Inflammation Link to Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease!

Many of the articles on this blog have dealt with how to reduce your risk of dementia and Alzheimer's Disease by focusing on eating the proper diet, exercising, getting enough sleep, treating symptoms of dementia and staying socially active.  Some of these behaviors, especially improving your diet, can also lower the level of systemic inflammation in your body.

Inflammation has now been connected to a number of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia.  According to Dr. Douglas DiSiena, the co-author of "Possibility Thinking: Adding Years to Your Life and Life to Your Years," one-third of the cases of Alzheimer's Disease and dementia could be prevented through dietary and lifestyle changes.  This is significant, because people over the age of 85 have a 47 percent chance of developing some cognitive decline.  If you do not want to suffer from this cognitive decline as you age, below are the actions you can take to protect your brain health.

Lab Tests to Determine Your Level of Inflammation

In a lecture by Dr. DiSiena, which I attended, he recommended that people first need to determine the current level of inflammation in their body.  In order to do this, they should ask their doctor for the following blood tests in order to determine their level of inflammation:

HS CPR or High Sensitive C-Reactive Protein - a level of 1 or lower is ideal.

A1C - This tests your blood sugar levels over the preceding three months - A score of 4.4 to 5.2 is ideal, although a score of 5.3 to 5.5 is OK.  This test will determine if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic. (Scores over 5.6 indicate pre-diabetes; high scores indicate diabetes.)

Test Your Current Level of Cognitive Function

Take a Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) - You can find examples of the test online and ask a friend to give it to you.  You can also ask your doctor or therapist to give it to you. The websites explain how to score the test.  After making some of the healthy changes recommended in this article, take the test again and see if your scores have improved.

Causes of Inflammation

If you have inflammation anywhere in your body (such as gum disease or an injury), it will affect your brain and cause increased brain shrinkage.  There are a number of possible causes of any inflammation you may be experiencing:

A high carb diet which is heavy on grains and processed foods
Toxins, including drugs and heavy metals like aluminum in the blood
Trauma, such as a concussion or other injuries
Negative thoughts

Your Brain Can Recover at Any Age

The good news is that your brain has neuroplasticity.  If you currently have impaired cognitive function, it is almost never to late to reverse course and make diet and lifestyle changes which can reduce your inflammation and improve your test scores and brain function.

Try to eat a Mediterranean based diet, which relies heavily on vegetables, followed by nuts, fish like salmon or tuna, and olive oil.  This diet should increase the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids you consume and reduce the amount of Omega-6 fatty acids.  Taking an Omega-3 capsule can help you maintain the proper balance.

Neurofeedback training has also been shown to directly improve brain function.  In some studies, after 20 neurofeedback sessions the patients were able to improve their scores on the SMMSE (Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination) by six points.  That can make the difference between having a score which indicates cognitive decline and one which indicates healthy brain function.

Making the right dietary and lifestyle changes can be the difference between slowly losing your cognitive function and remaining mentally sharp for the rest of your life.  

If you want to learn more about preventing dementia and other common medical problems as we age, as well as retirement planning, where to retire, Social Security, Medicare and more, use the tabs or pull-down menu at the top of the page for links to hundreds of additional articles.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit: morguefile.com

Social Security Changes in 2019

Every year, the Social Security Administration makes a few changes to the program. The changes are intended to help retirees keep pace with inflation while, at the same time, maintaining the program's solvency.  It can be a difficult balancing act which does not always achieve its goals.

In 2019, beneficiaries can expect to get the largest cost-of-living increase in several years, which is wonderful news for the millions of people who depend on Social Security to cover all or most of their living expenses.  Even better, the cost-of-living increase should not get eaten up by an increase in Medicare premiums, which has happened in the past. However, this is not the only change we can expect to see in 2019.  Below is a list of some of the most significant changes to Social Security in 2019.

Largest Social Security Increase in Years

For many people, the most significant important change will be the 2.8 percent cost-of-living increase.  This means the average monthly payment will rise to $1,461 and the average married couple with receive $2,448 per month, if both of them receive benefits.  For those of you who have not begun to collect, this gives you an idea of what to expect.  For those who are already collecting, this will help you determine how your benefits compare with those of other recipients.

A Small Increase in Medicare Part B Premiums

In 2018, the Social Security COLA was so small that it was entirely eaten up by the increase in Medicare premiums for many beneficiaries.  Next year, the increase in Medicare Part B premiums is so small that things should be much better for most people.  The premiums are going to increase to $135.50 in 2019 from $134 in 2018.  This $1.50 increase in premiums is unlikely to have a negative impact on many Social Security beneficiaries.

However, there were some people whose Medicare premiums were less than $134 in 2018 because
they did not get a large enough raise last year to cover their increase in Medicare premium.  For those people, their Medicare premium this year could be greater than $1.50 and, therefore, might take all or most of their Social Security increase.

