Seniors Site

The only thing that could save you from age discrimination and prevent abuse from happening to you is that if you arm yourself with proper knowledge and information about age discrimination. What pains me is when I hear stories from my senior friends telling me about how they lost their jobs or how they were not able to land a job they really wanted just because of their age. The company didn’t even consider the experience and expertise these old people have, they just flat out rejected them.

First off, there is a law that is designed to protect seniors against age discrimination in terms of employment. If you have time, read more about it here: Age Discrimination in Employment Act. This clearly outlines your rights as a senior in a workplace and what other things the law cannot protect you from. To be more specific, the law covers people 40 years old and above. Please take note of the age as there really is age discrimination within the 40s age group even if that number isn’t even too old to begin with.

In this post, I will try to summarize what was written on the ADEA but like I said, it is better to read the link if you have time just so if I missed a point and you found yourself in that certain situation, you would know what to do.

First off, your boss or the company cannot just fire you because of your age, nor refuse to hire you especially if you are qualified for the job. They also cannot limit your activities as an employee or separate you from the younger ones without a valid reason other than your age. Best of all, your wage shouldn’t be reduced just because you’re old. You should be paid accordingly.

When looking for a job, ADEA clearly stated that job ads shouldn’t mention age or age bracket as preference. As for employment agencies, they cannot refuse to refer you for employment or classify your application according to your age.

Now if you are a member of a labor organization, the org cannot just expel you or limit and classify your membership because of age. You shouldn’t be deprived of employment opportunities by your organization in any way in terms of age.

More importantly, if you found yourself filing charges against your employer or helping someone with their age-related cases against your employer, the employer as well as the company cannot harass you or discriminate you in any way.

It is not right to put all the blame on the recession. Truth be told, we were living a very spoiled life prior to the recession and some countries were not hit as hard as we had been. Granted, some of us seniors suddenly found ourselves in face of our deepest, darkest fears: losing our homes, no jobs, vulnerable nest eggs, etc. All we could think about is why these things are happening when we’re so close to retirement. Times may not be as easy as it once was but certainly you can do something about it since it is all a matter of right frame of mind and kicking bad money habits we’ve been practicing for too long!
· Procrastinating on your retirement plan. Save NOW! It’s not too late, you know. Scrape everything you have, no matter how small you think your income is right now. If you are one of the millions who are jobless at the moment, don’t dilly dally, instead think of other ways to generate income with your available resources. Hey – manpower is one of the most valuable resources a man can have! Be creative, you might find an opportunity where you least expect it.
· Obsessing on tax breaks. Give your taxes a break. There are indeed many ways to cut down on your taxes however this should not be the sole purpose of your existence. Don’t obsess on the numbers instead start examining what taxes can do for you in the future, particularly on your retirement benefits.
· Feeding your work-pay mentality. We were trained to see work as pay so if you don’t work, our minds quickly assume that there’s no pay too hence the panic. However, we must admit that we are not getting any younger and it’s time to slow down, nest egg or none. Work on whatever you can today and save while you can. You can never work forever, you should know that.
· Depending too much on your inheritance. This is something that is not certain. Just think of 101 things that could go wrong before your inheritance reaches you. You’re lucky if it reaches you in full amount that you have been expecting, in some cases, you don’t get even a dime.
· Not getting life plans. You should know that the biggest dent your retirement money is potentially facing would be your healthcare. The more years added to your age, the more medical procedures your body will need.

No matter how poor you see yourself right now, there is definitely an estate to plan hence the need for an executor. An executor is someone who will administer your estate when you pass away and he or she should be someone who is very much capable of doing so — not to mention, willing to. To be able to know both, you and your executor should have “the talk” as soon as possible and get things straight.
Bear in mind that the talk between the executor and you is, most of the time, not a one-time talk. As long as there are changes in your life, or something came up, the need to talk with your executor is instantly there. For example, if one of your kids die ahead of you or you remarried or perhaps there has been a change in your financial flow, these things will prompt a talk with your executor and shouldn’t be delayed. Buying a new home and even thinking of adopting – whether a pet or a child – should also prompt a brief discussion with your executor.
As soon as you determined what is included in your estate, choosing the executor is the next step. If your chosen executor is not your own personal lawyer, it would be a good idea to bring him or her to meet with your lawyer to discuss your estate and straighten things out. Discuss and be honest about what’s involved and what needs to be done. The executor’s role should also be discussed straight away such as distribution of assets, paying off your acquired debts, handling of insurance policies and inventories, and lastly, handling the sale of your home and other saleable items you own. He or she should be empowered to handle your estate and be the point of contact when there are issues pertaining to your assets. Your executor, to be able to successfully handle and facilitate this, should have a copy of the list of people who would get in touch with him or her for certain issues. While it is quite honorable to be chosen to be an executor, he or she should realize this is more than your trusting them with your asset but a responsibility to make sure everything will run according to plan. This is why choosing the most suitable executor is a must – it may not necessarily be a relative but someone who has the capabilities of executing your will as written.
Spending some time with your executor is also recommended as it will somehow explain the things you have written in your will like why this should go to who and what should go to who. Distribution of asset has always been a touchy subject for surviving families and you wouldn’t want your executor to weather these things our right?

