We know living with chronic stress can negatively affect your health at any age. It contributes to diabetes, cardiac disease, weight gain, memory, digestive problems, and more. That’s where active relaxation can come in. It plays an important role in overcoming and managing stress.

Here’s what active relaxation is, along with some suggestions you can immediately work in to your day.

What Is Active Relaxation?

Unlike passive forms of relaxation, such as meditation, reading, or napping, active relaxation requires activity or movement. Those activities that bring you a sense of peace and centeredness are considered to be active relaxation methods. They can help with everything from reducing blood pressure to promoting better sleep and reducing stress levels.

One of the most common forms of active relaxation is progressive muscle relaxation. Begin by getting comfortable and taking some deep, cleansing breaths. Try to actively tense one part of your body, then release the tension. It’s usually easiest to begin with one foot. Let’s say you tense the muscles in your right foot. Hold for a count of ten, then let your right foot relax. Move to your left foot and follow the same procedure. Work your way up the body, muscle by muscle.

Senior-Friendly Forms of Relaxation

Other types of active relaxation older adults can explore include:

• Practice chair yoga
• Engage in Pilates
• Tend to your garden
• Go for a nature walk
• Swim or wade in the water
• Paint with watercolors
• Dance to favorite songs in the kitchen
• Play in an adult coloring book
• Bake some cookies
• Knit a scarf
• Create a gratitude journal
• Pet an animal
• Ride a bike
• Go bird-watching
• Call a friend
• Do a little housework
• Fold laundry
• Write your biography
• Declutter your closets
• Watch a comedy and laugh out loud
• Repot a houseplant
• Arrange a bouquet of fresh flowers

These are just a few of the many ways you can stay active while promoting calm and relaxation.

Live and Thrive at Five Star Senior Living

At Five Star Senior Living communities, we encourage residents to not just live, but thrive. And that includes keeping stress and anxiety at bay. Through our Lifestyle360 program, our residents can join a wide range of daily activities that reduce stress and nurture the five dimensions of wellness: intellectual, social, physical, emotional, and spiritual. You’ll find activities to meet every interest, from arts and crafts classes to card games to community movie nights.

But don’t just take our word for it. Visit us in person to see for yourself. Find a senior living community near you or schedule a tour.

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It can make you stronger, more flexible and better balanced on your feet. It reduces stress. It helps ease chronic back pain and arthritis symptoms. It can lift your mood and boost your energy. It can even help you sleep better. All this, plus you already have the necessary equipment to start this amazingly simple (and enjoyable) fitness regimen: your body.

“It” is yoga, an ancient group of physical, mental and spiritual practices that in a busy, stressful world can do you a world of good. Yoga exercises are good for both body and mind—and, experts say, good for your spirit as well.

But wait. Isn’t yoga for the young? Don’t you already have to be in somewhat-good shape to do all those yoga poses, like sitting cross-legged on the floor (the lotus position) or the tree pose, where you stand on one foot with your arms raised over your head?

Benefits of yoga for seniors

Fear not. There are many varieties of yoga, ranging from gentle to vigorous and from using only your body to posing and moving with the aid of a chair or other props. (In fact, doing yoga while sitting, called seated or chair yoga, is a great option for those with limited mobility.) In short, older adults have many options when it comes to yoga. And the benefits are many, including being better able to enjoy an active lifestyle and connecting with a community of peers who, like you, are invested in improving their physical, mental and emotional health as they age.

We humans tend to lose muscle tone and our bones grow weaker as we age. Yet our bodies respond to exercise at any age, and even gentle yoga can help you build muscle and bone strength  Even if you haven’t been to the gym in ages, yoga can help you ease back into a fitness routine. Your brain and body have worked hard all these years. Now it’s time to repay them—and you—with the mind-body benefits of yoga.

How does yoga work, exactly?

Yoga increases flexibility and mental clarity through movement and meditation. Flexibility comes from various gentle stretching movements while focusing on breathing, which also enhances your physiological well-being. During yoga, while some muscles contract to allow movement, others are relaxing and lengthening to allow that movement. Stretching like this over a period of time allows the muscles to become more pliable and flexible, increasing movement patterns within your joints. Ultimately, stretching and breathing increase physical flexibility while improving overall health.

