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CONTENTS
A. 30 DAYS TO NEW HEALTH
B. HOW ABOUT A HOUSEMATE?
C. NEW YEAR CAN BRING CHANGES
D. DID YOU KNOW...?
E. THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH
F. SPECIAL THINGS THIS MONTH
G. SPECIAL SURFING SITE
H. OH MY AGING FUNNY BONE
The Survey http://www.seniorresource.com/survey.htm
is ready for your input!
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A. 30 DAYS TO NEW HEALTH
Aah, the holidays! We see the family, eat the turkey-and then the ham
- and then the cakes - and then... "Mom I feel bloated!"
Weight gain and a sedentary lifestyle go hand-in-hand. Fortunately, both
are reversible! Exercise does not necessarily mean "running a marathon".
Moderate activity on a regular basis, such as walking every morning or
evening, can make all the difference in the world for many people.
It takes about 30 days to form a life-long habit. In that light, it is
no wonder that so many Americans lead sedentary lives! Regular exercise
can help prevent or delay many disabilities and diseases. It can also
assist in treatment of many diseases. By exercising daily for 30 days
you'll be on your way to a much-improved lifestyle, better health, added
energy for chasing those grandchildren around the house, and for more
enjoyment of life.
A number of health factors cited by the National Institutes for Health
can be improved for seniors by regular, moderate exercise:
- Blood circulation
- Metabolism improvement
- Weight control
- Strength
- Balance
- Endurance
- Flexibility
Some senior citizens are afraid that exercise will
hurt them. It isn't true when "safety first" is your watch phrase.
Begin slowly, but because you're exercising regularly you'll feel your
endurance and strength increasing over time. Perhaps you can find a neighbor
or friend to exercise with. Then not only will you have a "buddy"
to share the experience with and to motivate each other, you'll also have
a friend with you should you overdo it and need some help getting out
of that pool. But since you're practicing safety first, even if you think
you're too old or out of shape you shouldn't have any problems!
Think of the daily activities you'll have an easier
time with:
- Climbing stairs
- Carrying groceries
- Caring for grandchildren
- Walking
- Standing
How do you know it's working? Well for one thing you'll feel better-but
it is a good idea to chart your exercise habits and progress because nothing
steels the resolve like visible results. Start by measuring how well you
do your first time out with moderate exercise. This is NOT a contest!
You're simply measuring where you are today as a baseline from which you'll
measure your performance into the future. There are any number of exercises
for you to try, but aim for exercise that stimulates balance, lower body
strength, endurance, and flexibility. Begin EVERY session with gentle
stretching to prevent injury. There are hosts of stretching exercises
that are appropriate for a senior citizen. Look into it and discuss them
with your doctor. Olympic stars have their own methods, but they probably
aren't the best for your situation. Why? They tend to be super-athletic
kids!
Remember, " Safety First." This means you should speak with
your physician about the exercise you plan to undertake, especially if
you're a heart patient, smoke, or are obese. Exercise can have major benefits
for you, but you do need to coordinate your plans for exercise with your
physician's treatment plans for you.
Don't dawdle! Start the New Year right with a check-up, and 30 days of
moderate, regular daily exercise to get yourself rolling into new health
in 2008. See http://nihseniorhealth.gov/exercise/toc.html for more details.
Additional health-related information for seniors can also be found at:
http://www.seniorresource.com/health.htm
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B. HOW ABOUT A HOUSEMATE?
And now for the latest in senior citizen housing trends: housemates...
It's back to the future! Don't worry- we're not talking about college
kids passing out on your sofa and putting their feet up on your antiques.
It turns out that all across America seniors are letting out rooms and
apartments for increased revenue and bill payment ease, as well as security
and community. Today, this is often referred to as "home sharing,
and folks from all walks of life are enjoying it. Some professions almost
require it! A traveling salesperson will often want a housemate because
the long periods away from home make an empty apartment a target for break-in
and theft.
These new "landlords" come from all walks of life. Manhattan
high-rise residents and West Coast suburbanites alike share housing. Rural
families are doing it, too. It used to be quite common in America to find
a boarding house in most towns and cities. Not every town had a hotel
or vacant apartments, and people had to stay someplace. In the land of
capitalism, the answer was a natural. Large Victorian-era mansions and
rambling farmhouses made great boarding houses back then, and still do
today. There are intangible benefits of living with others: community
and friendship, learning new things, cooking new cuisines, and sharing
books and culture. These aren't the types of benefits one usually looks
for in a living situation-but beneficial they can certainly be towards
contributing towards a comfortable quality of life.
