Budgeting your activities

These days the economy is all over the place.  It’s up one week, down the next. And if we’re lucky, it remains steady for a couple of months, but that doesn’t mean our conscience is.  Our reliability on the market fluctuates just as much as the numbers do, and because of that, many of us are rethinking how we’re choosing to spend our dollars and cents.

We’re making adjustments and we’re cutting our losses before they become just that, financial woes.  Maybe you pass on one offer in hopes that a better one comes along; or you wait to take that European vacation next summer because it just doesn’t appear to be in the cards this time.  Essentially, we’re left making sacrifices. 

So, how do you choose what activity is more deserving than the other?

It’s all about the little things.  An article recently published in the Journal Sentinel, called “Five money-saving tips for boomers and seniors,” focused on the best ways to cut back on spending without sacrificing the quality of life. 

“Examine recurring expenses.” Sometimes we don’t realize how much we’re spending on our utilities until the bill comes in.  Re-examine what you use on a daily basis and what you can do without.  Maybe you’re paying for more channels on your satellite dish than you watch.

“Increase energy efficiency.”  Another way to decrease your costs (and become a little ‘greener’) is to ensure that the appliances you aren’t using are unplugged or are turned off when you’re out of the room. 

“Be a smart shopper.”  Be selective in what you purchase, when you purchase.  Compare prices on larger items.  If you use a product more frequently, buy it in bulk (this not only saves you money on the product, but time and money in transportation as well).

“Take advantage of free entertainment.”  It’s hard to imagine there is anything such as “free.”  But grab your local paper and check out the events calendar.  See what is happening in your downtown area and what your city has to offer.  “Libraries are also an excellent source of free entertainment - you can try out new authors, artists and genres with no risk by borrowing books, audiobooks, DVDs and CDs instead of purchasing them.”

“Reassess your gift-giving habits.”  Don’t overspend on an item if you don’t have to.  Sometimes, last-minute gifts have us running around trying to find the best thing out there, which in turn causes us to spend more than we needed to.  Consider the person you are shopping for and what they enjoy doing, you may be better off giving them the gift of a shared experience; such as going to the zoo, or the latest concert.   

These five tips aren’t large sacrifices.  They are reasonable, long-term solutions to a more financially stable future. By reassessing your spending habits, you can make small changes to allow for bigger experiences. It’s all in how you choose to look at your situation and take control of the little things in life.  

Stay Active, Take Care and Refuel

The weight of the world is shifting… literally.  More and more, we are encouraged to get up off our couches, push our potato chips to the side, and start moving.  Whether it’s walking for 30 minutes or going for a swim – it’s all about getting active, somewhere, somehow. What’s fantastic is that many of us are not only listening, we are doing, and as a result, feeling better about ourselves.   

Take Isabel Van Beveren, 88, for example.  A participant in the SilverSneakers fitness program at the Cuero Wellness Center in Texas, Van Beveren works out twice a week with fellow senior citizens, reports the Victoria Advocate. 

"It keeps me more active, more limber," Van Beveren said. "It makes me feel good."

Up and moving, the aging adult benefits.  But, what about that post-workout meal so many experts say we should have?  And if body builders mix shakes, eat lean, and pop pills… what do we do?

As we age, we have different calorie and nutrition needs, writes Maureen Callahan, a registered dietician, recipe developer, and lead author of the Health.com diet book review series. To get the best benefits from a 30- to 60-minute workout, Callahan provides five easy strategies in her article The Fiftysomething Diet: Workout Foods to Fuel You Boomer Body that you can follow.

These five strategies include:

1. Bump up protein
2. Dial back the carbs
3. Push the Fluids
4. Boost Omega 3s
5. Consider Multivitamins

To read the breakdown of these five steps, you can visit Callahan’s article here.

So keep moving. Swing that golf club, throw that bocce ball, and take pride in your stride when you walk down the street!  Stay active and stay in tune.  But make sure you are putting the good stuff back into your body to refuel, after you have “kicked” the bad stuff out.

To watch a video on The Facts about Elder Nutrition, click here.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

“My world…. Your world… Our world – free of elder abuse.”

-       International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse

This week, we’re changing the pace a little bit, to recognize and spread the news about an important day that is happening this Friday, June 15, 2012 – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

According to Canadian research, “between four and 10 per cent of older adults experience one or more forms of abuse or neglect at some point in their later years, from someone they trust or rely on.”  Due to under-reporting or withheld information about abuse and neglect that may occur towards older adults, the data collected to report the statistics above is considered to only be the “tip of the iceberg.”

In 2006, the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) launched World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, to emphasize the need for people from across the globe to come together and understand what it is, how to recognize it and how it can be prevented. 

This was created in honour, and in recognition of, the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing, established in April 2002, that identified the “mistreatment of older adults is a violation of internationally recognized human rights.”   

It’s been estimated that “between 183,000 and 456,000 seniors in Canada are experiencing, or have experienced, abuse or neglect in later life,” Government of Manitoba said in a recent report.

It’s time to stand up and speak out against elder abuse in all of our communities.  Make a change, and you can make a difference.  

For more information on elder abuse, visit Seniors Canada.

Did you know?

• Only about one in five cases of abuse come to the attention of community agencies or authorities
• Abuse is not limited to older adults of any particular culture, ethnic group, social background, or religion
• Spousal abuse can “grow old.”  It can start earlier in a relationship and continue on later in life
• Older women are the victims in about two-thirds of the cases of abuse or neglect that come to the attention of community agencies

This very moving video reflects the varying degrees of elder abuse that occur (sometimes unknowingly) all over the globe. Please take a moment and watch: An Age for Justice: Confronting Elder Abuse in America

What's your niche?

Left, right, and centre: retirement homes that focus on a particular hobby, interest, or activity, are popping up in the United States, CNBC reports.  They are tailored to specific wants and needs for older adults, so that they can continue to immerse themselves into an every day activity. 

These “Niche retirement communities” not only encourage retirees to stay active, but they give them the ability to do so in a location that caters to their ‘expertise’ or growing interest.  They are able to fulfill their days with what makes them happy, within an environment that will support it.

In Franklin, Tennessee, the Country Music Association is planning a community with recording studios and performance venues, writes Harriet Barovick, in ‘10. Niche Aging,’ an article for Time Magazine. And in Santa Rosa, California there’s Fountaingrove Lodge - America’s first long term care facility for gay and lesbian retirees.

Andrew Carle, director of George Mason University’s senior housing administration program told CNBC that although these communities are in their “infancy stage, they offer lots of upsides.”

For example:  so-called university–based communities are located near a post-secondary campus, where residents can sign-up (for a nominal fee) and attend classes for pleasure.  “The Oak Hammock at the University of Florida in Gainesville has an in-house Institute for Learning in Retirement, developed with the University of Florida,” CNBC reports.

As the growing interest in these housing communities increase, so do the number of hobbyists.  The question remains – how will they manage to cater to everyone’s needs and interests?

Tell us what you think! What type of niche long-term care facility do you dream of?

To read more on the different retirement homes already available, click here.

Have you found your niche?

If you have yet to figure out what your interest/hobby is – have no fear! In honour of Seniors’ Month, SERCCA is hosting  “A Taste of the Arts” on Friday, June 22^nd, where we encourage you to come out and participate in our creative workshops.  For more information and how to register, please click the image below.  We look forward to seeing you!