Now that you know more about how good for you yoga can be, here some basic yoga poses for seniors you can try right now:

Tree pose. Stand with legs together and your arms raised, palms folded together. Raise your right foot enough to touch your heel to your left ankle but with your toes still touching the ground. (Use a chair if needed.) Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat with your left foot. As you gain confidence holding your balance, try raising either foot off the ground enough to touch heel to the inside of the lower leg and hold for 20-30 seconds.

Leg climb. Sit on the floor with one side of your body against a wall. Lower your back so it is resting on the floor. Lift your legs up the wall, “climbing” until the backs of your legs are flat against the wall. If you can’t get them flat, try shifting your body away from the wall a few inches at a time. Hold for 30-60 seconds, then slowly lower your legs to the floor.

Cat-cow chair stretch. This pose gives you the benefits of the well-known cat-cow stretch without having to get down on the floor. Sitting straight up in a chair, inhale as you push your back against the back of the chair, drawing your navel toward your spine as you do so. (Think of a cat stretching.) Then, exhaling, push your stomach forward while arching your spine away from the back of the chair. Hold each pose for 10-15 seconds.

The other piece: meditation

Because your mind and body are so connected, yoga works on both. The practice of meditation or dhyana in yoga helps create mental stillness, allowing an individual to be at peace with their mind, body and spirit. There are several different ways to meditate in yoga, such as visualizing, gazing, breathing, or physical sensations (hot/cold temperatures):

• Visualizing requires one to picture in one’s mind a peaceful object or channel, such as a god or goddess, flower, or a particular chakra (energy center).
• Gazing is a different form of imagery that uses an open-eye focus on an object, such as a flower, candle flame or painting. (Gazing may be performed with both eyes open or one eye closed.)
• Breathing in meditation is performed by focusing on the rise and fall of one’s chest, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
• Physical sensation is similar to focusing deeply on breathing; however, it is redirected to a sensation such as the temperature of your lips or nose, strengthening in your spine, or even observing an emotion.

An easy way to combine poses and meditation is to remember to inhale and exhale, gently but deeply, as you maneuver into a pose or as you hold it. Try to keep to a steady rhythm of breathing in and breathing out. Before long, you won’t even notice you’re doing it—but your body will, and it will thank you by growing healthier.

Ready to give yoga a try? At Five Star Senior Living, we offer a holistic approach to wellness called Lifestyle360. Residents have opportunities every day to engage in activities that nurture the body, mind, and spirit. Many Five Star communities also feature onsite clinics offered by Ageility, our rehab and fitness training partner.

Either way, you’re sure to find programs geared toward your abilities and goals. Visit us in person to see for yourself. Find a senior community near you or schedule a tour.

Tips for Improving Muscle Tone for Seniors

April Fool’s Day has come and gone. But there’s nothing funny about what a year of lockdown has done to our physical shape. Many of us have gained weight, but for older adults there’s been another issue: not just weight gain, but loss of muscle tone.

Loss of muscle tone (or, medically speaking, muscle mass) in seniors will show up differently depending on the person. If you’re active, you may notice you get winded much more quickly than you did in years past. Or you may notice your parent now finds it harder to do even the simplest things, such as pushing the chair away from the table or rising from their seat. So although in spirit we’re all ready to spring back to all our previous activities, our bodies might not be ready.

Still, with spring in full bloom, now is a perfect time to get moving again. At Five Star Senior Living, with vaccinations continuing and reopening efforts under way, residents are now taking advantage of weekly reconditioning classes to get back in shape so they can return to the activities they love. But a word of caution: After so many months of reduced physical activity, it’s important to reengage with exercise gradually and not overdo.

“I tell my clients, ‘You’re a different person now,’” says Jessica Lime, a personal trainer with Ageility, Five Star Senior Living’s rehabilitation and fitness training partner. Compared to a year ago, Jessica warns, “We’re not as flexible as we were and our bodies are probably not as efficient, causing us to fatigue quickly.”

