The forecast for winter weather this year in St. Louis is warmer and wetter. Experts at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) forecast that much of the Midwest can expect a warmer winter, and more precipitation. The forecast is driven by a La Nina weather pattern that will impact our winter climate. (If you’d like to learn more about La Nina, click here.) While it hasn’t snowed heavily in St. Louis the past couple of years, the NOAA prediction hints at a combination of snow, ice and rain coming our […]

You know the old truism, “If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ’em all”? That’s definitely not true when it comes to senior living communities. Why is that? Consider these examples: Some senior living communities offer a full continuum of care with multiple levels of care; some offer only independent living.  One retirement community may provide long-term skilled nursing care, while another only provides care for short-term stays.  A Continuing Care Retirement Community, or CCRC, is also the same thing as a Life Plan Community — both can be either for-profit […]

Think about a song you knew when you were younger but haven’t heard in years. The song comes on and suddenly you remember the words and the melody. You may also be flooded with snippets of memories — a particular person, moment, or period in your life — you hadn’t thought about until you heard the song again. According to studies, listening to music engages broad neural networks in the brain, including brain regions responsible for motor actions, emotions and creativity. That may help explain why music can offer numerous benefits […]

You know that expression in the car-buying business about kicking the tires before you buy? This idiom serves as a reminder to inspect something to make sure it meets your expected standards before you commit to buying. Take senior living communities, for example. No matter how lovely the website or how engaging the brochure, you definitely want to kick the tires of each community, so to speak, before you make your decision. So as you start setting up your in-person visits, here are 10 tips for touring senior living communities […]

Question: How did you meet your wife Diane? Answer: “We met through a mutual friend at a root beer stand, back when there were root beer stands and started dating for a few months and then started going more steady. We found out we had a lot in common. She was living by the river and my dad had a spot by the river and we ended up going out together on the river skiing and boating. We started out in the summer, so that was good timing to be […]

For many older adults, there’s a great appeal in creating a life free from sudden changes and upheavals. You’ve “been there, done that” when it comes to packing, moving and resettling. While seniors love their freedom and independence, the desire for a sense of permanence is strong. It’s one of the reasons moving to a senior living community that offers a continuum of care is so desirable. What Defines a Continuum of Care? Choosing a community for its location and lifestyle are good starting points, but it’s essential for seniors […]

Question: When you were a child, what was your favorite thing to do? Answer: “Play in the water. As a really young girl, I loved staying in the bathtub, splashing around and all that. Also, we lived on the Rock River in Illinois and I loved being in the river! We had a little fishing boat and my brother and sister would drag me behind in the boat on a surfboard and then I learned how to water ski. So, that was the best part of my life, I think. […]

Question: What’s a hobby you’ve had that some people might not know about? Answer: “I’ve always loved cats and my mom had a Siamese cat and when I was young, we always had cats and dogs. And then later in life, I showed cats for seventeen years. I started with Abyssinians and also showed Russian Blue(s) and travelled throughout the Midwest, as far as I could drive…I never went on a plane with my cats. And I retired after I Granded (Grand Champion) five cats from the same female I […]

It’s healthy to enjoy “alone time,” but to stay healthy in mind, spirit and body, we need to strike a balance. It’s good to enjoy time to yourself, but it’s equally important to socialize with others. We saw the effects of isolation on people of all ages during the pandemic, when cases of stress, anxiety and depression spiked. Proof of the benefits of socialization for seniors was especially apparent during the pandemic when so many older adults were forced to remain in their homes and apartments, unable to have contact […]