Gen Now | November 2022

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GEN

NOW

Medicare Open Enrollment October 15–December 7

JABA has FREE, unbiased counseling, so you can choose a plan that will best cover your medications and save you money.

Don’t risk it, make an appointment with a volunteer counselor.

Call (434) 817-5248 or visit jabacares.org/medicare-counseling

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Jefferson Area Board for Aging

@cville_culture

Odds are you need a new plan.

More than 5 out of 10 people need to change Medicare Part D Prescription Plan or Medicare Advantage plans during Open Enrollment to cover their prescriptions.

November 30 - December 6, 2022 c-ville.com

C-VILLE’s Monthly Guide to Navigating Senior Living Options in Central Virginia

Giving isn’t only good, it’s good for you.

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At Our Lady of Peace, the health and well-being of our residents remains—as always—our top priority.

Welcoming new residents!

Call today to learn more about the compassionate care, lovely apartments, wonderful amenities, and active, family-oriented lifestyle that makes our community one-of-a-kind.

What Residents Are Saying “Here I feel safe, loved, respected, and not alone.”

Barbara Allison, Our Lady of Peace Resident

Residential Living • Assisted Living Memory Care • Nursing Care

434-973-1155 our-lady-of-peace.com

November 30 - December 6, 2022 c-ville.com

@cville_culture

facebook.com/cville.weekly

751 Hillsdale Dr. | Charlottesville Coordinated Services Management, Inc. Professional Management of Retirement Communities Since 1981

small pet friendly

Charlottesville’s premium in-home care provider “We found Commonwise after struggling to find reliable care. We felt the difference immediately and they have provided a consistently high level of service ever since. Every caregiver has been delightful and professional.”

To learn more about Commonwise, call 434-202-8565 or visit commonwisecare.com

Numerous studies have shown that volunteering in later life can improve your health and happiness, and it is perhaps the most effective and satisfying way to have an impact on your community. However, you also can make an impact with your charitable giving, and you don’t have to be super-rich to do it.

In fact, like volunteering, giving money actually might improve your health and well-being, too.

Studies highlighted by the National Institutes of Health have found that receiving money lights up pleasure centers in the brain. Of course, that’s really no surprise. However, they also discovered that giving away money, especially to a good cause, lights up those same pleasure centers. What’s more, when giving is voluntary and doesn’t feel like an obligation, the pleasure is even greater.

And that’s especially true among seniors. A 2015 study by Merrill Lynch showed that older Americans overwhelmingly define success by how much they’ve given, not by how much they’ve made. Those who give more also reported higher levels of happiness and a sense of purpose.

Perhaps that’s why, according to Giving USA, almost half of the volunteer hours given, and more than 40 percent of the money given to charities, comes from older Americans.

So, now that you know that giving makes you feel good, and is likely good for you, what next?

Decide what causes are important to you. Experts suggest choosing up to five charities and focus on those. And bring a sense of commitment to the task, no matter what percentage of your income you plan to give. You’ll feel more invested in the causes you are supporting.

Perhaps there’s a cause close to your heart, like supporting research on a type of cancer a friend or family member struggled with, or a local organization whose good work you have seen firsthand. Or maybe you’ve always felt strongly about helping homeless, battered women, or children around the world suffering from malnutrition. Experts say it’s actually a good idea to write down a personal mission statement about what is important to you and

how you would like to help.

Now do a little research. Check out Guidestar.org, where you can look at the financials of nonprofits. Or the Better Business Bureau’s Give.org, which ranks charities. At Givewell.org and Myphilanthropedia.org, you can find actual reviews of charities.

Next, choose your charities, how much you want to donate and how often, setting aside a little bit for impulse giving for a new cause that moves you. Also, look for opportunities to simplify your giving by signing up for recurring donations that automatically charge your debit card or bank account.

If you really want to get serious, think about setting up a charitable gift annuity, a donor-advised fund or a family foundation. Some nonprofits will contract with you for what’s called a charitable gift annuity, in which you hand over substantial cash or property to a nonprofit and in return you get a set amount of annual income for life. Not a bad idea for those on fixed incomes, and there are some good tax benefits as well. Plus, you can leave a legacy that will work for the nonprofit after you’re gone.

A donor-advised fund is an account you set up with a financial services firm or community foundation. The distributions are then allocated and directed to the charities you choose. And you don’t have to be rich to do this. Most of these accounts, even at big firms, are less than $25,000 and as little as $5,000.

Finally, why not get the whole family in on the action? Starting a family foundation dedicated to a cause, or causes, can be a great way to have a lasting impact on the things you care about. Again, you don’t have to be wealthy to start a family foundation, and, over time, family foundations can become a powerful force for giving that no one in your family could have done alone. What’s more, you can leave a legacy of charitable giving that will continue into the future.

See? Now, don’t you feel better already?

David McNair handles communications, media relations, and social media efforts for JABA.