The Power of Peers
If the Healthy Living workshops at LifePath run by any core principle, it is, “We are all in this together.” Healthy Living workshop leaders, men and women with chronic conditions themselves, volunteer many hours facilitating workshops to support community members living with challenging health conditions.
Even though many come with professional backgrounds in nursing, health education,
Three Years of Work Culminate in Launch of Age- and Dementia-Friendly Action Plan
An Age- and Dementia-Friendly Action Plan is a comprehensive strategy developed by a community to ensure that its infrastructure, services, and policies are designed and implemented in a way that supports and accommodates the needs of people of all ages, particularly older adults. These action plans are specifically focused on creating environments that are accessible,
Communication and Living with Chronic Conditions
Living with chronic conditions affects our entire lives; we might need accommodations at work, or when we travel or shop, or gather with our friends. We need good communication to manage all this and help others to understand how they can help and support us. We need good communication to understand how our condition affects
May is Older Americans Month, a Time to Celebrate Aging Unbound and Challenge the Status Quo!
Established in 1963, Older Americans Month (OAM) is celebrated every May. Led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), OAM is a time for us to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of older Americans, highlight important trends, and strengthen our commitment to honoring our older citizens.
This year’s theme, Aging Unbound, offers an opportunity to explore
Older Adults and Balance Problems
Have you ever felt dizzy, lightheaded, or as if the room were spinning around you? These can be troublesome sensations. If the feeling happens often, it could be a sign of a balance problem.
Many older adults experience problems with balance and dizziness. Problems can be caused by certain medications, balance disorders, or other medical conditions.
Villages are Thriving Thanks to Resident Effort and Ingenuity
The vast majority of older people in Western Mass want to “age in place,” or continue living in their homes and communities for as long as possible. To achieve this goal, people can seek support from their local aging network. This includes Councils on Aging, senior centers, LifePath (an Area Agency on Aging), private businesses
The Real, Not the Ideal: Moving Beyond Healthism
Wellness is not being disease free; wellness is not always about eating vegetables, or sleeping well, or exercising. There are many of us who live our day-to-day lives not feeling well, or have found ourselves coping with various conditions that we didn’t ask for, and struggling with managing work, family, relationships, and the difficult emotions
A Volunteer’s Story: “You take small steps to reach your big goals”
Gale Mason helps her neighbors learn ways to better manage their health
Gale Mason (above left) co-led her first Healthy Living community workshop with Andi Waisman (above right), Healthy Living program manager at LifePath. “I think it was the first workshop either one of us had led,” says Gale, “so we really relied heavily on each