MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS FOR IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH
As we age, maintaining both physical and mental health becomes increasingly important. For seniors, the combination of meditation and mindfulness offers a simple, powerful way to improve overall well-being. These practices, which involve focusing attention on the present moment and cultivating a sense of calm, can have profound effects on mental, emotional, and physical health. Often, however, the idea of meditation is overwhelming. We have an image of sitting on a cushion for hours at a time, thinking of nothing. Many clients have told me they “can’t focus,” and I often hear, “I feel like I’m doing it wrong.” These are understandable feelings, and nearly everyone I know who meditates regularly started with these exact thoughts.
November is here, which for me feels like fall has finally arrived (even though September 22 was the official first day). Perhaps it’s the unseasonably warm weather keeping this year’s season feeling like an extended summer, but no matter the forecast, I’m planning a pot of chili for the coming week and thinking about Thanksgiving dinner (and dessert).
This month’s ONC is full of what we hope are useful, timely and action-oriented articles to help us reflect on a month focusing on gratitude, thankfulness and togetherness.
Our feature focuses on the role of meditation and mindfulness in mental health. November is the perfect time to reflect on how mindfulness contributes to our mental health and wellbeing, encouraging slowing down, paying attention and strengthening our awareness. Awareness is often the first step in change, and mindfulness and meditation practices create space for awareness. We can “see” what is going well in our lives, what may need to change and the direction we’d like to be going. Mindfulness and meditation practices also help us live in the present moment, which is fleeting and important.
In Ask the Expert, AOS Care Management’s Lead Care Manager Jennifer Tyner helps a reader live in alignment
Well, it’s official: fall is here. I had my first pumpkin-spiced latte just ture dipped low enough to merit a fleece.
Don’t worry. It was decaf.
with her own values and priorities with a terminal diagnosis, even if those values may differ from those of her kids and family. Tyner explores this difficult subject by offering empathy, insight and practical suggestions for navigating difficult choices and conversations.
October is a gentle month. There are constant reminders of change. we are lucky, toward each other. We have lingering conversations the flames flicker. Smoke dances around us in a circle. We zip our
for the
Amy Phariss, Editor-in-Chief ,
In this month’s feature, we’re starting an important conversation: care community for ourselves or a loved one? Fox Hollow Senior Robin Hutchings offers inside perspective for making this decision.
In Ask the Expert, Amy Natt answers a reader’s question regarding away without any estate planning. Without a will or access to important
November is also Caregiver Appreciation Month. At AOS and ONC, we appreciate and celebrate all the caregivers among us daily, and we appreciate a month to highlight how important caregivers are in all of our lives. In our article Many Thanks: Caregiver Appreciation Month, we highlight 7 ways to show appreciation and thanks for the caregivers in our lives.
Physical therapist Dr. Sara Morrison of Total Body Therapy and Wellness potential diagnostic tools used in physical therapy to help diagnose these tools differ from what other doctor’s offices may offer.
Finally, as we all prepare for turkey day, we offer a few lighter, simpler recipes using seasonal ingredients for easy and healthy dinners to share this month.
I’m going to agree with Nathaniel Hawthorne this month, who wrote: I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine spent almost all the daylight hours in the open air.
Here’s to enjoying the October sunshine, falling leaves and daylight
We give thanks for you, our readers, and for our connection to the entire community as we barrel along into winter and toward a new year. Thank you for your thoughtful feedback, creative ideas and, most of all, your companionship.
Jennifer Tyner, AOS Care Management, Lead Care Manager | jennifert@aoscaremanagement.com
Question: I have just been diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time in my life. I am about to turn 78, and I don’t want to go through chemotherapy and radiation. I don’t have the energy, and this isn’t how I want to spend my last years with my family. However, my children are very upset. How can I help them understand how I feel and accept my decision?
Answer: Education is key here. Talk about quality of life vs. quantity of life with your family. Maybe even have your family be at your doctor’s appointment to talk about what chemotherapy and radiation will do. Talk about your bucket list and what you want to accomplish with the rest of your life and how those treatments would affect that. Helping your family understand the toll of treatment can help them understand why you have decided to forgo treatment and focus on other ways to spend the time you have left.
Try to get them excited about what you want to do for the rest of your life vs. what they want you to do. Being specific can be helpful here. Saying you want to have peace is a vague idea, but saying you’d like to spend your days in nature, with your grandchildren is a more specific example. Sometimes, people can better understand something specific.
