Dance your Heart Out to Combat Aging

The Best Parts About Growing Old

One common theme within Denver retirement communities is the sense of optimism and energy that residents have about getting older. It's inspiring to be around individuals who love to live and who continue to practice and learn new skills or hobbies. There is much to learn from the older generations, and learning to love growing old is one of these great lessons. 

10 Best Things About Growing Old

Best Things About Growing Old

Here’s a list of 10 great aspects of aging — from the financial perks that come with turning 65, to the personal insights that come with decades of experience:

1. A Happier Outlook

It may surprise some, but studies show that seniors are among the happiest groups of people, and that they are significantly more happy than their middle-aged counterparts.

The author of a study on the subject, Dr. Saverio Stranges, says, “This could be due to better coping abilities. Older people tend to have internal mechanisms to deal better with hardship or negative circumstances than those who are younger.” Another reason seniors may also be happier is because age means that they are “more comfortable being themselves.”

2. Grandchildren

American writer Gore Vidal once joked, “Never have children, only grandchildren.” Grandparents often get to experience the joys of little children without the diaper changes and sleepless nights. Grandparents love their grandchildren, and this love lightens their own heart while simultaneously benefiting the grandchildren who receive this love.

Dr. Karl Pillemer. who studies aging and intergenerational relationships, is a firm believer in the importance of the relationship between children and their grandparents. He notes that, “Research shows children need four to six involved, caring adults in their lives to fully develop emotionally and socially” and that “the grandparent/grandchild relationship is second in emotional importance only to the parent/child relationship.”

3. More Time for Loved Ones

Retirement isn’t inherently joyful or relaxing — it’s how that time is used that makes it special.

One of the best parts of retirement is spending time with family, friends and other loved ones.

4. Opportunity to Pursue Your Dreams

Victorian novelist George Elliot wrote, “It’s never too late to be what you might have become.” The time gained during retirement is an excellent opportunity to pursue dreams and passions that you might have put on hold.

For instance, you can learn a new language, take that trip you’ve always dreamed of, or write the novel in your head that’s been waiting to get out.

5. Participation in Civics and Volunteering

Growing old provides a sense of broader perspective, and it often makes people inclined to focus much of their efforts and energy towards bettering society and creating a better world for future generations.

In addition to spending time with loved ones and pursuing passions and personal dreams, retired seniors have more time to be civically and politically involved, and they do just that.

For example, people over aged 65 vote at a higher rate than any other age group according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. They also volunteer at a high rate. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported that one in four U.S. seniors 65+ actively volunteered during 2015.

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Cognitive Functionality May Be Related to Visual Impairment

Visual impairment among older adults associated with poor cognitive function

The number of individuals in the U.S. with vision problems is anticipated to double by 2050. Visual dysfunction and poor cognition are highly prevalent among older adults; however, the relationship is not well defined. Suzann Pershing, M.D., M.S., of the Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, Calif., and colleagues conducted an analysis of two national data sets, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 1999-2002, and the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), 2011-2015, to examine the association of measured and self-reported visual impairment (VI) with cognition in older US adults.

The NHANES included 2,975 respondents, ages 60 years and older, who completed a test measuring cognitive performance. The NHATS included 30, 202 respondents ages 65 years and older with dementia status assessment. The researchers found that VI was significantly associated with worse cognitive function after adjusting for demographics, health, and other factors. These findings were most pronounced for visual acuity measured at distance and by self-report.

Medical research and improvement is something very relevant to any aging adult. Since it is part of the aging process, being as educated as possible can help in improving different areas of life as we all get older. Cognitive function is relevant to senior living in Denver and can be improved upon as more research becomes available. 

Read the full article here: Visual impairment among older adults associated with poor cognitive function http://bit.ly/2weV8Q8

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Reversing Retirement Norms

Retirement seems to have been redefined a bit within the past few years. Retirement aged adults are finding they want to spend their time going back to work instead of lounging on the beach. Being able to explore new skills while in independent living is inspiring and motivational to many.

