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When searching for senior care options at the best retirement communities, families often find themselves overwhelmed. There are plenty of options to choose from including senior assisted living, personal care, nursing care, independent living, etc.  A personal care facility like Country Meadows provides help to older adults who require non-medical assistance to live healthily and …

The men and women who served in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam and other conflicts protected America’s freedom during our nation’s most difficult periods. Their willingness to volunteer and serve, and their courage throughout these conflicts, laid the foundation for America’s most prosperous era on record. Sadly, according to the National WWII Museum, …

One of life’s joys is good food. Most people LOVE to eat! Breaking bread is also profoundly social. Families and neighbors gather for conversation at the table, and food is an occasion for sharing celebrations and making connections. In addition to opportunities for companionship and celebration, food is life-sustaining, and senior living dining teams work …

Spring is a time of renewal. Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, daylight hours are longer and everyone seems more chipper. Late actor Robin Williams once said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’” Spring feels even more liberating this year after a year spent indoors, isolating from one another, especially at retirement homes. …

Kindness and compassion are important, perhaps even more so now during the pandemic. Many of us are busy trying to juggle the pressures of work, family and community while simultaneously adhering to COVID precautions. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember to be kind. As we observe “National Random Acts of Kindness Week” which is …

Moving to a retirement community is a major life change. Many people assume that if two spouses have different care needs, they cannot live together. Being separated from a life partner can result in temporary feelings of stress and anxiety and, in the long term, develop into loneliness, which has been shown to affect health …

Mom and Dad haven’t been the same for some time. As their kids grew older and moved hours away, and they sold their family business, many of the joys of conversation and socialization were lost. They now watch hours upon hours of television—Mom occasionally works on some of her favorite pastimes, like crafting and sewing. …

Active Aging Week, Oct. 1-7, was initiated by the International Council on Active Aging to promote and celebrate the positivity of aging today. It also challenges society’s diminished expectations of aging by showing that older adults can live full, rewarding lives regardless of age or health. Kim Eichinger has the new title of Executive Director …

Does a laugh a day keep the doctor away? While we can’t promise that, we can confidently say that laughter is definitely good for the body, mind and spirit. That’s why it’s often referred to as “the best medicine.” “I love people who make me laugh,” said actress Audrey Hepburn. “I honestly think it’s the …

Living alone doesn’t have to mean being lonely. A study of 3,000 Americans from age 57 to 85 showed that those who lived alone were more likely to socialize with friends and neighbors than those who were married. We all need social interactions and others on whom we can depend, but we can have that …

An Irish saying proclaims, “There are only two kinds of people in the world, the Irish and those who wish they were.” That statement of pride contains more than a grain of truth, at least on March 17, when the Irish and non-Irish alike celebrate with the wearing of green, festive gatherings and maybe a …

If you have decided that retirement community living could meet your needs or those of a loved one, you have several options to consider. You may even feel a bit overwhelmed by your choices and concerned about making the right one. Seeking recommendations from friends or relatives is fine, but your priorities may be different …

More and more seniors are practicing yoga for its low-impact movements, which help improve their flexibility, mobility, strength and balance, as well as their mental and emotional health. Those benefits have led to the creation of instructional yoga programs at active senior living communities, led by professional instructors. Yoga is a great choice for retirees …

Whether we’re normally a pollyanna or a scrooge, and regardless of our age, the holidays really can bring out the child in all of us. Beginning around Thanksgiving, we see it in the cheerful faces of our residents, even those who are experiencing challenges in daily living. Everyone’s in the holiday spirit at Country Meadows …

Thanksgiving is Americans’ second-favorite holiday, following Christmas, according to a national Harris Poll of a cross section of adults in 2015. Travel statistics back that up, with Thanksgiving also coming in as the second most popular holiday for both air and land travel. The industry trade group Airlines for America predicts that a record 28.5 …

More than 800,000 Pennsylvanians and 400,000 Marylanders are military veterans, and over half are age 65 and older. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs lists many of them as serving in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War or the Persian Gulf War. With countless senior veterans now living in retirement homes, it’s …