Seniors Site

Holidays are not safe from scammers, in fact, this is the very time when scammers take advantage of the gift-giving feeling when you put your guard down and really soak up the holiday cheer assuming that everybody is doing the exact same thing. Unfortunately, scammers are more active than ever during holidays and they continually improvise new ways to trick innocent merrymakers!

Dupe online shops. In truth, your search engine a.k.a Google, takes time before they catch dupes – those websites that copy legitimate websites hoping to deceive consumers into entering their personal information (credit card details included) and making transactions with their site. Of course, if you happen to use dupe websites, don’t expect for your ordered items to ever reach your door, instead, brace yourself for your next credit card’s billing statement since that dupe site, must have by then, maxed out your credit line. When shopping online, make sure you are using the right website and not a dupe.

• Online shopping directories. A little bit same when using your search engine and end up in a dupe site however, those found in shopping directories are more organized as they will present themselves as legitimate sellers, their websites all legit looking, designed to only operate during holidays and be gone soon after. If they are not after your credit card details, they are most likely to infect your computer with malware.
• Gift cards from racks. Gift cards must be the most sensible thing to give to loved-ones especially if you don’t have any idea what to get them! Young adults love receiving them as it allows them to shop and get whatever they want and not just contend with a horrible, knitted sweater every single year. However, authorities warn public from buying off department store racks as they are very much exposed to unscrupulous people who steal gift card codes and use it as
  soon as it is activated.
• Online greeting cards. Anything that has a link and the sender asking you to click it should send you doubting big time! Most ecards or electronic cards – the kind that you view on your computer – can be embedded into the email itself which won’t prompt the receiver to click any link anymore. Others will just give you a code which you can use in their website to view your electronic card.
• Undeliverable package notice from your local courier. We’ve had reports from several seniors receiving emails and calls from purportedly “couriers” telling the seniors that they have been trying to deliver a package and wasn’t able to do so. That they needed for the senior to claim it personally or call a number where they can claim their holiday package. Of course, at the other end of the number is a scammer waiting for you call.

Holidays are a great time for travelling! That’s also the reason why holidays are always considered as “peak season” by travelers. It must be because it is the only time when everybody is not working, making it the best time to catch up with one another. However, pitstops are to be expected and quite frankly, a trip without a slight bump is not really memorable right? On the other hand, “slight bumps” while travelling should be kept at minimum, so for seniors who are thinking of travelling during holidays, here are some more practical travel tips for you:
· Avoid the road during peak hours. Or flying during peak hours. If you want smooth and traffic-less travel – which shortens your travel time too, make sure that you don’t fly or drive during peak hours, or days. The times/days you need to observe are usually two-three days before the “big days” a.k.a Christmas day and New Year’s day. If these are the only days you could fly then better to fly on the “big day” itself as the travelers are already in their destinations by that time and you’ll have the road/airport all to yourself. Take note too of the day to two after the “big day” since this is the time the travelers are usually packing and going back home.
· Make the most out of your devices. Before you leave, make sure that your mobile devices are all charged up and ready for the trip. Your mobile phone, iPad, laptop and navigator can be your most valuable weapon when on the road. Your mobile phone, no matter how old or new its model is, will connect you to the rest of the world when need be. iPads or/and other tablet computers have applications that are fun to use, at the same time, will help you find your way in and out even of tiniest streets. Laptops, of course, are very handy when you need to get some work done while on vacation so you don’t have to worry about them anymore. Navigators are of course, very valuable when planning your best routes to and fro destinations.
· Minimize your load. If you are visiting family, surely you could do your laundry while staying at their house. This, of course, will definitely lessen the clothes to bring. If you are planning to distribute gifts while there, better to have them delivered ahead of you instead of carrying the gifts with you. Most online shops offer free delivery on purchase so you don’t have to worry about the cost.
· Check out alternative routes. Expect the roads to be clogged this time of the year. To save you from burning your own bottom sitting inside the car for hours, with your tablet computer or navigator – even a map would do – check out back roads and discover hidden gems along the way!

