Americans Retiring in Panama

Americans have been retiring to other countries for decades.  Because it is often difficult to find affordable places to live in the United States, moving to less expensive countries can be very appealing.  In fact, in 2014 over 600,000 Americans were receiving their Social Security checks in another country.  This does not take into consideration those that receive their checks in the U.S., but live at least part of the year overseas.

According to Kathleen Peddicord of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group, one country that attracts a lot of American attention is Panama.

Panama Uses the U.S. Dollar

Among the appealing features of Panama is the fact that the U.S. dollar is also Panama's currency.  That makes it easy to handle your finances, even though you are in another country.  There is no need to worry about exchange rates, which can sometimes have a detrimental effect on the lifestyle of people living in other countries.

High Quality Medical Facilities 

Another attraction is that Panama has top-notch medical facilities and it is very affordable to purchase health insurance there.  While Medicare does not work in foreign countries, many people go ahead and purchase a basic Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan, which is then available to them during visits to the U.S., especially for major surgery, or to use if they should decide to return to the U.S. later in life.

Wide Choice in Lifestyles and Climates

Panama also has a variety of lifestyles and climates to offer.  If you want to live in a big, busy city, you can move to Panama City with a population of around 900,000 people.  If you want to live in a smaller community, you can move to one of the beach towns that dot the Panamanian coast, or to a cooler mountain location.

Cost of Living in Panama

Although prices in beach communities close to the capital of Panama City can be quite expensive, there are small towns further away where it is possible to rent a two-bedroom home on the private market for as little as $600.  Some Americans have found it possible to live comfortably near the beach in a small city like Las Tablas, Panama, for as little as $1500 a month.  This means an American couple living on $2500 a month, about average, could life a very comfortable life in Panama, and have money left over for trips back to the U.S. once or twice a year.

Communities like Las Tablas will not leave you feeling as if you are cut off from the rest of the world, either.  You will find many other Americans living in the area.  In addition, this region has reliable cell phone and internet services, as well as cable television.  Of course, if you want to travel, or live in Panama City, your monthly expenses will be higher.  On the other hand, if you have always dreamed of retiring near the beach, it would be hard to find a better place to spend your Golden Years.

Affordable for the Average American Retiree

Since the average retired American currently receives about $1250 a month in Social Security benefits, many American couples will find it well within their means to live a quiet, relaxed, and comfortable life in Panama.  Even if they each pay $120 a month for a Medicare Advantage plan in the U.S., they could still afford to live a comfortable lifestyle in a small town in Panama.

If you are interested in learning about other places to retire overseas or in the United States, financial planning, common medical issues, changing family relationships 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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Photo of Panama City from Cerro Ancon was taken by Dirk van der Made in April, 2004, and was obtained courtesy of Wikipedia.com/commons.

Pros and Cons of Taking Aspirin

Many Baby Boomers and older senior citizens have heard the benefits of taking an aspirin a day, or at least several times a week, in order to protect their health.  However, did you know that there are also disadvantages to taking aspirin, and that aspirin therapy may not work for some people?

Pros of Taking Aspirin

Many doctors think of aspirin as a type of insurance policy against a number of illnesses.  According to Bottom Line Health, in their Spring 2012 edition, taking aspirin is protective against strokes and heart attacks.  Aspirin also lowers your risk of dying from some types of cancer by anywhere from 28% to 58%.  In one study, they report that people who take aspirin or other NSAIDs were 23% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  Men were 25% less likely to develop moderate to severe prostrate enlargement.  These advantages make it sound as though everyone should immediately begin aspirin therapy.  Not so fast, however.

Cons of Taking Aspirin

While aspirin may sound like a miracle drug, there are also some problems associated with it.  Some people are aspirin resistant and those people can have double the chance of experiencing a heart attack or stroke if they take aspirin.  In addition, there are dangers even for people who are not aspirin resistant.  They can develop stomach irritation, heartburn, facial swelling, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, asthma attacks, ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding.  Finally, aspirin use can increase your risk of developing cataracts by 44%, and can even cause you to go blind from macular degeneration.  With so many disadvantages, what should a person do?

See Your Doctor and Get Tested for Aspirin Resistance

Before beginning an aspirin regimen, talk to your doctor.  Your doctor will know your health history, and whether aspirin is more likely to be helpful or harmful.  If you develop any unusual symptoms, particularly stomach or vision problems, let your physician know right away.  In addition, ask your doctor to run a simple blood test called an optical platelet aggregation.  According to Bottom Line Health, most medical insurance policies cover it, and the test can tell you whether or not you are aspirin resistant.

As always, we are best equipped to make good decisions when we have the necessary information.