You could also have a large increase in your Medicare premiums for another reason, and that is if your income went up significantly last year.  Sudden increases in retirement income, because of an unusually large IRA withdrawal or windfall, can cause your Medicare premiums to increase dramatically and retirees should consult their tax attorney and take into consideration all of the financial consequences of a large IRA withdrawal or income increase. However, the Medicare premium increase should only apply to the year following the increase in income, unless it is permanent or continues for several years. This will only apply, however, to people who have a very large increase in their retirement income.

An Increase in the Maximum Social Security Benefit

If you have been fortunate enough to earn a high income during the 35 best years of your working career, the maximum amount of Social Security you could receive in benefits has increased.  For those people at the top of the income range who retire at age 62, they could receive up to $2,209 a month; at age 65 they could receive up to $2,757; and at age 70 they could receive up to $3,770.

Workers will Have Slightly More Income Subject to Taxation

If you are still working, you will see a small increase in the amount of your income which will be, subject to Social Security taxes.  The 2019 maximum taxable earnings will rise from $128,400 to $132,900.  Workers will be pleased to know that the tax rate itself will not change from its current rate of 12.4 percent, split evenly between employee and employer.

Normal Retirement Age will Increase by Two Months

Workers who want to collect their full Social Security benefits will need to work two months longer.  If you are turning 62 in 2019, your full retirement age will be age 66 years and six months.

You Can Earn More if You Work while Collecting Social Security

Many people find they need to continue to work and earn extra income, even after they begin to collect their Social Security benefits.  If you are under your full retirement age, collecting Social Security and working at the same time, the amount you can earn without having your benefits reduced will rise from $17,040 to $17,640.  You can earn more than that, but if you do, the Social Security Administration will withhold $1 for every $2 you earn above the $17,640 limit.

You should also know that if you reach your full retirement age in 2019 and earn over $46,920 in the months leading up to your retirement, Social Security will withhold $1 for every $3 you earn in excess of $46,920, but just for that one year.

Once you reach full retirement age, you can earn as much as you want without having your benefits reduced.  Today, we are seeing many people continue to work, either in their previous career or in a new career, for years after reaching full retirement age.

New Calculations for Your Social Security Benefits

Without going into complicated mathematical calculations, the government is making a few slight tweaks to how they calculate your past earnings, inflation adjusted.  These numbers are used to determine how much people will receive in benefits when they claim their Social Security, so the changes will benefit people who have not yet begun to collect.

Be Aware of More Changes Which Could be Coming

After the election, it is likely that Social Security and Medicare could be put on the cutting block by Congress.  Because of the 2018 income tax changes, government revenues have dropped dramatically and the deficit is increasing rapidly.  Some factions in Congress are proposing dramatic changes to these two programs which could result in cuts to both Social Security and Medicare.

Some of the changes could be very subtle.  For example, there is a faction which wants to change the way future cost-of-living increases are calculated, by using a different CPI or Consumer Price Index.  Currently, they use a CPI-W, which estimates the cost of living for a typical worker.  Some groups would like the government to use a CPI-E, which considers the cost of items typically used by the elderly, such as healthcare.  This would increase the size of future cost-of-living increases.

Unfortunately, a large group in Congress have stated they want to go with a Chained-CPI, which would be devastating for many senior citizens because they would only get extremely tiny increases, or none at all, because this CPI calculation assumes the elderly will just keep cutting down on what they pay for things by purchasing cheaper items.  Since many elderly already are living on very tight budgets, the possibility of the government using a Chained-CPI is very alarming for many senior citizens.

All older Americans, whether they are retired or not, should follow the debate over Social Security carefully, because it will affect nearly everyone in the nation.  Even if you have a private pension or you are wealthy, it is likely that some people in your family will be affected by changes to Social Security.  You can learn more about the changes being discussed at the website for The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

If you are interested in reading more about Medicare, Social Security, financial planning, where to retire, changing family relationships, common health problems, travel and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit:  Pixabay

Medicare Open Enrollment - Expert Answers Your Questions

Are you thinking about changing to a different Medicare plan or making changes to your current one?  There are certain rules regarding when you can make these types of changes. This week we have another special post from our Medicare expert, Danielle Roberts.  She is highly qualified to answer your questions about Medicare, how it works and the timing of changes you may want to make.  If you still have questions after reading this post, her contact information is in the sidebar and there is a link to her site in the "About the Author section."

 

Getting Ready for Medicare Open Enrollment

Medicare has several periods each year when beneficiaries can make important plan changes and coverage elections. However, we often find that many beneficiaries are not certain what each of these election periods is for and what they should be doing each year to review their coverage.
  

In this post, we’ll explain the upcoming windows and how you can prepare for them.

 

Medicare Open Enrollment Period vs Annual Election Period

 

Medicare uses the term “open enrollment” for multiple different election periods, so it’s easy to get them confused. We find it easiest if beneficiaries refer to the fall enrollment period as the Annual Election Period (AEP). This helps to keep the election periods straight in your mind.

