By Shirley Meerson, CHWC, CBT ~ NABBW’s Ageless Wellness Lifestyle Associate Don’t let the holiday season take a toll on your health and wellness.  With the holidays coming up, the next few weeks can bring on unwanted stress.  The pressures and demands can send people into meltdown, and it really isn’t necessary. Don’t buy into the chaos that comes with the holiday season. There are strategies that can help with the stress, grief, and anxiety that many people may feel.  As little as 5 minutes of self-care will go a long way toward your peace and sanity – and can lower your... Read More

By Shirley Meerson, CHWC, CBT ~ NABBW’s Ageless Wellness Lifestyle Associate A little sunshine goes a long way.  How would you like a natural mood boost combined with greater alertness? The happiness, the light, the cheerfulness, the joy and sparkles that comes via sunlight are so important for our mind and body. You might call it Self-Care 101! Indeed, the morning light is medicinal and magical. At this time in our lives – self-care is so important.  Shirley personally uses and recommends that a good dose of morning light should be an integral part of everyone’s ageless... Read More

By Shirley Meerson, CHWC ~ NABBW’s Ageless Wellness Lifestyle Associate   It’s time to appoint Yourself, as the CEO of your self-care. A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the highest-ranking executive. Or Managing Director, if you prefer. Get a grip on your self-care – this is a serious subject. Self-care is the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness. I’m talking about all the areas of your life – medical, spiritual, mental, beautification. Remember, growing older is inevitable – aging is optional. Our brains and body rejuvenate... Read More

By Trina O’Quinn for the NABBW Since March of 2020, it seems that the only subject I have see written or spoken about is “self-care.” I was first introduced to the concept of self-care in the 70s, and my introduction coincided with the beginning of the “Me” generation. Perhaps you remember theses days: Baby Boomers were turning 30 and still trying to individuate and separate from their parents. The concept was focused on those of us women who had chosen to follow society’s traditional expectations: get married, stay home, and raise children. Self-care began as an action to take... Read More

By Trina O’Quinn for the NABBW: Before I begin let me define the terms I am going to be discussing. There are two: 1- Chronic Illness and 2- Acute Illness. These explanations come from the Center for Disease Control, DSM-V, and Wikipedia. A chronic condition is a human health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time. The term chronic is often applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months. Common chronic diseases include arthritis, asthma, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),... Read More

By Shirley Meerson, CHWC ~ NABBW’s Ageless Wellness Lifestyle Associate Sleep is a top priority for your ageless wellness lifestyle.  You may not realize that some of your daytime habits may be the cause of your failure to have regular restful sleep at night. Have you tuned into the fact that a good night’s sleep is just as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet? Sleep provides a list of restorative powers and allows you to function at your best.  The healing that occurs during sleep affects your hormones, inflammation, brain health, stress, and immune system. Your nervous... Read More

\’Truth or Consequences\’ Mindset Crucial When Making Caregiving Decisions, Especially When Dementia is Involved  By Becky Feola NABBW’s Associate for Assisted Living and Caregiving I received the phone call late Friday night.  It was from a local resource center for caregivers and the elderly.  They had a family in crisis with a loved one who has dementia and the wife was asking for help – now! I called the number given to me, but there was no answer, so all I could do was leave a message.  This went on for several days until I finally reached the wife. Immediately, I... Read More

Never Underestimate The Power of a Hug By Becky Feola NABBW\’s Associate for Assisted Living and Caregiving January 21st is National Hug Day, an unofficial event created by Rev. Kevin Zaborney in 1986.  Although it is not a public holiday, it is worthy of celebration.  The idea behind National Hug Day is to encourage people to reach out and hug a family member, friend, or maybe even a stranger more often.  No matter whom you decide to hug, the mental and physical health benefits are the same to all involved. Rev. Zaborney realized that after the holidays, many people suffered from low... Read More

Caregiving Begins With Self Care  By Becky Feola NABBW’s Associate for Assisted Living and Caregiving About 10 million seniors currently rely on others for daily care, such as help getting dressed, preparing meals or taking medication.  That number will only increase as more of the nation’s 78 million baby boomers enter old age themselves over the next 15 years. According to a 2008 USA Today Gallup poll, 41% of all baby boomers are providing care for a living parent and 37% expect to do so in the future. Taking on the role of caregiver can be demanding; especially when you are juggling... Read More