Yoga your mind, body and soul

Breathe in deep. Hold it. Exhale slowly. Repeat. Deep breath, hold it and let it out slowly. How do you feel? If your body suddenly seems a little more at ease, then you have just introduced yourself to a trivial part of a calming exercise: yoga.

As we age, our bodies don’t necessarily recover as easily from our day-to-day activities as they used to. Sometimes, without realizing it, we become susceptible to symptoms of aging that we had either hoped to avoid or didn’t see coming. We may slow down, become a little less mobile, and as a result, our bodies suffer more than we think they do.

“As you get older you become more susceptible to the ailments that you get with aging,” says Kelly O’Connell. “And most of the aches and pains that older adults feel are from stiff muscles or week muscles, and yoga addresses both of those.” Not only is it a weight-bearing exercise, O’Connell, from Yoga One, says that this kind of activity helps to increase your ability to balance, which is a commonality in aging.

According to Mary Larsen, “Yoga has been shown to help alleviate or reduce many health challenges, making it an increasingly popular exercise choice for the older adult population.”

There have been many health concerns that have been linked to the sedentary lifestyle. These can include:

•     Reduced joint flexibility

•     Arthritis/bursitis

•     High blood pressure

•     Increased body fat and decreased lean body tissue

•     Osteoporosis

•     Low back pain

•     Breathing difficulties

•     Poor blood circulation

•     Vision problems

•     Chronic pain

•     Stress-related symptoms

•     Inability to sleep peacefully

If you are wary about getting started, and seem intimidated by the different poses that yoga contains, you need not worry. Many facilities offer yoga for beginners and practice the importance of your pattern of breathing. Instructors walk you through many simple steps that can help you improve not only your balance, but also your overall health.

Now, one more time:Breathe in deep. Hold it. Exhale slowly. Repeat. Deep breath, hold it and let it out slowly. How do you feel?

Yoga exercises for seniors

Stay Cool During the Summer Heat

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Summer; it’s the time of year when we hit the beach, take off to the cottage, and barbecue on a regular basis.  But I can’t say that I’m a lover of the extreme heat we’ve been having these days. If I were forced to choose between freezing in the Arctic poles or melting in the Sahara sands, I would choose the former over the latter; over and over again.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the beautiful, mild-tempered days where you can comfortably sit outside and bask in the warm rays of the sun, but there is a limit for everyone, and I think I’ve reached mine this week.

Cottage country is a great, mini-getaway from the realities (and intense heat) of the city.  But a week spent here has given me quite an appreciation for air conditioning and how important it is for keeping our seniors cool.  It has been HOT! The long nights of tossing and turning in the thick, humid air has resulted in little-to-no sleep, attempts at curling up on the sun porch where a slight breeze may travel through (if you’re lucky) and zombie-like appearances in the morning as everyone sits sipping their coffee in a silent, somewhat somber, state. 

Needless to say, if we aren’t careful, heat can get the better of us, and it’s important to do all we can to stay cool.  Taking minor precautions before spending time outdoors on blistering days can help prevent heat-related illnesses, says The Care Guide Source for Seniors, and staying hydrated is the key. 

Dehydration is common among the elderly.  As the body ages, sweat glands don’t work as well and blood vessels carry less blood to the skin, so the body becomes less tolerant to heat.  The Canadian Food Guide suggests that you drink water every day, especially in extreme heat.  The average person needs eight to 12 glasses of water daily to maintain body temperatures and transport wastes and nutrients.  The Care Guide suggests that if outdoor activity is necessary on a hot day, be sure to take frequent breaks in the shade and always have water with or near you.  

If it is unbearably hot, jump in and go for a swim in the closest body of water – be it pool, lake or ocean.  It’s also a great way to stay active and exercise. Or try to pick an indoor activity to do.  Go shopping, visit museums, go bowling or indoor mini-putting, anywhere that you can have fun, enjoy your outing, and stay cool while doing it.

What do you do during the summer months to stay cool? All this typing has caused me to break a sweat - I’m off to do 1-10 below!

10 Tips: How you can beat the Heat (provided by The Care Guide)

1. Relax and put off chores and any strenuous activity.
2. Stay indoors during the hottest times of the day.
3. Close your shades to keep out the sunshine.
4. If you do not have air conditioning, stay on the lower level in your home—heat rises.
5. Check with your local agency for cool places you can go such as libraries and public buildings, or a mall with air conditioning.
6. Wear lightweight, loose fitting clothing and protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, sunglasses or use an umbrella.
7. Drink plenty of water even if you are not thirsty. This helps keep your body cool.
8. Avoid alcohol or caffeinated beverages.
9. If you have a chronic medical condition, talk with your doctor about additional precautions you should take to prevent heat related illness. Some conditions and medications may place you at higher risk.
10. Neighbors, friends or family should check in on older people in their homes to make sure they are not suffering from the heat.

