Video & Other Media...

This blog category contains links to videos and other media related to the seven blog categories of Designing Brighter Tomorrows. It also has education about the seven categories, information about social media and websites that applicable to the subject, and other resources.                         This site is for information only, and is for your voluntary use at your own risk. See Terms of...

4 Types of Visual Arts To Try...

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” – Thomas Merton Whenever I find myself on the phone for an extended period of time, I always end up with a pen in my hand, doodling little flowers and shapes on whatever piece of scrap paper I can find. The act of moving the pen across the paper, absentmindedly drawing whilst holding a conversation is super relaxing to me. Creating something, even a small doodle can be a great way to relax and get out of your head. Visual arts are a great way to express yourself. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have much artistic experience – expression is all about what you want to create. For many entering the second half of their life, becoming visually creative maybe a great way to bond with others, enhance their brain through creativity, and expand their sense of purpose in life. For those who are facing a tough time communicating because of health-related impairments, visual expression via painting or drawing may be a great way to feel empowered and heard. A friend of mine recently retired, after being a teacher for 40 years. Finding herself with lots of free time, she decided to take up painting and pottery despite that fact that she hadn’t dabbled in the visual arts since she herself was in school. She spends most of her time now creating beautiful paintings of the California landscape or funky little pieces of pottery that she gifts to her friends and family. She says that she’s never been quite as happy as she is right now. Read on to find out about different forms of visual arts and how doing them can benefit you. Painting/Drawing...

Affects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder...

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and How It May Be Affecting You Karen is a happy-go lucky 65-year old retiree. She spends her time volunteering and working in her garden. One day, a good friend of hers picks her up to drive to church. On the way there, a semi-truck loses control and crashes into their car, killing Karen’s friend instantly. Karen survives, suffering only a few broken ribs, and bruising. Since the accident, Karen keeps having flashbacks, which cause her to lose sense of time. These flashbacks frighten her, and she has a hard time doing anything that reminds her of the accident. This includes going to church, riding in cars, or anything that reminds her of the friend she lost. She loses interest in things, and begins to drink heavily in order to deal with the anxiety she feels. Eventually, her family persuades her to go see a therapist, who diagnoses her with PTSD. Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops after someone is exposed to a traumatic event. This can include serious injury, sexual or physical assault, or any sort of life-threatening event such as natural disasters or near-death encounters among many others. It’s normal to feel an array of intense emotions after experiencing something traumatic, but if these feelings last for more than a month, it could indicate that a person may be suffering from PTSD. When we are faced with a dangerous situation, it arouses fear within us, which in turn causes our body to produce adrenaline. This adrenaline keeps us highly alert and defensive, in order to help us avoid or defend ourselves against whatever danger we may be faced with. PTSD causes a change in our body, which makes it so...

Arthritis and How It Can Affect You...

Arthritis, a joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints, is a common ailment to those of age 65 or older. In 2013, 1 in every 5 American adults was diagnosed with some form of arthritis. There are over 100 different types of arthritis but the common three are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Osteoarthritis The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, which involves the degradation of joint cartilage and its underlying bone. Symptoms include sore or achy joints, stiffness, bone enlargements in the middle and end joints of fingers, loss of flexibility and joint swelling. When the cartilage that cushions the end of the bones in your joints deteriorates, it causes the bones to rub against one another. This is what causes osteoarthritis. Currently there is no known cure or prevention for osteoarthritis, but certain measures can be taken to keep your pain levels low and help you maintain joint movement. Rheumatoid Arthritis This form of arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that usually affects the small joints in your hands and feet. It affects about one-tenth as many people as osteoarthritis. Some symptoms between the two are similar, such as swollen joints and morning stiffness, but the two are quite different in many other ways. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is caused by the daily wear and tear on joints, rheumatoid arthritis happens when your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. In addition to the symptoms it shares with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis also has whole-body symptoms such as frequent fatigue and an overall ill feeling. Those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis are more susceptible to osteoporosis, heart problems, lung disease and carpal tunnel. Currently there’s no way to prevent rheumatoid...

Walking Your Way to a Better Life...

