October 2, 2009 Common Problems and Problem Solving, Health and Nutrition for Florida Seniors, Safety Concerns for Florida Seniors | drug interactions, Florida seniors, Prescription Pill Dangers
Polypharmacy is a common trend practiced among Florida seniors under the guidance of medical practitioners. One third of older adults are prescribed 5 or more prescription medications which are taken consecutively and this can increase the risk of drug interactions that can be harmful to their health. While if taken properly, multiple medications can be beneficial, there can be risks if the following tips are not taken to heart:
1. Keep medications documented - carrying a list of all prescription and non-prescription medications taken (including vitamins and supplements) can help ensure none are forgotten about when speaking with doctors and pharmacists. The list should also include why they're taken, the dosage and frequency
2. Mention even over-the-counter medications to medical professionals - you might not think they're important, but even over-the-counter medications, vitamins and supplements can interact
3. Don't assume - don't assume that your doctor remembers what they've prescribed you in the past. Doctors are often busy and frazzled. When they prescribe a new medication, don't hesitate to ask them about potential interactions as a reminder
4. Make sure all doctors are aware of your prescriptions - if you are a senor who sees multiple doctors or specialists, do not automatically expect that information regarding your prescriptions has been shared. This is where having a complete list can come in handy and avoid issues with polypharmacy
5. Check out new drugs - sticking with one pharmacy will allow your pharmacist to verify that there will be no drug interactions; they might catch something your doctor has not. Otherwise, take the initiative to research any new drugs for interactions yourself
6. Be cautious of side effects - do not assume any side effects are just that, talk to your doctor to ensure they are not the result of drug interactions
Via: CSA Connection
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October 7, 2009 | Health and Nutrition for Florida Seniors | Boomers, Florida seniors, Retirement, Self-Discovery in Later Life
If you are a senior who sees aging as a process of degradation, it's time to re-evaluate what you want out of life. Think positive, and cease the opportunity to really discover yourself, beyond the roles that your life has dictated, and connect with those that are most important to you.
1. Push aside the roles that have been set for you - do not look at yourself as the person created by adaptation to a career or family life, take a long hard look at who is really in there and consider your goals, dreams and aspirations
2. Pursue self-exploration - in order to really get a grasp of who you really are, pursue new hobbies, explore interests, travel, form relationships; all of these things can aid in self-discovery
3. Find ways to look inside yourself - getting in touch with the person inside can be as simple as trying yoga or meditation; activities that cut out the noise and allow us each to focus on ourselves
4. Reconnect with loved ones - take the time to really get to know the important people in your life in older adulthood. You'll find that with defined familiar roles no longer in the forefront, you'll be able to see your adult children for who they really are as people and re-connect with your spouse or partner on a deeper level
Via: Second Journey
babyboomer-magazine.com
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October 9, 2009 Health and Nutrition for Florida Seniors, Senior Activities in Florida | Breast Cancer, Disease, Florida seniors
Breast cancer is an illness that many of us have come in contact with, especially if we have been fortunate enough to live well into our senior years. We might not have personally struggled with the illness, but most of us know someone who has, or someone who has had a life changing scare. To support breast cancer research and help spread awareness about the disease, we can all get involved through these simple methods:
1. Wear or hand out pink ribbons - show your support by breast cancer by wearing a pink ribbon. You will find them for sale at establishments around Florida, available if you make any donation to the cause. Or you can make your own pink ribbons to wear and hand out to friends and family
2. Wear pink - even if you cannot afford to make a big donation to a breast cancer cause, simply wearing pink clothing items, along with a pink ribbon will help you show your support and honor those who have successfully fought the disease or lost their battle
3. Fundraise - holding an event with a pink theme, where the proceeds will go towards breast cancer is a great way to bonds with others over a common cause and give something back to breast cancer research. Hold a bake sale, or get creative and think up another event
4. Try a run/walk for breast cancer - while many took place over the summer, runs and walks for breast cancer are still ongoing in October
5. Shop for breast cancer awareness - breast cancer awareness merchandise is available where a portion or all of the proceeds of a sale go to breast cancer. This way you donate, and show your support with your merchandise
6. Donate - make a donation online, by phone or in person to breast cancer research
Via: Associated Content
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October 12, 2009 | Financial Center | finances, senior planning, women
In the past, it was common for men to control the finances in the relationship, especially when they were the only ones in their families working outside of the home. This can leave boomer women in a vulnerable situation when they need to manage their money to create security for their retirement, but due to lack of experience, there are a number of mistakes that they can make that need to be overcome!
