Young at Heart December

Young at Heart

The modern drug store where you are greeted with a friendly “Hello” and “How can we help you?”

all major health plans

•Free delivery service

•Billing for diabetic supplies

•Large selection Spenco Foot Care Products

•Prescriptions dispensed by Personal and Friendly Pharmacists

We are your Home Town Independent Health Mart Pharmacy and we are accepting new patients!

If you need a new pharmacy to transfer your prescriptions towe are here and ready to help. Just bring in your prescription bottles or list of medications that you take with any insurance information.

We also provide FREE DELIVERY

and have Alpena’s first drive-thru window.

We also have Ananda Professional CBD products.

You don’t have to walk blocks to enter, you are only steps away from the front door or use Alpena’s first drive-through window.

How adults can find new hobbies

•Accepting all major health plans

•Free delivery service

•Billing for diabetic supplies

•Large selection Spenco Foot Care Products

Leisure time can seem like a luxury for many adults. While it can seem like there’s little time in the day to do more than tend to responsibilities at work and at home, people may have more time to pursue leisure activi ties than they realize.

since been forgotten, but it can be fun to reim merse yourself in such interests. Adults who loved to play sports as a child can no doubt find adult leagues in their area, while once budding artists might want to dust off their easels and visit a local paint and sip facility.

•Prescriptions dispensed by Personal and Friendly Pharmacists

We are your

Home Town Independent Health Mart Pharmacy and we are accepting new patients!

In its 2018 American Time Use Survey, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 96 percent of people age 15 and over engaged in some sort of leisure activity on an average day. Leisure time also seems part and parcel of daily life in Canada, where the av erage person age 15 and over spent roughly one hour per day engaging in active leisure, which includes activities like drawing, playing an instrument and dancing, and more than two hours per day on passive leisure, such as watching television or reading books.

If you need a new pharmacy to transfer your prescriptions towe are here and ready to help. Just bring in your prescription bottles or list of medications that you take with any insurance information.

How people spend their leisure time might affect their perceptions about that time. For example, few people may consider watching television an “activity,” though the Ameri can Time Use Survey found that watching TV occupied more leisure time, nearly three hours per day, than any other leisure activ ity. Finding new hobbies that encourage ac tive participation can make leisure time more memorable.

• Think back to your childhood. Hobbies you once enjoyed as a child may have long

• Reinvent something you’re already do ing. Another way to find a new hobby is to consider the things you already do and see if there’s ways to make them better. For exam ple, cooking for a family each night might be made more enjoyable by enrolling in a cook ing class, where you can meet fellow foodies while fine-tuning your culinary skills. If you love to read, start a community book club.

We also provide FREE DELIVERY and have Alpena’s first drive-thru window.

We also have Ananda Professional CBD products.

• Expand your horizons. It’s easy for any one to say “no” to something new, but espe cially so for adults accustomed to their rou tines. But men and women who are willing to try anything are more likely to find something new to be passionate about than those who shy away from the unknown. You don’t have to make a big initial commitment when try ing a new hobby, but approach any new ideas or suggestions with an open mind.

Finding a new hobby as an adult can be tricky. But approaching activities with an open mind may help people uncover new hobbies they can be passionate about.

Experiential gifts for seniors

Holiday shoppers know that, seem ingly every year, there’s one person on their shopping list who’s hard to shop for.

Seniors may fit that bill, as many have al ready accumulated a lifetime’s worth of goods and gadgets. That’s why experien tial gifts can be such a good fit for seniors come the holiday season.

Experiential gifts are wildly popular. In its 2021 Winter Holiday Shopping Report, the market research firm Mintel revealed that nearly half of individuals surveyed for the report felt that experi ential gifts are superior to tangible items. Seniors who already have everything they need might be even more enthusiastic about experiential gifts, which may en courage them to get out of the house or pursue passions they’ve long had a pass ing interest in. This holiday season, shop pers can consider these experiences as they look for something new and unique for the seniors on their shopping lists.

• Biplane flight: Few experiences are as exhilarating as a flight in an open cock pit biplane. Biplane flights are unique to

each company that offers them, but some planes can accommodate two passengers (in addition to the pilot), making this an ideal gift for senior couples who aren’t afraid of a bird’s eye view. The length of a flight depends on shoppers’ budgets, but no matter how long seniors are in the air, they’re sure to return to the ground having enjoyed a truly unique experience.

