Leslie Newlife

How to Live Your Best Life as a Senior Citizen

Just because you are entering your golden years doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying life. In fact, nowadays, there are more ways than ever to live your best life even after becoming a senior citizen. Here are some great ways to remain financially healthy during this time of your life.

Use Discounts to Your Advantage

Once you’re officially a senior citizen, there are all sorts of discounts offered to you. Whether they are a percentage discount at the local grocery or free coffee at a restaurant meal, don’t be shy about taking advantage of them. Individually, they may be small savings but they add up to quickly to a much larger amount.

Have a Plan for Outstanding Debt

You have made it this far and have probably been responsible for your financial matters. Why have multiple loans and other payment obligations hanging over your head? Now is the time to get a personal loan that you can use to pay off all of those other debts and combine everything into one monthly payment that is easy to manage. Remember, don’t just take the first loan offered, save time by searching offers online. You can save money by looking at all of your options as well as they will all vary in interest rates.

Don’t Spend Your Retirement All at Once

It may be quite tempting to spend your retirement funds however you wish, whenever you want. However, this is also a sure way to end up broke. When drawing from your retirement fund, set it up so it withdraws on a regular schedule just as if it were a regular paycheck. Think of it as your retirement paycheck. This ensures that you have spendable money coming in, but that you also do not leave yourself in financial duress.

Be Honest with Yourself

As we age, there will almost certainly come times when we need help. If you are finding that you need help around the house or that your home is getting to be a bit too much to live in anymore, be honest with yourself about it and look for viable solutions. Perhaps buying a condo in a structured living community would best suit your needs. If health is becoming a concern, a live-in caretaker may be what you desire the most.

Stay Up on Healthy Habits

Retirement is not a time when you should become a couch potato. While it’s fun to have lazy days every now and then, you should also be sure to get in healthy activity as much as you can. Whether it be structured exercise classes or simply walking to your favorite places, staying active not only means you may feel better, but you may end up with fewer doctor’s bills as well.

Take Vacations

Even though you are retired doesn’t mean you’ll always be on vacation. That’s why it’s important to actually get one in once or twice a year. Of course, every vacation doesn’t have to be a trip to the Bahamas. It could be something as simple as visiting family or even getting away to a neighboring state for a few days. Whatever makes you happy is the name of the vacation game.

Best Tips for the Ever-Changing World of Retirement

Retirement ain’t what it used to be. The baby boomer generation has seen to that.

Americans born between 1946 and 1964 have been upending traditions since they were young, so why stop now? Their redefinition of retirement is not only supported by statistics, but I‘ve personally seen it in action time and again.

For nearly a decade, I coordinated a senior travel club and loyalty program for a community savings bank in suburban Boston. I became close with many of our members, who confided in me about their retirement concerns and experiences.

One woman spent her final year of work being so excited by her upcoming retirement, only to lament a mere three months into it that “All my friends want to do is go out for a big lunch every day. I’m gaining weight, I’m spending money, and I’m bored.”

Two women who became best friends driving school buses for years made a pact not to retire, declaring the job was the perfect amount of money and amount of time for what they wanted to continue to do — mainly summer travel.

One couple told me they were holding out on retirement until their daughter’s babies were school aged, because they didn’t want “to be expected to babysit full time.” As they put it, “We deserve to have our own lives.”

These are just a few of the many examples of people who’ve discovered they actually don’t enjoy full-time retirement.

Now let’s take a look at the reasons retirement is being redefined. Then we’ll share ways that you can customize yours — and how much it helps when you know your retirement benefits.

Why Retirement Is Different Now

Advances in health and medicine, the state of the economy, the changes in our culture, and the opportunities brought on by technology are several of the factors impacting the retirement revolution.

#1 – Seniors Are Living Longer

The most common retirement fear? Outliving your income. This is a valid concern, as a large percentage of the 76 million American baby boomers are expected to live 10 to 25 years longer than their parents.

Today’s boomers are also faced with expanding income insecurities. In addition to having less investment safety than the greatest generation, they’re taking on student debt to help their children or grandchildren while dealing with rising costs, including medical expenses.

