Saturday, October 10, 2020

Balance Exercises Keep You on Your Feet!

Many people worry about losing their cognitive ability as they age, and it is a realistic concern.  As a result, they may watch their diet, get exercise and work crossword puzzles.  What many seniors do not realize, however, is that a serious risk to their memory and brain health is the possibility of falling and hitting their head.

According to the National Council on Aging, one out of every four people over the age of 65 will fall each year.  Every 11 seconds, a senior is treated for a fall in an emergency room.  Every 19 minutes in the United States an older person dies from a fall.  Fall prevention and the protection of your brain from trauma is extremely important for anyone who wants to live a long, healthy life.

Exercises to Improve Your Balance

In the retirement community where we live, balance is a component of nearly every exercise class, whether you are taking yoga, tai chi, or an aerobics class.  One way to prevent falls is to strengthen your muscles and, at the same time, concentrate on your balance.  There are a variety of types of balance exercises which can benefit you, and they can be done easily at home by most healthy adults.

First of all, you do not want to fall while you are doing your balance exercises.  As a result, make sure you have a wall or stable chair near you to help you stabilize yourself as you gain strength.

Stand on one leg - Place your hand on a wall or chair, put your weight on one leg and lift your other foot off the floor. You can tap your foot on the floor ahead of you or to the side. Switch legs. Start with just a half dozen repetitions on each leg.  If you are not comfortable standing on one leg with the other in the air, try putting all your weight on one leg and use the toes on the other foot to maintain your balance.  Eventually, you may be able to stand on one leg while lifting the other a few inches off the floor.

Deep knee bends - In order to strengthen your thighs and calves, put your back against the wall and lower your body until you are in a deep knee bend.  Once you are as low as you can safely and comfortably go, lift your heals off the floor as you straighten your legs and stand back up.  Gradually, this will make your legs stronger and they will be better able to hold you up.  Don't overdo it when you start, because your legs will be sore! You also want to be careful not to go too low at first, so you don't slip, or slide down the wall.

Leg lifts - Strengthen you core muscles by laying on the floor with your hands next to your side.  Slowly raise your legs until they point towards the ceiling; then lower them.  This will strengthen your abdomen and help you maintain your balance.  If you cannot do both legs at the same time, do one at a time or bend your legs while lifting them.  That will take some pressure off your lower back.

Rear leg lifts - Get on all fours on the floor.  Stretch one of your legs behind you and lift it a few times.  Switch legs.  This will help strengthen your back muscles, another muscle group which is important for balance.

Stand on your toes - Whenever you are standing around for a few minutes, you can strengthen your legs and improve your balance by doing simple things such as standing on your toes for ten to twenty seconds at a time. Repeat several times a day. Do NOT do this in the shower or on some other slippery surface.  However, it is a great exercise to do while standing in line at the grocery store or waiting for something to heat up in the microwave.  

All of these exercises can be done in a few minutes and should be repeated several times a week.  In this way, you will maintain your strength and reduce your risk of falling.  If you make them part of a regular exercise class or regimen, you are even more likely to stick with them.  Check with your local senior center to see if they offer exercise or balance classes for seniors.  Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, some communities are offering outdoor classes.

Other Ways to Protect Your Brain from Falls
 
In addition to maintaining your strength, there are also other important ways to protect your brain from falls.  Here are a few reminders:

Do not climb onto chairs, counters or high ladders.  One accident could do irreparable damage to your brain.

Wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, scooter or any similar moving vehicle.  The motion of the vehicle could make it easier for you to lose your balance.

Use a cane or walker if your doctor recommends one.  These devices are designed to prevent falls and keep you moving, even when you are having difficulties with your strength or balance.

Remove rugs, extension cords, or anything else in your home which could cause you to trip and fall.  Put away shoes and packages so they are not sitting where they could cause you to trip.  

Watch where you are going.  It is easy to be distracted when walking your dog or chatting with a friend.  This could cause you to fail to notice a curb, stairs, uneven sidewalk, tree root, or other hazards. Pay attention to what lies ahead as you walk.
 