During holiday season, it is very common for seniors to be visiting houses—of friends or families or both. During these times too, you may find yourself as the visitor today and the host tomorrow. No matter what role you play, you’re bound to be in a roomful of people whom you have to get along with for a day or two. These people may like you but there’s no guarantee they will like you “tag-alongs” too, especially if they are of the other kind, i.e your pets.

It is important to note that not all people share your fondness with animals. Some people prefer to have nothing to do with them while others just prefer a different kind of animal from yours. For example, there are cat-people who love cats dearly, while on the other side, there are dog lovers who get along with dogs better. Just imagine how riotous it can get if a visitor, carrying their beloved cat, went visiting a house with dogs as pets. To save you from potentially stressful situation, it is best to keep the pets out of the house during these times or better yet, have them board somewhere comfortable for the time being, especially if you’re traveling.

Also do note that pets can sometimes be health threatening to others, that is why you don’t have to take rejections personally, instead you have to be sensitive of other people’s need for their own space not being violated by your pet. A person who is allergic to pets can find himself in the emergency room minutes after exposure to the allergen—a great way to break the holiday spirit!

If you are planning to visit or perhaps, receive guests, this holiday season and you’re not quite sure where to put your pet, find a sitter. Just make sure your pet is welcomed even if the sitter is an immediate family. Moreover, if you have decided to just bring your pet along, make sure that he is welcome in that house as well. It wouldn’t hurt to ask the house owner for ground rules, you see, than have yourself embarrassed upon your arrival. If you’re told no, then you have to respect that.

However, if there’s absolutely no one to leave your pet with and you really have to bring them with you or if time is not with your side as there’s no more room left in the doggie hotel to accommodate your pet, ask the house owner if you two can meet halfway. Some people let pets into their homes granted that they will have to stay in one place, so it’s either you put your pet in a crate or have him on leash.  It will also do your situation good if you promise to clean up after your pet. Again, never push if the owner firmly said no.

Holidays need not be a stressful occasion for both pet and seniors. You just have to learn how to deal with the situation if it occurs. Your veterinarian will be able to help you find places which accept pets as transients. This is the best option for your pet so far, since you are sure your pets will be taken cared of in these places.

We often hear tips on how to travel right, I, myself, am guilty of this as I constantly post new and innovative ways on how to pack for traveling and stay safe while on a vacation. When I do, I always make it a point to mention how and why you should bring just enough medications with you to last you until it’s time to go home. Of course, you have heard how it can be a headache just finding out that your prescription meds are not available in and around the area you’ll be staying. Packing your own medications will help you avoid getting stuck somewhere without the convenience of your own meds.

However, it is not always that easy to bring your medications with you when traveling, especially if you are planning to travel by air. Sometimes, even crossing a country will have your bags and being subjected to inspection. Even over-the-counter drugs can cause you trouble when checking in at airports, so you really have to be very careful when packing them. Here are some tips on how to pack your medications the right way when traveling:

•    Pack them individually and label each one according to their names and uses. Never dump them all in one container as they may cause confusion to the inspector and lead to unnecessary confiscation.
•    Make sure you have proof that these medications are yours. Your strongest proof would be your doctor’s medical prescription. If you are wary of carrying this with you or if you are afraid you might lose the prescription during the trip, then a copy of which will do.
•    For pills and inhalers, it is better if you keep them in their original containers and put your name on it for easy reference. This way, you can easily claim them as yours when asked.
•    You are allowed a quart Ziploc bag to carry your liquids (the original bottle must fit the bag) Usually this is enough for a traveling senior but if it’s absolutely necessary for you to carry more than that amount, you will have to declare it to a travel officer.
•    Be conscious enough to just bring enough amount with you as something other than enough will certainly raise an alarm at security checkpoints.
•    For medications that you won’t need during the travel time itself, you can send them to your destination ahead of time, this way, you won’t have a problem with security when checking in.
•    Some security checkpoints won’t allow even the most “innocent” of things such as gels and aerosols since their inspections are based on categories. Make sure you check them prior to traveling.