Seniors have been turning to credit cards in order to pay for basics, racking up long-term, high-interest charges. The Federal Reserve reports senior consumer debt has risen by over five hundred percent in the past 20 years — a number expected to rise given the pandemic-fueled lockdowns leading to high unemployment and lower income for Americans 50 and older.

Also, many of today’s retirement-age adults are able to work longer. According to a National Health Interview survey in 2017, when asked to rate their overall health, 82 percent of adults 65 to 74 described it as excellent (18 percent), very good (32 percent) and good (32 percent). By contrast, 18 percent described their health at fair (14 percent) or poor (4 percent).

#2 – Jobs Are More than Work

Many who are retirement age want to work longer. And working is good for your mental and physical health. The mental stimulation and problem solving helps maintain thinking skills. The social engagement attached to a job helps stave off chronic disease. 

And while today’s information economy has made jobs less physically demanding, any activity attached to a job can lead to both better health and sharper thinking skills.

In addition, more boomer women have been more likely to be in the labor force throughout their lives than their mothers and grandmothers, and they, like boomer men, can come to define themselves by their professional life.

#3 – Retirees Have More Job Opportunities

The internet and the independent contractor/gig economy is a boon for retirees. Whether you’re still passionate about your career, want to try a different career, desire to pursue your passion, or simply want to supplement your nest egg, there are many available options to do so.

If you’re a people person, there’s independent consulting, substitute teaching, part-time coaching, or renting out a room via outlets such as Airbnb.

If you love to drive, you can still keep your flexible schedule by becoming an independent contractor delivery driver. You decide how busy you want to be. You work when you want and how long you want. 

Just be sure to check in with your car insurance company about delivery driver insurance. Some delivery companies, like Postmates, do have an insurance policy, but most don’t.

If you prefer to work from home, all you need is a computer and internet access. There are a variety of online income opportunities like being an online tutor, virtual assistant, or virtual call center representative. You could even monetize your hobby by selling on Etsy.

Many boomers have become internet entrepreneurs as a new way to “retire.”

How to Get the Most Out of Your Golden Years


Coming into your retirement years is an exciting but challenging time. Let’s heighten the fun and lower the stress with some essential retirement planning tips.

#1 – Discuss Your Retirement Goals

Do you want to stay in your home or downsize? Do you want to travel or spend your winters as a seasonal vacation home? Do you want to stay in your job, explore a new career, or dedicate yourself to volunteering?

Take the time to take a frank look at what you want to do. Then you can look into the practicalities of pursuing your desires.

#2 – Review Your Retirement Benefits

Setting your goals should include taking a look at what you have financially and seeing how much more you may need.

To retire comfortably, your retirement income should be about 80 percent of your pre-retirement salary. For example, if your salary is $50,000 annually, then your retirement income should be $40,000 annually.

So dig out that paperwork or go online and gather information on your 401(k)s, investments, and other savings. Do a little research regarding your Social Security benefits. See how much your retirement benefit will be. Your year of birth determines what’s called your full retirement age, when you’re able to receive your full retirement benefits.

You can start your Social Security benefits as early as age 62, but the benefit amount you receive will be less than your full retirement benefit. For example, if you were born in 1962 and take early retirement, your monthly check will be about 70 percent of the full benefit you would receive if you wait until your full retirement age of 67.

Many people don’t know they can continue to work and still get retirement benefits. Earnings in, or after, the month you reach age 70 won’t affect your Social Security benefits. But before age 70, your benefits will be reduced if your earnings exceed certain limits.

If you’re under 65, $1 in benefits will be deducted for each $2 in earnings above the limit. If you’re 65-69, $1 in benefits will be deducted for each $3 in earnings above the limit.

The limits increase each year as average wages increase. Contact Social Security to ask for the latest limits.

Subtracting your Social Security benefits from that 80 percent rule of thumb will show you how much you need from other sources. For example, continuing with the $40,000 annually, if you and your spouse will collect $2,000 a month from Social Security, or $24,000 a year, you would need about $16,000 from your savings.

#3 – Hire a Financial Advisor

Financial concerns are the most common source of conflict for couples. Add to that the big decisions you have to think about when you’re planning your retirement, and you may want some extra help.

