Senior Living 2012

SENIOR Living December

2012

A supplement to The Courier-Gazette, The Camden Herald and The Republican Journal

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Senior Living • Dec. 27, 2012

Make early retirement

A REALITY Courier Publications, LLC Publisher of The Courier-Gazette, The Camden Herald and The Republican Journal 91 Camden St., Suite 403, Rockland, ME 04841 • 207.594.4401 Graphics Department Production Manager: Christine Dunkle

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Graphic Designers: Heidi Anderson-Belcher, Dave Dailey, Debbie Post, Kathy Ryan

Sales Executives: Candy Foster, Karen Mehorter, Jody McKee, Pam Schultz, Alysha Steltzer

Table of CONTENTS Making early retirement a reality .................................................... 2 How to reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s disease .............................. 3 How to make informed healthcare decisions .................................. 4 Get to know cataracts risk factors................................................... 5 Exercises for people with arthritis ................................................... 6 Did you know? ............................................................................... 7

R

etirement is a goal for nearly every working adult. Long considered a time to enjoy the fruits of a life’s worth of labors, retirement has become something else entirely over the last several years, when the struggling economy has convinced many aging workers that their opportunity to safely retire may never present itself.

But retirement does not have to feel like a wild goose chase with the end goal nowhere in sight. In fact, many men and women who develop a plan early on can retire early, reaping the rewards of their success at an age when many people are still wondering if they can retire at all, much less retire early.

• Conduct an immediate audit of your finances. The road to early retirement begins, quite frankly, very early. If your retirement goal is to retire early, conduct an audit of your financial situation as soon as possible, even if you are a relative newcomer to the professional sector. Examine all of your

debts and other liabilities, as well as your income and your potential earnings.

It may be difficult to forecast potential earnings, but paint a realistic forecast with RETIREMENT, page 6

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Dec. 27, 2012 • Senior Living

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How to reduce your risk for

Alzheimer’s disease

A

lzheimer’s disease affects millions of people across the globe. In the United States alone, the Alzheimer’s Association estimates one in eight older men and women has the disease, which is the sixth-leading cause of death in the country.

Few families have not been affected by Alzheimer’s disease, and many relatives of those with the disease fully understand the role family history can play. Research into the disease is ongoing, and it’s already yielded valuable information that may help reduce the prevalence of this devastating disease in the years to come.

One byproduct of researchers’ efforts is the discovery that it may be possible to prevent or delay the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease through the implementation of a combination of healthy lifestyle choices. The following are a few healthy habits that may help men and women reduce their risk for Alzheimer’s.

• Exercise regularly. A study conducted

by Scottish researchers and published in the journal Neurology in 2012 touted exercise as

the most effective way for adults to protect their brains from Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers examined roughly 700 70-year-old participants, all of whom were born in 1936, who were asked to report their levels of physical activity. Each participant then received an MRI at age 73.

Those tests revealed that the participants who were more physically active showed less brain shrinkage and fewer white matter lesions, both of which are indicators of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, the Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation reports that physical exercise reduces a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 50 percent and can even slow further deterioration in those who have already begun to develop the cognitive problems associated with Alzheimer’s. Researchers continue to study the relationship between physical activity and the development of Alzheimer’s diseases, but the evidence is mounting that regular exercise, regardless of a person’s age, is a great way to reduce risk for Alzheimer’s.

Staying physically active as you age can prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

ALZHEIMER’S, page 6

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Senior Living • Dec. 27, 2012

How to make informed

healthcare decisions T

he typical healthcare patient has changed in recent years. No longer are individuals putting all of their healthcare decisions into the hands of nurses and doctors. Patients are more informed than ever before and are interested in taking a more active role in their own care.

Thanks to the Internet, people are able to access information that, in the past, was not easily available. A few decades ago, medical data may have been elusive and filled with confusing jargon the layperson might not have understood without a crash course in biology.

However, today there are different Web sites that clearly spell out information about certain illnesses and diseases.

