You’re Never Too Old to Make New Friends

Remember how easy it was to make friends when you were a kid? Back then, it seemed like every social interaction ended with a new best friend. Then you go to college and/or into the workforce, and what seemed to come easy is now more difficult. Especially when you’re busy advancing your career, raising a family and maintaining your home. Who has time to focus on making new friends as an adult? But there’s a simple reason it seemed so easy to find fast friends when you were younger: time.

A recent study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found it takes roughly 50 hours for someone to move from mere acquaintance to casual friend, 90 hours to go to simple “friend” status, and more than 200 hours before you can consider someone your close friend.

After the kids move out and/or you’ve retired from a career, you have the time to make friends. What you may be missing is the opportunity and activities for seniors to help you meet people with similar interests and life experience.

The Health Benefits of a Healthy Social Life

Research shows that social isolation can actually harm the health of older adults, and more social interaction can provide a lot of benefits, including:

• Longer life: People with more social support and relationships tend to live longer than those who are more isolated, and this is true regardless of your overall level of health.
• Better physical health: Friendship is associated with a stronger immune system, so you’ll have a better chance of fighting off colds, the flu, and even some types of cancer. You could also have a reduced risk of cardiovascular problems, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis as well lower blood pressure.
• Better mental health: Interacting with others boosts feelings of well-being and decreases feelings of depression.
• Lower risk of dementia: Social people generally perform better on tests of memory and other cognitive skills, and are less likely to develop dementia. However, socializing is most effective when coupled with an overall healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet and physical activity.

Maintaining and Forming New Friendships

The easiest way to avoid isolation and stay social is to maintain the friendships you currently have. So try to talk with and visit friends and family on a regular basis.

• Use Skype or Facetime to catch up with distant family and friends.
• Walk through your neighborhood and make a point of stopping to say hello to people you meet.
• Babysit your grandkids or help them with homework.
• Visit a museum with a friend and chat about what you see.
• Have a friend or family member over for coffee or tea.
• Exercise with a friend by walking, swimming, or going to the gym together.

Here are some social activities for seniors to help you stay social and improve your quality of life:

• Volunteer in your community or at your favorite charity organization.
• Visit a senior citizen center and participate in social groups and other scheduled activities.
• Join a group focused on a topic or activity you enjoy, such as card games or a book club.
• Take a class. Many local universities offer discounts to seniors or allow them to audit classes for free. Your local recreation center or library may also have free classes.
• Join a gym or fitness center to stay physically fit and engage with others.
• Attend religious services at your church, synagogue or temple.
• Participate in a neighborhood or community group.
• Play a group sport like bocce ball, golf, bowling or croquet.

Making Friends at a Senior Living Community

Some of the biggest worries many seniors have before moving to a Life Plan Community – like Harrogate – is whether or not they’ll be able to make friends. How easy will it be to form new relationships? That’s why visiting a community to check the friendliness of the residents and staff is important. You should also see what kind of planned social activities they have and if they have a wellness program. At Harrogate, we have a whole-person wellness program called “Living the 8” to help you live a happier, more well-balanced life, complemented by a wide variety of thoughtful services and amenities.

Here are some tips to help you make friends at your community.

• Go to group activities: Most senior living communities have a robust social life with plenty of activities for seniors to choose from: yoga or morning stretch activities, arts and crafts, happy hours, educational seminars, outings to museums and more. Even if it’s not something that interests you, give it a try. The opportunity to socialize is more important than the activity. As you make friends, you’ll be able to invite them to do things that interest you.
• Find similar interests: For example, if you like to read, join the book club. If there isn’t a book club, see about starting one. It’s a great way to spend time with others who share your interests and begin forming friendships.
• Bring a friend: If you don’t like doing group activities alone, ask your son or daughter to come with you. This will give you someone to talk to, and they can help you start a conversation with other people. Eventually you’ll make friends and feel more comfortable going on your own.
• Make dining a social time: Going to the dining room is a perfect time to meet people. To ensure that no one sits alone, many senior living communities will assign residents to specific tables or seat them together in groups as they show up. As you talk with your dinner companions, you may find you have a lot in common.
• Get out and about: Go for a walk down the hall. Sit in the lounge and read a book or work on a jigsaw puzzle. Ask someone to play cards or a board game. These are all great ways to get to know your neighbors.
• Show a new resident the ropes: Chances are you won’t be the newest resident in your community for very long. New people will move in, giving you the chance to bond over your “newness.” You can help them adjust to their new home by offering tips and suggestions. You can also sit with them during group activities, ensuring that neither of you feels out of place.
• Relax: It make a while to make new friends, but you have time. It may take a few days, weeks, or even months to adjust to your new lifestyle. Try to always greet people with a smile. Be willing to stop and chat, and pretty soon those chats may turn into longer conversations. People will get to know you and begin to like you, and you’ll begin to like them. And before you know it, you’ll have new friends and your new community will feel more like home.

