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The Secrets of Gardening for Older Adults

aadmin — Thu, 30 May 2013 16:26:48 +0000

“My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece” – Claude Monet

Sydney Eddison, an 81-year-old gardener extraordinaire from Newtown, CT, embodies the outlook of the beloved French impressionist.

Eddison began her adventures in gardening over 50 years ago in 1961. Her path has led to seven books, including Gardening for a Lifetime: How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older, published by Timber Press.

Eddison's journey into the joys of gardening has been well-documented. She has been profiled as a die-hard horticultural perfectionist who has returned to simplicity. "Being realistic has been hard. I was not graceful about it.”

The green-thumbed octogenarian has created a 5-point guide to help aging gardeners pursue their pastime.

Five Steps to an Easier Garden:

1. Simplify Perennial Borders as the First Step to an Easier Garden.

Remove or limit the number of perennials that are too enthusiastic and either spread too much or too fast. Eliminate or limit the number that demand frequent division and those that need constant grooming—staking, deadheading, cutting back, etc.

2. Substitute Shrubs for Some of the Perennials.

Shrubs are usually much less demanding than perennials and often offer season-long beauty.

3. Develop a New Attitude Toward the Lawn.

Perfect lawns in our climate demand more water than nature provides, toxic chemicals to kill grubs and weeds, fertilizers to push new growth, and frequent mowing to reduce the height of that growth. Learn to live with longer grass and to tolerate a few weeds. Reduce lawn area with mass plantings of ground covers, shrubs, or ornamental grasses.

4. If You Have Shade, Learn to Love It. It Ensures Easier Gardening.

Shade-tolerant plants tend to be easier to grow. As many are foliage plants, and pretty foliage looks attractive all season, they also require less care. They need no obsessive deadheading. And they don’t lean toward the light because they don’t need that much in the first place. Therefore, they rarely have to be staked.

5. Discover Container Gardening.

A container garden is fun and relatively little work. Tall plants in containers form moveable walls that can be used to enclose a patio and vines can be planted in pots on either side of an archway as an entrance. Container gardening can be a wonderful, creative outlet for gardeners with limited time, space, or energy - Sydney Eddison

After her husband death, Eddison needed to downsize. A hip replacement created mobility issues, another wake-up call. The call of simplification beckoned.

The fun of perennial gardening was manipulating the blooming rotation, to always have waves of blossomed plants. She opted for a back-to-basics approach. Her mindset changed. “Nothing is perfect but a lot of it is beautiful,” she says.

Gardening has earned Eddison a philosophy degree in life and aging. “With old age, it’s not the things around you that need changing. It’s changing your point of view.”

Sydney Eddison lectures widely and is a frequent contributor to Fine Gardening magazine and other publications.

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Divorce during retirement living years can be painful and a relief

aadmin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:04:10 +0000

While most of the general public was shocked to hear Al and Tipper Gore announce the end of their marriage, other curent singletons can relate to their struggle.

According to the Boston Globe, divorce during one's retirement living is often wrought with both happy and sad emotions.

The news source spoke with Gerald Garnick, who split with his wife of almost four decades.

"To come home to a person you've been married to for 38 years and you don't want to be there, that's really the bottom line," he told the news outlet.

And while building a life and becoming grandparents should keep a couple together, seniors contemplating a separation often site their "growing apart" as the reason for their estrangement.

"The kids are going off to college and they spent so much attention on them that some people look at each other and wonder who the other one is," Sue Hallowell, a family therapist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, told the news outlet.

According to the United States census, most divorces take place during the first eight years of marriage.

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A morning cup of coffee could help fight Alzheimer's

aadmin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:04:13 +0000

A group of international experts has agreed that caffeine could prevent or reduce the effects of Alzheimer's, according to a recent study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. The exhaustive study covered caffeine's effects on individual molecules, the brain and behavior. It concluded from animal testing that moderate, consistent amounts of caffeine significantly slow the aging process and memory deterioration.

Not only was caffeine found to aid memory care, it also proved to be an agent in slowing or stopping the production of amyloid-beta proteins.

Guest journal editors Alexandre de MendonÃ§a and Rodrigo A. Cunha describe these compounds as one of the main causes of Alzheimer's.

One of the most important effects of caffeine was found in patients already undergoing Alzheimer's care, according to MendonÃ§a and Cunha.

"One of the most prevalent complications of Alzheimer's is depression of mood, and the recent observations that caffeine might be a mood normalizer are of particular interest," researchers said in the report.

The study also cites evidence that, in addition to helping cognition and memory performance, caffeine may protect against motor deficits and prevent Parkinson's disease.

According to the Alzheimer's Association of America, 5.2 million people currently suffer from the mental illness.

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Turning retirement living into a new life

aadmin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:04:13 +0000

Early retirement often brings exciting new adventures but, for one Washington-area couple, their sudden departure from the workforce led to them buying a whole new town.

Neal and Maddie Love recently left behind careers that were both more than two decades long, according to AARP News Bulletin Today. Neal Love worked for a telecommunications company for twenty-eight years before being let go, an experience which he describes as "heart-wrenching." Maddie Love worked for twenty-two years as a trade show event manager, before she quit because "life's too short" and she wanted some independent living away from the rat race.

The Loves decided to move from Bothell, Washington, a city of 32,000, to Wauconda, Washington - a town twenty miles out of cell phone range.

The couple even took it a step further and bought the town on eBay, an area which is no more than a gas station, a convenience store and a restaurant, using their savings as a deposit and selling most of their possessions.

"It's probably the biggest gamble I've ever made," Neal Love told the news source, but he's optimistic. "We're re-creating our life."

According to the United States government, the earliest age for official retirement is 62.