• Hot air balloon ride: If riding shotgun with a pilot in a tiny plane is more adventure than your favorite senior may be seeking, a hot air balloon ride may be more suitable. Hot air balloon rides provide a truly stunning way to ex perience idyllic settings and a calm way to take to the skies on a beautiful day. Rides tend to last around an hour, but compa nies typically offer various packages and may even let shoppers customize rides for their loved ones.

• Theatre tickets: The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been easy for anyone, but seniors were among the groups most vulnerable to serious infection if they caught the virus. As a result, many se

niors strictly adhered to social distancing guidelines prior to getting vaccinated. Now that seniors are eligible to be fully vaccinated and even receive two rounds of booster shots, a trip to the theatre can reignite their passion for live entertain ment and make for a memorable night out.

• Cycling tour: Modern seniors are among the most physically active demo graphics. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that, within months of the pan

demic being declared, adults age 65 and older averaged 100 more minutes of physical activity than the next closest co hort. A cycling tour can make for a per fect gift to active seniors. Tours may be designed to visit local places of historical significance, idyllic natural settings or lo cal eateries. Wherever the tours ultimate ly end up, they’re sure to put a smile on active seniors’ faces.

Experiences can make for the perfect holiday gifts for seniors who have it all.

LaFave Home Nursing LLC

Let our dedicated team provide the care you need, when you need it, at rates that are affordable.

Resolutions can be made at any age. Se niors who may feel that they are past the point in life where trying something new or setting goals is relevant to them can re consider, as it’s never too late in life to have aspirations big or small.

The golden years may be different from any other period in a person’s life, but se niors can still embrace making positive changes. In fact, according to studies by Rush University, people who view life with a sense of purpose are two to four times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The following are some potential resolutions for seniors.

• Focus on safety. Aging sparks certain changes to the body and mind. Recogniz ing that you can’t do all of the things you did when you were younger doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to improve upon those things you can do, especially if you make some safety-minded tweaks. Resolve to im prove home safety, such as removing trip ping hazards, installing grab bars, checking smoke alarms, and installing a security sys tem.

• Find new and enjoyable workouts. The exercise routines you engaged in just a few years ago may no longer suit your physical abilities or interests. Investigate new fitness regimens or methods of movement. Tai chi,

yoga, water aerobics, walking clubs, and more can be incorporated into your daily habits.

• Organize medical records. Seeing health pictured systematically and clearly can help you stay on top of appointments and wellness measures. There are many dif ferent organizing systems to embrace; find one that works for your needs.

• Declutter your home. Resolve to get rid of extraneous items that are no longer serving a purpose beyond collecting dust. Having more room to move around can be safer, particularly if you need a cane or an other assistive device, and there will be less to clean if you remove some clutter. If you plan to downsize soon, clearing clutter can make the move easier.

• Learn something new. A language, skill, or hobby are all within reach when you map out the steps to achieving your goal.

• Make new social connections. Caring Places senior communities indicates so cially active older adults have better cog nition and lower risks for depression than those who do not consistently reach out to friends. Aspire to make some new compan ions or to get back in touch with those you haven’t spoken to in some time.

Seniors can focus on key resolutions to make positive changes for the future.

How older drivers can increase their comfort levels behind the wheel

It’s not uncommon for aging individu als to feel less comfortable driving as they approach their golden years. Whether it’s glare from LED lights, aches and pains that often accompany aging or age-related vi sion issues, older drivers’ comfort behind the wheel can be compromised by a host of variables.

Though older drivers cannot reverse the aging process, they can try various strate gies to make themselves more comfortable behind the wheel.

• Share driving duties on long trips. The National Institute on Aging notes that stiffening joints and weakened muscles are a common byproduct of aging. In addi tion, the Arthritis Foundation® notes that more than one in two men and two in three women over age 65 have arthritis, which also can make driving less comfortable. Age-related aches and pains and arthritis can make it very uncomfortable to drive for lengthy periods of time when drivers are sitting in roughly the same position for the duration of their trip. In such instances, drivers can share driving duties to make long trips more manageable.