With that in mind—and whether your plan is to start going for longer walks, jogging, running, cycling, taking yoga or some other spring shape-up regimen—here are some tips from the experts at Ageility.

How to make reconditioning and regaining muscle tone as rewarding as possible for you:

1. Be honest with yourself. Look back over the year and admit if you developed what John Wheeler, a physical therapist and Ageility’s fitness director, calls “COVID habits.” Did you sit in front of the TV and snack away? Stop exercising because your gym closed or you just didn’t feel like it? Be honest, but don’t despair. And don’t feel guilty. You were definitely not alone!
2. Write it down. Put your goals on paper. “Make small, attainable goals,” Jessica advises. As you work toward your goals, note your progress. Did you go from ten touch-toes to twenty? One-mile walk to two? Great! Write it down. “The point is to celebrate little victories that motivate you to keep on going,” Jessica adds.

Here’s another great tip to help reach your goals. “Come up with a motivational word for the week,” says Jessica, words like “energized,” “stronger” or “grandkids.” Post that word on your refrigerator door. “Then use that word in a sentence each day,” says Jessica, noting that doing so makes the word—and your goal—more real. And more likely.

3. Ease into it. Don’t overdo. Consider starting with gentle chair exercises such as sitting and stretching to your toes. Try this: Sit up straight in a chair, feet firmly on the floor, and gently roll your head clockwise in a circle several times. Keep your shoulders down. Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth. Gently switch directions, rolling your head counterclockwise for a few circles.
4. Listen to your body. Your body is very good at telling you when it’s had enough. Heed one of the golden rules of physical therapy and if you feel pain, stop. Better, Jessica says, to increase exercise activity slowly, steadily and in moderation. Muscle soreness, not pain, is normal. If you experience muscle soreness, let your muscles rest two or three days before resuming your routine.

Kathryn Cunningham, Fitness Programming and Training Specialist at Ageility, adds, “For people who have been inactive, nothing is going to feel as fluid as it was. Be mindful if you’re feeling stiff or lack flexibility. Especially if you’ve had surgery or rehab and haven’t seen a health professional in a while, consider getting a reevaluation from your physician or physical therapist.”

5. Remember to hydrate. “Always keep a bottle of water nearby when you work out,” Jessica says. “Hydration is key and often overlooked.” In fact, the human body loses water all day long, and perspiration and breathing harder during exercise only accelerate that loss. According to the Cleveland Clinic, losing even 1.5% of your body’s fluids can lead to dehydration, with symptoms ranging from a simple headache to life-threatening heat stroke.
6. Don’t bounce! Stretching to touch one’s toes is a great, simple exercise to build flexibility—but if you bounce your fingertips while trying to touch the tips of your toes, you can do more damage than good. “Better to stretch down as far as you comfortably can and hold, then stand back up,” Jessica says, adding that bouncing can actually damage muscle tissue.
7. Give it time. Both Jessica and Kathryn stress that a new you doesn’t happen overnight. A good reconditioning protocol can take two to three months to yield results. That’s actually a fraction of the time we’ve all spent in lockdown. Undoing all that stiffness and lack of energy in just 60 days after a year of shelter-in-place can seem like a bargain.

And the payoffs are worth it! You drop a pant size. You can look forward to joining a walking club again. You can lift your grandchild when you see them. All because you set some goals, eased into an exercise routine, took precautions, listened to your body, and didn’t rush things. Sounds like a good deal.

Throughout April, all Five Star locations are offering reconditioning classes, created by Ageility, to help our residents get their bodies back in action again. Do you know someone who could benefit from a lifestyle that includes regular reconditioning?

• Find a Five Star Senior Living community near you
• Or find an Ageility clinic and ask about personal fitness services with an Ageility trainer

If you’ve noticed probiotics getting a lot of media attention, you aren’t alone. Hyped as a cure-all for everything from psoriasis to ulcers, people often wonder if they really work. Since the price of a bottle of probiotics can be fairly steep depending on the brand, we decided to look at what research shows.

