One of the biggest silver linings to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic is the acceleration of access to online learning. With the entire world forced indoors, universities, community colleges and internet-startups alike all had to adapt and construct new methods of e-learning.

Here are a few of our favorite online learning sites for older adults:

Senior Planet
There are thousands of classes to broaden your horizons on Senior Planet. They have designed courses specifically in mind for those over the age of 60, focused on five impact areas: social engagement, financial security, health and wellness, civic engagement and advocacy, and creativity. The best part? Live classes are free for anyone to enroll!

GetSetUp
This online community connects users with others to learn new skills and unlock new life experiences. Their content is focused on adults over the age of 55, now reaching four million learners in over 160 countries. Classes range from fitness to healthcare, drawing, foreign language, cooking, music, business and more. They offer a free plan with limited access, or for $19.99 per month you can have access to their entire library and over 500 live interactive classes every week!

Full Sail University
Are you a tech-savvy person, interested in the world of entertainment, videography, media, gaming, visual arts and communications? Check out Full Sail University. Full Sail focuses on creating real-world industry experience and creative problem solving with online degree programs. It’s easy to fit in your course schedule because they offer 24/7 flexibility with your e-learning plan.

One Day University
Founded on the belief that “every day you learn something new is a good day,” One Day University has established a unique angle in the online learning space. They have gathered a group of the most thoughtful and entertaining professors from the country’s most prestigious universities and asked them to provide their single most fascinating lecture. You can listen to live-streamed talks with these professors, access hundreds of these “best-selected lectures” and participate in small group discussions with peers. There is a free limited-trial, but you will eventually have to pay $8.99 per month for access.

Academic Earth
Whether you are looking for a certificate, a bachelor’s degree, or even a doctorate, Academic Earth has the lessons to get you on your path to more knowledge. They’ve been around since 2009, offering free online college courses from the world’s top universities. Explore more than 60 complete courses in art, business, engineering, humanities, medicine, science, math and more!
 
If you are just looking to dip your toe in the water with e-learning, YouTube is a good choice. You can also explore thousands of the free apps available for download to your phone, like Duolingo, PictureThis and Brainly.  

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Did you know that new surveys over the last couple of years show that the 'ability to cope' improves with age?

Because of the pandemic this last year has certainly been a challenge to our mental health. However, there is a consoling truth: that age and emotional well-being tend to increase together, as a rule, even as mental acuity and physical health taper off!

People aged 50 and over score consistently higher (and more positively) on a wide variety of daily emotions. The older crowd tend to have more positive emotions in a given day rather than negative emotions. This is independent of income or education in national studies.

Dr. Laura Carstensen led a research team that studied the reality of prolonged stress. Older people have been at a much higher risk both of getting sick and dying of Covid-19 than younger people.

“This was, from the beginning, a threat to older people that they simply could not avoid — and, crucially, it was prolonged stress,” said Dr. Laura Carstensen, a psychologist at Stanford University’s Center on Longevity.

In April, after the potential scope of the pandemic was apparent, the team recruited a representative sample of some 1,000 adults, aged 18 to 76, living across the country. The participants answered surveys with detailed questions about their emotions over the previous week, including 16 positive states, like relaxed or amused, and 13 negative ones, like guilt or anger.

“Younger people were doing far worse emotionally than older people were,” Dr. Carstensen said. “This was April, the most anxiety-producing month, it was novel, cases went from nothing to 60,000, there was lots of attention and fear surrounding all this — and yet we see the same pattern as in other studies, with older people reporting less distress.”

In a similar study, psychologists at the University of British Columbia exhaustively surveyed some 800 adults of all ages in the first couple of months of the pandemic — and found the same thing.

A "take away" from these studies indicate: Older age was associated with less concern about the threat of Covid-19, better emotional well-being, and more daily positive events.

Also, after middle age, people become more aware of a narrowing time horizon and, consciously or not, begin to gravitate toward daily activities that are more inherently pleasing than self-improving. Source...New York Times

You might enjoy this recent post: Aging in Place

Good Riddance

The holidays aren’t that far behind us and many of us are still “celebrating” going into the month of March. Spring is upon us my friends! According to climatologist, Spring is the season of the year between winter and summer. During such time temperatures progressively rise. In the Northern Hemisphere, Spring is ranging within the vernal equinox (day and night are equivalent in time). Typically, March 21, to the summer solstice (longest day), June 21. But I am not a climatologist, although I do agree with their definition. Spring to Stevie and myself means a rebirth, new life breathed into cold dormant bodies. Spring is a time to renew oneself, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Revitalize Rejuvenate Recharge

Replenishing, Reconditioning, or renew whichever moniker you choose the importance is just the same. During the holidays and winter months we tend to become lax in our diet and exercise routines. It is difficult to leave behind the celebrating and overindulging; after all it was enjoyable. But now you feel…not so good. You really can’t place it. You endure digestive stress, uncontrollable food cravings (usually sugar), and poor sleep. Your sluggish, experiencing a low mood and dwindling energy. Your drive has stalled, and the scale has not. Your joints ache and your hormones are swinging like a pendulum. Now that its all spelled out like that…you probably feel horrible. Well good news! It’s never too late to clean up!

