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Best wishes from everyone at Lifespan as spring blossoms with new hope for our entire community. HCO# 444700020 600 Frederick Street • Santa Cruz, CA 95062 • (831) 469-4900 • www.lifespancare.com Home Care Personalized care up to 24 hours a day by experienced and registered home care aides. Enhancing life and finding joy through activities that increase engagement, fulfillment, and a sense of connection. Well-Being Program Care management promotes peace of mind through professional, person-centered assessment, coordination of personal care, medical, and social needs. Care Management AGING CARE YOU CAN TRUST SINCE 1983 Springtime Swinging By the Sea By Peggy Pollard Have you walked on West Cliff lately? How can you NOT break into joyous dance from the splendor! Infinite waves undulate across the path of glitter- ing gold leading to the sun. Sea otters bob among the kelp groves waltzing in the currents. Flocks of intriguing bird species soar above, and dive under, the waves. Sea lions bellow and naps under the wharf. Surf rhythmically pounds the valiant mussels clinging to boulders as tiny crabs scuttle around jagged barnacles. Motivation to dance is easy here, where we are inspired by sea creatures of springtime Monterey Bay. So March "Swinging by the Sea" lessons reflect the kinetic personalities of our salt-water neighbors. First, we started with the lowly clam, exploring its simple hinge movement in our Swing Dance partner- ing. Next the playful sea otter, delighted us with its rollicking energy. The jellyfish (technically a "jelly" not a fish! say local scientists) taught us to enjoy more floating pauses in our dance choreogra- phy. Now this week we cele- brate THE MIGHTY SEA LION. If you are not acquainted with Sea Lions, take a jaunt to end of the Santa Cruz Wharf and look down inside the cutout areas. Yes they may seem like lazy blobs of blub- ber, snoozing under the pilings, but have you seen them dive deep into the frigid waters of the bay? Amazingly graceful and stout-of-heart, they frequent the depths of that chilly world. Deservedly, these mas- cots of the wharf rule the bay, fearlessly bossing fishermen, surfers, and any other creatures that swim in their salty kingdom. Now, since this week's Sea Lion theme collides with St. Patrick's Day, our bossy, deep-diving inspired dancing is trans- formed into an Irish Polka Dance choreography! Irish Polka is a rather sea lion-esque dance, with both Swing and Waltz qualities. The Irish Polka is also guaranteed to take your breath away quicker than a plunge into the chilly Steamers Lane, no Guin- ness Stout needed! After all, if you want to stay young of mind, as well as of heart, and body, you must keep learning such new skills, such as the Irish Polka, to keep your mind invigorated. According to Harvard Medical School, its essential for older adults to stay mentally active to keep our brains healthy for years to come. Along with regular aerobic exercise, and life satisfac- tion, "Using your thinking skills regularly is one of the best ways to protect against mental aging." says neuropsychologist Lydia Cho. Our online classes are the perfect way to do all three at once. But sadly, many peo- ple, young and old, don't exercise enough. Accord- ing to a 2021 survey of American adults by Sur- veyMonkey, the top three reasons why people aren't exercising as much as they should are: 1. 53% are not motivated to exercise 2. 35% are too tired 3. 29% can't stick to a routine Awww … Those sad, unmotivated survey-takers no doubt do NOT live near our awesome Monterey Bay. To be sure, people have diverse motivations for exercising. Therefore, my second rule for how to R.E.A.P. your best healthy, happy life is to "Exercise ENJOYABLY." That's easy for most of us who do live here. We can by default, stroll along the cliffs, swept along by the loveliness of it all, amidst the throngs of fellow walkers, joggers, bicyclers, roller bladers, unicyclers, (and other creative vehicles) No matter how early Bob and I get out for our sun- rise walk, there are always earlier risers both on the cliff, and usually in the frigid waters before us, immersed in the beauty of nature. But for those who aren't so geographically lucky, the survey says they "indicate a solid intent to invest in their fitness . . . to purchase home fitness products or gym memberships." OK. First, that's GREAT they have solid intent to get physically fit. ANY exercise at all really helps our health in so many ways. BUT . . . Second . . . What!!!?? Their answer is to buy equipment and member- ships, to go in a room to do boring exercises on equip- ment? No wonder they quit. (not much mental agility being used for pumping away at a machine, right?) Can somebody please tell them that learning to dance at home is SOOoooo much more enjoyable? Using your brain to learn NEW ways to move is using MORE parts of YOU (mind, heart AND body) than just doing 1,000 repetitions of the same move endlessly on a machine. Our bodies, and brains were designed for better than that. We were designed to DANCE. Now is the perfect time to spring into a new, hap- pier healthier way to live. Jump in this week! Dance like a Sea Lion! Santa Cruz Waltz & Swing www.peggydance. weebly.com 4 Easy Tips to Help Older Adults Stay Active By StatePoint As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many older adults are following the advice of public health experts and remaining at home to limit risk of exposure. Bad weather conditions can also keep people inside for days at a time. But a strong body and mind are as important as ever, and the good news is being indoors doesn't mean having to give up on exercising. There are many great health benefits to staying active, such as improving mobility and balance, develop- ing muscle and bone strength, increasing energy and managing weight. Exercise can also reduce blood pres- sure and lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. According to Dr. Gina Conflitti, chief medical officer for Medicare at Cigna, the advantages aren't just physical: "Keeping active has a positive impact on men- tal health, too," she said. "With regular exercise, many older adults enjoy better sleep, clearer thinking, lower stress and improved mood." According to Cigna, which serves many older adults through its Medicare Advantage plans, here are four sim- ple tips for exercising in the comfort of home: 1. Make a plan. What is your long-term goal? Having something to work toward is great motivation to keep up daily activity and set yourself up for success. Before you begin any physical activity, talk to your doctor about your health goals. Your doctor can provide guidance on exercises that are safe and attainable as you begin a new chapter of your well- ness journey. 2. Take it slow. You don't have to run a marathon or even lift weights to keep fit – the most important thing is to just move. Start by walking around your house a few times a day or doing some gentle stretching. Just adding five minutes of activity to your day can make a difference in your overall health and mood. As your body gets used to daily movement, you can enhance your physical activities as rec- ommended by your health care provider. 3. Use what you have. You don't need a gym to get a healthy workout. In fact, there are plenty of exercises you can do using items found around the house. For example, "chair dips" are an effective arm and shoulder workout – just place both feet on the ground, face away from a chair and support your body by putting your hands on the seat behind you with straight arms. Next, raise and lower yourself by bending and unbending your arms. You can even exercise while seated. Hold your leg out in front of you and trace each letter of the alphabet. Work your feet and leg muscles by laying a kitchen towel on the floor, then use your toes to grab, release and push the fabric. 4. Check your health care plan benefits. If you have a Medicare Advan- tage plan, you might be eligible for extra benefits such as at-home fitness programs, including free on-demand workouts accessible from your computer, smart device or phone, as well as gear, such as resistance bands. Find more healthy aging and exercise tips at cigna. com/medicare/healthy-ag- ing/physical-activity. "As you start, remember to be flexible and stay positive," Dr. Conflitti suggests. "Changing habits can take time, but every step is progress. If you haven't reached a goal, don't be hard on yourself – it's most important to continue at your own pace."

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