It's All About Aging

It’s All About Aging:What I’ve Learned

anmax — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:17:01 +0000

There seems to be a big need for a site like It’s All About Aging. Too many people are dealing with issues involving their parents and/or themselves with no single source of information. No way to get your ducks in a row and plan for the future, and so much to plan for.
Five years ago when I was conceptualizing it, and figuring out my exit strategy from my former company, people were tossing crazy sums of money at Internet companies. Since this would be my second “child” getting it funded should be easy (easier?). Right. By the time I was looking for funding, the economy had crashed, and money had dried up.
But this isn’t supposed to be a rant about trying to build a new business in the face of adversity, and how the obstacles just get higher and higher. It’s supposed to be a blog about the amazing people I’ve met in the journey, and the lessons learned along the way. I’ve made new friends that will be friends for a long time, and I’ve started to learn what makes me happy.
One of the things that makes me happy is food and cooking. For those of you who get the newsletter, you know I’ve been working on a cooking show and related site, the Accidental Locavore. So I’m shifting my focus to developing that along with this and a couple of other related projects. Look for my blogs, recipes and videos on www.accidental-locavore.com. I’ve also been writing a monthly column for my friend’s EcoPlum site.
Thanks for your continued support, and I look forward to filling you in on my cooking adventures.

I’m still going to be a member of the Blogging Boomers Carnival, but under the Accidental Locavore blog. Check out this week’s posts.

Medicare Maze; Are You Smarter Than a Sixty-Five Year Old?

anmax — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:26:13 +0000

The first of October, my husband turns 65. Hard to believe, but as he would say “there you go”. Last week I decided to see how his getting Medicare would affect our health and hospitalization insurance.

First I checked on the Medicare website, to see what was involved, and what was going to be covered. Turns out you have the three months prior to your birthday to sign up, and if you don’t sign up BEFORE your birthday, you risk waiting 1-3 months for eligibility. Who knew? Note to husband, sign up today.
Next a phone call to Blue Cross to see how our hospitalization plan is affected. Heather told me she couldn’t tell, as it was the sales department, and all she could do was sell us another policy. She suggested I call our health insurance company.
Call two, the insurance company. I’m the spouse on the policy, and it turns out that my husband hasn’t authorized me to know about anything on his policy. Note to husband, and other couples with joint policies, make sure your spouse can access your insurance records, you never know when that might be important!
Call three, to the union, to change the address on his policy so that the HIPPA forms won’t get lost. Before that, a quick text to Frank, to make sure I know the new suite number. Union not terribly helpful, but the change of address is in.
Call four, back to Blue Cross customer service. Troy explained to me that we need to receive the eligibility letter from Medicare to see what’s going to be covered. Then, if the hospitalization is covered, I need to send them a letter kicking Frank off the policy.
And none of the four people I spoke to knew the difference between Medicare part A and B, never mind parts C & D. Do you?

For more on this and related fields, or if you just feel the need to vent, make sure you check out this week’s Blogging Boomer’s Carnival, some great topics this week!

Blogging Boomers Carnival 177: Do You Think Older Men Are Boring?

anmax — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:22:45 +0000

I’m hosting the Blogging Boomers Carnival this week, and have we got some interesting topics! Check them out and let me know which is your favorite.

Over at Contemporary Retirement. Ann is hoping that an article entitled: ‘Why are all older men so stupefyingly boring?’ will provoke some debate…

Blue-collar retirement is different. Read more at The Boomer Chronicles.

Gawking at a 12.4% unemployment rate in California, Janet at Gen Plus looks at possible shifts in the tide.

The Midlife Crisis Queen has been thinking a lot lately about the choice she made years ago to live her life kid-free and why she did it.
She also just started a Stress Management for Writers blog, especially geared towards helping those who came to professional writing later in life.

Guess what? Social network use by seniors is booming – up over 88%. Over 47% of those between 50 and 64 are now using them. LifeTwo discusses what is behind this surprising trend.

