Magnolia Manor Blog

What’s in a name? Shakespeare famously posed this question centuries ago, referring to a rose in Romeo and Juliet. Today, we’ve taken to reducing names we find too long to say or write easily to acronyms, using initials as a type of shorthand. They’re certainly more convenient. But although acronyms have become ubiquitous, many people don’t actually know what they stand for.

If you don’t know what they mean, acronyms aren’t convenient, they are confusing. In the senior living and care field, we’re just as guilty of using acronyms as those in any other field. But we don’t want our seniors and their loved ones to remain in the dark, so we thought it would be informative to explain some of the most common examples. Give yourself extra credit if you already know what these stand for!

When you were young, Mom always told you to spend plenty of time playing outside because the sun would provide vitamin D to help keep your body healthy and strong. She was right. And now that Mom is aging, it turns out vitamin D is an even more important factor in her daily life.

Almost every adult looks forward to retirement with great anticipation. Finally, a chance to spend your days as you want. But where will that be? You could stay where you are. However, for many empty-nesters with distant children and grandkids, this is your chance to move closer. Or maybe you simply want a change of scenery, or pace.

Here at Magnolia Manor, we know a few things about retirement, and we’re well-rooted in the state of Georgia, too. So when we say this is a great place to retire, you can believe us. The benefits of retiring in Georgia are many, whether you will be new to the state or you already live here.

Ah, spring. The season of renewal. It’s uplifting to see the world around us come alive again – this year, especially, as it also heralds our gradual emergence from the pandemic. But it’s hard to feel blessed by spring’s beauty when you’re busy sneezing, coughing, and wiping your watery eyes thanks to seasonal allergies. Spring allergies can also give you a stuffy or runny nose, make your eyes itch, and impair your sense of smell or taste.

Have you decided on a Mother’s Day gift yet? Mom’s official day of recognition is almost here, you know! Thanks to a year of pandemic seclusion (or something akin to that), your mother is now up to her elbows in puzzles, videos, and cozy socks. So this Mother’s Day, it’s time to get creative with a gift that’s more personalized. You can pick something for pampering or for pleasure, but that doesn’t mean your gift can’t be practical as well.

We all know there is no shortage of apps to communicate with others and play games. Where would we have been these past many months during the pandemic without these essential digital tools? But apps can help seniors in so many other ways.

As we age, most of us worry about losing our memory or cognitive abilities. In addition, Senior Living notes that:

• Many seniors have vision issues, and a third of those over 65 especially have trouble reading small print
• About half of prescriptions are not taken as directed
• Some seniors don’t fill prescriptions in the first place due to high cost

Sound familiar? No worries. There are apps that can help solve all these problems and more. Apps can help seniors monitor and maintain good health, simplify daily life, and learn new things. And a lot of them are easy to use and even free. Here is a smattering of apps you might consider for yourself or for an older friend or loved one.

One of the many benefits of senior living at Magnolia Manor’s Americus campus is our Wellness Center. Opened in 2000, this gathering place for the exercise-minded has been a very popular and busy place. Until COVID-19 came around, that is. It’s not that we’re no longer interested in staying fit, it’s that keeping the gym, pools, and class spaces open just isn’t possible now.

Rats.

We have every intention of re-opening the Wellness Center as soon as we can, so let’s see what everyone has to look forward to. We talked to Jeni Hixon, our Wellness Center Director, to get the inside scoop.

February is the month of love, and it is also American Heart Month. It’s the perfect time to remind ourselves that treating our heart with love can help us lead a healthier, happier, longer life. That starts with the foods we eat. Good nutrition, regular exercise, and maintaining a stable, healthy weight are key to heart health.

If you reside in Assisted Living or another area within one of our Magnolia Manor communities (other than Independent Living), we have your back because we do the cooking for you. Our talented professional chefs not only know what’s good for you, they know how to make it irresistibly tasty and plate it up so you can’t wait to dive in.

But whether or not you’re cooking for yourself, let’s make sure you aren’t sabotaging your good heart health with snacks or behaviors that add up to risky business.

What’s the most important valentine of all? Your own heart! That’s why we celebrate February as American Heart Month, and 2021 will be our 57th year to do so. It’s a tradition seniors can easily get behind, because heart disease is America’s #1 killer.

So what’s the best gift to give your heart this February? Medical experts at Johns Hopkins say “pairing exercise with a Mediterranean-style diet, maintaining a normal weight and not smoking” can help you live longer (and healthier), reducing risk of death from all causes by 80%.

What? You don’t have a will? You really need to correct that, for your own peace of mind as well as to protect your estate, your wishes, and your loved ones. Many people shy away from this subject, but making a will is not morbid, it is sensible and practical. It gives you control over what happens to your belongings and assets after you pass away.

Yet, 40% of Americans over the age of 45 do not have a will.