grow older better

Tag: boomers

  • Boomers: No Longer The Healthiest Generation

    boomer couch potato

    Baby boomer?

    Better watch that lifestyle!

     

    Wow – for years the thinking was that the exercise-conscious generation, who ate organic food and who tended to not smoke, were healthier than past generations.

     

    But no – boomers are unhealthier!!

    Never mind the fact that Baby boomers have been dubbed the Healthiest Generation, since they have the longest life expectancy of any previous generation, and that  they were able to exploit advances in medical care and reap the benefits of public health campaigns highlighting the dangers of smoking and unhealthy diets. That moniker may simply no longer apply, since it turns out that they have higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol than members of the previous generation

     

    This is a far different version of where we are going as a culture then we previously thought.  Will we, the older-than-boomers stay healthy enough to help take care of the generation after us? 

    Will their kids also be unhealthy?

    Our national obesity levels indicate that today’s children may not live as long as did their parents.  We are in fact shortening their lifespans!  

    And now we see it is creating potential disabilities in the boomer generation.

    Where does this all lead in terms of aging?  public policy?  health guidelines?

    I don’t know – but it shows boomers and the rest of us all need to make BIG changes to get and keep being as healthy as we can….

    I am a believer in the idea that anyone can make changes at any time in their  lives.  

    BUT – the time to start is

    RIGHT NOW

    obesity and belly fat

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Comments? Thank you!

  • Food Insecurity in the United States? Yes!

    food_insecurityFood insecurity is a nicer way of saying you are going hungry!

    Like Mother Hubbard our cupboards are bare!

    And as we grow older, more of us are falling into this category of insecurity.

    Age groups rarely looked at by any measure regarding food needs are now included – and it seems that almost 5 million of those between 50 and 59 [the younger "boomers"] are at risk of hunger. And that figure was from a few years ago.

    How many more will be hungry each year?

    It turns out that more than 9% of older Americans were at risk of hunger in 2009 –  a whopping 79 % increase since 2001.

    The economy is bad and it is impacting not only the potential of losing one's home, but of being hungry as well.

    Do we not care about our elders anymore?  Are we living longer only to lose our homes and go hungry?

    There are boomers and older who must make choices each month – rent or food? Food or medications?

    Yes there are programs that can help but they too are low on funds and supplies. If everyone is poor and in need of food – just who will supply the food banks?

    If congress thinks cutting food and service programs for the elderly and poor is a good way to save money – how will older people and poor people survive?

    I'm saddened by where we as a country have gone.

     

    Comments? Thoughts? Thank you.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Boomers and later-borns – a warning!

    I've written about the economy and seniors before – but it is a message that needs to be repeated – so here it is again!

    YOU SHOULD NOT BE DEPENDENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY

    Social Security will post nearly $600 billion in deficits over the next decade as the economy struggles to recover and millions of baby boomers stand at the brink of retirement, according to new congressional projections.

    Read more about these social security deficits.

    No matter how old you are now – and even if you've been collecting social security for a while – you really need to have other sources or additional streams of income…

    You'll feel safer and you'll be happier!

    Comments?  thank you

     

  • Boomers! Welcome to my world!

    On January 1, 2011 the first wave of baby boomers started turning 65 and are now eligible for Medicare…

    Some worry there won't be sufficient funds in either Medicare or Social Security to last for the rest of their lives.

    Many boomers will not yet retire as they can not yet afford to do so!

    Medicare may be a good plan but the cost of participation tends to increase both on the Government side and the private sector side.  Medicare Advantage programs are not free…even to some say they are … you get what you pay for…

    And Social Security?  We are into the second year of no increase in the monthly payout.

    To add to the worries, if you live in Oregon – you have another concern if you are in a senior care facility.. or wind up in one….because Oregon elder care has glaring lacks!

    Federal law requires states to have an ombudsman to protect the rights of people in long-term care. The average state has one ombudsman monitoring 2,220 beds. Oregon has just one for 6,692 beds.

    Oregon relies on volunteers..but if everyone needs to keep working to afford to live – who will be the volunteers taking care of and looking out for Oregon's elder population?

    Scary thoughts to start your 65th birthdays!

    Thoughts? Comments? Thank you for posting below….

  • Supplements That Can Help You Immensely As You Age

    Lynn at 70I personally do not believe in the concept of anti-aging because we cannot really go backwards or stop our aging process. 

    But anti-aging has become a popular term most often used to sell all matter of products to those who are called “boomers” or “baby boomers.”

     

    [An aside – I am so glad I am older so I don’t have that label.]

    While we cannot stop the aging process – we can certainly slow it down and in some cases reverse some, but not all, ongoing damage to our bodies.  And – while slowing it down, we can also be doing things to look and feel good as we continue to age. 

    The phrase “you don’t look your age” is, to me, a sign of age bias since I actually do look my age.  We all look our ages – because we ARE those ages. 

    Bias aside, we seem to love being told we don’t look our ages.  So with all that said – yes – there are supplements that can help you immensely as you age. 

    In fact, these same supplements can help persons of all ages to age well.  And – as one with expertise in human development – please believe me when I say it’s never too early or too late to start taking care of your body [including your skin,] as well as your mind and spirit. 

    We live in a toxic world and that toxicity affects our food, water and our bodies.  We do need to take supplements to make up for what is, and is not, there in our food, soil and water.

    We need to learn about supplements that can help us and then we need to choose those supplements intelligently so that we feel and look as good as we can as we progress through life.

    What are these supplements?

    [Hint: the ones I take and I think at 70 – I still look great]

    you can read the rest of this article  at: http://ow.ly/1YxbQ

    Or – you can go to http:/graywolfproductions.com/beinghealthy/

    and read about the supplements / or do both