Long Term Care, who pays?

I recently had an insurance agent phone and talk to me about insurance. Now I am not talking about life insurance, but I am talking about Long Term Care insurance. His point was that if I had to have long term care, who would pay for it and what would that do to my family. Sol, I went and found out some stuff.  First, every jurisdiction is different, and each has its rules about who pays so what I say here about who pays only applies to my area of Canada which is British Columbia. In B.C., some publicly subsidized home and community care services are provided free of charge. For others, the cost is shared between the Ministry of Health and you, the person receiving services. The amount a person is required to pay is called the client rate. The client rate may be based on an individual income or set at a fixed rate, depending on the home and community care service a person receives. If payment of the assessed client rate would cause a person or their family serious financial hardship, they may apply to their health authority for a temporary reduction of their client rate

Long-term care is the provision of personal services and medical care to someone who is cognitively impaired or can’t perform two or more of the six Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).

The ADLs are dressing, bathing, eating, walking, toileting, and transferring (such as moving from a bed to a chair without help). Despite the name, some people need long-term care relatively briefly, such as when they are recovering from surgery or an accident. Others need care for months or years, such as when they have chronic disabilities or illnesses or are declining due to age.

Long-term care services provide 24-hour professional supervision and care in a protective, supportive environment for people who have complex care needs and can no longer be cared for in their own homes or in an assisted living residence. Long-term care services in BC include:

·       standard accommodation.

·       development and maintenance of a care plan.

·       clinical support services (e.g., rehabilitation and social work services) as identified in the care plan.

·       ongoing, planned physical, social and recreational activities (e.g., exercise, music programs, crafts, games);

·       meals, including therapeutic diets prescribed by a physician, and tube feeding.

·       meal replacements and nutrition supplements as specified in the care plan or by a physician.

·       routine laundry service for bed linens, towels, washcloths and all articles of clothing that can be washed without special attention to the laundering process.

·       general hygiene supplies, including but not limited to soap, shampoo, toilet tissue, and special products required for use with facility bathing equipment.

·       routine medical supplies.

·       incontinence management.

·       basic wheelchairs for personal exclusive use.

·       basic cleaning and basic maintenance of wheelchairs; and

·       any other specialized service (e.g., specialized dementia or palliative care) as needed by the client that the long-term care home has been contracted to provide.

If you require long-term  care services, supportive and compassionate care is provided in long-term care homes with the goal of preserving an individual’s comfort, dignity and quality of life as their needs change, and to offer ongoing support for family and friends.

The cost of long-term care services

If a person in BC receive publicly subsidized long-term care services, they will pay a monthly rate of up to 80 percent of their after-tax income towards the cost of secure, supervised housing and care services, subject to a minimum and maximum monthly rate. Your monthly rate is calculated based on your “after-tax income in one of two ways:

1.    If your after-tax income is less than $19,500 per year, your monthly rate is calculated as your after-tax income less $3,900 and divided by 12 (Formula A).

a.     Note: The $3,900 deduction ($325 per month X 12 months) is set to ensure that most clients have at least $325 of income remaining per month after paying their monthly rate.

2.    If your after-tax income is equal to or greater than $19,500 per year, the monthly rate is calculated as your after-tax income multiplied by 80 percent and divided by 12 (Formula B).

The maximum charge for long term care is $3 198.50, adjusted every year on January 1, by the percentage increase, if any, of the consumer price index for the 12-month period ending on July 31 of the previous year.

The minimum charge is the monthly maximum total amount of Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement to which a person is entitled under the Old Age Security Act (Canada) as of July 1 of the previous year, minus $325, adjusted every year on January 1.

So, in BC, if you have an income of over $19,500 you will pay for your own long-term care with the government taking 80% of your income after taxes. If you earn less than $19,500 you will give the government, your Old Age Security, and your Guaranteed Income Supplement but you will keep $325 a month for spending.

No matter where one lives long-term care is expensive and you should compare all the options and the rules available to you and develop a plan to pay for long-term care.

The World Happiness Report 2016 Update

The World Happiness Report 2016 Update, which ranks 156 countries by their happiness levels, was released in Rome in advance of UN World Happiness Day, March 20th. The widespread interest in the World Happiness Reports, of which this is the fourth, reflects growing global interest in using happiness and subjective well-being as primary indicators of the quality of human development. Because of this growing interest, many governments, communities and organisations are using happiness data, and the results of subjective well-being research, to enable policies that support better lives. Below are the top 15 happiest countries in the world, from 2012 to 214 and from 2013 to 2015.  Where does your country rank?

Why retirement may be bad for you

The blog  A Satisfying Retirement recently posted about Why Retirement may be bad for you. As part of the post he said, "In its traditional sense, retirement may be bad for you. If so, don't do it. Design your own satisfying retirement journey. Go where there is no path. Instead, leave a new trail, one cut by you."

This is good advice, Boomers are changing the way they see retirement, and this will change how society sees retirement. But change is scary for many of us, take a look at the US election, where change is being fought tooth and nail.

