3 WAYS TO AVOID TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY PROTECT YOUR FAMILY’S BRAINS ON THE ROAD!
DON’T SPEND ANOTHER YEAR LONELY! 5 WAYS TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS IN RETIREMENT
Friendship just might be the fourth secret to longevity, right behind eating well, exercising, and getting plenty of sleep. According to the Mayo Clinic, making friends can reduce stress, improve your self-confidence, and give you purpose in life! People with good friends are also more likely to exercise and less likely to drink to excess. But making friends is tough, especially in your golden years. To finally kick loneliness to the curb in 2022, try these five tips. 1. GET A DOG. Adopting a dog (assuming you truly want one) will incentivize you to leave the house for walks, vet visits, and more. You’ll likely attract new friends in the neighborhood when they stop to pet your pup, and you can also meet people at the dog park or obedience classes. If nothing else, you’ll have your dogs in common! 2. JOIN A HOBBY GROUP. The easiest way to find friends with similar interests is to pursue those interests. If you like to quilt, join a quilting group, and if you kayak, look for an outdoors club near you. Facebook is a great resource for finding online hobby groups, too! Just type your interest into the search bar and select “Groups” on the left-hand side of the screen. 3. VOLUNTEER. Volunteering has similar benefits to joining a hobby group with the added benefit of giving back to the community! There’s likely a cause for whatever you’re interested in, whether that’s food, animals, or sports. Visit VolunteerMatch.org to find opportunities in your area sorted by organization type. 4. MOVE TO A 55-PLUS COMMUNITY. Also called retirement communities or active adult communities, these neighborhoods are known for their low-maintenance housing, amenities, and group activity options — and they’re all over the U.S. If you want to find friends in your age group to swim and play tennis with, a local real estate agent can help you find them. 5. BECOME A MENTOR. Mentorship is a valuable way to form friendships across generations. You can sign up for an existing program in the field you retired from or reach out to a local college or high school career center and offer your services. They’ll likely have graduates who’d love to meet you!
In last month’s newsletter, we shared three tips for avoiding holiday falls in the office, including watching out for icy parking lots and keeping your eyes peeled for hazardous Christmas decorations or package piles. Those were important reminders, but work isn’t the only place where you’re at risk of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). You’re also in danger on the road! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 17% of TBIs are caused by motor vehicle accidents, including car crashes, motorcycle accidents, and truck collisions. This can be even more common in the winter when icy Richmond roads, snow, and poor visibility make diving more dangerous. To keep your brain — and your family’s brains — safe this winter, follow these three tips! LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. If you feel dizzy, feel nauseous, or have vertigo, trust your body and do not get behind the wheel of a car. Everyone knows that it’s not safe to drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol, but medical issues can unbalance us just as much. If you’re not feeling well, stay put or call a friend or rideshare service for help. ALWAYS DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT. The faster you drive, the more traumatic your injuries will be if you’re in an accident. Yes, you should go with the flow of traffic, but be careful not to speed, even if you’re in a hurry. Even a few miles per hour could make a big difference in the event of an injury. DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR KIDS’ SAFETY SEATS. The CDC reminds us that one of the best ways to protect kids from TBIs in the event of a car crash is to make sure they’re in age- and size-appropriate safety seats. These could be car seats, booster seats, or just correctly worn seat belts. Visit VDH.Virginia.gov/Child-Passenger-Safety for a Virginia child seat safety guide and make sure your kids who are 12 and under always ride in the back. Of course, you should also wear your seat belt in the car, wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle, and practice defensive driving to avoid car crashes all together. That’s just common sense!
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