Indeed, traveling with your loved-ones makes a vacation more special than usual. However, vacations made with your grandchildren were the most memorable and it’s no wonder! Just imagine lively, youthful sounds to keep you going for more. There’s just something these little ones are able to give you—like an energy potion to make the most out of your vacations!
Unfortunately, no matter how jolly we all are the moment we leave our houses, there’s no telling how everything would be as soon as we reach our destination! Vacation blunders are bound to happen, especially if the organizer was not too careful in making everybody happy. And, it doesn’t take much to blow everything out of hand, mind you. Here are some vacation and travel tips for grandparents to make your vacations fun and hassle-free:
·    Plan according to everyone’s schedule. Apparently, your generation lives in a completely different timezone than that of your grandkids! As a general rule—and especially if you are not living with your grandkids—ask their parents what time do the kids usually get up when in a vacation and chart your activities from there. If you plan to start your day early, make sure you talk with “late-risers” so they are forewarned.
·    Have a pre-vacation talk with all participants. Make sure you discuss all necessary points such as where and what time exactly activities will happen. This way, you would know your grandkids’ priorities and be able to plan from there.
·    If you encounter conflicting priorities, work on a schedule that would be very beneficial for all even if it means not being together all the time. By grouping yourselves according to preferred activities, everyone is guaranteed to have a good time.
·    Imagine how you would fare when you get there. Your vacation should be a trip you and your grandchildren will enjoy and not, in any way, a baby-sitting job. If you feel your body won’t be able to handle your grandkids, it is much better to admit it now, get help and not regret anything later.
·    While it is normal for grandparents like you to spoil your grandkids especially when out on a vacation, try to control yourself and save the spoiling activities later! Remember that when you’re somewhere far from home, you should be the one in charge and not cause any trouble by allowing your grandkids to have their way.

How time flies! I barely felt January and guess what, the next thing I know it’s already February—and a weekend too! Few more days and we’ll find ourselves thinking of ways to spread the love, either with our partners, loved-ones and even with people we barely know. Actually, I’m already seeing stores and malls sporting heart-shaped cutouts and cupids, even supermarkets are flooding with chocolates of all shapes and sizes. In truth, it’s hard to miss that giddy feeling that goes with every Valentine’s Day when everybody around you has nothing but love!
As much as love knows no age, Valentine’s Day is also a celebration for all ages. It doesn’t matter if you have a partner right now, what matters most is that you are with your loved-ones and that you really want this day to be celebrated with them. But for those who are with their spouses or partners, lucky you! Here are some activities you can do to celebrate Valentine’s Day:
·    Impromptu getaway—there’s nothing as romantic as an impromptu getaway to somewhere no one knows where! If you are currently with a partner, surprise him or her by dropping by their office and asking for a date. It doesn’t matter if it’s near or far, just as long as nobody knows where and no one will be able to reach you. Yes, it’s time to turn off those phones as well. Consider this as your special day when no one else matters but you and your partner!
·    Visit places you both have fallen in love with—Nothing fancy here. It may be a café where you first dated as a couple or a nearby ice cream shop you used to bring your kids when they were younger. Something to rekindle that “fire”.
·    A day of surprises. Hide love notes and little somethings here and there. Seniors can add spice to it by organizing something like a scavenger hunt wherein the hunter will ultimately arrive at a price.
·    Pamper yourself. With or without a partner, go for a relaxing spa. Your Valentine’s Day can be more enjoyable if your body is without its usual aches and pain. Pampering your aging body will surely make you feel a lot lighter—and younger too! It will also prepare you for the long night ahead!
·    Cook for your special someone. Expect popular restaurants to be jam packed and overly crowded. If spending a quiet, romantic night with your partner is more of your type, then gather those dusty cookbooks and find something that can easily be prepared. It need not be something elaborate, besides, it’s just you and your partner.

We, seniors, are all for restoring our once-green environment and as much as possible, we adapt certain lifestyle adjustments just to keep up with the advocacy. In doing so, we believe that somehow we are alleviating the stress of the human impact which apparently, Mother Nature is not taking it anymore. I say, we can’t blame her!

Holidays are one of the occasions when we tend to forget our green ways and just do what pleases us. To celebrate a joyful occasion without making the environment pay for it IS indeed possible, if we just act consciously. In time, it will be like an instinct deeply instilled within us.

