These days more of us are spending extra time at home, either working remotely, cooking for ourselves, tackling DIY projects or spending more time gardening or any other ways to find recreation at home. But you may not know that many of the activities we engage in at home can pose a risk of eye injury. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2.4 million people in the United States suffer an eye injury each year. And on average, more than half of these injuries occur at home.

When the word travel comes up, most people have different images come up in their minds. For some, it means jet-setting off to a exotic, tropical locale. For others, a simple road trip out to see tourist stops along the highway, or maybe an all-inclusive cruise through the Gulf of Mexico.

As we age, our daily habits and activities can start to take a toll on our well-being. Find out the benefits of writing letters by hand for seniors.

To a doctor, the way an older adult walks can reveal a lot. It can capture a snapshot of overall functioning and well-being, provide insight into a senior’s mobility and independence, and give foresight into fall risk, hospitalization, and future disability.

It is necessary for seniors to practice proper diet and eating habits, to maintain both their mental and physical health. Eating well can restore your health, lift your mood, and raise your spirits. Keeping a healthy diet, making sure to engage in regular exercise as part of your routine, and engaging in outdoor activities in an atmosphere with plenty of sunlight and oxygen are great ways to improve your general health and overall well-being.

Collecting is a widely enjoyed hobby by many people across the country, and many of us who collect are intensely proud of our collections, eager to talk about them and show them off. Most collections are benign and reasonable, perhaps we bring home a souvenir spoon or magnet from everywhere we visit, or we seek out and collect rare baseball cards, lovingly storing them or displaying them in specially built cases or binders. But compulsive hoarding is a detrimental behavior that is completely different than simply having a sprawling collection or two.

Volunteering can be an extremely rewarding and fulfilling endeavor. Learn the many benefits of volunteering with seniors.

Many of us work full time and are also busy with other responsibilities, such as raising children, managing their own homes, and engaging in social activities or hobbies. This makes taking on the role of a family caregiver in the event that a loved one suddenly has a condition or illness that requires regular care difficult.

Fall is a wonderful time of year to plan outings in just about any part of the country. The cooler, more predictable weather makes outdoor excursions more fun for the whole family.

America is a culture that celebrates youth. From our music and movie stars, to our lifestyles encouraging us to get cheap disposable household furniture and goods and replace it all frequently, too much focus is on new and shiny things, and even the elderly adults who helped make this country what it is can be discarded by the wayside when they’re no longer convenient. Too many of our older citizens live in isolation, due to a variety of factors that cause them to be cut off from others. Whether it’s by choice or by circumstance, the elderly can find themselves distanced from and out of communication with family, friends, and other social connections. When this happens, it can cause older adults to feel unwanted, unneeded, without purpose, and left behind by the world. In other words, disposable.

For some elderly people, their social interactions may only consist entirely of visiting the doctor’s office or the bank and grocery store during their normal errands. For seniors who are still mobile enough to get around, activities like volunteering for a nonprofit, a school, or some kind of litter cleanup crew can be a satisfying and rewarding way to feel useful, give something back to the community, and engage with people from all walks of life, not to mention form new social bonds with like-minded people.
 

Long weekends and summer days are perfect for visiting friends, family, and travel destinations close and far. Discover some challenges in traveling and hosting visitors and provide ideas to make it easier.

Once we reach our senior years and begin to age through the twilight period of our lives, one of the things that is almost universally understood to be a positive activity that enriches our lives is forming meaningful connections with any grandchildren we might have. By spending quality time with your grandchildren, not only will you build memories with them that will last their lifetimes, research has shown that children and teens who have close and healthy relationships with the seniors in their lives will themselves grow up to have healthy attitudes towards the aging process.

We often think of vital signs like measurements of blood pressure, pulse rate, cholesterol levels, or blood sugar as indicators of overall health, but those are not the only ways to gauge a person’s overall health. What people may not be aware of is that walking speed, or gait, is a useful metric for evaluating current health and predicting future health outcomes. 

While the summer is a great time to plan outdoor activities, stretch our legs, and shake off any remaining winter blahs that might still be weighing us down, the truth is that enjoying the sunshine can quickly turn from a fun time to a dangerous time. Sunlight, higher temperatures, and physical exertion can take their toll on the youngest and fittest people, and older adults are particularly susceptible to heat emergencies and dehydration. The good news, however, is that with a little bit of preparation and preventative steps, you can make sure your days never turn sour and you can let the good times roll all summer long.

            Recreational activities are a great way for seniors to stay active and engaged in their later years. Whether continuing a current or rediscovering an old hobby, or exploring something new, recreation can strengthen physical and mental abilities. Just because someone is a senior doesn’t mean they have to sit around playing bingo or watching the news.

Summer is nearly upon us, and the days will begin to get warmer and longer. Many people in the United States welcome the season, looking forward to getting outside and enjoying outdoor activities and gatherings made possible by agreeable weather and long, sun drenched days, with our country’s senior citizens being no exception. However, a very large percentage of adults aged 65 and older have at least one prescription medication they take on a daily basis, if not multiple medications that need to be taken at specific times throughout the day. And unfortunately for seniors looking to stretch their legs and soak up the sunshine, many common prescription medications can complicate their fun in the sun.  

Summer is almost upon us all and with the warm, sunny season comes the natural and understandable desire to get outside the house and be active. Golfing, gardening, swimming, and more, there’s plenty of excuses one can take to get outside and take in some sun.

Volunteering is a wonderful way for older adults to stay active and engaged in their communities, staying social and doing the activities they enjoy the most.

April is, among other things, National Lawn and Garden month. Gardening is a popular hobby among seniors, and has many benefits, mentally, emotionally, and physically. But the actual work of bending, kneeling, working the soil, lifting and digging can become physically challenging due to the effects the aging process has on the body. But with a few tips and modifications, gardening can be made much more safe and enjoyable for someone to enjoy as a hobby well into their twilight years.

As the Winter months give way to Spring, a time of new growth and celebration, one way seniors can ring in the coming season’s warmth and bountiful plentitude is by taking up a new hobby, particularly gardening. The warmer temperatures and increased sunlight are perfect conditions for getting outside, getting in the dirt, and planting your favorite flowers or vegetables. Seeing a garden grow from seed to a panoply of brightly colored flowers, lush greens, and nutritious vegetables is one of the most satisfying projects one can undertake, and more than that, it has many benefits that are of particular interest to senior citizens. Read on to find out more about how this hobby can help you to live your best life as you enter your twilight years.

Chronic pain is not a normal part of aging and can disrupt your daily activities and damage your quality of life. If you suffer chronic pain, knowing strategies to reduce your discomfort can allow you to cope with pain and keep it from being too detrimental to your life.

One of the most commonly cited issues for older adults is loneliness. Children grow up and move out of the home or to different cities, their friends and other loved ones either move or pass away, and it becomes more difficult to leave the house and participate in activities. For these reasons, pet ownership is a source of comfort and companionship that benefits seniors in countless ways.

When the year changes over to the new one, it’s a good time to reflect on the year we left behind, and look forward to the year to come. New Year’s resolutions are a popular part of that process. Start by looking back over the previous year, considering the person we were and the things we did and the habits we kept. Then consider what of those things we might like to put an end to, and what we might like to carry over into the new year. It’s also a great opportunity to conceptualize the person we might like to become, and what habits and activities we’d like to develop.

Seniors may travel for all sorts of reasons. With having more free time in retirement, there’s plenty of time now to explore the world around us. Either to visit relatives, see exotic or domestic locales on their bucket lists, or something else, there are things seniors can do to make their travel experience easier on them.