SoBabyBoomer tells us the anti-aging phenomenon started off with understandable intentions. Boomers were getting older and didn’t like what they saw or how they felt.

Vaboomer says goodbye Summer, hello Autumn!

Are you looking for some stylish yet age appropriate fall footwear that is both stylish and comfortable? Then head on over to see what the Glam Gals have picked out for you over at Fabulous After 40! (Check out the great boots!)

And at my other blog, the Accidental Locavore, find out what September brings from the farm, and how to make your own yogurt.

Long Term Care Insurance: Got it? Get it!

anmax — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 15:01:55 +0000

Like me you’ve probably thought about Long Term Care Insurance, and maybe you’ve looked into it, or maybe not. The first time I did was about ten years ago. The insurance agent I met with was one of the most dour individuals I have ever come across, and what he had to say was enough to make even the happiest person on earth, reach for the antidepressants or a gun…Not to mention that the insurance that you don’t want to deal with was expensive, and would only cover your entry into a nursing home. Pleasant huh?

Fast forward ten years. One of my goals this spring was to review insurance policies, my will, and health care proxies. I’ve pretty much gone over all the insurance policies, and fine tuned them when possible. What I decided to do was to cancel a disability policy, and turn it into long term care for my husband and myself. He’s going to be 65 this fall, and we wanted to nail the long term care down before it got stupidly expensive. We found an interesting new policy from MetLife that gives you options for your care. You get a lifetime “bucket” of money, the amount you determine, that you can spend on home care, assisted living, etc. If you’re married, you and your spouse get your own “buckets” but if one spouse uses up their “bucket” they can tap into the other spouse’s pot. There are lots of options for dollar amounts as well as inflation riders, etc. It seems about as flexible as an insurance company can get. Donna Desideri and Gail Linn have been really helpful in maneuvering us through the maze.

Be prepared that it’s not an easy or quick process. There are many forms to be filled out, and a 30 minute phone interview to check your physical and mental health. The trickiest part of it came at the end, when you’re asked to remember ten words, use them in a sentence, and repeat them back when requested. Using them in a sentence was easy, but when it came to coughing them up a few minutes later…I got eight out of ten, but for the life of me, couldn’t remember the other two. Here’s where you’re going to laugh, one of the two words I forgot? Husband!

Don’t you forget this week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival!

Do You Google Yourself? Look What I Found.

anmax — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:15:20 +0000

Do you Google yourself? What about Google Alerts? Since I tend to forget to regularly Google myself, I set up alerts for my business, and myself. This morning there were several alerts for “Anne Maxfield”…all obituaries. Nothing like getting up in the morning, waiting for that first mug of tea, and finding out that someone sharing my name, had just passed away. Curiosity (morbid, and the regular kind), made me check it out.
In the old days, like last year, when someone died, the family wrote a small obit, and paid for the local paper to run it. If you were famous, the paper would write a larger one. I’m sure you know many people who still turn to the obits first, some to see if anyone they know there, others to see if there might be an apartment available…
Now, obits like everything else, are posted on the Internet. You can virtually sign the guest book, and even add photos and videos (think about those Facebook and YouTube postings going strong for eternity). Not to mention, if you’re still looking for an apartment, you can subscribe to get obits e-mailed to you daily. The site even gives you starter text for the guest book, links to florists, and ideas for writing condolence cards. And of course, a Facebook link.
But, let me pay my respects to another Anne Maxfield. From her obituary: Anne was an active community volunteer in her later adult life. For over eight years, she was a volunteer for Carroll County Against Domestic Violence and Rape, where she received training and received an award for her outstanding service. In 1995, the Wakefield Police Department recognized Anne for her outstanding dedication to voluntary service with a certificate of appreciation. Anne was truly an “Angel.” She continued her close relationship with the Wakefield Police Department, deepest thanks to all they did for her.

