Reading some old Christmas letters from my grandad. Glad to make a cameo, where my three year old self is described as a 'handsome charmer who, amazingly for his age, has a sense of humour described as sardonic.' A rude little man, even then!
News
Chronic Illness #5 January 11, 2020 13:32
27% of older adults were treated for diabetes last year– a disease that occurs when your body is resistant to, or doesn’t produce enough, insulin. Insulin is what your body uses to get energy from food, and distribute it to your cells.A Great Life is Possible in Assisted Living or a Nursing Home December 9, 2019 09:22
We fall into the trap of believing that older people don't have anything to give back and are just consumers of services. We take away what we know people need, what science has shown we need: a reason to get up in the morning.
Best Exercise for Arthritis November 26, 2019 21:34
The strength and balance exercises are also gentle enough that I can do the whole workout. My balance is poor but I hope with time I can stand without the chair. Definitely recommend this for anyone needing effective but gentle exercise.
~ Patricia V.
Stronger Seniors Chair Exercise Program
Chronic Illness - High Cholesterol November 12, 2019 10:51
47% of older adults are treated for high cholesterol – a condition that occurs when your body has an excess of bad fats (or lipids), resulting in your arteries getting clogged, which can lead to heart disease.
Exercise for Seniors DVD
Chair Yoga Testimonial November 7, 2019 14:45
 |
~Kimberly S. |
10 Common Chronic Conditions for Adults 65+ November 7, 2019 09:58
Age, family genetics, and gender make it nearly impossible for older adults to avoid becoming a chronic disease statistic.
| Eighty percent of adults 65 and older have at least one condition, while 68% have two or more. You probably have a parent or grandparent who is managing a condition right now, or perhaps you are managing one yourself. |
Exercise for Older Adults
Why We Gain Weight as We Get Older...It's Not Diet September 19, 2019 15:03
A major reason for middle aged weight gain is the natural muscle loss we all experience (sarcopenia)," says Dr. Caroline Apovian.
Strength Training for Seniors Video
A Weighty Response to Diabetes September 18, 2019 15:29
Even a 5 to 7 percent weight loss lessens the risk of developing diabetes if you have pre-diabetes. Exercise, though, is critical. If you try to lose weight simply through dieting, then you’re losing not just fat but also muscle, which is unhealthy.
Chair Exercise For Diabetes
Which Type of Exercise is Best for Parkinson's Disease? September 9, 2019 12:23
Different exercise programs pursue different fitness goals: balance and coordination, flexibility, endurance, and strength.
Examples of Parkinson’s-related exercise programs include:
Resistance training.
Aerobics.
Alternative exercises, such as yoga.
Home-based exercises.
Practicing movement strategies.
Thank You Presbyterian Homes in Wichita Falls, TX September 4, 2019 12:44
Thanks to Presbyterian Homes and Teresa R. in Wichita Falls, TX for adopting the Stronger Seniors Balance & Posture program!
Balance Exercise DVD Video
Building a Better Life - Focus on the Process, Not Results September 4, 2019 11:43
 |
The most content people aren’t focused on being the best; they’re focused on constant self-improvement. |
When you stop stressing about external outcomes — like whether you win or lose, attain a certain promotion, or achieve some other form of validation — a huge burden is lifted off your shoulders and you can focus your energy on the things you can control.
As a result, you almost always end up felling better. Research shows that concentrating on the process is best for both performance and mental health.
Living a Better Life - Build Your Tribe September 3, 2019 14:42
 |
There’s an old saying that you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Turns out that’s true. |
A large and growing body of behavioral science research shows that motivation (or lack thereof) is contagious. One study, “Is Poor Fitness Contagious?
Evidence from Randomly Assigned Friends,” found that up to 70 percent of your fitness level may be explained by the people you train with. Other research shows that if you work on mental tasks with people who are internally driven and love what they do, you’re more likely to end up the same way.
If, on the other hand, you surround yourself with people who have a negative attitude and are focused solely on winning the rat race, you set yourself up for a less fulfilling experience.
National Senior Games Pole Vaulter Breaks the Mold July 18, 2019 16:55
National Senior Games Pole Vaulter Breaks the Mold
“The reason you can’t do stuff? Do you know why? Because you don’t do it,” Johnston said. “The secret is to keep doing it. Keep on doing it.”
Senior Fitness DVD
Senior Caregivers on Six Things That Cause Falls July 12, 2019 16:59
Senior Caregivers on Six Things That Cause Falls
There are six factors that contribute to the fact that seniors fall so much more frequently than younger people. Here are some ways to help prevent these falls.
Balance Exercises for Seniors
How Seniors Can Improve Mental Health June 18, 2019 11:26
Socially isolated seniors have a 59% greater risk of mental and physical decline than those who do not experience social isolation, according to Forbes.
