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Southgate at Shrewsbury

Retirement community near Shrewsbury and Worcester, MA

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1.800.492.8331

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Healthy Living

Keeping in Contact Under Quarantine

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Until the COVID-19 crisis is over, it’s important we find ways to keep ourselves occupied and in touch with our loved ones. Whether or not you deal with ongoing mental health issues, social distancing and isolating can be detrimental to your mental and physical health if you do not maintain your social connections and keep an occupied mind. Thankfully, technology has made it so we can all be alone together during these difficult times.

Outside of a phone call or text message, the following technology will allow you to maintain rich connections with your friends and family through digital video, and help us all through these challenging times. Video calls can bring people together from a distance to do everything from just chatting to playing a game or hosting a cocktail hour. Together, we will get through this!

Skype

Free; computers, tablets and smartphones

Since its launch in 2003, Skype has been the gold standard for free person-to-person video chats. You can chat with your loved ones using video, provided you have a device with an integrated camera or a webcam. If you have a smartphone or tablet, you likely already have this capability. If your computer doesn’t have a webcam installed, check out these bestselling options from Amazon. Even users without video can utilize the audio capabilities of Skype. You can have an intimate video chat with one person, or have a conference with up to 50 people. Setting up Skype is as simple as creating a free account and username.

FaceTime

Free; Apple devices only

If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can utilize the free built-in video chat function called FaceTime. Any Apple user may use FaceTime to video call any other Apple user for free. FaceTime accesses your contacts, and adds a Facetime option to their contact page, if they also have an Apple device. Simply touch the ‘FaceTime’ option on their contact page, or open the Facetime app and look through your contacts. The obvious downside is the availability only to Apple users, but it is free, convenient and functions well. If you have an Apple device and aren’t sure if you have FaceTime installed, look for the following icon:

Google Duo

Free; Android, Apple, Google Nest Hub & Google mobile devices

Similar to FaceTime, Google Duo has proven to not only be an excellent Android/Google counterpart, but an excellent option for Apple users who like to connect via video with their non-Apple friends and family. Google Duo is completely free, allows for high quality video chats for up to 12 people at a time, and works with any smartphone, tablet, computer, or smart display like Google’s Nest Hub Max. If you already have an Android or Google smartphone and are unsure if you have Google Duo, look for the following icon:

Amazon Echo Show

$59.99–$179.99; Amazon

The four different iterations of the Amazon Echo Show are all video-enabled Alexa devices. As you’ve likely seen somewhere on television or heard somewhere on the radio, you can ask Amazon’s virtual personal assistant, Alexa, for help with a variety of tasks. She can find recipes, products and services, define a word, and yes, make a call!

Voice-enabled Alexa devices can place audio calls based on your contact list, but if you have an Amazon Echo Show, you can also place video calls to loved ones that also have an Echo Show or the Amazon Alexa app on their mobile device. Simple say, “Alexa, video call [contact name],” and you’ll be connected with high definition to a smiling face(s) on the other side! If you already use Alexa or would like to use Alexa, the Echo Show makes sense to add to your technological arsenal. If you do not use Alexa, this option may not make as much sense for you.

Thanks to technology, there are countless ways to keep in touch during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because Southgate at Shrewsbury is a retirement community and our population is largely higher risk, we must do whatever we can to ensure the safety of our residents. Although this includes limiting visitors to only essential personal and family members performing essential care, we want to make sure you can access the technology necessary to keep you in close contact with your loved ones. Click the following link for our continuously monitored and updated policy regarding COVID-19.

5 Skincare Tips for Winter Flare-Ups

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  1. Be Sure to Moisturize and Humidify

Without a doubt, this tip to moisturize is the one most dermatologists recommend first. Dr Emanual Maverakis of the University of California, Davis Health System noted that using heaters in the winter dries out the skin, so more moisturizing is needed. One college professor used the analogy of two different-sized buckets to explain relative humidity. If you have a small bucket, and it’s 80 percent full of water, then you would say it’s quite full. But if you put that same amount of water in a big bucket, it might only be 20 percent full. Cold air is like the small bucket, and hot air is like the large bucket. When cold air is heated up, as it often is indoors in the winter, the relative humidity drops. Unless water is added back into the air, such as with a humidifier, the dry air will dry out your skin.

