Senior Edition

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EATON — Each and everyone of us truly has something to be grateful for, whether we acknowledge it or not is the question. As we enter into the harvest of November, the month of gratitude, the holiday season, and post-election, there is no better time than the present to start practicing gratitude.

The Preble County Council on Aging is grateful that our tax levy passed. This allows us to continue offering Home Delivered Meals, Homemaking Services, Transportation, and Activities to our seniors. Thanks to the 30-plus volunteers that showed their support throughout Preble County, holding signs and honking for seniors. We are also thankful for our billiard boys, congregate meal eaters, quilting chicks, card players, etc., those that show up at our activities center daily, weekly, monthly, or as needed to utilize our facility. We have a great board of trustees that willingly hit the streets on the issue of supporting our seniors. We have a magnificent staff that works diligently every day to ensure that clientele are getting the support that they need. Thanks to our voters, and anonymous supporters that may not need our services yet, but value what we do and what we have to offer.

We are grateful for the ongoing support of our Executive Director Shelley Ratliff and Board President Mary Bullen who have made a great team in executing necessary strategies to gain community respect and state accreditation for our organization. We are also grateful for the efforts put forth and the support that has been gained over time. It has been a community effort from the inside out to gain attention, awareness, education, and support for our seniors. We couldn’t have done it without those that paved the path before us, Alice McMann, and Sharon Smith, to name a few. We are grateful for their hard work and contribution in assuring the best quality of life for our seniors.

In times of change, gratitude is a valuable tool to have. As we give thanks this Thanksgiving season consider implementing gratitude into your daily life and even year-round. Below are seven scientific benefits of gratitude as listed on www.forbes.com.

1. Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. Not only does saying “thank you” constitute good manners, but showing appreciation can help you win new friends, according to a 2104 study published in Emotion. Whether you thank a stranger for holding the door or you send a quick thank-you note to that co-worker who helped you with a project, acknowledging other people’s contributions can lead to new opportunities.

2. Gratitude improves physical health. Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and they report feeling healthier than other people, according to a 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences.

3. Gratitude improves psychological health. Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, ranging from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being. His research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression.

4. Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression. Grateful people are more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, even when others behave less kind, according to a 2012 study by the University of Kentucky.

5. Grateful people sleep better. Writing in a gratitude journal improves sleep, according to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. Spend just 15 minutes jotting down a few grateful sentiments before bed, and you may sleep better and longer.

6. Gratitude improves self-esteem. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology found that gratitude increased athlete’s self-esteem, which is an essential component to optimal performance. Other studies have shown that gratitude reduces social comparisons. Rather than becoming resentful toward people who have more money or better jobs – which is a major factor in reduced self-esteem- grateful people are able to appreciate other people’s accomplishments.

7. Gratitude increases mental strength. For years, research has shown gratitude not only reduces stress, but it may also play a major role in overcoming trauma. A 2006 study published in Behavior Research and Therapy found that Vietnam War veterans with higher levels of gratitude experienced lower rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

We all have the opportunity to cultivate a little gratitude into our lives. Choose to take time to find, communicate, write and share with another what you are grateful for, and then repeat daily. Join us Friday November 18th at 10:00 a.m. at the PCCOA to share in this practice of answering, ‘What am I grateful for?’

Like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/preblecountycouncilonaging/ or give us a call at 937-456-4947. Visit our website at www.PrebleSeniorCenter.org. Membership at the Senior Center is $10 a year. In addition to other benefits, members automatically receive our bi-monthly “Senior Scene” newsletter which features all our latest news and activities, additional benefits are discounts on trips and select activities.

Join our Members Appreciation Day on Dec. 19, from 1-4 p.m.

For more information call us at 937-456-4947.

Activities and fellowship abound at the Preble County Council on Aging Senior Center. Pictured, quilters at work.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2016/11/web1_1SRquilting-ladies.jpgActivities and fellowship abound at the Preble County Council on Aging Senior Center. Pictured, quilters at work. Submitted

The Preble County Council on Aging staff works every day to ensure that clientele are getting the support they need —and they have fun doing it. Pictured, the staff dressed up for Halloween.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2016/11/web1_1SRstaff-halloween.jpgThe Preble County Council on Aging staff works every day to ensure that clientele are getting the support they need —and they have fun doing it. Pictured, the staff dressed up for Halloween. Submitted
‘Gratitude, let us count the ways’

By Holly Steele

For The Register-Herald

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