What Are Probiotics?

According to the experts at the Cleveland Clinic, probiotics are made up of good bacteria and yeast that occur naturally in the body. They are part of the microbes that keep the body healthy. Most of these beneficial bacteria live in the gut, but can also be found in other areas of the body. These include the mouth, urinary tract, skin, and lungs.

Contrary to popular belief, probiotics aren’t just supplements you buy at the health food store. They can also be found naturally in foods. Most experts agree probiotic-rich foods are better than supplements. But if you’ve been seriously ill and the bad bacteria in your gut has taken over, food choices might not be enough. Supplements, at least on a short-term basis, might be necessary.

Other medical conditions that may be moderated by probiotics include:

• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Crohn’s disease
• Diarrhea
• Ulcers caused by H. pylori
• Constipation
• Yeast infection
• Urinary tract infection

As is true of any health concern, it’s best to talk with your primary care physician before making any changes.

Foods That Contain Probiotics

What foods can you include in your diet to increase the good bacteria in your body? A few to consider include:

• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Kombucha
• Buttermilk
• Sourdough bread
• Sauerkraut
• Miso
• Kimchi
• Pickles

Choosing a Supplement

If you and your physician decide a probiotic supplement might be the best course of action, it may help to match the health condition you are experiencing to the right supplement. Bacteria and yeast are different and targeting the right ones may help improve your outcome. “How to Choose the Best Probiotic Supplement” can help.

Subscribe to the Five Star Blog

If you are an older adult or a caregiver for one, we encourage you to subscribe to the Five Star Blog. We post updates and news on topics from downsizing to medication management throughout the week. Our newsletter filled with helpful resources will be delivered directly to your inbox. You never have to worry about providing your email address to us. We protect your privacy by never sharing your contact information.

With all the talk about viruses and immunity recently, it makes sense to learn more about strengthening the immune system. It’s especially important for older adults. Immunity changes with age, and the body’s defense systems don’t work as well as they did in younger days.

Fortunately, seniors can adapt their lifestyle to help compensate for the immune system’s age-related decline. While coronavirus concerns linger, staying as healthy and strong as possible is essential.

6 Steps to a Stronger Immune System

People are often reluctant to take medications or receive vaccinations that may not be necessary. While both can pump up immunity, there are natural immune system boosters to discuss with your primary care physicians.

Your doctor might suggest the following to strengthen the immune system when you are older:

1. Well-balanced diet: Nutrition is a core component of health at every age. A well-balanced diet is the best way to get the vitamins, minerals, and protein necessary for a strong immune system. As we age, the body doesn’t process nutrients like it used to. While supplements may be necessary, food should be the first line of defense. Ask your physician what type of diet they recommend. One often suggested by health professionals is the DASH diet. It’s linked to longer life and fewer incidences of disease.
2. Movement: Staying active is another step to keep your immune system strong as you age. Most seniors should exercise for 30 minutes at least 5 days a week. Hand in hand with exercise is avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting for long periods of time contributes to health problems from diabetes to high blood pressure.
3. Sleep: The body needs quality sleep to regenerate. Recovery time is essential for seniors, who are especially susceptible to inflammation and infection. Sleep issues, especially insomnia, are more common in older adults. If you or the senior you are a caregiver for are struggling to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, talk with a physician. An underlying medical issue might be the cause.
4. Hydration: It’s easy to underestimate the importance of good hydration. But staying hydrated is vital for digestion, skin health, energy, and sleep. It also promotes better absorption of vitamins and minerals and aids in eliminating waste. Healthy adults should drink half their weight in ounces of water every day. If you aren’t a fan of water, many foods have a high water content. Celery, melon, berries, cucumber, and leafy greens are a few.
5. Stress management: Chronic stress takes a toll on the body, especially the immune system. White blood cells known as lymphocytes help the body fight off infection. Long-term stress increases cortisol production, which increases inflammation. Research links inflammation to heart disease, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and lupus. Explore healthy ways to reduce stress, such as meditation, Tai Chi, walking, or journaling.
6. Vaccines: One last suggestion to help you or a senior loved one boost your immune system is to stay current on immunizations. Most older adults need an annual flu shot in the fall. Also speak with your doctor about receiving the shingles and pneumonia vaccines, as well as Tdap.

