It can be easy to find the motivation you need to eat more healthfully. Even small dietary changes can benefit your heart health and help protect your brain. You may also feel more alert and energetic.

In addition, eliminating certain foods from your diet and adding others can reduce inflammation, along with lowering your risk of developing some types of cancer and chronic diseases.

These are just a few of the many reasons to embrace better eating habits. The problem for many people who want to improve their diet is following through on their good intentions. If this sounds familiar, it may help to rethink healthy eating before you try adjusting your diet.

With August being National Wellness Month (and with all the fresh produce that’s available this time of year), we thought it would be an especially appropriate time to offer suggestions for how to make eating healthy fun.

Expand Your Horizons With New Adventures In Eating

If you’re tired of eating the same foods over and over, introduce your palate to some exciting, different options.

An easy way to do this is explore local restaurants beyond the typical Italian, Mexican, Chinese and Greek eateries — not that there’s anything wrong with those. The idea, though, is to search out new dining experiences and healthy, fun meals. Once you start looking, you may discover places you weren’t even aware existed. Is there an Ethiopian restaurant near you? How about one that serves Moroccan or Peruvian food?

If you’re not quite ready to delve into that much of an adventure, you might find delicious new dishes to try at restaurants you already frequent, such as quinoa or acai bowls, and hot or cold wraps chock full of healthy ingredients like black beans or lentils, greens and other vegetables.

Before you venture out, you might want to see if the restaurants you’re planning to visit have a menu posted on their website. That way, you can familiarize yourself with what’s in some of the dishes and be ready to order a healthy selection. If you like being more spontaneous, you can always ask your server for recommendations.

To make it more festive, invite friends or family members to join in on your culinary adventures. It’ll be an opportunity to spend quality time together — and you can share the food you order.

If you enjoy cooking, you might venture into an ethnic grocery store or wander through the aisles that feature ethnic foods in your supermarket. If you’re so inclined, you might look for recipes online before you go, or perhaps even invest in a few ethnic cookbooks.

Dress Up Your Salads With New Tastes and Textures

When you say “salad,” some people think of the standard side salad: lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and maybe some carrots and croutons. But there’s no reason to stick with something so basic — you can be as creative as you want.

For instance, you can make your salad a protein powerhouse by adding a combination of beans, grains, lentils, nuts and seeds. Give it some eye appeal and extra nutritional value with seasonal vegetables (or fruits) from your local farmers market. Try heirloom tomatoes and roasted corn, asparagus, Brussels sprouts and butternut squash.

If you eat a lot of green salads, switch out the base to keep your taste buds interested; look for newer super blends containing bok choy, chard and arugula along with the usual kale, spinach and leaf lettuces. For a refreshing summer salad, toss some melon or mixed fresh berries into your greens and maybe add some goat cheese, red onion and/or olives. For a unique side dish, ditch the greens (or go with baby butter or Bibb lettuce) and enjoy an avocado and mango salad.

Marinated and pickled foods can perk up salads as well. Add some crunch with diced jicama, toasted ramen noodles or a sprinkling of crispy chow mein noodles.

Switching out your go-to dressing for something new and intriguing is another way to perk up your palate. There are dozens of dressings in the grocery aisle — or better yet, make your own.

Not a Salad Connoisseur? Have a Go at Bowl-ing

Not everyone loves salads, and even die-hard fans most likely won’t want to eat a salad every day, despite their versatility. You can get just as creative with a Buddha bowl, grain bowl or goddess bowl.

You’ll find a wide variety of recipes and cookbooks for these and other bowls, including poke bowls. Some are served hot, whereas others are best served cold. Some are vegan or vegetarian. Others feature salmon or other types of fish. The possibilities are almost endless, and you can experiment by adding an assortment of scrumptious seasonal vegetables.

Try New Techniques for Prepping and Cooking

Chopping, slicing and dicing fruits and vegetables for a salad, stir fry or meal in a bowl can be tedious if you do it by hand, but a food processor, chopper, julienne peeler or mandoline slicer can make short work of it.

