Seniors Site

I still remember a few years back when sex in seniors was almost considered as a taboo. Even my then teenage daughter confessed to a friend—which I accidentally overheard—that there is no way she could imagine her parents having sex, even if we—i.e her parents—have been sharing a room for years and have nothing better to do during colder nights! And that was what, I was only on my midlife, not yet qualified for Medicare! Fortunately, the topic of sex in seniors, although there’s still that certain amount of embarrassment when faced in a discussion, has been slowly coming out as a normal, human behavior for older adults. I say, we should thank the internet as well for making it easier for us to come out of our shells and prove that we, too, are part of the world!
So yes, sex is present in a senior’s life, there’s no doubt about it. However, the difference between a “youthful” sex and a “mature” sex lies in one’s intention. I would like to think that sex has two aspects, the physical aspect and the emotional aspect of it. Both of which can deliver a certain level of high and satisfaction. While sex in younger people tends to be physically inclined, seniors do it to satisfy the heart—and if lucky, the body as well. In fact, seniors are more apt to have a satisfying sex since they know what they want and they usually get it from a partner.
A fulfilling sex life does not always depend on the capabilities of a partner. There should be a sexual connection; a link that connects two person in a sexual act. Without it, it can never be as enjoyable as it should be. Seniors, due to their extensive experience with life and better understanding of how sex should be, are able to fill in both shoes thus enabling them to get more out of it.
Although physical changes are to be expected during golden age, it only brings a different perspective when it comes to sex. Seniors can indeed experiment and overcome their limitations, if and when, they come to terms with these changes soon enough.  However, senior sex is no exception to safe sex rule. It was found out that the senior citizen group has an alarming, steadily-rising number of HIV infections these past few years which authorities are now taking a closer look to what’s going on before it’s too late.

There’s no doubt everybody in this room has had their so-called “senior moments” or in cyber lingo, mental glitches, like it’s something you can defrag, reboot or upgrade when necessary. Although subjective memory loss is almost always a portent of dementia, or so these medical researchers say, let’s for once consider this as a matter of being unorganized and always in a hurry. I say, there’s totally no harm in considering ourselves normal, healthy persons, right?..
Milder terms for memory loss are forgetfulness and absent-mindedness. These two, for me, connote that I am indeed a busy person that I have no time for such unimportant things like my keys and my wallet. Yes, I like fooling myself sometimes just for the humor of it. But let’s face it, sometimes it gets so irritating to forget things just when I needed them most, especially in cases when I need to take medications on a strict schedule then I find myself in the middle of the day wondering if I took my morning meds and have absolutely no idea if I did. Talk about frustration!
Let me tell you, forgetfulness knows no age, gender or whatsoever. This morning, my grandkid asked her mother if she saw his toy truck when I just witnessed him the night before bragging about it like there’s no other one like his toy. You see? Only when it occurs to seniors, we’re “marked” FOREVER! Here are my tips and tricks to avoid the inconveniences of forgetfulness and at the same time improve senior’s memory skills:
·    Maintain an organized life. It may be harder to do but take it from me, it really does wonders! I always make it a point that I visit stores with office supplies in them or even bookstores and browse through racks to see if there’s something new for me to use such as an organizer with better organizing capabilitites, sticky notes, etc. Anything that will help me remember things round the clock!
·    A place for everything and everything in its place. A bowl just beside the door proves to be very helpful to my key-hunting activities because I just throw them in the minute I step inside the house and pick them up on my way out. All my medications go to my bedside drawer as it is easier for me to reach for them when I need them.
·    Take memory enhancing vitamins. There’s no use hiding forgetfulness from your own doctor. Let him do his job and make your life a little easier and more convenient.
·    Brain exercises are the best! Try online games that will challenge your memory skills. Some can be downloaded to your computer so you can access them even offline.
·    Make it a habit to calm the mind. A calmer mind is a focused one. You will easily remember things if your mind is not too cloudy with unnecessary things.