I have high regard for lifelong couples since they don’t take relationships as a game. In this day and age, 25 years of togetherness is commendable enough but more than that is truly admirable and somewhat inspiring. While I don’t have anything against divorces and breaking up, I just believe that it is important to really think things over before committing into something. That true love, when found, is really beautiful and could last a person a lifetime while if you try to couple up with every “love” that comes your way, you are wasting your time and you might miss your true love. Well, that’s just me.
Lifelong marriages have one thing in common: true happiness. A senior who belongs to a lifelong marriage is genuinely happy and content. Lifelong marriages have secrets too, as it also takes effort from both sides of the marriage. Do take note that lifelong marriages shouldn’t be one-sided such that one person loves the other more. What I found out is that love and understanding should come from both persons involved.
· Grow together. Not necessarily growing old together but the point is, humans, by nature, grow. As an individual, the need to grow is there; as a couple, the need to grow together should come naturally. Both should have the desire to grow and experience life with the other.
· Communication is the key. By the way, nagging is not communicating, I just want to make that clear. When you communicate, you talk, you listen, even if they are not too important things. Respect should also be there. When the other half is talking, you listen then in return, you should be given time to speak and be listened to. If communication is quite a pain, then that is a sure sign things are not working the way they should.
· Fight fair. When you suddenly find yourselves in opposing sides of an issue, do remember that winning an argument is not everything. Disagreements are okay – they can even be healthy at times since you will be able to get to know more about your partner but the difference is, you also have to know how to play fair and when to back down as well as accept defeat when necessary.
· Have fun and enjoy the relationship. Lifelong marriages are not a matter of being too comfortable with one another, it should be that you are still enjoying the company of your partner despite the years of togetherness.
· Stay physically and emotionally connected. The attraction should still be there and the need to cuddle should be as strong as the first time. Kissing, cuddling, snuggling and yes, sex, should still be part of the deal!

Caring for an incapacitated senior can be overwhelming. Aside from their medical needs, you also need to consider the legalities of what’s happening and what would happen in the future. These things, if they are not addressed soon enough can certainly cause problems in the future. At this point, you will need a lawyer who specializes in elderly law. To find a lawyer, you could ask for referrals from friends and associations near you.
Legally, your senior needs to address these things: who will manage the senior’s financial affairs as well as medical decisions and personal care. Also, their assets should be assessed so that there will be a clear arrangement of where the money would come from for housing and caring payments. Do take note too that drafting and finalizing of last will should be done at this point and distribution of assets must be placed.
As much as possible, the act of choosing an attorney to handle your legal planning should take place while your senior can still make his or her own decision or still has the ability to do so. This must be determined on a case-by-case basis and ideally with the help of your senior’s doctors and healthcare providers.
Your senior has many options to choose from to manage their assets. This should be discussed with an attorney since each has their own pros and cons thus should have a suitable assigned person to handle the job.
Along with planning and assigning the right people, a financial plan should also be put together since it is one of the most important things needed when acquiring long term care for your senior. It would be best if you could sit down with your senior while he or she still can and assess their financial standing. Examine their insurances, the programs they are currently enrolled and other local support they are entitled to. If in doubt, you can always seek help from a lawyer, a doctor and/or non-government organizations.
If you’re the senior in question, take into consideration some assets you need to protect, like that of your spouse, surely you wouldn’t want to leave your spouse penniless when this most unfortunate time comes. Have a talk with your lawyer what applies to your case and what best to do to be able to protect your spouse in case you get incapacitated and would require longterm care.
Remember that the best way to go forward about this is to find a lawyer. Ask for recommendations from family and friends since a lawyer whose expertise lies on elderly law is quite hard to find.

Life is short, celebrate it! Just how many times have I heard that line and yet, it’s quite easy to forget it especially if you are living this so called life. Celebrating life makes it more worthwhile and meaningful!

Celebrate your family! Every person is unique, so does your family - its members. I’m sure by now you know that no matter how much blood you all share, each and every person in your family has their own unique traits. This uniqueness brings joy and color to your life – something to celebrate about.

