5 Ways Seniors Can Stay Warm This Winter

Staying warm in the winter seems like common sense, but it’s not always easy – especially for older adults. As we age, we become more sensitive to cold weather, meaning we feel cold more easily and find it more difficult to warm ourselves back up. Fortunately, there are many measures to take to avoid freezing that involve more than just grabbing an extra blanket at night to bundle up. Our assisted living team at UMC at Bristol Glen has compiled some of the best tips on how seniors can stay warm this winter.

#1 – Seal up leaks and drafts. Stopping the heat from leaking out of your home is one of the best ways to stay warm and save on your energy bill at the same time. Small fixes to seal up gaps in the heating system, fireplace, windows, and doors can make an impressive difference, and they’re affordable to do too. If you want to make sure your home or a loved one’s home is as weathertight as possible, ask your town or utility company if they perform energy audits, as this is a useful way of seeing where heating energy is being wasted.

#2 – Insulate. Installing good-quality insulation is another affordable, passive way to keep your home warm. Good quality insulation is important to have in the ceiling, attic, basement walls, flooring above vented crawl spaces, and between interior walls. Some insulation, like roofing and crawl space insulation, is very quick and easy to install and makes a big difference when it comes to heating the home in winter. It’s also worth it to install thick, heavy drapes over windows, as glass tends to let in the cold quite easily.

#3 – Set the thermostat correctly. Energy for heating is expensive, but being cold is never the answer. Anyone can stay warm and maximize energy efficiency at the same time by setting their thermostat correctly. Ideally, it should be between 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Any lower than 68 can be dangerous for seniors, and the effects of a colder room can be difficult to notice until it causes a serious problem. If you or a loved one want to save more energy, think about installing a smart thermostat that heats the space as needed according to the temperature of the day. Smart thermostats can also be used to set the most comfortable temperature zones in the rooms that are used most often.

#4 – Layer clothing. Layers allow us to adjust our clothing as the temperature of the day and our activity levels change. They also help to trap heat more effectively, keeping it close to the body. This is especially important for seniors with poor circulation and low blood pressure. A basic layer of flannel or cotton should be the base layer, as it wicks away moisture. Over that, you can wear a heavier long-sleeved top and a sweater, followed by a coat for going outdoors. Remember to combine this with good thick socks, gloves, and winter hats, as our extremities tend to feel the cold much more severely.

#5 – Stay active. Being active in winter is no easy feat, but it is the best possible thing for boosting circulation, warming the body, and strengthening the immune system. If you are concerned that outdoor exercises may be too much of a fall hazard for your senior loved one, look into community recreation centers and gyms offering classes for seniors. These spaces enforce health and safety regulations and are kept at a comfortable temperature all year round, so that seniors can enjoy yoga, water aerobics, dance classes, walking on the treadmill, or swimming whatever the weather.

A sense of community at our CCRC in Sussex County

UMC at Bristol Glen is one of the leading CCRCs in Sussex County. We offer a beautiful, warm, and welcoming space for seniors, whether you have just retired or are looking for additional care. Our experienced staff works tirelessly to meet the social, medical, and wellness needs of every resident, to create a full and abundant life. 

For more information on Bristol Glen and how we measure up to other communities offering senior living in Sussex County NJ, please contact us today or visit our website at https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org/

Original content posted on https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org/bristol-glen/5-ways-seniors-can-stay-warm-this-winter/

Top Questions to Ask an Independent Living Community Before Your Loved One Moves In

Moving into an independent living community is a big commitment and it’s important for you and your senior loved one to feel confident, comfortable, and happy with the community selected. Is the independent living community located close to where your loved one lives currently? What type of social programs can they offer your mom or dad? And, most importantly, how do you know if the community is the right fit? Here are some helpful questions to ask when researching different independent living options that will help you find the right senior living community for your loved one, as well as the whole family.

#1 – What type of lifestyle do you offer senior residents?

There is such variety in today’s senior living communities, with many centered around different lifestyles. For example, there aren’t just seaside or countryside options, but communities based around different faiths or that are situated in the heart of bustling, city-like communities! Think about the kind of lifestyle that best suits your loved one’s personality, needs, and interests. This will help to discover places that will support their quality of life most efficiently.

#2 – How would you describe your senior residents?

Ask about the demographics of the community to get a good idea of how your senior loved one would fit in. What is the ratio of couples to single people? What age groups are in the community? Are there a lot of younger, more active seniors? This information helps you see how well your loved one will fit in, make friends, and enjoy the community on a social level.

#3 – How active is the community? And what activities are provided?

The last thing anyone wants is to join a senior living community and then feel bored! Activities, clubs, and events aren’t strictly for entertainment – they also help to build social bonds, improve physical and mental wellbeing, and keep seniors independent and healthy for longer. Talk to the community about what your loved one is interested in and see how the focus of that community meets these needs, whether it’s through outings, cultural events, on-site clubs, or daily physical activity programs.

