Ringing in the ears can be more than an annoyance. For some, it can disrupt concentration, impact hearing, and even interfere with sleep. It’s a condition called tinnitus that, unfortunately, becomes more common as we grow older. In honor of Tinnitus Awareness Week, an advocacy week initiated by the American Tinnitus Association, we share information on causes and tips for managing it.

A buzzing, ringing, or whirring in the ears is likely tinnitus. It can be persistent or intermittent. Some people find it gets worse in the evenings, especially after going to bed at night.

While scientists aren’t certain what causes the condition to occur, they have identified what they believe are risk factors, including:

Age: People over the age of 60 experience higher incidences of tinnitus than younger people.

Loud noise: Prolonged exposure to loud noise, such as shooting firearms, listening to music on headphones, or a noisy work environment can cause tinnitus. As can being close to a sudden, explosive noise.

Medical issues: Some health conditions are linked to tinnitus. Those may include heart disease, thyroid disorder, high blood pressure, diabetes, allergies, and more.

Lifestyle: Though research can’t tell us why, some lifestyle choices also seem to increase the odds of developing tinnitus. Common ones include smoking, alcohol, and too much caffeine consumption.

One frustration for people who develop tinnitus is that there is presently no cure for the condition. But you can take steps that may help minimize or mask ringing in the ears. If you suffer from tinnitus, here are a few suggestions to try:

See the doctor: Begin by making an appointment with your primary care physician. There may be an undiagnosed health condition that is causing the problem. Issues like anemia and thyroid disease can typically be treated, resulting in the tinnitus resolving too.

Have a hearing test: If you haven’t already, schedule an exam with an audiologist. You might have hearing loss significant enough to require hearing aids. Being better able to hear the sounds around you may lessen the ringing or buzzing sounds caused by tinnitus.

Try sound therapy: While it won’t make the tinnitus go away, sound can help redirect how you react to the ringing or buzzing. Listening to a white noise machine, streaming nature sounds, or playing soft, soothing music might all be worth trying.

Explore behavioral therapy: Another way to manage this condition is with the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Through CBT, a person with tinnitus learns to avoid the negative thoughts associated with the condition, as well as methods for shifting their attention away from the ringing or buzzing sounds. CBT is a widely accepted method of managing tinnitus.

By exploring different ways to better cope with tinnitus, you can help improve your quality of life and make the most of your retirement years.

Another way you can enhance your quality of life during retirement is to invest in a mobile monitoring unit. In the event you are alone and experience a medical emergency, you can summon help with the press of a button. Call 1-844-203-5617 to learn more today!

Tinnitus is the sensation of ringing or buzzing in the ears. Learn more about it here.

The winter holidays can be a great time for an intergenerational family vacation. The kids are usually off of school or home from college. Special travel packages and pricing abound. While it might seem challenging to get away with both the younger and older generations of your family, the key lies in careful planning.

A few questions to ask yourself as you get started include:

What activities or destinations would be fun for the entire family?

How much can we realistically afford to spend?

Is it going to be difficult to get the whole family there?

While these questions might seem daunting, especially if you’ve never planned an intergenerational trip before, they really don’t have to be. These tips might make it easier for you to get started.

Planning an Intergenerational Holiday Vacation

Decide how much time you can spend on your trip.

This is the obvious first step. Figure out how long you have, including travel time. If your vacation must be arranged to fit into busy work schedules or kids’ time off of school, that will help determine where you can go. For families whose time and budget permit, a longer trip might be fun, too. Senior-Friendly International Travel Destinations has information you might find useful.

Evaluate potential modes of transportation.

Is air travel your best option, or do you think a road trip by car is better? Depending on where you live, maybe a cruise is an option? When you are traveling with several generations, you’ll need to consider the logistics of each type of transportation.

Think about what hobbies and interests family members share.

When you are selecting a destination, think about those activities your family members might share. For example, heading off to a winter resort might give younger family members an opportunity to ski or snowboard, and seniors a chance to enjoy other amenities. The onboard attractions offered by cruise lines, such as swimming, casinos, cooking classes, and games, provide fun for every generation.