Improving Seniors Mental Health
Exercise for Seniors is Essential June 17, 2019 11:21
Exercise has countless benefits for those of all ages, including a healthier heart, stronger bones and improved flexibility. For seniors, there are additional benefits, like the fact that regular exercise reduces the risk of chronic diseases, lowers the chance of injury and can even improve one’s mood.
Chair Exercise DVD
The Benefits of Yoga for Seniors June 11, 2019 10:14
“What I discovered as I practiced was that the holistic approach of yoga benefited my body, but most importantly, my mind and spirit,” says Drisdell. ”Yoga practice somehow truly affects the rest of your life.”
Chair Yoga DVD for Seniors
Home Exercise Programs Lowers Fall Risk by 36 Percent in the Elderly June 7, 2019 09:40
falls in seniors are the third-leading cause of chronic disability, Liu-Ambrose and her team are now looking at whether the exercise program can result in reduced medical costs in this high-risk population. This study shows the importance of a home exercise program and how all adults can benefit from increased muscle strength and balance.
Fall Prevention for Seniors
Love, creativity, happiness: Those are a few of the rewards that a long life brings June 4, 2019 10:29
Age is such joy! It brings hard-earned wisdom, a wealth of experience, inspiration for new passions and the confidence to try something new; it brings appreciation for long friendships, a capacity for compassion and a curiosity about the world that youth doesn’t offer.
Activities for Seniors
Chair Exercise is Fun! March 28, 2019 10:12
"A friend and I started a "senior exercise" class at church. We watched many videos before choosing this one to use. It is great!! - Jan D.
Kind Words from Facebook Fan Barbara S. February 27, 2019 09:46
Kind Words from Facebook Fan Barbara S.
I've been using the Stronger Seniors videos since 2013 in peer-led exercise classes at our town hall in Richford, NY. They have been very popular with our exercisers, who range in age from mid-50s to mid-80s. I appreciate Anne Pringle Burnell's coaching style and respectful attitude, especially after reviewing another DVD where the instructor was condescending to the elderly demonstrator (i.e. "Isn't she cute!"). - Barbara S.
Chair Exercise for Seniors
The Benefits of Social Activities for Seniors February 18, 2019 18:02
Activities to Keep You Engaged and Socially Active
Studies show that seniors who stay socially active and engaged experience a variety of benefits- staying connected with others helps give you a sense of purpose and a true sense of belonging.
Senior Exercise Video
Growing old is such an inevitable part of life it should be embraced with a light heart and years worth of wisdom and planning. January 1, 2019 15:46
Quite understandably, few look forward to the twilight of their life and all that it brings in its wake — deteriorating health, loss of vigour, restricted mobility, increasing dependence on others, not to mention a sense of foreboding and anxiety. Yet, ageing is an inevitable part of life that one has to learn to cope with willy-nilly.
At 74, I’ve found that old age need not necessarily be a period of physical and mental decline — though some ‘erosion’ is unavoidable — if one prepares oneself for it adequately in advance. First and foremost it’s imperative to prepare to accept old age all brace for all the restrictions or limitations it imposes on one’s mobility or ability to do things that one did when younger.
Equally important is the need to adopt a positive attitude towards life. Darkly regarding old age as the evening of one’s life must be avoided at all costs if one is to weather and overcome the difficulties and irritants that life is bound to throw up. An optimistic frame of mind or a light-hearted approach does help. Indeed, nothing prevents one from looking at the sunny side of life even in one’s sunset years. American statesman Bernard Baruch, who lived to a ripe old age, once remarked, “To me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am!” And, when asked his age, British satirist Jonathan Swift once quipped evasively, “I’m as old as my tongue and a little older than my teeth!” Is there a cleverer way to parry questions about one’s age?
Also vital is the need for the elderly to stay physically and mentally active in order to keep geriatric health problems at bay, especially Parkinson’s disease. Regular physical exercise coupled with the pursuit of a hobby or pastime that keeps one mentally and usefully engaged, is the perfect antidote for the prolonged spells of ennui that plague the elderly. Keeping abreast of current affairs — political, economic and social — also does help to keep boredom away. And the spicier the social gossip or grapevine, the better.
My former British boss, based in Edinburgh and now a spry 84, still pursues his passion for fishing with a like-minded octogenarian friend whenever the weather permits. They jointly maintain a boat fitted with an outboard engine and like nothing better than to go off trout-fishing on their own. Further, he remains extremely keen to know what’s happening in Munnar’s tea plantations, over which he once ably presided as General Manager. More importantly, advancing years haven’t blunted his sense of humour which remains as robust as ever.
In fact, the role of humour and fun in dispelling gloom in old age cannot be overstressed. These indispensables are the spice of life guaranteed to bring cheer and bonhomie, besides keeping one’s mind off life’s grim realities. The elderly should let humour pep up their lives regularly by hobnobbing with those known to be witty and funny. And letting one’s hair down occasionally — the little that remains of it, at any rate — can certainly do no harm so long as one doesn’t overdo things or get carried away by American statesman Benjamin Franklin’s flippant remark that “There are more old drunkards around than old doctors!”