For as long as I can remember, I’ve used walking as a means to deal with just about anything life throws at me. Just the other day I was feeling quite stuck while working on an article, and knew that the only way to get my brain going was to get my feet moving. So, I put on a pair of comfortable walking shoes, grabbed a sweater, turned off my phone, and took a 15-minute walk around my neighborhood. By the time I came back I felt re-energized and inspired, ready to tackle the rest of my day. Walking is a great way to stay in shape and clear your mind, no matter what age you are. For those entering the second half of their life, walking can be particularly beneficial. It’s a great way to exercise without causing too much strain on the body. Ideally, older American’s should participate in about 2.5 hours of moderate-mild exercise each week. If you spread that number out over seven days, it comes out to about 20 minutes each day, which is all the time you need to take a walk. Incorporating walking into your daily routine can have positive results on your health within months. A research study done by the University of Georgia found that seniors participating in a walking program, which met 3 times a week for four months, showed great improvement in their physical functions and increased their aerobic capacity.  Aerobic capacity is the energy source that we use to do everything. By increasing it, the participants in the study performed their daily tasks better, and still had energy for recreational hobbies. Still not convinced that walking’s for you? Here’s 5 more reasons walking is great: Maintain Your...

Volunteering: The Gift that Gives Back...

I remember a couple of years ago I was going through some serious changes in my life, some were quite frustrating. I felt myself spiraling into a pretty serious depression, and it felt like nothing could lift the dark fog that was making its way into my life. The turning point came during a tea date with a friend. I confided to her how down and out I felt, how it seemed nothing was coming together in my life. When I finished, she said something that I still remember to this day: “ You need to get out of your head, and help someone else”. She was right. I had been spending so much time focusing on myself, on what was wrong with my life, that I had become a prisoner in my own head. Nothing felt good enough, and I had no sense of pride or accomplishment.  My friend gave me the number of a homeless shelter where she sometimes volunteered, and the very next day I called. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I began volunteering almost right away, helping people apply for housing and jobs, working in the kitchen, or helping in the children’s center. By the end of the first day I felt happier than I had in weeks. Just spending a few hours helping someone else had completely gotten me out of my own head. Within a few weeks of me volunteering, my own problems began resolve, and my depression lifted. One of my favorite quotes is this one by Winston S. Churchill: “ We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” One of the biggest problems those entering the second half...

Life in Review: Writing Down Your Legacy...

 life review as a naturally occurring, universal mental process characterized by the progressive return to consciousness of past experiences, and, particularly, the resurgence of unresolved conflicts; simultaneously, and normally, these revived experiences and conflicts can be surveyed and reintegrated.” – Robert N. Butler, PhD (1963)“I conceive of Many people enter into a transitional time or the second half of their life with the desire to look back on past moments, the challenging and the rewarding. By examining your personal history you can often change the way you see things now. You can come to terms with the turmoil of your past, and bring joy into the present moment. The concept of collecting your memories and writing them down as thoughtful retrospective was pioneered by Robert N. Butler, PhD, in the 1960’s, who summed up the process as a “life review”. In the last 50 years, there have been many studies done on the positive effects of writing on the human brain. The benefits of writing down your thoughts and feelings are innumerable. Not only can it help you with emotional pain, but it has been shown that it can help heal physical wounds as well. Many people chose to write expressively, journal about their daily lives, or keep gratitude journals. As you begin to get older, it may benefit you to review your life, and create a written account of your legacy. Here are some different ways you can tell your story. Traditional Autobiography Style Begin by mapping out your timeline. Your story doesn’t have to begin with your birth, you can include stories of your ancestors, your family history – anything that you feel is a part of who you are. This is the brainstorming part of the...

Practice Mindfulness and Find Peace...

“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” ― Mother Teresa Growing older is like stepping into the great unknown. Each day has the possibility of bringing great success, tragedy, or just plain monotony. Many enter their golden years unsure, and scared of what the future may hold. As our bodies begin to age, losing the strength and tone it once had, with our hearing and eyesight beginning to fade, it’s easy to panic. Everything begins to change at an alarming pace, and so we begin the tireless search for the fountain of youth, something that will restore peace and calm in our life. We see it all around us, people using (and sometimes abusing) diet and exercise fads, anti-aging products, plastic surgery, “miracle” drugs and anything else that promises to slow the aging process. Instead of appreciating the serenity and wisdom that comes with growing older, many fall into a deep depression, and become jaded and pessimistic. How do you stop yourself from being part of this vicious cycle? How can you learn to be happy, despite all the changes that are happening in your life? Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a concept that focuses on awareness and attention. Although it is derived from the Buddhist religion, psychologists have been using it since the 1970’s to help people suffering from a variety of psychological conditions, including anxiety, depression and stress. There is a difference between practicing mindfulness vs. meditating. Meditating is a spiritual or relaxing mental exercise, such as focusing on breathing or chanting, whereas mindfulness is about being aware and attentive in a non-judgmental manner. Mindfulness meditation is all about being aware of your surroundings, the feelings in your body, the noises...