Retirement:The anxiety of moving to a smaller home

Excerpted from the Will Rogers Institute:

Moving to a new and smaller retirement home is certainly a big task, but fortunately professional senior move managers can make it easier and less stressful. Consider hiring a senior move manager company that is a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), a non-profit, trade association dedicated to assisting seniors and their families with the physical and emotional demands of home modification or relocation.

All members of the NASMM must carry liability insurance and directly provide at least four of the following services:

~Customized floor plans
~Sorting services
~Move planning and move management oversight
~Arranging shipments and storage
~Professional packing services
~Unpacking and setting up the new home
~Disposal of remaining items

To find local senior move manager companies, visit the NASMM Web site at or call 877- 606-2766.

Above all, don’t be discouraged! You have maintained a home and developed skills that will help you get through this and move.

We suggest you read “Don’t Toss My Memories in the Trash,” by Vickie Dellaquila,

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

What about High Blood Pressure?

Excerpted from the Will Rogers Institute

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded as two numbers: systolic pressure (as the heart beats) and “over” diastolic pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats).

Blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day, but when it stays high over time it is called high blood pressure. Usually a blood pressure level higher than 140/90 mmHg is considered hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure. Blood pressure between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg is considered prehypertension.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), one out of three American adults has high blood pressure. Since there are usually no warning signs of this condition, it is very important you have your blood pressure checked regularly. If not controlled, high blood pressure can lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke and blindness. Ask your doctor what you can do to help lower or prevent high blood pressure. The NHLBI reports that high blood pressure can be prevented and lowered by:

Maintaining a healthy weight
Being physically active
Following a healthy eating plan
Reducing sodium in your diet
Drinking alcohol in moderation
Taking prescribed drugs as directed
Quitting smoking

Senior Solutions encourage you to learn more about high blood pressure.

Request the Will Rogers Institute’s free brochure, “Controlling High Blood Pressure,” by clicking HERE or (877) 957-7575.

Read the NHLBI’s free brochure, “Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure,” available at or (301) 592-8573.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

What is Peripheral Arterial Disease? PAD?

Excerpted from the Will Rogers Institute

Today, many Americans are discovering they have PAD, thanks to a national PAD awareness campaign. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a sponsor of the campaign, points out that PAD awareness is very important because one in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has PAD.

PAD develops when plaque (extra cholesterol and other fats) builds up in the walls of the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the legs, arms, head, kidneys and stomach. Just like narrowed arteries in the heart, narrowed arteries in the legs increase a person’s risk for having a heart attack or stroke. PAD may also limit a person’s mobility and in some cases lead to amputation.

Most people with PAD do not experience symptoms, but those who do report some of the following signs:

~Pain, fatigue, heaviness, tiredness cramping in legs that occurs during activity
~Pain in the legs and/or feet that disturbs sleep
~A lower temperature in one leg
~Sores or wounds on toes, feet or legs that heal slowly, poorly or not at all
~Paleness or blueness in the color of feet
~Poor nail and hair growth

There are other factors that may be preludes to PAD. You may have two of the following risk factors associated with PAD:

50 years of age or older
Smoker or former smoker
Diabetes
High blood pressure
High blood cholesterol
History of vascular disease, heart attack or stroke
African American

I suggest you see your doctor and discuss your risks for developing PAD. Also, learn more about PAD by clicking any of these hyperlinks

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

How safe is it for me to make my own legal will online?

Most people with moderate estates can make a will online. In some ways, making a will online is very similar to estate planning with the help of a lawyer. You simply answer interview questions tailored to your situation, get answers to your legal concerns, and in the end receive a legal document tailored to the laws of your state - just like you would with a lawyer. Your main task will then be to sign the document and have it witnessed. Of course, an online will costs a lot less and takes much less time than going to a lawyer, and you don't have to leave your home or office to do it.

Is it safe to make a will without a lawyer?

Yes.

Making a will rarely involves complicated legal rules, and most people with simple estates won't need a lawyer to make a will.
However, there are certainly some situations that warrant hiring a lawyer. When you make your will online, if a situation arises in which you may benefit from the advice of a lawyer or other expert, the computer program will let you know.

Is your information safe when you make a will online?

Yes.
Security issues are the highest priority so do take every precaution

Can you assign a guardian for your child in your will?

Yes.

A will is the right place to name someone to care for your children if you are unable to.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Senior Solutions addresses Stress, Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure in the elderly and has links to free downloadable booklets

Will Rogers


To help provide easy access to important health information Senior Solutions is providing our readers via the Will Rogers Institute links to free downloadable health booklets.

