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Importance of Family The actor, David Ogden Stiers, defines family as a unit where “no one gets left behind or forgotten.” People may have a family or choose to select a nuclear unit as a family. What continues to be important is to receive close, trusted, personal support as one age. Personal and medical histories […]

Lifelong Learning for Seniors We never stop learning. Each day brings an opportunity to broaden horizons, gather an important piece of history, or learn a piece of trivia to astound friends and family. Learning changes the world.   Seniors are reaching out to many educational events designed just for those way past the traditional education […]

Seniors have been granted much in life. At the age of sixteen, a driver’s license was possible. Voting rights were granted at the age of twenty-one and in 1971 eighteen-year-olds could vote. Legal Age (age of majority) between eighteen and twenty-one as determined by individual states, allowed current Seniors to enter into contracts, manage personal […]

Summertime… when temperatures reach into the 90s and 100s, often accompanied by uncomfortable humidity. Cooks are not rushing into hot kitchens, but Seniors are craving colder fares and cool beverages. An abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables fortunately bring healthy choices for Summer meals. Eating fresh produce provides nutrients needed for energy, strong immune systems, […]

Freedom is not free. How many times has this been said… and still, most take our country’s freedom for granted, or for themselves. The USS Midway Museum in Washington D.C. is taking steps to ensure history is not just written but spoken. Veterans of several wars, primarily Vietnam, are recording experiences during and after the […]

America celebrated its independence just two days ago… freedom was founded almost 250 years ago. Our founding fathers discussed freedoms for all aspects of life, scorned injustice rallied the masses, and never, ever lost sight of a new and better country. Have you ever wondered who these men were and what their lives were aside […]

Why Water Aerobics is Ideal for Seniors Low-Impact Exercise One of the most significant advantages of water aerobics is its low-impact nature. The buoyancy of water reduces stress on joints and muscles, making movements smoother and less painful. This is particularly beneficial for seniors with arthritis or joint issues, as the water supports the body, […]

Johnny Cash sang about travel… “I’ve been everywhere, man.” As a country singer, he was destined to have seen most of the world, including the United States. Seniors remember family vacations in station wagons, without seat belts, air conditioning, or navigation systems. Cruises? Month long destinations? Quiet little get-aways? These were not so common when […]

Social media platforms and traditional news outlets are brimming with stories and ideas on how to stay healthy, be fit, and reinvent oneself at any age. For many seniors, these narratives serve as both inspiration and motivation. While not every senior feels inclined or comfortable to participate in athletic events, most enjoy watching or reading […]

Seniors are mentally and physically better when there is someone to talk to, share life’s ups and downs with, and help them feel an important part of life. How about a dog? Wow! Who would have thought? There are several breeds of dogs suggested for Seniors based on personality traits, level of energy, and ease […]

“Infants laugh almost from birth. In fact, people who are born blind and deaf still laugh. So we know it is not a learned behavior. Humans are hardwired for laughter.” says Steve Wilson, MA, CSP, a psychologist and laugh therapist. What do sea monsters eat? Fish and ships   A great study on laughter from Psychology […]

WELCOME SPRING!   Poor winter, we are always looking for its demise… but Spring, this is a season much anticipated! No more ice or snow ending chances of outside engagements as Spring opens doors and invites loved ones to shed coats and bask in the sun. Spring gives Seniors numerous occasions to engage outdoors.   […]

Life in general accentuates contrasts between men and women, but the aging process highlights differences even further with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). More women than men suffer from Alzheimer’s. This may be supported by realizing women have a longer life span. The reasons could be many…Hormones? Genetics? Stress? Cortisol, the hormone for stress, […]

As the Irish say, “Never iron a shamrock. You don’t want to press your luck!” We may laugh with the Irish but when it comes to celebrations and food, the Irish are serious. If you happen to be Irish (isn’t everyone on March 17th? ) try these Gaelic recipes and invite hungry Seniors and friends […]

Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did… only backwards and in heels! March is Women’s History Month and Bridge to Better Living is celebrating…after all, our staff is composed entirely of women! Let’s take a peek at the gender who has impacted the world. Eve… there are no direct quotes, but she definitely was an […]

Hans Christian Anderson may have lived in a fairy-tale world, but once he did accurately state, “When words fail, music speaks.”  One has to wonder if even hundreds of years ago, music was recognized as a form of therapy.   Music begins at birth with lullabies hummed or sung. Tunes are memorized as we age… […]

