Southwest Florida, Spring 2023

Dignity Memorial is a premiere full-service funeral services option that takes pride in providing custom, personable, affordable, and meaningful funeral options for the communities they serve. Dignity Memorial combines compassion for these communities with their unmatched knowledge of and dedication to this industry with families and their loved ones in mind.

March 12, 2023 – Dignity Memorial features three locations currently, with a strong focus on progression when needed to better suit their service communities. The organization has owned and operated Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home, Volusia Memorial Funeral Home in Port Orange, and Volusia Memorial Funeral Home & Park in both Ormond Beach, Port Orange and Flagler Beach for many years. Their locations feature flexible event spaces with a large-capacity chapel on-site, as well as a cemetery section specifically for veterans.

With long-term community ties and first-hand knowledge of community needs, Dignity Memorial has become a local preference for those seeking grief assistance and celebration of life guidance. From quick turnarounds for services, immediate planning and planning ahead, and flexible options for tailored solutions to match your wants or that of your loved ones, Dignity Memorial has made it a point to make a trying time one that is essentially hands-off and easy to obtain.

With multiple locations and their own crematorium which they internally operate, this full-service provider has shown great dedication to providing a superlative level of support and care to the families they serve. Dignity Memorial stands out by providing not only crematory and burial services but by offering advice and expert guidance to make hard times less difficult as well as ideas to make having peace of mind more accessible to everyone. Those that use their services will have the ability to tour their locations, send flowers, and get an insight into pricing and planning, all in one place.

Dignity is headed by Sal Passalaqua, Jr., Area Manager and Funeral Director who consistently expresses the mission and focus areas of the organization. Attention to detail and achieving trust and satisfaction with every ceremony or service provided remain to have the highest priority. Currently, the Craig-Flagler location is in the process of opening a new section of its cemetery which will span 6.2 acres. The Flagler funeral home is also going through a 2-million-dollar renovation which will be the first structural update to the site since 2006.

Remaining progressive and adaptive in ways that best serve the public has continued to be the driving factor in a lot of what Dignity Memorial takes on. OurSeniors is proud to present Dignity Memorial to our readers as our newest vendor and as the ultimate provider of funeral services and bereavement support in the Flagler Palms, Ormond Beach, and Daytona Beach areas. Their quality of care, commitment to customer and service, and dedication to making the journey of celebrating the lives of loved ones are insurmountable. Their ability to combine comfort, meaning, and memory is exemplary and an invaluable resource for those going through difficult times.

We invite readers to visit Dignity Memorial to learn more about its wide range of services and capabilities, and to contact their compassionate team with any questions they may have to help narrow down the best services to meet their needs.

For more information about Dignity Memorial and its services, please visit https://ourseniors.net/services/wpbdp_category/funeral-planning/

As people get older, there is a greater need to take control of and manage their health to maintain their quality of life and live as independently as possible. One of the things seniors and retirees should look out for are their levels of good and bad cholesterol. High levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in older adults have been linked to an increased risk of death from heart disease and stroke, while good cholesterol (HDL) absorbs bad cholesterol in the blood and carries it back to the liver where it flushes out from the body.

Medical professionals often prescribe a class of medication called Statins to help reduce the levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, the latter of which is a type of fat that circulates in your blood and can also contribute to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. For seniors and retirees who don’t want to rely on prescription medication and want to supplement their treatment with healthy alternatives, there are numerous lifestyle changes, foods, and OTC vitamins and minerals they can take to lower their LDL and triglyceride levels.

If you have started exercising and eating healthier foods but are still concerned about your cholesterol levels, there are numerous supplements you should consider along with the advice of your primary care doctor. While supplements can improve your health, you may need to continue taking prescription medications to keep your cholesterol numbers at a safe level. So be sure you communicate any dietary changes to a health professional.

Fish Oil – This oil is derived from certain types of fish that have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and can be taken in supplement form. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential that help lower triglyceride levels, help maintain healthy LDL levels, and help increase HDL levels. Additionally, fish oil can help fight inflammation, reduce blood pressure, promote healthy skin, and improve bone health in people of all ages.

