Driving safety as we age can be a delicate subject. Loved ones and caregivers of aging seniors can find it a difficult topic to broach, especially if a senior is reticent to address their own declining driving skills. There are, however, things caregivers and seniors themselves can do to help ensure a senior’s safety on the road. And it may be as simple as using a gym a few times a week!

According to researchers from MIT’s AgeLab and the Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence, exercise may be the key to keeping seniors driving independently as they age.

"We know that exercise is valuable as we age," says Joseph Coughlin, Ph.D., director of the MIT AgeLab in a press release, "but we were interested in looking at connections to specific driving issues associated with aging."

The events of the past week have tested us in ways most of us have not experienced before. From the heartbreaking events at the Boston Marathon to the violence and tense standoff that followed, never before has our beloved home town experienced such an ordeal. We have been left shaken and grieving, and yet through all this, we have seen the kindness and compassion of not just our heroic first responders, medical professionals and volunteers but also our own EPOCH and Charlesbank team members.

I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all of you who showed such an amazing level of devotion and care during this difficult time. Maintaining a sense of calm and reassuring residents, family members and loved ones was of the utmost importance, and you all represented yourselves and EPOCH admirably.

Piano is on tap at our Providence sister communities this week; April 24^th at Blackstone, with Concetta Giso, and April 25 at East Side with Bruce Pratt. Concetta is a classical pianist while Bruce draws upon a variety of composers, so take your pick – or enjoy both! Then on the 26^th, enjoy a trip to the Cape for Brewster in Bloom at Brewster Place. We will feature  our famous chowder, as well as rolls and sweets. Hope to see you!

Pianist Concetta L. Giso to perform at EPOCH on Blackstone Boulevard (April 24)

PROVIDENCE —Pianist Concetta L. Giso returns to EPOCH Senior Living on Blackstone Boulevard, 353 Blackstone Blvd., for a pub hour performance on Wednesday, April 24 at 4 p.m. Giso is an accomplished musician who regularly performs in the Providence area. This concert is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. To R.S.V.P. and for more information, please call 401-273-6565. EPOCH Senior Living is located at 353 Blackstone Blvd.

Pianist Bruce Pratt to perform at EPOCH on the East Side (April 25)

Elder abuse is more common than you might think, affecting one in 10 adults aged 60 and older. Abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual or financial. One of the most frequent scenarios of elder abuse is stolen social security checks or money. According to a 2011 MetLife Mature Market Institute study, seniors who are victims of financial abuse lose $2.9 billion a year.

So who is perpetrating the abuse? Often, people close to the victim, including adult children. As many as two million people perpetrate abuse against a senior in their lives. Many seniors are hesitant to seek help, feeling guilty or embarrassed to report family members. As if this weren’t heartbreaking enough, public awareness of senior abuse is relatively low.  

Our community in Providence is hosting an acclaimed musician this week for an accordion performance. Cory Pesaturo isn’t your average accordion player; he brings vitality to the instrument, and was the first ever musician to major and graduate in accordion from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. If you can stop by, please do. We are also hosting a memory support group in our Pittsfield community, and an intergenerational art painting class in our Norton community. If you’re in the neighborhood, bring the kids for this special April vacation event. Hope to see you soon!

Accordian player Cory Pesaturo returns to perform at EPOCH (April 17)