniors. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), older adults may be more at risk of overexposure to heat because…
This is the season when the Brookhouse Home is especially beautiful because of our lovely grounds and gardens. We also benefit from the salt air and sea breezes off of Salem harbor. From our vantage point, we get to watch the schooners and sailboats come and go from the Derby wharf area and see…
On May 3, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new advisory calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country. Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. The Surgeon General warns that disconnection fundamentally…
May marks the 60th anniversary of Older Americans Month. In a proclamation from President Joe Biden this week, he reminded the nation to honor senior citizens, mentioning that seniors have laid the solid foundation for the country we are today. He notes that it is our responsibility to ensure our Nation’s seniors can age with…
Stress and the Elderly: April is Stress Awareness Month. Many older Americans are facing extremely stressful circumstances— and may encounter emotionally stressful situations that are more severe and occur more frequently. Some situational causes of increased chronic stress in older adults include: Retirement Loss of a loved one Heart disease Too much unstructured time Declining…
An extraordinary 85-year-long Harvard research study found that retirees don’t miss working, they miss the people, and it is one of the biggest challenges in retirement for seniors. The study began in 1938 by gathering health records from 724 people from all over the world, asking detailed questions about their lives at two-year intervals over…
March is Women’s History Month! With women aged 60 and over now outnumbering men by over 7 million in the U.S., aging is truly a women’s issue. This month, we celebrate our seniors for the contributions they’ve made as women in our society. It is also more important than ever to understand that historically women…
The belief that aging seniors can maintain their independence by staying in their homes or “aging-in-place” is changing. This is in part because so many seniors are aging alone. Additionally, older adults cope with age-related limitations like untreated hearing loss, mobility impairments and being unable to drive. Because of this, they face a combination of…
On January 20th this past week, a report came across our evening news that made us all sit up and listen. A nine year study by Johns Hopkins researchers found that socially isolated older adults have a 27% higher chance of developing dementia than older adults who aren’t, meaning dementia and social isolation are related.…