* Pay attention to small things. The problem with the world today is that we are always in a hurry and we miss out on the little things that make us happy. Things like your grandkid’s laughter or the bloom your garden is experiencing or perhaps that early morning sun peeking through the clouds. Stop and savor these moments.
* Public display of affection is allowed! When you feel the “want” to hug a loved-one right now, don’t let being in public stop you. Be spontaneous with what you feel, hug whenever you feel like it!
* Show appreciation to lifelong friendships! True friends are hard to find, more so friends that last a lifetime. This is the best time to show them how you treasure their gift of friendship. Go out of your way just to express your gratitude.
* Have a trip down the memory lane. It’s nice to, once and a while, look back and remember the past, both good and bad. Browse through photos taken during reunions and holidays, talk about those sweet memories you shared with your friends and family, the possibilities are endless!
* Celebrate other people’s success. Be happy with someone else’s accomplishments and luck. While it is sometimes easier to let the green-eyed monster get the best of you, it is more exhilarating to cheer for others and share their joy.
* Everyday is a brand new day! Celebrate the fact that you are given yet another day to enjoy life. Start it right every single time. Do things that will make you look forward to another day. Correct mistakes before the day ends so it will not carry over the next day.
* Be thankful for all the little things that make your life easier to live in. Like your caregiver, or perhaps your hardworking secretary, or even your mobile phone.
* Appreciate your job or career. Granted, careers can be a pain sometimes but it certainly keeps you going and gives you a purpose so it is time to appreciate the things you do and would continue doing.
* Thank people who criticize the work that you do because they make you a better person by pointing out your mistakes and giving you the opportunity to correct them.

When you just lost your job and maybe even a *gasp* girlfriend, it is only natural to feel insignificant like your whole life is a complete waste of time. I highly suspect that it comes with age. When you reach 60, it becomes harder to stay optimistic and still be looking forward to a brighter future. Most of the seniors I know, especially those who have reached 60 with bagful of various illnesses and diseases, just succumb to depression since they see retirement as the end of the line and a steady decline from there.
What these seniors don’t know is that they now possess what younger ones so wanted to have – and dying to have as well. Seniors have years of experience under their belts and they just can’t beat that. I will have to say that the hardest blow to ever hit our age bracket would be the financial crisis of year 2008 and sadly, its affect effect is still felt the world over. Many seniors who were dependent of their monthly income lost their jobs which threw them off balance. I have seen friends who lost many of their assets because of the crisis. Many have lost the will to live just because they thought it was the end for them.
These seniors need to recognize their worth. That even if they lost their job and half of their retirement money, they can still do something about it. In reality, and I believe due to the crisis itself, there has been many changes in how the world works today. Gone are the days when you need be young in order to land a job, there is nothing to fear now when it comes to job hunting as long as you have a portfolio to back you up. Hiring managers and employers are now after employees who can bring more value to work and has the know-how without having to train and supervise them extensively. That means us, my fellow seniors.
Seasoned workers like us are in demand nowadays, you just have to find these jobs. Actually, you can find them at the most unexpected places such as your social networking sites and even through your blogs, if you have one (well if you don’t, it’s time you start one!) Building your social network, online and offline, can certainly help you find a job AT YOUR TERMS as well as the respect you deserve.
Remember that your self-worth should, primarily, come from within. If you don’t value yourself as a person then you won’t see how others value you. You can never be living this life for this long if you don’t have anything to show for it.

Contrary to popular notion, being a senior or indeed a baby boomer can be financially hard especially if you have retired earlier than your nest egg could afford you. Unfortunately, in a cut throat world of corporations, nobody is indispensable – the minute you’re laid off, there are about 30 people waiting in line to replace you! This effectively places seniors and baby boomers in a very difficult situation.
I personally recommend seniors and baby boomers to have a second career, or a part time, just in case an unexpected financial crisis hits you. One can never be certain so there really is no harm in trying to fatten up the couch that will catch you if all else fails. If you care to look at my older posts, you’ll find plenty of career opportunities suitable for seniors ages 60 and above. Here is yet another one: coaching.
Surely you have years of experience under your belt. Better if you have had expertise in areas and fields which are still quite a mystery to others, young and old. For example, if you worked on “health papers” before and you know exactly how it works, you can offer your services to other seniors and their families on how to go about it such as where to go to secure papers, what documents should they have to acquire from doctors and hospitals, etc. These things may seem trivial to you but believe me, a lot of people need help on this area!
Truly, retirement careers are on the rise, since more seniors are becoming interested in starting their lifelong dreams and “dream careers” after quitting their 9-5 jobs. Seniors nowadays think that retirement is a new phase in their lives, a great way to start something worthwhile for themselves. Having experienced the world for so many years, you now have the authority to speak what you have learned and the air of expertise. These things can certainly help you in launching your career as a life coach.
If you are thinking of starting your own life coaching and counseling business, you must, first and foremost, know your target market. This means you should have a definite idea of whom to sell your concept and where to find them. Do your research by interviewing and observing people from your community. Also, it will help you tremendously if you start researching online, since almost all of your needed information can be found there. Take note too that you would have to do your own marketing, if you are to coach. If you think you can’t handle your own PR, then you might want to think about hiring a good PR consultant (see, a coach needs a coach too. Lol)
Be ready to do a lot of interaction as well since your customers should be really comfortable with you, personally and professionally. Join groups and associations to build networks and don’t forget to widen your services as go along.

