THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | WEDNESDAY, September 10, 2014
MATURE
Living For adults 50 and better!
Cooking for 1 or 2 The Benefits of Bonding with the Grandkids Starting your Second Career
PLUS — Volunteer Opportunities
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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | wednesDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014
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(MS) — What used to be the “golden years� of life for seniors is now turning into any opportunity to spend even more time with their youngest family members. A growing number of grandparents are called on to provide child care for their grandkids, many of whom are growing up in two-income households. Others are helping to raise grandkids while providing financial assistance for adult children who may not be able to live on their own. This trend has been corroborated in a few recent studies. Information from the Pew Research Center showed 7.7 million children in the United States were living in the same household as one of their grandparents in 2011. A University of Chicago analysis of a decade of data based on interviews with 13,614 grandparents found that 61 percent of grandparents provided at least 50 hours of care for their grandchildren during any given year between 1998 and 2008. And an April 2012 study for the MetLife Mature Market Institute and the nonprofit Generations United, an intergenerational policy group, found that 74 percent of respondents provided weekly child care or babysitting services for grandkids. Grandparents often cite helping their own children financially as well as staying in touch with grandchildren as motivating factors behind providing care. According to Generations United, staying in touch with grandkids can give seniors a feeling of self-worth and improve their overall health.
When spending so much time together, grandparents may develop special relationships with their grandchildren, who may benefit from the knowledge and wisdom offered by their elders. The following are some lessons grandparents can share with youngsters. • Empathy: By sharing stories of how things were when they were younger, when opportunities may have been more scarce, grandparents can help teach grandchildren empathy. Grandchildren may learn to be grateful for the things they have and the people around them. • Family history: Grandparents can tell grandchildren about family members and shed light on the generations that came before them. Looking through photos or watching old movies can provide a way to start conversations about family history and provide opportunities to ask questions. • Interests: Children may be excited about learning new skills or hobbies taught to them by their grandparents. Anything from gardening to woodworking can be shared. • Respect: Children who grow up respecting their grandparents may have an increased tendency to respect authority figures outside their homes, which may help kids grow up to be more courteous and kind. Grandchildren also offer benefits to their grandparents. Companionship, new experiences and conversation can help keep their minds sharp and bodies active well into their golden years.
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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | wednesDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014
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Volunteer opportunities abound for retirees (MS) — Today’s retirees recognize that an active retirement tends to be more rewarding than simply sitting around the house, and that attitude is reflected in the vast number of retirees who volunteer with various nonprofit organizations and other programs across the nation. The following are a handful of volunteering opportunities for those retirees who want to give back and make the most of their retirements.
H abitat
for H umanity Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that builds and repairs homes for people in need. It has a program called Care-A-Vanners in which volunteers typically spend two weeks traveling around the United States and Canada in rented RVs (retirees who own RVs could drive their own vehicles) building and restoring homes. Volunteers must pay their own way and bring their own supplies, such as work shoes, gloves, tool belts, and some tools (power tools are typically provided by the local Habitat for Humanity chapter), and free or low-cost RV parking is provided by Habitat for Humanity. Adventurous retirees who enjoy hitting the open road may find Care-A-Vanners matches their love of travel with their desire to give back.
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with children Many retirees, especially those without grandchil-
dren or who live far away from their grandchildren, find volunteering with children to be especially rewarding. The opportunities to work with kids are numerous, and retirees can choose a volunteering opportunity where their own life experiences come in handy. “Older adults are a vitally important and growing volunteer community,” said Ernest Perry, president and CEO of HandsOn Central Ohio. “We see their value each day in our two Senior Corps Programs — Foster GrandParent Prorgram (FGP) and Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).” HandsOn Central Ohio mobilizes nearly 1,000 volunteers — over age 55 — to prepare children to enter kindergarten ready to learn and read at level by third grade, deliver meals on wheels, and supplement staff at our community’s centers for living and historic sites.” Retirees who worked in the medical field might want to volunteer their time at a local children’s hospital, where they can assist families as they cope with a child’s illness. They can also spend time with the children themselves, whether it’s tutoring sick children, reading them stories or helping them understand their illnesses. Retirees with considerable experience in the business world may want to work with a mentoring program that matches them up with career-minded youngsters.
