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COMING T O GETHER T O SET A NYour bis our endeavorhealth.org
5 NEW S T AND ARD I N HEAL THCARE est health endeavor.
6 To every nhealing NATIONAWEFranciscanHealth.org
nurse, we applaud and thank you for your commitment to gthe mind, body and spirit of each patient you encounter. Join usin celebrating AL NURSESWEEK! EL VE OUR NURSES!
© 2024 Northwestern Medicine. All rights reserved. In honor of National Nurses Week, we want to all the ways you make us better. Every day, we for your patients. You listen intently. You carfirst, which helps all of us deliver bettLearn how to become a Northwestern MB E T T E R The American Nurses Credentialing Center has grNorthwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, NortMedicine Delnor Hospital, Northwestern Medicine Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital and NNURSES NORTHWMEDICINE
7 thank every Northwestern Medicine nurse for see you innovating, educating and advocating e compassionately. And you put our patients ter medicine. You makeadifference. Medicine nurse at jobs.nm.org/nursing. anted Magnet® recognition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, thwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, Northwestern Huntley Hospital, Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital. Northwestern Memorial Hospital SMAKE WESTERN EBETTER.
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• An extraordinary workplace that inspires • An inclusive environment that empowers • A supportive atmosphere that feels like famil• And, exciting opportunities to advance your career Want to join our team? Visit silvercross.org/careers or scan this QR code Experience S
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12 2768 North Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 (just south of Diversey) 773-525-2228 [email protected] www.secondactchicago.com THANK YOU NURSES, WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU! Second Act salutes the nurses who care for breast cancer patients, survivors and thrivers, from their earliest stages of diagnosis and treatment through their ongoing care. Open Monday – Friday Appointments are alwayMedicare, Medicaid and Private At Second Act Cancer Reguided our clients through tbest fitting, most comfortablprostheses, including custoAnd like the nurses who gtreatment we are here to anthis part of their journey a seIn addition to immediate pprostheses, mastectomy braapparel, we also fit compresAs the founder of Second Pattie Cagney Sheehan is prCertified Mastectomy Fitter Wellness magazine. And we the nurses who trust us to cWe work by appointment tindividual attention she desediscuss your questions and for your personal consultati
ys required. Insurance Accepted covery Boutique we have he process of selecting the le mastectomy bras and breast m prostheses, since 2008. guide them through their nswer their questions and make eamless experience. post-surgery garments, breast as, pocketed swimsuits and ssion garments and wigs. Act Cancer Recovery Boutique roud to have been named of the Year by Breast Cancer ecouldn’t have done it without are for their patients. to give every woman the erves. Call or email us to needs or to set an appointment on and fitting.
P ROUD TO CELEBRATE NURAt Duly, we know firsthand that the heart of our nurses transform anxiety into laughter, by spreading hope and happiness. To our remeverywhere who selflessly serve their patienWant to join the Duly team? A
13 RSE’S WEEK fa nurse is built a little differently. Every day replace pain with comfort and heal others markable Duly nursing team and nurses nts and communities - thank you. Apply now at duly.com/nursing
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Take your pasto new heightThe Alden Network recognizes the importance of your own personal and professional growth. With our Tuition Reimbursement and Career Path Advancement Program, we help our team of passionate nursing professionals take their career to the next level. Join an organization that cares for you the way you care for others. To learn more or apply, visit thealdennetwork.com/careers. NET W O R K