Have you ever used a spiralizer to make zucchini noodles or zoodles? These handy devices are also great for other fruits and vegetables, including sweet potatoes, apples, cabbage, yellow squash, bell peppers, onions and cucumbers. With a spiralizer, making a variety of fun, healthy food has never been easier — or faster!

Speaking of making healthy food faster, an air fryer can make a big difference in your diet if you like to cook. French fries, buffalo wings, chicken tenders and other finger foods are fun things to eat, and preparing them in an air fryer instead of deep frying makes them considerably healthier for your heart. You can even make brownies, baked potatoes and garlic bread in an air fryer — not to mention fabulous and flavorful roasted vegetables.

Convert Classic Recipes by Swapping Out Sugar and Unhealthy Fats

We all have food we remember fondly from our childhood. Back then, there was more emphasis on how good something tasted rather than on how good it was for us.

Just because we know more now about the dietary benefits and harms of the food we eat doesn’t mean we have to give up all of those not-so-healthy foods we used to love (and maybe still do). Fortunately, many recipes can be converted to make them more healthful.

One example is to substitute Greek yogurt or unsweetened applesauce for butter or oil in baked goods. The taste and texture may be different when you make substitutions, and not all recipes are good candidates for conversion, but it’s worth looking online to see what you can find.

Turn Your Daily Diet Upside Down

Breakfast is the meal most likely to become overly routine. It’s easy, but boring, to eat the same thing morning after morning. After a while, even changing up what you put in your oatmeal or how you cook your eggs may not be enough to banish the breakfast blahs.

So why not break with tradition when it comes to breakfast? The first meal of the day offers another opportunity to think outside of the cereal box. Instead of an omelet, try oven baked tostadas or tacos with refried beans, cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions and avocado slices or guacamole.

As another option, there’s no reason to save that veggie wrap made with hummus, greens, tomato, cucumber, onion and roasted red pepper for your midday meal. And that thin crust pizza with the veggie toppings and low-fat cheese? It tastes just as good in the morning as it does for dinner. A rice bowl instead of a bowl of cereal? Why not?

If you have a sweet tooth, you may be tempted to indulge it with pastries or doughnuts — even though you know they’re not the healthiest way to start the day. How about having a healthy dessert for breakfast, such as chia seed pudding? Even the most basic recipe for chia seed pudding is a nutritional powerhouse. Give it a boost by adding blueberries, walnuts, coconut and cacao. As a bonus, chia seed pudding is simple to make and keep on hand in the fridge or freezer.

Fun, Healthy Dining Is an Everyday Experience at Heron’s Key

Residents here will tell you, the culinary selections on the menu at our Syren’s Grille restaurant are nothing short of superb. Our chef relies on fresh, locally sourced ingredients for tantalizing entrées and sides. And, being able to break bread with good friends and neighbors makes mealtime even more delightful.

While you’re here on our website, you can download a sample menu and learn more about the many other ways the Heron’s Key lifestyle encourages better health — and plenty of fun!

Featured Image: Jake Johnson Pictures, 2021

With the International Day of Friendship coming up on July 30, it’s an ideal time to stop and think about how much your friends mean to you. In fact, after reading this, you may have an ever greater appreciation for them.

Not only does friendship bring joy and happiness to our days. It also boosts our health and can help us live longer. Studies show that for seniors, friendships may be even more important in some ways than relationships with family members.

Even though maintaining friendships and building new ones can become more difficult as we get older, the additional effort can bring tremendous rewards.

We May Outgrow Friends, But Not the Need for Friendship

When we’re children, almost anyone around us has the potential to become a friend, and this openness to forming new relationships often continues at least until adolescence, though we gradually become more discerning.

In school, we’re surrounded by people of similar age. As our personality and interests emerge, we gravitate toward those who are like us or with whom we share common ground. Later, college may bring a new set of experiences and people into our lives, broadening our social circles.

As we begin a career and possibly a family, our circumstances and the people around us on a regular basis continue to shift. Though we may lose touch with friends from our past, we make new ones through work or parenting activities. But the demands on our time are greater, and while we may maintain some of our closest friendships, our skills for making new friends can grow rusty.

