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A Comprehensive Help Guide for Seniors 50+
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Living The Life
(Or A Potpourri of Senior Lifestyle Issues)
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“What is the most rigorous law of our being? Growth”
“Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been”
Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar- By Mark Twain
Living Fully As A Senior
This should be the very best time of life for you. These later years have bloomed through
decades of choice, mishap, adventure, knowledge, success, failure and persistence. From those
things you have acquired wisdom and, hopefully, grace.
It is no secret that many cultures revere the elderly for these qualities. They treat their senior
population with deep respect and deference. The Japanese are particularly famous for this
attitude toward the seniors in their society. They have a civilization that is built on respect for
and accessing the wisdom of past generations.
Unfortunately, America is a young culture and its elderly have often been merely tolerated or,
worse, ignored. This obsession with youth and “the new” is endemic to any country as young
as ours. We are mere babies when it comes to creating a country, a society - a restless, eager,
super-charged 200 year-old baby. That’s what we are.
So, it’s understandable that the innovative, daring, youthful and new should take precedent
over the tried, true, wise and venerated.
The expansion west in America occurred a mere hundred and fifty years ago. Pioneers were, by
nature, of a youthful bent. They had to be to survive. Testing, experimenting, learning and
adapting; these are the requirements of a burgeoning society in search of roots. These
qualities are juxtaposed to societies of an older nature that have passed beyond it; those that
now depend on structure, community, an accumulation of knowledge based on experience from
the past. Their buildings are monuments to a millennial population. Their ancestors filled
thousands of years, not decades or a couple of centuries. Their literature and art is ancient.
The scope of their politics spans hundreds of years.
This lingering obsession with youthful enterprise in America; the fearful desire to run away from
maturity and old age will pass. In fact, I think we are approaching a sea change in this period
of senior neglect.
As I mentioned in the beginning of this book, someone is turning 50 every seven seconds in
America. The Baby Boomers are not aging like their predecessors. They have clout and are a
huge portion of a population that demands attention and which has the economic clout to
make the culture that they helped to build pay note of their needs and desires.
In this chapter, we’ll look at a whole series of lifestyle issues facing seniors:
- From working and volunteering to being a grandparent and even genealogy.
- From driving and transportation to lifestyle choices that, again, our ancestors would have
thought impossible a generation or two ago.
The adjustments that you must make for a senior life that is worth living are sometimes difficult,
but more often are made difficult. By this, I mean that your mental attitude toward aging is all-
important. If you go kicking and screaming into this portion of your life, it is not likely to be
successful. If you don’t agree to make changes in the way you live, then your rigid attitude will
do you in.
Most of our challenges in later life surround our inflexibility as human beings. We famously
become “set in our ways”, unwilling to continue the adventure of living. Most of this may be
because we are ‘tired’, and find change annoying or too demanding. At other times, it may be
because we spend an inordinate amount of time looking back over our lives and examining
them for flaws, mishaps, failures, and missed opportunities. All of this is natural. As the great
Greek stoic, Socrates, once said: “The unexamined life is not worth living!”
Yet, too often we obsess about the past and try to doggedly resist change. We gather up a
silent anger at life that cripples us emotionally and sets the stage for illness and decay.
But, if you can be flexible, willing to adjust to these newest challenges of life, as you always
had to do in your youth and up until the present, then new possibilities and a sweet time of
productivity and joy awaits!
As we enter this last chapter in the “Senior Advisor”, it is my deepest hope that you will find
encouragement to do just that. Take the bull of life by the horns and make some changes.
Accept the beauty of fall and winter. The culmination of a life well lived is the living of it, not
withdrawal from it.
Driving Around
Our vision, hearing, mobility and overall strength usually decrease slowly while our age
increases. In fact, it’s so gradual that we may not recognize any diminished ability until it
becomes dangerous. In sudden driving situations, we just don’t react as fast as we need to in
order to be safe.