The Five Languages of Love in Senior Romance Dr. Gary Chapman, author of Five Love Languages, shares his profound theory on how we demonstrate love: words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service, and receiving and giving gifts. These languages of love are universal, transcending age and time. In our senior years, these […]

The search for love has nothing to do with age. Everyone wants to be loved and when love happens… completeness. Birthdays as we age do challenge the uniqueness of celebrating Valentine’s Day. How many ways are there to share feelings for each other? Take a peek at how love is celebrated around the world. Valentine’s […]

Winter Travel Saftey cab·in fe·ver [ˈkabən ˌfēvər] NOUN: irritability, listlessness, and similar symptoms resulting from long confinement or isolation indoors during the winter.   Unless having lived in a more temperate climate, Seniors most likely experienced this malady at least once in a lifetime of winters. A good book, television series, old movie, or one-man […]

Bookstores have multitudes of shelves dedicated to Chicken Soup for….. manuscripts filled with stories to warm the heart or have readers reaching for a Kleenex to dry tears. There is even one dedicated to Seniors and Bridge to Better Living could have written a few of its familiar stories! However, our staff is thinking with […]

Goals For a New Year January 1st marked the beginning of a new year and fresh opportunities to be healthy, wealthy, and wise. As Steve Harvey has said, “You are never too old to reinvent yourself.” Let’s get started. Holidays traditionally present Seniors and their loved ones an abundance of sweets and carb-loaded dishes. Resolve […]

Which celebrations do you partake in during the holidays? Do you light a menorah or decorate a tree? Are these traditions handed down through generations or blended with those of loved ones?  Are family customs religious rituals or ethnic practices? Seniors are rich in tradition, as the past is recalled, and the hope for a […]

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… or so the song goes. If one manages to be a giver, every day is an opportunity to bring little gifts, but additional hints for holiday giving may be needed… especially presents for a Senior. The perfect gift could be a challenge as many Seniors have compiled […]

Estelle Getty Estelle Getty was born one hundred years ago to Polish immigrants. She has been gone for fifteen years but is still remembered by Seniors as Sophia Petrillo, the comical mother on “The Golden Girls.” If you haven’t watched the sitcom, look for it on the Internet. Tis the season for a good laugh. […]

Gratitude is Attitude Have you heard “Gratitude is an attitude?” Usually, the person speaking smirks and uses an overconfident tone as if this is a well-kept secret. The happiest people in the world exercise gratitude and wonder why others just…  don’t…  get… it. Many Seniors have survived war, rationing, epidemics, loss of loved ones, and […]

“I’ve always envied people who sleep easily. Their brains must be cleaner, the floorboards of the skull well swept, all the little monsters closed up in a steamer trunk at the foot of the bed.”― David Benioff, City of Thieves. Sleep, as we age, seems to become more valuable and less attainable. Those who rest effortlessly are […]

November and December are undeniably heavy mail months. Seniors find a plethora of flyers and unsolicited information regarding Medicare, supplemental health insurance, or political flyers in their mailboxes. Information on caring for a loved one, a commitment not traditionally covered by insurance, is seldom found.   The National Library of Health has broken down the […]

“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” Shakespeare envisioned a magical world where foggy valleys hid enchanting and horrific worlds inhabited by sorcerers and witches. Spine-tingling stories continue to entertain…especially at Halloween. Many Seniors enjoy kicking fright up a notch and don Halloween costumes of favorite characters. An inner child exists in […]

The Power of Positivity: Mindset and Happiness Later in Life “Be positive.” “ Make lemonade out of lemons.” Simply stated… life is hard and there is always a plethora of upbeat advice on how to be positive. Seniors, however, seem to be more likely to take life in stride due to past experiences and use […]

Roget’s Thesaurus Seniors often joke about not finding the right word at the right time. Quite a few words are absorbed over a lifetime so struggling to use the appropriate one may seem natural. Peter Mark Roget, however, was not comfortable with the loss of repetition of a word in conversation or writing. At the […]

Alzheimer’s Disease How does one define loss? Is it the passing of a friend or loved one? Loss could be knowing a loved one’s presence has been altered, perhaps to a diagnosis such as Alzheimer’s Disease. Experts refer to Alzheimer’s Disease as “the long goodbye.” Loved ones continue life, but those with Alzheimer’s Disease are […]

How to be Social as a Senior More than 13 million people aged 65 and older lived alone in 2017, a situation challenging to a person’s mental and physical health. Social well-being is not a product of spontaneity, but of a lifestyle. As we age it is natural to withdraw as we lose family and friends to […]