For many of us holidays become a mixture of family, traditions, gratitude, giving and, often, challenges too. More than any other time we seem to find ourselves with a few plates in the air. So, in keeping with this theme, I offer a literal juggling challenge.

Juggling is more than just a cool party trick. Keeping a few balls in the air can make our brains and bodies healthier! Any activity that requires you to move in patterns and think about what you are doing are called “complex ideomotor activities.” Ballroom dancing, tai chi and juggling are just a few examples.

Juggling has other benefits as well. It is a form of aerobic exercise which we know improves everyday thinking and reduces dementia risk. It activates coordination and balance skills and keeping an object in the air requires hand-eye coordination too. Juggling makes you think fast; it improves reaction time and your brain’s processing speed, all of which often diminish with age.

Ready? Let’s Juggle!

Gently toss and catch a ball, bean bag or even a scarf in your dominant hand.

Gently toss your object of choice in your non-dominant hand.

Toss it with the dominant hand and catch it with the non-dominant hand.

Now, using two objects, one in each hand, toss the object in the dominant hand toward the non-dominant shoulder while switching the object from the other hand to the dominant hand. Catch the first object with the empty hand.

Continue this circular motion gently catching and throwing with swinging forearms.

Got it? Well, if not, just keep trying! It really is fun, especially if you make it a group event…and your brain will thank you!

Susan Covey is the Acts Bayleigh Chase Fitness Director

As the weather cools, the temptation to move less can be strong. However, we must resist this temptation and strive to stay active no matter the number of daylight hours or less than perfect weather.

Since November is the month that reminds us of all the things in our life we are thankful for, let us make movement one of them. Our bodies were built to move, to walk, to bend, to reach, to stretch. Though everyone may not be ambulatory, chances are there is some part of your body that is still motile. Be grateful for whatever ability you do have and build on that. 

In addition to functional exercises, do not forget how great it is to get out and explore your surroundings. There are many beautiful and motivating places to see in our area and these in themselves are something to be thankful for.

Some of the wonderful adventures awaiting you on the Eastern Shore include Adkins Arboretum, Tuckahoe State Park, Martinak State Park, Pickering Creek, Blackwater Refuge just to name a few. 

How lucky are we to have so many outdoor destinations within an hour’s drive!

Make it your monthly mission to take a hike or stroll through one of our area’s magnificent attractions!

Susan Covey is the fitness director at Acts Bayleigh Chase in Easton.

It wasn’t hard for Irma Toce, the CEO of Londonderry on the Tred Avon, to answer why she was wearing pink streaks in her hair last week when the Spy sat down here for our “Ask Irma” series.

For years, Irma, her senior management team, and more than a few residents of Londonderry have been showing solidarity with people living with breast cancer in October by adding a little pink, the official color of the Breast Cancer Awareness month on Octobere, to their coiffures. With the help of the on-site hairdresser at the Easton-based retirement community, Irma and her team use that extra tint to prompt conversations about this dreaded cancer and how important it is for women (and increasingly certain men) to undergo breast screenings regularly.

In our conversation with Irma, she talks personally about a close cousin now battling breast cancer and how important it is for the community to understand its impact, the advancement in treatment, and how easy it is to test for the condition.

This video is approximately 3 minutes in length. For more information about the UMMS Clark Comprehensive Breast Center in Easton please go here. For Londonderry on the Tred Avon please go here.

Scientific studies have proven that, not only walking, but just being in nature has a profound positive impact on our health.  Of course, we know that if we walk at least 15 minutes a day, we will have fewer diseases and are less likely to get cancer, have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke and have better bone density. 

But recent researchers are now demonstrating a reduction in stress, blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as an upswing in mood and general outlook on life just as a result of being outside. They have also shown a link to longevity and decreased risk of mental illness and depression. (Kuo and Taylor 2004, DeVries et al. 2003)  Health benefits of nature may also have relevance to injury prevention and control, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, musculoskeletal conditions, and other maladies, including cancer (Li 2009).

Drawing attention to these benefits of outdoor leisure and recreation for improved health helps shift attention from the downstream costs of health care to the upstream efforts to prevent ill health from occurring. An upstream focus is always empowering and enables individuals to take a more prominent role in our own wellness.

So, take control and get out there!  Enjoy everything around you, and take the time to PLAY. After all, you’re never too old to jump in the leaves!

Susan S. Covey is the Director of Health and Fitness at Bayleigh-Chase.

Not only is September “Healthy Aging Month”, but it is also a great time to start a new fitness program.  For one thing, fall can be a treat for the senses: the crisper air, the leaves beginning to change colors.  Walking and hiking are both awesome in the fall months. 

