Cantissimo Senior Living Blog

Spending time with your grandchildren is so lovely. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to keep them occupied and attentive, and all too often, you hear that they are bored. This is especially challenging during the winter season when they may not be able to do many of their favorite outdoor activities. If you are looking for ideas to spend quality time together over the coming cold months, don't worry! This article outlines ten fantastic ideas that will not only keep them occupied but help you build cherished memories together too.

In America, stroke is the third leading cause of death. The brain and heart rely on each other to sustain the basic functionalities of the human body. The brain controls a large portion of the body's range of capabilities and nerve signaling. Your brain has multiple purposes, but a single stroke can put those critical functions at risk. Communication, memory, emotional activity, and physical capabilities can all be affected when the brain is not operating at its utmost potential.

Difference Between a Stroke and a Heart Attack

A stroke and a heart attack may seem similar but are very different. Both ailments occur due to a shortage of oxygenated blood and blood flow. However, strokes primarily affect the brain, while heart attacks mainly target the heart. When the body's blood flow to the heart is blocked, sometimes due to a blood clot, it can cause a heart attack. A stroke, on the other hand, can cause possible brain tissue to decay and long-term disability or death.

We’d love to share with you six pillars of health that date back thousands of years and come from the world of Ayurveda known as the medicine of yoga. 

The Six Pillars are meant to be incorporated into your daily life to help you stay healthy, vibrant, and maintain your independence. After all, this is the time of life to travel, play with grandkids, volunteer in your community, and enjoy quality time with family and friends. 

The human body/mind has some pretty basic requirements to maintain energy, proper elimination, and stress resiliency. These practices are simple and easy and will support you to feel great!

Whether you live with your grandchildren or are visiting via Zoom or other virtual meeting tools, there are many fun and engaging things that can be done with your grandchildren. These activities can be teaching experiences in many ways. Even the youngest grandchild will do well listening to your voice as you tell stories or read to them. To help get you started, here are some of my favorite activities to do with grandchildren, even if we are not in the same room:

Cellular phones and access to the internet has drastically changed the lives of people across the world. For the first time in history, humans can communicate with each other and access answers to questions instantly, from pretty much anywhere. The benefits are vast and incredible. At the same time, while older adults are using the internet and smartphones more frequently, there are risks.

Internet and phone scams have become a growing issue as technology has evolved and become more advanced. Scammers use internet software to take advantage of people by using fraud schemes that trick people into giving them money. In 2018, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center received 351,936 complaints of internet and phone crimes, accounting for more than 2.7 billion dollars in losses. Of all scam victims, seniors are targeted more than any other age group because they tend to have more time and willingness to listen. They are also often more sympathetic and trusting than younger generations.

Scammers use various tactics, such as acting friendly, helpful, or sympathetic, to get people to fall for their schemes. In some cases, scammers inflict fear on their victims to scare them into paying them. Scammers are aware that many older adults have a lot of money in their savings accounts after retirement. They are also considered low-risk targets because these scams often go unnoticed and unreported due to the lack of technical knowledge.

The best way to avoid internet and phone scams is to be aware of common scams, including the top ten scams targeting seniors, found by the National Council on Aging (NCOA). It is then easier to identify and avoid falling for these scams:

Breath is life force and essential to supporting all the functions and systems in our bodies, thereby regulating health. As we age and go through the trials and tribulations of life, it is common that we adopt patterns of breathing that are not optimal. Some of those patterns include mouth breathing, erratic breathing, breath-holding, and even reverse breathing. 

All of these patterns affect how much the diaphragm, our primary breathing muscle, is able to contract and release, corresponding to vagus nerve stimulation, the brain-gut connection, and our body’s relaxation response.

The vagus nerve is the longest in the body, running from the brainstem to the gut. Simulating the vagus nerve activates the body’s relaxation response, reducing heart rate and blood pressure.

So, how do we stimulate the vagus nerve? By first bringing attention to our current breathing pattern, and then beginning to activate the diaphragm as we breathe, taking slow, deep breaths.

The World Health Organization estimated in 2018 that there were approximately 466 million people across the world suffering from hearing loss. That is about 6.1% of the world's total population. It is estimated that one in every three adults over the age of 65 are affected by disabling hearing loss. On top of that, the number of people affected by hearing loss is projected to reach 630 million by 2030. 

Understanding Hearing Loss

Age-related hearing loss is known as presbycusis. With time, adults face more significant challenges interpreting the sounds around them. This can lead to severe difficulties in communication. Generally, this process occurs gradually over time. Age-related hearing loss results from changes in the inner ear, which could be contributed to by several factors:

The holidays are coming up! For many of us, that means it's time to shop and get everyone the perfect gifts. With the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing restrictions, this year, shopping online is the way to go! Don't worry; you can still save money! In fact, shopping online provides many unique opportunities to ensure you are getting the best possible price. Read on to learn about seven different ways you can squeeze every penny out of your online shopping experience.

     7. Use Coupon-Finding Browser Extensions

Coupons exist online in the form of promo codes that you can use at checkout. Sites often have dozens of active discount codes, but it can take some digging to find them. Many discount codes can be found if you search around online, but these code-collecting websites are not always up-to-date. It can be frustrating when you have to spend time testing your luck with a lot of expired codes.

The solution? Browser extensions like Honey find all of the relevant coupon codes for you and apply them with just a click of the mouse. It will attempt a collection of codes and automatically apply the best discount. To install Honey (for free), make an account on their website (https://www.joinhoney.com/), and download the browser extension.

As the temperature drops and the snow falls, it can become easier than ever to want to stay inside. The sun rises later, sets earlier, and it is more difficult to do anything outdoors. However, it is essential to get exercise all year, and we can't afford to take several months off. That cold chill shouldn't get in the way of our physical and mental health during the winter season. To help combat that lazy winter feeling, here are a few strategies to make it easier to stay active all year:

     7. Find a Workout Partner

Sometimes it is hard to find the motivation to exercise. A workout partner can help keep you on track. When you are feeling lazy, they can hold you accountable. It can be helpful to have a workout partner to ensure you are doing the exercises correctly and completely. Not only that, but workout partners can make exercising more fun, so it becomes something to look forward to each day, rather than dreading it. Finally, it is safer to exercise with a partner. They can help identify problems and provide help in case of an accident.

Have you found yourself stuck in your writing? Perhaps your pen was flying across the page, and then it seems as if, suddenly, the creativity has run dry? This experience is commonly known as writer's block. It may be discouraging and even frustrating, but you are not alone. Writer's block is a normal sensation. To help get past this roadblock in your writing, consider the following tips!

     10. Freewrite

Freewriting can be extremely helpful to plow through writer's block. The idea is to set a time limit (we recommend starting with 5 or 10 minutes) and just write. It does not have to be on the topic you were writing about before or even make much sense. Just get words and sentences on paper. This has been known to help inspire new ideas or get past those that were holding you back. Some of the most significant issues with writer's block are self-criticism and doubt, which prevent you from putting pen to paper in fear of anything you write being unworthy of saving. Sometimes, it helps to see it on paper, progress, and you can always go back and edit later.