The best way to assess your retirement benefits relative to your retirement goals is to get an outside perspective from a professional, preferably a financial advisor that specializes in working with seniors. 

A financial advisor can help you strategize how to best use your retirement funds and tackle any challenges you face, such as how to adjust your budget to take care of remaining debt.

#4 – Connect With Your Family

Family support during your retirement decision-making process can also profoundly influence your wellbeing. Your family can be a great help in assisting you with what you want to do, or even present new and improved ideas that make your retirement even more enjoyable.

If you want to retire and simply play golf and sit by the beach, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But for the boomers who still want to contribute to society and the economy, remember that you’re in good company. 

About the Author:
Karen Condor is a finance expert who writes and researches for FreeAdvice.com, a legal and insurance information site.

Using Your Life Insurance Policy to Pay for Long-Term Care

It might be hard to make choices about your life insurance, especially if you are a senior. These policies can affect whether you are eligible for Medicaid. The premiums for them could subtract from your income in your golden years. Then you may not be able to cover the cost of elder assistance or living expenses. When you’re older, you might want to abandon or cash in your policy, but that’s not the only option. You could pay for long-term care and still qualify for Medicaid while having enough left for your living expenses.

Cashing in Your Insurance

If you need funds right away, the best option might be either cashing in the policy or borrowing against the cash value. Your policy type will determine which option is better. When you need to take money out of your policy, you can find the cash value in seconds. Then you can make the best decision.

Getting a Long-Term Care Benefit Plan

You can convert your life insurance into a long-term care benefit plan called life care benefit plan. Anyone who has a valid policy can turn it into a financial account that’s pre-funded. It will distribute a certain amount of money each month so you can pay for long-term care. Unlike insurance, these plans are Medicaid qualified assets.

The idea is to transfer the ownership of that insurance to someone who can administer the benefits. You will no longer own it, meaning it does not count against you when qualifying for Medicaid. Your administrator will pay the premiums each month and pays you each month, based on the policy value. You can use the funds to help with assisted living, home care, nursing home expenses, or other costs that might come up. Usually, the benefit is worth less than the policy’s face value but more than the cash surrender value. You may not have heard of the process before, but it’s not that common. Many people don’t know about the option is available to take advantage of. Remember that long-term care benefit plans are not the same as long-term care insurance.

Converting Life Insurance: The Pros and Cons

It might seem like the choice is obvious, but there are some benefits and drawbacks of converting your policy. Of course, some of the advantages include not having monthly premiums and adjustable payout amounts. Each payout doesn’t count against you if you want to qualify for Medicaid since each goes to your provider. If you pass away before the benefits are paid to you, the remaining balance can go to your beneficiary of choice.

However, you need to be able to use long-term care immediately when applying for the benefit plan. The requirement is usually to need the assistance within the first three months of applying. That’s because you aren’t getting the payments directly – they are going to the provider. But if you have a smaller amount of insurance, such as less than $10,000, you may find it better to give it up for the cash surrender value.

What Are Life Settlements?

A life settlement is an agreement between an individual who owns a life insurance policy and a third party who agrees to provide the owner with cash in return for the policy.

The potential benefits of life settlements are great for individuals who can no longer afford to pay the premiums on a life insurance policy and for third-party investors who are looking to profit from the purchase of a life insurance policy. The drawbacks of a life settlement are that the policy owner might not be able to qualify for a new life insurance policy and the policy owner may be giving up an opportunity to build a death benefit.

The buyer of the life insurance policy transfers all the rights and responsibilities of the life insurance policy to the third party buyer. This buyer is typically a third party trust, a family member, or a group of investors. For example, imagine you own a life insurance policy with a death benefit of $300,000, and the life settlement buyer is a third party trust that has assumed responsibility for the insurance policy. The third party trust may even pay all the future premium payments on the policy to you. This life settlement reduces your monthly life insurance premiums, enabling you to pay off debt, save for retirement, or invest in your retirement or other goals. Life settlement investors receive a return, which can vary greatly.

Who benefits from a life settlement?

It could be any entity or person that uses the premium as additional income. For example, it could be an individual or an institution. Any person who currently receives a pension as per the current scheme will be able to benefit from the proceeds of the policy. 