Conservative values are being touted as the values that will bring order and good governance, while Progressive values are seen as bringing corruption and bad governance. In our own life as we get older we tend to become more  conservative  in our outlook, we misremember earlier times with nostalgia and fondness. The reality of growing up in the 50's and 60's was far different than many remember. What does this have to do with retirement and making your own journey, you may wonder.

If we face the future with the optimism of our youth, and return to the belief that we can change the world, with a little help from our friends, we will find out own path. Focus not on the negatives that surround us, focus on the positives and the good things in your life. As we each face the future and make changes that allow us to see life in a positive and uplifting way life will be good.

It is not easy to find a new path or cut a new path but it can be done with perseverance and hard work. To help on this journey here is a blog post that lists the 50 best Positive quotes about ageing: http://smartliving365.com/50-best-positive-aging-quotes-find/ 

Transitions to retirement

Here are some ideas to make the transition to retirement easier. When I first thought about retiring, it was an easy decision; I made the decision to retire, so I did. I did very little thinking and very little planning about what my life would be like once I retired.

Everyone is different, but dreams are important to the process and discussing your goals and ideas about what your life will be like should be discussed with family, but there are stages to your retirement, which I have discussed before.

The first is called by many names, the GO GO Stage, the Honeymoon Phase, Active Retirement the Accumulation Stage, the Kicking forward stage a Transitional phase or just Phase One. 

Adjust your intensity to fit your new lifestyle. Now that you are retiring, you are free from any stressful job, you are free to set your own schedule. What I found out about in my first ten years of retirement was that I continued to be active. For many of us the first few years are the most active phase of retirement The only deadlines you face are those you set.

Your transition can be easier if you concentrate on the journey rather than the individual steps. It took me time to realize there is no hurry. Not everything must get done on a schedule.

Give yourself time and space to get there. Don’t be in a hurry to get somewhere you have never been before. Remember as you start your transition you are moving from a time of stress to a time without stress (unless it is self imposed). The transition if not planned can be stressful. For me this stage has been hectic and at times stressful. I realize now that if I had taken the time, prior to retirement, I would have tried to put down some goals and I might have even created a mission statement for my retirement.

I would recommend that you do this, as it will make the first phase less stressful. You have energy, skills, expertise, and enthusiasm that are valuable, and so figure out how you want to apply your gifts to your goals. Figure out what do you want to do with the time and energy you have available.
Remember, there are only deadlines that you impose on yourself. The good news is that if you impose a deadline you can remove it. However, this means that you have to realize you answer to no one other than yourself. Don’t pile on unnecessary pressure to immediately achieve. If what you do is pleasing to you it is worthwhile. Cut yourself some slack – you have earned it.

Channel efforts toward what you can control. No one can entirely control what life might throw our way. That does not mean we cannot influence our future. For example, after retiring, I thought that my mental ability and those of my friends might suffer, or our physical ability might decline. These things happened. but over time and we all have all noticed a decline in at least our physical level. I write this blog to keep my mind active. Two of my friends suffered from Alzheimer's and one of them died two years ago; I had a hip and knee replaced which slowed down my physical activity.

Retirement is the right time to focus on what is good for you. For eight of the ten years I continued to volunteer as a way to keep me busy. You have to find something that gives you joy and take time for you. You finally have time to figure out an exercise regimen that you can stick with for your good health. You have time to work on that diet to make you fit not fat. You have time to explore the multitude of activities to engage your mind and heart and passion. Rather than focus on what you cannot do try to imagine what you can – and go for it.


Remember you are entering the first phase of retirement and you may have over twenty to fifty years left. So with decades of retirement life ahead, one is not going to make it. Variety is the spice of life even more so in retirement. The more options you have to entertain and engage you the less likely you are to become bored. Rather than bored we hope to find ourselves excited about what the new day has to offer. Don’t be afraid to try something – anything – to stir things up. What do you have to lose?

Travel is one of the things that I have done, every year since I retired, as have my friends. Travelling is a major activity, which for some of my friends has included adventure travel to exotic locations. Travelling may be part of this first phase for you and should be seen as a chance to grow your mind. Also, this is a phase when you can exercise and participate in sports at a much greater intensity level than prior to retirement.


I now play golf, while my brother focuses on his tennis daily, while other of my friends prefer scenic hiking and walking. Retirement so far for me has been a blend of travelling, working, volunteering and enjoying life and new freedom from work. I have found time to write reflect, re-evaluate, and assess my life. 

I also have taken time to rest, relax and to re-think about what life and liberty mean to me. In the last ten years, I believe that I have accomplished many things without the strain of outside work pressures but it took me a long time to realize that I was my own boss (except for my wife:-) and that I did not have to answer to anyone except myself and my wife.

Alone or Loney?

One of the workshops I give talks about social connectedness  and the importance of social contact as we grow older. Social Isolation is an important consideration for many and it is defined as not having as much social interaction as the person desires. Social isolation may lead to loneliness.

Loneliness can be explained as the discrepancy between one's desired relationships and one's actual relationships.

The following is from a study that determined that loneliness is a Predictor of Functional Decline and Death. the authors go on to say that:

The subjective distress of loneliness may be a more important measure of suffering and quality of life rather than objective measures of social isolation. Given the number of health and social issues that health care providers must prioritize, the identification and amelioration of loneliness may seem to be outside of the scope of medical practice. Yet, by separating suffering and distress into medical and nonmedical spheres, health care providers may be missing a key risk factor for poor health.