A FEW TIPS FOR FALL FITNESS:

Try thinking outside the box and learn something new, something you’ve always wanted to try like dancing, horseback riding or biking. 

Be an ACTIVE TV watcher.  If you’re into fall premiers and plan to sit down to watch for hours , make it a date with exercise AND TV.  While you watch, you can walk in place, do standing lunges, triceps dips off the couch, lift weights, or do push-ups and sit-ups during the commercials.  

Rejuvenate your mind and spirit as well.  Learn to meditate, take an art class or learn a new language.

Strive for the three C’s: commitment, convenience and consistency.  Put it on the calendar just like any other appointment; choose an activity that is close by and, when you can’t fit in 30 minutes each day, do 10 minutes rather than skip exercise altogether.

Susan Covey is the Fitness Director at Bayleigh Chase in Easton

 

Did you know you can get all the cardiovascular, muscle strengthening and flexibility benefits you need in water? Done correctly, water workouts can give you the same fitness gains as land workouts, including improving balance.

Water’s buoyancy supports the body’s weight and significantly reduces stress on weight-bearing joints, bones and muscles. For those with injuries, the pressure of the water also reduces swelling. If the water is warm, then the heat relaxes muscles and eases joint stiffness.

We all need resistance training to keep us from losing muscle and strength as we age. Water offers that resistance which strengthens our muscles as we move through it. And get this, simply walking in water will strengthen those hard-to-work abdominal muscles! That not only beats doing sit-ups but may offer greater benefits because the abdominal muscles are being strengthened in the same way we naturally use them—by holding our bodies in an upright position.

Water workouts can help us reach our fitness goals without pain or injury. They can add cross-training variety to our existing routine or offer a safe and fun way to start an exercise program.

So, come on in, the water’s fine!

Susan Covey is Director of Health and Fitness at Acts-Bayleigh Chase in Easton.

While the Bayleigh Chase retirement community in Easton has long supported the Talbot Spy Senior Nation section for many years, it has been our disappointment that it has taken some time to profile this remarkable home for hundreds.

One reason for this omission has been its transition from its early days as William Hill Manor, started by Dr. William Hill in 1981, to became part of Integrace in 2014, and then more recently, Acts Retirement-Life Communities, which also manages the popular Heron Point community in Chestertown.

In fact, the non-profit Acts has been one of the nation’s most progressive leaders in full-service retirement communities when it was started 50 years ago by a Philadelphia-based pastor with the Church of the Open Door, a nondenominational church. The founders wanted to find a better way of living for their retired church members, providing a fulfilling and meaningful independent living lifestyle with a quality professional health care environment that would be available if ever needed.

That simple mission has now grown into 26 communities operating in nine states.

In our Spy profile, we talk to George Clemes, executive director of Bayleigh Chase, about his community’s unique approach to retirement, health, and spiritual life on their 35-acre campus off Dutchman’s Lane. George also highlights the significant improvements taking place on-site to honor Acts 50th anniversary.

This video is approximately minutes in length. For more information about Bayleigh Chase and other Acts Retirement-Life Communities please go here.

 

 

Three Important Facts You Should Know

1. The American Heart Association cites physical inactivity as the 5th major risk factor for coronary heart disease. The top four being: family history, high cholesterol, high fat and smoking.

2. From Age 65-84, the average decline in strength equals 1.5% per year. These declines are linked with increased risk of falls, increased frailty and loss of functional independence. It’s a proven fact that physical INACTIVITY accelerates age related decline in strength.

3. Falls are the leading cause of accidental death among adults over 75 years of age. One in three older adults will fall at least once a year and over 50% of those hospitalized from a fall will die within one year.

The good news in that even frail seniors aged 72-98 have shown remarkable improvements as a result of strength training. For instance, an increase in strength of 113%, an increase in walking speed of 12% and an increase in stair-climbing power of 28%! Also, age-related decline in bone density can be significantly impacted by strength training, so…

GET STRONGER AND LIVE LONGER!

Susan Covey is the Director of Fitness at Acts Bayleigh Chase

Over the last three years, the Spy and Irma Toce’s “Ask Irma” series has always been based on our collective mission to provide thoughtful answers to some of the challenges and benefits of growing old on the Mid-Shore. We continue with that objective in our latest conversation with the CEO of Londonderry on the Tred Avon, but this installment comes with a special twist.

Over the last seven years, Londonderry has been listed as the best senior retirement community in Maryland by What’s Up publications. That’s an impressive run by any standard (admirable, in fact), and only last week, Irma was recognized as one of the top outstanding women CEOs by the Women Leaders Magazine.

Given all that, the simple question this month is why does Londonderry keep winning these awards? Not surprisingly, Irma has an answer for that one.

This video is approximately minutes in length. For more information on Londonderry on Tred Avon please go here