After retirement, there’s usually more time to devote to friendships, yet in many cases the friends we’ve known the longest are no longer in our lives. Particularly among the elderly, friends can become less accessible as distance, mobility, transportation and other factors — such as impaired vision or hearing — make it harder to spend quality time together.

Paradoxically, it’s the period after retirement in which friendships may be most vital to our health and well-being.

How Friendship Benefits Older Adults

Along with the laughter and fun friends bring into our lives, the social connections and special bonds we have with others can promote a healthy lifestyle as we age. It’s worth the extra effort to nurture established friendships and seek out new ones for reasons such as these:

• Friendships keep us from being socially isolated. Whether visiting in person or using technology to connect remotely, spending time with friends helps prevent feelings of loneliness and isolation — which have been linked to depression, dementia, a greater risk for premature death and other adverse health effects.
• Meaningful relationships boost our physical and mental health. Connecting with friends can help us live longer, sleep better, bolster our immune system, reduce stress, lower our risk for chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, and even enhance our cognitive function.
• Our support system can help us during difficult times. Being able to turn to good friends for comfort can make a world of difference when dealing with a challenging situation, like a serious illness or the loss of a loved one.
• Friends can help us continue to grow and improve. It’s easy to become complacent as we get older, and that can negatively affect our health in numerous ways. Our friends encourage us to take better care of ourselves, and it can seem more appealing to stay active and explore new interests with a good friend by our side.

So, How Do Seniors Meet Other Seniors?

Although meeting new people may not be as spontaneous as in our younger years, we can make a conscious effort to increase our opportunities for forming new friendships as we get older. Here are several suggestions:

• Take a class or discover a new favorite pastime. See what’s offered at your local senior center or community college.
• Volunteer or find a part-time job. Put your time, talent and experience to good use helping others and see how much good it does for you, too.
• Increase your physical activity. Whether you go for walks in your neighborhood, take dance lessons or attend fitness classes, you’ll be out where you can meet other people.
• Check out events in your community. Some communities offer free music concerts in the summer, and most senior centers have regularly scheduled group activities and events. Ask a family member or friend to go with you if it helps you feel more comfortable.

Senior Living and New Friendships Go Hand in Hand

At Heron’s Key, meeting new people is a breeze. In time, new relationships often deepen into satisfying friendships. Just ask residents Kerry and Anne Smith.

The Smiths moved to Heron’s Key a few years ago and have found many ways to get to know their neighbors and make new friends.

As Kerry says, “It’s very welcoming here. There’s a lot of things to do — almost too many. And if you don’t find something you like, you can go ahead and start your own thing. We’ve done that, too. You can be as engaged as you want to be.”

The Reuben Group: A Case in Point

The Reuben Group is something Kerry and Anne unintentionally started with another couple at Heron’s Key late last year. They went to lunch and ordered Reuben sandwiches. Afterward, a few other residents overheard them in the lobby at Heron’s Key talking about how good the sandwiches had been. Within three days, according to Kerry, there were a couple dozen people in the new Reuben Group, and as of early June, the group had 65 members.

Not everyone goes each time, but about once a month members will get together and take the Heron’s Key van to the restaurant of their choice to have Reuben sandwiches. When they return, Kerry sends out a form they all use to score the sandwiches.

“We’ve gone back to a couple of places that were especially good,” Kerry notes.

At one of the group’s outings, Kerry mentioned that oysters were on the menu. That, in turn, led to the creation of the Oyster Lovers Group, which has more than three dozen members.

The International Tasters Group is another offshoot of the Reuben Group. Members enjoy sampling different cuisines at the peninsula’s many authentic ethnic restaurants.

Lead in Your Own Way

Anne describes herself as a behind-the-scenes organizer, whereas Kerry is the kind of person who will bake a cake and take it down the hall for an impromptu get-together with neighbors. They’ve both found ways to enrich their lives through a variety of activities.

For instance, both are part of our resident ambassador program, volunteering to give weekend tours when people drop by to check out Heron’s Key, and helping new residents settle in and learn their way around.