This means that patients may no longer be walking blindly into appointments with doctors.

Facing an illness is never easy, and the decisionmaking abilities could be hampered by emotions and the desire to improve as quickly as possible. Patients who do not have all of the facts may have to rely solely on the expertise of caregivers and physicians when making important healthcare decisions. By knowing the avenues of information, a patient can find assistance with careful decision-making.

While learning about an ailment is important, there are some things to consider.

• The Internet isn’t foolproof.

Many online medical sites are very reliable and offer a wealth of pertinent information. They can be good starting points when seeking out information on a particular condition. It is in your best interest to visit sites that are wellknown and monitored by respected medical affiliations. Other sites may be peppered with exaggerated claims or misinformation. Therefore, do not go by online information alone.

• Don’t self-diagnose. It can be easy to use the Internet as a means to narrowing down symptoms and making assumptions about what

ailments you may have. Instead of using the Internet to self-diagnose your condition, leave the diagnosis up to your doctor and rely on online information after you are diagnosed.

This can improve your understanding of the condition and any potential treatment options.

• Seek other avenues of information. You should never hesitate to seek a second opinion or go to a published medical journal to find out more about a condition. You have rights as a patient to be comfortable with the

advice doctors give and be as involved in your treatment as you want to be.

• Online forums could be more harm than help. Many people turn to online forums and blogs to gain more insight into particular diseases. While these forums may be good sources of support, information published on these sites could be misleading, inaccurate or unsafe. Before trying any proposed treatment, it is best to consult with your doctor.

Having a general knowledge of a medical condition can enable healthcare consumers to make more informed decisions about their situations.

Dec. 27, 2012 • Senior Living

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GET TO KNOW

cataracts risk factors

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s men and women age, they can experience certain physical changes and health challenges.

Vision impairment is one condition that many associate with aging, and cataracts are a primary concern for those of middle-age and older.

Today, more than 22 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts. According to the National Eye Institute, by age 80, more than half of all Americans will either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.

Cataract is clouding of the eye’s lens that blocks or changes the passage of light into the eye. Normally the lens is clear, which allows light to pass through to the back of the eye, so that a person can see well-defined images. If a cataract forms and the lens becomes covered in an opaque film, light cannot pass through easily.

The result will be fuzzy vision, almost like looking through a fogged-up window. If cataracts are not treated, an individual may eventually lose most of

his or her vision.

One or both eyes can be affected by cataracts. In the case of both eyes being compromised, one eye is usually worse than the other.

The primary risk factor for developing cataracts is age. The older a person is, the greater their risk.

However, there are several other risk factors as well.

• Intense heat or long-term exposure to UV rays from the sun • Certain diseases, such as diabetes • Obesity • High blood pressure • Inflammation in the eye • Hereditary influences • Long-term steroid use • Eye injuries • Other eye diseases • Smoking Prevent Blindness America provides free information to the public on everything from cataract basics to tips on what to expect from cataract surgery. Visit preventblindness.org/

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cataract or call its toll free number at (800) 331-2020. And, as part of its new Healthy Eyes Educational Series, PBA offers a specific online module on cataracts, including a Power Point presentation and guide. The organization shares this information about cataracts: • Early symptoms of a cataract may include cloudy or blurry vision.

• Lights may cause a glare, seem too dim or seem too bright.

• Sufferers may also find it difficult to read or drive, especially at night.

• Individuals may have to change their eyeglass prescriptions often.

There are no medications or other treatment options besides surgery to correct cataracts. In the United States, cataract surgery has a 95 percent success rate, and patients often have 20/20 or 20/40 vision post-surgery.

CATARACTS, page 7

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Senior Living • Dec. 27, 2012

Exercises for people with arthritis A

rthritis can make physical activity more difficult. In spite of that difficulty, exercise is an important part of staying healthy for men and women with arthritis. Even moderate physical activity can strengthen bones and muscles and increase joint flexibility, making it easier for arthritis sufferers to perform daily tasks.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, men and women with arthritis should commit to regular exercise that includes three types of activities: flexibility exercises, strengthening exercises and cardiovascular exercises.

