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Seniors & Covid

How Covid-19 Will Change Aging and Retirement

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

There is not one person on the planet who hasn’t been affected by the Coronavirus. The virus started spreading in 2019 and continued to affect people globally throughout the year 2020. Traveling was halted, lockdowns prevailed, and the economy was disrupted as the world faced an unprecedented situation throughout the globe.

Not only has the pandemic caused people to stay at home throughout the year, but it has also affected our lifestyle, changing it forever. Some people are referring to the current situation as “the new normal,” indicating that we will have to adapt to this situation as this might be the new normal way of life.

Like every other aspect of life, aging and retirement have also been affected by the pandemic. There is a lot of uncertainty about the future, but experts are pointing out a few aging and retirement trends that we can expect in the future.

Let’s have a look at a few aspects of how COVID-19 will change aging and retirement:

1. More People Would Age At Home

The pandemic has made us realize how inadequate the medical facilities are and how we need to focus on providing better nursing facilities at home. Hence, authorities are focusing on providing the elderly nursing facilities in their own homes instead of at nursing facilities.

Although the expenses of smaller/individual nursing facilities and units are higher, it is much safer for the elderly. Authorities are looking into alternatives where senior citizens can remain in their homes, and facilities like medical care, transportation, home care, and daycare will be provided to them.

2. Technology Boom

We have also realized the power of technology during the pandemic, and IT experts are working more towards improving the technology to facilitate people while staying at home. Already people are managing their tasks using their smartphones, including shopping, doing grocery, getting food, getting an education, booking homes services like carpet cleaning, etc.

It is also expected that the elderly are likely to benefit from this boom in technology. Researchers predict that a lot of technological innovations are coming that will be aimed to facilitate senior citizens.

The increased sophistication of smart and wearable devices will prove instrumental in helping elders, especially in the medical field. Telemedicine will gain even more popularity as people will use wearable devices to track their health.

3. Life Expectancy Will Decline

With the increased number of deaths due to the COVID-19, it is expected that the overall life expectancy rate will decline. Our lives have been affected severely by the virus. To stay safe from getting the virus, people are staying indoors, avoiding outdoor activities such as walk, exercise, running, and socializing.

The resulting isolation also has adverse effects on people’s well-being, inducing anxiety, stress, and depression. These factors are important in different phases of life.

4. Healthier Lifestyles

Covid-19 has also motivated people to start living a healthier lifestyle and focusing on their wellness. The diet we consume and the physical movements we make are essential to our well-being. The better your internal health, the easier it is to stay away from deadly viruses.

The same virus is impacting people differently. Hence people are focusing on improving their immunity by taking care of the diet and physical movements. The pandemic has also raised an awareness of “biological age,” which helps people assess their age according to their physical health rather than their birth year.

We are likely to see more focus on healthier lifestyles in the coming years, and technology is likely to play an important role in monitoring one’s health stats.

5. Focus On Savings

We will have to be more mindful about our spending habits considering that aging is getting expensive by the day. People currently rely on the 4% rule, where 4% of savings are withdrawn in the first year of retirement and then get annual raise in the account for the inflation rate.

However, it is certain that we would be needing enough money to secure our future and medical needs as the world is becoming more vulnerable to deadly viruses. So for people, now is the time to be mindful of how they can save up for their future.

6. People Will Work For As Long As They Can

According to research, in 1993, 29% of people continued working after 55 years, whereas the number rose to 40% in 2019. It is expected that this number would increase as people want to continue working for as long as they can.

During the pandemic, working hours and modes have become more flexible where most people are working remotely. This makes it easier for the elderly to remain employed.

People would now likely to continue post 55 years of age to secure their futures as the pandemic has made it harder for everyone to afford a normal lifestyle as before. However, people who do not have good health need to be accommodated by the authorities.

7. Change in Perspective

Before COVID-19, we had a very different outlook on life, and no one could imagine the world we are living in now. Our views on senior citizens being sick and becoming a burden on the younger generation have also changed during COVID-19.

Some elderly people have recovered from the virus, whereas young, fit athletes have lost their lives to it. Hence the perspective that older adults are the weaker ones has also hugely been impacted. Our general perception of having adequate healthcare facilities has also been changed as we have seen the condition and inadequacy of medical facilities.

In Summary

COVID-19 has not only impacted our lives in the short-term, but it has also changed our views forever. The freedom and liberty we had before the virus appear is a luxury now, and people are very much concerned about aging, retirement, and securing their futures financially.

Policymakers around the world are also working on better plans to facilitate the citizens and make this horrendous time a little easier and bearable. If nothing else, this time has taught us to be grateful, patient, and kind towards everyone else as we are all in this together.

Author Bio:
Arslan Hassan is an electrical engineer with a passion for writing, designing, and anything tech-related. His educational background in the technical field has given him the edge to write on many topics. He occasionally writes blog articles for Carpet cleaners London

 

 

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When Roles Reverse: Talking to Parents About Alcohol
Healthy Living

When Roles Reverse: Talking to Parents About Alcohol

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

In every parent-child relationship, there eventually comes a time when roles reverse. It’s a natural and inevitable extension of the aging process. The mom or dad who once changed your diapers, drove you to soccer practice, and applied Band-aids to skinned knees will gradually lose their mobility and independence, requiring greater help and supervision with their own health and safety needs. For the child who in turn is tasked with caring for an aging parent, navigating this new juncture can be difficult because it means taking a more directive role in relation to a grown-up who, in addition to having parented you, is used to having their own independence and making their own lifestyle decisions. When Roles Reverse: Talking to Parents About Alcohol
Take, for example, the issue of alcohol consumption in old age. It’s a biological fact that alcohol tolerance decreases as you age, so that moderate drinking that caused no health problems earlier in life may pose serious dangers later in life, purely because of the aging process. Consequently, maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the golden years often requires scaling back one’s drinking habits-to a weekly intake of seven drinks or less, according to recommendations from the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse.