Flaxseed – This is a food crop that is a great source of dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that flaxseed (in whole or oil supplement form) can help limit the amount of cholesterol the body absorbs from food. Additionally, this miracle seed may help lower the risk of certain cancers, help seniors and retirees maintain a healthy weight, and reduce blood pressure. An easy way to add this seed to your diet is to add it to a morning or lunch smoothie, but it’s such a versatile ingredient that it can enhance the taste of many recipes.

Garlic – Of the many alternative treatments to the Statins class of medications to help reduce the levels of bad cholesterol among older people, garlic is one of our favorites. According to studies, eating half to one clove of garlic each day can lower cholesterol by about 10 percent. Those who aren’t fans of incorporating crushed garlic into their meals can take a supplement in pill form and reap the same rewards.

Green Tea – Green tea has numerous qualities that promote health. It is prepared from unfermented leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant and is also a type of healthy tea that has undergone less processing than Black, Herbal, Oolong, and White teas. Studies have shown that a type of antioxidant called catechins is responsible for lowering cholesterol in adults. Among its other health benefits include promoting oral health, easing rheumatoid arthritis, and antibacterial activity.

Niacin – Research has shown that niacin can lower triglycerides by 25 percent and raise healthy cholesterol (HDL) by over 30 percent. Niacin is vitamin B3 which can be found in foods like beef, fish pork, and poultry along with legumes, nuts, and seeds. You can also get a healthy dose of niacin with an over-the-counter B-Complex supplement. In addition to helping older people with their cholesterol levels, it can also help protect them from heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Red Yeast Rice – This is a dietary staple in Asia and has a long history within traditional Chinese medicine. It is a natural product of yeast that is grown on white rice and is available as an oral supplement. Red yeast rice contains a compound known as monacolin K which is an ingredient that is used in cholesterol-lowering prescription medications. Studies have shown that red yeast rice can balance your cholesterol by lowering LDL and triglyceride levels.

If you are receiving prescription strength Statins class medications like Atorvastatin, Fluvastatin, Simvastatin, etc., and would like to switch to alternatives to decrease your LDL and triglycerides levels, you should always check with your prescribing medical professional as well as check with a pharmacist before changing your regimen. Please do not consider this medical advice, consult your physicians.

Since 2016, the OurSeniors.Net team has been dedicated to delivering senior living resources for people living throughout the Sunshine State. Our senior online and print magazine brings entertaining and informative topics that enrich the lives of our seniors and retirees. We cater our print services to the following six regions: Northeast Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, The Villages, Tampa Bay, and Southwest Florida. We also have bilingual editions and separate English and Spanish versions of the quarterly senior magazine serving select regions. Make sure to subscribe to our senior publications and donate to our cause by visiting www.OurSeniors.Org/Donate or by calling us at 386-267-6898.

Most individuals have heard of hospice, but not everyone knows exactly what hospice is. Dame Sicely Saunders, the founder of the first modern hospice, said, “You matter because of who you are. You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.” So how does hospice help you die peacefully but also help you live until you die? The hospice philosophy accepts death simply as the final stage in the journey of life. To that end, hospice affirms and celebrates life as well as the death process. The main goal of hospice is to allow the individual who is sick to die with dignity, ensuring that pain is reduced and the physical, psychological, and spiritual needs of the individual are met.
To receive hospice care, an individual is generally expected to live six months or less if the illness or disease continues to progress naturally. A hospice provider must receive a physician’s certificate confirming the individual has a terminal illness with less than 6 months to live, and a hospice care plan must be set up. Some healthcare professionals may be resistant to recommending hospice because it may appear that the healthcare professional is giving up or has even failed. Family members may also be resistant to agreeing to hospice care because they don’t want their loved one to think the family has given up. However, often, hospice care is not started soon enough. Hospice care can supply a better quality of life for the individual who needs the care and provide an opportunity for the family to obtain the support they need.