Consult a physician before beginning any exercise regimen, and discuss any limitations your specific condition might place on your physical abilities. Such limitations might diminish as your exercise regimen progresses, but it’s important to exercise within those limitations at the onset to avoid injuries. It’s also important to consult your physician should you experience a flare-up of arthritis before, during or after exercise. Such flare-ups might require you to alter your routine, and your physician can help with such alterations.

• Flexibility exercises: Perform flexibility exercises every day, as they will protect your joints by reducing injury risk.

Flexibility exercises, which are often referred to as range-ofmotion exercises, help your body EXERCISES, page 7

RETIREMENT, from page 2

regard to your earning potential, and then use that to determine your standard of living and how much money you will need to maintain that standard upon retirement. This should give you an idea of how close or how far you are from early retirement and what you need to start doing now so early retirement can be a reality later on.

• Don’t sell savings short. Men and women who retire at the traditional retirement age can count on certain benefits that early retirees aren’t eligible for. Senior discounts can decrease the cost of living for typical retirees, who can also access retirement accounts like a 401(k) or an IRA without paying a penalty.

Younger retirees are not eligible for senior discounts, and accessing a retirement account before a certain age can result in a substantial penalty.

So men and women whose goal is to retire early should not underestimate the value of a healthy savings account.

Retiring early will require a more robust ALZHEIMER’S, from page 3

• Eat healthy. What you put into your body may also reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The brain operates at its best when it is fueled with a healthy diet that includes fresh fruit and vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein.

A heart-healthy diet is also brainhealthy, and researchers have found a potential link between heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Researcher Larry Sparks of the Sun Health Research Institute in Arizona and formerly of the Kentucky medical examiner’s office studied brain tissues with a goal of finding early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

He discovered that those who had the telltale plaques of Alzheimer’s disease also had heart disease, suggesting heart disease may be a forerunner of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s

savings account than if you were to retire at a more typical age, so calculate how much more you will need to save in order to retire early. Once you have calculated that figure, ask yourself if it’s realistic that you can save that money and what effect this increased emphasis on savings may have on your quality of life between now and the day you’ve targeted for early retirement? If you cannot realistically save enough money or if you have to sacrifice too much to make early retirement happen, then you might want to reconsider this goal.

• Accept sacrifices. Making sacrifices with an end goal of early retirement may be easier for younger men and women who have yet to grow accustomed to a certain standard of living. Regardless of their age, however, those who hope to retire early will need to accept that they will have to make certain sacrifices to achieve their goals. These sacrifices can be considerable, such as downgrading to a smaller home, or relatively minor, such as cancelling a cable television subscription, but for the average worker they will

be necessary to make early retirement happen. The earlier you can make these sacrifices the easier they will be, as it won’t be as hard to sacrifice something you’re not used to having. In addition, the earlier you make these sacrifices the quicker you will be on the road to early retirement.

• Periodically reassess how it’s going. The road to early retirement will have its peaks and valleys, so periodically reassess how your plan is going and if you need to alter the plan in any way to make early retirement a reality. This reassessment should be conducted annually, and you must be completely honest with yourself. If the plan is going off course, determine the cause and if there’s anything you can do to catch up or if you need to change your targeted retirement date.

Early retirement is a goal for many people. And despite the uneasiness many people feel with regard to retirement, early retirement can become a reality for diligent men and women who develop a plan and stick to that plan in the years to come.

Association feels this link between the two will only grow stronger in the years to come, suggesting that a hearthealthy diet that reduces a person’s risk of heart disease may also reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s down the road. More information on a heart-healthy diet is available at www.heart.org.

• Stimulate yourself mentally.

Mental stimulation can help the brain stay sharp, and men and women who find ways to stay mentally stimulated can reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Embrace activities that require communication and interaction with others, and find time for additional tasks that can stimulate your brain. These may include studying a foreign language, reading, trying your hand at mentally stimulating puzzles such as crosswords or Sudoku, and other activities that emphasize organization. Such activities

are essentially workouts for your brain that can help it stay sharp as you age.