If you are interested in additional information of use to Baby Boomers, including medical issues, financial planning, where to retire and changing family relationships, 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 courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Gifts for Baby Boomer Mothers

Are you trying to decide what gift to give your Baby Boomer mother for her birthday, Mother's Day or some other special occasion?  I often hear younger adults complain that they can't decide what to give their mother ... saying things like: she has everything she needs, she can go shopping anytime she wants, I never know what to pick out for her, and so on.  If you are one of those people, here are some suggestions:

Photographs

Moms love to see photos of their children and grandchildren.  You could always give a framed photo, of course.  However, you can also choose to be more creative.  Pull up a couple of dozen photos on your computer and use Snapfish or Shutterfly to create a photo album.  They'll even mail it directly to your mom for you.  You can also select from the the hundreds of items that can be imprinted with the photo of your choice ... coffee mugs, aprons, t-shirts, computer mouse pads, fleece blankets and more.  You'll bring a smile to your mom's face every time she sees your gift.

Birthstone Jewelry

Your mom may not need another piece of jewelry, but if you pick out a ring or necklace that has the birthstones for all her children or grandchildren, you will absolutely delight her.  Many jewelers, as well as online sites like Zales.com and Amazon.com, sell customized birthstone jewelry.  You just need to tell them the birth months of the children or grandchildren, and they can deliver a piece of jewelry that contains all those different birthstones.  She'll love it because, whenever she gets a compliment, she will have an excuse to talk about each of her kids or grandkids!

Things She Will Use Up

If your mother truly has everything she needs, consider getting her something that she loves and regularly consumes.  You could pick out a box of her favorite candy, perfume, face cream, lotion or another item that she may run out of from time to time.  If you are choosing perfumes and cosmetics, however, just make sure you are picking out items that she actually does like and need.

Gift Certificates

Another popular choice that most mothers will love is gift certificates from Amazon, Macy's, Starbucks or their favorite store.   They come in all denominations, so you can get a card regardless of your budget.

The Gift of Time

Perhaps no gift is more valuable to a mom or grandmother than the gift of your time.  Invite her to lunch, or take her to a restaurant.  Go to a movie, museum, theater, ball game or concert together.  Whatever the two of you do, she will especially appreciate the gift of your time.  It doesn't matter whether the activity costs you very little.  The two of you can go on a relaxing walk at a nearby nature preserve.  Whatever you do, it is your time that she will remember the most. 

When I talk with my Baby Boomer friends, their favorite stories are the times they got to spend alone with one of their adult children.  Those days are so precious and rare, they are more valuable to moms than the most valuable gemstone.

If you are looking for more information of use to Baby Boomers and their families, 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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Photo courtesy of: www.amazon.com

Alcoholism after Retirement

Recently, I wrote a post about the increasing number of senior citizens who have begun spending time in gambling casinos in recent years.  While gambling addiction is a serious problem, alcohol addiction after retirement may be even more serious.

I was in a grocery store a few months ago, standing in line behind an elderly man who lifted a case of beer, several bottles of wine, a fifth of bourbon and a fifth of gin onto the counter.  The grocery checker cheerfully commented, "It looks like you're having a party."  The man became indignant and replied, "This will last me all week!"  The checker and I just looked at each other.  It was a tremendous amount of alcohol for anyone to drink in a week!

Help for Alcoholic Baby Boomers is Available!

According to the website, SeniorsInSobriety.org, the disease of alcoholism affects as many as 10% of all people over the age of 60.  They refer to alcohol abuse in the elderly as an "invisible or hidden epidemic."  Frequently, alcoholism is mistaken for other health problems, such as dementia.  It can contribute to depression, anxiety, heart disease, liver disease and cancer.  According to the SeniorsInSobriety.org website, 70% of hospitalized seniors have a problem with alcohol.  Shockingly, many doctors and hospital administrators do not even ask their patients about this. 

What is even more serious is the fact that many seniors themselves are unaware of how dangerous it can be, as they age, to continue to drink the way they did in their younger years, especially if they are combining their drinking with over-the-counter and prescription medications.  Alcohol reacts badly with at least 150 different medications.

As a resident of an over-55 retirement community, I see the effects of alcohol abuse at nearly every community party we attend.  At times I have felt as if I am attending college parties, rather than events for senior citizens.  I have seen my peers become drunk, loud, and aggressive; I have seen them stumble and fall into tables; I have seen them drop their bottles of bourbon in the parking garage.  One reason why some seniors are reluctant to move into assisted living facilities, even when they desperately need to, is because they are afraid it will be more difficult for them to obtain alcohol.

If you have an elderly relative who may be abusing alcohol, help is available.  They may need to go to a treatment center, or begin attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous.  The physicians who prescribe their medication should be informed of their problem with alcohol.  Don't turn a blind eye to this problem; alcohol abuse may already be shortening their life.

I already know of one neighbor who is dying from liver cancer ... yet she continues to drink champagne every evening, while undergoing chemotherapy twice a month.  It is so sad to see the consequences of her drinking problem.

You and your loved ones do not need to be the next victim of this debilitating disease.

If you are interesting in reading more about medical, financial or other issues that could affect you after retirement, use the tabs at the top of this page.  They will link you to hundreds of additional articles.

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Photo courtesy of morguefile.com