The Annual Election Period begins October 15^th and goes until December 7^th. There is also a new Medicare Open Enrollment Period for 2019 which will go from January 1^st to March 31^st.  Let’s go over what changes you can make in each period because they are different.

 

Medicare’s Annual Election Period: October 15 – December 7

 

When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D drug plan, you are locked in for the rest of the calendar year. You must wait until the Annual Election Period to make changes to your plan(s).

During the AEP you can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another and you can switch from one Part D drug plan to another drug plan. You can also switch from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare and vice versa. 

When you make any of these changes during the AEP, your new plan goes into effect January 1^st of the following year. (If you don’t make any changes to your current plan, your current plan will auto-renew for the next year.)

 

Medicare’s New Open Enrollment Period: Jan 1 – March 31

 

Sometimes people who enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan during the AEP find that they do not like their new plan. It could be that they did not understand their coverage, or it might also be that they learned too late that one of their doctors is not in the network.

In recent years, these beneficiaries would be locked into that plan for the entire year. However, beginning in 2019, Medicare has a new Open Enrollment period from January 1^st to March 31^st that will allow beneficiaries who are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan to make a one-time change.

During this OEP, they can change to a different Medicare Advantage plan or they can disenroll from their Advantage plan to return to Original Medicare and elect a new standalone Part D drug plan to go alongside that coverage.

It’s important to note that if you drop your Advantage plan and decide not to enroll in a Part D plan, you can be penalized for the time you go without creditable drug coverage.

Here’s a recap:

The Medicare Annual Election period in the fall is for all Medicare beneficiaries. It is for enrolling in, disenrolling from or changing either your Medicare Advantage plan or your Part D drug plan. The last plan selection that you make prior to December 7^th will become effective January 1^st. 

The Medicare Open Enrollment Period which begins in January only applies to beneficiaries who are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. These beneficiaries can either switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another or they can switch from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare.

You cannot switch from one Part D drug plan to another during the OEP. That’s the main difference between the AEP and the OEP.

 

Your Annual Notice of Change Letter

 

The first step to getting ready for the AEP is to review your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Your ANOC is a letter sent to you by your current Medicare Advantage plan or Part D drug plan.

This letter states all changes that your current insurance carrier is making for the following year. It lists changes in monthly premiums, copays, coverage, deductibles, and drug formularies. You will want to review this thoroughly to ensure you make the right decision during the AEP.

 

Medigap Open Enrollment

 

To add to the confusion around the term “open enrollment,” there is also a one-time Open Enrollment period for Medigap plans.

The Medigap Open Enrollment is a one-time window that begins with your Part B effective date. During the six months directly after your Part B effective date, all Medicare beneficiaries have a one-time chance to enroll in a Medigap plan without having to answer health questions. This is a “use it or lose it” enrollment period. Once it has passed, it does not recur again.

This does not mean that later you cannot attempt to change your Medigap plan. In fact, Medicare beneficiaries can apply for new Medigap plans anytime throughout the year. However, unless you live in a specific state with different rules or have a guaranteed issue window because you are leaving employer group health coverage, you will have to answer health questions whenever you apply for a Medigap plan outside of your one-time Medigap open enrollment period. Depending on your answers and your medical record, you could be denied coverage for a new Medigap plan.

 

Get Ready with A Medicare Broker

 

Working with a Medicare broker can take the stress out of the decision making. A broker can evaluate each of your plan options in your area and explain any applicable rules. This will help you have more confidence in your choice.

About Guest Post Author, Danielle Roberts:  This guest post was written by our Medicare expert, Danielle Roberts, one of the co-founders of Boomer Benefits and a frequent contributor to this blog.  As always, we greatly appreciate her willingness to share her expertise and her ability to calmly explain these difficult-to-understand issues in clear terms.

If you want to learn more about Medicare, Social Security, where to retire, financial planning, and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit:  morguefile.com

Save Social Security Now and Protect our Retirement

With millions of Americans going to the polls during the next few weeks, it is important for all of us to ask our candidates how they stand on preserving Social Security and Medicare.  These issues are of paramount importance to retirees and people who hope to retire in the coming years.  Fortunately, there are specific steps which Congress could take to boost and protect Social Security, according to the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, a non-partisan organization which promotes workable solutions to preserve Social Security indefinitely.  Their suggestions are listed below.

If you are dependent on Social Security or expect to be collecting benefits in coming years, you will want to ask your candidates how they stand on these issues and then vote in a way which will protect your financial security now and in the future.

How to Boost Social Security Now and Preserve It in the Future

1.  Congress could gradually eliminate the cap on Social Security payroll contributions.  Currently, only the first $118,500 in wages are subject to Social Security payroll withholding.  Gradually lifting this cap would solve almost all of the problems we have with the future insolvency of the Social Security Trust Fund.

