Category Archives: Health and Fitness

August 31 Is Overdose Awareness Day

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. While not the kind of day you would likely celebrate, it’s a good reminder of the role that drug overdoses and drug abuse have in our lives. The day provides a time for grieving families who have lost a loved one or who have had a loved one…

Why Strength Training Is Important for Older Adults—and How to Get Strong

Do the senior loved ones in your life get regular exercise? Many older adults enjoy walking or water aerobics, and those can be good exercise. However, federal guidelines also address the role of strength training for all adults. In fact, those guidelines state that most adults should get 150 minutes of moderate activity a week,…

Why Oral Health Is So Important for Seniors—and How to Keep Your Mouth Healthy If you care for an older adult, you probably think about their heart health and brain health. You probably also make sure they see their primary care doctor at least once a year for regular checkups. Yet do you help them…

10 Ways to Get Your Home Ready After Joint Replacement Surgery

As we get older, the life left in our joints—including hips and knees—may run out. When someone reaches that point where those joints just don’t work anymore, they may need a joint replacement surgery. There are more than 400,000 total hip replacement surgeries done each year in the U.S., according to the American Academy of…

How Do You Know When an Older Adult Needs Help With Their Mental Health?

Among those age 55 and older, about 20% have a mental health concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These include anxiety, mood disorders such as depression, and cognitive impairment. It’s also no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic forced many older adults into isolation to stay safe. This may have helped them…

If you’re looking to get a COVID-19 vaccine, you may sometimes feel like you’re in a maze that never ends. Although some older adults have received the vaccine with little effort, others have fallen down a spiral to track it down. Here’s more information on how and where to get a COVID-19 vaccine if you…

When to See a Doctor About a Chronic Heart Problem

Not all heart problems are the dramatic, run to the ER, you’re having a heart attack-type of problem. Many chronic heart problems turn up slowly with subtle symptoms and become worse over time. Other chronic heart problems may have only mild symptoms but still be associated with a higher risk for more serious heart issues…