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.

Easy Ways for Seniors to Eat More Vegetables

The advantage of eating vegetables is widely known, and consuming multiple servings each day is an important part of many doctor-recommended diets aimed at improving nutrition levels and lowering blood pressure.National Eat Your Vegetables Day on June 17th comes at a time when the farmers markets around Fort Collins are filling up with freshly picked onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and greens. This bounty of produce offers seniors the perfect opportunity to explore some of these easy ways to eat more vegetables whether by themselves in their apartments or with friends and family in the country kitchen.

Seven Easy Ways To Stay Healthy This Spring

Warmer temperatures, more hours of daylight and plenty of local events are just a few of the reasons spring is a great season for seniors to improve their health.Individuals who struggled to keep a New Year's resolution to walk each day may find it easier to succeed by choosing routes through Collinwood's budding gardens and trails, and others who are determined to improve their diet may find motivation to eat healthier by visiting a local farmer's market and sampling its fresh, seasonal offerings.To help seniors take stock of their personal habits and surroundings and get started on their journey of self-improvement, here is a checklist of seven easy ways to stay healthy this spring.

3 Reasons Laughter Can Be the Best Medicine

April is National Humor Month, which is a great time for residents at Collinwood assisted living community in Fort Collins, CO, to get together for fellowship and laughter. Social activity in general has many benefits for individuals of all ages, and for seniors, actively participating in community activities can help reduce risks of isolation and support cognitive functions.