2.  The Social Security Administration could slowly increase the payroll contribution rate by 1/20th of one percent over the next 20 years, so that after 20 years it will only have been increased by one percent.  This will help strengthen Social Security for our children and grandchildren.

3.  Slightly boost contributions to Social Security by treating all salary reduction plans the same.  This means that payroll taxes would be collected on the money which goes into flexible spending accounting, HSAs, or dependent care plans, just as it on 401(k)s.

4.  Boost the current basic benefit for all current and future retirees by $50 to $70 a month.  This may not seem like much, but many Social Security beneficiaries did not see a meaningful increase in their benefits for several of the past few years.  This would help the millions of Americans who depend on Social Security for all or most of their retirement income.

5.  Give Social Security credits to unpaid caregivers.  Currently, people who have been out of the workforce to care for young children, elderly parents, or disabled family members are never able to catch up for the years they lost while out of the workforce.  As a result, they receive significantly less in Social Security benefits when they reach retirement age.  Providing these unpaid caregivers with five years of Social Security credits could help boost their benefits and protect caregivers from poverty in their later years.

6.  Use a better calculation for Social Security's annual cost of living adjustment.  Currently, the Social Security Administration uses the CPI-W, which is based on the spending habits of urban wage earners.  However, it would be more fair to switch to the CPI-E, which is based on the spending habits of the elderly, who spend more on certain expenses such as medical care.  This would make it easier for senior citizens to keep pace with inflation.  We especially DO NOT want the chained-CPI which would be the worst possible choice for senior citizens and would cause even more of them to fall into poverty.

Ask Candidates About Other Issues of Importance to Retirees

If you attend a candidate forum or town hall meeting, which I hope you will, other questions you will want to ask the candidates are about Medicare and Medicaid.  You may also want to read last week's blog post titled, "Vote for Lower Prescription Drug Prices." which explains how Congress could lower the cost of our prescriptions with a few changes to the law.  Also ask your candidates about the following important issues:

* Do you want to expand Medicaid or do the opposite and make it more difficult to qualify for it?
* Do you want to protect people with pre-existing conditions from losing their insurance?
* Do you believe in the "age tax" which is when consumers pay higher insurance rates based on their age?

In addition, you may want to ask them about other retirement questions such as:

* Do you believe in improving automatic retirement savings programs for people who do not have a 401(k) available to them through their jobs?
* How do you feel about taxation of retirement income and Social Security?
* What do you think should be done to strengthen pension funds?
* What can be done to protect senior citizens from being victims of fraud and scams? 

Several of the above issues, especially those regarding Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, will probably be dealt with simultaneously in one package deal.  As a result, it is important to ask the candidates of both parties in your area how they plan to deal with these problems.  The more you know, the easier it will be to make an informed decision when you vote.

Rather than voting based on a political party, vote to protect the programs which you will depend on during your retirement.  In other words, vote for your self-interest and to protect the senior citizens in your family. That is a perfectly reasonable and legitimate reason to decide how you will vote, rather than automatically voting for one party or the other.  In addition, follow up with your Senators and representatives after the election to make sure they continue to work towards keeping their promises! 

One way to follow what your members of Congress are doing is to follow a non-partisan site like Countable.us, which will send you daily updates on votes being taken in Congress and will let your know how your Senator and the representative from your district voted.  It is a free and easy way to stay informed about issues important to you.

You can get more information about the issues, register to vote, or apply for an absentee ballot at:  votingtool.aarp.org

You can also learn more about important issues at:  countable.us, votesmart.org, RealClearPolitics.com, Ballotpedia.org and PolitiFact.com.

Learn more about preserving Social Security and Medicare at:  https://www.ncpssm.org/ 

If you would like more information about Medicare, Social Security, common medical problems as you age, financial planning, where to retire, travel and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

You are reading from the blog:  https://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit:  Google.com/images

Vote for Lower Prescription Drug Prices

Rising prescription drug prices continue to be a major concern for both patients and health insurers, including those who deal with Medicare.  According to AARP, the average retail price for prescription drugs taken to treat chronic conditions has risen to approximately $13,000 a year.  How much of that is paid by the patient depends on their medical insurance or Medicare drug plan.

When the Kaiser Family Foundation polled patients about their medical priorities, lower prescription drug prices were at the top of the list.  This is understandable, since Americans pay the highest drug prices in the world and, according to AARP, the prices are increasing at a rate 10 times faster than inflation.

The key to changing this situation is electing the right people both to the Senate and the House of Representatives.  It is extremely important that we vote for candidates, regardless of political party, who will stand up to the drug industry.  Organizations like the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare endorse candidates from both major political parties when they show they are willing to work towards the goal of passing laws which will strengthen and improve both Social Security and Medicare.  Lowering prescription drug prices is an important key to saving Medicare.