• Remain socially active. Staying socially active into older adulthood is important for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that research has indicated the brain functions better when men and women are not isolated from others. Memory and cognition are stronger when people remain socially active and engaged in their society, so retirees should look for ways to revive their social lives as a means to protecting their brains from the onset of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease remains an enigma in many ways. But ongoing research continues to show that men and women can take measures to actively prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and improve their quality of life as a result.

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Dec. 27, 2012 • Senior Living EXERCISES, from page 6

warm up for more strenuous exercise.

Once you’re comfortable doing at least 15 continuous minutes of flexibility exercises, you’re likely ready to add strengthening and cardiovascular exercises to your routine. Many people with arthritis find yoga is an especially effective flexibility exercise, as it strengthens and relaxes stiff muscles and even aids in weight-loss efforts.

Just don’t push yourself too hard when starting out with yoga, as the exercises are more difficult than they might seem.

• Strengthening exercises: Strong muscles reduce stress on the joints, something that’s especially helpful to arthritis sufferers. Strengthening exercises, also known as resistance exercises, build the body’s muscles so they’re more capable of absorbing shock and more effective at preventing injury to the joints. When performing strengthening exercises, you will use weight or resistance to make the muscles work harder and grow stronger.Isometric strengthening exercises tighten the muscles without moving the joints, while isotonic strengthening exercises strengthen

the muscles by moving the joints. The Arthritis Foundation recommends performing strengthening exercises every other day and always in conjunction with flexibility exercises, which can be performed before and after strengthening exercises.

• Cardiovascular exercises: Walking, dancing, swimming and bicycling are examples of cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercises, which many people find the most enjoyable way to exercise.

Cardiovascular exercises make the heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles work more efficiently while improving endurance and strengthening bones.

Initially, cardiovascular exercises might be difficult for arthritis sufferers who have not exercised in a while. However, you can gradually build toward 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise three to four times per week, and you will notice your endurance improves the more you commit and stick to your routine. Include cardiovascular exercises as part of your larger routine, performing some type of aerobic exercise after strengthening exercises.

More information on exercising for people with arthritis can be found at www.arthritis.org.

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Did you know?

T

here are a host of ways fitness-minded folks can burn a few extra calories, even if they don’t know they’re doing it. For instance, those who can’t sit still and tend to have a nervous personality may burn more calories than a person who is calm. That’s because fidgeting can burn up to 350 calories a day. Laughing more can also burn extra calories. Scientists estimate that laughing 100 times is equivalent to a 10-minute workout on a rowing machine. Remember to get some shut-eye as well.

Research has found that dieters who get adequate sleep can more easily shed weight. For those who are feeling amorous, engaging in intimate behavior can burn up to 360 calories an hour.

CATARACTS, from page 5

Cataract surgery is also the most frequently performed surgery, often performed as an outpatient procedure.

In Canada, where, according to Statistics Canada, seniors will make up 21 percent of the population by 2026, cataract surgery is also frequent and well tolerated. Approximately 250,000 cataract surgeries take place in Canada each year, according to The National Coalition for Vision Health.

It is widely recommended to get regular eye exams to check for cataracts early on.

“By getting a complete, dilated eye exam, your doctor can discuss with you the best strategy to protect your vision well into the future,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America. “We encourage everyone, especially those ages 40 and older, to make their vision a priority by scheduling an eye appointment today.”

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Senior Living • Dec. 27, 2012

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MCH Support Services A range of supportive services designed to keep seniors active and healthy are offered to residents in our buildings. MCH’s onsite services coordinators can help seniors arrange to get help with housekeeping, meals, laundry, transportation, emergency call buttons foot care and other preventive health services.

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BRUNSWICK EXPLORER The Brunswick Explorer is a fixed, public bus route operating 5 days a week in the town of Brunswick.

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