I have to admit when I look at someone sitting in a hammock I immediately relax. It’s a symbol for instant gratification, reading a book, or daydreaming. It does not remind me of taking that 30 minute walk that I promised to do. A few days ago, I listened to an orator who suggested that the 30 minute walk I take every day is an act of “self♥love”. That’s right. He said, it takes a lot of ‘self♥love’ to exercise, when you really want to do something else. Many of us would not think about it that way. Do you?
Let’s talk about what happens when you take a ‘time-out’ from exercise both for seniors and younger adults. I’m not referring to a day or two. That might be OK, but if you do that for a few weeks, the consequences become much more pervasive. Here are some of the benefits that exercising on a regular basis provides us with: works against Type 2 diabetes; heightened blood sugar; protects against heart disease; lowers “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. As seniors, we are often reminded of these points by our doctors. For younger people, it’s easier to reverse these issues.
♥ I try to get close to 10,000 steps a day. This includes a 30 minute walk, which is about 4,000 steps. During the course of the rest of the day, I try to get 6,000 more steps or close to it by moving every chance I get.
Continue reading “Taking a Time-Out from Exercise”
Tips for Home Alone Seniors
Have you ever heard that ‘Aging is not for Sissies’ ? Well, some people make fun of this saying, but on a more serious note, living alone as a senior and aging can be difficult, which is why it is good to know some of the ways seniors can take precautions to protect themselves. Here is a list of things that we seniors should take note of:
♣ Safety Precautions for home alone seniors:
– Remove clutter.
– Remove tripping hazards (electrical cords, throw rugs).
– Use the grab bars in the shower (or install if you don’t have them).
– Prepare an emergency kit: flashlight, batteries, matches, candles. Put it in a place that is easy to remember.
– Keep track of your keys (put them in the same place every time you come in the door). Don’t put your name and address on your key chain.
– If the doorbell rings call out, ‘I’ll get it’, which will alert the person ringing the bell that you are not alone.
– If you are expecting a service person like cable, or other repairman, have someone keep you company while the service is being handled.
– Have a list of friends that you speak with at least once a week. You can set up a ‘buddy system’ with each other on specific days to touch base. Continue reading “Tips for Home Alone Seniors”
Memory Protection for Seniors
As we age, memory loss is quite frustrating. For example, recalling names, details of incidents we just experienced, or giving directions to someone. In addition to remembering our next appointment without checking the calendar to make sure.
I’ve often wondered how one can recognize dementia as opposed to memory loss. Normal memory loss and dementia are not the same. Dementia can impact your ability to take care of yourself. If you are consistently forgetting where you put things time after time, could it be a sign of dementia? How concerned should we be? How can we discern the differences? What steps can we take to keep our brains and memory in good condition?
- Recent statistics are that by 2025, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to reach 7.1 million – a 40 percent increase from the 5.1 million age 65 and older affected in 2015. Source: www.alz.org/facts/overview.asp
Normal forgetfulness: ♦ Occasionally forgetting where you left things that you use regularly, such as glasses or keys. ♦ Forgetting names of acquaintances or blocking one memory with a similar one, such as calling a grandson by your son’s name. ♦ Occasionally forgetting an appointment or walking into a room and forgetting why you entered. ♦ Not quite being able to retrieve information you have “on the tip of your tongue.” Continue reading “Memory Protection for Seniors”
Arthritis & Exercise
The word about knee osteoarthritis (OA) and exercise is that the more you exercise the better you will feel! I know it’s hard to believe when you’re feeling that pain in your knees, or hands, or back – name it, I’ve experienced it. I continue to look for new ways to fight back. Here is what some Arthritis sufferers have had to say about measures/precautions that helped them fight back. I found these at: http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis
- Hot or cold compresses – 54%
- Losing weight – 42%
- Stretching – 36%
- Over-the-Counter rubs, gels or patches – 35%
- Walking – 32%
- Swimming – 28%
- Other exercise or physical activity – 23%
- Knee brace – 23%
- Shoe orthotic/insert – 20%
- Soaking in Epsom bath or hot tub – 17%
- Yoga – 14%
Arthritis Signs for Knees
Adjusting to the signs of aging is not intuitive. In recent years, I have learned to read, listen to other seniors, and constantly pay attention to the signs my body gives me.
An article in the New York Times Well section brought to my attention that early signs of arthritis could be creaking and popping sounds. Yes!
The condition for noises in the knees is called Crepitus by medical professionals. To date professionals are actually undecided whether these noises in the knees signal the beginning of Arthritis. So, what should we be aware of? Here are some guidelines:
Continue reading “Arthritis Signs for Knees”
Embracing Aging Beauty
Have you embraced the aging beauty you’ve become yet? Or, have you been hiding under the covers of ‘ I wish I looked the way I did when I was younger‘?
When we are consistently wishing for another time, another “age”, we miss out on our beautiful present moments. I love what Helen Mirren had to say about aging:
“The best thing about being over 70 is being over 70,” Mirren says in an interview with AARP The Magazine for its December/January Issue. “Certainly when I was 45, the idea of being 70 was like ‘Arghhh!’ but you only have two options in life: Die young or get old. There is nothing else. Source: Cele|bitchy | Helen Mirren: ‘You have two options in life: Die young or get old’”
So why don’t you choose the option of embracing that you’re still alive, and you are an aging beauty?
