How Cardiac Rehabilitation Can Help You
Have you or a loved one experienced heart complications? At Chicago Methodist Senior Services’ HeartBeats program, we make it our mission to help people recover from heart attacks and other cardiac events, and live better with conditions like heart failure. If you’re unfamiliar with cardiac rehabilitation, let’s take a look at how it could help […]
What You Need to Know About the New Chicago Methodist Senior Services
It may be obvious by now, but things are changing here at Chicago Methodist Senior Services. In addition to our new look, there are a few more exciting new programs we’ve been kicking off this year. Here are a few things you should know about the new Chicago Methodist Senior Services. HeartBeats Cardiac Rehabilitation New […]
Bringing the Holiday Spirit to Loved Ones with Memory Loss
If you have older family members with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of memory loss, you may be unsure of the best ways to keep your loved ones involved in family celebrations this holiday season, especially if they live in a care community. While learning to navigate the holidays when a loved one has memory […]
Five Places to Enjoy Art or Create Your Own in Chicago
Chicago is home to a vibrant mix of art and music, in a wide variety of styles. With almost too many creative spaces to count, it has become easier than ever to get involved in the local art community. This goes for both longtime artists and those who prefer experiencing others’ art to create their […]
Three Health Conditions Affecting Women: Prevention and Treatment Tips
As we age, a number of circumstances – many beyond our control – help to determine what health issues we have a higher likelihood of facing. These can include family genetics, race, and gender. Older women, for example, face higher likelihoods of developing osteoporosis, suffering a stroke, and developing rheumatoid arthritis. But what leads to […]
New Resources for Unexpectedly Healthy Recipes You’ll Love
Preparing healthy meals day in and day out can often feel like a huge undertaking, especially for older adults. Shifts in appetite as well as the onset of health problems can make this more difficult still and lead to a need to increase your daily nutrient intake without adding additional calories to your diet. The […]
How Can a Dietitian Help Older Adults Like You?
Do you ever struggle to maintain a healthy diet? Who doesn’t? Some days, reaching for a burger and fries or a couple slices of pizza may sound far more appealing than loading up on fruits, veggies and healthy whole grains. In fact, an ice cream cone sounds really appealing right about now as temperatures continue […]
Improving the Lives of People with Memory Loss: Art and Music Therapy
CMSS uses art therapy and music therapy to improve the lives of older adults with memory loss. Bringing Art to Life launched this month.
Summer Reading Suggestions Featuring Silver-Haired Heroes
Those seeking adventure come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. According to a study done by LeadingAge, “the proportion of travel adventurers over age 85 has increased more than 70 percent since 2004.” As you plan your escapades to enjoy these long summer days, consider embarking on a journey that doesn’t require any physical travel: […]
LGBTQ Older Adults on the Silver Screen
According to recent estimates, at least 1.5 million adults 65 and older are members of the LGBTQ community. But, even as great strides have been made for LGBTQ rights and representation in recent decades, art and media about the LGBTQ community and movement have often focused on young people. At Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services (CMSS), […]
The Challenges of Aging as an LGBTQ Individual
LGBTQ older adults today have lived through enormous amounts of change, from a time when their preferences were considered psychological disorders to a time when their right to marry is protected throughout the United States. But, as documented in the film Gen Silent, older LGBTQ adults have legitimate concerns about being open about their identities […]
Four Ways to Assess Your Assisted Living Options Before You Need Them – and Why You Should Do So
Moving to an assisted living community is a big decision, and one that can ultimately improve your quality of life by providing the support you need. However, many people put off making a move and, as a result, choose a place to move in a rush when they find themselves in the midst of a […]
What Are My Options for Care as I Grow Older and Which One’s Right for Me Now?
The majority of us will need long-term care at some point or will need to help arrange it for a family member, but it can be difficult to determine which of the various types of care is the right one and the best place to receive that care. The good news is, you can take pressure […]
Simple Ways to Preserve Your Loved One’s Stories
Stories are a way to pass on values, experiences and lessons to help others learn and grow. Across all cultures and societies, stories have always been shared. You can likely think back to a story that has shaped your life, whether it came from a book you read, a movie you watched or an experience […]
Financial Planning for Retirement
Retirement is an exciting time. After years of shaping your day-to-day life around a job, retirement can provide the welcome opportunity to explore other passions and contribute to society in meaningful ways you may not have had time for previously. Hopefully, you’ve been making financial decisions with an eye to retirement for many years, but […]
National Healthcare Decisions Day: Why Making End-of-Life Decisions Now Will Help You Later
April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day dedicated to advanced planning for difficult healthcare situations. End-of-life conversations are difficult to have, but it is better to have them now, while you are able to think them through and consider your options, than to put your family in a position where they do not know your wishes in an emergency.
How Pets Improve the Lives of Seniors
Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services is proud to partner with several local shelters to provide older adults with doses of animal happiness. The volunteer service, Chicago Cares, and cat shelter, Tree House Humane Society, help with this mission by bringing cats and dogs into our communities. They are a huge hit with residents.
Music & Memory: Improving Quality of Life for People with Dementia
The power of music is why CMSS has partnered with Music & MemorySM, a music therapy program for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia that is gaining traction across the country and internationally
Three Mentally Stimulating Art Projects You Can Do with Your Older Loved Ones Today
Art can be an engaging and liberating experience for people of all ages, but it can have a significant mental health impact on older adults.
Celebrating Volunteers Who Give Back to Older Adults
At Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services (CMSS), we’re always looking for new ways to bring joy to our residents and celebrate our volunteers, and recently, we’ve had two notable occasions to do both at Wesley Place.
Student Volunteers Share Their Stories
Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services (CMSS) is proud to have student volunteers who are themselves preparing for careers caring for older adults.
Three Scientifically Proven Ways Music Improves The Lives of Older Adults
There is no denying the power of music. Across cultural and societal lines, music has been proven to bring people together. A recent study from the Tokyo University of Arts went so far as to claim this was why music was first developed: to create communities and societies. As we age, music plays an important role in our quality of life.
Simple Practices for Strengthening Your Spiritual Health As You Age
Older age is a time of change, and that makes it a time of great opportunity. Many retirees take the advantage of a newly-open schedule to take up a charitable cause, explore a new hobby or travel. Why not also consider older age an opportunity to get in improve your spiritual health?
3 Ways Aging Leads to a Better Life
Mary Ann Spina, a Pastoral Associate at Holy Cross Church in Deerfield, Il, recently hosted an event at Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services focused on turning around the perception that because our bodies age, seniors can’t enjoy life as much – or even more than – they ever have before.
3 Ways to Help Your Loved One Open Up About Spirituality and Aging
Most of us spend our lives wondering what will come next. From mundane tasks like which bill we have to pay, to more significant decisions like how many kids we’ll have, our minds are always a few steps ahead. For our older loved ones, though, wondering what comes next can lead to some difficult questions that lack concrete answers.