But tell that to an aging parent who is accustomed to several glasses of wine every night, and chances are that you’ll draw some ire. While some of this touchiness may be unavoidable, the following tips and guidelines can ease a conversation about drinking-related concerns with an aging parent:

Pick the right time to talk. As a good rule of thumb, “the right time” for a conversation about your parent’s alcohol use will not be when they are drinking. If their habit is to polish off a bottle of wine in the evening, choose an earlier time in the day to broach the subject. If you’re noticing signs of alcohol abuse-a morning hangover, for example-the best time to talk with your parent may be when they’re experiencing the negative side effects of their drinking. In that state, they may be more open to seeing how their drinking is adversely impacting their health.

Arm yourself with the facts. Because of aging-related differences in how the body metabolizes alcohol, just two or three beers at age 70 have about the same impact as four or five beers at the age of 50, according to Dr. David Oslin, M.D., in a 2010 article in the New York Times. “The effect almost doubles,” Dr. Oslin said, with the result that a seemingly moderate intake of alcohol can lead to insomnia, depression, exacerbated arthritis pain and heart damage, among other serious conditions. These dangers are compounded by the fact that many doctors do not sufficiently screen older patients for alcohol and other drug use-so it is safe to assume that your parent may not be aware that a long-held drinking habit may pose new health risks in their golden years. They also may not realize that alcohol may interfere with one or more of the medications they take and that in some cases the combination may be toxic. Sometimes, simply laying out these facts for an older parent will be enough to motivate them to rein in their alcohol consumption.

Open the conversation with a question. This way you convey your concern honestly and directly, but in a gentle, non-confrontational style that invites (and shows that you value) your parent’s feedback. A good lead-in question might be, for example, “Have you talked with your doctor about the medications you’re taking and their interactions with alcohol?”

Avoid labeling or diagnosing the problem. Even if it is an accurate description of your parent’s drinking habits, addiction terminology like “alcoholism” or “alcoholic” is not helpful because of the heavy stigma it carries. Using these labels can amplify your parent’s sense of shame or embarrassment about their drinking. (After all, if their alcohol consumption is causing negative consequences, they will have at least some awareness of the problem-even if they can’t admit it to you.)

Be specific about your observations and concerns. The caution to avoid labeling or diagnosing your parent’s problem should not require that you be silent about your observations and concerns. Just because your mom or dad is elderly does not mean they need to be coddled or protected from the truth. On the contrary, it is perfectly appropriate to say, “I am concerned about your drinking, because of x, y, z.” You can convey your concerns in a gentle and respectful tone.

Focus on the present, by identifying positive incentives for adopting a healthier alcohol intake. Even at an advanced age, the promise of better health and quality of life-and making the most of the time that is left-can be compelling motivation to modify one’s drinking habits. Try to emphasize the things that you know give your parent joy in the present, and that will give them even more joy when alcohol is less of a crutch. Whether it’s spending time with grandchildren, pursuing a romantic flame, or learning a new hobby in retirement, something else is worth more to Mom or Dad than their drinking ritual. By bringing that “something else” to their attention and encouraging them to pursue it, you’ll be sending the message that you love your parent and want them to be happy and healthy. It is hard to think of anything more persuasive than that.

Anna Ciulla is the Vice President of Clinical and Medical Services at Beach House Center for Recovery where she is responsible for designing, implementing and supervising the delivery of the latest evidence-based therapies for treating substance use disorders. Anna has a passion for helping clients with substance use and co-occurring disorders achieve successful long-term recovery.

When Roles Reverse: Talking to Parents About Alcohol

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Senior Couple Using Computer
Tech Support

Basics of Computer Literacy for Seniors

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

We are in the age of computers or information that is brought about by the Digital Revolution. The introduction of computers has made life easier for many people, although they have also rendered many people jobless.

These days, if you know how to use a computer, you don’t have to worry when looking for the direction to a restaurant or important information on the internet. You can ask Google everything you want and the giant won’t charge you anything for availing the information for you.

A study by Microsoft suggests that the average employee uses a computer at least 7 hours a day while white-collar employees use computers to send and receive emails 6+ hours a day.

This shows that computers have changed the way we do business. It has made it simple to connect with customers and changed our collaboration with others at work.

In this article, we will talk about the basics of computer literacy which make your life easier.

Why Computer Knowledge is Essential

Being able to search and retrieve information from search engines can be considered as computer literacy; however, some people cannot do past that with computers.

Nevertheless, if you can seek answers from Google, you are a step ahead of acquiring computer skills. If what you can do with your computer is searching for information from the internet and nothing further than that, we will show you how you can freely learn basic computer literacy to make your life easier.

What is the definition of computer literacy?

First of all, a computer literate is a person at the age of 5 to infinity who can operate a computer on his or her own. That means this person is familiar with the basic hardware and software concepts and can use a computer to send emails, type things in a Word processor, and enter data in spreadsheets.

With that in mind, here are some basics of computer literacy you need to know.

1. Removing Junk from Your PC

Companies will trick you and the last thing you see is a computer full of crap. This occurs, especially when downloading free stuff from the internet like viruses or other applications.

If you noticed a Yahoo toolbar on your system that you didn’t install yourself, that’s caused by crapware. This is one of the culprits when it comes to computer problems, especially for a Windows computer.

Well, it shouldn’t worry you more, just remove that crap and be careful when installing any program on your computer.

This way, your life will be easier when using your computer since you will not suffer the frustrations of a slow-loading machine.

2. File-Sharing Between Computers

Sometimes you will want to give your coworker or colleague in school a file but since your flash drive isn’t working, you are left with no option but to give them your computer and return it to you once they are done.

You don’t have to. You can share files between your computer and your friends, colleague’s or the whole department instantly, as long as you are using the same wireless network. You can also use the Dropbox app to share files of any size as well.