When an individual has 6 or fewer months left to live, that person often needs help. Family and friends typically step in to take care of the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of their loved one. What exactly can hospice do to help the sick individual out? Hospice provides a range of services that are intended to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of someone with 6 or fewer months to live. This assistance can be in the form of, among other things, managing medication, providing medical supplies, administering morphine, providing social worker counseling, and providing limited help with CNA service for bathing and toileting. Hospice also provides emotional and spiritual support for not only the individual who is sick but also for that person’s family and friends to help everyone work through the normal emotional and spiritual struggles that come with facing the reality that a loved one’s time here on earth is ending.
Hospice can be provided in a variety of settings. Some individuals receive hospice support in the hospital, skilled nursing facility, or assisted living facility. Other individuals opt to be admitted to a hospice facility for 24-hour care when there are no family or friends who can meet their needs. However, most individuals who have hospice care are being cared for primarily by friends and family in the home environment. In that situation, the hospice nurses make regular visits and are available by phone 24 hours a day. It depends on the unique situation of each individual where hospice care will be provided.
As we all know, healthcare services are expensive. Hospice is covered by Medicare, the Veteran’s Administration, and sometimes Medicaid. Private insurance also covers hospice. With that said, many hospice providers will not turn someone away for lack of ability to pay. Hospice often provides reduced rates or care at no cost based on the ability to pay. Hospice providers can often do this because of donations and grants. Most hospice providers have financial support staff to help individuals and their families navigate financial options.
The American Cancer Society recommends asking the following questions when considering inpatient hospice care:
Where is such care provided?
What are the requirements for inpatient admission?
How long can a patient stay?
What happens if the patient no longer needs inpatient care but can’t go home?
Can you tour the inpatient unit or residential facility?
Which hospitals or nursing homes contract with the hospice for inpatient care?
What kind of follow-up does the hospice provide for inpatients?
Does the hospice provide as much nursing, social work, and aide care for each inpatient as it does for those at home?
Does the agency explain your rights and responsibilities as a patient? Ask to see a copy of the agency’s patient’s rights and responsibilities information.
If your loved one has been told that he or she has six months or less to live, speak to him or her about hospice care.

For many Americans, the two most valuable assets they own are their homes and their IRA or other retirement accounts. Planning on what to do with the home at death can be a challenge here in Florida, with Florida’s complicated homestead rules, but there’s usually a way to work it out. Planning on what to do with an IRA at death, however, got much more complicated because of recent federal legislation.

In 2019 Congress passed the SECURE Act, effective January 1, 2020, and in 2022 Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act, effective January 1, 2023. Of the two, the SECURE 2.0 Act is more benign as it prolongs the date that an IRA owner must start taking minimum distributions, increases the additional catch-up contributions for persons over 60, and reduces the penalty for not taking out the required minimum distribution if the owner corrects the error in a timely manner, among other things.

The first SECURE Act, on the other hand, upended many estate plans because it took away the ability of parents to leave their IRAs to their children who could then take out distributions from the inherited IRA over their lifetimes. Instead, as of January 1, 2020, non-qualified beneficiaries (i.e. the children) must withdraw the entire inherited IRA by the end of the tenth anniversary of the year of the parent’s death. To make matters worse, the IRS has issued proposed regulations that would require yearly distributions for most inherited IRAs over ten years instead of letting the IRA grow tax-free for ten years before cashing it out all at once.

These new rules do not apply to retirement accounts left to spouses, disabled persons, minor children (until they turn 18), or persons not more than ten years younger than the account owner, but that’s a fairly limited group of what constitutes a “qualified beneficiary.” For those who want to leave their retirement accounts to their children, special planning may be required.

Most children would be fine with a ten-year distribution period for an inherited IRA. It’s extra money each year for ten years, and extra income taxes, but unless the retirement account is very large it should not affect their tax rate. The issue arises more when the beneficiary has issues that indicate a large cash infusion in their pockets would not be a good idea, such as simple money mismanagement or something more severe like dependency or addiction issues.

For those special circumstance situations, the pre-2020 planning would normally be to leave the IRA to a trust for the child’s benefit. Minimum distributions would flow to the trust based on the child’s life expectancy, and the trustee would either disburse those funds or hold them to be used as needed for the child’s benefit. Under the new rules for a 10-year disbursement period, such trusts carry consequences.

