Senior Independent Living

Senior Independent Living

News, Views, and Resources for Independent Living

The whole idea of independent senior living is to find, establish, or figure out means to allow ourselves to age successfully, (i.e., in good health, safety, and with meaningful opportunities for social and work opportunities) in our own homes.

Well here’s a really excellent idea, that we sort of knew was coming, and sort of knew was maybe already being done, but we didn’t know when and we didn’t know where.

It’s called “virtual communities.” The idea is to use the advantages of modern communications technology (phone, computer, internet, social media networks) to get seniors together in “communities” that give them the advantages of a retirement center or assisted living community without having to move from their own home.

Admittedly, this is difficult to conceive of for people who need more significant personal attention, such as they would get in a nursing home. But for seniors who still have a measure of good health, the idea of a virtual community is a really good one.

Click through to Mature Market Experts to see their list of important future trends, including virtual communities.

Mature Market Experts » Mature Market Experts Gem of The Day: 5 Important Trends for The Ages

With the help of technology, organizations such as the Village to Village Network are successfully changing how seniors age in place. By offering a wide variety of services – from in-home preferred vendor lists, cultural and social events and member-to-member volunteer opportunities … to health and wellness programs, educational and special interest programs and community service – all accessible via phone or computer – organizations such as these are making it easier for people to successfully age in place.

Here’s another story about how the fiscal crisis we’re living through is affecting people with disabilities.

It is certainly true that people are going to have difficulty with getting government services at a time when the government has proved to over-extend itself. One imagines that there could be a world where there are no limitations, and every need is provided for at no cost to anybody.

But it’s not this world.

…continue reading State Budget Crunch Hurts Disabled in Kansas

Exercise DVD for Increasing Brain Function

March 28th, 2010

Filed under category: Brain and Mind Health

Use it or lose it.

A simple and very persuasive concept. But when it comes to the body, sometimes it doesn’t always work exactly the way we expect. Sometimes, for example, to keep a particular body function, we must use other parts of our body.

…continue reading Exercise DVD for Increasing Brain Function

Retirement? Who Wants to Retire?

March 28th, 2010

Filed under category: Financial Planning

Here’s a breath of fresh air.

Mike Rowse, writing in Seniors World Chronicle (see link below), comments that the idea of retiring at 60 or 65 (or even earlier) is a very bad idea, leading to years of non-productivity (20 years or more) and the loss of meaningful purpose and dignity.

…continue reading Retirement? Who Wants to Retire?

There was a time when people would much rather live outside of the city than inside it. This gave rise to suburbia, and that trend existed from — I’m guessing — the 1950′s to roughly the present. The flight from the cities coincided with some rather dramatic social upheaval, and that didn’t help matters either.

But seniors are beginning to reconsider moving back into the city, and there are some good reasons for doing so.

…continue reading Don’t Like Retirement Communities? Consider Moving to the City

The Texas non-profit organization, Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation, is in the middle of building Mirador Senior Living Community, in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Texas Monthly (see link below) recently highlighted Mirador’s announcement of staff appointments, bringing Mirador’s opening closer to fruition.

…continue reading Senior Living Community Under Construction in Corpus Christi, Texas

Make Your Summer Travel Plans Now

March 27th, 2010

Filed under category: Independent Living, News

Forbes has an interesting video about expected American travel expenditures during the 2010 summer travel season.

It would appear that things look a bit better for travel this summer than last.

One point made in the video: make your travel plans early. If you’re going to get the best deals, you should not wait until the last minute. Also, you may want to think about making that trip overseas … the video mentions China.

Changing Nutrition Needs for Seniors

March 27th, 2010

Filed under category: Fall Prevention

As we get older our bodies change. This everybody knows. We also know that our diet significantly impacts our health.

And though the dietary needs of seniors does change as we get older (as our bodies change) it appears that the ideal diet isn’t much different from the diet we ought to have been eating all our lives!

…continue reading Changing Nutrition Needs for Seniors

Medicine Net has provided us with an interesting FAQ about the effects of aspirin as therapy for cancer.

The article answers the questions whether aspiring improves breast cancer survival, whether aspirin can take the place of other cancer treatments, whether aspirin can prevent breast cancer, and whether aspirin can prevent other kinds of cancer.

…continue reading Aspririn’s Effect On Preventing Cancer

Well this is fairly remarkable. While it doesn’t relate directly to senior independent living, it is certainly interesting and probably has a direct bearing on most of us, and especially seniors.

It turns out that people who live or work in dark environs — or even wear sunglasses — are more likely to behave in unethical, dishonest, or selfish ways.

…continue reading Dark Environment Encourages Dishonesty and Selfishness

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