With a career and family life behind you, moving overseas can be a reality for your senior years if that’s what you’ve always dreamed of doing. You might not feel like you have the funding to maintain a life in the destination of your choice, but with some research and planning, it can be an affordable move. Before you make the decision, here are some things to consider:

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’re 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

Via: Retirement Story

image: heritagecommonssl.com

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-968

Stretching can prevent injury during exercise and it can increase flexibility in seniors that can increase their overall level of mobility. Knowing how to start when beginning a new exercise routine can be daunting, so here are some safe stretching methods that all seniors should use when engaging in a fitness program.

1. Stretch after a workout when muscles are warm and flexible, and stretching is not going to result in pulling anything or cause an injury before the fitness routine even begins

2. Stretch during physical activity if any part of the body begins to feel tight. By stopping to stretch it out seniors can prevent the likelihood of injury

3. Never stretch before warming up. Stretching cold muscles can result in injury, so be sure to warm up for 5 or 10 minutes with light exercise before stretching. This will give seniors the optimal benefit from exercise and reduce the chance of sprains, strains and muscle pulls

4. Breathe through a stretch. Inhale in preparation and exhale during the stretch while the muscle begins to lengthen and stretch

5. When stretching hold it for 5 seconds, release for 5 seconds and then start again so there is no strain and the stretch really has a chance to penetrate the muscles

Via: Real Age

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Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

Most people dread going through the aging process, but it’s all about your perception and what you choose to make of it. Instead of allowing yourself to succumb to the stereotypes, make your life what you want it to be. Here are some suggestions on how you can change your life in older adulthood:

1. Take a class – learning lasts a lifetime, so take advantage of the opportunities that you have in front of you in older adulthood. Take a college extension class or see what classes are offered at a local community center. You can take anything that interests you, whether it’s active, crafty or intellectual

2. Be social and seek support – don’t withdrawal from social activities like so many seniors have the tendency to do; no matter what’s going on in your life stay in touch with friends and family members with social activities, and get support from groups with any issues you’re dealing with

3. Live and laugh – they say laughter is the best medicine for a good reason, make sure that you do things that you enjoy that make you laugh and smile. Laughter is a great way to cope with grief, overcome stress, and gain a better appreciation of life!

4. Safety first – take the opportunity to look at how you can improve your safety so an accident doesn’t put a damper on your chosen lifestyle. Should you still be driving? Can you avoid busy driving periods or roads? Are there improvements you can make to your house? Are you aware of common frauds targeting seniors, and do you know how to protect yourself from them?

Via: Associated Content

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

If you’re a caregiver caring for a senior who suffers from Alzheimer’s or dementia, you might find yourself simply providing the basic care you were hired for. But stop and think for a minute; are you doing anything to bring joy to your care recipient’s life, or are you just going through the motions. It doesn’t take much to make a big difference, try these activity ideas to help your senior do more than just survive:

1. Reintroduce old favorites – reintroducing seniors to games and activities that they once enjoyed can activate old memories and nostalgia, and they are generally enjoyable. Try tic tac toe, checkers, cards, or large piece jigsaw puzzles.

2. Bond over magazines – looking through magazines like Reminisce or Good Old Days are a great way to share stories; or simply pick up any publication a senior enjoys for an entertaining way to pass the time and create conversation

3. Reminisce with photos – get out the family photo albums to remind seniors of cherished memories or family members. This is also a great way to start sharing stories and memories of great times with loved ones

4. Get online – for a senior who loves to learn, get online and browse travel destinations, look up information about activities or facts that interest the senior, or simply use it to look at pictures. If your senior is feeling really adventurous, you can even get them signed up on Facebook or Twitter

5. Share a treat – a great activity can be as simple as going to a local bakery or ice cream shop to bond over a sweet treat. Or, it can be made at home and enjoyed there

6. Get outside – don’t underestimate the power of fresh air and sunshine for a senior, get out there!

Via: Suite101

jupiterimages.com

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

We’ve all been told before how important it is to eat vegetables. Here are some tips for older seniors to include vegetables and fruits into every meal!

1. Shop at a farmer’s market – you will find all seasonal fruits and vegetables at a budget-friendly price.

2. Mix color – include fruits and vegetables to gain ultimate nutritional and health benefits.

3. Get creative with cooking – if you don’t enjoy textures or tastes of some foods, try blending them into a soup or stew.

4. Try smoothies or juice – to increase servings of fruits and vegetables, blend them into smoothies or juices.

5. Buy frozen – blend them into a smoothie, or thaw them in the morning to add to your cereal or oatmeal.

6. Add fruit like bananas or strawberries to your cereal.

7. Maintain good habits when eating out – order at least one serving of fruits or vegetables.

8. Be open to salad – Add  bell peppers, tomatoes, beets, or avocado. Drizzle your salad with lemon instead of dressings for a vitamin C boost.

9. Go with stir fry – this helps include a wide variety of vegetables into a meal.

10. Analyze your meal – when you sit down with a meal that has a wide variety of vegetables, notice if you favor one color group over another, and make a point to add more of the others to your next shopping list.