This improves collaboration and eliminates the inconveniences of having to transfer using flash drives which are prone to viruses.

3. Safeguarding Personal Information

Although technology through the internet has simplified our lives, it’s not always a safe playground.

Just recently, data and information for about 12 million quest diagnostic patients were exposed in third party breach according to the Identity Theft Resource Center.

That means information is vulnerable to attacks at any time and this requires one to safeguard their private and confidential information, lest you find your departmental data being shared on social media without your consent.

You need to use hard-to-guess passwords, avoid including personal information in your photos and most important of all, verify public wireless networks before using them.

Well, safeguarding your personal information may sound easier but even as you read this post, chances are that your information can be intruded and leaked without your knowledge because you haven’t put the necessary safety measure for your information.

4. Creating Data Backups

Setting up a backup system isn’t something hard. It’s something you can do in a few minutes but can save you from future frustrations. Besides, you only do it once and forget it and most Windows computers come with backup tools such as Apple’s Time Machine and Windows Backup.

It’s worth noting that while the backup system will help you big time, it’s only when your computer crashes or fails to start but when your offices catch fire or the computer is stolen, you lose all your important information. That’s why it’s good to learn how to backup information online. This would keep your information safe and help you access it everywhere at any time.

5. Keeping Your Computer Safe from Viruses

Cases of virus attacks aren’t a new thing these days. Just the other day a report by McAfee showed that cyberattacks using the file-locking virus have more than doubled.

Well, you can protect your computer from viruses easily than you may think. However, you need to understand the difference between viruses and other types of attacks so that you find out how to stay safe from them.

There are good antivirus programs out there both free and paid for. Although the free ones are good, they aren’t as effective as the paid-for ones.

You can also protect yourself from viruses by downloading only programs you trust, avoiding clicking on suspicious links, and not using external flash drives you don’t trust.

6. Using Shortcuts to Execute Tasks Quickly

Computers are designed in a way that they can handle multiple tasks concurrently than humans.

Using shortcuts can help you execute tasks much faster. For instance, you don’t have to use your mouse to open the command prompt. Just press Windows icon+R, then type cmd on the windows that appear- this is for Windows computer though.

If you wish to print a document, press Ctrl+P, or Ctrl+S, to save a document and to open a new tab on your browser press Ctrl+T.

There are many shortcuts you can use to make things easier although you will have to use theme several times before you can get used to every shortcut.

7. Remote Computer Access

You must have traveled with your laptop only to realize that you left some important information on your home computer. This happens since life is also busy and because you want to catch up with the first flight, the last thing that strikes your head is you didn’t transfer all the files you wanted to use in your presentation.

It gets better.

If you have Dropbox installed on your home computer, you can access your files everywhere. Also, other apps like TeamViewer allow users to log into another computer no matter where it is placed.

8. Regular Computer Maintenance

You can keep your computer running like new even after using it for several years, but you must keep it maintained regularly.

Nothing’s complicated here. You just need to defragment or clean up temporary files.

There are various ways you can also keep your computer running fast and smoothly out there. For instance, you could install a cleaner program like the CCleaner and many others which can do it for you automatically every time you start your computer.

9. Setting Up and Troubleshooting Wi-Fi Issues

You don’t have to save the number of your ISP. You can set up and troubleshoot Wi-Fi issues on your own. Well, it can be frustrating to have network hitches and if you don’t know how to go about remedying the situation, you may end up hitting your router or modem hard with a blunt object.

Here is the thing: If you find your router needing frequent rest, chances are that the Wi-Fi traffic is clogged or it is overheated. These and very many other issues you can solve them without seeking help from an expert. Sometimes changing the location of your router can make a huge change.

Now that you’ve learned the basics of computer literacy, we hope you will not scratch your head the next time you find yourself in some situations we have mentioned above.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can improve your computer skills.

Easy Ways to Improve Your Computer Knowledge

Did you know that these days if you don’t have basic computer hardware and software skills you look like you leave in a yet-to-be explored world?

In the job market, an employer will give preference to candidates with computer skills because hiring a candidate who lacks computer skills means the company will have to incur expenses training you.

Well, don’t be left out. Here are easy ways to boost your computer knowledge.

· Determine what computer skills you need to learn

If you are looking to learn computer skills to improve your employability, look at most of the job descriptions associated with your position. This is where you can tell what employers are looking for.

· Learn the basics first

Ideally, you will want to learn how to start the computer- huh! You must be of a generation-long gone if you can’t start a computer in this day and age.

Once you know how to start a computer, there are plenty of free resources you can use to learn the skills you want.

· Use Google

· Learn the shortcuts

· Train someone

So there you have it: Basics computer literacy which makes your life easier. We hope this article helps you.

By Eric H Anderson

Who can write my assignment cheaply? Did you just ask that question? Well, Eric is a proficient freelance writer who specializes in academic writing and blogging. With more than 8 years in the writing industry, Eric has helped thousands of students and companies with their content writing needs. He is an expert in Economics, Modern Accounting, Business Finance, and Digital Marketing. Feel free to connect with him on Facebook or LinkedIn.

 

 

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Senior woman reading in kitchen
Seniors & Covid

Mental health, Disney+, Zoom, vegan food: How COVID changed the lives of seniors

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

New survey by Amica Senior Lifestyles taken look into the mental and lifestyle impact of COVID-19 on seniors in the US and Canada

  • 85% of seniors surveyed said they are talking about their mental health more

  • 38% report feeling less connected to their loved ones during this pandemic

  • 72% of Baby Boomers and seniors said that they used video calling at some point during the pandemic

  • Of those that have used video calls, 54% said it helped them feel more connected to family and friends over the past 9 months

  • 2 in 5 seniors have taken up social media (42%), and Netflix & Disney+ (41%)

  • Nearly a third (31%) of seniors are using streaming services to help manage their mental health

  • 41% of seniors have embraced cooking over the past 9 months, with 30% of seniors taking up a more plant-based and vegan diet

Seniors and those in the ‘Baby Boomer’ age groups are statistically the most likely to see the pandemic as a major threat to their health, just one issue among many in 2020, seeing many have their lifestyles whether by choice or imposed by government actions.

