What is Aging in Place? Current healthy aging policy defines aging in place (AIP) as the process of continuing to live independently (to some degree) in our communities throughout old age. It emphasizes the avoidance of nursing home facilities. AIP allows older adults to stay connected to loved ones, maintain autonomy, and avoid the high [...]
Not to brag, but self care is kind of a big deal around here. Just check out this. And this. And this! UCA believes that active self care is critical to a life well lived and should be accessible to everyone. Self care means making a conscious effort to support our own emotional, physical, and [...]
There are approximately 6 billion smartphone users, and 5 billion internet users worldwide. About 1.7 billion households worldwide have at least one television, and 50% have a personal computer. These numbers are projected to grow. We are living through the Digital Revolution, and an ever-evolving one, at that. Our jobs, social lives, and hobbies often [...]
One in five people in the US lives with mental illness. That’s over 50 million of us! Chances are, we know someone who struggles with their mental health. Maybe we struggle with ours. No shame there. Our environment, genetics, and personal history may contribute to this experience. Mental issues range from mild to so impairing [...]
Self-awareness is our ability to monitor our internal world and regulate our responses. Our emotions and physical sensations act as indicators of our mood or needs. These signals may be in response to external factors (e.g., other people or scenarios, etc.) or internal influences (e.g., thoughts, hunger, etc.). Self-awareness also allows us to self-reflect, learn [...]
The term “self care” may conjure up images of bubble baths and spa days, cucumber slices on eyes included. Often, we think of self care as a luxury, something to be done as a treat or reward. And, although it is nice to indulge sometimes, practicing self care is more than that. It requires that [...]
Self-acceptance is the ability to embrace all aspects of our being, flaws included. It means coming to terms with parts of ourselves that we find undesirable. This is different from self-esteem, which refers to confidence in our positive attributes and capabilities. Self-acceptance is more unconditional; it happens when we can love ourselves, despite our shortcomings [...]
What is Altruism? Altruism is an action done with the intention of boosting wellness of others without self-gain. It may even extend to risking our own well-being for that of others. Some people argue that genuine altruism (aka pure altruism) doesn’t exist, as people are naturally self-interested. However, research suggests that we are altruistic from [...]
What are Boundaries and Why are They Important? Boundaries are guidelines we put in place to safeguard our physical, emotion and mental wellness. They are useful for protecting ourselves and ensuring our needs are met. When we overextend ourselves, agree to things we don’t want to, or allow people to treat us unkindly, we may [...]
What is Burnout Burnout is a state of all-encompassing exhaustion that results from prolonged, consistent stress. Originally applied only to those in helping professions (nurses, mental health professionals, social workers, etc.), the term is now used for anyone experiencing the fallout from overworking. When we feel overwhelmed, undervalued, or emotionally drained, we may be unable [...]