Trusts that are required to distribute the annual distribution to the beneficiary will, perhaps, be putting more cash in the hands of the beneficiary than the parent intended. Trusts that are designed to hold onto the distributions and pay them out only as needed will incur significantly higher income taxes because trusts reach the highest income tax bracket of 37% on any income over $14,450.

It’s a common saying among tax attorneys to not let “the tax tail wag the dog,” meaning don’t make plans solely on the tax consequences if some other arrangement makes more sense. With IRAs, estate planning should focus on what’s best for the beneficiary, but the tax consequences need to be understood, too, so you can make an informed decision on how to structure your estate plan.

Tax season usually presents the biggest challenges seniors and retirees face each year. It’s the perfect time for scammers and fraudulent organizations to milk hard-earned earnings from our communities by pretending to be something they are anything but. There are hundreds of charitable organizations throughout the state of Florida that are above board and need your help. Here is a little background about qualified charitable distributions you can make to enrich the lives of others.
What Is a Qualified Charitable Donation?
A qualified charitable donation (QCD) is a cash gift made to a verified nonprofit organization that helps it accomplish its goals and initiatives. The donor receives nothing of monetary value in return but can deduct these donations from his or her federal tax return. QCDs are a great way of funneling federal cash payments to worthy causes donators believe in.
Seniors and retirees living in Florida who have utilized QCDs to support nonprofits are at the forefront of helping their communities. Financially savvy, educated seniors and retirees understand how to work tax laws so that they save money and make contributions that improve their quality of life. Individuals must be 70 ½ years of age or older and can donate up to $100,000 to one or more charities.
Supporting OurSeniors.org is the Smart Choice
Educated seniors and retirees who make QCDs are smart to choose OurSeniors.Org as their beneficiary. Its mission is to be the leading resource for helping seniors and retirees meet their unique needs, to be their single source for information, professionals, and service providers for personal assistance through its website and print magazine.
To better serve the unique needs of seniors and retirees in different regions throughout Florida, we have divided the wider area into smaller service areas fully recognizing that the interests of concerns of the state’s citizens are different. Customized versions of the OurSeniors.Org quarterly magazine cater to Northeast Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, The Villages, Tampa Bay, and Southwest Florida. Bilingual editions as well as separate Spanish and English versions of the print magazine are also available in select regions, and we plan on expanding in the future.
Before making any financial decisions, you should speak with a trusted financial adviser. This will ensure that your information and nest egg are kept safe. OurSeniors.Org number one priority is to introduce services to help seniors living in Florida enjoy their golden years. As a reputable 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving the senior and retiree communities throughout Florida, we encourage you to consider helping us in our efforts to bring entertaining and informative content that benefits our communities.
Each quarter, we strive to meet fundraising goals to expand our service coverage. As tax season approaches, we hope you will consider giving a qualified charitable donation by visiting www.ourseniors.org/donate or by calling us at 386-267-6898. We ask that our senior and retiree communities in Florida donate generously but appreciate anything you can donate during this tax season and for years to come. Remember “Give while you Live”.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “nothing is certain, except death and taxes.” This rule holds true today. We are all quite certain that we will be taxed, and we know that someday we will die.

Responsible people plan for their taxes or pay them routinely, but most people have not given a thought to the events that follow their death. A survey by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) found that 62% of consumers felt that it is very important to communicate funeral wishes to family members, but only 21% had done so. Doing this in advance can avoid grief, stress, and unnecessary expense. Doing nothing is the same as choosing to burden others with this task.

Making these plans now will make it easier for family members who must go through an unavoidable period of grief. There are many choices for funeral services, memorial services, or remembrances. However, when it comes to final arrangements for the body, there are only two basic options: burial or cremation. Choosing cremation over burial should not affect arrangements for funeral or remembrance services.

Traditionally, burial was the preferred way of treating dead bodies; cremation was a seldom chosen option. That has changed, and now cremation has become the more common practice. In the United States, the cremation rate is projected to reach over 64% by 2025. Several factors are driving this change, but the most important may be cost comparison. Cremation, especially direct cremation without any memorial service, costs far less than a burial service.