Check out this week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival for answers to can money buy happiness amoung other great topics.

If You Thought Losing Your Eyesight Was Bad, How About Declining Taste-buds?

anmax — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:58:54 +0000

Most Baby Boomers now need glasses to read almost anything. My big thrill with my e-reader was that I could pump up the type to a place where I didn’t need my glasses. Downside? Only a paragraph per page. Along with diminished eyesight, receding hairlines, and other body parts that always worked better, now we have to worry about declining taste buds. We have about 10,000 taste buds as adults, we lose some, and the ones that remain grow less sensitive (unless your my aunt reacting to spicy food). And more bad news, your sense of smell also diminishes, for some people with sinus issues, as early as age 50.

So what? According to this article in the Miami Herald “ When food becomes less appealing, seniors tend to eat smaller meals or skip them altogether. They begin to lose weight, which can lead to frailty.

“Since it doesn’t happen overnight, it’s not always noticeable at first,” says Dr. Kent Holtorf, who specializes in age-management medicine at The Holtorf Medical Center in San Francisco. “Usually, if they talk about it when they come in, they’ll mention it as a secondary symptom.”

Among the factors that exacerbate the loss of taste perception are smoking, neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and medications including antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs and some arthritis remedies. Dietary restrictions to deal with hypertension and diabetes further complicate meal prep.”

What to do?

Add flavor. Using any kinds of herbs and spices will always help even if it’s as simple as a few grinds of pepper. Many spices, like turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon have other holistic healing benefits in addition to adding flavor.
Lemon or lime juice adds a nice acidic touch, as will flavored vinegars, like balsamic. When you watch chefs at work, they’re always adding something acidic. Try it. I make almost all my salad dressing with lemon juice instead of (or along with) vinegar.
I personally don’t have issues with salt, but if you do, try a salt substitute like Mrs Dash, or Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Salt (which does have salt mixed with other seasonings).
When my aunt isn’t around, a dash of hot sauce or sriracha (if you don’t know about this, check it out, Asian section of the grocery), goes a long way.
If I’m wearing my locavore hat, fresh, local and seasonal always tastes better that out of season and flavorless.
Don’t forget that setting a nice table, and plating the food well always helps.

What other ideas do you have to make meals more appetizing?

Check out this week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival. Great cat photo for you feline lovers out there.

Shingles Vaccine Follow-up. Have You Gotten It?

anmax — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:03:27 +0000

When I first posted the blog about the shingles vaccine, I have to admit I felt dumb that I hadn’t known about it. In the time since then, I realised that I’m not the only one who didn’t know about it, and only 10% of the eligible population (considered to be people over 60) has actually gotten the shot. Why? According to a really interesting article in the NY Times it’s expensive, and not necessarily covered by insurance. My own vaccine was $250, money that I think was well spent, and I don’t know whether the insurance covered any of it. My personal experience with health insurance is that almost nothing is covered, and when it is, it’s an unexpected surprise. But that’s a whole other blog. The people I know who have had shingles all say it was the most painful experience of their lives, and I’m sure would have all coughed up $250 or more to prevent it.

The other issue becomes more of a catch-22; because the vaccine is expensive, and people aren’t getting it, doctors aren’t stocking it, and they’re not recommending it because people don’t want to pay for it, etc… The average cost of treatment for shingles was $525 five years ago, and it takes about 5 weeks to recover from the virus. So wouldn’t you think insurance companies would rather pay the cost of the vaccine, rather than the cost of the treatment? Have you gotten the vaccine? Why or why not?

Don’t forget to check out this week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival.

What would you do for a raspberry blueberry pie? Secret family recipes.

anmax — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:56:18 +0000

Does your family have secret family recipes? Mine does. My mother’s secret recipe is for a raspberry blueberry pie. It’s powers are so strong that years ago an old friend of mine agreed to drive my parents’ cat from their house in Maine, back to Boston, in return for a pie of his own. Now I know you’re thinking that it sounds like a pretty sweet deal, pun intended, but the cat in question was not a good passenger. Not only would he howl for the entire four hour trip, he would manage to do so in between throwing up on whoever or whatever was in the back seat.