Be considerate of normal age-related changes.

When planning your trip, be mindful of the changes that occur with age. Even if the older adults in your family are in good health, there might be accommodations to keep in mind. For example, your senior loved one may walk a little slower or grow tired more easily than the rest of your family. A few ways to make things easier could include:

Choosing a smaller hotel to reduce the amount of walking

Booking a nonstop flight for simplicity (for everyone!)

Renting a minivan to make everyone more comfortable


While no one wants to think the worst will happen on vacation, it’s important to plan for emergencies just in case. Make sure you have copies of your family elders’ health file, including their medical history, medication list, and physician contact information. This is an important step to take for anyone in the family who has a chronic health condition, too. Also make sure that prescriptions are refilled and you have extra doses in case you don’t make it home on time.

One final suggestion is to consider investing in a mobile monitoring device for anyone in the family who might want to take a solo side adventure. These discreet medical alert systems can easily slip into a pocket or purse. In the event of an emergency, help can be summoned with a simple press of a button. Call 1-844-203-5617 for more details!

The winter holidays can be a great time for the entire family to enjoy a vacation. These tips can help you plan an intergenerational getaway.

As we head into the heart of winter once again, the days are getting colder. It can leave you wanting to hide indoors and hibernate until spring. Just as people often take time to winterize their house and car, there are also steps you can take to keep yourself warm when the mercury falls.

Here are a few ways you can stay warm indoors and out when the winter winds blow.

Tips to Avoid Shivering Your Way Through the Winter

Invest in a towel warmer: Stepping out of the shower during cold months of the year can be a shock to the system. It can leave you feeling cold long after you’ve dried off. One way to make showers a more spa-like experience is to invest in a towel warmer for your bathroom. You might want to check out these towel warmer reviews before making a purchase. You can also place the clothes you intend to wear for the day on the rack to warm up before getting dressed each day.

Dress in layers: Whether you’ll be spending the day inside, outside, or a combination of the two, dressing in layers can help you adjust to the temperature. Start with a set of thermals, both a top and a bottom. Not only do they help you stay warm when you venture out to run errands or shovel snow, they can also keep you from having to turn up the furnace inside. If you don’t feel like you need a full set of thermals to stay warm, another option is to wear leggings under your jeans or pants.

Wear a hat: Many people skip this step when dressing for winter weather, and it’s a mistake. While you’ll lose heat through any part of your body that’s exposed to the elements, it’s your head that’s most often uncovered. By wearing a good quality cap, you can help your whole body feel warmer. Even better is to add a scarf around your neck.

Buy hand warmers: Walking is a preferred form of exercise for people of all ages. If you find yourself skipping your daily walk because of the cold or are tired of using a treadmill indoors, consider buying a pair of hand warmers. It’s a trick often used by people who work outdoors, as well as nature lovers. They come in a variety of formats and price points, including some that are rechargeable for repeated use.

Inspect your house: Before the worst of the winter weather arrives, it might be a good idea to conduct an energy audit of your home. It can help you determine if and where your home is inefficient, and what you can do to correct it. Hiring a professional is probably the best way to tackle this project. If you don’t want the expense or can’t find a professional in your area, this article offers some tips for conducting an energy audit yourself.

Winter Weather Preparation Tips for Seniors is another article you might find helpful in getting ready for cold days ahead. It has information on creating a winter safety kit, preparing your car for winter, and more.

Consider a Mobile Alert System for Winter Safety

If you would like the peace of mind that comes from knowing you can quickly summon help in the event of an emergency this winter, consider purchasing a mobile monitoring unit. These devices allow the user to call for help with the press of a button. Call 1-844-203-5617 to get started!

The coldest months of the year are upon us. Use these tips to stay warmer this winter.

For most Americans, Thanksgiving is the kickoff to the holiday season. Tradition tells us the first Thanksgiving took place in 1621. English Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts, invited their Native American neighbors to share a meal with them to celebrate a good harvest. The event lasted three days.