Enter the AARP Driver Safety Program which over 7.5 million people have already taken
advantage of. This 8-hour course, which occurs over two 4-hour sessions, takes just two days
to complete. It costs a reasonable $10 and helps us develop safe defensive driving techniques.
There are no tests, but it does cover lots of possible areas of concern like:
- Vision
- Hearing
- Effects of medication
- Reaction times
- Left turns and right-of-way issues
- New laws and their effects on the senior driver
- Hazardous driving situations
As a graduate, you may be able to get a state-mandated discount on your auto insurance. That’
s a nice incentive to take this course.
To locate the nearest AARP Driver Safety Course call 888-AARP-NOW
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If you don’t want to take the course from AARP, at
least get a copy of their free booklet: “Older Driver
Skill Assessment and Resource Guide (stock
#D14957).
It will help you assess your comfort with a bunch of
driving situations. It also includes some nifty safety
tips and reminders.
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Driving Resources
AAA (American Automobile Association) offers a fine senior driving course, too! Contact your
local office
“Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully” is a booklet that covers physical changes related to
aging, and tips on coping with them. You’ll learn a lot from this one.
The American Medical Association (AMA) offers a physician’s guide to scoring older drivers.
No More Automobile? No problem!
Before you jump to the conclusion that having no car, or giving up driving one; is a complete
loss of independence, remember that there are lots of transportation options open to seniors
in this new millennium.
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A Senior Moment
The NIA (National Institute On Aging)
estimates that 600,000+ seniors age 70 or
up stop driving each year. The average age
is 85!
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You need transportation for all manner of senior needs, from health care and groceries to
medication. Above all, it is necessary to avoid an isolated lifestyle.
Let’s discover some excellent places to turn to for transportation:
Area Agency on Aging- a great place to start. Seniors and caregivers can turn to them for
community transportation. They are local, cheap or free, and well equipped to transport seniors
around the town or city they live in.
National Transit Hotline- can provide the names of local transit givers who get federal money to
transport seniors and those with disabilities call 800-527-8279
Taxi- in some areas, this is the only alternative available to get around. They can cost a bundle
for seniors. Health and social service agencies often provide discount taxi vouchers to low-
income seniors in urban and suburban areas. Contact your local Department of Health and
Social Services to explore help with vouchers.
Senior Centers - in your community may offer significant help in the area of transportation. In
fact, more than 15,000 centers across the country provide timely transportation to and from
their center.
Medicaid- is there to help seniors get to emergency health help, ambulances and other
transportation needs if you need to make it to the hospital, an appointment that’s medically
related. This is funded by Medicaid so it costs you nothing.
Churches- faith-based transportation services can help you with errands and other services.
Contact your Church or religious center for more information.
Family- if you’re fortunate to have relatives that live close to you, they can provide
transportation to you. That’s what family is for!
Don’t let the loss of your driving an automobile stand in the way of your getting out and about.
It is important for your mental and emotional health to be independent and mobile.
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Action Step #13
Set up a meeting with your family members to
discuss your transportation needs.
Make a list of the top 3 ways you will usually get
around and place the contact information close by
so you can easily retrieve it.
Let family rotate their availability so everyone can
share the responsibility and a fair schedule can
be arrived at for your most common travel needs.
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Utility Bills
Many seniors find it difficult to pay the high cost of utility bills. The cost of electricity and gas or
heating oil is often critically important, especially in extreme weather conditions. On top of that,
saving on utility bills require home repairs like insulation and energy-saving appliances, which
can often be beyond the reach of our fixed-income budgets.
Happily, there are many ways to get relief in this area. Here are some tips you can use:
- Level Payments- you can set up this with your utility company. Many states require utility
providers to offer these plans. Your yearly bill is projected and then divided into equal
monthly payments which can be stretched out over the year. In this way, a bill too large
for you to comfortably pay during extreme usage months does not overwhelm you.
- Budget Payment Plans- unlike the above plan, where you are current in your utility bill
payments, these budget plans are for those so far in the red that they need help. You
can make a fixed monthly payment and the utility promises not to shut off any service.