What do we need to ask candidates when we attend town halls and candidate forums?

Shrinking the Medicare Drug Plan Doughnut Hole

The good news is that many current members of BOTH parties in Congress have shown a willingness to take some steps towards protecting senior citizens from rising drug prices.  There is now a bi-partisan agreement under consideration to close the doughnut hole in 2019 for brand-name drugs and to close the doughnut hole in 2020 for generic drugs.  However, the pharmaceutical industry has lobbied against this deal, so it is important to know how the candidates in your area stand on this issue.  You may want to also ask if they take donations from pharmaceutical companies, because that could influence their votes and cause them to side with their donors rather than patients.

Negotiating Medicare Drug Prices

Currently, federal law does not allow Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical manufacturers for lower drug prices, despite the fact that the federal government is the largest purchaser of drugs in the United States.  Many experts believe changing this rule would make a significant difference in lowering drug prices and only Congress can make this change.  Ask candidates in your area if they support allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices.

Allowing the Safe Importation of Prescription Drugs

Americans are often warned about the dangers of importing drugs from online pharmacies in foreign countries, and that danger has been covered in the past on this blog.  Unregulated orders from unknown foreign sources can be a serious concern, since buyers may not know if they are ordering from a legitimate source or if the drugs they are receiving are actually what they believe them to be.  However, the federal government could allow patients to safely order drugs from authorized foreign suppliers in places such as Canada and the European Union, and this could save some patients a significant amount of money.  If this interests you, ask your candidates where they stand on this issue.

Expanded Access to Generics

There is currently a proposed bill known as the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act (CREATES) which would prohibit pharmaceutical companies from blocking the development of lower cost generic drugs.  Passing this bill would allow the companies which make generic drugs to force pharmaceutical companies to give them the necessary samples so they can make generic equivalents.  Ask the candidates whether or not they support this legislation.

Ban Pharmacy Gag Orders

Did you know that your local pharmacist is banned from telling you that, in some cases, you could get a drug cheaper by purchasing it without using your insurance?  AARP has introduced two bills to the Senate which would ban these gag orders.  We need to elect Senators and Representatives who will support these bills.  Ask your local candidates how they feel about these bills.

Increased Drug Price Transparency

Drug prices have been increasing at rates which are much higher than the overall rate of inflation.  AARP is calling on the government to insist that drug companies reveal how much they spend on research and development compared to the amount spent on advertising, and explain how they price their drugs.  This transparency could help prevent huge arbitrary price increases, especially when large amounts of money are going towards advertising rather than the development of new drugs.

Vote for Supportive State Legislators, Too

In addition to having Senators and U.S. Representatives who will vote to make the above changes, states governments can also do a great deal on their own to help patients who are burdened by high drug prices.  Already, 25 states have passed legislation to make pharmacy gag orders illegal.  California requires pharmaceutical companies to give two weeks notice before making any significant increase in the price of a drug.  In Nevada, diabetes drug prices cannot be raised without a detailed explanation.  Ask the candidates for your state legislature what they can do to protect patients from sky-rocketing drug prices in your state.

Vote to Save Medicare

In addition to voting for candidates who support lower prescription drug prices, it is important to know how they stand on protecting the solvency of Medicare for the remainder of your life, as well as for future generations.  The Medicare Trust Fund could fall short as early as 2026, which will create serious problems for people dependent on this healthcare insurance program, possibly shifting more costs to consumers unless changes are made. If you feel you cannot afford to spend significantly more on your medical care, ask the Congressional candidates in your district specific questions about how they would save Medicare. Someday, your life and financial security could depend on it.

Vote to Save Social Security

Closely related to saving Medicare is the need to also save Social Security.  The vast majority of retirees are dependent on Social Security for all or most of their post-retirement income. Unfortunately, the Social Security Trust Fund is expected to fall short in 2034, if nothing is done to replenish it.  That could cause Social Security benefits to fall by approximately 20 percent.  Since few, if any, people believe they can easily absorb a 20 percent decrease in their Social Security benefits, it is essential that solutions be found for replenishing the trust fund.  Next Wednesday, I will post a more detailed article on how to permanently preserve Social Security, not just for today's retirees but those in the future, as well.


Ask Candidates About Other Issues of Importance to Retirees

If you attend a candidate forum or town hall meeting, which I hope you will, other questions you will want to ask the candidates about Medicare are:

* Do you want to expand Medicaid or make it more difficult to qualify for it?
* Do you want to protect people with pre-existing conditions from losing their insurance?
* Do you believe in the "age tax" which is when consumers pay higher insurance rates based on their age?

In addition, you may want to ask them about other retirement questions such as:

* Do you believe in improving automatic retirement savings programs for people who do not have a 401(k) available to them through their jobs?
* How do you feel about taxation of retirement income and Social Security?
* What do you think should be done to strengthen pension funds?
* What can be done to protect senior citizens from being victims of fraud and scams? 

