Deupree House's Premier Senior Living Blog

The internet and social media revolution has presented seniors, family archivists and genealogists with quite a challenge: How do you tackle the monumental process of preserving family memories in the digital age?

These days, many people don't create photo albums and scrapbooks. They don't produce handwritten documents. Pictures and writings live in the electronic ether now: in phones and laptops, in an ever-evolving series of cloud-based apps and other digital media.

A senior living in Cincinnati knows that winter is a great time to roll out of town to a warm, sunny vacation destination. A lot of folks head to Florida, the Gulf Coast, or the Southwest when the weather turns chilly.

And it costs a lot of money to do so: airline flights, or gasoline and tolls for folks who drive, camper and RV permits, food on the road and more. A winter vacation can burn a hole into a senior's budget tout suite, so it can behoove one to save a bit on travel expenses during the fair weather months.

"I should write that story down sometime."

"One day, I'll get around to it and write that memoir."

We've all said such things to ourselves — we'd wager virtually every senior living in Cincinnati has. But how many of us have actually followed through?

We might think we need memoir writing tips. Or we might think we have more time than we do to get it done.

Many claims circulate on the internet and on social media platforms about so-called "superfoods" that people can eat to extend their vitality, improve their memory and avoid chronic diseases.

Frankly, many of them are just that: claims. Often, they're unsubstantiated or, worse, sensationalized by unethical clickbait content producers.

And that can be dangerous to seniors, because some might forego qualified medical advice or treatment to try out the "miracle cures" they're often promised online.

Most seniors experience some degree of memory loss over the course of aging. But when memory loss is severe — forgetting their children's or grandchildren's names, inability to recall where they live or who the President of the United States is, etc. — their concern naturally turns to new-onset dementia or Alzheimer's.

According to an NIH-funded study published last year by UCLA researchers, nearly 47 million American adults alive today may be at moderate to severe risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia later in life, based on criteria for a hypothetical "pre-clinical stage" of the disease, in which the disease process has begun, but is not yet manifesting symptoms.

It's tough to nail down predictions about Alzheimer's risk, because its wide-ranging possible causes aren't yet well-understood.

But there are several risk factors that seniors can take firm and decisive action to avoid. Let's talk about those today and discuss tips that you, or your older loved one, can use to cut Alzheimer's dementia risk.

Warmer weather is here, Cincinnati seniors! Time to shake off the winter blahs, get your spring cleaning done and get ready to enjoy the season out and about. There are a number of events coming up that you'll want to know about.

Today, we thought we'd share a few of our favorite picks with you, so you can plan your social calendar and make plans to spend time with the grandkids (they're almost done with school for the year!).

Here are four can't-miss events you'll want to check out in Cincinnati this spring.

What does it mean to "grow old gracefully" or to "age with purpose"?

Are these just buzz phrases that the positive aging movement bandies about, or are there specific examples of older people in Cincinnati and the surrounding Tristate who live purposefully and visibly, inspiring seniors here and elsewhere?

There sure are. Today, let's introduce you to three of them.

One of the most pressing topics in senior care today is figuring out new ways to help seniors age with purpose.

Seniors who feel like they have a sense of purpose are more likely to have a positive outlook of the future, which is in turn associated with better physical, mental and spiritual health.

They're less likely, too, to develop chronic illnesses like heart disease, obesity, Alzheimer's disease or other dementia disorders, or to experience clinical depression.

We live in an era of information silos, social media clickbait, fake news and "alternative facts."

So, how are we supposed to separate aging truth from aging fiction? How can a senior living in Cincinnati (and his or her family caregivers) determine what's real and what's not?

We're here to help you. Today, our Deupree House experts will walk us through several enduring myths, and tell us the facts about healthy, positive aging.

Here at Deupree House and at our sister retirement community, Marjorie P. Lee in Hyde Park, many of the residents enjoy participating in reading clubs.

That and the theme of this year's upcoming Refresh Your Soul installment got us thinking: what are some excellent books that reflect the positive aging ethos?

Well, we did our homework. Today, let's discuss three must-read books about (or reflecting) positive aging.