Hall About Health Summer 2024 by The Times

Hallabout HEALTH

SENIORS HELPING SENIORS

Pictured: Dr. Matthew Vaughn, DMD

Summer 2024

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Stephanie Woody

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Margie Rogers

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Jessica Shirley

ADVERTISING SALES

Jenna Wellborn, Ashley Beaz

CREATIVE SERVICES

Chelsea Sunshine, April Seymour, Courtney Smith

MIND YOUR THOUGHTS

BY SUDIE CROUCH | Health and Wellness Columnist

A fellow health coach recently shared a bit of trivia I found fascinating. We think over 60,000 thoughts a day. To say I was surprised was an understatement! Sixtythousand thoughts is a huge number and when I started exploring more information about it, I found out that number may even be on the low side.

Our brain is processing upwards of 70,000 thoughts per day according to the Cleveland Clinic’s website healthybrains.org.

We may not realize we’re thinking that many thoughts at times – but our brain is processing and functioning in ways we may not realize as it takes in subtle cues and information and attributes it in various ways.

Since our brain plays many roles in our day to day lives, the fact that we’re having this many thoughts is a fascinating piece in how we may direct our actions and behaviors.

We’ve often heard about the power of positive thinking – Norman Vincent Peale wrote a book about the very subject. But what if there is something to it?

Imagine if out of those 60,000 plus thoughts they are negative. They are focused on fear, anger, negativity; we’re replaying failures, regrets, and arguments. How does that take a toll on a person’s mental health? It can worsen depression, anxiety, and raise our blood pressure. Not good for our mental and physical health at all.

So what happens if we shift some of those 70,000 thoughts towards subjects that are more uplifting and positive?

The health impact of positive thoughts

There’s one reason people tell us to think of rainbows or puppies when we’re stressed. It helps us release dopamine and oxytocin in our brain, which can help lower the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol can cause high blood pressure, inflammation, and fatigue, among a host of other health issues. Lowering our body’s stress response can help us reduce those health risks. When we’re facing a health scare, our attitude and thoughts can help support our outcome as well. While positive thinking shouldn’t be used in the place of medical care, it can help support our overall well being. Watching something that is funny in particular has been linked with improved health for similar reasons to thinking of puppies.

Not only does positive thinking help improve our health, it also helps us be able to be solution focused. Instead of seeing only obstacles and roadblocks, it enables people to look for the opportunities and possibilities. People who tend to be more optimistic also are more active and feel like they have more purpose and meaning to life, which leads to improved health outcomes as well.

What can help shift your thoughts?

It may sound like a daunting task to try to control so

many thoughts and we may even struggle with the how of it. Undoubtedly, of those thousands of thoughts, not all of them can be conscious, intentional ones. Focusing on the ones we can control can help us not only influence those subconscious thoughts but train our brain to have more positive thoughts in general.

One thing that can help you shift your thoughts and perspective is gratitude. Author Melody Beattie describes gratitude as being able to “unlock the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity." If this seems like a challenge at first, start with three things each day that you’re grateful for – they don’t have to be major things, but can be simple ones. Practicing gratitude is a powerful way to start thinking more positively.

Along the lines of thinking about puppies and butterflies, making sure that your environment is positive and encouraging can help as well. If we’re around people who are constantly negative and looking for the bad in every situation, it can be contagious. When we’re around people who help us focus on what’s going well rather than wrong, we start to look for those areas to highlight as well.

Challenging our negative thoughts when they do pop up can also be helpful. Weighing the thoughts as to whether or not they are true and are rooted in fact rather than fear can help us determine if it’s something that we need to dismiss or something that needs to be addressed. If we think something to be true (“No one likes me”) and challenge it by thinking of all the people who do care about us, we’re able to rewire those thoughts into more positive, affirming thought patterns. Reminding ourselves that we don’t have to accept every one of our thoughts as fact but can explore it and ultimately change it can help us have more control over our thought processes, which can lead to healthy, happier lives overall.