Definitely get on hospice services and get your family involved. Hospice services support the entire family and can help support difficult conversations.
You can start bereavement counseling before someone passes away. This can allow them to grieve while you’re still here, and that’s okay. Hospice can also help in establishing bereavement counseling and finding support.
Another idea is to create a book you can write now (story line). You could do something like this with your family. Try to involve them in all the positive things you can still do while you’re here.
I love the idea of the bucket list, too. This is a list of what you want to do with the time you have left. You can involve your family in the process. You can plan a special trip with each person. You can make new memories.
It sounds like your family loves you and wants what is best for you. Our initial reaction when someone is sick is to try to “make them better.” It sounds like they’re struggling with how best to do that, and a conversation and education could be helpful. Be honest and open with how you feel, what you want and how you envision your time being spent. And let them know how they can help and support you.
MEDITATION Mindfulness & FOR IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH
What am I doing?
Am I doing it wrong?
This doesn’t feel peaceful.
I’m not getting anything from this.
I don’t have time to meditate!
However, all the people I know who meditate regularly also experience incredible benefits from their practice. This month, we’re exploring how meditation helps overall health and specifically how it aids in better overall mental health including decreased anxiety and depression, increased cognitive function, pain management, increased connection, increased feelings of positivity and gratitude, and increased ability to manage stress.
Let’s dive deeper into how meditation impacts each of these areas for improved health and wellbeing.
Mental Health Management
Aging often brings new challenges such as coping with retirement, managing chronic conditions, or dealing with loneliness. Meditation and mindfulness can be effective tools to manage these stressors, reduce anxiety, and improve emotional regulation. For seniors, regular meditation has been shown to lower levels of stress hormones, which can help ease the burdens of anxiety and depression.
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
ENCOURAGES INDIVIDUALS TO STAY PRESENT AND OBSERVE THEIR THOUGHTS WITHOUT JUDGMENT.
Instead of observing a thought (I feel sad today) and then beginning a journey into rumination and judgement (I’m sad because I’m lonely. I’m lonely because I don’t make friends easily. I don’t make friends easily because I’m awkward), we simply observe and move on.
It’s important to remember that judgement isn’t only negative. It can also be positive. If you notice, for example, you have had several friends reach out that day, you might determine you’re a fabulous conversationalist and highly-sought-after dinner companion. The point is to avoid either side of judgement.
I feel sad today.
Several friends have reached out today.
Period. Notice and move on.
Mindfulness encourages neutral, non-judgmental awareness. The practice involves observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise, without labeling them as “good” or “bad.” Instead of reacting with self-criticism or self-praise, mindfulness promotes a sense of acceptance and understanding. By cultivating this neutral stance, individuals can see their thoughts and feelings more clearly and reduce the tendency to get caught up in cycles of self-judgment.
This practice can encourage emotional resilience. Gone is a focus on past regret or future worries. Gone are the rabbit holes of rumination and the excessive mental pacing of what might happen next. Mindfulness is appreciating the moment not because it’s good, per se, but simply because it is the only moment we have. We no longer wish it to be different. When we accept the moment as it is, we no longer search for perfection. We can tolerate the imperfect, which fosters resilience.
MINDFULNESS ALSO ENHANCES SELF-COMPASSION, AN ESSENTIAL SKILL FOR SENIORS ADJUSTING TO THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHANGES THAT COME WITH AGING.
Self-compassion is an extension of acceptance, particularly of the imperfect. We are all imperfect. When we can accept ourselves as imperfect, we actually have more energy and focus for creating better, healthier, happier lives. We’re not weighted by constant criticism and negativity, and we’re not deluded by toxic positivity. We can accept what is without needing to change it, which means we can accept ourselves as well.
Brain Benefits
One of the most concerning aspects of aging is the decline in cognitive function, including memory and attention. Studies have shown that meditation can help slow the progression of cognitive decline. Mindfulness practices stimulate areas of the brain associated with memory and attention, improving focus and mental clarity.
Meditation has also been shown to improve emotional regulation, which is often related to activation of the amygdala (the brain’s “fight or flight” center). The amygdala is associated with stress and emotional responses, and it shows less activation in regular meditators. According to research published by the National Institutes of Health (2023), “Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans have pointed out that meditation leads to widespread changes in the brain along with the activation of emotional and cognitive centers of the brain.
MEDITATION HAS SHOWN PROMISING RESULTS WITH AGERELATED BRAIN AGING IN YOUNGER AND MIDDLE-AGED INDIVIDUALS AND IMPROVED VARIOUS BRAIN FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING COGNITION AND OTHER EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS.”