Your local Public Utility Commission is your best friend when setting up, or dealing with,
this plan. They keep providers honest and fair to seniors.
- Federal Energy Assistance- will help low-income seniors pay winter heating bills. Some
state programs also help with summer cooling expenses, too. Eligibility varies. Contact
your local agency, usually a non-profit agency or state welfare office and ask about the
LIHEAP Program (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) or call 800-674-6327.
- Utility Fuel Funds- is where utility companies join in special funds or grants for those who
can’t pay their utility bills. Contact your local utility company or agency that administers
the above-mentioned LIHEAP program. Much of this funding focuses specific attention on
helping seniors and low-income consumers.
- Percentage Of Income Plans- more and more utility companies and state commissions
are trying plans in which individuals or families pay a percentage of their income instead
of the amount of their normal utility bills. They are often called “EAPs”; Energy Assurance
Plans. But, most utilities have their own name for this percentage of income plan.
Contact your local utility to find out more. Under this plan, it is often possible for you to
be forgiven for past bills due, if you pay on a regular basis under an EAP.
- Discounted Rates- some electric, gas and water companies have special discounted rates
for the elderly. Ask your local company or contact the State Utilities Commission to see if
special lower rates apply to you.
- Energy Conservation Programs- homeowners and tenants in some states can get funds
to weatherize their homes which reduces heating and cooling costs. Low-cost loans and
outright grants are available and many are very generous to seniors. Call the
Weatherization Assistance Program at 800-363-3732
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A Senior Moment
While our ancestors were huddled together before
a fire to keep warm and often froze to death from
extreme winter conditions, our generation has
access to affordable utility help that gives us a
tremendous opportunity to save thousands of
dollars and keep warm (or cool) today.
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Volunteering
After a productive, fully-engaging life in which you made significant sacrifices and contributions,
it can be hard to retire. That’s why many seniors enjoy volunteering; they are making a
continued contribution to their communities.
The Volunteer Match web site is a good place to get your feet wet. Just go on the Internet and
visit www.volunteermatch.org where you can enter your local zip code and find volunteer
opportunities listed by nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations. This site is known to have the
largest database of volunteer work opportunities.
Another excellent resource for those of us that are 50+ with a bit of knowledge and time to
devote is the Senior Corp. They’ve been around for over 30 years and have linked over half a
million older Americans to volunteer projects in their communities.
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A Senior Moment
One of the programs at Senior Corp is the Foster
Grandparent Program where you can be a mentor,
tutor or caregiver to children and youth with special
needs. You serve 20 hours a week in schools,
hospitals, Head Start and youth centers. More
information is available on this and all of the other
programs at the website. www.seniorcorps.com.
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Volunteer Resources
- Habitat For Humanity- dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Check your local phone
book
- Points Of Light Foundation- mobilizes volunteers to work in communities with a network
of 500 volunteer centers. Call 800-432-865-8683
- Meals On Wheels- delivers fresh, nutritious meals and maintains social contact for
seniors who are homebound.
I don’t want to understate the value of volunteering as we age. Isolation and loneliness can
often accompany us into our later years. Our need for self-worth, a sense of belonging and
making a contribution has helped with the mental health of seniors for as long as studies have
been taken. Volunteer work, even just a couple of hours a week, can get you around people
and keep you motivated for a prolonged life of useful sharing and meaning.
On the other side of the coin, there are some individuals that don’t volunteer. My mother is one
of them. She wants to get paid for her time. She’s also very involved with her own projects and
is constantly filling her time with them. She has the philosophy that she should get paid for
services rendered. I guess it’s an old Irish/German ethic that says, “if you want me to work for
you, pay me!”
That leads directly to our
next section in The Senior Advisor: Employment.
Senior Work
Many seniors continue to search out part-time employment to supplement their often fixed
incomes. Putting their experience to work is important to them. They are valued members of
any work force because of their wisdom, work ethic and sense of responsibility. Many
companies are coming to place a high value on the older worker.
