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It’s important to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program. They will advise on programs based on current health and fitness levels. There’s no way around it. Regular exercise for seniors can greatly improve not only physical health but mental health too. We know how good exercise is at any age, but for seniors, it’s especially important to get out and move. We’ll explore how much exercise is too much for seniors, along with the benefits of exercise, what types are great for seniors and more.

Importance of Health and Fitness for Seniors

With a lot of thought and consideration you’ve made the move into a retirement community – congratulations are in order! Know that few of us glide into retirement living without a few adjustments. We have a few tried and true tips and tricks that can help you ease into your new retirement community and make the most of this exciting change.

We have a few tried and true tips and tricks that can help you ease into your new retirement community and make the most of this exciting change. To learn more, CLICK HERE.

Many people think that Alzheimer’s and dementia are the same and use the terms interchangeably. However, there are distinctions between the two. It is important for effective treatment and management to know these differences. We’ll learn more about dementia, the types, causes, and how it differs from Alzheimer’s.

What is Dementia?

Many people assume Alzheimer’s is a broad term for all dementia. Alzheimer’s is actually a common form of dementia and falls under the dementia umbrella, not the other way around. More specifically, dementia is considered a syndrome, not a disease. Dementia is a decline in mental function with a loss of memory, cognitive functioning, problem-solving, remembering, reasoning, thinking, attention, and other issues.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s and dementia, and the varying types of each disease, CLICK HERE.

Feeling down every once in a while is a normal part of life, but if these feelings last a few weeks or months, you may have depression. Read this article to find common signs and symptoms of depression, treatment options, and if you or your loved one may be at risk for depression.

What is depression?

Depression is a serious mood disorder. It can affect the way you feel, act, and think. Depression is a common problem among older adults, but clinical depression is not a normal part of aging. In fact, studies show that most older adults feel satisfied with their lives, despite having more illnesses or physical problems than younger people. However, if you’ve experienced depression as a younger person, you may be more likely to have depression as an older adult.’

To learn about the types of depression and risk factors, from the National Institute on Aging, CLICK HERE.

These standouts — plus a few ‘boosters’ — can keep you healthy as nutritional needs change with age

Whether you’ve been a healthy eater your whole life — or lately fallen off the nutritional wagon — it’s important to take a hard look at your diet after age 50. Around that point, experts say, it pays to be choosier about your foods, and make sure you’re getting enough nutritional bang for your buck. “Our need for energy declines starting in middle age,” says Christine Rosenbloom, registered dietitian and nutritionist, professor emerita at Georgia State University and coauthor of Food & Fitness Over 50. “There’s less room for drinking a pitcher of margaritas and having a basket of chips — unless we want to start seeing that weight creep. And nobody wants that.”

Beyond adapting to a potentially slower metabolism, you also want to compensate for things like a tendency for bones to weaken, bowel function to slow and muscle mass to decline (around 1 percent a year until age 65, after which the loss can double.) In general, older adults “need to make sure they’re getting lots of fruits and vegetables, eating lean meats if they are eating meat, chicken or fish, and avoiding saturated fats and sugars,” says Marie Bernard, M.D., chief officer for scientific workforce diversity at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “A good diet can help get blood pressure under better control, decrease the risk of heart problems and contribute to the prevention of things like diabetes and cancer.”

To build your own healthy diet, remember that “foods work together in concert,” says Joseph Gonzales, a registered dietitian at the Mayo Clinic. “You need a whole symphony for a spectacular musical piece.”

To find out from AARP the eight foods to add to your own orchestra, so that you’re well on your way to a healthier tune, CLICK HERE.

Being physically active is one of the most important things you can do each day to maintain and improve your health and keep doing things you enjoy as you age. Help make exercise a priority with these tips from the National Institute on Aging: https://go.usa.gov/xSkyh

There’s no question that going to the gym for the first time or after a long hiatus can be intimidating. After all, different exercise classes often have their cliques, yogaand Pilates sessions may be filled with sculpted bodies, and the weight-lifting area may have hardcore exercise enthusiasts trying to best one another. Who wouldn’t be nervous in that environment?