In fact, regular meditation may increase the brain’s gray matter, which plays a critical role in memory and decision-making. This is particularly valuable for seniors who are at risk of conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia. While meditation is not a cure, it can be part of a broader strategy to maintain brain health as we age.
Physical Health and Pain Management
The physical benefits of meditation for seniors are equally significant. Meditation has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and improve heart health. These are all critical factors in preventing common age-related conditions like hypertension and cardiovascular disease. According to researchers studying the effect of meditation on high blood pressure, “The result indicated that meditation was four times more effective in reducing blood pressure compared to health education.”
For seniors dealing with chronic pain, meditation can be a natural way to manage discomfort.
MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR) PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE IN TEACHING PEOPLE TO APPROACH PAIN WITH AWARENESS, REDUCING THE EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
By shifting focus from the pain itself to the present moment, seniors may experience less suffering and greater control over how they react to pain.
Emotional and Social Benefits
Seniors often face emotional challenges linked to loneliness and isolation. Researchers note, “Estimates of the extent of loneliness among older people living in the community vary widely in the literature, with rates as high as 50 to 60 per cent reported in some cases.” Meditation and mindfulness can improve emotional well-being by fostering a sense of connectedness and selfacceptance.
GROUP MEDITATION SESSIONS, OFTEN OFFERED IN COMMUNITY CENTERS OR SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES, CAN ALSO PROVIDE A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION, HELPING OLDER ADULTS BUILD NEW FRIENDSHIPS.
Mindfulness practices also encourage gratitude and positive thinking, which can encourage a more optimistic outlook on life. By focusing on the present and finding joy in everyday moments, we can improve our emotional health and overall happiness.
Conclusion
Meditation and mindfulness are trendy and effective. For those of us who wish to improve our overall health, both can be effective, efficient and accessible means to decrease suffering (physical and mental) and increase wellbeing. If you’re struggling with pain or limitations, meditation may be helpful in reducing stress, improving focus, and managing discomfort by promoting relaxation and mindfulness, which can lead to a greater sense of control and resilience. Next month, we’ll offer tips and tricks for starting (and sticking with) a meditation/mindfulness practice.
References:
Granada, Linda & Boldy, Duncan. 2008. Social isolation and loneliness among older people: issues and future challenges in community and residential settings
Australian Health Review. Aug. Vol 32 No 3
Jamil A, Gutlapalli SD, Ali M, Oble MJP, Sonia SN, George S, Shahi SR, Ali Z, Abaza A, Mohammed L. Meditation and Its Mental and Physical Health Benefits in 2023. Cureus. 2023 Jun 19;15(6):e40650. doi: 10.7759/cureus.40650. PMID: 37476142; PMCID: PMC10355843.
Javadzade, N., Esmaeili, S.V., Omranifard, V. et al. Effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on depression, emotion regulation, and sleep problems: A randomized controlled trial study on depressed elderly. BMC Public Health 24, 271 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889024-17759-9
With the holidays in full swing, we thought some festive recipes would heat up the season. We also think healthy recipes can be tasty recipes. So many times, when January rolls around, the bloat is real. We’re all exhausted from cookies, cakes and cocktails (yes, it’s possible). So this year, we’re offering simple options for a solid, basic American meal: chicken and veggies.
These recipes are high on flavor, full of healthy fats and based on seasonal ingredients. Enjoy!
Rosemary & Lemon Roasted Chicken
• INGREDIENTS :
o 4 chicken thighs or breasts
o 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
o 1 lemon, thinly sliced
o 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
o 2 TBSP olive oil
o Salt and pepper, to taste
• INSTRUCTIONS :
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Arrange the chicken pieces in a baking dish. Place rosemary sprigs, lemon slices, and garlic cloves around and under the chicken.
3. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Serve with the roasted garlic and lemons and salad or vegetable of your choice.
Cranberry Orange Roasted Chicken
• INGREDIENTS :
o 1 whole chicken or 4 chicken breasts
o 1/2 cup cranberries (fresh or dried)
o 1 orange, thinly sliced
o 2 TBSP honey
o 1 TBSP olive oil
o 1 TSP fresh rosemary, chopped
o 1 TSP fresh thyme, chopped
o Salt and pepper, to taste
• INSTRUCTIONS :
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Place chicken in a roasting pan and arrange cranberries and orange slices around and on top.