More Older Women in the Workforce

Retirement trends reversing as boomers age

Countering earlier trends of older women not participating in the workforce, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) now projects that by 2024, women over 65 will make up roughly the same percentage of the female workforce as older men do of the male workforce. Additionally, BLS predicts that twice as many women over 55 will be in the labor force as women ages 16-24, Quartz reports.

Overall, labor force participation rates ticked up between 1950 and 2000, but older workers steadily dropped. These trends have now reversed, particularly for older women, who are working at higher rates than ever. Women age 65 and over are projected to make up 25 percent of the female labor force in 2024, while older men are projected to make up 21 percent of the male labor force.

Workers delaying retirement

"Older workers are staying in the labor force longer, including going to another job after retiring from their 'career job,' "  Teri Morisi, the BLS branch chief for the Division of Occupational Employment Projections, tells AARP. There are a number of reasons behind this trend, Morisi says, including the fact that "people are living longer, wish to remain healthy and active, and need the income to live to higher ages." 

Read the full article here: Increase in Older Women in the U.S. Workforce - AARP http://bit.ly/2vNVKeS

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Keep Your Brain Healthy with a Healthy Diet

We all know how important food is to our overall health, now there are connections directly to our brain health. Many people in Colorado choose to be very aware of the food they eat, this can be relatively easy with some basic tips and knowledge. We encourage and provide healthy options to Denver nursing home residents. 

New Study Shows More Links Between Diet and Brain Health

Improving nutrition even slightly can have a positive effect

An important new study released today in London conclusively links diet and Alzheimer’s disease, providing even more evidence that you can protect your brain by watching what you eat. 

As the Alzheimer Association’s International Conference kicks off in the U.K., researchers revealed that following either a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet or its close cousin, the MIND diet (see details below), can reduce future cognitive impairment by up to 35 percent.

Although earlier studies had linked heart-healthy diets to better cognitive function, today’s study, by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, is important for having the size (6,000 adults who participated in the Health and Retirement survey) and type of subjects (cognitively healthy at the start) to conclusively link diet and Alzheimer’s and “make the results quite generalizable to a broader group,” says lead researcher Claire McEvoy.

And while the two diets studied vary slightly — the main difference stems from MIND’s bigger emphasis on leafy green vegetables and its restriction on all fruit but berries — McEvoy says focusing on particular foods is not the point. “The diets as a whole seem to have the greatest benefit. Foods and nutrients seem to work together to provide the benefits.” As for how healthy choices like spinach and blueberry salads work their brain-saving magic, ideas vary. “It could be that they reduce inflammation, which has been strongly implicated with cognitive decline,” McEvoy says. Or, she adds, the diets' power could be related to “the profound positive effect that a high-quality diet has on the vascular system,” which in turn affects brain health.

The MIND Diet

1. Whole grains: Eat at least three servings a day of things like whole wheat, oats and brown rice. And consider the MIND diet your license to eat carbs — of a certain stripe. Processed white flour is a no-no, and sweets and pastries are pretty much verboten. 

2. Leafy green vegetables: The MIND diet kicks the veggie requirement up a notch from the Mediterranean plan, recommending a salad plus one other vegetable every day. 

3. Wine: You get a glass a day, though you are instructed to consume your Pinot only with dinner. 

4. Nuts: Your go-to snack. Opt for about a handful of unsalted almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts, varieties that McEvoy notes are especially high in fiber, vitamins and the omega-3 fatty acids that some have hypothesized fight the inflammation that may compromise brain health.  

5. Fish: You should eat omega-3-rich catch once a week, or possibly more. The results of a separate Nordic diet, also released at the Alzheimer's Association conference today, indicate even greater cognitive protection from a diet especially rich in fish like salmon. 

