Search Results for: blog old and cranky or old and smart

How to Be Prepared for Black Friday 2013

Shopping for the best 2013 Black Friday Deals? This year, things may be a little different. Be prepared with the following tips, and you’ll get the best prices without being overwhelmed. It is solid advice to get you through the most important shopping day of the year. By making the following preparations now, you’ll be sure not to lose out on those bargains and at the same time, have everything be a positive and fun experience. Prepare for the Changes Swallow that turkey and be out the door by early evening if you want to start your Black Friday shopping. … Continue reading →

Age and Wisdom

There’s tons of research out there about how the ability to learn and remember declines as we age. Researchers are now starting to look at what our brains gain as we age: wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to make sense of information and experiences. It’s not so much learning new things as making connections between old ones. Knowledge is important to wisdom, but it isn’t the only thing involved; other important factors include good judgment, insight, diverse life experiences, and empathy. Take a person who knows a lot, has seen a lot, and has done a lot… and you’ve probably … Continue reading →

Depression in Seniors

Would your parent or grandparent tell you if they were depressed? According to statistics from the American Psychological Association’s Society of Clinical Geropsychology, most of today’s generation of seniors wouldn’t. Although many older people are quite free with talking about aches and pains, the idea of mental illness (like depression) is embarrassing. As many as seven million Americans over the age of sixty-five may be suffering from depression. Here’s some more bad news about older adults and depression: As much as ninety percent of the older Americans suffering from depression aren’t getting any help for it. The suicide rate for … Continue reading →

Safe and Healthy Travel with a Senior

Senior citizens often tend to have more health problems than the average adult. Here are some things you can do to make sure your travel with an older adult is safe and healthy! Schedule a visit to the doctor about a week before the trip. Talk about any health concerns, make sure all prescriptions are filled, and address any other issues. Your doc may have some information or advice for emergencies while you are away. Ask your doctor to provide a list of past and current medical issues and how they are being treated; brand and generic names of drugs … Continue reading →

Nine Ways To Protect Your Brain

Our brains change as we age. They get smaller. They slow down. If you want to help keep your brain up to speed, try these nine tips to help protect your brain. Keep trying new things. Your brain LOVES novelty. New experiences stimulate the production of dopamine, a chemical your brain uses in learning and memory. Doing new things can help build up brain mass (counteract that shrinkage) and increase processing speed (combat that slowing down). If your life lacks novelty, the dopamine producing areas of your brain can shrink. Practice a skill or hobby. Playing an instrument, solving crossword … Continue reading →

Boost Your Brain Power With Meditation

Your brain is like a muscle. Without exercise, it can begin to weaken — just like any muscle. Researchers from Harvard University have been studying the effects of meditation on brain erosion, with surprising results. In your early 20s, your brain begins to erode — specifically the areas that deal with decision making, attention span, and memory. The Harvard study compared the MRI scans of people who meditated daily with those of people who did not meditate at all. The long-time meditators had thicker brains in the areas that eroded in non-meditators: the areas that deal with attention, memory, and … Continue reading →

My Bubbe

My maternal grandmother, or Bubbe as we call her, is 97 years old. And until recently she was in great health. In most ways, she is pretty unremarkable (you know, besides being 97), she is an old woman who looks and acts the part. But there is one thing that stands out: her purse. Standing 4’10” on a good day, and well under 100lbs, my Bubbe has miraculously-strong shoulders. I know this because she carries this incredibly-heavy purse with her wherever she goes. Now this purse is no average handbag carrying a few of life’s necessities. No, this is a … Continue reading →