Retirement doesn’t look like it used to; long gone are the days where seniors had the opportunity to claim Social Security around the age of 65 and put their working days behind them. Today, seniors are working into their 70s, 80s or 90s, because retirement just isn’t what it used to be and here are the factors that contribute to the changes that keep seniors in their careers later in life than ever:

• 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 weren’t designed to support 30 or more years of retirement, which means seniors need a fairly substantial nest egg to make it through

Via: AARP

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Some places come with a more stressful quality of life than others. If you’re considering a move from your Phoenix home to another part of the United States; there are a few things to evaluate to determine if your retirement will be enjoyable and stress-free.

1. Population and crowding – consider the population density in the area. The more populated it is, the more likely it becomes that there can be crime, petty problems between neighbors, and other factors that can influence your overall quality of life. If you’re looking for a quieter retreat where you can relax in privacy, avoid cities like Chicago (ranked the most stressful place to live) where crowding is high.

2. Employment – even in retirement, the level of unemployment in your area can affect your quality of life. You don’t need to be in the workforce for it to have an impact! Unemployment rates attest to the overall state of the economy.

3. Air quality and weather – the air quality can affect your overall health, which greatly impacts your quality of life, as well as your finances. Also choose a climate that brings you the most enjoyment.

4. Home values – with rising interest costs and decreasing home values, it can be a worry that you might lose your home in older adulthood or find it unaffordable. Low home values can also mean little equity when it comes time to sell. Choose a place to live where home values seem to be higher and holding strong.

Via: Yahoo! Real Estate

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Focus. Stop. Breathe. Relax. Four simple words that might seem impossible during your later years when you’re worrying about your health, planning for the future, and trying to keep up with personal and family activities. Learn mindfulness in 5 steps and put the focus back on yourself, and you’ll have a greater appreciation of life.

4 Ways to Practice Mindfulness:

1. Breathe – to push away worrying thoughts or to stop your mind from wandering, simply stop and take a few deep breaths and focus only on your breathing and the environment around you. Take a few minutes to do this in situations where your mind tends to start running away on you, like in the car when stopped at a traffic light, or when you’re taking a shower

2. Focus in the morning and at night – before you fall asleep, your mind is likely to wander about your expectations for the next day, and the same thoughts might plague your mind when you wake up in the morning. Take a few minutes just to breathe

3. Turn off the autopilot – with tasks that you tend to do impatiently, like brushing your teeth or cleaning, take yourself out of autopilot mode and focus on the motions of what you’re doing, no matter how mundane the task is

4. Remind yourself to focus – a normal daily occurrence can act as a reminder that it’s time to tune back into the present. When the phone rings, or you go to put on your seatbelt, stop and focus

Via: About.com

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Are you an older adult who feels like your body and mind are doing nothing but betraying you as you age? Well, don’t give up and allow what you perceive to be the aging process to take over, because according to Dr. Gene Cohen, author of  “Mature Minds” the senior years are a great time for growth and development mentally and are based on 4 stages:

1. The Midlife Re-evaluation Stage: this stage is about exploration and transition. At this period in your life, start thinking about what you’ll want from your retirement. This is a good time to start dreaming about the future!

2. The Liberation stage: at the beginning of your retirement, once you enter this stage, let go of your inhibitions and start exploring and creating. This is a great time to take on new hobbies, envision what you want for yourself and your life during you retirement, and to make it happen!

3. The Summing up Stage: this stage occurs in the 60s, 70s and 80s and are about reflection and resolution, which is so important at a time when seniors need to accept the changes the aging process brings, and overcome it to ensure that they are successful and happy through the remainder of their lives. It’s also a great time to find new activities that help you to cope, so you have an outlet for the emotional trials you’re dealing with

4. The Encore Stage: it’s not the end, but a new beginning; the perfect time to cope and prepare for what might be ahead and be grateful for what you have

Via: Examiner

Image: guardian.co.uk

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

We don’t need to tell you again that vegetables and fruits are good for your health, but as fall is approaching and a plentitude of fresh produce will become available at Phoenix farmer’s markets and grocery stores, you need to know what to choose to help you live a long and healthy life. Fruits and vegetables come in a variety of colors, and each of them have their own unique benefits:

• Go green – choosing green vegetables can help fend of mascular degeneration which can cause blindness (Lutein, found in hearty greens such as kale, chard, and romaine lettuce can have this result), and prevent cancer through antioxidants found in Vitamin C in greens (i.e. Bell peppers, broccoli, and brussel sprouts). Other green vegetables and fruits that are a great source of nutrition include avocados, green peppers, celery, kiwi fruits, cucumbers, asparagus, and even green apples

• Try orange or yellow produce – Beta-carotene and Vitamin C appear in yellow and orange produce. Choose carrot, sweet potatoes, mangos, apricots, and cantaloupe for beta-carotene which can help prevent Vitamin A deficiency and increase antioxidant intake. Vitamin C is especially present in ripe fruits like papaya, grapefruit, oranges, pineapple, and cantaloupes. Even lemon and lime contain great sources of Vitamin C!