To quantify the prevalence of loneliness and determine whether older persons who are lonely are at risk for poor health outcomes, the authors used the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a national, population-based study of community living older adults.

The hypothesis that loneliness may be a risk factor for adverse health outcomes in older persons is supported by previous studies that show that other forms of psychosocial distress lead to adverse health outcomes. For example, several studies link depression to higher risks of disability and mortality. Other studies have shown that measures of social isolation—the number of social contacts and the amount of social engagement—are associated with poor health outcomes.

This issue has been called an “epidemic” but how many old people are lonely is highly questionable. An AARP Foundation study [pdf] published in 2012, was unable to quantify it. What the study said was:

Due to the variations described above and the lack of research with representative samples in general, and comparable representative samples in particular, it is difficult to determine the prevalence of isolation.

So, the authors state it is difficult to determine the prevalence of isolation, then they go on to say:

However, current estimates indicate that isolation could impact up to 17% of Americans aged 50+. (They do not say where these estimates came from, so can this estimate be considered accurate?)

Based on a synthesis of the scientific research, this paper proposes the following unifying definition of isolation:

Isolation is the experience of diminished social connectedness stemming from a process whereby the impact of risk factors outweighs the impact of any existing protective factors.

A person’s lack of social connectedness is measured by the quality, type, frequency, and emotional satisfaction of social ties. Social isolation can impact health and quality of life, measured by an individual’s physical, social, and psychological health; ability and motivation to access adequate support for themselves; and the quality of the environment and community in which they live.

When I talk about social connectedness I talk about the following ways to overcome a sense of loneliness and isolation, but only if the individual is not getting the amount of social connectedness they want. I suggest that people:

Volunteer

Take a class

Join a club

Move to a retirement community

Get a pet

Great advice, so easy to say but for many of us, volunteering takes time, energy and resources we need for other activities. I volunteer, and I love it, but it is not for everyone and I understand that. 

I was never a good student, and many of us have not been in a classroom for over 40 years so going back to class is not easy, I know it would be difficult but I recommend it, but with a caveat,  I was talking to a friend who said, that going to a class is problematic because the teachers always go to fast, or assume some level of knowledge not necessarily present.

Joining a club may seem easy, but it is not always. I know some friends who have joined clubs only to find it difficult to break into the group. Many members of clubs often are not as welcoming as they could be, so many of us who are introverts find it difficult to join in and after a few sessions drop out.

People who live in Retirement communities love the lifestyle and enjoy themselves, but for many of us we find it difficult to “give up our independence” so moving is not an option.

Pets live a long time, my last pet lasted 19 years, at my age I may only last 15 years, so why would I take on the responsibility of a pet, when I know that the pet may outlive me and if it does, who will care for the pet.  Pets become part of your family and are loved and cared for and give great pleasure, but they are your love, not your children’s love

Alone not lonely, many of us I believe may be alone, but we are not lonely. There is a wonderful children’s poem that speaks to the idea that we need to spend time with ourselves, it is called:

THE SECRET PLACE, written by Dennis Lee From: The Ice Cream Store. Toronto: Harper Collins Publishers, 1991.

There's a place I go, inside myself,
          Where nobody else can be,
And none of my friends can tell it's there—
          Nobody knows but me.

It's hard to explain the way it feels,
          Or even where I go.
It isn't a place in time or space,
          But once I'm there, I know.

It's tiny, it's shiny, it can't be seen,
          But it's big as the sky at night . . .
I try to explain and it hurts my brain,
          But once I'm there, it's right.

There's a place I know inside myself,
          And it's neither big nor small,
And whenever I go, it feels as though
          I never left at all.

2015 Retirement Confidence Survey: Trend of increasing retirement age slowing

The 2015 annual Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS) marks the 25th year of the RCS, making it the longest-running survey of its kind in the nation. Among this year’s highlights:

The trend of increasing retirement age expectations may be slowing, however. Between 2009 and 2012, between 20 and 25 percent of workers reported that the age at which they expected to retire increased in the past year. 

Since that time however, fewer workers have reported postponing the age at which they expect to retire. Only 13 percent of workers report increasing the age at which they expect to retire in the past year, compared with 22 percent in the 2013. 

The 2014 RCS found that workers planning to delay retirement gave the following reasons: 
 The poor economy (25 percent). 
 Inadequate finances or can’t afford to retire (18 percent). 
 A change in employment situation (17 percent). 
 Needing to pay for health care costs (12 percent). 
 Lack of faith in Social Security or government (9 percent). 
 Higher-than-expected cost of living (9 percent). 
 Wanting to make sure they have enough money to retire comfortably (8 percent). 

The RCS has consistently found that a large percentage of retirees leave the workforce earlier than planned (50 percent in 2015). Many who retired earlier than planned did so because of a hardship, such as a health problem or disability (60 percent), though some state that they retired early because they could afford to do so (31 percent). 

