Young woman holding an elderly woman's hand.

Nursing Home Advocacy

Elder abuse is a big problem, and unfortunately, the rates of elder abuse are high in nursing homes. In some nursing homes, the staff to resident ratio can be very high, and seniors can be neglected too. At SCOA, we want all seniors to be happy and healthy, and that is why we place such an importance on nursing home …

Heatstroke Prevention

If your body overheats because you’ve been out in the heat for too long or overexerted yourself in the heat, this is called a heatstroke. A heatstroke is incredibly dangerous, especially for seniors and young children, and it requires emergency treatment. If it’s not treated quickly, your brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles can all be damaged, and you could even die. …

Elder Abuse Prevention

At least 10 percent of adults over 65 will experience some form of elder abuse this year, and that’s far too much in our eyes. Luckily, there are some steps we can all take to help prevent this issue, which we’ll go over below. SOURCE

Older Americans Month

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 …

Preventing Senior Hunger

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 …

Colorectal Cancer 101

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 …

American Heart Month

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 and Prevention

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 …

Driving Safety

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 …

Caregivers for seniors can find help and hope at Sowega Council on Aging.

Help & Hope for Caregivers

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 …