Several of the above issues, especially those regarding prescription drug prices, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, will probably be dealt with simultaneously in one package deal.  As a result, it is important to ask the candidates of both parties in your area how they plan to deal with these problems.  The more you know, the easier it will be to make an informed decision when you vote.

Rather than voting based on a political party, vote in a way which will protect the programs which you will depend on during your retirement.  In other words, vote for your self-interest and to protect senior citizens in your family. That is a perfectly reasonable and legitimate reason to decide how you will vote, rather than automatically voting for one party or the other.  In addition, follow up with your Senators and representatives and make sure they work towards keeping their promises.

You can get more information about the issues, register to vote, or apply for an absentee ballot at:  votingtool.aarp.org

You can also learn more about important issues at:  votesmart.org, RealClearPolitics.com, Ballotpedia.org and PolitiFact.com.

Learn more about preserving Social Security and Medicare at:  https://www.ncpssm.org/ 

If you would like more information about Medicare, Social Security, common medical problems as you age, financial planning, where to retire, travel and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

You are reading from the blog:  https://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit:  morguefile.com

Happiness Hormones Improve Your Mood

Did you know there are simple ways you can improve your mood and enjoy your life more, without the use of medications?  According to WebMD and other websites, people can learn to release their own happiness hormones, such as endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin.  The result of following these suggestions can be life changing and the small amount of effort involved is well worth it.

If you feel depressed, lonely or sad for little or no reason, which is common for millions of senior citizens, you may want to talk to your personal physician or therapist and follow their recommendations.  In addition, and with their approval, you may also want to try some of the activities below to naturally boost your happiness hormones.  

Cuddle Up!

Whenever you cuddle with someone you care about, including your cat or dog, your brain releases oxytocin, which is known as the love hormone.  It lowers your stress and helps you feel close to your loved ones.  If cuddling with your spouse or lover leads to sexual intimacy, the release of happiness hormones may be even greater.

Laugh and Smile Often

Whether it is a corny joke or a funny movie which causes you to laugh out loud, the act will cause you to release endorphins.  Not only do endorphins lift your spirits, but they also protect you from illnesses and ease pain. Don't feel like laughing?  Even smiling can produce a positive effect on your mood.  There has even been some research indicating that smiling can help you fall asleep more easily.  So, whether you feel like it or not, smile!

Exercise

Whether you like to run, walk, go for a swim or ride your bike, exercise is another way to stimulate your body to release those wonderful endorphins.  This also explains what it means for someone to get a runner's high.  In addition, there is some evidence that exercising with others in a group or class can boost your endorphins even more.  Finally, as you will see below, getting some of that exercise outside will stimulate your production of happiness hormones even more.

Spend a Little Time in the Sun

Just 15 or 20 minutes of sunshine will allow your skin to absorb enough UV rays to promote your production of both Vitamin D and serotonin.  A lack of serotonin can cause increased feelings of loneliness and depression, so anything you can do to increase your level of this important hormone can help you feel happier and less lonely.  Do not leave your skin exposed longer than 20 minutes, however, because too much sun can increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

Get a Massage

During a nice, relaxing massage, your body will increase its production of both serotonin and dopamine.  It will also decrease the production of the unhealthy stress hormone cortisol.  As a result, a massage will temporarily reduce your depression, lower your stress, decrease your pain and help you sleep.  What could be nicer?

If you cannot afford a massage at an expensive spa, see if there are any massage schools in your community.  My husband and I sometimes go to a massage school about a 30 minute drive from our home for 50-minute massages which only cost $25.  Another option is to take turns with your spouse giving and receiving massages.

Enjoy a Little Dark Chocolate

Eating a little dark chocolate is a delicious way to increase your endorphin levels.  However, you do not want to overdo it. Adding weight might lower your self-esteem, increase your stress and undo the benefits.

Sniff Vanilla or Lavender

Lavender is known to relax you and help you sleep.  Vanilla may be an aphrodisiac to some men, promoting feelings of love and connection.  Either one can bring you pleasure, so put a few drops of lavender essential oil or vanilla on your pillow case to boost your endorphins as you sleep. 

Try Ginseng - Cautiously

Ginseng is believed to have several positive effects on people, including controlling your blood sugar, aiding in weight loss, inhibiting the release of harmful stress hormones and supporting the organs which produce endorphins. This common herb may be helpful in boosting your mood, but you might want to discuss it first with a doctor, since it could conflict with medications you are taking.

Try Positive Thinking

At first, you may feel it is hopeless to change the way you think.  However, by engaging in practices such as meditation, yoga, repeating affirmations or making a gratitude list, you may gradually learn to push aside negative thoughts and develop a more positive outlook.  The more you practice these skills, the more you may naturally boost your endorphins.

