Do you want to live to be 100?
Someone sent me an article (see link below) that identifies health and lifestyle habits that it says will increase your odds of getting there.
But let’s start at the starting line. If you continue living in your current fashion, how long would you expect to live?
I tried this Longevity Calculator, and it’s great! Give it a try (it’s free) – and answer the questions honestly. Once you know how long you can expect to live, if your life continues on its current path, then answer the “live to 100” question.
Those who say that they do want to live to blow 100 candles on their birthday cake usually have a few qualifiers that they add. Here are the qualifiers that I personally would add:
1) I don’t want to be physically frail. I want as much vitality and vim as possible.
2) I pray that the dementia that afflicted my father will not pass to me. I want to be able to partake fully in the world – regardless of my age – and that requires an active, curious mental capacity.
3) I would want to still have a social community around me and in which I participate.
4) I would want to have a sense of purpose.
5) I would not want to be a “burden” to my loved ones – physically, financially, or otherwise.
I ask you to undertake the same exercise that I just did. Ask yourself under what circumstances would you want to be able to live to 100 and more. Then turn to this article - for the health and lifestyle habits it identifies – to help you get there.
As you review each of the 11 items, ask yourself: am I willing to do this (flossing daily, moving around and exercising daily, maintaining old friendships and developing new ones, for example). Be as honest with yourself as you were with the Longevity Calculator above.
If you’re going to make it 100 – and be happy that you made it there – then you’ve got to “walk the walk.” People who simply pay lip-service to this kind of advice, well, they’ll fall significantly short of the mark.
Hopefully, most of us have many years ahead of us. Let’s make the most of them!
Life Expectancy Calculator - http://calculator.livingto100.com/calculator
How to live to be 100 - http://www.ehow.com/how_136642_live-be-100.html
View the original article here
News and information concerning the many issues Baby Boomer's face as we age.
Showing posts with label Alzheimers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alzheimers. Show all posts
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
Whiny Baby Boomers
I know that the baby boomers (and I am a proud member of said group) complain and whine endlessly about their spouses, their sex lives or lack thereof, their diminishing stamina, politics, taxes, inflation, traffic, air quality and global warming, but - hold on a sec - you mean some boomers don't complain about these things! Nah, they all do. Don't they? You mean it's just me? Right.......
In any case, I was talking to a fellow boomer the other day...man, was she complaining. She said that after all these years of marriage (and she claimed her's was an arranged marriage - arranged by Satan) that it couldn't get any worse. She said she had mentioned to her husband that she wanted to go to a warm vacation spot this winter...he told her to go to hell.
She told me that they both found each other's body somewhat gross and ugly and that before sex he takes a Viagra and she takes a Gravol...
he wants to make sure he can perform, she wants to make sure she doesn't vomit.
Ah, these are the years!
View the original article here
In any case, I was talking to a fellow boomer the other day...man, was she complaining. She said that after all these years of marriage (and she claimed her's was an arranged marriage - arranged by Satan) that it couldn't get any worse. She said she had mentioned to her husband that she wanted to go to a warm vacation spot this winter...he told her to go to hell.
She told me that they both found each other's body somewhat gross and ugly and that before sex he takes a Viagra and she takes a Gravol...
he wants to make sure he can perform, she wants to make sure she doesn't vomit.
Ah, these are the years!
View the original article here
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Family Caregiving
One of my older sisters, Shaye, assumed the role of family caregiver. She drove to our mother’s home, and did bills & pills, grocery shop, wash clothes and dishes, take her to appointments (which she had made for her), and more…much more.
When she wasn't on the road or at Mom's house, she did things that didn’t require being on-the-spot. Was she a noble person? I think so. She didn’t think of what she did in those terms. She did it because it had to be done. And, like the 65 million others out there doing the same thing, she didn't charge for her services.
It’s been estimated that annual costs associated with family caregiving in the US amount to approximately $535 Billion. But wait – 70% of the cost for caregiving services, about $375 Billion, is provided free of charge by people like my sister (with only $158 billion in cash actually being “spent”). But does that mean that 70% of services are really free? Read on – and draw your own conclusions.
I saw, and still see, the toll this responsibilty took on my sister, and I do not know how she held up through it. There is no way she could have any idea how much I appreciate everything that she did and how aware I am of the strenght of character it took for her to endure.
Did I forget to mention that, during these years, she also had a disabled husband at home and was raising her 2 grandchildren?
These statistics are from the National Family Caregivers Association:
• 20% of employed caregivers over 50 report symptoms of depression compared to 8% for non-caregiving peers.