What type of policy is bought in a life settlement? 

Any type of life insurance policy will be bought in a life settlement. They are segregated into two categories: whole life and term life. Wholesale policies are bought in a wholesale life settlement. Term life policies are bought in a term life settlement. 

Why sell a life settlement?

When you die, your family often has to fight in court to get all the assets from your estate. Then they have to go through probate court to get the assets. But if you sell your life insurance policy to a third party, you don’t have to worry about these potential pitfalls. You can take the cash and get the cash payout while your heirs can concentrate on taking care of the survivors. If you’re selling your life insurance policy for less than you paid for it, this might not be your best choice. The problem is that if you sell your policy for more than you paid for it, you’ll get less in the settlement than you sold it for.

Summary

Life settlements are considered one of the best long-term investment option for a couple to invest on a long-term basis. Investors are always willing to shell out high returns for a guaranteed asset on a recurring basis. Find a reliable Life Settlement Broker today who offers you life settlement investments within your pocket.

What Do the New Blood Pressure Guidelines Mean for Your Health?

As we age, we face a myriad of unique challenges regarding maintaining our overall general health. Not only do we need to focus on eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, but we also have to be aware of our own body’s resilience and the damaging effects of a poor diet or lifestyle on our wellness.

One of the most important things we can do to help promote longevity as seniors is to take a closer look at our blood pressure. High blood pressure, also known as “hypertension,” claims nearly a half-million lives each year. Furthermore, it can lead to serious complications such as a stroke and heart disease — the leading causes of death for Americans.

Problems Caused By Hypertension

Unfortunately, high blood pressure can be a silent killer, as the cumulative damage can gradually take its toll on you over the years. While it may not be immediately lethal, the damage can already be done, long before you even start to notice it.

Some of the more devastating complications that can arise from uncontrolled hypertension can include:

  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Kidney disease
  • Heart failure
  • Angina (chest pain)
  • Aneurysm
  • Dementia
  • Vision loss
  • Death

However, by maintaining a healthier diet and engaging in gentle fitness, you can help prevent these issues from occurring. Please note that you do need to speak to your healthcare provider before making any major changes to your diet and exercise regimen, though.

The New Diagnostic Guidelines

Generally, as we age, our blood pressure tends to go up. Nevertheless, health experts firmly recommend that you try to keep that number lower for your overall health. What may have been a normal, healthy blood pressure reading in your 20s or 30s can be quite dangerous in your 50s, 60s, and older.

In 2017, the American Heart Association (AHA) — alongside ten other reputable heart health organizations — made changes to the previously accepted blood pressure guidelines. Previously, the diagnosis for hypertension was measured at 140/90 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) for patients under the age of 65. For those of us over the age of 65, it was 150/80 mm Hg.

Now, though? Any reading over 130/80 mm Hg, regardless of age, is considered high. The previously accepted criteria for health is now considered Stage 2 hypertension, and a reading of 180/120 mm Hg is now recognized as a hypertensive crisis.

The Importance of Testing

As research changes and evolves, so will the guidelines from our health professionals. Indeed, the importance of regularly checking your blood pressure cannot be overstated. For example, in the past, one of the leading causes of death for women was cervical cancer. A simple cervical health screening, though, can help detect the early stages of this lethal type of cancer.

Just like Pap smears save lives, so do routine blood pressure checks. Unlike a Pap smear, though, you do not need to schedule a doctor’s appointment to monitor your blood pressure. You can keep tabs on it from the comfort of your own home, with a basic blood pressure cuff. They are generally quite affordable, but they can still offer a profound benefit to your wellbeing.

Staying Healthy No Matter Your Age

If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, there are a few things you can do to help lower it. Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to help you manage it. They may also recommend that you change up your diet and try to sneak some exercise into your day-to-day routine. You may be told to find ways to manage your stress. It is possible that they may also advise that you lose weight.

Certain diets have been shown to help lower your blood pressure, such as the DASH diet. The DASH diet (“Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”) has been shown to help reduce your blood pressure and help maintain healthy levels. It focuses on lowering sodium and eating foods that are rich in nutrients like magnesium, potassium, and calcium.

