10 Fun Tips for Making Your Mark on Your Assisted Living Apartment

Moving into an assisted living apartment gives you the best of both worlds — the chance to enjoy all the comforts of home without the hassle of doing maintenance and making costly repairs. Once you move in, it's a good idea to update the decor to match your personality and sense of style. Here are 10 ways to make your mark without making permanent changes.

What Seniors Should Know About Poison

Poison control is probably something you considered when small children were roaming your home for whatever reason. But did you know that seniors need to be aware of poisons too? Whether you reside at home or live in an assisted living community, here's what you should know about poison and what to do if you or someone else is accidentally poisoned.

Picture Books: They're Not Just for Kids

March 2 is National Read Across America Day. It's also called Dr. Seuss Day by some, and in some schools, teachers and kids dress up Cat-in-the-Hat style and enjoy fun activities around favorite books. But it's not about wearing a silly hat or re-reading Green Eggs and Ham. National Read Across America Day is about fostering a love of reading in people of all ages, especially children.And that might be an effort that many seniors can get behind. Whether you love to read yourself and want everyone to experience the same joy or you see the benefits of reading for your grand kids and other children, consider getting involved.

Strategies to Achieve More Each Day in Your Assisted Living Community

Many of the residents at Collinwood assisted living community in Fort Collins, CO, live vibrant, active lives. If you think retirement means sitting around and doing nothing, then you haven't visited anyone at our community! Aside from scheduled activities, including cooking classes, transportation to local cultural events and games of UNO, BINGO and Scrabble, seniors at Collinwood have their own appointments and obligations to attend to. Many volunteer, spend a lot of time with friends or get involved with worship or other faith-based activities.

Dating as a Senior: Tips for Safety and Fun

Valentine's Day might be the holiday devoted to love, but for many people, the holidays create romantic atmospheres and longings. Whether you're binging Hallmark Christmas movies full of new couples or have had your eye on the senior dating scene a while, there's no time like the present to put yourself out there. Because you're never too old to get to know other people and find new love. And even if you don't find your next happily ever after, dating can be a great way to enjoy like-minded fellowship and remain active.

How to Help Those That Won't Ask for It

Nearly everyone goes through a rough patch in life when they require assistance from others. The problem arises when someone needs help but doesn't like asking for it. So, what do you do if you've watched someone struggle significantly and you aren't sure how to help them?The Bible is filled with verses about helping those in need. Deuteronomy 15:11 says, "There will always be poor in the land. Therefore, I command you to be open-handed towards your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land." Galatians 6:2 states, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ."

4 Easy Opportunities to Boost Your Income Online

Cultural events, cooking classes and other fun activities help many of our residents enjoy life at Collinwood assisted living community. However, some seniors find they miss the mental and financial benefits of having a career, so they pursue money-making opportunities tailored toward their interests and skills. When work becomes a choice rather than a necessity, you may find that providing goods and services for others increases your self esteem, helping you make the most of each day. Explore the benefits of working online during retirement with the four income-boosting opportunities below.

Three Benefits of Reconnecting with Nature

It's a commonly accepted fact that spending time in nature reduces stress, and many popular outdoor activities also provide wonderful social opportunities. We are blessed at Collinwood to have ten acres of woods, walking trails and mountain views right outside our door. We often encourage our residents to take advantage of these amenities, but for those who are new to our community or are hesitant to stray far from their apartment, we've created this list of three benefits of reconnecting with nature they can experience by heading outside today.

Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System

As we age, our immune systems weaken slightly, which increases the risk of getting colds and the flu, especially during the cooler months. While seasonal illnesses might not cause an issue for some, those with chronic health issues, those age 65 and older and the very young are at risk for complications.For this reason, it's important to take the necessary steps to help strengthen your immune system to prevent illnesses during the peak season. With the month of August being National Wellness Month, it's a great time to focus on self-care and plan how you intend to approach the season. Consider the following ways to help boost your immune system.

Six Ways Seniors Can Clear Clutter

July 15th was National Give Something Away Day, but seniors who have noticed that their space feels cramped don't have to wait until next year to clear some of their clutter. Clutter can add dangerous tripping hazards to rooms and make living areas feel crowded and uncomfortable. Though our residents have often already downsized, potentially more than once before moving into the Collinwood assisted living community, many of them still struggle to get started on deep cleaning or allow clutter to rebuild over time. Decluttering can be stressful, but knowing that others can benefit from their possessions can give seniors the nudge they need to part with some of these items. By scaling back the amount of stuff in their assisted living apartments, seniors can enhance their personal safety and reduce the amount of time it takes to maintain. To help you get started today, here are six ways seniors can clear clutter and serve their community. 1. Sharing History Old antiques and heirlooms, especially those with stories surrounding them, can become valuable teaching aides in displays. Museums and historical societies often use donated artifacts to build their exhibits, and in Fort Collins, many places may be interested in receiving these items. Seniors might check with the Museum of Discovery and the Global History Museum. While not every donation is placed on prominent display, the pieces can serve as useful tools for research while being preserved in a properly-controlled storage environment. 2. Promoting Art Schools, senior centers and women's shelters are just a few of the organizations that can benefit from receiving leftover fabric, notions and supplies of crafter's past projects. Quilters also may want to consider local theater groups and charities such as Quilts of Valor when trimming down their stash. 3. Encouraging Reading While the library may be the first place that comes to mind when contemplating donating books and magazines, it isn't the only place that can benefit from these materials. Operation Paperback connects individuals with troops stationed overseas who have requested reading supplies. Seniors who wish to clear out books and games that their grandchildren have outgrown can offer their collection to nearby churches, homeless shelters and hospital waiting rooms. 4. Repurposing Items Transforming heirlooms into something new before gifting them to younger members of the family is becoming more popular due to Pinterest posts and DIY websites. A few ideas seniors may wish to try include: Creating hair ornaments from old buttons and costume jewelry Fashioning wall decorations out of sewing patterns, lace or potholders Making memory or Christmas tree ornaments with old ties, handkerchiefs and clothes 5. Free Rummage Sales Many churches and nonprofits hold free rummage sales through the year. These events are a good way for seniors to combine decluttering their homes of a variety of items and helping families in need. Some of the things residents may wish to donate include bulky storage totes, unused gadgets and surplus kitchen supplies. 6. Crafting with Purpose Seniors who love crafting can help prevent clutter by choosing to only create projects that they can donate once completed. Charities across the country accept different handmade items based on their needs such as greeting cards for children in hospitals, knitted caps for preemies, blankets for shelter pets and paracord bracelets for soldiers. Web searches can help seniors find groups interested in the results of their favorite crafting activities, or they can explore websites such as Giving Artfully or Sewing with Nancy for lists of known organizations and items.