• 40 – 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression …and about half of these caregivers meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression.
• Family caregivers experiencing extreme stress have been shown to age prematurely. This level of stress can take as much as 10 years off a family caregiver’s life.
• The stress of caring for a person with dementia can impact the caregiver’s immune system for up to three years – thereby increasing the caregiver’s chances of developing a chronic illness.
• 72% of family caregivers report not going to the doctor as often as they should.
See the National Family Caregivers Assoc. website for these statistics, and more.
And while we Boomers are struggling right now to provide care for our parents, our spouses, our disabled children or other loved ones, what are we going to do to prepare for our own care when the time comes?
Read those stats again. Family caregiving is thankless, stressful, damaging to one’s health and well-being. Yet, if we continue to wake up each morning, then the day will come when we’ll need care, too!
As we Baby Boomers age, we will see the numbers of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia double within our lifetimes. Exactly how is care going to be provided?
We need a national discussion about how caregiving will be provided for us Boomers in the very near future. We can’t continue to provide caregiving in a haphazard, health-depleting fashion.
A tsunami of caregiving need is heading in our direction. And I predict – if we don’t prepare, then this tsunami is going to wipe every last one of us off our feet!
NOTE TO SHAYE:
You've spent a lot of years in hell. The sacrifices you made were selfless and many. I am so proud and happy for where you are now and the struggle I have witnessed gives me strength and hope. I love you.
View the original article here
When she wasn't on the road or at Mom's house, she did things that didn’t require being on-the-spot. Was she a noble person? I think so. She didn’t think of what she did in those terms. She did it because it had to be done. And, like the 65 million others out there doing the same thing, she didn't charge for her services.
It’s been estimated that annual costs associated with family caregiving in the US amount to approximately $535 Billion. But wait – 70% of the cost for caregiving services, about $375 Billion, is provided free of charge by people like my sister (with only $158 billion in cash actually being “spent”). But does that mean that 70% of services are really free? Read on – and draw your own conclusions.
I saw, and still see, the toll this responsibilty took on my sister, and I do not know how she held up through it. There is no way she could have any idea how much I appreciate everything that she did and how aware I am of the strenght of character it took for her to endure.
Did I forget to mention that, during these years, she also had a disabled husband at home and was raising her 2 grandchildren?
These statistics are from the National Family Caregivers Association:
• 20% of employed caregivers over 50 report symptoms of depression compared to 8% for non-caregiving peers.
• 40 – 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression …and about half of these caregivers meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression.
• Family caregivers experiencing extreme stress have been shown to age prematurely. This level of stress can take as much as 10 years off a family caregiver’s life.
• The stress of caring for a person with dementia can impact the caregiver’s immune system for up to three years – thereby increasing the caregiver’s chances of developing a chronic illness.
• 72% of family caregivers report not going to the doctor as often as they should.
See the National Family Caregivers Assoc. website for these statistics, and more.
And while we Boomers are struggling right now to provide care for our parents, our spouses, our disabled children or other loved ones, what are we going to do to prepare for our own care when the time comes?
Read those stats again. Family caregiving is thankless, stressful, damaging to one’s health and well-being. Yet, if we continue to wake up each morning, then the day will come when we’ll need care, too!
As we Baby Boomers age, we will see the numbers of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia double within our lifetimes. Exactly how is care going to be provided?
We need a national discussion about how caregiving will be provided for us Boomers in the very near future. We can’t continue to provide caregiving in a haphazard, health-depleting fashion.
A tsunami of caregiving need is heading in our direction. And I predict – if we don’t prepare, then this tsunami is going to wipe every last one of us off our feet!
NOTE TO SHAYE:
You've spent a lot of years in hell. The sacrifices you made were selfless and many. I am so proud and happy for where you are now and the struggle I have witnessed gives me strength and hope. I love you.
View the original article here
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Alzheimer's Becomes the Defining Disease of Baby Boomers
Alzheimer's becomes the defining disease of baby boomers
Several days ago, a friend of mine who's in his mid-fifties told me that he always puts his car keys in the refrigerator. This struck me as the kind of behavior I've heard about from really stressed out moms and my late grandmother, who died of Alzheimer's, not a hip, successful boomer. But he explained that he did it simply because that's how he reminds himself to take his lunch to work (he prepares his daily lunch each night before going to bed).
It certainly seems like a clever solution to a common problem. Still, I can't help thinking there's no way I'd tell people I do that. It seems every little quirky, unexpected thing like that makes people think, "I wonder if she's losing it."