There are services today that match people up, homeowner with renter.
Some of these services will help with every detail; others simply list
available living quarters. In some areas the homeowner must apply for
a permit. In others there are occupancy limits, so be sure and do your
homework. Of course, you'll need applications for potential renters to
complete, and some house rules that must be observed. No loud music after
9 pm? Clean all dishes immediately after use? No overnight guests? All
fair-game requirements in your home as long as they read, understand,
agree to and sign the document requiring them. As in any landlord/tenant
situation, there are occasionally going to be people who you thought would
be great tenants- they have good credit, are polite and professional-but
who turn out to be deadbeats, and you'll sometimes need to send a bill
to collection. But most senior citizens and professional people you might
rent to will be happy to have found such a convenient and affordable option.
But what if you're a senior citizen in the opposite position and YOU
need to rent a room and share costs with someone else? You might look
into "congregate housing" if finding a home-sharing arrangement
for yourself isn't on your dance card. Congregate housing can be found
in a few different configurations. In the late 1970's the term began to
be used by government to reflect housing for seniors that included services
such as meals. These are sometimes private citizen seniors who simply
share costs. They might also share sleeping quarters, kitchen facilities,
or a common bathroom. It can also be multiple units offering support services
to seniors with disabilities who don't want to live alone. Similar to
what some refer to as "board and care," the government agency
involvement often found in congregate living can be a quality assurance
factor. There can be government subsidies and non-profit organizational
assistance, making it extremely affordable.
Congregate housing is evolving into "assisted living" in some
facilities. Meals, housekeeping, and various activities can be included.
Unlike skilled nursing, there would likely be no medical facility or care,
but the added services and extreme low cost can make a comfortable home
for an elderly person of limited means. It can also put off the need for
expensive nursing home care.
Check it out even if you're living happily in a luxury environment-you
may have a friend who could use the tip!
Here are some links to check out:
http://www.nyfsc.org/services/home_sharing.html
http://homestayny.us/
http://www.massresources.org/pages.cfm?contentID=8&pageID=2&subpages=yes&dynamicID=443
http://www.helpguide.org/elder/senior_housing_residential_care_types.htm
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/pha/contacts/index.cfm
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/progdesc/chsp.cfm
http://www.state.nj.us/health/senior/conghouse.shtml
Additional housing information for seniors can also be found at:
http://www.seniorresource.com/house.htm
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C. NEW YEAR CAN BRING CHANGES
Change is ever constant, isn't it? We can benefit from change, even though
as humans we prefer things to stay the same. They don't. It's just not
Mother Nature's way! We get older, move, stop driving, our kids have grandchildren,
or are going to graduate from university this year. It's not IF something
will change for us, its how we go about planning for change and handling
it that makes life manageable.
January is a great time to review your plans, goals, and financial position-especially
in light of new, lower interest rates, and real estate values.
There are a number of levels to such an examination. At first blush,
most people think about retirement planning. How are the investments doing?
What is our exposure to the mortgage crisis? Can some of those downgraded,
but now extremely high yielding income securities make sense? Or should
you run from them like fire? There may be protections for your positions.
Of course, speak with your financial advisor before you file your taxes
and or make any investment changes. There may be some actions you need
to take before you file for deductions, IRAs, and so forth. But your New
Year's review can go farther today-especially if you're caring for someone.
The Home Front
What about those property taxes? If your area has experienced a decline
in real estate values, you may be able to lower your property taxes. You'll
want to check your state's official government web site for a contact
at the assessor's office to learn how they require you apply for such
a reduction, but the savings can be significant, and well worth the trouble.
Now is also the time to replace those incandescent light bulbs in Mom's
home with the compact fluorescent bulbs for utility savings all year.