Through the years, the day has evolved into a public holiday, complete with parades and other celebrations. Let’s take a look back at Thanksgiving through the years.

What You Might Not Know About Thanksgiving

Here are a few interesting tidbits about this favorite fall holiday.

Was turkey always the centerpiece at Thanksgiving dinner?

While today most of us associate Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, that wasn’t the case in the early years. The main entrée was actually venison. Legend has it that five deer were served during that very first gathering. It wasn’t until around 1863 that turkey became the main course.

How did Thanksgiving become a public holiday?

George Washington accepted a recommendation from Congress and signed a proclamation designating Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a “Day of Publick Thanksgiving.” It was Abraham Lincoln who, in 1863, named the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving. In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt tried to change the date to the second-to-last Thursday in November, but Congress overrode that decision in 1941. Thereafter, the Thanksgiving holiday was designated as the fourth Thursday in November.

When did Macy’s start hosting its Thanksgiving parade?

While football can be found on many televisions on Thanksgiving afternoons, it’s the Macy’s parade that often dominates mornings. The parade has been making its way through New York City since 1924. It was originally a 6-mile procession that featured animals from the Central Park Zoo. Once the event started being televised, the route was decreased to 2.5 miles and began featuring balloons, bands, and other entertainers. Felix the Cat was the first balloon to be included in 1927.

How much turkey do Americans eat on Thanksgiving?

According to the National Turkey Federation, Americans consume an estimated 44 million turkeys on the big day. The average weight for each bird is 16 pounds. That translates to 704 pounds of turkey in a single day! Other popular holidays on which a bird is served include Christmas and Easter, when 22 million and 19 million pounds of turkey, respectively, are consumed.

Which president started the tradition of pardoning a turkey?

While some people attribute this annual event to George H.W. Bush, according to the White House, it actually dates back to the days of Abraham Lincoln. One popular tale is that the president’s son Tad begged his dad to issue a presidential pardon for the turkey destined for the Lincoln family’s Christmas table. Tad argued that the bird had as much a right to live as anyone. Lincoln honored his son’s request and the bird was spared.

One final fun fact about Thanksgiving is the number of calls to the Butterball hotline, also known as the Turkey Talk Line. During the November and December holiday season, experts answer more than 100,000 calls in the United States and Canada.

Invest in a Mobile Medical Alert System This Winter

If you are a solo traveler during the holidays or someone who lives alone, concerns about what to do if you experience an emergency are legitimate. One way to decrease your worries about not being able to find help in a hurry is by investing in a mobile medical alert system. These discreet units can be used to call for assistance from wherever you are with a simple press of a button. Call 1-844-203-5617 to learn more today!

Looking for a few new facts about Thanksgiving to share at your holiday gathering this year? Here are a few you might find interesting.

Caregiving for an aging parent whose health is declining can be a rewarding experience. But the reality is that the role of family caregiver can be stressful and demanding. Being responsible for the health and safety of someone you love isn’t easy. Not knowing what your senior loved one will need from you next or which tasks you may be required to perform can be unsettling. And watching them struggle and feeling powerless to help can result in a range of difficult emotions, including guilt, fear, and sadness.

One emotion family caregivers don’t like to acknowledge is resentment. When caregiving has taken over your life, it’s tough not to resent it some days. While it’s a natural emotion, the guilt about feeling that way may linger long after caregiving days are over.

Family caregivers often describe a roller coaster of emotions, including:

Anger that this is happening to a parent and to the family

Resentment that caregiving takes so much time and energy

Fear that an important appointment or medication dosage will be accidentally missed

Guilt that they don’t seem to be as good a caregiver as others they know

Here are a few tips you might find helpful in managing some of the tough emotions of caregiving:

The first step is to acknowledge your feelings. Admit how you feel—whether it is guilty or sad or fearful—and don’t judge yourself for having those emotions. Once you do, it might be easier to understand and accept the root cause.

For example, it’s okay to feel resentful for missing out on so many outings and events with friends and loved ones. Knowing how common this emotion is among caregivers might bring you some degree of peace, even if your guilt doesn’t vanish completely. The same is true with other difficult emotions you are feeling.

