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Name: Cotton Grove Estate
Address: 249 Joe Naia Rd, Jesup, GA, 31545, US
Telephone: (912) 424-6422
Price range: $$$-$$$$

11 Awesome Benefits of Coloring For The Elderly

Coloring has long been considered a therapeutic activity suitable for young and old, with many positive, longterm benefits. For the elderly in particular, revisiting this much loved childhood pastime is well worth the effort, as it evokes feelings of peace, enjoyment, and satisfaction.

Coloring as a hobby for adults has gained popularity in recent years, with adult coloring books now available for sale almost everywhere. But the benefits of coloring for the elderly reach far beyond the simple joys of acquiring a new hobby.

According to Golden Carers, research into the effects of coloring activities for people living with dementia show positive outcomes, most notably a decrease in agitation and anxiety.

Here are 11 benefits of coloring for seniors:

Improves mood
Relieves stress
Reduces agitation
Promotes socialization and reminiscing
Provides an outlet for self-expression
Helps to maintain motor function
Improves dexterity (grip control)
Improves hand-eye coordination
Encourages cooperation
Promotes mindfulness (full attention & concentration required)
Provides a sense of accomplishment

At Cotton Grove Estate, we recognize the benefits that coloring provides for our residents, and ensure that this activity is always on the calendar!

Caregivers at Cotton Grove Estate use a wealth of experience and knowledge in order to implement activities that are enjoyable, as well as beneficial for the longer well-being of our residents. We constantly seek to meet the individual needs of each resident, while simultaneously striving to provide activities which will enhance the lifestyle of our luxury senior living community as a whole.

To experience the unique magic of Cotton Grove Estate for yourself, and to see the cutting edge techniques employed by our staff, schedule a private tour today by calling (912) 424-6422.

Pope Francis Establishes World Day For Grandparents & Elderly

No one can deny that grandparents and their grandchildren share a unique connection. In fact, that special bond has been proven to both make grandparents live longer and make children more emotionally resilient. Now, a new world holiday promises not just to honor the relationship between grandparent and grandchild, but to promote the connection between the elderly and the younger generation.

According to Vatican News, Pope Francis has announced that the fourth Sunday in July will henceforth be celebrated as the World Day honoring grandparents and the elderly. This year, the date will fall on July 25th. The Holy Father chose this date as it falls close to the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.

The elderly, Pope Francis said, “remind us that old age is a gift and that grandparents are the link between the different generation, to pass on to the young the experience of life.”

The Holy Father emphasized the importance of grandparents and grandchildren getting to know one another, as he believes it is necessary to bridge the gap between the elderly and younger generations. He said he instituted the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly because “grandparents are often forgotten, and we forget this wealth of preserving roots and passing on” what the elderly have received.

The pastoral care of the elderly is a priority that can no longer be postponed by any Christian community… the Holy Father reminds us that no one is saved alone. With this in mind, we must treasure the spiritual and human wealth that has been handed down from generation to generation.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell

For many years now, the US has celebrated Grandparents Day on the first Sunday after Labor Day. But while National Grandparents Day is already a secular holiday celebrated in various countries, Pope Francis’ new holiday promises to bring even more awareness to the importance of honoring the elderly generation.

5 Lifestyle Choices That Cut The Risk of Alzheimer’s by 60%

A team of scientists from the National Institute of Aging (NIA) in Maryland has identified five lifestyle choices that could cut a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 60%. The researchers followed more than 3,000 people over the course of six years. According to Yahoo!, the results suggest those who stuck to four or five of the healthy lifestyle factors were 60% less likely to develop the memory-robbing disease.

This observational study provides more evidence on how a combination of modifiable behaviors may mitigate Alzheimer’s disease risk. The findings strengthen the association between healthy behaviors and lower risk, and add to the basis for controlled clinical trials to directly test the ability of interventions to slow or prevent development of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Dr. Richard Hodes, Director of the NIA

Participants in the NIA study were scored according to five lifestyle factors:

Exercise: Well-scoring participants were moderately or vigorously active for at least 150 minutes a week
Smoking status
Alcohol consumption
Diet: Well-scoring participants followed a high-quality, Mediterranean eating plan that centred around plant-based foods low in saturated fat and salt
“Late-life cognitive activities”: Engaging in pastimes like jigsaw puzzles or crosswords

The participants’ scores were then compared against any Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Compared to the participants who adopted none or just one of the healthy lifestyle choices, those who followed two or three were 37% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. The risk went down by 60% in those who adopted four or five.

