Do you wear a fitness tracker? If so, you might be one of more than 2.7 million active older people who are achieving 7,500 steps or more. 

New findings from the Pew Research Center show that older people are more likely to use a wearable fitness monitor such as those made by Fitbit, Garmin, Motiv and other manufacturers. These bracelets and clip-on devices are increasingly popular with older folks.

You’re ready to take the next step in your life and move from your house to a continuing care retirement community (also called life plan community). You’ve started investigating nearby communities that provide retirement living, and you’ve asked the obvious questions, but you wonder if there are other questions you should be asking. 

Happy Older Americans Month! While we acknowledge the value of older Americans every day, the month of May is a special time to celebrate the fact that older Americans contribute in many ways that make a difference in their communities.

Forming good health habits in winter gives you a head start in staying healthy and well all year long. Incorporating a few good habits into your daily routine can help boost your immune system and help you fend off virus- and bacteria-borne illnesses and fight chronic diseases. 

Of course, you’ll want to schedule regular visits with your doctor to maintain good health, but these good habits can lead to good checkups when you have your annual visit with your primary care physician. 

President Eisenhower laid down the first stone for our Assisted Living Suites building back in 1961. Residents had placed a time capsule with books, papers, and keepsakes. After 57 years, current residents opened this time capsule. We enlisted the help of Mary Lynne McKenzie and our very own resident, Page Hawk. 

We’re often asked whether Ingleside at Rock Creek offers opportunities for lifelong learning. The answer is a resounding yes. 

Numerous scientific studies have shown that there are cognitive and physical benefits to continued learning. Nancy Merz Nordstrom, a lifelong learning specialist and author of “Learning Later, Living Greater: The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years,” says there are also less tangible benefits that can affect all areas of our lives. 

Even before she moves into Ingleside at Rock Creek’s new Creekside addition, Washington, D.C., artist Halcy Bohen has a presence at the retirement community. 

Several current residents invited her to mount an exhibit of her work here. It is in the gallery through February 2018. Eighty works are on display in a range of media, including ink, charcoal, graphite, acrylic, oil, collage and watercolor. Halcy’s subject matter ranges from landscapes to pointed social commentary. Twenty-five of the drawings and paintings on display focus on refugees and include portraits of people affected by the Trump administration’s travel ban.

We all know it’s important to exercise to keep us fit and healthy as we grow older. But that doesn’t mean you have to knock yourself out to get the benefits of working out. 

A recent study by researchers at Oregon State University indicated that a total of 5 hours a week of easy walking, dancing, easy sports, and even working around the house can be almost as effective as moderate or vigorous exercise for older adults. 

Life Plan Communities (previously referred to as Continuing care retirement communities) offer a vibrant and secure lifestyle for people who want to pursue their interests without the hassles involved in owning a home. Communities like Ingleside at Rock Creek offer a wide range of services, support and amenities so residents can live their lives to the fullest with the added peace of mind of onsite health care as they grow older.

Could you lower your risk for Alzheimer’s disease by exercising regularly? Recent research suggests it’s possible. 

Increasingly, lifestyle factors are being studied to see how lifestyle changes affect the brain and may contribute to preventing dementia. Many researchers think that regular exercise is the No. 1 factor in preserving brain function.

A study presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference presented the results of a study on the relationship between exercise levels and the levels in the brain of beta amyloid plaques, protein fragments that are one of two brain abnormalities that define Alzheimer’s disease. The conference was held in July 2017 in London.