Which Jar Opener works best?

When I was younger my wife would ask me to open jars from time to time now when I need a jar open, I ask her. I have arthritis in my wrists so opening a jar or bottle is sometimes difficult. I am not alone, many older adults often find opening jars and bottles and other containers hard, due to weakness in their hands, arthritis, or just reduced strength in their arms. We have a jar and bottle opener, and it works for us. The folks at Longevity Explorers at Tech Enhanced Life took a look at this problem. Here is what they found out:

There are many "gadgets" that have been developed to help overcome this difficulty. When you look on Amazon you see literally hundreds. But which one to pick?

The Explorers at several of our circles wanted to find answers to this question, and we engaged in a series of discussions and some hands-on evaluations to learn which jar opener would work best and for whom. Unsurprisingly, we found there was no such thing as a "best" jar opener. But there were definitely products that worked best for certain people.

Different opener types solve different problems

Broadly speaking there are three things these jar openers are designed to "help" with: Grip; the need for two strong hands and arms; and strength & leverage.

In the absence of a gadget to help, opening a jar requires the following.

·         Grip: One hand needs to grip tightly the jar lid. If the lid is slippery or if one's grip is not very strong, then the hand will slip, and it will not be possible to turn the jar lid.

·         Two strong hands: The other hand needs to grip the jar itself. If the jar is big or slippery this can be hard for anyone. If one's grip is not super strong in the second hand, or if one has small hands, or the jar is slippery, this second-hand grip can also fail, and the jar will not open.

·          Strength & Leverage: Even if both hands grip well on the jar and the jar lid, one needs adequate strength to turn the lid and jar in opposite directions and break the seal. This can be hard for anyone, and harder still for people who are frail or who have arthritis.

Some of our Explorers cared mainly about grip, some cared more about the need to have two strong hands, some needed leverage or strength, and some needed help with all three of these things.

Here is a link to their: Most Popular Jar Openers

 

 

Garden Party

Ricky Nelson sings a song called "Garden Party" and when I went to a "To hell with the Bell" brunch the other day I was reminded of this song and these verses from the song:

Went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends

A chance to share old memories 

When I got to the garden party, No one recognized me, I didn't look the same

But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well.

You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself

Some background, in my previous life I used to be a teacher and in my community of teachers, one of the customs is to have a breakfast brunch on the first day of school for all those who just retired and those who have been retired for a while. All jobs have routines and protocols that people take for granted and learn to live with or ignore. In school, the bane of many teachers is the bell to signify the end or start of class. So, one of the joys of retirement is that you no longer have to react to the bell. So, at the brunch, the newly retired teachers can say, "The hell with the Bell" and enjoy their first day of retirement.

I went to this event in 2007 and saw people that I had worked with and had a good time, and went on with my life and I never went back. On a whim this year when I received notice of the event, I decided to go. It was interesting, at first, I did not recognize anyone, so I choose a table and sat down and as the place filled up, people joined me. I met three elementary teachers two who had just retired and one who had retired about 6 years ago. I enjoyed our conversation, and they like me were looking around to see if they recognized others. 

It took a while, but I saw a table of people from a school I had taught at for six years, what I thought was interesting is that the same people (minus some who were no longer with us) had been together when I first went to the brunch in 2007. After the meal was over to say hello to them, and I said hello and gave my name because no one recognized me, I didn’t look the same. Once I told them who I was, a number of the group came over and we talked about how they were doing and what life was like for them now. We did not get a chance to reminisce, but they said I should come back for the Christmas lunch, and they would save a seat at the table for me. I might just do that to see if they have changed.

 

Anosognosia [pron. uh-naa-suh-NO-zhuh]

Whatever is that? Never heard of it - Check out the details below. Very interesting.

Anosognosia, also called "lack of insight," is a symptom of severe mental illness experienced by some that impair a person's ability to understand and perceive his or her illness. It is the single largest reason why people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder refuse medications or do not seek treatment.

When you retire don't splurge

 Some of when we retire do things that in retrospect are silly. I had a cousin who when he retired, said, I worked all my life, and I will no longer work. I will stay at home, watch TV and read. He did just that and two years later his wife left him because he would not do anything around the house as he called it work. Two years after that he died. I had another friend who decided to do a ‘walkabout” he sold his house, bought a fancy motorhome, went on the road and six months later wanted to come back home but the housing market had gone crazy at that time, and he could not afford to come back into the market. His fancy motorhome was only worth 40% of what he paid for it. To this day, he regrets the decisions he made.

Here are some purchases that people have made and have come to regret.

Purchasing a boat is a retirement purchase that people dream about during their working years. They finally quit the working world and pull the trigger, preparing to sail off into the sunset. But there’s more to owning a boat than purchasing the vessel, and costs can add up quickly. Before you know it, what was supposed to give you joy and freedom is tying you down. If you buy a boat for $80,000 and go out in it twice a month, is it a smart way to use the money?

For retirees who prefer to stay on land, resort living is all the rage. That’s for good reason, as with it you get resort-style dining, concierge services, weekly housekeeping, a valet and a slew of activities that can easily fill up your social calendar. However, you may realize that all the things that gave you value and purpose and were fulfilling are back where you used to live, Don’t just pull up your stakes, take some time vacation there and see if it is a nice place to live year-round.

Who doesn’t want to travel in retirement? And what better way than with an RV? You get all the comforts of home and don’t have to worry about lodging. You do have to fill up the tank, which can set you back a pretty penny in the current environment. Remember my friend, don’t buy, rent

Retirement is supposed to be about downsizing, but for some people, it’s the time to build their dream home from the ground up. That’s fine for those who have a lot of cash in the bank or can stick to a budget. All renovations cost more than you think, so plan very carefully and think twice before building.

​It’s normal to want to help your kids, regardless of how old they are, but giving too much can be a big spending regret. Sure, you have the means to pay off your children’s college tuition or give them the down payment for a home, but this generosity can leave you destitute in the future, particularly if you are on a fixed income. It can also cause family strife if you expect repayment and don’t receive it.

We have a time-share and we purchased it over 30 years ago and still find it useful and we still use it. But this kind of property also comes with many costs beyond the initial investment. There’s an annual maintenance fee, utilities and taxes, which can quickly eat away at your retirement savings. They can be a drain on your finances if you don’t use it. I also recommend that if you are going to buy a time share, buy it on the wholesale market. You can get them for pennies on the dollar when compared to buying a new one.