My grandmother, on my father’s side, was famous for the caramels she would make every year for Christmas. We couldn’t wait for the package to come from Michigan. There was always a small box with perfectly wrapped caramels full of buttery goodness. My parents would dole out the caramels day by day if we were good, until Christmas when the box usually was finished before dinner.My brother got the recipe from Grandma before she died.

The next time you get together with your family, remember the great recipes that are part of almost all our heritages. What’s your family’s heirloom recipe?

Don’t forget this week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival!

Is Being Alone a Thing of the Past?

anmax — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:23:47 +0000

Do you worry about being alone when you get older? Pretty common worry, right? But maybe Baby Boomers don’t have so much to worry about. A month ago, I was at a lecture that Gary Vaynerchuk was giving. If you don’t know who he is, he’s turned his family’s liquor store into a multi-million dollar business, using social media. He’s also a crazy, young, guy, with unlimited energy, and he makes a great speaker. One of his many great ideas was that he’s not worried about getting older alone, because he’s so connected with social media. Interesting idea, right?

Aren’t your parents connected in some way with other people, on the Internet? Whether it’s just e-mail, or they exchange photos online, or keep a Facebook page, our parents are out there to some degree. The iPad has become a huge hit with seniors worldwide, and the oldest Twitter user just died at 104. And Boomers are online and using social media even more. Whether you’re addicted to Facebook, or just don’t get it, you’re probably online a lot more than your parents. You may not consider them all your BFF’s but think about how many people you connect with through LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, even YouTube. And who knows what the Twitter of the next ten or twenty years will be?

So for us, maybe the issue will be how we find time to be alone, in a connected world. What do you think?

For other connected Boomers, please check out this week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival. Interesting posts on social media, and living longer, check it out!

Stubborn. How Many Baby Boomers Are Dealing With This?

anmax — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:19:34 +0000

A good friend of mine, like a lot of other Boomers, has a lot on her plate. She’s caregiving for her husband and her mother, working, and a long-distance grandma to four grand-kids. Her mom is living alone, not far from my friend, increasingly fragile and needy. She thought she had things worked out; her mother would go to live with her sister in California. That is until it came time for her mother to go to California. Stubborn, and set in her ways, not to mention the home she’s lived in for years, she put her foot down and refused to budge.

It made me wonder, how you start to broach this conversation, and what the signs are that your loved ones shouldn’t be on their own any more. The fact that you can’t cope is certainly a strong signal, but there should be earlier warning signs, and there are.

According to my friends at SeniorHomes.com, there are five signs a loved one might need assisted care:

Does your family member’s skin feel soft and have a normal color?
Can your family member see clearly?
Can your family member hear you?
Is there food in the refrigerator?
Are medications current and being taken regularly?

I know what you’re thinking…I can answer these questions but this is not giving me the tools I need to have this conversation. So here goes…AARP has a really good post on starting a conversation. Click here for the link. Jacqui at SeniorHomes.com also gave me these two links for assessing your loved ones needs, and their site has the full answers to the five questions.

“Talking To Your Loved Ones About Their Care” from the American Health Care Association
http://www.longtermcareliving.com/prep/conversation/

“Assessing The Need” from Comfort Keepers. This is a really good assessment guide.
http://www.comfortkeepers.com/sites/default/files/document/assessmentguide.pdf

Thanks to Jacqui and Chris at SeniorHomes.com for their help with this! And be sure to check out this week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival. There’s a great post from our hostess. Check it out and comment if you don’t think Boomers are “a bunch of big fat heavy drug users who never exercise and are bad with money”. Doesn’t sound like anyone I know, what about you?