Pet therapy has been shown to benefit seniors by improving depression and anxiety symptoms, increasing self-care and even improving heart-health. Getting older can be very lonely and as people get older, their needs change. Pets are a great source in finding both companionship and comfort, which benefits seniors in countless ways!

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There are few lives that aren’t touched by friendship in some way or another. Some people have lifelong friends, others pick up friends along the way, and some are brought together by the tragedies of life that turn into sweet serendipity. The latter is true for two of our residents; Lynn Black and Cathy Ford.

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Think back to one of your favorite songs. What memories are associated with that song and how does it make you feel?

Turns out that music can help keep your brain younger and fitter.

In fact, recent studies have been done to see how listening to music affects the brain. Music is very mathematical, and the ways the notes connect force your brain to do some serious computing for us to perceive sound waves of what we call “music”.

Whether you enjoy listening to music or playing it, both have enormous benefits, especially for older adults, and can help your brain stay sharp. Sound is so vital to our existence that even as we are in the process of passing away, or on hospice care, our hearing is the last sense of ours to go.

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Retirement can change many things in your life – hopefully for the better! You have more free time, you’re able to relax and have less responsibilities. As all of these aspects are shifting in your life, you may find yourself re-thinking how you will be celebrating the holidays.

While a move to a retirement community is certain to change some family traditions, it can be a great time to reconsider the things your family has been doing for years. The holiday time is stressful enough, so this can present an opportunity to eliminate “stuff” and truly value each other’s presence, spending more time together rather than lose time by all of the typical holiday to-do lists.

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Anna Quindlen, an American author, journalist and opinion columnist once wrote, “The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have.”

You have been patient, worked diligently and saved your whole life for retirement, so now that it’s here and life is short, what will you do? For many, this is a time to explore and see the world and for the first time in your life, you have the time to go where you want and to do what you want. As you get older, you realize the value in experiences and how far greater that is over physical things and as a senior, you have earned your time to travel.

The best part of this is that there are many benefits of travel for seniors. Among proper diet and exercise, you can add travel to the list as well for key components to a long and healthy life. Traveling as a senior can enhance your confidence, overcome fears, help leave your comfort zone, offer social benefits and opens the door to learn different cultures and experiences. It can help you deepen relationships with traveling companions and promotes opportunities to connect and meet new people.

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