This tendency to retire earlier than planned may explain the considerable gap that exists between workers’ expectations and retirees’ experience. Just 8 percent of workers say they plan to retire before age 60, compared with 36 percent of retirees who report they retired that early. On the other hand, 26 percent of workers plan to wait at least until age 70 to retire, compared with 6 percent of retirees who actually did so. As one might expect, workers who are not confident about their financial security in retirement plan to retire later, on average, than those who express confidence. 

Working for Pay in Retirement Two-thirds (67 percent) of workers plan to work for pay in retirement, compared with just 23 percent of retirees who report they have actually worked for pay in retirement. In fact, the RCS has consistently found that workers are far more likely to plan to work for pay in retirement than retirees are to have actually worked.

Sources of Retirement Income While the majority of retirees (90 percent) report that Social Security provides a source of income for their and their spouse’s retirement (63 percent say it is a major source of income), workers and their spouses continue to expect to draw their retirement income from a wide variety of sources. (Social Security is the federal program that provides income replacement for the aged and disability coverage for eligible workers and their dependents). Eighty percent of current workers expect Social Security to be a major or minor source of income in retirement, but they believe that personal savings will also play a large role. At least two-thirds each say they anticipate receiving retirement income from an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan (74 percent), an individual retirement account or IRA (69 percent), and other personal savings and investments (66 percent). Seventy-three percent expect employment to provide them with a source of income in retirement and 55 percent expect to receive income from an employer-sponsored traditional pension or cash balance plan. In contrast to workers, retirees are less likely to expect to rely on any form of personal savings or on employment for their income in retirement

Retired husband syndrome

This stress condition is suffered by women the world over when their partners give up work. But now, news of RHS is reverberating around the world, after Italian researchers revealed that nearly half of women with newly retired husbands complain of increasing levels of stress, depression and sleeplessness

Many of my male friends may not have heard of this condition, which was identified in 1991 by Dr. Nobuo Kurokawa, a physician and leading Japanese expert. The symptoms include stomach ulcers, slurring of speech, rashes around the eyes, growths in the throat, palpitations, tension headaches and depression  as well as “agitation, gas, bloating, muscle aches, and other symptoms of stress. These symptoms were noted by Johnson, Charles Clifford, MD. in his article called The Retired Husband Syndrome, (Commentary). published in The Western Journal of Medicine. in 1984, Oct; 141, see pages 542-545.

We also know now that many assumptions about aging are inaccurate. Dr. Gary Cohen, in his new book, “The Mature Mind,” shows us that the brain does not stop growing after age three, as was thought to be the case. Instead, activity, both physical and intellectual, forces the creation of new brain cells and connections between cells. Nor are older people looking for ways to disengage from society, though remaining engaged may be more of a challenge than it was when they worked. Furthermore, the mature brain functions somewhat differently than the younger brain, becoming, for example, better able to access right and left brain simultaneously and more fully (Cohen). The mature brain benefits from developmental intelligence, which Cohen defines as the maturing of cognition, emotional intelligence, judgment, social skills, life experience, and consciousness and their integration and synergy (Cohen, 2005, p. 35). 

In addition, women and men age somewhat differently. Men become more inward; while women become more outward looking, ready to take on challenges on a broader plain. Men may for the first time in their lives, become interested in solving some of their personal psychological challenges, while women want to take on causes and contribute to more global change. There is some level of role reversal, or perhaps more accurately, role crossover. The unfinished business of each gender obviously differs as their previous roles led men and women to deal with different issues.

To help couples cope perhaps there could be pre-retirement classes that focus not only on the financial issues but which also deal with the social planning and planning for a new division of work at home would help people adjust to new expectations. 

Activities like learning a new language and cross-country skiing create brain cells and connections between cells, as well as ideas and experiences to share with a spouse, which improves retirement for both members of the couple. 

Nobody, it seems, likes the domestic balance being upset. We know that relationships are often put under pressure at transition times, such as retirement, because our identities are often closely linked with who we are at work, and we can find it difficult to adjust to a life outside the workplace. Equally, the dynamic at home changes when one or both partners retire, and couples can find themselves with far more time together than they had before.

While for some couples, this is a welcome change, it can often be difficult to adjust to having more concentrated periods together. It’s important for couples to be honest about the challenges that come with this transition and to work together to find solutions. This might include finding activities to do separately, as well as making plans for spending more quality time together. My male friends need to understand this and make sure they work with their  loved ones to make sure they do not cause undo stress.

Top 10 Ways to Cope with Transitions

Transitions can be stressful—whether they’re due to layoff, a new job retiring or working extra hours because others workers were laid off. If you’re facing one, consider the following. 

1. Take an honest look at yourself. What are your strengths, weaknesses, skills? How did those influence—positively or negatively—your transition?

2. Step up your self-care. Major changes are physically and emotionally taxing. You need self-care now more than ever. 

3. Engage your curiosity. What went wrong, or right? What could you have done better? What worked really well?

4. Focus on what you want, and less on what you don’t want. Keep your eye on the prize. 

5. Find support. Since your transition affects your family as well, it may be better to seek the outside support of friends or professionals.