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Excellent benefits and paid time off, including holidays. $$$$ Sign on Bonus $$$$ ATTENTION!!! ATTENTION!!! We at Family Guidance Centers, Inc. want to take the time to thank all of the CNAs, CMAs, LPNs, and RNs for their service. Family Guidance Centers, Inc. currently has part-time and full-time Nurse positions available in: • Chicago, IL • Aurora, IL • Harvey, IL • Joliet, IL • Springfield, IL • Toledo, OH Family Guidance Centers, Inc. is a not-for-profit substance use disorder agency. We help our community members to be a better version of themselves. Are you ready to start your Nursing journey, or want to change direction and try something different? To learn more about Family Guidance Centers, Inc. and our wonderful opportunities, visit our website: • Dispense medication per physician orders • Completes initial nursing assessment documentation • Monitor the physical and mental health well-being of patients • Confer with the program physician on specific findings • Conduct and follow up on TB screenings • Update patient prescription records • Follow up on medical referrals Some of the essential duties are: www.fgcinc.org fifffflffiflflffffl ffl fiffffl ffifflffffi fflffi fiflffl fflfflff fi fifl flfifflfffl fi ffl ffi ffl ffl fflfl fflffi fifl fifl fi flffffl ffl ffl fi ffi fffflfflflffl fflfi fiNational Nurses WeeThank you! fifffflffiflffi ffi fl ffi ffl fflfifflffiffi
17 ffffffi fflfl ffffl iffffl ek 2024 fl fflffi ffi ffffi ffffi ffi flffi ffl Non-profit proudly assisting patients and families cherish life. Serving all of Lake and Porter County and parts of LaPorte County and surrounding Illinois, regardless of ability to pay. HospiceCalumet.org 219.922.2732 / 708.895.8332 FIVE-STAR RATED By Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) HONORS elite Awarded for excellence in hospice care. Honoring Our Heroes We♥our inspiring and compassionate nurses that are dedicated to placing patients and families first.
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Contactus Now to claim one of The Gardens’ independent living residences as your own! Call (630) 230-9520 to learn more or visit kbexpansion.org Step into a world of refined opulence where every detail has been meticulously crafted to cater to your discerning tastes. Our spacious and beautifully designed apartments offer a sanctuary of tranquility, boasting high-end finishes, exquisite furnishings, and panoramic views that will take your breath away. For those aged 60 and better. The Gardens O F KING-BRUWAERT HOUSE The Gardens O F KING-BRUWAERT HOUSE Life Begins at
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24 NURSDiffFind YourSupport SANA-IIn ANA-Illinois, you'll find a supportwho care deeply about each othEngage with Peers $15/mo. o
SES ference make the r Nursing System in Illinois tive, energizing community of nurses her and the nursing profession. & Experts for Only r $174/yr.
Living Well M AY 2024 The Adventure Of New Ideas NEVER TOO LATE Looking for a connection? Or a new career? Now is the time. Page the ski slopes. Page 27 / FAMILY LIFE Help beyond high school. Page 29 / The sleep
PRODUCED FOR e9 / SENIOR LIVING Getting your finances in order. Page 16 / Aging gracefully on pless bed. Page 34 / RELATIONSHIPS Who picks up the check? Page 38
Living Well LONGEVITY Advice from experts on growing old well. Page 4 / COMMUNITY Youthe young and old. Page 24 / FINDING COMFORT Support for those who mourn a Having refinanced into exceptionally low interest rates, people like Donna and Gary Jacobs are bucking the conventional wisdom of paying off their homes before retiring, choosing to hang on to their cash. The couple in Paris in February. Page 20. On the cover: Lyn Slater found new life as a fashion influencer known as the Accidental Icon. “My life is always a surprise,” she said. Page 10. (Photograph by James Estrin/The New York Times)
LIVING WELL 3 M AY 2024 uthful energy comes to the senior center. Page 18 / LET’S TALK Conversations of pet. Page 36 / INTIMACY What a sex educator learned at home. Page 42 JAMES HILL FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES
4 THE NEW YORK TIMES Seven Keys to a Longer and HeaIgnore fads like hyperbaric chambers and infrared light. Here are evidenBy Dana G. Smith HUMANS HAVE SEARCHED for the secret to immortality for thousands of years. For some people today, that quest includes things like sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber, experimenting with cryotherapy or blasting oneself with infrared light. Most aging experts are skeptical that these actions will meaningfully extend the human life span. What they do believe is that by practicing a few simple behaviors, many people can live healthier for longer, reaching 80, 90 and even 100 in good physical and mental shape. “People are looking for the magic pill,” said Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, the scientific director of the National Institute on Aging, “and the magic pill is already here.” Below are seven tips from geriatricians on how to add more good years to your life. MOVE MORE The number one thing experts recommended was to keep your body active. That’s because study after study has shown that exercise reduces the risk of premature death. Physical activity keeps the heart and circulatory system healthy and provides protection against numerous chronic diseases that affect the body and mind. It also strengthens muscles, which