Here are the Top 6 concerns of Baby Boomers.

1.) Having enough money to retire at an early age

2.) Overall financial stability for their family.

3.) Having enough energy to do what they like to do.

4.) Taking action to prevent disease.

5.) Having enough money for health care costs.

6.) Getting good advice from doctors.

What are your concerns as a Baby Boomer? Are they different then what’s mentioned above? Let us know.

Mary Furlong is the author of“Turning Silver Into Gold”. She has been watching the Baby Boomer generation since the mid-1980s. Mary gives insight into Baby Boomers’ new lifestage transitions in housing, health, fitness, finances, family, fashion, travel, romance, and work.

Below are some interesting facts from Mary Furlong’s book:

• The average adult American woman is 5 foot 4 inches and wears a size 14 dress.

• Baby Boomers are the first generation in American history in which the majority have obtained at least some form of higher education.

• There are more significant life transitions in the 50s and 60s than any other phase of life.

• For Baby Boomers, health care is shifting from a medical topic to a blend of entertainment, fitness, beauty and spiritual well-being.

• One of the top concerns of Baby Boomers is having enough money to retire

• By 2020, healthy living will be a trillion dollar business.

• Gardening is the No. 1 hobby for baby boomers.

• The median consumer for a new Harley-Davidson cycle is a 46-year old male.

• Baby Boomers make up 60 percent of all divorced people over the age of 50 in the U.S.

• One in four Baby Boomers in the U.S. has a second home which is typically used for vacations.

Very interesting book. Its amazing how our society will change.

Long-term care is defined as a variety of services that include medical and non-medical care to people who have a chronic illness or disability. Long-term care helps meet health care or personal needs. Most of the time long-term care is to assist people with support services such as activities of daily living like bathing, dressing and using the bathroom. Long-term care can be provided in the home, in a community, in a assisted living community or in a nursing home.

By 2020, 12 million older Americans will need long-term care. Most will be cared for at home. Family and friends make up 70 percent ofthe solecargiversfor those individuals. A study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that people who reach age 65 will likely have a 40 percent chance of entering a nursing home. About 10 percent of the people who enter a nursing home will stay there five years or more.

Source. www.medicare.gov

Here are a few tips to finding Long-term care options and pricing. I find that these basic steps help families and their loved ones prepare for their future.

1. Assess Your Needs. There are many different kinds of long-term care. Long-term care can take place at home, in senior centers, at community centers, in assisted living or special retirement communities, as well as in nursing homes. Long-term care service is not only nursing home care.

2.Research Financing and Care Choice.Talk with your doctor and ask him or her what long-term care choices and services are available to help meet your needs, now and in the future.Talk with your financial advisor about the costs of your current and future long-term care needs and ask him or her what long-term care financing options are available to help you pay for your long-term care needs.

3.Find What Is Right For You. Ask family, friends and otehr people you know who use different kinds of long-term care services if they are happy with the services .Call your State or local Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Ombudsmen visit nursing homes and other long-term care facilities regularly to visit residents and take care of complaints.Call your State Health Department. Ask if you can get information on the quality of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and services in your area.

4.Visit Your Options. Before you make a final decision about long-term care, call and ask for information about the long-term care services or the long-term care programs they offer. Visit the places you are interested in. These places can be assisted living communities, services in senior centers, nursing homes, and other programs. Make an appointment to visit.

Fall-prevention step 1: Make an appointment with your doctor

You and your doctor can take a comprehensive look at your environment, your health and your medications to identify situations when you’re vulnerable to falling.

Fall-prevention step 2: Remove home hazards

Clutter can get in your way and so can the decorative accents in your home. To make your home safer, remove boxes, newspapers, electrical cords and phone cords from walkways. Move coffee tables, and side tables from high-traffic areas. Secure loose rugs with double-faced tape, tacks or a slip-resistant backing. Repair loose, wooden floorboards and carpeting right away. Store clothing, dishes, food and other household necessities within reach. Be sure to immediately clean spilled liquids, grease or food. Use nonslip mats in your bathtub or shower. Those are a few of the basicis. You can hire a geriatic care manager to evaluate your home.