To get a free downloadable booklet just click HERE

Available Online Titles:

•A Guide to Managing Stress
•Adding Activity to Your Life
•Controlling Cholesterol
•Diabetes
•Healthy Eating: Getting Back to Basics
•Managing High Blood Pressure


For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

I am 88 years old. Am I too old to have new pet?

From the Will Rogers Institute.

It's important to consider the pros and cons of adopting another companion pet. Just giving a a wonderful home and excellent care may not be enough. Your concern about outliving a new pet also tells me you are very wise about the lifetime commitment an adoption may require - more than 15 years for most pets according to the Humane Society.

I suggest you contact 2nd Chance 4 Pets, or (408) 871-1133, to learn more about lifetime care planning for companion pets. This is the process of documenting instructions for the care of a companion pet, formally identifying guardians and setting aside funds for the care of a companion pet. Arranging for a trusted guardian and caregiver may relieve your worries. The information provided by 2nd Chance 4 Pets is free, but it is not a substitution for legal advice, especially if you are considering setting aside funds for a companion pet's care.

Your local Humane Society is another free source for information and advice. Their counselors may help you assess your ability to care for a companion pet by asking:

•Do you have time for a pet?
•Can you afford a pet?
•Are you prepared to deal with special problems that a pet can cause?
•Is it a good time for you to adopt a pet?
•Is your home suitable for the pet you have in mind?
•Do you have a caregiver if you are away?
•Are you prepared to care for your pet for his or her entire lifetime?

I also suggest you discuss your concerns about pet adoption with your children, doctor and/or veterinarian. They are likely to be aware of your emotional and physical needs as well as your ability to care for a companion pet.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

If I Delay Retirement - Do I Get More Money????

From the Will Rogers Institute

The Social Security system entitles you to an increased amount in benefits for each year you wait to claim your benefits- up until age 70. It also reduces your benefits if you retire early. If you'd started claiming benefits at any time between age 62 and your full retirement age (65, 66, or 67, depending on your year of birth), the amount would have been permanently reduced a fraction of a percent for each month before your full retirement age.

But you've already passed that point, and are entitled to full benefits - but still not as much as they'd be had you waited longer. You can get a graphic depiction of your potential benefit amounts directly from the Social Security Administration.

Contact the SSA at (800) 772-1213 or go to its website at www.socialsecurity.gov to request your Social Security Statement.

You'll get a complete record of your lifetime earnings-along with an estimate of the monthly benefits you will receive at various retirement ages.

Even though you'll receive more money per month the longer you wait, it's not always better to delay. For example, you may want to claim benefits earlier if you need money to cover your basic living expenses, or if you have a medical condition that makes it likely that you won't live past age 75.

You can use the Senior Solutions Calculator to see what retirement age makes most financial sense for you.

Just Click HERE and enter your current earnings information without a planned retirement date.

The Senior Solutions Calculator will give you your benefit estimates for three different retirement ages, just like your Social Security Statement. But unlike your statement, if you click on "break-even age," the calculator will tell you how long you must live to make delaying benefits worthwhile.

For instance, if a person could collect $900 per month when turning 62, but would get $1,700 per month by waiting until age 70, the calculator will show that he or she would have to live at least until age 80.5 to break even. That means that if the person lived beyond age 80 and a half years, it would be worth delaying retirement to age 70. But if the person were to die before age 80, collecting benefits earlier would have been better. Now we just need a calculator to tell us how long we'll live. (But would we really want to look?)

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Getting Started: Retirement Planning Tips

From A Will Rogers Institute Newsletter:

I am pleased you heard about Retirement Planning: Getting Started, the newest addition to our Life Planning Series. You will be happy to know there is no charge to view this collection of online articles at our Web site, www.wrpioneers.org. You may also print the articles from our website as often as you like without any charge.

As you begin your retirement planning, you may find it helpful to explore and consider your personal goals for each of the six areas introduced in Retirement Planning: Getting Started:

•Estate Planning
•Financial Planning
•Insurance
•Social Security
•Staying Healthy & Enjoying Life
•Supportive Services & Housing

The short articles listed under each of these six areas will give you a basic understanding of important retirement planning issues and the resources to help you begin planning. The articles are written by knowledgeable lawyers and are regularly revised to keep current with changes in the law. I think you will find the articles concise and easy to understand.

I suggest you request The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning, a free booklet that is also available through our Life Planning Series. This booklet focuses on long term care planning, but it offers a wide range of resources and strategies that can also be applied to retirement planning.

Setting aside time now to plan for a successful retirement is usually a challenge for people as young as you. Ask yourself each year when you complete your income tax return, what you did the past year to plan for your retirement. Always set goals for the coming year, even if it is just to explore and understand another aspect of retirement planning.


For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524