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Try It NOWCategory: Health and Wellness Issues
Nov. 2, 2024 — Aging experts from the Mayo Clinic think they have found a simple way to test for how well people are aging. First, you stand on both legs for 30 seconds, eyes open, then 30 more with them closed. Then you stand on your dominate foot for…
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
April 25, 2024 — We expected that walking would be your favorite physical activity – but not by the margin this margin. Almost half (47%) of people taking our poll chose walking for how they like to stay active. After that it was a toss-up, with swimming, pickleball, biking, and…
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
April 15, 2024 — Sitting is the New Smoking. Have you heard that one? Nothing seems truer these days, as more and more experts (like Dr. Sanjay Ghupta) say that physical activity is the number one prescription for staving off aging. Not to mention the health benefits of regular exercise…
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Category: Adventurous retirement
April 3, 2024 - When you were a lot younger, could you ever imagine someone in their 80's, even 90's, who was still skiing? Well get over that, because the slopes in some resorts have plenty of octogenarians gracefully coming down their trails. Some ski areas are welcoming them with deals and events too.
One of those is Aspen, Colorado. Although a daily lift ticket can approach $300 on holiday weekends, it offers a senior season pass to skiers over 70 for $799. Alta, the longstanding resort in Utah, offers a season pass to people over 80 for a $50 admin fee (but years ago it was available to people over 75). It even has a seniors ski club, the Wild Old Bunch, with many members in their 90s. Other resorts offer substantial discounts for 70+ skiers too.
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
August 9, 2023 -- It's a question just about everyone thinks about as they reach retirement age, at least to themselves. What is my life expectancy - or, how much longer do I have on this planet as a living being? And, hopefully, will those will be good years, where I can enjoy life and not be a burden to others.
It is not just an idle question. There are plenty of practical considerations in knowing the answer to your life expectancy, or at least knowing the probabilities. For one, when should I take Social Security? If, for example, I know the odds say I will die before age 80 (and the same for my spouse or he/she is a higher earner), then the best bet is to take this benefit at the first opportunity, age 62. Waiting longer will cost me money I will never see.
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Last August the Senate passed the PACT Act that expands healthcare and benefits to veterans exposed to toxins. There’s no deadline to apply for PACT Act benefits. But if you file your PACT Act claim—or quickly submit your intent to file—by August 9, 2023, you may receive benefits backdated to August 10, 2022. If you are a veteran (or a survivor of one) with potential exposure apply now, Or if you have a family member who was exposed, encourage them to apply.
PACT Act Benefits
The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
The PACT Act adds to the list of health conditions that the VA assumes (or “presumes”) are caused by exposure to these substances. This law helps provide generations of Veterans—and their survivors—with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.
The PACT Act is perhaps the largest health care and benefit expansion in VA history. The full name of the law is The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
July 7, 2023 — Leqembi, the first drug shown to slow down Alzheimer’s disease, has been given full approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The new drug has been shown to be effective, slowing declines in memory and thinking by about 27% after 18 months. It…
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
May 2, 2023 -- May is National Stroke Awareness Month, so this is a good time to think about what you can do to prevent one from happening to you. After all, you have worked hard to get ready for the retirement you deserve, don't let a stroke rob you of your reward.
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). It is the number 5 cause of death in the U.S. (#3 for women) and the leading cause of disability. The good news is that many strokes may be prevented through blood pressure control, a healthy diet, regular physical activity and smoking cessation. Each plays a big part in decreasing your risk for stroke, disability or even death.
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
March 23, 2023 -- If you haven't figured it out already, money and possessions are no guarantee of personal happiness. There are oh so many examples of very wealthy, perfectly miserable individuals. Sure, not having to worry about money is great, but that alone won't lead to personal fulfillment.
The New York Times came up with a 7 day happiness challenge that makes a lot of sense. But before you even start that - a question. What do you think is the greatest single ingredient in making for a happy person? (Answer at end).
Personal relationships
People weren't made to be alone. Researchers in the long-running Harvard Study of Adult Development agree; people who have the most meaningful relationships with other folks are the ones who are the happiest. Those relationships are far more powerful than social class, IQ, or wealth.
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
February 9, 2023 -- Millions of Americans dream about an early retirement. Many others had no such goal, but were pushed into it by the pandemic, unexpected layoffs, or health issues. But however they might have come into the ranks of the retired, many will not fare well. That is according to research reported in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, where Binghamton University researchers found that early retirement can lead to "faster cognitive decline among the elderly".
The study behind these findings comes from data from a Chinese program for promoting early retirement. In an effort to reduce poverty among its rural population, the country provided pension benefits in its 2009 New Rural Pension Scheme (NRP). The Binghamton researchers compared what happened to people in China who took the pension benefits and retired early, versus subjects who stayed in the workforce.
Plusses and minuses of early retirement
On the plus side, those in the study who took early retirement often experienced improved overall physical health. They tended to sleep better and reduced their alcohol and smoking intake. So far so good. However, many retirees began spending excessive time on bookmakers not on gamstop, which contributed to decreased social interactions and diminished mental stimulation. On the negative side, those who retired early seemed to exhibit reduced social engagement and mental activity. Ultimately, they showed an accelerated cognitive decline in the form of delayed recall. Dementia, it seemed, could be predicted in many of the subjects.
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