We all get angry. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 55 or 85, living alone or surrounded by family. Someone can say the wrong thing, push the wrong button, or simply do something differently than you would. But here’s an important reminder: You can be right about something and still be wrong in how you respond. Yelling, criticizing, or losing your temper, or being rude, will NOT solve the problem. Instead, it can hurt relationships and leave everyone feeling worse. The…
Which tree are you growing today? The ANXI-TREE is easy to recognize. Its roots are worry, its branches are uncertainty, and its leaves are our what-ifs. What if my health gets worse? What if I fall? What if I become a burden? What if tomorrow brings more bad news? As we age, life brings changes we cannot control. Health concerns, losing loved ones, living alone, and uncertainty about the future. These can leave us feeling like trees being blown about…
Small Changes Today Can Protect Your Independence Tomorrow Falls are not simply a “getting older” problem. They can happen to active, independent people—and the consequences can be serious. The good news? Many falls can be prevented. If you live alone, this checklist is especially important. Take 20 minutes this week and walk through your home with fresh eyes. 🏠 YOUR HOME SAFETY CHECK ☐ Bathroom: Install securely anchored grab bars in the shower/tub and toilet areas.☐ Shower: Use a non-slip…
You Can’t Always Choose What Happens—But You Can Choose What You Focus On As we grow older, we discover that many things are simply out of our control. We cannot change the weather, other people, the past, or any health challenge that comes our way. There is something we can influence every day: where we put our attention. Think of your mind as an airport. Thoughts are constantly arriving and departing. You may not be able to stop every negative…
Stop “Shoulding” Yourself—and Start Enjoying the Road Ahead. Have you ever noticed that your windshield is huge and your rearview mirror is pretty small? There’s a reason. The rearview mirror helps us see where we’ve been. The windshield helps us see where we can go!. Yet many of us spend far too much time looking backward—and then make things worse by telling ourselves what we “should” have done. I should have exercised more.I should have called more often.I should have…
INFLAMMATION: DON’T FEAR IT—WORK WITH YOUR BODY You may have heard that inflammation is the enemy and that we should do everything possible to “get rid of it.” The truth is much more interesting—and reassuring. Inflammation is one of your body’s protection systems. When you get a cut, fight an infection, or injure a muscle, inflammation helps your immune system respond and begin the healing process. Without it, your body could not protect or repair itself. The concern is long-lasting,…
We all have little things that irritate us—a rude driver, a noisy neighbor, a slow checkout line, the over-chatty friend, or someone who always seems to complain. Your problem isn’t having peeves. The problem is petting them. “Resentment is the poison you are drinking in hopes the other person dies.” “Petting your peeves” means replaying annoyances over and over in your mind. These become rocks you carry in your emotional bag. Every time you revisit them, your body responds as…
Medical Alert Systems with Fall DetectionDevices like the Life Alert or Bay Alarm Medical offer a wearable pendant or wristband with automatic fall detection. When a fall is detected, the device contacts a monitoring center immediately. Apple Watch with Fall DetectionThe latest Apple Watches have an advanced fall detection feature. If the watch senses a hard fall and you’re unresponsive, it will call emergency services and notify your contacts. GreatCall Lively Mobile PlusThis small, portable device works anywhere with a…
One of the greatest regrets many people share later in life is not being kinder when the opportunity was right in front of them. Often, someone was hurting, lonely, frightened, or overwhelmed, and instead of responding with warmth, we responded cautiously, hurriedly, or from a distance. Yet when we think about the people we remember most fondly, they are usually the ones who treated us with kindness, patience, and understanding. Their words, gestures, and presence stayed with us long after…