About once a month, Kerry heads over to Penrose Harbor and bakes cookies with residents who are with us for memory care and assisted living. He’s also part of Neighbors Care, a group of residents who volunteer to look out for their neighbors and help with occasional small favors. He also provides technical assistance for the Heron’s Key in-house TV station, HKTV.

Anne leads a resident group call Gatherings, randomly organizing participants into groups of six who dine together. They meet for hors d’oeuvres in one of the residents’ homes before dinner or dessert afterward. It’s an easy, low-key way for residents to get to know each other better.

She’s also an active member of the Pet Partners Group. Residents who have a cat or dog can “buddy” with one or more other pet owners through the group so they always have someone they can count on to take care of their pet if the need arises.

“Floor” Parties Are All About Seniors Meeting Seniors

Two or three times a year, residents on each floor get together at community restaurant Spinnakers for a themed party, similar to a block party in a residential neighborhood. The most recent event for the Smiths’ floor had a drugstore soda fountain theme, with neighbors chatting over ice cream floats and sundaes.

“It’s a chance to share some time with your neighbors and see people you wouldn’t normally see,” Kerry explains. “We have a lot of fun here.”

He also mentions how wonderful the Heron’s Key staff is, including the culinary staff who go out of their way to ensure events like these are successful.

Want to Add More Fun and Friends to Your Life?

As you can see, the opportunities to make new connections are abundant at Heron’s Key. They’re woven into an active lifestyle that helps residents stay vibrant and engaged.

If you’d like to learn more about our community and all we offer, call us at (877) 892-7129 or submit a contact form online. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and arrange a time for you to come see how friendly and fulfilling life can be at Heron’s Key.

Featured Image:  Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock

Whether you have a home that looks out at the ocean or you live a thousand miles or more from the closest coast, there are steps you can take to protect the oceans and other waterways that are so vital to all living things.

At Heron’s Key, we recognize the importance of sustainable living and treating our environment, including the Pacific Ocean in our backyard, with care and respect. Now that warmer weather is here and more people will be heading to the shore, and with June 4–10 being National Week of the Ocean, it seems appropriate to offer suggestions for showing the oceans some love.

Inland Residents: What You Do Matters, Too

If you don’t live near an ocean, you might think your actions don’t have any effect on what happens at sea.  A study conducted by an international team of researchers, including a climate scientist at Princeton University, assessed how carbon is carried by a land-to-ocean aquatic continuum of streams, rivers, estuaries and other bodies of water. This same aquatic continuum carries chemicals, plastics and other hazardous substances from inland locations to the oceans.

Start Small, Start Now

While the problem is a large one to tackle, every little bit helps. Using one less plastic straw may save the life of a fish, sea turtle or seabird. More households using eco-friendly sponges made of biodegradable, plant-based materials instead of synthetic sponges means fewer microplastics are passing through filtering systems and into the waterways that eventually lead to the oceans.

You can make a difference by making even the smallest of changes.

3 Easy Steps Toward Healthier Oceans

As you can see, contaminated marine ecosystems aren’t just a localized problem. Pollutants are being absorbed into the food chain, harming aquatic life within their ecosystem and beyond.

Here are three simple steps you can take right away to begin contributing to cleaner, safer oceans, no matter where you live.

1. Switch to eco-friendly detergents and other household cleaning products.
   Phosphates, found in many commercially available laundry and dishwasher detergents and other cleaning products, serve as fertilizer for algae, which in turn can lead to algal blooms. Not only do algal blooms deplete oxygen in the water, but they also prevent photosynthesis in underwater plants by blocking sunlight.
   Bleach, nitrogen and ammonia are other substances commonly used in household cleaners that can be harmful to marine ecosystems. Look for products that are phosphate-free, chlorine-free, fragrance-free or made with biobased materials.
2. Reduce your use of single-use plastics.
   Reusable straws are available in silicone, stainless steel, bamboo, glass, grass and even pasta, and some are collapsible or come with a carrying case so they’re easy to take with you. Hand your barista a reusable mug or cup if your favorite coffee shop permits.
   Instead of buying bottled water, carry a reusable bottle with you — many are insulated, and may even have built-in filters and straws.
   Take reusable tote bags with you when you shop.
   Shop online for alternatives to plastic products, including plastic food wrap. You’ll find entire websites devoted to reducing plastic use.
3. Conserve water.
   We’re fortunate here in the U.S. — most of us can turn on the tap and have fresh, clean water flow on demand. If we start thinking of this as a privilege, we can change our habits so that we waste less water. For instance, turning off the water while you brush your teeth or while shaving can save several gallons every day.
   Other ways to conserve water:

• Install a water-efficient showerhead in your bathroom
• Fill the kitchen sink with water instead of letting the faucet run when doing dishes by hand
• Collect the water that runs from the tap while you’re waiting for it to get hot and use it for other purposes — like watering plants
• Run the dishwasher or washing machine only when you have a full load
• Choose water-efficient appliances and toilets when it’s time to replace the ones you have

You Don’t Have to Be at the Ocean to Enjoy the Beach!

Beaches are among the most popular vacation destinations in the world. But you don’t have to travel to Hawaii, Fiji, Australia or Bora Bora to have fun at the beach.

Here in Gig Harbor, we’re lucky to have several beaches within a short drive. There’s considerable variety among them, so it’s worth doing a little research online to see which ones might be best for your intended activity. Some are great for all kinds of fun — swimming, hiking, picnics, or taking your dog for a splash and a romp (Sunrise Beach Park or Kopachuck State Park). Several, like Narrows Park, also have access for boating and fishing.

Those are just a few of the closest beaches to Gig Harbor. Puget Sound is home to more than two dozen delightful public beaches, like Owen Beach in Tacoma.

The Best of Both Blue and Green Spaces

According to a new study conducted right here in Washington, older adults who live near green or blue spaces have a lower risk of experiencing serious psychological distress. Specifically, those living within half a mile of blue or green spaces had a 17% lower risk as compared with their peers who lived farther away.

For the study, blue spaces included bodies of water such as lakes, reservoirs, large rivers and coasts, and green spaces included public parks and community gardens.

Here on the Kitsap Peninsula, you’ll find a multitude of gorgeous places that combine blue and green spaces, offering all the psychological benefits of both. You can read more about the calming effect of these outdoor havens in this previous blog post.

If an afternoon at the beach is more than you’re looking for, you can reap the benefits these blue and green spaces offer in other ways. For instance, in or near Gig Harbor you could drink in the scenery while enjoying a:

• Gondola ride
• Stroll along the waterfront
• Picnic, hike or bike ride

The Big Outdoors in Your Backyard

Our location in Gig Harbor makes Heron’s Key an ideal senior living community for older adults who want to maintain their active lifestyle.

When you feel like staying close to home, you can take advantage of the first-rate amenities available here in the community. When you’re ready to get out and go, there are countless ways to spend a couple of hours, an afternoon or the day.

If you love being near the water, if it brings you a sense of calm or invokes your sense of adventure, consider making Heron’s Key your new home. Contact us and we’ll be happy to set up a time to show you around our community set within a scenic seaside village.

Featured Image: Heron’s Key – 2017 (Attane Photography)

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, presenting an excellent opportunity to talk about how to protect mental health in older adults. While many ways of safeguarding mental health are known to benefit people of all ages, some can be especially important for seniors.

Fortunately, a lifestyle aimed at maintaining good physical health can pay dividends for mental health as well. Getting enough exercise and sleep, eating a nutritious diet, reducing stress and managing chronic illnesses, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, all promote better health outcomes, both physically and mentally.

Naturally, the sooner you adopt healthier habits, the better your chances are of preventing or slowing, mental or physical health issues. But the good news? It’s never too late to improve your health by changing your routine.

The First Step: Talking About Mental Health

In recent years, you may have noticed more stories in the news about mental health, and that’s a positive trend. The more we know about mental health, and the more openly we talk about it, the more people are apt to engage in healthy behaviors.