There are major sales promotions going on with respect to these energy
savers at national big- box stores. Those outdoor motion lights you put
in? Revamp these outdoor fixtures, too, for additional savings and longer
lamp life. Do the same for leaky plumbing fixtures, or old, high flow
toilets and showerheads. Have you seen the water bill lately? Right! Check
some of these links for more ideas:
http://www.aceee.org/consumerguide
http://hes.lbl.gov
http://www.ftc.gov/energysavings
The Medicine Cabinet
Now is also a good time to look at prescription bottles. Medications go
out of date and may be dangerous to ingest after their effective (labeled)
life, and may need to be thrown out, lest a well-intentioned, thrifty-minded
senior think they are safe, even though well out of date. Get rid of them
(the drugs, that is). What about saving on prescriptions? Well, if you
can safely stock up on prescriptions needed year in and year out, January
might be the time to capture those savings, but again remember, many of
these items are perishable. Speak with your physicians to determine your
best route. http://www.nih.gov/
Don't Burn Down the House!
Fire alarms: now is the time to replace the batteries. And since we're
talking about fire protection, what's going on with that fire policy?
Most people have a number of policies that together create a portfolio.
Have you reviewed the coverage of your insurance portfolio? Review each
of the policies. If you care for a parent who no longer drives much, this
could also be a good time to have Dad hang up the car keys for everyone's
safety, and to cancel his auto insurance.
Set Goals!
Not resolutions... goals! A resolution is easily broken because we are
but frail humans. Goals, however, are easily set and reached if wisely
laid out and reviewed daily. Do we mean financial goals? Sure. But there
are other types of goals you can set and achieve, as well. What about
a goal of learning? Senior Resource has discovered low cost, or tuition
free educational opportunities in most states. Why not learn a new language
and make new friends in the process? Or what about reinvigorating an old
favorite activity? Cooking classes are all the rage today. Gourmet chefs
teach regular folks how to master the latest tricks in the kitchen, and
they are as delicious as they are fun-students get to eat their homework!
Enjoy Your Family
Yes they drove some of us nuts over the holidays-but guess what? That's
their job! We need our family connections, and in the modern world they
can be so fragile. Let's take some time to keep those conversations over
turkey in November going through the rest of winter and into spring. They
are the only family we've got, after all! What was that new hobby your
cousin was talking about? Send her something pertinent to that hobby and
you'll be chatting like you were kids again, sneaking a piece of cake
together at family gatherings.
Take advantage of the fresh start of the New Year. Review your standing.
Set new goals. And dig into life!
Additional health-related information for seniors can also be found at:
http://www.seniorresource.com/health.htm
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D. DID YOU KNOW...?
More Energy Savings Techniques
The following illustrates some steps that can be taken to conserve energy.
- Decrease your thermostat.
Set your thermostat to 68 degrees when you're at home and 60 degrees
when you're away or asleep. This can save as much as 14% a year on your
heating costs, versus a 70- degree setting. Somewhat warmer temperature
settings may be required for homes with ill or elderly persons or infants.
Using a programmable thermostat certainly can facilitate this savings.
- Weatherize your home.
Air leaks are a big cause of energy waste in your home. You can average
a 10 percent or more savings on your energy bill by keeping warm air
inside. Use caulk and weather-stripping to seal holes and cracks around
windows, doors, light fixtures and walls. Inexpensive weatherization
kits are available at your home supplies store.
- Minimize hot water usage. Lower the temperature
of your hot water heater from 140 degrees to 120 degrees and wash your
clothes in cold water. Take a short shower instead of a bath. These
efforts combined can result in savings of up to 10 percent.
Of course, the savings percentages noted above are a function of your
current situation, including: lifestyle, home condition, weather, conservation
habits, and local energy rates.
For more energy tips see "Energy Saving Home Improvements From A
to Z" at
http://www.seniorresource.com/SRBaz.htm#books
Tribute to SEALS
The United States Navy Memorial honors the Navy's Special Warfare community
with a series of activities centered on the "Sea, Air, Land: The
Navy's Special Operations Sailors" exhibit. Through dramatic imagery,
video footage, lifelike mannequins outfitted in combat gear, and artifacts,
this exhibit pays tribute to the dedication, valor, and sacrifice of the
Navy's Seals and Special Warfare Combatant-craft crewmen who take on the
nation's most dangerous and demanding missions. The exhibit will be open
to the public through April 2008 at The Naval Heritage Center, 701 Pennsylvania
Ave., Washington, D.C.
