Coping with Winter Blues: Mental Health Support for Seniors

During the winter season, many seniors experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), sometimes referred to as “the winter blues.” SAD is a type of depression that is associated with a specific time of year, especially fall and winter. Mental health professionals don’t conclusively know the cause of SAD—the most popular theory is that a decrease in sun exposure alters the brain’s

The Advantages of a Career in Healthcare

A group of newly graduated nursing students stand in front of the good shepherd colors—green and gold.

If you’re looking for a stable, meaningful career that brings positive change to the lives of the most vulnerable among us, consider a job in healthcare. Healthcare is one of the fastest growing and most diverse industries in the world, with thousands of different positions available in different aspects of the field—from patient care to property management. Whether you’re looking to

How to Celebrate the Holidays in Assisted Living

Transitioning to life at an assisted living facility can be a significant challenge, especially during the holidays. For many families, holiday celebrations are among the most important annual traditions, and residents can be reluctant to move those celebrations into a new and unfamiliar place.   Luckily, there are several ways to spruce up your celebrations to help your loved one in

Preparing for Flu Season: Promoting Senior Health in Care Facilities

A female nurse in blue scrubs checks the pulse of an elderly man with a stethoscope.

  Flu season is just around the corner, and while it’s important for everyone to take precautions to avoid getting sick, it is especially important for seniors. The CDC estimates that somewhere between 50% and 70% of all influenza-related hospitalizations are among those aged 65 and over. Taking adequate steps to protect at-risk seniors can not only prevent illness—it can

The Role of Social Activities in a Senior Living Community

Senior women having fun together, branded with Good Shepherd logo

As we get older and begin the later stages of life, there is a lot to consider regarding independence. Health conditions or simply age may impact a person’s ability to live alone and care for themselves effectively. Some families may have a live-in nurse or caretaker, have another member of the family move in to assist with care, or transition

Talking to Your Loved One About Assisted Living With Compassion

Assisted living staff handing water to aging woman

When it comes to having conversations about long-term care needs with your aging parents, addressing the topic sooner rather than later is best. While this can be a difficult and complex conversation, discussing the possibility of moving into assisted living can help ensure your loved one receives the care they need to live a happy, healthy life.  The experts at

Transitioning Your Assets | Tips for Managing Your Estate

Estate planning can often be an uncomfortable and overwhelming process, making it easy to put off for years. If your plans aren’t in order, however, it can cause your loved ones a lot of stress in the future. It’s important to think about estate planning as a positive solution for making sure your wishes are followed and making it easy

Jack’s Column

Gathering wood.  Stacking wood.  Cords of wood.  These are familiar terms to an era gone by, when a majority of the population used wood for central heating and cooking. Keeping the wood box full probably was one of your duties.  Your mother depended on you to have a supply handy so she could cook a hot meal. Things changed with

Jack’s Cabinet of Curiosities: Attitude and Positivity

Attitude is an interesting word. We use it to define a person’s outlook on life. A positive attitude exemplified by a person brings forth a good feeling to other people. While a negative attitude creates an atmosphere of bad feelings. When we meet people for the first time, we probably evaluate the persons general outlook on life. If we If

Jack’s Cabinet of Curiosities: Technology and the Workforce

Positive role models are a good thing for young people. Hopefully, those models can be established in a young person by observing a family members lifestyle. Let us apply this role model to how a family takes care of the daily living activities; how much "smoother" a day can go if everyone "pitches in." If all have a positive attitude