One organization dedicated to providing employment opportunities to seniors is called
Experience Works. This group offers training and employment as a non-profit, national
organization for mature workers.
They serve more than 125,000 people each year and have more than 500 employees and
offices in 44 states and Puerto Rico. Experience Works has a total annual budget of $120
million dollars which is provided by the federal government and more than 75 public and private
sources. It’s big, it’s robust, and it can help you!
Some of the fields they specialize in placing seniors into include, but are not limited to:
- Teachers aides
- Computer operators
- Emergency dispatchers
- Child-care providers
- Librarians
- College education
They offer staffing that is temporary or temporary to permanent. They will train you in
technology services and other job-related training programs. Call 866-397-9757
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The above is an extract of a chapter from the ebook "The Senior Sourcebook".
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Here are the contents of the book:
Introduction
Senior Guide to Computer Literacy
Medicare & Health Issues
Medicare Part A
Medicare Part B
Non- Coverage In Medicare
Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits
Limited Income Subsidies
My Head Is Spinning
Medicare Fraud
Other Resources
Home Sweet Home
Making Your Home Senior Friendly
Remodeling Resources for Seniors
Household Helpers
Senior Living Choices
Retirement Communities
C.C.R.C.
Senior Living Helps
Alternatives to Total Care
Nursing Homes
NURSING HOME CHECKLIST
What You Don’t Want To See
Advocates for Residents
Far, Far Away
Choose Carefully!
Senior Finances
Retirement
Savings Resources
Financial Planners
10 Questions To Ask Your Financial Planner
Financial Planners Resources
Legal Eagles For Seniors
The Taxman Cometh
Thy Will Be Done
Choose An Executor
Will Resources
Living Trusts
The Three Types Of Reverse Mortgage Loans
Why I’m Wary
Reverse Mortgage Resources
Down & Dirty Debt
Medical Debt For Seniors
Bankrupt Basics
Medical Cost Resources
In Conclusion
Living The Life
Living Fully As A Senior
Driving Around
Driving Resources
No More Automobile? No problem!
Utility Bills
Volunteering
Other Employment Resources
Safety
Long Distance Grandparents
Resources For Far-away Grandparents
Afterword
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Did you know that in the USA alone, someone turns 50 every seven seconds. Yes, the baby-
boomer generation is alive and kicking and the senior population reaching 65 and up will
double from 35 Million to well over 70 Million in the next two decades!
So what does that mean to you?
It means plenty. In the words of our author, "Unlike any generation before them, they will live
longer, look and feel younger, have more options and better support systems than any 'elderly'
group of people since the dawn of civilization."
This means that seniors will demand more and better information. Retirement for these
healthy, vibrant people may be non-existent and play time and travel are a given.
They do more, have more and want to keep it. They require access to sophisticated medical
and dental care. They have more money and need state of the art advice to grow it. Above all
else, they have more questions than answers.
That's where "The Senior Sourcebook" comes in. This comprehensive guide covers everything
from Medicare to Financial Planning. You won't believe what is jam-packed inside the pages.
Just take a look:
- Senior Guide to Computer Literacy
- Medicare & Health Issues
- The Basics
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
- Non- Coverage In Medicare
- Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits
- Catastrophic Coverage
- Limited Income Subsidies
- Medicare Fraud
- Making Your Home Senior Friendly
- Remodeling Resources for Seniors
- Household Helpers
- Senior Living Choices
- Retirement Communities
- Alternatives to Total Care
- Nursing Homes
- Senior Finances
- Retirement
- Savings Resources
- 10 Questions To Ask Your Financial Planner
- Choose An Executor
- Creating a Will
- Living Trusts
- Reverse Mortgages
- Medical Debt For Seniors
- Basics of Bankruptcy
- Medical Cost Resources
- Volunteering
- Employment Resources
- Grandparenting
- and much, much more
Whether you are fast approaching the senior category, are already there or have parents who
can use your help there is something for everyone in "The Senior Sourcebook."