It is important to understand the difference between the basic cost of burial or cremation and package programs that include things like viewings, visitations and formal funeral services (not church services). In a traditional cremation, the body is preserved, and it may be present at a funeral service in a cremation casket. In a direct cremation, the body is cremated right away. This does away with the need for embalming and any casket. Of course, the family is still able to hold any type of funeral or memorial service it wishes.

Traditional burial involves unavoidable expenses like embalming, casket costs and cemetery lot fees. These are separate from the costs associated with funeral home services like visitation receptions, viewings, and formal services. Religious services outside of the funeral home may have their own set of fees as well (not estimated). The total costs associated with these traditional services and burial can amount to thousands of dollars. Based on the sources checked by OurSeniors.Net staff, the average cost of this traditional process in Florida is $10,700. Direct cremation without associated services costs an average of $2,200.

These are average figures; prices may vary between geographic areas and service providers. These facts should motivate readers to think about this subject now. Many people face these decisions under stressful circumstances; disagreements may arise among family members if the deceased person has not made their wishes clear beforehand. Again, the point is that doing nothing is deciding to place the burden on loved ones. Most of us would agree that this is not a kind way to treat your family.

It should not surprise you to learn that Florida is one of the states in which cremation is most common. This may be because the Sunshine State has the highest proportion of senior residents, and they have chosen to think ahead and plan for this day. Many seniors plan their after-death arrangements and spare loved ones the burden of these decisions.

Here are some resources that may help you decide what is best for you and your family-

The Cremation Association of America- a trade association with detailed descriptions of various options available.

The Cremation Institute- A third-party site that offers advice on cremation-related topics that range from VA Death Benefits to “How to Write a Sympathy Card.” This is a very comprehensive site about the entire topic.

Your Wife, Husband, or Family- this is probably the most important resource involved in this decision. Talk it over with them, making certain that they understand your wishes. Involve them in this planning so that nothing comes as a great surprise to them.

In addition, the OurSeniors.Net family is very fortunate to have several fine local resources, trusted partners who can provide help. They are-
Volusia Memorial Funeral Home-
(386-854-3799) Serving the Port Orange community since 1995. They specialize in working with families to make final arrangements in advance.

Volusia Memorial Funeral Home & Park-
(386-703-3673) Serving Ormond Beach and surrounding areas of North Daytona Beach for many years. A team of funeral professionals who take great care when helping families create unique, memorable memorials for their loved ones.

Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home-
(386-854-3565) Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home sits on the grounds of Flagler Memorial Gardens. These sister locations allow families to handle every aspect of final arrangements in one place.

Thanks for reading our magazine! OurSeniors.Net is your go-to source for information about the senior lifestyle Florida, senior housing news, and all things senior in Florida. We strive to be the best senior living magazine online. Thanks for helping us to accomplish that!

Our world is blessed with amazing seniors all around us. We all know a few, but only a few are known to all of us. One of those rare people is Mr. Pat Boone, an icon of American music, movies, and television. It is inspiring to know that Pat Boone, now almost 89 years old, is still active in many enterprises, including two new movies, a book and an album.

Do you remember your first date or dance? There is a good chance that Pat Boone supplied the background music for those memories. That date might have been the movie “April Love,” starring Pat Boone and Shirley Jones. Pat’s recording of the song, “April Love,” became a number-one hit in the United States, spent 26 weeks on the US pop music charts and was the #1 single for 6 weeks.

Pat’s music career flourished for many years and he continues to record new music. According to Billboard Magazine, only Elvis Presley ranked higher in the music charts of that era. He describes himself as a “recording machine,” an entertainer who loves to perform and to hear and feel the audience’s reaction. All told, Pat Boone produced 6 # 1 hits, 13 gold single records, and a platinum album of “Pat’s Great Hits.” He still holds the record for the number of appearances in the single record charts: 220 weeks! That’s over 4 years of contiguous consecutive charted records.

That singing career alone would have been enough to make Pat Boone one of our Amazing Seniors, but he has been much, much more. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, his family moved to Nashville when he was a young boy. Pat’s parents were expecting a girl who they planned to name Patricia, but when the new baby boy surprised them, they just shortened the name to Pat. His father, an architect and contractor, moved the family so that he could work with a relative in the building industry. His Dad, Archie Boone, created a lot of beautiful schools, homes and businesses in Nashville. Pat worked with his brother, Nick, digging ditches and pouring concrete, but maybe it was fate that Music City acquired Pat Boone at a young age.

