It’s no secret that as we age, we begin to need more assistance to lead happy and healthy lives. Despite the common misconception, long term care is not just placement into a nursing facility. Long-term care is a multifaceted process that includes not only health, but supportive and personal care services.

Creative Aging Series: Chocolate for the Brain

Engaging in creative, sensory stimulating activities engages and renews fundamental cognitive functions. This is true throughout the human lifespan but is especially important in our later years.

Creative Aging Series - Part 1

The term Creative Aging is not referring to the increasing creative care options the aging industry is offering to those lucky enough to be able to afford them. Creative Aging refers to a movement based on the work of Gene D. Cohen, MD, PhD, founder of The Center on Aging, Health & Humanities (The Center) at The George Washington University in 1994 and pioneer in the field of gerontology long before the field formally existed.

Four Key Vaccines for Seniors

A tetrad of vaccines are super important to consider for the greatest protection against potentially serious infections as we age: Influenza (flu) vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccine to prevent pneumonia, Shingles vaccine, and Tetanus-diptheria-pertussis vaccine (Tdap)

The Uniqueness of Male Caregivers

When you picture a family caregiver of an older adult, who comes to mind? Historically, women have been the lead caregivers of families, whether caring for young children or aging parents. This is changing.

Healthy Aging and Dimensions of Wellness

What is the hallmark of successful aging? Is it freedom from disease? An active social life? Being cognitively engaged? Or is it a combination of factors? Turns out there are many dimensions of wellness that we need to focus on in order to age healthy and well.

The Importance of Providing Person-Centered Care

Person-centered care is a way of giving care that honors the individual who is receiving the care. It speaks to who that person is, their abilities, unique preferences, experiences, and life history, and uses these things to guide how care is given.

The Glass Half Full: Focusing on What has Not Been Lost and the Positives of Aging

When an elder and their loved one is faced with a challenging diagnosis or if they are simply on the journey of aging, it can be very easy to focus on what has been lost. They begin to feel a loss of control and independence and often pine for “the good old days.” It is so important to bring back those good old days and provide elders with positive experiences in ways in which they can still be set up for success.

How to help seniors who are hoarders?

Hoarding is the compulsive need to find and keep objects, animals, or trash regardless of their value. In order to help an older adult with hoarding, one first needs to understand what hoarding is and what it looks like. Hoarding is not having a few collectibles within the home. Hoarding is when individuals, in this case seniors, have a compulsive need to find and keep objects, animals, or trash regardless of their value.

The temperatures are heating up in Northern Virginia. Is your loved one prepared? Here are some helpful tips and tricks to help stay cool and hydrated this summer:

If an elder is unable to track fluid consumption, it can be tricky to monitor. Having support with caregiver services, community settings or frequent visitors can make a big difference. Water bottles and pitchers are a great way to track how much water is being consumed each day. Some water bottles might have lines or motivational reminders to show how many fluid ounces one has drank so far. It may also be helpful to track how many water bottles one goes through per day/week.

The Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force defines elder fraud as an act of targeting older adults in attempts to deceive them with promises of goods, services, or financial benefits that do not exist, were never intended to be provided, or were misrepresented. According to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, older adults lose around $2.9 billion per year in financial fraud and scams. Scammers use very convincing stories that sound legitimate, making it easy for anyone to become a target of their scam.

Music is one of the only activities that uses and stimulates the entire brain at the same time. There are numerous benefits through engagement in music therapy services by a board-certified music therapist.