Finding balance in your life is plain hard work and unfortunately, it also requires tremendous amount of effort to do so. If you have, as of the moment, a partner, family and work, you may think that setting aside ample time for yourself is quite an impossible feat and singles are indeed luckier since they don’t have family to consume their time. THINK AGAIN, according to life coaches, singles also have this kind of problem—and more!
Shockingly, it was found out that most single seniors prefer to stay single just because they fear that with their busy, crazy life now, they are not anymore capable of handling a relationship and still function as an individual, human being like they used to when they were younger. This is especially true for those who have experiences of bad marriages and domineering partners. As much as they enjoy their single comfortable lives now, they still dream of having a partner to spend the rest of their lives but refuse to accept or even acknowledge this dream.
These fears are to be understood. Single seniors usually consider their newfound freedom as a liberating experience and think that this is their time to do whatever they want, whenever they want without having someone to tell them what to do. But upon deeper probe, these single seniors are found to have developed a different outlook when it comes to relationships and self-worth, far different from what they have 20 years back!
Single seniors want their independence, more than ever. This is one thing your partner needs to understand if they want the relationship to work.  Relationship experts suggest that you make it clear to a potential partner that you value your independence early on than risk it. Your partner, especially if he or she is about your age and status, would certainly understand it.
It was also suggested for single seniors looking to form a relationship with someone at this point of their lives to plan ahead, even if there’s no partner in sight as of the moment. Planning means you need to “draft” your priorities and your limitations as well as how far you are willing to give. Of course, plans can change during the course of the relationship itself but letting your partner know these things will help clear the air of expectations. It is also best if you express what you want from a relationship.
Remember to stick to your plans if you want balance in your life. There will be situations that will test your stand and you should be able to make wise decisions. If you feel uncomfortable at any point of the relationship, don’t hesitate to lay your terms and assess the relationship from there.

The other day, I was talking about how to protect your knees, today, I’m going to blog about what to do if it’s already damaged. We’ve heard about knee replacement surgery, as well as its twin sister—and equally gruesome, if truth be told—hip replacement. For a senior like me, I find it weird that parts of the body can be replaced with bolts, nuts and whatnot, making us, more or less, look and feel like half-man, half-robot.
Kidding aside, knee replacement surgery is a major operation. Seniors are the most likely candidates for such operation since their knees are usually beyond repair. Knee replacement surgery should be your doctor’s last resort. That is, if all else fails. Which means to say, there are many treatments available for your aching knees and you should try them all before subjecting yourself to a knee replacement operation.  By the way, it takes years of wear and tear before your knees finally give up, unless of course if it’s eating itself away!
In a knee replacement surgery, the doctor will remove the damaged knee and replace it with metal and sometimes, plastic held together by wires and cement. You would know if it’s time for you to undergo a knee replacement surgery if there is a persistent pain in your knee area despite of medication and treatments. This pain should be characterized by sharp, crippling pain which prevents you from doing normal activities of the body such as walking or just simple bending of knees. For seniors, there are many factors considered before a knee replacement surgery, some of which are:  age, overall health and bone density. Keep in mind that your doctor will still try to find other ways to save you from your aching knees other than surgery since the cons sometimes outweigh the pros. Total knee replacement is NOT recommended for adults 40-50 years of age, unless they suffered a badly damaged joints as those of athletes’.
For seniors who are having doubts about having their knees replaced, there is a new procedure which aims to lessen the recovery time after surgery but still achieve the same result as that of total knee replacement. MIS knee joint replacement or Minimally Invasive Surgery will only require a small incision to insert the implant. However, due to the “newness” of the technique, only a couple of doctors are known to do such procedure. If your doctor is not one of them, you are most likely to be referred to someone who does.
What you should expect after a surgery? Seniors are required to undergo physical therapy the soonest possible time to avoid stiffening of the surgical area. To avoid blood clots from happening, you will be given a series of medications to thin the blood. Bear in mind as well that these implants are not intended to live forever. They, too, wear out in time. However, in the mean time, you should enjoy your newfound knees and use it while it’s as good as new.