His early performances began not as a career, but just singing for fun at family gatherings, sometimes with brother Nick singing harmony. His first stage performance was at a Nashville movie theatre where mothers brought their children on Saturday afternoons to be entertained by family films. It was a talent show on stage and the winning singers received an ice cream treat from the drugstore next door. The ice cream kept him repeating performances until friends and acquaintances took note of his singing ability and began to call on him when a performer was needed. He was soon called “Blue Moon Boone” because of his ability to voice the song “Blue Moon” without accompaniment.

He was encouraged to audition for the Ted Mack Amateur Hour on national TV and won the competition 3 times in consecutive weeks. Shortly after, he appeared on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts Show, which he won. Those two wins on national talent shows led to his becoming a regular on the Godfrey show and to a recording contract with Dot Records.

From then on, it was one success followed soon after another. In the mid-1950s, the name Pat Boone began to appear on record charts with regularity, and he began his acting career in movies like “Bernardine” and “April Love.” At age 22, Pat became the youngest performer ever to have his own network musical variety show. The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom was a music and variety show that attracted guests like Nat ‘King’ Cole, Johnny Mathis, Perry Como, and others appearing and singing with Pat as host. He has been a successful singer, actor, and TV personality.

We have told you that this Amazing Senior is more than a performer and entertainer. More than anything else in his life, Pat is proud of his wonderful marriage at 19 years old to Shirley Foley for 65 years, who passed away in 2019, and their four daughters. He is the grandfather of 16 and a great-grandfather of 17 and counting! A stable, successful marriage was not easy while living in Beverly Hills and Hollywood. He credits their strong faith and church connections with this accomplishment. Pat Boone was a protective and involved father to his girls, and it has paid off, resulting in the most lasting joys he has known. Despite his huge success, family is still the most important thing in his life.

Mr. Boone has constantly been involved in church and civic organizations and activities. He has served as a Deacon and an Elder in his churches, is a past chairman of the National Federation of the Blind, and hosted the Easter Seals Telethon for 18 years, raising over 600 million dollars for childhood disease research. Today, he is on the board of 2 Christian universities, one of which is Pepperdine. You might think that this Amazing Senior would be thinking about taking a rest, but you would be wrong! Approaching 89 on June 1, he is still going strong.

Pat is still swimming, playing singles tennis with a younger guy (he is 82), golfing and hosting golf tournaments, working out at the gym, recording and considering doing a final tour. Right now, 2 new projects are being added to his long list.

His starring role in “The Mulligan” is a 2023 movie about getting a second chance. Golfers will know what the term “Mulligan” means, and who has not said to themselves, “I think I’ll take that shot over”?

Pat is extremely proud of his new book, “IF.” Years ago, Pat and Shirley Boone experienced what they call the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is the infilling of God’s spirit to motivate one’s life. ”IF” tells you how that happened, and how it can happen for anybody who wants to have a seriously important life. Pat reminds us that a relationship with God is the surest path to health and successful living. He says he knows because that’s his story.

Mr. Boone also has a new Album release which is Pat Boone Country Jubilee: 25 All-Time Country Classics, which features a duet with guest artist Crystal Gayle, and Pat’s NEW song, “GRITS,” with featured guest artists Ray Stevens, Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers, Lorrie Morgan, Deborah Allen and Dean Miller. The 2-vinyl/2-CD album is set to be release on 8/25.

Pat Boone certainly deserves the title. “Amazing Senior.” Thank you, Mr. Boone, for your life’s work in so many areas. You are a great example and an important part of the soundtrack of our lives. OurSeniors.Net happily recommends that readers take advantage of the new additions to Pat’s collection of entertainment and life-changing accomplishments. You can find them here-

You can stream Pat’s new movie, “The Mulligan,” on https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0B74H6N4D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r or order a DVD copy here: https://www.goldlabelartists.com/product/the-mulligan-movie-dvd/. Pat’s new inspirational book, “IF,” is available here: https://www.goldlabelartists.com/product/if-the-eternal-choice-we-all-must-make-hardcover/.