We boomers live in fear of being diagnosed with Alzheimers. Too many of us have watched our grandparents die with it and some of us are already dealing with parents who are showing signs of dimentia or Alzheimers. Now, there's evidence that our fear is not unfounded. We boomers are actually now regarded as "Generation Alzheimers." One out of every eight of us will die with or from the disease. And unlike other common boomer diseases like diabetes, arthritis, and heart conditions, there's really nothing we can do about it. There's no cure; in fact, there's not even a known way to signficantly slow the progression of the disease.
Many of us will spend our retirement years either fighting Alzheimer's ourselves, or caring for someone who has it.I feel very fortunate that my parents, both in their mid-80s, haven't shown signs of having this awful disease, even though both can be a little forgetful now and then. My mom even jokes that one of the great things about being over 80 is that you no longer have to worry about early onset of Alzheimer's! It's too late!
Recently, the Alzheimer's Association released the results of a study called Generation Alzheimers: the Defining Disease of the Baby Boomers. It's quite enlightening, even scary. According to the findings $172 billion is spent annually on and by the 5.2 million people with Alzheimers! Predictions are that Alzheimer's will cost $20 trillion over the next 40 years. Wow! Moreover, It's the 6th leading cause of death.
Many of us "sort of" joke about having Alzheimer's when we misplace things, forget a loved one's birthday, or have dificulty recalling someone's name.So, I was a bit relieved to discover the association's 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's. Somehow it made me feel more confident that my occasional memory lapses are probably more the result of being 54 and very busy.
Boomers should pay attention to this new study and understand the risk factors of getting Alzheimer's. Turns out that the disease most often strikes after age 65, and 2011 is the first year boomers reach that age. It's not a normal part of aging, though most people do seem to write off forgetfulness as an inevitable part of getting older.
I'd encourage you to check out this important study and stay on top of the signs of this awful disease.
Comments Alzheimer's becomes the defining disease of baby boomers
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View the original article here
Several days ago, a friend of mine who's in his mid-fifties told me that he always puts his car keys in the refrigerator. This struck me as the kind of behavior I've heard about from really stressed out moms and my late grandmother, who died of Alzheimer's, not a hip, successful boomer. But he explained that he did it simply because that's how he reminds himself to take his lunch to work (he prepares his daily lunch each night before going to bed).
It certainly seems like a clever solution to a common problem. Still, I can't help thinking there's no way I'd tell people I do that. It seems every little quirky, unexpected thing like that makes people think, "I wonder if she's losing it."
We boomers live in fear of being diagnosed with Alzheimers. Too many of us have watched our grandparents die with it and some of us are already dealing with parents who are showing signs of dimentia or Alzheimers. Now, there's evidence that our fear is not unfounded. We boomers are actually now regarded as "Generation Alzheimers." One out of every eight of us will die with or from the disease. And unlike other common boomer diseases like diabetes, arthritis, and heart conditions, there's really nothing we can do about it. There's no cure; in fact, there's not even a known way to signficantly slow the progression of the disease.
Many of us will spend our retirement years either fighting Alzheimer's ourselves, or caring for someone who has it.I feel very fortunate that my parents, both in their mid-80s, haven't shown signs of having this awful disease, even though both can be a little forgetful now and then. My mom even jokes that one of the great things about being over 80 is that you no longer have to worry about early onset of Alzheimer's! It's too late!
Recently, the Alzheimer's Association released the results of a study called Generation Alzheimers: the Defining Disease of the Baby Boomers. It's quite enlightening, even scary. According to the findings $172 billion is spent annually on and by the 5.2 million people with Alzheimers! Predictions are that Alzheimer's will cost $20 trillion over the next 40 years. Wow! Moreover, It's the 6th leading cause of death.
Many of us "sort of" joke about having Alzheimer's when we misplace things, forget a loved one's birthday, or have dificulty recalling someone's name.So, I was a bit relieved to discover the association's 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's. Somehow it made me feel more confident that my occasional memory lapses are probably more the result of being 54 and very busy.
Boomers should pay attention to this new study and understand the risk factors of getting Alzheimer's. Turns out that the disease most often strikes after age 65, and 2011 is the first year boomers reach that age. It's not a normal part of aging, though most people do seem to write off forgetfulness as an inevitable part of getting older.
I'd encourage you to check out this important study and stay on top of the signs of this awful disease.
Comments Alzheimer's becomes the defining disease of baby boomers
Your email address:
View the original article here
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