Read the full article here: New Study Connection Between Diet and Alzheimer’s - AARP http://bit.ly/2wfsnQc

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Seniors Who Volunteer Notice Health Benefits

Volunteering is important at any age, and seniors who still have to ability to participate are seeing increased health benefits. We like to encourage residents at Denver retirement communities to volunteer as much as they can. It is a great way to stay active and social! 

Health Benefits Reported Among Senior Corps Volunteers 

Volunteers age 55 and over serve hundreds of thousands of people in their communities through Senior Corps programs. Now new research shows that the volunteers themselves are enjoying health benefits after just one year of service, including decreases in anxiety and depression, loneliness and social isolation. They also report enhanced physical capacity and higher life satisfaction.

Senior Corps is led by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency for service, volunteering and civic engagement. To look at the health benefits of volunteering for older adults, CNCS launched two longitudinal studies in 2015 that assess the impact of service on their Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs. Researchers found:

• Almost two-thirds of Senior Corps volunteers reported a decrease in feelings of isolation, and 67 percent of those who first reported they “often” lack companionship stated that they had improved social connections. 
• Seventy percent of volunteers who initially reported five or more symptoms of depression reported fewer symptoms at the end of the first year.
• Sixty-three percent of volunteers who initially indicated three or four symptoms of depression reported fewer symptoms after one year. 

"These preliminary findings support a larger body of research that highlights the positive impact of volunteering, particularly for older adults, and are a valuable addition to the conversation on healthy aging," CNCS spokesperson Samantha Jo Warfield tells AARP. "Senior Corps volunteers are deeply dedicated to the communities they serve, spending 15-40 hours a week committed to a single organization, often for several years, developing intensive and ongoing relationships with those they serve."

Read the full article here: Health Benefits Reported Among Senior Corps Volunteers - AARP http://bit.ly/2eQSOY4

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Soak Up the Sun, Safely

New study shows people misapply sunscreen to their faces, leaving them exposed

When it comes to proper sunscreen application, the most commonly neglected part of your body is as plain as the nose on your face. In fact, it is your face. An important aspect of independent living in Denver is being prepared and educated about the intense sun here in Colorado. 

According to a recent British study from researchers at the University of Liverpool, people miss approximately 10 percent of their face when applying sunscreen. The most commonly missed area is around the eyes — specifically the eyelids, where as many as 10 percent of all skin cancers occur. In the study, 57 people were asked to apply sunscreen to their faces according to their normal routine. Researchers then used an ultraviolet camera to scan their faces to see which parts were adequately covered with sunscreen and which were not.

On average, the subjects left just under 10 percent of their face without protection, and 13.5 percent of their eyelid area unprotected. In addition to the eyelids, the most frequently missed spot was the inner eye corners. Fully 77 percent of those studied missed the area between the bridge of the nose and the eyes.

What's more, even after being informed of the results and asked to reapply sunscreen to their face, those surveyed still left nearly 8 percent of their face exposed.

“It's worrying that people find it so hard to sufficiently apply sunscreen to their face, an area which is particularly at risk of skin cancer due to the amount of sun exposure it receives," said Kevin Hamill, a researcher in the Liverpool study.

The reminder to carefully apply sunscreen to your face is especially important during the hot summer months. According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Skin cancer in its most common forms — basal and squamous cell carcinomas — most often appear on areas of the body that are frequently exposed to the sun, including your head, face and neck.

Doctors say the sensitive skin on the eyelids is particularly susceptible to skin cancer. It doesn't help that the directions on some bottles of sunscreen warn against applying to the eye area, or that many people find sunscreen dripping into their eyes on a hot, sweaty day to be a nuisance. In addition to ignoring any labels that recommend against applying sunscreen to your eye areas (slather away, docs say), physicians also say sunglasses offer valuable protection.

Read the full article here: Study Finds Lack of Proper Sunscreen Use - AARP http://bit.ly/2gNFJ2l

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