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Credit Card Tips for Seniors August 26, 2009

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Credit Card Offers have provided three useful credit card tips for seniors to follow

If you’re 50 or older, it might be time to rethink your approach to using credit cards. All of your financial decisions, including which credit cards to use and how to use them, must be adaptable to your changing life as you age. Are credit cards you opened years ago still giving you the best value?

Consider how your lifestyle has changed over the years, and how you expect it could change in the near future. Will interest rates and fees matter more to you in retirement? Would you prefer to earn different rewards (or cut out rewards programmes altogether)? The following credit card tips for seniors are designed to help you make better decisions about your credit card use moving forward.

1. Compare spending habits with income changes.
Even if you choose to stay with your existing credit card companies, you might need to change how you use those credit cards as you get older. For example, if your retirement income is significantly lower than your previous working income (and you don’t have adequate savings or investments to make up the difference), then you may want to stop financing larger purchases with interest in favour of paying off the card every month.

2. Evaluate your rewards programmes.
Rewards programmes offer you an incentive to spend money on your credit card. But do you still need your current rewards?  For example, some elderly individuals have health conditions that make travelling either impossible or at least inconvenient. In those cases a frequent flyer card, like the Emirates Citibank Platinum credit card, might prove to be more costly than beneficial. Keep in mind that rewards cards often come with higher annual fees for entrance into the rewards programme.

3.  Be prepared to negotiate.
If you discover that your current credit card terms aren’t as attractive to you later in life, you may be tempted to close them or transfer balances to another card. While than may be an option for some, remember that if you have a lower income as a senior you may have a more difficult time getting approved for a brand new card. Instead of starting your credit card search from scratch, first consider calling your credit card company to negotiate. It’s less expensive for a company to work with you and give you more favourable terms than it is for them to lose you as a customer and have to find another to replace you.

Being a senior doesn’t necessarily mean you should cut back on credit card use. It just means that you have to be conscious of life changes and how they’ll affect your financial health. If you haven’t taken a good hard look at your credit card terms lately, now is the time to do it before you end up paying interest you can’t afford or yearly fees for rewards programmes that just don’t deliver anymore.

Traveling with a senior citizen August 19, 2009

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 Essortment have provided us with some simple tips to follow when travelling with a senior citizen to ensure you have a successful journey.

Most elderly love to go on trips, some just to get out of the house and others just want to have people to talk to. What ever the reason it can be a fun and enjoyable time if a few steps are taken. A trip to the beach, to view the foliage, historical places, sight seeing, apple and berry picking, Christmas lights is one of my favorites, farms, parks, mountains, hay-rides, zoo, fairs, home town events and yard sales are just a few. Below are a few steps to take to make your trip with the elderly or what some call our senior citizens a success.

Plan - Plan your trip well, know how to get to where you want to go. Keep a map in the car or van. Know where rest-rooms and restaurants are located. Keep an eye out for Hospital signs in case of emergencies. Know the times of special events that you want to see. Be sure to gas up the night before. Have a safety inspection on your car or van.

Flyer - Plan ahead, give your elderly plenty of notice about your trip. A fun way is to give them a flyer or invitation. Make an appointment card for reminders, give a small calendar with the date marked. What ever you decide on be sure to have the date, time and place you will be going and any important information that is needed.

Handicapped - Parking in handicapped zones will require a handicap pass. When making arrangements for activities be sure to inquire about handicapped accessibility for parking, bathrooms, exits, elevators, ramps and if need; make sure that there are wheelchairs available.
 
Notebook - Keep a notebook or small tablet handy for important information. Write each persons name, address, phone number and emergency numbers and physician.

Helpers - Be sure to bring help with you. There will be times when the elderly will need help to the restroom, especially in a unfamiliar place. Some may have to be waited on, others may need help with their meals and some helped in and out of car or van. If you have any elderly in wheel chairs, you will need helpers to push the wheelchair. Some may just want to sit on a bench, so you will need someone to sit with them.

Family - There may be times when you will have to let their family members know where you are going, the time you will leave and return and the place you will be visiting if possible.

Roll Call - Take roll call every time you get in or out of the car or van. Be sure to count heads, ask who is missing. Never let an elderly person go anywhere alone while on your trip. Be sure that you go in a group or a helper is with an individual.

Clothing - The elderly tend to get cold even when others are not. Be sure that they bring along a jumper or jacket. Remind them to wear comfortable shoes if you will be walking any distance. A sun hat may be advisable. Keep a lap blanket in the car or van.

Medicine - Most elderly are on some kind of medication. Remind them to bring their medication along in case it is needed while away. Especially in cases where you may not return on schedule. Write in your notebook each persons name, medication, amount to take and what time it is to be taken. Keep an Emergency kit and First Aid kit in the car or van.

Money - Be sure your seniors know ahead of time any expenses that they may incur during their trip such as tickets, passes, gifts, souvenirs and of course food.