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E. THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH
We present here some words from those with a birthday this month.
Victor Borge: "Laughter is the closest distance
between two people."
Bobby Hull: "Always keep your composure. You
can't score from the penalty box; and to win, you have to score."
Joan Chen: "Things had just happened to me,
good things and bad things, and I took them."
Jane Wyman: "The opportunity for brotherhood
presents itself every time you meet a human being."
Mel Gibson: "I don't make things complicated,
that's the way they get all by themselves."
More "Thoughts" at: http://www.seniorresource.com/thought.htm
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F. SPECIAL THINGS THIS MONTH
- Cervical Cancer Screening Month
- Cervical cancer used to be one of the leading causes of cancer
death among American females. However, since the 1950's the number
of deaths has decreased dramatically, thanks to the increased use
of the Pap test. This screening procedure is a vital resource in
detecting abnormal cells before cancer has fully developed. Learn
more: http://www.nccc-online.org
- Glaucoma Awareness Month
- Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Everyone,
from infants to seniors, is vulnerable. Moreover, among African-American
and Hispanic populations, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness.
Learn more: http://www.glaucoma.org/index.php
- Mail-order Gardening Month
- Yes, it is cold in January. So while you are inside why not review
the garden catalogs and get ready for spring. In fact, January is
National Mail Order Gardening Month. "Catalogs not only inspire,
showing you new possibilities for your garden, but serve as helpful
planning tools," says Richard Chamberlin, president of the
Mail Order Gardening Association. Learn more: http://www.mailordergardening.com/
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G. SPECIAL SURFING SITES
National Public Radio (NPR) - Music
NPR launched NPR Music, a no-cost, multi-genre Web site that presents
the best of public radio music. NPR Music aims to be as diverse as their
audience's interests and curiosity. Hence Jazz Profiles, an in-depth look
at the greatest performers who have influenced the history of jazz, lives
alongside World Café, which addresses new and significant music
and the artists who create it, and Classics in Concert, established masters
and emerging musicians, in concert, with music from Bach to Bernstein
and beyond.
The site features everyone from Aaron Copland and Aaron Neville, to Dan
Zanes and Joe Zawinul. It's organized by genre and by type of musical
content, including live concerts, studio sessions, artist interviews,
profiles, reviews, blogs and podcasts. http://www.npr.org/music/
For your favorite CDs, visit: Senior Resource Music
http://www.seniorresource.com/SRBaz.htm#music
Avoid this Cholesterol Double Whammy
When it comes to fat, trans fats are considered by some doctors to be
the worst of them all because of their double-barreled impact on your
cholesterol levels. Unlike other fats, trans fats-also called trans fatty
acids-both raise your "lousy" (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your
"healthy" (HDL) cholesterol. A high LDL cholesterol level in
combination with a low HDL cholesterol level significantly increases your
risk of heart disease, the leading killer of men and women. Learn more
about trans fats and how to avoid them.
Visit http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/trans-fat/CL00032
Additional health-related information for seniors can also be found at:
http://www.seniorresource.com/health.htm
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H. OH MY AGING FUNNY BONE
All in A Snap
Little Glenn's kindergarten class was on a field trip to their local police
station, where they saw pictures tacked to a bulletin board of the 10
most wanted criminals. One of the youngsters pointed to a picture and
asked if it really was the photo of a wanted person. "Yes,"
said the policeman. "The detectives want very badly to capture him."
Little Glenn asked, "Why didn't you just keep him when you took his
picture?"
Van Gogh's Family Tree
- His dizzy aunt - Verti Gogh
- The brother who ate prunes -
Gotta Gogh
- The brother who worked at a
convenience store- Stop N. Gogh
- The grandfather from Yugoslavia
- U Gogh
- The cousin from Illinois - Chica
Gogh
- His magician uncle - Where Diddy
Gogh
- His Mexican cousin - A. Mee
Gogh
- The Mexican cousin's American
half-brother - Gring Gogh
- The nephew who drove a stagecoach
- Wells Far Gogh
Visit 1000's of jokes of interest to people who have lived a long and
rich life.
"Oh My Aging Funny Bone" is at:
http://www.seniorresource.com/jokes.htm
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This issue has been edited by Betsy Day (Betsyjday@aol.com).
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