Let Nature Be the Guide

We at Khronology Fitness & Nutrition believe in going with the flow of nature. Nature itself is being renewed and riding itself of the old and impurities. Animals come out of hibernation and purge their bodies of waste, clean themselves and start to replenish and regrow. The trees begin to sprout leaves through crusted cloaked buddings. Seedlings sprout and eggs hatch, growth, birth, rebirth.

Choosing the Right Detox

There are many diverse kinds of cleanses to choose from. Often people will take on a detox they found online without paying regard to the validity in which it was created. Not all detoxes are created equal. Be careful. It is best to follow qualified, certified individuals. A few examples of detoxes are a Liver detox and Juice detox. A liver detox consists of ridding yourself of anything that the liver would need to process, (mostly contaminates, adulterates, and chemicals), giving it a sort of rest and extra time to cleanse itself. A liver detox can be very powerful. A fact most don’t know is we carry and hold on to anger and negative emotions in our liver. So, cleansing yourself of negativity will also aid in cleansing the liver. The time length for the liver detox depends upon the person and their condition. But it will usually last anywhere from 1-4 weeks. A juice cleanse supplies the body with necessary nutrients to aid in the cleanse while giving the digestive tract a rest from solid foods. The most common length for a juice cleanse is 2-3 days. But this depends on the person’s current health and experience with detoxing. These are just two of a myriad of examples of cleanses. The best thing to do is contact a professional and have them guide you through the cleanse.

Get It Done

So, should we all do a detox? Most certainly. A detox will benefit everyone. In the modern world we are faced with toxins in our everyday life, through the air, water, and our food. This builds up over time and will eventually cause greater health issues. So now is the time, a start of a new season. Let’s get together and cleanse ourselves and get ready for warm sunny days.
Right now, at Khronology Fitness & Nutrition we are offering a spring cleanse special. Plea drop by our website and take a peek. Take control of your health and let’s get clean!
 
~Will

https://www.khronologyfit.com/

Just that quickly my life changed. My mother suffered a minor stroke and a subsequent pulmonary embolus. She was hospitalized twice and was also battling the beginnings of dementia. My mom had always been so independent, even to the point of joining my friends and me for an occasional Happy Hour (pre-COVID 19). However now, she really needed my help. Her memory wasn't that good anymore, and while she wasn't incapacitated she did need assistance with keeping track of medications, doctor appointments and light housekeeping.

Of course, at the time my mom became ill, my corporate job was busier than ever. I often found myself working long hours, albeit at home, to stay on top of things while also trying to keep an eye on mom Any life I had outside of work and my mom seemed to disappear. Burnout was on the horizon.

Juggling care giving and full-time work are not uncommon. According to researchers, in 2014 there were an estimated 23.9 million caregivers that also had outside jobs. So how do you find a balance between caregiving and having a full-time job? Here are some things I learned:

Get organized. That means organize your life so you can be effective at both caregiving and your job. I started my mornings an hour earlier than usual. This way I was able to get in some early morning meditation, breakfast and get a jump on my paperwork before I was flooded with emails and phone calls. I also set up a calendar for my mom, so she could easily keep track of her doctor appointments. The family invested in a 30-day pillbox, with an alarm that made it easier for my mom to know which pills to take and when.

Reach out for help. Though my sisters lived on the opposite coast, they came out to help care for my mom. While a full-time nurse wasn't necessary, we were able to have a nurse come in twice a week to check on my mom and her medications. The home health nurse was covered by Medicare. This assistance from others was invaluable. I was able to regroup and spend time on things that needed my attention at home.

Make time for yourself, even if you only have 30 minutes to spare, spend it on you. The "me time" can be used to relax, meditate, spend time with friends or just take a long bath. You also need to take care of your health. Get in some exercise like a nice walk and eat well. If you start to feel ill, make time to get medical attention. You can't be of assistance to a loved one if you are not healthy.

Talk to others who might be in the same situation. Reach out to peers who have also taken care of an ill or aging loved one. Not only are these people be a source of wisdom and encouragement, but they will help you feel you are not alone.

Juggling care giving and full-time work is never easy. But if you have a plan, doing both is possible.

Leslie Smith is a lifestyle strategist for women over 50. For more from Leslie check out her blog at [http://www.reinventinggrandma.com]

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Leslie_C_Smith/228387

For more Healthy Living: How to Boost Your Sleep Quality as You Grow Older