Cindy Joseph, Baby Boomer/ senior citizen, had a flourishing modeling career during her youth, and is a ‘pro-age’ advocate for the beauty that is inherent in us all, who still models. I agree with Cindy that beauty blossoms at every age.
Cindy’s Boom! beauty products are designed to show our aging beauty with a natural touch. Her company makes the products with ingredients, which are organic, olive oil, honey. 
Her customers are so satisfied with her advice and products that they take ‘selfies’ of themselves and post their beauty on her website! Click the pictures on this post to read the various stories and information at Cindy Joseph’s website.
Stay Beautiful!
Sharp brain health
I must admit, the aging process is a little intimidating. Sometimes, when you least expect it, a body part, that was ok in the morning, all of a sudden is hurting later on that same day. It’s that ‘wake-up call’, which then becomes a part of your daily life (chronic pain, osetoarthritis, knee pains and the like).
Is your memory is ‘slipping’ ? You can’t recall where you put an item down, or why you came upstair? Needless to say, it’s an adjustment. Nevertheless, willy-nilly these changes are all part of an ongoing aging process. That’s why I want to share with you a tool, which AARP has available for seniors and those approaching ‘senior-hood’. It’s called the ‘Staying Sharp Brain Health Assessment’.
Why don’t you take a ‘Leap’ and try it out by clicking the link below.
- Better Brain Health Starts Here. Subscribe and take the Brain Health Assessment to get your Brain Health Score and a detailed report that will provide insight into how your brain works and how your lifestyle supports important cognitive functions like memory and focus. Then, get started on your personalized recommendations for fun ways to create simple habits that can help you improve and maintain brain health over time.
Source: AARP Staying Sharp Brain Health Assessment
Exercising Living Senior
A lot of what I’ve read recently about the aging process brings me to the conclusion that the road to the ‘fountain of youth’ goes through the city of exercise. That is to say, the more we exercise, the more we will keep our bodies ‘in tune’, ‘well-oiled’ for a healthful and independent future . Easy enough right?
Suppose you have physical limitations? The answer is: ‘where there is a will, there is a way.’ And, to help us with our ‘will’ the Department of Aging has suggested certain exercises for us to do while sitting, or standing. There is no health club cost required. Listed below are some of the disabilities, which regular exercise can help you with.
- arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, balance problems, and trouble walking.
- Benefits: increased energy, lower cholesterol, prevent weight gain, bone strength, enhance mental well-being.
What’s the difference between Physical Activity and Exercise? Both terms refer to the voluntary movements you do that burn calories.
- Physical activities are activities that get your body moving such as gardening, walking the dog, raking leaves, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Exercise is a form of physical activity that is specifically planned, structured, and repetitive such as weight training, tai chi, or an aerobics class
Click here to order the book: https://order.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/order/bk004
By picking up this book and looking through it, you’ve taken an important first step toward good health. Source: Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging | National Institute on Aging
Once you get started you will not want to stop! Let’s get physical 🙂 !
Sharing Seniorhood Info!
For many of us retiring to a new lifestyle is not an easy transition. Yes, you hear all the suggestions about ‘having something to do‘, but how do you get started? What are some of the first steps towards this new life experience?
First things, first … What will be the income you can rely on? How will your healthcare be handled? How do you sign-up for medicare and when?
What advice do the experts give about the best time to retire? Are you still healthy? Are you working because you really don’t know what else to do? Should you transition to a part-time job, or do you need a part-time job? The truth is, these answers are different for each person. Below are links that I found on the www that may help you in creating a plan for yourself. It’s amazing what the social security offices have made available for us to decide. Just click the Source links to get further details.
Applying for Retirement Benefits
- Social Security offers an online retirement application that you can complete in as little as 15 minutes. It’s so easy. Better yet, you can apply from the comfort of your home or office at a time most convenient for you. There’s no need to drive to a local Social Security office or wait for an appointment with a Social Security representative. Source: Retirement Benefits
If you are waiting to retire until you are 70 years of age, below is a sample chart of how your income will increase based on a social security benefit of $1000.00 per month.
- Let’s say your full retirement age for Social Security benefits is 66, and your monthly benefit at that age is $1,000. Here’s what your monthly benefit would be, starting at different ages:
* Age 62 = $750 * Age 63 = $800 * Age 64 = $866 * Age 65 = $933 * Age 66 = $1,000
* Age 67 = $1,080 * Age 68 = $1,160 * Age 69 = $1,240 * Age 70 = $1,320
Source: The Best Age for YOU to Retire | Social Security Matters
So what’s the maximum amount of retirement income you can receive?
Your maximum social security retirement benefit depends upon the age you retire. If you retire at full retirement age (FRA) in 2016 the maximum benefit is $2,639. If you retire at the age of 70 in 2016, your maximum benefit is $3,576. However, if you retire at the age of 62 in 2016, your maximum benefit would be $2,102. Source: What is the maximum I can receive from my Social Security retirement benefit? | Investopedia
Note: This website has great suggestions for Retirement Planning. Click the Topics picture. 