You may also want to read a book like "Better Balance for Life: Banish the Fear of Falling with Simple Activities Added to Your Everyday Routine." (Ad) It has many helpful suggestions to reduce your risk of falling.
 
Remember:  The last thing you want to do is cause your own death or dementia because of a fall.  Being cautious will help keep you safe!

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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

Graphic credit:  pixabay.com

Saturday, October 3, 2020

Elefend Defends Against Scam Phone Calls - Learn How it Works

One issue which continues to be a problem for senior citizens is the prevalence of scams, and many of those scams start with a simple phone call.  These scammers are experts.  They carefully study the best ways to contact senior citizens and generate fear in them.   They use this fear to trick seniors into needlessly sending scammers billions of dollars every year to "protect themselves" from fake problems.

The issue has become such a big problem that fines do not deter many of these scammers.  Some people have even found a way to fight back and make money from the fines, by reporting scam phone calls, as explained in the book, "Stop Telemarketing Calls and Get Paid." (Ad)

Unfortunately, most senior citizens do not report the calls, and they are not experts in knowing whether or not the voice on the other end of that phone call is providing a legitimate and necessary service, or if the caller is deceiving them into giving away their hard-earned money.  As a result, I was intrigued when I was approached by the company Elefend about their service, which "monitors calls from strangers in real time and detects if it is a scam."  This could save Americans billions of dollars.  I invited the company representative, Arianna Powell to submit a guest post about their product for your consideration.  

Their service currently works on the T-mobile, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon networks. There is no need to download an app.

You can read more about their product below.

Elefend Scam Protection

by Arianna Powell

$37 billion are stolen every year from America’s elderly. Scams are a HUGE problem; it is an epidemic which is only getting worse, especially now that COVID-19 has left older adults more socially isolated.

Phone calls are known to be the primary channel through which the ruthless perpetrators operate (according to the FTC, 70% of fraud attempts happen over the phone). In order to fight this prevalent problem, Elefend has developed a software solution which will prevent and combat phone scams and identity theft.

Elefend monitors calls from strangers in real-time, providing in-call detection.  It can help prevent scam & identity theft (both from humans and robocalls), and allows older Americans to live their lives more safely, without the fear of being scammed.

Existing scam prevention solutions are mainly based on blacklist technology, which checks if the calling number is blacklisted and notifies the person receiving the call. These solutions are becoming ineffective, due to scammers' number spoofing tactics (changing their phone number on-the-go and remaining undetected).

Our goal at Elefend is to keep the public, and especially the elderly population, protected from these cruel scams, both instantly and constantly through our novel technology. Elefend can easily be installed on any iPhone (or other smartphones which have a built-in option to block unknown callers) by going through a step-by-step process.



Individuals can go to our website ​www.elefend.com​ and click on the “Try For Free” button on our main page. Elefend has incorporated a simple, single pricing model which includes a 14-day free trial! This plan includes real-time AI scam detection, in-call warning alerts, unwanted robocall blocking, a screening greeting message, and weekly usage reports.  It is offered at an introductory price of $2.95 per month. We built Elefend to stop phone scams.  This service could be a great gift from adult children who are worried that their elderly parents and grandparents could fall victim to a scam.  It is like having an extra pair of "ears" monitoring calls from strangers and alerting potential victims about possible scams in progress.  It will also automatically block unwanted callers.

Phone scams are an epidemic which needs to be dealt with, and they have recently become even worse due to COVID-19. Every year $37 billion are stolen from America's elderly. 69% of scam attempts in the US are done via the phone, and the existing solutions are outdated and inadequate. Elefend is reintroducing safety to phone calls.

We have built the first real-time (in-call) scam protection software, both from robocalls and live callers. If you have any US-based friends who are interested, they can try out the first version of our startup’s product, and the trial will not cost them anything. We founded Elefend a year and a half ago to protect people from being scammed, after we discovered that the vast majority of scams in the US happen over the phone.