6. Work on your thoughts. Calm your fears and reinforce your sense of hope and happiness.

7. Reassure (or avoid) those who are threatened by, or jealous of, the change. 

8. Create your own rite of passage. Ceremony and ritual help with all transitions.

9. Let go of how things were “supposed to be” and accept “how things are.” Find appreciation for what is.

10. Keep things in perspective. Or try on a new perspective. Don’t get stuck. Remember, the only constant is change.

Last day of the year, are you better off than last year?

Workers in the UK are living hand to mouth despite feeling financially better off

While many of us in Canada and the United States are not feeling we are better off than last year, even though the politicians and newspapers tell us we are better off than a year ago. Who do you believe?

More than one in three people in employment (39%) worry whether their salary will stretch to the end of the month.

The research, by Capita Employee Benefits,  was conducted in February 2014 among 3,000 people in employment through Research Now, it went on to reveal that nearly half of UK workers (45%) would not have £1000 spare to pay an unexpected bill, while nearly a third (31%) with mortgages say if interest rates go up they won't be able to afford repayments*. In fact, the research shows that simply staying on top of day-to-day living costs (33%) is the nation's top financial priority.

These findings come despite workers feeling better off financially than they did a year ago. Of the 3,000 employees surveyed, 27% say they feel better off now than they did 12 months ago, compared to 2013 when just 20% said they felt better off than they did in 2012.** 

Alex Tullett, head of benefits strategy for Capita Employee Benefits, commented: "Although people are saying they feel marginally better off than they did 12 months ago, many are still living hand to mouth, worried about how they'll make their wages stretch.

"Interestingly, employees feel their employers could be doing more to help them understand how to make the most of their finances. More than two thirds (69%) agree employers should do more to educate their workforce about different financial products and one in six (16%) say they would find financial education courses a valuable employee benefit."

The findings highlight how employee benefits packages could be a way for employers to give staff a financial helping hand. The majority of respondents (81%) are actively looking for ways to save money and say that the option to buy technology products at wholesale prices (31%), subsidised gym membership (28%) and retail vouchers (34%) are benefits they would find personally valuable.

Alex continued: "Employees are clearly looking for ways to make savings and employers can help by reviewing the benefits packages on offer. The report highlights a disconnection between benefits people want and what they get.  Take retail vouchers for example, more than a third would find these valuable but less than one in 10 employees (9%) say this is a benefit that's currently offered to them.

"Benefits packages help an employer engender engagement and improve retention - our research backs this up with 71% of workers saying they'd stay with an employer if they offered a good benefits package. As some organisations still can't afford to offer a pay rise, reviewing and providing benefits that take some of the financial burden off employees is a way of offering financial help while helping retain talent."

The Blue Zone: Lessons for Living Longer

I came across the story  and thought it might be of interest.  The link to more information is here: The source for the article is NaturalNews and you can sign up for a subscription at the link

 In 2008, an American writer and explorer named Dan Buettner published a book entitled The Blue Zone: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest. This book, which was an extension of a report Buettner wrote for National Geographic in 2005 about longevity, contained information about five regions in the world in which people lived for an unusually long time (often over 100 years, as proven by verifiable birth certificates). These five regions, which Buettner named the "Blue Zones," are:

• The Barbagia region of Sardinia, Italy
• The tropical islands of Okinawa in Japan
• Loma Linda, California (home of the Seventh Day Adventists religious group)
• The small island of Ikaria in Greece
• Costa Rica's isolated Nicoya Peninsula

Understanding that only 20 percent of how long a person lives is determined by genetics, Buettner and his research team began to monitor the diets and lifestyles of these Blue Zone centenarians in the hope of discovering the secrets of their longevity. His book is, in essence, an exploration of the recurring trends he found while interviewing and living among them. These trends were:

Frequent, natural exercise
The most significant lifestyle factor shared by the centenarians of the Blue Zones, Buettner reported, was the frequency and gentleness of their exercise. These people, who often tended to their own gardens and farms, routinely exercised for more than five hours per day. However, their exercise was always based on natural movements such as moderate walking, gentle lifting and tilling the soil. Comparatively extreme exercise, such as weight lifting and marathon running, was non-existent.

Simple, plant-based diets
All of the centenarians embraced a simple diet that was high in fruits and vegetables (especially legumes) and low in fat, meat and refined sugar. They favored goat's milk to cow's milk, drank alcohol moderately (one or two glasses of wine per day with food was common) and only ate rich foods like meat and cheese around five times per month, if at all. Many of the plants they consumed were grown themselves, and very few of them ate fruits or vegetables that were out of season.

Here is a more specific list of the foods favored by the centenarians of each Blue Zone:

• Sardinia - Bread, vegetables, small amounts of wine and goats' cheese, very little meat
• Okinawa - Sweet potatoes, fermented soy products, rice, vegetables
• Loma Linda - Fresh fruit, oatmeal, salads, vegetarian foods
• Ikaria - Vegetables, wine, herbal teas, small amounts of meat
• Nicoyans - Corn tortillas, beans, fruit, some animal products (mostly chicken and eggs)

Significantly, a large number of the centenarians also followed the "80 percent rule." That is, they consciously decided to stop eating when their stomachs were around 80 percent full, which prevented them from overeating.

