Positive Psychology Archive

Mindfulness is the process of paying attention to one’s surroundings with an attitude of acceptance. Mindfulness practices can anchor people’s consciousness moment by moment, helping them to ease stress and anxiety and to sustain attention. Mindfulness practices can be done while sitting, walking, and eating.

Meditation is a family of mind-body practices that focus attention to help calm the nervous system and support overall well-being. Consistent daily practice can result in modest improvements in stress, anxiety, sleep, mood, and attention, though meditation is not a substitute for medical or psychological care.

The holidays are supposed to be filled with love, laughter, and good cheer. Unfortunately, joyous celebration often deteriorates into discord when family and friends gather during the season. But you don’t have to get drawn into arguments if you plan ahead and stay alert for potential triggers.

What could you do today to feel happier? Three strategies drawn from positive psychology, a field that aims to improve moods and lives, may help.

There are many health-related requirements for living independently in older age. For example, one needs sharp thinking skills in order to manage medications, pay bills, choose clothes for the day, and select and buy groceries; and one needs strength, balance, and flexibility in order to get up from a chair, cook, or clean. People with weakening aspects of health should talk to a doctor for potential solutions to improve or cope with health challenges in order to continue living independently.

Caring for a person with dementia is physically, emotionally, logistically, and financially demanding. Caregivers can benefit from numerous services, such as caregiver support groups; respite care; and dementia care navigators, such as the local Area Agency on Aging (which can provide a long list of resources) or a local hospital dementia care program. It can also help to speak to doctors about consolidating appointments for the person with dementia and to reach out to family and friends to ask for assistance.

Communicating with someone with dementia can be tricky, since their ability to understand others and express themselves fluctuates and declines. Certain communication strategies can help smooth interactions between caregivers and dementia patients. They include being an active listener, avoiding confrontation, agreeing with the patient's reality, removing distractions, using shorter sentences and smaller words, asking yes-or-no questions, using written lists and schedules, and incorporating touch.

Loneliness boosts risk for many health problems, and can even contribute to an early death. Many people find it hard to reach out to make new friends, but there are strategies that can help.