Healthy Aging 2013 Follow-up

By Terry Orr

Establishing and maintaining good healthy habits early in life provide significant dividends later in life – annual checkups, monitoring your vitals and weight, keeping track of medications taken and for what, and staying current with new medical, dental and mental advancements.

Prior to each visit to my healthcare team, the following information is updated, printed provided to them – very handy paper.

Medication	Dosage	Frequency	When	Refills	Date
Coreg	80mg	Daily	Breakfast	2	8/1/13
Ecotrin	325mg	Daily	Bedtime	N/A
Fish Oil	1000mg	2 x Daily	Break/Dinner	N/A
Diovan	320mg	Daily	Lunch	3	7/17/13
Singular	10mg	Daily	Dinner	2	8/15/13

Date	Time	Glucose	Time	BP	Time	Weight
7/17/13	0700	118	0730	120/80/72	0715	180
	2100	131
8/15/13	0645	121	0700	121/78/70	0710	179

Notes for Doctor:

8/27/13 – 9/4/13 Sinus infection with low-grade fever: Sinus rinse twice daily; Tylenol; and Mucinex DM maximum strength.

8/22-23/13 Stress test: two parts – reported results were good.

Upcoming Healthcare Appointments:

10/24/13         Eye Doctor (Annual)

11/12/13          Primary Care (Quarterly Checkup)

12/10/13         Dermatology (Checkup)

1/14/14           Foot & Ankle (Semi-annual)

2/10/14           Dentist (Teeth cleaning and annual checkup)

Still looking for a single app that will do most of this tracking and other items – while there are some apps that provide most of it –you generally need two or more apps. 

Our two previous post on aging can be found:

http://kisbyto.blogspot.com/2011/09/celebrating-healthy-aging-month.html

http://kisbyto.blogspot.com/2012/09/healthy-aging-month-update.html

Myths About Healthy Aging (from www.helpguide.org )

MYTH: Aging means declining health and/or disability.

Fact: There are some diseases that become more common as we age. However, getting older does not automatically mean poor health or that you will be confined to a walker or wheelchair. Plenty of older adults enjoy vigorous health, often better than many younger people. Preventive measures like healthy eating, exercising, and managing stress can help reduce the risk of chronic disease or injuries later in life.

MYTH: Memory loss is an inevitable part of aging.

Fact: As you age, you may eventually notice you don’t remember things as easily as in the past, or memories may start to take a little longer to retrieve. However, significant memory loss is not an inevitable result of aging. Brain training and new learning can occur at any age and there are many things you can do to keep your memory sharp. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll reap the benefits.

MYTH: You can’t teach ‘an old dog new tricks’.

Fact: One of the more damaging myths of aging is that after a certain age, you just won’t be able to try anything new or contribute things anymore. The opposite is true. Middle aged and older adults are just as capable of learning new things and thriving in new environments, plus they have the wisdom that comes with life experience. If you believe in and have confidence in yourself, you are setting up a positive environment for change no matter what your age.

A wonderful and informative health website is WebMD!  Found this neat guide while researching this article.  Do yourself a favor and bookmark this site.

WebMD’s 50 and Over Guide

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/default.htm

Staying Healthy

Eating Right

Good Nutrition for Aging

Slideshow: Avoiding Problem Foods as You Age

Slideshow: Eating for a Long Life

Menopause, Weight Gain, and Exercise Tips

Slideshow: Brain Foods That Help You Concentrate

Staying Active

Getting Fit for Life

Over 40, Fit, and Ready to Bare Arms

Video: Repairing Boomer Athletes

Looking Good

Video: Make Hands Look Young

Premature Graying

The Effects of Aging on Skin

Wrinkles

Natural Beauty Tips for Women Over 50

Women's Hair Loss Slideshow: Thinning Hair Causes and Solutions

Men's Hair Loss: Treatments and Solutions

Healthy Sleep

Sleep and Aging

Prevention

Health Check: What Is Your Cancer Risk?

Preventing Hearing Loss

Preventing Slips and Falls

Genes vs. Lifestyle: What Matters Most for Health?

Cataract Prevention

Preventing Vision Problems

Memory & Staying Sharp

Memory

Emotional and Mental Vitality

Forgetfulness: It's Not Always What You Think

Midlife Crisis

Make a Midlife Crisis Work for You

Coping With Changes

Empty Nest: Launching Adult Children

Life Stages: Retirement

Stress Management

Depression After Age 65

Transportation and Driving

Family & Friends

Sex and Relationships

Sex and Aging

Sexual Vitality

Sexuality and Physical Changes With Aging in Men

Caregiving

Caregiving Assessment

Financial Planning for Caregivers

Helping Older Adults Manage the Outside World

Caregiving and Your Loved One's Health

Legal Issues of Caregiving

Seven Tips for New Caregivers

Caring for Parents: Routine Care

Starting Your Role As Caregiver

Health Care 101

Medical Tests

Milestone Medical Tests in Your 50s

Medical Tests for Your 60s and Up

Your Health Care

Dos and Don'ts of Drug Safety

Tool: Find a Doctor

Buyer Beware: Health Scams

Generic Drugs: Answers to Common Questions

Live Longer

Video: Longevity Clues in DNA

Slideshow: 18 Secrets for a Longer Life

Planning for the Future

Independent Living

What Is Assisted Living?

Video: 'Smart' House for Aging

Video: Seniorizing Your Home

Life Choices

Advance Directives

Support & Resources

Resources

Aging Better: Resources

ESTATE PLANNING

By Diane Forrest

This is a subject many people don't want to talk about.  When my husband was alive he constantly wanted to discuss getting life insurance.  I didn't want to discuss it, feeling that if he knew it was there he would give up the will to live. Death was always on his mind, he would have dreams about it talk to his friend who worked at a funeral home, asked him endless questions and even wanted to observe how they got someone ready for burial. When we would be out he would invite people to his funeral, which I said was just wrong.