A few generations ago, there wasn’t a whole lot of discussion about mental health. Even among medical professionals, the focus centered more on mental illness than mental health. What’s more, when people thought about mental illness back then, they usually had in mind conditions such as schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder (previously known as split personality disorder).

This lack of awareness created a stigma around mental illness, and some of the misconceptions rooted in those earlier times still exist. These negative associations with mental illness often keep people from reaching out for help if they’re having trouble managing their feelings. Those who feel ashamed or embarrassed because they’re experiencing depression, anxiety or other mental health struggles may be reluctant to seek treatment or even talk about it with friends and family.

These days, discussions of mental health cover a much broader range of topics, from foods that boost brain health to behavioral therapy for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Now, it’s much more common to talk about prevention as well as treatment.

Prevalent Senior Mental Health Concerns

Much like physical health, mental health varies from person to person, and two people with the same mental health issue may take quite different approaches to their situation.

Still, certain mental health conditions are particularly prevalent in older adults — to such an extent that some people mistakenly believe these conditions are a normal part of the aging process.

Depression

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports an estimated 1 in 5 people age 55 or older experiences some sort of mental health concern. The most prevalent mental health issue for seniors is depression, which can impair physical, mental and social functioning.

The CDC notes that while the rate of seniors having symptoms of depression rises when you look at increasingly older age groups, depression is not a normal part of aging. And, in an estimated 80% of cases, depression in older adults is treatable.

Too often, though, depression is untreated because friends and family — and sometimes even the person experiencing depression — don’t recognize the symptoms or dismiss them as normal for that age.

Social isolation, loneliness, hearing and vision loss, chronic illness, sleep disorders and other conditions common among seniors contribute to the risk for depression.

Cognitive Impairment

Many, if not most, seniors are concerned about developing Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, and with good reason: increasing age is the predominant risk factor for Alzheimer’s.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, approximately 6.7 million Americans age 65 or older are living with Alzheimer’s, or about 10.8% of that age group. Fortunately, research shows that around 40% of all dementia can be prevented or delayed by certain lifestyle choices.

The term dementia refers to a decline in cognitive abilities, such as problem-solving and judgment, loss of memory and difficulty communicating. Although dementia affects mental health, most professionals in the medical community do not consider dementia a mental illness.

Some measure of forgetfulness is typical as we get older, but the National Institute on Aging (NIA) is clear on this: Dementia is not a normal part of aging.

What You Can Do to Protect Your Mental Health

As mentioned earlier, certain lifestyle choices can increase your odds of staying healthy, both in body and mind. So can various activities. Here are some common recommendations:

• Stay physically, mentally and socially active. Exercise is one of the top suggestions for maintaining good mental health. If you haven’t been physically active for a while (or ever), check with your physician first and consider talking with a fitness expert for advice on getting started. Even if you have limited mobility, there are ways to modify many exercises. Think chair yoga or water aerobics.
  Be sure to exercise your brain, too. Do puzzles, take classes, read, learn a new language or take up a hobby that makes you think. “Use it or lose it” applies to your muscles and your brain!
  To get even more value for the time you devote to exercising your body and brain, exercise in a social setting. Not only will being around others help motivate you, but you could also end up forming new friendships.
  Whether it’s part of your physical fitness routine or not, do make a conscious effort to stay connected with other people. A growing body of research shows just how important our relationships are in terms of mental health and overall well-being. If your social circles have dwindled, volunteering can be a rewarding way to make new connections.
• Get enough sleep. You may have heard that older adults don’t need as much sleep, but that’s not true. For various reasons, sleep problems may be more common as people get older, but this doesn’t mean you should just shrug it off as a normal condition of aging if you have difficulty sleeping.
  An underlying illness or even a prescription drug you’re taking could be interfering with your ability to get the sleep you need. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
• Eat nutritious foods. The MIND diet focuses on plant-based foods that have been linked to dementia prevention, according to the NIA. The diet recommends eating more vegetables — especially leafy greens, berries, whole grains, beans and nuts – and eating less red meat, sweets, cheese, butter and fast or fried food.
• Lower your stress. It’s no secret that chronic stress can take a toll on your physical and mental health. Stress increases the hormone cortisol, and increased cortisol levels can damage certain parts of the brain, such as the amygdala, the frontal lobe and the hippocampus, which plays a role in learning and memory.
  Some suggestions for keeping stress at bay include yoga (your local senior center may offer yoga classes specifically for older adults), tai chi, meditation, enjoying quality time with friends, listening to music, and spending time outside in green spaces (in parks, gardens and other spots with trees and vegetation) or blue spaces (near bodies of water — lakes, ponds, rivers, the sea or ocean, or even a fountain or manufactured waterfall).
• Adopt a pet. Studies have shown that having a pet can benefit older adults in a number of ways. For instance, sharing your home with a four-legged or feathered friend may make it more likely you’ll stick to a regular schedule, which can have a positive effect on your physical and mental health. Plus, the bond you form with a pet can increase your quality of life and help prevent depression. And if you have a dog, there’s a good chance you’ll get more exercise and have more social interactions!
  If adopting a pet is not an option for you, volunteering at a local animal shelter will provide many of the same benefits — and you can feel good about providing a much-needed service in your community.

