As we age, maintaining brain health becomes increasingly crucial for our overall well-being. Senior brain health is influenced by several risk factors. Understanding these is the first step toward making positive changes to maintain optimal brain health.
Senior Brain Health Risks
Here are some factors that can threaten our cognitive health as we age:
- Age-related cognitive decline. Aging is associated with changes in brain structure and function, leading to cognitive decline. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia are common among older adults, with Alzheimer's disease being the most prevalent form.
- Chronic health conditions. Certain chronic conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, can negatively impact brain health. They contribute to reduced blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain, increasing the risk of cognitive impairment.
- Sedentary lifestyle. Physical activity plays a crucial role in brain health. Sedentary behavior can lead to decreased brain volume and impaired cognitive function.
- Poor diet. Nutrition is a key determinant of brain health. A diet high in saturated fats, refined sugars, and processed foods can contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which have been linked to cognitive decline.
How to Keep Your Brain Healthy
Fortunately, there are various strategies that seniors can adopt to promote and maintain brain health:
- Keep your brain engaged. Mental stimulation is vital for brain health. Engaging in activities like puzzles, reading, learning new skills, and brain health games helps to challenge the brain and maintain cognitive function.
- Adopt a healthy diet. A balanced, nutrient-rich diet is crucial for brain health. Try incorporating foods like leafy green vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains, and fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These foods provide essential nutrients, antioxidants, and healthy fats that support brain health.
- Stay physically active. Regular exercise not only benefits physical health, but also supports cognitive function. Engaging in activities such as walking, swimming, or yoga can improve blood flow to the brain, enhance memory, and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
- Maintain social connections. Social engagement and maintaining relationships are essential for brain health. Interacting with others, participating in social activities, and staying connected with friends and family help to stimulate the brain and promote emotional well-being.
- Manage chronic health conditions. Proper management of chronic health conditions is crucial for maintaining brain health. Regular medical check-ups, adhering to prescribed medications, and adopting a healthy lifestyle can help minimize the impact of these conditions on cognitive function.
- Get your (cognitive) beauty sleep. Sleep plays a vital role in cognitive function and overall brain health. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night to support memory consolidation, learning, and optimal brain function.
Nourish Your Brain With Spectrum Community Services
At Spectrum, we work hard to prevent isolation in our senior clients, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seniors can enjoy in-person social opportunities and brain-healthy nutrition through our Meet & Eat program or virtually through our Grab & Connect program. Sign up today to get in on the fun—and do your brain a favor!
Spectrum is also proud to be launching a new program of companionship through phone calls and friendly visits called Connect. This program is geared to build friendships and help alleviate loneliness and isolation. Check our website for upcoming updates on this new offering!
Spectrum Community Services is committed to improving the quality of life for low-income families, seniors, and individuals in Alameda County. Through financial assistance, outreach programs, and services, our goal is to support community members in building healthy, safe, and independent lives. Contact us to learn more about our services, or consider making a donation to support our work. We can't wait to work with you!
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Many people enjoy exercising in the fall or spring, when cooling breezes offer easy relief from the heat of exertion. But when summer comes around, we sometimes have to get creative in order to work out without falling prey to heat-related illnesses. Getting enough exercise is essential for good physical and mental health, no matter what season it is or what climate you live in. Here’s your summer workout plan for staying fit safely this summer.
How to Work Out in Extreme Heat
You probably know that during exercise, your body releases heat by sweating. This definitely helps, but it’s also dehydrating, and in extreme temperatures, it’s not enough. No matter what kind of workout you’re doing on a hot day, it’s worth taking general precautions against serious overheating, dehydration, and (if you’re outside) sunburns. Here are some general tips for exercising in warm temperatures:
- Try to plan your workout outside the window of 10 am to 3 pm, which is often the hottest part of the day.
- Cold showers. Consider taking a cold rinse in the shower before your workout, leaving your hair wet for maximum cooling.
- Wear light clothing. Opt for loose, light-colored, breathable fabrics like cotton, or synthetic sweat-wicking clothing.
- Wear sunscreen. If you’re heading outside, apply sunscreen with a high SPF first; consider using a waterproof variety that won’t break down with sweat.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Take regular water breaks throughout your workout, and if you plan to exercise for over 60 minutes, swap out your water for an electrolyte-rich, low-sugar sports drink.
- AC is your friend. Consider staying indoors to exercise, especially if you have air conditioning or a heavily shaded home.
