University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community

November is National Family Caregiver Month and this article from AARP discusses ways to navigate caring for an aging parent

How to Avoid Conflict When Caring for an Aging Parent Don't let caring for a parent ruin your relationship. Be sure you understand how they want to age, let them make some decisions and stay positive.

Most older adults wish to stay in their homes for as long as possible as they age. To accomplish the goal of “aging in place”, some older adults need assistance. For many, managing a chronic disease or coping with a disability will be focal to their aging experience.

Register for this important event :
On November 2, the Central Indiana Senior Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation , The Polis Center, and WFYI will co-host the Aging in Place Webinar: Help Wanted: Who Do We Need to Help Us Age at Home? This event will explore the direct care workforce needed to help the growing older adult population age at home.

Help Wanted: Who do we need to help us age at home? | The State of Aging in Central Indiana Help Wanted: Who do we need to help us age at home? by The Polis Center | Sep 18, 2023 | Event Register Now! Most older adults wish to stay in their homes for as long as possible as they age. To accomplish the goal of “aging in place”, some older adults need assistance. For many, managing a chro...

Check out a way that social media is helping to humanize the journey of people living with dementia and their caregivers. AARP

Son Uses TikTok to Humanize Dementia Caregiving More than a million people follow Dan Salinger’s journey as he and his brother split full-time caregiving duties for their dad.

Bone and Joint Health National Action Week has started It centers around discussions on preventing and treating arthritis, back pain, trauma, pediatric conditions affecting bones, and osteoporosis.

Take a few minutes and check out the Original Influencer's by Humana

Humana | The Original Influencers This series of short films debunks the old stereotypes of what it means to be over 65, by celebrating individuals who continue to make a difference.

Please note that tonight's GlamourGals event has been cancelled. Please check back for more events soon!

Join us for hand massages by a licensed physical therapist, manicures by the UIndy GlamourGals, light refreshments, and music provided by the UIndy Music Therapy program.

Tuesday October 10 at 5:00-7:00pm
UIndy Health Pavilion, Room 210
1643 E. Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227

UPDATE: Tonight's event has been cancelled. Please check back for more events soon!

Join us for hand massages by a licensed physical therapist, manicures by the UIndy GlamourGals, light refreshments, and music provided by the UIndy Music Therapy program.

Tuesday October 10 at 5:00-7:00pm
UIndy Health Pavilion, Room 210
1643 E. Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227

Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University article discusses the four challenges that face housing issues for older adults.

Housing for America’s Older Adults: Four Problems We Must Address This is a critical moment in which to consider investments in the housing needs of the nation’s older adults. While the number of people 65 and over

Today is a day to reframe how we talk about aging and older people in a society where ageism is pervasive. American Society on Aging

Check out the comments from the Oakland New Jersey Senior Centers comments about the The Golden Bachelor

‘Too Young for Me!’: A Senior Center Watches ‘The Golden Bachelor’ The commentary was sharp and the drinks were virgin at a watch party for the new dating show featuring singles between 60 and 75.

Research on music, theater, dance, creative writing, and other participatory arts shows promising evidence for improving older adults' quality of life and well-being, from better cognitive function, memory, and self-esteem to reduced stress and increased social interaction. National Institute on Aging - NIH

Congratulations to Maura O'Malley on receiving the AARP Purpose Prize Fellow

Lifetime Arts Co-Founder Named 2024 AARP Purpose Prize® Award Fellow – Lifetime Arts October 5, 2023 Lifetime Arts Co-Founder Named 2024 AARP Purpose Prize® Award Fellow FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 5, 2023 CONTACT: Jacqueline DuMont, Lifetime Arts [email protected] Henry Kenney III, [email protected] Photo by Stephen Voss for AARP NEW YORK – Lifetime Arts is thrille...

We are hosting a Memory Café in partnership with Dementia Friends Indiana It is a FREE safe, welcoming gathering where individuals with dementia and their care partners can connect with others.

Join us for hand massages by a licensed physical therapist, manicures by the UIndy Glamourgals, light refreshments, and music provided by the UIndy Music Therapy program

Tuesday October 10 at 5:00-7:00pm
UIndy Health Pavilion, Room 210
1643 E. Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227

Please register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhN04CEkXz5Dv22fJahIJoMklAfJsc1alxX9_3z1wGTzrmdw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Check out this story from CNBC - We appreciate the whole story but especially this part- "She also enjoys going to Dunkin’ Donuts every Sunday with her son to meet up with friends: I look forward to that every week.” Donuts and time with friends- you can't ask for a better combo.

100-year-old who worked from age 18 to 99 on how staying busy helped her live a long life: 'Retirement, I don’t like too much' Madeline Paldo is 100 years old and only recently retired after working for 81 years. Here's why she thinks working helps longevity.

What is the "sandwich generation"? Pew Research Center's article gives the definition of "These are adults who have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising at least one child younger than 18 or providing financial support to an adult child." Read the article below for more insights into the demographic of this generation.

More than half of Americans in their 40s are ‘sandwiched’ between an aging parent and their own children As people are living longer and many young adults struggle to gain financial independence, 23% of U.S. adults are in the “sandwich generation.”

Center for Aging & Community wanted to share this amazing opportunity with you from one of UIndy's community partners!.

Joy's House and AARP Indiana are offering a chance to hear Teepa Snow for FREE. She is one of the world’s leading advocates and educators for anyone living with dementia and other forms of brain change. Teepa is an Occupational Therapist with over forty years of rich and varied clinical and academic experience.

Role Strain is just one of the many points that can cause caregiver stress. If you are a caregiver or if you know a caregiver who is experiencing role strain, join us for Family Caregivers: Understanding Your Role & Needs with Teepa Snow.

