Acts of Kindness: The Last Journey
Published on Oct 18, 2016
Credit: Steven Aitchison
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Retirement is a potential trigger for drug or alcohol addiction
My late father suffered with alcohol addiction throughout his life, but it became a significant issue when he and my mom divorced after 40 years of marriage. My mom always tried to curtail his drinking and his smoking habits. The following article was helpful to me regarding this issue of alcoholism which runs in my family.
Senior Citizens and Substance Abuse
by Kayla Smith, Editorial Director for the Addiction Center, February 16, 2016
Elderly Abuse Statistics
“Seventeen percent of people in the United States over 65 years old have abused prescription medications, according to the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.
Approximately 30 percent of adults over 65 are given some type of prescription medicine, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.
According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, men and women aged 65 or older should consume no more than 1 drink daily and a maximum of 2 drinks on any occasion.
Drug and alcohol abuse among the elderly is a rapidly growing health problem in the United States.
Guest profile–Micheal
Micheal – Living and working internationally in retirement
BECOMING A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD
History, teaching, exercise, and hunting are my passions. I retired from teaching history full-time and coaching at the high school level in 2012 because I felt I was beginning to just do a job instead of passionately working at my craft. I was ready for a new challenge and I have always enjoyed the international experience.
While in college, I studied in Italy for a quarter and after graduation I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines for four years. Living and working internationally was exciting, difficult and different from the norm. That uniqueness is the reason I decided to teach internationally during my retirement as well as create a second income to supplement my pension from teaching in the U.S.
Read more about Micheal’s experience of living and working internationally during retirement
Identity theft–Could you become a victim?
I received a new ATM bank card and a new Discover credit card in the past few months which carry the new computer chip technology, EMV. This technology is supposed to protect consumers from fraud. At first, I was hesitant to use the new cards, but after my daughter received some unauthorized purchases on her traditional magnetic strip credit card, I activated my new cards immediately. These types of identity theft crimes are all too common. Read more…
Get serious about protecting yourself from identity theft
Do you or someone you know suffer from urinary incontinence?
Often times when I am speaking on the phone with my Mom, age 83 and the mother of seven, she has to end the call as she must run to the restroom. A friend of mine, also in her 80’s, had an “accident” in my car after our dinner out and now seldom goes out of her house. Incontinence can be debilitating but the article below may offer some answers.
There are a number of reasons why urinary incontinence occurs. Gender, age (the muscles in the bladder and urethra weaken during old age), obesity, and smoking are risk factors linked to urinary incontinence. Read more…
Urinary Incontinence: Causes, Treatments and Symptoms
August 24, 2016
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine; in simple terms, it means a person urinates when they do not want to. Control over the urinary sphincter is either lost or weakened.
“Urinary incontinence is a much more common problem than most people realize.
According to the American Urological Association, one-quarter to one-third of men and women in the United States experience urinary incontinence.
Urinary incontinence is more common among women than men. An estimated 30 percent of females aged 30-60 are thought to suffer from it, compared to 1.5-5 percent of men.
…Ways to diagnose urinary incontinence include:
- A bladder diary – the doctor may ask the patient to record how much they drink, when urination occurs, how much urine is produced, and the number of episodes of incontinence.
- Physical exam – the doctor may examine the vagina and check the strength of her pelvic floor muscles. If the patient is male, the doctor may examine his rectum to determine whether the prostate gland is enlarged.
- Urinalysis – tests for signs of infection and abnormalities.
- Blood test – to assess kidney function.
- PVR (postvoid residual) measurement – measures how much urine is left in the bladder after urinating.
- Pelvic ultrasound.
- Stress test – the patient will be asked to apply sudden pressure while the doctor looks out for loss of urine.
- Urodynamic testing – determines how much pressure the bladder and urinary sphincter muscle can withstand.
- Cystogram – X-ray procedure to visualize the bladder.
- Cystoscopy – a cystoscope (a thin tube with a lens at the end) is inserted into the urethra. The doctor can view abnormalities in the urinary tract.”
Read more about the causes, treatments and symptoms of incontinence
Loneliness study reminds us to call home
Half a million older people spend every day alone, poll shows
Scale of loneliness among over-60s revealed as Age UK develops scheme to provide support and companionship
Haroon Siddique
January 6, 2017
“Half a million people over the age of 60 usually spend each day alone, with no interaction with others, and nearly half a million more commonly do not see or speak to anyone for five or six days a week, a poll suggests.
Age UK, which commissioned the research, said the results highlighted a growing number of chronically lonely older people, which was placing increasing demand on health services.
The charity has been running a pilot programme in eight areas where Age UK groups have been actively trying to identify lonely older people and offer them companionship.
Caroline Abrahams, Age UK’s charity director, said: ‘This new analysis shows that about a million older people in our country are profoundly alone, many of whom are likely to be enduring the pain and suffering of loneliness.'”
Must-do list: Write or review/update your will
How to Finally Write Your Will
“Gold star if you’ve already drafted one. But more than half of American adults have not. Rachel Emma Silverman, the author of The Wall Street Journal Complete Estate Planning Guidebook, clears away the obstacles so you can check this off your must-do list.”
It’s like doing your taxes: You can file without an accountant—or do a will without a lawyer—but personal situations and state laws can make things complex. If, for example, you have children or have many assets, you’ll probably want a lawyer to help ensure that everything is in proper order. Also, if you live in a state that has estate or inheritance taxes (some don’t), a lawyer can strategize ways to minimize taxes, saving your family lots of money. In other words, most people should hire one.
What kind of lawyer do I need?
One who specializes in estate planning.
Is this going to cost me a fortune?
Not if you find a lawyer who charges a flat fee rather than an hourly rate for this service. This is totally doable, but flat fees come in various sizes, depending on local rates and the complexity of your estate plan. (For example, if you want to create a trust to save on estate taxes—or so you can implement rules about when your kids can access their inheritance—that’s more complex and will probably mean a higher flat fee.) Expect to pay between $1,000 and $3,000.
That’s just for a will?
It should be for the suite of estate-planning documents that you need: living will, powers of attorney, for finances and health care.
What if I can’t afford that?
I highly recommend using a trusted lawyer, but if your situation is simple— straightforward assets, no health issues, no multiple marriages—you can try will-writing software, like Quicken WillMaker. It covers all states except Louisiana.”