Senior Health: 4 Tips for the Cold Winter Season

Staying healthy during the winter can be a challenge for anyone. Especially seniors with compromised immune systems or limited mobility. Fortunately, there are easy ways to stay on track and be more proactive through these icy months. The caregivers at our senior living community in Camden County have put together a list of tips for seniors to follow during the cold, harsh winter months.

1. Prevent Vitamin D deficiency with a well balanced diet and supplements. More people tend to be vitamin D deficient in the cold, winter weather. This is due to lack of sun exposure by staying indoors more often. Luckily, this can be avoided by eating right! It starts by making smart food choices, for example, choosing frozen vegetables over canned and incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet like oranges, broccoli and pomegranates. Try to also include fish, poultry and eggs as well for healthy, lean protein on a daily basis. If you need a little extra help, there’s nothing wrong with taking vitamins. Vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc and fish oils are all good supplements to have on hand if you or a loved one are not receiving enough through food alone.
2. Exercise outdoors when possible, but take precautions. There’s no reason why you can’t continue exercising outdoors during the winter if your doctor gives the OK. However, you should definitely take more precautions during cold and slippery weather conditions. Some examples include wearing sturdy footwear when it’s icy out, layering warm clothing when it’s cold and protecting your skin from the sun with sunscreen, glasses and a hat when the UV index is high.
3. Keep living space warm and safe. During the winter, it’s important to pay extra attention to the temperature inside your living space. If you are still living at home, the temperature inside your home should stay consistently warm, especially overnight. Keep an eye on the weather each day, if the outdoor temperature is predicted to drop, make sure your heating system stays on as seniors are more prone to hypothermia. Plus, your pipes can freeze if it’s too cold and you’ll be left without water. In that same line of thought, it’s a good idea to have HVAC and plumbing professionals come in to service all heating systems and plumbing in the home to ensure that everything is in safe working order. The last thing you should worry about is being without heat and water during a blizzard!
4. Stay connected to loved ones. It’s harder during the winter to get out of the house and connect with others. While it’s physically easier to stay nice and warm at home, it can also be mentally harder. Becoming isolated from others can lead to loneliness and even depression, a condition to be taken seriously for seniors in particular. At the very least, make sure to arrange a weekly (or even daily) Zoom or phone call with your loved ones. And when the weather is cooperating, make your way out into the cold to visit a family member or friend. They will appreciate the visit just as much as you will!

Assisted senior living in Camden County, NJ

Collingswood is part of United Methodist Communities, a network of senior living communities specializing in holistic senior living. Our community in Camden County, NJ, is known for its beautiful setting, spacious residential apartments and variety of activities available all year round. With qualified, experienced medical professionals and caregivers on hand to provide assistance around the clock, residents can enjoy all the benefits of living independently.

For more information about our assisted living services in Collingswood, NJ, please contact us today or visit our website at: https://umcommunities.org/collingswood/

This blog was originally published at https://umcommunities.org/collingswood/blog/senior-health-4-tips-for-the-cold-winter-season/

Life’s Too Short – Let’s Laugh!

 

They say laughter is the best medicine and we couldn’t agree more! In honor of National Humor Month, the assisted living team at Collingswood is going to highlight a few of the best comedies for seniors to stream. Because who couldn’t use a good laugh right about now? Whether it’s a hit Netflix show or a classic movie, there’s a little something for everyone on this list.

At United Methodist Communities, assisted living residents love our themed “Movie Days” when we dress in comfy PJ’s, bake some sweet treats, and have a good laugh together. We hope after reading this list, you will follow suit and dedicate the day to laughter and fun!

Some Like it Hot

It’s only right that we start with a timeless classic: Some Like it Hot! Main characters Joe and Jerry find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. After witnessing a Mafia murder, they think of a quick plan to stay alive by escaping from Chicago. The first part of the plan is to disguise themselves as women to join an all-girl jazz band and hop a train to Florida. Joe immediately becomes smitten with the band’s beautiful lead singer, Sugar, and pretends to be a millionaire to win her over. All the while Jerry finds himself pursued by a real millionaire as the mobsters track them down. The hijinks and quips will keep seniors giggling until the credits roll.

The Wedding Singer

An Adam Sandler classic, this movie is about a nice guy (Robbie Hart) who’s left at the altar and happens to have one of the most romantic jobs in the world: a wedding singer. While he tries to move on from his breakup, he finds himself helping his coworker, Julia, plan her wedding. After spending so much time together, he falls for her and realizes he has to stop her wedding. This movie will have seniors laughing out loud with its’ childish humor and eccentric characters. One of our favorite characters has to be the sweet old lady who pays for her singing lessons in meatballs — she’s the cutest!

Grace and Frankie

Grace and Frankie is a Netflix series about two senior women who bond after their husbands announce that they’re in love with each other. Ironically, their husbands, Robert and Sol, are also successful divorce lawyers in San Diego. This series features Jane Fonda as Grace and Lily Tomlin as Frankie, who make senior audiences laugh each season with their nutty hijinks and sarcastic jokes. Right now, there are six seasons that can be streamed on Netflix and the final season is in production.