A sense of belonging
Of the 268 centenarians interviewed by Buettner, 263 of them belonged to a faith-based community (the denomination didn't seem to matter) and regularly conversed with other believers. Additionally, most of them enjoyed the company of a mutually-supportive network of friends and family members; none of them lived alone in nursing homes. All of these factors contributed towards an enormous sense of belonging, which appeared to boost their psychological health.

Frequent exposure to sunshine
All of the Blue Zones are sunny, and all of the centenarians Buettner interviewed exposed themselves to sunshine regularly due to their outdoor lifestyles. Consequently, they received large amounts of natural vitamin D which, as studies have shown, is linked to improved mood and sleep, improved bone and eye health, and much more. Moreover, as Buettner and other researchers have noted, warm climates seem to promote a more relaxed "work to live" attitude to life.

"To make it to age 100, you have to have won the genetic lottery," Buettner concludes. "But most of us have the capacity to make it well into our early 90s and largely without chronic disease. As the [centenarians] demonstrate, the average person's life expectancy could increase by 10-12 years by adopting a Blue Zones lifestyle."

Sources for this article include:

http://www.bluezones.com/live-longer/power-9/

http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/blog/?p=1247

http://www.theguardian.com

http://www.okicent.org/study.html

http://science.naturalnews.com/Vitamin_D.html

About the author:
Michael Ravensthorpe is an independent writer whose research interests include nutrition, alternative medicine, and bushcraft. He is the creator of the website, Spiritfoods, through which he promotes the world's healthiest foods.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/043896_Blue_Zones_longevity_secrets_centenarians.html#ixzz2vrpPugvf

Huge need for public education on retirement

The following was written by Bethany Rutter and  Published Aug 29, 2013in the Financial Advisor

Research published in August from several companies suggests that not only are many people underprepared for retirement, but that they are often ignorant of how their investment is performing.

The number of people enrolled in a company pension scheme currently stands at 8.2million, a figure at its lowest since 1953. 

A third of people surveyed by Barings said they have no pension at all.

Research by Scottish Widows showed that in order to meet expectations of an average retirement income of £25,200, a 30-year-old contributing to a pension for the first time would need to pay in £1,000 per month until retirement – meaning saving from an earlier age is almost essential.

Although anxiety around retirement is high (a third of people in their twenties are concerned about the potential impact of care costs in later life, according to Scottish Widows figures), there is widespread failure to plan. Only 4 per cent consider saving for a pension as a financial priority, even though reducing the age at first contribution from 30 to 20 can increase retirement income by 39 per cent.

A lack of knowledge and understanding around pensions is a serious problem. Although more than a quarter of the younger generation surveyed by Scottish Widows considered themselves to be fully aware of all their options, less than 19 per cent of those in their twenties said they knew what an annuity was.

In research by Axa Life Invest, it became apparent that 42 per cent of people with a pension had not checked its performance in the past year, but even worse, 40 per cent have never checked the performance at all.

Specialist insurer Partnership found that 76 per cent of people approaching retirement believed that staying with their current pension provider would “make no difference” to the amount their annuity pays. 

According to Partnership’s figures, a mere 50 per cent of respondents to the survey of people aged between 45 and 65 realised that retiring later would result in higher annuity income. Eight per cent even believed that retiring later would mean you receive less from your pension pot.

Lisa Conway-Hughes, a chartered IFA at Westminster Wealth Management, said her experience echoes the findings of the research. She said the solution is simple but painful, and that is to advise clients to “work longer, start to save earlier, save more or cut your expectations”.

The onus is on the public to take their financial future seriously, she says, and “get good quality, regular financial advice to ensure they are not paying too much in fees and that their investments are working hard for them”.

Alone or loney?

Occasional Loneliness Is a Near-Universal Feeling, Therapists Say, That Individuals Can Identify and work to change.  Many of my generation will be spending more time by themselves and there is a fine line between being alone and being lonely.  So when I came across this article  "When Being Alone Turns Into Loneliness, There Are Ways to Fight Back" written by Elizabeth Bernstein and Leeanne Rebic Hay, I thought I would share it with you.

I  spend a fair amount of time by myself. One recent day, I worked, read, cleaned my desk, took a walk, made soup and chatted with my best friend on the phone. By evening, I felt productive and content.

Then, for the first time in hours, I checked my phone. There was not one new text, call or email—not even from Groupon. Wasn't anyone thinking of me?

It got me thinking: How does being alone turn into being lonely?

Some people crave time alone, but experts say occasional feelings of loneliness are a near-universal experience.

Experts say lonely people often create that feeling by telling themselves a story with the theme "Nobody likes me." Tanya Lam

Evolutionary psychologists say the lonely feeling developed to alert humans—social animals who rely on each other to survive—that they were too close to the perimeter of the group and at risk of becoming prey.

Spending time alone is more fun when it is by choice. When it is the result of loss, separation or isolation, people are likely to experience it as loneliness. Homesickness, bullying, empty-nesting, bereavement and unrequited love are all variations on the theme. Loneliness isn't depression, which is a lasting feeling of deep sadness and hopelessness and should be treated by a professional.

Researchers at Brigham Young University studying the correlation between social relationships and mortality did a 2010 meta-analysis of 148 studies encompassing more than 300,000 participants. They found loneliness was as strong a predictor of early death as was alcoholism or smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and it was a stronger predictor than obesity or a sedentary lifestyle.