#4 – Can we join you for a meal?

It might not be possible to have a meal when scouting out a senior living community, but it’s so important to get a good idea of how mealtimes work and what the food is like. Some senior living communities only have communal restaurants, while others have both a restaurant and the option of making your own meals in your apartment. These meals should be nutritious and delicious, and they should be able to accommodate any dietary requirements your loved one may have.

#5 – How is pricing structured?

When it comes to senior living services, you want to make sure your loved one is getting the support they need within your budget. Every community prices its services differently, so it’s very important to get an idea of what costs are involved from the get-go. Some communities offer their services at a flat rate whether your loved one makes use of them or not, while others offer services a la carte based on what your loved one requires. Most communities offer a combination of the two – for example, their apartment, housekeeping, and security expenses are at a flat monthly rate, and additional services like memory care, bathing or grooming assistance, and nursing care are charged additionally on an as-needed basis.

#6 – Can I look over the details of the contract?

You should never feel pressured to sign a contract before you have had a reasonable amount of time to look it over. These contracts can be quite complex and can be tailored to each organization’s specific business model, so it’s a good idea to have your lawyer or financial advisor look it over in detail, so you know exactly what you’re agreeing to.

Get answers to all your questions at our senior living community in Sussex County NJ

If you have any questions about independent senior living, it’s time to talk with our team at Bristol Glen. We’re part of the United Methodist Communities network, and we take pride in providing a Continued Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Sussex County that gives every resident a fulfilling, active, and abundant life. Contact us today for more information or visit our website at: https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org

Original content posted on https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org/bristol-glen/top-questions-to-ask-an-independent-living-community-before-your-loved-one-moves-in/

The 5 Best Books for Seniors and the Benefits of Reading

Since Read a Book Day is coming up on September 6th, there’s no better time than the present to highlight the benefits of reading – especially for seniors! Research has repeatedly shown that reading is good for both their physical and mental health. Reading can also help seniors explore a world outside of their everyday lives. To help your senior loved one pick the perfect novel, the team at our CCRC in Sussex County has also put together a list of top books for seniors and why they resonate with our residents. Enjoy!

Reading improves mental and physical wellness

Reading stimulates the somatosensory cortex of the brain, which strengthens connections within the brain even several days after completing a book, helps to maintain and improve memory and cognitive function, and may reduce the overall risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia in seniors.

Reading a book also helps to lower blood pressure, stress, and heart rate, which are key risk factors in heart disease, heart attack, and cardiac arrest. It can help improve sleep quality and duration and alleviates the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Seniors who read can ignite their imagination, practice and improve empathy, develop sharper problem-solving skills, and bond with others through book clubs and discussions. Reading is an adventure that’s simply good for the soul!

The top #5 books for seniors

Here are some great books for seniors to try. Remember, if vision, mobility, or focus is an issue, you can find large-text books, increase the text size on a lightweight e-reader, or get an audiobook version.

#1 – The Tuesday Night Club by Agatha Christie

She’s the queen of crime, with mysteries that will send a shiver down your spine! This collection of short stories is perfect for stimulating those problem-solving skills in a way that’s thrilling. From Mrs. Marple, the aging detective that uses her life experiences to explore human nature, to the setting in mid-20^th century England, these stories are iconic and engaging from the first word.

#2 – The Body by Bill Bryson

A non-fiction book about the human body and the history of medicine, this author takes complex scientific information and turns it into something a layperson can easily understand. It’s a fascinating journey through the human body and our understanding of it, filled with humor, facts, and incredible stories of discovery. Although this is quite a large volume, it’s clearly divided into chapters and general topics for easy reading.

 #3 – Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

Reminisce on times gone by with this witty and delightful novel about a fascinating woman and her incredible life. Once the toast of New York, Ms. Boxfish is a senior with so many stories to tell about the people in her life, the challenges she faced, and the excitement of the advertising industry in the 1930s.

#4 – The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber

A short, light, yet wonderful novel, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is all about a man living in his daydreams. Focused on an imaginary life filled with heroics and adventure, escaping from a life that feels mundane and bound in routine. This novel shows the thrill and value of harnessing a powerful imagination in everyday life.

 #5 – The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

A World War 2 novel set in France, this powerful story about love and conflict is focused on a family who must learn to live during an invasion. With a focus on the women left behind when their husbands and sons went to war, this is very different from your typical WW2 tale, and shares the story of two sisters separated by years and life experience trying to survive, find love, and survive.

Bristol Glen is part of United Methodist Communities, a collection of senior living and assisted living communities in New Jersey dedicated to supporting abundant, independent living. We offer many group activities on-site to support the well-being of our residents including fitness classes, movie nights, and of course, avid book clubs.

If you want to find out more about senior living services in Sussex County NJ, then please get in touch today or visit our website at https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org

Original blog content posted on https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org/bristol-glen/the-5-best-books-for-seniors-and-the-benefits-of-reading/