S ervice
vacations Retirement is often seen as a time to travel and see the world, and many retirees have started to combine that love of travel with service opportunities. Globe Aware, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, develops short-term volunteer programs in international environments. Each activity aims to promote cultural awareness and promote sustainability in needy communities. Volunteers work to address issues identified by the host communities as particularly pressing, interacting with the local residents in ways that are often impossible on more traditional vacations.
M eals on W heels Retirees tend to have their mornings and afternoons free, making them ideal candidates to volunteer with programs such as Meals on Wheels. This nonprofit organization is devoted to delivering nutritious meals to those with limited mobility who are unable to prepare their own meals. The program delivers more than one million meals per day across the United States, and Canada has its own meal delivery programs as well. Many Meals on Wheels volunteers are retirees, who can decide their level of involvement upon volunteering. D isaster relief Disaster relief programs
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may be less predictable than more routine volunteer programs, but retirees often make great volunteers at disaster relief sites. Unlike working professionals who cannot travel to disaster relief sites without ample planning ahead of time, retirees often find the flexibility of retirement allows them to pitch in when an unforeseen natural
Cooking for 1 or 2 (MS) — Seniors face many changes as they move into their golden years. Downsizing living spaces and vehicles is common, as is implementing certain changes to improve quality of life. Many seniors also scale back in the kitchen, where some must make changes because of medical conditions. While it seems like reducing food portions would be easy, those used to preparing meals for a large family may find it difficult. The following tips can make meal preparation efficient and cost-effective. • Divide and store. Buying in bulk can help individuals save money, but it may not always be practical for someone living alone or with just a spouse. If
you must buy in bulk, invest in a food vacuum sealer or freezer storage bags. Immediately separate meats and poultry into smaller portions before storing them in the freezer. Otherwise, look for bulk items that are individually wrapped to maintain freshness. • Plan meals with similar ingredients. To reduce food waste, use leftovers to create casseroles or mix them in with new meals. Broiled or grilled chicken can be used to make soups, stir-fry dishes, fajitas and sandwiches. The fewer ingredients you have to buy, the smaller the risk of spoilage. • Cut recipes in half. Recipes can be cut down depending on how many mouths need to be fed. When baking, cutting back
on proportions of ingredients can be challenging. Search online for recipe-scaling programs that can make the task easier. • Cook on the weekend. Use a weekend day to prepare food and package it into small containers in the refrigerator or freezer. Then the containers can be taken out as needed and heated quickly in the microwave for fast meals. • Organize a meal-sharing club. Get together with a few friends who also have empty nests and split cooking duties. If you are accustomed to cooking larger portion sizes, do so and then spread the wealth with others in the group. Then sit back and relax when it is your opportunity to have meals delivered to you.
disaster strikes and volunteers are needed seemingly overnight. Many disaster relief programs need volunteers who are certified in CPR or have other unique lifesaving skills, but even retirees without such skills can help by handling supplies or by comforting and assisting survivors of natural disasters.
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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | wednesDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014
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Beyond sound: The link between hearing loss and cognitive health (BPT) — Hearing loss can occur in older adults for several reasons. “Some causes of hearing loss include exposure to loud noise, hearing loss that runs in the family, aging (presbycusis), a buildup of earwax, infections, virus or disease,” said Karyn Flynn, Au.D., doctor of audiology at Echo Hearing Systems & Audiology, Inc. Regardless of the causes, difficulty hearing may be more than just a quality-of-life issue. Growing evidence indicates that untreated hearing loss in older adults can lead to other health conditions, such as cognitive decline. In fact, a Johns Hopkins Study found that cognitive diminishment was 41 percent more likely in seniors with hearing loss. Because maintaining the health of the brain is such a priority for older people, hearing difficulties should not be ignored.
H earing and the brain To hear well, the brain and ears work together. Sound is heard through the ears, and then the brain translates the noise so you can understand what it is. This means you not only hear language,
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music and traffic, but you comprehend these are all different sounds with different meanings. With untreated hearing loss, the signals to your brain are weaker,
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and therefore you have to think harder to understand the noises around you. When the brain is using more cognitive resources to understand sounds, other brain activities like memory and comprehension can suffer, often causing cognitive decline.
