Stay Active! Reduced Muscle Strength Increases Alzheimer's Risk

Study after study shows the benefits of exercise and strength training as you mature. In the November issue of Archives of Neurology, muscle strength was linked with increased risks of Alzheimer's or dementia. The weaker your muscles the more likely for cognitive decline. Read an article on the topic.

If you are finding it difficult to incorporate exercise into your daily regiment as you age, contact Garden Place about it's Adult Day Club service. The focus of this non-resident program is to keep seniors socially engaged, physically active and mentally sharp.

We have Sittercise every day - an exercise routine catered to seniors. Call us!

VA Benefits For Assisted Living

In the November 2009 issue of the Southern Business Journal, elder-care attorney Richard Habiger looks at VA benefits, noting that 33 percent of America's senior population might qualify for VA funds. Benefits are "available to veterans who served on active duty during a period of war ... [and] to the single surviving spouses of war-time veterans.

While difficult to receive VA funds, an experienced elder-care attorney should be able to help you navigate the system. The benefits can be used to help fund:
- Assisted living
- At-home elder-care services
- Salary for adult children or relatives, home-care companies or domestic workers that help care for a senior residing at home, but only in the right circumstances.

If you get a chance, review the Health Care column in this month's Southern Business Journal to learn more. Or contact a Garden Place community manager who will be able to provide some advice and assistance on the topic of VA Benefits.

80 over 80: See who you know!

Hugh Hefner. Barbara Walters. BB King. All three are on Slate's 80 Over 80 list. Check out who you know, and share your memories of your favorite octogenarian celebrities.

Cooking Healthy Meals for One or Two

Cooking for one or two can be difficult when you have become accustomed to cooking for a whole family. But, there are a lot of fun recipes out there that are perfect for a single meal for one or two. Here are a few articles to check out:
The Mayo Clinic
Marie Claire

Fresh Air Does Do Some Good

We've been hearing for years, "Some fresh air will do you some good." Well, a new study shows that this is just the case. A recent study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health confirms once again that mother nature is good for the body and the soul. Find the story plus other articles related to senior health and welfare at 50PlusStLouis.com.

BLOSSOM CITY BLOG

Hey, it was chilly in Red Bud this morning, even a thin coat of ice on the car! We might as well get ready for winter, and that's just what's happening at Garden Place, Red Bud with the gathering of straw bales and pumpkins. Marilyn Raban, manager, did a great job of decorating the front lawn. In addition, some of the ladies hand decorated small pumpkins for table center pieces in the dining room.

If you stepped inside the lobby on Thursday afternoon you would have found a large group of residents and neighbors gathered around waiting for their flu shots administered by the Visiting Nurses Association. Pictured here with Nurse Jeanne Horner is Marie Wagner and Ethel Fadler getting their paperwork in order before getting their shots. We're ready for whatever winter brings.

The "Lunch-out-Crowd" returned Wednesday afternoon with reports of the delicious Bar-B-Que they had at the 17th Street Bar and Grill in Sparta, IL

Alzheimer's On the Rise

A new study on Alzheimer's Disease in the World Alzheimer's Report shows the growth of the disease was underestimated by 10 percent. According to the new report, dementia-related illness will double every 20 years growing from 35 million currently to 115.4 million in 2050.

If you are living with someone with Alzheimer's Disease or a dementia-related illness, be sure to check out Tori Salladay's Senior Moment column this month on page 11 in the Millstadt Messenger. In the article, she talks about what caregivers can expect as the disease progresses.

Here's a link to the September issue in which Tori spoke about the legal issues of Estate Planning for seniors on page 12 - also a very important topic to cover when dealing with dementia illnesses. Dementia patients must sign off on all the legal documents while still in a stable state of mind.