While romance gets all the hearts and flowers on Valentine’s Day, why not honour the love, affection, and special bond you have with the senior loved ones in your life? Here are five ways to celebrate, some designed for in-person gatherings and others for virtual meet-ups.

Battling the winter elements can be challenging for seniors, creating barriers to social and physical activities and health risks in cold, icy conditions. Moving to a retirement community offers seniors many opportunities for social companionship to brighten daily life and beat the winter blues. Retirement living also offers easy access to stimulating recreational experiences, tasty, nutritious meals and a safe, comfortable haven from the hassles and hazards of winter.

As we get closer to the holiday season, some of us may be feeling concerned about how jolly our time with extended family might be if we engage in certain conversations. For example, the pandemic and vaccination status has become a contentious topic that has, in many cases, led to family drama and upset. Family members may have different viewpoints about how safe it is to get together, whether everyone needs to be fully vaccinated, or whether masks may even be necessary in some situations.

Stats Canada reports that over half of caregivers felt worried or anxious because of their caregiving responsibilities, and about the same percentage felt tired during the past 12 months.

Can the right clothing help your senior loved one with mobility issues feel more confident, independent, and stay physically and socially active?

Many of us will be spending Thanksgiving with our parents and siblings—either in person or virtually due to COVID-19.

Supporting and connecting meaningfully with someone living with dementia can make a vital positive difference and help overcome isolation in normal circumstances and in pandemic situations.

In the first few months of the pandemic when we were all hunkered down, almost everyone was focused on responding to the situation at hand.

Canadians have quickly become familiar with “physical distancing” as we continue to adjust to the new normal of COVID-19 prevention and control.

For residents of Canadian retirement communities, physical contact with family and friends hasn’t been possible or has been limited for several months due to social distancing restrictions to keep one another safe and flatten the curve.

The qualities of hope, optimism and positive thinking help people cope with life’s challenges while improving their overall health and longevity.

As the COVID-19 situation continues to unfold, some people have wondered if they should take their parent out of a retirement or long term care residence until the stay-at-home orders are lifted.