SENIORS HELPING SENIORS: A CALLING TO HELP OTHERS

BY SUDIE CROUCH

The 65 years of age and older population is one of the fastest growing populations in the U.S.. As the population continues to age and live longer, it also can create a lot of new dynamics and challenges for families, including how to take care of aging family members who still want their independence. Oftentimes, family members may not be in the position to care for their loved one or even help with daily activities. That’s where Seniors Helping Seniors Lanier comes in – filling that gap and providing a much needed service for seniors.

“At Seniors Helping Seniors Lanier, our mission is to enrich the lives of older adults, by providing our seniors with the ability to choose an independent lifestyle in their own homes, for as long as possible, with the dignity and respect they deserve,” Director Tina Boggs stated. “And, to provide guilt-free peace of mind for families juggling their own lives while providing support to their ailing parents or disabled loved ones. All the while, being obedient and showing God through our care to patients and enriching their lives while here on earth.”

Boggs herself knows how important having that support can be as she experienced this firsthand, as she found herself raising her children while taking care of her mother who was struggling with a chronic illness. Her own experience in trying to find the best support and care for her mother in her final years sparked what she described as a “calling” to help others navigate these often trying circumstances. She and her husband, Grady, were looking for a way to make a difference in the lives of others when they learned about Seniors Helping Seniors and it felt like it was the opportunity they had been waiting for.

“When the Seniors Helping Seniors model was presented to me, it was like a glove. It fit perfectly for where my priorities, passion and purpose would collide,” Boggs said.

Not only is that passion and purpose intersecting, but there is an ever growing need. Since their first franchise location opened in 2022, they have expanded beyond Hall and Forsyth to include Barrow, and Walton counties in their service areas, as well as opening a new location at 5072 Bristol Industrial Way, Suite. B, in Buford.

The services offered include a variety of in-home options from companion care to personal care, offering different levels of care that range from just providing light housekeeping, transportation, and caregiving, as well as a more skilled level of care that can include helping with bathing, medication reminders, wound care, and ambulation.

The caregiving roles are filled by seniors who are matched with the clients based on a number of different things such as interests, hobbies, and other backgrounds

so the pairing will be a good match. Being able to have in-home support has many benefits for the client as well, as it allows them to stay in their home and maintain a certain level of autonomy and independence. It also gives them a sense of belonging and helps them to stay active and have a happier, healthier life, which can help ward off depression, as it keeps the family together.

Having someone that can come in to help, whether it’s for a few hours a day or even just a few times a week can help lessen the stress and provide some much needed support to the family, while also providing a source of connection for the senior.

In addition to providing caregiving and personal care, Seniors Helping Seniors also provides end-of-life care and their caregivers can help step in to provide a gentle break for family members who are filling that role.

“We partner with Home Health, PT and OT, Palliative and Hospice care teams to ensure our clients are getting a holistic care plan across all entities providing the care,” Boggs said.

Additionally, Boggs said that Seniors Helping Seniors Lanier specializes in helping veterans file for Homemaker Services with the Veterans Administration – a service that most veterans may not know about.

“Most veterans are unaware of these benefits or how to file for them,” Boggs said. “Given my 30 years in IT, I am able to assist families at no charge to get the free benefits they deserve. The services are generally based on their disability rating when released from the military, but not always so everyone is encouraged to apply and see what they get. Also, the requirements change often so someone who may not have previously qualified, may qualify later.”

If a veteran is already seeing a VA doctor, they would need to ask for homemaker services from their doctor. If they want Seniors Helping Seniors to provide these services, all they would need to do is let the VA know when they are being evaluated for the Homemaker Services. “We try to find someone between the ages of 35 -75 for these services to shorten the generation gap so they have more in common and it feels like a friend coming alongside them,” Boggs added.

Being able to help provide these services to families helps affirm that feeling that this was indeed a calling for Boggs.

“Helping families navigate getting the care they need to stay in their own homes for as long as possible is what I love most about my role at Seniors Helping Seniors,” Boggs said.

If you’d like more information about the services Seniors Helping Seniors Lanier provides or to become a caregiver, please visit: www.shslanier.com

THE SECRET TO LONG LIFE FROM A 100-YEAR-OLD

BY SUDIE CROUCH

I had quite a remarkable encounter recently. As I stood in line to pay for my gas, the door opened and a man, smiling ear to ear, announced, “Pinch me!”