Learn more at https://joyshouse.org/events/teepa/

We celebrate people who have lived to 100 years old today and what a wild 100 years it has been. Everything from sliced bread to space travel. Can you imagine what life will look like when you turn 100?

National Centenarian's Day Ready your minds as we celebrate and draw insight from the deep wells of centenarian wisdom.

Su***de does not discriminate against age, race, income, s*x or religion; everyone is affected by su***de. National Council on Aging post discusses how the rates of su***de is increasing in older adults.

There is help- 988 is more than just an easy-to-remember number—it offers a direct connection to compassionate, accessible care and support for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress – whether that is thoughts of su***de, mental health crisis, substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

Su***de rates hit record, with biggest increase seen among older adults The age group with the biggest increase in death by su***de was those 65 years and older, with an 8.1% jump in deaths.

It is estimated that 6.7 MILLION Americans are living with Alzheimer's dementia. The theme for this year is "Never too early, never too late" which focuses on risk factors and risk reduction, emphasizing their crucial role in potentially delaying or even preventing the onset of dementia. Alzheimer's Association Greater Indiana Chapter is a reliable source of information for people living with Alzheimer's and their caregivers

The University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community and Indiana Department of Health are hosting a virtual training on Emergency and Disaster Management for skilled nursing facility professionals. The training will be comprised of 2 partial days of instruction. The training is free and open to any long term care professional. Registration and more information can be found in the link below:

https://store.uindy.edu/catalog?pagename=Emergency_Management

Photo credit- Mat Napo on Unsplash

Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall. Falls can be prevented by participating in a research based fall prevention program. CAC in partnership with Indiana Department of Health coordinate Stepping On classes in Indianapolis twice a year. The post from National Council on Aging also gives other techniques to help reduce fall risk.

6 Steps to Help Prevent Falls in Older Adults One in four older adults falls every year in the U.S. View and share this infographic that outlines six steps you can take to prevent a fall.

Hoosier schools among 'Best Colleges' ranking - Inside INdiana Business U.S. News & World Report is out with its 2023-2024 Best Colleges ranking, and 10 Indiana institutions made the cut among national universities. The publication ranked 1,500 colleges and universities based on 19 factors, including...

Did you know that CAC in partnership with Indiana Department of Health offers a FREE educational series on Pressure Injury Prevention and Management in Long Term Care?

Topics covered during the 4 free virtual sessions include utilizing QAPI to set up an effective pressure injury prevention program, risk assessment, care planning, prevention of skin breakdown, assessment, staging, topical treatment, and lower extremity ulcers.

If you are a long term care professional and interested in this education, the registration link is below:

https://store.uindy.edu/catalog?pagename=Pressure_Injury_prevention

Today starts Adult Day Services week! The National Adult Day Services Association defines Adult Day Services as a "system of professionally delivered, integrated, home- and community-based, therapeutic, social and health-related services provided to individuals to sustain living within the community." Check out a center near you!

IAAAA - Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging shared the news story from WRTV advising everyone who receives Medicare to check their statements. Multiple incidents of fraud are showing on consumer statements.

Feds warn to check your statements after unwanted COVID tests billed to Medicare The federal government has issued a warning because companies are billing for COVID-19 tests that people never ordered in the first place.

Check out the feel good article below about the kindness of staff at an Arizona Arby's.

In Chandler, Arizona, Doug is a loyal customer at Arby's restaurant. Actually, he's the most loyal customer they have there. Doug is a 97-year-old World War II veteran, and has long loved the famous roast beef sandwiches on which the chain has built its reputation. Doug comes in every single day to enjoy a meal with his favorite sandwich. He almost always orders a Swiss cheese filled roast beef slider and a Coke with no ice. All the staff members there have memorized that as his “usual.”
After quite a while, one of the employees, Travis Coye, wanted to know more about this elderly man, and why he had such a fascination with the food they serve there. So he asked him why he keeps coming there; why that location? Doug replied, saying: “This is the only place I can get a sandwich or get anything else to eat that doesn’t hurt my stomach.” Actually, it may be closer to the truth that he likes the sandwich so much that he stopped looking for alternatives.
Doug lives in a nearby retirement home, but always makes sure to get his daily meal at Arby's. And he has his own favorite table where he enjoys it. The staff there treats him as much like family as possible and staff members go out of their way to make him comfortable. Says the manager there, Christina Gamage: “He comes in with a walker, as soon as we see him come to the doors, we try [to] grab the doors for him. He’s gone through a lot being a veteran, coming in, being in a retirement home, but he doesn’t have family.”
Doug is such a loyal customer and really good guy that one day the staff pitched in and got him a $200 gift card. He thought at first they were joking, but it was definitely real, and Doug told them: “Thank you. I never know if I’ll be here the next day, but thank you so much for this.” But what might be even more important than that... at least, more meaningful... is that many of the staffers gave Doug their phone numbers in case he needed anything. And they all offered to bring him his favorite meal to the retirement home in case he could not make it there.
Then, after Doug's story made national news, Arby's gave him another gift... free food for the rest of his life. Now he never has to worry about where his next meal is coming from, giving him more time to make more friendships.

Credit: Daniel Moloney
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National Assisted Living Week provides a unique opportunity for residents, their loved ones, staff, volunteers, and the surrounding comm​​unities to recognize the role of assisted living in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. ​​The week long celebration was established by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995.

Celebrate the quality assisted living facilities in your region

Thank you Indy Encore

Just keep on keepin’ on -

Check out the better balance drills from SilverSneakers

Better Balance Challenge: 1-Minute Better Balance Drills - SilverSneakers Your eyes, inner ears, and sense of body awareness work together to keep you balanced. These stimulation drills train all three to improve your balance.