The Arbor Company Senior Living Blog

More than 40 million Americans are unpaid caregivers. Though caring for a loved one offers the assurance that they’re getting quality, loving care from someone who truly understands them, it can also be grueling work. One in 10 caregivers says that caregiving has negatively affected their physical health. Between 40 and 70 percent of caregivers struggle with depression. Caregiver burnout is very real, and very serious. You can’t care for your loved one if your own health falls apart. Here’s what you need to know about your own risk of caregiver burnout.

For our first Senior Living LIVE! webinar for the new year, we will be examining one of the most common questions we get from families considering a move to senior living— how will I pay for it?

When was the last time you felt happy? If you can recall a time today when you felt joyful and happy, then you are well on your way to better health outcomes as you age. The phenomenon of happy aging has been researched for the past decade or so, with results all pointing to one thing: that a positive outlook on life can make you healthier as you age.

Relationships enrich our lives. A good relationship with your spouse may even help you live longer. The transition to assisted living is all about preserving your quality of life, which means that your spouse can of course live with you. This is true even if you need different levels of care. Here’s what you need to know as you compare options.

Whether you are looking for a way to connect with family members during visits, strengthen cognitive skills alone, or just have a little bit of fun, card games can be the ideal solution. We love that card games for seniors can be played alone or in groups, and that most games are suitable for beginners or experts. Even better, most card games can be played with a single deck of playing cards, which are inexpensive and easy to carry almost anywhere.

If you’re the sort of person who spends summer months tending a gorgeous garden, reaps the benefits of the harvest in the fall, and plans a spring vacation before the leaves have even fallen, winter can be tough. There’s less to do, and less light by which to do it. Scientists say that this can even cause depression. But that doesn’t mean you have to hide in a blanket fort all winter, waiting for warmer weather and more fun. These great indoor activities for seniors may convince you that getting cozy can be fun, too.

There’s nothing like the holiday season to inspire a bit of creativity. This year especially, many family members are looking for ideas about how to safely connect with senior loved ones. One way to share an experience, whether in person or over a video call, is to work on an arts and crafts project together. We’ve taken the time to compile some of our favorite Christmas crafts for seniors that can be enjoyed by anyone in the family.

‘Tis the season for family gatherings, favorite traditions, and comforting foods that everyone at the table enjoys. If a member of your family is a senior living community resident this year, you might be wondering how that will impact your family holiday traditions. The good news is that living in a senior community will not affect your family’s plans. In fact, it might create an opportunity for new traditions you’ll look forward to each year.

Here are a few of our tips for keeping family holiday traditions alive after your loved one retires to a senior living community.