To understand the impact, Amica Senior Lifestyles surveyed 1,409 Americans and Canadian seniors on how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed senior lifestyles, both mentally and physically.

When asked whether the pandemic had caused them to consider and talk about their mental health more, 85% of US and Candian respondents said that it had; with almost 3 in 4 (74%) seniors saying they are thinking more about spirituality too.

Some of this consideration of over mental health is, in part, due to the isolation many seniors have felt over the past 9 months, as many have been unable to see family or friends or had their daily routines turned upside down.

This isolation is somewhat shown in the fact near 2 in 5 (38%) of seniors reported feeling less connected with their loved ones. However, there is some good news.

72% of Americans and Canadian respondents had engaged with video calling at some point during the pandemic. The most popular software and technology for seniors in the US and Canada were; Zoom (35%), Google Meet/Duo (22%), WhatsApp (19%), and Facetime (15%).

Over half (54%) of those surveyed stating that video calls had made them feel closer to their family, and 2 in 5 (42%) saying that the connection and closeness they felt from video calling had a positive impact on their mental and physical wellbeing

While video calling was the biggest technological “take up” by seniors during the pandemic, social media and streaming services also saw a jump in seniors opening accounts.

42% of respondents said they’d started to use social media applications, while 41% they had tried TV streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, with 29% revealing that they had tried music streaming services

When asked about their TV streaming habits, a third (33%) of respondents said they use the services to enjoy feelings of nostalgia from old films and shows, while 31% said they use it to assist with keeping positive mental wellbeing and a quarter (25%) use such platforms specifically to make them laugh and feel happy.

In addition to the pick-up of technology to entertain and keep connected, seniors have also been taking to online shopping and banking; to manage their spending and buy products for around the house.

Almost a quarter (23%) of seniors surveyed said they had shopped online for the first time in response to the pandemic’s impact on shop openings and fears of to their health, while 46% of respondents said they were shopping online more than before the pandemic.

Over a third (35%) said the pandemic had introduced them to online banking to manage their finance, however, 23% said that the pandemic restrictions had made managing their finances harder.

Overall, the majority (71%) of our Seniors and Baby Boomers said that they intend to stick to at least some element of their new tech choices after the global pandemic is finished.

Away from digital technology, 2 in 5 (41%) said they had embraced cooking over the past 9 months, while a third (34%) had taken up baking, and 32% painting and drawing. In addition to this, our survey found that 3 in 5 (61%) of respondents said they felt more inclined to seek out and try bucket list experiences once lockdown restrictions end – citing the restrictions as the motivation.

Perhaps as part of their cooking hobby and experimenting with different cuisines, our survey found 30% of seniors had taken to eating more plant-based and vegan meals since the start of the pandemic. Conversely, 1 in 5 (21%) said they were eating more meat, while 49% reported no change in their food preferences.

As for what people seniors are eating, the majority (59%) said they were largely eating healthier, with only 9% saying they were eating more junk food than before the pandemic. 88% said they will stick to the food choices they made once the pandemic is over.

In response to our survey finding seniors are considering and talking about their mental health more, Nicole Arzt, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, at Family Enthusiast comments:

“We know the physical risks of COVID in seniors, but we can’t disregard the mental health risks associated with lockdowns, social distancing, wearing masks, etc. Loneliness is already a significant issue affecting older people, and this pandemic is exacerbating that feeling for many people. It’s hard to not be able to see your children or grandchildren.”

“We need to keep talking about the impact of mental health and providing support to this population. This doesn’t downplay the risk of COVID. Instead, we need to keep in mind that parallel issues like depression, anxiety, increased substance use, poor eating habits, etc. can have their own short-term and long-term consequences.”

By Amica

Amica Senior Lifestyles is setting a new standard for senior living in Canada by combining unparalleled premium hospitality and amenities with expert care and support to deliver a personalized senior living experience.

Committed to enriching the lives of seniors now and as their needs change, Amica offers independent living, assisted living and memory care lifestyle options. Established in 1996, the company owns and operates 31 residences in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, with plans to continue expansion in select markets.

METHODOLOGY
A representative group of 1,409 Baby Boomers and seniors from the USA and Canada were polled on behalf of Amica Senior Lifestyles, using Amazon’s online survey platform, Mechanical Turk. Survey responses were fielded in September and October 2020. They were asked a variety of questions relating to their lifestyle changes during and after the global pandemic.

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DrivingHome & Family

Safe Driving Tips for Seniors

by Kendall VanBlarcom
written by Kendall VanBlarcom

With increasing age, it’s important to stay aware and engage in safe driving tips for seniors. This is true if you are approaching in your senior years or if you are caring for an older adult.

Many people are reluctant to give up driving, which makes sense since driving can be a signifier of independence. If that is true for you or someone you love, know that you can identify strategies to help you or your loved. Then, it is possible to stay on the road, safely, for longer.

Plan Ahead

Just as with other changes in life, a little planning ahead can go a long way. So, while continued driving is the goal, one of the safe driving tips for seniors is to acknowledge that someday you may not be able to do so.

So, for example, when you are out doing shopping, notice ways to get your shopping done without traveling for a long distance. Maybe there is a market nearby you’ve never tried, or your favorite store might offer delivery. Similarly, take notice of carpool opportunities and let your friends and family know you are interested in sharing rides. This way, even while you are still driving on your own, you won’t need to do so 100% of the time.