Fortunately, by making these key changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can possibly reduce and even reverse some of the damage that chronic hypertension may have caused to your body. For instance, if you smoke, it is always a good idea to stop. Not only can you help lower your blood pressure, but you can also help prevent your risk of developing smoking-specific cancers.

Healthcare has advanced significantly over the years, and today’s seniors can still live equally rich and rewarding lives as their younger counterparts. By focusing on maintaining healthy blood pressure levels, you can look forward to better health at all stages of your life!

Ways for Seniors To Remain Socially Connected

It’s easy to get concerned that our senior loved ones aren’t getting enough social connection. Learn some ways for seniors to remain socially connected.

Many of us get concerned about our loved ones who are senior citizens, especially if they’re lacking social interaction. Seniors are often in retirement communities or have lost a spouse, making loneliness a common concern. However, there are some great ways for them to get quality social interaction. Learn some ways for seniors to remain socially connected by reading below.

Set Up Group Gatherings

Seeing friends and loved ones are especially important for senior citizens. They need to continue to have the same emotional and personal connections as when they were young. You can set up special outings such as lunch gatherings with friends or family. Organize an afternoon or evening of fun, such as a game night. Even with COVID-19 still restricting the ability for large visits, people can utilize video chat apps that allow full groups to visit with each other virtually. Seeing our loved one’s faces and staying connected is imperative for one’s mood and overall health.

Take Up a New Hobby

Just because one’s a senior citizen doesn’t mean it’s too late to learn something new. In fact, this is a perfect time to take up a fun new hobby and build a new skill. Seniors should consider some different interests they’ve wanted to explore that they’ve never had the time to before. Think about activities that will involve interacting and socializing with others. This is one of the great reasons to join a quilting guild, a bowling league, a creative writing class, or any similar collaborative group.

Become Pen Pals

Even though we’re in the digital age, writing letters back and forth to a pen pal is still a great way for seniors to remain socially connected. No matter how old we are, everyone still enjoys receiving a personal letter in the mail. Connecting with someone new opens up possibilities of friendships and a way to understand one another. Try to include photos or drawings with your letters; this lets you better connect with each other and will give closer insight into each other’s lives.

5 Ways to Address Age-Related High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can lead to all sorts of health complications. As we age, blood pressure should be monitored regularly. However, high blood pressure can sometimes be difficult to discover. Oftentimes, you could have high blood pressure and exhibit no externally visible or easily identifiable symptoms. That is why it’s important to know how high blood pressure affects the body and what you can do to stay healthy.

New studies show that the Klotho protein is an anti-aging protein excreted by your kidneys, and one of the effects it has on your body is reducing salt sensitivity, which directly impacts hypertension. This means that patients receiving Klotho therapy in the form of regular substances could effectively prevent hypertension and high blood pressure from occurring in the first place. More time is needed to confirm the effectiveness of such a treatment on human subjects, but the implications are extremely promising.

How Does Blood Pressure Affect Your Health?

Your circulatory system is the network that allows blood to travel throughout your body. The term “blood pressure” generally refers to the pressure exerted onto the insides of the arteries in your circulatory system. This movement of blood is controlled by your heart. When operating the way it’s supposed to, your heart can both expand and fill up with blood and contract to pump the blood out. Both of these actions generate pressure. In a healthy person, the first kind, labeled diastolic pressure, should be around 80mmHg, while the second kind, known as systolic pressure, should be around 120mmHg. Blood pressure is usually displayed with the systolic number over the diastolic number. Consistent pressure at or over 130/80mmHg is considered high.

While several factors can affect blood pressure, it’s common to witness changes as you grow older. More specifically, the older you are, the more likely you are to have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Increased pressure can cause internal effects the longer it lasts. In bodies with high blood pressure, the arteries and blood vessels can become damaged and narrowed, interfering with the circulatory system and the organs it supports. High blood pressure can also cause an enlarged heart. If left untreated, these changes can cause the development of serious problems in the heart, eyes, and kidneys.

How Can You Address Age-Related High Blood Pressure?

While research shows that Klotho therapy could mitigate hypertension in the future, there are plenty of things that you can do now to lower your blood pressure.

