5 Good Reasons to Embrace Spring Cleaning

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

Winter Safety Tips for Seniors

Winter can be a beautiful, picturesque time of year: Sitting by the fireplace drinking a mug of warm tea or hot chocolate while enjoying a good novel as the snow falls softly outside makes for an enjoyable afternoon. However, the season can also bring several health and safety hazards. This winter, be prepared by taking…

Read More

Fitness for Every Age … and Stage

Like most people, you have probably heard that muscle strength, absent some weightlifting, starts to decline in middle age. And you probably expect things like your balance, coordination and flexibility to naturally take a bit of a downturn …. someday. But new research from Duke University shows that these fitness-related changes begin much earlier than…

Read More