Cantissimo Senior Living Blog

Aging in place at home remains the most popular option for senior living. According to AARP, over 75% of age 50+ respondents to a 2018 survey said they would prefer to stay in their own homes. However, as we age, the risks of living at home increase, with the most common being the risk of falling. CDC data shows that 36 million older adults fall annually, resulting in 3 million emergency department visits and over 32,000 deaths.

To reduce falls and other accidents, a home needs to be modified to accommodate older adults' needs. These modifications range from low-cost and straightforward to expensive and complicated. However, any change that makes a home safer may enable the older resident to remain independent longer.

The hustle and bustle of modern life leaves even the most mindful, well-rounded people with unnecessary stress. Meditation can be an excellent way to alleviate these stresses and improve your sense of wellbeing. Meditation has been around since before the Common Era, making it one of the oldest recorded practices in history. Initially used as a spiritual practice to gain oneness and enlightenment, meditation now provides an escape from our modern, stress-ridden lives.

Though meditation is intended to relax and calm, it can be quite daunting to start meditating. Meditation beginners find themselves labored by certain obstacles like focus and concentration issues, falling asleep, and being alone with their thoughts. It doesn't have to be this way! With a few tips and tricks, and the right knowledge, anyone can find peace and self-understanding through meditation.

As we age, our health concerns often grow. It becomes increasingly important to stay on top of any physical or mental health concerns. And though no one can stave off illness and disease altogether, it can be easier to maintain wellness with preventive care and the assistance of technology. Read on for some ways technology can be an ally in your pursuit of good health.

As the year 2021 kicks off, the COVID-19 pandemic continues into the new year with many questions about the release and disbursement process of the vaccines. Around the country, more than 100 million Americans are uncertain and skeptical about the vaccines due to the safety and side effects of the vaccines. There are currently two FDA unapproved vaccines, and they are to be used under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Healthcare professionals and senior living residents are two groups that are authorized to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Already, many healthcare workers across the country have begun the vaccination process. The general public can get vaccinated once these vaccines are approved for large scale administration and there is a vaccine more broadly available in the United States.

How mRNA Vaccines Work

The two vaccines that are currently being used are the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. Both of these are classified as mRNA vaccines. Unlike other vaccines, this type does not inject the virus into an individual. Instead, mRNA vaccines create a protein that triggers an immune response to produce antibodies. Obtaining antibodies for COVID-19 protects individuals from getting infected when they come in contact with the virus.

With the start of the new year, many people have found the motivation to improve their lives. While some individuals may have big plans for the upcoming year, like losing significant weight or starting a multimillion-dollar company, most people take this as a time to set realistic and positive goals. One of the most common New Year's resolutions is to correct bad habits like smoking, nail-biting, eating junk food, and other things of that nature. It's easy for humans to get stuck in their ways, which means that habits can be difficult to shake, but not impossible.

To successfully kick your habit, you need determination and self-control. With a positive outlook and the right tools for success, anything is possible! If you're interested in dropping that bad habit this year, allow us to share our top ten tips and tricks for getting rid of bad habits:

Peace, tranquility, and relaxation are desirable to anyone. Unfortunately, this doesn't come easily to everyone, especially older adults and those with anxiety disorders. A day gone wrong may sometimes disturb the whole week or even longer. As such, it is critical to learn healthy ways to ease stress.

Regardless of the causes of stress, these tips will enable you to live a more stress-free life. Let's start:

Every winter, flu season comes around, and we can find ourselves fighting off a revolving door of sickness. Now with COVID-19 being thrown into the mix, strengthening our immune system is more important than ever. As older adults, we are more likely to catch whatever is going around, be sick longer, and have more severe symptoms than younger ones. Taking these tips to improve your immune system will help you get through this winter season healthier than ever before.

The year is almost over, and it's time to look forward to the new year. With the new year comes a fresh start. While it's hard to keep a New Year's resolution throughout the entire year, it's still best to try. While reflecting on the last year, think about all the new experiences waiting for you. What will you put on your New Year's resolutions list? The possibilities are endless. If you're not sure yet, or are looking for additional ideas, here are some suggestions that may be just what you want to add: 

     10. Eat Healthier – Eat Better – Eat Consistently

Too often, we find ourselves hurrying through the day, not realizing that we haven't stopped to eat breakfast or lunch. Food is fuel for the body, and without it, it doesn't take long until we start slowing down.

➡️ New Year's Resolution – Promise yourself that you will eat better, make healthier choices, and eat at the same time every day to provide balance. Set your phone alarms to go off when you are supposed to sit down and eat. Set the alarm to go off one hour ahead of time so that you have time to prepare the food. Go online and find videos and recipes so that you have something new to eat each day or each week. Healthy food leads to a healthy life!

With the arrival of COVID-19 and the efforts to socially distance, it has never been more important to stay in shape at home. Throughout much of the pandemic, gyms have been closed, and people are more reliant than ever on exercising at home and outdoors. This is particularly true for older adults. Strength training helps to maintain healthy bone structures, improve mobility, and prevent falls. In this article, we share seven of the best strength exercises that can be done at home with little to no exercise equipment.

As we approach 2021, we are presented with an excellent opportunity to reflect on the things we have learned in the past year. Earlier this week, we released a collection of our most popular blog posts of the year. In this post, we'll bring your attention to ten posts you are most likely to have missed. We hope you enjoy the following posts!