Category: Health and Wellness Issues
How AI Can Make Retirement Easier, Smarter, and More Fun
June 4, 2026 - A few months ago I spent hours comparing SUVs that could fit in our narrow garage. Then I asked an AI chatbot the same question. In less than a minute it gave me a detailed analysis that was better than anything I had found on my own.
That's when I realized AI isn't just for techies anymore. It can be a remarkably useful retirement tool—helping with everything from travel planning and medical questions to home projects and creative writing.
Which AI should I use
There are several AI chat bots to choose from. Some people prefer one over service over another. I use ChatGBT, my brother prefers Claude. Gemini, Copilot, and Perplexity are others. Most are free - up to a point. For example you can use ChatGBT for free, until you go over a daily data limit. If you use it for art or graphics, that gets used up pretty quickly. In that case you can get the paid version, which seems unlimited, for $20/month. Actually, the first answer you get now when you search for something on Google is from AI.
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Published on June 3, 2026
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Would you choose a healthy body or a healthy mind? If forced to choose, most people say they’d rather deal with physical illness than lose their cognitive abilities. After all, even with a failing body, you can still connect with loved ones. But with dementia, that connection can fade. Here’s…
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Published on April 28, 2026
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Forget Yankees vs. Red Sox—one of the liveliest rivalries these days is pickleball vs. tennis. April 21, 2026 – Tennis players bristle when courts are converted for pickleball. Pickleball fans, meanwhile, will gladly point out an empty tennis court as proof their sport is winning. Add in the distinctive “whack”…
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Published on April 21, 2026
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
January 15, 2025 — Want to live longer – we sure do, assuming we have some degree of functioning. This interesting article from the NY Times shows results of multiple studies on longevity and various activities. Those include walking, biking, tennis, and golf.
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Published on January 15, 2026
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
November 5, 2025 -- Some days it seems like we can't remember anything. But we don't have to see our memory and learning ability decline. Recent research from a McGill University-led clinical trial shows that online brain training exercises can improve brain networks affecting learning and memory. The study found 10 weeks’ use of the game-like app BrainHQ by older adults enhanced cholinergic function, a chemical system in the brain that typically declines with age and influences attention, memory and decision-making.
10 Years Younger!
“The training restored cholinergic health to levels typically seen in someone 10 years younger,” said senior author Dr. Etienne de Villers-Sidani, an Associate Professor in McGill’s Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery.
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Published on November 3, 2025
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Sept.30, 2025 - It seems counterintuitive - so many people really look forward to their retirement. Yet when they finally get there, many not only keep working, but they seem happier than their non-working peers. That is the suggestion from a recent study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
The finding applies to men more than women. Working post-retirement age is related to women's satisfaction only if it is in lucrative occupations, and is not related to emotional well-being. It doesn't seem to matter to people with higher or lower incomes. Even part time work seems to create more happiness than no job at all. Volunteer work can have the same positive effect.
Work doesn’t necessarily have to be for pay, and it could be a hobby. The photo below shows the work of a model town created by a Shed in Adair, Ireland. The group of men meet several times a week to socialize on a work of projects.
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Published on September 29, 2025
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
September 10, 2025 -- Gov. DeSantis seems to be a big fan of MAHA - Make America Healthy Again - or at least its anti-vax conspiracies. Florida recently eliminated vaccine mandates for school children, which will almost certainly bring polio, measles, and other life-threatening, but preventable, deaths to the State's school age children. For adults, the problem is the State's honoring recent changes made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new policies, which require prescriptions or the existence of certain underlying conditions to get a shot, are causing chaos and concern. People over 65 can still get the jab in many states without the prescription, but not in Florida. The South Florida Sun Sentinel recently covered the unfolding situation in its "Covid Vaccine Decisions Bringing Anger and Confusion" article.
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Published on September 9, 2025
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Sept. 7, 2025 -- The NY Times asked trainers for their ideas on the best training tests. They came back with four tried-and-tested self-assessments for strength, balance and cardiovascular fitness. One of them is a good screener to see if you are ready for pickleball. Others measure upper body strength, cardio vascular conditioning, and balance - so important to prevent falls. Try them and see how you do! (Note: These tests were not designed with any age group in mind - some versions might be too challenging for some seniors). Here is a link to their "Training Tests" article.
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Published on September 7, 2025
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
August 6, 2025 -- Back in June I ordered a set of Philips hearing aids from Costco. In Part 1 of this series, "Hearing Aids Selection", I discussed the various types of hearing aids, why I selected the Philips brand over Jabra, and the decision to buy at Costco. This is Part 2, which will cover what my experience has been like wearing the Philips Hearlink 9040 hearing aids that I chose (a Receiver in Canal model). Hopefully this will be useful to others who are experiencing hearing loss. See bottom for more articles on baby boomer "Rite of Passage" articles including Social Security and Medicare.
So how am i doing with my new hearing aids?
Overall, it has been a good experience. Not as perfect as I would like, but they have definitely improved the quality of my life.
It has been a positive experience mainly because I don't have to lean forward and strain to listen to people when they are talking. The sound comes through and I am not missing out on the conversation, which i was starting to do before. The connection to my phone is great. I can not only adjust them from there, but I can use them to listen to music, podcasts, books, and phone calls, instead of wearing my airpods. While the fidelity of the sound from the hearing aids the sound isn't quite as good as from the Airpods, it is more convenient. The phone rings, you answer, and you hear through the hearing aids.
The installation meeting and the scheduled followup session provided by the Costco hearing aid specialist were helpful. I got a good orientation on how to wear, adjust, and clean them (important because ear wax can build up and impede performance). To me the luxury of having the personalized service and followup was worth any extra money I might have saved by buying them online.
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Published on August 5, 2025
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Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
July 23, 2025 – There is crazy and there is cruel, and both themes are running rampant at the U.S. Department of Labor these days. For cruelty, the Labor Department has just proposed eliminating some safety standards at factories and mines, as well as to limit the government’s ability to…
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Published on July 22, 2025
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