• Choose red for cancer prevention – red and pinkish vegetables can help to prevent cancer with the nutrient lycopene that is present. In addition to preventing cancer lycopene also can slow the hardening of arteries and slow tumor growth. Tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit are great sources of lycopene

• Go dark – darker fruits and vegetables, like shades of blue and purple are a great source of anthocyanin which helps support and improve the vascular system and can help to fight cancer. Many of these fruits and vegetables are also high in fiber. Look for blackberries, blueberries, figs, plums, prunes, eggplants, and raisins.

• Don’t underestimate light produce – shades of tan, brown and yellow may not be as eye-catching, but they play a role in a well-balanced diet. Bananas increase potassium and help prevent calcium loss, ginger boosts the immune system and garlic inhibits cancer

Via: Body and Health

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

If you could find out today how long you will live into older adulthood, based on the course of nature, would you want to know? There is no scientifically accurate way to make these predictions today, but there is a quiz that can estimate how long you’ll live based on your current lifestyle, genetic factors and your overall health today.

Everyone hopes for a long, healthy and happy life, but is there such thing as living for too long? After taking the test, a couple of us from Carebuzz believe that in fact, there’s such thing as too long. Our results showed that not only would we live to 100, we’d live past that huge milestone age, and we’re not so sure we want to. It might come from personal experience, having seen loved ones struggle through their 80’s and 90’s; and while we definitely want good health during our senior years, we’d rather it doesn’t result in living quite so long. We haven’t quite settled on the age we would like to make it to, but we’re sure that 100 and beyond isn’t it.

If you took the quiz, tell us how long it predicts that you’re going to live and how you feel about that number. Do you think there’s such thing as living too long into older adulthood?

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

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A Swine Flu vaccine is currently being developed, but believe it or not, seniors will not be part of the first priority list for receiving the vaccine. Here are some details about the H1N1 vaccine, when it will be available and who will be on the initial receiving end and why.

• Availability – the H1N1 vaccine should be available in fall of 2009 in order to combat formal flu season. Specific dates have not yet been released as they are based on manufacturing

• Production – a Swine Flu vaccine is currently in production, and before being offered to the public, will be involved in clinical trials

• Combined vaccines – the Swine Flu vaccine will be separate from the seasonal flu vaccine. It can be administered at the same time, although since the H1N1 vaccine is likely to be available later in the season, Phoenix seniors are encouraged to get the seasonal flu vaccine first

• Age for priority vaccinations – studies have shown that H1N1 is more likely to affect people aged 25 to 64, or those with compromised immune systems due to health issues. The vaccine will be available to these people initially, and older adults over 65 can receive the vaccine after

• Locations – the Swine Flu vaccine will be available in locations that aren’t just your doctor’s office. Vaccination programs will take place in offices, schools, pharmacies, and other private settings

• The 1976 vaccine – the Swine Flu pandemic of 1976 also had a vaccine developed to fight the spread of illness, however, even those vaccinated then should receive the new H1N1 vaccine as the disease is not likely the same

Via: Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Image Source: H1N1 Flu Vaccine

This might not be the first time that you’ve heard that fish is brain food, but a recent study has the evidence to substantiate it, and these are results you don’t want to miss if you’re a senior or approaching older adulthood. According to this study, if you eat fish even a couple of times a week, you can decrease your likelihood of Alzheimer’s or dementia by up to 20%! If you currently don’t have a diet that incorporates fish and the Omega 3 fatty acids that result in these benefits, here are some tips to adopt a diet for your brain.

1. Start slowly – you don’t need to overhaul your diet right away, start incorporating fish high in omega 3’s like salmon, tuna and sardines into your diet a couple of times per week

2. Make fish burgers – since red meat can increase the chances of dementia, replace traditional burger patties with tuna or salmon burgers. Buy them pre-made or create your own from steaks or canned fish

3. Put them on the grill – not only meat is good for BBQ , buy fish steaks, or make fish kabobs on the grill. Make sure you choose fish that won’t fall apart when cooked, like tuna or salmon

4. Buy canned – there’s nothing wrong with using canned tuna, salmon or other types of seafood for a fast lunch or snack. Put it over salad, on crackers, or make a sandwich on multi-grain bread, but make sure you use little or no mayo to reduce the bad fats!

Sources:

1. CogniFit

2. IFIC

Image Source: healthhype.com

Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.