Blue Zones are a handful of areas around the world where people enjoy quantifiably longer and more independent lives. In some of those areas — such as the Greek island of Ikaria — those long-lived folks also show near-zero rates for conditions like Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

As we recognize National Family Caregivers Month this November, we must also recognize National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month — and the connection between the two through the family members devastated by the demands of caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

According to a National Alliance for Caregiving / AARP study, about 34.2 million Americans just like you provide unpaid care to a senior adult every year. Some of those Americans have created organizations and non-profit groups dedicated to providing their peers with needed guidance, support and human connection.

There are some health awareness months that need revisiting year after year. Unfortunately, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is one of them.

In our last post on Breast Cancer Awareness Month we talked about the dizzying array of medications that can make organizing cancer care for the elderly a cause of anxiety not just for patients, but for their family caregivers as well.

Congratulations to Zach Tarrant on three years as Overture Home Care’s Executive Director! We’re thrilled that Zach Tarrant was able to find time in his busy schedule managing operations, overseeing performance, and planning the administrative aspects of our ongoing growth to share with us his thoughts on the past three years as our Executive Director.

We can’t think of a better time to celebrate National Grandparents Day than Healthy Aging Month, because family engagement — and connection to young people in particular — is one of the best tools we have to keep our older loved ones mentally, emotionally and physically sharp.

Along with cooler weather (fingers crossed) September brings one of the most important celebration months in our calendar: Healthy Aging Month.

On July 19, Overture Home Care participated in the Tarrant Area Gerontological Society (TAGS) Summer Forum. Our SVP Paige Wolk is currently the Membership Chair and past president of the TAGS board, and we enthusiastically support the TAGS mission to provide education, recognition and scholarship support to healthcare professionals who work with the elderly in our area.

One thing we all learned from the COVID-19 experience is that viruses mutate frequently and vaccinations need to be updated to remain effective against the new versions. This is true for the seasonal influenza virus as well, and it's why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have long recommended that everyone 6 months and older get an updated flu shot every year.

This summer has seen record-breaking heat waves across the U.S. and Europe, and it has felt like our own North Texas area has been at the center of it all.

For the last two years, we've used our July posts to focus on ways for seniors to stay mentally sharp and socially active despite pandemic-era social distancing requirements and restrictions.

In July 2021, we presented longtime Overture Home Care caregiver Vivian Y. McNary with our First Annual Vivian Y. McNary Caregiver of the Year Award.

In 1996, the National Safety Council (NSC) established June as National Safety Month with the goal of increasing public awareness of the leading safety risks and decreasing the number of accidental injuries and deaths at homes and the workplace.

Denise Helms and Paige Wolk join My So-Called Fabulous podcaster and lifestyle influencer Tiffany Blackmon for an in-depth discussion of aging and independence.

June brings a second set of recognitions that are always in our thoughts as home care providers: Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month and the Longest Day fundraising event for the fight against Alzheimer's.

June is Men’s Health Month, and that means it’s time to get some difficult conversations started with your older male loved ones.

If you follow our advice from the previous post and visit the Fort Worth Botanic Garden this month, you may notice a charming mid-century building, surrounded by flowers and walking trails, just across the park road from the main parking lot. This building — officially 3111 Old Garden Road — is the headquarters of Texas Garden Clubs, Inc.

After a series of March and April fake-outs, real spring is finally here. But it won't last long, so don’t wait to plan fun outdoor activities. While you’re making those plans, consider a few special trips for your older or health-challenged loved ones as well. We all need to get outside to stretch a little and enjoy the sunshine. And with Mother’s Day on May 8 and National Senior Health and Fitness Day on May 25, what more encouragement do you need to plan outdoor events this month that the whole family can enjoy?

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, the theme for this year’s National Parkinson’s Awareness Month is the Future of Parkinson’s Disease. To positively impact that future, it is important that we understand the disease itself, the current state of research, and the available treatment options.