E ffects
of untreated hearing loss In addition to diminished mental health, untreated hearing loss can lead to numerous health conditions: • Mental fatigue and stress • Poor memory • Concentration difficulty • Social withdrawal • Depression “If hearing loss is not addressed in a timely manner, the hearing impaired person’s ability to accurately understand speech may be at greater risk,” Flynn said. “When conversations are difficult to follow, a person with hearing loss may begin to withdraw from social situations or become depressed.” Just like maintaining muscle mass or speaking a foreign language, hearing health should be approached with a “use-it-or-lose it” mentality. Audiologists agree that early intervention is key because when the brain doesn’t hear certain noises for a long time, it can actually lose the ability to comprehend those sounds. For example, the longer the brain is deprived of hearing high-frequency sounds, the more difficult it will be to process those sounds, even if corrective measures are taken.
T aking action If you or a loved one may be experiencing hearing loss, “have your
hearing tested,” Flynn said. “It’s a simple first step in improving the quality of your relationships.” An estimated 26.7 million Americans ages 50 and older suffer from hearing loss, yet only one in seven uses a hearing aid, according to a Johns Hopkins study published in The Hearing Review. Hearing aids have the ability to increase quality of life issues, Flynn said, including “communication in relationships, emotional stability, sense of control over life events, mental functioning and physical health.” After a professional diagnosis, your audiologist can help you learn your options for hearing better, including modern, discreet hearing aids.
I nvisible hearing aids Many of today’s hearing aids cannot be seen, meaning no one but you will know you’re wearing one. For example, invisible-in-thecanal (IIC) devices are about the size of a jelly bean and are custom fit to your ear canal. Another option is the mini receiver-in-canal (RIC) device, which resembles the shape of a traditional hearing aid but is half the size. The mini RIC hides behind a person’s ear, making it nearly invisible. Even though the size of hearing aids has dramatically decreased, wearers enjoy high performance and power, including many smart features. Some hearing aids are engineered to work with your electronic devices including smartphones and computers, so video chat, phone calls, music and more stream directly into your hearing aids without creating any background buzzing or whistling.
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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | wednesDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014
Starting your second act
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How to choose your next career (MS) — The days when professionals would spend their entire professional lives with a single firm are largely a thing of the past. In fact, many people not only switch companies multiple times before retirement, but some even switch professions before retiring. As exciting as it can be to pursue a new career, men and women ages 50 and older know that such a decision is not without risk. While younger professionals with few obligations can often handle bumps in the road on their way to a second career, older professionals making a similar move must consider the potential effects such a pursuit might have on their families, finances and futures, including their retirements. But as difficult as it may seem to pursue a second career, there are steps men and women can take when pursuing a new career to ensure their second act is as successful as the first. • Decide what you want, and not just what
you want to do. The desire to pursue a second career no doubt stems from more than just dissatisfaction with a current profession. Many people switch jobs or even careers because they find their current careers too demanding, leaving little time for family or hobbies that have nothing to do with work. If what you really want is more time at home or more time to pursue a particular hobby, then keep this in mind when looking for a second career, and make sure that career will not demand too much of your time. For example, if your goal in finding a new career is to get more worklife balance, then starting your own business, which can require long hours at the outset and even after the business has established itself, might not be for you. But if what you want is a more challenging career and to be your own boss, then you will likely find the cost of achieving that goal, even if that cost is more demands on
your time, is worth it. • Assess your skillset. Professionals 50 and older have lots to offer, but it is still important for such men and women to make an honest assessment of their skillset and find a career in which those skills are transferable. Some men and women might want to pursue a second career that will make little to no use of their skillset, and that is perfectly alright. But extra schooling might be necessary in such situations, and going back to school oftentimes requires a considerable commitment of both time and money. For those who simply want to put their existing skills to use in a different field or environment, assess those skills and look for lines of work in which they figure to be especially valuable. If there are any particular aspects of your current job that you want to avoid in the future, consider that when assessing your skills and choosing a second career. Established profession-
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als 50 and older have many transferable skills, and such skills can be a considerable asset when pursuing a second career, especially when those skills have been assessed and can be applied to a new profession. • Make a trial run. Nowhere does it say that professionals cannot take a trial run at a second career while still fully engaged in their first career. In fact, testing the waters before you jump in is a
