Tag Archives: social inclusion

DANCE TO STAY HEALTHY

Dance belongs to those things that really can colorize the monotonous life of any person. Dance is good for the emotional state, psychological health and physical condition, together with feeling good and self-awareness in general. When you decide to add physical activity into your life, you try to choose something exciting and entertaining. And what could be more exciting than dances?

The dance with a good reason is called “a song of the soul” – the older a person is, the more meaningful are his or her movements, the more sense and experience it is possible to invest in the dance steps. Dance is a nonverbal way to express yourself, to process the accumulated problems, find new dimensions of the world. One should not also forget what a wonderful way to exercise are the regular!

Dancing is just a perfect way for people, irrespective of age, to keep themselves in a good shape. Dancing is not only fun and enjoyable, but also very good for health. In this article, we will tell you what kind of benefits can dancing bring to your body.

How useful is dancing for the general well-being?

- Dance protects our hearts
Dance is an excellent exercise for people who are living with a high risk of cardiovascular diseases. An Italian study has proved that people with heart failure, engaged in dancing as a kind of exercise strengthen their health, heart and improve their breathing. Their life-quality also improves significantly in comparison with those who are doing exercises on a stationary bike or treadmill.

- Dance helps to lose weight
If you attend dancing-classes regularly, they will definitely help to lose weight. The scientific research has shown that sportive aerobics based on dance movements, is as effective for losing weight and gaining of a good shape as cycling or running.

- Dance gives energy
Do you feel during the day, that you do not have enough energy? Dancing is one of the things which can help you regain it. Yet another scientific study found that weekly dancing can improve the physical condition and make adults more energetic.

- Dance endows with flexibility, strength as well as endurance
Ever and again dances require flexibility from you. Most dance classes are started with a warm-up, when people are doing stretching and suppling exercises. During the dance, you have to do your best to have all the muscle groups involved.
Dancing makes you stronger, causing the muscles to resist the weight of your own body. Many styles of dance, jazz and ballet among them, include jumps. In order to jump, your leg muscles need to be particularly strong.
It’s not a secret that dance can be called a physical exercise that is why it makes everyone more enduring. And what is endurance? It is the ability of muscles to work each time for more time without getting tired. If you’re dancing regularly, especially if you are doing some energetic style, you will be much more enduring.

How useful is dancing for the emotional state?

- Dance brings happiness
Dance is a special action which is enjoyed by any person. If you watch a dancing person, you will certainly notice a big happy smile on a dancer’s face. Smile and laughter while dancing is absolutely normal! That is because dancing provides an opportunity for real enjoyment of life and each other. Unlike other physical exercises, dancing has no age limit. A person irrespective of age can dance and take advantage of the benefits that this activity brings to his/her health.

- Dance saves from depression and de-stresses
It is proved that the dance can prevent mild depression and make a dancing person more self-confident. Depression is becoming increasingly common problem in teenagers and adults of various ages.
The research, published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, has proven that therapy that includes dance moves, not only helps to get rid of depression, but also helps to fight stress, since it regulates serotonin and dopamine levels in organism. Taking into account that dance has also a social aspect, it helps to get rid of feelings of loneliness, from which so many people in depression are suffering, and very often – elderly people living alone.

- Dance enhances the self-esteem
Dancing helps to become more self-confident. Each time you master a new movement, a wee bit of confidence is added to you and your mood gets better. And this increased self confidence extends to all areas of your life.
As we have already said, dance is a social action. Studies of specialists have proved that strong social relationships and communication with friends help to increase self-esteem and give a positive attitude towards life. Dancing gives you plenty of opportunities to meet other people. Sign up for dance classes and it will give you a chance to raise the self-esteem and make new friends. Considering that the physical exercises relieve tension and stress, dance will allow you to feel good in general.

How useful is dancing for the state of mind?

- Dance improves memory
Scientists have proved that dancing can improve memory and prevent dementia. Scientists have found that aerobic exercises help to prevent reduction in the hippocampus volume – the part of the brain responsible for memory. Hippocampus in a natural way diminishes during adulthood. This often leads to problems with memory, and sometimes to dementia.

- Dance helps to combat Alzheimer’s disease
A study involving elderly people, represented in the New England Journal of Medicine, enlightened the fact that dance frequently helps to prevent symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease along with some manifestations of dementia. Moreover, dancing makes people of any age smarter. This study also manifests that people having Alzheimer’s disease are capable to restore forgotten memories when dancing to familiar music.

- Dance makes people smarter
For centuries, books and other writings about dancing praised benefits of this activity for health, considering dance, as a rule, as a physical exercise. Today, thanks to the scientists, the benefit of dancing for the mind has been proved. The main quality of an intelligent person is the ability to make decisions. The ideal way to develop this ability – to get engaged in an activity that requires a constant fast (within seconds) decision making. Thus, to become smarter, it is enough just to work on your dance style, without having to remember the sequence of movements.

What is the best dance style?

