Many years ago, when I was a lot younger, I was told by several seniors that life seems to go by faster as you get older. I didn't understand what they meant at the time, but as I get older, I know exactly what they were talking about! They would also tell me that as you age, your body wants to...

To continue this month's highlighting of Brain Awareness week (March 16-22), this week's topic is on the benefits of slumber. Sleep affects both mental and physical health. According to Dr. Merrill Miller, a sleep expert and neuroscientist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "Sleep services...

April 12th - 18th is the National Week of the Young Child, sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  The Week of the Young Child is a time to recognize the importance of early learning and early literacy.Each weekday during the Week of the Young Child has a...

When you think of the word stress you can probably easily identify the areas of stress in your daily life - from balancing your family and work, to dealing with finances, to handling family and relationship issues – daily stress is all around us! It is also likely that you can effortlessly identify...

Can you relate to the picture above?  If so, read on.  If not - if your house is a clutter free zone, then maybe you should be writing this instead of me!!Besides reducing clutter, adequate storage space for toys makes the job of clean-up easier for you and your child.  Some ideas:Hang Them...

When you think of the word stress you can probably easily identify the areas of stress in your daily life - from balancing your family and work, to dealing with finances, to handling family and relationship issues – daily stress is all around us! It is also likely that you can effortlessly identify...

When someone asks you to think about health, wellness and fitness, you usually think about physical health, exercise or nutrition. As people age, they often concentrate on improving and maintaining their physical health, when they should also be working on their cognitive or brain health. Since...

Summertime for kids usually means fewer routines, later nights and sleeping in more, compared to during the school year. However, there are signs everywhere to show us that school is just around the corner. It is evident by the store ads, the school supplies that are spilling out in to the middle...

November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and National Caregiver Month. After working in the field of aging for sixteen years, I have found that this is a topic no one wants to learn about until it affects them. Here are some facts about Alzheimer's disease: In...

Today's blog entry is taken from the award winning Extension series, Your Young Child. When your child is between 1 and 3 years old, she will probably be interested in everything and everyone, especially if it's new or different.  She will want to be part of whatever you do.  She will try...

"I remember when I was your age I would…" We all have stories to tell. We are the authors of our own life stories. The longer we live the more stories we accumulate! There was a time when story sharing by elders served as a community building function. It was a way for younger people to learn about...

What do you do the stay intellectually engaged?  Do you complete the daily crossword puzzle?  Do you watch trivia game shows on television?  Do you help your grandchild with her "times" tables?  Whatever it is, it is important to keep doing it!Current research indicates that challenging the brain...

August is the time of year when parents are busy getting their children ready to go back to school. Registering, shopping for school supplies, providing emotional support. But what about grandparents that are raising their grandchildren? It might have been awhile since they raised their own...

According to the 2010 Census, there are currently 40 million Americans over the age of 65, with Illinois as one of the top nine states where they reside. Although today's generation of older adults is living longer, healthier lives, 80% of them are living with at least one chronic health condition...

Since May is Older American's Month, wouldn't it be great to get our younger generations involved with our older generations in fun and meaningful ways? When children, teens and younger adults spend time with older adults, there are many benefits to everyone involved. Older adults can be great role...

"My baby has slept through the night since he was 2 weeks old." This is something that all tired parents have heard, longed for, and even envied, yet a peacefully sleeping child seems a far off dream. Sleep. It's one of the keys to your child's development yet, one of the most challenging aspects...

"What did the grapes say when they got stepped on? Nothing – they just gave a little w(h)ine." Just a little brain teaser in honor of Brain Awareness Week (March 16-22), which we have dedicated all of our posts to this past month. We have covered how sleep, a nutritious diet, physical exercise,...

Falls Prevention Awareness Day is September 23 (the first day of fall).Did you know that 1 in 3 Americans aged 65+ falls every year?  Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans.  Falls are costly - in dollars and quality of life.However, falling is NOT an...

One of the most renowned researchers in the area of brain health is Dr. Art Kramer, Director of Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. When he was asked what are two to three lifestyle habits that we can execute to improve our brain health his reply was to: Be active by engaging...

At the start of each new year, many of us resolve to make some kind of change in our lives, whether it is to lose weight, quit smoking, save money, or exercise more. Very few of us add to our lists that we will dedicate ourselves to brain fitness. Yet, concerns about memory problems as we age are...