Evaluating Your Driving

When considering a senior’s driving fitness, try asking professionals. Every driver needs good vision, healthy hearing, and awareness of how to manage any physical limitations or chronic conditions. Discuss the topic of driving at doctors’ appointments, when seeing therapists, and in family conversations. It can be awkward at first, but once the communication lines are open, the senior you love may find relief in being able to talk about the issue candidly.

After all, safe driving tips for seniors can come from the senior themselves. Once you are talking about their concerns, they might voice their own preferences. For example, an older adult may ask for help driving at night, or they might prefer to have a family member drive them to a weekly event for company. There are many senior transportation options to explore.

Stay Engaged with Safe Driving Tips for Seniors

Every adjustment in life can be uncomfortable, but as we age it can be essential to talk through the changes ahead. For some older adults, it may be time to stop driving completely. Both for their own safety and the safety of others. In different situations, implementing a few safe driving tips for seniors might allow the older adult you love to drive for a while longer on their own.

Whatever your situation, talk through feelings that come up. Enlist friends and family members to help the older driver you love to make these changes with confidence. Plus, know there are always professionals to talk to, therapists and counselors like Kendall who are familiar with the concerns and fears of senior citizens and older adults.

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Portrait of senior woman in medical mask sitting on bench
Seniors & Covid

Venturing Out in COVID Times

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

As your community reopens, you may want to venture out to restore some normalcy to your life. If so, take precautions to minimize your risk of the disease. Choose your activities wisely to avoid putting yourself in precarious situations that can lead to coronavirus infection.

Here are additional precautions you can take while out to keep you safe from COVID-19:

  • Face coverings and social distance. Wear a mask whenever you’re around others and practice social distancing. This is especially important whenever you’re in an indoor setting. Most businesses require that you wear a mask on their premises. If they don’t, wear one anyway for your own personal protection. Don’t shake hands or hug others when out and wash your hands immediately when you return home.

  • Crowds. Avoid crowds as much as possible. This includes sports stadiums, crowded beaches, social events, bars, crowded restaurants, etc.

  • Hand sanitizer. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer and use it frequently when out to disinfect your hands. You should also have wet wipes to wipe down surfaces that have been frequently touched by others.

  • COVID symptoms. Become familiar with COVID-19 symptoms so you can monitor your health. If you start to exhibit symptoms like sudden fever, difficulty breathing, chest pain, inability to wake up or stay awake, confusion, or a bluish color on your lips, report them to your physician.

Before venturing out into public places, learn the facts about coronavirus – how it spreads, how to protect yourself, early symptoms – so you can make wise choices concerning your health and safety. By using wisdom, you can venture out safely during the pandemic without fear of contracting the disease.

Social Distancing vs. Social Isolation

Although it’s important to social distance and limit home visits, that doesn’t mean you have to go into isolation or seclusion. Isolation can lead to loneliness and depression due to being cut off from those you love. Fortunately, there are other ways to socialize besides in-person visits to keep you in sync with what’s happening with your family.

Modern technology has opened many doors for staying in touch with others during the pandemic to include video chats with family and friends, ZOOM calls or classes, email, text messages, and more. If you’re unfamiliar with how to use your smartphone, tablet, or computer for these purposes, now’s a good time to learn.

Ask a close friend or relative to set you up so you can take advantage of these devices to communicate with others during the pandemic. You can also keep in touch via telephone calls, cards, and letters.

Staying in touch with loved ones is important to your mental and emotional health, especially during a pandemic. So communicate often with those you love from the safety of your home, knowing it’s only a matter of time before you can all be together again.

About the author: Patrick Bailey is a professional writer mainly in the fields of mental health, addiction, alcoholic treatment programs, and living in recovery. He attempts to stay on top of the latest news in the addiction and the mental health world and enjoy writing about these topics to break the stigma associated with them.

Sources

ucsfhealth.org – FAQ Coronavirus and older adult patients

ncoa.org – UPDATED: Coronavirus: What Older Adults Need to Know

nytimes.com – How to Protect Older People From the Coronavirus

seattletimes.com – Tips to help senior citizens stay fit at home during the coronavirus pandemic

cdc.gov – Venturing out into a public setting? What to consider before you go.

cdc.gov – Know the facts about coronavirus disease 2019

hopkinsmedicine.org – Coronavirus and COVID-19: Caregiving for the Elderly

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Senior woman wearing facemask
Seniors & Covid

How Seniors Can Protect Themselves against COVID

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Due to their age and compromised immune systems, seniors are at higher risk of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The danger is even greater during a worldwide pandemic. If you’re 60 years of age or older and suffer from chronic health conditions like heart disease, respiratory problems, cancer, or diabetes, it’s vital you protect yourself against life-threatening diseases like COVID-19. According to data from the Centers from Disease Control, seniors are twice as likely to experience severe cases of coronavirus in comparison to younger adults. When it comes to COVID, protecting yourself from infection could very well save your life.

Why are Seniors at Greater Risk of COVID-19?

Your immune health plays an important role in keeping you healthy. As you age, your immune system weakens, making it less effective in fighting off sickness and disease. If you also struggle with chronic health issues, chances are your body isn’t strong enough to cope with diseases like COVID-19.

COVID tends to attack the upper and lower respiratory system, making it difficult for people to breathe. In seniors, there’s a greater danger of the lungs or respiratory system failing, putting you at risk of losing your battle to the disease.