3. Drizzle with honey and olive oil, and sprinkle with herbs, salt, and pepper.
4. Roast for 45-60 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked (internal temperature of 165°F/74°C).
Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Pomegranate
• INGREDIENTS :
o 4 chicken breasts
o 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
o 1/4 cup honey (local is best for additional health benefits)
o 2 garlic cloves, minced
o 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
o 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
o 2 TBSP olive oil
o Salt and pepper, to taste
• INSTRUCTIONS :
1. In a small saucepan, mix balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, and pomegranate juice. Bring to a boil, then simmer until it reduces to a thick glaze.
2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the chicken until golden on each side (about 5 minutes per side).
3. Pour the balsamic glaze over the chicken, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the chicken is fully cooked (internal temperature of 165°F/74°C).
4. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
Spiced Apple Cider Roasted Vegetables
• INGREDIENTS :
o 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
o 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into sticks
o 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
o 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
o 1/2 cup apple cider
o 1/4 TSP ground cinnamon
In a large mixing bowl, combine apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, olive oil, salt,
Add the carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes to the bowl, tossing until the vegetables are evenly coated with the spiced cider mixture.
4. Spread the vegetables out on a lined baking sheet in a single layer.
5. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and caramelized.
6. Serve warm as a side dish to complement your holiday meals.
MANY THANKS: CAREGIVER APPRECIATION MONTH
Amy Phariss, LCMHCA, Clarity Counseling NC
Caregivers are the unsung heroes of families and communities. They work tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to ensure loved ones are taken care of in so many ways. From doctor’s visits to grocery shopping to bill paying, caregivers take on the daily tasks necessary for all of us to survive and thrive.
This month, we show our gratitude for caregivers as part of Caregivers Appreciation Month.
If you have a caregiver in your life whom you’d like to show thanks for, here are 7 ideas to express your appreciation and help them feel valued:
1. Offer Respite Care
Give caregivers a break by arranging for someone to take over their duties for a few hours or a day, allowing them time to rest and recharge. It’s often hard for caregivers to imagine letting someone else take over, even for a day, so ask how you can help or what would be most effective. Is it a half-day to attend a child’s school event? Would it be an evening session so the caregiver can have dinner out with a spouse? These few hours often get lost in the hectic day-to-day of caregiving but can mean a lot for someone who rarely gets a break.
2. Write a Heartfelt Thank-You Note
A simple, sincere note expressing gratitude can mean a lot, letting caregivers know their hard work is seen and valued. Just a notecard with a few sentences letting the caregiver know the difference their work is making in your life or the life of your loved one can go a long way to “filling the tank” for the caregiver.
3. Organize a Day Out
Plan a fun outing tailored to their interests, like a movie, museum visit, or even a peaceful day at the park. Planning requires a lot of mental energy, which is often in short supply when we’re caring for a loved one. Many caregivers wear multiple hats: mom, employee, daughter, wife, husband, brother, etc. It’s a treat when someone else takes on the mental load of planning something fun!
4. Prepare a Meal
Cook or order a meal for the caregiver to ease their workload and provide them with a comforting, ready-to-eat option. For people who are often cooking for others or thinking more about someone else’s nutrition instead of their own, not having to think about a meal can actually mean a lot. It’s a simple act that says: I see you working, and I’m here to make sure you’re taken care of.
5. Give a Thoughtful Gift
Accessible Communication with Captions!
Relay
Conference Captioning
Relay Conference Captioning (RCC) service is available for individuals who have a hearing loss or a speech disability to actively participate in teleconference calls or webinars by reading live captions on their laptop, mobile device or tablet.
Consider a gift the person would love, such as a favorite book, cozy blanket, spa set, or a subscription to a streaming service. It’s so easy to forget about our own desires or wants when someone else is suffering or in need. Caregivers often focus on the immediate needs of others (medication, mealtimes, appointments, emotional support). Sometimes, a thoughtful gift allows them to take a moment and enjoy something they wouldn’t have bought for themselves. Gift cards are another great option. Sometimes, the biggest luxury is simply not having to think about how something will fit into our budget.
6. Help with Errands
To inquire, contact kim.m.calabretta@t-mobile.com or visit relaync.com/rcc
Assist with grocery shopping, laundry, or other tasks to lighten their load and give them more time for themselves. These are often tasks that require less skill or training, so they can be done without a lot of hassle, training or instruction. You can even plan an errand day, have the caregiver make you a list and knock it out in a few hours.