The rate of loneliness in the U.S. has doubled in the past 30 years, says John T. Cacioppo, a psychologist and director of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago, who studies loneliness including analysis of several large studies. These days, he estimates, some 40% of Americans report being lonely, up from 20% in the 1980s.

It can be tricky to recognize loneliness, even after a breakup, separation or loss. Some experts define it as social isolation or dissatisfaction with one's relationships. It often has an emotional trigger. Tanya Lam

Why are we experiencing more loneliness? Many more American adults live alone than ever before, with the percentage of one-person households rising to 27% in 2012 from 17% in 1970, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. As baby boomers age, they are dealing with more solitude and seclusion. And, to be frank, many of us spend way too much time behind electronic screens and not nearly enough on our real, in-person connections.

You don't have to be alone to be lonely, as anyone who has suffered through a bad relationship or an awkward holiday gathering can attest. "Loneliness is the feeling of social isolation or dissatisfaction with your relationships," Dr. Cacioppo says. "It's not just about whether there are others around you. It's about whether the ones around you are those you can trust." Some people are genetically more prone to loneliness than others, he says.

Men and women experience loneliness at roughly equal rates, Dr. Cacioppo says, but the kinds of social interaction they may be missing are different. Women generally long for face-to-face social interactions, whereas men are looking for a collective sense of connecting within a group. (So that explains the Super Bowl!)

Therapists say loneliness, in its most unhealthy form, is a distorted way of thinking that often has an emotional trigger—whether it is a big change like a breakup or a geographic move, or something as simple as attending a wedding alone or bickering with a sibling.

The result is the same. Our subconscious rewinds back to when we were young and worried someone else wasn't going to be there to take care of us. It is the negative thought "I don't matter."

Some experts say loneliness is evoked by an "emotional memory" of being a child in need of help. Remind yourself that you aren't that child anymore. You have people in your life and can bring in more. Tanya Lam

"Loneliness can be evoked by an emotional memory," says Lauren Mackler, a Boston psychotherapist and relationship coach and author of "Solemate: Master the Art of Aloneness and Transform Your Life."

Leeanne Rebic Hay, a 54-year-old freelance writer in Plano, Texas, considers herself lucky that she learned to enjoy time spent alone. She was an only child, attended private school and had a working mother and few friends in her neighborhood.

Her mother encouraged her to go alone to the library or to swim at the YMCA, and to learn to cook and sew. "I would tell my mother, 'I don't want to go there,' and she would say, 'Go, you don't know who you will meet,' " recalls Ms. Hay. "She taught me you can choose not to be lonely."

A lonely person may have a strong impulse to isolate himself further. Some activities, like reading, really are best enjoyed alone. But to conquer loneliness, it is necessary to make an effort to look outward. Tanya Lam

As an adult, Ms. Hay got through lonely times after a divorce by attending the opera solo, exploring new cities when traveling for work, doing volunteer work and taking a cake-decorating class. She says she taught her children to be similarly self-sufficient. Still, Ms. Hay says she was surprised by how lonely she felt following the death last month of her 13-year-old terrier, Marty.

After Ms. Hay remarried, Marty was her constant companion: He went with her every morning to pick up the mail, kept her company in her home office, took afternoon walks with her and made a giant fuss over her whenever she came back home after going out without him.

Now, she relies on skills she learned as a child, gardening, writing and cooking. "You can tell yourself, 'I am alone, nobody likes me, everyone hates me,' " she says. "But you have to ask yourself: 'What can I choose to do to not feel lonely?' "

To stop "alone" from sliding into "lonely," start by recognizing that you are the one telling yourself that you feel lonely. "You are creating the experience of loneliness by how you are thinking and behaving," Ms. Mackler says.

Imagine new places to go and things to do that will create new experiences other than loneliness. Join a club, or volunteer. Make it part of your routine to get out and be around people. Tanya Lam

Acknowledge that you feel bad. "The uncomfortable feelings are there. They are not going to go away on their own," says Pandora MacLean-Hoover, a licensed independent clinical social worker in Cambridge, Mass. "It's good to acknowledge them and then try to think differently."

Change the mental story you tell yourself. Remember that there are people who care about you; they may just be busy at the moment.

Turn being alone into a positive. Do things you enjoy doing alone, like reading or walking. But make it part of your routine to be around people. Join a club, volunteer. If all else fails, have dinner at the bar in your favorite restaurant. Talk to the bartender.

How did I get over my recent bout of loneliness? I read a few chapters of a hilarious Carl Hiaasen book. Then I checked my phone. I had 24 new messages. It turns out my phone had been turned off before.

My next thought was, "What do all these people want? Why can't they leave me alone?

Amazing Aging

David Buswell, MD at The Amazing Ageing Company wrote a book about aging and I thought it was interesting and so do others, here is a review of the book.

