Chronic stress is harmful to people of all ages, but its impact on older adults can be particularly severe, increasing the risk of age-related diseases, hastening cognitive decline and even triggering falls. Stressors that are common amongst the elderly include: loss of control, personal loss, declining health, financial worries, personal safety and loss of independence. To reduce stress, get regular exercise, eat balanced meals to ensure the mind and body are properly fueled and ask for help. Talking with a trusted family member, friend or healthcare professional, at the very least, releases pent-up stress and may even lead to a solution.
Community News
Coping with Grief
Grieving the loss of a family member or a close friend is among the most painful of human experiences. The passage of time can ease these feelings, but grief can persist indefinitely. People who are grieving may find these coping strategies helpful: Write about your feelings in a journal. Talk to others who are grieving and share stories about your loved one. Also, you may want to finish a project they started, or volunteer for a cause they cared about. Spend time with family and friends to avoid isolating yourself. Ask for what you need, whether it’s practical help or emotional support and remember to accept help when it’s offered.
Why Should YOU Work Out Regularly?
Many people exercise for weight loss, but what about working out so you are better prepared for the activities of everyday life, like carrying in groceries and putting them up? Like having the stamina for a busy day of errands and grandkids? Or climbing up and down the stairs without getting winded? That’s the idea behind functional fitness, an approach that’s increasingly popular with all sorts of people, including those over 50 who want to maintain their independence and quality of life without spending countless hours in a gym.
Ask The Expert
Q. How do I help someone with untreated hearing loss this Holiday Season? A. Too often, people with hearing loss withdraw socially, even during the holiday season. Be sure to: Turn down the volume. Keep background music and TV at a softer volume so conversations are heard more easily. Face each other and stay close. It’s easier for the person with hearing loss to follow conversations when they can lip-read at a close distance. Encourage them to have a hearing test. It’s one of the most meaningful things you can do this holiday season.
Healthy Holiday Season Tips
Party time: Drink a large glass of water and have a healthy snack before going to a party; add a few healthy choices in and minimize the treats. This can be a good time of year to add in a probiotic or digestive enzymes to help with the sugar over-indulgence. Alcohol – make a spritzer or use soda water to cut down on pop use. This will lead to better sleep and a happier person the next day! Don’t throw away your exercise regime – from a class at the gym to a simple walk, keep moving over the holidays. This helps to keep your mind clear and digestion moving. Be mindful – deep breathing, yoga or a simple meditation can help with holiday stress.
Cleaning Dentures Properly
To keep your dentures clean, soak them at least once a day. Products available in stores aren’t always strong enough to fight plaque and residue buildup, so try using a professional strength cleaner a couple of days a week, and a weaker store-bought cleaner on the other days. Never use toothpaste on dentures, as it can take the finish off and is only designed for natural teeth. Soaking your dentures softens the residue, but it is still very important to brush them with a denture brush afterwards. Always follow the instructions included with your cleaner to avoid damaging your dentures.
Book Club: God Winks
Now, just in time for the holiday season, comes Godwinks Christmas Stories, a collection of astonishing true-life stories centered around Christmas that demonstrate how God has shown himself in the lives of others. He’ll do the same for you. Husband and wife authors SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt remind you that Godwinks are like wondrous gifts left on your doorstep. Their aim with this book is to help you open the door and open your gifts of hope and encouragement. Available at Universal Church Supplies Saskatoon
Love Keeps You Healthy
Being in love not only gives you a bounce in your step, but it also has several proven health benefits. When you are in love, your brain produces a hormone called dopamine that contributes to feelings of elation, pleasure, optimism, energy, and a sense of well-being. Physical touch, such as hugging, releases a hormone called oxytocin, which lowers stress hormones. Studies have demonstrated that people releasing these hormones have stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, greater resistance to colds and flus, and decreased stress and depression. Finding your life partner has more benefits than we once realized!
Be Still…with Reiki!
Reiki is a gentle but powerful energy healing technique used for relaxation, stress reduction and balance that can promote healing on many levels. It is typically given by ‘laying on of hands’ as you lie on a massage table fully clothed. This higher frequency, positive energy flows through the hands of the practitioner into your energy field releasing ‘energy blockages’ by lifting and transforming lower frequency energies such as worry, fear, anger and anxiety. The deep relaxation experienced with Reiki can have many beneficial effects including more calm/stillness to the body & mind, better sleep, reduced stress & pain and reduction of overwhelm and anxiety.
Dentures for Comfort
Uncomfortable dentures are a thing of the past. Their lightweight, comfortable counterparts are practically invisible, and completely eliminate the unsightly metal clasps. In fact, flexible partial dentures are fabricated without the use of a metal frame – made instead from a strong, durable plastic that snaps securely and comfortably into place around existing natural teeth and gums. The plastic used is so strong that the partial made from it can be very thin, eliminating that heavy, bulky feeling that makes wearing partials so unpleasant. Flexible partial dentures are a quality, premium product that offer the benefits of superior esthetics, comfort, function, and bio-compatibility.
Ask The Expert
Q. What do I need to remember when travelling with hearing aids? A. Bring your charging station/cables. If you have rechargeable hearing aids, don’t forget your charging station! If they aren’t rechargeable – bring extra batteries! Don’t forget extra domes and wax guards. Being prepared with extras will ensure you can fix problems as they arise. Wipe, dry, repeat. Remember to clean your hearing aids every day while traveling. Sweat, moisture and wax buildup can keep your hearing aids from performing like they should. Get a check up. If you’re going on a long vacation, consider taking your hearing aids in for a quick tune-up and good ole fashion cleaning.
