Aging

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Admin At a certain point, older adults often have the conversation with their adult children about whether it makes more sense for them to remain in their homes or to join a senior living community. The decision is a crucial one. Considering the emerging research on the importance of social and emotional support from others, becoming part of a community that cares about you can be better for your health and

In April we marked World Health Day, a World Health Organization (WHO) celebration that began in 1950. This year’s theme calls for building a fairer, healthier world for everyone.  It shines a tragic spotlight on the struggle for equity and the health inequities minorities face, especially with COVID-19. The lessons of COVID According to the

May 26 is among two National Senior Health and Fitness Days this year. The theme? Life is better in motion. The private-public good health partnership is organized by the Mature Market Resource Center, a clearinghouse for professionals who work with older adults. Life is better in motion So, we did a little research to figure

Posted on May 3, 2021 by Admin Atria Senior Living’s care services are backed by our industry-leading quality standards. In our communities that offer care services, the Resident Services Director – who is also a licensed nurse – assesses each resident’s physical, emotional and functional needs prior to move-in, and then on an as-needed basis

Fitness technology no longer sits on your laptop, tablet or phone.  Now it’s even…something you wear, thanks to wearable fitness technology gadgets. On a recent morning, Malvina Abbott, 78, a public defender in San Diego, was in her apartment catching up on emails, and the time got away from her. That’s when her Galaxy smart

Posted on April 6, 2021 by Ajla Bedzetovic St. Catharines, Ontario, about 12 miles northwest of Niagara Falls isn’t exactly known for its abundance of tropical plants, but that hasn’t stopped Gloria – an Atria resident at Anchor Pointe – from surrounding herself with flowers that might better thrive in Costa Rica than Canada. Gloria

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Ajla Bedzetovic At Atria Senior Living, our mission is to serve the needs of older adults and their families. To that end, one of the ways we deliver on that mission is to develop new senior living communities. Our latest such development in the works: Atria Cary in none other than Cary, North Carolina.  An idyllic setting in the Tar Heel State 

Overuse of alcohol among older adults is a mostly hidden story – for instance, National Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week (March 22-28 in 2021) is aimed at teens.  However, research suggests that one third of older drinkers develop the dependency later in life and that was before Covid-related stress and isolation.   How much drinking is

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Ajla Bedzetovic Diane worried about leaving the hospital. She’d been admitted, again, for losing consciousness due to a health issue that caused her blood oxygen level to drop.   “It’s scary to wake up on the floor and not realize what happened,” she said. “Since I live alone, my family

Posted on March 21, 2021 by Ajla Bedzetovic Marissa Jacobson-Ojinaga, the Engage Life Director at Atria Rancho Peñasquitos in San Diego, California, has loved learning from the world’s wisest people ever since she was in elementary school. She regularly volunteered with her classmates at a senior living community across the street – playing cards with the residents, listening to

Many U.S. adults will get unwelcome news from their doctors as they age – that they’ll have to take medications.  Why?  There are three health conditions that often become more common with age—high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol that raises your risk of cardiovascular issues, high blood sugar that raises diabetes risk and low bone density that

Posted on March 13, 2021 by Ajla Bedzetovic At Atria, we believe the right amount of discreet personal care can help older people participate, grow and engage in what brings them purpose and joy. We also believe in supporting families by doing everything we can to reassure them their parent is safe, well cared for

How’s your bone health? Healthy bones help us stay mobile, anchor our muscles, protect our organs and store calcium. But many of us don’t give our bones a second thought until we break one or a doctor presents the bad news: “You have low bone mass (or osteopenia or osteoporosis).” Osteopenia is the term for

For many people, taking part in clinical trials or research studies can be a way to help advance science or cures, get free medical tests, and make some cash on the side. The race to find an effective COVID-19 treatment and vaccine increased the number of research studies.  However, a recent report from the FTC,

I finally got my Coronavirus vaccination. The card indicating that has a place of honor on the fridge, plus several pix in my phone.  And a Xerox copy in my files. And in my wallet. Considering how much trouble I went through to get it, it’s worth making sure it’s not going astray. I spent

Posted on February 20, 2021 by Ajla Bedzetovic At 94, Gloria had hardly ever washed her own hair, relying instead on regular visits to the beauty parlor. After moving to Atria, she kept up her routine at the community’s salon until it closed temporarily due to COVID-19. That’s when Kelly Burnett, the community’s Life Guidance

Turning 65 brings benefits–Medicare, Social Security (unless you’re a 70-or-bust holdout), maybe retiring or at least downsizing your hours. But—and there’s always that “but,” right? It’s also the age at which your doctor starts taking any symptoms with even a whiff of cardiac involvement very seriously.  He or she may have previously chalked up a

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Ajla Bedzetovic For older adults who want to maintain a level of independence – yet could use a helping hand to do so – assisted living offers a vibrant option. Meet a few people who are enjoying a greater sense of well-being at Atria. Jim and Rhea Late one

With the end of the pandemic possibly in sight, and Valentine’s Day on the horizon, maybe you’ve taken a longer-than-usual look in the mirror and thought: “Oh no! I’m not ready for dinner parties/eating out/dating/seeing friends.” We get it. And we consulted two respected doctors—with no ties to companies or devices—to ask them about some

With 2020 thankfully fizzling to a close, we’re all hoping 2021 will be better. If you haven’t thought about New Year’s resolutions yet, here are our 5 suggestions to make next year better for you and yours—and the planet. Bonus: we asked experts for stick-with-it tips. 1-Demand Better Health Care for All  It’s no secret

For many of us, it’s the ”it” question of the year: When can I get the COVID vaccine? The answer to that question is a moving target. Here’s what to know about vaccine distribution and how to stay current on what’s happening in your hood. The rollout:   Days after the FDA gave emergency use authorization

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Mari Evans More than 4 million masks, 202,000 COVID-19 tests, 715,000 resident engagement programs, and 400 vaccinations. 2020 may have been rife with challenges, but thanks to the work and resilience of Atria’s dedicated staff, residents and families, 2020 has also had its triumphs. As the year comes to a close, Atria is reflecting on the accomplishments achieved

Here’s another favorite from the Senior Planet archives. Enjoy!    Hanukkah, Christmas… time to think outside the cookie jar. For the holidays, baker Norma Saulino created some brand-new treats by mixing elements from well-worn recipe cards with her own take on new favorites from the web. Gingerbread + Rugelach = Gingerugelach This idea came about while I

Posted on December 21, 2020 by Mari Evans Hugging grandchildren. Bunco parties. Laughing with good friends. These are just a few of the heartfelt reasons Atria residents gave for “sleeving up” today as they were among the first in the country to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The first round of vaccines was administered today at

Nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines are in sight. That’s right, plural, vaccines. Recently, three companies released some results from their Phase III studies, reporting effectiveness ranging from 70 to 95%. They are Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna. Pfizer and Moderna have formally applied to the FDA for emergency use authorization (EUA). The FDA will

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Ajla Bedzetovic This year, the holidays will look different for all of us. If you are one of the more than 60 million caregivers in North America who look after an older adult inside the home, you may be wondering how to celebrate and stay safe.   Stay connected with others  Many people experience depression during the holidays due to stress and social

If you are close to your 65th birthday, or are already on Medicare, the Medicare pitches are flooding your email, voicemail, text and old-fashioned mailbox. As you are probably well aware, it’s the open enrollment period until Dec. 7. If you have questions, you aren’t alone. Senior Planet found two independent Medicare experts and searched