1. Some boomer women expect they will receive an inheritance - women who are fortunate enough to still have parents alive, might expect that at the time of their passing, they will receive a large enough inheritance to carry them through retirement. There are no guarantees if boomers will receive an inheritance at all, and if they do, they may not know if it will be enough to finance their senior years
2. Reliance on a spouse - many women allow their spouse to control all aspects of finances and also assume that their loved one is effectively planning for their retirement. Both partners should be involved in financial management, or at least have an awareness
3. No planning for women on their own - boomer women might assume that their spouse will be with them forever. But death or divorce can change this, and women need to make sure they have their financial ducks in a row so they can survive on their own
4. Expecting a man to save the day - some women on their own have the "prince charming" attitude and are waiting for a man to sweep them off their feet and fill up their bank account
Via: Let Life In
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October 5, 2009 | Safety Concerns for Florida Seniors, Senior Activities in Florida | Florida seniors, Garden Activities, Gardening
Your gardening days do not have to be behind you just because you're moving from a house to an apartment or nursing home; simply get creative and try a new method of gardening, using a series of containers. Here are 4 tips that will help you learn how to garden in an apartment or nursing home:
1. Get the right sized container - purchase containers or consider saving things from your recycling. All you need to do is punch a few holes in the bottom of the container to make it suitable for planting. Most vegetables require larger containers, although you might be able to use a recycled container the size of a large yogurt container for herbs, leaf lettuce, spinach and radishes
2. Use a good quality soil - purchase a high-quality potting soil or top soil in order to keep your container garden free of weeds.
3. Following planting instructions - if you are planting vegetable plants or others which are already grown, place a little bit of soil at the bottom of the pot, remove the plant from its existing container and fill in any remaining space with the potting soil. When planting seeds, fill the pot completely with soil and follow directions for spacing
4. Care for as directed - put your pots in an area that will be the right temperature and have exposure to sunlight as directed. Water according to instructions.
Via: AFB Senior Site
Image: myaimistrue.com
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September 30, 2009 | Financial Center | Florida seniors, Retirement, Retiring Overseas
Q - My mom has been talking about moving abroad somewhere since her recent retirement. She wants a different lifestyle than one she has here in Florida. It???s a huge lifestyle change and I want to make sure that she chooses the right destination. Any tips for seniors who want to retire abroad?
A - Choosing where to retire abroad permanently can be a hard decision, but here are some tips that will help make sure that your mother has the best experience possible:
1. Consider the cost of living - the cost of living varies from country to country and city to city, so make sure you do your research and choose one that has a cost of living that is lower and well-suited to your retirement budget
2. Find out the regulations for living in a country where you are not a citizen - in countries like Mexico, retired seniors can receive residency permits that can be renewed annually; or for those with their own homes there, with a monthly pension of $1000 a permanent residency status can be granted
3. Think about your health - the climate and environment of various places abroad can have an impact on your health. Also look at the type of health care system in the countries you???re considering retiring to; some developing countries do not have the same standards as those we???re used to in the US while others have even more comprehensive health care systems
4. Choose your lifestyle - depending on what you???re looking for from your retirement, different destinations can meet your requirements. If you dream of senior years on a beach, Mexico, Spain or Italy might be a good choice; but if you want a historical experience look at Greece or England
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September 28, 2009 | Financial Center, Legal Matters | Elderly Working Longer, Florida seniors, Retirement, Social Security
For today's seniors, retirement does not come at the same time it used to. While decades ago, seniors could look forward to retirement in their mid-60's, some older adults are now remaining in the workforce until age 70, 80, or 90. Retirement is changing, and there are a number of factors that contribute to it, including the following:
• While the average age to claim Social Security Benefits is 63.9, many need additional income on top of it to be able to afford basic aspects of daily living, like housing and food
• Many seniors would love to retire and just focus on their family and relaxing, but based on the numbers of seniors aged 65 and older which are rising higher than ever before, this isn???t a reality for everyone. The number of older works, aged 80+ has had the most substantial increase at 67% to 500,000 Americans
• With people living longer, money doesn't go as far as it used to, and as time goes on this might increase even more, keeping more and more seniors in the workforce longer than planned
• Government benefits, which were initially defined in 1940 certainly were not designed to support 30 or more years of retirement, which means seniors need a fairly substantial nest egg to make it through
Via: AARP