The idea behind green holidays is to reduce waste as much as possible. The problem however, is that the notion of a festive holiday always involves all things new and shiny. This even includes gifts and the box they should be packaged in. Here are some suggestions to make your holidays as green as possible!

·    Seniors should invest in a sturdy, fashionable eco bag, weeks before your scheduled holiday shopping. This will come in handy during Christmas rush when you just have to put everything in one place and not worry about misplacing any. Eco bags are usually big to accommodate your shopping needs with a small pocket for receipts. Eco bags will eliminate the need for several plastic bags and unnecessary, nonreusable packaging that come with each and every purchase you make.
·    Seniors should make sure that their gifts are something that can be used by the recipient and not something that will be considered as a white elephant! If you don’t know the recipient very well, then go for gifts that you know they will eventually use, such as organic soaps, wines or even a fruit basket!
·    Break the real-or-fake-Christmas-tree debate by adorning your pretty and very much alive tree firmly planted in your own front yard! If there’s no suitable tree in sight then it’s about time for you to plant and care for one! Inside your home, you can choose a right sized plant together with its pretty pot, to stand as your Christmas tree.
·    If seniors need to ship their gifts to their loved-ones living faraway, go for shipping companies that practice environment-safety precautions like measuring their carbon footprints and such. Information about their practices can usually be found in their websites.
·    I’m not a huge fan of reused gift wraps since they tend to be a not-so pretty sight to look at. My suggestion is to buy a 100% recycled gift wraps or better yet, put your gifts inside an eco bag. While you’re at it, encourage the recipient to use the eco bag when shopping!

After Christmas comes New Year and New Years clearly signify deep soul searching and assessment of your life especially what you’ve been doing these past 365 days. From there, seniors are compelled to move on from these things, leave them completely behind and start anew hence New Year’s resolutions!

What I love about New Year’s resolutions is that they represent hope and actually looking forward to something. Another thing that makes it more special is that the warmth feeling of Christmas can still affect the way you get your resolutions together. Sadly, soon after the holidays and we go back to our normal, 365-days-kind-of-life a.k.a reality, New Year’s resolutions can be quickly forgotten.

Every year, our resolutions evolve to what suit our lives at the present. Generation to generation, it seems that New Year’s resolutions take different faces, different hopes and different levels of will power to make it work. For seniors, it’s mostly lifestyle changes and new things to conquer. Here some popular New Year’s resolution for seniors:

•    Start exercising. I think this is the most popular New Year’s resolution for all ages. By the time you start noticing you don’t look too great in the mirror and the clothes you wear are no longer age-appropriate, that’s when exercising becomes a serious business. For seniors, exercising becomes all the more important due to whatever health condition you might be having right now.
•    Reach out to other people. As crazy as it may seem, when you reach a certain age, friends become important to one’s life. It’s because seniors do need someone to accompany them. To share their emotions, whether happy or sad, or even mad. No matter how much you successfully multiplied during your younger years, it’s not uncommon at some point, to find yourself lonesome without someone to talk to. Reaching out to other people, in your community, at workplace, can help you get over these lonely times and enjoy life in general.
•    Catch up with friends and families. If you have been busy making new friends, you might have disappeared entirely from your old ones’ lives without you even realizing it. Now is the best year to make both worlds coexist with one another.
•    Downgrade your lifestyle. That is, if you haven’t yet. When we say downgrading, it doesn’t always mean we’re going penniless. Downgrading nowadays means doing without the things we don’t really need and disposing of the things that have been cluttering our lives to make way for newer and greater things.
•    Learn new things. The more we learn, the wider our horizons. Even if we are already hitting the golden years, it doesn’t mean there are no more to learn. There are always new things to learn, we just have to know where to find them.

One of the most common practices we seniors usually do during the holidays is reflection. Together with your reflection comes self check. During these times, we try our best to assess what we were able to accomplish and what we missed in our lives. After much deliberation comes planning for the coming year, including short and long term goals. This is done to encourage yourself to always look forward and hope for the best. The downside however is the so-called holiday blues.

Holiday blues can be triggered by the season. Holiday season brings forth sweet memories from the past which may include your lost loved-ones. Also aggravating the bad feeling are health problems you might be having now. Another reason to have the holiday blues is your current financial situation. When combined, it can be a recipe for disaster!