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Centenarian goes for a spin in 87 year-old Bentley

aadmin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:04:10 +0000

Fred Roberts had one birthday wish during his retirement living after his long career as a heating and ventilation engineer- he wanted to own a 1923 Bentley, according to the East Anglian Daily Times.

This model of car is a much-lauded British legend, having won races in Europe before World War II, when Roberts was just a teenager.

One year ago, on his ninety-ninth birthday, Roberts finally asked his family for one. His daughter, Christine Fenby, admitted that while the ancient Bentley was out of the family's price range, they took extra care to do the next best thing.

On Roberts' hundredth birthday, a 1923 Bentley showed up at his door to chauffeur him around the countryside. His drive in the open-roofed car took him from his assisted living facility in Clare to the famous and luxurious Ickworth Hotel, where Roberts' family of seven grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren greeted him and treated him to dinner and a birthday party.

Not only did Roberts get a ride in his dream auto, he also got an official telegram from the Queen herself wishing him a happy birthday. "He had a fabulous time and really enjoyed it," Fenby said told the news source.

According to BentleyMotors.com, the classic British car company was founded by W.O. Bentley in 1919.

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Summer camp at Silverado Senior Living fun for kids and residents

aadmin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:04:10 +0000

Every day during the summer, a few dozen kids, from young children to teenagers, go to the Silverado Senior Living community in Kingswood, Texas to visit beaches, amusement parks, museums, and much more. Camp Silverado provides a great place for working parents to leave their youngsters during the day. Not only do kids and residents have a good time, they learn things, too.

"Spending time with the residents here has taught them important lessons about respect, love, and doing things for other people," said Michelle Gassiott, a community caregiver.

Chris Holland, the administrator of Silverado Senior Living, says that not only do the children benefit from the camp, the residents get to be connected with them and "experience the laughter, love and joy of kids every day."

Silverado Senior Living is an Alzheimer's care community with this very goal in mind.The camp is free to participants except for admission fees and two dollars for lunch and each member of the staff of is encouraged to bring their children each day.

The assisted living services of Silverado Senior Living are based in San Juan Capistrano, California and operate in thirty-four different locations.

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Fountain of Youth steroids could prevent heart disease

aadmin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:04:11 +0000

The fountain of youth may be an enigma, but it looks like an over-the-counter anti-aging supplement may hold the key to preventing heart disease for retirement living seniors.

Researchers at the University of Leeds have currently discovered that pregnenolone sulphate, which is found in vitamins that claim to boost memory, energy and vision, also blocks the protein that causes heart disease.

"If we can show that this effect works in people as well as in lab-based studies, then it could be a cost-effective approach to addressing cardiovascular health problems that are becoming epidemic in our society and world-wide," said Professor David Beech, who led the study.

Heart disease is currently the number one cause of death in the United States, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Around 1.2 million people currently suffer from the illness.

However, retirement living seniors shouldn't discount traditional prevention methods, such as diet and exercise. In fact, researchers maintained that when combined with these activities, the results were dramatic.

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Age is just a number for today's baby boomers

aadmin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:04:10 +0000

Although some seniors have shunned cell phones and modern technology, others are bracing it. And it looks like these trends are influencing the way assisted living facilities market their services.

According to The Whittier Daily News, activities such as acting classes and marathon training are beating out the usual hobbies of television and shuffleboard.

These changes are due to one specific group of people - baby boomers.

"They want choices, they are much more savvy electronically. They want internet access," Karole Cooney, director of sales and marketing for an assisted living facility, told the news source.

Baby boomers, the term given to the generation of people born after World War II, are now in their retirement living years. The news source reports these individuals, who were raised with a whole different set of values and individuality, may make a strong impact on assisted living homes and the services they offer.

"Just the word 'senior' upsets baby boomers," Akila Gibbs, executive director of the Pasadena Senior Center, told the news outlet.

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Senior citizens upset over public transportation budget cuts

aadmin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 06:04:14 +0000

For retirement living city dwellers, public transportation is often the key to their independence. As they age, elder citizens often choose to forgo driving and instead rely on the bus and subway to get around.

Now it looks like many seniors' freedom may be in jeopardy. According to AARP Bulletin Today, budget constraints may cause some cities in America to cut their transit systems.

"San Franciscos MUNI bus and train system just cut 10 percent of its service despite the fact that they are busting at the seams with riders," Rob Padgette, of The American Public Transit Association (APTA), told the news outlet.

Other affected cities include Chicago, Atlanta, and perhaps most surprisingly - New York City.

In fact, The Big Apple just closed down two subway lines and 20 bus routes.

"For millions of older Americans, public transportation is critical to maintaining independence and quality of life," William Millar, APTA President, told the news source.

According to APTA, public transportation use has grown since 1995 more than population and highway users.

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An active social life may be great for your health

aadmin — Mon, 31 May 2010 09:04:09 +0000

While a true friendship is invaluable, it turns out that having a confidant may be beneficial for one's physical and mental health.

According to the AARP Bulletin Today, people who maintain an active social life may be able to prevent Alzheimer's Disease and other illnesses during their retirement living years.

The news source spoke with Christine McCleary, whose mother had shown signs of dementia after her husband, McCleary's father, passed away.

"That made us say, hey, she cant be living on her own anymore, she told the news outlet.

After some careful consideration, McCleary decided to have her mom enter an assisted living facility.

Within a few months of experiencing daily social interaction, some stunning results were seen.

"It was like the clock was turned back four years," McClearys husband Larry, told the news source. "You could tell she enjoyed getting up in the morning."

According to the Alzheimer's Association, there are currently 5.2 million people suffering from the disease.

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