Live Well at Five Star Senior Living

From a flexible dining program to daily life enrichment activities, Five Star Senior Living communities allow older adults to thrive. If you haven’t visited a community before, anytime is a great time to take a tour. If you feel more comfortable, we can even arrange a virtual visit! Your safety matters.

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Aging well means committing to a positive lifestyle. From exercise and hydration to eating well and managing stress, your choices can influence your health as you grow older. Making smart food choices includes paying attention to not just meals, but also to snacks.

We have some fresh ideas for healthy snacks to try. Each can be prepared quickly and with little fuss.

16 Healthy Snacks for Older Adults

1. Apple slices topped with natural peanut butter
2. Hummus with fresh vegetables or baked pita chips
3. Plain Greek yogurt mixed with cinnamon or fresh fruit
4. Popcorn without butter
5. Handful of almonds, walnuts, or pistachios
6. Red bell pepper and guacamole
7. Frozen fruit smoothie
8. Homemade paleo-friendly granola
9. Celery with peanut butter and raisins
10. Pears lightly covered with ricotta cheese
11. Turkey slices rolled up with avocado
12. Bowl of fresh berries or melon
13. Sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella
14. Fruit kabobs served with vanilla-honey dip
15. Cinnamon-sprinkled grilled peaches
16. Hard-boiled egg with a piece of whole wheat toast

Another option is to explore and bookmark a few websites that share recipes for healthy snacks.

Recipes for Healthy, Senior-Friendly Treats

Visit these sites for tasty, nutritious treat ideas:

• 21 Healthy Snack Recipes from One Ingredient Chef
• 100 Healthy Snack Recipes collated by Cooking Light
• 121 Easy & Delicious Healthy Snacks by SnackNation
• 103 Healthy Snack Recipe Ideas from Rachael Ray Magazine

If you are wondering how to incorporate snacks into menu planning, especially if you are a senior, it’s important to understand how nutritional needs change as you grow older.

Senior-Friendly Menu Planning

Another great source to help you learn more about good nutrition is the National Council on Aging (NCOA). Healthy Eating Tips for Seniors has resources and videos ranging from eating well on a budget to what recommended serving sizes for older adults look like.

One final tip is to subscribe to the Five Star Senior Living newsletter. You will receive the latest news on aging and wellness for older adults delivered right to your inbox. No worries about spam and junk email. We’ll never share or sell your personal information!

Visit Five Star Senior Living for a Complimentary Meal

Meals and snacks at Five Star Senior Living communities are nutritious and delicious. Our dining services program is a popular part of daily life. We invite you to see for yourself. Contact us to arrange a time to join us for a complimentary meal of your choice!

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It’s an unpleasant topic few adults want to discuss: colonoscopies. The very idea of the procedure is off-putting to many. While the prep is less unpleasant than it used to be, it’s still necessary to cleanse the colon. For many adults, the perceived loss of dignity associated with a colonoscopy is the primary reason for avoiding it.

This colon cancer screening is recommended for most adults between the ages of 50 and 75, but it’s estimated only 67% of people actually get one. That worries physicians since colon cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in this country. By having a colonoscopy every ten years (more frequently if recommended) you significantly reduce your odds of developing this deadly form of cancer.

But for older adults, there are legitimate concerns to consider. They include worries about undergoing sedation and the risk of a bowel perforation. Both can be dangerous for seniors. In fact, adults over the age of 65 are at 30% higher risk for perforation, which can be life-threatening.

Here’s what to know before scheduling a colonoscopy if you are over the age of 65.