“Pinch you? Why?” I asked. His joy and enthusiasm was contagious and I, along with the others in the gas station, couldn’t help smiling as well.

“I just celebrated my 100th birthday!” he exclaimed.

The man did not look close to 100. He was fit, moved with relative ease, and had a vibrant personality.

“One hundred – wow!” I said, truly in awe. “What’s helped you reach this amazing age?”

The gentleman smiled warmly and said, “Take care of yourself. And enjoy each day. There is always something to be grateful for and there is so much beauty around us. We just get so focused on the problems, we forget to look for the beauty and the goodness!”

His words were so profound - and true. Some of the factors that we have control over that can influence how well we age are as simple as the advice he shared.

Take care of yourself

Self-care is important, especially as we age. The saying goes that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that’s definitely true when it comes to practicing routine self-care habits. Having routine check-ups with your doctor or medical professional, staying active, eating healthy foods, and having a balance of rest and play are all important aspects of taking care of yourself that can help you age well.

Maintaining our ability to move can help. Our bodies are made to move and there’s a saying in health coaching that motion is lotion. While our range of motion may be a bit different than it was when younger due to changes in our health and bodies, being able to do what we’re able to can make a difference in our health.

Taking care of yourself doesn’t just include the physical or medical aspects. Being kind to yourself, finding things you enjoy, and that feed your soul are important factors too. Being able to volunteer, mentor, and giving back to the community in some way is a key part of maintaining our purpose in life, and that is something that can help us continue to find meaning in life as we mature.

Mindset and Positive Attitude

Having a positive attitude has numerous benefits, including: reducing stress, decrease in depression, better health, improved relationships, enhanced immune function, and increased creativity. Since depression is something that can affect us more as we age, being able to create a positive mindset can be tremendously helpful.

A positive attitude can also help us maintain our cognitive function as we may seek out opportunities to engage with not just others but our world around us. When we’re positive, we also focus on taking preventative measures and have improved resilience.

Focusing on gratitude can also help us as we get older, and that can also be a large component of our mindset. When we focus on the positive things in our life, it helps us to see more positive experiences as well. Our brain seeks out the good to reinforce that feeling of gratitude.

Living in the present moment and not being worried about the future or the past can help us stay rooted in the positive as well. It’s easy to get caught up in things that may not happen and it can be a natural part of life at times; but shifting our attitude towards being focused on the here and now can help us not borrow sorrow from tomorrow, and maybe help us age well, too.

The privilege of growing old is not one that everyone receives. May we all reach the age we want to healthy and happy.

Richard Blatt, MD

Darrell Cheek, MD

Mubeen Mandani, DO

Mark Kats, MD

Craig Brown, MD

Stephanie Wrencher, PA Pulmonology

Greg Mauldin, MD Esther Lee, MD

Rheumatology

Yeohan Song, MD

David Wang, MD

Discover comprehensive women’s health services tailored to your needs. From routine gynecological visits, prenatal and postpartum care, specialized urogynecology, surgical procedures and more — we’re dedicated to being here for you every step of the way.

To schedule an appointment call 770-219-9001 or visit ngpg.org/women.

To provide independent as possible, deserve by

Our Mission

DIGNI TY & RE SP ECT

With a compassionate companion providing assistance, seniors can continue to live happily and age gracefully in the comfort of their own home without sacriﬁcing their independence.

To provide our seniors with the ability to choose an independent lifestyle in their own homes, for as long as possible, with the dignity and respect they deserve by ﬁnding caring seniors to help each other.

Are you a veteran? Did you know that you may qualify for homemaker services paid for by the VA? Contact us, we can help you through the qualifying process.

COMPA SS ION

When

770-884-4358

Fax: 888-690-5115

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SE CU RITY

5072 Bristol Industrial Way, Ste. B Buford, GA 30518

info@shslanier.com www.shslanier.com

When like-minded seniors are able to share their mutual experiences of aging, the care that they give and receive can feel more compassionate because there is a deeper level of understanding.

It is easy to provide seniors with their basic needs, but we’re going above and beyond to make seniors feel valued, happy, and loved. The difference this makes in lives is immeasurable.

Loved ones can feel comforted by the fact that our trusted Caregivers are thoroughly vetted and qualiﬁed to provide compassionate care.