Be willing to ask for and accept help from friends and family. Adult children sometimes make the mistake of thinking they can do everything, but it’s usually not possible. Trying to do so can result in chronic stress or a health crisis for the caregiver.

One avenue to explore might be respite services from a home care agency or at an assisted living community. These programs are designed to give family members a break. They are also a good way to evaluate local senior care providers should you need a more permanent solution in the days ahead.

Caregiver support groups are another good source for learning how to manage difficult emotions. Joining one will give you the opportunity to connect with fellow caregivers who understand and relate to this journey. Not only will you learn from the experiences of your peers, but you will also discover you aren’t the only family member struggling to cope.

Online caregiver support groups can be a good fit for those who can’t leave their loved one unattended. For some people, the anonymity of online forums makes it easier to honestly express tough emotions. In-person groups are ideal if you prefer face-to-face interaction with peers. To see what is offered in your community, check with the area agency on aging or the local senior center or Alzheimer’s Association chapter.

Often one of the biggest concerns for family caregivers is safety, with falls frequently topping the list. You might be out of sight only long enough to walk to the mailbox or make a quick grocery run, and your parent could experience a fall. By investing in a mobile monitoring unit, a senior can call for help from wherever they are. Call 1-844-203-5617 for more details today!

Caregiving for an aging parent or senior loved one can be both rewarding and difficult. These tips might be useful in navigating tough days.

Looking for something different to do on Halloween this year? If your grandkids are too old for or uninterested in trick-or-treating anymore, you might be left wondering if it’s finally time to leave this night of fright behind. After all, many people think it’s a holiday just for younger people.

How about planning an activity you can invite a few friends over to enjoy? One idea might be to host a Halloween movie night. You can set up a snack bar with drinks and treats to keep things fun but easy. Depending on how long you want your party to go, pick a few movies to enjoy with your guests. We have a few suggestions you might appreciate.

Are you looking for humor or suspense or downright frightening? Maybe a mix of all three? Here are some titles to consider:

Hocus Pocus: This family-friendly favorite series tells the tale of three wild witches freed from their coven just in time for a little Halloween mayhem. The first movie was released in 1993 and has become a cult classic. Hocus Pocus 2 is brand new in 2022.

Scream: Part slasher series, part dark comedy, Scream is another one theatergoers can’t get enough of. There are five movies in total, with the last one released just this year.

The Haunted Mansion: This scary Disney movie features comedian Eddie Murphy. It involves a case of mistaken identity that leads to a family being trapped in a haunted mansion.

The Shining: If you haven’t seen it yet, this film is about the innkeeper of the Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Stranded with his wife and son during a winter storm, his mental health deteriorates. The result is a psychological thriller many consider to be the best horror movie of all time.

Ghostbusters: Who doesn’t love a good ghost story on Halloween? This comedy is another Disney classic featuring the popular actors Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. There’s also an all-female remake, released in 2016, starring Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig, and Kate McKinnon.

The Silence of the Lambs: Another horror movie with a cult-like following, featuring an FBI agent played by Jodie Foster. She is on the hunt for a very disturbing serial killer—one who eats his victims. This one might keep you up all night checking the locks on the doors.

Psycho: No Halloween movie recommendation list would be complete without an Alfred Hitchcock tale thrown in. In this 1960 story, a young woman hits the road after embezzling money from her employer. She ends up at the Bates Motel, where she is murdered in what has become a classic shower scene. Not a movie for the faint of heart.

Check your streaming services to see what else might be released just in time for Halloween!

Feel Safer at Home With a Mobile Monitoring Device

On Halloween and every other day of the year, you can feel safer living alone with the support of a mobile monitoring device. These discreet units allow you to summon help with the press of a button. Call 1-844-203-5617 to learn more today!

Are you someone looking for ideas for Halloween night? This list of movies might be of interest.

What Causes Ringing in the Ears?

What Is Tinnitus?

Can Tinnitus Be Treated?

Peace of Mind for Seniors and Families

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