Budgeting your activities

These days the economy is all over the place.  It’s up one week, down the next. And if we’re lucky, it remains steady for a couple of months, but that doesn’t mean our conscience is.  Our reliability on the market fluctuates just as much as the numbers do, and because of that, many of us are rethinking how we’re choosing to spend our dollars and cents.

We’re making adjustments and we’re cutting our losses before they become just that, financial woes.  Maybe you pass on one offer in hopes that a better one comes along; or you wait to take that European vacation next summer because it just doesn’t appear to be in the cards this time.  Essentially, we’re left making sacrifices. 

So, how do you choose what activity is more deserving than the other?

It’s all about the little things.  An article recently published in the Journal Sentinel, called “Five money-saving tips for boomers and seniors,” focused on the best ways to cut back on spending without sacrificing the quality of life. 

“Examine recurring expenses.” Sometimes we don’t realize how much we’re spending on our utilities until the bill comes in.  Re-examine what you use on a daily basis and what you can do without.  Maybe you’re paying for more channels on your satellite dish than you watch.

“Increase energy efficiency.”  Another way to decrease your costs (and become a little ‘greener’) is to ensure that the appliances you aren’t using are unplugged or are turned off when you’re out of the room. 

“Be a smart shopper.”  Be selective in what you purchase, when you purchase.  Compare prices on larger items.  If you use a product more frequently, buy it in bulk (this not only saves you money on the product, but time and money in transportation as well).

“Take advantage of free entertainment.”  It’s hard to imagine there is anything such as “free.”  But grab your local paper and check out the events calendar.  See what is happening in your downtown area and what your city has to offer.  “Libraries are also an excellent source of free entertainment - you can try out new authors, artists and genres with no risk by borrowing books, audiobooks, DVDs and CDs instead of purchasing them.”

“Reassess your gift-giving habits.”  Don’t overspend on an item if you don’t have to.  Sometimes, last-minute gifts have us running around trying to find the best thing out there, which in turn causes us to spend more than we needed to.  Consider the person you are shopping for and what they enjoy doing, you may be better off giving them the gift of a shared experience; such as going to the zoo, or the latest concert.   

These five tips aren’t large sacrifices.  They are reasonable, long-term solutions to a more financially stable future. By reassessing your spending habits, you can make small changes to allow for bigger experiences. It’s all in how you choose to look at your situation and take control of the little things in life.  

What's your niche?

Left, right, and centre: retirement homes that focus on a particular hobby, interest, or activity, are popping up in the United States, CNBC reports.  They are tailored to specific wants and needs for older adults, so that they can continue to immerse themselves into an every day activity. 

These “Niche retirement communities” not only encourage retirees to stay active, but they give them the ability to do so in a location that caters to their ‘expertise’ or growing interest.  They are able to fulfill their days with what makes them happy, within an environment that will support it.

In Franklin, Tennessee, the Country Music Association is planning a community with recording studios and performance venues, writes Harriet Barovick, in ‘10. Niche Aging,’ an article for Time Magazine. And in Santa Rosa, California there’s Fountaingrove Lodge - America’s first long term care facility for gay and lesbian retirees.

Andrew Carle, director of George Mason University’s senior housing administration program told CNBC that although these communities are in their “infancy stage, they offer lots of upsides.”

For example:  so-called university–based communities are located near a post-secondary campus, where residents can sign-up (for a nominal fee) and attend classes for pleasure.  “The Oak Hammock at the University of Florida in Gainesville has an in-house Institute for Learning in Retirement, developed with the University of Florida,” CNBC reports.

As the growing interest in these housing communities increase, so do the number of hobbyists.  The question remains – how will they manage to cater to everyone’s needs and interests?

Tell us what you think! What type of niche long-term care facility do you dream of?

To read more on the different retirement homes already available, click here.

Have you found your niche?

If you have yet to figure out what your interest/hobby is – have no fear! In honour of Seniors’ Month, SERCCA is hosting  “A Taste of the Arts” on Friday, June 22^nd, where we encourage you to come out and participate in our creative workshops.  For more information and how to register, please click the image below.  We look forward to seeing you!

Seniors helping seniors

There are two things in life that are important to me -- one is education and the other is volunteering… I think it's a privilege to be a teacher and I think it's a privilege to be a volunteer, and both of those activities give me a great deal of joy.