• Upgrade to a vehicle with modern amenities. Various amenities in modern vehicles make driving more comfortable for everyone, especially individuals with age-related aches and pains. Heated seats and in-car climate control can help reduce

the discomfort caused by aches and pains and ensure drivers and passengers can tai lor the temperature in the vehicle to their own preferences.

• Protect your eyesight. Much of the discomfort older drivers experience behind the wheel has to do with eyesight. The NIA urges individuals 65 and older to see their eye doctor every year. Such visits can en sure prescriptions are current and that can make drivers more confident in their abil ity to see everything on the road. Drivers also can speak to their eye doctors about night driving glasses, which are designed to help nighttime drivers overcome glare from headlights and street lamps.

• Drive more defensively. A greater em phasis on defensive driving also can help aging drivers feel more comfortable behind the wheel. The NIA notes that reflexes nat urally slow down as a person ages, which adversely affects older drivers’ reaction times. Drivers can counter this by leaving more space between their vehicles and the one in front of them. Braking earlier and avoiding driving during times marked by heavy traffic, such as rush hour, also can help drivers feel more comfortable.

It’s natural for aging drivers to feel less comfortable behind the wheel than they did when they were young. But drivers can take various steps to increase their comfort levels so they can stay on the road.

A Q&A about retirement planning

Individuals need not look very far to be reminded of the importance of planning for retirement. Television ad campaigns touting the need to plan for retirement have been front and cen ter for many years. Banks also heavily promote their retirement planning ser vices to account holders. The emphasis financial firms and banks place on re tirement planning underscores just how important it is for individuals from all walks of life to prioritize securing their financial futures.

Ad campaigns can make saving for retirement seem simple, but plenty of people may have questions about how to save for the days when they are no longer working.

that money, your money will not grow at a rate necessary to overcome infla tion. Though there’s no guarantees with investing, traditional retirement investment vehicles have a proven track record of outpacing inflation. For ex ample, Standard & Poor’s 500® (S&P 500) reports that individual retirement accounts (IRAs) grew by an average of 10.8 percent between 1971 and 2020. Over that same period, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the dollar had an average rate of inflation of 3.99 percent.

How can I save for retirement?

Various investment vehicles can help people save for retirement. Many peo ple utilize employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plans. These allow individuals to deposit money via pre-tax contri butions deducted from their paycheck.

How much will I need to save for retirement?

No two people are the same, so there’s no simple answer to this ques tion. Estimates about how much people will need in retirement range from 60 to 80 percent of their yearly income the year they stopped working full-time. A financial advisor can be a useful ally as people try to calculate how much they will need to save for retirement. Howev er, the simplest answer to this common question is that there’s no such thing as saving too much money for retirement so long as saving does not adversely affect other areas of your life.

What if I need money before retirement?

No law prohibits people from with drawing funds from designated retire ment accounts before they retire. How ever, there may be significant financial penalties and tax consequences if you do so. For example, the Internal Rev enue Service allows penalty-free with drawals from a 401(k) after an account holder turns 591⁄2. Withdrawals made before then could be subject to federal and state income tax and a 10 percent penalty of withdrawn funds. Individu als are urged to speak with a financial advisor about withdrawal guidelines and penalties prior to opening a retire ment account.

Saving for retirement is vital and it’s never too early to begin investing in your financial future.

It’s never too early to start saving for retirement. Young professionals may not be anywhere close to retirement, but that doesn’t mean they can afford to put off saving for the day when they call it a career. Much of that has to do with inflation. The rate of inflation varies, but it’s fair to assume that your cost of living will rise dramatically between your twenty-third birthday and your seventieth birthday. If you choose to simply save as opposed to investing

For young people, enrolling in these plans as soon as they’re eligible can be a great way to begin building their retire ment savings, and since many people contribute between 6 and 10 percent of their pre-tax earnings, their take-home pay will not be significantly different once they enroll. IRAs, pension plans, certain life insurance policies, and reg ular contributions to personal savings accounts are some additional aways to save for retirement.

Why and when should I begin investing to build my retirement savings?

How to plan for post-retirement medical expenses

When individuals retire, they not only walk away from work, but also relinquish thier steady paychecks. For many, retirement can be a po tentially risky financial endeavor. Saving for retirement is a great way to mitigate such risk, but unforeseen expenses, such as medical bills, can quickly derail a retirement plan.