How Retirement Communities Support Mental Health for Seniors

By design, senior living communities make life easier and more enjoyable for those who live in them. The lifestyle encourages better health in a multitude of ways. These are just a few:

• Less stress, because you won’t have to maintain your home
• More opportunities for social engagement, new friendships and participation in a broad variety of classes and activities — including fitness classes
• Healthy dining options, without the hassle of shopping and cooking
• The option to have a pet (in many senior living communities, including Heron’s Key)

A Life Plan Community like Heron’s Key also gives you access to advanced health care at predictable costs, should you need it. This can provide considerable peace of mind.

Make Your Mental Health a Priority

We would love to welcome you to our community. As you can see, living in a place like Heron’s Key can help in your quest for good mental health.

To see if our community is a good fit for you (or someone you care about), contact us to experience Heron’s Key in person.

Whether you join us or not, we urge you to take good care of your mind, body and spirit. You can begin right away. Little steps add up, and they can lead to bigger steps — and better results. You’ll thank yourself in years to come.

Featured Image: RaxPixel / Shutterstock

Did you know nearly 40% of all U.S. households have at least one pet dog? If you’ve ever had a furry friend of the canine kind, then you already know the sheer joy a dog can add to everyday life.

Along with the unconditional love dogs offer, canine companionship is rewarding in many other ways— including its health benefits. Some of those benefits might be of particular interest to older adults, such as the potential for slowing cognitive decline (more on that below).

If you’re thinking about getting a dog, there’s a lot to consider. Armed with the right information, you can make a great choice for both you and your new best buddy!

A Puppy or an Older Dog?

It’s a universal truth: Puppies are irresistible. They’re also a big commitment.

Puppies are a lot like human babies. They often don’t sleep through the night right away. They need to be potty trained and will almost surely make messes before they’re housebroken. They teethe, which means they will chew on things they aren’t supposed to. They need to learn how to get along with others. And they will probably develop some bad habits that will have to be addressed.

Puppies are also little bundles of energy, and that rambunctiousness may not dissipate for several years. Some breeds, such as the Jack Russell terrier, border collie and husky, are known for having almost endless energy well into their later years. These may not be the best dog breeds for seniors if they’re to be adopted as puppies.

How much time and energy can you devote?

Lively dogs, which means all puppies, need a lot of exercise and playtime to prevent boredom (and mischief). To help them feel secure and know what’s expected of them, puppies also need a routine and consistent rules.

Energetic dogs may be more challenging to walk, depending on how well they’ve been trained. They sometimes want to walk their owner, pulling on the leash in their hurry to explore. This can pose a risk for older adults who may have less strength or poorer balance than they once had.

The key is to choose a dog that will mirror your level of energy and activity. Are you looking for a dog to join you on long hikes or one that will be content with less exercise?

Why an older dog may be the better option

Adult dogs are usually housebroken, especially if they’ve been someone else’s pet. They’re most likely already trained and socialized, too. Plus, their temperament is more of a known factor, so it’s often easier to know what to expect when you get them home.

