Keep in Touch with Ease in Today’s Era of Technology

Connecting with those pals from your youth is much easier now in today’s era of technology. All it takes to find that long-lost friend might simply be a swift Google search or a quick Facebook query. Gone are the days of browsing through phone books made from recycled pulp, dialing directory assistance, or forgetting addresses. Technology has made our world immensely smaller with those seemingly far-flung family members residing in foreign locales only as far away from you as you are from your computer or phone. 

With the release of Skype in 2003, Skype has quickly become one of the easiest ways to communicate face-to-face worldwide. Besides Skype, other simple ways to use today’s tech to communicate include sending out emails, texting, and the myriad of other incredibly useful tools that smartphones (such as Apple’s iPhones 6 or Android’s Samsung Galaxy) can deliver. 

Applications or apps (as they are commonly called) can be downloaded onto your smart phone to use and range from categories like education, finance, and lifestyle to games, photography, music, and more. Books can easily be downloaded and read, maps can be enabled with GPS to help you get where you need to be, and some smartphones even have a virtual assistant (e.g. iPhone’s Siri or Microsoft’s Cortana) that can help you schedule tasks, check the weather, and call your friends. 

Overall, today’s technology has changed how we communicate by bringing everybody closer together, no matter how far away they might be!

New Resident Welcome Program

At Waterford, we are pro-active in providing the right environment and events to help our new residents have a smooth transition into the Waterford Family. Our program includes Resident Ambassadors who are existing residents that connect with our new residents to help answer specific questions and help them feel at home as soon as possible. In addition to the Resident Ambassadors, we host a Housewarming Party, a monthly breakfast or lunch gathering exclusively for our new residents.

Meet Waterford Estates Resident Ambassador, Glenn Ward. He thoroughly enjoys welcoming new residents to the Waterford Estates Family and doing what he can to get them settled.

HEALTHY AGING: Music Soothes the Soul

Dozens of studies from leading institutions show that music can offset stress, relieve pain, lower blood pressure, improve immune function and support restful sleep. So play a tune or two of much loved music and let the calming effects induce a state of relaxation. According to the American Society of Hypertension, classical music, the blues and other soothing music work best because they cause the body to release endorphins and slow breathing rates. It’s better yet if our favorite music inspires stress-releasing body movement.

Simple Stress Busters:

When chronic stress remains unresolved, it extracts a toll on health that may range from heart disease and stroke to obesity, gastrointestinal problems and depression.

Eat Mindfully:

Chocolate can be an excellent antidote to stress-related binge eating. We rarely eat mindfully. We’re usually gulping down our food while watching TV or reading a book. Eating in silence for at least one meal is better for your health.

Walk a Labyrinth:

A meditative walk may be just what the doctor ordered. A labyrinth differs from a maze, which has high walls and many dead ends. Walking a maze is inevitably stressful; a labyrinth is the exact opposite effect. There is only one path in and one path out. You go to the middle meditate and walk back out. It’s perfectly calming walking meditation.

Shake or laugh it off:

Anyone has ever felt like exploding from tight shoulders, indigestion, headaches, or other conditions caused by accumulated stress can benefit from a whole body shake. Just stand with your feet firmly planted and start shaking-first your feet, then your legs, arms, head and neck and eventually your whole body for at least two to three minutes. You’ll shake off all of that tension, energize every cell and probably start laughing, another great stress reliever. Laughter increases production of the protective cells that boost immune function.

Create A Memory Garden:

When we are in a place that brings happy memories to mind, we let go of stress and stop the release of cortisol. It helps to just think of a place where we have been happy. Create a home space with plants, photos of happy family gatherings that can trigger fond memories.

Healthy Aging: More Vitamin D?

Calcium builds strong bones-but it doesn't act alone. Vitamin D always travels along, helping your body to make use of the calcium you consume. That’s not the only role vitamin D plays in the story of your anatomy. It also strengthens our immune system, helps move your muscles, and adds nerve impulses in zipping through your brain and body. What’s more, resent research suggests that more vitamin D may lead to:

• Less weight gain
• Fewer troubles with daily activities
• Lower blood pressure
• A reduced risk of immune disorders and some cancers
• A longer life, when combined with calcium
• Health experts say more studies will help understand effects and benefits.

Get Your Daily Dose

The U.S. Government recommends adults get 600 IU of Vitamin D per day until age 70. After that you need 800 IU daily. Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Sometimes it added to cereal, orange juice and other products. To up you intake, try:

• Cod Liver Oil 1,360 IU in one tablespoon
• Swordfish 566 IU in 3 ounces
• Salmon 447 IU in 3 ounces
• Canned tuna in 3 ounces
• Fortified orange juice or milk; check the label; usually 100 IU in 8 ounces

In addition, your skin makes vitamin D when the suns ray’s shine on it. That’s why it is sometimes called the “sunshine vitamin.” However, too much sun exposure increases your skin cancer risk. If you’ll be out for more than few minutes, wear sunscreen and stay in the shade.

Accessing Your Risk

Your skin makes less vitamin D as you age. So, older adults run the risk of low levels. You may be even more prone to D-deficiency if you:

• Are obese
• Have Crohn’s disease or celiac disease
• Have dark skin

Some people with deficiency have subtle signs, such as bone pain and muscle weakness. Others may develop fractures, and many have no symptoms. Always talk with your doctor before starting any health regiment.