Our Phone Protection solution provides protection during incoming calls from numbers not in your contact list.  We stop malicious robocalls from the outset and, when a call is from a live person, we monitor it in real-time. Once a possible scam is detected, we play an in-call warning which only you can hear.

We are currently working on the T-mobile, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon networks. There is no need to download an app.  Learn more at www.elefend.com

* * * * *

If you want to report the scam calls you receive, and possibly earn money for your efforts, you can learn how to do it in the book "Stop Telemarketing Calls and Get Paid." (Ad)

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

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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

Photo credits: Elefend and Morguefile

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Yoga For Your Mind, Body and Soul - Try it at Any Age

About 30 years ago, a friend of mine was recovering from breast cancer and her physician recommended she take a gentle yoga class as a way to regain her strength and flexibility.  I went with her, experiencing this soothing form of exercise for the first time.  I was hooked!  When I started, I was not able to do most of the postures, because I did not have enough upper body strength and I was not very flexible.  Today, in my 70s, I am able to do many of the postures I could not do in my 40s. Over the years, I have gradually become stronger and more flexible. Who would ever have thought that I could have more upper body strength and more flexibility in my 70s than in my 40s? 
 
Over the decades, yoga has become more widely accepted and today it is recommended for a wide variety of health issues ... to lower stress, build strength, become more flexible, lower blood pressure, and improve balance.  It seems to be a cure-all for many different problems. 
 
A good way to start is with a yoga video for beginners.  (Ad)  You may also want to pick up a few yoga supplies, such as a mat, a couple of blocks or a strap.  (Ad) If you do not want to buy these things right away, you can always practice on your carpet, using rolled up towels and an old belt to help you maintain some of the positions.  Yoga can be a very cheap hobby.  
 
You may also find free or low-cost classes for seniors in your community. I currently take a free class for seniors from a local community college, taught by an 84 year old teacher!  Prior to that, I took a similar class at a senior center.  I have even taken chair yoga classes that included people in wheelchairs.  Nearly everyone can benefit from yoga, regardless of their physical limitations. 
 
Because of my personal experience with yoga, I was thrilled to receive this guest post on the benefits of this lovely form of exercise. You can learn more about how yoga can improve the health of senior citizens from the helpful guest post below by Kelsey Simpson.
 

How to Improve Your Mind, Body, and Soul With Yoga at Any Age

 

by Kelsey Simpson

Yoga is an ancient practice that incorporates the mind, body, and soul and can improve all three in a variety of ways. Anyone, no matter his or her age, can benefit from yoga. Whether you are young or old, your body will thank you for incorporating yoga into your everyday life. 

Yoga is an activity you can practice for the rest of your life. In fact, an expert from a company which provides independent senior living in NJ pointed out that many retirement communities offer yoga to their residents because the benefits are so vast. If you are new to yoga, you may be wondering how these gentle movements can improve so many aspects of your body. This post will detail how yoga enhances the human body at any age.

What Are The Benefits of Yoga?

Whether you are sixteen or sixty-five, yoga is something you should try to practice multiple times a week, if not every day. Learning yoga is not hard, and it doesn’t even need to cost you money, if you choose to practice yoga at home via online videos. Because yoga is so ancient, and there are so many theories about how it can best help us, there are many forms of it. Here are a few:

     Vinyasa

     Yin

     Kundalini

     Bikram

Each form of yoga has its own set of movements and breathing exercises. However, they all work towards improving a person's overall well-being, so you can try several and choose the style which you enjoy the most.  Below are some of the benefits you can expect:

Yoga Can Improve Your Mindset Significantly

Yoga is often used to improve one’s mental state. The practice of yoga can calm you, help you focus, and train you to learn mindfulness. Depending on the type of yoga you choose, different skills will be emphasized; however, all are beneficial.

Yoga is beneficial for all ages because it teaches the mind to focus on what is important and not get too worked up about things which one cannot control. For teens and young adults, yoga is a good way to develop calmness and values which they can use for the rest of their lives. Yoga will help a young person be proactive when it comes to managing everyday life stressors.

