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26 | THE COLONY NEWS | MARCH 2023 | Health & More CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP Thursday, March 9, 10 am. This support group, presented by Kristi Necochea, is designed to help educate and support those who are caring for a loved one with any ailment. We meet the second Thursday of each month. HEARING AID CHECK Thursday, March 16, 9 to 10:30 am. This free service is provided by Johnson & Johnson every third Thursday of the month in the Clubhouse Card Room. TECH TALK Wednesday, March 8, 9 to 10 am. Do you have questions about your cellphone or tablet? Come to the Meeting Room the second Wednesday of each month and we will help you. There is no cost to attend and no need to RSVP. SENIOR MEN'S SOFTBALL Stay tuned for exciting news from Men's Softball. If you would like more information, please call Kara in the Activities Office at 951-677-0541 The Colony is now offering multi-day tours and cruises, which include airfare, transfers and pick up from The Colony parking lot. Below is a partial list of excursions available. Please see Kara in the Activities Office for a full itinerary and information. Mar. 10 - 16: Southern Delight June 6 - 13: The Mighty Wonders of the Southwest MULTI-DAY EXCURSIONS www.friendlyexcursions.com LAUGHLIN BUS TRIP Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, March 7 – 9. Are you feeling lucky? Join us on our Laughlin getaway. You will spend two relaxing nights at the Aquarius Casino, situated along the banks of the Colorado River. Trip includes deluxe transportation, two nights at the Aquarius (non-smoking tower), baggage handling, snacks, bingo for the bus ride, and tips/gratuities. We will leave at 9 am on Tuesday and return at approximately 6 pm on Thursday. Rates are $240 double occupancy. Trip hosted by Activities Director, Kara Hardy. Health Benefits Of Long-Term Loving Relationships YOUR HEALTH MATTERS By Leslee B. Cochrane, MD, Executive Medical Director – Hospice of the Valleys, 951-200-7800 A study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that happily married participants had lower blood pressures than did single people. Not surprisingly, unhappily married individuals had the worst blood pressures of all. The US Department of Health and Human Services Report noted that married people enjoy better health as evidenced by a lower incidence of depression, substance abuse, fewer doctors' visits and shorter hospital stays than did their single counterparts. Loving long-term relationships also have beneficial effects on the immune system. A study done by Carnegie Mellon University found that people who exhibit positive emotions are less likely to get sick when exposed to cold or flu viruses. Another study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that skin wounds healed twice as fast in couples who interacted warmly as compared to those who demonstrated hostility toward each other. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), married couples live longer than singles and the longevity gap between the two groups has been growing over the last decade. Although further research is needed to more fully understand the benefits of loving long-term relationships, one explanation of these benefits may be due to the beneficial effects on reducing anxiety and promoting bonding. A study conducted by researchers at the State University of New York at Stony Brook used functional MRI scans to look at the brains of people in long- term loving relationships. They found that couples with strongly connected long-term relationships had an increased activation in the part of the brain known as the dopamine-reward area, which promotes a general sense of well being and happiness. There was also an increase in the activation in the area associated with bonding which produces favorable results including decreased negative responses to anxiety and stress related symptoms. An investment in building loving relationships is an investment in your health, which will result in better health and greater happiness.