If you’d like to learn how our engaging lifestyle promotes healthier, happier, more social lives, call us at 866-606-0178. If you come in for a tour, we’ll even treat you to lunch.

Lifelong Learning has lifelong benefits.

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”
– Henry Ford, business magnate

Being curious and wanting to learn about the world around us is an important part of being human. But does learning stop after you end your formal education or obtain your degree? While it may have been true at one time that graduating from high school or college signified the end of structured learning, times have changed. We’re now discovering being a lifelong learner has far-reaching health benefits. This blog will look at what lifelong learning is and how it can help benefit you.

Any age is a perfect time to try something new.

“We always may be what we might have been.”
– Adelaide Anne Procter, poet

Throughout life there are age-based milestones: At 16 we start to drive. At 18 we’re an adult. In our early 20s we start a career. 40 is often called the start of middle age. But to quote Major League Baseball hall of fame pitcher Satchel Paige: “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?”

Today’s seniors are dismissing the idea of what being a certain age means and instead asking, “What do I want to be now?” There are lots of inspiring seniors trying something new after retirement age. Here are just a few of the more famous examples:

• Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first “Little House on the Prairie” book at age 64.
• Colonel Sanders started KFC at age 65.
• Benjamin Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence at age 70.
• Oscar Swahn won an Olympic silver medal at age 72.
• Peter Mark Roget first published his classic Thesaurus at age 73.
• Grandma Moses started painting at age 76.
• John Glenn went to space at age 77.

There are several benefits of lifelong learning
“Aging is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”
– Anonymous

There’s an old adage – “Use it before you lose it” – that speaks to the idea of how staying physically and mentally active now helps you to be physically and mentally active later. Recent research shows there’s a lot of wisdom in that old saying.

Researchers have long explored different medical options to help older adults cope with aging, but staying active remains the best way to preserve health for as long as possible. However, along with physical exercise, it’s also important to remain mentally active. Being mentally active helps build up cognitive reserve, or the ability of the mind to resist damage. Whether the damage occurs due to normal aging, physical trauma or emotional trauma, how well we’re able to function often depends on how efficiently we’re able to compensate for lost brain function.

A January 2019 report by Neurology found that while cognitive activity can’t change the biology of Alzheimer’s, learning new activities can help delay symptoms, preserving people’s quality of life. A 2014 study by the International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease indicates that learning to play a new instrument can also help offset cognitive decline. The Association for Psychological Science discovered learning a difficult new skill in older age is associated with improved memory.

Recognizing the potential value of lifelong learning in boosting seniors’ cognitive reserve, the Tasmanian Healthy Brains Project (THBP) was launched in 2011. A new article published in the journal Neuropsychology presents some of the most recent THBP findings. All participants completed a series of tests to measure cognitive reserve, dementia symptoms, general well-being and physical health.

Results showed that education does seem to have a positive effect on cognitive reserve over time. Participants who recently completed a minimum of 12 months of part-time or full-time education were compared to participants who weren’t involved in any formal education over the same time period. 92.5% of the education participants showed a significant increase in cognitive reserve, while the majority of the control group showed little real increase.

Lifelong learning happens every day.
“There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time, when he was an old man, to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent.”
― Michel de Montaigne, philosopher

Although there is a strong genetic component to cognitive reserve, research has shown that lifestyle factors can also boost the brain’s natural resilience. This includes being exposed to an engaging lifestyle with a variety of physical, mental and social activities.

At Harrogate in Lakewood, NJ, we offer a full calendar of activities, social get togethers, educational outings across Ocean County, NJ, and lifelong learning opportunities like these:

• Chorus: Learn how to work together to create beautiful, inspiring music.
• Art class: Discover, or rediscover, how to paint, draw, or even learn a new craft.
• Stained glass class: You’ll learn how stained glass windows are made, and even create one of your own.
• Educational lectures: We feature guest speakers from across the country.
• Music with the Maestro: Join us as we explore different types of music.
• Armchair traveler: Residents highlight where they’ve traveled and offer unique information about each destination.
• Tech classes: Take advantage of ongoing opportunities to learn how to get the most out of the new technology that’s all around us.

