An Active Adult Community Blog

When you can’t spend much time outside (due to winter conditions or unexpected social distancing recommendations during a global pandemic like COVID-19), the days can seem to drag on forever, especially if you suffer from seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). According to Healthline, while the cause is unknown, those of us who live in places with less sunlight exposure are more likely to experience SAD. 

If you are a new empty nester or perhaps recently retired, one of the last things you may want to do is be responsible for a pet. However, there are several benefits to owning a pet: a constant loving companion, increased exercise, improved overall health, and reduced stress. 

Spring is finally here, which means warmer weather… and spring cleaning. While the latter may not be as pleasant as the former, deep cleaning your home, especially if you plan to downsize, is important to the overall maintenance of your house.

These four tips can make spring cleaning and downsizing your home much easier. 

The recent COVID-19 outbreak has left many stuck inside their homes until the danger passes. This time in quarantine can get boring. Or, if you have school-aged children, perhaps you now need to find activities to amuse them between at-home schoolwork. Instead of spending your days sitting on the couch in front of your television, get in the kitchen and bake the things you’ve always wanted to try but never had the time to! Below are our favorite three recipes from Taste of Home that you and your family can enjoy.

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is at the forefront of the news, conversations, and minds across the world right now. In a few short months, this virus has traveled across the globe at record speed and now, it’s up to our communities to help flatten the curve and protect the more vulnerable.

Hosting a party in your home can be stressful, no matter what the purpose is. Maybe you want to meet new friends in your neighborhood. Perhaps this is the first time the whole family has gotten together since they all moved out and left you an empty nester. Or, maybe this gathering is the first after the passing of your spouse. Whatever the case may be, throwing a party doesn’t need to take weeks to plan or zap all of your energy. Remember these three tips to keep things simple when planning your next gathering.

Winter tends to linger in the Midwest. It is sometimes as if the cold seeps into your bones, spurring many to boost their thermostats to keep their home feeling warm and cozy.

If you are a new zero-entry homeowner, you may be concerned about energy costs during these chilly months. If you want to save on your heating bill but can’t do a lot of home repair or upgrades on your own, the following energy-saving tips can be useful.

Contrary to popular belief, getting older doesn’t mean getting set in our ways. Anyone, at any age, can make positive life changes. Each of us can benefit from stepping back and evaluating our lives in order to focus on where we want to go next. Here are some of the major changes that many of us experience as we move into our fifties and beyond.

Maintaining a close group of friends as you age can be difficult. Something that starts off as easily as knocking on a front door asking if so-and-so can go play can turn into scheduling dinner with a friend three weeks in advance—and then rescheduling two times. As interests change and people move on in their lives, friendships tend to go by the wayside in favor of jobs, kids, and family. 

Outdoor living provides comfort, relaxation, and enjoyment that’s hard to beat. Fresh smells, cool breezes, and warm sunshine provide the perfect backdrop for dinner parties, morning reading sessions, and laughter with friends and family. While you might be used to having a deck for this purpose, there are benefits to having a patio with a concrete slab instead. Contrary to what you might think, this feature doesn’t have to be drab and boring.