Many of us know that maintaining a healthy diet can contribute to our overall health, but certain nutritious foods can also help lower the risk of cognitive decline as we get older and promote senior living. Healthy foods can also help fight off many diseases by destroying free radicals and keeping blood vessels clear of clots and other types of debris.

Here are five super brain foods OurSeniors.Net has listed based on inquiry, to have a great effect on keeping your mind sharp as you get older:

Fatty Fish

Anchovies, salmon, sardines, and tuna are just a handful of fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Substituting fatty fish for meat 2-3 times per week can slow down mental degeneration. Higher levels of a fatty acid called DHA in the blood will make your brain function more efficiently. If you aren’t a fan of fish, consider taking an over-the-counter omega-3 supplement or foods like flaxseed, avocado, and walnuts.

Mixed Berries

Mixed berries get their brilliant hues from natural plant pigments called flavonoids. Research has shown that seniors and retirees that consume two or more servings of mixed berries per week can delay memory decline by up to two-and-a-half years. Blueberries, specifically, can protect the brain from oxidative stress and help improve the loss of motor function that comes with aging.

Green, Leafy Veggies

Broccoli, collards, kale, and spinach are some of the best green, leafy veggies that are rich in nutrients like beta carotene, folate, lutein, and vitamin K, all of which promote brain health. Specifically, eating your greens can help prevent dementia and cognitive decline, as well as improve your memory. Adding 1 – 2 daily servings of these to your diet is a simple way of improving your overall and brain function. The best part about incorporating green, leafy veggies into your diet is that they can be added to raw, cold salads and can also be cooked into numerous meals.

Walnuts

Many people in the senior and retiree communities have noticed that walnuts look like tiny human brains. This may be a coincidence but the reality is that these nuts are rich in vitamin E which helps trap free radicals known to damage brain cells. In a study conducted by Rush University Medical Center, people who eat foods rich in vitamin E can stave off the development of Alzheimer’s in older people. Walnuts are also high in a specific type of omega-3 fatty acids linked to cleaner arteries and lower blood pressure.

Green Tea and Coffee

Finally, green tea is loaded with healthy amino acids, enzymes, and vitamins that alleviate brain fatigue and function. According to a study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, green tea also contains an antioxidant called EGCG which helps stop certain proteins from harming brain cells. Coffee also has numerous health benefits on the brain in older adults. Coffee can increase alertness, concentration, and overall well-being; it can also help limit depression and improve mood. The amount of caffeine in each of these drinks may raise anxiety levels and negatively impact sleep in some people, so it’s important to pay attention to your reaction to green tea and coffee when consumed at night.

Varying your diet with healthy foods can help with your overall cognitive function. OurSeniors.Net disseminates helpful information through our senior online and print magazine. We regularly post information throughout the year on our website and reprint and distribute content each quarter through a senior magazine customized for six different regions throughout Florida. We also promote businesses, vendors, and other types of service providers that we have carefully vetted to help enrich the lives of senior living Florida. You can subscribe by visiting our OurSeniors.Org or giving us a call at 386-267-6898. We look forward to hearing from you soon and appreciate your support.

OurSeniors.Org has been the go-to resource for seniors and retirees living in Florida since 2016. Our team is committed to researching vendors for a variety of services so that our communities can have peace of mind that they are not getting ripped off by questionable service providers who thrive on taking advantage of the vulnerable. We take pride in knowing our due diligence in identifying trustworthy service providers throughout the state helps the community. With a distribution of more than 130,000, we currently serve 25 counties across six regions, including Central Florida, Northeast Florida, South Florida, The Villages, Tampa Bay, and Southwest Florida, and we look toward reaching a larger audience through our senior publication.
Making a charitable donation to our 501(3)c organization helps us bring a variety of resources and valuable information from qualified and reputable professionals such as doctors, dentists, contractors and other experts in their fields. Our senior online & print magazine provides free articles and notifications of upcoming panel discussions through our Brunch & Learn events, human interest stories, and entertainment.
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