Ways to Protect Yourself from COVID-19

The best way to evade COVID and its devastating effects are to avoid exposure to the disease. Taking these steps can drastically reduce your risk of being exposed to COVID:

Staying Home

If you don’t need to go out in public, don’t. Stay home within a controlled environment that offers you greater safety from infectious diseases. The less contact you have with others, the less risk you have of contracting COVID-19 and other diseases. If you opt to stay home, here are a few ways you can handle essential tasks:

  • Shopping. Shop online for your food, household supplies, and other necessities and have them brought to your home via contactless delivery. This includes canned foods, bottled water, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, toiletries, pet food (if you have a pet), medications, and other needs.
  • Home visits. Only receive visitors (usually close friends or family) who you know are healthy. It’s best to avoid children, however, as they could be asymptomatic carriers.
  • Doctor visits. If feasible, cancel nonessential appointments with your doctor. Take advantage of telemedicine to speak to a doctor when necessary or when you must renew prescription medications.
  • Home health aides. If you receive regular visits from home health aides, make sure they follow CDC guidelines when it comes to wearing masks and cleanliness. Any equipment they use should be disinfected to prevent contagion. They should also be in peak health to avoid spreading sickness.
  • Healthy habits. Maintain healthy habits like getting enough sleep, exercising, and eating a balanced and nutritious diet. Even though you’re staying home, you can still enjoy walks around your neighborhood or to nearby parks as long as you wear a mask and social distance. Gym visits and contact sports are out, but you can do workout or dance videos at home to get the exercise you need. Yard work, yoga, tai chi, weight lifting (carefully), home improvements, or deep cleaning can also provide you with exercise opportunities during the pandemic. Staying active can help keep you healthy longer.
  • Alcohol use. If you’re used to drinking alcoholic beverages, there’s nothing wrong with continuing your traditions during the pandemic. Be leery, however, of abusing this privilege as it can weaken your health and make you more susceptible to infectious diseases. Drinking to relieve the stress and pressures of coronavirus could, over time, lead to alcohol dependency or addiction. If you find yourself in this situation, get help through programs that offer alcohol abuse treatment.

 

About the author: Patrick Bailey is a professional writer mainly in the fields of mental health, addiction, alcoholic treatment programs, and living in recovery. He attempts to stay on top of the latest news in the addiction and the mental health world and enjoy writing about these topics to break the stigma associated with them.

 

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Home & FamilyPets

11 Best Dog Breeds for Seniors

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Many believe that dogs are too active and high maintenance to be good pets for seniors. Now, this may be true for certain breeds, but there are literally hundreds of breeds out there and some of them are actually very well-suited to seniors. Below, we highlight 11 of the best dog breeds for seniors from corgis to Westies and explain what makes them such great companions for elderly adults

Poodle

Poodles frequently rank on lists of the best dog breeds for seniors, and that’s for good reason: They’re easy to train if you get them young, and they’re very devoted to their humans. Poodles are also low-shedding dogs. They do require some grooming, though it’s easy to take them to a groomer or maintain the puppy clip yourself. Poodles also come in three sizes (toy, miniature and standard) so you can opt for whichever one will best fit your living space and lifestyle.

Pug

Pugs are couch potatoes at heart and they’ll be happy to stay inside and watch TV with you all day, making them an excellent choice for seniors who are less mobile. Pugs may have a facial expression that makes them look cranky, but they can be very affectionate and love to be lap dogs. Pugs are also easy to groom thanks to their low maintenance short hair, so you won’t have to worry about shedding too much.

Greyhound

Many people think of greyhounds as being very active since they are used for racing, but they’re actually very lazy dogs when left to their own devices and will be content to lie around the house all day. If you’d like, you can adopt a retired greyhound and give them a forever home after they’ve hung up their racing harness. Greyhounds can be quite large, so if you’re looking for a smaller dog, you should consider an Italian greyhound.

Scottish Terrier

These regally bearded pups (affectionately called “Scottie dogs”) are a great option for those living in an apartment due to their small size. They have moderate amounts of energy and do need regular walks, but they won’t be as active as, say, a corgi. They are affectionate, love to be petted and interact well with children. Scottish terriers are also generally pretty quiet–so they won’t disturb the neighbors–and they don’t shed that much.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

This breed of spaniel stays on the small side and usually won’t get any larger than 18 pounds or so. They are extremely affectionate and are born to be lap dogs, which is why they’ve been the favored pets of royalty for centuries. They have beautiful soft coats which do require regular bathing and brushing to maintain. But since the spaniel is so small, this usually isn’t much of a chore.

Maltese

These gorgeous little white dogs were specifically bred to be companions, and they want nothing more than to remain by your side at all times. These tiny dogs adapt well to apartment living and are also easily transportable, so you can take them along with you whenever you go to visit the grandkids. Their fur can and does grow long, but you can keep it clipped short if the constant grooming is too much of a hassle for you. They look cute either way.

Corgi

If you’re a more active senior looking for an energetic dog, but you don’t have the space for a larger pup, then corgis are a great option. These pups pack a lot of energy into a small package. They’ll always be up for a walk or a game of fetch, so put on those tennis shoes and go. Corgis are also super smart (sometimes too smart for their own good) and they don’t let their big ears and short little legs stop them from doing anything.

Chihuahua

Chihuahuas sometimes get made fun of for their small size, but tiny dogs such as this breed are often easier for seniors to keep up with. Their legs are so tiny that even a quick lap around the neighborhood will tucker them right out. Extremely devoted, they love to curl up in your lap or cuddle on the couch–and they’re just the right size for snuggling. Chihuahuas come in both long- and short-haired varieties, but even the long-haired ones are still relatively easy to groom.

Pomeranian

This smart, loving dog packs a lot of intelligence and energy into a small pup. Pomeranians do tend to be rather active, but since they’re on the small side, it’s not difficult to work off their energy. They also adapt well to apartment living. They do have fluffy coats, but their fur doesn’t require regular care other than a good brushing to keep them looking good.

French Bulldog

Bulldogs are lively, fun and loving pups to have around. Their super-short coats make grooming a breeze. They’re also rather lazy animals, so they don’t require much effort in the exercise department either. French bulldogs definitely have strong personalities, and they can be a bit more difficult to train as puppies as a result. However, if you put in the work, you’ll be rewarded with a devoted pup. You can always adopt an already trained adult from a shelter if you’d like.

