Seniors Site

Seniors have different needs compared to young adults. Young adults would want to live in the center of action whereas, getting older means slowing down and enjoying life the way they deserve it. What worked for them in their busy younger years might seem annoying now and naturally, the next step is to find a place somewhere else where they can spend time at their own phase without the hustling and bustling of harried city life.

Looking for a retirement home is fairly easy since most likely, you have something in mind right now. Buying your own home requires a closer look into your age, lifestyle and financial situation. Health is the number one factor in deciding whether to buy or rent a house. If you think, you are not fit enough to run your own household then it is much wiser to rent and let the landlord take all the dirty work of routine maintenance for you. On the other hand, if you are buying a house, it is best to buy it outright than be strapped in mortgages for years to come which will be quite inconvenient for you.

Choosing a house means picking the best retirement city as well. Some seniors may prefer staying put in the same city where they lived for years since they are already familiar and comfortable with their surroundings. This is also true for families who live in farms and suburban homes. Others relocate to cities closest to their hearts while adventurous ones may want to explore new territories. Whatever the reasons may be, you should also be looking for your preferred city’s demographics since this will give you the overall data you need to know such as number of hospitals and adult care facilities present in the area.

You should also be concerned of the city’s average life expectancy for its residents. 85 years old is adequate and this is the right number you should be looking for. While you’re there, consider health rates of depression, heart disease and cancer. Avoid cities that are not too kind with your health. Same goes for the city’s environment. The city should provide a comfortable climate to your body’s needs.

This city should also be economically stable since this will determine how comfortable your future would be and it should be able to take care of its senior residents quite well in terms of its cost of living. Check for the city’s percentage of seniors present in the community and their available entertainment opportunities like museums, recreation, natural parks and libraries. Also, go for cities which are supportive of your religion.

Transportation should be easy and convenient for you especially if you are planning to live without a car. You will find that some cities are kinder to seniors and disabled than others. Seniors are also quite vulnerable to crimes so it is also best to check the city’s crime rate before deciding to move in including house breaks and street crimes.

Overall, seniors’ options in choosing the best retirement home are largely dependent on their needs and abilities. These are your guidelines to avoid trouble in the future. Remember that your retirement home should be something you enjoy and not giving you problems. Just be weary of opportunistic house brokers that will try to rob you off your money. When shopping around for the right house for you, bring someone you fully trust to help you decide if a certain house will work for you. Right now, your main goal should be comfort and security, two major things you need. Moreover, read fine prints first before signing anything and collect all your copies before closing a deal.

It is not uncommon for seniors to travel because, they do travel a lot and that is what they do best. But let’s face it, when we travel, we would like to go as light as possible so we can carry our bags with ease to and fro. For gentlemen on board, this is not much of a problem since most of them can very well survive the vacation without so much of a fuss but really, they hate carrying that awfully heavy bag their partners bring to the trip. It cramps up the style and really, it hurts the back so bad.

On the other hand, this is quite a dilemma for the ladies. It is not entirely possible for them to fit everything they need in one small manageable bag. Hence, the ladies painstakingly organize and downsize everything they need to miniature sizes.

Whether you are traveling by plane, train or bus, packing light will provide you a better range of motion and you don’t actually need to bring everything else with you since you can buy them when you get to your destination. You just have to bring things that are quite necessary for your life such as your medications. Here are some more suggestions to make your trip even lighter without sacrificing your convenience:

1. Make a list of everything you will need and don’t lose this list. Refer to this list once more before leaving your home.

2. Buy personal care products in travel sizes to save space in the luggage. This is also done if you have special skin care needs and you are quite doubtful if there is such a product in your point of destination. Same goes for trips that will involve some days off the road.

3. If you are planning to go away for one week, bring 3 pieces of underwear, 1 pair of cotton socks and 1 pair of pantyhose then roll them up. These are the things you can wash while away or if you hate washing, you can buy disposable ones for the trip. Check with your hotel before flying in for guests’ washing options.

4. Wear comfortable walking shoes and carry one for formal occasion. It is always best to come prepared while comfies are for walking around without hurting yourself.

5. Bring 2 pairs of walking pants. For the ladies, Skirts are also allowed just as long as it can be mixed with the tops you brought along. For men, walking shorts are also welcomed. Just be sure they are within friendly colors of neutrals and roll them up to eliminate wrinkles.

6. All the necessary things that you think you will need while on the road, you should pack in a separate bag which you can carry around like a tote or a belt bag. This is to avoid rummaging around for your things when the need arises. These will include medications, prescriptions, eye glasses, snacks, maps, money, coins, cards, passports, boarding tickets, passes, books and others. Double check before leaving home.

7. If visiting someone far, you don’t have to personally hand them your gifts of love, you can opt to ship them ahead of you.