There are many dance styles. Jazz, salsa, merengue, bachata, reggaeton, zumba, hip-hop, ballet, etc., all of which require different music. Each dance style is equally useful. Any dance gives an opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle. Dancing can help in many different things. All kinds of dance are equally effective, the main thing to choose the style that you prefer, and do it regularly, so that this pleasant activity brings benefit to the health.
During the scientific study the specific dances have been established, which have the most positive impact on the state of health of elderly people. These include: Waltz and Argentine Tango.

WINTER SPORTS: HEALTH BENEFITS

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If a person leads an active lifestyle, exercises or works out and takes care of health, the onset of winter does not mean for him or her the beginning of “winter slumber”. On the contrary, winter sports are an opportunity to diversify pretty much physical activity and even more – to improve health, and the old age is not at all an obstacle. Frosty fresh air, snow, sparkling in the sun, a company of good friends – what can be better for the pastime! Excellent mood and cheerful spirit will be guaranteed, but not less important is the impact of winter sports on health.

What an elderly person can do in winter

When it’s cold outside and the snow has piled up, then the only desire is to nestle cozily in a warm plaid in front of TV and drink hot tea with homemade pastry. But after a few winter months spent like this, you may suddenly find out that your health has deteriorated: some overweight appeared, your joints and spine start “reminding” constantly about their existence by aching pain, the blood pressure “jumps” from time to time and the heart “cuts didoes”. In order to prevent the progression of chronic diseases, and various degenerative-dystrophic changes in the body, a person, in adulthood as well, should try not to stay at home but to move as much as possible.

Winter provides excellent opportunities for this. This is skiing, sledding, skating, Nordic walking, or just walking in a snow-covered park. For a golden-ager the personal sporting achievements are not important and daily trainings are less needed. It is enough to get adequate physical exertion 1-3 times per week, which will provide a good mood, strengthen the immune system and improve health.

Skiing is traditionally very popular in many countries. Almost every elderly person is capable of taking a short walk at his or her own pace. Skiing is an aerobic kind of sports, i.e. implying the combination of the load on muscles with the intake of large amounts of oxygen. Already the first lesson has a beneficial effect on heart muscle and blood vessels: they are toned up, the blood flow normalizes. This improves performance of other internal organs too, strengthens muscles of legs, arms, abdomen, back. If an elderly person is skiing on a weekly basis, then by spring, he will feel both rejuvenated and healthier.

Sledding is another activity very useful in adulthood. Especially wonderful is when the whole family participates in it. During the down-run, coordination improves; literally every muscle is toned up, breathing quickens and deepens and the release of adrenaline happens.
Skates can be recommended to elderly people, if they previously had an experience of ice-skating, since the possibility of injury is pretty high. This kind of sports trains the muscles of the lower limbs, buttocks and abdomen, and also teaches people to quickly coordinate their movements.

In recent years, such sport as Nordic walking is gaining its popularity. You may be engaged in it both in summer and in winter. It is especially attractive because it does not require the purchase of expensive sports equipment, it is enough to buy just special sticks.

What is needed for winter sports activities?

In advanced age, it is important not to overwork and not to harm your health, so medical consultation before the physical activity is required. If you have a chronic disease, the effects of injuries and surgeries, degenerative disease at any stage, the question of the possibility of any exercise and physical activity is considered individually.

It is very important not to get excessive physical load at the very first activity, it should be increased gradually. Important is also the choice of clothes, always take into account the weather conditions. Sport suit has to be free cut, the fabric – water resistant, breathable and impermeable. You cannot stand on skis or skates right after eating, at least 2 hours should pass after it. On the cross-country skiing or sledding it is recommended to take a thermos of hot tea or mineral water without gas, to avoid dehydration.

Going in for any winter sports, it is important to monitor your health. There is no need to catch up with younger skaters or skiers, since the goal is not sporting achievements but systematic improvement of health. As soon as you feel severe fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath or pain, you must stop the activity.

With careful attention to yourself any winter sport will bring only benefits, cheerfulness and excellent mood!

What an Adult Family Home Should Offer?

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There are so many choices when it comes for choosing a special place for your aging parent. Day View Adult Family Home has been helping families by providing care to your loved ones.
Our todays’ conversation will be about the possibilities a high-standard adult family home should provide. First of all, daily life in such a home should be full of socialization and care. The facility should have all the amenities that make daily activities easier.
Breakfast is the beginning of the day and it’s good if it is served in a dining hall where residents can communicate and enjoy time together. Morning activities that follow breakfast should be of different kinds: outdoor activities, indoor games, reading, watching TV together with friends of alone in the apartment.
We encourage our residents to have walks outside; such outdoor exercises keep your loved ones in good mood and in physical form. Some adult family homes provide such services as taking its residents shopping or to the hair salon, to the bank, etc.
If any help is needed professional staff should immediately assist. An excellent adult family home provides care 24/7 and it doesn’t matter what kind of care is needed. Professionals should be here to help your loved ones.
The middle of the day starts with nutritious lunch. Several words should be said about food that is served. All the meals for seniors should be filled with vitamins, nutrients, give energy and strength for the whole day.
During the second part of the day many residents choose to visit their family and friends. We encourage them to do it, because it is very important to stay connected and not isolated. Socialization, by the way, helps to combat many diseases.
Those who choose to stay can have an afternoon nap or to enjoy their hobby.
Quality homes plan different meetings, invite speakers, interesting people or conduct different kinds of events. The life at a professional adult family home is not boring and full of events.
Usually evening is a family time. Family members come to visit their relatives and spend time with them, we encourage them to stay for dinner and talk to their loved ones. If you have any questions or propositions, we’d love to hear from you. Our goal at Day View Adult Family Home is to make your living here as comfortable as possible.

