Let’s say you’re the primary contact or caregiver for a family member, perhaps a parent or a sibling who is living with a physical or cognitive disability. You are seeing signs that your loved one is having difficulty managing themselves or their affairs. What do you do? Many people think first of obtaining a power Read More
An important part of our overall resilience in life—our ability to cope with and survive great challenges—is our cognitive reserve. “Cognitive reserve is the idea of building up additional abilities to compensate for the possibility of declining memory or thinking,” explains Esther Heerema, MSW, who works with people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. “Think Read More
Thriving and enjoying both physical and mental health: these are our goals for all our clients. Mental health challenges can interfere with overall wellness, so it’s important to address them head-on at any age. Fortunately, if you’re on Medicare, CMS (the agency that runs the program) is attuned to the importance of both physical and mental Read More
Illness, physical limitations, mental health issues – aging services professionals work with clients who are living with a range of challenges. Sadly, for some clients, those conditions are made worse – and in some cases, caused – by race-related stress: “Race-related stress occurs when an individual experiences or witnesses racist incidents that evoke social and Read More
The months of November and December can be stressful, what with holiday prep, shopping, and gatherings. But January can also be a stressful month. Many people experience a post-holiday “let down” once everything has quieted down and the long, dark days of January stretch ahead. There may be loneliness, and of course frustration with the Read More
May is Mental Health Month, a reminder that mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being, and that mental illnesses are common and treatable. At Windward, we’re happy to be able to offer our aging clients – especially those living with dementia – the expertise of Dr. Raisa Yagudayeva, a geropsychiatrist. It can Read More
Nearly 1 million people in the United States are living with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This disease damages the central nervous system and causes a range of symptoms throughout the body, including muscle weakness, chronic pain, impaired vision, and problems with thinking and memory. Unfortunately, there is not yet Read More
Substance misuse is often misunderstood and can carry a social stigma. Some professionals as well as laypeople believe that older adults who misuse alcohol or other substances are “too old” to change their ways. The truth is that older adults can benefit from treatment. With the right resources, it’s possible to have a successful recovery Read More
The following article is reposted from https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/benefits-of-mindfulness.htm. It’s a busy world. You fold the laundry while keeping one eye on the kids and another on the television. You plan your day while listening to the radio and commuting to work, and then plan your weekend. But in the rush to accomplish necessary tasks, you may Read More
Right now most of us are feeling unsettled or anxious about recent world events, including COVID-19, stock market fluctuations, and restrictions on travel and gatherings that may be keeping people apart form loved ones. Older adults may be feeling anxiety more than any other group right now since they are most vulnerable to complications from Read More