- Know your limits. Stop exercising if you feel dizzy, nauseous, or tired, even if you haven’t finished your workout.
Creative Ways to Get Exercise Without Overheating
If the mere thought of exercising in the heat turns your stomach, there are, well, cooler ways to burn calories. Here are a few ideas:
- Get in the water. Consider heading to a swimming pool or a natural body of water, like a lake or ocean. You can either go swimming or go for a hike around the water, occasionally getting your feet wet to cool off.
- Head to the mall. Malls and indoor shopping centers typically have good air conditioning; if you walk around the entire space, you’ll get errands done, stay cool, and get your steps in.
- Visit a large museum. Air conditioned museums are also great spaces for staying on your feet, getting some walking done, and engaging your brain, all at once.
- Go bowling. If you have a climate-controlled bowling alley near you, it’s a great resource for fun, spending quality time with family and friends, and working out both your upper and lower body.
Stay Cool This Summer With Spectrum Community Services
Spectrum Community Services is committed to improving the quality of life for low-income families, seniors, and individuals in Alameda County. Through financial assistance and other services, our goal is to support community members in building healthy, safe, and independent lives. Contact us to learn more about our services, or consider making a donation to support our work. We can't wait to work with you!
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During the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people began using video conferencing platforms for work, school, volunteering, dating, and keeping in touch with friends and loved ones. However, seniors who felt left behind by the sudden shift in technology use and social habits may still be missing out on some of its greatest benefits. Virtual socializing can be particularly great for seniors even outside of a pandemic, for multiple reasons.
Here’s what you need to know about virtual meetups and how they can help you live a healthier and happier life—no matter what’s going on in the world.
Why Seniors Should Try Virtual Meetups
Virtual socializing can be enormously beneficial for seniors because it helps to:
- Prevent senior isolation, which older people can be at greater risk for than other age groups
- Keep seniors with weakened or compromised immune systems safe and healthy
- Allow seniors with mobility challenges to socialize from the comfort and safety of home rather than having to navigate transportation and other logistics
- Promote brain health in seniors by helping them learn to use new technology
- Boost general mental health and overall wellbeing
- Prevent dementia, heart disease, stroke, and death
Here’s how seniors can take advantage of new video call technology and virtual socializing opportunities.
Video Call Resources for Seniors
If you’re new to video calls, don’t worry—there are plenty of resources to help you learn the ropes (and doing so can be much less complicated than you might imagine). Here are some ideas for getting comfortable with video conferencing platforms:
- Ask a tech-savvy friend or family member to help you set up a platform on your computer or phone and do practice calls with you
- Explore video call tools designed specifically with seniors in mind, such as CallGenie, Komp from No Isolation, and more
- When you’ve decided on a platform, visit the brand’s website for how-tos and tutorials
Virtual Social Event Ideas
Once you’ve got the hang of video call technology, the options for virtual social events are almost limitless. Consider participating in the following with friends, family, new acquaintances, and friends you haven’t met yet:
- Book club meetings
- Movie nights
- Board games or online games
- Cooking sessions or shared meals
- Online classes
- Trivia nights
Make New Friends With Spectrum Community Services
At Spectrum, we work hard to prevent isolation in our senior clients, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seniors can enjoy in-person social opportunities through our Meet & Eat program or virtually through our Grab & Connect program. Sign up today to get in on the fun!
Spectrum Community Services is committed to improving the quality of life for low-income families, seniors, and individuals in Alameda County. Through financial assistance, outreach programs, and services, our goal is to support community members in building healthy, safe, and independent lives. Contact us to learn more about our services, or consider making a donation to support our work. We can't wait to work with you!
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Changes in physical conditions and general mobility can put seniors at an increased risk for falls as they age, which is why low-impact forms of exercise that improve strength and balance are so important for fall prevention in seniors. However, each tripping hazard at home adds further and unnecessary dangers, so removing these is equally essential for preventing falls and injury. Here are some ways to avoid the most common trip hazards for seniors—before a dangerous fall happens.
Use High-Quality Footwear
Sometimes our own footwear trips us up. Avoid wearing shoes with slippery soles, floppy construction, or high heels to reduce your risk of falling. Ensure that your shoes fit properly, offer adequate support where you need it, and have soles with good treads.