As the blurb on Amazon says:
"'Amazing Ageing' is the must-have psychological survival manual for people approaching older age. When you buy this book you will discover that: 1) Ageing is an opportunity for inner growth. 2) Amazing Ageing can be achieved by making conscious choices, by letting go, by accepting your circumstances and by being grateful. 3) You can shed the shackles of the past and mature into Amazing Ageing by being positive, being realistic, taking action, being flexible and by discarding redundant rules. This is not a book about dementia or dying or about delaying the effects of ageing through lifestyle, diet, exercise. It is a highly practical book about living, which informs through a combination of explanation (i.e. what to do) and experiential exercises (i.e. how to do it). The exercises are drawn from Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Psychosynthesis and Buddhism. If you are 50+ and have an interest in your own development, this book is for you. It is also essential reading for the employees and volunteers of organisations and charities which work with older people, for Care or Retirement Homes, local councils and others with responsibility for the welfare of the elderly, and for therapists, counsellors, coaches and health professionals."

You may be interested in this book if you have difficulties with ageing or know people who do have this problem.

There is also a website dedicated to Amazing Aging that is not affiliated with the book but it also has some good ideas on how to age gracefully. 

Here is a great video on how to age gracefully and enjoy life. This 88 yr old lady is the perfect example of It Ain't the Age, It's the Attitude! She's moving and grooving to the music and showing her joy in life & living! I just had to share!

Self-Esteem After Retirement

If we have strong self esteem we can overcome many of the hurdles life throws at us, and we can stay healthy and continue to contribute to society and to our families. If self esteem goes then we may not see value in our lives and we may end up doing things that are unhealthy for us and contribute to a shorter life expectancy.

However research shows that  unfortunately for us bad vision and other physical ailments aren't the only things that seem to get worse as people grow old. Self-esteem also declines around the age of retirement, a new study finds.

The study involved 3,617 American men and women ranging in age from 25 to 104. Self-esteem was lowest among young adults, but increased throughout adulthood, peaking at age 60, before it started to decline.

Several factors might explain this trend, the researchers say. Midlife is a time of highly stable work, family and romantic relationships. People increasingly occupy positions of power and status, which might promote feelings of self-esteem," said study author Richard Robins of the University of California, Davis. "In contrast, older adults may be experiencing a change in roles such as an empty nest, retirement and obsolete work skills in addition to declining health."

The participants were surveyed four times between 1986 and 2002. They were asked  to rate their level of agreement with statements such as: "I take a positive attitude toward myself," which suggests high self-esteem; "At times I think I am no good at all," and "All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a failure," which both suggest low self-esteem.

Subjects also indicated their demographics, relationship satisfaction, and whether they had experienced stressful life events, including suddenly losing a job, being the victim of a violent crime, or experiencing the death of a parent or child.

On average, women had lower self-esteem than men throughout most of adulthood, but self-esteem levels converged as men and women reached their 80s and 90s. Blacks and whites had similar self-esteem levels throughout young adulthood and middle age. In old age, average self-esteem among blacks dropped much more sharply than self-esteem among whites. This result held even after accounting for differences in income and health.

Future research should further explore these ethnic differences, which might lead to better interventions aimed at improving self-esteem, the study authors say.

Education, income, health and employment status all had some effect on the self-esteem trajectories, especially as people aged.

"People who have higher incomes and better health in later life tend to maintain their self-esteem as they age," Orth said.

"We cannot know for certain that more wealth and better health directly lead to higher self-esteem, but it does appear to be linked in some way. For example, it is possible that wealth and health are related to feeling more independent and better able to contribute to one's family and society, which in turn bolsters self-esteem."

People of all ages in satisfying and supportive relationships tend to have higher self-esteem, according to the findings.

However, despite maintaining higher self-esteem throughout their lives, people in happy relationships experienced the same drop in self-esteem during old age as people in unhappy relationships.

"Thus, being in a happy relationship does not protect a person against the decline in self-esteem that typically occurs in old age," said study author Kali H. Trzesniewski of the University of Western Ontario.

With medical advances, the drop in self-esteem might occur later for baby boomers, Orth said. Boomers might be healthier for longer and, therefore, able to work and earn money longer.

The results are published in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Are we living longer in retirement, new research says no

While at least in England. A recent study found that post-retirement life expectancy for men and women is declining, according to analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, though experts say it is likely a "blip" rather than a longer term trend. I would hope so  but estimates of life expectancy at age 65 in 2012-13 have been revised in successive ONS publications, according to retirement provider Partnership, possibly reflecting an unusually high death rate caused by influenza and low temperatures.

It said ‘period' life expectancy at age 65 in 2012-13 was most recently estimated to be 18.3 years for men and 20.6 years for women - significantly below the respective 19 years and 21.3 years reported in the ONS's forecast published in 2009.

Period life expectancy is a less common interpretation of life expectancy which calculates mortality rates for all ages in the same year.

Richard Willets, director of longevity at Partnership, said: "Have we have been over optimistic about life expectancy in the UK? Or is this simply a plateau and we will see a return to growth in years to come?
"While this is unlikely to have a significant impact on the man in the street in the immediate future, if this trend continues the next generation may see larger private pension pay outs or a static state retirement age. A review of the pension age increases is scheduled for the next Parliament but in the meantime, researchers with an interest in longevity and pensions will be watching the situation closely." As will all of the boomers, and I certainly hope this is not a harbinger of things to come.