West Highland White Terrier

Westies are a great option if you want a small dog but Maltese, Pomeranians or Chihuahuas are too fragile for your lifestyle. West Highland terriers are still small (falling between 13 and 20 pounds) so they’re easy to handle but a little more sturdy than some of the other breeds listed here. Their coats do require some grooming, but they don’t need to be trimmed, so they’re relatively low maintenance.

If you’re a senior looking to give a furry friend a forever home, these 11 breeds are a great way to start your search for a dog. Make sure you buy all the proper supplies before you bring them home. Also, invest in a pair of comfortable therapeutic shoes for yourself so that you have the support you need while you take them for walks.

By Kaki Zell

Kaki Zell is the Vice President and co-owner of Ames Walker. After graduating from Virginia Tech she worked for Pepsi for several years before joining the family business. When she is not working she enjoys running, hiking, traveling, Virginia Tech football & spending time with family & friends.

 

 

 

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Starting a Blog After 50: Move Over Millennials

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

When many people think of blogging, they might imagine a teenager or—at the oldest end—a thirty-something writing indulgently about personal interests or drama in their daily lives. While these groups of people do make up many bloggers, blogging after age 50 can provide a ton of benefits for older people, too.

Starting a blog after age 50 is easier than ever, thanks to free, intuitive tools that can make launching a blog easy, no matter what your interests are. Blogging for older people not only promotes good mental health by acting as a stress-coping mechanism and sharpening cognitive ability, but it also helps keep older people in touch with technological advances and having fun!

It might seem intimidating to an older person to start a blog if they have never done it before, but there has never been a better time to get a blog launched, either as a hobby or as a passive stream of income. Read on to learn more about starting a blog after 50 and how it can benefit you.

Tools for Starting a Blog

The tools for starting a blog are easy to get together. All you really need is a smart device (such as a laptop, desktop, or smartphone) with word processing software and access to the Internet, and you’re all set.

Here are a few tools that you might find useful for starting and running a blog:

  • Snipping tools: Snipping tools and applications allow you to clip, save, store, and categorize all kinds of things from the Internet easily, from photographs to news clippings. You can then turn around and archive this media on your blog. It’s a good idea to keep several folders full of this type of media related to your blog’s theme so that you always have plenty of visual interest you can add to break up long paragraphs or pages of text on your blog.
  • Writing books: Some basic books on writing can help you get a refresher course on your grammar skills and give you inspiration for writing when you’re not motivated. Writing books can also teach you techniques for drawing in new readers and keeping them interested in what you have to say.
  • A digital camera: If you want to take stellar photographs to help add visual appeal to your blog, a real digital camera can often take photographs with higher resolution than the photographs you can take with a smartphone.
  • Blog writing software: Websites like Wix and WordPress offer free places for people to build blogs along with a huge number of free tools to help them customize their blog spaces. There are also more advanced design options available for small subscription services. For a small hobby blog that you’re writing for fun, the basic free versions of these platforms are usually more than enough to get started.

How to Start A Blog

The first thing to do when you decide to start a blog is decide your reasons for writing a blog in the first place. Do you want a digital scrapbook to keep journal passages and personal photographs as mementos? Or do you want to write about something in particular that you’re passionate about, such as tropical aquariums, vintage cars, or baking recipes?

If you’re wanting to maximize the exposure for your blog rather than keeping a blog as a personal record, you’ll likely want to narrow your blog down to a specific “vibe” or aesthetic and narrow down the focus of your blog to a certain niche topic. For example, instead of writing just a general baking blog, you might write a blog where you bake a different type of bread every week for a year, or you might feature recipes for vegan cupcakes.

The narrower your focus, the more likely you are to find an audience with your blog. However, if you are only building up a blog for personal use, it doesn’t matter if you use it as a catchall for your interests or not. So, determining your blog’s goal is the first thing you need to do before you start typing out your first post.

Here are some other tips for starting a blog:

  • Collect media related to your blog: If you’re writing a personal blog, why not start by making lists of all the media you like (TV, movies, video games, music), your interests, and anything else that you like? Once you have a good list going, you’ll probably start to see some trends. For example, if you like watching movies, movie reviews would probably be a good addition to your blog.
  • Try working out a posting schedule: It is very easy to fall out of the habit of posting to your blog if you’ve never started one before and aren’t receiving very much interaction with it at first. This can be combatted by committing yourself to posting at least once a week. Choose a day of the week that is the least hectic for you (like an easy Sunday evening) and plan to post at that time each week to build your blog up.
  • Try brainstorming blog topics and keeping a list. Keeping a list of topics to write about for your blog can help you break your writer’s block if you get stumped and find that you don’t have anything else to write about. Brainstorming blog topics is a good activity to roll into checking out other blogs in your niche, too, since you can see what has been written about already (and what hasn’t). This increases your chances of earning visibility in search engine results.
  • Try writing a few blog articles ahead. Some days it is easy to write, and the words flow; other days, it’s harder to find the time and inspiration to write. A good way to set up some insurance for yourself so that you can maintain a steady flow of updates for your blog is to write a few extra blog articles ahead of schedule. Keep them set aside for weeks where you’re very busy or don’t feel like writing for whatever reason.
  • Cross-post to social media for more visibility. Especially when you are first getting started, it can be hard to find people to read your blog. Posting links to your blog on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms can help get your post out there and let people know where to find your blog so they can read it.

 

  • Be sure to respond to any comments. If anybody takes the time to interact with your blog, be sure to comment back and interact with them! Speaking directly with your readers is one of the greatest pleasures of starting a blog to begin with. Just be sure to delete any trolling comments or spam bots that come your way. Here are some ways you can deter spam bots from your WordPress blog.