Quite often, people can tell when their skin is dry and needs more moisturizer. Dry skin will easily become itchy and irritated. In the winter, it seems to dry out even faster than usual. When moisturizing, you should start with a layer of a lotion with ceramides (mainly for eczema) to add moisture, then lock in the moisture with a thicker, petroleum-based cream. When moisturizing after a bath or shower, you can apply lotion within a couple of minutes of getting out to trap the moisture in the skin. It can take some time experimenting with different moisturizers and talking with your doctors before settling on a regimen that works for you.

Having a humidifier in the living room, bedroom, and the office helps too — especially during those cold and dry times. Dr. Tatyana Petukhova also recommended using humidifiers, noting the need to “clean them regularly” and use a humidity level “that feels comfortable.”

  1. Avoid Long Hot Baths or Showers

Simply put, hot water dries out your skin, and that’s generally not good for psoriasis or eczema. Many dermatologists note this tip as second important after moisturizing. Although a hot bath in the winter can be quite relaxing, it may be helpful to lower the temperature of your shower and cut down the time. Another option is 10- to 15-minute soothing baths. Sprinkle an over-the-counter oatmeal bath packet into the water as the bath is being drawn, then add some moisturizing oil. After getting out of the tub, put on an extra layer of moisturizer.

  1. Don’t Get Sick

Staying healthy is a key strategy for winter psoriasis care. Many immune-suppression drugs for psoriasis can cause one to more easily catch viruses or get bacterial infections. Illnesses such as the flu can cause your skin to explode with psoriasis and eczema. To make matters worse, you many not be able to take psoriasis medications since they can affect your immune system. In such a case, it could take weeks to get your skin back under control.

It is important to focus on prevention. Get your flu shot early. When you feel like you may be catching a cold, go to bed early, stay hydrated, and minimize your workload. Wash your hands regularly, especially after shaking someone’s hand. Prevention is an extremely vital part of staying healthy.

  1. Take Time to Relax and Exercise

Often times, tasks around the home, projects, family time, and other interests and hobbies can make it hard to relax and rest. However, if you don’t take the time to relax, the stress builds and can show up on your skin.

One important way to find relaxation is through exercise. It is quite common to not feel like moving in the winter, much less getting out to exercise in the cold or windy weather. The fully-equipped health club and spa at Southgate at Shrewsbury makes exercising in inclement weather much more enjoyable.  The wide variety of classes offered allow our residents to stay fit in a fun, social environment, leading to less stress and more peace of mind.  By keeping your body in good shape, your skin will typically follow suit.

  1. Manage Your Moods

Each winter brings its challenges. Whether health, family, or weather-related, it’s quite normal for these challenges to bring about increased infections, eczema rashes, psoriasis flares, and general break-outs.  Addressing your feelings in a positive way and sharing with others can give you strength when feeling overwhelmed.  The skin-emotion connection is still being researched, but it’s clear they are related.

It often takes experimentation and consultation with medical professionals to find out how to best manage winter psoriasis and other skin conditions.  Southgate at Shrewsbury offers our residents unsurpassed health care both on campus and nearby, making it easy to get quick and informed medical opinions from experts in the field.  We are committed to the health and wellness of the seniors in our community, and that’s just one more reason Southgate at Shrewsbury is the premiere destination for senior living.

The Link Between Physical Activity and Independence for Seniors

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Some of the toughest issues senior caregivers and their loved ones face come when an older adult feels he or she is lacking independence. As people age, it’s inevitable that they will lose some of their abilities to do certain activities. But maintaining a regular physical fitness routine can help older adults hold on to their independence for much if not all of their senior living. Southgate at Shrewsbury offers a variety of monthly fitness and exercise classes to our residents, spanning from yoga and pilates to aerobic swimming to tai chi. Our classes allow our seniors to improve and maintain their health and wellness in a fun, social atmosphere.

Terry Serio, nutrition educator for the University of Maryland Carrol County Extension Office, teaches about the relationship between fitness and independence to seniors in her community. Her courses discuss everything from food safety to nutritional guidelines, according to the Carrol County Times. She often speaks specifically about the importance of physical fitness.

“It helps them maintain their independence,” Serio told the news source about exercise for seniors. “If they are active and they’re doing things, then they keep up their stamina, they keep up their flexibility, they’re able to carry their own groceries from the market or hang their own clothes on the line.” She adds that seniors can find ways to exercise in their day to day tasks, such as gardening or playing with the grandkids.