Memory Loss: Important Tips to Improve Your Memory

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Can’t remember? Can’t find? Forget everything? Here are simple, but important steps that will help to sharpen your memory. Sometimes these steps help to realize that your or your aged parents need help for memory loss.

Be mentally active
Mentally stimulating activities are very important at any age, but for your parents especially. Work crossword puzzles. Ask your parents to read an article and then retell it. If they still drive, encourage them to take different routes. Learning to play a musical instrument or improving of the computer skills can help to sharpen their memory.
Socialize a lot
Social inclusion helps to fight depression and stress. Experts say that stress and depression can lead to memory loss. Use every opportunity to include your loved ones in different social activities, meetings, clubs, etc.
Stay Organized
Very often we forget because our house, our life and our mind is cluttered. It’s time to straighten things up. Give your elderly parents a special notebook, calendar or teach them how to use an electronic planner. Encourage them to write down everything they want to do, where they want to go, etc.
Good Sleep
Getting enough sleep should be a priority not only to elderly people, but for them it is twice important.
Eat Healthy
Healthy food is good not only for your physical body, but also for your brain and your spiritual well-being. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables should be found in every kitchen. It is also important to choose for your parents such products as fish, lean meat and poultry. Encourage them to drink enough water.
Stay Physically Active
Physical exercises increase blood flow not only in the brain, but in the whole body. Take your parents for a walk as often as possible, spend time outside, travel with them.
Remember that you need to consult a doctor if memory loss doesn’t allow your parents to complete usual daily tasks.

Elderly People and Social Media

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Social networks are considered to be a wonderful way for getting news and for entertaining. At the same time social media are great for keeping in touch with family and friends. They can play an important role in the life of elderly people who live on their own or at adult family homes.
Why? Here is the list of benefits…
First of all, these people have the possibility to stay in touch with their family, relatives and friends. For seniors, it’s an additional reminder that they are loved and cared. Social media keep them on the same page with their families, and elderly people feel that they are still included into the family life.
The next thing social networks give to seniors is the possibility to share videos or photos. Your loved ones enjoy the pictures of grandchildren and other members of the family. Sometimes it is better to see once than to hear million times.
The activity of different members of the family on social networks gives the sense of peace to elderly people. They see the posts or pictures that have been liked and they understand that everything is fine. Peace is in their mind and in their heart.
Results from a new study on seniors’ use of social networking sites suggest that older adults who use Facebook may experience an improvement in cognitive abilities. Experts agree that social networking helps to improve their cognitive performance and make them feel more socially connected. Social media sites are beneficial to our parents socially and cognitively, it is important that they understand how to use the technology properly, so they can keep their private information secure.
Encourage your parents who live alone to join social media. Be ready that their first answer will be NO! Many of them are afraid of computers, gadgets, etc. Explain to them, teach them, and give them tasks to complete. Try to convince them that social networks are bridges to the family and friends. It would be nice if grandchildren take their time and demonstrate how social networks work.

How to Encourage Your Parents to Move into an Adult Family Home?

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What can be harder than encouraging your parents to move into an adult family home? Where to start? What to say? Lots of things should be taken into consideration, but the main thing lies in the fact that living in an adult family home has more advantages and possibilities than staying at home alone.

One of the benefits of an assisted living is care and guidance from a team of professionals.

You should take into consideration that elderly people suffer not only from physical diseases, but they also have emotional problems such as depression, etc. It is very important to have someone who takes care of your loved ones and enlightens their day. Professionals from Day View Adult Family Home know for sure what your loved ones need and how to make their life brighter and easier. Tell you parents that people who work in a family home will keep an eye on them and will be of a great help and assistance.

Great opportunity to meet new people.

Living in an adult family home opens wonderful opportunities to meet new people and to have much in common with them. The atmosphere at an adult family home is favorable for interaction and numerous activities with new people.

Active life and entertainment.

Life in an adult family home will be more attractive and full than a life at home in loneliness. Games with friends, all kinds of entertainment, social inclusiveness… all this can be found in an adult family home.

Be sure that your parents as well as you should be prepared for this new period in your lives. Nobody says that transition period will be easy and smooth. Your loved ones will have the adjustment period, but our professionals try to make it as smooth as possible for our residents.

Trained staff provides quality service and hospitality. Your loved ones will be in good hands at Day View Adult Home.

If you have any questions or propositions, we will be glad to hear from you. Don’t hesitate – contact us.