Old age, of course, gives one an opportunity to take stock of one’s life dispassionately and, at leisure, sift through and analyse one’s successes and failures, achievements and shortcomings notched up over the years.
Companionship, of course, is vital for the elderly. No human being is an island and isolating oneself from society, as the aged often tend to do, is not at all advisable. On the other hand, socialising — to howsoever limited an extent — can inject refreshing variety into the drab routine of a senior citizen’s life and give it a much-needed boost. There’s no substitute for staying connected with one’s contemporaries.
Old age, of course, gives one an opportunity to take stock of one’s life dispassionately and, at leisure, sift through and analyse one’s successes and failures, achievements and shortcomings notched up over the years. It’s also the time when the elderly inevitably reach ‘anecdotage’. They turn nostalgic and love to recall “those good old days” when they were young and life was radically different from what it is today. They try to pass on the benefit of their varied experiences to the younger generation though the latter seldom has the time, patience, or inclination to hear them out. In such circumstances penning down one’s experiences is a good way of keeping oneself usefully engaged in old age. One never knows — one’s memoirs may make the bestseller list some day!
True, physical debility will be a stumbling block for many, quite literally. Ageing and stiffening body joints will ‘creak’ in protest and make mobility difficult — something one should learn to take in one’s stride stoically. Some of the more spirited among the elderly resort to the pretence of acting and behaving as if they are not as old as they really are. This game of ‘make-believe’ is indeed known to help in making light of one’s physical infirmities.
Above all, peace of mind, which everyone seeks but few are fortunate to find, is absolutely necessary. It’s the vital and efficacious balm that brings equanimity to one’s life, helping to salve the inevitable discomforts, irritants and problems of ageing. And, of course, it does help to promote overall health besides physical and mental well-being.
The Biblical lifespan of three score and ten years is now a thing of the past. Thanks to dramatic advances in medical science and technology, we can now expect to live well beyond 90 years and perhaps even longer, given reasonably satisfactory health. And this, assuredly, isn’t wishful thinking. Indeed, it is said there are more nonagenarians and centenarians around today than ever before, negating American humourist Josh Billings’ caustic observation, “Three score years and ten are enough. If a man can’t suffer all the misery he wants in that time, he must be numb!”
Admittedly, many hope for longevity without the inherent disadvantages of growing old. However, trying to put off ageing is futile and unrealistic (no matter what such proponents may tell us to the contrary) for it’s an integral and essential part of life that can never be reversed. So we must resign ourselves to growing old (since it’s the only method known so far of living a long time!). And in the process let’s try to make life as fulfilling and meaningful as possible.
10 minutes of exercise a day improves memory September 24, 2018 15:50
Just 10 minutes of light physical activity is enough to boost brain connectivity and help the brain to distinguish between similar memories, a new study suggests.
Scientists at the University of California studying brain activity found connectivity between parts of the brain responsible for memory formation and storage increased after a brief interval of light exercise – such as 10 minutes of slow walking, yoga or tai chi.
The findings could provide a simple and effective means of slowing down or staving off memory loss and cognitive decline in people who are elderly or have low levels of physical ability.
The scientists asked 36 healthy volunteers in their early 20s to do 10 minutes of light exercise – at 30% of their peak oxygen intake – before assessing their memory ability. The memory test was then repeated on the same volunteers without exercising.
The same experiment was repeated on 16 of the volunteers who had either undertaken the same kind of exercise or rested, with researchers scanning their brain to monitor activity. In the brains of those who had exercised they discovered enhanced communication between the hippocampus – a region important in memory storage – and the cortical brain regions, which are involved in vivid recollection of memories.
“The memory task really was quite challenging,” said Michael Yassa, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, and project co-leader. The participants were first shown pictures of objects from everyday life – ranging from broccoli to picnic baskets – and later tested on how well they remembered the images. “We used very tricky similar items to to see if they would remember whether it was this exact picnic basket versus that picnic basket,” he said.
The people who had exercised were better at separating or distinguishing between the different memories, say the scientists writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“An evening stroll is sufficient to get some benefit,” said Yassa, adding that the frequency and exact amount of exercise will depend on the person’s age, level of mobility, potential disability and other lifestyle factors.
The scientists also kept track of the participants’ mood changes. “With exercise you do get an enhanced mood. The question is whether that was explaining the effect we got on the behaviour or the effect we got on the brain and it wasn’t,” said Yassa.
Michelle Voss, a neuroscientist at the University of Iowa, described the findings as “intriguing”. “The brain regions involved here are also the regions that are thought to play a big role in the deterioration of memory with ageing. […] It would be really exciting to see this type of experiment in older adults,” she said.
- Page 1 of 2
- Next