Many people have a greater need for medical care as they get older.

The Fidelity Investments Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate indicates health care can be one of the biggest expenses a person will take on in retirement. The average 65-year-old couple who retired in 2021 in the United States can ex pect to spend $300,000 on health care and medical expenses during retirement. The financial resource

The Street says other studies sug gest it’s wise for retirees to plan to spend between $3,000 and $7,700 per year on health care.

Financial advisors warn that re lying exclusively on Medicare to cover health care costs isn’t going to cut it. Benefits under the Medicare program often aren’t enough to pay for all of a retiree’s needs. There may be gaps for chronic treatment of illnesses and specialty treatment for certain conditions. Long-term care services also typically are not covered. It’s important to note that Medicare will cover general doctor’s visits, but it does not cover the cost of deductibles or copays.

Individuals need to be proactive and plan for medical expenses in re tirement. After housing, healthcare

is the most significant expense for retirees. Health spending accounts and long-term health insurance are two options for people looking for ways to cover their health care costs in retirement.

As of 2022, people can contrib ute up to $3,650 for an individual or $7,300 for a family per year into a health savings account. After age 55, an additional $1,000 per year is allowed. Money in an HSA grows tax-free and it can be spent taxfree on qualified medical expenses. Once a person has Medicare, he or she no longer is eligible to contribute to the HSA, but can use money already in the account to pay for qualified medical expenses that are not covered by Medicare.

Long-term care insurance is an

other option, and many people invest in such an account during their 50s or 60s. The earlier an individual enrolls in a program, the lower the premium. According to Personal Capital, most policies will not start until a patient has needed assis tance for 90 days and other quali fying guidelines are met. Generally speaking, long-term care insurance also is use-or-lose. If there’s never a need to use the insurance, it will not be refunded. This is a risk that cer tain people are willing to take.

In addition to these options, people may consider gap insurance programs. When putting together a retirement plan, it can be wise to speak with financial advisors who can customize products based on their expected needs.

Common mid-career challenges and what to do about them

Challenges abound in the professional arena. Whether an individual is an executive with a lengthy track record of success or a newly minted graduate just starting out, the next challenge is never too far off. And for mid-career profes sionals, those challenges could be accom panied by uncertainty about the direction of their careers and what their next step should be.

Around the time they turn 50, many professionals face similar challenges that can lead them to question much about their professional lives. The following challenges won’t affect every person over 50, but recognition of them could help mid-career professionals make the most of their remaining years in the workforce.

• Motivation: Professional motiva tion can wane by the time many professionals reach 50. At this point in their ca reers, professionals may have decades of experience in a given field, and some may have reached management level within their firms. That combination of lengthy experience and achievement can make it hard to stay motivated, especially for professionals who feel they’ve gotten as high up the ladder as they can get in their companies. In such instances, individu als can ask themselves what they want next. Identifying professional goals can provide the motivation to go and achieve them. That spark can reignite the passion

that helped mid-career professionals get where they are today.

• Hesitancy: Mid-career profes sionals often have significant obligations at work and at home. Individuals with a family may still have to provide for their children and save for costly col lege tuition. The pressure to provide for a family, coupled with responsibilities to colleagues at the office, can make some professionals hesitant to pursue professional changes that could positively affect their lives. Individuals who want to make a change but are hesitant to do so can devote considerable effort to finding a solu tion that won’t upset the apple cart. For example, professionals over 50 who feel a career change is in order can begin tak ing small steps to make that a reality. Do ing so while continuing to work ensures personal and professional obligations are met and gets individuals on the road to change they think will provide more fulfillment than their current careers.

• Underutilization: Mid-career pro fessionals who feel they’re underutilized at work may feel helpless to remedy their situations. Some might not welcome the upheaval to their routines that a career change would require, while others may question the wisdom of seeking more responsibility at their current firms. In such instances, professionals can look for opportunities to do more. Offer to help

when new work projects arise or mentor younger colleagues just starting out. Mid-career challenges unique to their situations could await professionals over

50. Recognition of these challenges and a willingness to overcome them could lead to greater professional satisfaction.