In addition to the lifelong learning options at Harrogate, Ocean County Community College in Toms River, NJ, has a special program called Silver Edge for Senior Citizens, which allows area seniors to take courses at a reduced tuition.

To learn more about Harrogate’s lifelong learning philosophy and how it can help you live a happier and healthier life, call one of our Life Care Consultants at 866-606-0178, or use our Contact Us form.

Well-Being Includes Eating Well

A MacArthur Foundation Study found that 70% of how we age is determined by our lifestyle. And because we all need to eat, eating healthy can make a big difference in your overall well-being. This blog will show you how to build a healthy menu, as well as which foods are packed with vital nutrients, like antioxidants, that could be key to living longer.

Tips for Picking Healthy Foods as You Get Older

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) offers these ideas to help you find the best foods for your body and your budget.

A healthy meal should include:

• Lean protein (lean meats, seafood, eggs, beans)
• Fruits and vegetables (think orange, red, green and purple)
• Whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat pasta)
• Low-fat dairy (milk and its alternatives)

Remember to choose foods that are high in fiber and low in sodium or salt. Also, look for foods high in Vitamin D like salmon, canned tuna, egg yolks, fortified dairy products and more.

Read the nutrition facts label: The healthiest foods are whole foods. These are often found on the perimeter of the grocery store in the produce, meat, and dairy sections. For packaged foods, read the labels to find items that are lower in fat, added sugars and sodium.

Use recommended servings: The American Heart Association provides recommended daily servings for adults age 60+.

Stay hydrated: Drink small amounts of fluids throughout the day. Tea, coffee, and water are the best choices. Keep fluids with sugar and salt to a minimum.

The ABCs of Superfoods for Seniors

A number of foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins and other minerals are considered to be beneficial to health and well-being. Called superfoods, they’re an important part of senior nutrition. Some appear vital to living a longer, healthier life and have anti-aging properties. There are even brain foods that could promote brain health.

Apples

The soluble fiber in apples may help lower cholesterol and maintain healthy blood sugar levels by slowing the uptake of glucose. They’re also a source of potassium, which helps lower blood pressure, and antioxidants like vitamin C. Apples may lower your risk of cancer, heart disease and asthma, while aiding lung function and weight loss.

Asparagus: The lycopene in asparagus has been found to protect the prostate and help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Asparagus contains protein and iron along with vitamin A — which is important for the immune system and eye health. It has lots of fiber to help reduce cholesterol, control body weight, and encourage heart health. Asparagus also contains prebiotics, which promote healthy gut bacteria.

Blueberries

High in soluble fiber, blueberries can help lower cholesterol and slow glucose uptake, helping you maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Blueberries contain vitamins C and K, as well as antioxidants and manganese. They also appear to lower blood pressure and may promote brain health, aid memory and fight against age-related cognitive decline.

Broccoli: Antioxidants and vitamins such as A, C, B9 (folate) and K can help your eyes, red blood cells, immune system, bones and tissues, and are all found in broccoli. Broccoli may also aid in the fight against certain cancers, including liver, breast, prostate and colon cancers.

Butternut Squash

The beta-carotene in butternut squash is important for eye health, and its vitamin C also benefits the heart. It has a high fiber content, which helps lower cholesterol and maintain good blood sugar levels. Butternut squash also boasts a healthy amount of potassium to help control blood pressure.

Coffee: The National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study found that coffee drinkers (regular or decaf) were less likely to die from heart and respiratory diseases, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes and infections. Coffee may also help protect women from breast cancer and also protect against other cancers. Other research has found that those who drank two cups or less of coffee a day in their 40s and 50s had a 65% lower rate of developing Alzheimer’s than those who drank more than two cups a day.

Dark Chocolate

Some studies indicate that regularly consuming small amounts of dark (at least 70% cacao) chocolate can lower blood pressure and decrease the rate of stroke in women by 20%. Dark chocolate may also protect brain health and boost memory. Antioxidants, including polyphenols like flavonoids, may help prevent heart attacks by protecting arteries from becoming clogged.

Eggs: The yolk contains nutrients that lower your risk of cataracts and age-related eye degeneration.

Fava Beans: Low-fat, no-cholesterol fava beans have plenty of fiber and B vitamins, including folate, thiamin and riboflavin. They’re also rich in nutrients like manganese, iron and potassium.

Garlic

Helps prevent heart disease and strokes by slowing the hardening of the arteries. The herb may also help fight inflammation and cartilage damage associated with arthritis.

Greek Yogurt: A serving of low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt may have twice the protein and half the sugar of its non-Greek counterpart. It also has more digestive-friendly probiotics than American-style yogurt.