A study from the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine give advice to caregivers and medical professionals looking for ways to motivate seniors to get active. The study suggests physicians write a prescription for exercise on an official prescription pad, as older adults are more likely to respond to doctor’s official orders. They can also talk to seniors about the importance of safety, and help assuage any fears about injury during exercise.

In addition to the fitness and exercise classes offered here at Southgate, there are many other regularly-scheduled activities to keep our residents active and social. Some of our seniors’ favorites are our weekly line-dancing and bowling league. We also have a fully-equipped health club and spa complete with swimming pool and exercise equipment. The health and wellness of our residents is our number one priority here at Southgate, and our community allows our seniors to choose what best fits their lifestyle and gives them the freedom to design their own day.

Five New Year’s Resolutions to Better Connect Seniors and Their Families

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Life is full of traditions. Many are handed down through the years, and some are newly created between family and friends. Either way, traditions are part of the colorful fabric that intertwines our lives and holds us together, transcending time and distance. One common tradition this time of year is making New Year’s resolutions, which usually include stopping bad habits or starting good habits. This tradition is also a great way to stay connected and engaged with those special seniors in your life. By working together with your aging loved ones to put those resolutions into action, you can both maintain the momentum to keep those commitments throughout the year. Providing accountability for each other provides valuable reinforcement, offers the opportunity to stay in touch regularly, and gives you a greater sense of purpose, which is particularly important for seniors and their well-being . We have compiled a number of interactive New Year’s resolutions designed to keep you connected, in touch, and in tune with each other the entire year:

Start a letter journal.

Thanks to the Internet, handwritten letters are almost a thing of the past. However, seniors come from an era when writing letters by hand was an important, valued form of etiquette—a more personal way of keeping in touch. Purchase a bound journal, write a letter inside and give it to your loved one. He or she then writes a letter to you and returns the journal. The same can be done with individual letters written back and forth and pasted into the book. The process repeats throughout the year, or until the journal is full. Sharing a letter journal with your loved one is a unique way to strengthen your connection and getting to know each other better. An added perk is the excitement of looking forward to receiving “real” mail. You find yourselves thinking of each other more often and contemplating what bit of news to share in the next letter.

Plan to age gracefully.

Growing old has advantages as well as a few disadvantages, such as wrinkles, gray hair and changes to our bodies. It is never too late to decide to pursue a healthy lifestyle, which increases the odds of aging gracefully. Plan to exercise often, eat nutritious foods and encourage each other while doing so. If you live near your senior loved one, take walks or participate in a group exercise class together. Even if your senior lives far away, you can take walks during the same time of day and talk on the phone to plan healthy meals and other activities. Share your favorite recipes. Exchanging healthy recipes helps your elderly loved one eat more nutritious meals and gives you the opportunity to ensure she is eating well. As a bonus, your loved one sends you favorite family recipes that have been passed down through the generations.

Get tech savvy.

A study in 2010 found that seniors are the fastest growing demographic on social networks. If mom and dad do not already have a computer, now is the time to expand their horizons. It might seem a bit intimidating at first, but once they are comfortable, their prowess might surprise you. Communicating and trading pictures via email becomes a snap. Even better, webcams allow “face-to-face” conversations between family members who live far apart. The grandkids can relay their adventures, and everyone gets the pleasure of seeing each other laugh. You also get the chance to observe your loved one and check for signs of good or failing health. Southgate offers a variety of computer courses to our senior community on topics like becoming familiar with your electronic devices, internet safety, learning how to use social media and more.  Our residents can check our activities calendar for dates and times of the courses offered.

Talk about the hard stuff.

This resolution is not fun, but it is the most important. While your senior is able, help set the standards of care he or she desires should he or she become incapacitated later. Decide if you will designate a family member or hire a senior care professional to be the primary caregiver. Talking about estate planning and wills, along with other related issues, helps prepare everyone for the inevitable. Discussing these things in advance ensures that your loved one’s wishes are recorded and understood by all. Making New Year’s resolutions together builds bonds with family and friends. Set your resolution, involve your loved one and help each other reach your goals.

It’s been a great year for our Southgate community and we wish all our residents and their friends and family a happy New Year and a wonderful 2017!