Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of June 15th
Golden Living . . . News for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers
Todd N. Tancredi, Director
Dutchess County Office for the Aging
AVOIDING LOCKDOWN WEIGHT GAIN
Many of us have had more free time over the past three months because of restrictions related to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, and have used that free time to seek out delicious new recipes. Learning new skills as we age is a key component of successful aging – but, having enjoyed the results of the recipes for a couple of months, some of us got on our scales and saw a number that was higher than we like to see. What can we do about that?
It can be as simple as going for an easy walk. A walk can help right away, especially if you’ve overindulged in something tasty but less than nutritionally ideal.
A SHORT WALK CAN GO A LONG WAY
The COVID-19 pandemic dominated the news in March, so it was easy to miss the results of a major study on walking published in March in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study found that for those over 40, the more steps they took, the lower their risk for mortality from all causes. And here’s a bonus if you can only walk slowly, or if slow-walking is what your prefer: the study indicated that the speed and intensity of the walking didn’t matter. Fitness improved at any walking speed.
WALK US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
If you’ve ever worked in an office, you know that there are often tempting snacks available, either right at one’s desk or nearby. If you’re retired, the snacks might be sitting there on your kitchen table, calling your name. But a quick stroll can help keep temptation at bay, according to a study in the journal Appetite. Participants in the study who got up for a 15-minute walk only consumed half as much chocolate as more sedentary workers.
A CONSTITUTIONAL CLEARS THE COBWEBS
Ever feel like you’re thinking more clearly after wrapping up a walk? There’s science behind that feeling; a University of Maryland study of people ages 55 to 85 found that just one exercise session increased activity in the parts of the brain associated with memory. You can get plenty of thinking done during your “daily constitutional,” too – especially if you have a walking companion with which to share the experience.
BE PREPARED
There’s an old Swedish saying that goes “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” In other words, be ready for the weather: Dress appropriately and wear a wide-brimmed hat to block some of the sun’s rays. Use sunscreen and bug repellent as needed, keep yourself well-hydrated, and avoid walking during the hottest parts of the day or when thunderstorms are expected.
Golden Living is prepared by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, 114 Delafield St., Poughkeepsie, New York 12601, telephone (845) 486-2555, email: ofa@dutchessny.gov website: www.dutchessny.gov/aging
POUGHKEEPSIE DMV OFFICE REOPENS BY-APPOINTMENT-ONLY (Mon 6/15)
Dutchess County Clerk Bradford H. Kendall has announced the Poughkeepsie NYS DMV location at 22 Market Street in Poughkeepsie, will resume in-person license, permits and non-driver ID transactions on June 15th – by appointment only.
The county’s other DMV locations will remain closed, for now.
Full press release here: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/County-Clerk/39777.htm
Other aging news online:
Archived webinar – on why COVID-19 is especially dangerous to older adults: https://www.giaging.org/news-events/tester/archived-webinar/why-covid-19-preys-on-older-adults-what-the-science-says-and-doesnt-say/
Look on the bright side of life…but why? One study indicates patterns of negative thinking are closely associated with dementia: https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/alzheimersdisease/86953?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2020-06-09&eun=g1261622d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%20Top%20Cat%20HeC%20%202020-06-09&utm_term=NL_Daily_DHE_dual-gmail-definition
Three views of “virtual grandparenting”: https://seniorplanet.org/virtual-grandparenting-three-views/?mc_cid=91d0a7931f&mc_eid=4149ad7bda
How does line-dried laundry manage to smell so good? Here’s the science: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/science/laundry-smell-line.html?fbclid=IwAR0DroPyrH3zK_7ZLMQmYtBtnCRyyFJfQKrqwwt0fw_S0gWD0MIp7OVezuI
This week in senior birthdays:
6/13: Actor/comedian Tim Allen (67)
6/14: Actor/comedian Marla Gibbs (89)
6/15: “Dance Fever” host Deney Terrio (70)
6/16: Writer Joyce Carol Oates (82)
6/17: Singer/songwriter Barry Manilow (77)
6/18: Singer/songwriter Paul McCartney (78)
6/19: Author/academic Salman Rushdie (73)
And here’s the weekly Bad Joke.
Julie Andrews recently announced she would no longer be endorsing cheap lipstick, because it crumbles easily and makes her breath smell. As she explained…
(WAIT FOR IT)
“The super color fragile lipstick gives me halitosis.”