What I really love about computers and the internet is that it makes life so much easier for everybody. I virtually live inside of it, every single day. It’s where I conduct my work, reconnect with my family and friends, shop for my stuff and yes, window shop without having to contend with someone else’s watchful eyes, pay my bills and meet new friends along the way AND take note, I really made some friends off them!
So there’s this one time when I stumbled upon a genealogy site which helps a person find his roots without ever setting a foot out the door. They have these family trees of different sizes and shapes available for you to download, print or just play around. However, they reminded me of my childhood years when making your own family tree was a requirement and hunting for pictures was just so funny! Aside from that, there’s a forum there where you can place inquiries about your long-lost relatives from far away lands and someone will answer you soon, making it a very interactive place for those who are longing for someone to talk to about the hardships of tracing one’s family history. I even found some heart warming stories there such as why they are doing it and how they are faring. Technology indeed made it easier for us to gather information, data, photographs and other stuff which will make our family heritage clearer and nicer for the generations to come! Here are some ways to preserve your family history and hope someday someone further down in your family free will thank you for spending a little of your time doing these things!
·    Photo albums. I still go for the old school type of photo album which you could touch and feel, even though there are a couple of websites out there that allow a member to create his or her personal album. I suggest you take the extra mile by doing both just so you’ll be able to have a backup copy if one of them messes up.
·    Take pictures. Gone are the days when you need to take a roll of film to Wal-Mart and wait for an hour for it to be ready for you. These days, most home printers can handle quality printing needs for photos you have just taken. No need to hassle yourself and waste time. Just point those digital cameras and shoot, then print right after!
·    Always have your camera with you even if there’s no particular reason for doing so. Digital cameras of today are designed to be handy and compact, some even smaller than your palm and sits perfectly inside your pocket. Bring them to family gatherings such as weddings, reunions, and birthdays.
·    Create a family book. You can either have it bound by a professional publishing house or if you are good at photo manipulation or perhaps a software you can use for such activities, you can save it on a CD and make multiple copies for your family members.
·    Join online genealogy groups so that you too can help others find their roots. Who knows, maybe it’s your 3rd, 4th, 5th cousin who will turn up there next!

For as long as I can remember, there’s always a pain present in and around my knees. They may differ in intensity and levels but I tell you, they never, not even once, leave me. They are just always there; dull, crippling, whatever! Some say, it has something to do with gender but I’ve seen members of the opposite sex in much worse shape than what I have now which, by the way, I could consider manageable at times.
When I was young, my coach used to tell me to always protect the knees when engaging in sports, no matter how fit and athletic you are. It’s because like a cracked eggshell, the injury never really heals, they just keep themselves together. However, they are bound to bring hell come 45 years and up, some even younger. Which brings me to my point:  fit or unfit, seniors are vulnerable to aching knees.
Here are 10 easy ways to protect your knees and hopefully, make aches and pains of the knee a little more manageable!
·    Know the enemy. Are you prone to osteoarthritis? Know that osteoarthritis has several factors which could trigger the said disease. These are:  age, weight, past injuries, hereditary factors, and inactivity leading to weak muscles.
·    Assess your current health status. Did you know that some diseases and illnesses you may have right now could affect your knees? For one, diabetes is known to cause joint troubles particularly around the knee area. Get your doctor involve by assessing your health condition together.
·    Maintain a healthy weight all throughout your life, especially when nearing the golden age as this is when the knees are at its weakest. Know that the knees take the most pressure of the body’s heaviness and weight so please be kind to your knees. The lighter you are, the kinder it is to your knees.
·    Avoid activities that can injure your joints. These are activities in which your joints are regularly subjected to high-impact stress. These are very common in the sports industry. Prolonged standing can also induce too much stress on your knees.
·    Move adequately enough. Try to build and strengthen muscles around your knees by performing exercises which have a lighter impact on the joint itself. Muscles support and protect the joints.
·    Walking devices prove to be helpful especially when there’s already an ache present. No need to induce stress to an already hurting knee.
·    In an event that you fall, trip, hit or whatever your knees, consult your doctor at once and have them evaluate the extent of damage. Never self-assess!
·    Try to find a fitness program or regimen that is kind to the joints. It is best if you train under a professional instructor’s supervision.
·    Take pain reliever if you need to. You don’t have to endure pain and have it run your life, take control!
·    Eat healthy. You will need calcium, vitamin D and those with omega-3 fatty acids to make your bones stronger and keep inflammation at bay.