- Isabella Dryden (Winnipeg Free Press)

Sometimes it’s intimidating, never mind frustrating, when we have to learn how to do something new from someone who is younger than us.  You’re left wondering why you are unable to master a skill or technique, when it’s clear that it’s doable.  What tends to get “lost in translation” is that this is true for anyone at any age; someone else will always be better at one thing or another, and so on and so forth.  What you have to be able to do is take away from the experience and learn from them.  As a result, this will allow you to share your newly cultivated skill with others.

Isabella Dryden, 94, and Jean Johnson, 92, know what it’s like to have experienced both the learning and teaching role.  Three days a week, the tag-team spends entire days educating other seniors how to operate the computer: from turning it on, to navigating the web. 

Johnson joined Dryden, who has been teaching for almost 50 years, after she sat in on one of her classes 27 years ago. After the second class, Johnson felt she knew the material well enough to assist her.

"Strangely enough when I sat down with the computer, I knew how to work with it. It just must have been in me. After my second class, I was bold enough to go up and ask (Dryden) if I could help her with the classes and she agreed. We've been together teaching ever since," Johnson told the Winnipeg Free Press.

These women have taken on exceptional roles in their community. By giving back, the dynamic duo can help elevate a level of confidence in the seniors that attend their classes, showing them how they can further their independence while exploring a virtual reality.

A little something more:

4 Tips to Keep Seniors Surfing Safely Online  

Art promotes healing

I believe that we are born artists. Before we can write, before we can read, we can communicate visually… What happens to our creativity when we get older? Do we lose it?

The question, posed by Jeff Nachtigall to The Calgary Journal, is just as quickly answered,  “Maybe we haven’t lost (it), but we have buried it,” said Nachtigall.  “Some of us have buried it deeper than others.”

In the article, Art for seniors and residents of long term care facilities promotes healing, Nachtigall, the artist-in-residence at Sherbrooke Community Centre in Saskatoon, and the keynote speaker for the third Creative Aging Calgary Symposium, demonstrated the “results of using visual arts as a way for residents of long-term care facilities to access their own creative potential.”

To gain participation in an art session at the Centre, Nachtigall placed a large piece of canvas paper on the floor of the studio, and finally, attached rags to the bottoms of canes and wheelchairs.  With their chosen colour of paint, the residents would travel across the paper, creating one large painting. 

 Art and dementia appear to go hand-in-hand, as “many studies have linked the participation in some type of artistic work with positive outcomes for people living with” the disease.  The Calgary Journal reported on a 2010 article in the Journal of Active Aging that said, "Artistic endeavors target the healthy parts of the brain – areas untouched by disease, whether the participant has Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia."

Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are common diseases that affect many people, and staying active has become a significant way of delaying the on-set.  Finding a way to stay physically and mentally motivated – be it walking, painting, dancing, etc. – are important activities to engage oneself in.  You can live a full life, despite Alzheimer’s.    

Get involved in the community:

On Tuesday, June 22, SERC is hosting Taste of the Arts day, where everyone is welcome to come out and try a new activity.  We will have a palette of programs, from painting, to singing, to Latin dancing.  So mark that calendar – and we hope to see you soon!

(Picture provided by Center for American Progress)

When in doubt, Ping Pong it out

Photo from The Toronto Star

Sports are a great way to stay active.  They are beneficial for your health both physically and mentally.  It’s a time where you can relieve stress from a hard day’s work, or just go out and have fun.  It’s a social environment filled with like-minded people to connect with.

You may be sitting there reading this thinking, “What’s your point?” or, “Yes, it was great when I was younger, but how does that apply to me now?”  Well, I’m here to answer that for you.

The Hot Docs festival in Toronto has recently brought in an abundance of new movies to showcase, one of which is Ping Pong­ – “a documentary about competitive players aged 80-plus battling it out on the international table tennis circuit,” writes The Toronto Star. 

It’s true.  I’m not making this up.  This inspiring movie follows the journey of eight different players, as they prepare for the World over 80s Table Tennis Championships in Inner Mongolia. 

Hartford, the movie director, told the Star, “One of the things I’ve learned over the last three years spending time with them is they don’t think of themselves as old,” he said. “Their age doesn’t come into play with how they define themselves. It’s about attitude.”

And it is.  So, shine your shoes, blow the dust off the table (if you have one), grab a paddle and start practicing!  There is a world of opportunity out there, for any age; it’s all about finding what’s right for you.