good way to gauge your interest in a potential second career and how well your skillset applies to that field. A trial run, which can be conducted by volunteering with a nonprofit organization or through a part-time job or simply offering your services to a company free of charge in exchange for a chance to learn how the business operates, can shed light on the inner workings of a particular
industry, showing you how things work behind the curtain. Testing the waters may affirm your belief that a certain line of work is for you, or it might send you back to the drawing board. Either way, it is valuable experience that may reassure you that whatever decision you ultimately make is the right one. • Do not go it alone. Switching careers after 50 carries some risk, but it is certainly a risk that many before you have been willing to take. If you know any people — a friend, family member or colleague — who has reinvented themselves professionally, then speak with that person and ask for advice. If you know you want out of your current career but are not sure what you want to do next, those who have faced a similar fork in the road may be able to help you narrow down your options. The notion of changing careers is exciting, and you can expect your personal and professional confidantes to share your excitement and be willing to help you in any way they can. Making a career change after 50 can be a risky yet ultimately rewarding move, especially for those men and women who take a thoughtful approach to finding their second careers.
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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | wednesDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014
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Tips for retirees traveling abroad (MS) —Men and women often dream of jetsetting around the world when they retire. Traveling the globe without worrying about timelines or what is going on back at the office is something many retirees reward themselves with after a life of hard work. As liberating as world travel can be, retirees still must exercise caution when traveling abroad. The following are a few safety tips for retirees who are ready to make their dream retirements a reality by setting off for parts unknown.
K eep in touch Escapism is a big part of the attraction of travel for travelers young and old. But while you may want to avoid contact with the outside world on your travels, it's still necessary to stay in touch with your loved ones. Retirees who plan to take extended trips overseas should purchase an international mobile phone plan that allows them to use their phones regardless of what country they happen to be in. A quick text message back home is all it takes to let your family know you are safe and having the time of your life. Work out a communication plan before departing, agreeing to contact them via phone call, email or Skype at least once a week for the duration of your trip. This is a good way to share your experiences and help your relatives rest easy knowing that you are safe. I mportant documents When traveling overseas, it can be convenient to keep important items like credit cards, passports, and identification in one place. However, storing all of your sensitive documents or financial items in one place is very risky, as a lost or stolen bag can leave you without identification or access to your funds. When traveling, couples should carry their own passports on their persons and split up credit cards. This way you still have access to your funds, and one of you still has identification should items be lost or stolen. Do
your homework Unplanned day trips are common among travelers who have been traveling for
long periods of time. While such jaunts can add an element of spontaneity to a trip, they also can be quite dangerous if travelers have not done their homework on a particular destination. You do not want to end up in a place where tourists are not welcome or frequent targets of criminals. In addition, you don't want to visit a city or town and know nothing of its customs or etiquette. For example, locals may react negatively to visitors who have ignored accepted local standards for attire. You can still make spontaneous trips, but make sure you gather some background information on a given locale and its customs before visiting.
S tay healthy Make sure your health will not be compromised. Retirees cannot travel in the same manner they did in the carefree days of their youth. Before traveling abroad, visit your physician and get a full physical. Refill any medications you will need during your trip, and speak with your physician about how to handle any medical emergencies while overseas. Carry the contact information of your physician with you at all times, so local medical profession-
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als can contact him or her should you experience a medical emergency. Once you have arrived at your destination, continue to prioritize your health. Make sure the water is safe to drink, and investigate local cuisine to ensure it will not enflame any existing medical conditions. The quality of medical care varies greatly across the globe, so you must pri-
oritize your health whenever leaving the country and avoid anything that might put your health in jeopardy.
T ravel
companions Travel with friends or family if possible. If you have friends or family who also are retirees with time on their hands, organize a group trip abroad. Groups are less likely to be targeted
by criminals than couples, and overseas trips with friends or family members can make trips overseas that much more memorable and enjoyable. Overseas travel is a popular goal of men and women on the verge of retirement or those who have already called it a career. But safety must remain a priority when traveling abroad.