August 2020 - Boomerbestu.com

Adults 50+ Must Carefully Analyze Political Promises

Post Author:Paula Usrey
Post published:August 31, 2020
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For all of us who are fifty and older, the 2020 elections – at the national, state, and local levels could profoundly affect our lives. All of us need to know where candidates stand on specific issues such as the protection of Social Security and Medicare, health care and drug costs, COVID-19, racial inequality, the economy, social issues, immigration, crime, taxes, and climate change, among others. It is important for us to look beyond the promises any candidate makes. We’ve got to closely examine not only what a candidate claims but their credibility, their history, the evidence they use for…

Living Life with Purpose in the 7th Stage

Post Author:Paula Usrey
Post published:August 27, 2020
Post Category:All / Paula's Retirement Blog
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Each spring I plant three or four tomato plants. I eagerly wait until about early July and then I start picking fresh, ripe fruit. What joy! At the end of the season, I pull up all my old, baron plants and start preparing for another season. I planted three tomato plants this year. Each plant produced fresh, attractive, and fleshy fruit. When I started harvesting, I noticed that I had several other plants in my garden that were also producing a variety of tomatoes. These ‘volunteer’ plants as some call them came from some of last year’s tomatoes that I…

COVID-19 Precautions for Older Workers

Post Author:Paula Usrey
Post published:August 23, 2020
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You may think you have read or heard all you ever want to know about COVID-19. However, if you are still in the workplace, you will likely find this guest post informative and practical. What Could Happen with You or Your Job If You or a Member of Your Household Tests Positive for COVID-19? By Patrick Bailey The COVID-19 pandemic has turned just about everyone's lives upside down. The way that we live has changed dramatically since the epidemic began. Rather than spending the summer hosting barbecues, attending concerts, and going to other events, people are staying home. Certain…

Keeping Up with Technology as We Age is Essential

Post Author:Paula Usrey
Post published:August 21, 2020
Post Category:All / Paula's Retirement Blog
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I love what neuroscientist Danial Leviton shared about how we often gain wisdom as we age—we have more experiences, we have the ability to make more associations in our thinking, we can recognize patterns, and get better at using analogies. However, our ability to quickly learn and retain new information might not be as easy as we age. Nonetheless, because we are living in a rapidly evolving technology-dependent environment, we have to patiently learn what we need to know. I am not afraid of technology. I started teaching online in 1998 and continued to teach some of my courses online…

Is Social Security a Sinking Ship?

Post Author:Paula Usrey
Post published:August 17, 2020
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Social Security Realities, Risks, and RecommendationsAs it is often referred to as “an entitlement,” it is easy to get the impression that Social Security is a government give-away program. The reality is that Social Security is primarily funded by payroll taxes (FICA). Employees and employers both contribute 6.2 percent “up to the taxable maximum of $137,700.” If you work long enough, you could be eligible to start drawing on Social Security as early as your sixty-second birthday (if you are willing to accept reduced benefits).Social Security’s Role in RetirementSocial Security helps keep older adults financially afloat—though for some, not by…

Inspiration for Positive Aging: Sharing Our Stories

Post Author:Paula Usrey
Post published:August 14, 2020
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On May 15, 2019, I published our first monthly Boomer Best U Newsletter. My purpose in doing so was to provide information and encouragement for those who wanted to live their best lives beyond fifty. When launching this project, I decided to include a regular feature story about an individual who was an example of positive aging. I just completed my seventeenth feature story for the August 15th issue of our newsletter. The feedback we’ve received about these stories has suggested that they have encouraged and inspired others. After interviewing women and men from a wide range of backgrounds…

Pioneers in a New Era of Aging

Post Author:Paula Usrey
Post published:August 6, 2020
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I was walking the dog when I ran into Jan this morning as she was finishing her usual, hour-long walk. Jan is probably in her early to mid-eighties. Like many of my other neighbors, she walks each morning to stay healthy. As I headed out the door after breakfast for a hike, I thought about Jan and all the people I know who are redefining aging on their own terms. Instead of listening to what the media tells us about who we should be or who we are at fifty, sixty, seventy, or beyond, we have the power to show…

Cat Naps Aren’t Enough as We Age

Post Author:Paula Usrey
Post published:August 5, 2020
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Feel like you need a cat nap most afternoons? If so, it is possible that you aren’t getting the sleep your body needs. You may have heard that as we age, we need less sleep. However, the National Institute on Aging reports that as we age, we continue to need seven to nine hours of sleep to function well. Life Goes Better with a Good Night’s Sleep A good night’s sleep can help us be our best in a number of ways. A good night’s sleep can “boost” our mood and support our metabolism. Quality sleep can support tissue repair…

Empowered Women Can Address Age Bias

Post Author:Paula Usrey
Post published:August 2, 2020
Post Category:All / Boomer Employees & Retirement
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Empowered Women 50+: Using Strategic Communication to Address Age Bias I was shocked the first time I realized that my age had become an unspoken factor in a hiring decision. I was only about fifty-two at the time. I was fit, active, and thought of myself as being relatively youthful. I had an excellent background and was undoubtedly qualified for the fulltime college teaching position I wanted. I was prepared for my interview and had anticipated doing well. Unfortunately for me, three out of the four people on the hiring committee were nearly young enough to be my children. I…