Click below to watch a preview of the inspiring documentary: Ping Pong

Wake up and dance

“Dance has the rare and precious power to unite people of all ages, cultures and religions and has an intrinsic value to Canadian society.

Consider the enthusiasm of children as they express themselves through movement; the joy adults exude after a ballroom dance class; the profound emotional response of audiences and their reflections after a powerful dance performance; the incredible energy generated in a room when everybody starts to boogie; and the passion and history reflected in traditional and cultural dances.

Imagine how desolate a world without dance would be.

Dance speaks to the mind, body and soul in a way that goes beyond the power of words and its social impact and capacity to engage should be celebrated. As an art form dance can be impressive but expression is its fundamental nature.”

~Yvon “Crazy Smooth” Soglo, artistic director of Bboyizm

Shake it, move it, wiggle it, drop it… The Canadian Dance Assembly invites you to participate in this year’s National Dance Week.  It will run from Sunday, April 22 to Sunday, April 29. It's focused on promoting International Dance Day on the 29^th.  During this week, one theme will be celebrated each day to embrace the rich and varied landscape of Canadian dance, according to the ilovedancecanada website.

SarahJane Burton, the head of the dance division of musical theatre at Sheridan College, says that dance is a key source to keeping your channels open.  “Dance is a full mind-body experience,” she says, “You are improving your co-ordination, increasing your flexibility, and creating a greater endurance.”

On Wed April 25, it is “dance is a source of well being for seniors” day.  So, turn that volume up just a little bit more that morning.  Take five minutes out of your day to just sway to rhythm of a song.  Your movement can encourage a positive energy that is addicting, and can encourage others to join in.  It’s an endorphin feeding frenzy!  So… what are you waiting for? Get up and dance!  

http://ilovedancecanada.wordpress.com/national-dance-week/

Turning Point

Growing up is hard to do.  But according to The Toronto Star, "studies show that we get happier as we get older, we’re often just afraid of change."  And I don’t disagree.  Life doesn’t get easier, but it becomes more manageable.  We begin to find our likes, and our dislikes. This, however, is not always a cinch to grasp. 

In an article that was recently released by The Star, Turning Point: Over 50? We can help you change your life, they have extended an invitation for the opportunity to be paired up with an expert – a life coach, trainer, stylist, accountant, etc. – that will help aging adults with their transformation. 

Take Lisa Larkin, 51, for example.  The Grade 8 school dropout, who spent most of her years taking classes in counseling to achieve her dream in becoming a therapist, was accepted into graduate school at the University of Toronto in September.  She is working towards earning her masters in social work.

Sometimes, we need a little push in the right direction to help us achieve our goals, and The Toronto Star wants to help.            

The Star reminds us, “Grandma Moses was 71 when she picked up a paintbrush. Ronald Reagan was first elected to political office at 55. Nellie McClung was 57 when she and four other pioneering feminists won the fight to have women declared legal “people” in Canada.”

So, what’s stopping you?

Retirement, it isn't the end

I don’t think that retirement is easy.  It appears as if there is an assumption that has been made – once you get to the point in your life where you are ready to step away from the workforce, and really “start living,” you essentially travel.  But not everyone can, or wants to, pick up and backpack across Europe, climb mountains in the Andes, or sip champagne within the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. 

Sometimes it may feel like retirement living is not a stage anyone looks forward to, or wants to risk “going into.”  But that’s the wrong idea!  There are many different activities that older adults can partake in besides spending time with family (but by all means that is not discouraged!).

If you are living in a retirement home, finding and participating in a workshop, art class, or other events within the community becomes beneficial to your social engagement.  It encourages seniors to make relationships and bond over similar interests.  Maybe I’m naïve, but I’ve played a few good rounds of bocci ball and shuffleboard with my grandparents.  Competition is healthy, and it keeps older adults active!  The important thing to consider when looking for a retirement home is to review the number of planned activities each centre may offer and determine whether or not it caters to you.

Community outings are also a commonly planned event with seniors.  Many residences plan outings throughout the year to museums, shopping, bowling, casinos, breakfast, luncheons, dinners and all that in-between.  Retirement isn’t a trap; it offers an abundance of opportunities that keep people 65 + going!

Support is the number one key for making seniors comfortable with their decision to not only move into retirement homes, but can be essential to health and well-being of the older adult.  SERC is conducting a needs assessment to determine the ways in which an Internet‐based network might benefit both support providers and support recipients. A particular goal of this questionnaire is to explore ways to connect support providers, regardless of where they live.

The Centre is interested in hearing your thoughts about the function of this proposed network to help us better work towards its implementation.

If you are interested in participating, please click here.