Green Kale: Contains important omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting to stop bleeding, but be cautious with kale if you take a blood thinner. High in fiber and a rich source of calcium for bone health, it also provides lutein, which is important for eye health. Kale may help slow cognitive decline, protect your arteries and lower cholesterol.

Milk: The protein and calcium in milk help counteract bone and muscle loss.

Mixed Nuts

In one study, regular nut intake was connected with a lower risk of dying from cancer, heart disease and respiratory disease.

Oatmeal: A compound in oatmeal helps scrub the arteries and may protect against colon cancer. Oatmeal is low-fat, high in protein and loaded with iron and other minerals.

Olive Oil: The monounsaturated fat in olive oil helps lower cholesterol levels, thus decreasing the risk of heart disease. It may also help prevent diabetes by regulating insulin levels and improving blood sugar control. Olive oil also contains vitamin K, which aids blood clotting, and vitamin E, an antioxidant important in the creation of red blood cells.
It appears to reduce arthritis inflammation as well.

Pomegranates

The nutrient punicalagin in pomegranates might help fight against the breakdown of collagen, helping to preserve joint health. A half cup of pomegranate seeds contains 15% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C, an antioxidant that may fend off skin damage and premature aging.

Tomatoes: Lycopene, the pigment that gives tomatoes their rich red color, may ward off UV-induced damage like wrinkles. In fact, studies show that our bodies absorb lycopene more easily from tomato paste than from fresh tomatoes.

Turmeric

A main spice in curry, turmeric contains curcumin. Early research shows that curcumin may bind with the plaque that can build up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients to prevent the disease from developing.

Quinoa: The South American grain quinoa is a complete protein, filled with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals such as B2, magnesium, copper, iron and phosphorus. It is one of the healthiest and most nutritious foods to eat.

Salmon: High in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can reduce the risk of heart attack and irregular heartbeats. Salmon can also help lower blood pressure and build brain cell membranes.

Strawberries: The flavonoids — healthy chemicals that give fruits and vegetables their vivid color — contain antioxidants that could keep your heart young.

Our Chef Joe Serves up a Healthier Lifestyle

For Joe Alonzo, Harrogate’s executive chef/director of dining services, providing a healthy diet is more than his job. It’s his way of life. “Four years ago, I had a sudden cardiac arrest. I died for eight minutes and was in a coma for three days. Plus, my middle daughter is diabetic. So I try to use my situation to talk with residents about the importance of eating healthier.”

Chef Joe, as the residents call him, believes eating better is integral to a happier, healthier lifestyle. “On BBQ Wednesday, we’ll give residents an option with less fat, like a veggie burger, salmon burger or turkey burger. In fact, we always have a well-balanced option on our menu.

“We make our own stocks and bases, so residents aren’t getting extra sodium,” Joe says. “Our mozzarella and gnocchi are homemade. We use fresh herbs whenever possible. On our salad bar, we have a spring mix and fresh spinach along with healthy carbs — beans and fresh carrots. Sprouted seven-grain bread is always available too. I can make things healthier without residents even tasting the difference.”

Harrogate’s food philosophy includes buying local produce, or as Chef Joe calls it, Jersey Fresh. “I recently started a Farm to Fork club where we visit area farms. As a part of our club, we started an herb and vegetable garden. Eventually we should be able to harvest six months out of the year. You can’t get any fresher than out of your own garden.”

Enhancing the Quality of Life

At Harrogate, Leslie Schwartz, our onsite Registered Dietitian works with all of our residents in focusing on achieving their positive nutritional goals. She is proactively available for individual as well as group consultation to meet and coach on healthy food choices. In addition, Leslie works with our Dining Services team to promote optimal nutrition for all health ranges from Independent Living to Skilled Nursing.

Leslie has several tips that she recommends that are simple tips to healthy eating:

• Make sure you don’t skip meals. Even if you have small meals throughout the day, frequent eating will maintain energy levels and ensure you’re getting the nutrition and sustenance you need.
• Moderation is the key. Food can be both enjoyable and healthy. All food can fit into a healthy diet, but it’s important to balance higher calorie, less nutrient dense foods with others that are more nutrient-rich.
• Stay hydrated. Water and other fluids keep the body running efficiently. Drink beverages with each meal and a couple glasses of water in between meals.
• Eat the colors of the rainbow. Eating varied foods can ensure your diet has variety and is nutrient-rich.
• Try something new. You may like it and it could have nutrients you aren’t getting from other foods.