The Aging Suite

Rebuilding Together Helps

Rebuilding Together is certainly very busy these days. The organization just completed their The Fifty for Five project, where they planned to rebuild 50 homes in 5 days in New Orleans, between Tuesday August 24th to Saturday August 28th,, in honor of the 5 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Rebuilding Together is a nonprofit organization that provides free home rehabilitation and vital repairs for low income Americans. Being able to age in place is a staple of Rebuilding Together. They believe that the aging population as well as those with disabilities should be able to live safely and comfortably in their ...

17 Steps

The ability to age in place is important to both baby boomers and seniors. Key to aging in place is the ability to age safely and comfortably in one’s home. Sometimes however, falls can prevent safely aging in place. Tripping over items and falling on the stairs are the top two causes of falls in the home. Also, as we age, we can develop arthritis and other conditions that make going up and down stairs more challenging. This was the case for Karl Schwengel, a 79 year old retired business manager who lived in a two-story Capitol Hill townhouse. As Karl ...

Vacationing as a Volunteer

A big part of aging in place is helping others. Volunteering can be a part of a healthy lifestyle. This weeks feature is from the AARP and discusses the steps involved in finding a match when volunteering. Teaching a classroom of children in Nepal, caring for cheetahs in Namibia or studying sea turtles along Sri Lanka’s shores — exotic opportunities like these have made volunteering part of the growth industry in the travel biz. But the key to a good work experience is not the work you do on your trip. It’s the work you do ...

Go Ernestine Go!

Picture Source: ABCNews.com Being active is an important part of aging and aging in place. Exercising improves health, strength, and reduces the likelihood of falls. Case in point, Ernestine Shepherd, a 73 year old grandmother, who would give anyone half her age a run for their money. Ernestine has been exercising for years and is a certified personal trainer. She is also in the Guinness Book of World Records' for being the oldest female bodybuilder. She bench presses 150 pounds and runs about 80 miles a week. All this while being 73 years young! Ernestine wasn’t always active. She says that 20 ...

VisionZone Initiates Eye Heath Awareness and Low Vision Community Connectivity

VisionZone, a nationwide movement to promote ocular health awareness, spearheaded by Optelec U.S. Inc., a world leader in innovative and life changing assistive technologies for the blind and visually impaired, today launched its online component, VisionZone.org. The VisionZone initiative is the low vision community’s first live and virtual eye-health resource designed to bridge the gap between eye disease, prevention, awareness and product solutions. “VisionZone is just starting out, so the more people contribute the better it will become,” said Brian Fischler, 37, a nationally recognized, legally blind stand-up comedian and Founder of Laugh ...