With all these different options for improving your mood and decreasing your feelings of loneliness and depression, there is no reason to just give in to your sadness.  Talk to your doctor or therapist, deal with any medical issues you may have, join a support group and try the suggestions above.  You absolutely CAN turn your life around.

If you are interested in learning more about common medical issues, where to retire, financial planning, Social Security, Medicare or more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles.


You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit:  morguefile.com


Resources:

https://www.webmd.com/balance/rm-quiz-those-feel-good-hormones?
http://naturalsociety.com/7-natural-ways-endorphin-rush-improve-mood-happy/
http://goodrelaxation.com/2014/04/release-happy-hormones-endorphins/

Health Apps and Websites for Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers are typically more tech savvy than previous generations of retirees, although some older senior citizens are also beginning to be comfortable using their smart phones and computers.  Regardless of your age, technology now makes it possible to have easy access to the most current information on health, safety, fitness and disease information.

Whether you want to keep track of your diabetes, lose weight, get more exercise, investigate a medical diagnosis or learn to live life to the fullest, it can be very helpful to turn to our phones, tablets and computers for information and support.  Below is a list of some of the apps and websites which a large number of people, including myself, have found to be most useful.  Please feel free to share your own favorites in the comments section so readers can discover even more useful resources.

Websites to Improve Your Health

WebMD.com - Whenever a friend or family member is diagnosed with an illness, many of us turn to WebMD to learn more about the condition and possible treatments.  In addition, I subscribe to their free daily email which always includes interesting information about a variety of health related topics.  I learn something new nearly every day and the information is completely free!

Hazeldenbettyford.org - If you or someone in your family has an alcoholism or addiction problem, Hazelden and the Betty Ford Center have put together a helpful, informative, free website.  You can also sign up to receive an email with their "Thought For The Day," which is a brief daily excerpt from a variety of books dealing with addiction issues.  Very few behaviors can damage your health more than alcoholism or an addiction problem, including addiction to a prescription medication.  Addictions and alcoholism also destroy careers, relationships and marriages, so you want to deal with them as soon as possible. 

Bluezones.com - The Blue Zones are areas around the world where people routinely live active, productive, healthy lives well into their 90s and even after the age of 100.  What is interesting about the Blue Zones is that the people who live long lives in these communities appear to benefit more from their healthy lifestyles than from having good genes.  Best of all, people do not need to live in remote corners of the world in order to benefit from the Blue Zone lifestyle.  In fact, one of the Blue Zones is in a suburb on the inland side of smoggy, crowded Los Angeles, California. Check out the Blue Zones website and sign up to have their free weekly newsletter emailed to you. You, too, can learn their tips for improving your health and adding years to your life, whether you live in a Blue Zone or not.

Health Apps for People of All Ages

In addition to the websites above, if you have a SmartPhone, there are a number of apps which will help you stay healthy.  Below is a list of some popular ones.

MyFitnessPal - This app is often used by people who are trying to lose weight.  It even has a barcode scanner so you can get detailed nutritional information about commercial food products before you buy them.  One aspect of the app which I particularly appreciate is that it lists far more than just the calorie count for a wide variety of food items.  The app also lists the amount of carbs, fat, protein, fiber, potassium and sodium.  Since my husband has kidney disease and we have to watch his sodium, potassium and protein intake carefully, this app has made it much easier to keep track of what he is eating.  Even if you are not trying to lose weight, this app can be helpful to anyone who needs to follow a special diet for their health.

Other dieting apps which will help you track what you eat include GoMeals (iPhone only), Lose it!, and Fooducate.

Fitness Buddy - Need some new exercise ideas?  This app contains over 1700 unique exercises and a system to track your workouts so you stay motivated.

Other fitness apps which will help you track your workouts and challenge yourself include Nike Training Club, Strava Run and Strava Cycling.

Blood Pressure Companion - This app is currently available only for the iPhone.  It helps you track your blood pressure, heart rate and weight. The newest iPhone is also capable of even more advanced heart monitoring.

Breathe2Relax - Do you have trouble relaxing?  This guided breathing app will help you manage your stress with diaphragmatic breathing exercises.

mySugr Diabetes - If you have diabetes, this app will make it easier for you to log your blood sugar levels, set your target blood glucose ranges, view your history and use graphs so you can quickly recognize when your numbers are out of their normal range.

Major News Source Apps - You may also want to add at least one news app to your smart phone, such as Google News, SmartNews or your favorite network affiliate like ABC or NBC news.  Most news sources will keep you informed about the recall of dangerous products, food poisoning outbreaks in your area, new treatments for diseases, and other health related topics.  In some cases, learning about a recall or food poisoning incident could be life-saving.

Try out some of the above websites and apps which are designed to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep you educated about health related topics.  Thanks to modern technology, you can always have these useful tools at your fingertips!