Via: Body and Health

Image: buylocalfood.org

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

There are a number of myths that surround the Swine Flu (H1N1 virus) that make the illness even more frightening for Walnut Creek seniors and their families. Here are some of the Swine Flu myths explained so you have an increased understanding of what this illness is and how it can be treated:

1. Since the H1N1 virus derives in pigs, it can come from pork – Swine Flu cannot be transmitted from eating pork, although it does often occur in those who are in contact with infected living livestock. The current outbreak, however, is coming primarily from human-to-human transmission

2. Symptoms of Swine Flu different from the seasonal flu – the symptoms of Swine Flu are very similar to the seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue

3. There is no effective treatment for Swine Flu – Tamiflu and Relenza are medications that have been used to effectively treat H1N1

4. There aren’t enough flu drugs to treat the pandemic – the federal government has in fact stockpiled enough flu drugs to treat 50 million Americans with Swine Flu, and some states actually have additional stock

5. The 1970’s Swine Flu shot offers protection today – as diseases adapt and change, it becomes more unlikely that a previous vaccination will offer prevention for the H1N1 virus of today

6. Flu drugs can prevent the Swine Flu – it’s not recommended that the flu drugs used to treat the swine flu are taken for prevention. There is however, a vaccine under development

7. Seniors are most at risk – healthy seniors actually are not believed to be the demographic most at risk for the Swine Flu. The vaccine that will be available will first be offered to individuals aged 25 to 65 as they are most at risk

8. The spread of Swine Flu can’t be stopped – it’s not yet known how contagious Swine Flu is, however, like any illness, the spread of it can be prevented through frequent hand washing, covering mouths when coughing and disinfecting surfaces that might carry germs

Via: Loyola Medicine

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Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

Walnut Creek seniors who receive Social Security benefits will find that their checks will suddenly get smaller over the next couple of years. As of next year, there will no longer be a cost of living adjustment, and for seniors who pay premiums for the Medicare Prescription Drug program, the lack of adjustment will not offset this cost resulting in decreased check amounts. With this being implemented over the next 2 years, seniors on Social Security will need to be more budget conscious than ever before, and can save money with these tips:

1. Set a budget: know how much money you have available to spend on a weekly basis, and keep a record of your spending so you ensure that you’re never overspending. Pay in cash, and then deposit any remaining money at the end of the week into a savings account

2. Smart shopping – create a shopping list and buy only what you need. Plan meals around items that are in season, and try out generic brand products over name brands for the savings

3. Think all unnecessary purchases over – instead of buying things you don’t need impulsively, wait 24 hours and think it over. More often than not, you will find that the temptation passes

4. Discounts – clip coupons or shop at stores that offer more discounts. Also be aware of places that offer discounts to senior citizens, like movie theaters, museums, and even grocery and retail stores

Sources:

1. MSNBC

2. Associated Content

Image: ssa.gov

Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

Of course in our practice we always encourage seniors to remain as active as possible, but at this time of year when temperatures can rise, many are looking for alternatives to exercising outside, and one thing that I suggest as a nurse is that they try mall walking. This not only creates a sheltered environment from the natural elements, it’s also a great way for seniors to socialize with others. Many big malls host mall walking programs, but for those seniors who don’t have one in their area, here are some tips that we provide for starting and making the most of mall walking:

1. Don’t walk alone – part of the fun of mall walking is to socialize, so bring a walking buddy; either a family member or friend, but make sure that they’re at your fitness level so you can keep the same pace and get the exercise benefits

2. Window shop – since you’re already in the mall, scope things out. You’ll spot stores that are having sales or other great bargains as you pass by the shops

3. Take motivational music – take your MP3 player with a compilation of music that motivates you to walk and push yourself to get the best fitness benefits

4. Make plans – having plans for after mall walking will help to motivate you. Make it a regular date to go for coffee with friends, or hang around to shop at the mall

5. Set incentives – organized mall walking programs may have prizes if you meet certain goals, but even when walking independently you can set your own goals, meet them, and then set some more!

6. Take in your surroundings – walking in the mall you can take in the décor, especially coming up to holidays and people watch

7. Clear your head – when exercising, there’s no better time to clear you head and make positive plans. Don’t allow your worries to plague your mind

8. Play games – when walking with a buddy, play games based on what you see around you. Try Eye Spy or other fun games based on signs and other things in the surroundings

9. Reward yourself – reward yourself after completing a mall walking session, it will help you want to come back and do it again and again!

Via: Grand Times

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Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.

As we age, driving can become more intimidating, and as cognitive skills begin to decline it can also become increasingly more unsafe. According to statistics, there’s one specific maneuver that results in more Walnut Creek driving accidents than any other, and that’s when making a left turn. Seniors are 9 times more likely to have an accident when turning left because of the cognitive process involved; they must determine when it’s safe by evaluating the speed and distance of other cars, and often, they must make this assessment of multiple vehicles and then negotiate the turn. With such complicated cognitive processes involved in making a left-hand turn, declining cognitive skills leave seniors at risk for accidents.

In order to prevent the likelihood of having an accident when making a left turn, seniors can take the following precautions behind the wheel:

• Avoid left turns – instead of turning left at an intersection, make 3 right turns to go around the block and go straight through the intersection

• Only turn left on an advanced green – during certain hours of the day, some intersections may have left turn signals, or others may have them all the time. Only make left turns at an intersection with a left turn signal

• Drive during the day – with increased visibility, senior’s can have an easy time processing the visual stimulus and making a safe decision on when to turn

• Avoid busy times – seniors can avoid driving during busy times of the day, or in the busier areas unless absolutely necessary

• Take your time – when making a left turn, seniors should take their time and not feel pressured by other drivers. If there’s limited visibility, they can wait until it’s possible to see

Via: Cognifit

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Home Care Walnut Creek, CA delivering home care and elderly services to seniors in the Contra Costa area including Concord. Call us 925-280-9688.