Category: Health and Wellness Issues
January 8, 2023 -- We got some great followup on our October article about the Shedders Movement. Shedders refers to guys (and gals) getting together in retirement to hang out and work on all kinds of projects (often in a shed). This particular input comes from my wife's cousin, Steve, from Batavia, IL. Hopefully it will give other retirees some ideas on how they can create their own projects and groups to have fun, stay busy, and socialize - so hard for many men once they retire. Thanks Steve!
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Published on January 7, 2023
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
January 3, 2023 - Tom Brady, QB of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (or cousin Tom as we call him in our family), is 45.5 years old, having a pretty darn good season, with his team atop the NFC South standings. By all historical measures, he is a freak, performing as well or better than his peers who are 10 and 20 years younger. But he is not the only "older" person who is breaking records in a younger person's field. How about you, are you still going strong in some vocation or avocation, astounding your peers with your ability to hang in there?
The NY TImes just profiled a group of senior aged citizens who are doing great in some physically and mentally demanding jobs. They wrote about Jesse Izaguirre - a paramedic who is 70, an 84 year old NYC City tour guide, a doctor who is 85, and a 95 year old artist, among others. Earl Pollock, who at 82 is still in the logging business, summed it up this way: “I keep the job on my mind 24/7, I guess I’ll stay till I can’t get up in the morning." The Times used Census Data to help identify these outstanding specimens of tenacity.
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Published on January 2, 2023
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
November 27, 2022 -- Researchers at The John Hopkins Sex and Gender Clinic have a message for people over 50: "It's not just for young people." In an article at AARP, Kate Thomas, Director of Clinical Services says that "“It can strengthen our relationships, promote self-esteem, and improve our sense of identity.” Beyond that, the article listed other ways researchers have found sex is beneficial to older people.
8 ways sex is good for you
Boosts Immunity. Apparently a romp in the hay is also good at improving your response to disease, possibly even Covid. People who had more sex showed more immunity than others according to a study by researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania.
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Published on November 26, 2022
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
October 29, 2022 -- The sad fact is, many men don't do so well in retirement. After a lifetime of working, the loss of purpose can lead to depression and inactivity. So when our guide in Scotland last month started telling us about the Shed movement, and the Shedders who use them, we got pretty excited. "The Shed What?", we said. Then, as she told us how men's sheds have been proliferating in the British Isles because of the enjoyment, as well as improvement to their mental and social health, they provide to retired men (mostly) and women. The movement seems to have a lot of potential here in the U.S. Here is what the Shed movement is all about.
Men's sheds or community sheds are non-profit local organizations that provide a space for craftwork and social interaction. Think of it in some ways as a YMCA for retirees, without the gym. Precursors to the movement originated in Australia around the 1980s as a way to improve the health and wellbeing of older men. Since then many sheds have expanded to anyone regardless of age or gender, with similar aims and functions to hackerspaces. There are over 900 shed located across Australia, with thousands of active members. Men's sheds can also be found in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, United States, Canada, Finland, New Zealand, and Greece. Objectives of Men’s Sheds include advancing the health and well-being of the participating men and creating opportunities for the men to contribute to their local communities.
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Published on October 28, 2022
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
September 10, 2022 – There is good news coming for the estimated 1.5 million Medicare recipients who have been affected by the notorious prescription drug donut hole. The relief will arrive in 2025, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act signed by President Biden. Then the new law will put a…
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Published on September 9, 2022
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Sept. 1, 2022 -- Several Members commented recently about whether or not they would take Paxlovid if they contracted Covid. In a Comment Rick said he wouldn't use it, based on the experience of so many people he knows who have taken it and experienced rebound. RichPB, however, said that the drug can reduce death and serious hospitalizations, and that taking it is a personal choice. To that point, a new study from Israel found that Paxlovid reduced the risk of death by 79% and hospitalizations 73% among patients over the age of 65. The study is one of the first tests since the arrival of the Omicron variant. The drug seemed to have little beneficial effect among younger patients in the Israeli study, even if they had underlying health problems.
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Published on September 1, 2022
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Updated Jan. 30, 2024 -- The FDA's ruling that allows people over 18 to purchase hearing aids without a clinical assessment has been in effect for over a year now. It estimates that consumers could save up to $2800 with these air conduction devices when sold in stores like Best Buy, CVS, or Walgreens. The goal with this initiative is to help prevent the depression, mental decline, and lack of socialization that can come with hearing loss.
The ruling applies to people with mild to moderate hearing loss. If you think you might be a candidate for these, now is the time to do your homework - there is a lot of complexity to figure out before you buy.
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Published on August 22, 2022
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
July 26, 2020 -- There aren’t too many people who don’t want to feel, act, and look younger. But, as each of our birthdays adds a bigger number, that seems harder and harder.
While there is no real fountain of youth, yet, there are some simple steps anyone can take to delay the effects of aging. Spend a few minutes to take these simple tests. It could lead to feeling better and looking younger.
Caution. Do not undertake any of these exercises without consulting with your doctor, or if you feel discomfort or pain.
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Published on July 25, 2022
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
June 22, 2022 -- Two new studies have found that people who regularly exercise are much more likely to live longer. Fortunately, many people are interested enough in their health that they set daily goals for various activities, like how many steps they take each day. New devices like Fitbits, Apple Watches, and smartphones make that especially easy to do. But how much activity, like the number of steps, is the right number?
For many people 10,000 steps has become a popular goal. Achieving that frequently becomes an obsession or often a competition with friends. They brag about how many steps they got, or worry about a bad day. Hitting 10,000 steps a day is a lot - with a 3' stride (slightly longer than most people's) - that would translate to over 5.6 miles. There are a number of other goals that some people set up for themselves, such as the amount of active energy expended (such as 700 calories), floors walked up (e.g.; 5), the number of standing hours (e.g.; 12), or minutes getting some other type of exercise.
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Published on June 21, 2022
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Category: Active adult communities
March 10, 2022 – In a move that is sure to be controversial, a softball commissioner at the Del Webb Village at Deaton Creek has banned Linda Evans, a female, from participating on a men’s softball team at that community. Ms. Evans, 70 years young, is an experienced player, whose…
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Published on March 10, 2022
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