There are situations which could sometimes compel us to make decisions and choose what’s best for us, no matter how it hurts. I can still remember when the kids were young and I used to dream about having our own house without worrying about the rent every month! That was the driving force which led me to gamble with mortgage the time I bought our very first home. Lucky for me, me and my spouse were able to tide our family over. Just imagine the sense of relief I felt after shelling out the last payment for the house which was then called officially and irrevocably OURS!
No, I am not on the verge of applying for reverse mortgage, thank God, not yet! But God knows how many times I’ve toyed with the idea when something tight comes around. I have some friends—a handful of them, I must say—who took the “reverse mortgage plunge” and so far, are not having any problems but there were indeed frantic calls from them ranging from the wee to ungodly hours just because they heard reverse mortgage problems and would require some level of comforting skills from yours truly.
Which led me to believe, not all people whose homes are now under reverse mortgage are aware of its pros and cons or how it really works, partly due to the fact that reverse mortgage is a fairly new way to get some cash out of your acquired home. For starters, reverse mortgage is only available for homeowners age 62 years and above. Moreover, the senior must physically occupy the house in question and it must be his or her principal residence. The greatest selling point of reverse mortgage is that you don’t risk getting kicked out of your own house and you are not expected to pay anything just as long as you live in that house. The downside however, would be, in the event you suddenly, unexpectedly die, the amount borrowed against your home should be paid in full including fees and charges, which if left unattended for quite some time can grow to astronomical proportions!
Reverse mortgages are calculated by month, just like any other mortgage. It means, from the time the borrowed money reaches your hands, its interest will also begin to run. Although there would be no pesky monthly collector, its unpaid monthly interests will automatically pile up, month after month.
In reverse mortgage, you still own your home thus making you responsible for its upkeep and other fees to be paid such as property tax and insurances. Failing to do so will only result to the lender’s demand of full payment for the money owed. Local and state governments offer reverse mortgage which has low fees and interest rate but they can only be used for paying property taxes. On the other hand, private loans are typically expensive and involve lots of charges and fees which will be charged against your loan balance. Another thing to consider when taking out a reverse mortgage against your home is that it can seriously mess up your taxes when filing.

One of hardest, heart-breaking moment when you are about to go on an exciting trip is when you have to leave someone you so dearly love behind, i.e. your pet! Sometimes I even find myself cancelling a trip just because it would be too much of an inconvenience for me and my dog. I must say, I have an obvious inclination to travel destinations wherein pets are very much welcomed and accommodated. For a quick getaway with your pet, your best bet would be to go camping and of course, via road trip. By far, the most distressing for both pet and pet owners would be air travels especially if you happen to fly with a nasty airline requiring all pets to be checked as baggage! That would mean your pet is to fly alone in somewhere dark and God knows what! You, on the other hand, won’t be able to sleep a wink nor rest your worried mind.
While it is indeed joyful to spend your vacations with your pet, it is always wise to consult their vets prior to travelling especially if this is their first time to go on a trip. Many pets have shown unpredictable behavior that is completely different from what we’re used to when subjected to a trip.
Vets explain that when pets travel, they are subjected to stress, particularly when in unfamiliar condition. The only thing that will calm them down is if they see their owner or if the owner himself assures the pet that everything’s alright. In truth, your pets really enjoy travelling especially with you, it’s just that they feel threatened when something unusual comes along. Sometimes, it could also be the excitement of finding himself in a new place with lots to explore. These “new” feelings can sometimes trigger unpredictable behavior to your pet.
So how would you know if your pet is ready to travel? Here are some basic points you need to consider to determine if your pet is good enough:
·    Consider the size and nature of your pet and the type of trip you are about to take. Your pet should have enough room to move around. Aside from that, you should be in close proximity to your pet at all times, especially if this is his first. Gauge the nature of your pet: is he behaving well in cages? Would he require space when travelling? Does he possess a nature that is easily provoked and distracted?
·    Your travel destination. Some travel spots have pet restriction. You might want to know more about these areas before bringing Fido there.
·    Health status of your pet. Of course, a visit to the vet is never a bad idea when your pet is about to travel. Your pet should receive a clean bill of health otherwise he should stay home.
·    Your pet’s level of obedience. Remember that you and your pet are not the only ones in this trip. There are millions of people you are about to meet and you can never tell how your pet will react. Be sure that he knows exactly what to do in such cases, or at least, heed your call when told.