7. Arrange for Professional Services
Consider gifting services like house cleaning, meal delivery, or a massage, helping to ease their daily responsibilities. Everyone needs help with the daily activities of life, even caregivers (especially caregivers). Taking one thing off their plate (cleaning the floors and bathrooms) means they can relax in the evening and spend time unwinding instead of looking at the kitchen and wondering when the counters are going to get cleared off.
Caregivers play a vital role in the lives of those they support, often putting others’ needs before their own. Taking the time to show appreciation can make a world of difference, reminding them that their hard work, compassion, and dedication are seen and valued. As we celebrate Caregiver Appreciation Month, let’s all take a moment to recognize and thank the caregivers around us, letting them know how much they mean to our families and communities.
MOORE COUNTY
Beethoven Piano
Concerto No. 3
THU, NOV 14, 2024 | 7:30PM
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Stephen Hough, piano
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3
Brahms: Symphony No.1
Holiday Pops
THU, DEC 12, 2024 | 7:30PM
Celebrate the season with festive holiday favorites and your North Carolina Symphony.
Concert Sponsor: Aging Outreach Services
Mozart “Jupiter” Symphony
THU, APR 10, 2025 | 7:30PM
Mozart: Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”
ACROSS
1) One of three fairy-tale bears
5) Harass
11) Many college <legs.
14) Voting nay
15) Fainting
16) Little amphibian
17) Frighten one's Halloween staff?
19) Anger
20) Kind of station
21) Lawyer's objection
23) Happen
26) Wanna-_ (copycats)
27) Inebriate
28) Remote access?
30) Fatalities
31) Reward for waiting?
32) TV watchers
35) What caused Dracula to go the doctor?
40) Those preparing for a break
41) _ Perignon
43) Put forward as truth
46) Get involved in a different sort?
49) Gather some wool
50) Bawl
52) Conquers
53) Crested parrot
55) Carne in first
56) "To_ is human ... "
57) Like a cairn spirit?
62) "Born as"
63) Scotland's_ Islands
64) Visitors to baby Jesus
65) It causes you to lose one hr. of sleep
66) Napped leathers
67) Black, poetically
DOWN
1) Mas' mates
2) Anti-apartheid party, for short
3) After-school bake sale org.
4) Nonlethal weapon
5) They've got your parts covered
6) Cigar residue
7) Stockholm citizen
8) Saddle afflictions
9) Weaver's equipment
10) Consumers of products
11) Lebanese capital
12) Way to begin
13) Cordwood units
18) Make, as money
22) Cook in an oven
23) When Sept. ends?
24) Elegantly and stylishly fashionable
25) Mafia chief
26) Lose a staring contest
11) Many college <legs.
14) Voting nay
15) Fainting
16) Little amphibian
17) Frighten one's Halloween staff?
19) Anger
20) Kind of station
21) Lawyer's objection
23) Happen
26) Wanna-_ (copycats)
27) Inebriate
28) Remote access?
30) Fatalities
31) Reward for waiting?
32) TV watchers
35) What caused Dracula to go the doctor?
46) Get involved in a
49) Gather some wool
50) Bawl
52) Conquers
53) Crested parrot
55) Carne in first
56) "To _ is human ... "
57) Like a cairn spirit?
62) "Born as"
63) Scotland's_ Islands
64) Visitors to baby Jesus
65) It causes you to lose one hr. of sleep
66) Napped leathers
67) Black, poetically
Gray Matter Games Solutions
Choice. Comfort. You.
SENIOR LIVING YOUR WAY
You deserve classic charm, modern senior living, and the freedom to do what you love. With Assisted Living or Memory Care at Fox Hollow, our compassionate, long-standing team is here to help you make the most of each day. From our care to our activities calendar, dining menus, and lifestyle options, this is your home—where everything is customized just for you.
RECEIVE CARE YOU CAN DEPEND ON
• Exercise classes and on-site wellness therapy
• Weekly housekeeping and linen service
• Scheduled, local transportation
• Award-winning Bridge to Rediscovery™ Memory Care
DISCOVER ACTIVITIES AS FUN AS YOU
• Lifestyle360 activity program for well-rounded days
• Live entertainment, movie nights, and game-watching parties
• Resident clubs and spiritual services
FEAST ON FIVE STAR FLAVOR
• Signature, chef-prepared dishes served restaurant-style daily
• Individualized options to accommodate preferences and dietary restrictions
• Private rooms available for family dining
• Always Available Menu so you can dine whenever you like