As I’ve said again and again, your age bears no association with your ability to change. We need not get stuck with stereotypes nor the need to still be on the fastlane just because our lives were planned that way. Funny how many of my senior friends are doubtful when suggested to change the way they are living their lives now. Some will say it’s quite too late, others will tell you that change tends to be inconvenient for an aging body like ours. However, life can be so boring if we keep on doing the same things over and over again, don’t you think?

Reinventing yourself at 60 isn’t so bad. Worst thing that can ever happen is that your daughters and sons will accuse you of going through second childhood which is not too nice but certainly won’t cost you your life. However consider all the possibilities you’ll be opening yourself to if and when you decide to go through it. Like I said, reinventing your life can be done in a way that nobody will get to notice until you truly make a difference. It can be as subtle as you would want it to be.

Seniors should never ever fear change. Stars are aligned to help you reinvent yourself and finally be able to chase your own dreams. Seniors today as more active and thrive to live longer and fruitful lives. We are more conscious now of our health and more and more seniors are choosing the clean, healthy life we all should be following. Due to this awareness, seniors are now well-armed to conquer the world the second time around!

When a senior wants to go through reinvention, it simply means they would want to make their lives more worthwhile. We all know that adulthood is laden with responsibilities, obligations and expectations that all of it makes it harder for a person to really follow his own path. Your golden years, on the other hand, provide you with the perfect opportunity to finally chase your dreams without feeling all guilty about it. Your “golden years” is all about you! – Finally.

Don’t let life pass by you without allowing yourself to fulfill your goals in life. Seniors could pursue education, either finishing a degree or acquiring a second degree. Or perhaps get seriously involved in a cause. Turning your hobbies into a more worthwhile venture can also be done by seniors who would like some changes in their lives. Indeed, there are 101 ways a senior can reinvent themselves, the important thing is to shed your inhibitions and actually start doing it.

I’m a bit bothered about all these national and local cuts on senior care funds happening nowadays, some of them are cleverly disguised as changes which promise better senior care etc. I won’t be bothered too much if I am not seeing a rise on the senior population which means there is enough reason for our government to apply changes just to balance things out. Seems to me that people in our government think they have been spending too much for senior care and they have to do some damage control if they don’t want to be rocking their budget boat.
Which to me, unfortunately, does have a point. In our fight against death, we unknowingly opened up a new can of worms. Statistics say that the fastest growing age group nowadays is 85 and beyond. Meaning, too many people are now reaching this age and worst, most have no means to support their ever-raising medical cost which their boomer daughters and sons are most likely to shoulder.
I am not saying that it is better to commit suicide than reach this golden age, only that expect a lot of financial hurdles on your way and as much as possible, prepare for it so that you won’t have to bother your kids sometime in the near future.
Growing old is good. There is so much in life you have yet to discover. Don’t let financial worries bother you and your family. Here are some of the things you can do to prepare yourself for a battle against financial hurdles:

· Senior-proof your home while you still can. Let’s face it, living in a nursing home can drain your savings faster than a newly repaired drain pipe. Not only that, nursing homes are laden with horror stories that the mere act of finding the right one for you is almost scary and downright doubtful. By senior-proofing your home, you can age comfortably at home and just move into a nursing home when it is absolutely necessary.

· Find a family that will take you in. this may not be the ideal solution to your problem but this absolutely remedies your financial problem, and it may even help your host family in the long run as local government nowadays has incentives for families with seniors living with them.

· Find a reasonably priced senior community. This is the trend nowadays. There is a boom in building communities for seniors; in Florida alone, there are recently built communities advertised over the internet and around shopping malls and surprisingly, seniors from neighboring communities are flying in to move and fill these communities.

· Inquire about latest insurance coverages for seniors. Because of these changes, insurance companies are now designing insurance coverages which include other incentives for seniors. It may not benefit you now but who knows?