Of course! And if I may say so, seniors are more than ready for change nowadays. Seniors today are living longer and healthier lives, unfortunately, our skin doesn’t always match our inner being. Honestly, one of the worst experiences we have to contend everyday is looking in the mirror and see a saggy, wrinkly face when you really are feeling 10 or 20 years younger than your true age. Unfair right? Especially when you know you fought hard for your health, only to end up with bagful of wrinkles evenly distributed around your face.
I have some friends who underwent the knife, some got their happy endings while others end up with a face a million times worse than what they exchanged for. I, for now, am sticking with my natural face but God knows, if I get to live some 40 more years and end up with jaws just above my collar bone, then I will definitely make necessary arrangements to Costa Rica—and fast!
Actually, it’s never a sin to be vain, just as long as you are doing it for yourself and never for others. Well, that’s according to me. When you reach a certain age, somehow you will hear a nagging voice inside of you saying that maybe it’s time to take care of yourself instead. For some, this voice gets a little louder earlier in life, say midlife?..
Whatever your reasons are and no matter how intent you are in having a plastic surgery, seniors need to be reminded that safety should always come first. I consider plastic surgery as merchandise wherein you shop around to find a retailer that suits you best. They may offer you the same thing and would promise you the same end result but let’s face it—and no pun intended—it’s a traumatic experience and not to mention risky. So if you’re adamant in getting it done, make sure you go for a doctor that would provide you with lesser stress and great results. This, you could only know by getting feedbacks from previous patients or from friends and families who underwent the same thing.
It is important that you do your research first and go meet previous patients to know about the procedure more before going to the doctor. The reason for this is, sometimes, cosmetic doctors tend to get all flowery with words that it gets harder to spot the “not”. In other words, it’s fairly easy to get blinded with promises and not see the warning signs at once. Aside from that, it is best if you explore other options aside from the ever popular face lift. Today, there are many non-invasive procedures that are available to erase those wrinkles away depending on the severity of the problem. Again, go for the ones that won’t stress you much and won’t require too much healing time. Lastly, always check your doctor’s credentials and make sure he or she is qualified to do such procedures. Bear in mind that it is your face at stake.

If there’s one group that is adamant in chasing these statistics, it is the MOWAA or the Meal On Wheels Association of America. This group provides food for those in need, even delivers it to your home which proves to be very beneficial for seniors who are no longer capable of moving around, much less cook their own food. MOWAA is very particular when it comes to understanding and finding a solution for senior hunger. They aim to improve seniors’ quality of life at the same time, keeping them healthy despite their current condition. To know more about Meals on Wheels, click here.
Unfortunately, a recent study done by the group stated that they fear the condition is not improving, in fact, it keeps getting worse! They foresee more seniors facing hunger in the coming years and the group is now calling for community involvement to strengthen their mission and be able to reach out more effectively to hungry seniors all throughout America. Taken into account is the non-recovery of the world’s economic status in which it was found out that seniors are taking the direct hit.
Even with funding and sponsors, Meals on Wheels admitted that they can only do so much in keeping these hungry seniors alive as the demand for such nutritional services keep on growing everyday. Clearly a case of overwhelming demand versus limited amount of resources. This is also the reason why the group pushed for resolving the problem instead of just providing temporary solution in hopes of somehow getting to the root cause of the problem and be able to get these seniors provide for their own in the future.
According to their study, aside from poverty, it was found out that hunger is more likely to occur in a house wherein a senior is living alone. If truth be told, they highly suggest for these seniors to seek help in assisted living facilities or even a companion in the house to be able to monitor their regular food intake. Sadly, this is not their call to make.
Hunger can actually affect one’s health. It can trigger underlying diseases or even worsen the existing ones. Seniors who are in constant hunger state are also in a great risk for serious health problems. This is something that MOWAA hopes to avoid. Interestingly, according to their studies, there is more to seniors’ hunger than poverty. Factors to affect seniors’ hunger problem are:
·    Education. It was found out that those who didn’t finish school are most likely to suffer hunger later in life.
·    Living alone. This includes widow, separated and dissolved marriages without any children to look after them.
·    Debts. It may be due to supporting a grandchild or even renting his or her home. Single parents are also a likely candidate.
·    Out of job. When a senior finds himself sacked out of the job, it’s quite hard to get up on feet again.