Common ways to lower your blood pressure include:

  1. Adjust to a Low-Sodium Diet

Nutrition plays a fairly big role, as hypertension is triggered by the presence of salt. Salt sensitivity generally increases with age, so it’s important to be careful about reducing your salt intake. You can do this by checking the sodium levels on the labels of your food products. 

  1. Reduce Your Alcohol Intake

Alcohol consumption increases blood pressure, so to ensure it remains at a manageable level, it is recommended that you do not exceed 1-2 drinks per day.

  1. Get Plenty of Sleep

Allowing your body to repair itself with a restful period of sleep is essential to keeping your blood pressure under control. While the ideal amount may vary from person to person, any less than six hours a night can be detrimental.

  1. Engage in Regular Exercise

Being overweight forces your circulatory system to work harder than usual, increasing your blood pressure. Not only does regular exercise help keep your weight in check, but it is also beneficial in lowering your risk of blood pressure on its own and is a great strategy to manage stress in a healthy way, which also benefits your blood pressure.

  1. See Your Doctor for Routine Checkups

Because high blood pressure can be hard to identify in your daily life, it’s important to see a doctor at regular intervals to ensure your circulatory system is not overworked.

Individually, each of these strategies can help lower your blood pressure. When applied as a comprehensive health regimen, you significantly reduce your risk of hypertension, ensuring that as you remain healthy as you age.

Important Car Features Older Adults Must Consider

The way you spend your later years matters, especially while you can still get around independently. You should have transportation tailored to your needs. Even if you spend your time in assisted living or home care, you can still have access to the outside world. When you look to buy or upgrade your vehicle, these are the most important car features older adults must consider.

Digital Speedometer and Display

It’s no secret that eyesight deteriorates over time and many older adults have difficulty discerning small letters and numbers. That’s why a digital speedometer and display can improve your ability to drive. Instead of reading the small number where a needle is pointing, you can glance at the dashboard and quickly read your speed. Many digital displays come with accessibility features too, like large or bold letters.

Navigation System

A GPS is a lifesaver for anyone driving in unfamiliar places. Regardless of your age, you should install a GPS in your car for ease of travel. Navigation systems are helpful for new and old locations alike. If you want to skirt around traffic or avoid the highways, you can customize your navigational preferences to fit your driving needs.

Climate-Appropriate Tires

Your climate impacts your vehicular needs. If you live in the snowy north, you must know the difference between all-season and snow tires so you can make the right choice. Without adequate tires, you can skid off the road or lose control in suboptimal driving conditions. Fresh and sturdy tires will give you better traction on the road and improve your safety on every trip.

Warning Systems

Warning systems are critical to performing driving basics. Blind spot and lane departure systems help you avoid hitting cars while driving in multi-lane traffic. Forward collision detectors prevent your vehicle from colliding with the cars in front of you by engaging your automatic braking system. You should also look for parking aids that can give you a full view of your vehicle while pulling into a spot on the street or in a parking garage.

Beyond the features inside your car, finding reliable and convenient places to park can make a big difference—especially in busy urban areas where spaces are limited. Renting a parking spot ahead of time can reduce stress and cut down on unnecessary driving. For a few practical examples, check this.

Keep these important car features older adults must consider in mind as you plan for your next vehicle. You should enjoy your time behind the wheel and always maintain your car. With the right blend of consistent maintenance, accessible features, and premium comfort, you can relish your years of post-retirement freedom on the road.

Ways to Save Money When Planning a Funeral

Funerals are among the most difficult events to plan and budget for, especially when a passing happens suddenly. It’s never easy to say goodbye to a loved one, but it becomes particularly hard when you don’t have much money to spend on a funeral service and the expenses that come with a burial.

Unfortunately, some of these expenses come from businesses that take advantage of your grief and the time constraints to make you overpay for necessities. Don’t worry—in taking these ways to save money when planning a funeral into consideration, you can still have a quality service for your loved one on a budget.