8. While shopping is fun, consider the current state of your bag before you accumulate things during a shopping spree and mind you, this is not for the ladies alone. If you need to buy something you cannot personally carry home, then let the store ship it directly back home. This is more ideal than contending with something larger than you right?

It is also best to consider your location when packing. This will give you an idea what to pack best and what to leave at home. Like for example, if you are going to Florida, most likely there will be beach dipping and water sports then it is wise to pack some swimsuits and flip flops. Things like that will give you a better perspective. Happy trip!

Life today is never easy, we are always in a hurry and it’s demanding as ever. There is always the need to achieve more thus we often forget to slow down and give ourselves some time to relax. If you find yourself rushing all the time then maybe you need to take some few steps backwards and ease up the tension a bit.

No, relaxing doesn’t mean spending a fortune for the things you will enjoy for a short time. While going in a month-long vacation is a great idea for you and your partner, it also presents some inconveniences such as arrangements of schedules and organizing the trip itself. Sometimes, when you say you need to relax, that is just exactly what you want and nothing more.

Let us remember that stress is the number one cause of potentially fatal illnesses such as cancer and heart attack. There is no known cure for stress but relaxing. When you relax, you release tension and stress thus avoiding their harmful effects to your body. Here are some instant stress-busters you can actually try right now:

1. Hug someone. The healing power of one bear hug is enough to erase all bothersome things that happened in our day. And, it is good for your heart too since hugging is known to release oxytoxin, a hormone that lowers blood pressure. Oxytoxin also gives the sense of overall well being to humans.

2. We were taught by our mentors that in order to achieve great things in life, we need to learn how to multitask. Even our little gadgets were designed to function as such. That is why we are always in a constant hurry since we are expected to accomplish two to three things at a time. Multitasking is possible, but imagine how stressful it can get if you do this all the time. By doing one task at a time, you give yourself some time to enjoy your accomplishments even more.

3. Laughter is still the best medicine. We all know that and yet we tend to forget it when things go bad. If the situation is nowhere near laughable then at least try to smile. After all, you got to start somewhere.

4. Take a five minute break from things which overwhelm your senses. You can either take a walk around the block or just breathe in some fresh air. This will also help you to clear up your head.

5. Play games for a while. Not some heavy gambling but a good, clean fun which will take off your mind from bothersome things. You can try crossword puzzles, Sudoku and cards but try to steer clear of the computer monitor since it will only tire your eyes.

6. Get a massage. A backrub is also great to ease muscle tension and will also provide some bonding moments with your partner. Go an extra mile by using some aromatic oils which will also sooth your senses.

7. If your phone is constantly demanding for your attention then tell that phone to shut up. Turn off your phone and plug in some soothing music into your ears. Just to change the ambiance.

8. Speaking of ambiance, do take note that ambiance is something you can achieve all by yourself and it will depend entirely upon your mood. You can arrange your house according to your desired mood by dimming off the lights, lighting some candles and turning on some music. It really doesn’t matter if you are with someone or you just want some time for your self.

9. Reading frees your mind, so as writing. Both activities are stress releasing and it will take you to as far away as possible.

10. Catching up with some friends is also a great way to relax. You can also do this with your life partner. Sometimes, between shuffling back and forth from work to home, we miss each other along the way. There’s no better day to start reestablishing marital bond than today.

11 Most Expensive Catastrophes in History

# 11. Titanic - $150 Million

The sinking of the Titanic is possibly the most famous accident in the world. But it barely makes our list of top 10 most expensive. On April 15, 1912, the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage and was considered to be the most luxurious ocean liner ever built. Over 1,500 people lost their lives when the ship ran into an iceberg and sunk in frigid waters. The ship cost $7 million to build ($150 million in today ‘ s dollars).

# 10.20Tanker Truck vs Bridge - $358 Million

On August 26, 2004, a car collided with a tanker truck containing 32,000 liters of fuel on the Wiehltal Bridge in Germany . The tanker crashed through the guardrail and fell 90 feet off the A4 Autobahn resulting in a huge explosion and fire which destroyed the load-bearing ability of the bridge. Temporary repairs cost $40 million and the cost to replace the bridge is estimated at $318 Million.

# 9. MetroLink Crash - $500 Million

On September 12, 2008, in what was one of the worst train crashes in California history, 25 people were killed when a Metrolink commuter train crashed head-on into a Union Pacific freight train in Los Angeles . It is thought that the Metrolink train may have run through a red signal while the conductor was busy text messaging.. Wrongful death lawsuits are expected to cause $500 million in losses for Metrolink.

# 8. B-2 Bomber Crash - $1.4 Billion

Here we have our first billion dollar accident (and we ‘ re only #7 on the list). This B-2 stealth bomber crashed shortly after taking off from an air base in Guam on February 23, 2008. Investigators blamed distorted data in the flight control computers caused by moisture in the system. This resulted in the aircraft making a sudden nose-up move which made the B-2 stall and crash. This was 1 of only 21 ever built and was the most ex
pensive aviation accident in history. Both pilots were able to eject to safety.