I on the other hand figured if I didn't discuss it, or changed the subject, that he wouldn't ever die and we would live happily ever after.  That didn't happen, as you know there are 2 certainties in life, death and taxes.  When my husband passed away it was completely unexpected.  My husband had been paralyzed by an accident at work, however he had no other medical problems, no high blood pressure, no diabetes, no heart problems or breathing problems.  He just couldn't move from his waist down.  He had been bedridden for 3 years and had developed sepsis and possible pneumonia.  There were no warning signs; he just couldn't wake up one morning.  The doctors and nurses did all they could to save him, but it was just his time to go.  His death not only left me in shock, but in financial distress too.  Not only did I lose my husband, I also lost my job the same day.  As a nurse, I was being paid by his insurance company to take care of him.  It was a real struggle to make it through that first year.  Trying to live without him, and paying the bills too.

I was also involved with his worker's comp case, which made things even more stressful.  Because of this active case, an estate had to be opened.  His worker's comp case finally settled in January of this year, however the estate battle is still ongoing, over 2 and a half years after his death.  I am now in a battle with his sons from previous marriage and it has been devastating.  It has caused me stress, anxiety and medical problems such as hypertension and depression.

This could have all been avoided had we planned properly for such an event.  No matter what you leave behind when you leave this world, someone will be there to fight over it.  Whether its family members, designated charities, lawyers, or the government.  

Some of the lessons I have learned are:

Don't assume.  Each state is different and the laws are not the same.  If you think that when you die everything goes to your spouse automatically, you could be wrong.

Have a signed will (a copy doesn't count).  You must have the original in a safe place.

If you cosign for any property, when one dies, the cosigner is still responsible for the debt.

Some necessary steps to take:

Make a will!!!  If you are single, married, have children or siblings.  Make clear instructions where you want your belongings to go.

Buy life insurance.  This is necessary if you want to protect your children or spouse from financial burden, and also to cover the expenses of your burial or disposition of your remains.

Talk to a lawyer and/or financial planner if your estate is large or complicated.

Don't wait!  You can't predict the end of your life well unless you take matters in your own hands.  My husband was only 52 when he passed away.  My brother was 23 when he was killed in an accident.  You need to prepare for those you leave behind.  Never assume that your family will not fight over what you have to leave.  Death affects people differently.  I would have never imagined I would be in a court dispute with my stepsons, but here I am.

My father was talking to his neighbor the other day, a man who is almost 49 years old.  He is married, has stepchildren, and grandchildren, siblings and in-laws.  My father asked him if he had a will.  He didn't.  He explained to him all the trouble I was going through and what his family was capable of doing, and encouraged him to talk to his brother-in-law, who is an attorney, and have a will drawn up as soon as possible to protect his wife and the property and possessions they own.

If you haven't made final arrangements for yourself...now is the best time to start your planning.  Don't wait until it’s too late!!!  Share with us some of your estate battles in the comment section below.

(Photos from Google) 

Financial Planning

(Google Image) 

By Terry Orr

Of all the important skill sets to have – this is one that I yet to master – one that should have been mastered long before completing high school – and should be required for all kids going to school.  We all need to understand the importance of financial planning – for our immediate, mid and long-term.

(Google Image) 

“If you can, you will quickly find that the greatest rate of return you will earn is on your own personal spending. Being a smart shopper is the first step to getting rich.” - Mark Cuban

Ric Edelman
(Google Image) 

Ric Edelman is the chairman and CEO of Edelman Financial Services, LLC -  the author of several personal finance books and the host of a syndicated weekly personal finance talk radio show called The Ric Edelman Show.  Ric is extremely popular here in the nation’s capital and most medium to large companies sponsor him to help their employees financial planning.  A very good friend of mine has read all of his books and took to heart the advice Ric provided – would have been helpful if I had followed in my friends footsteps.  The first book of Ric’s I read was “The New Rules of Money” - 88 Strategies for Financial Success Today; and the next two I plan on getting are – “The Lies About Money” and “Rescue Your Money”.

(Google Image) 

“Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for ten years.” - Warren Buffett

(Google Image) 

A very good friend of mine told me - that early in his Air Force career, he got some excellent advice on financial management.  With each promotion and or pay raise – put half of that into your long term savings; but half of the remaining into your short term savings and the remainder for you. Now that is pretty simple and straight forward and makes a lot of sense.

(Google Image) 

“Experience taught me a few things.  One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper.  The second is that you’re generally better off sticking with what you know.  And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don’t make.”  Donald Trump

(Google Image) 

One of our daughter’s parents came up with a smart financial plan for their children by establishing CDs and savings accounts for things like – their education; autos and insurance; and the like.  So when they were ready to purchase their car, then withdrew the funds from their CD and made monthly car payments into the auto CD.

(Google Image) 

Long before laptop, tablets, smartphones were everywhere – many of us used the back of a napkin to do our planning.  This process helped us understand the concept and identify key factors which were later typed and distributed.

(Google Image) 

So here is my advice - do your research, gather your ideas, sketch out rough plan on what you are hoping to achieve.  Then find yourself a good professional financial adviser.  Develop your plan, begin executing it and make sure you review and update you plan frequently and the situation warrants. Good luck.

(Google Image) 

References and Links:

http://www.ricedelman.com/

http://financialplan.about.com/

http://www.fpanet.org/

"The mint makes it first, it is up to you to make it last." - Evan Esar