For adults and seniors, yoga is a wonderful way to help them deal with the anxiety and stress of work, family, and everyday life. Adults and seniors will learn how to relax when events happen in life which they cannot control. Yoga has the ability to improve one’s mental outlook significantly.

What Are the Benefits of Yoga on the Body?

In addition to helping one obtain a clear and healthy mindset, yoga will also improve your body. People of all ages use muscles throughout their body in yoga practice. Some yoga practices require more movement than others and are more fast-paced. On the other hand, there are yoga classes which focus on one muscle group for a prolonged period of time. Over time, this will strengthen that muscle group.

For younger people, yoga is a great way to stay in shape and keep your heart healthy. Likewise, for adults and seniors, yoga will help you lose weight and preserve your strength, as it requires full-body movement. It is crucial for older adults to maintain their strength as they age, so they can still move around comfortably; yoga will help with that.  Yoga also emphasizes balance exercises, which are so important for seniors in preventing falls.

How Yoga Can Help Your Well-Being

Yoga is not simple, especially when you first start. Adopting mindfulness, and gently moving your body into poses which may initially be uncomfortable or awkward can be challenging.  However, sticking with it, and making an active effort, will help your overall sense of well-being, calmness, and joy. In this way, it improves your feelings of peace and soulfulness.

Pushing yourself to new limits will make you feel accomplished and proud. You will also feel stronger, not only physically, but mentally, which is important for your overall health, peacefulness, and inner soul. Focusing on your movements will allow you to block out the outside world, which can help you develop a sense of calm and peace.

Become a Yogi Today

If you have not started practicing yoga, it will be in your best interest to begin soon. You can start practicing yoga by watching videos (Ad) online in the comfort of your home, or you can join a yoga studio or take a class. No matter where you practice yoga, your mind, body, and soul will be grateful. Start your yoga journey today.

About the Author

Kelsey Simpson enjoys writing about topics which help others. She lives in South Jersey and is the proud companion to two German Shepherds and spends her free time volunteering in dog shelters.

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

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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

Photo credits:  Pixabay

Saturday, September 19, 2020

The Election, Social Security and Medicare - Where Do Trump and Biden Stand?


There are many issues which people need to consider in deciding how to vote.  Very few people are "one issue voters."  However, as a retirement blog, I was interested when Kiplinger's Magazine wrote a series of well-researched articles on "The Election and Your Money."  One article, in particular, compared the positions which President Trump and his opponent, Vice-President Biden, have taken on the future of Social Security and Medicare.  The information provided by Kiplinger's might help some undecided voters make up their minds on how they want to vote in the 2020 Presidential Election, especially if their Social Security benefits will be a major source of their retirement income. 

Most experts and Social Security actuaries believe that some changes need to be made to the funding for Social Security and Medicare, or their trust funds will soon run out of money, and benefits will be cut.  Currently, if nothing changes, the Social Security trust fund will be empty by 2035, and the Medicare trust fund could run out even sooner.  If this is allowed to happen, Social Security will only be able to pay out about 79% of the promised financial benefits, and Medicare will have to cut back on the healthcare benefits it provides. 

Consequently, nearly everyone who is retired or who plans to retire in the future will be affected by how these shortfalls are handled.  While the presidential candidates are dramatically different in their plans for Social Security, they actually agree on some of the ways they would like Medicare to save money in the future. Below is a summary of the Kiplinger article.

President Trump's Proposals for Social Security and Medicare

Trump has already issued an executive order stopping the payroll tax withholding whcih funds Social Security and Medicare, for the remainder of this year for millions of people.  He has said he would like to completely end payroll tax withholding permanently, which would cause the Social Security and Medicare trust funds to run out of money even sooner than projected. 