Holiday blues are deeply acknowledged by health professionals since it was observed as a common occurrence during holiday seasons. However, there are ways to avoid holiday blues from attacking seniors, as suggested by doctors:

·    When loneliness strikes, seek other people’s company. This doesn’t mean seniors just calling a friend and talking over the phone or social-network marathon but you have to force yourself to go out and have fun, with real people. Be physically there. If you don’t know where to start, or are afraid of being rejected then go for volunteer programs where you can share yourself to new faces and personalities. Actually, it’s impossible to not have somebody, it’s just, you’re not reaching out hard enough.
·    Avoid drinking too much. When you do, it effectively brings down your inhibitions, making you more vulnerable to hurt. Alcohol is a known depressant that is why your doctors strictly advise against it when suffering depression.
·    Get someone to talk to you. You need to take it off your chest. Senior centers have counseling groups to assist you when nobody is available to talk, don’t hesitate to seek help when you need them.
·    Depression has signs, it is best if you get yourself familiar with them. The soonest you recognize these signs, the better you’ll be able to handle the situation.
·    Try to divert your attention to something else totally unrelated to what is bothering you. Do something daring or a task you’ve been meaning to do for a long time. Sense of accomplishment can easily counteract depression.
·    Even if it seems easier to stay at home and be with yourself, resist it. You need to be out there and discover the world and what it has to offer you now. You can never find these things alone.

Depression is a state wherein the only person who could help you overcome it is yourself. Yes, help can be sought but it can only do so much for you. Deciding what’s best for you, still, is the best way to beat the holiday blues.

Holidays are not only meant for giving gifts and exchanging cards. Along with it comes good food and unhealthy practices. While it’s quite understandable due to the jolliness of it all, we should always remember that keeping healthy still means a lot to an aging body but that doesn’t necessarily mean we must miss out on the fun!

By the way, staying healthy is not limited to the physical aspects of it alone. Sometimes, holidays can also bring about emotional and mental stress. In order for us to really enjoy our holidays, we must take some precautionary measures thus allowing us some time to breath. This is really important so that after the holidays, we can easily slip back to our old routines and not feel drained and emptied.

For quick and easy ways to maintain right equilibrium over the holidays, here are some suggestions:

·    Renew your spiritual grounds—Christmas rush can easily make us forget what the holidays are really for. Renewing your faith in God will certainly give you the spiritual satisfaction you might have been looking for.
·    Renew your senses—It’s easy to overlook things that are there for you to see especially if you were bound with obligations and responsibility. This is the perfect time to get to know your self again and discover new things around you.
·    Plan ahead—To plan is to organize. If you plan early, you will be able to do things according to their right timing thus allowing yourself some time to rest and relax before the big day. Also, planning eliminates stress of last-minute whatnots.
·    Let go of your baggage—Holidays can also mean family get-togethers which sometimes prove to be a painful affair. Old quarrels can easily be brought up and long overdue spats rekindled. You, being the oldest of the pack should be the first one to let go of old arguments and promote love within the family.
·    Indulge yourself—Not by eating of course! Indulging yourself should mean keeping your overall outlook happy and light. Treat yourself to a day in spa with your partner or do something you have been meaning to do for quite sometime.
·    Discover outdoors—If you are one of the many seniors working indoors and spending too much time doing everything else over the internet then now is the time to go out and discover the joys of outdoors. You’ll be amazed on how the world evolved the last time you were out!
·    Choose what you eat—People nowadays are more conscious of the food they eat so it’s fairly easy to skip on the unhealthy stuff and be on the healthier side. If you feel you are going in a war zone where healthy foods are not an option, then it’s best to prepare and bring your own food while disguising it as your contribution to the festivities. This way, the host won’t feel offended if you choose not to eat the unhealthy stuff.
·    Stick with your exercise routine—This may be the hardest to keep since it’s really tempting to just sleep, eat and be merry all holiday long. Unfortunately, two weeks of being “merry” will certainly make a dent out of our healthy lifestyle so better exercise than regret later.
·    Hydrate yourself—Make water your best buddy this Christmas. Why? It’s because it’s never good to be dehydrated. That’s why.