Fall-prevention step 3: Keep moving

Activities such as walking and water workouts are great for aerobic activity.You can even try tai-chi ,which is very popular. These activities reduce your risk of falls by improving your strength, balance, coordination and flexibility.

Fall-prevention step 4: Wear sensible shoes

High heels, slippers and shoes with slick soles can make you slip, stumble and fall. Have your feet measured each time you buy shoes. Buy properly fitting shoes with nonskid soles. Choose shoes that lace-up shoes instead of slip-ons.

Fall-prevention step 5: Light up your home

Keep your home brightly lit with 100-watt bulbs or higher to avoid tripping on objects that are hard to see. Don’t use bulbs that exceed the wattage rating on lamps and lighting fixtures since this can present a fire hazard.

I get a lot of questions about how to talk to a loved one about driving. I have heard and seem horrible stories when a person refuses to give up their keys or when a loved ones waits too long to have the talk with their loved one. What do you do? What should you know?

Changes can often occur in your loved ones driving capabilities. Some of the common ones are vision loss, hearing loss, slower reaction times, illness. There are important questions to consider.

If you can answer yes to just one of the questions below, it could be time to take your elder to get off the road.

Top 10 Questions

1. Is the person driving less because he or she is no longer as confident about driving?

2. Does the driver have reduced peripheral vision, even if he or she can otherwise see 20/20 with corrective lenses?

3. Does he or she do well driving locally but struggle at higher speeds ?

4. Has he or she been in an accident that was his or her fault?

5. Is the driver hitting curbs, missing turns or putting pedestrians at risk?

6. Do other drivers honk when this person is at the wheel?

7. Does the driver say that cars or pedestrians seem to appear out of nowhere?

8. Have family, friends or doctors expressed concerns about the person’s driving?

9. Does the driver get lost easily, even is familiar areas?

10.Is the person a competent driver during the day but incompetent at night?

Top 5 Questions to ask when visiting a nursing home. These are Tips to Help!

1. What types of insurance will cover my loved ones stay? Don’t forget to ask this question! Some skilled nursing homes only accept Medicare! If you or your loved one has and HMO make sure they know!

2. Do you bill secondary insurance? You may find that nursing homes DO NOT BILL secondary insurance carriers. Be sure to ask before you admit a loved one.

3. Are there additional costs for a private room? Typically the answer is YES. Be sure to ask what the rate difference is before requesting a private room; it could be a lot more than you think.

4. Can I see your state survey report? Did you know that the state surveys nursing homes frequently? Ask if they have any deficiencies and if they passed their survey!

5. Are there RN’s here 24 hours per day? Did you know that not all nursing homes are required to have a Registered Nurse’s scheduled round the clock? Be sure to ask this, it could be critical for your loved one.

This June, join clinicians, researchers and policy advocates to address the issue of Alzheimer ’s Disease prevention and the second Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Prevention of Dementia.

When: June 3-6, 2008
Where: Washington, D.C.

The Rita Hayworth Galas is held annually in New York City and Chicago. The galas are major fund-raising events for the Alzheimer’s Association. They honor legendary film star Rita Hayworth, who had Alzheimer’s disease. The galas are hosted by Ms. Hayworth’s daughter. The Chicago gala takes place on Mother’s Day weekend, and the New York gala is held in the fall.

Since 1985, the Rita Hayworth Galas have raised more than $48 million. All of the money raised go toward research and support programs.

When: May 10, 2008
Where: Hilton Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

If something happened to you who would be authorized to pay your bills or talk to insurance companies about your care? Who would decide whether to do a life threatening surgery or sue the the driver that hit you?

Your state will eventually find someone to fill these roles, after a costly and time-consuming court hearing. There is a good chance it might not be the person you would want.

That’s why you need the following legal documents:

• A durable power of attorney for health care, which lets you name who will make medical decisions for you.

• A durable power of attorney for finances, which designates who’ll handle your money.

• A living will, which tells doctors exactly what kind of care you do and don’t want to receive if you’re terminally ill and incapacitated.

 

You can get these documents drawn up by an attorney for around$300 to $700 in most areas.

 

Please seek legal advise from your lawyer. These are just tips for basic paperwork that is important to have.