can reduce older people’s risk of falls. “If we spend some of our adult years building up our muscle mass, our strength, our balance, our cardiovascular endurance, then as the body ages, you’re starting from a stronger place for whatever is to come,” said Dr. Anna Chang, a professor of medicine specializing in geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. The best exercise is any activity you enjoy doing and will stick with. You don’t have to do a lot, either — the American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, meaning just walking a little more than 20 minutes a day is beneficial. EAT MORE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES The experts didn’t recommend one specific diet over another, but they generally advised eating in moderation and aiming for more fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods. The Mediterranean diet — which prioritizes fresh produce in addition to whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish and olive oil — is a good model for healthy eating, and it’s been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and dementia. Some experts say that maintaining a healthy weight is important for longevity, but to Dr. John Rowe, a professor of health policy and aging at Columbia University, that’s less of a concern, especially as people enter old age. “I was always more worried about my patients who lost weight than my patients who gained weight,” Dr. Rowe said. GET ENOUGH SLEEP Sleep is sometimes overlooked, but it plays a major role in healthy aging. Research has found that the amount of sleep a person averages each night is correlated with their risk of death from any cause, and that consistently getting good quality sleep can add several years to a person’s life. Sleep
althier Life nce-backed secrets to aging well. tension, 40 percent have high cholesterol and more than one-third have pre-diabetes. All the healthy behaviors mentioned above will help manage these conditions and prevent them from developing into even more serious diseases, but sometimes lifestyle interventions aren’t enough. That’s why experts say it’s critical to follow your doctor’s advice to keep things under control. “It’s not fun to take the medications; it’s not fun to check your blood pressure and check your blood sugar,” Dr. Chang said. “But when we optimize all those things in a whole package, they also help us live longer, healthier, better lives.” PRIORITIZE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS Psychological health often takes a back seat to physical health, but Dr. Chang said it’s as important. “Isolation and loneliness is as big a detriment to our health as smoking,” she said, adding that it puts us “at a higher risk of dementia, heart disease, stroke.” Relationships are key to not only living healthier, but also happier. According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, strong relationships are the biggest predictor of well-being. Dr. Rowe tells the medical students he teaches that one of the best indicators of how well an elderly patient will be faring in six months is to ask him “how many friends or family he’s seen in the last week.” CULTIVATE A POSITIVE MIND-SET Even thinking positively can help you live longer. Several studies have found that optimism is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, and people who score high on tests of optimism live 5 to 15 percent longer than people who are more pessimistic. That may be because optimists tend to have healthier habits and lower rates of some chronic diseases, but even when accounting for those factors, the research shows that people who think positively still live longer. If you had to pick one healthy practice for longevity, “do some version of physical activity,” Dr. Moore said. “If you can’t do that, then focus on being positive.” CRISTINA SPANÒ appears to be especially important for brain health: A 2021 study found that people who slept less than five hours a night had double the risk of developing dementia. “As people get older, they need more sleep rather than less,” said Dr. Alison Moore, a professor of medicine and the chief of geriatrics, gerontology and palliative care at the University of California, San Diego. Seven to nine hours is generally recommended. DON’T SMOKE; DON’T DRINK TOO MUCH This goes without saying, but smoking cigarettes raises your risk for all kinds of deadly diseases. “There is no dose of cigarette smoke that is good for you,” Dr. Rowe said. We’re starting to understand how bad excessive alcohol use is, too. More than one drink per day for women and two for men — and possibly less than that — raises the risk for heart disease and atrial fibrillation, liver disease, and seven types of cancer. MANAGE CHRONIC CONDITIONS Nearly half of American adults have hyper-