You may have to inquire before leaving to make sure they have their money with them. It’s easy to forget when trying to be ready on time. Remember that some elderly are on fixed incomes, so be sure your trips are inexpensive but exciting.

Food - Remember when stopping to eat that some elderly are on strict diets. Be sure to know of any food allergies, diabetics and any special foods that they may need. Be sure to bring crackers, cookies, candy, orange juice and water in case it is needed. If possible make reservation at a place you know would be suitable. Stop at restaurants that are clean, safe and inexpensive.

Restroom - Some elderly may want to make occasional pit stops along the way. In order for them to be more comfortable make frequent stops without asking. Be sure to advise everyone that if they need to stop to let you know also.

Reminders - The night before and in some cases; the morning of the trip you may have to call as a reminder. Let the person know what time you will be there.

It may not be as important as to where you go as it is that you have fun. Following some simple rules makes for a safe, pleasant and rewarding time. Have fun and enjoy your trips with the elderly.

Crosswords ‘can delay memory loss’ August 12, 2009

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 The Telegraph, UK  has written an article proving that doing crosswords really does help to keep your brain healthy and sharp. Seniors should try to make time each day to complete at least one cross word.  To help make this easy About Seniors provide free daily crosswords on their website. Start doing a cross word a day!

Researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York, found that performing a mental exercise twice a day could help delay the rapid memory loss associated with dementia for more than a year.

Keeping the brain active through hobbies such as crosswords, puzzles, reading, writing and playing card games, can all postpone the start of symptoms of the condition.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence that exercising the brain can help to protect against the disease in later life.

Experts warn that the number of people affected by dementia will spiral in coming decades, in part because of an ageing population.

Researchers looked at activities including crossword puzzles, playing board or card games, talking in groups, playing music, or even simply reading or writing.

They found that people aged between 75 and 85 who did an average of 11 of the activities every week tended to experience memory problems almost one year and four months later into the progression of the disease than those who did just four a week.

“The effect of these activities in late life appears to be independent of education,” said Charles Hall, who led the study. “These activities might help maintain brain vitality.

“Further studies are needed to determine if increasing participation… could prevent or delay dementia.”

The researchers found that for every additional activity an older person undertook a week the onset of rapid memory loss characteristic of the condition was delayed by an average of just over two months.

The study followed 488 older people over a five-year period, during which 101 of them developed dementia.

On average people who went on to develop the condition did one of the six activities every day, according to the findings, published in the journal Neurology.

The findings reinforce the idea that “cognitive reserve” could be built up by taking part in activities that exercise the brain.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said: “This study shows that exercising the brain may delay the start of memory loss in people who develop dementia.

“This adds to the ‘use it or lose it’ hypothesis that we can reap the benefits of stimulating our minds regularly, perhaps by doing crosswords, playing chess or adding up the shopping before getting to the till.

“Dementia risk can be reduced by eating a healthy diet, whilst keeping an active body and mind.”

“With more research we may be able to find ways of preventing dementia. 1.4 million people in the UK will develop dementia within a generation, so we need to invest now.”

Preventing Falls Among Seniors August 5, 2009

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Falls are a serious risk as you get older, by following some simple tips by the National Centre for Injury Prevention and Control you can minimise the risks that cause falls.

Tips for preventing falls

Falls are not just the result of getting older. Many falls can be prevented. Falls are usually caused by a number of things. By changing some of these things, you can lower your chances of falling.

You can reduce your chances of falling by doing these things:

 1. Begin a regular exercise program.
Exercise is one of the most important ways to reduce your chances of falling. It makes you stronger and helps you feel better. Exercises that improve balance and coordination (like Tai Chi) are the most helpful.

Lack of exercise leads to weakness and increases your chances of falling.Ask your doctor or health care worker about the best type of exercise program for you.

2. Make your home safer.
About half of all falls happen at home. To make your home safer:

  • Remove small throw rugs or use double-sided tape to keep the rugs from slipping.
  • Remove things you can trip over (such as papers, books, clothes, and shoes) from stairs and places where you walk.
  • Keep items you use often in cabinets you can reach easily without using a step stool.
  • Have grab bars put in next to your toilet and in the tub or shower.
  • Use non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors.
  • Improve the lighting in your home. As you get older, you need brighter lights to see well. Lamp shades or frosted bulbs can reduce glare.
  • Have handrails and lights put in on all staircases.
  • Wear shoes that give good support and have thin non-slip soles. Avoid wearing slippers and athletic shoes with deep treads.

3. Have your health care provider review your medicines.
Have your doctor or pharmacist look at all the medicines you take (including ones that don’t need prescriptions such as cold medicines). As you get older, the way some medicines work in your body can change. Some medicines, or combinations of medicines, can make you drowsy or light-headed which can lead to a fall.
 
4. Have your vision checked.
 Have your eyes checked by an eye doctor.  You may be wearing the wrong glasses or have a condition such as glaucoma or cataracts that limits your vision.  Poor vision can increase your chances of falling.