The Facts about Colonoscopies and Seniors

• Age: The 2008 United States Preventive Services Task Force guidelines on colorectal cancer screenings discussed age. The task force recommends fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy for people between the ages of 50 and 75. After 76, however, they say adults should not undergo a colonoscopy unless there are special circumstances.
• Last screening: When deciding whether a senior should have a colonoscopy, a physician will also look at the date and results of their last colonoscopy. Because colon cancer is usually slow-growing, an older adult might not need another one. The decision should be made on a case-by-case basis.
• Alternatives: While physicians consider a colonoscopy the gold standard in colon cancer screening, it isn’t the only option. Discuss alternatives with your doctor, including a sigmoidoscopy or a fecal occult blood test. A newer, non-invasive screening gaining the trust of physicians is Cologuard. Research shows it to be effective at detecting colon cancer, even in early stages.
• Overall health: When a physician is deciding whether a senior patient needs a colonoscopy, they will also look at the older adult’s overall wellness. A healthy, active senior may be a good candidate for a colonoscopy, while an adult with chronic health conditions might be better off getting a fecal occult blood test or another screening.

Finally, it’s essential to find a qualified physician to perform a colonoscopy for a senior. A trained endoscopist is usually best. The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy recommends asking physicians you are considering these ten questions.

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If you try to stay abreast of the latest research and news on senior living, aging, and caregiving, we have a resource you won’t want to miss. You can subscribe to our free publication, the Five Star Newsletter. We’ll deliver a copy to your inbox once or twice each month. Enter your email address in the green box at the bottom of this page to get started!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, strokes are the fifth leading cause of death in this country. One person dies from a stroke every four minutes. It’s a serious issue that requires older adults and their loved ones to be on guard.

May is designated as Stroke Awareness Month. It’s dedicated to helping people learn more about the risk factors and warning signs of a stroke. In honor of this month-long campaign, we share more information on both.

FAST: Remember the Warning Signs of a Stroke

FAST is an acronym that will help you identify the most common signs of a stroke:

• Face: If you suspect a friend or family member is having a stroke, look at their face. During a stroke, one side of the mouth often droops. Ask them to smile. If their smile looks lopsided or different than usual, it is likely a concern. Not everyone who has a stroke gets a facial droop, but it is an indicator of stroke.
• Arms: The next thing to explore is ability to use their arms. Ask the person to try to raise both arms over their head. If they are experiencing a stroke, they might not be able to lift one arm. If they can lift both arms, watch to see if one drifts downward. Being unable to hold both arms up can be a warning sign of a stroke.
• Speech: Speech is the next thing to check. Ask the person a few questions or anything to get them talking. Problems speaking, slurred words, repetition of the same words or phrases, or unusual speech patterns should be taken very seriously. Because a stroke interrupts blood flow to the brain, speech problems are one of the most common warning signs.
• Time: Every second counts when a person is having a stroke. If someone close to you is exhibiting any of the stroke symptoms listed above, call 911 without delay. Tell the dispatcher you suspect a stroke. Life-saving stroke medications are time-sensitive and calling 911 is usually the fastest way to summon help. Don’t wait to see if warning signs disappear on their own.

Combat Risk Factors for a Stroke

1. Eat a well-balanced diet: Fill your plate with fresh fruits, vegetables, and low-fat proteins. Beans, nuts, and whole grains can also help. Healthy eating aids in weight control and cholesterol management, both of which can lower the odds of having a stroke.
2. Watch your sodium: While your physician is the best person to determine how much is too much, sodium intake should usually be limited to 1500 mg a day to avoid high blood pressure or prehypertension. Both conditions increase stroke risk.
3. Don’t smoke: Smokers are twice as likely to experience a stroke as their non-smoking peers. If you are a smoker, commit to quitting. Research shows smokers who quit add up to 3.4 more years to their life.
4. Stay active: A sedentary lifestyle is now considered just as risky as smoking. Stay active and avoid sitting for long periods of time.

You can learn more about stroke prevention by taking this quick Test Your Stroke IQ quiz.

A Unique Approach to Aging

At Five Star Senior Living communities, we take a unique approach to resident care. Our three pillars—Health & Wellness, Warmth & Hospitality, and Dining & Nutrition—ensure residents enjoy their best quality of life.