Pennsylvania - South Central

You are what you eat. This familiar phrase reminds us that eating healthy foods will keep you fit. While we know that eating well can help with heart disease or other illnesses, experts agree that food choices may also help with brain function and cognitive ability.   Get your greens and blues Harvard Health Publishing at health.harvard.edu has an article devoted to five specific foods that may be some of the best choices for brain health. Incidentally, these foods are also on the lists for people who want to follow a healthy heart and blood vessel diet. They include:   Green leafy vegetables  The nutrients in foods such as broccoli and kale have been suggested by research to slow cognitive decline.   Fatty fish According to the article, salmon, cod and canned tuna all carry healthy omega-3 fatty acids which have been linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloidthe protein that forms damaging clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.  Blueberries and strawberries The article states: A study done by researchers at Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital found that women who consumed two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week delayed memory decline by up to two-and-a-half years.  Caffeinated tea and coffee While it gives you your morning (or afternoon) boost, research shows these beverages may help with mental function and memory retrieval.  Walnuts A power punch of protein and healthy fats, walnuts have been linked to improved cognitive test scores in research studies.  For more information on healthy brain foods, read our article here!  Peanut butter, anyone? According to an article on consumeraffairs.com, a study showed that peanuts or peanut butter may affect cognitive function.   The article writer, Kristin Dalli, explains: At the end of two years of gathering information from participants, those who were regularly eating nuts had stronger cognitive health outcomes, without any other changes to health or wellness. Participants who were eating at least three servings of peanut butter per week showed better cognitive function, including slower decline, than those who were eating peanuts or peanut butter less than once a week. To learn more about foods that can help with cognitive health, read WayForth's blog here! 

As an estate planning and elder law attorney, I have seen a little bit of everything over the past 20 years. I am a big believer in having loved ones be part of the estate planning process to ensure that everybody is on the same page. Unfortunately, there are a few unscrupulous individuals whose objectives are to take advantage of their parents in one way or another. This does not change my opinion that estate planning and elder law are a team sport and that they should always include the financial advisor, the accountant, as well as the family. However, it is imperative that the professionals who are working with the individual stay vigilant and watch for signs of exploitation or abuse. Although it can often be very subtle, professionals usually have the skills and the tools to be able to see through it and bring attention to it. In an extreme case, a professional will contact the Area Agency on Aging and notify the Adult Protective Services division. They have authority under the Adult Protective Services Act to protect individuals in or around our community. However, that is definitely the exception to the rule, and in most cases, it is enough to have the family members leave the room and talk to the client alone to determine whether or not they are being unduly influenced or if they are speaking freely on their own. Most elderly individuals dont always realize what is occurring and therefore are not trying to hide it. They dont realize what is going on, so a trained professional can often ask the right questions to determine if something is not right. In the vast majority of cases, I do think that having family involvement in the elder law process is beneficial to everyone involved.

Even if you or a family member are excited to be moving to a senior living community or new home, there are bound to be a mix of emotions. Moving can be stressful and challenging even in the best of circumstances.   To help you and family members navigate your next move, weve gathered a few of our favorite tips to make handling all the emotional ups and downs a bit easier.    Get enough rest and dont skip meals  In the hustle and bustle of planning a move, its important to take care of yourself. Getting sleep and making sure youre eating properly can help keep your energy up and manage your emotions.    Work the way that works for you Some people are list makers. Others do better with a more unstructured plan. Take a minute to think how you best handle large projects and apply that to your move. Use the process that feels the most comfortable for your situation.    Break up big tasks Looking at a huge move can be overwhelming. Instead, break your tasks into smaller ones. Dont try to tackle the entire kitchen in one long day; take it one drawer at a time. Youll be less likely to get overwhelmed.    Let your feelings flow  Bottling up your emotions may backfire in the long run. If you need to have a good cry or get irritated, its perfectly normal. Let yourself feel the way you feel and then you can move on to the next day or task.    Ask for help  No one has to move alone. Reaching out to family, friends and professionals like the team at WayForth for help organizing, packing and cleaning can relieve some of the feelings of stress and worry.  

The Real Upside to Downsizing.When it comes to moving, we are all looking for ways to maximize the process while reducing our stress, responsibilities, errands, and belongings.  The definition of downsizing is reduction.We have all been there in one capacity or another collecting too many items in our home.  From your closet to the kitchen junk drawer, maybe your spare room, or garage - it can happen anywhere.  When you are moving, cleaning out these areas on your own can be a challenge.There are solutions and resources to help with downsizing. Hiring a professional move management team trained to help make the right downsizing decisions is a start.  Some experts say the process of minimizing excess in your home can feel liberating.  How you move matters so these 6 downsizing surprises will hopefully inspire you to start the journey.Here are 6 surprising benefits to downsizing:1. Honoring your decisions means honoring you and your desire for a happier life.2. Once you get started you wont want to stop. Before you know it, you will be done.3. Saying yes to donating is rewarding. Donating is all about helping others.4. Your feelings will guide you toward success. Keep what you love, pass on the rest.5. Reliving stories is a wonderful and necessary part of the process.6. Your children will thank you. Maybe not now but they will definitely thank you later.Article Submitted by Patti Nanney with WayForth | WayForth Senior Moving Services