# 7. Exxon Valdez - $2.5 Billion

The Exxon Valdez oil spill was not a large one in relation to the world ‘ s biggest oil spills, but it was a costly one due to the remote location of Prince William Sound (accessible only by helicopter and boat). On March 24, 1989, 10.8 million gallons of oil was spilled when the ship ‘ s master, Joseph Hazelwood, left the controls and the ship crashed into a Reef. The cleanup cost Exxon $2.5 billion.

# 6. Piper Alpha Oil Rig - $3.4 Billion

The world ‘ s worst off-shore oil disaster. At one time, it was the world ‘ s single largest oil producer, spewing out 317,000 barrels of oil per day. On July 6, 1988, as part of routine maintenance, technicians removed and checked safety valves which were essential in preventing dangerous build-up of liquid gas. There were 100 identical safety valves which were checked. Unfortunately, the technicians made a mistake and forgot to replace one of them. At 10 PM that same night, a technician pressed a start button for the liquid gas pumps and the world ‘ s most expensive oil rig accident was set in motion.

Within 2 hours, the 300 foot platform was engulfed in flames. It eventually collapsed, killing 167 workers and resulting in $3.4 Bill
ion in damages.

# 5. Challenger Explosion - $5.5 Billion

The Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed 73 seconds after takeoff due on January 28, 1986 due to a faulty O-ring. It failed to seal one of the joints, allowing pressurized gas to reach the outside. This in turn caused the external tank to dump its payload of liquid hydrogen causing a massive explosion. The cost of replacing the Space Shuttle was $2 billion in 1986 ($4.5 billion in today ‘ s dollars). The cost of investigation, problem correction, and replacement of lost equipment cost $450 million from 1986-1987 ($1 Billion in today ‘ s dollars).

# 4. Prestige Oil Spill - $12 Billion

On November 13, 2002, the Prestige oil tanker was carrying 77,000 tons of heavy fuel oil when one of its twelve tanks burst during a storm off Galicia , Spain . Fearing that the ship would sink, the captain called for help from Spanish rescue workers, expecting them to take the ship into harbour. However, pressure from local authorities forced the captain to steer the ship away from the coast. The captain tried to get help from the French and Portuguese authorities, but they too ordered the ship away from their shores. The storm eventually took its toll on the ship resulting in the tanker splitting in half and releasing 20 million gallons oil into the sea.

According to a re
port by the Pontevedra Economist Board, the total cleanup cost $12 billion.

# 3. Space Shuttle Columbia - $13 Billion

The Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space worthy shuttle in NASA ‘ s orbital fleet. It was destroyed during re-entry over Texas on February 1, 2003 after a hole was punctured in one of the wings during launch 16 days earlier. The original cost of the shuttle was $2 Billion in 1978. That comes out to $6.3 Billion in today ‘ s dollars. $500 million was spent on the investigation, making it the costliest aircraft accident investigation in history. The search and recovery of debris cost $300 million.

In the end, the total cost of the accident (not including replacement of the shuttle) came out to $13 Billion according to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics..

# 2. Chernobyl - $200 Billion

On April 26, 1986, the world witnessed the costliest accident in history. The Chernobyl disaster has been called the biggest socio-economic catastrophe in peacetime history. 50% of the area of Ukraine is in some way contaminated. Over 200,000 people had to be evacuated and resettled while 1.7 million people were directly affected by the disaster. The death toll attributed to Chernobyl , including people who died from cancer years later, is estimated at 125,000. The total costs including cleanup, resettlement, and compensation to 0Avictims has been estimated to be roughly $200 Billion. The cost of a new steel shelter for the Chernobyl nuclear plant will cost $2 billion alone. The accident was officially attributed to power plant operators who violated plant procedures and were ignorant of the safety requirements needed.

# 1. 2008 Presidential Election- $800 Billion in the first two months………..

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a
well. The animal cried piteously for hours as
the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the
well needed to be covered up anyway;
it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and
help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began
to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the
donkey realized what was happening and cried
horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he
quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally
looked down the well. He was astonished at what
he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his
back, the donkey was doing something amazing.
He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer’s neighbo
rs continued to shovel
dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it
off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey
stepped up over the edge of the well and
happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds
of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well
is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of
our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out
of the deepest wells just by not stopping,
never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.

Live simply and appreciate what you have.

Give more.

Expect less.

NOW …

Enough of that crap. The donkey came back later
and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him.
The gash from the bite got infected and
the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL FROM TODAY’S LESSON:

When you do something wrong, and try to cover
your ass, it always comes back to bite you!

You have two choices… smile and close this
page or pass this along to someone else to
spread the fun.