*  Trump wants to continue to promote Medicare Advantage plans more than plans which offer traditional Medicare plus a Medicare Supplement. Medicare Advantage plans save the government money, but people who choose these plans usually are able to only use the network of providers which are part of their plan.  (Regular readers of this blog know that I have a Medicare Advantage plan called Kaiser Permanente which I am very happy with.  However, the majority of retirees prefer the freedom of having traditional Medicare plus a Medicare PPO Supplement.)  If the differences between Medicare Advantage plans and traditional Medicare with a Supplement confuses you, you are not alone. It could be helpful to read a book such as  "Medicare for Dummies."  It will answer a lot of the questions you may have. (Ad)

*  Like Biden, Trump supports proposed legislation to limit increases in Medicare prescription drug costs, so medication prices cannot rise faster than inflation.  He wants to limit out-of-pocket drug costs to $3,100 a year.

*  Like Biden, Trump wants to allow U.S. citizens to be able to purchase prescription drugs from other countries, such as Canada, if certain conditions are met to insure their safety.

*  Trump wants to cut government Medicare costs by reducing payments to doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers.  This could make it harder for patients to find a doctor who will accept Medicare, which could be especially challenging for people who choose traditional Medicare plus a supplement.

Vice-President Biden's Proposals for Social Security and Medicare

*  Biden wants to strengthen the funding for Social Security and Medicare. He wants to keep the current cap on payroll taxes for most workers, which pays for these programs. The payroll tax cap is indexed to wage growth and, in 2020, is capped at $137,700.  However, in order to make sure there is enough money so the trust funds do not run out of money, Biden also wants to apply the payroll taxes to incomes on wages over $400,000.  People who earn between $137,700 (or the annual cap) and $400,000 would not pay the payroll taxes.

*  Biden wants to expand benefits by increasing survivor benefits for low-income beneficiaries and gradually increase benefits for seniors, starting at age 78.  Social Security beneficiaries over the age of 82 could receive a 5% increase in their basic retirement payout.  (Many of you may know of retirees who have received virtually no increases in their benefits for several years, and that has left some elderly people nearly destitute, since their income has not kept up with inflation. This benefit increase could help them "catch up" a little.)

*  Biden has proposed a more fair way to calculate the Social Security cost-of-living increases for retirees.  The government would switch to a cost of living index which puts more weight on items which account for a larger portion of seniors' spending, such as the cost of housing and healthcare.

*  Contrary to reports you may have seen, Biden does NOT support Medicare-for-All.  He prefers, instead, to strengthen the Affordable Care Act for most people.  However, he does support lowering the eligibility for Medicare from age 65 to age 60.

*  Biden wants to repeal the laws which prevent Medicare from negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical manufactures.  (Who originally forced this law on American seniors?  It was a bad idea to begin with. What other government agency is forbidden to negotiate?) 

*  Like Trump, Biden also wants to limit price increases for most prescriptions so their cost cannot rise faster than the rate of inflation.

*  Like Trump, Biden also wants to allow U.S. citizens to be able to purchase prescriptions from other countries, as long as they are determined to be safe.

Overview of Candidate Plans for Social Security and Medicare

While both Trump and Biden want to find ways to lower the cost of prescriptions, there are major differences in their plans for Social Security and Medicare.  Vice-President Biden wants to make sure that both Social Security and Medicare remain financially strong for years to come, while President Trump wants to cut funding for those life lines for senior citizens, and he no plan to replace their funding.  Both candidates want to give you a choice between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, but Trump wants more emphasis to be given to Medicare Advantage plans, and wants to pay doctors less money if they accept traditional Medicare.  Both candidates want to restrict price increases for prescription drugs to the rate of inflation, and both want to allow U.S. citizens to buy some medications from other countries.

Which candidate you vote for is up to you, and there may be other issues which are more important to you than Social Security and Medicare.  However, it is important to make sure you know the facts when you make the decision, and the September, 2020 issue of Kiplinger's Magazine has made it much easier to assess the candidate's similarities and differences. 

If you are confused about how different types of Medicare Plans work, you may find it helpful to read a book such as "Maximize Your Medicare: 2020-2021 Edition: Qualify for Benefits, Protect Your Health, and Minimize Your Costs" or "Medicare for Dummies."  Everyone will find it helpful to read books like these before they choose or change their plan. (Ad)

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

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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

Photo credits:  Pexel