Address Pet-Related Fall Risks
Small pets are especially easy to trip on because they’re harder to see from a standing height. However, pets of any size can indirectly pose a serious trip hazard if their bowls, toys, beds, and other supplies become walkway obstacles. Consider attaching a bell to your pets’ collars to increase your awareness of their presence. Move stray toys and chews out of main pathways as soon as you spot them.
Secure Rugs and Flooring
It’s jarring for anyone to suddenly find themselves “surfing” a hardwood floor on a slippery throw rug, but there can be serious outcomes for seniors in this situation. Flooring fabrics are a major culprit of senior falls, so make sure that your rugs have non-skid backing or mats and lie flat. Ensure that loose floorboards and carpet corners are secured down to avoid catching your foot on them, and cut any loose threading in rugs.
Clear High-Traffic Areas
If you can’t get rid of clutter entirely, at least remove it from the main pathways in your home. Move boxes, books, newspapers, magazine racks, plant stands, and other items out of walkways, particularly sharp-cornered small tables. Be sure that electrical cords don’t stretch across these thoroughfares, either.
Use Strategic Lighting
Despite our best efforts, it’s hard not to trip on something you can’t see, particularly during nighttime trips to the bathroom or kitchen. Use the following strategies to create well-lit walkways:
- Use nightlights in your bathroom, bedroom, and hallways
- Keep a lamp within easy reach of your bed in case you need to get up at night
- Particularly in rooms where the light switch isn’t located near the entrance, consider installing glow-in-the-dark light switches, or at least keep the path to the light switch clear
- Turn on the lights before going up or down the stairs
- Keep flashlights handy so you can light your way in all areas of your home
Prevent Fall Risks With Spectrum Community Services
Spectrum Community Services is committed to improving the quality of life for low-income families, seniors, and individuals in Alameda County. Through financial assistance and other services, our goal is to support community members in building healthy, safe, and independent lives.
Visit our website for more information on our Fall Prevention Program, which offers fitness classes for senior citizens. Contact us today to relieve mobility issues, build strength, and help prevent injuries!
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If you’ve ever dreaded working in a corporate cubicle, giving up your dreams of making a difference in your community, or even if you just haven’t found much job satisfaction at your for-profit company, you may want to explore some careers in nonprofits. Here’s why nonprofit careers are so rewarding for so many workers.
1. Diverse and Meaningful Careers
There’s an astonishing array of nonprofits in the US and abroad, and they work to solve problems at every scale. One organization might work to end world hunger, while another might be tackling food insecurity and isolation among the senior population at the local level with programs designed to support healthy aging.
If you want the satisfaction of working for a worthwhile mission, make a short list of causes you’re most passionate about, and you’ll find countless organizations dedicated to them. There are many moving parts to each nonprofit, so no matter your skill set or personality type, there’s probably a role that will be a good fit for you.
2. Competitive Benefits
Many nonprofits offer an impressive array of tangible and intangible benefits, including:
- Robust healthcare packages
- Generous 401(k) plans and matching programs
- Employer paid long term disability and life insurance
- Opportunities for professional development training
- Flexible working hours, including options to work from home where feasible
- Small but practical perks like discounts on products and services of participating partners
3. Flexible Roles
You’ll never feel stuck in one role at a nonprofit. Because most of these workers wear multiple hats to keep the organization lean and efficient, you’ll have the chance to explore a variety of tasks and projects. This is a great way to learn new skills, discover new talents and interests, and work with new people. You can start working in almost any entry-level position and move not just up the ranks, but across them as you find the kinds of job titles and responsibilities that suit you best.
Some nonprofits offer flexible schedules as well. Part-time roles can be great for college students, retirees, or anyone with other pre-existing commitments. They’re a great way to follow your passions while finding balance with other aspects of your life.
4. Great Coworkers
People who work for nonprofits are driven by passion and personal interests, not just a paycheck, and they often lead unconventionally rich lives. This means you’re unlikely to have boring or uncaring coworkers, and you may even be inspired by them. As a result, you may develop healthier and more meaningful work relationships. When you’re working together toward a common impactful goal, teamwork and mutual support also come much more naturally.
Spectrum Community Services Is Hiring!
Spectrum Community Services is committed to improving the quality of life for low-income families, seniors, and individuals in Alameda County. Through financial assistance and other services, our goal is to support community members in building healthy, safe, and independent lives.
We are hiring! Spectrum is always looking for friendly, dependable people to join our team focused on serving seniors and low income families. Check out our wide variety of job openings—including a mix of full- and part-time options—and apply today. We can't wait to work with you!
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