This population-based study helps paint the picture of how multiple factors are likely playing parts in Alzheimer’s disease risk. It’s not a clear cause and effect result, but a strong finding because of the dual data sets and combination of modifiable lifestyle factors that appear to lead to risk reduction.”
Dr. Dallas Anderson, from the NIA

What is Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, the umbrella term for a loss of cognitive function. In the US, 5.8 million live with the disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. It is believed to be brought on by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells. Exactly why this occurs is unclear, however, it has been linked to age, a family history of the disease, and head injuries.

Alzheimer’s can have devastating consequences, not only for the individual who suffers from the disease, but for their loved ones, as well. In advanced cases, sufferers may struggle to swallow, lose the ability to speak, and become unable to recognize even their closest friends and family members.

Caregivers at Cotton Grove Estate use a wealth of experience and knowledge in order to respond to residents with Alzheimer’s with the utmost dignity and respect. To see the cutting edge techniques employed by our staff to ease the symptoms of Alzheimer’s some of our residents experience, schedule a private tour today by calling (912) 424-6422.

People Who Can Identify THESE 3 SMELLS Have “Half The Risk Of Dementia”

It’s no secret that some of our most vivid memories are triggered by the senses; if you’ve ever unexpectedly caught a whiff of something that took you back in time, you can relate. But now, three distinct scents and the ability to identify them have been scientifically linked with an elderly person’s risk of developing dementia.

Scientists from the University of California, San Fransisco (UCSF), have found that those who retain good sensory function in the later stages of life are up to half as likely to develop dementia. The researches followed 1,800 people in their seventies for up to 10 years. They concluded that the ability to identify the scent of roses, paint-thinner, and lemons is linked to a lower risk of dementia. The results were published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Hearing, vision, and touch were taken into account in addition to smell. But smell – tested by identifying distinctive odors like onions and turpentine – was found to have the biggest impact.

The participants whose sense of smell declined by 10% had a 19% higher risk of developing dementia, compared to 1% to 3% increased odds for those who had the same decline in vision, hearing or touch.

The UCSF scientists set out to uncover if sensory function is linked to the disease, with past studies suggesting an association. At the start of the study, all the participants were dementia-free, with 328 (18%) developing the condition over the next decade. After ranking the participants’ sensory levels, the scientists found 27% of those with a poor score were later diagnosed with dementia. This is compared to 19% in the middle range and 12% who scored “good”.
Y ahoo!life

Scientists now wonder if the parts of the brain affected by dementia may also regulate our sense of smell. “The olfactory bulb, which is critical for smell, is affected fairly early on in the course of the disease,” said lead author Dr Willa Brenowitz. “It’s thought that smell may be a preclinical indicator of dementia, while hearing and vision may have more of a role in promoting dementia.”

Moreover, sensory decline in itself may trigger memory loss. “We found that with deteriorating multi-sensory functioning, the risk of cognitive decline increased in a dose-response manner,” said study author Dr Kristine Yaffe. “Even mild or moderate sensory impairments across multiple domains were associated with an increased risk of dementia, indicating that people with poor multi-sensory function are a high-risk population that could be targeted prior to dementia onset for intervention.”

The scientists have suggested sensory impairment may be due to “underlying neurodegeneration or the same disease processes as those affecting cognition, such as stroke.” Results of the study further revealed the participants with good multi-sensory function were generally healthier, with a lower rate of diabetes, heart disease, high-blood pressure or stroke. Additionally, they were more likely to have completed some form of higher education, suggesting that in earlier stages of life may have a lasting impact for decades to come.

Caregivers at Cotton Grove Estate use a wealth of experience and knowledge in order to respond to residents with dementia with the utmost dignity and respect. To see the cutting edge techniques employed by our staff to ease the symptoms of dementia some of our residents experience, schedule a private tour today by calling (912) 424-6422.