Each May, the United States recongizes the month as Older Americans Month (OAM). The theme for this year’s Older Americans Month is Aging Unbound, which encourages us to explore diverse aging experiences and talk about how we can combat different stereotypes. Older Americans Month started in 1963 under President John F. Kennedy (called Senior Citizens Month at the time), and …
More than five million seniors are food insecure here in the U.S., and at SCOA, we think even one is too many. Seniors in Southern states like Georgia are at an even higher risk of being food insecure, and this is a huge problem. In today’s article, we’ll talk about preventing senior hunger. Click here to learn about our upcoming …
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and we are using this opportunity to tell you all about this disease that will be diagnosed in more than 150,000 Americans this year alone. What is colorectal cancer? Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that starts in either the color or the rectum, but they are often grouped together because they have …
Each February is known as American Heart Month, and it’s a time to raise awareness on the disease that is the number one killer of Americans. This was started by President Lyndon B. Johnson, in 1964. President Johnson, like many Americans, had suffered a heart attack, and since that first proclamation in 1964, American presidents have continued the tradition. Despite …
Senior hunger is a huge issue. As many as 10 percent of households with seniors struggle with food insecurity, which means they are not able to afford and/or access the amount of food that they need. The state of Georgia is the top ten for states with food insecure seniors, which means we have a long way to go. Read …
Each day, there are more and more older Americans on the road, and driving is a very important part of independence for most seniors. However, thousands of older adults are injured or even killed in car accidents each year in the United States. Older adults are more vulnerable during a crash and adults over 70 have higher crash death rates …
Being a full or even part time caregiver for someone with dementia or a chronic condition like cancer can be difficult. It’s not uncommon for caregivers to get burned out in their roles, and that’s why it’s so important to take care of yourself. This stress can lead to issues with both your physical and mental health, but there is …
October 3-9 is recognized as Active Aging Week each year since 2003, and this initiative was started by the International Council on Active Aging. You might be asking, what does this mean for you? Active Aging Week is important for seniors, their caregivers, and really everyone because it promotes and celebrates aging, something that will happen to all of us …
This September, which is Fall Prevention Month here in the U.S., is a great time for older adults to evaluate and try to lower their fall risk. Although one out of every four older adults will fall each year in the U.S., it’s important to know that falling is not a normal part of aging. Read below to learn what …
Especially as you get older, it can feel like more and more of the factors that affect your health are out of your control. By getting recommended vaccines, you can take back some of that control and help prevent your risk of various diseases. Although there is always a small chance of a serious side effect, for most people, the …