If you are interested in more information about how to maintain your health as you age, where to retire, financial planning, Social Security, Medicare and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

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Retire in Portugal - Affordable Europe

Would you like to retire in Europe, but cannot afford to live in one of the more famous cities, such as London, Paris, Prague or Venice?  A country you may wish to consider is Portugal.  Retirement there is very affordable when compared to most locations in the United States.  In addition, with a Eurail Pass, it is easy to travel throughout the rest of Europe and see all those places you hoped to enjoy in retirement.

According to the website International Living, it is relatively easy for Americans to relocate to Portugal and the cost of living is more reasonable than most other European destinations.  Of course, anyone who seriously plans to retire in Europe should investigate their options thoroughly, beginning with an extended vacation in Portugal.  However, the information below will give you an idea if this is a place which could work out for you.

Portugal is Charming and Affordable

Portugal is one of the smaller countries in Europe.  It is only about the size of the state of Vermont and has a population of about 11 million people.  The vast majority of people in Portugal are Roman Catholic Christians.

The weather is generally beautiful, there are many courses where you can play golf, and it has a lengthy coast along the Atlantic Ocean.  Northern Portugal is mountainous and tends to be cooler and rainy; the southern part of the country consists of rolling plains and is warmer and drier.

Expatriates are most likely to be found in the areas of Portugal known as the Algarve, the Alentejo and the Silver Coast.  According to reports from "International Living," a variety of rental properties can be found in the $450 to $550 per month price range, rising to around $1,000 a month in the more popular areas of Lisbon.  International Living has reported that a couple can live in the countryside for about $1,750 a month, including their rent.  If they live in Lisbon, their monthly expenses will rise to about $2,250 a month.  Utilities cost about $80 a month.

Small condos and cottages can be purchased in the Alentejo region for $65,000 to $100,000.  However, experts highly recommend people rent for a year or more before purchasing property.  This will give you the opportunity to decide if you have moved to an area you enjoy.  When you do purchase a home, be sure you use a real estate agent and have a lawyer check the title and review the contract.

The country is beautiful and relaxed.  In the cities, expect to find charming roundabouts, statues, fountains, cobblestone streets, parks and outdoor cafes. Around the countryside there are a variety of castles and cathedrals.

Healthcare in Portugal

Good healthcare is available, particularly in the private hospitals.  New residents will need to obtain private health insurance.  Medicare from the United States cannot be used if you are a permanent resident of another country.  However, if you only live in Europe part of the year, you may want to maintain your Medicare policy in the United States so you can use it when you return to the states.

You can qualify for health insurance in Portugal if you have a job there and pay into their social security system.  If you are retired, you will need to purchase a private health insurance policy.  The U.S. Embassy advises that you obtain your insurance through a private Portuguese hospital or clinic.  One couple who described their experiences on the International Living website said they pay about $250 a month for the two of them to have health insurance.

Portuguese Visa Requirements

When you first visit Portugal, you do not need a special visa to enter the country.  You can stay up to 90 days without one.

Once you decide to move there permanently, you will need proof of private health insurance and enough funds to support yourself in Portugal.  Then you will be able to apply for a Type 1 Visa by submitting an application to the nearest Portuguese Consulate.  You cannot relocate permanently to Portugal or stay longer than 90 days until you have the visa.  If you want to work in Portugal, you will need a Permanent Residency Visa.  Foreigners can also set up a company in Portugal, if they are legal residents and have the necessary permits and capital.  This is another situation where it would be wise to consult with a lawyer and, possibly, a local accountant.

Once you are living in Portugal, you will want to open a local bank account.  The U.S. government will direct deposit your Social Security benefits into a European bank for you.

Portuguese Taxes

Portuguese income taxes depend on whether you are classified as a resident or non-resident.  Workers pay income taxes ranging from 14.5% to 48%, based on their total income from around the world.

Depending on your investments, you may also be required to pay a capital gains tax.  In addition, the country has a Value Added Tax on certain restaurant services and agricultural supplies.  Talk to a tax advisor or accountant to see how much of your income will go to cover your taxes, so you understand exactly how much of your assets will be available to pay for your living expenses.

Investigate, Investigate, Investigate

Whenever this website recommends a place to live overseas, we high recommend you check out the State Department website for any advisories or warnings regarding foreign countries.  In addition, I also recommend that you vacation in a place before you move there and, during your trip, you should consult a real estate agent, a lawyer and, possibly, a tax attorney so you can minimize any surprises.

You also need to be prepared for fluctuations in the value of the dollar against the currency of the country where you are moving.  As the value of your Social Security check rises and falls, you may find it easier or more difficult to cover your expenses.  You want to make sure you have allowed for a margin of error, so you are not forced to leave because you cannot afford to stay.

Finally, read everything you can before moving to country.  Expatriates have written about their lives in virtually every corner of the world and they often have helpful tips to make your transition easier.

If you are interested in learning more about where to retire abroad or in the United States, or financial planning, Social Security, Medicare, common medical problems and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles on a variety of topics.


You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

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