You won't find a better source for all things senior anywhere! If you have parents who are
ready for assisted living, find the answers here.
Need to write or update your will? Get some guidance about creating it or consider a living
trust. You'll find it all inside the digital pages.
Are you trying to sort out the Medicare puzzle for your parents? Discover the details here in
easy to understand language anyone can decipher.
As we mentioned in the beginning of this message, someone here in the USA turns 50 every
seven seconds. Be prepared. Get the answers to all those questions.
More importantly, get the answers to all the questions you don't even know to ask.
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This book retails for $17. However, I will give you special bonus - you get the following 4
additional ebooks absolutely free.
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Do you have "Maximum Memory Power?"
If you had to think about that answer you are not using your memory to
its fullest potential.
You've probably lost car keys or mis-placed an item on occasion. The
worst case scenario is forgetting a name, especially when the person is
someone you should know!
Well, there is relief in site. Learn how set the wheels in motion and
increase your memory skills.
Research on diseases of aging, such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of
dementia, has indicated that keeping our minds active and positive may
delay the onset of those diseases in some people.
Almost anyone can improve their use of that powerful filing system
between our ears. That will help you improve
almost every area of your business and social life!"
Don't Worry - Be Happy!
Yeah, right!
Seriously, are you happy. . .truly happy?
If you feel that your happiness is a fleeting thing that you can't really
put your finger on then you probably need a happiness boost.
If you are not experiencing enough happiness in your life, you are
missing out on so much. Did you know that your degree of happiness
can have an impact on your overall health and well being?
It's true. Happy people live longer.
If you'd like to learn how to increase your happiness quotient you just
need to know how and "How to Be Happy: A Complete Guide to Rational
Living" is just the ticket!
Happiness is not just a state of mind that comes and goes on a whim.
Happiness can be learned.
"Old-timers Disease Is No Joke"
It's a good bet that you, like the rest of us, have forgotten something
then jokingly said, "it must be old-timers disease."
What do you do when it hits close to home and it's no longer a laughing
matter?
With more than 18 million known cases of Alzheimer's Disease world
wide the odds are that you have had some contact with
someone who is close to this horribly degenerating disease. It may be a
victim or a family member of a victim.
Maybe you even suspect that one of your loved ones is exhibiting early
stage symptoms of Dementia and/or Alzheimer's Disease and
you'd like some answers.
Get all those haunting questions that slip into your thoughts day and
night answered once and for all.
Understanding Incontinence
If you suffer from this condition there is good news on the horizon.
Do you find yourself avoiding public outings?
Are you becoming a hermit, trapped at home rather than subject
yourself to public humiliation if you have an episode of accidental
leakage?
Do you find yourself terrified to sneeze, cough or fearful of a simple drive
over a bumpy road?
If so, you need to know that you can end the embarrassment once and
for all!
Discover what one woman learned when she finally ended the denial
and faced her problem head on.
She shares her experience and discovery in a candid discussion of a
hidden problem that is far more prevalent than you realize.
Her message is simple. You CAN end the suffering and embarrassment
once and for all!
Take the first step and find out how you, too, can take back control of
your life.
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Yes, for $17 you get all these 5 ebooks:
The Senior Sourcebook
+
Maximum Memory Power
+
How to be Happy
+
The Complete Guide to Alzheimer's Disease
+
Understanding Incontinence
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Immdediate Download
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8 weeks Money Back Guarantee!
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Your purchase through PayPal is fully secure.
Your purchase is also fully guaranteed - if for any reason, you are not satisfied with your
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With this iron-clad guarantee, what have you got to lose?
Go ahead and click on the PayPal buy button.
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P.S. In the famous words of Dylan Thomas, “Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage
against the dying of the light.” Grab your copy of "The Senior Sourcebook" today!
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Proudly brought to you by Jacob Gan PhD (Michigan)
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