Don’t Buy Everything in One Place

Grief-stricken individuals often think that every expense must come from the funeral home or monument maker. However, you can purchase some things for far less money through other vendors. The following funeral essentials, depending on your loved one’s wishes, can come from different locations for less money:

Casket

Caskets are infamously one of the largest expenses of a funeral, costing anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 on average. When that sort of money isn’t feasible, consider purchasing a casket from somewhere other than the funeral home—search online for cheaper options. Even many retail stores have started to sell their own caskets to make funerals more affordable for everyone.

Ceramic Photos

Placing a photo of a loved one directly onto their monument or grave marker will allow loved ones to remember what they looked like at any point in their life. While monument companies may charge hundreds of dollars extra to set the ceramic photo within the stone, you can also purchase the headstone photo directly from a retailer for a lower cost and place it on the monument yourself.

When you do it correctly, this solution is just as effective and shaves some money from the gravestone’s final cost. Take your time finding the perfect photo to represent your loved one, whether it’s a photo from their retirement community or one that took place in their prime.

Consider Alternative Burial Methods

If the death happened suddenly, you might not have had the difficult discussion about their funeral wishes with your loved one. In most cases, you’ll have an idea of the way they’d like to be memorialized, but if they left it up to you, consider alternatives to traditional burials.

There are plenty of ways to make the funeral special, even if you skip a traditional burial and monument. Consider the different benefits of each method—such as the ability to spread cremated ashes at your loved one’s favorite location or to press the ashes into precious jewelry. By finding ways to save money when planning a funeral, you can instead use the funds to honor the loved one in different ways.

5 Ways Seniors Aging in Place Can Leverage Technology and Combat Social Isolation

Though aging in place allows you to grow older from the comfort of your own home, it’s not without its challenges. One-third of seniors live alone, and many no longer drive, increasing their chances of becoming socially isolated. Loneliness poses incredible health risks, like escalated stress levels, high blood pressure, and an increased likelihood of Alzheimer’s in older adults.

However, seniors hoping to make the most of their golden years at home need not despair. Research shows social interaction can provide many benefits, including lowering your risk for mental instability, malnutrition, and cognitive disorders. However, thanks to digital technology, there are many ways you can improve your social connections from the comfort of your living room, including online therapy. Below are various ways to utilize technology to rectify social isolation.

Keep in touch via social media

Although social media may seem like a young man’s game, there is ample room for seniors to experiment with online interactions and applications. By making your own social media profiles, you too can connect with far-away family and tap into the mental-health-boosting benefits of an online presence.

If you’re interested in expanding your horizons and delving into the world of social media, research computers for seniors to find the perfect device for your specific needs and begin your descent into online communication.

Try video conferencing

Though it might not be quite the same as meeting in person, video calling your friends and family is the next best thing. Video chatting allows you to see and hear your loved ones in real-time, giving you access to live footage of your newest grandchild or friend’s new furry companion. Even better, you can easily access video conferencing applications on both smartphones and computers, giving you the option for on-the-go communication.

Join an online group

Finding a community is incredibly important for adults of all ages looking to stave off loneliness. However, for seniors with limited mobility, getting yourself off the couch and into a physical location can be taxing. With the help of the internet, online communities are within reach.  Whether you’re an avid knitter or the world’s best weekend bowler, there’s an online group where you can meet with others who share your favorite hobbies.

Play brain games

Activities that challenge the brain can be critical to staying mentally fit as you age. One way to engage in stimulating exercises is to engage in online gaming. With a smartphone, computer, or tablet, you have access to infinite gaming choices that allow you to challenge yourself while meeting new people virtually. You can find free games online as well, like Solitaire.

Reach out through text or email

One way older adults can avoid isolation is by reaching out to others when they’re feeling lonely. Texting can be a great way to quickly contact a friend and let them know you’re thinking of them. Email messages offer a slightly different format, allowing you to send a longer message to a loved one you might not see very often. Either way, access to the internet opens communication avenues to fend off isolation.

To wrap up

Oftentimes, seniors aging in place find themselves isolated from the outside world as they lose connections and fall away from loved ones. Thankfully, digital technology has created a wide range of opportunities to help keep adults connected at any age. From setting up social media accounts to video chatting with old friends, this is just the beginning for seniors looking to combat loneliness from the comfort of their home.