Starting a blog is one of the easiest hobbies to get going, but keeping a blog active and building an audience is a lot harder. Following the above tips can help keep you from losing motivation and encourage you to keep your blog up.

What Is the Point of Starting a Blog?

One of the best things about starting a blog is that YOU get to decide what the point of YOUR blog is!

Here are a few reasons why a person over 50 might start a blog:

  • As a journal: Using a blog as a diary is a great way to express your deepest personal thoughts. Even better, you don’t even have to let anyone else see it! Setting your blog to “private” lets you ramble about anything to your heart’s content without having to worry about criticism. If you want the world to see your diary but don’t want to deal with comments, you can disable those, too.
  • As an income stream: Older people who have spent decades building up a knowledge pool in a niche such as camping, small engines, politics, or some other interest can easily develop a blog that they can eventually monetize and make a passive income stream from. While it can be difficult to make good money off a blog, making money is an excellent incentive to improve your blog if you want to build it around a niche interest anyway.
  • As a hobby record: For example, gardeners can use an online blog to keep track of their sowing dates, to collect snippets of gardening tips or information, and to record any weather conditions or observations from the garden. Hobbyists can use a blog as an archive to help them keep track of important information for their hobby. They can either make these blogs public to share that knowledge or keep it for their use.
  • As a business marketing tool: For older people who either already have their own business or would like to start one, a blog can be a great marketing tool for an online store or as a way for artisans to showcase their crafts for sale.
  • To archive recipes, photographs, or other digital marginalia: Many older people love to collect photographs of loved ones as well as recipes if they’re into cooking, and blogs can serve as a useful repository for all of these texts or photographs. No matter what your special interest is, a blog can be a creative outlet for anything and everything you love, giving you a place that you can return to for enjoyment at the push of a button.
  • To engage with a fandom: Fandoms are usually associated with young people. However, there are huge digital forums for fanfiction, fan art, and other community activities revolving around favorite movies, video games, television shows, and other media can be a great source of entertainment and joy for older people as well.

No matter why you want to start a blog, there are almost limitless ways to use one to increase your daily happiness. It also provides a great platform for self-expression, no matter what your interests are or how you choose to engage with them.

Is It Worth Starting a Blog in 2020?

Some potential bloggers may be discouraged because there seems to be an endless number of bloggers writing about every topic you can imagine. This leaves many to wonder if it is worth starting a blog in 2020. The answer to that question depends on what you want to get out of the blog. If you just want to start a blog for fun, then there is no time like the present to get started.

Here are some of the reasons it’s worth starting a blog in 2020:

  • Most of the tools used in creating and launching blog spaces (such as Wix or WordPress) are completely free and come with intuitive preset templates and other tools that make getting started a breeze even with minimal website design experience.
  • There’s no barrier to entry. No matter how inexperienced you are, you can start and launch a blog for no money and no prior writing knowledge. In fact, blogs can be a great way for beginning writers to start working on their writing skills more seriously.
  • There’s no pressure with writing a blog. Do you feel like posting once a week? That’s fine. Do you feel like posting only once a month? That’s fine, too. Unless you’re actively trying to monetize your blog, it doesn’t matter if you miss a blog update or don’t feel like posting for a while. You can build up your blog at your own pace. It’s a great low-pressure hobby.
  • If you work at it, a blog is a good way to make money. More and more companies act as affiliates to blogs and other niche reading materials online, allowing bloggers to recoup some of the money from their hobbies if they write about them – from RV traveling to flyfishing!

Since it costs nothing and there’s no commitment to keep at it (you can delete a blog at any time, after all, even if it’s only to start a new one), there’s no reason why it isn’t worth starting a blog unless you see it as a get-rich-quick scheme. If that is the case, you’re bound for disappointment.

Challenges of Running a Blog

While there are many advantages associated with running a blog, there are some challenges associated with it as well.

Here are a few issues you might run into when you start a blog for the first time:

  • Exposure to ‘haters:’ Some people on the Internet are mean – very mean. Younger people who are digital natives have had much more experience with online trolls and other digital bullies. And those with less digital experience might be shocked at the cruelty displayed by anonymous online users. Minimize your annoyance with these types of people by moderating your blog comments carefully, blocking abusive users, and deleting their comments. You’re the boss!
  • Blogging can be lonely: If you are a social person, shutting yourself away for hours at a time to write may feel unnatural, at least at first. However, breaking your writing sessions into small bursts and making sure to get plenty of social interaction each day when you’re not writing can help keep those lonely blues away.
  • Don’t expect to get rich: Very few people make steady money with blogging alone, so don’t expect it to pay for your retirement. Instead, the money made from blogging is built up gradually by gaining influence and followers, after which you can start courting advertisers. Before that, you may as well be shouting into a void until you get into the swing of things.
  • It’s hard work to run a blog: Between just coming up with the copy to downloading all of the graphics or photographs and designing the layout of your posts, putting together a blog can feel like building a scrapbook all on your own, with no help, supervision, or motivation from anybody else. It’s especially hard to run a blog if you haven’t ever done it before, as there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to learning how to set everything up.

Even though there are some drawbacks to starting a blog, it’s still an easy enough thing to experiment with if you’re unsure whether you’ll like building one. Other than an Internet connection and a way to use it, there isn’t much else you need to get your blog started.

Blog Writing Is a Great Hobby at Any Age

People over the age of 50 may see blogging and other digital activities as leisure hobbies for young people, but the truth is that there are many benefits for older people who actively engage in this online activity. Whether you want a place to store your most precious memories or you’d like to become connected with other fans of a topic or hobby you love, blogs can be a wonderful pastime for all ages.

About Suddenly Senior

Suddenly Senior (www.suddenlysenior.com) is a top-ranked site with over 4,000 pages of humor, nostalgia, senior advocacy and useful information for seniors 50+. Updates weekly!

The daily e-zine for everyone over 50 who feels way too young to be old.

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