If you’ve decided you want a particular breed, you may still be able to find an older dog relatively easily. While breeders generally offer only puppies for sale, at least 5% of shelter dogs are purebreds, many of which are adults. Some shelters have waiting lists and will notify you if they get a dog of the breed you want. You can also search online for rescue groups that specialize in a certain breed.

Note that the adoption fees for older dogs are typically lower than fees for puppies, and if you adopt or rescue a purebred dog rather than buying one from a breeder, you’ll most likely pay thousands of dollars less.

Another important consideration

Lifespan is another point to think about when deciding whether to get a puppy or an older dog. A dog could live anywhere from 10 to 15 years, and in some cases even longer.

Will you be able to care for your beloved pup that long? If you become ill or injured, is there a family member or friend who can fill in for you?

Good Dogs for Seniors in Retirement Communities

Although not all senior living communities welcome pets, many do. If you live in a retirement community or are planning to move into one, you’ll want to think about how that will factor into your decision to get a dog. For instance:

• Do (or will) you live in an apartment or a single-family dwelling? Your living space may limit the size of dog you should consider.
• If you’re in an apartment building, is your home near the elevator or exit? You’ll need to walk your dog at least a couple of times a day.
• How easy will it be to have your dog groomed and take it to vet appointments?
• Do a lot of the other residents have dogs? You may not be the only one who enjoys socializing with the neighbors — your dog might make some new friends, too. Plus, you may be more likely to find volunteers to pet sit for you if many people in the community have dogs of their own.

In general, if you’re in a senior living community, you’ll probably want to opt for a small or medium-size dog. To be considerate of your neighbors, you’ll want a dog that won’t be too boisterous or bark a lot.

You may also want to look for a dog that will be good around small children. Even if you don’t have young grandchildren who will visit, others around you might.

Some breeds to consider include the Boston terrier, toy or miniature poodle, miniature schnauzer, pug, Pekingese, French bulldog, cocker spaniel, King Charles spaniel, Maltese and Shih Tzu.

Ultimately, the best dog for seniors, no matter where they live, is one that suits the individual’s physical abilities, living environment, lifestyle and personal preferences.

Health Benefits Associated With Having a Dog

Studies demonstrate that having a pet, whether it’s a dog, cat, bird, bunny or other animal, confers health benefits such as:

• Reduced stress
• Lower blood pressure
• Improved cholesterol levels
• Lower risk of loneliness and depression
• Less need for medications

Older adults who take daily walks with their dogs may get more exercise than they would if they didn’t have a dog, which can help with mobility and weight control. They may also get more fresh air and sunshine, and the walks provide more opportunities for socializing.

Additionally, recent research conducted at the University of Michigan Medical Center indicates that extended pet ownership, defined as five years or longer, may help slow cognitive decline in older adults. Specifically, seniors (age 65 or older) who owned a pet for at least five years had higher composite cognitive scores at the end of a six-year assessment period as compared with those who didn’t have a pet. They also did better on tests of immediate and delayed word recall.

Would a Different Pet Be a Better Choice?

Other pets provide many of the same emotional rewards and health benefits as dogs. If mobility is an issue, then having to walk a dog every day may present challenges and even pose some risks.

A cat may be a good alternative. Cats require less grooming, are usually quiet and do quite well living in an apartment. While many cats love to play, they also indulge in long naps and plenty of couch time. Indoor cats generally live longer than dogs, so adopting an older cat instead of a kitten may be the way to go — and there are always older cats available for adoption through shelters and rescue organizations.

We Love Pets at Heron’s Key!

Ours is a very pet-friendly community with many great walking paths. New residents are often surprised to see how many people here have dogs, and quite a few have cats.

We see every day how the bonds between residents and their pets keep them happy and healthy. Even those who don’t have a pet of their own enjoy saying hello to their neighbors’ dogs while out walking. Some gladly pet sit for neighbors who are traveling.

If you’d like to come take a look around, contact us to schedule a visit. There’s a good chance you’ll see a resident dog or two while you’re here!

Featured Image: Jake Johnson Pictures