Something’s Gotta Give

This is a witty comedy about the fears of aging and the lengths a person will  go to hang onto their youth — definitely a movie that seniors can identify with. To sum it up, the main character, Harry Sanborn, is a “player” in his senior years with a girlfriend, Marin Barry, who is way too young for him. They decide to go to Marin’s family beach house in the Hamptons for the weekend, and are surprised to find her mother, Erica, there. Erica was planning to stay the weekend as well and is horrified to discover her daughter is with a womanizer who is in the same age group as herself. In a strange turn of events, Harry has a heart attack at the house and is prescribed lots of bed rest. While he is recovering, he grows much closer to Erica – who is out of his league in more ways than one.

The Good Place

The Good Place is another comedy series that can be streamed (or binged) on Netflix. The plot revolves around Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) who is welcomed into “The Good Place” after her death. She quickly finds herself in the wrong environment because “The Good Place” is a heaven-like utopia, and she was not the most righteous person in the past.  Seniors will appreciate the clean, light-hearted humor and Kristen Bell’s superb acting performance episode after episode.

Senior living in Collingswood, NJ

At UMC at Collingswood, our assisted living residents can continue to live a full and independent life. We pride ourselves on fostering an environment in which residents can pursue their hobbies, while receiving the care they need. As mentioned above, both our Collingswood associates and residents love to take part in “Movie Days,” and other fun activities that engage socialization.

For more information about UMC at Collingswood, our senior living community in Camden County, New Jersey, please contact our team today. Discover what community life is really like by visiting our website at: https://collingswood.umcommunities.org/

Original blog posted on https://collingswood.umcommunities.org/collingswood/lifes-too-short-lets-laugh/

Honoring Senior Women for International Women’s Day

 

Margaret Thatcher said it best, “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”

There’s no limit to what women can accomplish. This has already been proven throughout history – by women refusing to be hidden. Especially when they truly acknowledge all that they bring to the table, and refuse to settle for anything less than spectacular. Women are the teachers, artists, physicians, leaders, and the warriors of society – and will continue to be for years to come.

United Methodist Communities celebrates all women for International Women’s Day, and will continue to every day there after. Today is also the perfect opportunity to commemorate some amazing but lesser known women who made outstanding accomplishments later in life.

In the Philippines, Melchora Aquino de Ramos is also known as the Grand Woman of the Revolution. When the revolution broke out against Spain in 1896, Melchora was 84-years-old. She was the widow of a village elder who owned a store in the town of Caloocan. The store became a refuge for injured and sick soldiers, as well as a meeting place. She soon became a sought-out and respected advisor during the revolution. Melchora developed a reputation as someone brave, who could also be trusted as she refused to reveal the location of her people even after she was arrested by the Spanish. Despite her age and the danger she faced, she was a true hero of her time.

Jacqueline Murdock always wanted to become a model, but in the 1950s, there weren’t a lot of opportunities in the fashion industry for black women. As a young woman she became a dancer at Harlem’s Apollo theater, but Jacqueline always retained that dream of being a style icon. At 82-years-old, her dream finally came true when she became the face of the fashion brand Lanvin for their 2012 fall collection.

Jacqueline was a senior who pursued and realized her dreams, despite how much time had passed and how many obstacles stood in her way.

Evelyn Gregory fulfilled her dream of becoming a flight attendant at 72-years-old! After her husband of 42 years passed, she decided to finally chase the childhood dream she put on hold. Evelyn faced a lot of rejection at first, but was finally given a chance at Mesa Airlines in 1999. She is now an inspiration to older women who are considering a new venture in their later lives. A great reminder that it is never too late to follow your passion!

Wilma Mankiller was the first woman to be elected as Principal Chief of the Cherokee nation in 1985. For ten years as chief, Wilma focused on education, job opportunities, and healthcare for her people. Wilma was a woman who realized her true purpose later in life and then fully embraced the philosophy of ‘Ga-Dugi’ – which translates to “in a good way.” She was someone who humbly overcame great obstacles to give a voice to her people.

Wilma’s legacy and positive philosophy lives on through her autobiography, Mankiller: A Chief and Her People.

Mary McLeod Bethune strongly believed that education was the answer to racial advancement. She tirelessly worked toward this goal her whole life as an educator and civil rights activist. Mary founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute in 1904, which later became Bethune-Cookman College. She also founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935 at 60-years-old. Her achievements are especially remarkable considering she was a child of formerly enslaved people and the first of her family to go to school. Perhaps, she is the best reminder that absolutely anything is possible when you put your mind to it.

Senior living in Collingswood, NJ

At UMC at Collingswood, our assisted living residents can continue to live a full and independent life. We pride ourselves on fostering an environment in which our residents can pursue their hobbies, passions, and interests, while receiving the care they need. As seen in the senior women above, it is never too late to start a new journey. At UMC, you can focus on your passion, while we focus on providing the best care possible.

For more information about UMC at Collingswood, our senior living community in Camden County, New Jersey, please contact our team today. Discover why so many people choose us as their trusted assisted living community by visiting our website at: https://collingswood.umcommunities.org/camden-county-assisted-living-community/

Original content posted on https://collingswood.umcommunities.org/collingswood/honoring-senior-women-for-international-womens-day/